A/N: Okay so it's the Christmas chapter and I will put it out there, it gets slightly heated in the end but not too much. I wish I could have gone into more detail and written about it for longer but a lot of people have had their books taken down because they get reported so here's your warning: If you don't like the steamy stuff then when you see the three dashes later on down the page (---) skip ahead to the end rather than report it, thank you and I hope you enjoy :)
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It was Christmas morning, you smiled brightly to yourself in bed. McGonagall had sent over your trunks a few days ago so you now thankfully had decent clothes and your presents you had saved for everyone. Ginny was still asleep when you'd awoken so you placed her present at the end of her bed before getting ready for the day and heading downstairs to meet Molly.
"Merry Christmas everyone!" You announced to Molly, Tonks, Lupin and Sirius who were sat at the kitchen table.
"Merry Christmas dear!" Molly stood up from where she was sitting and walked over to you so she could pull you into a bone-crushing hug. "We'll do presents at dinner." She smiled at you.
"You can open mine now." Sirius was sat at the head of the table. He pulled out a large envelope along with a chocolate rose, something he gave you every year. Suddenly the sound of an owl sounded outside which caught Molly's attention.
"Oh, that'll be the post!" Molly quickly walked out of the room to fetch the post from the owls.
You smiled at him before walking over and taking a seat next to him. He handed you the envelope which you happily took. Opening the seal you pulled out a few sets of parchment. They were adoption papers.
"Now," Sirius started to explain himself as you read. "if you don't wish for me to be your legal guardian and you want McGonagall to stay as your parent then that's fine I'll get the documents changed, please don't feel pressured." He sent you a small smile trying to read you. "McGonagall signed the papers, she's happy for me to be your legal parent but only if you want to -"
"I'd love to." You smiled at him. "I'll still call McGonagall 'mum', I'll always see her as my mother but she and I both know that since you left I wanted nothing more than to be family to you."
"(y/n), you are now my daughter legally, we are bound together by love and you are my family and when this is all over we are going to make up for lost time." He smiled. "Oh and look at the parchment behind it." You complied and took out the parchment to see a legal name change. "McGonagall also wanted you to have your own name now that you know the truth ..." The name change read: (Y/N) BLACK GRYFFINDOR
"That is ... if you want that name."
"Of course I do ... it'll be weird not having McGonagall anymore -"
"You wouldn't keep her last name forever anyway." Sirius smiled. "I have a feeling one day it'll change to something more fitting."
You rolled your eyes at the man, knowing what he was implying. "Thank you for this, Dad." The two of you stood up and embraced in a hug. Sirius kissed the top of your head.
"Merry Christmas my girl."
"Merry Christmas Dad."
A sudden crack noise pulled the two of you apart, Fred and George had now Apprated into the kitchen. "Merry Christmas boys." You and Sirius said in unison to the twins. Fred and George wished you both a Merry Christmas too as they sat along side you.
"Look." You passed the parchment Sirius had gifted you to the boys so they could see. Fred read each pience of Parchment with a large beaming smile on his face, clearly happy for you.
"Congratulations beautiful!" Fred kissed your forehead but quickly froze realising your Dad was sitting about a meter away.
"I've seen you do worse." Sirus stared at Fred. "Think back to this time last year ..."
Fred straightened up, letting his mind wander. A year ago today you and Fred shared your first kiss with another at the Yule Ball. He remembered how he managed to ask Angelina to the Ball rather than you which drove him insane. But he was able to get a dance with you and even kiss you under the misletoe that same night.
"How?" Fred asked, clearly confused. "How do you know?"
"Well who did you think put that mistletoe there?" Your Dad smirked. You and Fred sat there in shock wheras George started to burst out with laughter, Tonks and Lupin joined George by laughing with him. You two couldn't comprehend that it was actually Sirius who'd caused this kiss to take place. Fred didn't know if he should hide away from the man or get up and thank him for what he'd done. Before either of you could say a word Molly burst back into the kitchen.
"It was Hermes ..." She held a package in her hands.
