AN: *peeks out from behind a pillar, waving tentatively* Hi, everyone, long time no update. Thank you so much for your patience since I posted the last chapter, and thank you even more for all the love you've given this fic. Entwined hit 1k subscriptions last month, and I'm more blown away than ever by the response to this story.
I hope you enjoy the new chapter!
And, as always, thank you as always to my lovely beta RudeHellion, who manages to love me even when I intentionally write frustrating characters that she has to deal with in editing.
Entwined
Ch. 9
"Harry!"
Lucas's yell cut through the air and had all four Potters turning around at the sound. They should have been looking south anyway, Harry realized, considering the train station was, well . . . somewhere vaguely that direction. Harry felt a little sheepish at not knowing where the station actually was, but his dad always apparated them, or they took a Portkey when they left the country, so how was he to know?
His mother's laugh broke him out of his thoughts. "Your friend sure has a lot of energy for a boy who's been on a train for the past five hours, Har."
"Five hours?!" Connor gasped.
Their dad ruffled Connor's messy hair. Harry had been too busy this morning to help Connor tame his curls before they left for Diagon Alley. Connor still couldn't get the Sleakeasy's to calm his locks on his own, even with Harry shouting advice down the hallway. They had all just given it up as impossible in their rush to be on time to meet the Fraser's, Lily doing so with an extra shake of her head at the ridiculousness of the damn Potter hair.
"The train they took wasn't running on magic, so yes, five hours." James laughed at Connor's aghast expression, and Harry had to press his lips together tightly to not let his giggles escape.
Lily reached out, threading her fingers through a few of Connor's runaway curls and futilely tucking them back only for them to spring out a moment later. "The whole family may be a little tired after sitting on the train for that long, so you'll need to be patient with everyone. They'll already be a little overwhelmed by all of the magic in the Alley, especially as it prepares for Yule," she reminded both of the boys quietly.
Lily remembered the first time she'd convinced her parents to stop by Diagon when she'd come home for winter hols. Their wide eyes had made their excitement obvious, but Lily had seen the hints of half-hidden fear, the slight intimidation at being surrounded by so much magic that they didn't understand, couldn't control. She remembered how tightly her mother had gripped her hand as they passed the displays. Her sister had scowled, looking too similar to all the wix who were sending sneering looks their way. Their muggle clothes and slightly-lost air of wonder had made it obvious her family was new to this world, and wizarding society by and large was not great with new.
She didn't want the same thing to happen to Harry's friend. Her son had been a mix of nerves and excitement as they planned for this family outing with the Frasers, and Lily hated having to temper Harry's jubilation.
Harry grinned as he caught sight of Luc hurrying towards him, skirting around passersby as they walked quickly to escape the chill in the air as soon as possible. The tips of friend's hair were peeking out from the brim of a woolen hat pulled low over his ears, and Lucas's smile was as wide as Harry had ever seen it.
Before Harry had a chance to look over at Luc's family, amusedly trailing behind the other eleven year old, Lucas threw himself at Harry. A surprised laugh burst out of Harry's chest as he gripped tightly and returned the hug. Harry's core jolted slightly at the press of Lucas's airy magic against his, and both of them chuckled at the staticy breeze that zinged over their skin and enveloped them as they swayed a bit in each other's hold.
"Hi, Harry," Luc whispered into his ear, soft and a little vulnerable in comparison to his boisterous greeting.
Harry squeezed his friend a little tighter and lightly bumped his head against Luc's.
"I missed you too," he said quietly.
They separated with much more reserved smiles, and Harry took a deep breath at the feel of his magic surging in excitement at the nearness of his friend.
His mother then cut into the moment, teasing him and reminding him of his manners at the same time. "Harry, are you going to introduce us to your friend anytime soon or are the two of you going to shoot off on your own and leave us all in the dust?"
He huffed, "Of course, Mum, but I thought it'd be better to wait for the rest of the Frasers to catch up so we could do introductions all at once," he told her, pouting slightly at the assumption he would skip introductions after he'd been the one to suggest this whole thing in the first place.
"No need ta worry about us, lad," a deep, slightly rough voice with a strong Scottish accent said. "We're plenty used ta sticking close and following right behind Lucas when he sprints off– after being reminded multiple times not ta leave our sights in an unfamiliar city."
Harry turned to see Luc's father looking exasperated as his eldest son looked up at both of his parents with wide eyes that tried to convey who, me? Even still, Harry could see the man's fond amusement at his son's characteristic exuberance.
"Technically," Luc started, drawing the word out and making Harry's dad purse his lips to hide a smile, "I was never out of your sight, since you guys kept track of me and ended up right where we were supposed to be." Luc's mother, a woman with the same chestnut brown hair as Lucas and smile lines around her mouth and eyes, rolled her eyes and patted the shoulder of her younger son, a boy with similarly-colored hair who stood next to her and looked irked that his brother had run off without him.
Ah, a kindred soul for Connor.
"I would have found you guys again eventually. It's hard to hide that hair, after all," Luc finished, making James press his lips even more tightly together. Harry grinned while shaking his head as Lily, Luc's father, and Luc's younger sister all just sighed in agreement.
"Well, now that everyone's here," Harry began, "Hi! It's nice to finally meet Lucas's family," he said, nodding his head for a couple seconds at the four Frasers. "I'm Harry Potter, and these are my parents, James and Lily Potter." James and Lily smiled at the whole family, nodding their heads smoothly but not for as long or as lowly as Harry had done. "And this little nugget," Harry smirked as he said it and poked Connor's side. His brother was too busy swatting Harry's hand to even process what Harry had called him. "Is my younger brother, Connor." Connor scowled at Harry before turning back to the whole family and nodding in the same manner as Harry.
"It's a pleasure," all four Potter stated simultaneously in accidental harmony, making the Fraser family's eyebrows rise (Luc's parents) or eyes widen (his siblings).
"Mum, Dad, Connor, this is Lucas Fraser, my friend and fellow first-year."
