Yeah, I know I said I wasn't going to update until I got to the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament. Well, to put it bluntly, I'm more stuck than a rat in honey and glue.

Bakura: why the hell would a rat be in honey? Or glue for that matter?

Bakura?

Bakura: what?

Shut up.

Review Replies:

Haosbattler: Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's taken so long. I said that I wasn't going to update until I got to the second task of the Triwizard Tournament in pre-written chapters. That's...not going so well so I decided that I might as well update. Thank you for your review.

god of all: Thank you. Thank you for your review.

Guest: Yes, it's being continued. It's just been...tough with Writer's Block for this story. Thank you for your review.

EndlessNight025: Yup. You do. Heehee. Did I respond to your review already? I don't seem to remember, which is why I'm just replying to all of them again here.

Shyannada141: Hello. I'm back. And thank you. (Takes 24 pies and hands out Christmas Gifts to everyone) Yes, I know they're late. Just accept them already.

Angel-of-Anime Mizumi: Sorry, Yuri, guess you're not getting your deck back.

Yuri: but she's had it for over nine months!

Well, she might be more willing to give it back since it has been that long. And, yeah, but it's amusing having Topaz and Sapphire act as matchmaker. And 50 powerful items? Umm, would that explain why Shun's insane? Happy late Holidays to you too and thank you for the sparkling cider, party poppers, snowball cookies and pointsettias and narcisscus. And, cool. Now I'm off to go revive Vector since he got blown to bits...again! Thanks for your review.

HiddenHero220: It actually happens in Chapter 48 so, yeah, it does happen before Chapter 50. Thank you for your review.

The next update will probably take a while to post but I'll try and take less than nine months this time. I make no promises but I will try. I hope you enjoy this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.

39

A Godfather's Gift

Hogsmeade

The weekend following the semifinals of the Duel Monster Club's Tournament came by quickly. It was cold outside and snow covered the ground as well as fell in flurries from the white sky above. Everyone was bundled up in thick jackets, their winter cloaks with scarves around their necks, each one colored to represent which House they were in. Jaden also had a Christmas present that he was planning on giving to Malfoy should he happen to run into him. If not, he would just have Artemis take it to him during the holiday break.

"So what are you going to be doing this holiday?" Hermione asked as the gang traveled through the swirling snow after the rest of the students who were in third year or above heading toward the little village that lay in the distance. Even though they couldn't exactly see the village that well, they knew it was there.

"Dad said that because Mom doesn't have anything planned this break, we can go home and Harry and I decided that we would," Jaden said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I mean it's better than remaining here with all these dang Dementors." He really hated them, and he hated how they make him feel and how he fainted whenever he was around them. He still didn't even understand what it was that he heard every time the Dementors got close to him.

"Can't blame you." Harry shivered. He hated hearing his mother's screams and crying and pleading right before she was murdered. "Besides, we usually spend Christmas with family and last year was a bit different."

"And, hey, when ya think about it, Harry might be safer at Yuki Manor in Japan than hear, from Sirius Black anyway," Jaden pointed out.

"You do have a point," Hermione said with a nod. "I doubt Sirius Black knows that you live in Japan."

"And if he does, he wouldn't be able to get into the country anyway," Jaden commented.

"Why not?" Alexis asked with a frown.

"Japanese Ministry Law," Jaden explained. "Dad told me a while ago that the Japanese Ministry pretty much declared martial law in the Japanese Wizarding World."

"Martial law?" Ron repeated puzzled.

"Basically speaking, Japan is on lockdown. No one can leave or enter the country unless they are first screened and approved or given permission from the Japanese Ministry themselves," Harry explained. "We, Alexis and Atticus were given permission to leave the country to attend Hogwarts."

"We were?" Alexis said surprised.

"No doubt when your parents were told you were magical and given the choice to attend Hogwarts, the Japanese Ministry gave you permission then," Harry said thoughtfully.

"And getting into the country is extremely hard," Jesse said. "When Dad and I went to Japan for Dad's business meeting back when I first met Jaden and Harry, we spent quite a bit of time proving to the Japanese Ministry that we weren't Death Eaters or supporters of Voldemort."

"But why?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"It was because the Death Eaters attacked when Jaden and I were six," Harry explained. "No one knows how they got into the Circle of Magic, which is like the Diagon Alley of Japan's Wizarding World by the way"—he added that for the benefit of those who didn't know—"but they harmed and killed quite a few people before they were stopped."

Jaden's mind went back to what happened at the Circle and he shivered at the memory, especially of Aunt Haruka's death and Harry being tortured and then Haou taking control.

Jesse glanced at him and then curled an arm around his shoulders comfortingly. Jaden found himself leaning against his best friend.

