AN: I know I'm mean and evil for leaving it like a cliff-hanger the other day. Feel free to hunt me down with torches and pitchforks if you will. But oh look, we have another chapter…that's something to be happy about. Yay!

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Chapter Thirty-Seven

(Christmas Day)

-1976-

Kit was sleeping soundly on her bed, after all the night had been long and drawn out causing sleep not to settle in until around midnight. After dinner, she and the Potters had retreated into the 'family room' and had a small 'get to know you' session. They wanted to know about her childhood, and in turn they told her about how everything would work living in a wizarding household (very different from a Muggle home, let no one tell you differently).

Now she slept as the hours dripped passed towards the four AM hour. Spooks was curled up next to her head in a small ball, purring loudly (it was a surprise she didn't wake up because if his purring). Snow drifted lazily in the air outside, and the house was completely still.

Well, almost completely…James was currently entering her room, stepping with quiet beyond quiet steps as he approached her sleeping form. He almost felt sorry for what he was about to do…almost being the key word.

After a moment of hesitation watching her, he dived into her bed. The cat yowled and jumped down, and Kit practically jumped out of her skin when he landed on her. You think he'd have more consideration for someone who nearly died just a few short day's ago. While Kit was trying to get her breathing under control, taking in big gulps of air, James was laughing so loudly Kit was positive he'd wake his parents…their parents.

After a moment or two, he pushed her to the side ever so slightly and dived under the covers next to her, saying something about it being colder in her room then in the dungeons at school. When he was finally all settled into the bed, a wide grin was given.

"Are you insane?" Kit asked, raising a brow yawning. Sleep was a good thing, she liked sleep even if it tended to be plagued with nightmares. Sleepy sleep sleep sleep. She enjoyed it, and he had interrupted that peaceful sleep. What was James thinking?

He rubbed at his eyes, causing the glasses he wore to go slightly askew on his face as he spoke. "It's Christmas…"

"So…you decided to do a swan dive into my bed because…it's Christmas?" She asked him, yawning once more, causing James to yawn as well with a frown before clamping his hand over Kit's mouth.

"Don't yawn." He ordered still grinning ear to ear before answering her question, "Well, you see I'm your brother now…I'm aloud to do that sort of thing. Actually it's expected of me." James explained, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Kit blinked, "Really?" was said after pushing his hand away from her mouth.

"Yep. I found it in the hand book."

"There's a handbook?"

"Surprising isn't it?" James asked his face still holding that grin. A sigh escaped his lips and he shut his eyes for a moment, before starting to speak again; now in a more serious tone, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Couldn't it have waited until morning?" Kit asked yawning again, only causing James to place his hand over her mouth once more.

"Well, yes it could have waited until the morning but, hmm…it is the AM hours is it not?"

She rolled her eyes and he grinned, taking a moment to watch as Spooks jumped back up on the bed and padded around the covers over their feet. Once the cat settled at their feet, James continued. "The other day at St. Mungo's everyone was really scared, I think Remus went into some kind of trance, Lily was crying her eyes out saying that she should have known or something, Sirius and Peter were trying to crack jokes to keep things from getting too…dramatic." James breathed in and glanced down at his new sister for a moment.

"I just, well you know…all I could think about was that one time when I seen you covered in blood remember? Found out that you…you hurt yourself, and when I was in St. Mungos all I could think was that maybe if I had asked something…maybe been a better friend I don't know, I mean that was a warning sign right? I just…now that I'm your brother…I want to be the best brother in the world ya know."

Kit looked up at him thoughtfully, compared to him she was so small and tiny and he could only wonder how horrible it had been for her to be hurt by her parents through the years. Instead of talking she simply moved herself to wrap her arms around him in a hug. "I thought well…I don't know what people would have thought of me if I said something about my parents. I mean…it wasn't that bad, well…sometimes it was, but still…I never expected my father to go off the deep end like that. James, you didn't do anything wrong…I mean, not telling people I cut myself…I asked you not to tell and you kept your promise. I just…not used to all this…"

"Closeness?" James ventured, arching a brow and she gave a nod.

"Your family--"

"Our family." James corrected, and Kit just rolled her eyes ever so slightly but still smiled none-the-less.

"Our family, is so utterly close and so happy…I'm not used to that. It's weird to me to have a brother that ventures into my room during the middle of the night just to make sure I'm okay. My own mother didn't do that…"

James nodded and leaned forward to place a kiss on the top of Kit's head, "Then let's not think about it, you're a Potter now, you need to get used to having people you can count on!"

