Rosemerta watched the six wizards and witches take their seats. Amos and his son were mostly alright, Amos had been apologetic about his family's insistence that Aaron ditch Rosemerta, but had privately told her that it was likely better to split with Aaron since their mother would only get worse if they married - ‘did she really want to hear about what a disappointment she was at every family meal?'

Amos had most likely been right she thought, though Rosemerta hadn't liked Amos for it at the time. Amos was looking at her uncertainly, and then looked back at the menu. He didn't look all that happy to be there.

Cedric seemed nice, the few times he had come in on Hogsmeade weekends - he was likely unaware of Rosemerta's status as Aaron's ex-fiancé. Her eyes turned to the woman and two children - a boy and a girl. The children, of course were not aware of the situation Rosemerta was being placed in, but the woman certainly was. Cherise glanced at the Three Broomstick's owner with unhappy eyes, and turned back to the children with flushed cheeks. She wasn't here willingly, either, Rosemerta thought with aggravation.

Rosemerta's gaze landed on the remaining wizard, and the likely culprit in this debacle. Aaron was beaming happily around and had the nerve to smile at Rosemerta, faltering a little at her cool stare. Immediately after dumping her Aaron had gone out of his way to not see her, or anyone of mutual acquaintance - it had been like he'd disappeared. Of course the announcement of a new engagement had been in the papers in less than two months, and a marriage a short time later. The children's birth announcements had come along in the next 2 years at regular intervals, and from the look of Cherise, they would add a third, soon.

Over the last year she had run into Aaron on the street once or twice, a shock to her, especially since he now acted as if they were old friends with cheerful greetings - no hard feelings, old girl - hope you're doing well, etc. She'd been too shocked to do more than stare at him and walk away both times. She'd figured he was trying to bury the hatchet in his own clumsy way, and wanted nothing to do with ‘making peace' with the louse.

But why was he pushing the issue, now? She watched him closely as Draco approached the table, nose in the air. Cedric snickered and Draco gave him a quick grin before returning to his lofty manner. The others smiled while giving their orders, but Aaron's eyes held a calculating look as he gazed at Draco ... and then his eyes found Harry, across the room serving meals and laughing with bemused customers. The speculative look made her insides ice, then burn.

Rosemerta's ‘arrangement' with Severus hadn't really been a secret in spite of what Severus thought - some did know of it. Their world was not large, so such things did tend to eventually get known no matter how careful a person was. The reason for Rosemerta's ended engagement was also generally known. She'd garnered sympathy for it, but to her relief, no pity. So many had been killed during Death Eater raids, the fact that she'd survived at all had been considered a minor miracle.

Now Aaron was here, most likely thinking that he could cozy up to her, and become best friends with Harry Potter and Draco. She knew Aaron's job involved construction of wizarding dwellings. Landing the Spinner's End contract from the Malfoys would be considered a coup. She'd once admired his drive, now it just seemed ... embarrassing.

Draco returned to hand in the order to the muttering Renee, who had noted Aaron's presence. Harry was right behind him, and they both looked at the chef in bewilderment.

"Zat horrid man is zee one who broke of zee engagement wiz Rosemerta. Zee cad!" Renee hissed at them. Both boys whipped around to glare at Aaron - Harry with fury and Draco with malice.

Draco grabbed the bottle of wine that had been ordered and marched over to the table and uncorked it, serving Amos and Aaron, whispering in Aaron's ear in a low tone. "A bit of a Plebian wine choice, but what can one expect from a pledge - breaking lout?"

Draco retreated back to Harry's side before Aaron could do more than gape, red-faced at Draco's back. Renee, Harry and Draco were soon huddled in conference, and Harry served the Diggorys' meal while Rosemerta sent a message through the floo to Severus, hoping he would arrive before the boys summoned Hazelette ‘for a snack' as Draco suggested.

Rosemerta watched the boys a bit tensely, not sure whether to hope for fireworks, or not. She didn't really want to put Harry or Draco in the middle of this, on the other hand it was nice to have champions, young though they were. She should have realized, when Harry picked up the banana cream pie and Draco and Harry both gave Renee malicious smiles that he returned smugly that something messy was about to happen.