Lucas smiled, no sign of nervousness on his face, and nodded his head for a little longer than Harry had, before returning their greeting with, "The pleasure is mine." Lucas's parents looked pleasantly surprised at their son's manners, wordlessly telling Harry that his friend hadn't shared all that much of what he'd learned since leaving for school.
"These are my parents, Malcolm and Elizabetta Fraser," Lucas said, gesturing towards the pair who smiled kindly and tried to imitate the nods, which made all of the Potter smile in return. "As well as my younger siblings, Donal and Jenny." The younger Frasers both smiled, and Jenny, who looked to be about six or seven, waved with a large grin. Not shy then, that one, Harry thought, seeing that same forthrightness that Luc had in her.
"Lovely to meet you all," Elizabetta said. "Thank you so much for showing us around today. We are very grateful for the chance to understand this world our son is now a part of," she added, glancing down at a flushed and pleased looking Lucas with a soft smile on her face.
"Of course," James replied. "We're more than happy to do it. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of the Potter Family," he said. "Not to mention, my wife has been in your shoes before, so we know how overwhelming it can be to step into our society." Harry felt his magic pool warmly in the palms of his hands as he watched his dad shoot his mum a sappy, loving smile. The restless energy made him flex his fingers as the tips of them buzzed with excitement and Harry felt grateful for the gloves he'd decided to wear that morning. He had a sneaking suspicion that his skin was trying to put on a lightshow again.
Seeing the steadfast affection and love his parents had for each other was one of the most reassuring things in Harry's life. It was like a promise that he'd have that kind of devotion one day, once he waited out the long separation. Harry knew the obstacles between him and Tom were nothing like those that had separated his parents, but he'd been told (and overheard) enough to know that their relationship had come with its own difficulties. His parents were a glimpse of what he wanted, and seeing it in front of him made Harry believe he could have it. It also made his magic anticipatory, as everything seems to do, Harry thought, frustrated at his magic's lack of cooperation. This is a public outing, sir, could you, I don't know, behave?
Rudely, his magic didn't answer.
Harry scowled at his hands, then realized with a start that he had lost track of the conversation going on over his head. His parents were talking with the Frasers about their previous visits to Diagon Alley, chatting about the prices of things in the way parents always seemed to do. He refocused in time to hear his dad say, "Now, before we get any more specific about our plans for the day, we should make our way into the Alley. Conversation can be significantly more specific once we cross over."
"Oh," Lucas said, a look of mixed understanding and sheepishness spreading over his face "Is that why you introduced them–"
"Yeah, that's exactly it." Harry agreed quickly, cutting his friend off before he mentioned his parents' titles.
"Questions and explanations can be a lot more thorough in a place where we don't have to worry about the Statute," Lily said in agreement to the boys and explanation to the Frasers, who all blinked at the realization that a busy street in muggle London was probably not the best place to discuss the magical world of wizarding Britain.
"Well then let's go!" little Jenny Fraser shouted, making the entire group laugh and agree.
James led the way further down the street to the Leaky Caldron and helped carved a path inside the now-seen-by-all pub for the group of nine to get to the entrance to the Alley. He called Lucas's siblings to the front so they could watch as he pulled out his wand to tap the sequence, and Harry watched Luc's whole face light up at his brother's wide, excited eyes and his sister's giggles and clapping hands.
Harry let his friend revel in the fact his family was here, part of this, and enjoying it, and he threw an arm around Connor's shoulders. His brother was already getting antsy, and Harry could tell he was minutes away from whining about how hungry he was.
"We're almost to the restaurant, Connor." Harry whispered.
"I know, I know, but Har. . . I'm huuuungry."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Same, but you don't want to ruin someone's first sight of Diagon, do you?" Connor sighed but settled into Harry's side.
"No. Wouldn't wanna do that. It's so pretty leading up to Yule."
Harry could sort of hear his mother telling Luc's parents about the restaurant they were going to for lunch, how it was a little less crowded and rowdy than the Leaky Cauldron. She was gesturing enthusiastically as she described some of the more interesting foods the wizarding world offered to her captivated audience, ignoring the way her husband grinned fondly at her excitement. Harry knew his mum had made the reservation a little over a week ago when they first started planning this outing. A table for nine wasn't the easiest to secure, but privately Harry thought it had been worth the trouble. Diagon Alley could be a bit overwhelming and the Frasers were sure to have questions about Yule that would be easier to answer in a quieter, more private setting than the Leaky Cauldron.
Lucas nudged Harry and grinned excitedly when he overheard his parents' agreement to Lily's plan. Harry grinned back, pleased as well.
"It's nice to see you smiling so wide in public, Harry." His friend said lightly, low enough that no one other than Harry–and Connor apparently, Harry realized from the light pinch to his hip–could hear. Harry flinched slightly, Godric, Connor. What the heck? and Luc started to apologize.
"No, no you're fine, promise." Harry reassured him, "My brat of a brother has been very clear that he doesn't like the sound of my Slytherin persona, and he just wanted to remind me, painfully," Harry told him, moving his arm up from around Connor's shoulders to squeeze his neck and make him gasp in objection. "It's nice to feel able to. I'll be a little more reserved when we walk through the Alley, but any time we're in semi-privacy, my whole family is pretty open, which I've really missed," he admitted as they followed their parents through the archway.. He released Connor right before crossing over so he had time to regain his composure.
"You're a butt," Connor mumbled, rubbing at his sore neck. Harry and Lucas exchanged a glance, then unsuccessfully tried to stifle their laughter.
"You're a bigger butt," Harry teased. Conner huffed in mock affront and darted ahead, leaving Lucas and Harry to follow in his wake.
"Man, I missed my younger siblings," Lucas said, grinning.
"Same," Harry agreed, watching his brother catch up to their mum and slot his arm though hers then turn his head and stick his tongue out at Harry before adopting his 'public face.' "I missed him a lot."
