Hey everyone,
So this chapter won't focus on it being Christmas in Ariador just yet. Instead, we are going to give a proper ending to Christmas Eve and are going to further solidify the bonds between Hari, Draco, Snuffles and Lupin just a little more. And trust me, I just know that I am going to LOVE writing this chapter very, very much.
Hihi, let's have fun,

Venquine1990
PS. Inspiration comes from Leonette, check out their stories.

24th of December 1977
The Tower, Ariador
Hari's POV

Dinner is over and we are returning back to the tower and back to our rooms, yet there are a few things that are on my mind and when we are nearing the floor that is meant for everyone bar my family and Snuffles, do I decide to speak my mind and ask: "Grandpa, does Draco now have the same rights as Snuffles?"
And the man looks at me as I say: "As he is my mate and all that. Does that count?" At which the man smiles and says: "That is up to you, kiddo. If you feel it should count and that Draco has the right to our floor, your acceptance will be recognized by the magic of the tower. Personally, I think he has quite earned the right."
At which Draco looks shocked and grandma nods in agreement before she says: "Suppressing your inner needs because of the war and then later because you knew your mate needed time. That earns respect, Draco, it really does." And everyone around me nods before the boy smiles at me and I happily reach out to him.

The boy happily grabs my hand and I lead him up, past the floor he slept at the other night and over to my own floor, both our smiles widening when no magic seems to desire stopping him, yet when we reach my room, do I notice that, for some reason, Snuffles has followed us and that he has managed to take Lupin with him.
This is something I find most curious and I ask: "Is something wrong?" But the two shake their heads and Lupin says: "We – we just felt we owed you – an explanation." Yet this confuses me and Snuffles shocks me as he says: "Hari, Draco – he's not the only Shadow Veela in this here group. Sirius and I are Veelas as well. And we have mates."
And instantly my head switches between the two rapidly, my eyes wide and my mind swirling with all kinds of thoughts and crazy ideas before I ask: "But – but – but –." Only for Snuffles to ask: "Please, can we – can we go inside – and talk?" And I nod, my mind still running several miles per hour in order to understand this.

We all move into my room and Snuffles and Lupin move two chairs over to my bed, while I myself make sure to guide Draco onto it, cuddling his form against my own and feeling amazed when, just by the way that he moves closer against me, I feel my crazy thoughts coming to a halt and my shock wearing off somewhat.
"Is this one of his Veela abilities? Or is this the bond responding to our close proximity?" I wonder to myself as I wrap an arm around the boy's upper back, the sight of him so close to my own person and lying on this bed with me making me feel warm and content in ways I haven't felt in the longest of time before I change my focus.
Lupin and Snuffles are sitting on both sides of my bed, which makes me raise an eyebrow at them as I can't understand why two people that are destined for each other would want to be apart, a thought that again makes me want to look at Draco as it reminds me of how hard he worked to keep us apart, just for our own safety.

Yet I ignore this desire and just tilt my head at them as Lupin says: "Hari, I just want to say that most of the reason as to why you never knew that Snuffles, who is a Shadow Veela and the Submissive of Moony, and I were meant for each other is because of me. I made decisions in the – well, next coming years that led to this fact."
This confuses me and Lupin says: "When Snuffles and I graduated, it took us a few months to discover that, somehow, our relationship stayed a Hogwarts secret; one that none of the students, not even the newly recruited Death Eaters or spies that worked for Riddle told anyone outside of the castle, not even at Hogsmeade.
However, even when we were dating, Snuffles and I often hung around as if we were still friends and not beloveds and when Moony and I realized that our relationship had remained a Hogwarts secret, Moony believed that fighting the war as friends would increase our survival chances and Snuffles, the Order and I agreed with him.

The fact that we had been friends and mates at the same time made it easy for us to go back to how we were before we started dating and things, for the most, looked to be going pretty great. Only – then came my missions with the Order, where I had to try and convince Werewolf packs to either remain neutral or join our side in the war.
This meant that I spent more time away from the Order and my pack than with them and I actually got lucky if I managed to join in on one of their birthday parties and even more lucky that I got to return from one mission just two days before you were born. And these long periods of time away from Snuffles – came with hurdles."
By now most of my confusion over all of this has lessened and instead I feel more pride and amazed respect for the two men in front of me than I have felt in a long time before Lupin says: "Moony started to worry that our longer and longer periods of time apart – could affect Snuffles, especially because he is a Shadow Veela."

