A/N: I'm updating on Monday, as promised! This chapter is incredibly long – I've been working insanely to get it done. There's not too much action in this chapter, but I think it does work to advance the plot. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks again for reading and reviewing – I love you all!
I don't own Harry Potter's universe.
Christmas
"So, what do you guys want for dinner?"
"I don't care. Sirius, what do you want?"
"Food."
"Oh, that was helpful," Remus said sarcastically, rolling his eyes at his roommates. "Care to be a titch more specific?"
"Not Chinese," James groaned. "I still think they tried to poison me the last time we had it."
"Maybe it had something to do with the amount of Chinese food you ate," Sirius laughed.
"No, they definitely tried to poison me. I don't ever want to eat Chinese again!"
"All right," Remus sighed. "So we've got it down to any food that isn't Chinese. Can we try to narrow it a bit more?"
"Remus, you know we aren't good at these decisions!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Yes, yes, you'd be lost without me. Now, try your best, gentlemen. What should we have for dinner?"
A crack split the air, saving James and Sirius from making their difficult decision. All three boys looked up, and saw Olivia standing in the foyer.
"Liv!" Sirius exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you'd like to go out for dinner," she replied.
Sirius turned to James and Remus with a beaming smile. "Looks like you two are on your own to decide what you're having for dinner. I'm going out with Olivia."
"Prat," James laughed. "Now you've left me alone to decide what we're having." He turned to Remus. "So, what do you want?"
"I asked you first!"
Olivia shook her head. "Lily and Dana are having the same battle at my place. You guys should go over there. All four of you can be indecisive together."
"Maybe we should," James mused.
"You do that," Sirius said, shoving his wand in his pocket. "I'll see you guys later."
"Bye."
"See you!"
Sirius turned to Olivia. "Where are we going for dinner?"
"Hogsmeade," she said firmly.
Sirius nodded. "Three Broomsticks?"
"No, I picked a different restaurant for tonight. Just Apparate to the Three Broomsticks, though. I'll take you the rest of the way."
Sirius nodded again, and Disapparated. Olivia waved good bye to James and Remus, and Disapparated as well. James turned to look at Remus again.
"Seriously, what do you want for dinner?"
"So, where are we going?"
"To a new restaurant," Olivia replied. "It just opened last week. It's called Lin Tao's."
Sirius nearly choked, and started laughing. "That sounds like a Chinese place."
"It is," Olivia said, looking at him oddly. "I thought you loved Chinese."
"Oh, I do," Sirius grinned. "The guys and I were discussing dinner before you came over, and the one thing that James had vetoed for tonight was Chinese . . ." His sentence trailed off into laughter.
Olivia raised her eyebrows.
"All right, I guess you had to be there," Sirius said with a grin. "So, how do we get there?"
"Right this way," she said, taking his hand.
Several moments later, they were seated in the restaurant with menus open before them. Sirius decided what he wanted quickly, and closed his menu. Olivia took a bit longer to deliberate; as soon as her menu was closed, a waiter appeared to take their order. Once he had walked away, Sirius looked at Olivia.
"So, what's the occasion tonight?"
"There needs to be an occasion for us to go out for dinner?"
"No . . . It's not usually so spur of the moment, that's all."
"I thought you liked surprises."
"I do. But the fact that you're disputing every word that comes out of my mouth suggests that you're trying to find a way to tell me something." A cold fear filled his chest. "Liv . . . you didn't bring me out here to break up with me, did you?"
"No!" she exclaimed. "No, Sirius, not at all!"
He raised an eyebrow, feeling his pulse speed up. "Are you . . . preg -?"
"NO!" Olivia nearly screamed, cutting off his question. She lowered her voice as other patrons turned to look at them. "No, I'm certainly not, thank goodness. I don't think we're quite ready to be parents."
He visibly relaxed. "Good. All right, now that we're past that . . . What do you want to tell me?"
"Well, it's more something that I want to ask you," she said nervously.
"Ask away," Sirius smiled.
"What are you doing for Christmas?"
"Christmas?"
"Yeah. Are you staying at your flat, going to stay with Andromeda, or do you have other plans . . .?"
"Oh," he said, understanding her question. "Well, I haven't really thought about it. I guess I could go visit Andromeda for a few days. I haven't seen her in awhile. Other than that, I'll probably go to the Potters' with James. I've been going there for Christmas for years now. It almost seems weird to think of going anywhere else."
"Well, would you consider it for me?"
"Where do you want me to go with you?" Sirius grinned. "Perhaps a ski trip in the mountains of Switzerland?"
"No, nowhere that exciting." Olivia bit her lip. "I'd like for you to come to my parents' house with me."
Sirius' eyebrows shot up. "Your parents invited me for Christmas?"
"Not exactly."
"What do you mean, 'not exactly'?"
"Well, they owled me telling me that John – my brother, the one who's an Auror – told them when our break is from the Academy, and they expect me to be home on our first day off. I sent them an owl telling them that I wanted to spend Christmas with you."
"Did I miss an entire conversation? When did we talk about spending Christmas together?"
"You don't want to spend Christmas with me?" Her eyes snapped angrily as the pitch of her voice rose. She was already tense enough over this situation without him arguing about spending the holiday with her!
"No, that's not what I meant." Sirius exhaled, and ran his hand through his hair. He stopped the motion quickly, realizing that he looked like James. How could he talk his way out of this one?
"What did you mean, then?"
"Look," Sirius said softly, reaching across the table to touch Olivia's hand, "you know that I love spending time with you. And I would love to spend the holidays with you. I'm just surprised that you would tell your parents that we're spending Christmas together, considering how they feel about me."
"What do you mean 'how they feel about you'?"
"Were you at King's Cross on the last day of school?" Sirius laughed. "Your parents made it pretty clear that they don't want their little girl dating me."
"Well, I want their little girl dating you," Olivia replied firmly. "And my opinion is the important one."
Sirius grinned, relieved that he had managed to save the situation so easily. "So what did your parents write back?"
Olivia's reply was cut off by the waiter, who brought out their meals. Sirius picked up his fork, and took a bite of his food. Olivia also picked up her fork, but held it suspended over her plate.
