Chapter Sixteen - Home For The Holidays
Harry was excited to be home. Most of his past Christmases had not been happy ones. He couldn't remember his first, and his next nine had been spent locked in the cupboard under the stairs. Only when he'd gone to Hogwarts had he discovered the joy of the holiday.
In their first year, he and Draco had spent the break together, exploring the castle. He'd gotten his first Christmas presents that year, delighting that his friends and their parents had thought enough of him to give gifts. He hadn't given any in return that day, but a few quick owl orders had let him at least get a few boxes of candy to make up for it.
The next year he'd gone home with Theo Nott. They'd spent the holiday receiving tutelage under Mr. Nott. They'd studied Defence, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and more. It had been a very quiet Christmas, but thoroughly enjoyable.
In third year, he'd stayed with the Malfoys. He'd had a grand time, but he really only remembered his date with Tracy and the New Year's party. He'd gone so dizzy from all the snogging that his recollections were a bit hazy.
He'd missed out on his first Christmas with Sirius because of the Triwizard Tournament. While the Yule Ball had been fun, he'd have much rather spent the holiday with Sirius. The less he thought about the Yule Ball, the happier he was. The decay of his relationship with Padma and Michelle's antics had soured his memories.
This year Harry was determined that nothing would prevent the best Christmas ever. He'd sent away via owl and gotten Sirius a new broomstick, a Firebolt. His godfather had once played Quidditch; perhaps he would again. It was the only present he'd managed to pick out.
Sirius had picked him up at the train station, and they rode to Grimmauld Place on the motorbike. Even though it was winter, Sirius handled the machine with delicate skill.
"Special Charms," Sirius explained. "They help keep traction on these wet roads."
"So what do we do for Christmas?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we can obviously decorate."
"Already mostly done. Remus, Lucius, and I have had a lot of time on our hands."
"Did you do traditional stuff or what?"
"Well, we put up a tree, lots of tinsel, bells, a menorah -"
"A menorah? Are we Jewish?"
"No, but why let that stop us?"
Harry couldn't find fault with that line of reasoning.
Sirius, Remus, and Mr. Malfoy had indeed had too much time on their hands. Grimmauld Place was downright bright and cheerful, which was especially impressive given that the house had a gloomy past. Now the Christmas spirit filled the halls.
Shadow was no longer permitted. In addition to the normal gas lights, clusters of faeries provided soft illumination. Fires roared in every fireplace.
The house was all decked out with red and green bunting, and streamers covered every railing. All of the portraits were garnished with wreathes of holly and berries. Everlasting Icicles hung off every surface.
Music was everywhere. Wizarding wireless units were set up in the dining room, ball room, and drawing room. The WBC was running nothing but modern bands playing classic carols. A charmed string quartet played more traditional carols with a brass accompaniment in the centre hall. Bells tinkled merrily in the corners.
The portraits had been enchanted to sing rude carols. Harry learned quite a few verses that would scandalize Professor Umbridge.
The Christmas tree was set up in the hall on the ground floor in front of the wall where Mother Black's portrait had once been stuck. The pine was enormous, and the strong scent overwhelming. The lower branches brushed the walls on three sides and the angel on top shone down from the second floor. Green, red, silver, or gold points of light glowed from the tip of every branch. White garland was draped all over, and many presents were already under the boughs.
Harry felt a strange urge come over him. Quick as a flash, he changed into his mongoose form and dove into the pile of bright and shiny paper. He sniffed at all the boxes, instantly able to tell who had wrapped what. He scurried up the trunk into the branches, looking out at Sirius, who was laughing uproariously. Remus came out to see what was going on, and when he followed Sirius' shaking finger to Harry, peeking out from under the needles, he too began to snicker.
Harry, with his human mind, told them to knock it off, but all that came out was a high-pitched snarl. He kept going, telling them off as best he could, but it only made them laugh harder.
"Look at him, Padfoot," Moony wheezed. "Have you ever heard anyone chitter more indignantly?"
"No, I haven't." Sirius stopped for a moment, then he began again, even harder.
"What is it?"
"That who he is, Moony. Chitter."
Moony grinned. "So he is."
Harry popped out of the tree and changed back. "Stop laughing at me."
"Sure, Chitter," Sirius said, trying to hold a straight face.
"No way."
"Oh yes. Isn't that right, Moony?"
"Oh, it truly is, Padfoot."
"The recipient of a name is not allowed to argue. It occurs when the time is right. We, the surviving members of the group sometimes known as Marauders, welcome Chitter to our company and grant him all the rights and responsibilities accompanied therein."
Harry wanted to keep balking, but somehow he just couldn't. A name. He had a name at last.
Harry was in quite a bind as far as presents were concerned. The Hogsmeade weekend had been ruined by Death Eaters, and he had been unable to do any Christmas shopping. Furthermore, with the restrictions on his own movements, Harry held out little hope of being allowed free run of Diagon Alley. He knew better than to even ask. He could plainly see that it was a poor life choice to risk drawing an attack in a crowded Alley. Plenty of people would get hurt. He didn't care to live with that responsibility.
At the very least, Harry needed to get Laine a present. Though nothing had been said officially, there seemed to be an understanding between them. They didn't do boyfriend/girlfriend things like work together in class or study together. Often, they were talking to one of their mates about an assignment, and it was difficult to be romantic in the common room. Their relationship consisted of the occasional walk to class, flying together in Quidditch practice, walking around the grounds or the battlements, and snogging in the odd corner here and there.
Harry was okay with that. This year, he probably couldn't handle much more, but while Laine may have been pushy, she wasn't pushy in the bad way. She gave him as much leeway as he needed. If he didn't see her other than at practice for a week because he was working frantically on four essays all due on Thursday, then she didn't pester him about it.
That was the difference between Laine and Tracy. While they'd been seeing each other, Tracy had been very jealous of Harry's time. Laine wasn't insecure, and she didn't ask him where he'd been or who he'd been with. She trusted him, and it was an absolutely wonderful feeling.
He wanted to get her something nice for Christmas by way of thanks, but he had no idea what without looking around in a store. He wondered if Sirius would mind if he gave away some of the Black family jewels.