This slightly confuses me and Snuffles says: "I'll explain that one later." At which I nod before Lupin sighs in self-hate and says: "As you can guess, that concern of mine, that Snuffles could get affected by the war and his own nature in a negative way; it felt like those concerns got confirmed when Halloween happened.
That was why it was so simple for me to believe that – that Snuffles really was the traitor; I believed it was my fault and that I should have refused some of the missions, just to spend time with him and strengthen our bond once again. And of course, when we reunited in your Third, Snuffles was none too happy with my explanation."
At this I nod and Snuffles continues as he says: "I know you're not going to like hearing this, but I was so angry at Moony for doubting me – me of all people – that I forbade him from staying in contact with you. I know that sounds wrong, but – I feared for you and I worried that he would pull something similar.
That he would hurt you like he hurt me. I told him not to contact you until I was once again certain that he knew where his loyalties should lie and until I felt ready to trust him again. And before you say anything, if I couldn't trust him as my mate, how was I supposed to trust him as a guardian of the only son I ever wanted?"

At this I really want to snap at him and object, yet his words do make sense and I do find myself agreeing that Snuffles has more rights to Lupin and what he does in life than I do before Lupin sighs and says: "And then – your Fourth year happened and the first thing Dumbledore asked me after – was to resume my earlier missions.
Should I have refused? Of course, but I didn't. Did I make sure to change how I performed in those missions? Of course I did. I may have been the only one suited for such missions, but I had learned from my earlier mistakes and I wasn't going to give myself any reason to start feeding those concerns and fears once more.
And then the end of your Fifth happened and a few weeks after that I got a letter; a letter Snuffles had left for me in case I outlived him. It was filled with orders on how I was to live my life and – and I would like to think that I followed most of them. I tried to be happy, live my life to the fullest – and care for you where I could."
Here Lupin snickers and says: "Incredibly enough, there was even an order in that letter telling me to continue the Black-Lupin line we had always dreamed of and – heh – that is what led me into Tonks' arms and what led to Teddy. And that is the whole story, Hari, secrets, beliefs, concerns and breaking of trust between partners.
That's why Snuffles and I never told you we were together; there was just constantly something that made it better we kept to ourselves and, at first, rebuild our bond as friends and after that stayed friends for the sake of the war. Did it make us happy? Not me, it didn't. Was it a necessary evil? I'd like to believe so."

By now I am nodding in understanding with the man and I ask: "So, what now? I mean, I haven't seen your younger selves –." Yet then Snuffles says: "Sirius and Remus have already noticed that we're not together and they're acting as if they're friends cause they wanted to give us a chance to explain this all to you first.
As for what now? Well –." Here the man turns to his werewolf mate before he turns back to me and says: "We're leaving that to you. If you feel uncomfortable with us being together, we'll just –.""ARE YOU TWO CRAZY?" I shout in utter shock, my eyes wide and the two look at me just as shocked before I continue:
"You seriously think I want you two unhappy? You're meant for each other! How can you even think I would want you two unhappy like that? Do you guys even know me?" Yet before I can continue my rant, do I suddenly feel something absolutely divine; Draco has laid his head in my neck and is softly blowing against my skin.
I have no idea why, but the feeling of his breath against my skin there makes me shudder in delight before I lean back against the headboard, having shot up in my shock earlier and with slightly lidded eyes, do I see the two men before me smile at me before I softly mutter: "If you two don't get back together – you're idiots."
And with that do I lean further down, cuddling into the covers lying under me and pulling Draco alongside me, the blonde still softly blowing in the side of my neck as he goes down with me and under the grateful gazes of my godfather and his mate and the tender care of my own Veela mate, do I feel myself falling asleep.

Draco's POV

When Hari allowed me onto the royal floor and into his room it instantly made me decide to prove myself worthy of the blessing Snuffles gave me and I happily joined him on the huge bed that is against the right wall, loving the feeling of how caring and protectively Hari pulls me against him and wraps an arm around me.
I then listen to the tale of his two guardians from our old timeline and the idea of using a Hogwarts secret to the advantage of the war and against the benefit of a good bond between mates shocks and amazes me and the slight sense of respect I've had for the werewolf since he was my teacher skyrockets as I hear this.
I also understand and feel for the man as he tells me of the struggles he faced as the war caused him to spend less and less time with those he loves – another something I know all too well during the war I faced – and finally of why he didn't do anything when my uncle was accused of having betrayed House Potter to the Dark Lord.