"Well, they didn't owl me back," she said slowly. "They Flooed over to talk to me."
"They actually came to the house?"
"No, they just talked to me through the fireplace."
"Oh. What did they say?"
"They were pretty adamant that I was coming home for Christmas. And, as I'm sure you've noticed, I can be pretty stubborn."
"No! You?" Sirius laughed.
"Oh, shut it. Anyway, I told them that I wasn't spending Christmas without you, and that if they wanted me home for the holidays, you were coming with me. When faced with those options, they told me to bring you home with me."
The food fell off Sirius' fork as he nearly dropped it onto his plate. "What?"
"The important thing is, the invitation is out there, and at this point, I'd look really stupid if you didn't come home with me. Besides, it would make you look bad if you didn't come after I said we had to spend Christmas together. So, will you? Please?"
Sirius laughed. "All right, Liv, if it will make you happy. You didn't even need to add that part about it making me look bad."
"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, her face lighting with a smile. "I'll owl them to confirm everything tonight."
"How long are we staying?"
"The entire holiday."
Sirius worked hard to hide his shock. "The entire two weeks?"
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
He swallowed. "No. It's not a problem at all."
Olivia beamed across the table at him. "Thank you, Sirius! This is going to be so much fun!"
"How did I let her talk me into this?" Sirius moaned as he threw clothing into a suitcase. "I must have lost my mind."
"Temporary insanity," James nodded from his spot on Sirius' bed. "Aren't you taking your dress robes?"
"I probably should, huh? I'm sure we'll have to dress up for something."
"Probably."
Sirius tossed the dress robes into his suitcase. "James, what have I gotten myself into?"
"Look, mate, maybe it won't be as bad as you think! You might have a great time!"
"Yeah, and Snape might become my new best friend!"
"Sirius, really, I think you're panicking over nothing! The Alexanders aren't that bad."
"Don't you remember what they were like when I met them at the end of the school year?"
"Yeah, I do. But maybe they've gotten used to the idea of Liv dating you since then."
"I guess . . ." Sirius said uncertainly.
"I'll have my parents talk to them if you want."
"It's a bit late now." Sirius glanced at his watch. "Liv's going to be here to Floo over with me in like two minutes."
"I'm sure you'll be fine," James said bracingly.
"Yeah."
James sighed, and ran his hand through his hair. "Sirius, why are you doing this? Why are you going to the Alexanders' for the holidays?"
"For Olivia," Sirius replied promptly.
"And why are you doing this for Olivia?"
"Because this is important to her. Because I love her."
"Exactly. You hold on to that the entire time you're there. You love Olivia, and you're doing this because it means a lot to her. This isn't about you, Sirius."
"Maybe not to us," Sirius said darkly. "But to them, I think that it's entirely about me."
A whooshing sound filled the flat. James and Sirius looked at one another.
"I think that's her," Sirius said tensely. "She said she was going to Floo over."
"Sirius!" Remus called from the living room. "Olivia's here!"
"I'll be out in a second!" Sirius yelled. He looked at James with barely concealed panic in his eyes.
"This is it, then," James smiled.
"This is it," Sirius echoed. "When are you and Lily going to your parents' house?"
"I'm going to pick her up in an hour," James replied. He looked at Sirius critically. "You need to stop with the deer in the headlights look. Remember, you're an Auror. You don't show emotion."
"Except with her," Sirius said quietly.
"Well, at least not around her family," James grinned. He jumped off the bed, and held his hand out to Sirius. "Good luck, mate."
"Thanks," Sirius said, taking his hand. He pulled James in close for a manly, back-slapping hug. "You take care of yourself and Lily."
"I always do," James grinned as he pulled back.
"Are you coming to say good bye to Olivia?"
"Sure."
James and Sirius made their way into the living room, where Olivia was chatting with Remus. She smiled as she watched them approach.
"I was starting to think that you got lost," she grinned.
"Yeah, well, with such a massive flat, that's pretty easy," James smiled.
Olivia shook her head. "Come on, Sirius, we'd better get going." She looked at the other two. "Happy Christmas, guys."
"Happy Christmas," James and Remus said as one.
Sirius gave them a pleading look. "Happy Christmas," he said nervously.
"Happy Christmas," they grinned.
"Let's go, then," Olivia grinned. She grabbed the Floo powder, and threw it into the fireplace, shouting her parents' address.
Sirius looked back at James and Remus one last time. "Are you two going to church on Christmas or Christmas Eve?"
"Of course," Remus replied.
"Have you met my parents?" James laughed.
"Well, say a prayer for me," Sirius said. He took a deep breath, and flung the Floo powder into the flames, repeating the Alexanders' address.
James looked at Remus. "He's screwed."
"Completely," Remus laughed. "Are you done packing?"
"No. You?"
"Not at all."
"We'd better get on it!"
When Sirius emerged from the grate in the Alexander's kitchen, Olivia was hugging her mother. Sirius coughed, and tried to brush some of the soot off his robes. Olivia pulled away from her mother, and held her hand out to draw Sirius closer.
"Mum, you remember Sirius, don't you?"
"Oh, yes," Mrs. Alexander said, her eyes skimming over Sirius from head to foot. "How are you, Sirius?"
"Fine, thank you," Sirius said politely, reaching out to shake her hand. "How are you?"
"Fine," she said stiffly.
"My dad's at work," Olivia said. "He'll be home for dinner tonight." She glanced at her mother. "When is John coming?"
"He said that he might stop by tonight to welcome you home, but he'll definitely be here on Christmas," Mrs. Alexander replied. "He, Caroline, and the children are spending Christmas Eve with her family, so they won't be coming to church with us."
"John has two little girls," Olivia said to Sirius. "I told you about them, right?"
"Yes," Sirius said, searching his memory for Olivia's nieces' names. "Kristen and Megan, right?"
"That's right," Olivia beamed, thrilled that he had remembered.
Mrs. Alexander gave Sirius a critical look, then turned her eyes to her daughter. "Olivia, why don't you show Sirius to his room?"