"Hermes?" You questioned. "Percy's owl?" Molly nodded as she sat down and opened the package. You wondered if Percy's heart had changed and he'd sent Molly something for Christmas as an apology for what he'd put both her and Arthur through but no, inside the tissue paper wasn't an apology. It was the jumper Molly had sent Percy for Christmas. There was no note displayed inside only the jumper.
Molly threw the jumper down and burst into tears. "H - how could he?" She cried out.
George pulled the package nearer to him to inspect it whilst Fred got up from his seat so he could comfort his Mum. "It's Percy's jumper Mum made for him, his Christmas jumper." George took it out of the wrapping and held it up for everyone in the room to see.
"Is there a note?" You asked.
"No ..." Those words made Molly sob louder.
"That little git!" You spat, now taking Fred's place, attempting to calm the woman down. "Molly it's okay," You spoke in a soft voice to her. "he'll come around, look if you want me and the boys to talk some sense into him we will -"
"Yeah Mum, he'll listen to us -" George said now taking your place.
"Especially when we threaten him," Fred added. "Percy's nothing more than a humungous pile of rat droppings!"
"That's a big word for you Fred." You commented, earning a glare from the Weasley twin.
The comforting you and the twins were providing didn't seem to be working so Lupin took over. Your uncle was always the best at comforting people, especially when he had chocolate. You and the twins decided to Apparate to where Harry and Ron were sleeping.
"Merry Christmas," George said as the three of you landed at the end of Harry's bed. "Don't go downstairs for a bit."
"Why not?" Ron asked.
"Mum's crying again," Fred said heavily. "Percy sent back his Christmas jumper."
"Without a note," George added. "Hasn't asked how Dad is or visited him or anything."
"We tried to comfort her," Fred said, moving around the bed to look at Harry's portrait he'd been given. "Told her Percy's nothing more than a humungous pile of rat droppings."
"Didn't work." George said, helping himself to a chocolate frog and offering you one.
"So Lupin took over," You spoke up. "Best let him cheer her up before we go down for breakfast, I reckon."
"What's that supposed to be anyway?" Fred asked, squinting at the painting Harry had been given. "Look's like a gibbon with two black eyes."
"It's Harry!" George said, pointing at the back of the picture. "Says so on the back!"
"Good likeness." Fred said, grinning which lead to Harry throwing his new homework diary at him.
"Who painted it for you?" You asked.
"Dobby -"
"He's such an angel! How kind of him!" You smiled brightly at the boys. "Wish we could have gotten Dobby rather than Kreacher ..."
On that note you all made your way downstairs, hoping Molly was now calm enough to see. You and the twins lead the group down with Harry and Ron trailing close behind. As you reached the stairs you saw Hermione. "Mione!" The two of you hugged one another. "When did you get here?"
"I took the Knight bus and arrived here this morning." She smiled, sending the same smile to the rest of the boys. "(y/n), do you know where Kreacher is?"
"Nope," You replied bluntly. "haven't seen him since we arrived a few days go, he's probably in his den somewhere." Hermione nodded and dragged Harry and Ron back upstairs whereas you and the twins made your way to the kitchen to find Sirius cooking Christmas lunch.
Molly had now stopped crying, Lupin's job of comforting her clearly worked. Seeing him calm her down made you think back to when Molly saw the Boggart upstairs the last time you were here. Now that was something you were never going to tell the twins not just for your own sake but for Molly's too.
You sat down at the table opposite George whereas Fred sat down next to you on your right. He leaned back in his chair and placed his left hand on your thigh. When Fred first started to do this you used to jump slightly at the sudden contact which always made Fred smile but now you didn't even flinch although, Fred normally laid his hand further down your thigh than this. He normally put his hand closer to your knee but this time it was a lot higher.
Sirius was currently cooking Christmas lunch, something you thought you'd never see your Dad do. "I didn't know you could cook ..." You gave him an amused smile.
"I do have some skills you know ..." He returned the smile. "I used to cook all the time with James and Remus -"
"No you used to burn everything." Lupin cut him off.
