* * * * *

Destiny glanced around the platform after she arrived. She wasn't accustomed to coming home with her family, so this would be a first in a while. It took her a while, but at last she spotted the strong and tall guy she was looking for. It was her brother, Oliver, of course. He immediately recognized her and motioned her over.

"Let's go, eh? Parents don't even know you're coming home." He rushed her through the station until they were outside. And since they were half-blood they took a muggle car and headed toward the suburban part of London.

"You really had mum and dad worried, you know. Wondered where you went last holiday."

"I told them I was going to a friend's house."

"That wasn't what I heard." He opened his mouth to say something really cruel, but with the look on her face, he decided to hold back.

"Probably not as worried as they were when you nearly chopped your head off playing quidditch in the middle of the night..."

He looked over at her."Well, you could have said something..."

They didn't talk for a few minutes, and in that much time, they were home. Oliver pulled up to a yellow house, two stories high. As they walked inside, Des prayed that her parents wouldn't go ballistic.

And they didn't. Her mother sat knitting a blanket while watching the very famous show 'Trading Spaces' and every now and then saying something like "Wow!" or "Oh god!". Her father was reading the Daily Prophet and laughing.

"That Cornelius.... Oh boy.."

She didn't want to interrupt the fun, so she sneaked into the kitchen.

"Well, Good Morning, Oliver. Where were you off to so early in the morning?"

"Just the train station, Mum. Picked up a few old friends."

She glanced up from her knitting."Like who?....Oh god! Look what they did to that poor room, it'll never be the same.."

"Yeah, some friends." Oliver didn't have the patience to tell his mother that Des was standing in the kitchen overhearing everything that was going on, and probably running away again.

Des glanced at her father. He seemed very calm. And he had thrown down the paper and was now getting up. Des sat up on the counter top. She knew he was probably coming in here.

"Dear, a drink?"

Mother simply just glanced up at Oliver."Who was it, Oliver?"

Father went into the kitchen without an answer and from the living room, an "Oh my!" was heard, and then several minutes of laughter before she continued her interrogation.

"My Goodness. When did you get back?"

"Just now!"

With that Mother rose out of her chair, shoved her knitting at Oliver's hands, who was very intently watching the show on tv.

"Oh, Dear.... You're home?" She sounded neither happy nor sad, just about the same as always. Des was apparently showing her father some of the pictures that Mandy had had a chance to develop.

"Yeah, Mum, home for Christmas." Des looked up at her. She was half smiling and had tears in her eyes. "What?"

"Nothing... Nothing.. Where's your owl?"

"Not exactly sure. Took off one night."

**

***

**

The telephone rang. Lee looked up. 'Where was the telephone?'

She looked around only to find out that it was on the other side of the room.

She got up and crossed the room, walking to the phone slowly.

"Hello??"

"Lee! How are you?!?!"

"Jess?"

"Yep, I'm here..."

"What are you doing?"

"Just got back from the good ol' family trip."

"But didn't vacation just start?"

"Well yes, but they started it before and....yeah. Very complicated. How are your poems coming along?"