-- Legolas --

At least now I know what to do when she's angry with me.

Buy her a gift.

I was rather rudely woken this morning by a very...feminine squeal, and then the feel of my wife scrambling over me -- complete with an elbow to the throat -- to get at the pile of gifts at the end of our bed. She tosses a few at me, then starts tearing into her own gifts.

"Wake up!" she hollers. "It's Christmas!"

I rub a hand over my eyes and sit up, taking a moment to admire my wife. She's sitting on the floor, hair wild, wearing one of my shirts -- which she insists on sleeping in, Elbereth knows why -- and tearing into her gifts with a huge and child-like smile on her face. I know there's something in there from myself, and Adar, as well as Gimli and both sons of Elrond. Where the rest of that pile came from, I have no idea.

She looks up at me and grins. "Open your presents! I want you to see what I got you."

I smile slightly, I can't help it. She's just...she's a joy, she truly is.

Although I can't help but wonder how she will react to returning to her homeland. I know she's still most insistent that Gondor is her home, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. 'Twas her home long before she had ever heard of Middle-Earth, and there are memories there that have nothing to do with us. She has family there, by birth, and friends she has not seen in over a year, as humans measure time.

But I know enough of this world to know it is not a place I could remain.

These are morbid thoughts, and I will not linger on them. I love her, and I know she loves me. She gave up all thoughts of returning to her home in order to stay in Middle-Earth, and I doubt that's changed much. And besides, judging from the expression on my beloved's face, today is a day of joy. I smile at her and start to open my own gifts.

I seem to have gotten a ridiculous number of gifts from very young female admirers, and most of it seems to be food. Do they truly think I'm foolish enough to eat anything they give me? I've already had several people -- Professor Dumbledore and the Weasley twins among them -- warn me that the Weasley 'joke shop' sells love potions, although I don't see what's amusing about forcing someone to love someone else. Even Professor Snape -- who loathes the very sight of us -- has warned Adar and I not to eat or drink anything the students give us.

Children can be very, very foolish. I set this pile aside to throw it away -- and dispose of it completely, so that no poor student is forced to fall in love with someone they don't even know.

Kayli, meanwhile, is paging through a book with a bemused expression on her face. I lean down and press a kiss to her hair. "Hermione?"

"Yep. Of course it was Hermione. Who else would give me a book?" she asks, looking slightly amused.

"I have one as well. On werewolves, I believe. I haven't the heart to tell her I don't read their language."

She shrugs. "I have one on dark creatures," she says. "And I DO read the language. Maybe she thinks it'll be useful."

I tilt her face up and kiss her. "Memories, love," I reply.

She smiles up at me. "I see you got lots and lots of sweets," she says, and rolls her eyes. "Do those girls think you're stupid?"

"Apparently. I'll get rid of it." I nudge a box of what looks like chocolate towards her. "So did you."

"Ron," she replies. "Naturally. The kid thinks with his stomach." She pulls two brightly wrapped packages from the bottom of the pile. "And these are from Ron's mother. Mrs. Weasley, who, by all accounts, could give your Adar a run for his money in the 'scary parent' sweepstakes."

I take the package, although a bit hesitantly. "Why would a woman we've never met give us gifts?"

Kayli shrugs and starts tearing hers open. "I have no idea. She'll be here later today, maybe we can ask her."

She peeks under the paper, and dissolves into a gale of laughter. "It's sweater. A bona fide Weasley sweater!" She pulls it out and holds it up. "I can overlook the fact that it's pink. It's actually kinda pretty." She looks up at me and grins. "Open yours!" she says, and scrambles up onto the bed next to me. "I wanna see!"

I grimace, but open mine, if only to keep her happy.

...It's green, at least. And rather well-made, actually. There are patterns of leaves around the sleeves and collar.

It wouldn't look out of place at court, actually, which is rather frightening. Professor Dumbledore gave us both boxes of some kind of candy -- Kayli calls them Every Flavor Beans, which I don't find all that appetizing -- and Ron also gave us candy. Also with Professor Dumbledore's gift to me is two feathers, long and glorious. Kayli and I both stare at these.

Then Kayli's eyes go wide, and she reaches out to touch them. "PHEONIX feathers," she breathes. "Fancy magic arrows, Legolas?"

