A Rather Noisy Christmas at the Maximoff-Potter House
The entire house buzzed with laughter, footsteps, floating enchanted dishes, and a warm blend of aromas that spoke of a truly magical Christmas. The lights twinkled on their own in rhythm with the carols playing from an old magical radio, while sprigs of mistletoe hovered dangerously over unsuspecting heads.
The main table was fully occupied. Witches, wizards, children, and even enchanted portraits had gathered in Wanda's home to celebrate Christmas. They had even brought the old portrait of Fleamont and Euphemia Potter, temporarily enchanted into a new frame so the couple could join the festivities like in their golden years.
The younger ones chatted excitedly about their recent days at Hogwarts, while the adults, inevitably, began to swap stories of their own school days.
"Before your father fell hopelessly for my charms, he was the most popular boy in all of Hogwarts," Selene began with a charming smile, glancing teasingly at Edward, who continued eating calmly, merely shaking his head in quiet resignation. "He made girls swoon with that cold, distant aura. Like the protagonist in those dramatic teen novels who think they're deeper than they are."
"False!" exclaimed Sirius, slamming the table with mock indignation. "He might've been popular, sure, but no one outshined James and me. We were the majestic duo. Tell them, Lupin."
"I'm staying out of this nonsense," replied Lupin, raising both hands with a peaceful smile. "I've survived wars—I'm not risking this."
"That's what you think. Truth is, the girls who followed you two were just trying to figure out if you were dating each other," Selene added with a mischievous grin.
There was a brief silence… and then laughter erupted at the table like a misfired charm. Harry choked on his juice, while Hermione and Daphne barely managed to stifle their giggles. Even Fleamont in the portrait shook with laughter, earning a soft elbow from Euphemia.
"Don't spread lies!" Sirius protested, standing up as if that would make him more believable.
"That explains a lot," Pandora murmured, glancing at the ceiling as if a long-standing mystery had just been solved.
"To be honest…" Fleamont chimed in from the portrait, in his usual calm tone, "for a while, we thought the same thing. But thankfully, James showed up with Lily and put all our lineage concerns to rest. Of course, we would've accepted them either way."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "So… you wanted to be my godfather… or my father?"
"What?! No! I mean, sure—I would've liked to be your father, but only because of my friendship with James, not because—!" Sirius faltered, looking around at the sea of amused smirks.
"That explains why you've been single for so many years," Lupin added mercilessly.
"Absolutely not! I've been single because women were… a nuisance."
"Only women?" Susan asked, her voice laced with innocent gossip.
"We were at war! There was no time for silly romances."
"…Godfather, you're not helping your case," Harry muttered, shaking his head.
Meanwhile, Luna and Astoria, having finished their dinners, were seated at a small table, playing with toy teacups. Upon hearing the yelling, both turned their heads, puzzled by the commotion.
"Selene, you Bastard" Sirius muttered, pointing a finger at the culprit.
"Mind your manners with my wife, Black," Edward said, giving him a stern look.
"She started it! Why aren't you saying anything to her?"
"Because if my wife said it, then it must be true," Edward replied without hesitation. Selene, beside him, looked positively delighted.
"You're always like this… You know what? Let's settle this the old-fashioned way."
"Go on, Edward! Kick the mutt's tail!" Selene cheered, quickly grabbing her husband's coat with excitement.
Edward sighed, stood up, and began walking toward the garden.
"What are they going to do?" Susan asked, eyes wide.
"A duel," Selene answered, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Right here and now?" Wendell exclaimed, completely caught off guard.
"They've always been like this. Ever since Edward got engaged to Selene in fifth year, every reunion turned into an unofficial duel," Lupin explained with a nostalgic tone.
Wanda, meanwhile, watched everyone move toward the backyard. She caught the excitement in Harry's eyes and the growing anticipation among the rest. She smiled softly, and with a snap of her fingers, a magical dome rose and covered the house and entire garden.
"We're in the Muggle world. We need to keep whatever happens here hidden," she said serenely.
Edward drew his wand, aimed it at the ground, and a dueling platform rose up with graceful precision. Sirius, never missing a chance for flair, tossed his coat aside theatrically.
"I'm pretty sure he kept it on just to make that dramatic move," Harry muttered, amused.
"Draco's really missing out for staying with his relatives," Daphne said, folding her arms with a smirk.
"Let's hope they don't hurt each other," Hermione added, ever the voice of reason.
"Are they going to fight?" asked Luna, while Astoria clapped and shouted, "Go, Daddy!"
"It'll be a friendly duel," Lupin explained calmly.
Sirius turned to the kids with an arrogant grin. "Watch carefully. This is part of your education too."
"First comes the formal bow," he said, as both he and Edward dipped their heads respectfully. "Then wand positioning…" Both men shifted into standard guard stances. "And finally, the referee's signal."
Lupin stepped forward, positioning himself right below the platform between them—clearly no stranger to this role.
"Begin."
Sirius moved first.
"Expelliarmus!"
The spell shot out at blazing speed, sharp and controlled. But Edward barely twitched his wrist. The tip of his wand caught the charm with surgical precision, deflecting it with such finesse that it looked effortless—like swatting away a floating leaf.
Sirius dodged the rebound spell with the ease of a seasoned duelist.
