“Night, sir.� A couple of the department juniors gave Harry a quick wave as they passed his office. “Merry Christmas,� they added before heading for the lift. They would no doubt be joining the rest of the young Aurors in the Leakey Cauldron for a Christmas Eve drink.

Harry gave a brief nod to acknowledge their greeting, but didn’t lift his eyes from the report he was reading. It was complicated, and he needed to be done with it before he could leave.

He glanced at the clock on the wall of his office. It was half six.

“Shit,� he muttered quietly. He was supposed to have been at Andromeda’s over two hours ago. He had been aware of the time, of course, but he kept telling himself that he only needed five more minutes and he would be done. And the five minutes had just kept building up until here he was, still in the office, at half past six on Christmas Eve.

“Ron?� he shouted into the next office, in the hope that his friend was also still at work. After a couple of minutes, however, it was clear that he was no longer there. Ron had obviously realised that it was more important to get home to Hermione and the children than to stay doing stupid paperwork.

He flicked to the end of the report. Ten more pages – did he have time to finish? It would only take another twenty minutes at most. He quickly shook his head – he was being ridiculous – he knew he had already spent too long in the office as it was and yet he still couldn’t bring himself to leave. Teddy had been waiting long enough for him to come over, and Christmas Eve was one of the few evenings they got to spend together – sort of. The last few years hadn’t been all that successful. When Teddy was young, Harry had been there at ten in the morning, and had spent the whole day with him, not returning him to Andromeda until late in the evening. As the years had gone on, and Harry had risen through the ranks of the Auror department, their Christmas Eves together had got gradually shorter, and once or twice had even been cancelled altogether. Teddy never said anything, but each year, Andromeda’s frown seemed to get deeper when Harry called to push back the time he would be there. This year, the time had run away from him so quickly that he hadn’t even had a moment to call and say he would be late. He would have to do something extra special to make up for it.

Finally deciding to call it a day, Harry dropped the report back on his desk. He wrapped himself up in his thick winter cloak and took a quick tour of the department to check that everything was as it should be. Most of the staff had gone home, except for the few who were on call that evening, and had to be around in case of emergency. He stopped for a quick chat with some of them, wishing them a quiet night, and a merry Christmas for the next day. When he was finally satisfied that everything was sorted, he made his way to the Atrium, where he Disapparated.

He had never been quite so strongly reminded of Andromeda’s late sister than when the woman opened the front door with a stony look on her face.

“Oh. Hello, Harry.�

“Uh, hi, is Teddy in?�

She didn’t answer directly. “We were expecting you at four. At least, that’s what you said last time we spoke. I thought you might have sent an owl, but if you did, it didn’t reach us.�

Harry attempted to draw himself up to his full height. He was feeling more like an eleven-year-old being told off for sneaking around after hours, than the highly respected Head of the Auror department with at least thirty men under his command.

“I am so sorry, Andromeda. I got carried away at work. You know what it’s like.�

“You know, I’m not sure I do. When you didn’t arrive, I Floo’d Hermione Weasley to see if she knew what was keeping you at the office, since I assumed whatever it was was important enough to have kept Ron too, but he was already home. He left the office at two apparently, because it was so quiet. He said you were doing paperwork when he left. As much as I don’t want to wish harm on anyone, I sincerely hope that there was some emergency that suddenly came up to keep you there. Because, if you stayed at the office until seven o’clock on Christmas Eve, just to do paperwork, while your fifteen-year-old godson sat at home waiting for the one day a year he gets to spend with you alone, then I don’t know what I’ll do.�

Harry said nothing. Being confronted by the reality of the situation made him feel sick. It was true – he had abandoned Teddy just for the sake of some paperwork.

“I’d really like to see him so I can apologise properly.�

“Well, he’s not here. Victoire came over at five, and he went out for dinner with her and her parents. He wanted to stay of course, because it seems that no matter what you do, he always has faith that you’ll turn up in the end, but I insisted. I was not about to let him sit around waiting for you, only to be disappointed again.�

“Maybe I could see him on Boxing Day? I don’t think we have any plans. I’ll take him out, and make it up to him – I promise.�

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Harry. He’s been hurt by them too many times. And yes, you’re welcome to come on Boxing Day, but I’m not going to let him get his hopes up, and I’m not actually going to expect you to turn up, because honestly, Harry, I don’t think either of us can rely on you anymore.�

This felt like a punch to Harry’s stomach. How could he have failed so badly as a godfather? He remembered back to the first time he had held the baby in his arms, just hours after the battle, and how then, he had promised to give Teddy the family he had never had. And now, fifteen years later, he had failed.

