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small_giftsTitle: We Need a Little Christmas
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
flaminia_x
Recipient:brighty18
Rating: R
Highlight for Warnings: *suggestive Christmas gifts? *
Word Count: ca. 2700
Summary: Dumbledore suggests that the Order of the Phoenix have a Secret Santa gift exchange. But what happens when a little prank goes awry?
Author's notes: I am so pumped to be writing for you (for each other, really) this go-round! What a great prompt! It's not particularly smutty, but it's humorous, so I hope I gave you a bit of what you want for the holidays!
The Floo at 12 Grimmauld Place lit up brightly, a cloud of green dust spewing Nymphadora Tonks onto the carpet.
"Oi! I could use a little help here," she shouted, frantically trying not to drop any of the brightly wrapped presents she was holding. Some of them spilled out of her hands anyway, crashing to the floor.
Remus strode in from the kitchen. “Here, Tonks, let me get some of those for you,” he said, taking the largest from her and giving her a quick hug.
“About bloody time,” she grumbled. “How I get to be the Order's packhorse … we have a Floo, for Merlin's sake … hasn't anyone ever heard of shrinking charms …”
Remus smiled, letting Tonks vent as they carefully placed the last of the Christmas presents under the tree in the living room. Dumbledore had suggested, in the spirit of the holidays, that the Order – the adult members, anyway – participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange. While no one was nearly as excited as the old man at the prospects, no one had the heart to say no to him either. And to be frank, everyone's nerves were wound tighter than a top. A distraction, however frivolous, was more than welcome.
And so it was decided – on Christmas Eve, the Order members would gather for a bit of camaraderie, some home cooking, and an exchange of “small but thoughtful” presents, as Dumbledore suggested.
Snape sat in the corner, nursing a whiskey and deliberately staying out of Molly's way. Arthur sat on the couch with an eggnog, making stilted conversation. Sirius leaned against the doorway, watching everyone with a bemused expression on his face. He caught Remus' eye as he knelt under the tree and smiled softly, admiring the precision with which his long fingers retied some of the bows that had been mussed when Tonks dropped them. When he was done, Remus stood up and walked over to Sirius, giving him a quick peck under the mistletoe hanging above their heads, winking cheekily at him.
“The goose is almost ready – come and get it,” Molly shouted in from the dining room.
Snape and Arthur leapt up, anxious for the distraction. Sirius waved Remus on toward the dining room ahead of him, walking over and placing his own package under the tree.
Just then, the front door opened, welcoming Albus Dumbledore. “Happy Christmas, all,” he called merrily as he strode into the foyer. A gust of strong winter wind followed him into the living room, whipping his beard around his head and sending Minerva McGonagall's festive winter cap flying from the coat rack.
The gift tags on all the presents blew off, scattering themselves on the floor in a jumbled heap.
Sirius looked around and, seeing no one, whispered a quick spell, sending the gift tags flurrying back to stick randomly to the shiny boxes and bags. He smiled naughtily, then raced for the dining room.
After dinner, once everyone had had two helpings of goose and the trifle was being passed around along with the coffee and eggnog, Dumbledore stood up. “Thank you, Molly, for that glorious feast,” he rumbled. “I know we are all appreciative of your time, effort, and culinary skill.”
Molly simpered in her chair, blushing and bobbing her head as scattered applause came from the table.
“I believe, if my old eyes don't deceive me, that I saw presents under that beautiful Christmas tree,” he said serenely. “Shall we?”
Remus stood. “I'll get them, Albus.”
“No, no,” Sirius interjected. “Please, allow me to play jolly old Saint Nick, yeah?”
“Of course, Sirius,” Albus said. “By all means.”
Flicking his wand, Sirius sent the festive packages dancing through the air to pile up in front of him on the table.
“Now, then!” Sirius said jovially. “Let's get on with the party, shall we?”
Picking a bright red box out of the pile, he scrutinized the gift tag. “Ah, how nice. Looks like this is for Arthur. Here you are.”
The box sailed over to Arthur, who smiled and rubbed his hands together. “Thank you, Secret Santa! It looks lovely. I wonder what it could be?”