"Signature move… Seems you haven't lost it," Sirius said with a sly smile.
"You talk too much… you haven't lost yours either," Edward replied in a calm, almost teasing tone.
He raised his wand gently from top to bottom. The ground at his feet trembled. An enchanted wave of stone tiles surged forward like water, gaining size and pressure as it rushed toward Sirius. Every step it took, it grew larger, as though trying to sweep him right off the field.
Sirius stepped back and extended his wand behind him. Then he thrust it forward with force, as if throwing an invisible javelin. The wave split right down the middle at the exact moment, cleaved by an unseen force that left the air shimmering with residual magic.
But before he could catch his breath, three thin, fast-moving spells slipped through the cracks in the stone, aimed directly at him. Sirius spun on his heel, forming a rotating shield of magic around himself. It blocked the first spell, resisted the second… but shattered on the third.
As the shield dissolved, a whip cracked into existence from the tip of his wand, hissing through the air. Edward barely lifted his wand; a stone post shot up from the ground, and the whip coiled tightly around it as if the move had been anticipated.
But Edward didn't stop. With a few subtle flicks of his wand, he pointed toward the broken fragments of the platform—left behind from Sirius's earlier counter. The debris levitated, twisted, and morphed into two massive stone serpents, their eyes glowing faintly blue, slithering toward Sirius with surprisingly fluid motion.
Sirius responded without hesitation. He pointed to the ground at his feet, and from the earth, a lion emerged—formed of rock and magic, fierce and vibrant. It let out a soundless roar and launched itself at the serpents, engaging them in a silent battle while Sirius moved swiftly to dodge a new barrage of spells sent by Edward—each one precise and silent.
"They're using such advanced enchantments… and not saying a single word," Hermione said, visibly impressed.
"And they're holding back," Harry murmured, eyes fixed on the duel.
"Exactly," said Pandora behind them with a knowing smile. "They're not trying to show off power… they're teaching, in their own way."
The three of them nodded and continued watching, completely absorbed. There were no explosions or flashy lights—just perfect control, flawless execution. Not a single spell misfired. Not one veered off-course.
Edward pointed toward the ground once more. Sirius, expecting another earth-based spell, was already bracing—only to be caught off guard when magical vines burst forth from beneath Edward's feet, tearing up the platform like wild roots.
"How about we get a bit more serious?" Sirius said with a gleam of challenge in his eye. "I'm not planning to lose again."
He stomped the ground twice with his heel. The entire platform expanded, growing wider and taller like a living stage. Then—he vanished.
A moment later, he reappeared right beside Edward and cast a spell at point-blank range.
Edward took a single step back and deflected Sirius's wand arm to the side. The spell flew past his shoulder, narrowly missing him. Without pause, Edward countered with a flick of his wand, but Sirius was already moving, spinning into a roundhouse kick that struck Edward in the chest and forced him to retreat.
Both of them were already preparing their next moves.
Edward vanished.
He reappeared directly behind Sirius, wand extended, conjuring a thin, ethereal whip that lashed forward. Sirius reacted instantly, pointing at the ground—raising a slab of stone that intercepted the whip just in time. The whip struck, and the slab exploded into a cloud of dust.
Then began a frenetic exchange of apparitions and spells. Both men vanished and reappeared across the expanded field, launching and dodging spells in a seamless, fluid rhythm—like a perfectly choreographed dance of light and motion.
Edward emerged once more and slammed his wand into the ground. A wave of invisible force surged outward, unbalancing the terrain. Sirius appeared mid-step and staggered slightly. The next spell flew straight for his chest. With a move nearly identical to Edward's earlier, Sirius caught the spell on the tip of his wand and flicked it skyward.
The spell exploded above them—in a cascade of brilliant, colorful light.
The children gasped and began to cheer.
Sirius appeared again, right in front of Edward, wand aimed at his throat. But Edward already had his wand pointed at Sirius's heart.
Both froze.
"Tsk… looks like another draw," Sirius said, slightly winded as he slowly lowered his wand in defeat.
He turned with theatrical grace to look at the children… only to find them off in a corner of the garden, playing with their wands and casting their own makeshift fireworks, inspired by the recent burst in the sky. Luna and Astoria sat in the grass, shouting suggestions for different colors—"Make them pink! No, gold! Like stars!"
Even Edward, who had clearly put effort into putting on a show for his daughters, stood still and watched them silently, a faint and nearly invisible smile on his face.
Selene walked over to him with calm, knowing steps. Her smile said it all—she knew him too well.
"Don't worry. The girls watched the whole duel. They were thrilled," she said gently.
"Well… kids get distracted easily," Sirius muttered, scratching his head in mild disappointment. Then he smirked. "Care for a drink? I've got a bottle of wine I inherited from old Arcturus."
The adults gathered near the house, wine glasses floating lazily beside them thanks to half-hearted charms, while the sky above was lit with improvised magical fireworks. Children ran through the garden laughing, and the little red dragon chased the sparks as if they were real threats.
Draco arrived a bit later, slipping into the group of kids like he had been there all along. Narcissa, elegant and slightly weary from the evening with the Malfoy family, joined the adults, accepting a glass of wine and sitting beside Edward, Selene, and Sirius.
Christmas at the Maximoff-Potter house was loud, chaotic, magical… and perfect.