Professor Lupin took the Hogwarts Express back to London for the holidays. At Maisie's insistence, he sat in a compartment with her. Maisie's friends were wary at first, but warmed up when Lupin treated them all to Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"I really shouldn't," Lupin murmured to Maisie, "but Hogwarts is saving me a fortune on food, so I reckon I can treat myself."

"You deserve it," Maisie said. She was surprised by this piece of confidence: although they'd had tea together several times, Lupin remained closed-off. Mum's invitation for Christmas—prompted by Maisie—had brought a delighted smile to his wan face.

"I can only spare a couple of days," he'd said. "I'm rather behind on grading, I'm afraid. But it would be my absolute pleasure."

Archie sat with them, too. Maisie's date with him had gone very well. They'd had a snowball fight on the lawn of the Three Broomsticks.

Maisie pelted Archie with snowballs as fast as she could. He retaliated by tackling her. Maisie landed flat on her back, knowing the wind out of her.

"Sorry, sorry!" Archie sat up, laughing. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine. Where'd my hat go?"

"It flew off. It's right here." Archie reached over her and grabbed it. "You didn't braid your hair."

"Um, no, I didn't."

"I like it." Archie smiled. "Hey, um, Maisie?"

"Yeah?"

"Would it be okay if I kissed you?"

Maisie's face flooded with heat. "Um. I, um…"

"It's okay." Archie pulled away. "No rush."

"No! I, um, yes. If you want to."

"Of course I want to." Archie ran his gloved thumb over her cheek. "How could I not? You look so cute right now, with your hair messed up and your face all red."

Maisie couldn't help protesting: "My face is not red!"

"Yes, it is." Archie kissed the tip of her nose. "It's adorable." He gently pressed his lips to hers. Despite the cold snow against her back, Maisie felt very warm. If it weren't for the group of tittering third-years that passed them, she might have liked to stay in that snowy field for the rest of the day.

During the train ride, Archie kept finding excuses to touch Maisie: his arm around her shoulder, his hand on her knee. Maisie's face was hot. Lupin might be family, but he was still a professor. But Lupin didn't seem remotely uncomfortable, so Maisie relaxed.

They played poker, using jellybeans instead of money. Jasper cleaned them all out, and smugly ate his way through a pile of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans while the others played Exploding Snap.

They parted ways at the station with fervent wishes of "Happy Christmas!" Mum was waiting, but Archie pulled Maisie aside.

"Would it be all right if I wrote to you over the holidays?"

"Archie, you didn't need to ask. Of course you can write me!"

"Good." Archie grinned. "See you later, then." He glanced sidelong at Mum, Oliver, and Lupin. "Happy holidays." He chastely kissed Maisie's cheek.

Maisie suffered teasing interrogation from Mum, Dad, and Oliver that night about Archie. Lupin was blessedly quiet, but he smiled the entire time.

"Guys, c'mon!" Maisie's face was very red, and she wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor and disappear. "It's new! I don't know!"

Mum rounded on Lupin. "Who is this boy, Remus? Is he in your class?"

"Yes, he is," said Lupin. "N.E.W.T. level. Bright boy. Good Quidditch player."

"Of course Mays would go for a Quidditch player." Oliver scoffed. "She thinks of nothing else; how else could somebody get her attention!"

Maisie threw her wadded-up napkin at him. "You're one to talk!"

Her embarrassment only increased when Archie sent her a Christmas card and a package of Peppermint Toads. Oliver snatched the card and read it before Maisie could stop him.

"'I know these are your favorite. Thinking of you on this snowy day.' Aw, that's sweet, Mouse. Can't you reach it?" Oliver held the card over his head.

Maisie hopped as high as she could, but the card was still out of reach. "Give it back, Ollie!" She stomped heavily on Oliver's foot and grabbed it out of his hand when he doubled over in pain.

Mum and Dad made the largest Christmas dinner Maisie had ever seen, and Mum pressed Lupin to have seconds and thirds. Maisie guessed that her parents also thought Lupin looked thin and sickly. He looked sicker as the days passed, and left the day after Christmas.

"No, I really must go," he said in response to Mum's protests. "I'm behind on my grading as it is, and to be honest I've not been feeling well."

"But you'll come stay with us again, sometime," said Mum firmly. "You've been a stranger far too long."

Lupin hesitated. "I would be glad to."