There's this old thing, he thought, glancing at the gold locket that he'd found last year while cleaning the house. It was heavy and ornate, engraved with a serpentine 'S'. Could stand for Slater, I suppose.
Harry went to go see what Sirius had to say. He was alone in the dining room with a ham sandwich and a cup of tea.
"Sirius? I know we can't exactly go out and about in Diagon Alley, but I didn't get to do any shopping on the Hogsmeade weekend. I haven't got any presents for anyone. I don't know what to do. I could place owl orders, but I have no idea what I want to get anyone. What do I get for Laine? Or any of the girls, for that matter? Draco seems to think we're at the stage where we should move beyond candy and flowers."
"Girls always like candy and flowers. Don't let anyone tell you differently. If you really want to make them go giddy, though, I have an idea. You're a pretty good hand with Potions, right?"
"Yes."
"There's a book I found in the library that I'm sure Mother never read. It's filled with all kinds of spells and potions to brighten up a home and fill it with warmth and cheer. Why not look up a few of those potions and do some brewing? A gift made is much more personal than one bought."
Like always, Harry's godfather had a suggestion that was quite out of the ordinary. It sounded like a fine idea, and Harry did enjoy potion-making. Maybe he could amuse himself and break down the ingredients and pick out magical effects.
"That's excellent, Sirius. Brilliant, even."
After receiving the book from Sirius, the only question was where he would work. Grimmauld Place didn't have a potions laboratory. His best bet was the kitchens. He looked around, assessing his resources. His standard size 2 pewter cauldron was at school. There were pots available, but Harry wasn't sure how that would impact the preparation.
"Kreacher!"
The house elf appeared with a stunning bang. He bowed low to the floor.
"Kreacher answers like the good elf he is. How may Kreacher serve the young Master today?"
"Are there any cauldrons in the house suitable for brewing potions?"
"Many things were discarded when the Master took up residence again. Of these, none were useable cauldrons. Mistress had many treasures, and Kreacher was there when she acquired a solid brass cauldron decorated with Roman carvings. It was many hundreds of years old, and Kreacher saved this valuable cauldron because Mistress would never want such a prize to be lost."
"You have this cauldron?"
"Kreacher does."
"Thank you for saving it, Kreacher. Would you bring it to me now? I need to brew a potion."
"Kreacher is overjoyed to have served well." He disappeared and reappeared three seconds later with a size 4 cauldron that he could have easily used for a bathtub.
"Well done, Kreacher," Harry said, completely satisfied with his new acquisition. "It's perfect."
Kreacher bowed again and disappeared with a bang.
Harry set the cauldron up in the centre of the floor in front of the fireplace. It was easier to redirect existing flames than to summon fire out of nothing. As he didn't have a thermometer handy, the more control he had over the heat, the better.
His Potions kit was in his trunk, so Harry left a cauldron full of water to boil and hurried upstairs. Most of the ingredients required were fairly common, and what he didn't have, Kreacher retrieved from the pantry.
A single portion of Everlasting Essence would freshen several rooms. They were quite easy, it turned out, and he made a number of different scents over the next few days. Two or three for each girl he knew seemed a suitable present. While the potions would do for a start, he wanted to get Laine something a bit more up-scale.
Harry's eyes were again drawn to the 'S' locket. It wasn't a part of the Black family collection. It would have been a 'B' if that were the case. If he hadn't thought it interesting, it would have been pitched with so much else during the summer cleaning. There was no real reason not to give it to Laine.
His mind made up, Harry picked it up and tried once more to open the thing. The mechanism had seized, and even Sirius hadn't been able to fix it. Harry had no more luck now. He Transfigured a sheet of parchment into a box and quickly wrapped the locket. He put it in another box with a pair of sunflower-scented Everlasting Essences in jars.
Harry's first presents had been from his new friends at school. He'd quickly learned that giving a gift was a joy in itself, seeing how his friends enjoyed the things he picked out for them. It had been nigh impossible to shop for anyone this year, but it was always the thought that counted.
Harry wasn't sure how or why the prank competition started.
He'd been sitting at the breakfast table with Sirius, Remus, and Mr. Malfoy discussing his classes when all of a sudden Mr. Malfoy's hair all fell out!
He picked up a lock of blond hair and studied it quite calmly.
"I presume this is your doing, cousin?"
"Blast," Sirius said, sounding disappointed. "You were supposed to get a lot angrier than that."
"Ah-hah! So you admit it!"
"With pride."
"Kindly reverse it."
"What's the point of the joke then? Fix it yourself, if you can. This should prove most entertaining."
The look Mr. Malfoy gave him would have melted metal. He then resumed drinking his tea.
"That's it?" Sirius couldn't help but ask.
"A well-done prank, cousin. Five points to Gryffindor."
"You're taking all the fun out of this, Lucius."
"Am I? How dreadfully dull of me. How ever will I go on?"
Sirius smiled wickedly, and Harry got a chill. He had the look of a cocky man accepting a challenge he thought easy.
Harry followed his godfather into the duelling room.
"Nicely done. What was it?"
"I found this delightful little product in Zonko's under the brand of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. It's called Balding Bazaar Balm. I put some on his hairbrush."
"That's awful. Is there a fix?"
"If he tries to cure it, there will be all sorts of amusing effects. I'm disappointed he didn't try."
"How long does it last?"
"Days."
Harry snickered. "Poor Mister Malfoy."
The next prank sprang on Remus. He popped a candy in his mouth after lunch, and suddenly he became a bright yellow canary.
When he recovered, Harry and Sirius went to Malfoy Manor. Soon Elan was puking his guts out, Draco had sprouted a lion's head, and Mrs. Malfoy was running around squawking like a chicken. Dobby and Nibby stood by looking utterly confused and helpless.
Godfather and son exchanged satisfied looks.
"Good fun," Harry said.
"Indeed."
The next day, Sirius woke Harry at a very unjustifiable hour. Harry yawned hugely, wondering what was going on. It was barely early.
"Good morning, Harry."
"Hi, Sirius. Is this one of your pranks? Decided to get me finally?"