"I BURNT BACON ONCE!" He now glared straight at his best friend. "IT WAS A ONE TIME THING -"
"We had to throw the pan out because we wouldn't even scrape the bacon off the bottom -"
"It wasn't my fault!" Sirius whined. "You and James distracted me ..."
"By dancing to the radio?" Lupin cocked his brow at Sirius, a small smile forming on his face.
"You know I'm your dance partner Remus!" The two started to smile. "We used to dance all the time to annoy James when we were at Hogwarts." They both laughed at the memory but Lupin quickly made that fade when he spoke again.
"You burt my birthday cake though -"
"I BURNT THE CHOCOLATE NOT THE CAKE ITSELF BUT THE CHOCOLATE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO ON TOP!" You all burst out laughing at Sirius's words which only made him glare at his best friend more before turning to back around to get on with dinner. That's when Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the kitchen and took their seats. "Ah! Merry Christmas you three!"
"Come to think of it," Sirius changed the subject as he carried the turkey over to the table. "has anyone seen Kreacher lately?"
"None of us have seen him since the night we got here." You replied. "You were ordering him out of the kitchen."
"Yeah ..." Sirius frowned. "You know, I think that's the last time I saw him too ... he must be hiding upstairs somewhere."
"He couldn't have left, could he?" Harry asked. "I mean, when you said 'out', maybe he thought you meant get out of the house?"
"No, no, house-elves can't leave unless they're given clothes. They're tied to their family's house." Sirius replied.
"They can leave the house if they really want to," Harry continued. "Dobby did, he left the Malfoy's to give me a warning three years ago. He had to punish himself afterwards, but he still managed it."
"I'll look for him later, I expect I'll find him upstairs crying his eyes out over my mother's old bloomers or something. Of course, he might have crawled into the airing cupboard and died ... but I musn't get my hopes up."
You, Fred, George and Ron burst out laughing at his words, Hermione, however, sent everyone who laughed a glare showing she didn't find it the least bit funny.
Once you'd all eaten your Christmas lunch you, the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione were planning to pay Mr Weasley another visit, escorted by Mad-Eye who'd just turned up for lunch and Lupin. Mundungus turned up in time for Christmas pudding and trifle, much to yours and Molly's disgust. He'd managed to 'borrow' a car for the occasion but it was evident he stole it. He informed you all he'd be taking you to see Arthur.
His car had been enlarged in the inside much like Mr Weasley's old Ford Anglia. You all managed to squeeze in the car although both you and Mrs Weasley hesitated, not trusting the man. You were sitting inbewteen the twins, Fred on your left and George on your right. Thankfully, the journey to St Mungo's went by rather fast due to the little traffic on the roads. The moment the car came to a stop both you and Molly pushed past the boys as fast as you could, not wanting to be around Mundungus for much longer.
The reception area looked rather festive: the crystal orbs that illuminated the rooms were now coloured red and gold to look like glowly Christmas baubles, holly was hung on every doorway and shining white Christmas trees covered in magical snow and icicles were glittered in every corner, each one had a large gleaming gold star standing proudly at the top.
Walking through the halls you eventually found Arthur who was propped up in bed with the remains of his turkey dinner on a tray in his lap. He had a rather worried look on his face.
"Everything all right, Arthur?" Mrs Weasley asked after you'd all greeted Mr Weasley and handed him his presents.
"Fine, fine." Mr Weasley said a little too heartily. "You - er - haven't seen Healer Smethwyck, have you?"
"No," Mrs Weasley said, suspicions laced in her tone. "why?"
"Nothing, nothing." Mr Weasley said airily, starting to upwrap his pile of gifts. "Well, everyone had a good day? What did you all get for Christmas? Oh, Harry - this is absolutely wonderful!" He had opened Harry's gift which happened to be fuse-wires and screwdrivers.
Molly was clearly not satisfied with her husbands response and knew he was hiding something from her just by his tone alone. As Mr Weasley leaned over to shake Harry's hand, she peered at the bandaging under his nightshirt.
"Arthur," She said, with a snap in her voice like a mousetrap. "you've had your bandages changed. Why have you had your bandages changed a day early, Arthur? They told me they wouldn't need doing until tomorrow."