Two days after Christmas, Maisie was sitting in her window seat reading The Clan of the Cave Bear: her Christmas present from George.

"Because everybody stands to learn something from Bears," was the cheeky inscription. So far, however, there were no bears. Only cavemen. Maisie was fascinated; how did Muggles know so much about prehistoric people? Had there really been two kinds of people? There were still two kinds of people, Maisie reflected: wizards and Muggles.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud crack. Maisie looked out the window. Archie Ford was standing knee-deep in the pond.

Maisie sprang to her feet, fumbled into a jumper and boots, thundered downstairs and burst outside just as Archie struggled out of the pond. The bottom half of his trouser legs were soaked and muddy. "Archie, what are you doing here?"

"Just passed my Apparition Test—oof!" Archie staggered and nearly fell over when Maisie hugged him. "Had to come see you, didn't I? Misjudged the distance a bit."

"I'll say!" Maisie laughed. "Come in and get warm! Mum would love to meet you…if that's okay?"

"I wouldn't have come if it wasn't okay!" Archie laughed. "I've meet your folks before. They dropped Oliver off at my house for a holiday."

"That's right, I'd forgotten. I was…nine?"

"I remember your little pigtails."

Maisie shoved him. "Don't knock my pigtails!"

Laughing, they tumbled into the big farmhouse kitchen. Mum was sitting by the fireplace, which was as wide as Maisie was tall, with a cup of tea and a book. She looked up when Archie and Maisie came in.

"Why, Archie Ford! It's been a while. How's your mother?"

"She's great, thanks, Mrs. Wood. Should I put my boots here? I'm afraid they're a bit muddy."

"What happened to you?" Mum put her bookmark in. "You're half-soaked!"

"I Apparated here, and I missed the mark a little bit." Archie laughed ruefully.

"Come over here by the fire. I'll make tea. Oh, where's my wand?"

Mum made cocoa, and dried Archie's trousers with an Evaporation Charm. Mum wanted to know about Archie's family, how his N.E.W.T.s were coming, and whether he wanted to work for the Ministry.

"I've applied to be an Unspeakable," said Archie. "Department of Mysteries, like my dad."

Mum nodded. "Good for you."

"If I can get my Potions grade up, I think I'll get in," said Archie.

Mum excused herself to work on the laundry, and Maisie and Archie were left alone in the kitchen.

"Where's Oliver?" said Archie.

"He's being courted by recruiters," said Maisie. "I think today he's at a Kestrels match?"

"Lucky Oliver."

"No kidding. I might try and go pro myself, just so I can get tickets to all the matches!"

They went up to Maisie's room. When they passed Mum on the stairs, she said politely, "Leave the door open, Maisie, please. I might need help with the laundry."

The open door didn't stop Archie from kissing Maisie dizzy in her window seat. Snow was falling peacefully outside.

"I know it's only been a week," said Archie quietly, "but I missed seeing you every day." Maisie's legs were in Archie's lap, and her head rested on his shoulder.

Maisie smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah. That's why I came over the second I got my license. I hope that wasn't out of line."

"Are you kidding? It's great to see you!" Maisie kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry Mum interrogated you."

"It was hardly an interrogation."

"So…you want to work in the Department of Mysteries?"

"Yeah. My dad worked there for years. There's so much we don't know, Maisie. My dad was an Unspeakable, but he used to tell me some things…you wouldn't believe what they're doing in there."

"Like what? What can you tell me that isn't classified?"

Archie chuckled. "Let's see…there's a room full of Time-turners. My dad got to use one once. Went back a few hours. He just walked around the Ministry a bit, but he said it was thrilling. And I think they've got an Obscurus tucked away in there somewhere."

"An Obscurus? Isn't that really dangerous?"

"Don't worry; it's contained. Mr. Scamander says they're not dangerous once separated from the host."

"Your dad's met Mr. Scamander?"

"He is the global expert on Obscurials," said Archie. "That was a long time ago, though. I reckon Scamander's retired by now, enjoying some well-earned down time with his bowtruckles."

"Have you read his biography? I don't think 'down time' is in his vocabulary."

Archie laughed. "Maybe not."

"Is your dad excited for you to become an Unspeakable?"

For a long moment Archie was quiet. Then he said: "My dad's dead, Maisie."