Atticus smirked at them.

"Shut up, Atticus," Jaden said.

"I didn't say anything," Atticus protested, still smirking, before he turned his attention to Harry. "So why didn't we know about any of this?"

Harry shrugged. "Probably 'cause only those in the Japanese Ministry, or with Ministry connections, know. Uncle Kaito only knows because of his position within the Ministry and his own connections," he said. "But yeah so Sirius Black probably won't be able to get into Japan because of this."

Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Well, let's stop talking about all of that. Let's go to Honeydukes," Ron said.

"I agree!" Atticus said brightly.

"Me too!" Jaden said, not about to let the Dementors or the talk about what happened in the Circle ruin his last Hogsmeade visit.

Jesse chuckled at Jaden's enthusiasm while Harry just shook his head in amusement. "I have no objections," the latter said.

"Then let's go," Atticus said brightly and jogged on ahead, only to slip on a patch of ice and fall into a snowdrift.

Alexis sweatdropped, Jaden, Ron, Jesse and Harry snickered while Hermione, rolling her eyes, held out a hand toward Atticus. "You okay?" she asked when the older brunette took her hand and pulled himself to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Atticus said, brushing off the snow from his jacket.

"You should pay attention where you're stepping though," Hermione cautioned.

Atticus rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, I know," he said.

. . .

Draco wandered around Hogsmeade, having just managed to slip away from his other...well, he wasn't entirely sure if he could call them his friends. Crabbe and Goyle were thick and loyal but they were more like bodyguards and the others were simply just allies. Draco really couldn't see them as friends.

He also wanted time to himself. He was thinking about his father's letter to him the day before, about how he was working with some committee or other to get Buckbeak, that hippogriff that scratched Draco close to the beginning of the year, executed for what he did. Back then, Draco wouldn't have minded if that happened, now, well, Draco supposed he had changed his mind.

The hippogriff was an interesting animal—not quite as interesting as dragons—and Draco reflected that it was his own fault that Buckbeak attacked him. He began to wonder exactly when it was that he started to see things in a new light. He shrugged and decided against worrying about it, at least for right now. For now, he would enjoy his last visit to Hogsmeade before the holidays.

Even if Hogsmeade was currently engulfed in a blizzard.

Hogsmeade was decorated to reflect the Christmas season that was coming up on them in a few weeks. The little thatched cottages and shops were covered in a thin layer of snow and there were holly wreaths and strings of candles hanging in the trees.

"That's the post office," Granger's voice sounded up ahead.

"Zonko's is up there," Weasley's voice called out.

"Why don't we visit the Shrieking Shack?" The older Rhodes suggested.

"Why not go to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer?" Weasley's voice called out again.

Draco briefly noted he was standing by the Three Broomsticks and decided that Weasley had the right idea; get out of the freezing wind and swirling snow and get himself a butterbeer while he was at it. He was getting rather thirsty.

He made his way into the Three Broomsticks and looked around for a vacant table, finding one near the back between a window and a Christmas tree that was perched next to the fireplace. Shrugging, Draco wandered over to Madame Rosmerta at the bar.

"What can I get for you?" Rosmerta asked.

"One butterbeer," Draco said.

Rosmerta nodded and filled one of the tankards with the hot butterbeer before handing it to him. He paid her and then wandered over to the vacant table at the other end of the pub. He sat down and sipped at his butterbeer. He really did enjoy it, even if it was rather sweet but it was very good.

The door opened again, letting in the cold air and swirling snow before Granger, the Rhodes siblings, Weasley, Anderson, Yuki and Potter-Yuki made their way into the pub, shaking snow out of their hair.

Draco scanned the area, hoping there would be another table vacant but, to his disappointment, there weren't. Well, maybe they'll just leave, he thought, sipping at his butterbeer and gazing out at the swirling snow beyond the window.

He really shouldn't have been that surprised when they didn't.

"Hey, Malfoy," Yuki said brightly, plopping into a seat next to Draco and causing him to choke on his drink because the other had startled him.

"Gah, Yuki, don't do that!" Draco exclaimed, wiping his mouth and glaring at the Gryffindor who was still smiling brightly at him.

"Sorry," Yuki said. "What're you doing here by yourself?"

"Hn, what's it to you?"

"Well, it's rare that I see ya without your Slytherin friends, except in the library," Yuki said with a shrug.

"Why are you here by yourself?" Draco retorted.

"I'm not. Jesse and Atticus are getting us butterbeer and Hermione, Alexis and Harry are trying to convince Ron to come over here," Yuki said. "I mean this is the only available table and I certainly don't wanna go back outside."

