Chapter Twenty-One
The Yule Away from Home
Alicia laughed as Andrew pulled her around their mother's sitting room. He was trying quite hard to be a gentleman despite the fact that Alicia kept tripping. Finally she stumbled into him and landed them on the floor covered with her voluminous white taffeta dress, the snowflakes embroidered upon it lumping into a snowdrift.
"Here, here, put these on," Jennifer murmured to Alicia, handing her a pair of white Ultra-lite slippers. "Just don't let your father know that you have them."
"How anyone can be as graceful as she is on a broom and not be able to dance is beyond me," Andrew teased with a grin as he freed himself from the fabric and stood.
"I do much better in the air," Alicia declared, lifting up her heals so that the levitation in the shoes would activate, then lifted up her toes. "There, that's better! Let's try again!"
"It's already an improvement. You're a better height for me now," Andrew grinned, taking her hand again.
Responding to their movements the snowflakes began to drift again, falling up and down like the flakes inside a snow globe. Andrew's dress robes were sheer black and simple, with but a pair of garnet-eyed lion cufflinks dressed it up tastefully; his thin, shoulder-length hair refusing to stay slicked back.
"Andrew, remind me when we head to Diagon Alley tomorrow that you need a haircut," Jennifer said when he paused the dance practice to pull it back for the third time.
"Father said I could grow it out if I wanted," Andrew protested. Jennifer frowned at him but didn't say anything. A gentle knock rapped on the door and Alex slipped in.
Andrew and Alicia stopped to grin at her, but Alexandria looked incredibly uncomfortable in her beautiful, dark green velvet dress. White lace and ribbons trimmed the skirt and waist, while the dress itself was embroidered with clumps of mistletoe clinging to oak branches, moving as if kissed by the wind with every step.
"Mum! Help! My hair!" Alex protested as it fell in her face again.
"Come sit down. I'll let you wear my barrette, but if you lose it, I'll kill you," Jennifer promised her, pointing at the bench in front of the mirror as she rummaged in her jewelry case.
"Unforgivable Death Curse?" Alicia suggested.
"Shrieking Death most likely, knowing Mum," Andrew put in.
The bedroom door opened and Severus walked in, robes matching Andrew's except with silver green-eyed snake cufflinks and a short silver chain around his neck.
Alicia looked at him with a critical eye, knowing something was quite different about that although she knew he had often worn that chain; it allowed him to know when someone was spying on him. Then she realized what was strange was the fact that it was visible. The neckline was tight but much lower than she had seen him wear before.
"Father! Your scars are gone!" Alicia said with surprise.
"Thank you for pointing that out, Alicia. I'm already aware of it," Severus said curtly. Jennifer smiled enigmatically but didn't speak; too busy putting an invisible hairnet over Alex's piled up hair so it wouldn't fall down again. "You're letting her borrow that?" he scowled, pointing at the barrette. "Alexandria, if you lose it, I will kill you."
"Acidic Eulogy?" Alicia suggested.
"Morbid's Final Repose," Andrew decided.
"That's quite enough from both of you," Jennifer warned them, backing away a step so Alex could get up and turning her around. "There! What do you think?"
"She looks smashing!" Alicia grinned.
"Total knockout," Andrew agreed. But Severus stared at her for a long time before saying anything, wondering where his daughter went.
"Her dress is covered in mistletoe. Are you sure that's appropriate?"
"Severus!" Jennifer chuckled. "It's the first of Yule, what could be more appropriate than that?"
"Yes, but isn't it rather… old for her?"
"Oh, nonsense, Severus, she's almost fifteen years old. Now why don't you try saying something appropriate instead of questioning it?" Jennifer chided him.
"You look like your mother," Severus said reluctantly. "And therefore I don't want you out of sight tonight."
"But Father, I have…"
"No excuses, Alexandria," Severus snapped, Alex looking worriedly at her mother who just smiled apologetically.
Without ceremony or knocking, the door opened and Aurelius came in, wearing his normal clothes and his cloak, holding his potion wallet out to his father for inspection.
"You're not going to go to the ball dressed like that, are you?" Andrew asked.
"I'm not going to the stupid ball. I'm going to Stock's house for Yule," Aurelius said.
"I still think you should change your mind and come with the rest of us," Jennifer said. "But if your father said you could go, I'm hardly going to argue." Severus frowned at her, thinking how close to an argument that sounded like before turning back to the potion kit.
"Very well, Aurelius. I assume you haveeverything I listed packed in your cloak," Severus said, handing the wallet back to him.
