The Festive Season [Remus, Pandora, Hunter, Tonks Only]

Lupin had left number 12 to get some time to rest and relax. He wanted to spend sometime at the Gryffindor mansion with Pandora. He had brought some presents a few days before and it was a perfect time to deliver them, he just hoped they didn't mind him coming short notice.

The snow was coming down thicker and the paths and roads in Godrics Hollow were covered in a blanket of snow. He looked up and could see though a gap in the clouds, the moon nearly full. Lupin sighed and pressed on wanting to get out of the bitterness of the night and to somewhere warm and hopefully welcoming.

He walked through the gates and closed them behind himself before walking down the drive to the large front door. He placed the gifts down on the door step and knocked on the door hoping someone was in.

Pandora looked up from the pumpkin spice cake she was preparing for the holidays. Cookie sheets and baking pans were spread out on the counters in the kitchen. A plate of ginger bread men on the table.

She walked to the front door greeting Remus with a hug and a kiss. "Come in Remus, she said as she turned motioning for him to follow her.

"I have been baking..I just love the smell of christmas baking. Hope you have a sweet tooth", she laughed lightly.

"Tonks coming by later", she asked as they made their way down the hall?

"Good evening Pandora." he as she opened the door to let him in. He picked up the presents and came inside, not wanting the cold to get into her home.

"I love the smell of it too, hope you don't mind me coming, just wanted to get away and to somewhere more relaxing and stressless.." He placed the gifts by the door and removed his cloak, placing it up the hook of the cloak stand.

"Smells wonderful, and you know me Pandora, I have a very sweet tooth, already eaten the Weasley's out of house and home though... so you might need to keep me away from the treats... but I am not sure if Tonks is, I did tell her she would be welcomed here, so I hope she does, she got in a bit of a state the other night too.."

Hunter stretched and yawned as he made his way down the stiars he had the day off, and was on call, he had taken a Nap earlier he sniffed the air thick with, cooking he smiled Pandora was still cooking?, he rolled his eyes, and jumped the last step and made his way to the kitchen he sawr Remus, it was known that things where..uneasy, but Hunter would make some effort he smiled lightly "good Evening Remus, glad you could come" he moved to Pandora and kissed her cheek "food smells delicious as always, and i'm surprised your still cooking, hope you don't give us all food poisioning" he chuckled teasing gently

She laughed..well your in for a treat..I made loads of sweets. I actually am enjoying baking. Not really had the time to, nor anyone to make them for. So this is nice for a change. Well I hope she stops by and I know. Think we all are."

She laughed pouring batter into a pan as Hunter came into the kitchen. "No I'm saving the oison for other people, hunnie."

Going to make a ginger bread house..or well atleast try. She showed them the supplies on the counter..."not ever made one before though. Not sure it will even look like a house", she said with light humor.

"If it has four sides and a triangle for a roof, then its a house, and as long as you can eat it." he added before nodding over to Hunter when he came through.

Remus felt like a kid in honeydukes so many smells and sights. He walked over to one of the samples and picked it up before sniffing it a little and then biting into a corner unable to stop himself ".. tastes wonderful....."

Hunter chuckled in good humor and smiled looking at the already made shapes "well i did them once..with my mother hmm.. he looked at each piece "it's just putting them together with icing" he shrugged "I can put it together if you like? Remus can help me decorate it?" he chuckeld and glanced to Remus, as he made the effort.

Remus was picking at some chocolate buttons on the side in a bowl when
he heard Hunter ".. decorate it? well if you want me to help." he said
with a bit of a mouthful ".. I was hoping, I might be able to stay here a few days.." he asked biting on his bottom lip

Hunter paused, at Remus question, he glanced to Pandora, it would mean less time alone.. he sighed he could cope with that perhaps try and mend some relationship with Remus "Of course you can, I may speak for Pandora when I say this, but, your close to a family, and your more then welcome, you and Tonks" he shrugged and smiled "spend Christmas with us?" he offered and looked to the pieces he begun to position them and then use icing to hold it in place.

"Tonks? me and Tonks?" Remus couldn't help but laugh ".. we are not together you know Hunter.. we are just friends, I am too old for her.. but that you, as I said, just need some time to calm down think we all do."

Remus took some of the chocolate buttoms and stuck some of them onto the house using them like bricks. "... you do know this won't last very long..."

"Of course you can Remus", said then remembred what she had been hiding. Now that would make it twice as hard to hide her ever growing tummy. She would have to tell him soon. It wasn't something she looked forward to.

"Aww, I don't care what it looks like..just matters that it's edible and we have fun decorating it", she said with a laugh as she pulled out chrsitmas tree shaped cookies from the over.

"Who wants a glass of wine or maybe some eggnog and whiskey", got some egg nog sent in from the states?"

Hunter smiled slightly "I know, but i'm sure Tonks would like to stay?" he shrugged lightly "and perhaps, but she likes you.." he added simply with a small smil as he glanced to Remus then the house "it's looking good though" he laughed and added another wall to the house sticking it together with icing. then Hunter screwed his nose up at the mention of egg nogg "I'll pass on that, I actually think I'll have a glass of milk and one of your Ginger breadmen" he reached out a hand to take one..

"Okay I'll have a small glass of wine then. I got some Blackberry Merlot wine to try out. Remus..just make yourself at home. If you see anything you want, just help yourself to it. I have a roast ccooking in the other over by the way. So dinner will be soon too, so don't spoil it", she laughed lightly.

