Disclaimer: It doesn't belong to me, obviously.

A/N: I'm soooooo sorry for not updating in so long! I've been busy, and had major writers block! This is the edited version.

Chapter 13 Christmas part I: The Surprise

Harry trudged up the stairs past the stuffed elf heads and back to his bedroom. He was still fuming about having to take occlumency lessons from Snape. Sighing, Harry turned and entered the room that he shared with Ron. When he entered the room with nothing more on his mind than to flop on his bed and think, it was impossible, because three people were already there waiting for him. These three occupants were Ginny, Kaitie, and Shauna. Ginny was knitting a long red scarf, and she dropped it the moment she saw Harry.

"How'd it go?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, what'd he want?" Shauna questioned.

"What'd dad do to him?" Kaitie chimed in with a smirk. Harry flopped down on the bed next to Ginny.

"Dad didn't do anything except turn his hair bubble-gum pink, which it still was when he flued away, and as far as how it went... He came to tell me that he's got orders from Dumbledore to teach me occlumency for the rest of term!"

"He's got to what!?" Hermione exclaimed from the doorway. Ron was just behind her holding his Chuddley Cannon socks and the matching wrinkled T-shirt.

"Yeah, what?" Ron asked pushing into the doorway next to Hermione. She scowled at him and fully entered the room to sit on the bed next to Shauna. Ron sat next to Harry.

"Anyway Harry?" Hermione said looking questioningly at her friend.

"Yeah, Snape's teaching me occlumency all next term," Harry repeated with a scowl.

"O Harry," Hermione said sympathetically.

"That bites, mate," Ron added.

"Maybe you should put a popcorn spell in his office," Kaitie suggested.

"A never ending popcorn spell." Shauna amended.

"Yeah! Good idea!" Ron agreed.

Harry chuckled at his friends antics. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"What's occlumency anyway?" Shauna asked. Kaitie nodded in wonder.

"Well dad and Sirius said, ""Its blocking your mind against intrusion."" Like visualizing a wall or box around the thoughts you don't want seen if someone were to look in your mind."

"Basically," Hermione agreed and Harry was throne into deja vu.

"You sound exactly like Snape," he told Hermione with a smirk.

"Wait! Snape agreed with dad and Sirius?" Kaitie exclaimed. Harry nodded.

"No way!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione shook her head, "well, I guess he couldn't disagree. I mean, they were right. Still, it is rather unheard of..."

"Try completely unheard of and absolutely mind-blowing!" Shauna corrected, "I mean I know I've only known you guys for a few months, but geez. Its obvious those three loathe each other!" Hermione chuckled along with the rest.

Just then, Hedwig flew in through the open window of the bedroom.

"Hey Hedwig!" Kaitie said as she took the letter from the owl's leg. It said three words, "We'll be there!"

--

Lily hummed to herself as she sorted through the laundry.

"Stupid Sirius!" she muttered, because the reason she was humming a revised version of "Jolly old Saint Nicholas," was because of sirius.

"Jolly old Saint Dumbledore

lean your ear this way. Please sir don't tell a single soul,

what Padfoot has to say.

Christmas eve is coming soon.

Duh you wise old man.

Whisper what you'll give us all,

Tell me if you can."

Sirius had made up the horribly annoying version while clearing out the linen closet the day before. Lily laughed aloud as she thought of Sirius' face when he had turned around to see Dumbledore standing in the hall behind him. He had blushed and stammered,

"O! D-Dumbledore! I--I was just..." Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled.

"I admire your creativity Sirius, but unfortunately I cannot trust you with such valuable information for there is a spy among us, and I'm having trouble pinpointing who it is." Lily laughed as she dug through the pockets of Kaitie's jeans to make sure she didn't wash anything valuable. She found what felt like several slips of parchment in one of the pockets. Pulling them out, Lily noticed writing in her daughter's hand. Thinking that these were just some harmless notes from history of magic, Lily sat them on the table and continued sorting through the laundry.

--

Sirius sauntered around the house, brooding. It had been fifteen years since he had seen her, and yet he still dreamed of her every night. Ever since he'd been free there hadn't been a night that he didn't dream of her especially this time of year. Christmas was her favorite holiday, and she was a muggleborn who grew up going to church and spending time with family on Christmas. She always sang Christmas carols with him,--O how he missed her beautiful voice. Her beautiful soprano and his--not so beautiful--tenner. She always told him he had a nice voice, but he never really believed her.

Sirius thought of the dreams. Lately, a little girl had been in the dreams. He thought it was strange, but didn't want to dwell on it.

"Sirius! Can you come help me with dinner please!" Molly called. Sighing, Sirius turned to go down to the kitchen. He wasn't in the mood to help. He just wanted to be alone, but since James was on guard duty until eight tonight, Arthur was still at work, and Lily was doing laundry Molly needed his help. Plus, he suspected she didn't want him planning anything prank related with the kids.