"A marvellous thought, but no. I was actually wondering what ideas you might have. If we're to have any fun at all this week, we're going to have to make it ourselves."
Harry considered that for a moment.
"I could come up with a few, I suppose."
Sirius grinned. "Show me what you've got."
It was very exhilerating to be creeping around the house setting minor jinxes for Remus and Mr. Malfoy. When he was finished, Harry sat with Sirius by the Christmas tree sipping tea and munching on some bacon sandwiches to watch events unfold.
Remus was the first to get up, and he ambled off to the bathroom to wash and groom. He returned to his room, towel around his waist. As Sirius had once told him, Remus was a very hairy fellow, but it didn't conceal everything. Harry had never seen the man's scars before. There were hundreds, each jagged and violent; some new, many old.
A few moments later, they heard the unmistakeable sound of swearing. Remus was trying to keep his voice down, but finally he had to shout in frustration.
"Stupid pants! Get on me! Come on! Wait! What? Hey!"
Bright blue underpants soared out into the hallway. Remus, clutching a towel desperately around his waist with one hand, came running.
"Come back here!" he yelled, chasing them down the hall. They led him a merry chase around the open space, down the stairs to the ground floor, and sailed off into the ballroom as Remus skittered to a stop in front of Sirius, who was laughing uncontrollably.
"Something funny, Padfoot?"
"You!" he howled.
"You're pretty funny, Black."
"Not I," he denied.
"Oh no?"
"Harry."
"I did no such thing," Harry lied instantly, but he couldn't stop grinning.
"This means war, Potter," Remus said solemnly, marching back upstairs.
Mr. Malfoy, emerging from his room, said, "What is all the fuss about?"
"Underpants," Remus said shortly.
Mr. Malfoy looked extremely puzzled, but he did not inquire further. He headed for the bathroom instead.
Sirius had finally managed to get himself under control. "That was kingly, Harry. Well done."
"Thank you."
"What's next?"
"Wait and see. We should move to the dining room now that everyone's awake."
Thoroughly piqued, Sirius followed Harry and poured himself some more tea.
Mr. Malfoy was the first to come to the table. His bathing was much quicker now that he no longer had to shampoo his hair. He took several bacon sandwiches, several boiled eggs, and a large slice of melon. He poured a glass of juice, took a sip, and reached for his fork.
With a dull thunk, the gold flatware slipped from his fingers. He tried to pick it up again but knocked it away. With a determined expression, he reached out and clumsily managed to grab it. As he changed his grip to use it, though, he somehow stuck himself with the tines. Pain flashed across his face, and he sighed.
It had been a fantastic effort just to get the fork, but now he couldn't seem to get the food from his plate to his mouth. He glared at Sirius, who was chortling mirthfully.
"I'm so glad to be able to amuse you. Do you mind?"
"Sorry, Mister Malfoy." Harry cancelled the spell.
"Not you too!"
"Yup."
"Very well."
After breakfast, Harry went to visit with Elan and Draco. Sirius went along to see Mrs. Malfoy.
All was status quo until lunchtime. Sirius excused himself to wash his hands. They were sitting and waiting for him when an stampede of mice entered the dining room. Mrs. Malfoy shrieked loudly, and she climbed up on her chair. She surprised Harry by drawing her wand from her sleeve and casting a spell he didn't recognize.
There was a snap, like an amazingly large mousetrap, and all of the mice skittered to a halt. With a wave, they were all collected into a pile. She Vanished them with ease.
"Sirius!" she said with a warning note in her voice.
"Narcissa!" came his voice from far away.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing? Or something?"
"Is something going on?"
"I will not keep yelling across the house to you. Join us at once."
Sirius sauntered in.
"What exactly do you think you're doing? Don't even try to pretend you didn't make those mice. Grow up."
"Never."
Elan and Draco wore identical neutral expressions. They didn't dare laugh at their mother. Harry was trying his best to match them, but he wasn't used to holding in his mirth. A snort slipped out. Fortunately Mrs. Malfoy was still giving Sirius the evil eye.
After escaping from the table, Harry and Draco turned on the wireless to catch the Quidditch match. Though the sport had been deemed to be essential to the national morale, security at matches had become a nightmare. The Ministry, unable to devote the resources, had simply decreed that matches would no longer be public. Only the players, officials, and neutral witnesses were present in the stadiums now. The owners had been howling about the lost revenue, but there was little they could do without hiring an army, and all the best candidates had gone into the Aurors anyway.
Montrose was playing Chudley, and it looked to be a massacre.
In between goals, Harry and Draco were practically interrogated by Elan. The older boy had been confined to the houses for six months now, and he appeared hungry for conversation. They talked of girls, and Harry told Elan about his new relationship with Laine. They discussed lifting weights, and Elan beat them both at arm wrestling. Elan told them about his letter-writing campaign.
When the match was over, Draco stood up and stretched.
"Want to go throw the quaffle around?"
On Christmas Eve, Harry and Sirius sat in the drawing room in front of the roaring fire. Candy canes were dissolving in their hot chocolate as midnight drew nearer.
Shadows danced on the walls, cast by the flickering flames. Outside the window, fluffy flakes of snow fell slowly, brilliant white against the dark of night. Time seemed to pass with infinite slowness, and Harry wouldn't have it any other way.
Having never known Christmas, Harry was naturally curious to hear Sirius tell stories about his own experiences growing up.
"We got nice gifts, tons of expensive things. Piles of clothes every year. Enough candy to make us sick. Our parents did love us, after a fashion. We loved them too. It was all we knew. It wasn't until I got older that things started to change. We always had to wait until morning to open our presents. No matter how much Regulus and I begged, we never got around my father. Since I'm the grown-up now-"
Harry snorted.
"-I believe we will start a new tradition. Would you like to open one gift tonight?"
"Sure."
"Then open this."
Sirius handed Harry a box wrapped in red paper with silver ribbon.
Harry tore off the shiny covering with glee.
"Wow." Harry didn't know what to say. "It's magnificent."
"Do you like it?"
"How could I not?"
"I worried you might find a way."
