"Looks like it," Harry muttered, staring hard at his nasty gray porridge and trying to imagine one day dunking Umbridge in a vat of it.

Draco gave Harry a close looking over and then said, "I expect you'll need to borrow my black dress robes from last year. I've grown too tall for them and father bought me green ones this year."

Eying Draco sideways, Harry asked, "Dress robes? For what?"

"You've heard about the Christmas party on Christmas eve. The one with the Minister of Magic and the Elven dignitaries, not to mention half of Europe's magical ministry officials... I heard that even Victor Krum was coming back now that he's graduated Durmstrang and gotten on with the Bulgarian ministry of magic."

"Perhaps you've forgotten," Harry said, finally giving up on his porridge and dropping his spoon into the bowl, "but that party is by invitation only, and I don't have an invitation."

"And," Draco added, holding up a finger, "invited guests can bring one guest. Father can't come this year but made sure I got the invite."

Thinking it over Harry said, "You're inviting me?"

"Why not? Unless you have something else to do... planning on anymore pranks?"

"Shh," Harry warned his friend to keep his voice down, unsure whether or when Umbridge or her annoying assistant would pop out around a corner or from under the table next.

"I guess I'll come," Harry said. "But only if I can use your dress robes. Mine from fourth year are too small and beside, Dean set them on fire on accident last year a few weeks after the Yule ball."

Crossing his arms with a grin, Draco nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, this is the first time they've held this at Hogwarts in six years father says and it wouldn't be right if the boy-who-lived weren't invited would it?"

Harry shrugged, thinking rather that he was the boy who lived to disappoint rather than just the boy who lived, but followed Draco down to the Dungeons after lunch anyway and into the Slytherin common room.

"So you go every year?" Harry asked as he went into Draco's dormitory and watched as Draco pulled a sleek black dress robe his size from the brown wardrobe.

"Of course. Father is on the board of governors and he works for the Ministry.

"And... who else is there?"

Draco shrugged. "Most of the Hogwarts professors usually and their families. Some have to stay behind every year to watch students over the Christmas holiday but usually everyone gets to go now and again. Here, put these on over your clothes so I can see if they fit."

Harry shrugged into the robes and asked, "And... my dad and Kenai... they usually go?"

"Unfortunately. There were one or two years where they were absent, but I usually spend the night avoiding Kenai when he's there. Because we're usually two of the only Slytherin students attending he tries to be my buddy on that night to get away from whatever boring person his father... your father is talking to. They'll be there this year since it's in the castle."

Harry's heart sank. He actually missed having Kenai around, but he was overly anxious about attending a big event where his father would be in the same room. Harry never had formal training in etiquette like Draco and Kenai had had, as Kenai used to point out repeatedly, and was unsure if he'd embarrass himself at the dignitary's party on Christmas Eve.

"I er... well it's stupid, but I don't know what to do... you know, with elven dignitaries and ministers."

"Except make their staff pee their pants?"

Harry snorted then and Draco's intention of making him feel less anxious was a won cause.

"Yeah."

"Well don't look at the elves ears... even I hate that." Draco lifted up the long hair covering his ears to show how they were just slightly more pointed than Harry's, and explained that he was an eighth elven though he possessed little of their magic.

In the days since being invited to the party, Harry worried each day and had his fears allayed as Draco answered more questions about how to act at the party and informed him about the personalities of some of the people who would be there. Still, each night Harry worried about what his father might do when he found out that Harry would be there too. He wondered if perhaps his father would take back those kind things he'd said on the night Harry had broken down in his quarters, and resigned himself to the fact that it would happen either way, at the party or later on.

"Don't worry," Draco said the evening of the party as they made their way to the dungeons to get ready. "It'll be fine. You'll see."

Harry wanted to believe him, but couldn't be so sure.

Running a comb through his hair the best he could before giving up at the state of it, Harry finally borrowed a dab of Draco's magical hair cream and smeared it in his hair.

"Just imagine what you want your hair to look like, and it will change around for you."

Hm. Careful not to envision Tonks while the hair cream was in his hair, Harry envisioned his hair just about the same, but a little more tamable, and instantly his hair combed itself and looked about as proper as Ron or Seamus' hair usually did. It wasn't sleeked back like Draco's or long like Kenai's, but it was passable enough for Uncle Vernon, Harry thought, and was therefore passable for a Christmas party. Finally satisfied Harry and Draco left the dungeons and headed up to the Entrance Hall, where guests were arriving and some already had drinks and were talking and greeting friends.