"Heh, can't blame you," Draco admitted grudgingly, narrowing his eyes. "But seriously? You would stoop to sitting with me of all people?"

"When you aren't surrounded by other Slytherins, you're an okay guy, Malfoy," Yuki replied.

"Hmph," Draco muttered. Wonderful, I'm gonna be surrounded by Gryffindors, he thought irritably, sipping at his butterbeer.

"You know I was here first, right?" he added petulantly.

Yuki blinked at him. "So?"

Before Draco could reply, Potter-Yuki's voice sounded. "Oh, c'mon, Ron. We're just gonna sit there to drink our butterbeer. That's it. It's not like we even have to talk to him or anything," he said.

"Oh fine," Weasley huffed. "But I'm not talking to him."

Potter-Yuki and the others wandered over to the table and Granger both made the table a bit larger with a simple spell and then summoned some more chairs. Everyone sat down, though, true to his word, Weasley didn't speak one word to Draco; he didn't even look at him, not that Draco minded at all.

Draco sipped at his butterbeer, returning his attention to the window, ignoring everyone that was seated around him who were accepting the butterbeers that the older Rhodes and Anderson were handing to them before they sat down and started sipping at the hot beverages. Perhaps if he ignored them, they would go away quicker.

Yuki had other plans.

"So, Malfoy, I got something for ya," Yuki said brightly.

Weasley coughed, nearly spilling his drink at that while Draco looked at Yuki with narrowed eyes.

"What kind of thing?" he asked.

Yuki handed the present that he had in his robes. "Don't open it 'till Christmas or, at least, the holidays," he said.

"Duh. Who opens Christmas presents early?" Draco sneered but he did take the present, noting it was wrapped in green and silver wrapping paper and was shaped like a rectangular box. He stuffed the present into his robes, wondering what it was that Yuki was giving him.

"Jaden tries too," Potter-Yuki mused, overcoming his surprise at the fact that Yuki was giving Draco a Christmas present.

Yuki pouted. "I almost got away with it last time if Dad hadn't walked in," he muttered.

Potter-Yuki rolled his eyes but he looked amused.

Quite a few people left in the next few minutes and, after a few minutes, the door to the Three Broomsticks opened again and Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick walked with a flurry of snowflakes, followed shortly by Hagrid and a very familiar person, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.

The teachers and the Minister didn't notice the eight students as they wandered over to one of the tables that had just been vacated nearby after they stopped briefly at the bar. They all sat down with their backs to the students and Rosmerta walked over to them, handing out their drinks.

"So what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" Rosmerta asked.

"What else, my dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?" Fudge said quietly, though it was loud enough for the group of students to hear.

"I did hear a rumor," Rosmerta admitted.

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" McGonagall asked exasperatedly.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" Rosmerta whispered.

"I'm sure of it," Fudge said shortly.

"You know that the Dementors have searched the whole village twice?" Rosmerta said; there was a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away. It's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do," Fudge said uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution, unfortunate, but there you are. I've just met some of 'em. They're in a fury against Dumbledore. He won't let them inside the castle grounds."

"I should think not," McGonagall said sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

"Here, here," Flitwick agreed.

"All the same, they are here to protect you all from something much worse. We all know what Black's capable of," Fudge said.

Yuki let out a quiet scoff and was promptly elbowed in the side by Anderson whom was seated beside him. Apparently, Yuki didn't believe those Dementors could protect anyone any more than Draco did, or anyone else for that matter considering the looks on the faces of the rest of Yuki's friends.

The teachers talked some more, revealing to Rosmerta that Sirius Black was the best man and the wedding of James and Lily and was Harry's godfather whom was also the one who betrayed them to the Dark Lord because he was their Secret Keeper when the Potters went into hiding beneath a Fidelius Charm.

"So Black betrayed them?" Rosmerta asked.

"He did indeed," Fudge said and went on to tell everyone about how Black had decided to declare his support openly to You-Know-Who and how he had run for it when Potter-Yuki had defeated him.

"Filthy stinking turncoat," Hagrid said loud enough to quiet half the pub.

"Shh!" McGonagall hissed.

"I met him!" Hagrid growled. "I must've been the last ter see him before he killed all them people. It was me that rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they were killed. Just got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead and his parents dead and Black turned up, on that flying motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred to me what he was doing there. I didn't know he'd been Lily and James's Secret Keeper. Thought he just heard the news of You-Know-Who's attack and come ter see what he could do. White and shakin' he was. And yeh know what I did. I comforted the murdering traitor!" Hagrid roared loudly.

