Hey everyone,
I know this is done many times by hundreds of other writers, but I still find it quite amusing that I am doing a Christmas chapter when we are so close to summer. Also, I am thinking of setting up a new series that is more or like Venquine's Mind, yet then more based on special annual events such as Christmas, Valentine and others.
How'd you like that,

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

25th of December 1977
The Castle, Ariador
Amyna's POV

"No reading today!" I state as soon as I see that all of those that have joined us in Ariador have sat down at the dining table and when everyone looks at me, do I say: "It's Christmas and, I know, Jaurion, Hari, none of you have managed to buy us Christmas Gifts, but the fact that we get to celebrate it together is enough."
This makes many of those around me smile in agreement, those that obviously survived the war of the future more than those who are staying safe at Hogwarts during the current war and then one of the servants standing at the door comes over and bows at the waist as he asks: "Your Grace, may I offer a suggestion for this special day?"
And when I nod at him, does he say: "With the help of the season, outside of the magical wards, our Elemental and Empathy Elves might just be able to create gifts from the snow." At which I smile and say: "That is a wonderful idea. Everyone, discuss who goes with Aldren when and we will share gifts tonight at dinner."

At which I see Lupin and Snuffles share a huge smile and then Snuffles says: "That sounds great, Your Grace, but Lu-Remy and I have already shared the best gift possible earlier this morning.""You mean that racket I heard when I wanted to check up on my son?" Jaurion asks, but Snuffles snickers and Lupin says: "No, this."
And to my shocked delight he shows a gorgeous golden band that has rubies inlaid in it in the shape of a snake slithering across the length of the ring and with an emerald heart at the center. "Wait, why does that ring – have my attributes?" Lindilwen asks and Lupin and Snuffles smile at each other as Hari answers her:
"Because dad made Snuffles promise him that Snuffles would let his love for you live on through the love Snuffles felt for Lupin and promise that he would use dad's wedding ring if Snuffles were to outlive him." And the sweet young girl's eyes widen at this as Jaurion nods and says: "Yeah, I can see myself do that."

At which his potentially future wife looks at him, shocked that Jaurion's love for her is so strong that he convinces his best friend to use his wedding band in a proposal to his own beloved and then Sirius asks: "So, we can go back to being boyfriends now?" At which Hari, Snuffles and Lupin nod before Hari happily says:
"Thank you. I have to admit, seeing you two together would have been really confusing and would have really made me wonder about Snuffles and Lupin. Thanks for giving them a chance to explain it to me." And the younger Black nods before Jaurion asks: "Lindilwen, permission for one romantic Christmas gift? Just one?"
Yet the only reason I can hear him ask this is because he is seated next to me with the girl next to him and the girl looks troubled for a second before she whispers: "Just one." Making Jaurion smile so widely, I whisper at her: "You're going to regret that, dear. If you restrict my family to one gift, they go all out, always."
And the girl groans at hearing this before we continue our dinner, many of those around me either discussing who gets to go with Aldren first or what they feel like giving some of the people sitting close to them, yet I can also easily discern a few of them commenting on how happy they are they get to celebrate Christmas in peace.

The Snow Garden
Aldren's POV

All of Ariador is in euphoria. When the King and Queen decided to keep their son and heir in the war-ridden country with them, we all started worrying that this would be the time where our whole kingdom would lose their royalty for once and for all, something that hasn't happened in thousands of thousands of years.
The last time it happened was just before the Founders created Hogwarts and we had chosen one of them to govern our great nation from the other side of the Wall while our several kingdoms worked on restoring everything our war against the Dark Creatures of our world, yet this decision has actually caused trouble for the other world.
Salazar Slytherin had everything in character and strength that made him a worthy Heir to the throne, yet it seems that his mental strength wasn't what we believed it to be as somehow, he started comparing our beasts with the Muggles of the time and it caused all kinds of strife between him and the other three Founders.

And so, when he left his friends and joined us in a permanent stay, did we decide to first put him through an extensive training to make sure he would never more consider one part of his kingdom more or less inferior or superior to another; something we never truly managed, yet just enough that Salazar was a decent king.
Yet, to our great surprise, upon the king's passing, did we discover that, during the great war with beasts, the last king before him had actually managed to send his newly born heir to the other realm and, by the time that Salazar met his maker, the Heir had grown into a man that, upon his return, proved worthy of his ancient line.
And ever since then has the crown remained in the hands of the Valivial Line – which in the other world is known as Potter-Peverell – and the royals have traveled between worlds several times, not just to continue the ruse of the Potter line, but to contribute to many great feats and events that took place in the other world.

