I just wanted to thank JK for her world, and her continued generosity with it! These are her toys! I own any OC's that appear, they're MINE ALL MINE! BWahahahaaah! Sorry little touch of megalomania there. So enjoy my take on the continuing saga of the epilogue to DH.

Chapter Notes: Well kids, I have a confession to make, I was going to postpone this post, but I read a review that reminded me that I am building a world here, and as such, some chapters are just going to just be visits to it. No plot points, no action, just getting to know our characters a bit more. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed getting into the families and seeing some of the reasons behind who they are and what might possibly motivate them. This chapter is a guilty pleasure for me, it was a chance to maybe give you a view of this version of JK's universe that resides in my head. I hope you enjoy this stroll.

I SWEAR Christmas is next!

Albus Potter and the Year of the Badger

Chapter 21: Regret and Rumination

Albus thought he knew what the repercussions of his decision would be, but in the next few days after he and Rose signed the Hols' list were eventful.

The flock of owls began immediately when Rose got a Howler from her dad courtesy of her family's owl Crooky. After the hastily cast Muffliato wore off she was near tears. "Well it seems that dad isn't pleased." They looked up to see an official ministry owl coming, Albus saw Rose flinch probably thinking it was a Howler from her mum, but to their relief it was just a letter. Rose was so happy she fed the lucky owl an entire sausage while she read it and passed it down so Scorpius and Albus could see.

Dearest Rosie,

I apologize for not catching your dad before he sent a Howler; I assume it arrived shortly before this owl. Your Father's temperamental and thoughtless at times, you know this, but passionate people are like that. He loves you Rosie, you know that he would do anything for you, but because of that he cannot imagine a Holiday without his girl. I could not get through to him, so I appealed to a higher authority to intervene. Grandma Weasley. I know that I'm just not good at Howlers, and having been at ground zero when Ron received one from her in the past, I felt she would be better suited.

His apologies should be arriving shortly.

I am proud of you Rosie for valuing friendship to this extent. I will not say that we won't miss you. The whole family will. You've already heard from your dad, and Hugo is currently planning a protest of Hogwarts Holiday Policy. Do send him an owl please. If he stages another hunger strike at Gram and Grand Weasley's I don't think I could live down the embarrassment.

We will send along your presents, give Albus and Scorpius my love.

Love,

Your Mum

Rosie rolled her eyes at that last bit when Scorpius and Albus sniggered. Scorpius looked at her expectantly, until she snapped, "What?" He gave her a straight face. "Well aren't you going to give us your mum's love?" As Albus and Scorpius laughed, she menacingly pulled out her wand. Another Ministry owl, this one with a sincere and heartfelt "sorry I lost my temper" from her dad, interrupted them.

Albus didn't receive a Howler, but they both received a parade of concerned cousins asking if they were sure they were staying.

James, however, seemed delighted. "What do you think you are doing?" Albus heard his brother ask pleasantly from across the corridor as he Rose and Scorpius headed to Transfiguration.

Albus sighed and turned, "What?" James smiled benevolently, "You know what!"Albus gave him a heated glare. "My deciding to stay at Hogwarts for the holiday, is none of your concern," he declared. James teased, "I guess Ickle Albykins just needs to be special, as usual!" "Shut it!" Albus grumbled.

Dominique walked up from behind, catching the tail end of the conversation. "Now that's out of line James. Albus does his own thing, that's just Albus, he hates attention. You know that." James rolled his eyes, "If baby boy wants to stay the Hols', he'll get no argument from me. It just means I can eat his food and have access to his presents before he gets them. Happy Christmas little brother." He waved happily and slipped off down a side corridor whistling a merry tune. Dominique smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that. He has been less insufferable lately. I can't say I'm not going to miss you guys though." She gave them a hug before she followed James.

When they turned back to Scorpius, was standing there with his cold emotionless barrier back up. "I'm the cause of this," he murmured, "this is all my fault."Albus faked a weary sigh. "Is Mal-Boy being dramatic again?" Rose rolled her eyes comically. "You have to expect the next dark lord to be a bit broody, but still."

Scorpius shot them a dirty look but it was ruined by the small smile.

However as Christmas neared and students began getting restless and making plans, Albus began having second thoughts.

Christmas was a family event for the Potters. He got to see all of his wacky extended family on that day, not just the Weasleys.

