Fic: Where the Love Light Beams for Yndigot
Title: Where the Love Light Beams
Author: xkeijukainenx
Recipient: yndigot
Rating: PG
Highlight for Warnings: *Excessive fluff and a lot of youtube videos and some highly amusing Christmas classics.*
Word Count: 3,102
Summary: In which Remus is attacked by a rabid breed of mistletoe, Sirius Black is an enormous goth, Harry likes to dance and the seventies prove far superior in the production of Christmas Music.
Author's notes: For yndigot, who wanted a Christmas at home with Harry and his two daddies. And fluff. I think I've managed to deliver - I hope you enjoy this, at least. If it helps, I totally imagine that Sirius in this is tall, skinny and tattooed. Beware, for there are a LOT of youtube videos embedded in this. I did my research, yo. In case anyone can't see the videos, I've written the names of the songs underneath so you know what they are. A huge thanks to my beta, myprettycabinet, who is frankly awesome, and a Happy, Snowy Christmas to you all. <3
Living with Sirius Black did have its upsides. Unfortunately, Remus was often hard-pressed to remember what they were. When cohabiting with Sirius Black, one had to be constantly on one's toes, lest an ill-fated mis-step send a bowl of custard flying across the room directly into your face, or - as in the case at hand - one happened to be captured unawares by a slightly feral, inbred-variety of fanged mistletoe.
It was Christmas Eve, 1986, and Remus - who had been called out to work at the last minute - had just come home. After a long day slugging away at his temping job at the local muggle newspaper, he wanted nothing more than some dinner, a mug of hot cocoa (the Irish way, preferably) and perhaps a bit of a cheeky fumble on the couch in front of the fire.
Alas, his plans for a quiet Christmas Eve were foiled once more by Sirius Black.
Barely a foot in the door and he had found himself being attacked by the vicious mistletoe that he had expressly forbidden Sirius from hanging up. Put it up he obviously had, however, and before Remus quite knew what was happening he was hanging from a snarling plant in the doorway by his ear.
“Oh... bollocks, gerroff ... no, shite - ack - Sirius! I thought we weren't going to have the magical stuff. Bugger off, you sadistic vegetable, give me back my ear! SIRIUS! SIRIUS BLACK!”
On second thought, Remus wondered if his plans hadn't been rather more like dreams, or elusive fantasies. Honestly, what had he been thinking? Hoping for quiet when Sirius Black and Christmas were involved in such close proximity?
“Sirius! A little help here?” he called out.
Nothing.
“YOU CALLOUS BASTARD! LET ME DOWN!”
Of course, how Sirius was ever meant to hear him over the racket that was coming from the living room, Remus wasn't quite sure.
[[Wham - Last Christmas]]
He pinched the bridge of his nose disbelievingly. Leave it to Sirius Orion Black to be playing Wham! at such ridiculous decibels at this hour of the night.
Luckily for Remus, whose ear had become rather sore by now, a head of ridiculously unruly black hair peered round the corner of the entranceway, accompanied by two piercing green eyes. Remus stopped struggling and cursing the mistletoe and smiled down at Harry.
“Hallo there, pup. Go find your Uncle Sirius for me and tell him to come help Uncle Moony, yeah? There's a good lad.”
The five year old ran off down the corridor shouting, “PADFOOT, PADFOOT, MOONY'S HOME'N'THE MISTLETOE'S GOT'IM!” at the top of his lungs. Remus thought resignedly that wouldn't be half surprised if the muggle neighbours were contemplating summoning the riot police by now. He watched bemusedly as Sirius Black himself danced out of the living room (draped in tinsel, of course, Remus noted with a roll of his eyes) and swept Harry up in his arms, swinging him round in the air, singing along to ... was that ...? Oh Merlin, it was. Bob Geldof's horrific attempt at Christmas music - 'Do they know it's Christmas?'.
[[Band Aid - Do They Know It’s Christmas]]
“DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME AT ALL!?” Harry joined in at the chorus (“FEEEEEEEED THE WORLDDDDDD”). Remus thought he rather preferred the fangs digging into his ear than the singing of those two lunatics. The two rather painful experiences together were nothing short of torture.
“Hallo, Moony,” Sirius said, laughing and breathless, when the two of them had finally twirled their way down the corridor.
