Harry's winter holiday was going fantastically.

For once, he truly felt part of a family. Even with the Weasleys, he has always been a guest, but things were different with the Stensons. They let him help pick out, put up, and decorate the Christmas tree, a tradition he'd never been allowed to take part in before. There was always hot chocolate, hot apple cider, or eggnog being passed around to make the season even more felt. Despite Harry's embarrassed objections, there were even a few presents under the tree with his name on it. Hedwig was in and out of the house, bringing him wrapped presents with warnings not to open until Christmas written all over them. At Kota's urging, he happily put these gifts under the tree as well.

Finally, Christmas morning arrived. It began with Kota racing into his room, yelling for him to get up while Harry recovered from the near-heart-attack he'd had when she'd suddenly flung on his lights. When everyone was downstairs, Harry set aside the presents from him and told the Stensons they would have to be last because they required an explanation. The Stensons began searching for presents with their names on it, laughing with joy as they began to open the packages, and Harry abruptly realized that he had no idea what to do. He had opened presents when they were on the end of his bed at Hogwarts, but he was unsure if there was a special way to go about opening presents under a Christmas tree. Was he supposed to just grab his and start opening? Was there a special order in which he was supposed to open them? Did he have a turn he was supposed to wait for?

"Harry, open this one, it's from me," Kota instructed, handing him a brightly wrapped box.

Harry smiled in relief as he took a seat on the floor beside his friend and began to unwrap the gift. It was a picture frame that contained a Muggle photo from a day when they had both attempted to cook brownies. A chaotic sugar-high had overtaken them and they had made a huge mess. In the photo, they were both covered in flour, cocoa powder and bits of dark batter. Kota had jumped onto Harry's back and they were both sticking their tongues out at the camera. Harry laughed out loud and thanked her genuinely.

"Everyone out to have loads of pictures," Kota explained wisely. "Now you can show all your friends at that school of yours what a cute neighbor you have. For example, hypothetically of course, you could show it to George Weasley and see if he's maybe swept away just a little?"

On the way home from King's Cross, Kota had announced that she thought the Weasley twins were cute. She had chosen George after Harry informed her that Fred had a girlfriend.

"Now, Dakota, you know you're too young for boys. You're not allowed to date until you're married," said Mr. Stenson. Kota rolled her eyes at the familiar scolding and handed Harry the gift from her parents.

It was a very small box that Harry opened with care. He had been wondering what it was ever since he and Dakota had crawled around under the tree shaking boxes, until one of his started shaking him back and he had to put it down before Kota noticed.

Inside the box was a key. Harry looked up questioningly at the couple.

Mrs. Stenson smiled fondly. "Harry, that's a key to our house. You can use it any time you want. You're always welcome here."

Harry felt stunned. "Thank you," he blurted. "Are you sure?"

"Of course we're sure," Mr. Stenson said warmly.

Harry had never gotten a greater gift. They couldn't know what it meant to him and there was no way he could express his gratitude. He just cast them a somewhat wobbly smile and let Kota hug him with an embarrassing, "Awww."

It finally came time for the big moment when Kota began lustfully eyeing the packages in the corner.

"Um, so like I said before, my presents need explaining," Harry started uncertainly. "Because I need to tell you something very important but I'm not really sure how."

Mr. and Mrs. Stenson exchanged a concerned look and Harry very much hoped they wouldn't be soon calling in the men with straight-jackets.

"Well, you see, a few years ago these letters..." He paused and figured that wasn't the right way to say it. "Well, the school I go to..." That wasn't it either. He sighed, giving up on cushioning the blow. "What would you say if I told you I was a wizard?"

Looking relieved, the Stensons all laughed at what they all clearly thought was a joke.

"Well, I'd start with figuring out what rascal spiked the eggnog," Mrs. Stenson teased.

"Mom, that's not the game," Kota chastised. "I'd have you turn that ugly sweater I got from Aunt Carline into something less scary." She held up the horrific neon orange and green polka-dotted sweater she had opened earlier with a cry of disgust.

"I'd ask you to use your powers to clean up all this wrapping paper," said Mr. Stenson, "this place is a disaster."

"Bo-ring," heckled Kota in a sing-song voice.

Harry pulled out his wand and used a banishing charm to send the pile of discarded wrapping paper into the trash bin and then transfigured Kota's sweater into a blue scarf.

"I can't really help you with the eggnog, Mrs. Stenson, but I don't think it's been spiked," Harry apologized.

The Stensons stared at Harry, eyes wide and jaws hanging open. All was silent for a very uncomfortable minute until Harry sighed and pushed their gifts toward them.

"Go ahead, open them," Harry said. "I promise they aren't dangerous."

As if in a trance, they all slowly unwrapped the presents Harry had found for them.

Harry hadn't been quite sure what to get them, especially the two adults. He had never had to shop for anyone but his friends. Hermione helped him pick out some things in Hogsmeade: slightly magical items, but ones that were easy and safe for Muggles to use. For the adults, he had chosen a blanket that always kept a person at the temperature they wanted to be, whether warming them up or cooling them down. For Kota, a trip to the candy shop and Zonkos had finished the job.

The Stensons seemed stuck in a stupor while Harry explained how to use the presents.

After a long pause, Harry sighed.

"Are you guys going to say anything?" he asked hopefully.