Rolf and Luna Scamander were international travellers, with stories of countless countries and searches for once-thought mythical magical creatures, but they kept a secret that only those close to them knew. The secret to their success writing about magical creatures, was that Rolf was one, but between Teddy Lupin's full moon mood swings, and Uncle Bill's taste for extremely rare meat, the tall glasses-wearing rough-hewn Rolf wasn't all that much of a novelty among the Weasleys. In spite of their eccentricities, they were just family. The Scamander's would bring over their two little hellions, to the Burrow from just over the rise through the orchard. Those two little twins made James and Fred look tame! Albus had often wondered if they got a bit of werewolf in them from Rolf. Hogwarts was in for it in four years! In spite of the chaos surrounding them, it was sweet to see Aunt Looney and her husband interact, you could just see that they we're gone on each other. Apparent even when one was fishing Lorcan out of the sink of dishwater, and the other was coaxing Lysander down from the lighting fixtures.

Uncle Neville and sweet Aunt Hannah would show up with the best libations she could get her hands on, which considering her business, was impressive. She had proven to be a talented caretaker of The Leaky Cauldron turning the once decrepit entrance to Diagon Alley to a reputable destination in and of itself, written up as a four-cauldron establishment in The Travelling Warlock. She had expanded its clientele to families, offering fine dining and top-notch accommodations, with easy access to the most prestigious collection of shops in wizard England. The Longbottoms, who were told they couldn't have children early on in their marriage, had made up for it by being successful in all of their endeavours, and by adopting the Potter/Weasley children as their own.

The settings for these Holiday get-togethers varied between three places.

Number twelve, Grimmauld Place, Albus' home, had a Wing of Requirement and automatic extension charms on every room. The Blacks who built it were paranoid, and believed there was going to be a war between Muggles and Wizards. They were building an abode to accommodate all the purebloods to insure the great families survived. The only thing they accomplished, all these years later, was to allow the biggest blood-traitor family in modern times, to visit and be accommodated in comfort. Only Kreacher knew how many bedrooms and lavatories the disappearing/reappearing wing could create, when he went up there to dust, he was gone a while.

Blackbriar Manor, the Prewett ancestral home, was another gathering place. It was given to Rose's parents, by Albus' grandparents, because of the growing need for space. To her husband's delight, Aunt Hermoine had turned Great-Great Aunt Muriel's bastion of Pure Blooded ideals, into a way station for Elves who had been relieved or left their pure blooded, abusive families an needed help learning to function in a society as equals. There was always a large colony there on the grounds, and plenty of staff for upkeep, well paid of course. The cavernous banquet hall was perfect for when the Weasleys visited, including an elf-sized table for the favoured guests. Albus had some very fond memories of that sprawling estate over the years, which included a large replica of Stonehenge in the centre of a moving hedge maze.

The Burrow was where the family was going to be this Christmas, and Albus and Rose wasn't going to be there for the first time in their lives. He knew staying with Scorpius was the right thing to do, he had no doubt about that, but he was feeling a bit homesick.

It was the day of the last of their classes, and most were inside packing and getting ready. Rose, Albus and Scorpius had little to do so they took a walk on the battlements. It was from there they had first seen a strange shiny black carriage arrive, and two creepy looking men disembarked and went into Hogwarts. They left later carrying a long slender box quite like a coffin between them. "Looks like even Hemophilias is going home for the holidays," Rose remarked. Albus quipped, "I'd hate to see what those family banquets look like." Scorpius sniggered. "You wouldn't survive the R.S.V.P!"

"What does your Christmas look like Scorpius?" Albus asked.

Scorpius got a distant look on his face. "Well we sleep late, have tea at home, then all go to Malfoy Manor for dinner and sit at a table so long that we have to use Sonorous Charms to hear each other. Grandfather makes a snide remark about my mum, and insinuates she is not fit to be a Malfoy, Dad responds with some well-placed snark. We open presents and bicker. Have coffee afterwards and bicker some more. I hug Grandfather and thank him for my expensive but inappropriate presents that I wont be able to use until I'm 50. Then we go home, and Dad talks Mum out of the liquor cabinet long enough for us to sit by the fire and open our presents from Grandmother, then Dad and I have a talk while mum snores and sleeps off the Cognac. I'm going to miss that." Scorpius sighed sadly.

Albus was horrified, but he kept it to himself. Rose was staring off toward the twinkling lights of Hogsmeade red-faced from trying not to comment, Albus was proud of her.