“Let me down, you berserker,” Remus bit out, not in the least bit amused. Sirius let Harry plop down to the ground before standing up on his tip toes to kiss Remus square on the lips. The mistletoe released him with a sound “pop” and a smack of its green, leafy lips. “You know, I should really report you to the authorities for breeding that stuff,” Remus said conversationally, bending down to pick Harry up and dust him off. “And what would James say if he knew you were teaching his kid to sing Bob Geldof? Honestly, Pads.”
“You're like the Grinch,” Sirius complained, pinching him on soundly on the nose. “That's all you ever do, is grinch. Here comes Moony the Grinch, grinching around and killing everyone's Christmas buzz.”
“Gwinch!” Harry chimed in. His godfather grinned at him and ruffled his hair proudly. Two sets of mock-affronted eyes peered up at Remus, and he groaned.
“Honestly, you're as bad as each other. This is getting ridiculous.”
“Moony, Moony! Padfoot'n'me made Christmas puddin'!” Harry chirped excitedly, pulling at Remus' hair.
“Did you now?”
Sirius was grinning at Harry fondly with what looked suspiciously like paternal pride. Remus took a second (as he so often had to, recently) to re-equate this caring, selfless father-figure with the Sirius he had known in his youth (brash, careless and self-involved) before letting Harry slide down to the ground again. The five year old tugged him along to the kitchen to show him their rather lopsided attempt at Christmas pudding.
“Without magic and everything,” Sirius commented, proudly.
“An' Sirius said tomorrow, we get to light it on fire and everything! And he put extra special things in to make it go on fire proper...mmmf.” A hand clamped down on Harry's mouth, effectively silencing him. Sirius rolled his eyes at Remus.
“Lad doesn't know what he's on about. Excitable pup, you know. Just the brandy. Like promised.”
But Remus could see the glint in Sirius' eye - and he made a mental note to replace the pudding before dinner tomorrow. Anyway, it was always better not to eat anything Sirius Black had ever had a hand in making.
The record player that Sirius had enchanted changed over again, thankfully taking away Bob Geldof and his band of singing lunatics and replacing it with...
“Oh now, see, this is better,” Remus sighed, rolling his shoulders a bit and stretching the work-induced crick out of his neck. He grinned as two strong arms wrapped around him from behind. Harry laughed a loud, childish laugh as Sirius started dancing, making Remus move along with him.
[[The Kinks - Father Christmas]]
“I used to fancy the pants off of Dave Davies, you know,” Remus mused, letting Sirius pull him into a choppy dance - well, as much a dance as one could to The Kinks.
“I know,” Sirius replied, laughingly, pulling away from Remus and picking Harry up again, dancing him around the kitchen. “You used to have a poster of him pinned to the wall by your bed.”
Harry began to croon along to the song, and wiggled his small hands along in time.
“I disillusioned that!” Remus couldn't help but join in, hopping around the kitchen and singing along a little a bit, even indulging in a bit of air guitar (which had Harry laughing so much he could hardly breathe.)
Sirius grinned at him fondly. “Your taste in music is far too old fashioned, old man,” he commented, wryly. Remus just rolled his eyes at him.
“Shut up, pillock, the seventies were the best time for Christmas music!”
Sirius, apparently did not agree. He groaned and flicked his wand at the record player. “Right,” he said, over the top of Harry's head. “I see you the Kinks and I raise you ... Hanoi Rocks.”
[[Hanoi Rocks - Dead By Xmas]]
“They're practically seventies anyways, Pads!” Remus cried. “They don't count! And this isn't Christmas music.”
Harry didn't seem to mind though. He was now sliding about the kitchen floor in his stocking-clad feet, bouncing along to the song.
“Shows what you know,” Sirius grumbled. "They're Finnish. Anything from Finland is automatically Christmas music - it’s where Santa's from!"
Rolling his eyes - again - Remus flicked his wand at the record player. It switched over abruptly. “This is Christmas music,” he said, picking Harry up and pressing their noses together, grinning. “Don't listen to Padfoot, pup, he doesn't know what he's on about.”
[[Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday]]
“I like this one!” Harry cried. Remus grinned and they turned to sing smugly at Sirius, “OHHHHHHHHHHH I WISH IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVERYDAY!”
Sirius shuddered in mock horror. “This song is sung by a bunch of pedophiles in stocking caps who, I'm sure, dropped acid on a fairly regular basis.”