Yet at the same time do I understand where Lord Black comes from when they explain why they didn't get back together after their reunion in our Third and while I hate how someone else is deciding to keep loved ones away from my mate, do I understand the reasoning Lord Black had when he kept Lupin and Hari apart.
I then smirk when I hear of what my Uncle did after my crazy-as-heck aunt took his life and considering that I have met Teddy and that I know Lupin died in a fight where he tried helping Hari, do I indeed agree with the man when he says that he believes to have followed the orders left to him by his late Veela mate.
Yet when the two tell my own mate that it will be up to him on whether or not they get back together, do I feel like cursing them both for their act of idiotism as the fact that they believe Hari wanting them apart and miserable proves me that Hair is in his right to shout at them and that their past is still affecting the bond they share.

And so I decide to perform my duty as the Prince's mate and while I wonder how I even know that this will work, do I move myself slightly up Hari's body and do I start to draw a warm breath before blowing it out against the skin on the side of his neck, just slightly and to the side of his Adam's apple, which moves as he rants.
Yet as I blow my warm breath against his skin, does the boy lean back down from where he shocked us both upwards and while I love that he keeps his arm strongly around my upper back and thus moves me alongside him as he goes to lie down, do I silently agree with the last statement he utters before falling asleep.

And the fact that I managed to calm my mate into a restful sleep makes the Veela within me whistle with glee before I cast a quick spell around him, making it so that he can't hear me speak as I turn to the two men in front of me and say: "I have no idea how I knew that would work, but I do agree with him; you two are idiots.
You know Hari and you know how important it is to him that those he loves are happy, though I think we both know why two people who know him so well would think that." And the two nod as Snuffles says: "It's the bond. We've been forcing it into a stasis state for so long, it makes us doubt if we're even still meant for each other."
At this I nod and say: "Not just that, but you both have things in your pasts that took place in the last 20 years that make you worry that, if the other hears of those events, they will create an even further wedge between you two. Your time apart and the things you've survived through are things that are breaking the bond apart."
At this I look back at Hari and say: "That's why I'm so glad that my bond with Hari is only 2 years old; it still has a good chance of fighting through the hardships of war and come out on top. With you two – well, you don't have one war of horrors that could kill the bond you have; you have two; the second worse than the first.

The question is: are you two willing to face those hardships and work them through together – or would you rather keep them to yourselves and have them break what is left of your bond?" I then ask the two and they look at each other before Snuffles says: "Let's wait till Hari wakes." And instantly I know he's up to something.
Yet while Lupin seems scared of the man's obvious decision to this new plan of his, does Snuffles prove me that the man is really a Gryffindor at heart as, when they leave, Snuffles firmly grasps Lupin's hand and gives the man a comforting smile before they leave the bedroom, me moving back to cuddle with my mate.

The next morning
25th of December 1977
Draco's POV

Sunlight streams into my face as I feel my body waking up, yet I also feel much colder than I did last night and I shiver softly before opening my eyes, not really recognizing the room I am in, yet because I didn't really recognize my room yesterday upon waking either, do I not really care for this; until I realize that I'm not alone.
Instantly my eyes widen and look down, yet the sight that meets my gaze calms me down just as quick. Hari is cuddling against me, his body lying in a way that makes him look much younger than he actually is and his face showing a level of calm tranquility I have never seen on his face in all the years I've known him.
"I did that. I caused him to feel like that." Goes through my mind and I smile in pride at this before I notice that the boy is lying against me in a silent request for comfort and protection and part of me thinks: "Who's the Submissive here?" Yet I can't even get mad at this as the fact that Hari wants me to keep him safe delights me.

"You two look adorable." I suddenly hear someone say and when I look up, I see Snuffles and Lupin coming in, again holding hands as they walk and Snuffles being the one who said this, which makes me feel even better as it reminds me of the advice the man gave me the other night as well as his blessing before he asks:
"Could you wake him? I need him present for what I have planned." And I nod at him before moving one hand off the boy's back and over to his hair, my fingers threading through the locks softly with a loving touch and slowly but surely does my touch cause the boy to wake, blinking his eyes against the light before he looks around.
It takes him only a few minutes to notice that we are lying together and that we are still in the same cloths as the other day as well as lying above the sheets – which I guess is why I felt so cold before – yet then Sirius shocks me as he says: "Merry Christmas, Hari." And instantly I feel like an idiot for forgetting the date.

