Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or NCIS or any of their characters. I do however own this story, I wrote it and I do NOT give permission for anyone to post it anywhere else. If you want to share it post a link.
-o0o-
Hadrian, Tim and Teddy had a quiet Yule celebration on the 22nd. Hadrian had harvested a log from one of the old trees on the Boston estate that had blown over during the winter storms and decorated the house with holly and mistletoe. And served roast pork with apples, nutmeg and cinnamon cookies and alcohol free eggnog and cider. Tim was surprised to see how many Christmas traditions were actually much older parts of the pagan celebration of the winter solstice. Hadrian gave Teddy the gifts his grandmother had put away for her grandson and shared with Tim the gifts she'd bought for him. Teddy was sad at the reminder of his grandmother but Tim reassured Hadrian that he'd done the right thing in reminding the little boy how much Andi had loved him.
"What other things do people do to celebrate Yule?" Tim asked.
"Well they go from house to house wassailing and bearing gifts of apples and oranges and evergreens. And of course, there is decorating the evergreen Yule tree" Hadrian said gesturing to their Christmas tree.
"Wassailing?" Tim asked.
"Drinking, partying and singing. Like the carollers but different songs of course. Andi used to sing to Teddy but I don't know the songs she sang."
I could try to look up some wassailing songs if you wanted" Tim offered knowing that this was a piece of Hadrian's heritage that he'd lost when his father died.
"I'm not much of a singer and if Teddy's to go to a mundane primary school he'd be better of learning Christmas carols than pagan worshipping" Hadrian replied. "It's okay, I was brought up Christian though I have to admit I'm more of an agnostic. I gave up believing as a child, I'd always prayed that someone would come and take me away from the Dursleys and when nobody did I couldn't see the point in praying any more. But I want Teddy to grow up believing in Santa and all the other good things about Christmas."
"You want to take him to church Christmas morning?" Tim asked.
Hadrian shrugged. "I hated church as a kid all the people staring at me, you could almost feel the dislike pouring out of them" he replied. "I know now that it was because Vernon and Petunia lied to everyone about what a horrible child I was but I didn't understand at the time. All I know was they were like the Dursleys and I couldn't trust any of them. But find me a church where I can introduce you as my husband and hold your hand while walking in without getting any dirty looks then I'll happily give it a try."
"That's a no for this year then" Tim conceded.
"Teddy's going to face enough prejudice and discrimination for having two Dads without us taking him to places that encourage it" Hadrian replied.
"We'll help him deal with it" Tim promised. "At least he'll always know we both love him. I'll do some investigating and we'll find a school that he'll be safe at."
-o0o-
Because Tim was working Christmas day and Teddy was too young to know the difference, Tim and Hadrian decided that for them Christmas this year would fall on the twenty-sixth instead. They had debated going to Boston as soon as Tim finished work and having Christmas there but Hadrian wanted to have Christmas in their own home. He and Teddy spent several days while Tim was at work apparating to Boston to take care of wedding details and everything that could be done before the day had been completed. The elves had done a fantastic job of rewiring the parts of the house they'd be using and would be rewiring the rest in the new year. The conservatory looked even better than the illusion Quincy had shown them and his helpers had also managed to string bud lights in various pastel colours though the branches of the deciduous trees that could be seen out the windows. It looked magical with the snow on the ground. The tables had all been set up and the loungeroom was also finished and refurnished in case it was snowing on the day. Both areas had been tastefully decorated, the cake was in stasis in the pantry, the champagne chilling, the menu finalised and preparation for the cooking well underway, flights and transport from the airport for their guests organised, even the suits for the wedding had been taken to Boston and laid out in the rooms allocated for them to get ready in. All the two men had to do was arrive.
'Christmas' morning started early, almost two early for the men that had spent most of the night putting together a tricycle and climbing equipment. Tim and Hadrian were almost more excited than Teddy who really didn't understand the whole thing. They'd bought permanent play equipment to replace the conjured climbing toy in the ballroom partly to give him a new challenge and partly because the time was coming when Hadrian would have to limit the amount of magic he was using as his pregnancy progressed. They also bought ride on toys and puzzles and more story books. Of course, like all small children Teddy's favourite plaything was the boxes the toys came in which he happily built a fort with. Hadrian had made finger foods that he could heat up quickly for breakfast not wanting to miss out on a minute of their first Christmas with Teddy. That turned out to be a good thing as Teddy was too excited to settle down long enough to eat. The three of them spent the morning playing, Hadrian had done as much of the preparation for Christmas dinner as he could in advance while Teddy had napped the day before but decided to let the house elves cook the meal so he could spend the day with his family.