“Yeah, like you've never tried acid,” Remus countered sardonically. Sirius looked sheepishly back at him; Remus continued his point. “This is pure Christmas gold. They will be playing this song for decades.”
But Sirius was still not having it. “Bugger this for a bunch of poofters,” he yelled, sticking his tongue out as he flicked his wand again. “Joan Jett. Pure eighties! Child of the decade!”
[[Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Little Drummer Boy]]
“Borrrrrrring,” droned Remus, with an exaggerated yawn. A giggling Harry imitated him. Sirius feigned outrage, plucking the child from Remus' arms and proceeding to tickle him as a punishment for his insubordination.
“Okay, okay, I see your Joan Jett and I raise youuuuu...” Remus stopped dancing a bit to think - then, taken with his own genius, flourished his wand at the record player happily. “Slade!”
[[Slade - Merry Christmas Everyone]]
Sirius groaned, his hands flying to cover his ears indignantly. “No, God, anything but Slade! Moony! You know how I feel about Slade!”
“Just because Don Powell never answered your fanmail!” Remus crooned, teasing, thoroughly enjoying the embarrassed pink flush on Sirius' cheeks. “Dear Don, My name is Sirius Black and I think you're positively dreamy.”
“OI!” Sirius flew at Remus from across the room, tackling him into a laughing heap on the floor. “YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO READ THAT! IT WAS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL! YOU PILLOCK!”
“Sirius, we lived in a very small room together for seven years - we have no secrets,” Remus gasped, in between giggles and flailing limbs. Harry (who was feeling a little left out), jumped on top of the two of them, wriggling around for attention. “Oof,” Remus gasped, reaching up to grab a tiny ankle and yanking Harry off of the top of the pile, the better to tickle him into submission. The flat filled with high-pitched shrieks.
“Harry, don't listen to your Uncle Moony. He's a traitor. A thief! And he has terrible taste in music!”
“I like this one,” Harry said innocently. Sirius looked up from his attempt at tickling Remus into capitulation, fit to burst with horror. He shot a spell at the record player in a huff.
“No child of James Potter's will grow up liking Slade,” he said, “if it kills me to make sure of it.”
[[Siouxsie and the Banshees - Il Est Né le Divin Enfant]]
“What, you'd rather have him listen to... is this Siouxsie?” Remus fixed his partner with a severe stare. “Sirius Black, you are a massive, enormous goth,” he accused, with only a hint of a smirk about his face.
“Shut up, Moony. You are a musically impaired cretin, with taste comparable to that of a bowtruckle. Siouxsie is a goddess among mortals!”
“But, Sirius, this is song is in French. You know how Prongs felt about the French!”
A tiny hand tugged on Sirius' cardigan. “Yes, Sprog?”
Harry's green eyes peered balefully up at him from the floor. “This song is booooring, Padfoot. Wanna dance s'more!”
Sirius sighed, burying his face into Remus' chest. “I am surrounded by cretins. Cretins and lunatics. Cretins, lunatics and tone-deaf halfwits. Does no one understand musical genius anymore?!”
“Don't be so melodramatic, you colossal poofter. Merlin. How anyone ever mistook you for straight is so entirely beyond me. Here, pup, you'll like this one.”
[[Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time]]
The distinctive, quirky opening chords of Paul McCartney's song wafted across the flat and Remus grinned to himself as Sirius' hips started to move in time with them.
“Ha! See! I knew you liked this one, Pads! Score one more to me!”
“This was so late in the seventies it was practically the eighties!” Sirius crowed, indignantly, as he picked himself and Harry up off the floor and started to dance around - only narrowly avoiding bumping Harry's head rather violently against one of the ceiling beams. "SIIIIMP-LY HAAAAV-ING…AWONDERFULCHRISTMASTIME"
Remus grinned and joined in, scooping a wriggling Harry out of Sirius' arms and lifting him giggling into the air. Sirius watched them, laughing, for a few minutes. Then, towards the end of the song, he smirked and flicked his wand again.
“You'll like this one too, Moony,” he said loudly over the top of the music.
“OOOOOOH, Gary Glitter!” Remus cried happily, and his dancing picked up even more enthusiasm. “Amazing!”
[[Gary Glitter - Another Rock’n’Roll Christmas]]
Sirius laughed loudly as Remus started prancing around the kitchen. “You are so incredibly camp,” he commented, with a dry fondness twitching the corners of his lips.