"If I'm stranded on a desert island full of vicious chimeras and surrounded by hydra infested waters, I'll be prepared," Aurelius said sarcastically.
"And if you don't want to completely ruin any chances of ever getting to do something like this again, you'll keep your tongue in front of your hosts. Try to remember that your actions will be reflected back on us as well," Severus lectured.
"Yes, we wouldn't want the outside world to think you are bad parents or anything," Aurelius said. Alex, Andrew, and Alicia turned to stare at him.
"One more word like that, Aurelius, and you aren't going anywhere," Severus said with a fixed gaze. "You can stay here and count empty chairs at dinner if you like. Jennifer, are we going to be all night about this?"
Jennifer quickly gathered their coats and the girls' wrist purses, leaving Aurelius to fume as he stood there waiting. Suddenly he did a double take, blinking at Alicia with surprise.
"Hey! Since when are you taller than me?" Aurelius asked in annoyance.
Severus turned and squinted at her, measuring her against his chest before giving her a nudge and watching her float backward a bit. Severus rolled his eyes.
"Take them off," Severus said.
"But Father! Mum said I could!" Alicia protested.
"Off!"
"Oh, come now, Severus, she's hardly hurting anything… except perhaps her chance at getting married," Jennifer said in a mischievous tone. Severus turned to stare at his wife a moment before he turned back around with a grimace.
"Leave them on," he grunted. Jennifer looked quite amused by the whole thing.
The room was already filling up by the time that Severus had dropped Aurelius off and arrived in the entry area; waiting to drop off the ladies' coats and spelling off the dust and ash as if it never had been there. But Severus was quick to note a student of his that was pacing just inside the door, suddenly straightening when he saw them and bowing.
"Professor Snape, Professor Craw, Happy Yule," Xavier Platt said. He made a slight gesture with his hand, producing a freshly cut mistletoe corsage and holding it out to Alexandria while Severus watched with his mouth open as she accepted it and took his arm.
"Where are you going?" Severus finally blurted out.
"I have a date. It's all right, I asked Mum," Alex explained.
"Have fun you two. Stay on the premises," Jennifer said with a smile.
"Of course, Professor," Xavier nodded solemnly, leading her away.
"Look! There's Zoë and Zack! Can we go see them?" Alicia asked.
"Yes, we'll be along in a moment. I want a word with your mother," Severus said, stepping out of the way so the children could go ahead inside. Jennifer ignored the intense gaze he was giving her, merely taking his arm and watching the children as they joined their cousins. "You know, it has suddenly occurred to me that you and I should corroborate a bit more when it comes to making decisions for the children."
"Funny that didn't occur to you when you told Aurelius he could go to Stock's house," Jennifer said tauntingly.
"Platt is nearly seventeen," Severus said in a low voice.
"He's only two years older, Severus," Jennifer smiled. "Besides, I thought you always liked Xavier Platt."
"Like, yes. Trust escorting my daughter, no," Severus brooded.
"Then trust your daughter, Severus," Jennifer said.
"I can't, she's too much like her mother," he said, earning a dirty look from Jennifer as they stepped inside and walked over to Sirius and Anna. Sirius, who seemed to be on a roll, had all the four children giggling by the time they approached, immediately making a sweeping gesture towards them.
"And here then, coming next down the runway, is Jennifer Craw Snape, sporting a lovely shimmering silk dress of fine silver and accented with gold accessories, hair tightly braided upon her head like an angel upon the top of a Christmas tree, and her escort who, as always, looks like the very devil," Sirius said, bowing mockingly.
"I see you still haven't succeeded at getting your obedience school certificate," Severus said acidly. "Where did you get that suit, did you dig it out of someone's backyard? You look like a dried up cranberry."
"Better to look like one than to act like one."
"Stop!" Anna and Jennifer shouted at once.
"Sirius, you promised!" Anna growled.
"Severus, it's Yule," Jennifer said, glancing at the four chuckling children. "And not in front of them!"
"Fine, we'll go somewhere else then," Severus said curtly, moving to an empty corner of the room.
"Was that an invitation?" Sirius challenged him.
"Don't make me get a leash," Anna scolded him. Sirius paused then, coming over to stand barely an inch away from her.
"Will you promise to get it out later if I promise not to fight?" he asked in a low tone.
"I think you just need to grow up and start acting your age," Anna suggested. Sirius thought about that a moment.
"Nah," he decided, then whispered in her ear to make her cheeks turn red. Jennifer politely looked away from their faces, surveying the room instead.