They sat down for their feast, there was really no other way to describe it, about three after Teddy woke up from his nap. Hadrian and Tim had also laid down while Teddy was sleeping. They hadn't intended to actually sleep but the late night combined with the pregnancy soon had Hadrian dozing off and Tim rapidly followed. Tim felt guilty about the excess but Hadrian reassured him that the elves could put the leftovers in stasis until they got back from Boston, or could deliver them to one of the homeless shelters if Tim preferred it.
They ate too much as everyone does at Christmas and spent a quiet afternoon, the three of them cuddled up on the couch watching Christmas movies on the television. As soon as Teddy was asleep they put him to bed and spent the rest of the evening making love.
-o0o-
They apparated to Boston first thing next morning for one final meeting with the celebrant. He'd been quite impressed with the level of agreement in the two's future plans and dreams, their philosophies towards child rearing and their attitude towards their relationship. They also discussed Tim's reservations about their financial contributions to their marriage and home and Hadrian pointed out that as a percentage of their income he actually invested less than Tim. Needless to say Tim wasn't impressed with the argument, though he understood that trying to bring up a family on only his wages would be an unnecessary hardship. In the end the celebrant was impressed with the level of compromise and understanding they'd reached. Tim would contribute what he could to their relationship and Teddy and their expected new baby and Hadrian valued his contributions financial and non financial seeing them as equal partners in everything. Hadrian had offered to put money into an account for Tim so he could make financial decisions for them too but Tim declined saying that it would still feel like Hadrian's money.
"That's how I feel too! I have all this money people died and left me but it still feels like their money. I certainly have done nothing to earn it. And other than supporting Andi, helping Ron and Hermione with their expenses, the house and the renovations here I haven't spent anything except my salary since I started working at nineteen" Hadrian said.
"I guess it's just the house in DC and all this that hit me" Tim said. "I didn't even realise how much money you had until you bought the house."
"If it really makes you uncomfortable I can sell it and we'll move somewhere smaller. There's a house near Jimmie's I saw the other night for sale that might be worth a look" Hadrian offered. "I can't sell this place, it's entailed but I could rent it out or turn it into a private hotel and function centre if you know someone you'd trust to run it."
"No I wouldn't want the hassle of trying to oversee a business like that from a distance" Tim replied. "I know it seems a pity to leave it empty most of the year but I don't know what else to do with it."
"I looked into it. We could lease it to the historical society to show, or dig up all the garden and lease the land to the farmer behind us for crops or cattle" Hadrian replied. "That or hopefully one of our children or grandchildren will want to live in it one day. It would make a bit of an extravagant housing option for Teddy and his friends if he ever got into MIT."
Tim laughed at the idea of such a fancy house becoming student accommodation, it was a bit too far from the universities but without rent to pay that wouldn't matter.
"I don't think this is an issue that can be resolved" Tim told the celebrant. "It was good to talk about it openly and it helps that Hadrian understands what I'm feeling. I honestly don't think this is going to be a problem going on."
"What about you Hadrian, do you think that knowing Tim is uncomfortable with your money will curb your spending, and if it does will you resent Tim for his feelings?" the celebrant asked.
"Honestly no" Hadrian replied. "If he was being unreasonable and wanting us to rent a two bedroom apartment rather than live in a house it would be different but I don't have extravagant tastes I'm happy living a quiet middle class life. It's really all I've ever wanted."
"Okay then. I think you're ready to get married tomorrow. Have you chosen your vows?" the celebrant said cheerfully.
"Yes these" Tim said handing over a printed copy of the vows they wanted. After much discussion, they had decided to use the same vows as they used for their bonding. They said everything they wanted to promise to each other and it didn't make sense to add to them. They had tried saying them with Tim's phone recording them and Teddy and Tollie watching to make sure that repeating the vows didn't cause another flash of magic, which it didn't.