"What?" Mr Weasley said rather fast, he looked terrified at what his wife had just seen as he pulled the bed covers higher up his chest. "No, no - it's nothing - it's - I -" He grew smaller under Mrs Weasley's piercing gaze.
"Well - now don't get upset, Molly, but Augustus Pyehad an idea he's a Trainee Healer, you know, lovely young chap and very interested in ... um ... complementary medicine ... I mean, some of these old Muggle remedies ... well, they're called stitches, Molly, and they work very well on - on Muggle wounds -"
Molly let out an ominous noise somewhere between a shriek and a snarl. Lupin strolled away from the bed to a werewolf who had no visitors, knowing what was about to happen. Bill muttered something about getting himself a cup of tea, you, Fred and George leapt up to accompany him, quickly walking through the corridors to find the tearoom which was located on the fifth floor.
As the four of you started to trudge up and down the corridors a large sign made you stop dead in your tracks. DELIVERY ROOMS. The sign read. Your eyes scanned for the door which read DELIVERY ROOM THREE and you stood outside staring straight at it.
Fred, who was currently walking alongside his brothers quickly noticed you were no longer beside him. He didn't need to look far to see you standing in front of a door in the middle of the deserted hallway. He told Bill and George he'd catch them up as he quickly jogged over to you.
"Everything okay?" Fred asked, standing beside you.
"Hmm?" You hummed looking up at the Weasley boy beside you. "Yeah I'm fine - I just -"
"Were you born here?" Fred asked, guessing that's why you were staring.
"Yep," You pointed to the room in front of you both. "in that very room ... I was born there and well, my Mum died in there ..." Fred wrapped an arm around your shoulder and pulled you into his side. "I never thought I'd see it in person -"
"Do you know if she has a grave?" Fred cut you off, looking down at you.
"I'm not really sure, Sirius never mentioned anything -" Fred looked back up the corridor making sure his brothers were far out of sight before taking your hand into his and pulling you back towards the reception. "Bloody hell Fred what are you doing?"
"Finding out about your Mum." He smiled, reaching the reception desk he leaned on it waiting for someone to help you both.
"Can I help?" A tall, older witch asked, eyeing the two of you as she spoke.
"Yes ... um I need information on a patient - well an old patient -" Fred started.
"He means would you be able to tell us where someone we know was buried." You carried on.
"I wouldn't be able to tell you that unless they died here, even then I may not have an answer." Her expression didn't change. "What was their name?"
"Oh - umm ..." You trailed off realsing you never actually knew your biological mothers first name.
"Gryffindor." Fred spoke for you. "Does that -"
"Are you (y/n) Gryffindor?" The witch ignored Fred, turning her focus to you. You nodded at the woman, she gave you a soft smile in response. "I should have known, you look similar to her, how could I forget you anyway? You always someone new with you everytime you came for checkups."
"I did?"
"Oh yes, first it was Sirius, then your uncle Lupin, then your uncle James brought you in one time, even Severas Snape had to bring you here once before." She started to pull out several files from a tray under her desk. "She passed here many years ago but we couldn't find any family contacts so it was decided that she was to be buried outside your old house along with other dead relatives -"
"Do you know where that is?" You asked.
"I'll write it down for you." She grabbed a ripped piece of parchment and a quill, as she wrote Fred took your hand into his again. "Here." She handed back the parchment which read :
GODRIC'S HOLLOW, THE SMALL BLACK COTTAGE WITH A LION ABOVE THE DOOR IS WHERE THE GRAVE LIES.
"You'll find the cottage by your Uncle James's old home, if you remember where that is but you should spot your mother's rather well, it's hard to miss." You and Fred thanked the woman and walked back off to the tearoom.
After Molly had lectured Arthur about why using Muggle methods wasn't a good idea it was time to leave. You all crammed back into Mundugus's car that he'd stolen a few hours prior and drove back to Grimmauld Place. By the time you arrived back it was late which meant everyone headed up to bed rather fast. You were about to enter your room in which you shared with Ginny and Hermione when Fred called your name.