Diagon Alley was crowded with Yule shoppers. James and Lily led the way towards the Silver Chalice, the restaurant where they would be dining, but it was difficult to make headway through the many cheerful patrons taking advantage of the waning winter daylight to do their holiday shopping. Fairy lights were suspended high over everyone's heads and hundreds of coils of charmed ivy draped over the window displays. Dozens of stalls crowded the narrow sidewalk and offshoots along the main road, selling everything from mulled cider and fresh-baked biscuits to single-sip potions and handmade charm pouches. The smell of gingerbread, brandy snaps and pixie dust cloaked the whole area in a sweet and spicy aroma. It was all so inviting and overwhelming at once. Joy felt tangible, and Harry adored it.
"Wow," Lucas gasped, head turning every which way trying to take it all in.
"It's great, isn't it," Harry said. "But hey, take it slow. I know you want to see everything, but," he grabbed his friend's hand, shocking him lightly with his built-up magic–something Luc had grown very used to over the last term–and squeezing in reassurance, "you have years, a whole lifetime, to see it all."
Lucas's beaming smile in reply was an even better sight than the entire decked-out Alley, if you asked Harry.
Within fifteen minutes, the nine of them had made their way to the restaurant and had been ushered in and seated at the table in the semi-private room that The Silver Chalice offered for larger parties. All the wixen shivered for a moment as the privacy ward went up around them after everyone had taken their seats, another feature that made this restaurant popular and retained the majority of their patronage.
"That felt like the silencing spell Warrington shot at our corner during the lead-up to exams," Luc muttered to Harry as everyone unraveled napkins and filled water glasses before looking at the menus laid out over the plates.
Lily turned to appraise him. "Well done!" She said approvingly, nodding to herself. "Your magical sensing must be coming along well for you to draw parallels like that."
Luc ducked his head to hide his pleasure at the compliment. The hours Harry and Persy had spent with him working on expanding their magical senses had been Luc's favorite of their private study sessions since the very beginning. Not surprising, we all like what we are talented at, Harry mused, thinking of quidditch and maybe charms.
"What you just felt is a standard privacy ward," Lily explained. "Nothing extreme, just something that allows us all to be at ease. We thought it'd be good to make sure everyone felt like they could ask as many questions as they wanted without worrying about being overheard or judged." She smiled, and Harry felt so proud that this woman who exuded kindness as she put everyone at ease was his mother, the Lady of his House.
"It's taken Harry a little bit of time to adjust to being back home. It's probably been a bit difficult for all of you as well," she added, not unkindly. Luc, Donal and his parents all grimaced.
Harry's dad joined in, admitting, "It's been rather tough for our family too, and we knew to expect that he'd be acting differently based on which house he sorted into at school, so don't think that it's because Lucas is a newblood."
Luc nodded to James in thanks and his shoulders relaxed in relief, but his father frowned and asked, "Newblood? I thought Lucas was something called a muggleborn. That's what the professor told us when she dropped off his letter."
"You tried to explain Yule to them but didn't tell them about what it means to be a newblood?" Harry teased his friend.
Luc rolled his eyes, and said, exasperatedly, "It seemed easier to let you do it. It was hard enough to explain Yule when I don't entirely understand it yet myself."
All the parents chuckled.
"Point to Slytherin," Harry muttered, making Connor snort. "Shut up, Bug."
"Anyway," James said, bringing them back to the question. "Yes, muggleborn is a term that fits Lucas since he is a wizard born to two muggles, non-magical people like yourselves, however, muggleborn is a fairly new term in our society It has only come into use since the late 30s and gained popularity in wizarding Britain for a variety of reasons." James's smile was warm and welcoming, but Harry thought his father was making an effort not to grimace beneath it.
"It's a fairly neutral word and as simple of a descriptor as one can use for someone like your son. There's nothing wrong with being called a muggleborn," James said, reassuring the now-worried set of parents in front of him. "I just personally believe it lacks the significance of what wix like Lucas mean for and to our society, but it's not offensive or incorrect," he explained, taking a sip of the sparkling water that had appeared in front of him while they spoke.
Harry's own glass was filled with an apple and pear juice, as were the glasses of the other children at the table. Connor was already halfway through his cup, and Jenny was bouncing in her seat, whispering excitedly about the sweet taste to her other brother.
"So then, why call him a newblood?" Mr. Fraser asked again. "If muggleborn works just as well–" he trailed off at the now-apparent twist in Harry's dad's mouth.
"Being a newblood has a different, uhm connotation?" Lucas questioned, receiving nods from the adults, telling him he was okay to answer instead. "Yeah, a different connotation than being a muggleborn. From what Harry told me, it's more of a cultural distinction."
Lily picked up the explanation when Lucas paused. "Newblood is a term for a witch or wizard who was born in the non-magical world and enters the magical world without a House affiliation. Newbloods integrate themselves into our society and learn our culture, becoming a part of the wizarding world. While all newbloods are muggleborn, a newblood does more than passively experience our world. They work to become a part of it."
"So it's a positive thing, then?" Donal asked, voice concerned at the thought that maybe it wasn't such a good thing for his older brother.
"In our opinion, absolutely." James said, expression firm and honest as he reassured Luc's brother and parents, who, by the looks on their faces, had similar fears. "Newbloods are blessings to Mother Magic and to the prosperity of the magical community. They're dynamic, bringing new ideas and evoking change among a group of people who are predisposed to tradition and even stagnation," his mouth pinched with chagrin at the reminder of some of his colleagues on the Wizengamot. "They also can bring further stabilization to wizarding society, establishing their own magical families and growing our population, which is much smaller than our non-magical counterparts, if they so choose." Lucas's scrunched up face at the thought of one day having children brought a levity that had been gradually disappearing back into the discussion.
"There are people who disagree about the value of newbloods, but there are always people who resist change, who prefer to exclude rather than include." James said, skirting over a topic that Harry thought probably deserved more of a mention. However, now was not the time to contradict his father, or, he realized, looking at Luc's slightly skittish parents, the time to talk about the negatives of Luc's entrance to the magical community.
Fortunately, Lucas interjected, addressing his parents, "Being called a newblood, earning that term, carries more respect than simply being a muggleborn. It's like an acknowledgement that I'm trying to be a part of the wizarding world rather than just a guest within it." His blue eyes flashed with pride as he told them, "The first time one of my housemates called me a newblood rather than a muggleborn it was like I had been accepted into something that I'd been barred from before."
