Chapter 29 – Christmas Dinner

There was a knock at the door. Remus put the album down, and went to the door. He checked himself in the hall mirror, his face looked a little pink but nothing too out of the ordinary, he had been sitting close to the fire. He opened the door.

"Happy Christmas!" Clara beamed at him, holding a big wrapped box.

"Happy Christmas!" Remus threw his arms around her. She leant her cheek on his shoulder, unable to hug him back because of the box she held. He stepped back. "I'm so glad you came! Come in, come in." Clara stepped inside. Remus took her thick cloak, it was snowing outside. Tabby and Cassius had been thrilled to have a white Christmas and were planning on watching the old muggle movie of the same name that evening. Remus was planning on curling up next to the fire after his transformation so he could enjoy it with them. The wolfsbane potion kept him safe to be around even when he was transformed, although he knew that Cassius and Tabby still kept their wands at the ready just in case the potion failed. He didn't mind, he didn't want anyone he loved to have to go through what he went through every month.

Tabby came into the entry way, her brown eyes twinkling. "Clara, so good to see you again!."

"Thank you, Tabby. This is for everyone." Clara held out the present to Remus. Stevens and Cassius came out of the kitchen.

"Hello, sweetheart." Stevens greeted Clara with a kiss on the cheek. She blushed prettily.

"Hello, you. lo, Cassie."

"Hullo. What's the present?" Cassius asked Clara eagerly.

"It's for all of us." Remus held on to the present as they all trooped into the sitting room.

"Who gets to open it then?" Cassius looked back and forth between Tabby and Remus.

"You do." Tabby and Remus chorused, knowing they would have a battle on their hands if they didn't let Cassius do it.

"Then give it here." Cassius held out his hands and took the present from Remus. He sat cross-legged on the floor next to Remus' chair and started to peel off the wrapping.

"It's bloody amazing, isn't it. Every time! Just rip the damn thing open." Stevens sat down on the loveseat with Clara and put his arm around her.

Cassius glared at Stevens. "And where's your present for me?"

"The photo album, love. I didn't wrap it because you know you drive me nutters with your unwrapping process." Stevens reached over and tousled Cassius's hair.

"Tea, Clara?" Tabby asked, walking towards the tray.

"Yes, please."

"Milk and sugar?"

"Yes, thank you." Tabby prepared the cup and levitated it over to Clara before sitting in her chair across from Remus.

"It is so cold. Just the type of day to be inside by a fire." Clara closed her hands around her teacup.

"We'll be watching 'White Christmas' after dinner. They could stay, couldn't they, Remus?" Tabby asked carefully. She had mentioned the idea this morning to him once it had started snowing.

"I…" Remus hesitated. Stevens was a powerful wizard and Clara also knew how to defend herself. And Remus knew Cassius would be able to tell if the potion failed. Cassius had charmed him so a glow would occur around Remus if the potion started losing its power.

Stevens and Clara both turned to look at him, not understanding immediately. "Oh, the full moon is tonight." Stevens said. "We don't want to impose."

"No, if you don't mind me…and you both have your wands?" They both nodded. "I…I'd like it if you stayed." Remus suddenly hoped they would, he wanted to be accepted fully by Stevens and Clara.

Clara and Stevens spoke together immediately, "We'd love to."

"Wicked!" Cassius burst out, finally having opened the present.

"I…did you just open it?" Clara looked down at him in surprise.

"I told you! He's the slowest present opener in the world!" Stevens said with a mix of exasperation and affection.

"What is it?" Remus leaned over Cassius' shoulder to look at the box.

"Chinese Checkers." Cassius lifted the box so Remus could see it.

"It's a muggle game, my cousins taught it to me, up to 6 people can play. I'm horrible at chess, and this way we could all play." Clara smiled.

"Could we play now?" Cassius stood up, shoving the box at Remus. "Read the directions." He ordered excitedly before getting a scone from the tea tray.

"You said you've played before?" Remus asked Clara, who nodded.

"You'll have to read the rules anyway, we're playing against three Ravenclaws." She rolled her eyes, Remus laughed. Stevens and Cassius were sticklers for rules, although Cassius hated to take the time to actually read them, insisting Remus read them instead. Remus always thought it was too bad he was such an honest person, otherwise he would start changing the rules so he could always win.

They played four games before dinner. Cassius and Stevens were enamored of the new game. Remus started to play just to mess Cassius up, which annoyed him to no end. Clara and Remus both won a game, with Stevens winning the third and Cassius winning the last. Tabby had played only the first game before saying she had to get dinner ready.

Dinner was a festive affair. Remus was glad Stevens and Clara had come over. The more he got to know Clara the more he liked her.

"Where's Mad-eye?" Stevens asked.

"Visiting his niece and her family on Skye." Cassius answered around a bite of carrots.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Remus hissed, setting down his goblet with wolfsbane in it. Tabby had thoughtfully given him two drinks at dinner, the wolfsbane potion and blackberry juice. He needed to have two doses of the potion within the hour of his transformation.

