A/N: Fic takes place Christmas after Harry is born

The Puppies!

They had returned from James and Lily’s home, full on high spirits and friendship and fallen into bed, too exhausted to talk. The Christmas dinner had lasted for hours, as family and friends joined together to celebrate, much more than a holiday, but another year come and gone...with all they held dear still with them. They had spent the night feasting on Lily’s heavenly food, reliving happy memories and moments, the terror outside the walls of the house forgotten.

At four in the morning, Remus crept downstairs to make sure that Sirius’s present was still in its hiding place and as he had left it. He secured it and then walked back upstairs on tiptoes, the wood floor freezing his bare feet. When he crawled back under the covers and beside Sirius, he moved as close to him as he could, trying to get closer to the warmth of him. Sirius started, but did not wake, when he got into the bed. But when Remus’s cold feet touched against his legs, he shot up with a yelp.

“What the hell was that?� he yelled.

“My feet,� Remus answered, attempting to pull him back down onto the mattress.

“Your what?�

“My feet,� he repeated.

“You’re sure? Felt more like a ghost to me,� Sirius said, staring down at Remus, wide-eyed. “You’re cold as ice!�

“I am not,� Remus grumbled. “Lay back down.�

“Why don’t you put on some socks?�

“I don’t want to,� Remus said, flinging an arm over Sirius’s chest to keep him down. “Go back to sleep.�

“What were you doing out of bed?�

“I was thirsty,� Remus said flatly. “Lay–�

“At four in the morning?�

“Go to sleep Sirius,� Remus said sternly.

It was Sirius’s turn to grumble, but he wrapped his arms around Remus nonetheless, and in moments they were matching each other’s deep breathing.

Remus was back to sleep long before Sirius, a soft smile on his face, making him beautiful even his sleep. Sirius though, stayed awake, his fingers absently tracing Remus’s arm, making lazy circles as they lay together. Remus moved closer to him in his sleep and Sirius held him tighter, cradling him in his arms as he finally drifted off to sleep.

They awoke hours later, long after the sun had risen in the sky. There was noise on the street: children playing in the snow that had fallen two days ago, Muggles grumbling as they shoveled, calls of well-wishes from out of windows and across the street.

“Merry Christmas,� Remus said, blinking awake and stretching.

“Merry Christmas,� Sirius returned with a smile and a
kiss. “Presents?�

Remus laughed, shaking his head. “Ever the child, Sirius.�

“It’s Christmas!� he said loudly. “I can be a child for one day of the year, can’t I?�

“Isn’t that what you said Easter time?� Remus asked, laughing again. “And Halloween. As well as–�

Sirius waved this away with a hand. “Three days a year, then. So what? Let’s go open some presents!�

Remus allowed himself to be drawn from the bed, even letting Sirius put a pair of socks on his feet before they put on their dressing gowns and went down to visit their tree.

“Good haul this year, eh?� Sirius asked, sitting down on the floor beside it.

“I suppose,� Remus answered, sitting down in the armchair, pausing to take a sip from the steaming mug of coffee nestled between his hands. “Do you want to go first?�

Sirius grinned at him, and grabbed the nearest package to see that it had both their names on it. “Must be from James and Lily,� he informed Remus, tearing at the wrapping paper. He stared at the book he held in his hands. “Just James then,� he amended with a wolfish grin.

“What makes you say–?�

“Here,� he answered, passing it to Remus, who took one look at it and choked on his coffee, blushing crimson. He put the mug down on the table, coughing as Sirius
laughed. “There’s a card,� Sirius went on, his eyes passing over it. “Says he found it in a Muggle bookstore. Reckons we know everything in it already, but figured it was worth a shot.�

“Right,� Remus replied weakly.

“Here’s the one from the two of them,� Sirius said, still smiling as he pulled it out of the pile. “Want to do the honors?�

Remus took it, eyeing it warily. “I’m not sure,� he said as he slowly peeled the paper off. He sighed with relief when the two books revealed were harmless: one on motorcycle care for Sirius and another on Defense Against the Dark Arts for himself.

“Ah! I’ve been wanting one of these!� Sirius exclaimed when Remus passed it to him.

They made their way through the rest of the pile of presents in a similar fashion, taking turns unwrapping them until Sirius was nearly buried in wrapping paper and there were only two left. Remus joined him on the floor, clearing away the wrapping paper with a flick of his wand while Sirius pulled out a gift from behind the tree.

“Here’s yours. Merry Christmas, Moony,� he said, passing the package to him, an expectant look in his eyes.