"All right, Olivia agreed, picking up her suitcase. "I'll put my things away, too. Come on upstairs, Sirius."
He nodded, and followed Olivia out of the kitchen, carrying his suitcase. He looked around as they walked through the foyer and took the stairs to the second floor. The Alexanders house was very nice. It didn't have the rich elegance of the Potters' house, but it spoke of successful careers and of pride in furnishing and décor.
"This was my brother's room," Olivia said as they walked down the hall on the second floor. "My room is right across the hall, and the guest room – your room – is here, next to mine. My parents' room is at the end of the hall."
"Thanks, Liv," Sirius said with a smile.
Olivia pushed his door open for him. "Sirius, relax," she murmured. "You can't spend two weeks in a state of constant tension."
"You're right," Sirius smiled as they walked into his room. "You'll help me relax, won't you?"
"You know I will," Olivia grinned, setting down her suitcase. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned into him. "Maybe later, I can give you a massage."
"That sounds wonderful," Sirius murmured, pulling her closer and kissing her. He pulled back, and smiled down at her. "We probably shouldn't be doing this in your parents' house, huh?"
"Probably not," she said, making no move to leave his arms. She kissed him again, even deeper than she had the first time. "Or maybe we'll just have to be very sneaky about it," she whispered against his lips.
Sirius chuckled, and kissed her again. "I love you."
"I love you, too." She ran her fingertips down his chest, then reluctantly pulled away. "We should probably get downstairs. Mum will wonder what happened to us. Or, worse yet, she'll know."
Laughing, Sirius followed Olivia back down the stairs.
"Mum?" she called as they reached the first floor. "Where are you?"
"Right here, honey!"
Olivia rolled her eyes. "She always says that. Would it kill her to give an actual location?"
Sirius laughed. "The Potters have the same problem."
Olivia smiled. "Where's 'here'?" she called.
"In the kitchen!"
"There we go," Olivia said. "Come on, let's go see if she has anything planned for us."
They walked hand in hand to the kitchen. Sirius dropped Olivia's hand as they approached the door. She gave him a curious look.
"I don't want to be too demonstrative in front of your mother," he said with an apologetic smile.
"She knows we're serious," Olivia replied. "If we weren't, why would I have insisted that you come home for Christmas with me?"
Sirius shrugged. "Still . . ."
Olivia shook her head, and pushed open the kitchen door. "Do you need help with dinner, Mum?"
"Not yet. We won't eat until everyone gets here."
Olivia frowned. "I thought we were just waiting for Dad. He'll be home from work in less than an hour."
"While you two were upstairs, I got an owl from your brother. He's going to bring the family over for dinner tonight. They won't be here until at least seven. If you hadn't taken so long upstairs, you would have known that," she finished with a disapproving frown.
Sirius glanced at Olivia. She met her mother's eyes without a trace of guilt or shame. Sirius was reminded of giving a cover story to McGonagall. He fought back the smile that wanted to surface, and forced his face into the innocent expression he had given to professors – often to great results.
"I was showing Sirius around upstairs," Olivia said evenly. "We wouldn't want him wandering into your room thinking it was the bathroom, would we?"
Mrs. Alexander rolled her eyes. "Show Sirius around the house, Olivia. You're just going to be in my way if you stay in here."
Olivia smiled. "Yell if you need me. Come on, Sirius."
"Where are we going?" Sirius asked as they walked out of the kitchen.
"Around the house," she repeated, taking his hand.
"Liv . . ."
"It's okay," she said, lacing her fingers through his. "I love you, and they can't change that. They need to get used to the idea."
Sirius grinned, and tightened his grip on her hand. "I love you, too."
"Hi, Olivia!"
Olivia and Sirius, who had just come in from a walk outside, stopped short and released hands. A smile broke out across Olivia's face.
"Hi, Dad!"
Mr. Alexander and Olivia both crossed the room, and met halfway in a warm hug. Mr. Alexander's eyes fell on Sirius, and his visibly stiffened. Olivia drew back, and glanced over her shoulder at Sirius. Sighing, she turned back to her father.
"How are you, Dad?"
"Fine," he said tensely. He looked past her again. "Sirius, hello."
"Hello, Mr. Alexander," Sirius said, reaching out to shake his hand.
"How do you like Auror training?" Mr. Alexander's tone implied that Sirius was not equal to the task. It was almost as if he was trying to provoke him.
"I'm enjoying it," Sirius said evenly.
"It's going great, Dad," Olivia said, trying to ease some of the tension in the room.
"Well," Mr. Alexander said, glancing at his watch, "John should be here soon. Olivia, why don't you go help your mother with dinner?"
"Come, Olivia," Mrs. Alexander said, rising from her seat to go to the kitchen. She gave her husband a pointed look, and he nodded slightly
"All right. Do you want to come, Sirius?"
"Sure," Sirius replied lightly, glancing uneasily at Olivia's parents. He had seen the exchange between them, and it had rather unnerved him.
"Sirius, why don't you stay with me." Mr. Alexander's statement left no room for argument.
Sirius nodded, and sat down in the chair Mr. Alexander indicated. Olivia looked at them both uncertainly for a moment, then followed her mother to the kitchen. Mr. Alexander sat down across from Sirius.
"Sirius, I think we need to talk about your relationship with my daughter."
"All right," Sirius agreed uneasily. He was quite sure that no good could come of this conversation.
"I'm sure that the feelings that you and Olivia have for one another are very strong," Mr. Alexander said. "And I know that two of your friends are getting married in a few months, so I won't belittle you by telling you that you're too young to understand how you feel. I'm sure that you do. I'm not going to dispute your feelings for my daughter."
Sirius frowned slightly. "That is rather the conversation I had expected, sir."
Mr. Alexander looked at him for a moment before speaking again. "I'm going to be blunt, Sirius. You aren't good enough for Olivia."
Sirius flinched. He had known all along that Olivia's parents felt that way, but hadn't expected to hear her father say it like that.