Connor scoffed, "Slytherins."
Lucas turned towards him and nodded his head in agreement, "A lot of us are insufferable," he said, making Connor grin and Harry roll his eyes, "but everything that makes the snakes difficult also means that I got that acceptance from the most difficult source," he said, triumph in his voice. "Everyone else is easy in comparison," he concluded. "And sure, it's just a first step. I'm young and so are they, but working for it made it mean something when I got it. I earned it," Lucas said, pressing the point home.
Lily nodded absently, recognizing the truth in what he was saying. It had been easiest to earn the respect she had always been due from her Gryffindor classmates. Once she'd started trying to learn more about the wizarding world and not just magic itself, the Ravenclaw's (well, most of them) had transformed from scoffing to welcoming, and the Hufflepuffs extended their particular brand of loyalty. She remembered the fierce pride and righteous satisfaction that swept through her the first time Narcissa Black gave her a nod in the hallway, the flash of surprise when Yaxley had spelled a second year Slytherin's mouth shut after the boy sneered and called her a mudblood. Respect shouldn't have to be earned, Lily thought, but oh is it satisfying when you do.
"And Lucas says a big part of wizarding, uhm, culture, is your holidays?" His younger brother asked. "Does that mean you guys don't celebrate Christmas? Or leave your boots out for St. Nicholas?" he said, looking put out at the thought.
Connor brightened up at the mention of his favorite tradition. "Most wizarding families don't, but ours does because Mum really enjoyed celebrating with her family when she was our age!" he told the other boy. "We primarily decorate for Yule, but we set up a Christmas tree too. We don't really do the presents part of it, since we give Yule gifts, but we do hang stockings and fill those. And we do leave a shoe out on the 6th. It's always filled with my granny's homemade caramels and her famous fudge," Connor said, dreamily thinking about the sweets he'd inhaled last week.
Harry sent his mother a wide-eyed, searching glance.
"Oh, turn off the big, innocent look, Harry. I'm not falling for my own tricks," Lily laughed, rolling her eyes at her now pouting son. James snorted when Harry started mumbling something to Lucas, and Lily cut off whatever potential mischief that would turn into by admitting, "I saved plenty of caramels and fudge for you, and you can have some when we get home. I even have enough to send to the Frasers by post owl."
Lucas and Donal looked almost as excited as Harry at that news.
Mr. Fraser chuckled, seeing his boys' eyes glaze over slightly at the idea of sweets. They all paused for a moment to place their orders after James explained that they would appear at their place setting once their meals were ready to be served. He let the children chat about which menu items sounded the best and bargain for shared bits so they could try different dishes while he thought over what he'd heard and seen so far today.
"So, celebrating Yule will help Lucas be accepted in the wizarding world," Mrs. Fraser said, hoping to bring the conversation back around to the upcoming holiday once the commotion had settled and they waited for their orders to be ready.
James sighed internally, but he could feel his wife's empathy for the Scottish woman through their bond, so he smiled softly and told her, "Celebrating Yule means that Lucas would be participating in the wizarding world, claiming it as his own, and showing Mother Magic he is grateful for her gifts and respects her traditions."
"That fact that he's celebrating the holiday will also make it easier for wizard-raised schoolmates to consider him as part of our society. An additional benefit," he added, firmly but not unkindly.
Elizabetta Fraser swallowed tightly and took in a shaky breath. She was trying, but everything was so very different now.
All of this magic was so inexplicable, so fantastic that it terrified her. Lucas had come back figuratively and literally glowing from his months at the castle, but he'd also returned quieter, somber and serious in a way she'd never seen him. Her boy was antsy, always twitching as they all sat together at home, preparing Christmas decorations and singing along to carols. She didn't know how to make it better, and she didn't even know how to ask her son about his term. There's just so much she didn't understand about all of this magic, and she didn't want to respond incorrectly to something he told her and make him think she thought differently of him now.
Regardless of frog parts or magic wands, Lucas was still her baby. It was this truth that had her pulling in a deep breath and asking, "Alright then, is Yule so very different from the Christian holiday? How can I–" Her husband's hand closed overtop of hers where she'd been resting it on the skirt of her dress, and he squeezed it in a reminder that he was here, he was with her. "–We," she corrected, lips turning upwards at the corners. "How can we help him get ready and celebrate at home?"
Harry, James, and Lily all grinned as Lucas's magic rippled out and around them, feeling like a blast of warm air had shot off in the room. Lucas's eyes were shining and his pleasure at his mother's words literally hit them in the face.
"Oh, great," Connor groaned, his hair looking more ruffled than ever from the disturbance. "Another kid whose magic is powerful enough to burst out and singe my robes." Connor shuddered, thinking about their recently redone kitchen. "You really found your kin there, huh Har. Let me guess, your other closest friends all have so much magic it's leaking out of them too, don't they?"
James threw his head back and guffawed, unseemly and loudly at the slack-jawed, offended look Harry threw at Connor. Even Lily couldn't hold her mirth in, laughing behind a quickly raised hand.
"Betrayed." Harry shook his head, coming out of his stupor. "By my own blood," he continued in a deadpan, eyes locked onto the far wall, resolutely avoiding the sight of his parents' trembling lips and his brother's eye roll. The Frasers all watched with both a sense of confusion and amusement.
"Et tu, Bug?" Harry asked dryly. Connor merely huffed and took a sip of his juice.
"Oh my god," Lucas looked at his solemn best friend who was now glaring daggers at his unconcerned younger brother. "Harry, are you really this dramatic? Is this what you're like when you're not trying to intimidate Lestrange?" Lucas's raised eyebrows and amused tilt to his lips made James start laughing again, right after he'd gotten himself under control too.
Harry turned the glare towards Lucas. "Betrayed," he started in the same deadpan tone.
Groans from Lucas and Connor rang out at the exact same time, making all four parents snicker.
Even Harry was trying to hide his growing smile as he continued, "By my own best–"
"Alright, alright, that's enough, Har," James said. "Why don't you explain what you know about Yule to take your mind off the 'betrayals' you've faced this afternoon, hmm? Mum and I will add anything we think you might have missed."