They talked some more about Black, about what had happened twelve years earlier on the night You-Know-Who was defeated after the Potters were murdered. They also talked about what they thought would happen now that Black had escaped, about how he might return to You-Know-Who's side. Finally, they finished their drinks and McGonagall began speaking.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," she said.

One by one, the teachers stood up and left the pub.

There was silence in the group for a long moment.

"You know I'm kinda glad Uncle Kaito already told me about what happened with Black, but to hear what actually happened..." Potter-Yuki broke off and shuddered.

The younger Rhodes placed a comforting hand on Potter-Yuki's shoulder. "Well, it's not like he'll be able to get to you," she said.

"True."

Draco simply went back to sipping at his butterbeer. Sirius Black wasn't his problem after all.

. . .

Gryffindor Common Room

"So have a good holiday break, Hermione, Ron, Alexis, Atticus," Harry said the following day as he made his way into the common room of Gryffindor Tower. He had decided to leave most of his stuff in the tower for the main reason that there was really no point in taking everything since he was going home.

"You two, Harry," Hermione said.

"Are you going home for the holiday, Jesse?" Alexis asked, glancing at the bluenette who nodded.

"Yup, Dad's meeting me at King's Cross since we weren't able to spend Christmas together last year," Jesse replied.

"All right. We'll send out your gifts as soon as we can," Hermione said.

Ron nodded in agreement.

"You have a good break, Harry, Jaden, Jesse," Alexis said with a smile.

Harry smiled back at her.

. . .

King's Cross Station

Harry, Jaden and Jesse, once they left the train, headed toward the barrier almost immediately. Aunt Violet and Jesse's dad were going to meet them on the mundane side of the barrier. All around them were all the other students who were going home for the holidays milling around for their parents or going through the barrier.

"Wonder if Dad's friend is happy that his chip worked," Jaden mused.

"Probably is," Harry said. "Well, let's..." He broke off and frowned for he was sure he spotted a black dog sitting nearby, watching them. He blinked and the dog vanished. He shook his head. I must be seeing things, he thought.

"You okay, Harry?" Jesse asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. C'mon, let's go," Harry said and led the way through the barrier to the mundane side.

Violet and Nathan Anderson met them there.

"Hello Harry, Jaden," Nathan greeted them with a nod.

"Mr. Anderson," Harry and Jaden replied.

"Have a good Christmas Break, you too," Jesse said with a wave and a bright smile.

Jaden locked eyes with him for a moment and blushed. "You too, Jess," he said quietly.

Harry snickered.

Jaden elbowed him sharply in the side.

"Ow!"

Nathan glanced at Jesse. "I'm guessing he's the one..." he began.

"Dad!" Jesse protested before his dad could finish his statement, his cheeks red.

Nathan laughed. "Ah, young love," he said and Jesse's blush deepened as did Jaden's when he heard that. "C'mon, Jesse, let's go home."

Jesse nodded and followed his dad away from the barrier. Jaden watched him and then glared at Harry who was snickering. "Shut it, Mr. I'm-crushing-on-a-certain-blonde-girl," he retorted.

Harry blushed and then glared.

Violet sighed. "Boys," she said. "C'mon, let's get going."

Harry and Jaden nodded and followed Violet as she led the way to an area out of sight of the muggles. She then gently took their arms and activated the portkey she had brought with her that would transport them back to Japan.

. . .

Sirius recognized that blonde woman. He saw her at Lily and James's wedding so long ago; Violet Evans, Lily's other sister that she had only met when she was thirteen. They had been introduced briefly along with Violet's husband, a Japanese wizard by the name of Kaito Yuki.

Sirius rested his head on his paws. He was thankful that Harry wasn't at Hogwarts right now. It meant that he wouldn't be around that traitor rat Pettigrew. However, what about when he got back? Sirius knew he could get into the school but getting the rat and getting out was going to be the difficult part.

And then there was the fact that Sirius hadn't expected Harry to spot him. Thankfully, he had hidden behind a pillar as soon as he noticed his godson watching him and hoped that the boy would just think he was seeing things. Not that it would really matter. No one except Remus knew about Sirius's Animagus form; if he stayed like this then he should be able to continue to wander around without anyone noticing.

Getting Harry's gift hadn't been quite as hard as Sirius thought it would be. He had simply decided to order the gift through a catalogue he managed to snag while in his Animagus form while no one was watching. He had simply had it charged to his Gringotts account, knowing the goblins wouldn't question it. Now actually getting it to his godson was the tough part, especially since he knew that Violet lived in Japan.

I suppose I could send it by owl, he thought, getting to his paws and then padding away from the station.

. . .

