Prompt: (object) Christmas Card

Letter War

The best day of Sirius's life came just two months after he left Hogwarts, on the day he married Marlene. Knowing that his family wasn't there to ruin the day, nor would they ever have anything to do with him or his new bride, made it even better.

Still, he couldn't help but think that they would find some way to ruin his happiness. Even though he had no contact with them and hadn't told them about Marlene, Sirius knew his mother would find out. She made it her business to know everything about both her sons, disowned or not. He said nothing of his fears to Marlene. He didn't want to worry her with the idea of having to face his family's elitist views.

The first few weeks of their marriage passed happily and without a single word from his family. Sirius began to think that maybe he'd been wrong and they truly didn't care what he did now that he was disowned.

This hope didn't last long. The dreaded letter came just three weeks after the wedding, and his initial reaction was to throw it out without even so much as opening it. Marlene snatched it from him before he could do so, however, her curiosity at what the letter contained greater than his disdain for it.

Her face gave nothing away as she read the letter, which spanned three pages. She handed it to him, her hand shaking. "Read it," she said grimly.

Once he began, he wished he hadn't. The letter was partly a tirade against him and his actions and how he had brought shame on the name of Black. The majority of what his mother had to say concerned Marlene. Walburga had turned all of her rage against his wife, calling her every indecent name possible and accusing her of persuading Sirius to turn against his family.

He was aware of Marlene's eyes on him as he read. When he finally made it through the entire thing, he looked up at her. He had thought she was upset when she gave it to him, but now she was trying not to laugh. "What's so funny?" he asked, perplexed.

"Is that all she's got?" Marlene snickered. "I admit, I was insulted and hurt at first, but then I remembered what kind of person she is. I am impressed by her vocabulary though. By your description of her, I wouldn't have thought she knew so many vulgar names." She patted his arm and laughed at his surprise to her reaction. "Don't worry, I'll get her back for this one. She has no idea who she's just started a war with."

It was a few months later before Sirius discovered just what Marlene had in mind.

It was just two weeks before Christmas, their first together, when he saw her preparing to send out one last Christmas card. "I thought you'd sent them all already," he commented, pointing at the scarlet envelope.

She smiled slyly. "Oh, I almost forgot one." She sealed the envelope and patted it gently. "This is a special card, sent with every intention of insulting and disgusting the recipient."

Sirius's mouth twitched at the corners as he tried to keep a straight face. "Are you sending my parents a Christmas card?" he asked, intrigued by her plan to get back at the woman who'd so insulted them.

"Well of course," she replied innocently. "I'm sure they'll love to see how happy we are, and I know they'll be pleased to know they're going to be grandparents in a few months."

Sirius shook his head and laughed. He had been afraid that Marlene wouldn't be able to handle his family's hostility, but he could see now that she handled it even better than he did. "Remind me to never get on your bad side."