She then iced the christmas tree cookies and handed one to Hunter and Remus to try.

Remus gave a nod "I will try and not to demolish this then till after dinner, if I can stop myself, not promises though." he said with a warm smile on his lips. "What is egg nog?" he asked her looking a little puzzled "I might try that, I am always open to trying new things." he said taking the tree shaped cookie from her and taking a bite.
"I have a few things with me, but you will need to tell me how long you want me to stay here, I don't want to impose.. but I bought your presents here with me too.. I hope you like them.." he said looking over to Hunter and then back to Pandora before taking another bite.

Hunter added another wall, three walls done and all held together with icing he looked to Pandora at lightly took the cookie and bite the end "mm" he siad in compliment "out dones yourself again" he grinned and chuckled soflty at Remus's comment "don't worry, I'll hide it so your not lured with temptation" he smiled and hestantly gave Remus a small light puch on the arm in a friendly gesture, before he finished of his cookie and replied "egg nogg is an egg drink pretty much, and it tastes discusting" he screwed his nose up again then moved to the fridge and poured himself a glass of milk that went nicely with, the biscuit

"You can stay as long as you need to. this house is huge and I'm sure you wouldn't impose. Theres enough living space for 3 families here", she said smilling, then tasting the tree cookie. "Mm..not bad."

The timer went off on the oven..she grabbed 2 oven mitts and threw them to Hunter. Please, get the raost out, if you don't mind. I have icing all over my hands."

She like some of the icing from her fingers, before pourinf herself a glass of wine.

Eddnog is made with cream and eggs and spices, like a spicy creamy milk. It is a perferred taste. But not bad when mixed with alchol", she said to Remus, showing him the container.

Hunter caught of gaurd by the sudden flying overmitts nearly dropped them but thankfully he caught them he rolled his eyes "even with Oven mitts, you cannot take it out?" he chuckled and smiled watching her lick the icing from her finger he turned to the oven and got out the chicken placing it on top, he smiled secreativly to himself remembering.

"Well I am willing to give it a taste, sounds rather nice, different too, just hope it doesn;t send me to the land of nod." he said looking over to Hunter as he nearly dropped the ovenmitts. ".. I hope there is something left of the roast, by the looks of things.. I am not sure there will be over than a few drumsticks and smashed.. potatoes." he chuckled before leaving the kitchen to sort his room out and the presents for them both.

She laughed looking back to Hunter. "Then use your magic", she grinned. She then sipped her wine and looked the gingerbread house over.."Not bad boys..looks quiet good actually", she took a finger running it accross the icing..tasting it. "Mmm".

"Okat Remus", she said walking into the formal dinning room and setting it up fof four incase Tonks showed up.

After she had finished she walked back inot the kitchen. Taking the sweets back to the dinning room, placing them on the table.

When she returned again to the kitchen, she smiled to Hunter. "Hunnie get a serving tray and put the roast on it and place it in the dinning room..I'll bring the rest."

Hunter chuckled at Remus's comment, making sure the mittens where on properly he did as Pandora asked and put it on a serving tray, he shrugged at her mention of using magic "I could..if i wanted too, I dunno i'm just so used to doing things the muggle way i forget" he smiled he carried the roast to the table setting it down in the center, then he went back into the kitchen and carried in the potatoes and sweed with the vegtables, next the stuffing and then the bottle of wine "there? Happy?" he mused to Pandora and purposefully adjusted somthing emphasizing the movement taking the light mick.

It was several minutes later before Remus came back down the stairs and then found his was back to the kitchen.
He sniffed the air, smelling the strong scent of the roast. His mouth watered and he couldn't help ut pull off a small piece of meat. He popped it in his mouth before taking another tree shaped cookie. "It's Christmas come early." He walked over to the side and picked up the eggnog and sipped it. ".. hmm very nice actually." the eggnog had gotten cught on his tash.

Pandora laughed at Remus's comment. "Well it is a short holiday..I like to streatch it out as long as I can."

"Besides..might be our last..we never know", she said more somber, referrring to their dangerous jpbs."

She walked to the formal dinning room sitting down with her glass of wine in hand.

"I don't think Tonks is going to make it", she said looking at the empty seat and plate she left out for her.

Hunter took a seat beside, Pandora and poured himself a glass of wine "hmm wine and milk, loverly" he chuckled then smiled sipping his wine lightly , "come now Pandora, this is suposed to be a great time, theres no need to dweel on what is to come, live every moment to the full, with no worries" he added

She smiled softly at Hunter's kind words.."Yes your right. But still it is always in the back of my mind..at all times. Theres no hidding the truth of what is to come. A war between good and evil, no doubt."

"Milk and wine", she said with a grimmace. "Perhaps you should just choose one", she giggled.

She then put food on her plate. "It's nice to have friends like you two, to share the holdidays with...thank you both", she said softly.

He nodded "I know" he smiled softly and patted her leg under the table softly in reassurance and comfort before he took his hand back and helped himself to food "but, Christmas is Happy try and forget about it, just for a few days" he smiled softly, and sipped his wine "Pandora, I live with you, you can't technically get rid of me" he grinend with a small chuckle "but if you wanted i could go.."

» Christmas with the Twins (private..Remus and Tonks invited)
» A Festive Drink
» Pandora Gryffindor
» Hunter Niall (a.k.a Giomanach)
» Good News for Remus