"These are lovely" the celebrant said. "It is quite a commitment to make. Have you decided which of you will go first?"
They both shook their heads "It doesn't matter to me" Hadrian said.
"Me either" Tim agreed.
"Yes but it is best to have these things sorted out before the wedding" the celebrant replied.
The couple looked at each other for a moment each wanting to be sure it really didn't matter to the other. Finally, Tim pulled out a quarter, "heads or tails?" he asked.
"Tails" Hadrian replied grinning.
"You can't decide these things by tossing a coin" the celebrant exclaimed horrified. "Go and discuss it and let me know tomorrow before the ceremony. Now how are you planning to start the service is one of you going to wait at the front for the other?" he asked avoiding the phrase walk down the aisle.
"I don't like the idea of one of us waiting at the front for the other like a groom waiting for a bride" Tim replied.
"The conservatory only has one entrance" Hadrian said thoughtfully. What if we meet in the lounge outside the conservatory and enter together?" Hadrian suggested.
"And do you have a ring bearer? Or would you like me to hold onto the rings?" the celebrant asked.
"Tim and I will hold each other's rings" Hadrian said. He literally couldn't leave his head of house ring with another person for more than twenty-four hours without it returning itself to his bank vault in London not to mention that the ring would kill the celebrant if he tried to put it on.
"Well that seems everything sorted. Text me before the ceremony if you have any other questions or ideas otherwise I'll be in the conservatory waiting for you just before three o'clock" the celebrant said taking his leave.
As soon as he was gone Tim pulled out the coin, "Do you have a preference for saying you vows before or after me?" he asked.
Hadrian shook his head and Tim flipped the coin. "Tails, you're going first" he said smiling. Hadrian smiled agreeably and Tim text the celebrant the news.
-o0o-
Tim left just after an early lunch to pick his sister up from the airport. She'd be staying with them for a week before heading back to college to start the new semester. She had worried about intruding on the newlyweds but Tim reminded her that they'd been living together for the last two years and that he'd missed his little sister, who he'd been inviting to come for dinner or to stay the weekend since they moved into the house. Hadrian had decided not to go to the airport, partly because he wanted the siblings to have some time to themselves and partly because he knew that Tim's grandmother Penny was due in on a flight just twenty minutes after Sarah's. Hadrian and Sarah had been conspiring via telephone for the last few weeks and sworn each other to secrecy wanting to surprise Tim. Tim hadn't met either Sarah or Penny but felt he had got to know them both in organising this surprise for Tim but he didn't want to meet them for the first time in the middle of a busy airport. Not to mention that without being able to tell them about the wizarding world, and therefore house elves, they couldn't explain leaving Teddy at home alone.
Hadrian kept himself busy meeting with Quincy about further modernisation of the rooms they weren't going to use for the wedding, and general maintenance of the house and outbuildings that would need to be done over the next ten years. "The wardses needs updating. They's not so bad as yous house but they shoulds be done within the next twenty years" Quincy also told him.
"Can I set up with you or the goblins that they're done in say fifteen years time, or should I do it now so it doesn't get forgotton, how long do wards last anyway?" Hadrian asked.
"They's last about two hundred years if the house isn't attackeds. War wards should be addeds to every fifty years" Quincy replied.
"Does this house have war wards, and for that matter does our house in DC?" Hadrian asked.
"Yous house does" Quincy confirmed. "This house dids in the past but theys not be working now."
"Well we need to fix that. I should have asked you about them when we first saw the house" Hadrian said worriedly.
"I'se tells the house elfs to takes you all away if the house be attacked" Quincy suggested.
"Well that would certainly blow the statute of secrecy but if it kept everyone safe" Hadrian agreed.
"Do you know if I have any other properties in America?" Hadrian asked.
"Yous owns a beach shack in Hawaii ands a Ski lodge in Aspen but theys both be leased outs" Quincy replied.
-o0o-
"Tim?" Sarah yelled running up and jumping on her big brother.
"Sarah?" Tim said. "Get off?"
Sarah laughed. "You're looking good Tim" she said.
