It was like walking into a live version of his nightmare.

For a second all he saw was the bespeckled messy haired boy enthusiastically snogging the petite redhead.

It did not register that it wasn't her. That she was dead. That there was no way she could be here.

All he saw was Potter's hands twining through the bright red strands eerily mirroring his fathers.

So maybe he over reacted a bit. Just a little.

He must have made some kind of noise because they surfaced and gave him equally mortified looks.

It was Weasley's large brown eyes that did it the most. They were what calmed him down enough to stay away from the idea of just Avada Kadavra Potter.

Because she had green eyes. It wasn't her.

So he gave them detention and sent them scurrying off towards the Great Hall for lunch.

He found it weird that even though it wasn't actually them, it still brought the sharp pain that radiated through his chest as it had done nearly 20 years ago.

Damn ghosts of the past.

----------------------------------

Remus gave a kind of startled choke. He blinked a couple of times and waved off a concerned Mrs. Weasley.

He watched Harry discreetly over his Christmas pudding. There. Every few seconds his eyes would flicker back to the youngest Weasley who was talking earnestly to Bill.

He would have thought it rather humorous , Harry having girl trouble in the mist of the impending war, but sadness seemed the more appropriate emotion.

He had seen another such Potter, one who wore glasses and had messy black hair, look at another red head in such a fashion all those years ago.

It was like dunking into the past.

James glancing over to look at Lily when he thought she wasn't watching. They had the same look in their eyes.

A lump formed in Remus' throat.

The ghosts of the past haunted his Christmas.

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Arthur Weasley smiled slightly.

He had been watching Harry and Ron play chess- Ron was decimating Harry- when Ginny had plopped down beside them. Since her arrival some 3 minutes ago Harry had lost two of his knights, his queen and a bishop.

He was now glaring intensely at the board. Ginny frowned as well. She leaned over Harry's shoulder to look at the pieces.

Ginny nor Ron noticed, but Harry's gaze had flitted over from the game and was know staring at his daughters hair.

"Maybe try this move" Ginny was suggesting biting her lip in concentration.

"Hey that's cheating don't help him" Ron protested

"Err....um yeah..." Harry had mumbled, his mind now clearly not on the game.

Arthur hid a grin that threatened to split his face open. A faded memory surfaced in his mind. Ron had just been born, and he was patrolling the halls of St. Mungos.

He had bumped into a young couple coming out of examination. The man had apologized but it had been obvious his mind was somewhere else. James Potter had looked elated and entranced his arm snug around his very pregnant wife.

Arthur had shook off the apology and watched them walk down the hall. The man, James, had seemed to enfold the petite redhead into his arms as they walked.

Arthur gave himself a little shake.

Ghosts seemed to inhabit the air around them.