.
.
Sirius seemed determined that everyone should enjoy themselves as much as possible and he worked tirelessly in the run-up to Christmas Day, cleaning and decorating with their help, so that by the time they all went to bed on Christmas Eve the house was barely recognizable.
The tarnished chandeliers were no longer hung with cobwebs but with garlands of holly and gold and silver streamers; magical snow glittered in heaps over the threadbare carpets; a great Christmas tree, obtained by Mundungus; perfectly legal he'd assured them, decorated with live fairies blocked Sirius's family tree from view; and even the stuffed elf heads on the hall wall wore Father Christmas hats and beards.
Carmilla didn't seem too enthusiastic about the holiday but she indulged Laura who seemed to adore it, though funnily enough they both seemed to have a strange aversion to gingerbread. Something about a past run in with a krampus.
She could often be found helping Sirius string up garlands of festive decorations while Carmilla lurked moodily in the background mumbling about how 'a holiday where you couldn't kill people was stupid' and how 'hopefully this year there wouldn't be an angry mob'.
Laura returned her quips with comments about 'inappropriate Mayor biting' and 'murdering people as Christmas gifts'.
None of them could make heads or tails of most of their quips except for some of the older Order members who looked like they had some vague inkling and Hermione who had that thoughtful look on her face whenever they listened to the two banter back and forth.
.
Present opening was something of an event that year, with all of the presents for them all gathered together and piled around Mundungus's 'perfectly legal Christmas tree'.
They all gathered sitting around it to open them and Laura had even managed to drag Carmilla out of bed early for it.
Hermione had predictably given them all homework planners while the adults received slightly better gifts in the form of some very nice quills.
Ron rolled his eyes before moving onto Harry's gift, a Broom Compass.
Thankfully the others where better at giving gifts and less prone to nagging though Hagrid's was in the shape of a furry brown wallet that had fangs, which were presumably supposed to be an antitheft device, but unfortunately prevented Harry putting any money in without getting his fingers ripped off.
Sirius and Lupin had given Harry a set of excellent books entitled Practical Defensive Magic and Its Use Against the Dark Arts, which was going to be highly useful in his plans for the D.A.
Tonks's present was a small, working model of a Firebolt, which Harry watched fly around the room, wishing he still had his full-size version; Ron had given him an enormous box of Every-Flavor Beans; Mr. And Mrs. Weasley the usual hand-knitted jumper and some mince pies.
Dobby, bizarrely enough had given him a truly dreadful painting that Harry suspected had been done by the elf himself.
Harry liked to think he was a marginally better gift giver than the elf.
Hermione had been rather easy to shop for and her 'New Theory of Numerology' book was well received.
Laura and Carmilla's gifts were rather intriguing.
Both were rather good gift givers but they couldn't quite understand the reasoning behind why Tonks have given them a veritable mountain of blood pops.
In return she'd gotten a bat choker and some shirts with what looked like bands on them.
Tonks and Carmilla, Harry noted had similar tastes in clothes though Carmilla's had less of an obvious punk take to it.
Hermione got that thoughtful look again as she watched Carmilla happily stick one of the blood flavoured lollipops into her mouth while Ron looked vaguely ill at the sight.
Hermione predictably got another book, though it was something rarer than the one he'd given her.
It was a lesser copy of a book detailing a variety of mystical weapons; most of which were ridiculously finicky or impractical, such as the 'Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch' which was only useable against hordes of 'monstrous' rabbits.
Carmilla actually owned the original that dated back several centuries, though she stated it wasn't much more useful most of the time than the copy she'd give Hermione.
Harry's own gift to the pair had been to give them each shrinkable sleeping bags which was enchanted to hover off the ground to keep clear of snakes and spider since they seemed to be travelling allot lately while Ron had given candy and the twins had tried to sneak her some extendable ears and other various products as a peace offering.
She'd smiled wickedly while caressing her wand in way sinisterly reminiscent of Voldermort while they prostrated themselves at her feet and begged her to spare the buttocks. Since their return she'd taken to terrorizing them with subtle threats about repeating her spell if they displeased her.
Eventually she declared herself pleased with their tribute and bade them rise before opening the rest of her presents.
She seemed pleased with Mrs. Weasley's jumper, though she tried to hide it. Laura was more open with her enthusiasm, happily accepting her own jumper from the Weasley matriarch.
The rest of their gifts, like Hermione's book and Tonks's shirt and choker were chosen for their recipients rather well.
Among them was a fully illustrated copy of the Kama Sutra that was enchanted to have moving images for Sirius; much to his giddy pleasure and Mrs. Weasley's disapproving glower.
Harry himself received a 'genuine' vampire slaying kit which contained a large fully collapsible crucifix and a rather shiny silver stake from Carmilla who laughed throatily while Laura looked at her reproachfully.
.
.
.
An: The gingerbread aversion stems from the traumatic events of the Christmas special episode. I referenced it quite a bit.