“Takes one to know one, nancy-boy,” Remus countered, heedlessly. The song played out and soon Harry and Remus collided with Sirius in the middle of the kitchen in a sweaty, laughing heap. “Alright, Pup, one more and then bedtime for you.”
“But... Moony! I don't wanna go bed!”
Sirius grinned, nuzzling Harry's insane hair (just like James' since the day he was born) with his nose. “The sooner you sleep, the sooner Father Christmas comes, Sprog,” he whispered conspiratorially in Harry's ear. Harry shrieked with excitement and, wriggling out of Sirius' arms, cried aloud that he was really very tired right now and wanted to go to bed immediately. Remus laughed, and shooed a grinning Sirius off to put him to bed.
It had been a long time since they had laughed so much, Remus mused, walking calmly over to the shelves full of records and running a finger along their spines. They weren't sad any more, per se, but the responsibilities of raising a child and the ever-gaping hole that James and Lily had left in their lives were shadows that were not easily escaped. It was good to see Sirius laugh so much; it reminded him of when they were boys who thought they owned the world, simply because no one had ever bothered to tell them otherwise - and because they would never have listened, even if they had been told.
Remus slid another record into the player, by hand this time, and conjured up a fire in the grate. Strong arms once again slid around his waist as Sirius pressed his nose into Remus' neck. Happily, Remus leant back into the embrace, and the two of them swayed slowly together.
[[John Lennon - War is Over (Happy Christmas)]]
“This is a bit of a morbid one, love,” Sirius said quietly, kissing the lobe of Remus' ear gently.
“I like it,” Remus shrugged. He turned in Sirius' arms to face him, wrapping his arms casually around his neck. “Seems apt, somehow.”
Sirius made a face and flicked his wand quickly behind Remus' back. “I don't like thinking about war at Christmas,” he said, eyes darkening a little. “This is better.”
[[David Bowie and Bing Crosby - Little Drummer Boy]]
Remus smiled softly and leant his head on Sirius' shoulder, letting him lead them in a slow dance around the room.
“I love this song,” he said, letting Sirius twirl him a little bit.
“Of course you do. It's David Bowie.”
“Well, he is the love of my life, it's true.” Remus chuckled a little and kissed Sirius' indignant pout away, swaying still as Bing Crosby and David Bowie crooned away. The record player crackled slightly over the well played LP, and right then Remus felt that the tiny, slightly dysfunctional world they had created out of so many ashes was, just for a bit, nothing short of perfect.
“This is possibly the queerest thing we've ever done,” Sirius said quietly.
“I dunno,” Remus teased, as another Crosby classic came on. “I'm sure there are other things that are queerer. For instance most of what happens in the bedroom.”
[[Bing Crosby - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas]]
“I'm not complaining,” Sirius explained with a touch of haughtiness. “Just commenting.”
“Hmm. Harry alright?”
“Except for having had his ears violated by Slade? Aye, he's fine. Excited about tomorrow.”
“He's a good lad. You've done well with him.”
“We've done well with him,” Sirius corrected. His overly large palm was in the small of Remus' back, holding him close, and Remus smiled.
“Alright then. We've done well with him. I think James would be happy.”
“It's Lily we'd have to worry about, really.”
Remus laughed softly, turning his head and kissing Sirius' cheek. “I think she'd be happy too. Even with you.”
They were quiet a while, except for the fire snapping happily in the hearth and the wind against the thin windows. Outside, it began to snow, though neither of them was aware of anything but their tiny, cosy bubble. They moved slowly together, not even dancing any more, just two people caught up in the closeness of the other, the warmth of a familiar voice on the record player and the feeling of being home, safe, and happy.
[[Bing Crosby - I’ll Be Home For Christmas]]
When, at the end of the record, Sirius finally turned his head and murmured in his ear, “Love you, you know. Even if your taste in music is truly ridiculous,” Remus was glad that he never got what he planned for. This, the little life they had built, was never meant to be. He knew, of course, that he and Sirius would give it up in an instant to bring James and Lily back - but they made do with what they had and frankly, Remus thought, what they had was pretty wonderful.
“Come to bed, then, Moony,” Sirius said quietly in his ear, taking his hand and leading him towards the stairs. Remus nodded, and smiled, and followed him - like he always had and always would.
Living with Sirius had its downfalls, its hazards and its quirks, and they had gone through a lot of pain to get to where they were now, but Remus was hard-pressed to imagine himself a better life.