"Andrew, why don't you and the others go find us a table?" Jennifer suggested.
"Sure Mum," Andrew said, the four of them heading off while Sirius grinned and went to follow Severus.
"Nice dress," Jennifer commented to Anna. It was slim, ivory, and rather Mugglish in appearance, but then that suited Anna very well. It was strapless but had a matching white jacket designed merely to cover her arms and not the dress it went with. At times it was hard to believe that her father had been a Snape, but Jennifer had seen that side of Anna come out after Jennifer meddled in something she shouldn't have, and she had been lucky to avoid Anna's Snape side since.
"Yours is nice too, although I have to admit, Alex's and Alicia's are the best I've seen tonight."
"Aren't they fabulous? I had Minerva make them, although stars only know how she managed to get them done in time," Jennifer said. "She made dress robes for Severus, Andrew, and Aurelius as well."
"Where is Aurelius? I don't think I saw him. Did he have a date too?" Anna asked.
"He went to spend the night at the Stockton's," Jennifer sighed. "He's been more interested in friends than family lately."
"Well, that's pretty normal at his age," Anna replied.
"Is it?" Jennifer asked with a sigh. "Then why do I keep getting the feeling there's something wrong with it?"
"Well, at least you won't have to worry about Counselor Rummert showing up while Aurelius is over there," Anna said.
"Oh, is he coming here?" Jennifer asked, looking at her thoughtfully. Anna looked at her with surprise.
"Coming?" Anna repeated. "He's running."
"What?" Jennifer said in shock, scanning the crowd. Over on the far side of the room, Jennifer first saw the silver hair of Lucius Malfoy before she recognized Rummert, standing beside him in rich black and gold robes, entertaining quite a number of prominent councilman. "All right, I know I'm going to regret this, but who exactly is the other candidate?" she asked and stared in disbelief when she read Anna before her sister-in-law responded.
"Draco is," Anna said. "In fact, right now he's favored to win."
"Malfoy senior or Malfoy junior," Sirius said with disdain as he and Severus watched Draco walk in, Dumbledore going over to greet him. "Really, if that's the best choice we have, I think I'm moving back to America."
"Rummert must not win," Severus murmured. "You are right in that… if he wins, Lucius will be the true power behind the Ministry, and that's not something we can afford to let happen."
"I know, I know. But Severus, can we truly trust Draco? Harry has told me about…"
"People can change from how they were in school, Sirius," Severus said curtly.
"Well, you haven't," Sirius said, earning a look of complete contempt. "By the way, I have another short list of houses. Is it safe yet to run them by Jennifer?"
"No," Severus said. "But I hope it's better than your last list."
"Well you don't have to be so damned picky. You're not going to find anything like what you're looking for that close to London in your price range. If you want more space away from neighbors, you're going to have to go outside the thirty-mile radius. I still say you'd be better off getting a townhouse. There are several nice ones with…"
"I don't want to live in the city, Sirius. I hate the noise and I hate the hassle, and furthermore I have four children that need more room outside than can hold a pot of dirt."
"Alicia will be twelve in April, and then they'll all be old enough to go to broom parks without supervision. The least you can do is give them a look," Sirius said.
"No," Severus said. Sirius growled softly to himself.
"You know, I wouldn't even be doing this for you if I hadn't married your sister," Sirius muttered.
"You're right. I probably would have killed you by now," Severus said.
"And then Harry would probably have gone and killed you," Sirius ventured.
"Harry is hardly likely to leave his godchildren without a father," Severus replied.
"Oh really? Well, let's see," Sirius said, walking into a group of people nearby. Severus blinked and walked over, nodding to Ron, Hermione, Ginny, George, and Fred, who had all been huddled around Harry. Harry, Severus noted, was in a very bad mood, although it wasn't too difficult to figure out why. "Harry, if Severus killed me, you would avenge my death, wouldn't you?"
Harry stared at him while Sirius nodded almost imperceptibly to try to get Harry to agree with him. Harry glanced at Severus then back again.
"I don't have time for this. Did you hear who's running?" Harry said.
"Ah, yes," Sirius said soberly.
"I can't believe Dumbledore's supporting Malfoy." Harry went on angrily.
"Well, what choice does he have? Rummert?" Hermione said. "Besides, Draco's been increasingly supportive of Hogwarts over the last few years."
"He just wants to get his claws in before Mary's old enough to go to school," Harry brooded.
"Rummert or Malfoy, what a choice," Ron muttered. "My father leaves and immediately the Ministry goes to the dogs." Sirius gave him a dirty look. "Er, sorry. You know what I mean."