Only one Heir to the line actually turned out to be a disappointment and when it was discovered that he initiated the events that lead to the Salem Witch hunts in 1692, his sister agreed to take over the crown from him and to birth one Heir for each of the other kingdoms in return that they would use their powers to execute her brother.
The King in question had believed that his kingdom had betrayed him, yet to the belief of everyone else it has always been the other way around as he betrayed all his Line stood for and with that betrayed our sacred history and so he had, upon his return been executed with help of the Guard, Music and Elemental Elves.

"And yet, both the Crown Prince and his Heir seems to be nothing like King Cronus; they seem to have more likely inherited Queen Arlia's kind heart and caring demeanor. And then that gorgeous ring that is now on Lord Lupin's finger. That the Crown Prince made himself a ring honoring the attributes of his beloved Princess."
These thoughts go through my mind when I see the first of the King's guests come over and the youngest of the redhead males says: "I need the Earth Elves, if you don't mind." This intrigues me and the young man whispers me what he has planned, his idea making my eyes widen at how caring his plan is for my prince.
"It shall be done." I tell him and he smiles widely before putting his finger on his lips as a sign that I can't tell anyone else about this before he leaves, yet to my utter shock do I get more and more requests like the redhead's as more and more of the time travelers come over to tell me what they want me to make for gifts.

"How loved is that young prince? What has he done to cause so many of them to be this loyal to him? And if he is – does he even realize it?" Goes through my mind as I take yet another request for a Christmas gift to the young prince and the blonde girl that told me her plan says: "He deserves it – more than he will ever know."
And this makes me look at her as she says: "Even when one has many true friends, it is easy to focus more on the negative treatment of hundreds of strangers instead of the positive treatment of the few. And unwanted fame as well as a horrid war can make that difference all the greater and harder to focus on the latter over the former."
At this I can't help but nod at her and then get shocked as she suddenly changes from an airy, kind, but dreamy kind of girl into a cold-hearted, sharp-minded warrior as she hisses at me and snarls: "If any war or strive ever comes to this land, never give Hari any initiative to believe that he is to fight – especially not alone."
And while I nod at her, do I feel my heart freezing over at the belief that anyone would force a boy as young as our prince into believing that he is to win a war all on his own and I silently vow to speak to our Royal army and get in contact with the armies of the other kingdoms to make sure they hear this and agree with my desired plan.

I then take the final few requests which come from those that are from this timeline and came here upon Merden's request with help of the King and Queen and again I get proven that the Valivial line really is considered royalty in the eyes of the Earthen people as the Black, Lupin and Pettigrew boy all ask for a gift for the Crown Prince.
Yet Crown Princess Lindilwen requests a gift for the boy named Severus Snape, who requests a gift that he can give both Lord Lucius and Crown Princess Lindilwen and while I would have refused this, is the size of the pair of gifts small enough that I deem it acceptable and finally did Lord Lucius also desire a gift for Lord Severus.
The last to request me a gift is the Crown Prince himself, yet he shocks me as he only wished for the Elemental Elves to help teach him how to merge his magic and Elemental ability into creating a single romantic gift for Crown Princess Lindilwen, yet he also desired me to make two gifts, one for Prince Hari and one for Lords Sirius and Snuffles.
And so, while I direct most of the Elemental Elves to the required tasks to see all of the other gifts taken care of, do I then start helping the Crown Prince in learning how to use his Wind Elemental ability to use his hands and his magic with much greater speed and to put together the gift he desires for his future bride.