"So are you?" Tim said smiling. "Did you check luggage?"
"Yeah" Sarah replied. She'd checked a suitcase mostly so that she'd have a reason to keep Tim at the airport a little longer.
They collected her suitcase and Sarah insisted she needed a decent coffee before going anywhere. "Tim grumbled a little but indulged her. Sarah kept an eye on the arrival boards as she took her time with her coffee. Finally, as she finished it they were joined by an older woman.
"Penny!" Tim exclaimed, "You came!"
"You're getting married Tim, how could I stay away" Penny said kissing his cheek. "But I must ask are you sure Tim. Leg shackling is such a bourgeois concept."
"I'm sure Penny" Tim said chuckling.
"Well at least he doesn't sound like the perfect little wife" Penny said amused.
"You'll like him Penny" Tim said enthusiastically.
"Did you want coffee before we go?" Sarah asked. She'd never been as close to her grandmother as Tim had been, Tim had spent summers with the Admiral and Penny but by the time she was old enough to remember the Admiral had died and Penny had been travelling all over the globe.
"I do have some very good coffee at home and it is only twenty minutes" Tim said.
"Well how else was I supposed to delay you" Sarah said laughing.
"So I take it I don't need to ring Hades and have him make up a room for you?" Tim asked.
"No darling he's expecting me" Penny replied.
-o0o-
Hadrian was trying to distract himself from worrying about meeting Tim's family and the impression he was going to make. He was playing with Teddy in the ball room. Trying to use up some of the child's excess energy. Knowing airlines at this time of year and the fact that Tim was meeting two separate planes he didn't expect Tim back for another forty minutes or so.
It wasn't one of the rooms that had been renovated so there wasn't any electricity but the dance floor had been meticulously maintained and Hadrian was teaching Teddy to skate, sliding around in their socks. The little boy was shrieking with laughter so loudly that they didn't hear Tim arrive home.
Tim and his family followed the sound of laughter to the old ballroom. Taking in the scene Sarah laughed delightedly and pulled off her boots to join the boys sliding. Hadrian came to an abrupt halt and would have fallen if Tim hadn't been close enough to catch him.
"You need to be more careful" he said quietly. "You can't afford to fall over."
Hadrian leaned over as if to kiss Tim's cheek. "Cushioning charms" he whispered.
"Hades I'd like you to meet my father's mother Penny and my sister Sarah" Tim introduced, carefully avoiding the dreaded word 'grandmother'. "Penny, Sarah, this is my fiancé Hadrian and his godson Teddy."
"Pleased to meet you Penny, I'm glad you could come" Hadrian said holding out his hand. "Good to see you again Sarah."
Sarah looked surprised for a moment before remembering the young man she'd chatted with one night when she'd gone to have collect her laptop that Tim had fixed for her and he'd been called in to work unexpectedly. Hadrian said he lived upstairs and had offered to wait and meet her to give back the computer, he'd also packaged up the meal he said Tim had cooked for the two of them for her. "Were you dating my brother when we met?" she demanded.
"No I'd only just arrived in the country and Tim was one of the few friends I'd made" Hadrian replied. "I didn't remember meeting you until I saw you just now."
"Well it's good to finally meet you properly" Sarah said hugging him. Hadrian stuttered for a moment before hugging Sarah back.
"It is lovely to meet you" Penny said.
"State! Tim state" Teddy demanded going up to Tim.
"Hey Teddy" Tim said picking up the little boy, "Can you say hello to my sister Sarah and to Penny"
"Hello" Teddy said shyly.
"Hello little man" Penny said. "Where's your parents?"
"Tim and I are his guardians" Hadrian replied. "It's a long story."
"You're happy with this Tim?" Penny asked.
"Yes" Tim said certainly.
"You always wanted a family, that was my biggest concern when you said you were marrying a man" Sarah said happily.
"Yeah we're going to adopt a baby as well" Tim said giving them the cover story for the baby.
"You're on the waiting lists. I could help move you up the list in a couple of the countries I have connections in" Penny offered.
"That's not necessary. Our baby is already on the way" Hadrian said. "It's due in June."
"That's wonderful" Penny said sounding less than totally sincere though she was trying to smile.