"Fat chance," he thought as he crossed through the main hall, "I don't feel like playing pranks." He tried to force his face to look happy as he trudged down the stairs to the kitchen.

"There you are! The kids are all doing homework, so could you help me chop these vegetables and set the table?" Molly asked as soon as she saw him.

"Sure Molly," Sirius replied, (although he doubted the kids were doing anything remotely like homework), and began chopping carrots. When he was finished chopping, Sirius walked over to the old chest of drawers and took out silverware to set the table. Unlike Fred and George, Sirius knew when it was necessary to whip out your wand, and to summon knives and forks was not one of those times. As he walked around the table setting the places, Sirius noticed a pile of parchment. Ever the curious Marauder, he picked up the first slip and examined it. He didn't recognize the handwriting. Skimming the lines, he realized that it was a letter to Kaitie from her friend Emelia. Then, thinking about the way Kaitie and the rest of the kids had acted when he'd asked about Emelia, he read the letter. Phrases such as,

"How's my dad?" and "I have a gift for dad, but he doesn't even know I exist!", as well as a few lines he himself had created about christmas trees jumped out at him. When Sirius read the signature he almost fell over in shock.

"your godsis

Emelia B"

The letter and the rest of the parchment floated to the floor. Sirius' mind was whirling. Could this be the little girl in his dreams? But no, he would know if Livi had been pregnant. She would have owled him. Right? Besides, if Kaitie was friends with his daughter surely she'd have told him about her by now. Right? Right?

Sirius sank in to a chair. Maybe he was just over thinking things. Livi was probably happily married to someone who hadn't spent twelve years in Azkaban. After all he hadn't seen her since she snuck him out of the prison that one night around--Sirius thought for a moment--eleven years ago.

--

Contrary to Molly and Sirius' belief, most of the children were doing there homework. They were sitting on the beds, at the old warn desk, or else sprawling on the floor of Hermione and Ginny's room. Hermione was finishing up three feet of an Arithmancy essay, (that only had to be two), Ginny was working on transfiguration, Ron and Harry were grudgingly writing there history of magic essays, and Shauna was working on charms. Fred and George were nowhere to be seen, but minor explosions could be heard from the room one floor above and directly across from Ginny and Hermione's

"'Mione, powdered root of asphodel mixed with an infusion of wormwood makes the draught of living death, right?"

"Yeah," Harry answered her as he wrote the last sentence of his essay and turned to the dream diary Trelawney had set them for divination.

"Are you Hermione?" Kaitie asked.

"No, but trust me I know what I'm talking about." Hermione chuckled at Harry's remark and Ron said,

"yeah."

"What's so funny?" Shauna asked.

"My first day of potions Snippy snotty Snooty Snape,--" the group snickered, "asked me that question, along with "Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?", and "What is the difference between munkshood and wolfsbane?"

"O I know all of that!" Kaitie said knowledgeably. She smirked at Harry over her frantically scribbling quill. He glared at her as Ginny tossed a wad of parchment into the trash-can on the other side of the room.

"Darn Fred and George's quills!" she said frustratedly, "they keep spelling everything wrong!"

"Never trust Gred and Forge," Harry laughed. He expertly caught the quill she threw at him and said,

"any ideas for a dream diary?" Before any of them could answer; however, Sirius came through the door.

"Kathryn, we need to talk," he said and everyone could hear a forced note of calm in his voice. After exchanging a worried look with her friends and brother, Kaitie followed her godfather out into the hall.

--

Sirius led her into a bedroom across the hall. Kaitie gulped and looked quickly at his face. He was angry, but why? What had she done lately to get his face so red like that? Sirius was taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down before he spoke.

"What is the meaning of this?" he growled. Kaitie looked at what he was holding out to her, and her heart sank. He was holding the letters that she and Shauna had written the past few days.

"Um... You see..." Kaitie stammered as she tried to get her thoughts in order. Sirius cut her off.

"Who, is, Emelia." it wasn't a question but a demand.

"Sh--she she's--" O Sirius please don't hate me!" she cried in a panic as she stepped away from her godfather. "Emelia's your daughter!"

"My... What! What did you say!?"

"She's your daughter," Kaitie repeated more softly.

"No she's not!" Sirius shouted. "You think I wouldn't know my own daughter if I had one? You think Livi would have just..." He stopped, realizing what must have happened. "You knew?" he asked. You knew and never told me!? I can't believe you Kathryn Lin! I can't believe YOU'D keep something as important as MY DAUGHTER from me!"

"It's not my fault!" Kaitie protested. "I'm not the one who decided not to tell you! That was Emi and Livi's decision not mine!"

"Forget there decision! You still could've at least hinted at it!"