"Your family and your own history are against you. Olivia's told me of the things that you and your friends did at school, and, frankly, I'm not impressed. I don't approve of your relationship with her, and I want it to end. You can remain here for the holidays, since I promised Olivia you could. But, after the New Year, you will end your relationship with her. You will tell her that you are very sorry, but it just won't work out between the two of you, and you will never see her again."
Sirius laughed out loud. Mr. Alexander looked at him in shock.
"Young man, did you misunderstand me?"
"Oh, no, I understood you. You want me to break up with Olivia because you don't think I'm good enough for her."
"No, I don't think it – I know it to be true."
Sirius shook his head. "Mr. Alexander, I'm sure that you and your wife are great parents. Olivia is proof of that. She's a wonderful person. She's clever, she's funny, and she can match me wit for wit. She's also caring and loyal . . . and she stands up for what she believes in. And she believes in me the same way I believe in her. She's my match in every way, and I love her." He gave Mr. Alexander a hard look that clearly said not to cross him. "I came here with Olivia because it's important to her – because you're important to her. If you want me to leave your home, sir, I will, but I will not leave Olivia." He paused, and took a deep breath. "Your approval means a great deal to me, Mr. Alexander, but she means more. I love her with everything I am, and I will stay with her with or without your blessing."
Mr. Alexander's face turned a vivid red, almost as though he was going to explode. He opened his mouth to unleash his fury on Sirius, who was more than ready to accept it, when a whooshing sound filled the air, followed by cries of delight. A moment later, Olivia came rushing into the room, bringing several people with her.
"Dad, look who's here!"
"Grandpa!"
Mr. Alexander's color began to return to normal, and smile spread across his face as his eyes fell on his two granddaughters.
"Hi, girls!"
Olivia's two young nieces launched themselves across the room, and into their grandfather's outstretched arms. Sirius watched for a minute, shocked that this was the same man who had been about to tear him apart only moments before. He finally drew his attention away from the older man and back to Olivia. She beamed at him.
"Sirius, this is my brother, John, and my sister-in-law, Caroline. John, Caroline, this is Sirius Black, my boyfriend."
John smiled, and shook Sirius' hand. "It's good to finally meet you, Sirius. Every letter I get from Livie is devoted to you."
"Oh, that's not true," Olivia laughed.
"You're right. You do mention your other friends, too. But I never get a word about your Auror training."
Olivia rolled her eyes, but smiled affectionately. "John finished training five years ago, so he thinks he's the expert."
"Well, I am," John grinned.
Olivia shook her head. "I'll go detach the girls from Dad so you can meet them."
"It's nice to meet you, Sirius," Caroline said, holding out her hand in greeting. "We have heard quite a bit about you – and not just from Olivia."
"Who else has been talking about me?" Sirius grinned, shaking Caroline's hand.
"Alastor Moody," John said. "He speaks very highly of you."
Sirius relaxed a bit. Aurors generally took Moody's word as sacred truth. Perhaps Olivia's entire family wouldn't hate him.
"Are you an Auror, too?" Sirius asked Caroline, trying to fill in the conversation.
"I was," she replied. "I quit after Kristen was born. Any woman who can be an Auror and a mother has my undying respect. It's impossible! Moody didn't take it well, of course. It was only my first year out of the Academy."
Sirius smiled. "I'm sure he got over it."
"Eventually," John laughed.
"Here are my girls!" Olivia said, coming forward with a little girl holding each of her hands. "Girls, this is my friend, Sirius. Sirius, this is Kristen, and this is Megan."
Sirius grinned, and dropped down to his knees to talk to the girls. "Hey, girls," he smiled. "How are you?"
Both girls smiled shyly. Megan pushed closer to Olivia, trying to hide her face in her aunt's robes. Sirius smiled again.
"How old are you?"
"Four," Kristen said softly.
"That's great age," Sirius said. "You're almost grown up, aren't you? Have your parents bought you a broomstick yet?"
"No," she said, giving her parents an accusatory glance.
John laughed. "Maybe Santa will bring you one this year, sweetie."
Sirius grinned up at him, then turned to Megan. "And how old are you, cutie?"
Megan looked up at Olivia. Olivia smiled.
"Tell Sirius how old you are, love."
Megan didn't respond verbally, but held up two fingers. Sirius smiled.
"You're two! Well, you're practically as old as your sister!"
Caroline looked away from her children and Sirius to her father-in-law. Seeing the intense anger on his face, she touched John's sleeve. He looked at her, and she nodded in Mr. Alexander's direction. One glance was all he needed.
"Livie, could you and Sirius take the girls into the kitchen to see if dinner's ready?"
"Sure," Olivia said, giving him a look of confusion.
"I'll come with you," Caroline said quickly.
"All right," Olivia said, frowning slightly.
Once they were out in the hall, Caroline paused. "Liv, you and the girls go ahead. I want to talk to Sirius for a moment."
Olivia nodded, still frowning, and led the girls down the hall to the kitchen. Sirius looked down at Caroline.
"What's up?"
"They're being hard on you, aren't they?"
"Yeah," Sirius admitted, not even willing to play dumb. "It's been a rough day."
"Yeah, I know. But don't let them get you down. You and Olivia love one another, I can tell. Just keep on loving her, and don't let them tell you what to do. Don't let them destroy what you have with her."
Sirius smiled. "Thanks, Caroline."
She smiled back. "Your family has a terrible reputation, Sirius, but if Moody is willing to give you his support, then I know you're nothing like them. Your family doesn't necessarily determine who you are. For the record, I'm on your side."
The dinner was the tensest Sirius had experienced since leaving his parents' house. John had obviously told his father to leave Sirius alone; the older man didn't speak to Sirius at all. He settled for shooting murderous glares in his direction at every opportunity. Sirius was sorely tempted to smile back at him simply to annoy him, but refrained. He didn't want to ruin dinner for everyone. Besides, he had Olivia and her nieces to keep him entertained.
As with all things in life, the meal did come to an end. Sirius hoped that the hour was late enough that he wouldn't be forced into another solitary conversation with Olivia's father. Fortunately, Kristen and Megan came to his aid.
"Grandma, Grandpa, will you come and play with us?"
"Oh, I have the dishes . . ." Mrs. Alexander said.