He shook the box. Hearing it slosh, he looked at it quizzically, and glanced at Molly as he undid the wrapping. It was a bottle of expensive brandy. He opened and closed his mouth a few times. “It's … it's brandy,” he said neutrally. “I don't really drink … but I'm sure I'll find something wonderful to do with it. Thank you, uh, whomever!” He set the bottle in front of him, pasting a big smile on his face.
Dumbedore cocked an eyebrow at the bottle and then glanced pointedly over at Remus and Sirius. Remus glanced at Sirius just in time to see him smile widely at Dumbledore and shrug.
“Sirius Black, what did you do?” Remus hissed sotto voce.
“What? I'm just passing out the gifts,” Sirius replied, waggling his eyebrows at his partner.
“Yes, but to whom?” Remus asked.
“Don't look at me, I just read the tags,” Sirius said innocently.
Remus sat back, crossing his arms, and looked at Dumbledore, who smiled serenely back. Fine. If that's the way the old man wanted to let it play out, he wasn't going to make a fuss. Sirius deserved a little fun these days. Besides, what could the harm be?
Sirius pulled out a small silver package, tied smartly with a red bow. “This one says: 'To Severus. Happy Holidays!' Severus, here you are.”
Snape looked at Sirius, who smiled widely back at him. He grimaced, holding out his hand and wandlessly floating the gift over to himself. He ran his hands a hair's-breadth above the rectangular box, no doubt trying to ascertain whether it was safe to open. Staring blackly at Sirius and the rest of the table, he slid a finger swiftly along one side, laying open the silver wrapping. He looked down at his gift for several long seconds. “Hair Care 101 for a New Magical You,” he read slowly. “How … thoughtful.”
Minerva shrunk down in her chair, beet-red, her mouth working silently. A snicker came unbidden from Tonks. Snape shot her a dark look, no doubt filing away that little display for a later retribution. Sirius could barely contain himself. He opened his mouth to say something snarky but Remus, seeing his movements, pinched him hard on the thigh under the table. Sirius jumped, banging his knee smartly on the table.
“What was that for?” he whispered petulantly.
Remus leaned over. “You're going to pay for that one, Padfoot.”
“No doubt – but the look on his face is worth it!” Sirius mouthed back. Straightening up, he said, “Alright, people! Next gift. Let's see … 'To Minerva, with Hopes for a Happy Christmas.' Well, someone's in a holiday spirit! Here you are, Professor.”
A small box wrapped in matte green paper floated down to the older witch, who reached out for it eagerly. Clearing her throat, she looked down at Sirius, studiously avoiding Snape's eyes. “Thank you, Sirius. Let's see what we have here.”
Swiftly unwrapping the box, she held up a tiny glass phial, reading the hand-printed label. “ 'Cologne du Bourgogne: to help you find that special witch'. Why … I …” Her hand fluttered to her chest, clutching her robes.
Across the room, Mad-Eye Moody sat up straighter, glancing over at Severus, who was smiling evilly.
Remus's eyes fluttered shut, groaning silently to himself. Sirius was going to hear about this for the rest of his life.
“Moving on, moving on,” Sirius called. “Aha! This one is for my dear cousin, Miss Nymphadora Tonks. Here you are, darling.” He sent a plain box wrapped in newsprint down the table.
Tonks grabbed it, smirking at the wrapping. “How festive! Thank you, Saint Nick. Let's see what we have here.” Wasting no time, she shredded the newspaper and stared down at the book in her hands. “Oi! '1001 Auror Training Secrets'? Um … thanks,” she said weakly. Leaning over to Minerva, she whispered loudly, “That would have been great. In my firstyear of training, that is.” She sat back, crossing her arms across her chest.
Sirius chuckled, tapping his feet excitedly on the floor. This was fun! “And to my dear Remus! A lovely gift for you!” He slid a small red box to his left.
Remus glanced darkly at Sirius, then sighed and turned his attention to “his” present. “Thank you, whomever. I'm sure it's extraordinary.” He carefully slit the wrapping paper open, revealing another book. “Ah. 'Animagi and You: Caring for your Other Self'. How … appropriate.” He set the book in front of him, crossing his hands over it. Oh, was Sirius ever going to pay for this later!