That night
Lindilwen's POV

I won't deny it and say I'm not worried about whatever Valivial has in mind for a romantic Christmas, especially thanks to his mother warning me and the fact that he hasn't returned since he, as the last of us, decided to head for Aldren, but finally an hour before dinner starts does the royal Wind Elf comes back into the castle.
Yet instantly he asks: "Lindilwen, can you come over for a sec? Just before we all go out to share gifts?" And while I feel my concern for all this reach a new peak, do I follow him out of the room where he actually shows decent control over his new element by creating a tornado around us to keep others from overhearing us.
"Listen Evans." And just those two words shock me as Valivial has been making use of my new name ever since I came here and I realize that this isn't just to court me or something and I feel some of my concern get replaced with shocked relief – for which part of me feels guilty – before I focus on the lad as he continues and says:

"I've been working on my Christmas gift for you all day and – it gave me a good chance to review everything. Not just the last few years where I tried to both keep up my persona and impress you into giving me a chance at the same time, but also our interaction over the last few days and what we've learned from the books.
I've also reviewed everything I have found out about my boy and – I've come to a realization and a decision." This shocks and both worries and confuses me, even if the thoughtful, heartfelt tone with which the boy speaks actually makes me feel touched by how serious he seems to have taken today's activity and he says:
"What I did today, I did with that whole legend of the Rental Rose in mind and – regardless of where we are now, where we could be in 4 years from now and regardless of where Hari would want us to be, just because he loves us both that much – I would like it very much if you could take my gift for you with the same in mind.
The Rental Rose is something for which you need to wait a certain amount of time and – I would like it if you could do the same. Accept the gift, regardless of everything else, and then tell me how much this period of time is supposed to be. I will accept anything between one and 17 years – and I mean Mundane years, not Elven."

This whole speech shocks me as I had never expected Valivial to be this thoughtful and the boy says: "Look, the whole reason I am doing and saying all this is because, my reviewing has made me know that my gift to you might be a bit – okay really – fore bearing and even quite overwhelming, but – I do mean the essence of the gift.
However, if you give me a period of time, we pass through it and after that you still can't accept what we have read in the books as our future together, just know I have a back-up gift ready. And sorry, Evans, but that gift too will make you part of the family – just not in the same way. And no, I'm not telling you what it is."
And with that and the same cocky smirk I know him to always show the world – which part of me knows is because he still has trouble dropping the persona – on his face does the lad drop the soundproof barrier and move back into the dining room, leaving me with time to myself to contemplate his words and speech.

"You okay, Lindilwen?" I suddenly hear a colder voice ask me and I turn around, my eyes widening a second time when I see Severus standing in the doorway and he asks: "Valivial hurt you?" But I shake my head and say: "He just wanted to tell me why he's been gone all day. Apparently he's had some time to think everything through."
At this the boy tilts his head and I sigh as I take a seat on a small side staircase and the lad comes to lean against the banister as I say: "He's apparently been thinking about our past, our potential future and how we've both been responding to learning about that future and – how he's implanted his hopes for that into his gift.
He told me he has learned to accept that I am facing trouble accepting the future written down in the books, so he made his present to me with the Rental Rose in mind. No, not like that, Severus, he meant the way that the Rose requires patience and a certain period of time. He even offered me to set such a period of time."

Here the lad tilts his head in interest and I say: "He told me that I should accept his gift regardless of everything and that, in return, I can – I guess – give him a Courting period or something and if, by the end of that time, I still don't want to accept the essence behind his gift, he will just give me a different gift instead and accept it.
He did say that the other gift would make me a Valivial in another manner, but he – Severus, he told me I could set a time period of 17 years if I wanted." This makes Severus' eyes widen and I sigh as I say: "I – I just don't know what to do, Severus. On one hand, I want to accept all of this, because Hari deserves it, but – on the other –."
And Severus mutters: "You have as much trouble believing that Valivial is acting and that his son is actually his." And I groan as I move back and lean back against the steps of the stairs as I ask: "How on earth can those two be related? I want to believe it and the Queen did give me a good reason to believe it, but still."
Here the boy looks at me and I say: "According to her, I only know Hogwarts Jaurion, not homelife Jaurion and – well, I can't disagree with her, especially because I know that Gryffindor isn't half the House it claims to be, so the idea that he agreed this persona to keep people from bullying him like they did in his second –."

"Oh give me a break, Lin, how bad could it be?" Severus then asks and I answer: "A bunch of older students framed him for a prank they pulled that got him into a fortnight detention with that creep we had for DADA that year. And on the last night of that detention, they pushed him out of the common room and vanished his cloths."
Hearing this shocks my former best friend and he mutters: "Suddenly Valivial's bullying makes a whole lot more sense. But why did McGonagall never stop that?" And I answer: "Because the Fourth years framed Jaurion with her. They pulled the prank, exaggerated about it and then made it sound as if it was Jaurion who made them."

