Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his skull when he seen the amass of gifts in the family room.

Harry went and closed his friend's mouth. "Ron relax."

"Harry, this is crazy."

Sesshomaru looks over at his kids/pups "so whose turn is it this year?"

"Its the youngest that passes out the gifts, but since Keiko is not old enough to even read yet, so its Harry's turn again." Alison states

Harry stood and gave out the gift as he did, Ron saw who gave the gifts just by the look of the paper and he saw that one pile was set aside. "Umm Lord Sesshomaru, who are those gifts for?"

"Harry, what do the tags say on the pile, you just made." Sesshomaru questions, nodding toward the pile Ron was referring too.

'Those are for the orphanage we give every year we have a a special gift giving for them." Harry explained

"In other words, Kikyo's going to show up as her duty as a priestess to take those to the orphanage." Yasha states, as he sat by his rather large pile of gifts. "Ali, reconsider?"

"Nah." Alison giggled as she looked at Yasha's mountain of gifts.

Harry finally sat down by his pile and waited for the first gift to be opened as per tradision

Topaz sat somewhat away from the family as she fiddled with a small wrapped box in her hands.

Ali saw her with the box and went over to her "Hey you do know your part of the family now." she leans in to her and gently kisses her cheeks.

"Yeah, I know...but its different." Topaz answers

"oh and what is it, babe?" Ali asked pointing to the box.

"Its a gift, duh." Topaz answers

"Haha, I can see that let me see what it is." She took the box and slowly opened it.

Topaz looked down at her hands, as Ali opened the gift that was a wolf fang earring.

Alison's eyes went wide and then turns and pulls the wolf-girl in to a tight hug and was murmuring to her.

"Concept of oxygen mean anything to you?" Topaz gasped

She pushed her girlfriend back "Oh be quiet you lovable mutt and just not ruin the moment ."

"And you're getting stared at and I'll have you know I am not a mutt, I am a pure bred wolf demon." Topaz growls playfully.

Harry and Keiko just laugh "I have never seen you act this girly Since we were pups, Ali."

Alison shrugged before putting on the wolf-fang earring. She smiled and went and grabbed the gift that was hidden in the tree and not under it.

Topaz saw the small box and her eyes went wide with joy as she took the box.

"we think alike." Alison states

Topaz opened the box and found an Inu fang earring.

"Well thats nice you two, now why don't you two use my gift and enjoy yourselves." Harry points to her lap.

The family went on to opening gifts, Maria and Sesshomaru sat and watched as the pups gloating over which gift was better.

Harry saw one gift the was plain and not from anyone he knew "Mom, do you know who sent this?" He asked as he showed her the bundle.

Maria took it and gave it one sniff, and her eyes flashed red.

Harry dropped the gift and backed away know it was trouble.

Sesshomaru reached for the package and opened inside lay a cloak, "Maria?"

"I've seen that cloak before...it belonged to James." Maria answers

"From my birth father but why is it here now shouldn't it be in the family vaults at Gringotts?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Maria states, she stood up and took the cloak. "its a special cloak, I will put it in my room for now."

"Okay mom you know what's best." Harry went back to the rest of his gifts he looks at the new jewels for him to craft just as Alison and Yasha got to his gifts as well. "I hope you like them the gems where the hardest part for me to crave." He blushed.

"Yay, we'll add them to the other five million." both twins answers

Harry just stuck out his tongue. "Well i know Hermione will like hers at least." He kept on box close to him gently playing with it.

The door bell rang and Harry ran to get it with Sesshomaru following at a more sedate pace.

"Kikyo, your here, Happy Christmas to you. " he greeted his first friend

"I am always here to collect the donations for the temple and the orphanage." Kikyo answers

"Of course come in and I'll gather them for you." Harry nods and hurries down the hall practically skipping in joy.

Kikyo shook her head but stepped inside, and went to the family room.

Harry came into the room carrying several large parcels and three packs as well. "Here they are, Kikyo just tell me where you want them and I'll put it there." His smile wide and bright.

Kikyo put all the items into her pack. "No thank you, I have to do this myself."

"Are you sure? Some of these are really heavy."

Kikyo delivered a cold stare.

Harry paled under her glare and just puts the donations down. "Um can i be excuse please ?' He barely waits and leaves the room quickly.

Kikyo hefted the packs on to her back, and her soul collectors took most of the load. "You and yours are invited to the Lantern lighting ceremony."

"We thank you for the invitation we'll be honored to come."

Kikyo nods, as she took her leave. She had many things to do and no time to do so.

harry stuck his head back into the room "Is she gone yet?" Ron just laughs as does Keiko "Harry scary cat." the child teased him.

"Yes, and to think you are frighten of Priestess." Sesshomaru states, as he went back to join his family, Maria was already back, she looked up at her mate, "Here, love." she held out an oddly wrapped gift.

"Not so much afraid and i don't want a new necklace." Sesshomaru took the gift curious and kissed Maria. "Thank you, Dear" as he opened the gift.

"Technically, that isn't for you, but the one I really got it for doesn't have hands. So you are forced to open it." Maria answers, as she looked at her mate, coyly.

Sesshomaru opened the gift and there in his lap lay a beautifully carved sheath.

He examined the sheath with an eye. "This is lovely, thank you, love."

"You get harder to shop for every century, but I decided not to shop for you this year. I'd commissioned that sheath months ago." Maria answers, "and I know since Bakusaiga's sheath was getting a bit old, I thought I would replace it."

"I can say the say the same for you dear." as he gave her his gift.