“This might not be my place to tell you, Harry,� continued Andromeda, “but you need to sort yourself out.� Her voice softened slightly. “You won’t be around forever, and you’ll only get to experience these things once, so don’t take them for granted. The rest of the world has taken enough from you – it’s time you started concentrating on what’s really important. And if you decide that your job is more important that your family, then that’s up to you, but you have to make that choice, because right now, you’re trying to do both, and all that’s happening is that people are getting hurt.�

“I will tell Teddy you came, and I will tell him he can expect to see you on the twenty-sixth. But this is your last chance, Harry. If you let him down again, I’m not sure you’ll get another opportunity to make it up to him. Now, it’s late enough as it is. So why don’t you get home to your family? I’m sure they miss you even more than we do.�

Harry simply nodded. He did not want to admit that he was almost crying. He couldn’t believe how close he had come to ruining everything.

Not feeling quite stable enough to Apparate just yet, Harry walked a few streets to clear his head. Was Andromeda right? Was he really sacrificing his family for the sake of his job? All his life, he had wanted a family, so it seemed ridiculous that now he finally had one to call his own, he was pushing them away.

He had always prided himself on being a good father. When the children were babies, he had spent a great deal of time with them, even reducing his hours to part time after James was born, so that Ginny could continue flying. Thinking back to the last couple of years, however, he could hardly remember seeing them. They almost always seemed to be in bed by the time he got home and though he did his best at the weekends, there always seemed to be something that he ‘had’ to do.

And then there was Ginny. He loved her, of course he did, but they hadn’t been on a date together in years. They hadn’t had sex in at least a month, with one or the other always feeling too tired by the time they got to bed. Harry knew she hated how much he worked, but she would never say anything. Occasionally, he would catch her frowning when he made excuses to the kids about not being able to join their Quidditch Match, but aside from the odd comment about his late hours, she said nothing. She just continued to wait, as she had always done, for him to be ready to give her his time. He wondered how much longer she would give him.

When had everything changed? When had work become more important than his family? He honestly couldn’t remember. But somewhere along the line, his priorities had shifted, and he wasn’t altogether sure he liked where he had ended up. Yet, he continued to bury his head in the sand, immersing himself in even more work, and convincing himself that he was needed there, and that he couldn’t possibly reduce his hours when the whole department were relying on him. He knew it was a lie. There were plenty of people who would be more than happy to take away some of his workload. Ron managed to balance work and family, so why couldn’t he? Perhaps he had needed Andromeda to open his eyes to exactly what he was doing, and make him realise the damage he was causing before it was too late.

He was so used to focusing on just one thing in life that he wasn’t used to trying to find a normal balance. Until he was eighteen, his whole purpose in life had been to defeat Voldemort. Perhaps, work had replaced that goal, and now all his energy and determination were being put into that area of his life. But maybe he had made the wrong choice, and what he thought was important, was actually not, and didn’t really need his attention at all.

After thirty minutes of walking, his head began to clear, and he at last felt able to Apparate home without splinching. He felt strangely lighter, as if he had finally discovered the answer to a question that had been puzzling him for so long. And he instinctively knew what he was going to do about it.

Everyone was still up when he got home. Normal bedtime rules did not apply on Christmas Eve, so even Lily, who would usually be tucked up in bed by now, was cuddled up by fire, sucking her thumb and listening to the story Ginny was reading.

None of them noticed Harry at first, and he just stood watching the scene. He missed this. He hated that it had taken so long for him to realise that.

After only a minute, Albus turned his head and caught sight of his father.

“Daddy!� he yelled, jumping from the sofa and running to hug him.

Ginny looked up and smiled. “You’re home early. We thought you might spend longer with Teddy, so we started our story without you. Is everything all right?� she asked with a frown. “You don’t look very well.�

He gave her a quick kiss. “Everything is fine. I’ll explain later. Now, how about we get on with this story?�

Lily came over to sit in his lap, and between them, Harry and Ginny finished the children’s Christmas book they had been reading. Afterwards, the children begged to be told stories of their parents Christmases when they had been younger, and even though they had been told a million times before, they still listened excitedly as Harry described his first Christmas at Hogwarts, with trees that were twice the size of Hagrid, and a feast that would satisfy even James’ appetite. He told them about the Invisibility cloak and the adventures he had using it with Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron. Meanwhile, Ginny explained how when she was young, she and her brothers used to get up hours before her parents to open their presents, but then would wrap them all up again before Grandma and Grandpa had come downstairs so that they wouldn’t be caught.

“But once, they did hear us, and Grandma Molly got very angry, and insisted that none of us would be getting any presents that year since we had ruined the surprise. She donated them to St Mungo’s. So don’t think you’ll get away with trying it,� she finished, giving James, who was already eyeing up the parcels under the tree, a warning look.

James, who had heard this warning a hundred times before, simply grinned.

“Okay,� said Harry, standing up and yawning. “I think it’s bed time.� Lily had fallen asleep in his lap long before and Albus didn’t look far behind.

“Aw, but, Dad, it’s Christmas!�

“It’s nearly midnight, which means Father Christmas will be coming soon, and he won’t leave you any presents if he comes here while you’re still awake.�

“Hmph,� James muttered, but Harry would not be persuaded. “Go on, you two, upstairs and clean your teeth. I’ll put Lily to bed and then I’m coming to check on you, and I expect to find you both already tucked up and ready to sleep.