"I'll take care of them," Olivia said quickly.
"And I'll help," Sirius volunteered.
"Thanks," Olivia smiled.
"I wanted to show the girls that playhouse you built for Livie when she was little, Dad," John said. "It's been so long since anyone's used it that I had forgotten it. Is it still here?"
"In the same place. Do you still remember how to get to it?"
"There's a password . . . I was just telling Caroline about it the other day."
"Yes, I'd like to see it too."
While the others took the little girls into the sitting room, Sirius and Olivia collected the dishes from the table. They magicked everything into the kitchen, where they began the washing process.
"Your nieces are adorable," Sirius smiled.
"They're sweet, aren't they?" Olivia replied with a grin. "They've had all of us wrapped around their little fingers since their births."
"I'm sure you were the same way," Sirius said. "I guess I never realized how much younger you are than your brother until now."
"Yeah, we're eight years apart. I've always been sort of his pet. But now I have his girls to spoil, so I guess we've come full circle." She paused for a moment. "What did you and my dad talk about while I was helping my mum with dinner?"
Sirius paused for a moment. Olivia loved her father dearly. There was no way he could tell her the truth. It would only create a rift between them. "You," he said simply.
"Me?" Olivia repeated blankly.
"Yes," Sirius said. "We talked about how much we both love you."
Olivia smiled. "Well, I love you, too."
"Good," Sirius said, pulling her close to kiss her.
Olivia pulled away from the kiss to smile up at him. "I thought you didn't want to be demonstrative in front of my parents."
"They aren't in here, are they?" he asked, leaning down to kiss her more thoroughly.
"They'd better not be," Olivia breathed. She wrapped her arms more securely around Sirius, and pressed her body against his. "Because right now, I think we need to be alone."
"My thoughts exactly," Sirius murmured as their lips met again.
Remus,
How's your holiday going, mate? Let me tell you, Olivia's family is insane! Well, not all of them. Her brother and sister-in-law are nice. But her parents are making me crazy, and this is only the second day! I thought that since you're at Laura's, maybe you would understand. So, do you have any advice for me? I really need to know how to deal with these people! I know you'll be able to help me. You're the logical, clear-thinking one! Thanks, Moony! I'll see you next year!
Sirius
Remus grinned as he read Sirius' letter. No, he probably wasn't the one to give his friend advice. Laura's family hadn't been anything but wonderful to him. Although, after he had spent several days in her parents' house, Remus finally understood why Laura had wanted to live alone after graduating from Hogwarts. The peace and quiet must have been a strong incentive.
Laura was the second-youngest of seven children. Of her older siblings, two were married. The other three attended universities, and were all home for Christmas. Laura's younger sister, the only one Remus had met before, was a fourth year at Hogwarts. She had taken Remus under her wing, trying to help Laura introduce him to the wonders of the Muggle world. Remus was an eager pupil; he found the Muggle house fascinating.
"Remus?" Laura called as she walked up the stairs. "Where are you?"
"Right here," Remus said, popping his head out of the guest room he had been staying in.
"I thought I had lost you to the television again," Laura grinned as she approached him.
"That television is amazing, Laura! I could honestly spend hours staring at it."
"Most Muggles do," Laura giggled. "David, Cassie, and Matt are notorious for monopolizing it when they're home for holidays. But George was the worst! When he was at home, he was truly the ruler of the television."
Remus grinned. "I'm going to try to talk Sirius and James into putting one in our flat."
Laura rolled her eyes. "Good luck with that. Somehow, I have a feeling that a tv wouldn't last too long in Sirius' presence."
"Ah, you're probably right. I'm sure he'd try to change the channels with his wand, and end up cursing the television into a million pieces."
"Yes, because it's so hard to pick yourself up off the sofa to change them," Laura laughed.
"Have you met Sirius Black?" Remus grinned. "He'd think that's way too much work."
Laura shook her head. "Well, I was going to go decorate the Christmas tree. Do you want to help?"
"Sure!" Remus said. He frowned slightly. "Don't your brothers and sisters help?"
"I don't let them," Laura admitted with a laugh. "I never like the way they put stuff on the tree."
"My, you are picky, aren't you?"
"You're just seeing that now? And you've known me how long?"
Remus grinned again. "So, why exactly are you letting me help?"
"Because I love you," Laura said, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Come on, let's go downstairs."
"All right."
Laura pulled out the boxes of decorations, and put a Christmas record on the turntable. She began directing Remus in the placement of the ornaments on the tree. Remus laughed at her.
"Do you think I've never seen a tree before?" he asked.
"I told you that I'm particular about this!"
"Why don't you just trust my judgment?"
"I'll try . . . But I'm not making any promises!"
An hour later, the tree was decorated. Remus and Laura stepped back to admire their masterpiece. Laura smiled, and leaned back against Remus, who wrapped his arms around her.
"I think it looks lovely, don't you?" he whispered.
"Yes," she replied, never taking her eyes from the glittering tree. "Thank you for your help, Remus."
"Thank you for letting me help." He kissed the top of her head. "I've never had so much fun decorating a tree."
"Neither have I."
They stayed like that for several moments, until Laura reluctantly pulled away.
"We should clear away all these boxes," she said.
Remus nodded his agreement, and began to help her again. Once the boxes were back in their proper places, Laura looked up at Remus.
"Mum was making some cookies earlier. Let's go see if they're ready yet."
"Weren't those for your nieces and nephews?" Remus laughed.
"They aren't coming over until later," Laura replied, waving her hand dismissively. "They won't know if we take a couple. Besides, we should test them to make sure they're all right for the kids to eat."
Remus laughed again, and followed her to the kitchen. Mrs. Bond smiled at them as they entered.
"Is the tree done?" she asked.
"Yes," Laura replied. "And I do think it's the prettiest tree we've ever had."
"Good girl. You always do a lovely job of decorating our trees."
"Well," Laura smiled, "then I think I need a reward. And so does Remus, since he helped me."
"He deserves a medal for that," Mrs. Bond laughed. "I can't believe you survived it Remus! Most of us can't handle being anywhere near Laura when she decorates the tree!"