"My Gifts have always came earlier then Christmas, my love." Maria replies, honestly.

"yes indeed you do My love." he pulls her close to give her a short passion filled kiss.

Kikyo made her way down the driveway, she turned slightly as she sensed something coming up behind her, and it was Padfoot. "Greetings, Sirius."

The man just smiles. "Greetings Kikyo, how have you've been the break so far?" He was dress as a muggle business man and carrying a cane.

"Normal to say the least, I am on my way to the orphanage to deliver their gifts." Kikyo answers, as she continued down the drive.

"How pleasant would you like a hand with that since I'm on my way to town anyways?"

"If you insist, to which I do not see the reason." Kikyo answers, as she left the Royal Grounds.

"I thank you." He grabs a couple of the packs and continues walking with her. Sirius tried to have a conversation with the girl but found he didn't really have anything to talk with her about.

"You must find it strange that I am a child and yet not a child." Kikyo states, as Sirius lapsed into silence for having nothing to speak about to her.

He looks her over and sighs "Truth be told yes but Remus has been explaining it to me slowly and simply to my thick head." He walks a bit more lost in thought.

"I'm more concerned about what I heard about the reason why you returned at this point of time." He said softly.

Kikyo looked down at her feet, "To live is to die. To die is to live. My name is Kikyo. I am a priestess who is unable to leave this world and reach the sacred place. No, that is not entirely the truth. Once I was a priestess. Now I am but a corpse with a cursed, false existence. No matter how much I desire to do good and help others, the truth is I live off the souls of the dead. But now I am a priestess once again, trying to atone for my sins, so I might have a chance to rest in peace finally."

"I see your point my lady but still .." he left it hanging not such what to say.

"Priestess!" called the frantic voice of the orphanage's guardian. Running up the path to meet the young girl, the woman cast herself at the priestess' feet begging to help a couple of sick children.

"Raise, and lead the way, good woman." Kikyo answers

They followed the woman to a small building that was the orphanage and was lead to a small infirmary where two young girls where laying in beds sweating badly.

Kikyo dropped her packs, and sent her soul collectors off to gather her herbs from the temple, she went to the bedside of one child, she touched the girl with one softly glowing hand. The soul collectors returned and Kikyo set to work on creating at cure for the fever.

The youngest of the two girls looks over at Kikyo and in a soft voice "Sister, your back, how was your day." Her voice jarring a memory from Kikyo's mind.

"Keade, I am busy at the moment, we will continue your lessons after I am done." Kikyo answers as her eyes were unfocused.

"Okay sister i wait for you in the garden don't take to long." And with a sigh she drifted off to sleep.

Sirius looked at the two then at the other woman. "Does that girl have a sister?"

"None as far as her records go, sadly she came to us as a young infant. There are not enough couples to adopt every child here. And we don't dare to seek out others because most of the children within these walls are half-demons." the woman answers

"I see then I think she might have a connection to the priestess in her past life."

Once the first child was resting peacefully, Kikyo turned the other child, and with the same gentle touch, she recoiled as if she were burnt, "Keade, my little sister, reincarnated."

The two adults look at her in shock "Are you sure lady priestess." The woman asked.

"The last I've seen her was she was a grown woman at the age of fifty." Kikyo answers, as she lifted the child and held her as she drank the medicinal broth.

The little girl sipped the began coughing harshly. "Gods above this is some vile stuff." Her voice a strange mix of her sister and a different gurl.

"What did you think it was Mountain Spring water? Keep drinking, it were stop the fever." Kikyo instructed

"You know priestess if was any other person i would knock that stuff back in their face only for you." As she finished the drink.

The drink took effect and sent the child to sleep, Kikyo left her and went into the hall. She fell against the wall, and head her face in her hands.

A short time later she felt her soul collectors hovering near her moving in a circle.

Sometime after that she felt Sirius's aura near as well but not near enough to cause her any problems.

"I do not want her to suffer my fate." Kikyo states after a second of silence.

"Then what are you going to do? As far as i can see she's your sister's spirit but as the same time, she's like Sara, her memory might fade over time." Sirius questions

"If her memories from the past do not fade, you must send her to the temple." Kikyo states as she looked up at the guardian of the orphanage.

"It will be as you say Lady Priestess." She bowed and went of to do some work and left the two of them alone.

"Well this is a fine kettle of fish, we got here."

Kikyo stood up, "i still have duties, I can not wallow in maybes."

"Yes we all do." The man agreed.

Kikyo nods, straighten her outfit and went and gave out the gifts to the other children.

The kids all have their thanks and offered her their tokens as well even Sirius got in on the act and gave the kids a show with some simple magic tricks.

"Your generous spirit will indeed bring forth good fortune, this summer, I shall try to take you all out to gather wild herbs." Kikyo states as she smiled as the gifts were being played with, Kikyo took her leave of them.

The villagers looked on and whispered about how kind the Priestess was and how they hoped she would never take the vow to stay with in the Temple Complex.

Sirius followed her out, as they left her turns to her. "Thank you Kikyo. this was something i needed. if you need anything just ask and I'll give it to you." With that he left her and made his way to the Market Square.

"I hope he knows that most of the shops are closed." Kikyo states, as she went back to the Temple.

Once at the temple, she saw several letters waiting for her from various people she knew. She checked the time piece and began to write out responses. Once she was done and sent them off she got to work with the business of running the temple.

Offering up prayers, and tending the winter gardens, going over her stores of herbs. Setting up the rows of lanterns, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day.