Yuki Manor

Domino City, Japan

Violet woke up early Christmas morning and, yawning, made her way down the stairs and into the living room where she spotted an owl resting on the coffee table. She noted that Harry and Jaden weren't up yet and resolved to wake them up soon if they didn't wake up on their own. Knowing Jaden, he would be up any minute now.

After making herself a cup of hot tea, Violet sat down, picking up the letter that was resting on the coffee table before summoning the owl treats and handing the owl a treat. The owl hooted, grabbed the treat and flew off.

Violet smiled and, sipping at her tea, she put it down before opening the letter and reading it to herself, resting the tiny box that had come with it in the envelope.

Dear,

Merry Christmas. I am sorry I was unable to spend it with you like I wanted but this meeting was too important to put off. The others aren't too thrilled with this meeting happening on Christmas Day but they're dealing with it. It should end around three so I will be back in time for Christmas dinner.

I hope you like the gift I gave you, love, and I will see you at around three.

Love,

Kaito

Violet smiled and tapped her wand against the tiny box, murmuring the counter charm to cancel the shrinking charm and the box grew back to its normal size. She didn't open it yet though, waiting for her son and her nephew to join her.

She put it with the rest of the gifts and then frowned when she spotted a gift that she didn't remember being there the night before. There were gifts from all of Jaden's and Harry's friends but the long, thin crudely wrapped gift wasn't something that Violet remembered being there. She frowned and then waved her wand but the wards told her that no one had entered the house after everyone had gone to bed, except for an owl who had just dropped off the package and then left.

Hmm, well, if it was jinxed or cursed then it would never have made it past the wards, Violet thought, reaching over and reading the tag, noticing it was for Harry though the from portion of the tag was left open.

Well, it's not jinxed or cursed or anything like that but who could have sent it? She thought.

The sound of feet thudding on the steps came to her and she turned her head to find Harry and Jaden hurrying into the living room, the latter looking excited while the former still looked half-asleep and was rubbing his eyes.

"Morning Mom," Jaden said cheerfully.

"Good morning, Jaden," Violet replied. "Good morning, Harry."

"Morning," Harry said around a yawn.

"Can we open our presents now?" Jaden asked eagerly.

Violet chuckled. "After you look through your stockings" she said. "By the way, your father will be home around three this afternoon."

"So he'll be in time for Christmas dinner? Sweet," Jaden said, plopping down on the ground and immediately going through his stocking while Harry sat down and did the same.

Violet nodded and went back to drinking her tea while she waited for Jaden and Harry to finish looking through their stockings. Once they were done, Violet began handing out the other gifts.

Harry opened Alexis's first and pulled out a silver charm bracelet with charms shaped like a broom, a snitch, an open book and a sun already attached to it. He then picked up the note and read it to himself.

Dear Harry,

I hope that this gift isn't too girly. I just thought about how you could attach any charms that represent what you like the most and then just decided to go with it since I wasn't entirely sure what else to get for you. The charms I chose each represent something about you that you like; the sun represents your Deck since it's full of Light monsters and I thought it fit.

I hope that you like it. Merry Christmas.

Alexis

Harry smiled before glancing at the charm bracelet and then gently slipping it on his wrist. He did like it and didn't think it was girly at all and the charms did represent things that Harry liked and he knew he could always add more if he wanted.

"Who sent that to you?" Violet asked curiously, gesturing to the charm bracelet.

Harry blushed, turning the charm bracelet around his wrist a few times. "Alexis," he admitted quietly.

Jaden smirked at him.

"Shut it, Jay."

"I didn't even say anything," Jaden protested, picking up another one of his gifts and then opening it. He smiled when he noticed what was inside it. "Cool."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

Jaden pulled out two things from within the box, both attached to their own silver chain. The first was a keychain shaped like a mini-Yubel with her wings outstretched while the second was another keychain shaped like Winged Kuriboh.

"That is cool," Harry said. "I didn't think they made keychains that look like Yubel, considering I don't know who else has her card."

Jaden beamed as he examined the two keychains, knowing Harry was right. He was the only one who had Yubel's card. What do you think, Yubel? He thought.

Yubel, who was hovering in spirit form behind Jaden, glanced at him amused. 'I find it amusing that I've got my own mini-me,' she said.

Jaden chuckled, putting down both keychains and then picking up the letter that came with them.

Dear Jay,

I decided to keep up with the trend from the past year but, unfortunately, I couldn't decide which one to get you. I had decided to have someone make a keychain that resembled your favorite monster, because there are no keychains out there that resemble Yubel, but then I spotted the Winged Kuriboh keychain and decided to get that for you too. Hope you like them both. Have a Merry Christmas.