Author: xkeijukainenx
Recipient: yndigot
Rating: PG
Highlight for Warnings: *Excessive fluff and a lot of youtube videos and some highly amusing Christmas classics.*
Word Count: 3,102
Summary: In which Remus is attacked by a rabid breed of mistletoe, Sirius Black is an enormous goth, Harry likes to dance and the seventies prove far superior in the production of Christmas Music.
Author's notes: For yndigot, who wanted a Christmas at home with Harry and his two daddies. And fluff. I think I've managed to deliver - I hope you enjoy this, at least. If it helps, I totally imagine that Sirius in this is tall, skinny and tattooed. Beware, for there are a LOT of youtube videos embedded in this. I did my research, yo. In case anyone can't see the videos, I've written the names of the songs underneath so you know what they are. A huge thanks to my beta, myprettycabinet, who is frankly awesome, and a Happy, Snowy Christmas to you all. <3
Living with Sirius Black did have its upsides. Unfortunately, Remus was often hard-pressed to remember what they were. When cohabiting with Sirius Black, one had to be constantly on one's toes, lest an ill-fated mis-step send a bowl of custard flying across the room directly into your face, or - as in the case at hand - one happened to be captured unawares by a slightly feral, inbred-variety of fanged mistletoe.
It was Christmas Eve, 1986, and Remus - who had been called out to work at the last minute - had just come home. After a long day slugging away at his temping job at the local muggle newspaper, he wanted nothing more than some dinner, a mug of hot cocoa (the Irish way, preferably) and perhaps a bit of a cheeky fumble on the couch in front of the fire.
Alas, his plans for a quiet Christmas Eve were foiled once more by Sirius Black.
Barely a foot in the door and he had found himself being attacked by the vicious mistletoe that he had expressly forbidden Sirius from hanging up. Put it up he obviously had, however, and before Remus quite knew what was happening he was hanging from a snarling plant in the doorway by his ear.
“Oh... bollocks, gerroff ... no, shite - ack - Sirius! I thought we weren't going to have the magical stuff. Bugger off, you sadistic vegetable, give me back my ear! SIRIUS! SIRIUS BLACK!”
On second thought, Remus wondered if his plans hadn't been rather more like dreams, or elusive fantasies. Honestly, what had he been thinking? Hoping for quiet when Sirius Black and Christmas were involved in such close proximity?
“Sirius! A little help here?” he called out.
Nothing.
“YOU CALLOUS BASTARD! LET ME DOWN!”
Of course, how Sirius was ever meant to hear him over the racket that was coming from the living room, Remus wasn't quite sure.
Click to view[[Wham - Last Christmas]]
He pinched the bridge of his nose disbelievingly. Leave it to Sirius Orion Black to be playing Wham! at such ridiculous decibels at this hour of the night.
Luckily for Remus, whose ear had become rather sore by now, a head of ridiculously unruly black hair peered round the corner of the entranceway, accompanied by two piercing green eyes. Remus stopped struggling and cursing the mistletoe and smiled down at Harry.
“Hallo there, pup. Go find your Uncle Sirius for me and tell him to come help Uncle Moony, yeah? There's a good lad.”
The five year old ran off down the corridor shouting, “PADFOOT, PADFOOT, MOONY'S HOME'N'THE MISTLETOE'S GOT'IM!” at the top of his lungs. Remus thought resignedly that wouldn't be half surprised if the muggle neighbours were contemplating summoning the riot police by now. He watched bemusedly as Sirius Black himself danced out of the living room (draped in tinsel, of course, Remus noted with a roll of his eyes) and swept Harry up in his arms, swinging him round in the air, singing along to ... was that ...? Oh Merlin, it was. Bob Geldof's horrific attempt at Christmas music - 'Do they know it's Christmas?'.
[[Band Aid - Do They Know It’s Christmas]]
“DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME AT ALL!?” Harry joined in at the chorus (“FEEEEEEEED THE WORLDDDDDD”). Remus thought he rather preferred the fangs digging into his ear than the singing of those two lunatics. The two rather painful experiences together were nothing short of torture.
“Hallo, Moony,” Sirius said, laughing and breathless, when the two of them had finally twirled their way down the corridor.