Scorpius turned the tables. "So what's your Christmas' like?"

Rose took the opportunity to say something different from what was running through her head. "Me, and Hugo my brother get woke up by dad in a Father Christmas costume, honestly the man is a child sometimes, and he's way too thin for it and he looks like a candy staff with all that red and white." She smiled fondly at the memory. "Then we go to my Muggle grandparent's first, then Mum and Dad argue over what to bring to the Weasleys, since Mum is an abysmal cook. We usually grab something from a Muggle market and pass it off."

Albus picked up the topic. "I usually get woke up by James doing something horrid to me. I don't know why Mum and Dad don't get suspicious when he volunteers to get me up! Lils usually wants a carry down, three flights of stairs and she's getting heavy now! Kreacher makes his Rainbow Flaming Pudding for lunch along with the traditional sides, between him and the Burrow we get stuffed Christmas Day, I tell you! We can't tell him no-thanks though, he's a dear old elf and we love him like family. James usually passes off some sort of gag gift for one of us, last year it was Lils. We took her to the Burrow looking like a turnip. James gets punished on Christmas so often I don't think he's ever tasted Grandma Molly's Treacle Tart! We all sit around the table, leaving one seat empty between Uncle George and Percy..."

Rose butted in, "Uncle George gives his traditional toast." Albus and Rose recited it together.

For those we love who are still here,

We pledge our love, and give three cheers,

For those we love, who cannot be,

We give a salute to these three,

The Potters, The Lupins and Sirius too,

And to my fine brother Fred,

Ears to you!

As Albus and Rose concluded, they mimed taking off their ear and holding it up. Scorpius was amused. "What on earth does that mean?" They exchanged a look. "Wait until you meet Uncle George, you'll see." Scorpius looked pensive. "Do you think your family would accept a Malfoy visiting?" Albus and Rose gave him incredulous looks. They were saved from commenting when Albus spotted a familiar broad wingspan approaching through the moonlit night. He held out his arm for Nox to perch on. Accepted the letter and sent the tired bird to the Owlery.

It was from his dad.

Dear Albus,

I know you're probably homesick with everyone leaving. You also might even be regretting your decision to stay at Hogwarts.

What I have to say may be a surprise.

I am proud of you for staying. I'll miss my boy, but I stayed most of my Christmases at Hogwarts and I remembered how much it meant to me when Ron, Hermione, and the Weasleys stayed behind with me. I've often thought that Grandma and Grandpa Weasley went on a trip that first Holiday just so I wouldn't be alone.

Don't worry about these happenings that have occurred this year, we are still investigating. I would say stay clear of it, but if you've got my blood, I have a hunch you are probably already in the thick. I really don't want to know how far, I don't think I could sleep at night. I have two presents for you that I will send along with a surprise visitor on Christmas Day that should help. I still don't know who leaked Scorpius' Holiday plans to Nita Skeeter, but I won't let that rest either.

I love you son. Stay as safe as you can.

Love,

Dad

Albus kept that letter to himself reading it and re-reading it to give him strength. He watched his cousins leave for the train, and wished them a Happy Christmas and saw James had already left without a word. It was astounding to Albus how much that hurt.

He, Rose and Scorpius kept to themselves for the most part. The empty castle was eerie, and seemed larger than ever. It was encouraging when they found out that Cormac was staying as well.

As they ate their dinner on Christmas Eve Albus noticed, that not only was Kian Kerry and Cameron Zabala staying, but also down on the end, quietly eating by himself, was Liam Donovan.

Thought of the Day: And the winner is...Human/Mer-person. (Don't wet yourself ArielleDeLa)

The decision is based on two factors. First I need a character who speaks Mermish fluently and understands Mer-culture for the next book. Secondly it the fourth book has always fascinated me, a return to that culture interests me greatly. This is the thumbnail of the girl I have so far. She is a Slytherin, obviously. Water/Slytherin. Her mother is a Chieftainess her father a wizard who liked to swallow Gillyweed and go visiting. She has abandonment issues, a rebellious streak, and resents the pure-blood mania that is prevalent in her House. Name this Girl. The criterion I am looking for is cleverness, Jk'esque twists, and passion.

Human/Gorgon is coming later, you wont see it coming! Wink!

Oh and announcing the next book now.

Albus Potter and the Black Badger Society

coming soon, reserve your copies now.