Harry's magic wriggled under his skin, responding to his pleasure at being trusted to share such an important part of their culture. His dad had to suppress a smile and Lucas snorted softly as golden sparks zipped through Harry's hair, jumping from curl to curl before he was able to calm his magic with a few deep breaths.
"The Yule season begins on the Winter Solstice, which is December 21st this year," Harry told the table, focusing on his best friend's parents.
"The solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year, no matter if you're magical or non-magical. However, for wixen, magic is all around us." Harry gestured to the wards that shimmered overhead at his father's helpful prodding and down at the tableware that glowed slightly as their food arrived, hot and steaming. Everyone's drinks refilled automatically as well.
At the swell of the waitstaff's magic, Harry's fingertips lit up briefly before he pushed the magic down. His magic always responded to foreign magic, no matter how comfortable Harry was in his surroundings. Always wishing, hoping it was Tom's. Once he'd gotten control over the short surge, Harry continued, noticing that Luc's parents had a little better idea how much magic touched even just a single meal in the wizarding world if their wide-eyed gazes and eyes flicking around to glance at the walls and plates and the other patrons on the other side of the wards were any indication.
"For wixen, magic saturates every part of our being, every leaf on every tree, every feather upon every wing, every speck of dirt that feeds every plant. Magic is drawn to other sources of magic, so we have built our society with it, tethered it to everything we do. How we cook, how we shop, how we govern, how we heal, how we create." Harry rattled off, thinking about the magic of the Ministry, of St. Mungo's, independent laboratories and research centers, Diagon Alley, and all the other places he'd seen or visited growing up.
"Magic is energy and light that propels us through periods of stillness and darkness. Still, everything requires balance, an equal exchange. Light and dark. Life and death. Movement and stillness."
James used his wand to illustrate some of the give and take of magic, flicking illusions into life above the table's surface where a centerpiece would have sat. The first scene showed an enchanter finishing setting a spell into a cooling box and then caving to their exhaustion moments later, sitting down and reaching out a shaky hand for the cut up fruit and cheese their apprentice had on hand for the moment. Their brow was covered in sweat and their smile tired, even as they looked at the finished product resting on the table.
Next a scene of a patient consuming the set of potions created to heal a blood-based disease, how the patient had to momentarily fight their own magic down so it wouldn't interfere with the foreign magic now harshly cleansing their body from the inside out. The woman trembled and gripped the bedrails tightly, knuckles whiting out as she struggled to handle how the healing magic was changing her very cells to purge her of something that would have plagued her for the rest of her life without magic.
Lastly, the effervescent brightness of Diagon Alley lit up at midday as they'd all just seen it, the lights strung overhead blinking merrily and the tang of magic heavy in the air with all the people going about their day. The ambient magic was thick enough to appear in the air, casting a translucent glow on the passersby, making the displays that much more enticing, allowing errant charms an extra boost of power, only for the scene to be contrasted drastically in the next moment by the haunting emptiness of Diagon Alley after the majority of businesses closed for the night. Lights shone at their lowest, occasionally flickering out completely only to struggle back on for another brief moment. The air felt lank, lifeless as it settled over the empty street. Those few wixen walking around hunched slightly, feeling the drain of their surroundings as the Alley tried to latch on to the visiting magic and fill the emptiness.
Harry shuddered a little at the sight, having heard many times that public wizarding spaces were not a place to go after official hours had ended due to the drain it would put on his magic. Mr. Fraser looked thoughtful after seeing the illusions, while Luc's mother looked a little disturbed. Luc's younger siblings were merely captivated with the magic on display, missing the significance of what had been shown.
Harry resumed, voice a little softer as he told them, "Witches and wizards burn brightly. We are a spark, brilliant and powerful, but we are not all powerful. We are extremely capable, but in equal measure, extremely vulnerable, and the Winter Solstice is the best representation of this lesson. When the night is at its longest, darkness pervades and the world around us can feel slow and heavy, like molasses. We all feel our energy drop. It is harder to cast spells and harder to maintain them, like a dwindling flame as it runs low on fuel. It's not bad," Harry rushes to say, seeing the looks on all the Fraser's, including Luc's, faces. Had he not mentioned that when telling his friend about the solstice at school?
"We think about it as a natural thing," he said. " We are given power, but all power has its limits. To burn brightly, we need a period of dimness. Darkness isn't bad. It's part of nature's balance, there's a cycle to all things, a time to burn bright and a time to lie fallow. Mother Magic protects all of us from being snuffed out, even those who don't participate in their own Yule rituals. As long as enough of the magical population celebrates, everyone is extended her protection."
"Like herd immunity," Mrs. Fraser mumbled to her husband. Harry frowned. He had no idea what she was talking about, but for all he liked animals he didn't love being compared to one.
"Hmm, yes," Lily agreed, having overheard as well. "The idea is similar, and it's why families in the magical world take our holidays so seriously. It's our responsibility as much as it is our privilege to make sure all wixen are protected. It's also why participating in our holiday traditions is one of the adaptations that magical-raised children appreciate the most in their muggle-raised peers," she explained.
James nodded. It had never felt like a burden, to complete the rites and help extend magic's protection to everyone, but he had experienced a few moments of bitterness that many in the Conservative faction expressed when discussing the 'ungrateful' muggle-raised who scoffed at the thought of 'pagan' holidays.
"To make it through the darkest night," he said, bringing them back to the specifics of Yule, "all nature, all life, and all wixen rely on Mother Magic to protect us, to shield us and preserve our light, our strength."
Harry settled in, happily letting his dad take over the explanation of Yule while he took bites of his still-steaming meal. He loved listening to his dad tell the ancient stories and explain the whys of their world. His mother was good too, but his dad told them best. He made everything feel so magical, even in a life that was filled to the brim with magic. Harry thought James Potter might just possess a natural magic of his own, something bright and ferocious and passionate that didn't need a wand or a strong core to wield. The sound of his dad's voice in teacher mode always made him feel safe. Harry relaxed a little deeper into his chair, and let himself fall into his dad's lesson.