“Let me down, you berserker,” Remus bit out, not in the least bit amused. Sirius let Harry plop down to the ground before standing up on his tip toes to kiss Remus square on the lips. The mistletoe released him with a sound “pop” and a smack of its green, leafy lips. “You know, I should really report you to the authorities for breeding that stuff,” Remus said conversationally, bending down to pick Harry up and dust him off. “And what would James say if he knew you were teaching his kid to sing Bob Geldof? Honestly, Pads.”
“You're like the Grinch,” Sirius complained, pinching him on soundly on the nose. “That's all you ever do, is grinch. Here comes Moony the Grinch, grinching around and killing everyone's Christmas buzz.”
“Gwinch!” Harry chimed in. His godfather grinned at him and ruffled his hair proudly. Two sets of mock-affronted eyes peered up at Remus, and he groaned.
“Honestly, you're as bad as each other. This is getting ridiculous.”
“Moony, Moony! Padfoot'n'me made Christmas puddin'!” Harry chirped excitedly, pulling at Remus' hair.
“Did you now?”
Sirius was grinning at Harry fondly with what looked suspiciously like paternal pride. Remus took a second (as he so often had to, recently) to re-equate this caring, selfless father-figure with the Sirius he had known in his youth (brash, careless and self-involved) before letting Harry slide down to the ground again. The five year old tugged him along to the kitchen to show him their rather lopsided attempt at Christmas pudding.
“Without magic and everything,” Sirius commented, proudly.
“An' Sirius said tomorrow, we get to light it on fire and everything! And he put extra special things in to make it go on fire proper...mmmf.” A hand clamped down on Harry's mouth, effectively silencing him. Sirius rolled his eyes at Remus.
“Lad doesn't know what he's on about. Excitable pup, you know. Just the brandy. Like promised.”
But Remus could see the glint in Sirius' eye - and he made a mental note to replace the pudding before dinner tomorrow. Anyway, it was always better not to eat anything Sirius Black had ever had a hand in making.
The record player that Sirius had enchanted changed over again, thankfully taking away Bob Geldof and his band of singing lunatics and replacing it with...
“Oh now, see, this is better,” Remus sighed, rolling his shoulders a bit and stretching the work-induced crick out of his neck. He grinned as two strong arms wrapped around him from behind. Harry laughed a loud, childish laugh as Sirius started dancing, making Remus move along with him.
[[The Kinks - Father Christmas]]
“I used to fancy the pants off of Dave Davies, you know,” Remus mused, letting Sirius pull him into a choppy dance - well, as much a dance as one could to The Kinks.
“I know,” Sirius replied, laughingly, pulling away from Remus and picking Harry up again, dancing him around the kitchen. “You used to have a poster of him pinned to the wall by your bed.”
Harry began to croon along to the song, and wiggled his small hands along in time.
“I disillusioned that!” Remus couldn't help but join in, hopping around the kitchen and singing along a little a bit, even indulging in a bit of air guitar (which had Harry laughing so much he could hardly breathe.)
Sirius grinned at him fondly. “Your taste in music is far too old fashioned, old man,” he commented, wryly. Remus just rolled his eyes at him.
“Shut up, pillock, the seventies were the best time for Christmas music!”
Sirius, apparently did not agree. He groaned and flicked his wand at the record player. “Right,” he said, over the top of Harry's head. “I see you the Kinks and I raise you ... Hanoi Rocks.”
[[Hanoi Rocks - Dead By Xmas]]
“They're practically seventies anyways, Pads!” Remus cried. “They don't count! And this isn't Christmas music.”
Harry didn't seem to mind though. He was now sliding about the kitchen floor in his stocking-clad feet, bouncing along to the song.
“Shows what you know,” Sirius grumbled. "They're Finnish. Anything from Finland is automatically Christmas music - it’s where Santa's from!"
Rolling his eyes - again - Remus flicked his wand at the record player. It switched over abruptly. “This is Christmas music,” he said, picking Harry up and pressing their noses together, grinning. “Don't listen to Padfoot, pup, he doesn't know what he's on about.”
[[Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday]]
“I like this one!” Harry cried. Remus grinned and they turned to sing smugly at Sirius, “OHHHHHHHHHHH I WISH IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS EVERYDAY!”
Sirius shuddered in mock horror. “This song is sung by a bunch of pedophiles in stocking caps who, I'm sure, dropped acid on a fairly regular basis.”
“Yeah, like you've never tried acid,” Remus countered sardonically. Sirius looked sheepishly back at him; Remus continued his point. “This is pure Christmas gold. They will be playing this song for decades.”
