Parents Day, plus the sending off of the children for winter holiday break, had exhausted the staff of Hogwarts. Somehow in their exhaustion, they all gathered in the teacher's lounge that evening with their drink of choice.
"Well, what did you think?" Dumbledore asked. Even he himself was tired.
"Busy. Very, very busy and loud," Tirza commented first, sipping on hot chocolate.
Minerva nodded. "I agree completely. I think we may have terrified the parents of the muggle born students. Or maybe just Severus did."
Severus was almost too tired to smirk, but he managed one anyway. "Haa haa Minerva. I'm just convenient to blame, I know it."
"Actually, I found the muggle parents quite nice," Remus decided. "They asked the least amount of questions! They may have been unsure what to ask, but it was a nice break for me."
"I was knocked, accidentally, from my chair," Flitwick spoke. "And this muggle man just stared at me and said 'Honey! A lawn gnome teaches here!' I, of course, had no idea what to say in response to that! What in heavens name is a lawn gnome?"
"Muggles have an obsession with decorating the grass around their homes with little fake things, like birds or other animals, fake people and including, little people who look like you but are called gnomes. Apparently, you aren't supposed to be real." Severus smirked at his colleague.
"Dad has an easier time; most of the muggle parents wondered if he was a vampire," Tirza commented. Remus snickered and grabbed her out of the way as Severus attempted to tickle her.
Hooch just grinned at the antics. "Did you see all the babies that came along? Some had buggies full of them."
Dumbledore laughed. "Oh, I noticed! Most of them pointed at me and asked for gifts or wanted to sit on my lap!"
"So Albus, are you going to make us do this again?" Poppy asked. "Because I for one will need a lot more supplies if we do! I had not prepared for all the parents that might faint at the sight of things. Between them and the children who had accidents with their projects, I was very busy!"
"You didn't have to revive them, you know," Severus pointed out.
Poppy merely rolled her eyes in response. "Well they wouldn't have left if they hadn't woken up."
Severus stopped for a moment. "Excellent point! Well, good work then Madame!"
"How about you, miss?" Remus asked Tirza. "Did you enjoy the day at all?"
Tirza nodded. "Most of it. The food was awesome and I saw some neat projects. There was this one lady though, the mom of a friend of mine, and she came down to the dungeons and was…"
Severus' hand appeared over Tirza's mouth before she could finish. "That's plenty," he whispered, not wanting to bring up any mention of the flirtation.
Tirza pouted, but didn't say a word when he took her hand away.
Remus laughed. "That only makes us curious Severus!"
Rolling his eyes, Severus waved his hand at Tirza.
"The mom of my friend Alaina was totally flirting with dad. It was disgusting," she eagerly filled the staff in.
Minerva chuckled. "Tirza, flirting and such actions are completely normal, you know. That is how men and women meet and begin relationships."
Exactly! Tirza thought with a frown.
Severus watched the expressions as they flitted across his young daughter's face, reading each of them carefully. Clearly, Tirza felt something was amiss.
"So! What are everyone's plans for the Christmas holiday?" Dumbledore asked, interrupting both Severus and Tirza's thoughts.
"The Weasleys have invited Tirza and I to a Christmas Eve supper," Severus spoke up. "And of course there will be presents Christmas morning! Not that she deserves any, mind you," he teased, sending a wink in Tirza's direction.
Tirza giggled and stuck out her tongue. "That's ok dad, you are too growly so you aren't getting any either!"
"I have no plans," Remus admitted. "Other then remaining here at the school of course."
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As it turned out, several of the staff members were going visiting with family, leaving just Severus, Remus, Dumbledore and Minerva at the school for the length of the holiday break. Not many students stayed for the holidays, perhaps fifty or sixty of them. Most went home or chose to visit relatives or friends homes.
"Hey dad?" Tirza was spending the day before Christmas Eve in her pajamas with her father.
Severus, of course, was not one to lie around in his night clothing, but enjoyed lying around with his daughter anyway. "Yes?"
"Would you mind if I invited uncle Remus to come with us tomorrow night? I think he's lonely, and nobody should be lonely for Christmas."
Wrapping his arms around her, this was one of the times where Severus wondered where Tirza's kind spirit had come from, particularly with the trials she had already gone through in her short life! "You, young lady, are a very sweet girl."
Tirza smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "Thanks daddy, but that doesn't answer my question."
"Well, I don't see a problem with it, but it's not our home that we are going too. You might want to floo Molly before inviting extra guests. I don't foresee her having issue with it though."
"Sweet, I'm going to floo her now!" Tirza zoomed over to the fireplace, throwing in a handful of floo powder. "The Burrow!"
"Hello Tirza dear!" Molly greeted, her face appearing in the fireplace.
"Hi! I wanted to ask you something!"
"Ask away dear! I'll answer if I know the answer."
Tirza grinned. "Could dad and I bring Remus Lupin along with us? He doesn't have anyone to spend Christmas Eve with and that's not right."
Molly's heart went out to Remus; she was always glad for her big family at holiday times and couldn't imagine being without them. "Of course you can! You are quite right, he shouldn't be alone!"
"Awesome! See you tomorrow night!"
Severus smiled at the exchange, having already known that Molly would say yes. Of course, he didn't want to impose on her by showing up with an extra guest without her permission. It was her home and she was the cook after all!
"Uh Daddy? Something wrong? You're looking at me funny…" Tirza's voice broke into his train of thought.
"Am I? I'm sorry." As she sat back in his lap again, he hugged her close. "I'm just proud of you is all."
"Um, I haven't done anything at the moment," Tirza pointed out.
Severus shook his head. "Yes, you have. You have a very kind heart, and I'm proud of you."
She blushed and snuggled close. "Thanks dad."
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Tirza, Severus and Remus went by floo to the Burrow early the next evening, and were promptly greeted with hugs and handshakes.
"Happy, happy Christmas Eve!" Molly said as she hugged Tirza tight.
Tirza giggled and happily returned the hug. "Merry Christmas!"
After shaking hands with Arthur and having a warm hug thrust upon him by Molly, Severus enlarged the packages he had shrunk. "Gifts for under the tree, and a few things for the meal."
Molly frowned. "Severus, I told you not to worry about any of that! I had the meal all taken care of!"
"I know," Severus admitted. "But I've always had the habit of bringing things along anyway when invited for a big meal. Blame my mother," he shrugged.
"And one is mine," Remus added.
"Well, bring them into the kitchen then," Molly said with a nod. "Tirza love, Ginny is upstairs in her room if you want to go find her. I'll call you when we are ready for eating!"
Tirza nodded and zoomed upstairs, greeting Ginny, Hermione and all the Weasley boys save Percy. Even Bill and Charlie had come home for Christmas Eve supper!
"Thank you for letting me bud in," Remus said to Molly and Arthur.
"Think nothing of it!" Arthur quickly assured him. "We Weasleys are a very hospitable bunch, and there is no better time to show hospitality and friendship then the holiday seasons!"
Molly nodded, beaming at her husband. "Quite right! Our home is always open Remus; don't ever think yourself an imposition of any sort."
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A/N: I know it's been SOOOO long since I updated, and I'm really sorry! This is a short update, but at least it's something! My muse seems to have returned, had a tough time getting inspired, working myself half to death, and on top of it having some medical problems being in a pain in my rear end! Hopefully things will be smooth sailing now, and I will be updating again within the month of August, 2006! Promise! Don't give up on me! Much hugs, Kerry