They talked into the night or rather morning, about the Potter family traditions and how things would be over summer holiday and how James was going to threaten Remus within an inch of his life with that whole "I'm her brother, if you hurt her I'll Kill you." although both James and Kit were fairly certain that James didn't need to threaten Remus.

And so they talked, and talked some more, and finally when the first rays of sunlight dripped into the room the both of them were a sleep with Kit holding onto James as if her life depended on it. Finally…a family.

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Mrs. Potter knew something was wrong the moment that she got up and the room was filled with sun. It was Christmas morning, this meant two things, one: she didn't get a lot of sleep, and two: James always woke her and her husband up way before sunrise. With a slight rub to her eyes, she yawned. This was interesting, and it was also slightly worrisome, what if something happened to James…or Kit.

A smile touched her face, she had to remember that they now had another child…a daughter…the daughter she always wanted. They were going to have more then one child, but after James the medi-witch told her that if she tried to birth another child the consequences could be dire.

She gave a gentle, yet playful shove to her husbands shoulder who woke up with a slight groan before actually noticing…that it was indeed daylight. "Is James okay?" were the first tired words out of his mouth, it seemed her husband knew that waking up after daylight on Christmas was always a bad sign. Mrs. Potter shrugged and stood up, taking a moment to grab her fluffy dark hunter green bed robe, and put matching fluffy slippers on her feet.

"We did get to bed late last night. I'll go check and see if he slept in, will you go make us some tea?"

"Of course M'dear." Mr. Potter said, now fully awake his dark brown eyes watching her every movement. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas to you too." And then Mrs. Potter made her way out of their room and down the hall. Their home was a traditional home of a pure blood family (not that they took pride on their blood-line mind you), paintings of past Potter witches and Wizards hung along the halls, occasionally giving a wave to her as she walked towards her sons room.

It was empty. And a mess, she'd have to remind him to clean it later, robes were in piles on the floor, his school books and homework lay all over the place, he lived like a pig! Then again, that's what Mr. Potters room looked like when she first met him…like father, like son she supposed.

She frowned, well now she'd just check Kit's room. Maybe James got up early to go flying, then again it was freezing cold out…and yet again her son was just crazy enough to fly during a snow storm. Kit's room, only a few doors down from James had the door open, and a black and white cat lazing out in the hallway, it's purple eyes blinking as Mrs. Potter watched it for a moment. Hmm, Spooks was that cat's name right?

It really was a cute cat, almost reminded her of her own when she was a teenager. A small smile touched her lips and hazel colored eyes took a moment to peer in Kit's room. Maybe later she would help the girl transfigure a few things, after all she would need a desk to study at during the summer holiday, and maybe they could change the colors on the walls until they got one she absolutely adored, they could share make up and beauty tips and gossip about boys. Mrs. Potter shook her head slightly, she really did enjoy the idea of having a daughter.

A few steps in the room she noticed that James was there in bed with Kit, his eyes were open and he gave a wide smile upon seeing her. She whispered, "What are you doing here?"

"Spent last night talking to my new sister…" He explained, as if it were as simple as that. Did he even know how much it touched her to know that he liked the idea of having a sister? Did he know how worried she had been about adopting the girl because she thought he would object? It was safe to say she wasn't worried any more.

"I was wondering why you didn't wake us…Happy Christmas by the way."

"Well, Kitten is kind of pinning down my shoulder and I didn't want to wake her so early…we stayed up kind of late in conversation."

"Kitten?" She asked, raising a brow in question.

"Oh, Kit…it's er, what we call her at school."

"It's cute." Mrs. Potter reassured, and gave a small cant of her head. "Come down whenever she wakes up then, I assure you the gifts won't run away if you wait for a little while longer."

"You never know…magic and all…"

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It was nearly eleven when both James and Kit came down stairs, Spooks trailing behind them. Their parents were sitting in the living room, dressed for the day and in deep conversation about something in the Daily Prophet.

"Well, we thought you two would never wake up." Mr. Potter said with a jovial tone, smiling as he looked up from the paper and his conversation from Mrs. Potter. James just gave a groan, and Kit gave an awkward smile, while Spooks let out a small 'mew'.