It was a picture of Harry and Sirius on the motorbike, tearing through the streets of London at high speed. They looked like complete maniacs, with devil-may-care grins.
"It's great."
"Good."
"How'd you get this?"
Sirius only winked.
Harry knew right where he would hang it. He was about to tell Sirius when he was interrupted by a yawn.
"I think I should turn in."
Sirius hugged him tightly.
"Good night, Harry."
The next morning, Harry's eyes snapped open at earliest light. This was his first Christmas at home. Oh, Harry knew he'd had one year with his mum and dad, but his only memories were pictures. This was his first Christmas with Sirius, their first Christmas together as a family. Home and family mattered tremendously to Harry, since he'd grown up with neither. He'd never had cause to celebrate Christmas before coming to Hogwarts. He wasn't religious, but the recent blessings in his life definitely had him convinced there was a higher power.
The floor underneath the Christmas tree was positively littered with brightly wrapped boxes. Sorting through the presents took a fair amount of time, and the gifts from his friends were very nice. Sirius gave him a dozen new music crystals and a new wireless with several crystal slots. Remus gave him a wooden shelf unit and several binders to hold his Chocolate Frog cards.
Mr. Malfoy's present was at once amazing and stunning. It was a series of folders, each marked with one of his O.W.L. subjects. Inside every folder were dozens of parchments, each with a bold 'O' on the top.
"Several years ago when Elan was getting ready to take his OWLs, I had one of my friends from the testing committee get me all the best exams from the past twenty years. They sell books and guides with old exam questions and sample responses, but I prefer to go right to the best examples."
Dear Merlin, what a fantastic present.
"Mister Malfoy, I don't know what to say other than 'thank you'."
"You are most welcome, Harry. You'll do fantastic. I just know it."
"Here, Lucius, this is for you."
"A present, Sirius? I'm touched."
"I think I'm touched. In the head. Yes, I'm giving you a present."
"It's not something dangerous inside? Your idea of a little fun?"
"The only dangerous thing around here is Remus, and he's sitting right there, Lucius."
"Cute, Sirius," Remus interjected.
"It's a real gift, Lucius. Just open it already."
Mr. Malfoy unwrapped the box with caution. When it did not explode, he peered inside.
"A hair ribbon?"
"What do you get for the man who can buy anything he wants? It's no ordinary hair ribbon. It will never come loose. It will never tangle. Or so the pretty girl at the counter assured me while I was gazing deep into her eyes."
"A magical hair ribbon?" Mr. Malfoy still seemed a bit taken aback. "Thank you, cousin. What a wonderful gift. I'm sure it will come in quite useful once my hair grows back. Here, this is for you."
Sirius tore off the wrapping.
"A receipt for a dozen groomings at a Muggle pet salon?"
"I also was in the dilema of what to get for a man who can buy anything he happens to desire. Twenty thousand Galleons for a pensieve, for instance. So I decided on something you could enjoy. Muggles do so pamper their pets." From his tone, Mr. Malfoy thought this was obviously a sign of a defective character, but it seemed he wasn't above taking advantage of it.
"Lucius, I don't know if you're trying to be funny or not, but you obviously put some strong thought into coming up with the idea in either case." Sirius looked like he was about to burst out laughing. "Thank you."
When the presents had all been opened, they adjourned to the dining room. Kreacher had been up since the crack of dawn working on the Christmas dinner, but he'd spared the time to make cinnamon-sugar scones that had been drizzled in melted butter. Harry devoured six and wanted more, despite his groaning tummy.
Before breakfast, Harry had moved all his presents into an orderly pile under the tree again to get them out of the way. Now he took the time to move them up to his room, moving very slowly because of his full belly. It was a lot of stairs, but he didn't feel nearly so full or sleepy by the time he had made three trips.
Shortly after noon, the four men of Grimmauld Place gathered in the sitting room to await the arrival of the guests.
Christmas was going to be a bit of a family reunion. Sirius was hosting the dinner at Grimmauld Place, and two of his cousins were coming. Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) and Andromeda Tonks (née Black) hadn't spoken in person for many years. Now both sisters had committed to trying to make peace. Sirius had finally managed to get them both to agree to at least try.
If that meeting wasn't potentially explosive enough, the introduction of the husbands was bound to be very tense as well. Lucius Malfoy, patriarch of a very pureblooded line, and Ted Tonks, Muggleborn, Ministry employee, were about as different as it was possible to be. Andromeda's marriage to Ted had caused her estrangement from the family in the first place.
"Is this really such a good idea?" Mr. Malfoy asked again.
"Whether it is or not, we're committed now," Sirius replied. "Got to see it through."
"It is a good idea," Harry said. "Look at how well you two get along."
Sirius snorted. Mr. Malfoy smiled.
"Now," Harry amended. "Look at how well you get along now, compared to a year ago. Talking to each other is the only way to work out the problems. Too much of the family has been fighting for too long. It's time to make peace."
"Harry is right," Mr. Malfoy said to Sirius. "Family is supposed to mean those you can trust no matter what. It is unseemly for such rancor to persist. I hope Narcissa can come to terms with Andromeda, but I admit, I am apprehensive about meeting this Muggleborn man."
"His name is Tonks," Sirius replied.
With a sudden pop of Apparition, Elan Malfoy appeared with his mother on his arm. Draco was a half-second later in appearing from thin air.
Mr. Malfoy went to her at once and took her hands. He bowed low and kissed each palm, and she embraced him warmly but properly. They leaned back and simply gazed into each others' eyes for a long moment.
"Oh, my dearest love," he said softly. "I have missed you."
"Lucius, my noble husband," she replied breathily. "At last I feel whole again. Such a wonderous Christmas present it is to be with you for an entire night."
She ran a hand over his smooth scalp. "What have they done to you? I miss your long hair, but I rather like this look. It's very sexy," she said with a giggle.
Mr. Malfoy, the most composed man in the world, flushed.
"Narcissa, please, we're not alone," he murmured.
"Well that's something we should correct, wouldn't you say?"
"Cissa, have you been drinking?"
