Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the plot. The original concepts belong to JKR and Warner Brothers. Any concepts brought from other fictions are either coincidental or will be used in their own way, and no plagiarism is meant.

Chapter 9: The Holidays

December 24th, 1993

Hogwarts

Two weeks had passed since Harry had gotten Professor Flitwick to agree to his request, and they had been the absolute best and worst weeks of his life. Flitwick was both the absolute best teacher, while simultaneously being one of the most painful ones.

The man had no issues cutting him, breaking bones, or knocking him into walls with enough force to injure him. None of the injuries left lasting damage, but to quote the professor, 'Dueling and fighting while in pain in training helps prevent the pain from keeping you out of the fight when it matters most.'

Sirius had the same ideas, but was more restrained in causing it, instead focusing on teaching him more spells, which many Dumbledore wouldn't approve of, along with accuracy, speed of casting, and strategy. The double lessons were quickly teaching him more than he thought possible, and with his constant training Occlumency, he was absorbing it all like a sponge.

It also made Harry wonder how much of Sirius' actions were controlled by Dumbledore, but this Sirius seemed rather disillusioned with the headmaster.

Harry groaned, laying on the floor of Godric's Study with a book, "Thank god there's no training tomorrow or Sunday."

"Why? Because he kept you coming the past four days to train outside of the agreement?" Sirius asked, laughing at Harry's groan in soreness.

"Have you got all of your gifts wrapped?" Sirius asked a few minutes later.

"Yeah. Bought several for my close friends, and the gifts are befitting of the money I have." Harry answered. "And as you requested, I made sure to send one to Augusta with a card, flowers and a card to Alice and Frank, and gifts to each of the Greengrass', or at least, for the four that I know of, with notes apologizing for not having known they were allies of the family until recently, and that I hope they are willing to meet with me this summer."

"Good." Sirius nodded. "Daniel Greengrass, Cyrus' father, served alongside our grandparents fighting Grindelwald. They were friends for the longest time, and even with the Blood war, Cyrus and James stayed close, much as I did with James. I was never close with the man though, not like James was, but he and I had a decent acquaintanceship."

"Weren't you and Andromeda the white sheep of the family though? Besides, I doubt you ever would have stopped talking to my dad." Harry joked.

"True. Grandfather let us all pick our own paths. He only stepped in to prevent our parents from marrying any of us grandkids to the likes of the Crabbes, which would have been Andromeda's fate." Sirius answered, "Andi was only disowned because she dated Ted without first asking Grandfather's permission, and then was engaged to him before telling the family. Him being a muggleborn, albeit taking up Wizarding Traditions, didn't help him much."

"Oh." Harry thought for a minute, "So I guess both Daniel and my grandfather waited until later in life to have children?"

"Sort of. Arcturus was married to Melanie before he left for the war, hell, my dad was already in his third year when they left the country. Charlus and Dorea had been married but didn't try for children for several years as Dorea wanted to work. It wasn't until 1959 when your grandmother fell pregnant due to working in the maternity ward and getting baby fever as they call it, and James was born in March of '60." Sirius answered.

"As for Cyrus, Cyrus was born later due to health issues with the late Lady Greengrass, or Isabella. She had issues conceiving a child from what I know, while James was born as a late decision on both of your grandparents' part. My parents would likely be still alive, only being in their sixties, but it was likely my mother died from insanity, and I know my father was killed at some point, though I don't know who did it."

"Ah." Harry muttered. He pushed himself up and so he could reach the bookcase, looking for something different to read. He searched until he found the book written by an author he hadn't heard of. "I was thinking near the end of February about grabbing the rat. We need to start planning. Are you wanting to go to Gringotts and get your Lord ring?"

Sirius stuck his lip put, pouting, "I don't really want to."

"Are you sure? Nothing would piss your mum off more than taking over the family, ensuring it helped kill her worshiped lord, and then passing the title to a halfblood." Harry goaded. He saw Sirius' eyes shine in mischief, and worried about the words to come.

"Sounds like exactly the thing I should do then. But you know you get the title anyways. And two wives." Sirius wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Harry blanched. "Two wives?"

"Of course. Two titles, two wives." Sirius said, before bursting into laughter. Harry chuckled, thinking it was only a prank.

"Good one, Sirius."

"Good one? Oh, you think this is a prank. No. It isn't. There are rules to inheritances of bloodlines, and in 1841, after a dark lord started wiping out some of the bigger lines, multiple inheritance became a commonplace. The unspeakables discovered marrying two women, one taking each title's last name, allowed the inheritances to pass on separately and keep the line alive. Any family with a seat on the Wizengamot is required to keep their lines separate to continue."