To his left, Arthur bent over to whisper, but Remus just shook his head. Confused, Arthur sat back, then turned to Molly and whispered something in her ear.
Sirius combed through the ever smaller pile of gifts. “Oh, here's a nice one. 'To Moody, in hope for a warmer future.' Well, how nice! Here you are, Mad-Eye.”
A small, squishy package slid in front of Moody. His magical eye almost jumped out of its holder as it tried to investigate the gift for suspicious charms. He even performed a few Hex detector spells with his wand before sniffing and declaring it safe. Unwrapping the tissue paper, he held up a pair of hand-knit socks. “What a practical gift,” he said in a gritty voice, staring at Sirius.
Molly's mouth worked, but Arthur shushed her. Hearing Mad-Eye's wooden leg tapping on the floor next to him, Sirius could barely contain himself. Remus stomped hard on his left foot. “Two for the price of one, eh, Moody?” Sirius practically shrieked.
Remus saw his gift to Sirius was still in the pile and blanched. “The next gift is for you, Pads,” he said in an attempt to distract him.
“Oh no, I should open mine last. It's only fair,” Sirius said, pushing Remus's hands out of the way. “Here, Albus, this one has your name on it. I bet it's perfect.”
A small, thin package drifted down to the old man, who looked at it with a genial expression. He tugged on his beard before saying, “Thank you, Secret Santa, for what undoubtedly will be a delightful present.”
Waving his hand, the red and gold wrapping fell aside, leaving a framed magical picture of Remus and Sirius. Dumbledore picked it up, staring at it. “Oh. Oh my. Delightful doesn't begin to cover it.” He looked at Sirius and rather deliberately winked before resuming his usual serene smile.
As he placed the picture face-down on the table, Remus caught a glimpse of the picture. “Oi, Pads, we're naked!”
“Isn't it great?” Sirius exclaimed quietly. “Oh look, Molly, this one must be for you. Happy Christmas!”
Remus winced and shrunk down into his chair, undecided whether to look.
Molly smiled and took her gift from Sirius. It was a long black box, simply wrapped, with a red bow on top. She glanced at Arthur, who nodded at her. “Go on, dear,” he said jovially, patting her hand.
Molly unwrapped her present, letting out a small “Oh!” in surprise when the box began vibrating in her hand. Remus practically disappeared under the table as Molly reached into the box, pulling out a vibrating wand. Sirius snorted in amusement, then gasped as Remus kicked him in the shin.
“Oh my,” she said, staring at it with confusion. “I wonder what it is …”
“Looks like one of Fred and George's prank wands,” Arthur said, brow wrinkled. In the corner, Tonks laughed silently, tears pouring down her face. Next to Molly, Severus rolled his eyes, looking pointedly away from the noisy gadget.
“I suppose it could be an egg beater,” Molly said doubtfully. At that, Sirius howled with laughter, unable to hold back.
“Hey, Sirius, the last gift is for you, remember?” Remus said loudly.
“Oh yeah!” Sirius said excitedly. “Let's see what I got, hmm?” Opening the last present with glee, he pulled out a white apron with bright green lettering. “Magically Delicious! Well, someone sure knows me well,” he laughed.
“Come on, Sirius, you've had your fun,” Remus pleaded. “Game's over.”
“Fine, fine,” Sirius sighed. “Sorry, everyone.”
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as everyone turned their attention to the foot of the table. “What's going on, Sirius?” Molly asked, jumping as the vibrating wand let out a particularly loud buzz.
“Well, when Dumbledore came in, the wind outside … rearranged all the gift tags. I just decided to roll with it,” Sirius exclaimed. “You lot should have seen your faces!”
Moody snarled. “Cute, Black.”
“Mature as always,” Severus said softly.
“Oh, come now, no harm was done,” Dumbledore said. “A bit of a laugh isn't always a bad thing. Now, why don't we all get our gifts to their rightful recipients?”