"Only a drop or two. I certainly wasn't going to come here sober. I'm seeing my estranged sister today for the first time in twenty years, you know."
"Cissa, get ahold of yourself."
"Why don't you get ahold of me? I want my Christmas kisses."
Mrs. Malfoy wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and began dragging him towards the next room.
"Please excuse us," he managed to utter before he disappeared from sight.
They all looked after them for a moment in questioning wonder. Everyone then turned to Elan with unspoken questions.
"Please excuse Mother," he said in a strained voice. "She's quite nervous about seeing Aunt Andromeda again and has resorted to a small amount of reinforcement to shore up her resolve."
"Reinforcement? She's sloshed," Remus pronounced bluntly. "I could smell that wine from over here."
"I knew she was nervous about this meeting, but I didn't expect her to seek that much courage from a bottle," Sirius said, "You know, I think it's a bit amusing that she's had to have a few. Maybe that makes me a bad person. I don't know, but Narcissa is always unflappable. I take it as a good sign that she needed to get drunk. Maybe there's hope for her after all."
Sirius shook his head in amazement. "I'll be back. Have to go help Andy bring the family."
Sirius Disapparated.
"So, you Apparated yourself all the way here?" Harry said to Draco.
"Yeah," he said proudly. "I've certainly been here enough. I don't think I would have cared to try it from Hogsmeade, but from Wiltshire to London isn't too bad. Happy Christmas, Harry."
"Happy Christmas, Draco. Elan."
"You too, Harry."
Without warning, Sirius appeared again, Tonks by the hand. When he let go, she stumbled, knocking a chair over. Andromeda and Ted Tonks were right behind them.
"Nymphadora," Andromeda sighed as she saw the chair on the floor.
"I'm sorry!"
"Harry, so good to see you."
"Hi, Andromeda," Harry said as he was squeezed briefly about the middle.
"You remember my husband Ted."
"Of course."
"Well, that takes care of the niceties, doesn't it?" Ted said.
"At least until Narcissa gets here."
"She's already here," Sirius said. "She'll be joining us momentarily."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Harry seems to think so, and I can't find fault with his argument. There's not much of the family left. Since we all seem to be of the same bent, why not try and reclaim the family name? Be known for something positive instead of pureblood mania."
"It will be very interesting, I have no doubt. You two must be my nephews."
"Hello, Aunt Andromeda," Elan said warmly. "It's very nice to finally meet you."
"My sister would raise a polite boy. Never could abide rudeness, Cissy. Elan, is it? Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas, Aunt Andromeda."
"Do you remember your way around this place, Andy?" Sirius asked.
"Probably. Let's have a walkthrough, though."
"Miss Tonks, may I escort you?"
"Certainly, Mister- Lupin, was it?"
Remus inclined his head. He offered his arm politely. Tonks took it with a laugh, and they preceded everyone out of the drawing room.
"Draco, do you have a few minutes?"
"Sure, Elan. I've had the tour a few times. I helped clean this place up. I could probably give the tour."
The brothers Malfoy remained in the sitting room as Sirius, Harry, Andromeda, and Ted made their way out to hall.
"Whoa!" Ted said, clearly impressed by the sheer size of the house.
"I told you it was big," Andromeda said.
"I know, but there's nothing like seeing it for yourself."
"Oh, Sirius! Do you remember when we convinced Reg that there was a secret passage in that wall there?"
"You and I saw our fathers slip inside, but we didn't hear the password."
"He tried to get in all day, as I recall."
"That was only while you were there, Andy. He tried to sneak through that wall for three weeks. When he finally lost patience and blasted his way through, Father came as close to being angry with him as I ever saw. Then of course, Reg told him what I'd said, and then it was all on me. I think I was grounded for the rest of the summer."
"Oh the good times we had as children," Andromeda said wistfully, "before we became aware that our parents were manipulative and grossly misguided."
"It was all we knew," Sirius replied. "They did love us, after their own fashion."
"Only so long as we did as we were told. Start to think for yourself, dare to look at a man on his own merits rather than how closely his father married a cousin, and suddenly we were as good as the enemy. What with Bella joining up with the Death Eaters, Cissy was the only chance Mother and Father had to make an alliance. She said in her letters that she's happy, so at least there's one thing Lucius has going for him."
"Dear old Cissy," Sirius said with a sigh. "Do you know she's quite nervous about today?"
"Cissy? Nervous? I'd never have dreamed."
"Oh yes. She sought courage in a bottle of wine, don't you know? I hope she found it. She dragged Lucius off for a snog. I hope we don't interrupt them."
"Does it make me a bad person that I take a little pleasure in that? She had to get drunk before she could see her own sister."
"It's not very proper, is it?" Sirius asked slyly. "Whatever would Mother and Auntie say?"
"It's not proper in public," Andromeda replied, "but this is private. This is family. Completely different."
"That is what they'd say."
"Our father would be asking if she was drinking a good vintage. Mother would thank her for having the decency to not shag right here in front of us all. Lucius is her husband, after all, and Mother was always encouraging witches to have more children."
"Amazing the behaviour that gets tolerated so long as certain platitudes about blood are repeated every so often."
Andromeda's tone turned from reminiscent to slightly bitter. "But make the 'mistake' of marrying a very talented Muggleborn, and the world suddenly ends. Disowned, even blasted off the family tree."
"Yes, so you were," Sirius said. "If we're rebuilding the family, we might do something about that."
Andromeda snorted, but her attention was diverted by Mrs. Malfoy, who stood in the doorway. The two women locked eyes. Everyone else grew quiet, sensing that the moment had grown serious.
Andromeda was solid, firm in her resolve. She had taken her stance long ago and made no apologies about it then, and none about it now. Her chin was slightly raised in a questioning challenge.
Mrs. Malfoy stood steady, despite a considerable amount of wine. Her face was sombre. Her hands hung limply at her sides.
"You look well, Andy," she said at last.
"I am well, Cissy." There was no give in that steely tone.
"It is good to finally see you again. When you did not return my letters, I wondered if things had gone wrong for too long."