"Yes, it means that I should have probably agreed to run when I was asked," Harry said.
"Oh, come on, Harry, who can blame you for not wanting to get stuck at a desk job with high stress and not enough galleons, when you could be chasing vicious Dark wizards who want to kill you all over the country?" Fred said encouragingly.
"Besides," George said, "You were right to be wary. Anyone who tries to talk someone else into receiving more power is only seeking more power for themselves."
"You know, George, I think that's the most intelligent thing I have ever heard you say," Severus said.
"Thank you, Professor. And I think that was the most intelligent thing you've ever said too," George nodded. Severus rolled his eyes.
"Is it just me, or am I the only one taking this seriously?" Harry said grumpily.
"I am," Sirius said, Harry giving him a dirty look. "No, I mean it. And I know what we have to do. Draco may not be the most benevolent person it the world, but so far as I have seen, he also doesn't delight in destroying people's lives, such as dividing families and demolishing homes like his opponent does. What decisions Draco makes he seems to make for himself now. Yes, he is ruthless, he is still a Malfoy, after all. But I think I'd rather have him in office no matter how seedy, than a sniveling puppet who believes that every low deed has a price tag."
Harry gazed at him for a long time, nodding slowly.
"I still want a third option," Harry said.
"I doubt you're the only one," Ginny replied.
In fact, Jennifer herself was thinking along the same lines as Harry as she sat at the table and watched the kids dance. She was feeling a bit depressed… a state that was starting to become a normal part of life for her. Beside her, Anna and Megan Thurspire were talking up a storm, Jennifer only paying partial attention as Megan joked about the trials of being a Muggle in the magic world. How ironic that the wife of one of the people responsible for taking her house away was a Muggle.
No, that was hardly fair, Jennifer sighed. Ederick was only trying to do his job, no matter how bad he was at it. But she missed the Haveners greatly… the baskets they would have been passing to each other full of holiday treats… the gingerbread knocking against the oven in attempts to break free. Jennifer stared into the fireplace, watching the huge log burning inside and finding herself thinking it incredibly small. It just wasn't the same.
A hand came down in front of her, breaking her train of thought. Looking up she saw Severus standing there, silently waiting for her to take it. She stood with a smile, letting him lead her out onto the dance floor.
"Sorry I took so long. We got wrapped up in politics," Severus murmured.
"Not surprising. That's what this night is all about, isn't it?" Jennifer said. "Not about family, not even really about Yule. It's all hobnobbing and choosing sides, not that there's a side worth choosing."
"Do you recall the first of these Ministry balls we danced at? That was the year Lucius ran," Severus said quietly.
"It was the first year I taught, the first time we danced, the first time I realized that you felt something for me too," Jennifer said softly.
"Besides the smashed toes, you mean?" Severus replied expressionlessly, earning a smile that faded almost as quickly as it came.
"You're going to support Draco, aren't you?" Jennifer asked.
"Draco is not his father, Jennifer. His recent deeds for the school and for us on behalf of the school should account for something."
"I know, Severus, but I still can't help but be worried about it," Jennifer admitted.
"Then perhaps it's time you put that Truth Seeking ability to good use," Severus said, moving across the floor with a stiff grace all his own before suddenly stopping and leading her over to where Draco was standing with Parvati and Dumbledore. "She's all yours, but only for five minutes. I'll be timing you," Severus said, handing Jennifer's hand over to Draco. Jennifer stared at her husband with surprise as Draco led her back out.
"Why do I suddenly feel like the victim of a conspiracy?" Jennifer asked, gazing suspiciously at him. Perhaps he would have been easier to trust had he not looked so much like his father.
"Probably because you are," Draco admitted. "You know, with all that happened over the summer, we never got a chance to talk, and I still want to invite you for dinner. Perhaps on New Years. We can start things out on the right foot, so to speak."
"You're not serving cooked cabbage, are you?" Jennifer asked. Draco chuckled.
"Only as a side dish."
"Are you sure this isn't just an attempt to get me on your side?" Jennifer said with a wary smile.
"Of course that's what it is," Draco said with a serious nod. "I'm still a Malfoy, after all."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Jennifer admitted as he spun her around the floor, ignoring the seething looks of Rummert and Lucius as they passed by.
Aurelius arrived to find himself coming out of a wide rock hearth and into a large but modestly furnished living room. A fairly thin woman with tanned leathery skin and a simple witch's gown stepped out of the kitchen. She pushed back her hair, apologetic of her appearance. Severus stepped out momentarily to greet her and had a few quick words with her before he headed for the ball.
