Chapter 17:

The entire Order was sitting around the kitchen table as Dumbledore led them in a short memorial service for Fletcher. Arabella Figg wiped her eyes with a handkerchief during the ceremony. "Makes me wish I had been nicer to him when we were working together," she sobbed, with Molly soothing her. "I feel so bad!"

Eden stood by the window, with Ace's arm wrapped her as they both stood there looking out on Grimmauld Place, even if the others (with the exception of the Dursleys. And most were certain they were assuredly not looking) on the street couldn't see them. "I didn't even get to know him," she whispered.

"Neither did I. But he will be missed," Ace whispered back. McGonagall eventually came over after consoling some of the other members of the Order to hold her daughter close.

"It's December and have I started my Christmas shopping yet? No," Bianca cried, pacing around Sirius' parlor. Her boyfriend, in turn, watched with a goofy grin on his face. "I'm going to have to go home and do something I hate."

"Leave me?" Sirius asked, smiling seductively.

Bianca returned the smile and sat down on his lap. "Well, other than that, I'm going to call my mother and say that I will go shopping with her, Allison and Maria." She placed her head between Sirius' neck and his shoulder. "I'm doomed."

Sirius patted her back. "You're not doomed. You're only going shopping with your mother, sister and sister-in-law. How can that be so bad?"

Bianca groaned. "I'll admit, if it was just Ma and me, I wouldn't mind. We are both pretty determined people—go in, get what you need for the people you're shopping for and then get out before the people start to pile up on the lines. Now, Allison and Maria have to stop and examine everything, debating whether or not it's something they could give someone. It's awful since by the time they've searched the entire bloody store, the lines are out the bloody door!"

"Well, then why not just ask your mother if you can just go shopping with her?"

"It's a wonderful suggestion, but I know my mother. She'll insist that we bring Allison and Maria anyway since they are 'famiglia' and it's only right."

Sirius planted a kiss at the back of Bianca's exposed neck. "I'm sure she feels the same way as you and if you reason with her…"

"It's Christmas. My mother's reason is thrown right out the window. Trust me," Bianca explained.

"Aww, anything I can do to make it better?"

"Well, that kiss earlier certainly helped…" With a smile, Sirius obliged his girlfriend's request, before an idea struck him.

"Why don't you ask Eden?"

"Sirius had a brilliant idea? Someone call the press. Oh wait, you ARE the press," Kiki joked in Madame Puddifoot's one day. Bianca, Eden, McGonagall and Harmony all suppressed their urge to laugh.

Harmony had waddled out of the castle earlier to Hogsmeade to visit the other four women after they had gone shopping Diagon Alley. When Bianca had invited a just-as-flustered Eden shopping, the woman jumped at the chance. She, in turn, invited her own mother and then Bianca realized that Kiki's non-showing pregnancy wouldn't really affect her ability to move. Actually, the pregnant witch had been able to move faster than the other three non-pregnant ones.

Now, the five of them sat around sharing an afternoon cup of tea together. Harmony had opted to do all her Christmas shopping via mail order, and hers and Remus' chambers had been swamped with owls all day. "So tomorrow looks like I'll be busy wrapping everything," she said with a sigh.

"Aren't we all," Kiki sighed. "Well, it'll be better than last year for me because my wand shouldn't go on the fritz again."

Eden laughed. "Knock on wood," she said.

"Superstitious are we?"

"I get it from my mum." All eyes turned to McGonagall who merely kept sipping at her tea, ignoring her former students and her daughter. "Anyway, the term ends soon, doesn't it?"

Harmony sighed. "Yes it does. Two glorious weeks without worrying about classes. And then it begins again," she said. The others laughed. "Anyway, Eden, are you spending the holidays with the Order?"

Eden nodded. "Yes, all the assorted McCollughs will be present for Christmas this year," she said. "I can't wait. I heard last year Sirius dressed as Santa for Christmas. Is that true?"

Bianca turned to a laughing Kiki and Harmony. "Is it?" she echoed Eden's question. The other two women burst out laughing even more, so Eden and Bianca took that to mean that it was true.