James continued, focusing on the day of the solstice itself. "On the 21st, as the day fades faster than ever, we watch as our candles slowly burn out, as our magic grows heavy and as the warmth seeps out of the air, and then, just as the sun sets," he paused, letting them all get a tiny taste of how it felt to wait at the precipice of the transition from day to night. "We begin the Yule rites. In the moments before the sun's light sinks beneath the horizon, we as a family come together and gather before our hearth to call upon Mother Magic to keep us warm and carry us through the coming darkness."
"The invocation of Mother Magic is different for everyone," James explained, "Each family has their own set of requests for her, as we all have our own moments of darkness and fear to overcome. And if you all choose to celebrate, you can adapt the standard invocation for what works best for you. Our family," he said, indicating Lily, Harry and Connor, "will talk about what we will ask her this year as part of our holiday preparations in the coming week.
"The ones you said would keep you pretty busy in your letters?" Lucas asked as James took a moment to eat a few more bites of his meal.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "Mum waited to decorate the house until I got home, so we're a little behind, and while we celebrate with just the four of us on the solstice, we get together with a few other relatives and close family friends the day or two after, so we have to get everything lined up beforehand." He went to take a drink but paused as he remembered, "Oh, I'll be seeing Mr. Black, by the way, so if you want me to deliver it for you I can, or if you send it early then I can bring it up in conversation when I see him."
Lucas looked up from his chicken dish. "Really? That'd be great. Yeah, I feel good about my draft, and I brought it with me," he said, reaching into the messenger bag at his feet and pulling out a little scroll of muggle notebook paper and sliding it towards Harry, "If you'll give it a look before I send it, I'd feel better about it. I'll definitely send it off in the next few days, so feel free to bring it up if you get the chance." He ran a hand through his hair and then patted it down again. "Thanks, Har."
"No problem."
Harry tucked the slip of paper into the inner pocket of his robes to look at after they finished eating. Both boys then resumed finishing their meals, not seeing the questioning looks that every other member of the table was sending their way. All four parents exchanged silent looks, the Frasers questioning ones asking, any idea what that was about?, and the Potters answering looks saying, not a one.
James decided to ignore whatever their children were planning, assuming it was a Slytherin thing, cleared his throat, and brought them back to Yule. "As I was saying, each family prepares for the holiday differently than other families. The main part of these preparations is selecting and preparing our Yule Log, which is much more specialized than the non-magical variants of a Yule Log that you may have heard of. Our Yule Logs are imbued with our magic, carved with runes and soaked in potions or covered in enchantments depending on the family and the abilities of its members. We all leave imprints of our magic within it before lighting it on the solstice."
Lily saw the worried looks the Fraser parents sent towards each other at hearing about all the magical ways to prepare a Yule Log, a hopeless, resigned cast to their faces.
"If you all decide to celebrate Yule this year, or any year in the future," she added, "we'd be happy to have you over to our house for a day and help craft your family's Yule Log. Harry and Connor help us, but James and I handle the majority of the enchantments, so I'd be happy to explain some of the options and help see your choices realized."
"I–, Yes." Elizabetta said, breathing deeply and sending a small smile Lucas's way. "We may not be able to do everything that a fully magical family can do, but this is your way, our son's way now. That makes it our way as well."
"Would any of us other than Lucas be able to help with anything?" Mr. Fraser asked, glancing at his younger son who looked interested at the idea of being able to help too.
"Harry and I help prepare potion ingredients for Mum, and most of them don't require magic to handle, just to incorporate," Connor said.
He had focused more on the conversation now that he was done with his food, having crossed his utensils over the plate to signal to the waitstaff that they could take his plate, which had vanished a moment ago.
"My magic, and Harry's up until last year, isn't really grounded enough to do too much, so I also pick out the wood and help clean it, strip the bark and make it look nice before Mum and Dad begin working with it," he told them.
Connor grinned as he said, "I help a lot more with the house decorations since I can't do that much, but that's just as fun, if in a different way." He twisted in his seat to look at Donal and Jenny as he added, "I get to choose where we place the ivy and hang the bunches of holly berries. We make our wreath on the solstice, but I make garlands and string them up on the banisters and over doorways. I also choose the spots where the mistletoe goes," he giggled, shooting a mischievous glance at his dad, who huffed goodnaturedly. "So there's plenty to do even if you can't help with the magic parts."
Donal and Jenny beamed and started whispering about the best spots in their home to hang decorations. Mrs. Fraser laughed at their exuberance, "Well that makes getting their cooperation easier than I'd thought it would be." She shot a grateful smile at Lily as she said, "We'd be very grateful to see your home and accept your help with the Yule Log. I imagine visiting a magical home during the most magical time of the year will be pretty spectacular."
Connor, Donal and Jenny cheered and Harry and Lucas bumped fists as their parents agreed on a day later in the week for the Frasers to come visit. Harry finished his meal while the adults decided on whether or not they should get the Scottish family a temporary floo connection or do a series of apparitions to bring the family to the Potter's home.
Once all the details had been sorted and the rest of the empty plates had vanished in the same manner that Connor's had, Mr. Fraser reminded James that he hadn't finished his Yule explanation.
"So, the main way wizards celebrate Yule is to decorate the house, make a Yule Log, and pray before lighting it? Seems like something we should be able to do without issue."
"Oh, sorry," James said sheepishly. "I got sidetracked by our making plans and forgot to explain about lighting the Yule Log. So, we," he said, indicating himself and Lily, "don't actually light the Yule Log ourselves. The prayer, or invocation, I mentioned is actually a call to Mother Magic. We invoke her power and she lights our Yule Log herself." He nodded to himself, glad to clear up the mix-up.
"Wait, what?" Mr. Fraser choked out.
James tilted his head slightly, confused by the bafflement on the other man's face.
Lily patted James' arm and ignored his questioning look and the confused feel of his magic in their bond as she said, "I know it sounds crazy, but Mother Magic actually does light the log. It's inexplicable beyond that, but she truly listens to our call and responds by offering us a final burst of her power and protection and giving us light in the darkness, heat in the cold." She paused then, seeing the wide eyes of all the Frasers, admitted, "It was actually witnessing a Yule ritual and seeing Mother Magic's intervention that really made me decide to accept the offer of a magical-raised classmate to learn more about wizarding culture. It was too real to brush off the way I had all of the other little things that I'd noticed about how the wizarding world differed from the non-magical one."