"That's Sylfaen Gandu," Draco pointed at a tall, thin man with flowing blond hair and obviously pointed ears. "He's the head consul to the elven tribunal in Northern Scotland. We're 18th cousins or something, but once you have elven blood, they consider you a close relative, like a brother or son."

"Really?" Harry was intrigued that there was a people that could so easily allow people into the fold and call them family. It was almost unbelievable.

"And that there is Christhun Brahams. I don't know why he's here because he's the Minister of the Persian magical government... I've only seen him once. Father says he's strange because he's actually from Germany but brown nosed his way up through the Persian ranks.

Draco continued to provide commentary as he and Harry leaned against the banister on the stairs leading up from the Entrance Hall to the first floor, until most of the guests moved into the Great Hall, and they decided to follow.

Inside the Great Hall, Harry let his mouth drop open just a little as he took in the sight of the decorations and number of people inside. It was obvious to him now that two or three hundred people had gone in before he and Draco had gotten to the Entrance Hall.

There were four large Christmas trees, one in each corner, decorated as Hogwarts trees were normally done up at this time of year, but underneath each tree there were actually presents, some large, and some small. There were only three house tables now, and they had each been moved to an outer wall and were laden with refreshments, plates, and dinner items like roast duck and a number of foreign dishes, whose smell Harry desperately wanted to investigate after living on a mostly oatmeal diet for the last month.

"They won't serve caviar here or the elven consul won't come because they say it's wrong to harvest unborn fish, or something like that."

"What's caviar?" Harry asked, feeling foolish all of a sudden.

"Fish eggs and it's disgusting," said a voice on Harry's other side and he looked over to see Kenai, looking slightly nervous himself.

"Yuck," Harry made a disgusted look and then allowed his stomach to squirm. He hadn't much talked to Kenai except at the DA meetings.

"I thought your dress robes were dark green," Kenai commented after his gaze left the guests and found their way back to Harry.

Harry looked down and said, "They're Draco's. I outgrew mine last year."

"Oh."

"Look, there she is," Draco said suddenly, and Kenai straightened up at the sight of a beautiful girl their age with flowing blond hair across the room. She had a beautiful flowing green gown and her hair was pinned back with what appeared to be a crown made from ice with red berries at the sides where it entered her hair, and even Harry could not keep from staring.

"I, I'll be... right back." Kenai hurried off in her direction and Harry turned to Draco for an explanation.

"That's Sheaira Evnesvanna. Kenai's had a crush on her since he was five and he first came to one of these parties. She's the head consuls daughter."

"Oh," Harry said watching from a distance as Kenai's face turned red as he spoke with her. "She has a different last name."

"Elves work names differently, just like most grater fae. Female elves take their mother's maiden name until they get married."

Harry tried to remember everything he'd learned in History of Magic about greater and lesser fae, but was drawing a blank because he'd just spotted his father, talking to someone who looked rather dark. Someone who looked rather a lot like a death eater.

"And who's that with Professor Snape?" Harry asked, palms sweaty.

Quiet, Draco said, "You don't even want to know. Needless to say there are people from both sides here... I've seen five of father's associates already."

Working hard not to clench and unclench his fists all night knowing there were death eaters among them, Harry got himself some pumpkin juice and piled a plate high with food before the toady woman came and replaced it all with porridge. He watched the crowd cautiously and with curiosity and was left by himself several times as Draco was pulled away by his fathers ‘associates' to talk or be introduced to new people. Just when Harry was feeling as though he wasn't enjoying the party anymore, and was just about to leave, a calm voice sounded next to him.

"You have cause to sit so cautiously reserved at a Christmas party Mr. Potter."

He looked up and found Sylfaen Gandu, the elven dignitary, standing with his hands behind his back as he surveyed the crowd.

"Yes sir," Harry said, eyes picking out the death eaters in the crowd that he had encountered personally in the graveyard last year.

"I have often heard tales of your bravery and prowess with magic, and yet I did not imagine you to look so reserved. From the way some would describe, I expected a daring young man who flaunts his glory amongst all who will see."

Harry turned red then and pressed his hair flat over his scar in his ever present way of trying to blend in.

"And yet I am surprised still more to see that you have associated yourself with the two sons of the two men who have previously claimed such things about you."

Harry looked up into the man's eyes, knowing he was talking about Draco and Kenai. "A man doesn't have to be his father," Harry said, feeling silly at the thought. "Draco is my friend and Kenai is my brother."

"Yes, I am aware of your parentage. I wonder perhaps if you are aware."

