Harry woke on Christmas morning to the smell of cinnamon and bacon and the sound of laughter. He let himself bask in the warmth that always came with Christmas morning. He remembered how he used to loathe the holiday, often wondering why his aunt and uncle even bothered to get him a "present" if it was going to be nothing more than a smelly sock or a coat hanger.

But his life was different now.

There was knocking on his door forcing him to finally sit up and put on his glasses. Ron groaned from the other side of the room.

"Come in," Harry said.

The door opened and Rory peeked her head inside.

"Happy Christmas, sleepyheads," she said. "Breakfast is nearly ready. You're the last ones up."

"What's wrong with your face?" Ron asked, his voice still thick with sleep as he stretched.

"What do you mean what's wrong with my face?" Rory asked.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You've got flour or something on it."

"Oh!" Rory said, rubbing her hand across her cheek, further smearing it rather than wiping it away. "Probably icing sugar. I made an apple cake to go with breakfast."

"Is that what that smell is?" Ron asked, climbing out of bed. "The cinnamon?"

"Probably," Rory replied. "It was a little scary sharing the kitchen with your mum if I'm being honest."

"That tracks," Ron said as he put on his slippers and walked to the door. "Happy Christmas." He ruffled her hair as he walked by.

Rory swatted him away and Harry's heart warmed. He remembered last Christmas at the Yule Ball there was a point where he thought Ron and Rory might never speak to each other again. But now that idea seemed entirely foreign to him.

"Better hurry up," Rory said. She started to turn back to the door, but Harry stopped her.

"Wait a minute," he said, climbing out of bed. "I want to give you your present."

Rory walked over and sat on his bed.

"Don't want an audience?" she teased.

"Not really," he chuckled. It was true. He hadn't gotten her anything spectacular. It was simple. Last year he'd gotten her that black nylon bracelet with a dinky metal fish on it that she wore every day. He hadn't gone quite that simple this year, but he didn't want anyone making fun of him.

He pulled the small gift bag from his trunk and handed it to her.

"There are two things," Harry said. Rory opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her. "I know, I know. I should've only gotten you one thing, but it's done, so go on and open it."

Rory pushed aside the tissue paper and first pulled out the tightly rolled piece of black fabric. She unrolled it to reveal an apron, across the front of which were the words "Star Baker." Harry watched her eyes light up and she grinned with delight.

"This is amazing!" she said. "I'd have worn it this morning if you hadn't slept in."

"Sorry. I'll remember for next time," he said, brushing more sugar from her cheeks. She moved to kiss him, but he stopped her. "Open the other one."

Rory sighed and reached into the bag and pulled out a leatherbound journal. On the front was a metal placard showing a moving replica of the alignment of the planets.

"Whoa," Rory said.

"I saw that your other journal was getting full, the one you write all your dreams and other various divination insights in, so I got you a new one," Harry said. "I even enchanted the planets to move myself, so it's accurate to where they are in real-time since I know y0320ou look into that a lot as well. Took a really long time to get the spell right. Even harder to look up what I'd need to do without asking for help. I wanted to do it on my own. You put in all that work for my anniversary present and I wanted to make something for you as well. Except I didn't actually make it. Just kind of-."

Rory put a finger to his lips and shushed him. She brought her hand to his cheek and kissed him. She tasted of sugar and cinnamon and of Rory. She pulled away from him just a little, her lips less than an inch from hers.

"There's charts for Pythagorean, Kabbalah, and Chaldean numerology in the back, for reference, since I know you've been looking into numerology a lot lately," he said. She kissed him again.

"It's perfect," she said. Harry took hold of her hand and brought it to rest between them.

"Has to be if it's for you," he said.

"You know you don't have to go through all the trouble. I'm already in love with you," Rory said.

"Well, I'd like to keep it that way," he said. He kissed her, not lingering too long because he knew they'd exhausted all of their goodwill when it came to them being alone for longer than a minute or two. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said. She let out a sigh. "I really want to kiss you some more."