"And this is common?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"It happened three times during Grindelwald's reign, but not during Riddle's. Too much death and complete wiping of families, and once someone is too far removed, they aren't able to be accepted by the rings as the blood is too diluted." Sirius shrugged.

"So this applies to me because we were close enough in blood?" Harry asked. He felt a bead of sweat on his brow, concerned at how the hell he was going to manage two women. After all, he barely held any before, and it was all short term.

"Yup. Just barely. One more generation and it wouldn't have worked. Narcissa's boy likely could have if it weren't for you being chosen because she was a Black." Sirius popped the 'p'. "Don't worry pup, you got this. Besides, many pureblood women, and really women in general, won't mind sharing you."

Harry snorted, "Women would castrate a man for sleeping with another woman, and you expect them to agree to share me happily?"

"You'd be surprised." Sirius said cheerfully, "Women chase men with power. Your eyes alone would lure the beauties in. You can't say you don't see the women looking at you already?"

"In truth, I've never paid attention. Well, besides Ginny. She looks too much like mum though and has a nearly stalker-like hero worship of me."

"That's the girl who owes you a life debt?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah… what is a life debt?" Harry still never understood the connection between him and Pettigrew.

"A life debt. Well… many speculated on exactly what it means. The general consensus is that when a witch or wizard saves another's life while endangering themselves entirely selflessly, that one can form. The unspeakables developed a spell that, if cast on two people by the same wand, can show if one is there or not by the color they glow."

"What happens when there is one though?" Harry asked.

"Well, in most cases there are two outcomes, the person will likely be there to save your life in return one day, even at the cost of their own-", Pettigrew's face as the hand strangled him appeared, "- or you can ask for something you deem equal in return, to a point. Old families used them to make alliances or marriages if they were certain of a debt. Nowadays, people do nothing with them unless they need to."

"So with Ginny?"

"You could easily demand her hand in marriage, and Arthur would be obligated to accept." Sirius answered slowly. "Of course, you could even request her to carry a firstborn to be an heir to one of your two families, and that would be deemed equal as well, or properties she owns… you get the point?"

"Yeah. You said most cases though?"

"Well. There are two cases where this isn't so much the case. The first is animals. Life debts cannot form between a human and a non-sentient creature. While animals may stick with you if you save their lives, or you may feel more inclined to accept an animal after it saves your life, there is no such debt. They can form between humans and sentient beings however, like goblins, but not with something like a dragon."

"The other case?"

"Saving a Veela. Their magic inherently does not allow the magic of a life debt to stay for long. The longest one has lived before without the debt being considered settled is forty three days. Their magic also influences the life debt; they are harder to settle. Many sources say only something of equal value can settle the debt, but the best of the sources are held by the Veela Covens around the world and not shared with outsiders. Worry not, the chances of you seeing a Veela are one in five hundred on a normal day."

Harry just stared, repeating the words several times in his head before just nodding. "Okay then."

"You understood none of that, didn't you?" Sirius asked, laughing as Harry's nod.

"I understand the words, but…" Harry stopped, thinking of the words he was looking for, "I don't understand the reason magic does that. However, it's not an answer anyone will likely have. You can't ask magic a question after all."

"True enough." Sirius frowned, "Did you get something for Remus for Christmas?"

"Yup. A box full of adult material as a gag gift, sent anonymously of course, and a set of glass figurines, one each of a stag, dog, and wolf." Harry replied. "The rat was forgotten."

"Hinting that I am innocent, are you?" Sirius muttered sarcastically. "And adult material? Really?"

"What? I set it to be delivered at lunch time." Harry replied. "I thought it'd be funny."

"I'll be using Legilimency to see that memory." Sirius stated, grinning.

December 25th, 1993

Hogwarts

"Harry mate! Wake up!" Ron's voice broke through his calm and oddly dreamless sleep. "We got presents!"

Harry slowly pushed himself up, grabbing his glasses on instinct and shoving them on despite them not making a difference. Ron was right though, both of them had a sizable stack of presents. Ron grabbed a present, and just as his fingers dug into the thicker wrapping paper, the door shot open.

"Oh no you don't!" Fred yelled, his sweater was telling Harry that he was supposedly George, but he had learned to tell the difference.