Half an hour later, all three children were in bed and there was quiet across the house. Harry went out into the garage and dragged in the bags of presents that had been gathering there for the past month. Together, he and Ginny distributed them among the stockings and under the tree.

“I miss this,� Harry said while they worked. Until tonight, he had forgotten how much he loved to spend time with his children. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here enough recently. I’m going to change that.�

Ginny smiled but did not seem convinced. “I understand,� she said, “but please don’t make promises you can’t keep. I know your job means everything to you, but just make sure you don’t forget us.�

“I could never, and I promise that no matter what I have said in the past, this time is going to be different.�

***

The next morning passed in a flurry of wrapping paper and excited shouting as the children exclaimed over what Father Christmas had brought them. Eventually, the five of them sat down for lunch. With almost all the Weasley siblings having children of their own, there were too many of them to spend Christmas together comfortably, so they had decided a few years ago to begin celebrating separately, and save the big family gathering for New Year. Molly and Arthur took it in turns to spend Christmas with each of their children, and had gone to Ron and Hermione’s this year.

Before the food was served, Harry stood up and cleared his throat.

“I have an announcement,� he said to the children.

“More presents!� shouted Albus.

“I want food!� replied James.

“We’ll have food in just a minute, but I want to tell you something first. Last night, Mummy and I had a long talk, and we’ve decided that I am going to stop going to work for a while, so that I can be at home with you more often, and Mummy can have more time to work for the newspaper without you lot running her ragged.�

“So, you’ll be home to read us a story more often?� Lily asked,

“Absolutely. I want to spend as much time as possible with you before the three of you start at Hogwarts.�

He looked over at Ginny who was beaming. He had told her of her decision last night, and she had completely agreed with him. They had enough savings to get them by for a while, and she earned a decent amount for her writing. Once Lily was at Hogwarts, perhaps Harry would be able to return to the job he loved, but for now, he knew that his focus had to be on his family, and if he couldn’t balance his time, then he was going to do whatever necessary to make sure they took priority.

There was just one person left with whom he needed to make things right.

***

At ten o’clock sharp on the twenty-sixth of December, Harry knocked on the door to Andromeda and Teddy’s house. This time, it was his godson who answered the door. “Harry!� he exclaimed when he saw him. “Gran said you might be coming.�

“I thought I might take you out, if you’d like?�

“Of course. Let me just go and get my coat.�

Harry stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him.

“You came then,� Andromeda commented, emerging from the kitchen. “I wasn’t sure you would, even after everything you said.�

“I’m not going to mess up this time,� Harry replied. “I know I haven’t done a very good job of things recently, but I’m trying to fix that, and this time everything is really going to be different.�

Teddy came bounding back down the stairs, wrapped in his coat and scarf.

“See you later, Gran,� he said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. “Now,� he continued, turning to Harry, “where are we going?�

Harry laughed. “Have a bit of patience. I thought I might take you out for breakfast, and then we could pop to Diagon Alley and see if there is anything you would like for your Christmas present. Ginny and I got you something already, of course, but I thought you might like to pick something else just from me.�

He held out his arm. Teddy grabbed it tightly and Harry turned sharply on the spot. A few seconds later they reappeared in a London side-street, close to the Thames.

They wandered down the riverbank for a while, catching up on everything that was new since the last time they had spoken. Harry listened to a couple of rants about teachers and fellow pupils at Hogwarts, but also had to laugh as Teddy shared some of the antics of his friends in their lessons.

It was chilly, but there were plenty of other families out for early morning strolls, enjoying the rare day off from the usual hustle and bustle of the city.

Eventually, they stopped at a Muggle café for breakfast.

“I wanted to talk to you about something,� Harry told him, after the food had been ordered. “I haven’t been a very good godfather to you over the past few years.�

Teddy began to argue but Harry held up his hand to stop him. “It’s true. And you might be too young at the moment to understand just how much I’ve let you down. But your gran isn’t, and she said some things to make me think.�

He briefly explained his plans to give up working for the Ministry.

“It’s not fair that I only spend proper time with you one day a year, Teddy. I took on certain responsibilities when I agreed to become your godfather and I want to take those seriously, so from now on, I’m going to do my absolute best to be there more often for you.�

“But won’t you miss your job? You love it there.�

Harry took a moment to think before answering this question. He was going to miss his work – he couldn’t possibly deny that. He really enjoyed what he did and he felt that it was the job he had been born to have. Was it really going to be so easy to give all that up? He looked into Teddy’s deep brown eyes and tried to think of a way to answer.

“I will,� he said at last, “but not as much as I miss you when I’m there. And if I can’t do both, then I’m going to pick the one that matters most.�

And as he spoke those words, he knew it was going to be the most difficult, but the best decision he had ever made.