But Sirius was still not having it. “Bugger this for a bunch of poofters,” he yelled, sticking his tongue out as he flicked his wand again. “Joan Jett. Pure eighties! Child of the decade!”
[[Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Little Drummer Boy]]
“Borrrrrrring,” droned Remus, with an exaggerated yawn. A giggling Harry imitated him. Sirius feigned outrage, plucking the child from Remus' arms and proceeding to tickle him as a punishment for his insubordination.
“Okay, okay, I see your Joan Jett and I raise youuuuu...” Remus stopped dancing a bit to think - then, taken with his own genius, flourished his wand at the record player happily. “Slade!”
[[Slade - Merry Christmas Everyone]]
Sirius groaned, his hands flying to cover his ears indignantly. “No, God, anything but Slade! Moony! You know how I feel about Slade!”
“Just because Don Powell never answered your fanmail!” Remus crooned, teasing, thoroughly enjoying the embarrassed pink flush on Sirius' cheeks. “Dear Don, My name is Sirius Black and I think you're positively dreamy.”
“OI!” Sirius flew at Remus from across the room, tackling him into a laughing heap on the floor. “YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO READ THAT! IT WAS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL! YOU PILLOCK!”
“Sirius, we lived in a very small room together for seven years - we have no secrets,” Remus gasped, in between giggles and flailing limbs. Harry (who was feeling a little left out), jumped on top of the two of them, wriggling around for attention. “Oof,” Remus gasped, reaching up to grab a tiny ankle and yanking Harry off of the top of the pile, the better to tickle him into submission. The flat filled with high-pitched shrieks.
“Harry, don't listen to your Uncle Moony. He's a traitor. A thief! And he has terrible taste in music!”
“I like this one,” Harry said innocently. Sirius looked up from his attempt at tickling Remus into capitulation, fit to burst with horror. He shot a spell at the record player in a huff.
“No child of James Potter's will grow up liking Slade,” he said, “if it kills me to make sure of it.”
[[Siouxsie and the Banshees - Il Est Né le Divin Enfant]]
“What, you'd rather have him listen to... is this Siouxsie?” Remus fixed his partner with a severe stare. “Sirius Black, you are a massive, enormous goth,” he accused, with only a hint of a smirk about his face.
“Shut up, Moony. You are a musically impaired cretin, with taste comparable to that of a bowtruckle. Siouxsie is a goddess among mortals!”
“But, Sirius, this is song is in French. You know how Prongs felt about the French!”
A tiny hand tugged on Sirius' cardigan. “Yes, Sprog?”
Harry's green eyes peered balefully up at him from the floor. “This song is booooring, Padfoot. Wanna dance s'more!”
Sirius sighed, burying his face into Remus' chest. “I am surrounded by cretins. Cretins and lunatics. Cretins, lunatics and tone-deaf halfwits. Does no one understand musical genius anymore?!”
“Don't be so melodramatic, you colossal poofter. Merlin. How anyone ever mistook you for straight is so entirely beyond me. Here, pup, you'll like this one.”
[[Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time]]
The distinctive, quirky opening chords of Paul McCartney's song wafted across the flat and Remus grinned to himself as Sirius' hips started to move in time with them.
“Ha! See! I knew you liked this one, Pads! Score one more to me!”
“This was so late in the seventies it was practically the eighties!” Sirius crowed, indignantly, as he picked himself and Harry up off the floor and started to dance around - only narrowly avoiding bumping Harry's head rather violently against one of the ceiling beams. "SIIIIMP-LY HAAAAV-ING…AWONDERFULCHRISTMASTIME"
Remus grinned and joined in, scooping a wriggling Harry out of Sirius' arms and lifting him giggling into the air. Sirius watched them, laughing, for a few minutes. Then, towards the end of the song, he smirked and flicked his wand again.
“You'll like this one too, Moony,” he said loudly over the top of the music.
“OOOOOOH, Gary Glitter!” Remus cried happily, and his dancing picked up even more enthusiasm. “Amazing!”
[[Gary Glitter - Another Rock’n’Roll Christmas]]
Sirius laughed loudly as Remus started prancing around the kitchen. “You are so incredibly camp,” he commented, with a dry fondness twitching the corners of his lips.