"It is Tim" Sarah agreed hugging her brother and then surprising Hadrian by turning and hugging him as well.
"This room is great fun" Sarah said looking around the ballroom. "but isn't it a bit drab for a wedding?"
"We're not getting married in here we've only invited a handful of people, neither of us wanted anything big and fancy" Tim replied chuckling.
"This is rather a fancy house for a small wedding" Penny said.
"Two hundred years ago there were eighteen Potters living here plus I don't know how many servants" Hadrian said. "The estate's entailed so I can't sell it which seems particularly wasteful when you consider We were the first Member of the family to set foot here since it was reabsorbed by my branch of the family forty years ago."
"Do you have a grand house like this in England too?" Sarah asked curiously.
"No, Black Manor was destroyed in the war and never rebuilt" Hadrian said shrugging and some miserly Potter decided to move out of Potter Keep and let it fall down rather than paying the ruinous maintenance costs about five hundred years ago and enterprising descendants built rows of cheap rental housing over a lot of it."
"So do you have a title?" Sarah asked.
"Several obsolete titles, nothing that's in current use" Hadrian replied, not mentioning that it was he himself that chose not to use the titles.
"How can one person have several titles" Sarah huffed.
"Usually by being the sole survivor of more than one titled ancestor" Tim said abruptly. "I'm sure Hades would rather have family members to invite to the wedding than a list of names and titles."
"Speaking of families did you invite your mother and father? When are they arriving?" Penny asked.
"I didn't!" Tim said.
"I thought you and Thomas were finally getting along" Penny said.
"We're on civil speaking terms precisely because he doesn't know about my lifestyle choices" Tim said bluntly.
"You really believe he'd be so prejudiced?" Sarah said sadly.
"Not believe, know" Tim said sadly.
Tim had decided to attempt to invite his parents to the wedding. They'd met with the Admiral when he was in town recently and introduced Hadrian and invited him to the wedding. Things had gone badly and Hadrian had obliviated the Admiral after he had disowned Tim and tried to assault him.
Hadrian had apparated them both to Hawaii after healing the bruises on Tim's face so he could visit his mother. Tim hadn't even been able to bring up Hadrian and their engagement. Heather had refused to keep anything secret from her husband no matter how much Tim tried to explain that knowing would cause Thomas to disown his son permanently this time. He'd called Hadrian and got her to obliviate the whole visit from her mind after Heather had confessed to agreeing with Thomas that Tim should have his magic bound.
"What about your mother, are you really going to deny her the chance to see her only son get married?" Penny asked.
"Why do you care? You don't even like Mom?" Sarah said.
"I'll admit Heather and I have had our differences over the years" Penny agreed. "But Tim, not having your parents here is something you may regret for the rest of your lives."
"Mom wouldn't come without the Admiral, and he wouldn't come once he found out Hadrian was a man" Tim said uncompromisingly. "Don't argue with me on this Penny. You know I'm right. How you could bring up a son so bigoted as Thomas McGee I'll never know."
Penny went to speak again but Tim held up his hand to silence her.
"I'll show you to your rooms" Hadrian offered. "Have you had lunch or should I ask the cook to send you up a light meal?"
A/N: Thank you to Rori Potter, buterflypuss, acherongoddess, Almonda, julschristine975, ThePizzaManToughtMe, geetac, Kourtney Uzu Yato, Dedicated4reading, charm13insomnia, ElysiumPhoenix, lilly-flower15, .9, Bella216, lia (Guest), xDarklightx, Firehedgehog, DS2010, Locket1, Gracie15Trowa, Maben00, Village-Mystic, DevilishAngel666, serenityselena, Guest, Merlenyn, PercyJacksonROCKS4ever, Silvermane1, livingwitchfun, Darknessthorn, Winnipegstorm, sweetcookies82, carissacrain, Rain-Insanity, , mare01, thecresentrose, ECK24, utopie-chan, zero02, snowstorm67, USA-Jeanette, Lord Curly, kira690, nemolous, Starlitmagic, almost-alive, griffincub, fitzie, tvxq1gurl, Black Sparrow, cwalla22, wolfco and ageb32 for your support.