"She told me she won't let anyone help," Remus laughed.
"Well, that's true . . . But we also know better than to try. It's not pretty for anyone!"
Laura rolled her eyes. "Stop trying to make me look bad, Mum. Remus knows me well enough by now." She glanced at the plate of cookies on the counter. "Can we test those for you?"
"I suppose," Mrs. Bond said, offering them the plate. "But don't tell anyone else, or I won't have any for the children."
"We wouldn't dream of it," Laura grinned. "Come on, Remus."
They left the kitchen together, each carrying a cookie. When they passed through the living room, Remus noted that the television was on. He paused to see what show was on; Laura paused with him. She rolled her eyes.
"You really are obsessed with that thing, aren't you?"
"Remus!" Matt exclaimed. "Come in and watch with us!"
"We're watching a horror movie marathon," Cassie added. "This will probably look really fake to you guys, though. Hannah's been laughing through the whole thing."
"You should see the way they depict witches and wizards!" Hannah giggled. "Oh, and the dark creatures are hysterical! The last one had a vampire! He was ridiculous!"
Remus smiled, and sat down with them. Shrugging her shoulders, Laura sat down next to him.
"Hey, where did you get those?" David asked, spying the cookies they had in their hands.
"Kitchen," Laura replied lazily.
"Go get me a cookie, Hannah."
"Get it yourself."
"You're the witch. Can't you just make it zoom over or something?"
"It's called summoning," Hannah said, rolling her eyes. "And you know very well that I'm not allowed to do magic outside Hogwarts."
"Fine. Matt, get me a cookie."
"I'm not your servant, lazy arse. Get it yourself."
Remus watched them in mild amusement for a moment. Then, a horrendous shriek from the television caught his attention. He wasn't the only one. David and Matt stopped their argument to watch as a woman ran in fear.
"What's she scared of? Did I miss the monster?" Matt asked.
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should try paying attention! But I'm sure you didn't miss the monster entirely. They haven't killed him yet. Oh! There he is!"
Remus stared at the television in shock. The monster that was terrorizing the village was unmistakably a werewolf. He didn't look exactly like a real werewolf, but he was a close enough copy that Remus could recognize him for what he was. He watched in sick fascination as the werewolf raced through the village, tearing houses and people apart.
"That's not right at all," Hannah laughed. "I know we didn't learn that werewolves act like that in Defense Against the Dark Arts! I mean, it's broad daylight! No werewolf would be out then! Isn't that right, Laura?"
"Yeah," Laura said in a tight voice, "yeah, you're right, Hannah. You should write these things, you know."
"Maybe I will someday," Hannah said smugly. She returned her attention to the television.
"Remus?" David asked suddenly. "Are you all right, mate?"
Remus forced his attention away from the television, and swallowed hard. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said a bit hoarsely.
"Are you sure? You look a little out of it."
Remus smiled weakly. "Well, I did just help your sister decorate the Christmas tree."
"Say no more," Matt grinned.
"We should have warned you," Cassie laughed. "We all know better by now."
Laura shook her head, and looked back at Remus with concern. "Come on, Remus, let's get out of here.
"No!" Remus said quickly. "No, I want to see how the movie ends."
"Are you sure?" Laura asked uncertainly.
"I'm sure," Remus said firmly.
Laura nodded, and cuddled close to him. He put his arm around her, holding on as though for dear life. He didn't want to watch this movie, but he had to. He had to see how the movie ended. He had to see how Muggles viewed monsters like him.
"I don't know why you had to see the ending," Laura said. She passed Remus a piece of chocolate. "I can't believe it's taken this much out of you, though."
"Laura, I just watched a werewolf being killed. A Muggle drove a stake through his heart!" He sat down on her bed, still chewing his chocolate. "It was pretty sick, you know."
"Yeah, it was," Laura said. "But it wasn't real, Remus. It was just a movie. A movie starring, written, produced, and directed by Muggles. They didn't know what they were doing!"
"I'm not so sure," Remus said slowly. "I mean, the form was off, and the habits, like Hannah pointed out, but the transformations were dead on."
Laura shivered. "Even the pain?"
"Especially the pain."
"Remus, I –"
A knock on the door cut off her statement. Laura glanced at Remus, who nodded.
"Come in!"
The door opened, and Hannah walked in. She closed it behind her, and crossed the room slowly, deliberately.
"I have a question for you," she said.
"For me?" Laura asked.
"More for Remus, actually."
"Shoot," Remus said, trying to sit up straighter.
Hannah drew a deep breath. "Do you know any werewolves?"
The color drained from Remus' face. "What? What gave you that idea?"
"Nothing, really, except . . . I was watching you during the movie. Now, I know you've never seen a tv or anything before, but you were really, really disturbed by that movie. More than you have been by anything we've seen since you've been here. I just thought that maybe you knew someone who had to go through that." Her eyes shifted to her sister. "Really, you were pretty upset about it, too, and I know that you've seen movies like that before . . ." Her voice died, and her eyes grew round as the pieces came together in her head. Her hands flew up to her mouth.
"Hannah, stop right there," Laura said quickly.
Hannah shook her head quickly from side to side. "Remus," she gasped. "Are you -?"
"Yes," Remus said quietly. "Yes, I am."
"Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God," Hannah whispered.
Laura jumped up, and pulled her sister close. She crushed Hannah to her, rocking her back and forth.
"Laura," Hannah whispered. "You knew, didn't you?"
"Yes," Laura said softly. "But, Hannah, really, everything's going to be okay. I promise. It's fine. Remus is fine. He's still the same person he's always been."
"Is this why you broke up during your seventh year?" Hannah asked softly.
"Yes," Laura replied. "But it wasn't really because of that. It was because – because he had told his friends, but not me. I felt like he trusted them more than he did me."
"Who else knows?"
"My parents," Remus replied. "And James, Sirius, Peter, Lily, Olivia, and Dana. Kathleen knew, but she's gone now."
Hannah shook her head again. "How long have you . . . been this way?"
"Ages," Remus said softly. "Ever since I was six."
"And you've lived with it? You haven't tried to . . ."