Standing up, they shuffled around the dining room table, handing over their presents. Arthur's brandy, a gift from Dumbledore, was meant for Severus, who looked at it with something akin to fondness in his eyes. The hair care book was supposed to go to Tonks from Minerva, who in turn was supposed to have gotten the Animagus care book from Arthur. Sirius's apron was of course for Molly from Tonks, and Molly had made those plush socks for Albus, who smiled broadly when they were handed over to him. Severus had brewed the cologne particularly for Mad-Eye, who had once complained that it was hard to find a “lady friend” these days. Moody had found that book of Auror secrets helpful at one point, and thought Arthur might find it useful in these dark times. Molly was more than willing to hand over the vibrating wand to Sirius, who pocketed it with a lascivious leer at Remus before handing him the framed picture of them.
“Well!” Sirius exclaimed, sitting down with a smile. “Anyone up for a brandy?”
“I think I've had enough … fun … for one evening,” Severus said, and stood up. “If you'll excuse me.” He stalked to the Floo, cradling his brandy, and in a puff of green smoke he was gone.
The rest of them stood up and also made their excuses, taking their gifts with them as they left for their respective abodes. Finally, it was just Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore left in the dining room.
“Thank you both for your hospitality,” he said amiably. “I think everyone needed a bit of levity. Now, you two enjoy your evening, and have a happy Christmas.”
He strode out of the dining room, whistling tunelessly, and disappeared moments later via the Floo.
Remus and Sirius looked at each other. Sirius smiled hopefully. Remus scowled, then sagged, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Always the prankster, hmm?” he asked.
Sirius laughed. “I don't get many opportunities these days. You wouldn't begrudge your old friend a little fun at the holidays, would you?” He put on his puppy-dog face, the one that never failed to elicit sympathy from his partner.
Remus leaned in and kissed him softly. “Of course not, Pads.”
“Good. Then what do you say we go upstairs and try out my new present, yeah?” Sirius flirted, his arms wrapped around Remus.
“Thought you'd never ask,” Remus said, kissing him again. “We should take that picture up with us, give ourselves a show.”
“I'd love to,” Sirius said between kisses. “However …”
“However?” Remus halted.
Sirius froze, then ran upstairs. Calling behind him, he said, “I think Albus took it with him.”
“Padfoot!”
FIN
Author:
flaminia_x Recipient:
brighty18 Rating: R
Highlight for Warnings: *suggestive Christmas gifts? *
Word Count: ca. 2700
Summary: Dumbledore suggests that the Order of the Phoenix have a Secret Santa gift exchange. But what happens when a little prank goes awry?
Author's notes: I am so pumped to be writing for you (for each other, really) this go-round! What a great prompt! It's not particularly smutty, but it's humorous, so I hope I gave you a bit of what you want for the holidays!
The Floo at 12 Grimmauld Place lit up brightly, a cloud of green dust spewing Nymphadora Tonks onto the carpet.
"Oi! I could use a little help here," she shouted, frantically trying not to drop any of the brightly wrapped presents she was holding. Some of them spilled out of her hands anyway, crashing to the floor.
Remus strode in from the kitchen. “Here, Tonks, let me get some of those for you,” he said, taking the largest from her and giving her a quick hug.
“About bloody time,” she grumbled. “How I get to be the Order's packhorse … we have a Floo, for Merlin's sake … hasn't anyone ever heard of shrinking charms …”
Remus smiled, letting Tonks vent as they carefully placed the last of the Christmas presents under the tree in the living room. Dumbledore had suggested, in the spirit of the holidays, that the Order – the adult members, anyway – participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange. While no one was nearly as excited as the old man at the prospects, no one had the heart to say no to him either. And to be frank, everyone's nerves were wound tighter than a top. A distraction, however frivolous, was more than welcome.
And so it was decided – on Christmas Eve, the Order members would gather for a bit of camaraderie, some home cooking, and an exchange of “small but thoughtful” presents, as Dumbledore suggested.
Snape sat in the corner, nursing a whiskey and deliberately staying out of Molly's way. Arthur sat on the couch with an eggnog, making stilted conversation. Sirius leaned against the doorway, watching everyone with a bemused expression on his face. He caught Remus' eye as he knelt under the tree and smiled softly, admiring the precision with which his long fingers retied some of the bows that had been mussed when Tonks dropped them. When he was done, Remus stood up and walked over to Sirius, giving him a quick peck under the mistletoe hanging above their heads, winking cheekily at him.