"Christmas?" Hari asks and Snuffles answers: "Yep. It's the 25th of December here, so Christmas." And instantly Hari whitens before he says: "But – but – but –." And Snuffles says: "But none of us have gifts. No problem. Isn't spending time with loved ones in a safe, warm place the very embodiment of Christmas?"
And instantly my mate calms down, smiling at his godfather, who then wraps an arm around his mate and says: "And besides, I'd say we all got a pre-Christmas gift when those you lost were saved from death and when Lupin and I got those we lost in the last war back. And the others got an increase in their family, which is good too."
At this Hari smiles at the man and he says: "You're right, Snuffles. Merry Christmas." And Lupin and I repeat the phrase before Snuffles gives Lupin a kiss on the cheek and says: "Draco really is great, Hari. After you fell asleep, he helped us realize something important; the reason we thought we had to ask you that ridiculous question."

At this Hari tilts his head sideways and Snuffles says: "It's just because the two wars and our plan caused us both to go through things we'd rather not share with each other and now we've grown to fear that facing those events could break what little we have left of our bond. We were chickens and Draco pointed that out to us."
At this Hari rolls his eyes and says: "You could have just told me that." At which Lupin says: "We didn't feel like admitting it, even to ourselves." And Snuffles goes on as he says: "Like I said, Draco really is a great addition to this family. And speaking of which, I need to tell you guys something – about the day I died."
And instantly I feel Hari tensing up and I strengthen the hold I have on him, remembering what the older man told me of Hari having more demons than others as Snuffles turns to Lupin and says: "You remember what happened that day, right Moony? Before we got Snape telling us of what the kids had decided to do?"

Lupin nods and Snuffles takes a deep breath as he says: "You had just returned from your longest mission to date at that point, one that took from our last fire-talk with Hari all the way until that day and – and waiting for you for that long as well as our talk with Hari made me decide on something; something you may not like."
We all look at him and he says: "Right after I escaped Azkaban, I actually got the last letter Jaurion had left to me for after his death and – and it reminded me of a conversation we had had during one of your last missions of the other war. And in that conversation, which inspired me back in '96, I made Jaurion an important promise.
One that, in order for me to keep it, I had to sneak out of London back. And before you say anything, I got back without even Molly knowing I had been gone." This does seem to calm Hari and Lupin down and I ask: "Why did you have to leave? What is the connection between that talk, letter and – and that bitch's mistake?"

And both Hari and Lupin send me a grateful smile for my indirect mention of Snuffles being killed before the man in question says: "I'm getting there. Anyway, in April, after I realized that your mission would be your longest yet, I snuck out of London and headed for where Jaurion and Lindilwen were buried."
This shocks us all and the man nods as he says: "Yeah, Godric's Hollow. I went there, I grieved at long last and I – dug up their graves.""YOU DID WHAT?" We all shout and the man shouts: "I HAD TO!" Shocking us all before the man takes another deep breath, centering himself as well as regaining his courage and he says:
"Like I said, Jaurion had me promise him something just before he got killed and – and it concerned what I planned to do, that night that took my life. And – and now that I – I know that I have been saved from that certain death, I feel more determined to see my plan of that night through to the end than ever before."

By now I have just no idea what the man could have planned, what he could have possibly wanted to do the night he got killed by my lunatic of an aunt and I also worry for how much this might add guilt to Hari's conscience when he finds out what – in his eyes – his actions prevented his godfather from doing that fated night.
Snuffles then turns to Lupin and moves them both so that they are looking at each other directly as he says: "Lupin, Moony, Remy, I – I love you. I love you for who and what you are and I love that, after my death, you did indeed try to do everything I told you. But now, I want to do what Jaurion told me to do after his death.
We both got killed, we both got saved and we both can be the people that – other than his parents and grandparents – Hari can count on more than any others here in the castle and in all of Ariador. I also met your son and Teddy feels like mine whenever I gaze at him. What I'm trying to say is: Lupin, will you marry me?"

