Hey, it's not dead! ^.^;

Yes, I am still writing this, and I *am* paying attention to the questions that have been left in reviews - the answers just haven't had the chance to show up more in the story yet. ^_~ Updates will continue to be slow unfortunately, as my muse for this story has been backing off and shoving my ancient Gundam Wing/Harry Potter crossover at me instead.

I thoroughly enjoy writing my version of the Potter family. This may be more than slightly obvious. Oops.

Chapter 20: Home for the Holidays

The one decent thing to come of going to the Potters for the holidays was being able to spend the trainride with all of his friends. Harry and Alan mostly ignored one another as they were both still a little angry, so Draco took it upon himself to fight with Harry for most of the trip. Neville and Greg were discussing food with an enthusiasm that was slightly disturbing, while Vincent watched them both with the closest thing to a smile Alan had ever seen him give, absently feeding treats every so often to his screech owl Aria, who was perched quietly on his shoulder. Blaise had buried himself in another book, while Pansy was painting her fingernails and talking to Alan, who was supposed to be listening to her. Instead he was eyeing Cleopatra, Pansy's sleek, elegant-looking black cat who was looking at him from her owner's lap with an expression that made him nervous. He hadn't spent much time around cats before, but Pansy's cat clearly didn't like him.

"That's because your family guardian is a bird," Draco dismissed when Alan mentioned it. "Bloody cat's biased against them. Probably thinks you're a snack or something. She likes Greg though, watch."

Greg was more than happy to demonstrate his affinity with cats, scratching under Cleopatra's chin as she purred contentedly. "Family fortune's a white tiger," he explained for Neville, clearly pleased by the cat's fondness of him. "Talio."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Alan argued. "The Parkinson family guardian is a fox, not a cat. They're closer to dogs."

"But still not a bird," Pansy reminded him, absently reaching into her pocket for a brush. She ran it down Cleopatra's back gently, smiling as the cat purred even louder, obviously happy with the extra attention.

"And the cat likes to be spoiled," Draco added dryly. "Which we all know Pans is all too happy to do."

He ducked when Pansy swatted at him with the brush.

They all said their goodbyes in the car as the train at least pulled into the station. Draco's parents would have his head if he was caught showing anything remotely approaching fondness in public, as they considered it distasteful, and Pansy and Vincent's parents were much the same. It was a bit sad to watch Vincent and Greg hug briefly; they were both going home to their parents, and with the exception of the Ministry's Yuletide Gala, wouldn't see each other again until they returned to school,

"Hang in there, Alan," Neville murmured as they shook hands. "Maybe this year won't be so bad."

Alan tried to smile at him, but it was clearly forced.

"Come on, then," Harry told him as they grabbed their trunks. He was calmer now, either from the prospect of finally seeing his family again, or the hours of arguing with Draco for no reason. Draco had an uncanny nack for helping Harry wind down somehow, just as he was easily the best at winding him up again.

They'd barely made it into the hall before Alan found himself tackled against a wall by Pansy, who promptly threw her arms around his neck. "Pans - " he choked out.

"Be careful," she whispered in his ear, standing on her tiptoes so she could lean in close. "Be safe. Send me lots of owls." She kissed his cheek as he blinked in surprise. "It won't be so bad this year, Alan. I promise," she murmured, squeezing one last time before pulling away.

He barely had time to stare at her in shock before she was already grabbing Cleopatra from Greg and flouncing off the train with her usual flair. "What was that about?" he muttered, more to himself than anything.

"She's worried about you."

Harry shrugged when Alan glanced at him. "We all are," he said matter-of-factly. "You've been acting weird for days, and you're not talking to anyone. And now that we know about ... well, that."

"Well, what?" Alan asked warily.

Harry hesitated, shifting his grip on Hedwig's cage. He looked strangely uncomfortable. "You never getting any presents," he mumbled finally, too low for anyone else to hear. "When Scott bought you Lucy, I thought ... well, I thought you'd just meant that you never got presents for no reason. But we talked about it, and we realized that all of us have been sending you presents for years, but for some reason you never got any of them. And it's ... well, it .. it just makes this Christmas different, that's all."

That was putting it mildly. He eyed Harry. "I wasn't trying to make any of you feel weird or anything."

Harry shrugged. "I know you weren't. But it makes things different all the same. It just means we'll have to work harder at making this year special, is all." He shook his head, adjusting Hedwig again as she hooted at him in annoyance, and seemed to brush the subject off. "Well, come on. Uncle's probably waiting for us outside."

There was something decidedly awkward about being escorted home for the holidays by one of your professors. Harry didn't seem bothered at all by the idea however, greeting Professor Pettigrew outside the train with a ferocious hug and an enthusiastic "Uncle Wormtail!"

Professor Pettigrew seemed amused. "We saw each other barely an hour ago, Harry," he reminded him even as he returned the hug, ruffling Harry's hair when they separated.

"But you were Professor P, then," Harry argued. "And I'm not allowed to treat you like family or everyone thinks you're playing favorites. Now you're Uncle Wormtail again, and I can treat you how I like."

Not that it made much of a difference, Alan thought privately. Harry had always treated Professor Pettigrew how he liked, just without the hugs. And anyone with eyes knew that the professor favored him, even if it wasn't obvious in class.

Why he was calling him 'Wormtail' now though, Alan had no idea.