With raised brows, Harry listened intently and Sylfaen said, "Elven blood runs through your veins, much as it does in young Mr. Malfoys. You are a sixteenth elf through your mother's ancestry."

"Really?"

"As consuls we are made to research family blood lines and keep track of those who are unaware, as well as those out in the magical world."

Harry was quiet as he thought on it, and after he was given an appropriate amount of silence (as much as there could be in a crowd), Slyfaen said, "You are always welcome amongst the elves Mr. Potter. The blood that runs through your veins runs through many in the consul, and many more without in the elven kingdom."

With pure gratitude in his eyes Harry looked up and said, "Thank you."

"Do not forget who you are, even in time of dire distress." And then the man was gone, lost to the crowd and Harry could not seem to spot him for the rest of the night.

As the night wore on Harry earned himself a reproachful glare from Umbridge and the Minister of Magic, a pat on the head from Dumbledore and learned a new spell to use during Quidditch games from Viktor Krum. Finally, around eleven Cornelius Fudge rose and called everyone's attention to the trees at the corners of the Great Hall.

"As is our tradition at these events, every guest will receive a gift. None have names, one merely needs to approach a tree and retrieve a gift and it will be theirs."

Harry eyed Draco as they got in line in front of the tree in the farthest front corner of the hall.

"What's this about then?"

"Like the Minister said. Except he didn't say they've charmed the packages, so that whoever picks it up gets something they really wanted."

"Really?"

"One year a girl pulled a Nimbus 2001 out of the pile," Draco said excitedly, and Harry imagined that he was envisioning himself owning the new Thunder Struck broom that had just come out on the market last month.

As they neared the front of the line, Harry froze as he heard his father's voice behind him, talking to someone with a thick Irish accent.

"Severus, so good to see you. It's so crowded, I didn't even realize you were here."

Draco nudged Harry in the side then and Harry reached down to the tree and picked up the smallest box there was, earning a look from Draco as if he were crazy. They moved out of the throng then and stood to the side as Draco unwrapped a book he'd been wanting for ages, and Harry pulled the ribbon from his tiny box. There was nothing inside, and pretending not to be disappointed, his ears perked up again as the man with the thick accent said, "Where is that son of yours? I saw him after that lady elf again this year."

"I believe he is at the tree on the other end of the hall. And my other son Harry is with Draco Malfoy unwrapping presents by the tree there." His father looked up then and met Harry's eyes, and Harry had to turn away as a single shocked tear fell into his empty little box.

"You got gipped," Draco said with indignation as he looked into the box.

"No," Harry said silently. For once he had gotten exactly what he had longed after.

* * *

An incessant tapping on Harry's window jolted him from sleep, and Harry peered out from around his four-poster hangings to see Hedwig on the window ledge out in the gently falling snow. Hurrying to let her in, he was surprised to find a note in her beak.

"Where'd you get this then? Can't have flown far with it if it wasn't tied to your leg."

Unwrapping it, he found his father's flowing scrawl, asking him to come down to his quarters immediately, and to bring all of his Christmas presents.

Heart tightening, Harry wondered if his father would take all of Harry's presents away as punishment, and what would happen if he disobeyed and left some of them here. Unsure, he made his way downstairs and found a small pile of presents for him under the tree. There was one from Ron, one from Hermione, one from Ginny, a large one from the twins, a small heavy package from Hagrid, and a lumpy package Harry was sure he knew what the contents were from Mrs. Weasley. Six presents all in all, a good haul if he could only be allowed to keep them.

Because most of them were small, Harry was able to fit most of them in his empty backpack and the large one from the twins under his arm as he made his way nervously down to the dungeons. He hoped he would see Draco on the way and be given reason to detour, but then remembered that Draco's mother had shown up right after the party to collect him and take him home because she couldn't ‘bear' to spend Christmas without him.

Two solid knocks on his father's door was all Harry could manage before his heart felt like it would fail and he dropped his hand, ready to hand his presents over and be done with it. Christmas was the only time he really got new things and he hated to pass up what he could get.

The door swung open and Kenai stood there wearing a green and silver sweater with a golden Snitch on the front, grinning.

"There you are. Come on, get in then so we can eat breakfast."

Harry stepped inside, feeling awkward and noticed the many Christmas decorations inside, perhaps taken from the Great Hall the night before.

"Put your stuff by the tree." Kenai pointed into the living room and Harry put his bag and the Twin's present down next to an obscenely large pile of presents under the tree. Kenai must have had more than Draco usually boasted, Harry thought with a longing look as he followed Kenai into the kitchen.

