AN: Hot chocolate, and watching The Princess Bride seriously fixes all aliments. I feel oodles better now! Thank-you all for your wishes (I do believe they helped get me better as well). I'll start on the chapter now, I'm sure you guy's are crazy and dyin' to find out what happens next.

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Chapter Thirty-Five

(Winter Holiday's)

-1976-

For some reason the Potters wanted to adopt her into their family. Kit wasn't sure why, but she had a feeling that she seen pity in Mrs. Potter's eyes. She had only been in the hospital for two days, getting visits from Sirius, James, Peter, and Lily, while Remus practically stayed by her side like a guard dog.

Not that she minded.

The day she was to leave the hospital fell on Christmas Eve, a good day to leave indeed. During her stay she tried to act as normal as possible, but her friends looked at her funny…as if she might break at any moment. She didn't like all of them knowing what happened, she could just imagine what they said behind her back. It was depressing.

Before she was let to leave, since they didn't get the chance a few day's ago…the group exchanged their gifts. Kit was thankful that Remus had brought her bag from home because that's where her gifts were hidden. Sirius seemed to love her gift, saying that "I won't have to bother my brain for pranks again." upon seeing his book.

Kit had found that her Secret Wizard/Santa had been James, who had thoughtfully given Kit a charm bracelet. She honestly had no idea what the charms on the bracelet meant, they were golden in color and there were four of them. A stag, a dog, a rat (or mouse she wasn't sure), and a wolf. She smiled at the gift and had put it on her newly healed wrist, glittering against her pale skin.

Sirius, Peter, and Lily had left soon after the gifts were exchanged. James had left the room also, to find his parents and let them know that things were all said and done and Kit was ready and willing to leave. That left Remus, who was currently helping Kit into her shoes seeing as she still had difficulty to stand, bend down, and simply move around in general.

When Kit was completely ready, they exchanged their gifts. "I…well, I seen this and the first thing I thought of was you." Kit explained, handing Remus a small black box which he took gently.

With a grin he opened up the box, inside on a silky black pillow sat something that confused him…it was a pin that could most likely be attached to his robes…it was also a pin of a gold oar. "Thanks?"

Kit chuckled at that, before moving to secure the pin to the shirt he wore. "It's what your name means…well at least part of it."

"Well, I was named for the legend…with Romulus…" Yes, he was still slightly confused.

"I'm aware of that, I was fairly certain of that…it helped that I got to meet your little brother when your parents visited…so cute."

"That's what everyone says…"

"Anyway, the name itself…Remus…means swift oarsman." She paused for a moment and frowned, "Suddenly realizing that it's not the best gift."

Remus gave a small laugh and wrapped his arms around her, "I love it…just needed to have it explained is all."

When he pulled away from the hug, he reached down and picked up a box. A box that curiously enough had holes in it, a box that also seemed to meow.

"For my Kitten…a Kitten." Remus announced, opening the lid of the box to show a kitten sitting there. Big purple eyes looking wide eyed at Kit, black tail swishing back and forth.

"Me-ow?"

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The Potters were nice enough, they seemed to be frantic over every little thing. Mrs. Potter had practically yelped for joy when Kit told her that the room that had been prepared for her was very beautiful. It was too, a tad girly ("I've always wanted a little girl to spoil.") colors in dark pink and purple, a large bed in the center of the room ("Are you sure it isn't to small?") and a closet full of wizarding clothes ("It's okay? I wasn't sure what muggle clothes you might like so I settled on wizards clothes.")

It really was perfect, almost as if she had fallen into the life she had always dreamed of. Although, try as Kit might…she couldn't enjoy things. One of her friends from school was now her brother, and she had no idea how he really was taking that because they hadn't had a private moment to speak. Adoption in the wizarding world seemed to be a lot quicker then what it was like in the muggle world. Then again, that might have been because of who Mr. Potter was when he filed the papers. He was a Ministry official…maybe he got special treatment?

She had found out they were going to adopt her before she even knew who they were. The two of them just came into her hospital room, one morning before Remus arrived and told her that she was going to be apart of their family.

A real family…not one that…

She didn't even want to think about her old life.

Her father, she had been told was detained by Aurors because while he was a muggle, she was a witch…and with him hurting her…that was a crime in the wizarding world as well as the muggle world. She didn't ask about him, she didn't want to know where he went. She had a suspicion that he was in Azkaban, seeing as she wasn't being asked to go to court to testify against him so he could go to Muggle prison.

But honesty, she didn't want to know.

And yet, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

In the past week her life had changed more then she could have ever imagine. Her mother died, she was beat nearly to death by her father, said 'I love you' to Remus, and was adopted by the Potters.