"We are opening them together, dear brothers of mine. Pick 'em up!" George yelled, both of them splitting off to each take a large handful of presents. It took only a single trip, the stacks being remade in the common room where the other Weasleys and Hermione were sitting.

Harry opened gifts at the same pace as the excited redheads, quickly finding gifts from Hermione, Neville, Susan, Ron, his sweater and fudge from Mrs. Weasley, the twin, and Sirius.

"Harry. Your owl is trying to get in." Ginny pointed out, her voice squeaking when his gaze landed on her.

Harry ignored the girl's timidness, walking over and letting Hedwig in. She was clearly tired and it seemed she had flown a long distance the previous night with the gift for the Greengrasses. She hopped on his arm, allowing him to take the letter, which Harry saw the Greengrass crest stamped on, and slid it into his pocket.

"Not gonna open it?" Ron asked.

"I know what it is and what it should say. It's the last gift for me, something that my parents set up with Gringotts. They just sent me a notice of a large withdrawal from my vault." Harry answered.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"You'll see once we've opened everything." Harry said mysteriously.

Overall, his haul for Christmas was far better than any other year. He had gotten several books from Neville, Hermione, Susan, and Hannah. Ron got him a dozen chocolates and sweets. Fred and George got him a book on pranking. Percy, quite oddly for many reasons, got him an O.W.L. preparation book, which Harry took as a kind gift. Otherwise, the only other gift present was the one from Sirius that he was waiting to open.

Everyone present seemed to enjoy their gifts. Percy, quite funnily, got the N.E.W.T. version of the preparation book. The twins got a potions ingredient voucher, smiling at the gift and glancing at him curiously. Ron got a book on the process of making a broomstick, while Hermione got a journal enchanted to hold as much as she could write and had ten sections.

Harry had bought himself one of those some time ago, and it was where he kept most of his notes.

Susan had gotten a book on enchanting, something she was hoping to pursue besides being an Auror. Hannah had gotten a rare book on Herbology, the same as Neville's gift was. Ginny had gotten an assortment of sweets and other items, which she was happy about, while Sirius had gotten a variety of items from him.

Harry had also thought about it, and sent a card with a small box of corks to Luna, with a small note to keep the nargles away. He hoped to bring her back into his friend group soon enough, as he missed the quirky blonde.

"Harry! Open your last one!" Ron shouted. Harry rolled his eyes.

The long package was clearly something to the others, and though he hadn't expected it since his broom hadn't been broken, he had still hoped for a Firebolt. He was only thankful Sirius decided to buy it for him once more as he slowly tore the paper away, revealing the wood box that hadn't come with it before.

'An extra that Sirius decided to buy this time, perhaps?' Harry wondered.

He shrugged off the oddness of it as he dragged his hand across the polished pine, his name engraved along the top. There was a handle and two latches on the front made of gold, and clicking them both, he slowly opened it, revealing the same Firebolt from the last time, sitting perfectly in its slot, with care products sitting in slots near it.

"A Firebolt?" Ron said, a tinge of jealousy coming into his voice.

"Dear brother of mine… we will definitely be winning the cup this year." Fred said happily.

"I believe you're right." George replied in awe.

"Are you certain that it was from your own vault?" Hermione asked, biting her lip. "What if Sirius Black sent it to you and cursed it?"

"He could've cursed the paper instead." Harry said logically, rolling his eyes internally at the sheer fact the conversation was repeating itself. "Besides, Gringotts warned me on my birthday that this was set up, and that the order had already been placed. It had nothing to do with Black."

She nodded, "Alright. I just worry about him getting you, Harry."

"He hasn't been seen in months, Hermione. Who knows where he went." Ron spoke up, finally tearing his eyes from the broom. "When are you flying it?"

"After lunch." Harry answered, thinking, "Tell no one of this yet. It can be our surprise at the next match."

Everyone seemed to agree on that, though Harry could only chuckle as they passed it between one another, looking over even the finest details as they all spit random facts about it out.

"Harry? Can we tell Wood?" Fred and George spoke together.

"Na." Harry grinned, "Let him have an aneurysm just before our first match."

Both the twins grinned, and so did Ron. It was a good morning, breakfast passing quickly, where Dumbledore was wearing the Santa hat once more. Remus was looking ill as the full moon approached, but nodded at Harry with a small smile, mouthing a thank you. It seemed he had liked the gift, but it likely brought up some memories. Harry could only hope lunch would come quicker to cheer the man up.