"I didn't really know what to say. Every time I put quill to parchment, I ended up wasting ink. I never thought you'd speak to me in civil tones again. I didn't know what game you might be playing."
"That is why I asked Sirius to write you. I knew it would take more than just my word for you to give me another chance."
"Is that what you think I've done?"
"It is. Why else would you be here, knowing that I would also be here?"
"You're right, Cissy. Against my better judgment, I am prepared to give you another chance."
Mrs. Malfoy stood there for a long moment and stepped forward towards her sister. She reached out, and Andromeda hesitated only a moment before grasping her sister's hands.
"Andy," Mrs. Malfoy whispered. "My sister, I have missed you. More than words can say, I have missed you."
"Cissy, it's good to see you. You look like hell. What have you done to yourself?"
"Oh, I was a bit edgy about seeing you, but that's all gone now. I don't know why I was in the first place. I love you, big sister. That's what I came here to tell you. That's what I wanted to say. Even if I wouldn't have made the choices you made, you're still my sister, and I love you."
Mrs. Malfoy was slurring her words only slightly. She seemed fairly cohesive, but her quest for courage had left definite side-effects.
"I don't want to have the big fight again. I hate Muggles. I don't think that will ever change. I don't trust Mudbl- Muggleborns, and I think they're no good, but I'm willing to look at this one and see if he's different from the rest."
It was not the most profound change of opinion. It wasn't as though Mrs. Malfoy had suddenly announced that both of her sons should marry Muggleborns. It was, however, a start, and all great journeys began with a single step. From the expression on her face, Andromeda knew that.
"Ted is a good man, Cissy. He treats me well and is an amazing father. Have you met our daughter Nymphadora?"
"Not yet. Nymphadora. What a lovely name."
"Harry tells me there's a Slytherin rule about ability ultimately being more important than blood. Ted is a very talented wizard. He works with the Accidental Magic Reversal Task Force."
"He treats you well?"
Andromeda nodded. Narcissa teared up.
"All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. I worried about what such an uncultured man would do to you."
"I am happy, Cissy, more than words can ever say."
"Andy, I've missed you."
"And I you, Cissy. And I you."
The sisters embraced, and Harry found himself fighting back a sniffle. Mrs. Malfoy wept on her sister's shoulder, and Andromeda herself got a bit misty-eyed.
Inside, Harry was cheering and gloating. It had been a long struggle to force the adults to stop being stupid, but things were finally getting better. First Sirius and Lucius had stopped hating each other, and now Mrs. Malfoy and her sister were reconciling.
When they broke apart, Mrs. Malfoy looked a fright. Her make-up was streaked, and she'd likely die of embarrassment once she sobered up. Nobody standing there cared at all.
"Cissy, this is my husband, Ted."
Ted, who had stayed back out of the way until now, leaned forward.
"Narcissa, I've heard so much about you."
Mrs. Malfoy gave a most unladylike snort. "I'm sure you have."
"It's not all bad things, I swear. It's actually mostly good things."
"There's a lot of good to tell, Cissy. Most of the swearing was reserved for stories about Mother and Father."
"I remember the big fights. I remember how angry Mother was. I don't think I ever heard her say anything kind about you after that."
"I'm not surprised. I was angry for a long time, too, but I did my best not to let it consume me."
"Ted, my sister tells me that you make her happy. Is that true?"
"I hope so. I try every day to make her smile."
"She deserves it. Thank you. I am pleased to meet you, and I hope to come to know you better."
"I should like that very much."
"Ted, Andy, this is my husband, Lucius."
"Lucius, good to meet you finally." Ted held out his hand expectantly.
Mr. Malfoy looked like he was about to fall over and die, but he slowly reached out and shook hands with Ted.
"Ted, thank you for coming today."
There was silence for a moment.
"Well," Harry said after the silence became awkward. "Shall we sit down and eat?"
"We've got to find Remus and Tonks, first," Sirius said.
"I'll find them. You all go."
Harry could move faster as a mongoose, so he shifted forms and scampered for the second floor as the adults headed for the dining room on the ground floor. His ears alert for the sound of voices, Harry nearly tripped and stumbled as he heard the soft noises of snogging.
The door to the guest bedroom was cracked, presumably so that the couple inside could better hear approaching people. They hadn't planned on a soft-footed mammal.
Harry poked his head inside and bit back a squeak of shock. Remus and Tonks were all wrapped up in each other's arms. Their kiss was deeply passionate. He had her leaned back like they did in movies.
Leaving the couple to their privacy, Harry padded quickly back downstairs. As he hit the grand staircase, he changed back to a boy.
"Did you find them?" Sirius asked as Harry sat down at the table.
Harry could barely keep his giggling suppressed. "Yup. They'll be along. In a bit, I imagine. They were just in the middle of something."
Sirius looked puzzled for a moment, but understanding soon bloomed on his face. "Oh ho! So that's who his mystery girl is."
"Must be. It all makes sense now."
"What is this?" Andromeda asked.
"It appears, dear cousin, that my best friend and your daughter have become, shall we say, involved with each other."
"What!" Ted choked.
"Yes, Harry here has just been traumatized by finding them in the most compromising of situations."
Ted's eyes were blazing. "I'll kill him."
"Calm down, Ted," Andromeda ordered. "You are not going to start a blood feud right when I'm reconciling with my sister. Nymphadora is a grown woman, and she can make her own choices."
"They were just snogging," Harry hastened to clarify.
"Oh. That's better, I suppose. Why wouldn't she tell us? If she's met someone, she ought to be proud to introduce him to us. What's she's afraid of?"
"Maybe that you'll react like this."
"I'd be thrilled if she'd come home one day talking about a man. She's put her social life on hold to go through Auror training, and I've been hoping she'd meet someone nice once she was back in the world."
"Lupin's a werewolf, dear," Andromeda said calmly.
"A what now?"
"Werewolf."
"The sort that changes in the full moon, yes?"
"Yes."
Ted snorted rudely. "I'm Muggleborn. I've known since I was five that lycanthropy is an afflicted condition that can only be passed while they're transformed. If we could somehow get access to Muggle biotechnology, we might even be able to find a cure for it."