Maisie sat up to look him full in the face. "I had no idea. Archie, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." He rubbed her back gently. "It was a while ago."

"Still…"

"I don't like to tell people. It was an accident at work. The Ministry never did tell us all the details."

"Are you hoping to find out more if you're in the department?" Maisie said.

Archie shrugged. "It genuinely appeals to me. If I find out exactly how he died, that's just a bonus."

Maisie didn't know what to say. Aside from Harry, she'd never known anyone with a dead parent. She settled for hugging Archie so tightly he coughed.

"Take it easy, Maisie."

"Sorry." Maisie sat back. "Hey, I loved your card, by the way. And the Toads."

"I thought you might."

"I got you something, too."

"Maisie, you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to." Maisie rummaged under the window seat. "I was going to send it today, but then you showed up. Good timing."

"That's what I'm known for." Archie took the small package, wrapped in newspaper and tied with a bright yellow ribbon. "Pretty."

"The ribbon is for your hair."

"Yellow is one of my favorite colors." Archie untied the ribbon, coiled it neatly, and stuck it in his pocket. The paper he treated with less respect. "Oh, Maisie, a book! You shouldn't have."

"Shup up." Maisie jostled him. "This is one of my favorites. I thought you might like it."

"Ender's Game. I've never even heard of this."

"It's a Muggle science fiction novel."

Archie gave her a strange look. "You read Muggle novels?"

"Oh, yes! They're much more interesting than wizarding ones. Muggles are so creative, I think because of the lack of magic. In this one, the Muggles send children to space to fight alien bugs!"

"People don't go to space, Maisie."

"Yes, they do! The Muggles have gone. Look it up. I swear it's true."

"Wow. Maybe I missed out not taking Muggle Studies."

"Absolutely," said Maisie fervently. She hesitated. "You don't have to read it if you don't want to."

"No, I'll read it. You say it's good. I've never read a Muggle book before."

He hates it, Maisie thought. He thinks I'm weird for reading Muggle books. She didn't know what to say. The silence stretched out. Archie flipped through the pages of Ender's Game.

"Hey, do you want a snack? I've got a box of candy under here." Maisie pulled out her Honeydukes Christmas box. "The Peppermint Toads are already gone, unfortunately."

Archie laughed. "You and those Toads. Is it the peppermint flavor you like?"

"Yeah." Maisie unwrapped a package of Jelly Slugs. "It makes the chocolate taste better. It like deepens the flavor or something."

"You like peppermint tea?"

"Love it. With just a little bit of sugar."

"Sugar, really? I never put sugar in my tea. Just cream."

"But that dampens the flavor of the tea!"

"And sugar doesn't?"

"Sugar accentuates the flavor."

"If you say so. Got any Cockroach Clusters in there?"

The snow deepened as they ate Honkeydukes candy and talked. Maisie's room was drafty, so they ended up snuggling together under a blanket.

Archie's favorite candy was Acid Pops. His Quidditch team was the Pride of Portee. He had two older brother and an older sister, who all worked for the Ministry, and a sheepdog named Zeus. As a child he'd wanted to be a magizoologist, like Mr. Scamander, and study thunderbirds in Arizona. He was dreading his Potions N.E.W.T. but expected Charms to be a breeze.

Maisie told him about her cat, Joscelind, and some of her childhood adventures with Lee. She was dreading her Transfiguration O.W.L. She'd always wanted to be a Healer, but she couldn't quite explain why; there were other ways to help people, and she'd set herself a difficult course path.

"You're a brilliant Quidditch player," said Archie. "Why don't you pursue that?"

"Because I'm not a Beater."

"Last I checked…"

"Yeah, okay, at school. Watson stuck me as a Beater and I've been there ever since. But when I train with Oliver or play Quidditch with the Weasleys in their orchard…I like to go fast, Archie. As fast as I can. I want to try playing Seeker someday."

"I remember when you played Seeker for us, when Cedric was sick. You were fantastic."

"Thank you. I loved it. It was a huge thrill. I'm dying to try it again."

"After Cedric graduates, maybe."

"Hopefully," Maisie said. "I think he'll recommend me for Captain, and if I'm Captain I can play whatever position I want, right?"

"As if anybody would dare tell you no!" said Archie, laughing.

A/N: Thanks everybody for reading/following! I love all the feedback I get, even if it's just a "like."