The feeling was mutual. He took a chance and kissed her once more. The smile she gave him felt like the only Christmas gift he would ever need.

Rory put the book and apron back into the bag and got to her feet. "I'm going to stick this in my room. I'll see you at breakfast."

Harry nodded, suddenly starving. Rory stood in the doorway for a moment and rested her head against the frame. "I hope you like your gift."

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked.

Rory shrugged. "You said you were bad at giving gifts, but you kind of actually hit it out of the park every time you get me something."

"Except that," Harry said, motioning to the nylon bracelet on her wrist.

Rory scoffed. "This is my favorite. It's like having a little piece of you with me wherever I go."

Harry smiled and she smiled back. Then her eyes flickered down the hallway and she groaned.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"Our chaperone is here," she said.

"I'm not being a chaperone," Sirius said, appearing in the doorway beside her. "I was just checking on you. You've been gone for six minutes."

"Six minutes? Keeping track then?" she asked. She held up her bag. "Harry was just giving me my Christmas present."

"You didn't want to wait until we were all together by the tree?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe he thought you'd be embarrassing or something if he gave it to me in front of you. Can't imagine why," Rory said.

She slid away from the door leaving Sirius to stand there alone.

"Sheesh, the way sasses me these days," he said. He paused for a moment. "Were you really not wanting to give her her present in front of-."

"Everyone," Harry clarified. "Don't take it personally. She just likes teasing you."

"Well, when you put it that way, it's hard to not take it personally," Sirius said.

Harry wanted to say that Rory was probably being a little bit "mean" to Sirius the last few days as a way of deflecting how embarrassed she was that he'd been the one to find Rory and Harry together in the hallway that night. But then Harry would have to bring that night up to Sirius again, and he was only just now able to look him in the eye.

"What did you get her if you don't mind me asking," Sirius said.

"A journal for her divination. She writes in one every day and she's nearly filled it, so I got her a really nice new one for when she needs it," Harry said.

"That's very thoughtful of you," Sirius said. "I was terrible at giving gifts to Theo. She'd always say 'it's the thought that counts' when I gave her something. James though, he was constantly impressing the pants off Lily. Always making the rest of us blokes look bad. He seemed to always know exactly what to get her."

Harry felt a glimmer of pride at that moment.

"What did Rory get you?" Sirius asked.

Harry shrugged. "Dunno. She didn't give me mine yet. She just came by to wake Ron and me."

"Of course. Forgive me for assuming otherwise," Sirius said.

Harry was only a little irritated that everyone was now assuming they were always sneaking around, but then again, he hadn't given them much reason to believe otherwise.

"Don't be too sore that we're keeping an eye on the two of you now," Sirius said as if reading Harry's mind. "And since we're on the subject, I guess it's not as if I was much different than you when I was your age, so it does feel a bit hypocritical on my part. Then again, I can see things differently now than I did when I was your age."

"Uh-huh," Harry said with a nod, but he had no idea where Sirius was taking this conversation

"You and Aurora are together a lot. Most of the time. And why wouldn't you be, obviously? You're dating. For a while now, actually. How long?" Sirius asked.

"Just over a year," Harry answered, still confused.

"Incredible. If Theo and I went a month without breaking up and getting back together it was a miracle. But a whole year. Though I suppose that makes sense, being how close the two of you are. Which is wonderful really," Sirius said.

Harry was sensing a "but" coming and was dreading what would follow.

"But we've stumbled upon you two snogging an uncomfortably frequent amount which, boundaries aside, we just want the two of you to be careful." Sirius said. "One minute it's perfectly innocent, but then you get carried away and caught up in the moment and one thing leads to another-."

"Wait, hold on," Harry said, now firmly aware of what train of thought Sirius was on. Harry wanted to shut this conversation down before it went any further. "Rory and I haven't done—it's not like what you're thinking. We haven't-."