“The goose is almost ready – come and get it,” Molly shouted in from the dining room.
Snape and Arthur leapt up, anxious for the distraction. Sirius waved Remus on toward the dining room ahead of him, walking over and placing his own package under the tree.
Just then, the front door opened, welcoming Albus Dumbledore. “Happy Christmas, all,” he called merrily as he strode into the foyer. A gust of strong winter wind followed him into the living room, whipping his beard around his head and sending Minerva McGonagall's festive winter cap flying from the coat rack.
The gift tags on all the presents blew off, scattering themselves on the floor in a jumbled heap.
Sirius looked around and, seeing no one, whispered a quick spell, sending the gift tags flurrying back to stick randomly to the shiny boxes and bags. He smiled naughtily, then raced for the dining room.
After dinner, once everyone had had two helpings of goose and the trifle was being passed around along with the coffee and eggnog, Dumbledore stood up. “Thank you, Molly, for that glorious feast,” he rumbled. “I know we are all appreciative of your time, effort, and culinary skill.”
Molly simpered in her chair, blushing and bobbing her head as scattered applause came from the table.
“I believe, if my old eyes don't deceive me, that I saw presents under that beautiful Christmas tree,” he said serenely. “Shall we?”
Remus stood. “I'll get them, Albus.”
“No, no,” Sirius interjected. “Please, allow me to play jolly old Saint Nick, yeah?”
“Of course, Sirius,” Albus said. “By all means.”
Flicking his wand, Sirius sent the festive packages dancing through the air to pile up in front of him on the table.
“Now, then!” Sirius said jovially. “Let's get on with the party, shall we?”
Picking a bright red box out of the pile, he scrutinized the gift tag. “Ah, how nice. Looks like this is for Arthur. Here you are.”
The box sailed over to Arthur, who smiled and rubbed his hands together. “Thank you, Secret Santa! It looks lovely. I wonder what it could be?”
He shook the box. Hearing it slosh, he looked at it quizzically, and glanced at Molly as he undid the wrapping. It was a bottle of expensive brandy. He opened and closed his mouth a few times. “It's … it's brandy,” he said neutrally. “I don't really drink … but I'm sure I'll find something wonderful to do with it. Thank you, uh, whomever!” He set the bottle in front of him, pasting a big smile on his face.
Dumbedore cocked an eyebrow at the bottle and then glanced pointedly over at Remus and Sirius. Remus glanced at Sirius just in time to see him smile widely at Dumbledore and shrug.
“Sirius Black, what did you do?” Remus hissed sotto voce.
“What? I'm just passing out the gifts,” Sirius replied, waggling his eyebrows at his partner.
“Yes, but to whom?” Remus asked.
“Don't look at me, I just read the tags,” Sirius said innocently.
Remus sat back, crossing his arms, and looked at Dumbledore, who smiled serenely back. Fine. If that's the way the old man wanted to let it play out, he wasn't going to make a fuss. Sirius deserved a little fun these days. Besides, what could the harm be?
Sirius pulled out a small silver package, tied smartly with a red bow. “This one says: 'To Severus. Happy Holidays!' Severus, here you are.”
Snape looked at Sirius, who smiled widely back at him. He grimaced, holding out his hand and wandlessly floating the gift over to himself. He ran his hands a hair's-breadth above the rectangular box, no doubt trying to ascertain whether it was safe to open. Staring blackly at Sirius and the rest of the table, he slid a finger swiftly along one side, laying open the silver wrapping. He looked down at his gift for several long seconds. “Hair Care 101 for a New Magical You,” he read slowly. “How … thoughtful.”
Minerva shrunk down in her chair, beet-red, her mouth working silently. A snicker came unbidden from Tonks. Snape shot her a dark look, no doubt filing away that little display for a later retribution. Sirius could barely contain himself. He opened his mouth to say something snarky but Remus, seeing his movements, pinched him hard on the thigh under the table. Sirius jumped, banging his knee smartly on the table.
“What was that for?” he whispered petulantly.
