There were no plans for a 'night away' like the previous year, and if there had been they had undoubtedly been canceled. Instead, Lily and James double check all the doors and windows after the trio arrives home.
"No impromptu trips out of the house." Lily began as the group sat down for dinner, "This includes flying, going to a friend's house, or even a breath of fresh air."
Amaryllis in particular appeared distressed by the rules, but a glare from her father stopped any verbal arguments. "We're serious. No more joking around or taking this lightly. No more foolhardy running into danger or risking your safety. Period. Do you three understand?"
The two girls nod in silence at James' declaration while Harry stared back before answering. "I understand."
Lily breathed a sigh of relief, the tension noticeably lessening, "Good, because we would like a nice quiet dinner and then a peaceful evening with our children."
"What about the rest of the week? Are we still going to see Aunt Silvie, Uncle Sirius, and Marie?"
The two adults exchanged looks, James with a little more pleading in his while Lily's was far more hesitant. "Personally," she began, "I think Sirius brings his own sort of danger into the world… but we will not be avoiding family. Precautions will be taken but we know how much you love seeing them."
And like that any remaining floating anxieties disperse for the remainder of the evening.
****
Despite everything, Christmas morning still held a feeling of joy and relaxation. Lily and James exchanged packages with each other, matching heated bathrobes, while Harriet received several boxes of books and clothing. Harry received much the same, along with a book on the Potter family history, and was expecting something similar for Amaryllis when James retrieved a very broom-shaped object from a nearby closet.
The younger wizard could already see the outrage in his mother's eyes, along with the excitement in his sister's when she tore into the brightly wrapped paper to reveal... a very impressively sorted and shaped assortment of books concerning classes at Hogwarts and the careers they would lead to later in life.
Their father merely grinned, "What, were you expecting something else?"
"That isn't funny!" The young redhead sputtered, earning a giggle from her own sister and a snort of laughter from her mother.
Harry himself merely grinned, "I think some things will never change no matter what universe."
****
It wasn't exactly a surprise, after all by that point he was almost expecting a 'mysterious package' to arrive Christmas night from the crazed Malfoy.
What he hadn't expected to find was three owls waiting in his room, each with a single envelope clutched tightly while eyeing the others up as if they were going to get into a fight.
Weird
Were they from Luna or Ginny? Usually, they waited until there was an opportunity to meet up so they could give something in person but with everything that had happened perhaps this was a compromise.
Worriedly enough he could recognize the bird belonging to his stalker and set that one's object aside before watching it depart, not without giving a glare to the other two.
Another quickly dropped an envelope before taking off as well, the remaining left its cargo and swooped out to follow.
Idly, he considered getting the creepiest over with first, but at that point he wasn't sure if he had somehow acquired two new stalkers as well.
Each envelope was addressed to him and thus, with a deep inhale and exhale to calm his nerves, opened the first unknown.
Dear Harry,
I hope you had as good of a time as I did on our outing. Although it was short it remains one of my most pleasant memories.
I have taken your suggestions to heart and have been branching out my reading into subjects that may interest me, including Quidditch. My mother does not know yet, but I have yet to find the words to tell her and possibly earn myself a summer of reading books on business and politics.
As memory serves, you often attend a holiday gathering under escort. Perhaps we could meet and have another encounter there?
If you find yourself with free time before such time, I would enjoy continuing writing back and forth, if you are agreeable to this.
-Sincerely,
Cleopatra Malfoy
He stared at the signature on the bottom before rereading the rest again then a third time.
What!?
It was weird enough having one Malfoy write to him, now the other was? Maybe it was just some 'old family' thing where a girl was supposed to write to a boy after a date. Maybe it wasn't weird, maybe he was reading too much into it, maybe all Malfoy's were obsessive creeps who decided to write him weirdly romantic borderline obsessive letters.
Hesitantly, he glanced at the other letter he hadn't identified. If it was from Narcissa or Lucius, confessing their undying love for him, he was going to move to a different continent.
"Okay, okay Harry this is fine, she's just a bit over the top. It'll be fine, just take it slow and move on." He whispered softly to himself before placing the first of the letters down and moving onto the next. "Maybe this one won't be creepy. Maybe this one will be full of coupons and a gift certificate everything will be normal again, yeah that's it."
The young wizard didn't believe himself for a moment, before swallowing down any remaining uncertainty before opening the next.
Harry,
We may have had a rough start to our relationship, but I believe recent events have cleared up much of the confusion on both sides. Even as I write to you, I have begun planning my case to my mother regarding a future together.
The Black family has never allowed its heiress to marry before, but a hundred years ago wizards were not allowed to attend Hogwarts for a formal education.
Times and traditions change, and we must change with them or be swept away in the tide.
I hope you will begin considering your own future as well and take my intentions seriously. I will prove that any other course of action will pale in comparison to what I can offer you.
-Delphini Black
____________________
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