Forever Yours

Chapter 26: Starting A New Year

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OCs (Katherine, Septimus, Serenity, Helena, Christoph, Elisa, Henry, Nick and any name you don't recognize, and isn't from the HP universe) are entirely my own.

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The Christmas break went all too fast for the family of four, and before they knew it, they were back at Union Station. Septimus, along with Helena and the boys departed on the green stream engine, in the late afternoon of January 3rd, as class would resume on Monday.

New Year's Eve had been spent with the Fuerst family again. Katherine had prepared a large dinner for the group, and at midnight Christoph had lit fireworks off over the lake. Brilliant reds, yellows, greens and whites; shocking pink-wheels, rockets with long tails of silver stars, and a fire-breathing dragons...

'Wait!' Severus thought to himself, as he stood beside Christoph on the pier. 'These look awfully familiar.'

"Christoph?" Severus asked, glancing over at the fair-haired wizard. "Where did you get these fireworks?"

"Well...I, umm..." Christoph stuttered, before shooting off another rocket. "I purchased a few of them, the rest are from storage at the office."

"Storage at the office?" Severus asked, raising a questioning brow. "Forgive me, but these fireworks look awfully familiar."

"Doesn't surprise me," Christoph said quietly, as he handed Severus a small label with the familiar "WW" stamped on it. "The sale of international fireworks is illegal in the U.S., and those who try to smuggle them in usually get caught. The fireworks go into storage at headquarters and those of us higher up have the say in what happens to them."

"And do they usually end up being used for personal enjoyment?" Severus smirked at the firecracker in his hand.

"Most," Christoph chuckled, as he lit another one. "And they're not the only thing that gets confiscated at the immigration ports." Casting a quick glance around, making sure the children weren't watching, Christoph reached into his inner cloak pocket.

Severus was shocked when Christoph suddenly thrust a bottle of Odgen's Firewhisky into his hand. He raised an eyebrow in the fair-haired wizard's direction, only to see a smirk spread across the other man's face.

"Happy New Year, Severus," Christoph grinned, as he sent off another firework.

"Happy New Year, Christoph."

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On the morning of January ninth, Katherine had outdone herself once again. Not only was Severus awakened with a wonderful birthday snog, before being interrupted by a whimpering infant; he was also welcomed by the sight of his favorite breakfast items set out before him at the kitchen table.

Katherine had forgone her morning run that day, as nasty blizzard had settled itself over the area, and busied herself around the kitchen most of the morning. Poached eggs...fried tomatoes and mushrooms...bacon and sausages...grilled oatcakes...bubble and squeak...and finally potato cakes and black pudding.

Feeling overly stuffed, Severus gave no resistance as Katherine ushered him back into the living room soon after they had finished. With Serenity placed in his lap, Katherine disappeared into the study. Severus inhaled deeply as he sank further back into the chair, holding Serenity close, as she started to drift back to sleep after her morning meal.