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Chapter Summary: Harry, Draco, Neville, and Hermione, celebrate their first Thanksgiving with Catlin.

Thanksgiving, American Style

Hogwarts, Scotland
November 22, 2001

~*~Catlin's POV~*~

Catlin was insistent that they still do Thanksgiving, even if the British don't celebrate. Hermione was excited to celebrate an American holiday but had no idea as to how they would be able to do so. Harry, Draco, and Neville just went along with the girls.

Catlin, after Potion's class and the other's left, went up to her professor. "Professor?" she asked.

"Yes, Miss Stark. Do you have a question about the potion we brewed today?" he asked with a raised brow.

Catlin shook her head and said, "I was wondering if my friends and I could use the classroom near your office tonight, during dinner."

She watched as her mate and professor raised his other brow, "May I ask why, Miss Stark?"

"I want to introduce them to Thanksgiving. I can't spend it with Dad, so I thought it would be fun to show them an American holiday." She said with a bright grin.

"And what is required for this holiday, Miss Stark?"

"Lots of food and desserts, "she said impishly, jumping on the balls of her feet. She knew her Severus would let them use the classroom. It was only a matter of time. "We'll be having turkey's and ham with stuffing and casseroles. There would be cranberry sauces and peach cobblers, with pumpkin pies and cheesecakes. Lots of hot chocolate and apple pies. It's a feast, but it's also a time to tell those you love, your family, what your thankful for throughout the year. It about spending time with family and friends and just being. It's one of my very favorite holidays," she explained.

She watched him take in all that she said before he gave a chuckle. "Very well, Miss Catlin. You and your friends may use that classroom but know that I will be stopping by to check on you shortly after dinner starts in the Great Hall. I'll inform Professor's McGonagall and Flitwick of your whereabouts." He stood and moved around his desk and stood in front of her. "You best be going, Miss Stark, you wouldn't want to be late for your next class.

She nodded and scurried out of the classroom and hurried off to Defense. Now that was an interesting class after the bumbling idiot disappeared, they had gotten a new professor. His name was Rowan Callaway and he was brilliant. Everyone said so.

She slid to a stop outside of the classroom just as her year mates were entering the room. "Catlin! You made it!" Neville said with a grin.

She gasped for breath and grinned. "Barely, but we're on for tonight! Professor Snape will check up on us, but he said we could use the room. Aunt Cissa is gunna let us use one of their elves, Dobby, I think his name is. It will be wonderful!" she told him as they entered the classroom and sat together.

"It will be fun seeing a different holiday. Gran wouldn't approve, I'm sure, but I can't wait."

"Alright, class, settle down, settle down. Books open to page 248. I want you to read the first three pages and take notes on what you've read. Once done, we'll be going over it and practice the spell if there is time…" Professor Callaway said as he started class.

Unused Classroom
Slytherin Dungeons – Same Day

~*~Hermione's POV~*~

This was a chance in a life time. To celebrate a different holiday that wasn't British or magical. When she entered the unused classroom that they had used at Halloween so that Harry could speak to his parents, she spotted Neville and Catlin already in the room. There was a long table already full of so many different kinds of foods.

"It smells so good in here!" she exclaimed as she entered the room further to inspect the food laden table. She spotted turkey and ham with stuffing and a strange casserole that looked as if it had cheese in it and a green bean casserole too. She spotted two different kinds of cranberry sauce, and the deserts!

"Are Harry and Draco coming?" Neville asked, distracting Hermione from the table.

"Oh! Yes, they said they would be right behind me," she told the other two, just as the door opened once more, causing the three of them to turn towards the opening door.

"You haven't started yet, have you?" Draco asked, leading Harry into the room.

"No not yet. Hermione just got here herself," Catlin said with a smile. "Come, let's sit, and I'll tell you more about what my dad and I do for Thanksgiving."

The five of them moved to sit around the table, though Hermione noticed a sixth setting, but said nothing. "So what traditions do you follow? I've read all about it, of course, but I'm really curious as to what you and your family do for the holiday." She had gotten better at not taking what she read in books as fact.

"We made our own. We cook dinner together, and the desserts too. Then we usually sit in front of the T.V. and watch movies together, more often than not, Christmas movies." Catlin smiled as she thought back to the holidays that she shared with her dad and, on occasion, her grandfather. "We talk to, about everything that we're thankful for from throughout the year and dad shares stories from when he was a kid. He, as you Brits say, is bloody brilliant!"

"Can we do that?" Neville asked shyly.

"That's why I wanted to do this. But first, let's eat! I'm hungry!"

Hermione smiled as she and the others eagerly started dishing up their plates. It didn't take long for them to start talking about their past holidays and what traditions each of them followed, but, as she looked over at Harry, she noticed a small, sad smile as he watched everyone else talking animatedly.