"It is so good to have you here, Aurelius, you just make yourself at home. I'm George's mother, of course, but just call me Martha. Hephaestus and George are up in his room. Let me show you the way," Martha said with a warm smile.
"Oh, wait, this is for you from my mother," Aurelius said, fussing in his pocket until he managed to pull the small basket out, and handing it to her.
"Now, isn't that thoughtful!" She said with genuine surprise. "Why, thank you, Aurelius! I'll just set this in the kitchen real quick, it won't take half a moment."
Aurelius stepped through a narrow picture-filled hallway that connected the front door and staircase to the rest of the house and then into a kitchen nearly as large as the living room with a hearth large enough to fit two cauldrons side by side. Right now one was steaming over the flames, and the smell of bread came from a little iron door set into the hearth. She peeked in the basket, setting it down on a cloth-covered pine table.
"Well! It looks like we have tea now! Let me just set the kettle on," Martha said. Aurelius peered curiously at the old pump sink, which began to move when she set the iron kettle under it. "And there's even some gingerbread mix in here, that'll be a nice treat! I haven't attempted gingerbread in this house for quite some years now, but perhaps we can talk George into helping with it. What do you think?" she asked, looking almost wistful. "Oh, but I need to get you upstairs, I suppose. Right this way."
Just as they got to the hallway, Martha exclaimed outright as she saw her husband struggling with a tree on the doorstep, opening the door for him as he pulled the rather spindly-looking pine inside. Aurelius jumped in to help him get it around the corner and into the living room. Wiping off his brow with a dirty sleeve, the man looked over at Aurelius, noticing him for the first time.
"Ah, hullo, Mr. Snape, thank you," he said cheerfully, using a knotted wand to unravel the ropes around the tree branches. "We're glad you could join us. Where's George?"
"Upstairs, of course," Martha sighed.
"Upstairs of course," he repeated. "You can just call me Earl, by the way. We don't abide by too many formalities here, do we Martha?"
"I'm Aurelius," he nodded.
"Right then. I don't suppose you'd help me put this up… where do you suppose?"
"In the corner I cleared away, of course," Martha said with an almost teasing tone in her voice. "Should I try calling him down? It's not likely to work."
"Tell him we're holding Snape hostage, and remind him that I've a right to speak with him under the current court order," Earl said, Martha reluctantly heading up the stairs as the man set the tree up against the corner and looked it over. "There! What do you think?" he asked. Aurelius nodded carefully, privately thinking it was one of the sickliest looking plants he'd ever seen.
A moment later, Aurelius heard footsteps on the stairs and Stock came down with Heph on his heels, coming in to greet Aurelius and stopping short as he saw the tree.
"What a pathetic looking tree! What did you do, find it in a garbage pile?" Stock asked.
"It was the best we could afford," Earl said quietly. "Martha, where are the Christmas boxes?"
"If that's a plea for money, you're not getting it," Stock said curtly.
"I was merely stating a fact," Earl said. "Now, I know you boys must have lots of fun plans for tonight. But I got a job cutting mistletoe when the moon rises, so I only have a couple of hours home. And since the court order states you must participate in regular family functions, George, for the next two hours you're going to stay down here and pretend that we're a normal loving family and not embarrass yourself in front of your friends."
"What? Eat with you? Not likely. I'm supposed to buy my own food, remember? I'm ordering Broom Service for us," Stock said.
"Sure you won't change your mind, George? I made quite a bit of turtle stew. You used to love it growing up," Martha said.
"I'm not subjecting my friends to your backwater cooking. I'm ordering out."
"Suit yourself, George, but you'll still sit at the table with us either way," Earl said. "And you'll all be helping us trim the tree like normal families do." Sighing, Martha headed to the kitchen.
"And the name is Stock," Stock said irritably.
"Have you ever seen a tree like that before?" Heph murmured to Aurelius. "It looks like a stick with needles glued on."
"I wonder if that potion Sprout told us about for wilting cut flowers would work on it," Aurelius replied, reaching into a cloak pocket and pulling out a book. He sat on the broken-in couch, which despite appearances was actually quite comfortable.
"Come on, boys, help me get the ornaments out of the boxes," Earl said, searching for something specific until he finally stopped with an 'ah!' and pulled out the pearl and silk star for the top of the tree. "Have you seen the Christmas bells, Mum?"
"Yes, yes, they're still in the closet. Half a moment! I'm getting the tea."
"We have tea?" Earl asked brightly. "I thought we were out until I got paid tomorrow."