"Yeah, I guess that'd do the trick," Mr. Fraser mumbled.
Lily let out a rueful chuckle. "Exactly."
"That's amazing!" Donal said, his awe clear in his tone.
"It is," James agreed. "However, such a gift to all of us comes at a price for Mother Magic," he said. "When it comes to magic, everything requires an exchange. Our mother sees the whole world through the longest night, and in return, her blessed people must step up in her stead as she rests to recover her spent energy until Imbolc, the next holiday in the yearly cycle."
James began answering the obvious question that Lucas was about to ask. "Yes, Mother Magic has to rest after carrying us through the longest night of the year. While she is the source of our power, even Mother Magic is not all-powerful. A good lesson to remember," he added, speaking mostly to his own sons, who always seemed to need a reminder despite hearing it all their lives.
"Knowing this," he continued, "we prepare for how we can protect ourselves from the natural darkness that pervades throughout winter and how we can help replenish her energy in the aftermath."
Lily interjected, seeing that the other family seemed confused about the importance of the aftermath of the solstice. "The Yule season technically constitutes the time from the Winter Solstice until Imbolc, typically marked by the beginning of February," she explained. "But as Lucas and Harry will learn in astronomy this year," eliciting excited looks from both of them, "the planetary alignment begins its shift and the echoes of magic begin to wake around the middle of January, which marks the end of the abbreviated Yule season."
"Every family celebrates differently," she said, reminding the Frasers that they have the choice to build their own traditions and create their own type of holiday, something she knows her parents would have appreciate hearing back when she'd come home chatting their ears off about the solstice and asking to light enough candles to burn the house down.
"But typically the time until Imbolc is used for wixen to strengthen each other, our generosity supporting Mother Magic as she recharges with the help of the light and heat we offer her to replenish what she gave us to keep our Yule logs burning and protect our homes from the invasion of darkness. We do this by keeping our home as well-lit as possible by lighting candles that share part of our essence, in addition to giving small gifts to friends and family members. We attend gatherings with other wixen and join our magic together over a bonfire or by helping strengthen a building's wards."
Mrs. Fraser wrung her hands together on the table top, only stopping when her husband reached over and pulled her right hand between his own once more, earning a smile from everyone at the table who had noticed. The worried woman huffed at her behavior, lips twitching upwards in thanks, before asking, "We don't know anyone else in the wizarding world other than your family, Mrs. Potter, and you're already helping us so much by offering to teach us how to prepare everything for our home. How can we," she said, indicating she and her husband, "provide opportunities for Lucas to celebrate when we don't have invites to these gatherings or even wards over our own home for him to strengthen."
James sat back, thinking over everything the other woman had said. Her worries were valid, more so than James had ever thought about prior to today. When it had been Lily in Lucas's place, the circumstances had been so very different. Much more different than he had realized until now. Lils had known more about the magical world than most before receiving her letter, even if she hadn't known very much about their culture. Her parents had found out when Lily had, the day Severus had told her she was a witch, so they had at least known Eileen Snape and had a year or two to get used to the idea of magic. And finally, Lily had met her soulmate on her very first train ride, and James had been blessed to be very well-educated about the wizarding world and born to a family that would allow him to offer any level of help and connections his soulmate needed without political repercussions.
Other than Lily, James hadn't taken interest in any other newbloods, all of his focus going to his resistant soulmate. His stance in the Wizengamot was in full support of integrating newbloods, but had he really done anything to achieve that goal? His eleven year old was already doing more for significantly less personal gain than he had done while at Hogwarts.
While James was busy reexamining his priorities, Lily wanted to reach across the table and give Elizabetta's left hand a reassuring squeeze. Instead, she settled for sending the woman as honest and kind a smile as she could. "First of all, please call me Lily. I know our introductions were formal, but we don't like to stand on formalities when among friends, and we would be very pleased to be friends," she said. "And not just because our boys are close. I love the magical world, but there are many things about the non-magical world that are dear to me that I'd love to talk about with someone who truly understands what I'm saying," she added, sardonically. Mr. Fraser laughed and offered a first-name basis for him and his wife as well while Lucas nodded along to her point about the non-magical world.
"I once mentioned astronauts in the common room, and almost everyone looked at me as if I were speaking Greek." Lucas said, rolling his eyes. "As if space travel isn't the coolest thing."
"Cooler than magic?" Harry asked skeptically.
Lucas turned his head sharply to look at his best friend. "Has magic taken anyone to the moon lately?" he responded with, mouth in a line and eyebrow raised. After a moment like that, a smile crept over his face. "I'm not saying magic isn't absolutely amazing. It is. But, Harry, it's space! And no one at Hogwarts cares? That's crazy to me," he exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"A great example," Lily laughed. "If you ever want to talk about men going to the moon, you send me a letter, alright."
Lucas bounced in his seat, smiling so wide his teeth were on display. "Will do, Lady Potter!"
She sighed, "You don't need to use my title when we're in private either, Lucas. Mrs. Potter works just as well, and when you're older, Lily will be fine too."
"Alright, Mrs. Potter," he said after Harry nodded at him encouragingly.
"As for your question, Elizabetta," Lily said, turning back to Lucas's mother, "I'm not going to lie and say your worries have no basis. My situation was different than Lucas's, mostly because I found my soulmate incredibly young," she told them, motioning towards James. "And my soulmate was born in the magical world so he was able to extend invitations to me because of our bond. However, I had many friends who were in a similar situation to Lucas's as they attempted to assimilate to magical holidays, and building those relationships isn't easy. Of course, Lucas has Harry," she said, smiling as the boys grinned at each other and bumped fists, making everyone laugh. "And likely some other friends at Hogwarts who he's becoming closer to," receiving a nod from the boy in affirmation. "As he continues to participate in holidays at school and grows those friendships, he will likely receive social invitations from his classmates. It's harder, coming to school without any idea what you're getting into, but it's worth it."