~*~Harry's POV~*~

As they sat around the table full of all sorts of foods. He liked the idea of spending an American holiday with his friends and family, though, as they started talking about the traditions they each celebrated, he couldn't help by feel left out, sad that he didn't have similar stories. All he could talk about was the Christmas dinners he cooked and the presents he watched his cousin open all his many presents and not even receiving a morsel of the dinner he cooked.

He noticed Hermione glance at him and he gave her a small smile but couldn't quite hide the sadness that he felt. "I'm thankful for the family that I found, the friends that I made, and for Severus Snape and Loki Silvertongue for making sure that I was aware of what I needed to be aware of. I'm thankful that my Papa and Uncle Moony are home too. I'm thankful for Draco, for being my friend and my mate, being there when I'm overwhelmed. For Catlin for being the sister I've always wanted, and the two of you, Hermione and Neville, for being my very best friends, my first friends aside from Draco and Cat." Harry looked down at his hands, nervous.

There was a silence when he started speaking. He knew that he interrupted Neville's story, but he felt that he had to say it right then. "I'm thankful for having the chance to meet the son of my very best friend…" a deep voice from the doorway said, causing Harry to look up from his hands. "For being forgiven and given the family I have always wanted." Harry saw him glance over at Catlin before he continued, "I'm thankful for the new chance at life and getting to know the people that have quickly come to mean a great deal to me. Especially you Harry. You're the reason I have been given such a wondrous chance to make up for the mistakes I have made in the past."

Harry gave the man a shaky smile as he looked up at his professor. Before he turned to his right when Draco spoke, "I'm thankful that my family has the chance to break away from the past, to work towards a better future. For meeting the Starks and Lord Silvertongue and that my godfather is finally happy. I'm thankful that I got to meet and make friends with those I wouldn't usually have the chance to meet. I'm thankful for the amazing summer that we had, and I look forward to what will come next." Harry looked over at Draco with a swell of happiness. "I'm mostly thankful for Harry who's showed me that life isn't about how much money you have, but the family you spend it with." Draco sent a fond smile at Harry, his own happiness in his eyes.

Harry watched as Professor Snape moved over to the empty setting next to Catlin who smiled brightly at every one. It was Neville, though, who spoke next. "I don't really have a lot to be thankful for, but what I do have is the most important." His shyness was apparent, but at least he didn't stutter as much as he used to. Harry smiled encouragingly at him and gave him a nod to continue. "I'm thankful for the friends I met on the Express. They…you've all helped me so much this year, helped me understand that I don't have to pretend to be someone else, that I just have to be myself. I…I think this year would have been so very different than it is now if I hadn't met you all."

Neville looked at everyone, gracing them, even Professor Snape, with a small, happy smile. "That's what I'm thankful for, for all of you. Gran might not like who I'm becoming, but it doesn't matter as much as it once did. I'm thankful for the chance to be myself, even if others don't like what they see."

Harry watched as Hermione hugged the shy boy with a big smile. He could understand. He was thankful for that as well. He smiled, happy that these people were his friends, his family. He never thought he would have any of this before Professor Snape took him to Gringotts. He glanced over at Hermione and Catlin. They were the only ones that have yet to speak.

"Friends, friends that aren't in any book. That's what I'm thankful for. I never had any friends growing up. I was always smarter than all the other kids. Sure, my parents were always proud of me, but all I really had in the end were my books." She looked at all the faces, even her potion's professor, and gave a shy smile. "Then I met you all, on the train coming to a real magic school, and for the first time I thought I would get the chance to finally make friends…and I have. That's what I'm thankful for…" the last a whisper.

"I have a lot to be thankful for. My dad, my grandfather, my cousin who is far more a brother to me and the one I always wished I would have. Draco, for being there for Harry when I couldn't be, Professor Snape, for bringing us all together. When I first came to live with Dad, I was already strange and different…" She paused as she saw the looks on their faces, only to laugh, "In a good way, of course."

"Of course," Professor Snape drawled with an eye roll.

Catlin smiled, "But Dad, he didn't care. All he cared about was me being, well, me. Grandfather helped of course, and I'll always be thankful for him…and Aunt Hela, they saved my life when I should have died." Her smile brightened before continuing, "I'm thankful for all the wonderful changes that have happened since summer. I have everything I could possibly want, and most of it is right here in this room."

Harry nodded. Yes, he could agree to that. He picked up his goblet and raised it in front of him as a toast. "To family and friends. May we always be thankful for what we have!" It wasn't long after when the rest of those seated around the makeshift table with their modest Thanksgiving dinner, raised their own glasses and repeated his toast.

Yes, this was a good tradition, even if it had a bloody beginning. It was certainly one that he would continue to celebrate for years to come, whether he lived in the UK or in the States hardly mattered at all. This year was a year of new beginnings, and he wasn't going to stop now!

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