"Sirius, I'm sorry, but trust is the basis of true friendship, and I wasn't about to break that trust."

"Well you just did. Why?"

"You'll see later on," Kaitie said mysteriously.

"Kathryn," Sirius warned.

"No Sirius. I'm not telling you. You'll see when you see," Kaitie replied before walking back to her friends leaving a very angry godfather in her wake.

--

Sirius didn't speak to Kaitie or any of the children except Nick and Mattie all day on the 24th, and only a hard and unfeeling "merry Christmas," on Christmas morning. Although, Kaitie didn't like Sirius not talking to her, she knew that he would once he found out what they had planned. Harry kept trying to talk to Sirius, but to no avail. He and ron even went as far as simultaneously slapping him upside the head and saying that he was a complete idiot for taking his anger at his wife out on all of them. This did nothing but earn them each a hard glare and the snide remark of,

"how would any of you know how I feel. Just shut up and leave me alone!"

Harry, of course, knew exactly how Sirius was feeling, and had no problem telling him exactly what he thought.

"O yeah! what about me! If I don't know how you feel then I'm a hippogriff! You'll at least get to meet her and have a chance to know her because I know for a fact she desperately wants to meet you! If I didn't come here I'd still think my parents were dead and be at Hogwarts right now! I know now why they left me with the Dursley's, but that doesn't stop the fact that you knew! You knew and didn't have the decency to tell me until I was standing here and mum walked in! You may not have known about your daughter, but I didn't know my parents were alive or that I had siblings! How do you think that made me feel? If anyone knows how you feel it's me, so don't give me that load of BULL, Black! Don't even try it!"

This effectively shut Sirius up, and he was at least semi-tolerable for the rest of the morning.

Around 9:45 the entire household met in the entrance hall, and tried to decide what to do for the next few hours until lunch.

"How about we go for a walk to the park?" Kaitie suggested.

"Good idea," Lily agreed, and so they all headed out.

--

"Emelia, what is going on?" Olivia Black asked her daughter as she guided her blindfolded mother on to the muggle subway at 9:30 on Christmas morning.

"You'll see," Emelia said for the millionth time as they found seats.

"Can I take this off yet?" Olivia asked.

"No, not until we get there."

"Where is there?"

"You'll see!"

Finally around 9:45 they got off the subway and Kaitie guided her mother down a street. Olivia heard the squeaking of a gate and asked,

"are we there yet?" sounding like a child on a long car ride. She smiled at the thought. Yes, but I'm not sure where... ah! There they are!" Hey! hey guys! Over here!" Harry spotted her first and raced over followed by Ron, Hermione, Kaitie and Shauna. The adults came a little slower as they were trying to gage sirius' reaction to seeing his wife and daughter.

"Ok mum, you can take off the blindfold now," Emelia told her mother as Sirius approached. Olivia did as she was told, and her eyes grew wide and she gasped.

"S--Sirius!" Sirius just grinned and pulled his wife into a tight embrace. Just seeing her had made all of his anger evaporate... at least for the moment.

Emelia stood awkwardly beside the hugging and kissing couple. As if sensing her daughters awkwardness, Olivia pulled away and turned to her with her arm still rapped around Sirius.

"Um, Siri, I know your going to be mad at me, and I won't blame you if you never want to speak to me again, but there's someone I think you should meet." She took a deep breath before saying, "Th--this is--"

"I'm your daughter, Emelia," Emelia interrupted her mother. Sirius' eyes grew wide as he took in the sight of his daughter for the first time.

"Wow, you really look like your mum," he said finally.

"Except the eyes," Harry spoke up. "You have your father's eyes, he Ron, and Hermione said together.

"You sound like you've heard that one a lot Har," Sirius said smiling at his godson.

"O no, just about the same thing from everyone who know's my parents every time I meet them," Harry quipped. Everyone laughed, and they all headed back to number 12. Olivia and Emelia had to sware that they were against Voldemort and wanted to fight against him until he was gone forever. Well, Emelia didn't have to agree to the last part, but as she looked around at her parents holding hands and the Potters and Weasleys laughing and joking, she did anyway because she knew she would do whatever it took to get rid of the evil wort that tore apart her family.

Beta's Note from Emily/HyperLily whichever you wish to call me. here's the next finished chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it. Your lovely author and I have been busy, and it has been hectic for me to edit this chapter. Jen Jen your author, was at camp around the middle of July, and she sent me this on the thirteenth. Unfortunately for you and her, I was sick, and didn't feel like editing. I took one summer course in college that lasted until the thirteenth of August, so obviously, I didn't have the time. I then had two weeks off to regenerate myself from spring and summer quarters, and now I've started fall quarter, and it's about two months later, and I'm just now getting around to editing. So anyway, it's my fault, not the authors, and again, I hope you've enjoyed reading.