"Oh, I've tried," Remus affirmed. "But something has always happened to stop me. Believe me, Hannah, I've never . . . hurt anyone. And I would never, never knowingly do anything to hurt you, or Laura, or anyone else in your family. I love you all too much."
Hannah nodded slowly. "I believe you."
"Hannah, listen," Laura said. "You can't tell anyone about this, okay? Remus can't have a lot of people find out, or it won't be good for him."
Hannah nodded. "I understand. I won't say anything."
Remus smiled at her. "You're a strong girl, Hannah."
Hannah smiled. "I get it from Laura."
James,
Well, Hannah, Laura's little sister, figured out what I am. It all started as an innocent movie night with her siblings, and it turned into an exposé on my life! Too bad Lily wasn't here for it – she probably could have put it in the local news! Everything's fine, though. Hannah swore not to say anything.
I hope your holiday isn't as traumatic as mine! Are there any demons lurking in your past that can be revealed during a family moment? Well, enjoy your time with Lily and your parents. Happy Christmas!
Remus
James walked around his parents' house searching for Lily. He wasn't sure where she was, but he was quite sure that she wouldn't appreciate him yelling her name as he wandered through the hallways. He glanced into the living room as he passed. Seeing nothing that suggested that Lily was in the room, he was about to keep walking when a flash of red caught his eye. He stopped, and walked into the room.
Lily was curled up on the window seat behind the Christmas tree, staring at the glittering holiday symbol. James smiled, thinking of three nights ago, when he, Lily, and his parents had decorated it. They had had so much fun, and the tree looked wonderful. Now, as he watched her, Lily looked anything but happy. Sighing, James moved closer.
"Lily? Are you all right?"
Lily's head snapped up, and she pasted a smile on her face. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be all right?"
James sat down next to her. "Do you really want me to answer that?"
Lily sighed, and leaned up against him. "I miss them," she whispered.
"I know," James sighed, pressing a kiss into her hair. "If you didn't miss your parents, I wouldn't love you as much."
"Well, that's a lovely thing to say," Lily said, twisting her head to look into his eyes.
"I didn't mean to be harsh. I just meant that one of the things that I love most about you is that you're caring and compassionate, and that you feel everything so deeply. You love with such passion, you feel anger with such fire, and you're loyal with such strength. That's all a part of who you are, and why I love you. If you weren't sad thinking about your parents now, you wouldn't be you."
Lily smiled. "You really do know how to talk your way out of anything, don't you?"
"It's a talent," James grinned. "I think the only one who ever saw through me was McGonagall."
Lily shook her head, and smiled again. "When does your family go to Mass on Christmas?"
"We always go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve."
"That's in like an hour!"
James nodded. "I guess I should have given you more notice. Sorry about that. Is it all right with you?"
"Perfect," Lily agreed. "My family always went to Midnight Mass, too."
"Good," James smiled. "And when we have children, we'll make them stay up late to go, just like our parents did with us."
"How many children? We need to be prepared before we start dragging them out in the middle of the night," Lily smiled.
"Oh, at least ten," James grinned.
"TEN!" Lily cried, jumping out of his arms and to the other side of the window seat. "James Potter, you are completely insane! We are not having ten children!"
"What? I thought you liked kids!"
"Yes, other people's!" Lily laughed. "But I don't need ten of my own, thank you very much!"
"How about two, then?"
"That's a much better place to start," Lily laughed. "In fact, I think I'd be happy with one for awhile."
"You don't want twins, then?"
"No, I think one will be as many as I can handle!"
James smiled, and kissed her temple. "I think I'd like to handle just the two of us for awhile."
"I'd like that," Lily said, cuddling close to him again.
"James? Lily? Are you in here?"
James and Lily untangled themselves, and stood up to walk around the tree. Mrs. Potter smiled as they came into view.
"We're leaving for church in an hour. You should probably start getting ready."
"We're on it, Mum," James grinned. He took Lily's hand to lead her to the bedrooms.
"Maybe we should back off the public displays of affection in front of your parents," Lily smiled as she and James made their way upstairs.
"And miss out on stuff like this?" James asked, grabbing Lily.
He pulled her close, and backed her up so that her back was against the wall as he kissed her. She drew her breath in sharply, then relaxed into the kiss, running her fingers through his hair. James pulled away, and smiled down at her.
"Are you sure you don't want to snog me in this house?"
Lily responded by kissing him again.
Lily struggled with herself during the majority of the Mass. Memories of her parents flooded her mind, and conflicting emotions washed over her like waves. She took James' hand, lacing her fingers through his. He looked down at her with concern, and she gave him a smile. He smiled back, and tightened his hold on her hand.
Lily fought back tears as they knelt for the Consecration. In her mind, she could see the reverence in her mother's eyes as implored her girls to feel the same emotion as she did for the sacrament. After taking the Eucharist, Lily's prayers were devoted to her parents – that they would rest in peace, and be proud of both of their daughters.
After the closing hymn, they prepared to leave their pew. James helped Lily into her jacket, then placed his hand against the small of her back to lead her forward. She had made it to the end of the pew before she realized that James' hand was gone. She turned quickly, and saw him exchanging greetings with Danny, who was standing in the pew behind them.
"Happy Christmas, Lily," he smiled as she turned to face him.
"Happy Christmas," she replied.
"So, James tells me you're planning a February wedding," Danny smiled. "Are you going for a Valentine's Day theme?"
"Goodness, no," Lily shuddered. "Can you imagine anything tackier than that? My bridesmaids will be in green, thank you very much."
Danny laughed. "You're a lucky man, James. You have a good one here."
"So do I," Lily smiled, taking James' arm.
Danny glanced behind him. "I do need to run. My parents are waiting. I just wanted to stop to say hello."
"I'm glad you did," James grinned. "Will you come over for a bit tomorrow?"
"If I can get away," Danny promised. "Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas," James replied. He looked at Lily. "Come on. Mum and Dad will wonder what happened to us."
By the time they returned to the Potters', it was quite late. Mrs. Potter yawned as she took off her coat.
"My, I think that midnight comes a little later every year," she smiled.