The pie was actually going to a different table, but when Harry was going by a table next to the Diggorys Renee pointed his wand at a patron and the man stood abruptly - confusion on his face. This tripped Harry and the pie left his hand and went straight toward Aaron's face, hitting him dead center.

Renee and Draco beamed smugly at the sight and Rosemerta groaned, knowing a scene was sure to erupt, but at the same time knowing she would be putting this moment in Severus' pensieve to view over and over. Aaron stumbled to his feet, wiping the pie off his face while he roared in embarrassed fury.

Harry stood still in front of the table, eyes wide in apparent innocent confusion. He could hardly believe the plan had worked so perfectly. The patron that had ‘accidentally' tripped him under Renee's spell was apologizing profusely and patting Harry's shoulder anxiously.

Aaron, however saw the flash of satisfaction in Harry's eyes. "You dammed arrogant brat." He bellowed, realizing that neither Draco nor Harry was likely to allow any friendliness. He'd hoped that Rosemerta was still carrying a torch for him, and she would be open to throwing him an introduction and vouch for ‘what a nice guy he is'. That was obviously not going to happen, now.

The patron who had tripped Harry looked at him in astonishment, "My dear sir, it was hardly his fault. I obviously tripped him..."

"He did it on purpose, I tell you." Aaron shouted, not noticing that his wife had abruptly left, taking the children and Cedric with her, leaving Amos to glare at his brother in frustration.

"You're being ridiculous, Aaron. It was an accident, let's get you home and cleaned up." Amos urged. The entire place was staring at him and Amos could tell every last one of them was sure that Harry was absolutely innocent and Aaron was obviously being mean.

Aaron whipped out his wand, livid at all his plans going pear-shaped and now a public humiliation occurring as well. The patron who had tripped Harry gasped and pulled Harry behind him in agitation, but he needn't have worried - others had already stepped between Aaron and Harry.

Severus came through the floo in time to see Rosemerta hexing her ex-fiancé, shouting something unprintable at him. Aaron yelped painfully and disapparated away followed by a horrified Amos. Tom was standing behind her shielding Harry and the Patron, wand also drawn. Severus ambled over to the overly gleeful Renee and Draco - this looked like a Malfoy plot to Severus. Renee fled to his kitchen and Draco swallowed and tried for an innocent look - and failing completely.

Severus had been horrified to hear Rosemerta saying that Aaron was there, and the boys were looking a bit sneaky, but he was confident that Tom and Rosemerta could handle it, and since Albus hadn't come out of the library as yet, he didn't want to bring the boys back there. Now he was especially glad he hadn't - whatever they had done, he was sure that Aaron had deserved it.

The pub clientele were applauding Rosemerta and shouting support to her and Harry. Severus pulled Draco along behind him as he approached the victorious Rosemerta who was reassuring the patron that he was in no way at fault for the scene.

"I see you didn't really need me to rescue you." Severus smirked at the flustered pub owner. Severus bowed a little at the patron. "Thank you for your assistance, sir."

The man looked relieved that the fearsome Severus Snape was not angry at him. "Abbott - Bernard Abbott, and this my wife Marianne and our daughter Hannah." The two females nodded at him in awe - neither of them had been expecting such a show at their lunch.

Severus nodded pleasantly and pulled Harry and Draco over to the table Tom had been occupying, while Rosemerta made the rounds of the tables, reassuring patrons and listening to their reassurances that ‘she'd done exactly as she should - and the man was clearly deranged to not see that Harry'd been tripped.'

Tom looked at Severus apologetically. "I'm so sorry - I didn't notice anything happening until wands were drawn and Rosemerta had leaped in like a tigress."

"I knew what was happening - I thought it was a good idea - I could feel the man's intentions were false." Yvane snapped in aggravation, and then added a bit sheepishly. "I didn't know he'd react with violence. That was my fault." Yvane spoke so all four of them could hear.

"Don't keep me in the dark in the future, please." Tom answered. "I can't protect them if I don't know what's happening."

"You were so hard at work in that new research - I thought if it went badly, I would have time to warn you." Yvane said in apology.