Remus leaned over. “You're going to pay for that one, Padfoot.”
“No doubt – but the look on his face is worth it!” Sirius mouthed back. Straightening up, he said, “Alright, people! Next gift. Let's see … 'To Minerva, with Hopes for a Happy Christmas.' Well, someone's in a holiday spirit! Here you are, Professor.”
A small box wrapped in matte green paper floated down to the older witch, who reached out for it eagerly. Clearing her throat, she looked down at Sirius, studiously avoiding Snape's eyes. “Thank you, Sirius. Let's see what we have here.”
Swiftly unwrapping the box, she held up a tiny glass phial, reading the hand-printed label. “ 'Cologne du Bourgogne: to help you find that special witch'. Why … I …” Her hand fluttered to her chest, clutching her robes.
Across the room, Mad-Eye Moody sat up straighter, glancing over at Severus, who was smiling evilly.
Remus's eyes fluttered shut, groaning silently to himself. Sirius was going to hear about this for the rest of his life.
“Moving on, moving on,” Sirius called. “Aha! This one is for my dear cousin, Miss Nymphadora Tonks. Here you are, darling.” He sent a plain box wrapped in newsprint down the table.
Tonks grabbed it, smirking at the wrapping. “How festive! Thank you, Saint Nick. Let's see what we have here.” Wasting no time, she shredded the newspaper and stared down at the book in her hands. “Oi! '1001 Auror Training Secrets'? Um … thanks,” she said weakly. Leaning over to Minerva, she whispered loudly, “That would have been great. In my firstyear of training, that is.” She sat back, crossing her arms across her chest.
Sirius chuckled, tapping his feet excitedly on the floor. This was fun! “And to my dear Remus! A lovely gift for you!” He slid a small red box to his left.
Remus glanced darkly at Sirius, then sighed and turned his attention to “his” present. “Thank you, whomever. I'm sure it's extraordinary.” He carefully slit the wrapping paper open, revealing another book. “Ah. 'Animagi and You: Caring for your Other Self'. How … appropriate.” He set the book in front of him, crossing his hands over it. Oh, was Sirius ever going to pay for this later!
To his left, Arthur bent over to whisper, but Remus just shook his head. Confused, Arthur sat back, then turned to Molly and whispered something in her ear.
Sirius combed through the ever smaller pile of gifts. “Oh, here's a nice one. 'To Moody, in hope for a warmer future.' Well, how nice! Here you are, Mad-Eye.”
A small, squishy package slid in front of Moody. His magical eye almost jumped out of its holder as it tried to investigate the gift for suspicious charms. He even performed a few Hex detector spells with his wand before sniffing and declaring it safe. Unwrapping the tissue paper, he held up a pair of hand-knit socks. “What a practical gift,” he said in a gritty voice, staring at Sirius.
Molly's mouth worked, but Arthur shushed her. Hearing Mad-Eye's wooden leg tapping on the floor next to him, Sirius could barely contain himself. Remus stomped hard on his left foot. “Two for the price of one, eh, Moody?” Sirius practically shrieked.
Remus saw his gift to Sirius was still in the pile and blanched. “The next gift is for you, Pads,” he said in an attempt to distract him.
“Oh no, I should open mine last. It's only fair,” Sirius said, pushing Remus's hands out of the way. “Here, Albus, this one has your name on it. I bet it's perfect.”
A small, thin package drifted down to the old man, who looked at it with a genial expression. He tugged on his beard before saying, “Thank you, Secret Santa, for what undoubtedly will be a delightful present.”
Waving his hand, the red and gold wrapping fell aside, leaving a framed magical picture of Remus and Sirius. Dumbledore picked it up, staring at it. “Oh. Oh my. Delightful doesn't begin to cover it.” He looked at Sirius and rather deliberately winked before resuming his usual serene smile.
As he placed the picture face-down on the table, Remus caught a glimpse of the picture. “Oi, Pads, we're naked!”
“Isn't it great?” Sirius exclaimed quietly. “Oh look, Molly, this one must be for you. Happy Christmas!”
Remus winced and shrunk down into his chair, undecided whether to look.