"Magic has given us the Wolfsbane Potion, dear."
"An amazing invention it is," he agreed, "but it is not a cure either. Muggles understand things about disease that most wizards could never comprehend. I was working on a Ministry bill a few years ago with Arthur Weasley, the crank who's so fond of Muggle artefacts, that would have let us form a shell organization to get access to testing facilities, but with the budget cuts later that year, nothing ever came of it."
"So you're not mad about his condition."
"Of course not. I'm hurt that she couldn't tell us." He raised his voice. "Nymphadora Tonks! Dinner is served!"
Remus and Tonks walked in a few minutes later. They weren't touching, but Harry noticed that Remus' lips seemed a bit swollen. Tonks was a Metamorphmagus and could hide that, but not Remus.
"Hey, kids," Sirius said jovially. "So nice of you to join us. Did you have fun?"
"This house is amazing," Tonks said.
"What was your favourite part?"
"Oh! Um, the big open space, definitely. What a great concept for a house. I'd take a broom from floor to floor and forget the stairs."
"Maybe that'll be our big project next summer."
Andromeda made the introductions. "Nymphadora, this is your Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius."
"Hello, Auntie. Hello, Uncle. Please call me Tonks."
Mrs. Malfoy smiled patiently. "I certainly will not. You have a beautiful name, dear, and so unique. There is much honouring of ancestors in the Black family tree, but I think your mother did well in choosing your name."
Tonks rolled her eyes, but she was good enough not to press the issue for the moment. She looked at Mr. Malfoy.
"Miss Tonks, I am pleased to meet you. Your reputation precedes you."
"Sirius, what have you been telling him?"
"That you're an Auror, that you were Moody's last apprentice, that you were in Hufflepuff -"
"Impressive feats, all of them," Mr. Malfoy hastened to add. "You are a credit to your family."
Tonks looked puzzled for a moment at all the praise. "Thanks. May we eat yet? I've worked up quite an appetite."
Now that everyone was present, Kreacher began serving the meal. It was a feast as magnificent as any at Hogwarts, though not as large to be sure. Two hams and two plump turkeys were the main course, with mashers, squash, beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and plenty of piping hot rolls. Harry ate as much as he could and washed it all down with hot apple cider and cold pumpkin juice.
Through the meal, Ted Tonks said little and kept staring at Remus. Once or twice, Remus caught him looking, but Ted met his gaze easily. He seemed to be sizing Remus up. Remus grew visibly more nervous.
When Kreacher served dessert, Ted finally got to the point. "Aren't you a little old for my daughter?"
Remus choked on his wine. Tonks instantly turned red, then she flashed back to her normal skintone.
"I beg your pardon?" Remus sputtered.
"Oh, denial will get you nowhere, Remus. You were seen. You may as well come clean and face your fate like a man."
Remus gulped. "Mister Tonks, I fancy your daughter. I believe she fancies me as well. I may be a bit older than her, but she's certainly of age to be making her own decisions."
"I understand you're a werewolf," Mr. Tonks ploughed forward relentlessly. Remus choked again. "How can I be certain that you won't bring harm on her?"
"Thanks to some very good friends, I am of no danger during the full moon. There is a special room in the basement of this house that has been secured with both magic and steel. I am contained, no threat to anyone other than myself."
"Are your intentions towards my daughter honourable?"
"Of course, sir. I think the world of Dora."
"How do you make your living? I know it is very difficult for werewolves to gain employment. Is she going to be the breadwinner?"
"I am self-employed. I don't have what one would call a profession. I do what I have to in order to get by. I'm a salesman, mostly."
"Door to door encyclopaedias?"
"Ice cream during the summers. I'm still developing new options. I do have one persistent job offer that I can always fall back on."
"How long have you and my daughter been sneaking around?"
"I wouldn't say we've been sneaking around, sir. I would not presume to judge the state of your relationship with Dora, but we have spoken many times about what to do and how to tell you both. Now that it's in the open, I'm actually relieved. We ask for your blessing."
"And you'll be giving it," Tonks said fiercely, grabbing Remus' arm possessively, "or every story you ever told me about you and mum is a lie."
"Do you love him, Nymphy?"
Tonks made an agonized face. "Daddy, don't call me that. Yes, I do. He has such a beautiful soul. I love him more than I could ever love any other man, wizard or Muggle."
"Then you have my blessing, but if he doesn't treat you right, he'll regret it."
Tonks laughed. "Daddy, don't say that."
"I would never treat her with anything other than total respect, sir," Remus said softly, gazing into Tonks' eyes.
Her hair slowly began to change from the vivid bubblegum pink she often favoured to a brilliant purple.
Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Ah, youth." She gazed fondly at her husband. "Remember when we were that way?"
"Still feel that way, Andy."
"Oh, you."
Mr. Malfoy reached out and squeezed his wife's hand. He said nothing, but when she met his eyes, she looked exactly like her sister.
"When are you going to settle down, Sirius?" Remus asked innocently, seeing that he had all the couples on his side.
Sirius choked and sputtered, "Settle down!"
"Yes," Mrs. Malfoy said firmly, tearing her eyes away from her husband. "Remus may be joking, but I am not. When are you going to find a nice girl, Sirius? You're far too old to still be a bachelor."
"I had an unexpected vacation."
"Even before that, there was nobody you stayed with for very long. You do like girls, don't you, cousin?"
"Of course I do. I just haven't found the right one yet."
"How hard have you tried? Once you were vindicated, you spent the entire summer in this house. Once Harry went back to school, you still were a recluse. Once Harry got involved in the tournament, you lived in a cramped room at the Hogs Head for the rest of the school year. You've spent the entire summer and the first term here in this house again. I know with the war on things are difficult, but to not even be inquiring of suitable ladies, when I am so very well-connected in all the right circles, just wounds me to the quick."
"I have better things to do than get married, especially to some high society tart."
"Yes, you do have important things to do, Sirius. Raising Harry is your sternest duty, and that is proper, but your intransigence on the matter of a wife conflicts with it. You need a wife because Harry needs a mother."