"Professor Craw sent us a basket, bless her, and Mrs. Grey sent us that lovely garland wreath on the front door," Martha said, coming in with a tray that grew legs the moment she leaned over a bit, filled with cups for everyone.
"Ah! So that's where it came from! Well, this place is getting into the spirit already then!" Earl said cheerfully. "Careful with those, George. Some of those are irreplaceable, you know."
"Nothing is irreplaceable," Stock said, reluctantly adding a hook to a lopsided Santa Claus with faded felt and lopsided Popsicle sticks. "I can't believe you still have this thing!"
"You made that in your first year of primary. Someday you'll be glad we saved it, when you get older… someday," Earl said as much to himself as anyone else.
"All the same, you'd be better off with a box of real ornaments," Stock grumbled. Heph sniggered a bit as he drank his tea, while Aurelius found himself growing more and more annoyed.
"Martha, can I borrow a bit of space in the kitchen to set up some equipment?" he asked.
"Of course, Aurelius! There's plenty of room in there, it's the best feature of this old farmhouse," Martha said.
"Aye, we're working on restoring it to back to when it was first made, little by little," Earl smiled.
"Little by little is right," Stock snorted. "The moment they get one thing fixed, something else breaks."
"All houses are like that, dear," Martha said, leading Aurelius back into the kitchen and clearing off a spot at the end of the table. "Do you need anything else?"
"Fortunately it's all dry ingredients except the water, and I've got all those, thanks," Aurelius said. Stock walked over to him.
"Oh come on, Rel, don't waste your time with that," Stock said. "They're just trying to play on our sympathies. He probably passed up loads of good trees on purpose, just to try and make a point." Aurelius looked at Stock dubiously then shook his head, pulling out a small burner and a small cauldron. "We've got better things to do, like order our food. What do you want from the Broom Service, Rel? Name it, and I'll put it on the list," he said, getting out a piece of paper.
"Um, I don't know at the moment, I've never used it before," Aurelius said, measuring out some mineral chips.
"What?" Stock laughed. "Not ever?"
"Even my family uses the Broom Service now and again," Heph said. "Usually when my sister tries to cook and she ends up trashing the kitchen."
"Well, we have a lot of House Elves, so they always cook, or Mum. On rare occasions we'll go to Doctor Sagittari's for dinner, or to Essie's to order a pizza," Aurelius said.
"Pizza? Like Muggle drive up and leave you with cold crust and burnt cheese type pizza?" Stock said, shaking his hand. "Man, you have had it rough. Well, you're out of that lousy Muggle town now, thank God, so we won't hold it against you. Tell you what, I'll just order us a Feast in a Box, that'll cover all of us with plenty left over for late night snacks and breakfast to boot. Besides, it's Yule."
"George? I found our bells! Come help me set them up," Martha said.
"I don't remember anything about setting up bells in the court order," Stock said irritably, writing something down. "In a minute, I'm ordering food!"
"Don't bother ordering desert. We happen to have some gingerbread we can make up that Professor Craw gave us, you can all help decorate them, won't that be fun?" Martha said, gazing at the different bell sizes, trying to put them in the right order.
"Hey, make sure you save some for me," Earl said from where he stood by the tree, levitating paper and clay ornaments and faded velvet ribbons upon it.
"I'm ordering desert," Stock reassured them, adding another line. "Gingerbread. Who do they think we are, three-year-olds? And Dad is the biggest of them all. You know, I'm starting to think the only reason they wanted me to invite you two over is so they could get handouts," he said, rolling up the list and waking up his owl. "Broom Service," he told his owl Viceroy, who reluctantly took it and flew out the window.
As Heph and Stock went back into the living room, Aurelius breathed a sigh of relief and used the temporary quiet to get the potion done, gently slipping the decanter into a water bath to get its temperature down. Finally he decided it was cold enough and brought it in just as Earl was putting the last of the ornaments on. Climbing underneath, he added the potion into the water under the tree, barely scrambling out before it began to take effect. The browning needles quickly began to return to green, and the fresh scent of pine filled the air as the branches reached out a bit, hardly without bare spots but definitely looking quite a deal better than it had been before.
"Well, would you look at that?" Earl said brightly, "Well done, Aurelius! I think I made a very fair pick of that tree after all!"
"That you did!" Martha agreed. Stock, however, look unimpressed. In fact, he looked bored out of his mind.
"Now all we need is a Yule Log. Boys, how about going out to the pile and seeing if you can pick out a great big one?" Earl suggested.