"Stop channeling Padfoot or I'm telling your mum," Professor Pettigrew returned, cuffing Harry lightly under the chin as he tried not to smile and failed. His gaze fell on Alan finally, and he offered another smile. "Ready to go, Alan?"

Alan shrugged uncertainly. "I suppose so, Professor."

Pettigrew wrinkled his nose. "You don't need to call me professor when we're not in school, Alan. Uncle Peter is fine."

"Yes, Uncle Peter," Alan returned obediently, shifting Lucy's cage to his other hand. Why did all of Harry's relatives insist on being his 'aunt' or 'uncle', anyway?

"We'd better get moving before Lily sends James after us," Pettigrew decided. "Got your trunks?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Yup."

"Follow me, then." And he trotted off through the crowd, leaving Harry and Alan to hurry after him.

"Wormtail!" James Potter threw open the front door with a broad smile, drawing the other man into a ferocious hug. "Finally escaped the miscreant prison and joined the real world, eh?"

Professor Pettigrew rolled his eyes, patting James on the back roughly and pulling away. "You say that every year, and yet I still go back. And it wasn't so long ago that we were some of those miscreants, you know," he pointed out.

James threw an arm over his face dramatically, crying "Wormy! How dare you accuse me of being ... being old! The shame!" He turned from Pettigrew, who was rolling his eyes again, to greet Alan with another smile and a slightly gentler hug. "Alan! Good to see you, lad! How was your trip?"

"Fine," Alan answered politely, stiffening a little at the hug before awkwardly attempting to return it. "Thank you for having me."

James waved a hand dismissively as he pulled away. "No need for thanks, you're family after all."

Harry cleared his throat loudly.

James turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow at the way Harry stood with his arms folded, foot tapping in annoyance. "Oh, it's you," he said blandly. "What? Hogwarts wouldn't keep you for hols, then?"

Harry's eyes narrowed.

"I suppose you want a hug or something," James sighed, the corner of his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile.

"I'm telling Mum you tried to send me back," Harry informed him.

"Now now, no need for threats," James said hastily, moving to swoop Harry into a hug as Pettigrew snorted in amusement. He lifted the boy off his feet, spinning him around as he squeezed. He murmured something to Harry Alan couldn't hear, and for a moment it looked like he was kissing the top of Harry's head. Harry reached up to wrap his arms around his dad's neck in response, squeezing tightly.

Alan looked away, swallowing hard.

"Harry!" twin voices screamed in unison, as the red-haired blurs of Roseanna and Everett Potter literally tackled their older brother the moment James set him down, pinning Harry to the floor with a yelp. Another, younger voice cried out for Harry as well, and Alan watched as Aurora Black stumbled after them, throwing herself on top of the pile with a delighted squeal. Harry made a sort of pained groan from somewhere at the bottom, while James and Pettigrew both laughed heartily.

"Hello, Alan," Lily greeted him warmly as she left the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "Welcome to the madhouse."

"Thank you for having me," he returned automatically, trying not to stiffen when she moved to hug him.

"It's not having you over when you're family, darling," she told him, stroking his cheek with a soft smile. She turned as he fought not to fidget, laughing and calling out "All right, everyone off! And Harry had better still be alive under there when I find him, or there'll be no dessert tonight for anyone!"

"But Mum!" Rett protested, even as he scrambled to get up.

"Now that's just cruel, Lils," James argued, lifting Anna up onto his shoulder as she giggled and squirmed. "Denying the children their dessert? That's practically a required dinner course!"

"Who said I was only denying the children?" Lily returned sweetly, helping Harry to his feet and pulling him into a hug as James looked horrified.

"Don't worry." The sudden voice beside him made Alan start, and he looked up at Pettigrew warily. His teacher offered him a slight smile. "You get used to this. It's a little strange at first, but they'll go out of their way to suck you in as well. James and Lily never like to let anyone feel like a stranger."

"Is that what they did with you?" Alan asked after a moment, frowning a little as Harry made a face at his mother for fussing over his hair.

"Yes." The professor's voice was fond, and the look on his face softened as he watched the family as well. "James and the others made me one of them without a second thought, and when he married Lily, she made a point of treating us all like family. She used to say that families only get bigger, never smaller."

"Wouldn' a had anythin' to do with it at all if it weren't fer your brothers - "

Alan swallowed, trying to ignore the familiar ache in his chest. "I see." he murmured.

"When are Uncle Padfoot and Uncle Moony getting here?" Harry demanded, cutting into his thoughts. Aurora had latched onto his leg and was now sitting on his foot, but he didn't seem to care.

"Tomorrow," Lily assured him. "We'll spend Christmas Eve together, and then have presents the next morning. Scott and the boys will be here in the afternoon."

Harry brightened. "Is John really coming?" he pressed. "Gordon said he was, but - "

"He's really coming," she promised with a smile, ruffling his hair. "He all but insisted he was going to be here this year. Said wild horses couldn't keep him away."

"Brilliant." Harry grinned.

Alan wondered what horses had to do with anything.

"Now. I want you three to put your things away, and everyone needs to wash up for lunch," Lily commanded. "Come on, hop to it!"

"Is it always like this here?" Alan couldn't help asking as he dragged his trunk up the stairs after Harry.

"Yup." Harry grinned widely at him. "Isn't it brilliant?"

Alan shrugged uncertainly. It was different, that was for sure.