"I know, I know, I know," Sirius said quickly. "But… If you ever do, just… Always be safe. Every time. And remember that she's allowed to change her mind and you're allowed to change your mind no matter how far things have gotten. Just always talk about it. And again, be safe. When I was at school, Madame Pomfrey had a very open-door policy about all this. 'I'd rather give you a thousand prophylactics than see you reproduce on my watch, Sirius Black' she said to me once. What a laugh that woman is."

Harry felt like it would be less painful to get hit by a bludger or fall off his broom again than to endure another second of this conversation.

"Speaking of which, obviously, if you ever do find yourself in need of anything, don't feel embarrassed to reach out. We'd much rather you be safe than not," Sirius said.

"Well, I don't need anything because we're not there," Harry said. "We literally had a conversation and both agreed that we like how things are now and don't really want to do... Do anything else."

"You mean intercourse?" Sirius clarified with a nod of his head.

Harry wished he had a time-turner so he could go back to a time before he ever heard Sirius say the word "intercourse."

"Yep. That's what I mean. None of that. Not on the table in the slightest," Harry said. His face was so hot with embarrassment he thought hie might burst into flames, which would be favorable over having to sit here continuing this conversation with him.

Sirius nodded. "Well, if things ever progress in that particular direction just, be smart. Be safe. In the meantime, try not to be so handsy when you're here. You understand?" Sirius asked.

"Yep. Got it," Harry said. Sirius gave him a firm pat on the back.

"Thanks for chatting with me," Sirius said as he got to his feet.

"Yeah. Good talk," Harry said.

"See you downstairs then," Sirius said walking from the room.


Rory was laughing. Harry seemed a bit peeved at this, but she couldn't help herself.

"How do you find this the slightest bit amusing?" Harry asked.

"I'm sorry. I know I can't imagine a more uncomfortable scenario," Rory said, slicing into a piece of sausage. "Except maybe if they'd talked my dad into having that conversation with you."

"You think it was planned?" Harry said. Rory nodded as she took a bite of her food. "Why?"

"Well," she started. "Something I haven't mentioned to you. That night Sirius saw us, you said you were on the way back from the kitchen when you saw me."

"Right. Because I was," Harry said.

"I know. But, when Sirius saw us, he was also on his way back from the kitchen. So he should've seen you when he came downstairs to go to the kitchen, but he didn't," Rory said.

A bit of panic flashed through Harry's eyes. "And so?"

"They just know we weren't telling the whole truth about how we ended up in the hallway. They don't care to know what we were doing exactly, thankfully, but they're not idiots and have assumed it was something they wouldn't approve of," Rory said.

No, they definitely would not approve of what Rory had dragged Harry into the bathroom to do.

"They've known this whole time?" Harry asked.

"Basically. That's what my dad said anyway. That's why they've been watching us so much. Haven't you wondered?" Rory said.

"I thought Sirius catching me snogging you with my hands under your shirt in the middle of the night was reason enough," Harry said. "Certainly explains why your dad has been giving me a wide berth."

"Nothing we can do about it now, after all." Harry sighed and poked at his eggs with his fork. "Don't be so stressed out. It's Christmas. It's the last thing on anyone's mind right now."

"I literally had that conversation with Sirius fifteen minutes ago," Harry pointed out.

"He only brought it up because he saw me with you," Rory said. "And I'm sure it was as uncomfortable for him as it was for you."

Harry scoffed. "Doubt that."

After breakfast, everyone gathered in front of the fireplace in the lounge to exchange gifts. Rory was happy with all of her gifts and pleased to see that everyone liked theirs. But of course, Harry was saving hers for last which did nothing but make her anxious.

He finally sat next to her on the couch as she was pulling her new jumper from Mrs. Weasley over her head.

"Cozy?" he asked.

"That's the goal," Rory replied. She situated herself and then grabbed his gift from beside her. She held it out. "Promise you won't hate it."