Christmas at the Potters was apparently a big holiday, because Kit was positive she'd never seen so many presents in all of her life. There were a few big piles of gifts, and quite honestly Kit had no idea what to do. Her family had never been big on Christmas, her father just said it was created by the media and she didn't deserve anything while her mother was usually flying on acid talking about pink elephants on skies or something.

This was new. All she could do was mumble a very surprised thanks as she took a seat in the living room next to her pile of gifts. Mister and Misses Potter just shook their heads, telling her that it was their duty as parents to spoil her and James rotten.

She was also told to call them Mum and Dad if she wished, she figured that sooner or later she probably would, but in all truth she was still trying to sort out her feelings about her own Mum and Dad before trying to have feelings about a whole new set of parents.

She received books on all sorts of things, being told from 'mum' Mrs. Potter that James said she liked to read, which she did and found that the books were on tons of interesting subjects, from charms, to the world of a witch and how times were changing for the average witch.

She also got a wizards chess set, which was made out of beautiful glass, while the pieces were made out of ruby crystal. There were also many sets of wizards clothes, ranging from tons of different colors and materials. It was fitting, she was now living in the wizarding world as well as going to school in it.

There was also tons of candy, enough that would probably make her sick if she ate even a quarter of it. Even Spooks got a gift of a purple collar to go around his tiny neck with a gazing ball that hung off it with a small little cat in it that was charmed to chase after a mouse.

When the gifts were done being opened, lunch was served right there in the living room, an array of cheeses and sausages along with crackers, fruits, juice, and a few different types of sweet rolls. The family ate and Kit was positive now, that this was the best holiday ever.

She had a new rather loving family (even if they hadn't known her that long), a boyfriend who adored her, a new brother who promised to protect her no matter what, an adorable kitten…her life…was for once…good.

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That afternoon she was in her bedroom getting ready for the Christmas party being thrown at the Ministry of magic for all of it's workers and their families. Tonight she would be 'presented' as the newest addition to the Potters. Tonight people would finally officially find out that she was no longer Kit Anderson, she was…Kit Potter.

She was trying on all different robes, first her red ones that were made out of silk looked to fancy, the second ones she tried on, dark blue made out of velvet looked not fancy enough. Finally after going through all of her new robes she settled on a pair of black robes, that had elegant and fancy swirls of dark blue going along the seems. It wasn't to fancy, and it wasn't too mundane. It was perfect.

Kit took a moment to sit at her bed, watching as Spooks padded around on her new books in the corner of the room. Things seemed so perfect, and yet she still felt an emptiness inside. A glance to the photo on her bedside caused her to frown. Part of her wished that Remus hadn't grabbed that photo, and another part of her was very happy for having it here.

No one asked about it yet. Her mother was young in the picture, looking a lot like her, she looked carefree and ever so happy standing next to the man she loved. Oh yes, the man in the picture was a man she had met on a summer holiday…this was the man that had gotten her pregnant. This man was Kit's real father.

Kit had only found out about it when her mother was actually sober enough to talk about it. Kit had found the picture in a box kept in her mothers closet. According to her mother, when she got back from the summer holiday's she was very much pregnant. She also managed to talk Kit's "Father" into believing it was his, he was stupid like that. Apparently her mother and her "father" had been going out for a long time, but when she went away for holidays…

Something with her new guy clicked, and she loved him more then any one in the world. But then, like all summer romances, she had to go back to her normal life, her normal boyfriend, but…she carried a souvenir in her stomach that was Kit.

According to her mother Kit's "Father" never questioned if Kit was his or not, Kit looked so much like her mother…except for her eyes. Luckily they were blue, just like Ethan's…but…Kit's weren't that icy tone…they were deep…deep blue like the man she had loved.

Kit blinked, shaking her head slightly and looking away from the picture. That man probably didn't even know she existed…it was probably better like that…

But she couldn't help to wonder, who was he? Her mother never gave her a name…and all Kit had was that old picture.

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AN: Good god this took a while to get out. And I'm sorry for that, my boyfriend broke up with me and yeah…that was great. But yay, I'm back now. Hopefully.

Okay so that thing about the picture took awhile to get out, I just wanted to get it out in the air so you can all wonder about it. Seriously, It took me forever to think who that guy was going to be.

So now, after this lets cross our fingers and pray that I update like I used too.

Yee-haw.

Reeeeeviiiiieeeew. You know you wanna.