A Christmas More Ordinary

A Christmas More Ordinary

by ObsidianEmbrace

Story Notes: Takes place during A Life More Ordinary.

~*~

24 December 1985

Sirius watched with a smile as his godson lifted another ornament out of its nest of delicate parchment. Harry examined the spun-glass sphere he held cupped in his palm, his eyes tracing the patterns of gold swirling over its surface.

"Lovely, isn't it?"

Harry looked up, his face melting into a smile as he nodded. He handed it over silently, as he had every other ornament.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to hang it?" Sirius asked. Harry shook his head. "You won't break it." But Harry continued to hold out the ornament, so Sirius took it and hooked it over one of the lower branches. The gold sparkled as the patterns continued to wind over the glass.

"Your mum taught me that charm," Sirius said. Harry looked up at him. "She was very clever."

The grin widened a little and Harry turned his gaze back to the ornament. "It's pretty," he declared quietly, studying it for a moment longer before he dipped his hand back into the box.

"Wow," Harry breathed, his attention firmly on whichever ornament he'd unearthed.

"What did you find?" Sirius asked as he leaned forward.

"It's a lion!" Harry held up the gold ornament by its loop for Sirius' inspection. Sirius took in a startled breath and immediately grief and joy warred for space. Neither won, and Sirius had to swallow as he reached a finger out to caress the smooth mane.

"Yes it is," he said softly; he just hadn't known Albus had included it in the box of ornaments he'd sent over.

Harry lifted his eyes. Sirius cleared his throat, grief crowding in again. He ran the back of his fingers down Harry's cheek and he imagined he could feel both James and Lily in this little boy. "Your dad made that for your mum," he explained.

Harry's green eyes lit up and he turned his gaze swiftly back to the lion. "He did?"

"Yes," Sirius said. "He worked for weeks on it." He smiled as he remembered Lily's huge grin when he'd presented it to her. "She loved it."

Harry was holding the ornament in both hands now, pulling it close to his chest. He glanced swiftly up at the top of the tree and then chewed his lip as he stared at the lion again.

"Your mum always liked to put it at the very top."

Harry peeked up at Sirius, his bottom lip caught between nervous teeth.

"I'm not certain I can reach all the way up there," Sirius added. "But..." He glanced up at the tree, pretending to really think about it. "I bet... if I lifted you..."

"I could reach?" Harry blurted, so fast in his excitement that Sirius almost didn't understand him. He nodded though, keeping his laughter at bay for the moment.

"Would you like to try?"

Harry bobbed his head up and down and releasing the chuckle, Sirius scooped him up. Harry cradled the ornament while Sirius hoisted him up. "Now?" he asked uncertainly.

"Can you reach that branch way up there?"

Harry concentrated, his eyes wide as he stretched his hand out, the string pinched between his thumb and forefinger. "I can reach!" he crowed.

Sirius grinned. "I thought you might be able to!"

Harry beamed as the lion swung from its high perch. And then his eyes grew round as the lion opened its golden mouth and light out a tiny roar. "It... it roared!"

Sirius laughed as Harry hooked an arm around his neck and settled against his shoulder to stare at the lion. "Your dad charmed it to do that once it was hanging."

The lion roared again and Harry laughed, a sound that warmed Sirius' heart and he silently thanked Albus for that gift.

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Author's Note: This story was inspired by Veridian_Dair's beautiful artwork, The Special Ornament. It was a Christmas gift from her this year. Please check my profile if you'd like a link to the picture; hosted at my yahoo group. Thank you, Cathy, for being my muse.