Silence reigned over the dinner table. Harry choked. Though he'd heard his parents talked about a great deal since he'd moved in with Sirius, to have their loss suddenly brought up over Christmas dinner stung him a bit.
Mrs. Malfoy spared him a sympathetic glance. "Harry, I'm sorry to upset you. This has actually been on my mind for quite some time. I just haven't had time to broach the subject. I'm worried about you. A boy needs a mother."
"He has a mother," Sirius said dangerously, no longer seeming amused by the line of conversation. "Her name is Lily Evans Potter."
"Yes, and she can comfort him when he is hurt, can she? Listen to him, give a mother's advice? You know she can't."
Harry swallowed hard. He didn't trust himself to speak yet.
"He's living here with three men. You, he, and this house all need a woman's touch."
"We're just fine, thank you very much."
"I'm going to start inquiring around. I should never have let it go this long. Damn the Order anyway for disrupting my home and my life. I'll find you a good wife, cousin, one whom you will love."
"Not interested."
"I won't even restrict my search to girls from ancient lineage. I won't exclude them, but I'll consider halfbloods and Muggleborns as well. I know it doesn't matter to you."
"That's very generous of you, Narcissa, but I'm still not looking to get married."
"This isn't just about you, Sirius. Think about Harry. Just think about it."
Sirius looked like he'd rather ask Professor Snape to make him a Stomach-Calming Draught.
"If you've all finished dessert, would you please join me in the sitting room?"
Sirius led the way to the first floor and opened the door to the drawing room. A fire crackled cheerfully in the hearth, sending dancing patterns of light all around the walls. As the room detected people arriving, the gas lights came on, brightening things up enough to see clearly.
"This is the family tree, the magical record of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black," Sirius said, his tone sour. "There's a lot of very bad people on there. There are a few good ones, but most of them have been blasted off. I'm head of the family now, and so the following power is available to me."
Sirius drew his wand and pointed it at the charred spot between Narcissa and Bellatrix.
"Andromeda Black, you are the daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black, the middle child. Once outcast, you are reconciled to the head of the family. I recognize your place among us."
A jolt of golden light zapped the char spot, wiping it away. Andromeda's name appeared, along with her birthday.
"I recognize your marriage to Theodore Nigel Tonks as acceptable to the family.
A new connection appeared on the tree, tied to Andromeda alone.
"I recognize your offspring, Nymphadora Tonks, and accept her as a part of the family."
Another new twig grew Tonks' full name below her parents. She looked disgusted by seeing it written out for all to read.
Sirius wasn't done yet.
"Furthermore, I hereby disinherit and deny Bellatrix Black, eldest daughter of Cygnus and Druella. I do not recognize her marriage to Lestrange as good for the family, and that is unacceptable. Their offspring, should they have any, will not be a part of the House of Black."
With a jolt of neon red light, Bellatrix's name was burned off the family tree. Rudolphus' name withered and vanished.
There was still more.
"My godson Harry James Potter is descended from Charlus Potter, whose wife was Dorea Black. His parents are dead. He has no living family connection save the House of Black. It is right and proper that we should protect and nourish our own blood. I recognize him as a part of the family and name him my heir."
A jagged line connected Charlus to the new branch with Harry's name right below Sirius. A spiral line linked the two.
"Well done, cousin," Narcissa murmured. "In one stroke, the family is renewed."
"Going to have to change the family words. We won't be pure after this generation. Not likely, anyway."
They talked away the afternoon and into the evening. Nobody was properly hungry, so they snacked on the leftovers from the magnificent feast.
After dinner, the Tonkses went home. Andromeda and Narcissa embraced fiercely. Ted and Lucius shook hands a little more casually. Tonks snogged Remus quite thoroughly now that their secret was out.
Lucius and Narcissa began making eyes at each other and soon retired for the night. After the enthusiastic greeting she'd given him earlier, Harry blushed to the roots, knowing exactly what they were about. It was not a thought he really wanted to have about his best mate's mum and dad. Draco himself looked like he wanted to sink into the floor, though Elan controlled himself a bit better.
Remus turned in early as well. "I'm absolutely stuffed and need to sleep some of this off. I'll see you in the morning."
"Do you feel like going back home?" Elan asked Draco.
"Not really. I'd like to have breakfast with Father."
"Me too. Cousin, may we avail ourselves of your hospitality?"
"Of course. Kreacher!"
"Yes, Master. How may Kreacher serve?"
"Prepare two of the guest rooms for Elan and Draco."
"Kreacher obeys."
"Thank you."
In only a few minutes, Kreacher reappeared to lead the brothers upstairs. With all the talk of bed, Harry found himself yawning.
"Harry, will you sit with me for awhile?"
"Of course, Sirius."
They sat in padded chairs in front of the fireplace, staring into the crackling flames, sipping hot chocolate with whipped cream from thick stone mugs.
"Quite a day."
"It was magnificent," Harry agreed.
"Things went well. Better than I expected. I thought for sure there would be at least one shouting match."
"Particularly when Ted found out about Remus."
Sirius smiled. "That was particularly unexpected. I'm glad for them."
"Me too."
Silence reigned for several moments.
"Harry, do you think I should get married?"
"If you want to. If you found the right girl."
"Have you ever wanted for your mother? I mean, of course you have, but recently? Since you moved in? Is there anything I haven't been able to do?"
"Well," Harry said hesitantly. "Not so much- I don't know. If it happens, I guess it would be nice, but I don't think I want to try and force it to happen. I don't think it works that way. It could be a great thing, but only if it happens naturally."
"I agree," Sirius said with relief. "Good. So I can tell Narcissa to save herself the effort."
"On the other hand," Harry said, still working it out slowly. "How can anything happen naturally if you don't ever meet the girl?"
Sirius blanched.
"I would think seeing if it'll happen naturally would require that you see and talk to her. I think that's what Missus Malfoy was saying. She wants to introduce you to a lot of different, eligible young women in the hopes that you'll hit it off with one of them."
"That we'll hit it off with one of them. I'm not going to go with any girl you don't like."
"Does that mean you're going to take me on your dates?"
"Only if we're doubling," Sirius quipped.