Jesse

Jaden smiled and glanced at the keychains. Both of them were very detailed and really did look like mini and flat versions of Yubel and Winged Kuriboh. How Jesse managed to get the keychain to resemble Yubel, Jaden didn't know but he figured his crush just had a very good memory.

This was really nice of him, to go out of his way to have a keychain shaped like Yubel made just for me, Jaden thought.

'Of course he would do it for you, Jaden. After all, he does like you,' Yubel said amused.

Well, of course he likes me, we're best friends, Jaden thought, though he did blush because he did know what Yubel actually meant by her words.

Yubel just shook her head in amusement but kept quiet. She knew that Jaden wasn't exactly ready to admit that he liked Jesse as more than a friend for a couple of reasons; he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Jesse, he didn't know for sure if Jesse felt the same way—though Yubel was positive he did—and he didn't want things to be awkward between them.

Yubel supposed it would take them some time to come to terms with their feelings for each other. The same thing had happened between her and Haou when they first started realizing their feelings for each other, even though they had grown up with each other and were best of friends, along with him.

Harry smirked. "Thinking about a certain blue-haired boy?" he teased.

Jaden's blush deepened and he glared at his brother. "You're thinking of a certain blonde girl," he retorted.

Harry blushed. "I am not," he protested.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Boys," Violet commanded and the two bickering brothers fell silent. "We've still got more gifts to open."

"Oh, yeah, we do," Jaden said, noticing there were still some gifts under the tree.

They got two more sweaters made for them by Mrs. Weasley with a Gryffindor lion knitted on the front along with a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake and a box of nut brittle.

Violet then handed Harry the final gift under the tree. Harry observed it with a frown; it was a long thin, package. "Who's this from?" he asked.

"I don't know," Violet said. "I checked the wards and I'm figuring the owl that arrived in the middle of the night had just been told to drop it off rather than give it to anyone. It addressed to you though. It's not jinxed or cursed or anything since it would never have gotten past the wards if it was. Go ahead and open it."

Harry nodded and ripped open the parcel, gasping when a magnificent gleaming broomstick rolled out of it. Harry recognized it in an instant; it was a Firebolt, the new broomstick that had just been released that Harry remembered seeing briefly in Diagon Alley. He scanned it, noting the golden registration number at the top of the handle as well as the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail.

"This...is amazing but so expensive! Who in Merlin's name paid for such a thing for me?" Harry said in wonder, trailing his hands along the smooth broom, emerald green eyes wide with surprise.

"I don't know but you can keep it. It was a gift," Violet said.

"It's too much though," Harry whispered.

"Whoever sent it must really like ya, Harry," Jaden said with a grin.

"Yeah but who sent it?" Harry said bewildered.

Violet was thinking that too and was just as bewildered by the gift, or rather by the anonymous sender, as Harry was.

. . .

Japanese Ministry of Magic

Tokyo, Japan

Kaito sighed and rubbed his temples as the people around him continued to talk. It was just after noon and they were still in their meeting, discussing matters concerning the martial law that the Japanese Ministry had imposed upon Japan's Wizarding World following the Death Eater attack in the Circle of Magic almost seven years ago. They were considering whether it was time to cancel the martial law, and the security measures that came with it, as it seemed to be interfering with negotiations between Japan and other countries due to how much work it took just to screen people to make sure they weren't Death Eaters or supporters of Voldemort, the British dark wizard, or any other dark wizard that might be on the rise. He was there because not only was he Japan's representative in the International Confederation of Wizards, he was also Minister Tanaka's advisor on important matters.

"It has been almost seven years. Surely that's enough time for this martial law to be kept in place for the Wizarding World," Lora Enoki, the Head of the Japanese Department of Magical Law Enforcement, said. "There has been no sign of any Death Eaters or any other dark wizards in those last seven years."

"Madame Enoki does have a point," Natalie Nakamura, Head of the Japanese Department of Magical and Mundane Technology, said. "There have been no signs. Those sensors that my department developed have been working very well since they were installed seven years ago. No one bearing the Dark Mark has set foot on Japanese soil." The sensors were one of the technological advancements that Nakamura's department had finalized in the months following the attack on the Circle of Magic. It worked by creating a grid-like ward around Japan that would alert both the JDMMT and the JDMLE of anyone bearing the dark mark arriving within a kilometer of the common apparition and portkey spots as well as public floo networks throughout Japan.

"No followers of that British dark lord Voldemort have stepped foot on Japanese soil but what about other dark wizards?" Kaito asked.

"We are still working on altering the sensors so that they can detect all dark wizards as well and we're almost done, Lord Yuki," Nakamura said. "But if there were dark wizards in Japan, don't you think we would have had some sort of sign by now, some mysterious deaths, missing people, that kind of thing?"