She hardly had anytime to herself, so now as she sat on her new bed with her new cat named Spooks, she was lost in thought. Not good thoughts either, thoughts about her father, thoughts about her mother, and thoughts about how everyone now knew her secret.

She was beat by her father. Unloved. Unwanted.

Something she really didn't want her friends or Remus to ever find out…but they did.

Kit watched as Spooks crawled all over the bed, occasionally falling or tripping (obviously still a very young kitten). She couldn't help but think about how awkward it felt to be there, at James house…not as a guest, but as a member of the family. Her thoughts turned towards her new 'parents' wondering why exactly they felt the need to adopt her.

They didn't even know her. Why would they do something so…so dramatic?

Maybe she really would have been better off murdered at the hands of her own father.

There was a knock at the door, a gentle rapping that held some rhythm to it. Wiping her eyes and silently cursing herself for being such a crybaby, "Come in!" was yelled out.

James walked in, looking around with a low whistle, "Mum has really gone all out. Hard to believe that this was just an empty room the other day."

Kit nodded, looking rather forlorn. So this was where he came in and told her to bug off and tell her that she was nothing and she was stealing his family away…right? She could only watch him as he ran a hand through his hair, messing the already black mess before his eyes spotted Spooks.

"Let me guess, that would be Moony's gift?" James asked, coming closer to the bed that both Kit and Spooks sat at.

Kit gave a nod, and licked her chapped lips before speaking; "His name is Spooks."

"A fitting name." James paused for a moment and Kit was rather sure that he looked like he was at a loss for words…something that never seemed to happen to James Potter before. "I just…I um…well see, we didn't have much time to speak before…Remus went mad whenever someone tried to get you alone…"

Kit gave a small chuckle, not bothering to smile as she did so, after all she was still rather concerned with what he would say to her.

"And well, my parents as you can tell are fruitcakes. They really are…but they're good people and my mum can't stop talking about you 'poor girl' this and 'what a shame' that. Bloody hell, I'm really taking the long way to get to the point aren't I? What I mean is, my parents accepted you into the family without knowing anything about you, and I don't mind…I really go the round-about way of explaining that don't I?"

Kit nodded, but other wise stayed silent. James was being confusing, telling her that his parents were good people then going about telling her that he didn't mind she was now his sister.

"I can't say that I haven't enjoyed being an only child, I loved having all of the attention and all of the love…but I'm happy that I get to share it with you. I can see it in everyone's eyes, the pity they must feel for you; you can see it too right? Well, I just want to say that I don't pity you. I mean, if I was in your situation the last thing I'd want was pity. I'm doing it again aren't I? Running on with no where to go."

By this time, James had sat himself down on the bed; Spooks now exploring his lap as he tried to explain his thoughts to Kit.

"I should really stop trying to explain, and simply say what I came here to say. Welcome to the family."

Kit was certain that James would never know what his words meant to her. How could he? She had been so scared that he wouldn't like the fact that he wasn't going to be the only child anymore.

"Hey, sad Kitten…don't cry on me now." James told her, but she really couldn't help it. Once the tears started to fall, they just wouldn't stop.

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When no one responded to her call's telling them it was time for dinner, Mrs. Potter knew something wasn't right. She wasn't sure about Kit, but she knew that James was never late for dinner. That boy loved his food. Not to mention it was a Christmas Eve feast, another reason James wouldn't of usually had to of been called more then twice.

Worry had set in her heart as she wandered up the stairs to the second level of the house, first checking James room and finding it empty only made her worry even more (after all, she was a mother and that's what mothers did).

Her heart sang with joy when she finally found her children. The door to Kit's room was open, peering her head inside she seen a sight that would be with her until the day she died. Her son, held his new sister in his arms as she cried. James looked up, and gave Mrs. Potter a slight smile before looking down to the crying girl in his arms.

"I think it's time for dinner." He said, letting his gaze stray back up at his mother for a moment; "We should go down, my mothers cooking is the best you'll ever have."

Seeing her kids get along…she had been so worried that James wouldn't like the idea of them adopting Kit. Her kids…Plural…kids.

A smile touched Mrs. Potters face as she headed back down towards the dinning room where her husband waited. She took a seat at the table, "I think that things will be just fine."

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AN: What kind of sick freak am I for leaving this chapter here? I don't know. Anyway, we got to see Kit and James first interaction as brother and sister woo.

Yes, I'm aware the gifts were kind of cheesy…and yes, Remus does mean swift oarsman, I looked it up. It's Latin.

I should have answered who that guy in the photo is in this chapter, but I think I'll wait…let you all stew for a bit.

Woo.

Toodles.