"Why would I hate it?" he asked.

"Because it is not nearly as thoughtful or cool as yours," Rory said.

"I'm sure it is," Harry said. She watched him unwrap the gift: a book, Magic Among Muggles: A Guide to Magical Communities in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

Rory was pleased that Harry seemed the slightest bit intrigued by the title, but when he said nothing as he opened the book, Rory felt pressured to speak.

"It's a lot of boring stuff, geography and all that, but it's also got a lot of maps and information about the various wizarding communities and associated places like Diagon Alley and all that," Rory said. She reached out and flipped through some pages. "This is the village near Kent where my grampy lives and here," she flipped through again, "this is Ottery St. Catchpole where the Weasleys and Luna live. And here," she flipped through, "is Godric's Hollow where-."

"Where my parents lived," Harry said, the first words he'd spoken since she'd given him the book.

She lifted her eyes from the book and looked at Harry who was smiling at her. She felt her cheeks redden.

"I just thought that you obviously know where places are, but, you know, thought you might like to know where the rest of the wizards tend to congregate. You won't live in Surrey forever after all," Rory said.

"Definitely not," he agreed. "Thank you. This is very thoughtful and very cool."

"Really?" she asked. He nodded. "You promise?"

"Can't lie to you," he said. "I don't know why you're ever nervous about anything. You're perfect after all."

Harry said this to her all the time, that she was perfect. Rory didn't feel perfect. She felt like she tried very hard to seem perfect, at least to Harry. Gift-giving was something she hadn't known would make her nervous until their birthdays had come around and she had no idea what to get him. In a perfect world, what would his perfect girlfriend get him? She still didn't think anything she'd done so far was adequate.

But then Harry kissed her cheek and she let her head drop to his shoulder as her whole face flushed with heat. Maybe he really did think she was perfect.

"Remind me to kiss you properly later," he said quietly.

Rory felt her heart skip a beat. "And risk getting into trouble again?"

Harry casually turned a page in his book, pretending to read. "Worth the risk, I think. Though I will probably keep my hands from wandering for the time being."

"Pity that," Rory said.

She went on to show him Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Just as she was about to show him another tiny village, her dad approached her with a box.

"You gave me a present already," Rory said, lifting her head from Harry's shoulder.

"This is from Levi," Remus said.

"Oh." She took the box and it felt like every hair on her body stood at attention. She sat up straight and set the box in her lap.

"Came with a letter," Remus said, handing it to her. "You'll let me know-."

"If it's something important, of course," Rory replied.

He gave her a nod and slowly walked away. She didn't hesitate to open the letter and read it straight away.

Aurora,

I got the sense that you still do not trust me after our chat at dinner. This is understandable. Neither of us knows the other very well. But as promised, here is a gift from your mother that she risked her very life to get to you. This has never been my area of expertise, but I have been assured that this will be of use to you, despite its strangeness. But take caution, as surety brings ruin.

I'm sure you are remarkably gifted, and I get the sense that there is more within you than you will ever know. May that light inside of you shine and dispel the darkness around you. Be bright.

Levi

The letter on its own would've left Rory continuing to feel shifty about her uncle, but the box in her lap was beckoning to her. Something inside of it was calling to her. Her inner eye was suddenly awake, whispering to her. Look, look, it said. Look inside and finally see.

Rory unwrapped the package and revealed a wooden box. There were runes burned onto the lid of the box. She ran her fingers over them and then found a small, golden clasp on the front of the box. She flipped it open and paused before opening the lid. Inside there was a folded navy blue cloth. Slowly, gently, she folded back the cloth. And her breath caught in her throat when she saw what lay beneath the silky fabric.

"Uh-oh," she said.

The spirit board was definitely old, and seeing it sitting in her lap at all was a problem. But it was the planchet that caught her eye. She held it up and immediately knew this board was more than it seemed.