On a small wooden table with three chairs there was a spread of wonderful looking food, probably also taken from the feast the night before. Severus was sitting with a cup of coffee reading the Prophet and set it down when Harry and Kenai entered.

"We thought you might wish to spend the day with us," Severus said, and motioned for Harry to sit.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Harry waited until Severus and Kenai had served themselves and then put a sticky orange roll on his plate, followed by wonderful looking hash and roast turkey. Kenai filled Harry's cup with Pumpkin juice, and they ate in silence for a short while before Kenai started talking about the people he'd spoken with the night before.

"He said she probably wouldn't consent to marry me because I have no elven blood."

Harry bowed his head then, knowing just from the hurt look on Kenai's face how much he seemed to like the consul's daughter, and felt bad that he could have the chance if he wanted, but Kenai could not.

"Do not let blood be the deciding factor. It is of course her choice, but you can overcome the issue of ancestry if it is set in your mind."

Kenai perked up at his father's words and they finished eating.

After being lead back into the living room, Harry sat in a comfortable chair by himself and watched as Kenai ripped into a large package that turned out to be a box of sweets.

"Thanks!" he said to Severus and then looked to Harry. "Go on, open some of yours."

Harry reached into his backpack and opened Hagrid's rock cakes to a strange look from Severus, and then a small book on Protein charms from Hermione.

"You enjoy charms?" Severus asked from the couch across from Harry.

He nodded and said, "Yeah. We've been learning a lot of them... in the DA." Harry was uncertain but Kenai gave him a nod to say he had told his father, or rather that he had guessed if Kenai did not have ugly pimples all over his face.

Kenai opened several more presents which were mostly clothing and new Quidditch gear, and Harry opened the rest of his gifts as well, which turned out to be the largest ever box of gag candy from the twins with a note saying they were sure Harry would find a good use for it, a red sweater from Mrs. Weasley, a Quidditch book from Ron, and a photo of him and Ginny kissing from Ginny. He flushed when Kenai asked to see what he had gotten from Ginny and handed the picture over. Kenai rolled his eyes and handed it back, before reaching into the still large pile under the tree for yet another gift.

Unexpectedly he handed the gift to Harry instead of opening it himself however, and Harry looked down to see his name on the red package covered in Snitches.

Harry wanted to babble something about it having his name on it, but managed to keep his mouth closed as he opened it and found a new crimson zip up hoodie with a snitch zipper pull. It was so soft that Harry was consumed with rubbing his thumb over the fabric for a few moments before he looked up. "Thank you."

Severus nodded and motioned to the rest of the presents under the tree. "I believe there are fifteen more with your name."

Feeling as though his eyes would bug right out of his head, Harry looked to Kenai for confirmation who held out another gift, and then dropped off the chair to his knees as he took it and opened it a little more eagerly to reveal several new short sleeved polo shirts in various colors.

From the couch Severus watched as his two sons ripped through present after present, each time surprised and delighted at what they had found. Harry's gifts for the most part were clothing, although there was also a new potions kit and several new books for him there, and at Kenai's insistence the largest box of candy Severus had ever purchased or ever seen, although it still didn't rival with Harry's gift from the Weasley twins.

He had watched so curiously the night before as Harry had taken the smallest gift from under the tree. Was the boy so used to having so little that he assumed he wasn't worthy of larger gifts? Severus did not know, but he could not deny that he was enjoying watching the boy trying on one of the new shirts and one of the many new hoodies.

When all of the presents were opened, Harry looked up at Severus, that quiet shyness in his eyes again, and said, "I don't have anything for you."

Severus waved his hand and said, "As a family rule, children do not give presents to their parents."

Kenai nodded and when Harry looked at him Kenai said, "Don't look at me. As a family rule we don't give presents to jerk brothers."

Frowning Harry moved to say that Kenai hadn't been a jerk lately, but Severus cleared his throat.

"All right. That's enough for now. If you wish to go to the Quidditch Pitch to play with your new gear, I will take you now while it is not snowing quite as hard."

Kenai jumped up and pulled Harry to his feet, pulling Harry's new goggles and Quidditch gloves out of the pile and then picking up his own new gear. As they left the quarters, Severus barely heard his two sons behind him as Kenai said in a way too shy for his nature, "Merry Christmas Harry."

"Merry Christmas Kenai."

It was the only Christmas in Severus' living memory that he could classify as one hundred percent satisfying. A hole had been filled, and he didn't want it to become empty again.