She then winked at Lucas, making all the children laugh as she said, "Besides, the main focus of the Yule season is to reinforce the wixen sense of community and interconnectivity between all magical beings. So the holiday spirit, not to mention the Slytherin tradition of networking, will probably lead to him having plenty of places to go over the next few years."
"Hmm, so that makes it a good time to send our letters then," Lucas mumbled under his breath, but not softly enough to not be overheard. "Should I wait, do you think?" he asked Harry, again ignoring the inquiring glances sent their way by the rest of the table.
"Maybe for the other letters," Harry said after a moment's thought. "But I'd still say send Mr. Black's early. Since I'll talk to him during Yule celebrations, I can use the season as an example of why opening a correspondence would be a good idea." He paused, running through ideas in his head. "He's not really one for sentimentality, but I'll see if the holiday spirit will move him," he said, outrageously waggling his eyebrows. Lucas couldn't help but think that this Harry, so free with his laughter and giving in to his natural mischievous nature, was the best version of his friend that he'd seen since they met.
This Harry was so similar to the Harry he'd met on the train, and it was this Harry, green eyes bright and skin glowing as he whispered with his brother or preened at his father's approval, that Lucas felt certain he wanted to be his best friend. Heir Potter was a great ally to have at Hogwarts, but Harry Potter himself? Lucas couldn't imagine not wanting to be his friend. The differences between the two had never been as apparent as they were today, and it made so many of the things–frustrating, borderline condescending things–that Harry had said at school while they worked with Persy and Blaise finally make sense in a way they hadn't before.
Lucas didn't regret sorting Slytherin. Well, he had a few times. When the rest of his dormmates had ignored him or turned their noses up at him for dripping ink everywhere while he learned to write with a quill, it had hurt. No amount of encouragement from Harry would keep him from hearing the whispers, the taunts. He'd never told Harry about the sixth years who sneered "mudblood" whenever they saw him walking alone in the common room. He hadn't told him about the way Shafiq had straight-up turned her back to him when he'd tried to introduce himself, even though he had been careful to use proper wixen etiquette. He definitely hadn't told his first friend about Professor Okaforte's cold eyes every time he was the one to bring a potion to her desk, or the way her comments on his essays felt targeted in a way he didn't know how to explain.
What could Heir Potter understand about any of that? Nothing, Lucas had thought whenever something happened that made him resent the sorting hat's decision. Harry Potter had it easy, walking into the common room prepared and hesitantly respected that first night, simply because of his name. Sure, his magic was a bit more erratic than most of their classmates', but there wasn't a question if Harry was powerful. He definitely drew the professor's gaze, and not cold, disdainful ones like Okaforte's.
It was this Harry sitting next to him, all smiles and quaking magic, that was the reason he'd forgiven it all. So no, Lucas didn't regret any of it, even when it was difficult. Not if his immersion into this world made his little brother and sister awed at the sudden appearance of their meals or if his friendship with someone so different from him gave his parents reliable people to ask questions that he didn't have the answers to. Not if it gave him a best friend who understood all of him, all this magic he'd never known what to do with and even his preference for biros over those dang quills, and liked him anyway.
Lucas came back to the conversation that had gone on without him, only a few blinks indicating he was adjusting to the voices around him. Fortunately, Harry didn't notice, as his friend would definitely take the mickey for spacing out, even though he and Blaise had already explained the majority of what Lord Potter was explaining to his parents.
"And we hold a vigil through the night, tending to the fire and to our bonds with each other. In the Potter Family," Harry's dad said with a smile, "we all wear our Yule pajamas, spell a set of family crystals aglow for the night and drink hot cocoa made with chocolate one of my best friends makes while we put together a holly wreath, like Connor mentioned, and talk about our goals for the coming year."
"Yule pajamas? You never mentioned needing new clothes for the holiday, Harry." Lucas said, his nervousness about potentially asking for his parents to spend more money to prepare for a wizarding holiday crawling through his veins and making him sense his magic under his skin. At least it only rarely acts out, not like Harry's does all the time, he thought, feeling not a small amount of pride at being able to control his magic better than his friend, even if it probably meant he was less powerful.
Harry finished the last sip of his drink and then reassured him, "No you don't actually need Yule clothes. There are a few colors that are traditionally associated with Yule, so most wix wear clothes with those colors during their solstice celebration, but it's not necessary, and you definitely don't have to buy anything new even if you want to wear the colors. Just pick something you already own in those colors. We only have Yule pajamas because Mum likes to take a picture of us all matching and send it to her family. It's our Christmas card for our non-magical relatives.
"Guilty," Lily said, laughing. "It began as a way for me to bridge the gap of celebrating a different holiday than my parents after James and I married. I bought him pajamas with the Yule colors, two of which are red and green, and made him take a photo with me to send to my parents. They don't really understand Yule, and my sister doesn't care to know anything about magic. It's not really her cup of tea, but matching holiday outfits and a card sending season's greetings? A perfect compromise."
"Makes sense," Mr. Fraser agreed. "Well, since we're all finished and it looks like my Jenny is ready ta wiggle right out of her chair, shall we head into the Alley and see what we can find for some Christmas and Yule presents?" he asked, to the general excitement of all the children, most of all Jenny who was already halfway out of her seat.
"Yes, it sounds like we have a few dozen candles to buy," Mrs. Fraser joked, eye soft as she watched her eldest son whisper excitedly with his friend.
Harry watched Connor grab Lucas's brother and race towards the door together, to his mother's exasperation. "Let's go, Har. I need your help picking gifts for Malfoy, Lestrange and Nott. No idea what Malfoy would like other than a mirror, not that the git needs another" he whispered as they pushed their chairs in.
Harry snorted and led his friend out into the Alley ahead of their parents. He breathed in the spicy scent of the mulled cider at the stall to the right of the restaurant's door and let the hum of the magic wash over him, barely even making his own magic rise. This is gonna be the best Yule yet, he thought.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this fic. Let me know what you think in the comments and/or come talk to me on tumblr!