What If? Year 2

Chapter 56

I woke up on Christmas day to Evie jumping on my bed.
"Goldie get up! It's time to open presents!" I groan as she pulls me out of bed. I catch a quick look of me in the mirror and pull my hand from her.
"I'll be down in one second... promise I'll be quick." Evie nods and bounces into Ara's room. I quickly braid my hair, trying to keep the frizz to a minimum. Ara did not wake up as nicely as I did and I hear a thud from inside her room. I put my slippers on and walk into her room. She's on the floor with Evie on top and shaking her.
"I don't think Ara's much of a morning person," I tell her, picking Evie up off Ara, "Come on, we'll have to open her presents for her." Ara groans and sits up.
"I'm up, Merlin," she grumbles, "just let me put my hair up." I send Evie downstairs and pull Ara into a hug. She giggles and hugs me back.
"Happy Christmas, Goldie," she tells me, as she braids her hair.
"Happy Christmas, Ara. You ready for gifts?"
"Of course!" We walk down together and I smile at my dad and brother wearing the same tired expression. I sit down besides Dad and Ara sits beside me. I nod to Hermione and Ginny. Ron walks in a sits beside Harry. I barely even notice Remus walk in a sit in a chair besides Ara.
"Come on... come on!" Evie whines, kicking her feet under her blanket.
"Patience, Everlyn," Mum scolds, "Uncle Sirius is still moving presents from the attic."
"...can I help him?"
"I'm done!" Sirius sings, carrying in two more presents and setting them at the base of the tree, "Now who's gonna sort them?" Evie gets right to it, with the help of Ara and Harry. I cast a small smile to Remus, hoping to soften the tension. He nods and sinks farther into his seat.
"This last one is for... Uncle Remus!" I pale as I see my present handed directly to his lap.
"He can't open that one in front of everyone," I whisper to Dad, "it's his wolfbane stuff..."
"Okay... I'll make sure he knows." I smile and kiss his check.
"Thank you." Dad leans over to Remus and whispers.
"What am I to do with it then?" Remus replies much louder.
"Just open it later, Moody. She's excited about it."
"Then I should open it now."
"No, just trust me on this one." Remus sends me an odd look, but I just smile.
"Don't open mine out here either... we'll open them together." 

Ara got me a knee length tan skirt and a small brown purse. Ginny got me two pairs of thick socks with flowers on them. Evie got me a hard covered notebook and Harry got me some quills and ink to go with it. Sirius got me a collection of gold bracelets with peridot on them. Ara got a matching set, but in silver. Mom and Dad got me a new pair of brown books and a yellow cable knit sweater. 
I use my new bag to hide Remus's gift and go upstairs to my office. He follows, with my gift to him. 
"Goldie, I'd like to apologize. What I said... about you, it wasn't true. I don't think that. You're my god daughter, and having to watch you almost die three times this year was more than I could handle. I wanted to control you, to protect you... not thinking about what you would want. I promise not to treat you any different than my other students. And... you should learn how to cast a Patronus. I told McGonagall you could use the boggart we're using for Harry's training." He pauses, waiting for me to respond. 
"It's okay, Uncle Remus. I get it... but why would you use a boggart for Patronus training?"
"Well, Harry's biggest fear is a dementor, so it stimulates the feeling." 
"Oh... I, ummm, don't think my greatest fear is a dementor." He nods, a frown creasing his face. 
"Well then... you don't have to use it to learn the charm."
"Open your gift, Uncle Remus." He smiles shyly and slowly opens up the wrapped box. 
"Goldie? You know I'm not much for potions." I shrug and smile. 
"I know, but I'm going to ask Professor Snape to teach me how to make them for you. I love making potions... and someone has to make them." He sets the box of ingredients on my desk and rushes to hug me. 
"Oh Goldie... this is more than I could ever have asked for. I was truly just hoping you'd forgive me."
"Really, Uncle Remus... it's alright. It wasn't just you.. it was just all piling up." He looks down at me with a small frown. 
"What else?"
"It was something Harry said... the night I was attacked." 
"Was what he said similar to what I said?"
"Yeah, but it's fine now. We got it all figured out." 
"...alright? Open your present now." I grab my gift and carefully unwrap it. Now in my hands is a leather bound notebook with its pages overflowing with all sorts of things. 
"It's a notebook of all sorts of spells and potions that you could need to protect yourself. It has all the information for each thing and when you'd need to use it." 
"Uncle Remus... oh, thank you!" 
"I love you Goldie. I'm sorry for the way I originally handled this, but I hope to fix it in everyway possible."
"I love you too. You've already fixed it." He pulls me right to his chest again and sighs.