Stevens smiled indulgently at Cassius. "He'll forget if he doesn't say it right away."

Cassius swallowed quickly. "That's what I tell them!"

"No excuse for bad table manners." Tabby scolded, like she always did.

Remus excused himself before dessert to go upstairs to transform. A second after he was in the room, Owen's old room, Cassius burst in then shut the door re-activating the silencing charm. Remus looked at him quizzically.

"Sex within an hour of the transformation helps, remember?" Cassius moved to remove Remus' clothing. "I don't care if you look too healthy, I have to – it's just…let's go in our room." Cassius glanced around the room.

"Tabby's sending the final dose to this room." Remus said shakily, the pull of the moon was almost at full strength. "There's no time."

"All right…" Cassius took a deep breath and pulled off his clothes quickly.

"What about the guests?" Remus tried to bat Cassius' hands away as they reached for him but failed and was naked a moment later.

"It's only Stevens and Clara. Tabby's entertaining them, they're having desert." Cassius started to kiss Remus' neck. Remus sighed as his body reacted quickly to the kisses. "Come on, lovely, we've only got ten minutes before moonrise." He licked over Remus' bite mark, licking again and again until Remus was shaking in his arms. Remus latched on to Cassius' bite mark, feeling an answering shudder in his mate. Cassius lowered them down onto the bed. He muttered the charm to ready Remus and then continued to lick and suck at Remus' bite mark as he quickly joined them together. Remus arched his back, already close to his release.

"Cassius. Cassius." Remus's fingers dug into his mate's scarred back as his body spasmed. Cassius groaned and collapsed on top of Remus. He made to move a second later. "Stay, just a moment, please." Remus wrapped his arms around his mate. "I love you."

"I love you too." Cassius moved again. "You have to have your final dose of wolfsbane." Remus let him go reluctantly and sat up as Cassius rose off the bed. "Here." Cassius turned and handed Remus the goblet that Tabby had sent upstairs magically just a few moments ago. Remus made a face and gulped it down. "Scratch on the door when you're ready and I'll open it, all right?" Cassius started to pull on his clothes.

"Yes."

"Did I tell you I love you?" Cassius pulled his shirt over his head.

"Yes."

"Good."

"And I love you." Remus kissed Cassius once more before pushing him out the door. Cassius lifted the silencing spell so that he could hear Remus. There were only a few minutes left before moonrise. Remus felt his body stiffen and start to change. The combination of the wolfsbane potion and sex eased the transformation immensely and by the time he'd changed into a wolf, he was only a little sore. He walked around, feeling a little nervous about being around Stevens and Clara in his wolf form. He shook his head, telling himself he was being silly. It was just like Tabby being in her animagus form, nothing to be uncomfortable about. He padded over to the door and scratched on it. Cassius opened the door.

"All right?" Remus bumped against his leg for an answer. Cassius started down the hall with Remus by his side.

"Bing Crosby has a wonderful singing voice." Clara was saying to Tabby as they walked into the sitting room.

"That he does." Tabby agreed. "We were just waiting for you to start the movie." She smiled warmly at Remus. Clara and Stevens both gave a little wave and a smile. They had rearranged the furniture so they were all facing the TV that was normally hidden in the corner cupboard. Clara and Stevens were on the loveseat, sharing an ottoman. Tabby was curled up in her chair, her feet to the side, and the couch had been moved to be between them. "We thought you two should have the couch."

"We saved you a piece of cake for later, Remus, it was delicious." Clara said, smiling at him. He gave a short howl in reply and she smiled wider. He felt warm from the friendship he could see in her eyes.

Cassius sat down on the couch and stretched his legs out, then he conjured up an ottoman to put his feet on. Remus climbed up on the couch next to him and curled up, laying his snout on Cassius' thigh. Cassius reached down and scratched one of his ears. Tabby waved her wand and the movie started to play.

"This is wonderful." Clara murmured as the opening credits started to roll. Snow had started to fall outside and the fire made the sitting room warm and cozy. Remus thumped his tail twice in agreement. Cassius's hand petted his thick fur for a few moments before curling up in his ruff.

Author's Notes: So in my other story, I made it seem like Remus could still be dangerous when he's transformed (in chapter 8) because Cassius had his wand out (pun not intended) before going to see the transformed wolf-Remus. Since then, I decided (because I can!) that the wolfsbane does make him safe but Cassius and Tabby always have their wands at the ready just in case the potion fails, and Remus wouldn't be out and about in his werewolf form unless Cassius and Tabby were both there. Also, Stevens is a powerful wizard, and Clara is a powerful witch, so they all would be able to protect themselves in the above scene. When Harry starts to live at Windy Corner, Remus decides that it's just not safe enough to be loose around Harry.