Harry sat in a compartment aboard the Hogwarts Express with Ron, Hermione, and Ben. He and Ben were spending Christmas break with Sirius. Harry was excited and nervous for his first experience with a real Christmas with a family. Ben seemed to notice this.

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

Harry didn't answer. Ben was very good at catching when Harry was lying. He stated it was due to their similar thought processes.

Ben took his silence as confirmation. "It's okay. I'm nervous about spending the holidays with Sirius and he's my uncle."

Harry felt some of his nervous tension dissipate. "You are?"

Ben nodded. "It's perfectly natural to be nervous. We don't know precisely how spending the holidays with Sirius will be. Oh, we have a general idea, but we have no clue about how it'll go. My mind is filled with all the ways this could go wrong."

Ron interjected. "You're welcome at the Burrow anytime, Mum said."

Hermione stared at Ron incredulously. "And you're mentioning this now … ?"

Ron flushed bright red. "I forgot."

As Ben started laughing while Hermione laid into Ron, Harry's nervousness completely dissipated.

-Break-

Harry woke up on Christmas morning having had a majorly entertaining holiday. As soon as Sirius and Ben were in Grimmauld Place, the festivities started. Kreatcher and Ben decorated at Sirius's direction with Harry cooking. After the decorations were properly in place, many days of celebrating followed. Sirius took Ben and Harry out to the theater to see a production of A Christmas Carol. Ben managed to convince Sirius to get a television and watch some movies that were of various styles, including the Christmas and Halloween theme A Nightmare Before Christmas. Sirius, and later, Professor L - Remus, were enthralled by the movies.

A soft knock broke Harry from his reverie. Harry went to the door and opened it to find Ben, as he had expected. He smiled at Harry. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Harry replied. "Are Sirius and L - Remus up?"

Ben smirked. "Not quite yet, although I heard them both moving."

Harry nodded as Ben led him to the kitchen. Keatcher prepared a small feast for them for breakfast. Presents were piled next to chairs in four distinct piles. Harry went to his seat as Sirius and Remus walked in.

Christmas greetings were exchanged before the four opened their presents. Harry got two Defense themed books, one from Ben and one from Remus, Mrs. Weasley had given a scarlet sweater with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front, also a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle, and Sirius gave him a Firebolt. Ben got one, too, but Harry still thought it was too much.

"It's fine," Sirius replied in a placating tone. "I've got more money in the Black vault than anyone could spend in a lifetime. The compensation the Ministry gave me didn't help in that regard."

Ben groaned theatrically. "Well, there goes any chance I have of being destitute."

Sirius barked out a laugh as Remus put his face in his hands, shoulders shaking slightly.

After presents and breakfast, Sirius and Remus herded Ben and Harry upstairs to shower and change. The group then flooed to the Burrow, Weasley sweaters on Ben and Harry, Firebolts in hand.

Ron, who had been waiting for them, had wide eyes when he realised what the pair had.

"I don't believe it," he said hoarsely.

Ben smiled at Ron and the twin's, who had just walked in, stupefied expressions.

"Thank Uncle Sirius for these," Ben replied. "Harry may need all the help he can get."

"Oh?" Harry said, eyebrow raised challengingly. "And why's that?"

Ben smiled arrogantly. "Well, I'm a pretty good Seeker myself. If the boys and Ginny are willing, we can play a game outside."

"Sure," Ginny said, entering the room with her sweater on. "If we get a chance to try them out after you guys."

"Of course," Harry replied.

After the adults granted permission, the six went out to the paddock out back, Sirius having the foresight to bring his broom that he loaned to Ginny.

As Harry kicked off for the first time on his new Firebolt, he felt it was better than he'd ever dreamed. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch; it seemed to obey his thoughts rather than his grip; it sped across the field at such speed that the field turned into a green-and-gray blur. The match that followed was one of the best Harry ever experienced. Watching the Weasleys take turns on the pair's Firebolts was also highly entertaining. It was by far the best Christmas Harry had ever experienced.

-Break-

A few days before Harry and Ben returned to Hogwarts, Sirius brought Harry to the Ministry. They were there to listen to the prophecy that Dumbledore told Sirius about the past summer. They were met outside the Department of Mysteries by a hooded wizard.

"Good, follow me." The wizard said.

Passing through a room of doors and another with various ticking things that Harry couldn't observe properly, they arrived in a room of glass orbs on shelves. They walked onwards down the long alleys of shelves, the farther ends of which were in near total darkness. Tiny, yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelf. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were as dull and dark within as blown lightbulbs.

Finally, after reaching row ninety-seven, they turned and the wizard indicated the glass orb that Harry noticed had his name on it. It read: S. P. T. to A. P. W. B. D.

Dark Lord

and (?) Harry Potter

Harry, very carefully, picked it up. The wizard, whispering a spell, tapped his wand to the orb. A face that Harry didn't know appeared in the orb as it spoke in harsh, hoarse tones.

"THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACHES. . . . BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM, BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES . . . AND THE DARK LORD WILL MARK HIM AS HIS EQUAL, BUT HE WILL HAVE POWER THE DARK LORD KNOWS NOT . . . AND EITHER MUST DIE AT THE HAND OF THE OTHER FOR NEITHER CAN LIVE WHILE THE OTHER SURVIVES. . . . THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD WILL BE BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES. . . ."

As it finished Harry felt Sirius put his hand on his shoulder. Harry appreciated the comforting and reassuring pressure that Sirius exerted. Harry put the orb back on the shelf, thinking about what training he needs to do to properly face Voldemort.

AN: Happy Halloween! First, I'd like to say I'm so terribly sorry that this took so long to get out. I had a case of writer's block for the longest time and I kept on being busy whenever I'd plan on writing. Next chapter will hopefully be much easier.

Uploaded Oct. 31st, 2021, Edited Jan 10th, 2025