James laughed. "If you say so, Mum."
She swatted him. "Show some respect for your elders."
"Certainly," James grinned. "You do realize that you just called yourself old, right?"
"Oh, James, I'm tired!"
James, Lily, and Mr. Potter all laughed. Even Mrs. Potter joined in after a moment.
"Well, I'm off to bed," she said, still chuckling. "Are the rest of you coming?"
"I'm not quite ready yet," James replied.
"I'll stay up a bit later," Lily agreed.
Mrs. Potter shook her head. "Harold? What about you?"
"Of course," Mr. Potter smiled. "We old folks have to get to sleep earlier than these young ones."
Both laughing, the Potters headed up the stairs together, calling good night.
"Don't stay up too late, James!" Mrs. Potter admonished as she disappeared around a corner in the hall.
James smiled, and turned to Lily. "How about a midnight stroll?"
"You want to go out for a walk?"
"Unless there's a new definition for 'stroll' that I haven't heard about."
Smiling, Lily shook her head, and pulled her coat back on. "Where are we headed?"
"Out back," James replied, shrugging into his own jacket. "Just follow me."
Lily nodded, and let him lead her outside. The night was very clear, with brilliant stars shining down on them. Only a few clouds marred the sky. They shifted, and the moon peeked down at them.
"Half moon," Lily breathed.
"Thank goodness," James murmured, thinking of Remus. He wondered if Hannah was keeping her word and her silence.
Lily took in a breath of the sharp, cold air. She felt more alive now, with snow crunching under her feet in the freezing cold, under a blanket of stars, than she had in weeks. She shivered slightly, and James moved closer, putting his arms around her.
"Are you too cold?"
"No," she smiled. "Being out here with you like this, James – it's perfect."
James smiled down at her. "Not quite."
"What?"
He pulled away from her, and took out his wand. He muttered a spell, and waved the narrow strip of wood. Dozens of fairies shot out of it, hovering above them in a fluttering canopy of light. Lily turned to James with a beaming smile.
"James! It's beautiful! It reminds me of Minnie and Adam's wedding."
James grinned. "Well then, may I have this dance?"
"But there's no music."
"Can't you hear it?" James asked, beginning to hum a tune under his breath.
He took Lily in his arms, and began to waltz around the yard with her. She laughed, and quickly fell into step with him. He spun her, and laughed with her.
"Such moves!" she exclaimed.
"That was just the beginning!" James laughed, dropping his arm to dip her.
Lily gave a shriek of laughter, and he pulled her back upright. He twirled her around again, then settled her in his arms.
"You are an incredible dancer," she smiled.
"No better than you," he whispered, drawing her closer.
"James!" Lily exclaimed, pulling back slightly.
"What?"
"Look! It's snowing!"
They both looked up, still swaying to the music in their hearts, letting the snowflakes fall against their faces. James looked down at Lily with a soft smile.
"Happy Christmas, Lily."
"Happy Christmas, James."
Peter,
Happy Christmas! Has your holiday been all you dreamed and more? We really need to catch up! When can you come and visit us? We'll all be back in the flat by the first of the year. Let us know! We'll be waiting to hear from you!
James
Peter sighed as he read James' short message. Yes, his holiday had been exactly what he had expected. His mother had fussed over everything, trying to make it a special occasion, and his father had complained about everything, saying that it was too much. He had also criticized Peter, as usual, skirting around saying that he was a disappointment. Mrs. Pettigrew would never allow him to actually say the words, but she was the only thing that kept him from it. Peter was used to it, of course, but it still stung. He was still searching for a way to win his father's approval.
Then, when Peter went downstairs from breakfast on the day before New Year's Eve, his father greeted him with a smile. Peter glanced at him warily.
"You're chipper," he commented.
"As we all should be!" Mr. Pettigrew replied cheerfully. "Have you seen the Daily Prophet this morning?"
"And when would I have had time for that?" Peter asked sarcastically. "I just walked down the stairs. Or did you miss that?"
It was a testament to how pleased his father was over the news that he didn't respond. Peter took that as a sign – a very bad sign.
"Look at this, my boy!" Mr. Pettigrew said, sliding the paper across the table.
Peter picked it up, and sat down to read it. The headline flashed out at him: TWENTY WIZARDS KILLED IN HOGSMEADE; ATTACK ATTRIBUTED TO DEATH EATERS
"And why would I be interested in this?" Peter asked.
"It's a sign of the times!" Mr. Pettigrew replied. "The Dark Lord has managed to take Hogsmeade!"
"That's not what it says," Peter argued. "It just says there was an attack in Hogsmeade. It doesn't say anything about the Dark Lord taking over Hogsmeade."
"You know that the Prophet doesn't report everything, don't you?"
Peter thought to what Lily had said about how slanted the paper's news tended to be. The editors and the Ministry had agreed to report a toned-down version of the news. They didn't want to start a panic. As those thoughts ran through his head, he nodded.
"The Dark Lord is taking over everywhere, Peter," Mr. Pettigrew said, his eyes gleaming. "He's even begun recruiting followers abroad. Have you heard about that?"
Again, Peter nodded. Hadn't the Longbottoms gone to Bulgaria to help fight the Death Eaters? And James had also spoken of problems in Greece and Sweden, and of his concern that more countries would have similar problems.
"It's only a matter of time, Peter. You've seen the destruction that the Dark Lord has managed to cause, even with your group working against him. You've seen Dumbledore's inability to fight him. Soon, everyone will realize that the Dark Lord is right, and they will join his ranks. His theories are correct, Peter. If we can eliminate the weak, the wizarding world will become an unstoppable force. That makes sense to you, doesn't it? The strongest wizards will produce the strongest children. The weaker wizards simply can't help the creation of a stronger race."
Again, Peter nodded. What his father was saying did make sense. Didn't it?
Mr. Pettigrew's eyes began to shine. "You're beginning to see the light, Peter. You'll make me proud yet."
"I hope to," Peter whispered.
"You will," Mr. Pettigrew said confidently. "I'm sure you can make me proud, Peter. The power is there within you. We just have to reach it."
Once again, Peter nodded.