"Is that a Ouija board—?" Harry started.

Rory raised her eyes from the box and found her dad still a short distance away.

"Dad," she said. He turned to her.

"What is it?" he asked.

She held up the planchet so he could see. "Pretty sure this is made human bone."


"It's pretty fucked up," Sirius said.

"Bones have been used in divination for thousands of years," Remus said.

"Not people bones," Sirius said.

"We don't know that they're human," Remu said.

"Right. I'm more concerned that she's got a talking board," Molly said.

"He told us almost explicitly that it was a tool for her to use in Divination," Remus said.

Aurora's gift from her mother via Levi had sent the whole house into a frenzy. Tonks arrived at the house with gifts, intending to accompany everyone to St. Mungo's afterward, and instead of Christmas cheer, she walked into the fallout of Rory's Christmas gift from Levi.

Which is why she was now seated at the dining room table examining the planchet and spirit board.

Spirit boards were almost always used as tools for dark magic. Voldemort having one made sense. Using one for divination if you were a dark wizard made sense. Theodosia stealing it from Voldemort so Aurora could use it had concerning implications. The fact that she had picked up the planchet and identified it as human bone was even more concerning.

"It's still pretty fucked up," Sirius said.

"Aurora doesn't feel as though there's anything sinister about it and she's failed to be incorrect about these things so far," Remus said.

Sirius sighed. "I do not want to get another lecture from her about cherry-picking which parts of her skills we trust and which we don't."

"I'll have to agree with you there," Tonks said, closing the lid on the box. "I think she's right. This is made from human bone."

Silence engulfed the room at the confirmation.

"You're certain?" Remus asked.

"From a pelvic bone, or perhaps a scapula. I can't imagine being able to get a piece this flat from any other part of the body. Not to mention the density of it seems correct."

Sirius nodded. "Definitely fucked up."

"Whose bone is it?" Molly asked.

"I couldn't begin to tell you that. But I can tell you he didn't recently murder anyone for this," Tonks said.

"How do you know so much about bones?" Sirius asked.

"Occasionally Aurors have to identify dead bodies. Helps to know all their pieces and parts and how long they've been dead," Tonks said. "I'm completely grossed out by this gift, but I think Aurora is probably right. It's probably harmless. Gross. Unholy. Highly morally questionable. But harmless. The board doesn't appear to be cursed or have any magical influence on it at all. Even in the wrong hands, Spirit Boards are generally considered to be completely innocuous. It's mostly superstition that keeps them out of the mainstream."

"So you think we should just give this back to her?" Molly asked.

"There isn't a reason not to, aside from the fact that this is human bone," Tonks said. "But you asked whose bone it is and that is worth looking into. If Voldemort had this, then the person who it belonged to must be significant."

"I think the fact that it's made from human bones is enough to warrant keeping it from her," Sirius said. He turned to Remus. "You get the final say of course."

"I'd be inclined to agree with you, but I think we should get Dumbledore's opinion on this before we do anything," Remus said.

"Yes, we know how much Aurora values Dumbledore's opinion on things," Tonks said with a sigh. "Perhaps she'll think of it as Dumbledore chiming in on something he's qualified to speak on."

"She knows at least we're going to pursue every possible avenue of investigation before handing it over to her to do divination," Sirius said. "Even if the planchet is just from some random person who wanted their bones used for divination, I still would be keener on just tossing this directly into a fire because, again, human bone. Spooky, dark magic, dead people talking board."

"I agree, but seers are weird about things like this," Tonks said. "Spooky, dark magic, dead people talking board, with a human bone planchet might be the very thing that makes it work for her."

"But Aurora wouldn't be interested in anything like this," Molly said.

"She said she felt neutral about these, but interested. I think it's safe to say she's going to be weird about it," Sirius said.

"We'll talk to Dumbledore," Remus repeated. "And if he thinks there's no harm in it… I guess we'll just give them back to her."

Sirius shuddered.