"By the way, John, Mycroft is coming."
John looked at him for a moment.
"I thought he didn't do Christmas parties since they involve other human beings," John stated.
"Between managing a civil war and a Christmas party, he's choosing the lesser of two evils," Sherlock replied.
John's stare became pointed.
"Which is a Christmas party?"
"You know better than that, John."
John drew in a deep breath.
"He won't be here for the whole thing?"
"Certainly not, he'll find the prospect unbearable. The last hour of it at most."
John shrugged. "Okay."
"You know, I don't think I've ever seen Sherlock's brother," said Remus as John put boughs of fake holly around an ugly vase full of hot pink moss roses.
"Your life has been enriched a thousand fold because of it," Sherlock retorted.
Remus ignored him. "Sirius told me a little, and he sounds … very interesting."
"You think personifications of government are interesting?" said John mildly.
"It's not every day you even hear someone like that existing," said Remus, equally mildly.