"Well, we'll discuss the whole ‘trick', later, in private. For now I believe the two of you should finish the lunch-time rush so no one here is left with any impression either of you is at fault." Severus looked at the pair sternly.

They nodded and Harry went back to serving - taking another pie to the table that had actually ordered it and apologizing for the delay. Customers hastened to reassure Harry and Draco that they ‘were the very best servers' they'd had in quite some time ... or at least the most interesting and entertaining. Not a single customer had a complaint, as they knew they would have the most interesting tale to tell at whatever family gathering they attended for Christmas.

Rosemerta grilled her chef mercilessly - almost over his own fire and at last got the whole tale, which she repeated with a grin to Severus and Tom. Severus shook his head. He wished he'd seen the event - but Rosemerta had promised to share the memory.

The pub finally emptied of customers and Severus shooed Tom and the boys through to Dragonsrest. Rosemerta kissed Severus and smiled "Sorry I slew the dragon - so to speak - before you got here. Perhaps I'm channeling one of the Amazons that had the dagger."

Severus smirked and snorted. "Please - I've seen you take on more than one pub brawl and send the instigators to St. Mungo's." Severus hesitated "Are you going to tell me what hex you used on him?"

Rosemerta blushed and her eyes fell. "Well, it's one I heard my mum tell someone - I wrote it down, but I've never used it..." Severus looked intrigued. "...all right - it ties a man's ... um...penis into a knot."

Severus paled a bit and felt an unwelcome twinge of sympathy for Aaron, but it the feeling left quickly and he started to snicker. "Well, as long as any investigating Aurors don't consider it dark magic..." Severus laughed as Rosemerta swatted his arm.

"You'll be over to Dragonsrest in the morning?" Severus asked with a smile that he hoped wasn't too doting. He was so proud that his little Hufflepuff had done something so malicious.

"Of course, Severus." Rosemerta sighed happily. "It will be the first family gathering I've attended in years." She grinned slyly. "Not that I minded the more...intimate...Christmases we had together." She enjoyed the blush she got out of him, reminding of prior holidays together.

Severus cleared his throat, managed a smile that wasn't too sappy with memories and kissed her goodbye.

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Petunia watched the endless stream of cheerful Christmas movies on the TV in her hotel room. She'd watched It's A Wonderful Life, various versions of A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, even some Disney Cartoons that made her sniffle - they'd always been Dudley's favorites. She was starting to watch The Grinch that Stole Christmas once again as she was beginning to appreciate his point of view.

She knew that once she turned Dudley over to Marge that she wouldn't see him until Christmas morning, when she would pick him up, but she'd wanted to stay nearby, anyway. Staying at Dragonsrest without Dudley at this time, well she knew she would drag around, making everyone else miserable as well.

She preferred to sulk by herself, where only she was affected. She'd insisted that Marge have Dudley call her every evening and that Dudley be ready to leave at 9am on the dot on Christmas morning. Marge had argued heatedly about it all, but the social worker at least had not found her demands unreasonable and had reminded Marge that if she didn't comply that Petunia would not have to offer this next holiday.

Lucius' lawyer's aid Roger Eastlake had said he would be there when she picked up Dudley, hopefully blunting the woman's venom and providing her with a quick way back to Dragonsrest. He would bring a portkey from Lucius to take them there.

Marge had nodded tightly at the Social Worker's words and level look. She would comply, but not happily. Dudley had hugged his mum and whispered, "Don't worry mum, I'll be okay." He'd opened one hand, revealing one of Lucius' unmistakable portkeys and winked at her, easing her mind. Lucius had ensured that Dudley could not be stolen away.

Lucius and his assistants had shown up almost every day, bringing paperwork from Spinner's End for her, to ‘keep her occupied'. It had been a kind thought, and it had made the hours pass quicker. She pulled her sweater closer, though she wasn't really cold. She'd never liked being alone, another reason she'd jumped into marriage and motherhood. She didn't want to become one of those clingy, obsessive parents - she hoped that between Spinner's End and the ‘owl project' she would stay busy when Dudley left for Hogwarts.