My eyes narrow, and I set those aside. They could be useful. "I wonder how he persuaded his pheonix to part with them," I muse.

She shrugs, examining her gift from Neville, the shy, rather chubby one. It seems to be a tiny, working model of starts and planets, and there are several charts with it, obviously hand-drawn, but very well done. "This," she says, poking one of the planets, "is nifty."

She sets this aside, very carefully, and opens the package from Harry. A book, as it was with Hermione, this one on that game they play on their enchanted brooms. She makes a face. "I can learn all about Quidditch throughout history. Does it have a chapter on how not to fall of your damn broom?"

I laugh. I can't help it. Kayli is only clumsy at great heights.

There are other gifts -- Elladan and Elrohir gave me useful things -- whetstones, feathers for fletching -- and Kayli a rather cunning clock on a chain. She giggles. "A pocketwatch! Cool!"

There is only one gift from Gimli, for the both of us, a rather charming box made of some light and sturdy stone, with gold and silver inlaid in the lid. No doubt handcrafted.

When the last gift is opened -- from Adar, a necklace for her and a quiver for me -- my father is practical, even in this world -- Kayli climbs on to my lap and wraps her arms around me. She seems to have an obsession with using me as a chair. "Merry Christmas," she murmurs, and kisses me.

-- Harry --

I have to say, I'm a bit nervous about our trip later today. I know Ron is as well, although you couldn't tell by the way he's stuffing his face. And Hermione's been cramming on the magical culture of America.

It's been a busy morning. We've already opened all of our presents. The box of maggots from Kreacher I could have done without. A Weasley sweater, and books from Hermione -- the usual, in other words.

Kayli's present was nice, though. Ron and I both got swords, how cool is that? There are emeralds in the hilt of mine -- to go with my eyes, the note said -- while Ron's is rubies, to go with his hair. Elladan and Elrohir gave us sharpening stones, along with a warning not to cut ourselves when we sat down to breakfast. And King Thranduil told us -- very firmly -- that if he caught us practicing without supervision, we'd realize why his sons thought he was cruel when they were children.

The best part, though, was when Elladan and Elrohir came down to breakfast wearing Weasley sweaters. Thranduil -- King Thranduil, I mean -- choked on his pumpkin juice. And when Kayli and Legolas came down, they were also wearing Weasley sweaters.

Kayli plopped down next to Ron and plucked at the sleeve of her sweater. "Why, pray tell, did your mother give us sweaters? And sweets?"

Ron hurries up and swallows a huge bite of bacon. "Well, I told her about you, and she wants you guys to feel at home while you're here, I guess." He shrugs. "I think she feels sorry for you."

Kayli grins and smoothes the sleeves of her sweater. "Remind me to thanks her. It's WARM, even if it is pink."

Ron and I look at each other and laugh. "Should've known," he says. "I told Mum you weren't really a girly-girl, but I don't think she heard me."

Hermione leans around us to look intently at Kayli. "We're taking Muggle transportation to America," she says.

We know this. It's all Hermione's been talking about all day. She's all excited about getting on the plane. She spent five minutes explaining one to Ron, who still hasn't figured out how it stays up without magic. Of course, all Hermione and I can tell him is that it has engines. I was neever really interested in airplanes.

Kayli raises her eyebrows. "Wow. That's...kinda cool. I don't really like planes, but it's better than having to take a broom."

Legolas and Thranduil just look at each other, then look at us, and start conversing quietly in Elvish.

Ron grins at her. "Charlie swears up and down he's gonna get you on a broom."

She snorts. Across the table, the noise makes Thranduil rolls his eyes and Elladan shudder. "Not a chance in hell, kiddo."

"Ron! Ginny!"

Ah, the rest of the Weasley Clan has arrived. Ginny immediately bounces up to hug her mum, and Ron suffers through the same thing. And then she comes over and wraps her arms around me and asks how I'm doing.

"I'm good, Mrs. Weasley." I grin and hold my arms out. "Thanks for the sweater."

Behind me, Kayli stands up and steps forward, automatically shaking her hair forward so it partially hides the scar. "Hi, Mrs. Weasley, I'm Kayli. I wanted to say thank you."

