6. Yule

Harry had wondered if it would be awkward at first, living with his godfather. Yet somehow, they seemed to have so much to talk about that the time flew by.

Sirius took him shopping for gifts for his friends, but Diagon Alley yielded only a wand holster for Neville, and some boxes of chocolate frogs for Dobby and Kreacher.

He had more success in muggle London, where he found a copper hair ornament in the shape of a bird for Padma.

Next he dashed inside a jewelry shop to purchase a pendant he'd glimpsed in the window: it was a crescent moon with a tiny diamond star suspended inside. He felt that, with Daphne's love for Astronomy, it would delight her.

Harry also wanted to get something for Susan, since she had helped him approach her aunt. In a muggle bookstore he discovered a beautifully illustrated volume of French fairy-tales he thought she might like.

Hannah was a bit of a problem, since he really didn't know her well yet. However, he couldn't leave her out, and eventually settled for a Hufflepuff scarf.

He wracked his brain for a gift for his godfather, and finally chose an elegant walking stick like the one carried by Lucius Malfoy. Instead of a silver snake, the head was that of a golden lion.

Hedwig worked busily delivering the gifts, but she was not alone. Other owls flew into Grimmauld Place, leaving packages and letters.

"Did you want to visit the Burrow, Harry? Molly asked us."

Harry hesitated. "I like the twins, but Ron is always making up to me, so…"

"Say no more. I'll thank her and say we have plans. It's even true; Amelia Bones invited us to a party."

It was while they were trimming the towering evergreen that Sirius said, deceptively casually, "You know, kiddo, if you wanted to, I could adopt you, have you add Black to your name. Only if you want to; I mean, I won't mind if you'd rather leave things as they are."

For the first time since he'd come to stay, Harry felt the flicker that told him his godfather was not being quite truthful. He did mind, very much.

Harry's eyes were shining. "You mean it? I want that more than anything!"

Sirius whooped in joy and picked up Harry, spinning him around. "Me too!"

And that was how Harry James Potter became Harry James Black-Potter.

They decided to put off opening their presents until they returned from Gringotts with the blood-adoption finalized, so it was quite late in the evening when they sat before the Christmas tree surrounded by packages.

Harry's hands trembled as he unwrapped a pair of Quidditch gloves from Neville, followed by a brilliant blue quill from Hannah, a book on dueling from Susan, a soft black jumper from Padma.

He especially liked his present from Daphne; she too had chosen a pendant, a gold lightning bolt on a crimson dragon-hide cord.

"This was a great Christmas," Harry confided in Sirius.

"Was? But, it's not over yet! You haven't opened your gift from me," his godfather grinned.

"But, I thought…the adoption…" Harry held out his hand, displaying the Black heir ring.

"No, that was actually a gift for me," Sirius insisted. "Happy Christmas…son!"

Harry gasped aloud. He could tell by the shape what the package contained, but he could never have guessed he'd be unwrapping…a firebolt broom. "Padfoot!"

Sirius laughed aloud. "Hogwarts' best seeker needs the best broom."

He flung himself at his godfather…now his father!...and hugged him as if he'd never let go.

Susan Bones, resplendent in red velvet, dashed over to Harry. "I loved the book! The illustrations were so pretty."

"I liked the one on dueling," Harry beamed. "Wish Hogwarts had a dueling club!"

"Me too," said Susan fervently. "Maybe we could ask Flitwick to sponsor one? He was an International champion, once."

"That would be brilliant," chimed in Ernie Macmillan. "I bet loads of people would be interested."

Harry found he enjoyed talking with some of the Hufflepuffs present, and resolved to reach out more. Neville would always be his best friend, but there was no cause to limit himself.

He said so to Sirius when they went home.

"Maybe you're right," agreed his godfather. "The Marauders were a tight group, but now I think of it, it might have been better if we'd branched out a bit."

Harry brought up something that had been bothering him. "Uh, Padfoot? You keep getting letters from …"

"Moony." Sirius nodded. "You are wondering why I never answer?"

Harry nodded. "I know he was a Marauder too…"

"He was. And, in our final year, we were in a relationship. "

Harry had suspected as much. "So, you can't forgive him for abandoning you?"

"I think I could forgive that," Sirius said slowly. "What I can't ever forgive him for is abandoning you."

When Harry returned to Hogwarts, he learned that Professor Quirrell had left, and hadn't informed anyone.

"Sorry, boys." Flitwick sounded regretful. "A dueling club will have to wait until next year. For this term all of the staff must fill in for Quirrell."

They were disappointed but understood. Besides, the staff did a better job than Quirrell had, so they came out ahead.

Daphne, in her usual hesitant way, took a seat next to Harry at dinner. "I loved the necklace, Harry. It was my favorite gift! Astoria fancied it, and tried to take it away, but she couldn't touch it!"

Sirius had insisted on charming the pendant so that only the recipient could wear it; Harry had thought that pointless, but now he was thankful. He wondered if Daphne's possessions were often purloined, but thought it best not to ask.

She turned to Neville. "Thanks for the plant, Neville. I brought it to school!"

Neville looked pleased. "The book on rare plants was great, Daphne. I started reading it right away. I intend to grow some of them this summer."

"Speaking of summer," Harry began, "any chance we could get together?"

"Shouldn't be a problem," Neville smiled. "Daphne?"

"Oh? Did you mean…me too?"

"Of course." Harry wondered why she sounded so surprised.

"I would love that!" She beamed at them.