Remus patiently removed the wrapping, lifting the cover of
his box to reveal a small, leather bound book. “Conversations with Myself,� he said, reading the cover. “A journal?�

Sirius nodded. “Do you like it?�

Remus nodded, flipping through the blank pages of the book.

“There’s a quote on the bottom of each page,� Sirius explained. “It’s called an Inspiration Muse Journal.�

He watched as Remus opened the book to a random page, his eyes passing over the quote on the bottom of the first page. “Oh,� he said quietly. “I like this one.�

“Which one?� Sirius asked, leaning forward.

“Here,� Remus said, passing the book over to him and pointing. “This one: ‘Love is the only thing that keeps me sane.’ Sue Townsend. Very true; it’s how I get through the transformations. You got this in a Muggle store, didn’t you?�

Sirius nodded, a happy flush of warmth filling him.

“Well, it’s perfect,� Remus said, leaning over the box the book had been in to kiss him. “Thank you.�

Sirius looked at him, his eyes shining expectantly.

Remus started to rise. “Want to make a snowman?�

Sirius blanched. “What?�

“A snowman,� Remus repeated. “The snow is perfect–�

“Remus!� Sirius wailed.

He laughed. “Alright. I was only joking.� Sirius scowled and Remus laughed again. “You stay here, I have to go get it.�

“Get it?�

“Yes, I couldn’t put it under the tree,� he said cryptically, leaving the living room.

Sirius stared at his retreating back before his own eyes fell to the journal. Absently, he began flipping through it. “I’m partial to this one,� he said, not looking up, when he heard Remus re-enter the room. “‘There’s nothing in the human heart or mind, no place no matter how twisted or secret, that can’t be endured–if you have someone else to share it with.� He looked up at Remus, ignoring the box in his hands for the moment. “And that’s why we’re going to survive the War.�

“Oh?� Remus said, sitting back down.

Sirius nodded. “Because we have each other. And Voldemort has no one.�

Remus nodded. “Well, we’ve got one more now.�

“We’ve–what?�

Remus passed him the large box. “Merry Christmas Padfoot.
To many more.�

Curious, Sirius took it, lifting the cover of the box to reveal a huge red bow tied around the neck of–

“A puppy!� he exclaimed with ecstatic shock.
“Merlin’s Beard–Remus–You–� He fell silent, speechless for the first time in his life.

“Lift him out,� Remus suggested, his own eyes beaming, and Sirius did, without really looking. He was nearly on the verge of tears; how had Remus known? He looked at Remus, filled with an overwhelming sense of thanks and love. It took a wet tongue exploring his face to wake him from his shock.

“Looks like you’ve got some competition,� Sirius said finally with a laugh, holding the tiny thing against his chest.

“Do you like him?�

“Like him?� Sirius asked in disbelief, before echoing Remus’s previous sentiment. “He’s perfect! What should I name him?�

“I was thinking,� Remus started shyly.

“Yes?�

“Well,� he said slowly, rubbing the puppy’s head and completely avoiding Sirius’s eyes, “that you might name him Romulus.�

“Who?� Sirius asked blankly as the puppy whined.

“In mythology,� Remus explained, “there were twin boys who were sent by their uncle to be drowned. Supposedly, an old she-wolf found them and...fed them until they were old enough to return home and overthrow him. One was named Romulus. The other was...Remus.�

Sirius broke into a grin again, understanding at once and then took a deep look into the puppy’s eyes. “Fancy the name Romulus?� he asked. The puppy licked his face again.
“Romulus it is, then,� Sirius decreed with a laugh. “What do you think?

Remus laughed at Sirius’s obvious pleasure. “He’s adorable,� he declared. “You know,� he added after a moment, “James if going to have a ball with this.�

“With what?� Sirius asked, breaking his eyes away from Romulus to look at Remus.

“The fact that we each have a puppy now, in our own fashions.�

Sirius laughed, rubbing his nose against his puppy’s small wet one.

Hours later, they finally got back into bed, knowing the Christmas had been well-spent. And as they began to drift off, the puppy curled up at the foot of the bed, there was only one thought in both Sirius and Remus’s minds: they were finally a family.


A/N: Hope the mention of socks now makes sense to those of you have read the other challenge fic "No One Can Save You From Yourself."
I also think that I used 'Conversations With Myself' as the title for the journal here and for the title of the book of poetry mentioned in the other fic, but what are you gonna do? Sue me? *sticks out tongue at picky readers*