"What? In that cold? And there's bound to be wood spiders," Stock protested. Aurelius chuckled in disbelief. "What?"
"In my family, we always fight over whose turn it is to pick the log, that's all. Although I suppose we won't this year, seeing we're staying in the school."
"Well, why don't you pick it out then, Aurelius? Need some gloves?" Martha said.
"No, I have some," Aurelius said, going out, the other two following behind him. Unpainted planks ran intermittently through the porch where they had been carefully replaced, and despite the broken, fallen down fence that bordered the front yard, the holly bushes trimming the porch looked well tended. Down the hill through a cover of trees lay what appeared to be a busy Muggle road, cars racing by on their way to their own errands of family get-togethers and shopping.
"It's around this way," Stock said, stepping around him and marching them around the kitchen side of the house towards the back. "Watch out, there's lots of garden gnome damage back here. God, I can't wait to get out of this place," he said, kicking away a clump of mud. "Do this, do that, and all the while, they're trying to get at my money. If they weren't such leeches, I dare think my uncle would have given them a part of the fortune too. I apologize for all of this family time rubbish. They've had such a poor attitude ever since the last appeal, and I hope you don't hold me responsible for their behavior. Over there, Rel, just grab one so we can get this over with."
"Dumbledore should never have interfered like that," Heph said supportively.
"Bloody hell right. I was nearly free of them for good before he and Draco Malfoy stepped in. Sticking me in this cesspool, making me cater to those two. Well, if Rummert gets Minister of Magic, he's going to change some laws and get me out of here," Stock said.
"Rummert's running for Minister of Magic?" Aurelius said with alarm, nearly falling off the pile.
"Sure, he told me when I came home for the holidays. In fact, I contributed to his campaign," Stock said.
"You what? You can't do that, you're a minor. It's not legal!" Aurelius told him.
"Oh, Rel, don't be a fool. I signed it over to Malfoy and he gave the money to him care of Galemaster Brooms," Stock said. "And since I'm allowed to make investments approved by my counselor, it wasn't hard." Aurelius sat down and looked at him for a moment.
"Did Rummert ask you for money?" Aurelius asked.
"Of course not," Stock said. "I made the decision on my own. I want to help him get elected."
"Why? Because he promised to get you out of here if you did?" Aurelius asked. "Stock, no offense, but there's something really fishy about someone who's supposed to be acting on your behalf signing off on you giving him a large sum outside of professional fees. It's starting to sound to me like you're being had."
"Oh, don't be paranoid, Aurelius. I already told you. I made the decision on my own, Rummert didn't make it for me. In fact, I had to insist he take it. Besides, do you really think Malfoy would have helped if he thought Rummert was using me?" Stock asked. Aurelius stared at him. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you're just against Rummert because he spoke out against your parents in open court. And are you going to get a log or aren't you? It's cold, and the food's going to be here any minute."
"At least if I did hold it against him, I'd be siding with my parents. You don't seem to do that much," Aurelius said, finally heaving out the biggest log he could find and rolling it down the pile.
"Since when do you side with your parents, Rel?" Heph snorted. "I haven't heard you say anything but how much you hate them all year."
Just then the three of them heard a noise like the wrapping of a hand on glass.
"Broom Service!"
"Great! The food is here!" Stock said, running around to the kitchen window where a dark skinned witch dressed in red and yellow cloak and floppy witches' hat waited with a large parcel by the window. "Happy Yule, Ntoma!"
"Happy Yule, Mr. Stockton! Hungry tonight, are we?" the witch laughed, holding up three different boxes.
"Company," Stock explained, putting an extra galleon in her hand before taking the boxes.
"Thank you, Mr. Stockton! It's always great to do business with you. A bit far out of town, but he always makes it worth our while. You're a generous young man, Stockton, I have a feeling you're going to make a fabulous wizard someday," she told him, waving and taking off as Stock passed one of the boxes to Heph.
"I'm a regular customer," Stock explained. "Ntoma's my favorite. She's such a great judge in character." Aurelius decided to concentrate on rolling the log to the porch, clamping his jaw tightly to keep himself from saying anything as Stock opened the door. "Food's here! Can we eat before it gets cold?"
"All right, but we have to hurry if we're going to light the log at sunset," Earl said. Stock rolled his eyes.
"Rel, get your stuff off the table," Stock said, and quickly Aurelius picked up his mini lab, Stock putting down the first box and pulling its string. Instantly it turned into plates of roast turkey, puddings, gravies, sauces and several sides. The other two boxes went onto the counter, the first one bursting into mincemeat and pumpkin pies, Black Forest Cake, and even a small fig pudding.