Mrs. Weasley beams at her. "Well, aren't you a pretty one!"

Kayli's eyebrows nearly disappear into her hair, but her smile gets a little armer. "Thank you. She holds her arms forward. "For the sweater and the sweets, too." She looks at the table and clears her throat. "Boys," she says.

Elladan and Elrohir don't notice, and neither does Legolas, who's deep in conversation with Gimli.

"Legolas," King Thranduil says mildly. "You're being rude."

Legolas looks up autmatically, then stands, kicking a twin's ankle on the way up.

Hermione giggles.

Kayli folds her arms over her chest and stares at them. Legolas laughs at the look on her face and kisses her.

Elladan and Elrohir step forward, take up position in front of Mrs. Weasley, press their hands over their hearts, and bow deeply. "My lady," one of the says.

"We wanted to thank you for your kind gifts," says the other.

Mrs. Weasley laughs and flutters her hands at them. "Oh, it's really nothing."

They straighten up and one of them beams at her. I think it's Elladan. "But it is something," he says gently. He takes her hand. "A kind gesture from a beautiful woman." He bows again, and kisses her hand.

She laughs, and blushes.

Kayli laughs. "Flirt," she says.

Elladan -- it's definitely Elladan -- turns and gives her a shocked look. "Me?" he says, pressing a hand over his heart, just to complete the image. "'Tis not flirting, merely stating the truth."

Mr. Weasley wraps an arm around Mrs. Weasley's waist. "Could you be a little less flirtatious when stating the truth?" he asks, smiling slightly.

Elladan laughs, and turns back to them, bowing again. "I apologize, sir. But I must say, you are a lucky man."

Elrohir rolls his eyes heavenward, but Mr. Weasley laughs. "That I know," he replies, and kisses Mrs. Weasley's cheek.

Elrohir elbows his twin. "Forgive my brother," he says. "It's his natural exuberance."

"ONE of us has to have some fun," Elladan objects.

Kayli rolles her eyes and pushes them back towards their seats. Ron grins at his mum, who's still blushing. "That's Elladan and Elrohir," he says. "Only a couple people can tell them apart, but Elladan's the one who's joking all the time, and Elrohir's the serious one."

"Mundane on the description, doesn't do us justice," Elladan says.

"Shut up, 'Dan," Elrohir says, still cheerful.

Ron ignores them and gestures to our other guests. "You've already met Kayli, and that's her husband, Legolas. The taller of the two gentlement over there is Thranduil, and his companion is Gimli."

Mrs. Weasley beams at all of them. Legolas bows, and Thranduil stands to do the same thing. Gimli inclines his head politely.

She laughs. "So formal!" And with that, she ushers everyone back into their seats, and sits down next to Legolas and Gimli.

She smiles brightly at Kayli. "So," she says. "Ron says you're not from around here. What is it you do at home?"

TBC...

Laureloth -- Wow. That's a LOT of reading to do at once. Thank you, so much. I tried, I really did, but I'm never sure how well I do.

Sylvia Viridian -- Where have you been? I swear, I haven't seen you in a while. Just, SH! Don't say that in front of the twins. Either set. Oh, wait, duh, there's another review. I'm sorry. Maybe I haven't been paying good enough attention. But I'm back now, and planning on staying here until probably October, when I'll drop of the face of the Earth again for a couple months.

Andi -- I'm sorry! RL SUCKS! There was the moving, and a car accident -- BOOM! My poor Betsy...but anyway, I'm back and I'm trying.

Firefox -- You're welcome! Sorry it took me so long! Thank you!

Mangolady -- I'm a little nervous about the plane, honestly. So is Kayli. Thanks!

Crazyroninchick -- Honestly, so am I. Although...hmmm. Return of the king, you say...Thoughts! Thanks!

Kat -- Kayli's pretty worried to! She didn't wanna take Elves! Thanks!

ogreatrandom -- Ya'll are never gonna let me forget that, are you? I'm sorry! I was mugged on the road of life, man. Thanks!

RedDevil15 -- It's gonna be great I think. Well, for us. It's probably gonna suck for them.

Nota Lone -- I like him too. He's so cute! Thanks!

If I missed anyone, let me know, and I'll definitely include you next time!