McGonagall on the other hand, just shook her head. "That is so like Mr. Black. Didn't he do that once before in the Gryffindor Common Room?"

Kiki nodded. "And I remember a certain Deputy Headmistress who sat on 'Santa's' lap."

"And a certain Headmaster did as well," Harmony said with a giggle. That did it for Eden, who fell off her chair in a fit of giggles at the thought of her parents sitting on Sirius Black's lap when he was dressed as Santa Clause.

"What is all this?" Severus asked as he walked into the Great Hall. It looked like someone had attacked the hall with many holiday colors, but the person had no sense of decorating. Severus kicked at the piles of silver things at his feet, which currently prohibited his movement to the table.

Dumbledore appeared chuckling, the same silver stuff standing out against the white of his beard. "It's tinsel, Severus," the old man said. "I thought we'd use it to bring a little holiday cheer to the students. Especially in these dark times."

"I understand, Albus, but don't you think you've gone a bit overboard with the tinsel? And the holly? And the evergreen? And the red and green? And gold?"

"He's right. It looks like homage to only the Slytherin and Gryffindor houses. Do the other two not matter?" Remus asked, walking into the Hall and nearly tripping on a rather large pile of tinsel that Severus had stepped over earlier. The Potions master smirked as he helped the Defense professor up.

Dumbledore chuckled as they heard the front doors of the castle open up. "ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE, WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE CASTLE IN MY ABSENCE?"

Now, it was said that Albus Dumbledore was the only person the Dark Lord Voldemort ever feared, but it appeared that Dumbledore had a person he feared. His wife. Especially when said wife was Minerva McGonagall. And when Minerva was angry, well, let's not dwell on that. But it was fitting that all color drained from Albus' face, making it blend in with his long white beard. He, however, retained that ever present twinkle in his eye as he met with his angry lover.

"I leave the castle for an afternoon—an afternoon, Albus!—and I return to find Hogwarts in this condition? And goodness, look how you left the Great Hall! How do I ever put up with you? Merlin only knows!" Minerva ranted, dropping her bags. Kiki, Bianca, Eden and Harmony stared at the room in utter disbelief. They knew that the Headmaster was a bit eccentric, but this was beyond even him.

Albus smiled at his wife. "You think it's a bit much?" he asked her, sweetly.

Minerva looked as if she was about to reach her boiling point. "I think that's an understatement, dear," she said, spitting out the term of endearment. She crossed her arms over her chest. "You will clean it up. Now," she said, as if talking to either Eden or Riley when they were younger.

Eden certainly recognized that voice. It was her mother's "no nonsense" voice. When she used that voice, you did what you were told. No questions asked. "I would do as she says, Dad," Eden said, suddenly fearing for her father.

"Albus, how on earth am I supposed to get to the High Table? I can barely walk properly as it is, so how am I going to walk through all this tinsel?" Harmony asked. "Remus certainly can't pick me up and carry me." She tossed a glance in the direction of Severus, who had picked up Kiki in an attempt to help her.

Remus looked over his wife carefully and then smiled. "Oh no…no, no, no, no, NO! That's a Marauder's grin! I don't like what that means you're planning. Remus? Re-ahh!" Harmony was suddenly hoisted up in the air by her husband. "Remus. John. Lupin. PUT ME DOWN!"

"Nonsense," her husband replied. "I can't have my wife tripping and hurting our unborn daughters." He then looked down. "Now, if only I can get to the High Table without tripping and hurting the four of us."

"Remus, how are you carrying me? I am pregnant with twins. My weight must be heavier than usual," she said. Remus merely gave her an impish grin. "Please, tell me?"

"Werewolf superpower. It's a few days before the full moon, so I suddenly have superstrength."

"Right."

"Really."

"Sure."

"I mean it!"

"Uh huh."

"I could put you down and let you navigate Albus' tinsel minefield by yourself," Remus said, threatening to put her down. Harmony clutched Remus' neck tighter and he chuckled as he steadied her in his arms again. "I'll take that as a 'no' then," he responded, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

Minerva still stood, her arms crossed over her chest. "Don't worry about anything, you two," she told the two Defense professors. "Because my husband will be cleaning it up shortly."