“Takes one to know one, nancy-boy,” Remus countered, heedlessly. The song played out and soon Harry and Remus collided with Sirius in the middle of the kitchen in a sweaty, laughing heap. “Alright, Pup, one more and then bedtime for you.”
“But... Moony! I don't wanna go bed!”
Sirius grinned, nuzzling Harry's insane hair (just like James' since the day he was born) with his nose. “The sooner you sleep, the sooner Father Christmas comes, Sprog,” he whispered conspiratorially in Harry's ear. Harry shrieked with excitement and, wriggling out of Sirius' arms, cried aloud that he was really very tired right now and wanted to go to bed immediately. Remus laughed, and shooed a grinning Sirius off to put him to bed.
It had been a long time since they had laughed so much, Remus mused, walking calmly over to the shelves full of records and running a finger along their spines. They weren't sad any more, per se, but the responsibilities of raising a child and the ever-gaping hole that James and Lily had left in their lives were shadows that were not easily escaped. It was good to see Sirius laugh so much; it reminded him of when they were boys who thought they owned the world, simply because no one had ever bothered to tell them otherwise - and because they would never have listened, even if they had been told.
Remus slid another record into the player, by hand this time, and conjured up a fire in the grate. Strong arms once again slid around his waist as Sirius pressed his nose into Remus' neck. Happily, Remus leant back into the embrace, and the two of them swayed slowly together.
[[John Lennon - War is Over (Happy Christmas)]]
“This is a bit of a morbid one, love,” Sirius said quietly, kissing the lobe of Remus' ear gently.
“I like it,” Remus shrugged. He turned in Sirius' arms to face him, wrapping his arms casually around his neck. “Seems apt, somehow.”
Sirius made a face and flicked his wand quickly behind Remus' back. “I don't like thinking about war at Christmas,” he said, eyes darkening a little. “This is better.”
[[David Bowie and Bing Crosby - Little Drummer Boy]]
Remus smiled softly and leant his head on Sirius' shoulder, letting him lead them in a slow dance around the room.
“I love this song,” he said, letting Sirius twirl him a little bit.
“Of course you do. It's David Bowie.”
“Well, he is the love of my life, it's true.” Remus chuckled a little and kissed Sirius' indignant pout away, swaying still as Bing Crosby and David Bowie crooned away. The record player crackled slightly over the well played LP, and right then Remus felt that the tiny, slightly dysfunctional world they had created out of so many ashes was, just for a bit, nothing short of perfect.
“This is possibly the queerest thing we've ever done,” Sirius said quietly.
“I dunno,” Remus teased, as another Crosby classic came on. “I'm sure there are other things that are queerer. For instance most of what happens in the bedroom.”
[[Bing Crosby - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas]]
“I'm not complaining,” Sirius explained with a touch of haughtiness. “Just commenting.”
“Hmm. Harry alright?”
“Except for having had his ears violated by Slade? Aye, he's fine. Excited about tomorrow.”
“He's a good lad. You've done well with him.”
“We've done well with him,” Sirius corrected. His overly large palm was in the small of Remus' back, holding him close, and Remus smiled.
“Alright then. We've done well with him. I think James would be happy.”
“It's Lily we'd have to worry about, really.”
Remus laughed softly, turning his head and kissing Sirius' cheek. “I think she'd be happy too. Even with you.”
They were quiet a while, except for the fire snapping happily in the hearth and the wind against the thin windows. Outside, it began to snow, though neither of them was aware of anything but their tiny, cosy bubble. They moved slowly together, not even dancing any more, just two people caught up in the closeness of the other, the warmth of a familiar voice on the record player and the feeling of being home, safe, and happy.
[[Bing Crosby - I’ll Be Home For Christmas]]
When, at the end of the record, Sirius finally turned his head and murmured in his ear, “Love you, you know. Even if your taste in music is truly ridiculous,” Remus was glad that he never got what he planned for. This, the little life they had built, was never meant to be. He knew, of course, that he and Sirius would give it up in an instant to bring James and Lily back - but they made do with what they had and frankly, Remus thought, what they had was pretty wonderful.
“Come to bed, then, Moony,” Sirius said quietly in his ear, taking his hand and leading him towards the stairs. Remus nodded, and smiled, and followed him - like he always had and always would.
Living with Sirius had its downfalls, its hazards and its quirks, and they had gone through a lot of pain to get to where they were now, but Remus was hard-pressed to imagine himself a better life.