Christmas 1995

A/N sorry this has taken ages! this takes place in my Eavesdropping universe, so if you haven't read that.. Sirius is free! They found the rat, and he was given the kiss. Quick note, Sirius and Lyra's relationship is that of a father and daughter! Special thanks to Rea558750 for helping me with what Lyra would give Tonks.


Lyra was excited, she was finally going to be with family for Christmas rather than at Hogwarts. Not that she dislike Hogwarts, Christmas Day or otherwise, but spending Christmas with her newly freed godfather for the first time since she was a few months old was definitely preferable.

They had returned to Grimmauld Place a day early, Lyra having had a vision of Mr Weasley being attacked by a snake, and while they had all gone to see him in St Mungo's on Christmas Eve, Lyra had stayed back with Sirius, Remus and Tonks for Christmas Day. Sirius was bounding all over the place in his dog form, while Lyra was desperately trying to keep him out of her bedroom - a hard task when their two bedrooms were opposite each other, made even harder when Sirius knew full well that Lyra had his Christmas present within and was desperate to see it.

After the 7th time Lyra had shoved him out of her room, she had got incredibly annoyed with him and had gone to ask for help from Remus and Tonks. Which is why Sirius was now pinned to the ground in the living room with Remus drinking hot chocolate next to him and reading out loud to Tonks, who was sitting cross legged on Sirius' back, both ignoring Sirius' pleas for help. Lyra couldn't help but laugh at the outraged look on his face, and quickly took a photo with her new camera - a gift from Sirius. Thanking Kreacher, who had been guarding her bedroom door, she made her way into the room and sat down next to Remus, resting her head on his shoulder while he finished the chapter. This made the situation even worse for Sirius, who had thought that Lyra would rescue him, when clearly it was apparent that she was in fact colluding with his two kidnappers. He had also noticed the three presents that she had wrapped on her lap.. And yet she was still listening to Remus read!

Remus, Lyra and Tonks were all watching Sirius out of the corner of their eyes, and when Remus deliberately slowed down on the last paragraph of the chapter, both Lyra and Tonks could not hide their giggles.

Eventually when Remus finished, Tonks clambered off Sirius' back and they allowed him to get up. His puppy eyes he aimed at Lyra didn't work.

"It's your own fault Sirius, if you hadn't tried to get in my room while I was wrapping your present then I wouldn't have had to ask Uncle Remus and Tonks to keep you down here now would I?"

Sirius flushed, making Tonks gape at him, as she had never imagined that Sirius could ever be embarrassed. Lyra softened, and hugged him. "Merry Christmas Sirius". She handed him a wrapped present, which when he unwrapped it, revealed a long red scarf that matched the cloak she had got him the year previously, as well as some gloves which she had asked Mrs Weasley to help her knit, and which she had only finished that morning. They had red and yellow stripes and a small green heart on each palm. Somehow, Lyra had managed to find yarn the exact colour of her eyes.

Sirius' own eyes moistened, as he stared at the gift that his god daughter had clearly put a lot of thought into. Lyra stared at him anxiously, only for her fears to be relieved when she was swept up in a bone crushing hug and had "I love you" whispered in her ear.

When she was finally released, she presented Remus with his present, a photo frame with a photo of the two of them in it, Remus' arm round her shoulder and her head on his. She had also included the biggest bar of chocolate Honeydukes sold, which was a foot long and was made up of many different flavours. Remus' mouth was watering just looking at it, so he put it aside and hugged Lyra instead, putting all his emotion into the hug. It had been 15 years since he had last had a Christmas present from Lyra, and so this gift seemed doubly special, as it reminded him that he had Lyra in his life once more.

Lyra's gift for Tonks held the same amount of meaning that Lyra had invested in both Sirius' and Remus'. There was a Weird Sisters T-shirt which was Tonks' favourite band, and there was also a locket, which when opened up held two pictures. One of Tonks and Remus together, and opposite side, a photo of Sirius and Lyra.

"Awww Ly! It's gorgeous! I love it!" Tonks squealed, morphing her hair shorter so that Remus could clip the clasp round her neck. Once it was on she darted over to Lyra, narrowly missing the coffee table, and hugged her. Lyra was thrilled that all three members of her family had loved their gifts, so couldn't stop the grin that was forming on her face as she was hugged by each person in turn.

Sirius' heart broke when he saw that smile. He knew that smile well and cursed the day he had gone after Peter Pettigrew. He knew that smile because it was the same one he had worn every time James' parents had hugged him, or given him a present. Every time they had made him feel like he was their second son. Oh, Sirius knew that smile well, and he wished that Lyra didn't.

That night, after everyone else had long ago retired to bed, and Remus and Tonks had gone as well, although not before Tonks told Lyra and Sirius to join Remus in calling her Dora, as they were as much family as her parents were, Sirius and Lyra were curled up on the sofa together. Sirius was telling Lyra of the Christmases he had shared with James and Lily, and in return she was telling him of the Christmases she had experienced at Hogwarts.

Eventually, story time over, they too recognised that they would soon be fast asleep, and headed upstairs. Pausing outside their bedroom doors, Lyra hugged Sirius once more, resting her head against his shoulder. She murmured "I love you Sirius" closely followed by "Merry Christmas", which he returned, adding a kiss to her hair. Eventually, they parted, and their first Christmas together since 1980 was over.

"Goodnight Sirius."

"Night Ly. I love you."