Molly smiled and took her gift from Sirius. It was a long black box, simply wrapped, with a red bow on top. She glanced at Arthur, who nodded at her. “Go on, dear,” he said jovially, patting her hand.
Molly unwrapped her present, letting out a small “Oh!” in surprise when the box began vibrating in her hand. Remus practically disappeared under the table as Molly reached into the box, pulling out a vibrating wand. Sirius snorted in amusement, then gasped as Remus kicked him in the shin.
“Oh my,” she said, staring at it with confusion. “I wonder what it is …”
“Looks like one of Fred and George's prank wands,” Arthur said, brow wrinkled. In the corner, Tonks laughed silently, tears pouring down her face. Next to Molly, Severus rolled his eyes, looking pointedly away from the noisy gadget.
“I suppose it could be an egg beater,” Molly said doubtfully. At that, Sirius howled with laughter, unable to hold back.
“Hey, Sirius, the last gift is for you, remember?” Remus said loudly.
“Oh yeah!” Sirius said excitedly. “Let's see what I got, hmm?” Opening the last present with glee, he pulled out a white apron with bright green lettering. “Magically Delicious! Well, someone sure knows me well,” he laughed.
“Come on, Sirius, you've had your fun,” Remus pleaded. “Game's over.”
“Fine, fine,” Sirius sighed. “Sorry, everyone.”
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow as everyone turned their attention to the foot of the table. “What's going on, Sirius?” Molly asked, jumping as the vibrating wand let out a particularly loud buzz.
“Well, when Dumbledore came in, the wind outside … rearranged all the gift tags. I just decided to roll with it,” Sirius exclaimed. “You lot should have seen your faces!”
Moody snarled. “Cute, Black.”
“Mature as always,” Severus said softly.
“Oh, come now, no harm was done,” Dumbledore said. “A bit of a laugh isn't always a bad thing. Now, why don't we all get our gifts to their rightful recipients?”
Standing up, they shuffled around the dining room table, handing over their presents. Arthur's brandy, a gift from Dumbledore, was meant for Severus, who looked at it with something akin to fondness in his eyes. The hair care book was supposed to go to Tonks from Minerva, who in turn was supposed to have gotten the Animagus care book from Arthur. Sirius's apron was of course for Molly from Tonks, and Molly had made those plush socks for Albus, who smiled broadly when they were handed over to him. Severus had brewed the cologne particularly for Mad-Eye, who had once complained that it was hard to find a “lady friend” these days. Moody had found that book of Auror secrets helpful at one point, and thought Arthur might find it useful in these dark times. Molly was more than willing to hand over the vibrating wand to Sirius, who pocketed it with a lascivious leer at Remus before handing him the framed picture of them.
“Well!” Sirius exclaimed, sitting down with a smile. “Anyone up for a brandy?”
“I think I've had enough … fun … for one evening,” Severus said, and stood up. “If you'll excuse me.” He stalked to the Floo, cradling his brandy, and in a puff of green smoke he was gone.
The rest of them stood up and also made their excuses, taking their gifts with them as they left for their respective abodes. Finally, it was just Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore left in the dining room.
“Thank you both for your hospitality,” he said amiably. “I think everyone needed a bit of levity. Now, you two enjoy your evening, and have a happy Christmas.”
He strode out of the dining room, whistling tunelessly, and disappeared moments later via the Floo.
Remus and Sirius looked at each other. Sirius smiled hopefully. Remus scowled, then sagged, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Always the prankster, hmm?” he asked.
Sirius laughed. “I don't get many opportunities these days. You wouldn't begrudge your old friend a little fun at the holidays, would you?” He put on his puppy-dog face, the one that never failed to elicit sympathy from his partner.
Remus leaned in and kissed him softly. “Of course not, Pads.”
“Good. Then what do you say we go upstairs and try out my new present, yeah?” Sirius flirted, his arms wrapped around Remus.
“Thought you'd never ask,” Remus said, kissing him again. “We should take that picture up with us, give ourselves a show.”
“I'd love to,” Sirius said between kisses. “However …”
“However?” Remus halted.
Sirius froze, then ran upstairs. Calling behind him, he said, “I think Albus took it with him.”
“Padfoot!”
FIN
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