"She does have a point," Kimiko Tanaka, the Japanese Minister of Magic, said from the head of the table.

Quite a few other people started babbling about how they believed it would be safer to keep Japan under martial law.

"There could be other dark wizards out there."

"What if this Voldemort comes back?"

"Those Death Eaters could just be waiting for us to become lax and attack."

"The Boy-Who-Lived whom those Death Eaters and their lord are after does live in our country. That paints a target on our backs. We need to keep these security measures in place."

"We should never have let the Boy-Who-Lived into our country. That attack almost seven years ago would never have happened if it hadn't been for him."

Kaito had to intercede at that point, furious at those words. "He was but a six year old child when those Death Eaters attacked the Circle of Magic," he said coolly. "You dare condemn a six-year-old child for an event that was not his fault? The fault does not lay with him, the fault lies with those Death Eaters whose attack came without any warning. No one could have foreseen it and no one could have known those Death Eaters were there for my nephew. They were surprised when they saw him. I know. I was there. They simply did not let what they saw as an opportunity pass them by. That was something none of us could have predicted."

"Lord Yuki is right," Minister Tanaka said. "The boy was not to blame for what happened in the Circle almost seven years ago and to accuse an innocent child is shameful."

The person who spoke didn't respond and looked down.

"I do have a suggestion though, if you are willingly to listen," Kaito said.

"And what suggestion would that be, Lord Yuki?" Madame Enoki asked.

Kaito leaned back in his seat, calmly examining the group seated around him. "We keep most of the security measures in place, such as the screening for people who wish to enter our country, but we cancel the martial law for our people," he said calmly.

"In other words," Nakamura said, looking thoughtful. "We let all the other countries think we are still under martial law."

Kaito nodded. "I also think that we should make it known that we will not tolerate Death Eaters or anyone supporting the dark wizard Voldemort on Japanese soil," he said.

"A good idea but Voldemort is dead," Tanaka said.

"As far as we know, he is," Kaito agreed. "But his followers are still around, as is evident by the attack on the Circle."

"True. What does everyone have to say about that?"

There was a general murmur of agreement from everyone else.

"Then we will do that. I will make the announcement and have it put into the Daylight Times," Tanaka said. "Now is there anything else that should be brought to my attention?"

Kaito noticed no one had anything and so Tanaka nodded. "Very well, then this meeting is adjourned," she said.

Kaito stood up along with everyone else and bowed before starting to leave the room after everyone.

"Lord Yuki, stay a moment," Tanaka said.

Kaito paused and then turned to face the Minister while everyone else filed out. Once they were alone in the conference room, Tanaka stood up. "What is it, Minister?" Kaito asked.

"You asked me a few months ago about Sirius Black, remember?" Tanaka said.

"Yes. I was simply hoping for some information about him beyond what I already knew. I mean, he is my nephew's godfather and I wanted to know what I could about him to better protect Harry," Kaito said.

"I know there is another reason for your curiosity, Kaito," Tanaka said with a small smile. "You never do anything like this without an ulterior motive, especially when you know that your nephew is safe both at Hogwarts and here."

Kaito gave Tanaka a rueful smile. "I suppose it is mostly because there is no evidence linking Sirius Black to the deaths of those twelve mundanes twelve years ago or even the betrayal of the Potters," he said. "He admitted to it, yes, but what other evidence is there? For example, what motivated him to do this when I know, from Lily's letters, that Sirius was a very good friend of James? Why would he betray him? Also, did he even kill those mundanes? What was the last spell used from his wand?"

"I get it, Kaito," Tanaka said amused. "You have always been one to question everything like this. Childish though you can be at times..."

Kaito sputtered out a protest to that. He was not childish!

"...I know you well enough to know that you won't believe something is true unless there is hardcore evidence to prove that it is," Tanaka said. "I spoke with the British Ministry of Magic about this matter a few weeks ago and then with Madame Bones, Head of the British Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and came across something rather interesting."

"What?" Kaito asked.

"Sirius Black was never given a trial."

"What?!"

Tanaka nodded. "Yes. He was sentenced almost immediately to Azkaban because of his confession at the scene of the crime and because he was the Potters' Secret Keeper," she said.

"But if he was never given a trial, how do they know that for sure? And how do they know he was responsible for what happened to those mundanes?" Kaito said bewildered.

Tanaka shook her head. "I do not know. That's all they were able to tell me," she said.

Kaito nodded, his mind working cogs in his head. If Sirius Black wasn't given a trial then...

"You should go home. You look tired and it is Christmas. Go spend the rest of the day with your family, Kaito," Tanaka said with a small smile.