At this Severus sighs and he starts gazing up at the ceiling as he says: "Suddenly this makes a lot of what Valivial did a lot better. Not right and not all of it, just better." At this I nod and I ask: "So what do you think I should do? I mean, Jaurion did warn me that the gift would be fore bearing and could even overwhelm me."
At which Severus frowns, while he had looked at me shocked when I had asked him what I should do and he sighs as he says: "Just – do as he said. Accept the gift, remember that, if nothing else the fact that he worked all day on it proves how heartfelt his gift is and make sure that, when you set the period of time, you also set clear rules."
At this I smile and I get up to lie a hand on his cheek as I say: "Now that's the Severus I remember." At which the boy sighs and says: "Apparently the same Severus that was lost when you died." At which I look at him desperately and I say: "You know what, Severus, whether I end up with Jaurion or not, I will make sure of one thing."
The boy looks at me and I say: "That I survive, if only to make sure you don't change into the man we've read about so far." At which the boy smiles at me gratefully and then I hear Hari ask: "Are you guys okay? It's Gift time." And we chorus: "We're coming." Looking at each other shocked and then laughing as we follow the kid.

In the Garden
Hari's POV

I really don't get why Aldren said that we need to be in the garden for the gifts or why everyone I know from my time is all constantly glancing at me with looks of gleeful anticipation before catching others doing the same and then sharing smiles of prideful glee and what I really don't get is why they want me to lead them all.
"Surely they didn't all ask Aldren to make a gift for me, right? I mean, I already have the most incredible Christmas gift ever given to me by Merden. Surely they know that." Is what I think as I follow Aldren to a part of the snow garden where he had told us he would work on the Christmas gifts and he stops us there.

"Your Highness, would you like to go first?" The Elf then asks and my dad nods as he steps forward and asks: "Evans, can you do as I asked?" And to my relief does my mother nod with confidence and a look of acceptance showing on her fames as dad moves over to a wardrobe that is set to the left of the garden part we are in.
"Like I told you, this gift is overbearing, it could be overwhelming and it might even be considered a sign that I am still the arrogant prat you always called me. But at the same time do I hope you will see this as a sign of what is in my heart for you as well as my own acceptance of what we have read in the books up to this point."
And while I can tell that, by now, mum is feeling a little hesitant, does she still nod in acceptance and then all our mouths drop when dad says: "Merry Christmas." And opens the doors of the wardrobe wide, showing an absolutely gorgeous white wedding dress with a skin tight bodice and low cut shoulder straps and golden petals sown on.
"Are those – Rental Rose petals?" Hermione asks, but dad shakes his head and says: "They are made of a brother of the Rental Rose; they are known as Damian Roses; a rose that is named after an apparent ancestor of mine that made name for himself by his devotion, not just to his power and people – but to his Nienna."
And at this dad looks at mum, who has gasped and laid a hand on her heart in shocked awe and then he asks her a question I hadn't expected: "How long, Evans? How long do you want me to wait before you accept the future we have read about? And please remember, I have my back-up gift." And we all turn to the girl in question.

I hate myself.
A cliffhanger. I wrote a Cliffhanger! I haven't done Cliffhangers in the LONGEST TIME! Mostly because cliffhangers usually block me from writing on, but also because I want to think of a good way for Lindilwen to voice how long she wants to give Jaurion in accepting both his love and her need for patience.
Also, I really loved putting down a little more backstory to Ariador, solidifying its existence a little more as well as proving how much everyone now wants to work hard to further expand on why Merden took Hari into the past into the first place; to turn his horrible past and present into a wonderful, glorious future.
But what I loved the most has to be the conversations put down in this chapter, both the one between Jaurion and Lindilwen as well as the one between Severus and Lindilwen. Now don't think this will result in LinxSev, as I am still stuck on the LuciusxSeverus, but I do love bringing back their sibling bond.
They deserve family,

Venquine1990
PS. I only mean the Severus in this story; the Canon one I really couldn't care less about.
PPS. Inspiration comes from Leonette, check out their stories.