Kota looked from him to the scarf to the trashcan to the foreign candy in her hand and back to Harry again.

"Oh. My. God," she breathed. Harry laughed, and a grin slowly dawned across Kota's face.

"How can this be?" Mrs. Stenson muttered to herself. She then looked up to him in a sort of awe. "So the school you go to..."

"Is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Harry gently finished for her.

"So the Weasleys..." started Mr. Stenson.

"Wizards and witches," Harry confirmed. "That's why we had trouble with his occupation. He's the head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office in the Ministry of Magic."

"Muggle?" Mr. Stenson repeated.

"Non-magic people."

"Like us," Kota stated with a hint of disappointed. Harry nodded.

"Wait, the Durlseys..."

"No, they're Muggles. That's why they hate me so much, actually. My mum, Aunt Petunia's sister, was a witch born into a Muggle family. My aunt hated her so much, was so jealous of her, that I guess it just got passed on to me when I had to go live with them. They don't want me to ruin their picturesquely normal family by being different."

Mrs. Stenson got up from her seat on the floor and sat next to Harry on the couch, putting and arm around his shoulders.

"The Dursleys have no excuse to hate you no matter if you're a..." she faltered, looking flustered, "no matter what. It's not something wrong with you, it's something wrong with them. Do you understand that?"

Harry found a sudden interest in his knees. He nodded, still looking down. Mrs. Stenson put a finger under his chin and gently lifted until Harry was looking into her face.

"You deserve so much more than that, dear."

Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't really want to talk about it so he just gave a weak smile and nodded again.

"One thing, though," Harry remembered. "You can't tell anyone. If you do, I could be punished severely."

They all vowed not to breathe a word to anyone.

"Too bad you didn't only tell me," Kota said. "I wouldn't have minded having you put a spell on my parents to let me date." She smirked at the glare her father cast her and Harry smiled at how well it had all gone.

They spent the rest of the day listening to Harry answer all their questions about the wizarding world. Everyone tried pieces of candy and had fun levitating or talking like mice, even spitting out the nastier flavors of Bertie Bott's Beans. Harry showed them charms and spells to their great delight. Harry wondered if Hermione and Ron were doing something similar with their families.

It was a very good day.

-

That night, Harry caught Mr. Stenson alone in his study.

"Hi, do you have a minute?" Harry asked, poking his head in.

"Of course, Harry, come have a seat," Mr. Stenson said, looking up from some paperwork and taking off his reading glasses to give Harry his complete attention. Harry closed the door behind him and sat across the desk from Mr. Stenson.

"I'm going to tell you something, but I don't want you to get your hopes up. Along with the possible pros there are some serious possible cons." Harry paused and Mr. Stenson nodded for him to continue. "I found an old spell that might take away your cancer, but there are some big risks. It hasn't been performed in many years, so I'd have no one to instruct me in it. If anything goes wrong, if I don't pronounce a word right even, I don't know what the consequences to you would be. It could kill you. So, if you have a chance of recovering on your own, you may not want to try it."

As Harry talked, Mr. Stenson's face had begun to shine with hope. The man closed his eyes and ran his hands over his face. When he opened his eyes again, they were wet with threatening tears.

"Harry, you don't know what this means to me. There's no way I could ever thank you enough. This means another chance with my family. How far along can I be before you perform the spell?"

Harry noticed Mr. Stenson's hands shaking and felt a surge of belief in what he was doing.

"It can be performed anytime as long as you're alive. If you want to wait until it's closer to February, just in case, that's fine with me. You may have to pretend you're the Dursleys to get me out of school, but I'm sure it can be arranged."

"Jesus, Harry. Yes. I'll do it despite the risks. The treatments weren't working. I don't know if Dakota told you, but I stopped chemotherapy treatments a few weeks ago. Damn things nearly killed me faster than the cancer. This was going to be my last Christmas. I just...thank you."

"You don't have to thank me after all your family's done for me. You saved me from the Dursleys, really. I just hope I can save you in return." Harry surprised himself with how sincere he was. Seeing Mr. Stenson's joy seemed to make him forget his own fear, at least a little.

"I can't wait to tell Dakota and Kathryn. I'll wait until morning so you can get some sleep tonight."

Mr. Stenson walked Harry up to his room in silence. There was just nothing left to say.

Harry slipped under the covers that night with a smile, replaying Mr. Stenson's grateful response in his head, feeling much better about the sacrifice he had just agreed to make.

-

The next morning, Harry was on his way down for breakfast when two crying females rushed up the stairs toward him. Harry's instincts told him to flee from the approaching, hormonal stampede, but before he could turn, two pairs of arms wrapped around him and Kota and her mother sobbed into his shoulders, crying out, "Thank you," every time they paused in their weeping.

Harry was grateful when Mr. Stenson pulled them off and Mrs. Stenson ran off, wiping her tears on her sleeve and promising to cook up a huge feast in celebration. Harry had never been very comfortable with emotional females.

Now, though, he really felt the pressure for this spell to work.

"Harry, I was wrong," Dakota said with a huge smile. "I guess you can change the world."

Harry only hoped he could.

-

That night, Harry and Kota were watching a Christmas film when the front door burst open with a crash. They both jumped up, Harry gripped onto Kota in terror as his worst nightmare came true.

An enraged Uncle Vernon started toward them.