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Andromeda watched as Dora helped fix the pies and plum puddings for the next day's feast. Ted had been suspicious and a bit fearful about her ‘crush' on Tom. He was having a hard time seeing her as an adult. Andromeda was less worried. Tom was hardly a philanderer - he was actually a year younger than Dora, for all that he behaved like an adult most of the time.

Now, with the money from Dora tutoring the boys and Tom, and payment from Andromeda warding the safehouses for Lucius and Severus there were no worries about Dora entering the Auror program. So, all too soon, Dora would be busy as an apprentice and Tom would be in his NEWT year at Hogwarts.

Time away from each other would likely cool the romance back to the friendship it was born from. If it survived the years of apprenticeship, both hers and his- whatever Tom decided to do - well then perhaps it truly was love, and she would have no objection. Dora would then definitely be old enough for Ted to no longer object to any match between them.

Dora had pouted when they'd been told no visits until after Christmas Day ‘it's a family day'. But Wylda had arrived this morning bearing a gift for Dora that had made her light up. It was now under the tree, where Dora could sigh and look at it longingly.

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Christmas Day was finally there, Severus and Lucius had both let the boys sleep in a bit, knowing Dudley would not be at Dragonsrest until later. Draco had thanked the Malfoy house elves at breakfast ‘for their excellent service', and then presented them a large bag of chocolates and simple games of cards and the like, asking the head elf to pass them around. The elf had looked over at Lucius speechless and uncertain. Lucius had rolled his eyes and shrugged, he knew that Harry and Dudley had come up with the idea and Tinker and Dobby were getting similar gifts.

"That is fine, and pass around some butterbeers to all, as well." Lucius caved to the pressure and hoped no elves died of shock.

Lucius had long since realized he'd have never make a killer of Draco, even if Lucius had stayed in the Dark Lord's service. He was increasingly relieved that he was now on a different path, now that he knew it could only have ended in disaster for Draco.

He shook his head, he hoped Draco didn't insist on cosseting the house elves too much.

They retired to the living room that held their Christmas Tree and Draco beamed at the pile of presents. There were fewer from Lucius' acquaintances this year, as many were riding the fence on the whole ‘is he serious about abandoning the Dark Lord?' issue.

Draco proudly brought Lucius a present and watched anxiously as he opened it. It was a rather beautifully crafted box. Lucius ran his hands over the hand-carved runes that had inlaid silver. He could feel the magic humming in the spells controlled by the runes. He could easily recognize the magic as Draco's.

"This was very well done, son. I'm very impressed by your work." Lucius said with sincerity, relieved he didn't have to feign pleasure in this gift.

Draco was hopping from foot to foot in excitement. "Open it dad, open it!" He crowed happily.

"There's more?" Lucius teased and placed a finger on the clasp, which recognized him as the owner, just as it should from the spells and the box opened revealing a very old book on runes. He caught his breath in unfeigned excitement. He'd looked for this book everywhere - there had been few made and even fewer still in existence. Arden Malfoy had been a Runemaster and had closely guarded his secrets. This book held most of his knowledge, but he'd not allowed it to be published until after his death.

"This is a perfect gift, Draco, I'm afraid my paltry presents to you pale in comparison." Lucius smiled, making Draco whoop happily and hug Lucius. Lucius patted his back, hoping he could be better at such shows of affection in the future.

He watched Draco tear into his own presents, now satisfied by Lucius' awe at his own gift. Narcissa had usually done the Christmas shopping, knowing Lucius distaste for the season. But her gifts had been the usual things meant to impress and many Draco couldn't actually touch or play with as they ‘were too valuable'.

This year, Lucius had simply gone and raided the Holyhead Harpies store and bought cloaks, pins, pennants and the dreaded ‘T-shirts' with team logos. He'd bought for Harry and Dudley as well, knowing they were now Harpy-mad as well. Draco was thrilled and ran to change into the Harpy attire for the day.

Lucius glanced at the clock - they'd be going to Dragonsrest, soon. He hoped all was well with Petunia and Dudley. He frowned a bit. Less than a decade ago he'd have cursed anyone who suggested he'd be concerned about a muggle...squib - whatever Petunia was considered. Now he'd grown fond of her and her son.