"Minerva…"

"Don't you 'Minerva' me, Albus Dumbledore!"

"My love…"

"Don't go there!"

"My everything…"

"I'm not listening to you!"

"Please, Tabby…"

"DON'T YOU USE THAT NICKNAME TO TRY TO SOFTEN ME UP!" Albus finally relented and with a wave of his hands, the tinsel was all gone from the floor. "Thank you. Now, let me see if I can do anything with this atrocity you've turned our dining room into," she said, moving her husband over. "Eden, come help me."

Her daughter began to move as Severus and Remus placed down the mothers of their respective children. She stopped short however, when Bianca held her back and pointed towards the Headmaster and his Deputy. Albus had swept up Minerva in his arms and was kissing her passionately.

"Bloody hell!" they heard a voice call behind them. The group turned to see a rather red Ron Weasley with his eyes scrunched shut. "Bloody, bloody, bloody hell!" he cried.

"Oh, the dear is afraid of sex," Kiki said, leaning against Severus. "This must be pushing him over the edge."

"I don't think he has a fear of sex as he has a fear of his professors having sex," Bianca said, smiling.

Remus shook his head. "Can I help you, Ron?" he asked, placing a hand on his student's shoulders.

The boy's eyes shot open and he the only things in his direct vision were not helping. He could see his esteemed Headmaster fervently kissing his Head of House, whom his circle of friends now suspected were married. Meaning they had gotten really passionate before. Nearby stood his Potions master—whom for years he believed incapable of any feelings other than hatred and revulsion—holding Kiki, who was also pregnant with Professor Snape's child. Meaning they had—well, you know. Professor Lupin had his hand on his shoulder and over the professor's shoulder he could see Professor Anderson, Lupin's wife and who was also pregnant. Meaning they too had done it.

It was too much for his mind to handle and he did the only thing it was telling him to do. He turned sharply on his heel and ran back up the stairs, leaving Remus' hand hanging in the air. "Well," the werewolf said, "that went well." The others began laughing as the Dumbledores separated.

"What'd we miss?" Albus asked, causing his former students to laugh even harder. He shrugged and then allowed his wife to redecorate the Great Hall.

"And then he just kissed her! Right there in the middle of the Great Hall. Of course, I was the only student in the room. No one else seemed to blink, though!" Ron said, ranting. Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Neville watched him carefully as he kept up his stroll back and forth across the room. "I thought my eyes were burning!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Now, Ron, don't you think you're exaggerating a bit there?" she asked. Her boyfriend turned on her, growing redder by the minute.

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe you! I just think you're exaggerating a bit," Hermione said. "Remember when Sirius tried to kill Peter, but you thought he was attacking you?"

Neville laughed. "That tale got longer and more elaborate each time I heard him tell it," he said.

Hermione nodded. "Exactly." She now stared down her boyfriend. "So, Ron, will you admit that your story is a bit exaggerated?" Ron merely responded by storming to the dorm room. "I guess that's a no, then," Hermione whispered as Ginny slung an arm over her friend.

Both Seamus and Dean came running down the stairs after Ron had been up there merely minutes. "Ron's storming up there, pouting on his bed, throwing stuff with his wand…he's gone mental!" Dean cried.

"Yeah, what's upset him so?" Seamus asked.

Harry looked worried. "We thought we knew," he said. "But now, I'm not so sure." He looked over at the other four, who were just as concerned as he. "I think I'm going to talk with either Professor Anderson or Professor Lupin. Maybe they can help."

Dean shrugged. "Maybe. Just, do it quickly, Harry, before he destroys our entire dorm room!"

A knock came to the Lupins' Hogwarts chambers shortly after dinner that night. Remus left the couch, where he had been sitting with his wife. He opened the door to find Harry standing there, looking rather nervous. "Harry," he said, "come in."