And this is something I really had not expected, especially after the challenge I gave him and Lupin the night before and like Hari, do I feel my mouth dropping just like how Snuffles drops down on one knee in front of the sofa he and Lupin are sitting on, pulling a square velvet box from his pocket and holding it open to his mate.
And as I look at the ring do I get why the man had to dig up the graves of his late friends as the ring in the box does not look like one Snuffles would pick for his mate and Lupin seems to realize the same as he asks: "Sn-Siri, are – is that?" And Snuffles answers: "Jamie's ring, just as he asked me if I were to outlive him."
This makes Hari reach for me in shock and I grab a firm hold on his hand as we both look at the wedding band in the box and Snuffles says: "We can always buy our own, my love, Jamie just wanted it so that – that he would live on through our love and I had him promise the same; that he would renew his vows if he outlived us.
But – that's not the point. The point is that I love you, that I love your son and that I know you love my godson. In heart, we're already family and what I want, more than anything in life, is if you would do me the honor of making it official as well. Please, my incredible, intelligent, caring werewolf love-love, please marry me."

And this seems to be what Lupin needs to hear as he jumps off the sofa he was on and while the ring falls out of the box and actually rolls under the bed, do neither men seem to care as they are lying on the floor at the foot of our bed, their lips locked in a searing kiss that proves that their love, while troubled, is still very, very strong.
Then suddenly I notice that Hari is no longer holding me as he is now on his front across the bed with his head under the blanket and he seems to be looking for the ring, yet the sight of his lithe frame lying across the bed makes me have to imagine my aunt together with Riddle, if only to keep my inner Veela from responding.
The boy then moves back up and his eyes are wide with amazement as they look at the small ring in his hand, the band golden and inlaid with rubies in the pattern of a snake across the entire length of the band with a single emerald in the shape of a heart at the top center, attributes that prove who Jaurion truly loved above all.

Hari himself seems mesmerized by the gorgeous bit of jewelry and he holds it in the center of his hand as he lets his other hand hover over it, never touching out of fear of it breaking or vanishing, but still close enough that the movement makes it tremble and turn here and there while lying on the palm of his hand.
"It really is a gorgeous ring." I tell him softly and he looks up at me before he seems to realize that he is in the same room with myself and his godfather and godfather's new fiancé as he smiles and nods before a playful smirk replaces the smile and he suddenly asks: "Hey lovebirds, you two want this back or what?"
And yet, he regrets this seconds later as suddenly, the two men on the floor have stopped kissing and have instead jumped on the back with a chorused shout: "GIVE IT!" And the way that they try to get it from my mate makes me know this will be the best Christmas yet; they tackle him and then start to tickle him senseless.

Outside of the room
Jaurion's POV

"GIVE IT!" I hear two voices shout inside my son's room and instantly I want to rush in, only to hear this shout being followed by a harmonious sound of pure amusement and when I realize that, whoever in the room, is actually playing with my son instead of attacking him, do I feel myself calming down and putting my wand away.
"Is something wrong?" I suddenly hear a voice behind me and I turn around, seeing Lindilwen stand there, her body aimed for the staircase down and I say: "I thought I heard someone shout in Hari's room.""Is he okay?" The girl asks and I turn back to the room as I hear my son's voice come through the door:
"Stop! Stop! You made me drop it! I don't have it! Have mercy! HAVE MERCY, PLEASE!" And this, accompanied by the fact that he is still laughing, sounds breathless and sounds as if he is laughing so hard he's crying makes me say: "I think he is. And whatever's happening in there – I don't feel sure I want to know."
And the girl nods before I join her heading downstairs, the last thing I hear coming from the room being the voice of Draco shouting: "HANDS OFF MY MATE ALREADY!" Making me shake my head and think: "Nope, I really don't want to know whatever the hell is going on in there." Before I walk further down.

Hey everyone,
So, what do you think? Was this a wondrous way to end off the other day and start Christmas or what? Personally, the one two points I love most about this chapter are the romantic points between Hari and Draco – from both of their points of view – and Jaurion going to check on his son before he decides not to.
So yeah, Lupin and Snuffles are now married and Lindilwen will soon be confronted with another little something that will prove that Jaurion really does love her. However, this artefact will actually make her a little more willing to accept the future that is Hari's past. Sadly enough, that acceptance won't last long.
Anyway, enjoy,

Venquine1990
PS. Inspiration comes from Leonette, check out their stories.