Time Travel? Really!

Family is everything

Disclaimer: Not mine.

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Christmas Day. Also known as the 25th of December. Also known as the day that Rose Potter and Remus Lupin were forever grateful that nobody other than them and their family bore witness to the insanity that was one Sirius Orion Black. The very idea that one of his Mind-Healers or someone from the Ministry could have seen his behaviour made the two forever thankful for the wards on The Pottery.

Sirius was running around the family room like he was both high and doped up on caffeine, randomly switching from human to dog and back again, laughing rather maniacally over the decorations and presents. Apparently the idea of a family Christmas with no outsiders and no rules enforced by 'family' or 'well-meaning' nosy bastards had completely erased Sirius' behavioural limits – what existed of them anyway.

The remaining occupants of the house, including the portraits of James and Lily who'd been moved for the day, were looking at him with no small amount of concern, and Rose was genuinely worried that there was something wrong with him. Lily seemed to share her views and the two females wore identical expressions as they watched the mad man. (The fact that Rose had red hair for the day just reinforced the similarities between mother and daughter.) Remus was also worried but he had a resigned air about him that suggested this behaviour had been expected. James was just rolling around his portrait roaring in laughter at both his friend and the expressions on his wife and daughter's faces.

Sirius was having the time of his life. It was Christmas! It was the first time ever he could properly celebrate with his family with no major problems whispering in his ears. Even after he graduated from school they had still been in the midst of a war, and with the constant news about people dying and families being tortured a celebration had always been tinged with a fearful desperation that their family would be safe.

But this time was different. He was a free man, he had a lovely fiancée, Moony was carefree for once, and his Rose, his precious Bambi, was now his daughter and their family was together. He knew his behaviour was worrying to the others, but he wanted everyone to have a Christmas that was entirely about family that they could all remember. His and Moony's memories were tainted by fear of the war, and Rose's only good Christmas was when she'd been one and she couldn't even remember it. If he had to act like an idiot to make everyone happy, then so be it.

He caught Moony's eye and gave him a quick wink and a grin before the other man's eyes widened before he looked over at their daughter and walked up behind her slowly. She just noticed he was missing before she was swept up in the werewolf's arms with a small squeak and given a tight hug, before the man threw her on the sofa by the tree and her presents where she landed with a small scream.

The two men laughed at the red-headed girl as she lifted her flushed face and glared at them. It was barely seven in the morning and they looked way too happy for this early. Rose grinned at them a bit before aiming her wand at them and hitting them with a very cold jet of water that had them spluttering and shivering.

The Pottery was the scene of complete maturity after that as the family spent the next hour using the cushions and their wands in a violent magic-enhanced pillow fight to the raucous cheers of Lily and James Potter. The house-elves even surreptitiously joined in too, switching out from cooking their lunch every now and then to fling cushions in random directions and cover everyone in feathers.

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After finally calming down presents were opened and all three of them ended up complaining about being spoiled.