"What's wrong Freddie?" You turned to face the boy who was now walking onto the landing with you.
"We'll go to your mothers grave, when everything has blown over and we know it's safe, I'll take you there." He took both your hands into his and gently ran his thumbs over the top of your hands. "I promise."
"Thank you Fred." You reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight Fred ... and Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas love."
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You laid in bed for when felt like decades not being able to sleep. Reality is only a few minutes had gone by but your mind just wouldn't switch off for the night. You sat up and noticed that both Hermione and Ginny were already fast asleep. Knowing they were going to talk you to sleep you got up out of bed and grabbed your wand. You quietly made your way out of the room and up to the very top of the house, there was one room you knew would be free at this time of night, Regulus's room.
Opening the door to his room a large dust cloud emerged causing you to cough slightly. Muttering a few cleaning spells the room was quickly lifted of its mess and looked more like someone lived there. In the corner stood a tall, narrow mirror, alongside it, a black desk that was now no longer covered in dirt. Behind the desk sat a green and black chair with a silver snake embroidered into the back and to the side of the door lay a large double bed with dark green, velvet covers.
You walked over to the mirror expecting to just see yourself standing there but as your eyes landed on the reflection you noticed someone standing behind you. "Bloody hell Fred!" You jumped out of your skin seeing the boy standing behind you which only caused Fred to laugh. "That wasn't funny Fred Weasley!" You spat at him.
"You using my full name?" He smirked, taking a few steps towards you. "You must be annoyed at me." He let out a small laugh again, now standing behind you as the two of you looked in the mirror. The two of you stood there for a minute or so in silence, just gazing into the mirror.
"You okay Freddie?" You asked.
"Hmm? Yeah, just thinkin'."
"What're you thinking about?"
"The future ... what'll happen once this war is over ..." Fred said.
"We'll all be free to do as we please." Fred took a step closer as you spoke and wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling your back into his chest. "I'll be able to be a proper family with Harry and Sirius and you and George will be able to have your joke shop -"
"Oh we've already got that sorted -"
"Will you really not tell me?"
"Nope." He popped the 'e', now moving his head down to your level. His mouth was in direct level of your ear. "Have I ever told you how good you look in my jumper?" He whispered.
"You might of mentioned it." You teased back.
"I think it'd look better on the floor though."
"Oh yeah?" You moved your head back to rest it on his shoulder. "Prove it."
Those two words were all Fred needed for him to spin you around so that you were now facing him. His hands moved from your hips to cup your face and pull your face closer to his, he crashed his lips into yours, pulling you close to him so your bodies were touching. You threw your arms around his neck and started to pull at the strands of his hair, deeping the kiss. Fred took this as an opportunity to move his hand down and wrap it around your neck, choking you slightly and pulling your face back so he could look at you.
"I should have done this sooner." He whispered, leaning back in to kiss you again.
"Then make up for lost time." You hoarsly replied which set Fred off again.
Fred's hands now moved down your body when he reached the small of your back he then slowly moved his hands down so that they now rested on your ass. Without wasting a second Fred slapped it and grabbed your thighs. "Jump." He whispered between kisses. You complied and wrapped your legs around his torso. He held your thighs around him, moving over to the bed. He threw you down before straightening himself up and throwing his shirt off in the process.
Fred climbed on top of you and hooked your legs around him again. He leaned down and began to kiss down your neck much like he had done in Charms. His hands now found their way under your jumper. "Can I?" He tugged at the material. Without saying a word you sat up and took it off for him. "You're so bloody beautiful ..." He whispered.
"You aren't so bad yourself." You teased him. "Reckon George is still better looking though -"
"Oh, you're going to regret saying that." He whispered in your ear, grabbing your wrists and pinning them above your head so you couldn't protest. He started to bite back down on your neck which caused you to let out a small moan at the sudden contact, leaving Fred to smirk against your skin. The boy continued to bite and leave marks all over you and removed eachothers clothes as the night progressed on.
The two of you weren't exactly quiet throughout the night.
So much so, that someone heard you ... and they planned to confront you in the morning.