He looked around as the house-elves tidied up the room. He knew there was speculation about who he would marry, now. No one seemed to consider that he might stay single. He found himself a bit envious of Severus having the very pretty and accommodating Rosemerta around, although he suspected Severus would find himself married soon.

Lucius winced; since Narcissa was gone all he had was a few ‘ladies of the evening' that were well paid that he had to see while under a heavy glamour. It was very impersonal and ultimately dissatisfying.

The problem was finding someone that could handle being a target; he had no illusions that whomever he married would soon find themselves unable to leave the manor without being stalked by Dark Lords and Death Eaters. The pretty young things that were shoved at him by hopeful parents would be dead in minutes - of course if he had to listen to their inane chatter for long, he himself would likely be the one killing them. Older and more experienced witches usually had an agenda of their own - which might not be a bad thing, but he rather hoped for some affection, now that he'd been watching Severus and Rosemerta.

Madame Zambini had already approached him, batting her eyelashes and saying that if he recanted his disavowal of the Dark Lord she would marry him. ‘You can say you were trying to get close to Harry Potter' she simpered. She'd not been pleased by Lucius' malicious and truly amused laughter. As if he should want to become another late husband of hers.

Rumor had it that the reason she always returned to her first husband's name - Zambini - was because she had truly loved him, and that the only real affection she had left in her scheming heart was for their son, Blaise. Certainly she always made sure that the numerous late husbands' wills included them and she was making her son - and herself quite rich.

There, of course, was some speculation about Petunia, though no one seriously thought he would marry a squib, even if she was Harry Potter's Aunt. There were whispers that if he married her it would be to cement his status as a progressive thinker and bury any thoughts of his past as a likely Death Eater.

He grimaced, he had thought about courting her - mostly because she and Draco liked each other. He quietly admitted that anyone he considered for a wife would have to pass inspection as a stepmother, first. Petunia would likely do an excellent job as a mum for Draco, Dudley would be a passable stepbrother and Draco would be delighted to be a step-cousin to Harry.

Trouble was he didn't think either he or Petunia could muster more feeling that friendship for each other. True, Severus and Rosemerta had started out as friends. He sighed, either the feelings would develop, or they would not. Perhaps he should try Tom's trick and corner her under some mistletoe.

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Severus dragged out breakfast as long as he could, and Tom was amused by Harry's longing looks at the piles of presents. Harry was finally sent upstairs to dress, just as Petunia and Dudley arrived. Petunia looked a bit worn, but happy now that she and Dudley were back together. Dudley lugged his suitcase and a large bag of what was likely presents from Marge up to his room.

Severus lifted a brow, and Petunia smirked and answered him. "Oh, she was apparently just fine with Dudley and she even held her peace when I picked him up. She really does care for him, though he said she did her best to ‘fatten him up'. As long as she continues to behave it eases his mind to see her - she is his last remaining relative on that side."

Severus just nodded at her, to Tom's horror, not arguing that Dudley was better off with no relatives that to have to see Marge. Tom wanted to shake them both, and sullenly blamed it all on that muggle psychiatry book he'd seen Severus reading.

Rosemerta, Lucius and Draco arrived, and Harry and Draco were soon chattering at Dudley non-stop. The adults shook their heads. How did they manage to pass information to each other when they were all talking at once? The noise diminished once presents were being passed around.

Severus was astonished at the dragon canisters - and both he and Lucius admired the runes etched into them. Harry smiled in delight at having his work appreciated. Petunia loved the jewelry box and was impressed even more as the runes and spells were explained. The Holyhead Harpy gear was as big a hit with Harry and Dudley as it had been with Draco. Quills from Dudley were admired by Harry and Tom, and the snitches for Draco and Dudley from Harry almost got away from them when they opened the boxes.

Severus let everyone see the infamous T-shirt and he vowed that yes, he was going to wear it at school. Everyone soon had a nice pile of presents and lunch was served. Severus breathed a sigh of relief, his first Christmas as ‘Harry's dad' had occurred without incident - so far.

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