Thankfully, with another yearly snowball fight, they quickly passed the time. The Great Hall was warm as they entered it after being outside for so long, and Harry quickly collapsed in the split table, which was different from the first time around, just down from the werewolf, shooting him and Flitwick a smile as he did.

He watched, when a few minutes later, an owl flew in, dropping the striped red and green box in front of Remus. He frowned, pulling the note off of the top.

"What is that, Remus?" Dumbledore asked.

"A gift, apparently." Remus tapped it with his wand several times, checking for curses, before reading the note aloud. "The marauders wish you a happy Christmas as you are back within your home. Tap the package and say 'Open' to reveal the gift inside."

"Well open it." McGonagall said with a huff.

Remus nodded, tapping it with a quiet, "Open."

Gasps from all of the professors rang out as three dozen magazines slid from where the box had been, spreading across the table and spilling onto the floor. There were different kinds, some on Veela, others on the average witch and wizard, and even one about different species was there.

The last came as a disgusting discovery to Harry when ordering the prank, but then found the amusement worth the galleon for the item.

The twins saw it instantly, laughing, while Snape's lip curled in a sneer, and McGonagall looked like she was three seconds away from passing out from shock. Dumbledore seemed to find amusement in the whole thing, sitting still with his eyes twinkling as always and a small smile on his face.

Remus, meanwhile, was in an absolute state of panic and embarrassment as he first attempted to vanish to content, before realizing such a thing wouldn't work, and switching to Transfiguration and then charms to obscure them. It all failed, as Harry had taken some time with them to prevent tampering.

Of course, he hadn't fireproofed them. It was a serious oversight, especially as that was the exact thing Remus resorted to when everything else failed. He looked around the table, his eyes staying on the twins before shifting to Harry.

Harry's grin, matching everyone else's who thought the prank was funny, gave nothing away, but Harry was sure the man could easily figure out who sent it with enough time.

Harry would also later notice that Remus never discussed his other gift from him, but had begun piecing some of the pieces of the puzzle together.

Things calmed down rather quickly, and the day resumed like nothing had happened as he went for a fly on the Firebolt, feeling the comfort and control he once had before on the broom. Because it was cold though, they didn't stay out very long.

Break…

Evening

Godric's Quarters

"I've got two gifts for you, well, three technically." Sirius said before Harry could even sit down.

"The Firebolt wasn't enough?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… that was to make up for the twelve years of Christmas' that I missed." His voice fell for a moment before he cheered up, "No. these are more personal. Things I know you would find sentimental."

Harry eyed the two boxes, curious as to what they were. "Why?"

"Because Harry, and this is absolutely the cheesiest thing I have and will ever say, which says a lot really, you have given me more than I can ever return. You took me in, helped me heal and find myself again despite knowing it was a risk, and spent time with me while doing it. You didn't hold my mistakes against me either, and you understood when I didn't want to talk or when I needed the small push to talk."

Harry only nodded, eying the two boxes before picking up the first. It was maybe three inches thick and rectangular. The surface was solid, and overall it seemed to be more than twice its length than its width. It was moderately light, and tearing off the paper revealed an oak case. He easily found the small bronze latch, and opened it. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the contents.

Lily Marie Evans, Willow and Unicorn Hair, Eleven inches

James Charlus Potter, Mahogany and Dragon Heartstring, Twelve and One quarter inches.

Two wands laid in on a plush scarlet velvet. Both were cleaned with only small scratches. The plaques were gold inscribed, and looked perfectly in place with the whole setup, matching it with Gryffindor colors.

His eyes felt slightly wet, yet his mind never stopped racing. "How? Where were they?"

"The family vault. Gringotts recognizes me as your guardian in magic, even if I'm not according to the Ministry. As to how, your owl helped me do it, taking the letter and returning with that, along with the other gift." Sirius answered.

Harry just looked back down. He had wondered, several times before he died, where their wands had gone, where everything had gone really, but had never thought it was at Gringotts.

"Thank you." His voice felt shaky, even to him. He reached out, picking up the second flatter package. It had minor give to it, and Harry instantly guessed it was a book. He wasn't wrong, either, when he found a plain journal.

"Your dads journal from his time at Hogwarts. Lils had one too, I think, but you would have to find it in the vault. I only knew how this one looked, so they were able to fi-"

He was cut off as Harry pulled him into a rather fierce hug, and instead opted to pat him on the back. They broke apart a few moments later, and Harry was quick to open the journal, finding a set of random thoughts about his first day at Hogwarts.

Needless to say, they were gifts he would never lose.