The boy entered the chambers and Harmony motioned for him to sit down. Harry took the seat next to the couch while Remus sat down next to Harmony again. "So, Harry, what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?" she asked him. Harry fidgeted for a bit before Harmony put her hands over his to calm him down and reassure him.

"It's about Ron," Harry said. "He's been acting weird lately."

Remus and Harmony exchanged a look. "Well, Harry," Remus began, "he saw something no one really wants to see."

"If you're talking about the kiss, he told us," Harry said, flatly. Remus and Harmony nodded. "How long has Dumbledore been keeping this from the world?"

"Around forty years, Harry, but you have to understand. Dumbledore is a very powerful wizard with many enemies. The best way to get to someone is attacking the people they care about. Dumbledore didn't want his family to get hurt."

"So, he and Professor McGonagall are married. Is Eden their daughter?"

"How did you figure that out?" Harmony asked, staring down the young boy. He merely shrugged, muttering something about it being obvious. "I guess that's so. Listen, what we tell you doesn't leave this room."

"The others suspect already."

"No."

"Fine."

"Anyway, yes Eden is Dumbledore and McGonagall's daughter. Riley McCollugh is her brother and their son. You'll meet him over Christmas; I guess that's when everyone will find out. Anyway, Ron walked in when Dumbledore and McGonagall were in the middle of a passionate kiss," Harmony explained.

Remus took over from there. "And then he left before we could talk to him. Anything else?"

"Dean and Seamus said that Ron trashed our room," Harry said. This caused a nervous glance to be sent between the married couple. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know, but Harry, I want you to stay here with Harmony."

"Why?"

"I don't think it's safe for you to be around Ron right now," was all Remus said.

A few minutes later, Remus walked into the Gryffindor Common room, followed by Severus and Minerva. All had their wands at the ready as they entered into the completely wrecked room. There were no students to be seen—probably they had all fled when whoever (and the three professors had a good idea of who the culprit was) had started his rampage. "You think we should get Albus?" Remus asked Minerva.

"I've already sent word to him. He should be on his way down as we speak. Do you think Ron's really possessed like Severus believes?" Minerva asked.

Remus shrugged while Severus remained staring straight ahead. "We'll see in a few minutes. Severus, stay out of the way so the Dark Lord doesn't see you," he said. Severus nodded and hid behind an overturned chair. "Ron, are you there?" Remus called.

"Go away, please, professor, before he comes back!" they heard the youngest Weasley boy wheeze out.

Minerva found him behind another overturned chair. "Before who returns, Mr. Weasley?" she asked.

"Him."

"The Dark Lord?" A nod of the head. "How do you know when he's going to take over?"

"My eyes. They burn. I thought it was when I saw you and Professor Dumbledore kissing, but I realize Hermione was right that it wasn't. She just didn't know my eyes really were burning. And then that led to hatred so intense—it scared me, Professor."

Both Remus and Minerva were starting to get scared from how flat Ron's tone was—as if he had no emotions left. "Goodness, Albus better get down here soon," Remus muttered as McGonagall's maternal instinct kicked in. She leaned down to hold the boy close, but he just kept staring straight ahead.

"He knows, Professor, he knows about you and the Headmaster. I'm sorry."

"Its okay, Mr. Weasley, Albus and I will be fine. Does he know about the Order?"

"Not yet. But if he couldn't get it from Harry, he certainly isn't going to get it from me. He's using me to get to Harry, isn't he?" Minerva nodded as Albus entered the Common room.

A few minutes later, Ron was resting in the hospital wing. Harry sat by the bed staring down his best friend, remembering all the times he had been possessed by the Dark Lord. Ginny also understood and sat down next to Harry, shaking visibly. This left Neville to awkwardly comfort a crying Hermione, who was beyond the point of hysteria. All were extremely glad when Kiki and Snape came in. They were able to calm the girl down using a potion and bring her to the bed next to Ron.

"I'm going to send him home for a few days," Albus quietly told the adults present. "I think he needs to be with his family right now."

"What about Hermione?" Kiki asked. "She's an absolute wreck!"

"I'll help her," Minerva said, assuring the woman. "Luckily, Christmas break starts next week."