"Yes, I think I will. Thank you, Minister Tanaka. Good day," Kaito said, bowing before he turned and left the conference room, his mind still on what he just learned from the Minister. Though he knew that the Minister would never lie to him, he resolved to confirm what she just said as the truth...

Later.

It was Christmas and he did tell his wife that he would be back around three.

Guess I'm going to be a bit earlier than expected, Kaito mused, glancing at the clock that showed it was only a little after two, before he apparated out of the Japanese Ministry of Magic.

. . .

Malfoy Manor

Christmas morning dawned cloudy with snow falling from the white sky above. Draco was lying in his bed, gazing up at the ceiling and debating whether to get out of bed now or not. He had decided to come home for the Christmas holidays because he didn't want to be the only Slytherin who stayed behind. His mother was home at the moment but his father, he knew, was already at work, working on trying to get Buckbeak executed.

A knock sounded on his door. "Draco?" his mother, Narcissa, called.

"Come in," Draco called, sitting up and Narcissa walked into the room. Though in her mid-thirties, Narcissa was still a very beautiful and elegant lady; she was tall with long blonde hair that fell just over her shoulder and bright blue eyes set in a heart-shaped face. She was already dressed for the day, unlike Draco who was still in his pajamas.

"You're usually up by now, Dragon. Are you okay?" Narcissa asked, walking over to sit on the bed next to Draco.

"Fine," Draco said. "Where's Father?"

"He already left for work. He left your gift with me if you want to open it now," Narcissa said.

Draco nodded.

"Your other friends also sent you gifts already," his mother added as she called for one of the house elves to go get Draco's gifts. When the house elf returned with the gifts, Draco remembered the one that Yuki had given him and thought about opening it or not. He decided that he may as well; it was Christmas after all.

"There's one in my trunk too," Draco said, climbing out of his bed and walking over to the trunk he had brought with him. He pulled it out and returned to his spot on the bed as Narcissa raised an elegant eyebrow.

"Normally your friends send you your gifts by owl," she said.

Draco shrugged and placed Yuki's gift with the rest before he picked up the other gifts and started opening them, thanking his mother for her gift. After he finished opening up all of the other gifts, he found himself studying Yuki's.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Narcissa asked.

Draco nodded and removed the wrapping paper around the gift. It was revealed to be a starter deck of Duel Monster cards along with a few smaller packs. He observed the gifts before opening up the box containing the starter deck while Narcissa observed the cards with a frown.

"These look like muggle cards," she said with a wrinkle of her nose.

"Well, there's this game that was introduced to everyone at Hogwarts last year," Draco admitted, pulling out the deck and looking through the cards. "It's a muggle card game but it is a rather unique strategy kind of game."

"You sound like you like this game."

Draco shifted uncomfortably but finally just decided to admit it. Yuki already knew, Anderson probably already knew too since Draco was sure Yuki told Anderson everything—if those two didn't get together, Draco would eat his History of Magic textbook—and he knew that his mother would support him.

"I do," he admitted. "I've seen it played using something muggles call holograms and it basically makes the game come to life. It also has magical roots from Ancient Egypt too."

"Magical roots?"

"Yeah. I've been reading up on it and, while the game played nowadays is nothing like the game played over three-thousand years ago, it is still rather...interesting," Draco admitted, looking down and studying the cards from the starter deck as well as the booster packs, noting that there were a lot of different kind of dragons in the deck; Strong Wind Dragon, Vice Dragon, Blizzard Dragon, Alexandrite Dragon along with various green and red cards that Draco knew, from the rulebook and pamphlet, were Spell and Trap cards.

"They don't move," Narcissa noted, picking up one of the cards and studying it.

"Yeah but if they're played on these things called...duel disks, I think, then they can move," Draco said, recalling the duels he had seen over the course of the last term.

His mother handed him the card back. "If you like this game, Dragon, then that's fine with me. Though I do not think it would be a good idea for your father to find out about this. You know how anti-muggle he is," she said.

"I know, Mother," Draco said, gathering his cards together and returning them to the box as well as the packs they came from.

Narcissa gave him a rare smile before she stood up. "Come on. It's time for breakfast. Tippy should be finished with it by now," she said.

Draco nodded and, after he returned the starter deck and packs to his trunk, followed his mother out of the room.

. . .

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: short author's note this time

Bakura: che, I doubt it

Blaze: oh shut up. Anyway, like I said in the beginning note, I will try to take less than nine months to post the next chapter but I really make no promises. I'm still good on pre-written chapters before I run out but I can't seem to figure out how to continue the story so, for now, updates are going to be slow (but will be faster than nine months between each update)

Bakura: bullshit

Blaze: shut up, Bakura. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.