"Wow, brilliant!" Heph said impressed, the last box turning into fizzy pops and iced drinks. "Stock, you have outdone yourself again! It's like a mini Hogwarts banquet!"
"Better than stew, eh?" Stock agreed.
"Well! It seems you boys are set," Earl said from where he stood at the kitchen door. "So let's tuck in then. Martha, I'm starving!"
"Aren't you always?" she chuckled, putting the fresh bread on their end of the table and ladling the stew out.
"Sure you boys won't at least have some bread?" Earl asked, taking his seat.
"We have our own, thanks," Stock said as they sat down, pushing their order away from his parents' side of the table.
"Yes, but it's not the same, I'm sure. Martha works at the Beatrice's Bakery in the mornings. She's an expert at baked goods, even in that oven," Earl chuckled.
"There's nothing wrong with the oven," Martha protested. "Earl is very good at fixing things, being a roofer. Never had a moment's trouble with anything in this kitchen," she said sitting down with her own bowl. She smiled softly at Stock who was sitting beside her and trying his best to ignore her. "Well, it's so nice to be sitting at the table as a family again. And so nice to have guests, too!" she said. "After we light the log, we normally let the bells play and look over albums and talk and tell stories."
"We don't always do anything of the sort. We haven't done that since I was little," Stock said.
"If that's what your mother would like to do, that's what we're doing," Earl said firmly.
"Oh, now Earl, let's not leave the guests out. What do you normally do for Yule, Heph?" she asked.
"Oh, you know, go to grandmother's, put up with cheek pinches, fight with my sister, the usual sort of stuff," Heph explained.
"What about you, Aurelius?" Martha asked.
"Sounds like ours is a lot like yours, actually. We make gingerbread and springerle in the afternoon for neighbors, invite friends over to light the log, play games and tell stories. We don't have any bells, though. Father plays the violin sometimes." Heph choked.
"Snape plays the violin?" Heph asked.
"Badly," Aurelius nodded, poking at his plate.
"Well, don't just play with it, eat up, it's great," Stock complained, noticing that he hadn't even touched it.
"Are you feeling all right, Aurelius?" Earl asked.
"Actually, this isn't really agreeing with me. Might I try the stew?" Aurelius said. Stock and Heph looked at one another in complete bewilderment.
"Well of course, dear!" Martha said, quickly getting up. The two boys shook their heads as he thanked her, accepting a piece of the bread Earl handed him.
Aurelius grew quiet, content to listening to Martha and Earl talk about work and the house. They tried at every opportunity to get George to talk, doing everything they could to keep the subject off legalities. But still it seemed to hang over everything, even in the living room where they watched the bells lift in the air and shake out carols, and the albums of pictures of George growing up that seemed to end four years ago when Stock's uncle died.
They had barely started on the gingerbread when it was time to Earl to leave, kissing his wife on the cheek and shaking Heph and Aurelius' hands before stepping out the door, waving to Stock.
"Finally! Family time over!" Stock declared, immediately scraping the dough off his fingers. "Time to go upstairs."
"But what about the gingerbread? We're not done yet!" Martha protested.
"I'm sure you can handle it, since you're an expert at baked goods," Stock said sarcastically, turning to head up. Heph followed close behind, grabbing a few more drinks off the counter.
"Come on, Rel! Wait until you see his room, it's amazing!"
"I'll be up in a minute," Aurelius said, putting the last house wall on the tray to go in the oven. Heph and Stock looked at each other before heading up the stairs.
"You'd better go on up before you get into trouble with your friends. Don't worry, I promise I'll bring you some up when they're still jumping," Martha promised. "Go on." Nodding slowly, Aurelius headed for the stairs.
He caught the door just before it closed and slipped in, staring agape at a large room that instantly reminded him of Toby's shop, if not so dusty. It had everything he could think of in it, from Quidditch equipment and brooms displayed on the wall to all sorts of gadgets to occupy one's time. A wireless was playing music in the background while Heph was already busy going over to a tabletop Quidditch game, putting his drink on a floating table beside it.
"Oh, there you are. For a moment I thought you got sucked into the 'poor us' routine downstairs," Stock said, setting up a miniature chest in the center of the game table. On each end were three rings, and on each side were seven different dials, one for each wooden player on the red team and blue team. "Boy, were they laying it on thick or what?"
"Pathetic," Heph agreed. "What do you think, Aurelius? Want to take winner?"
"Well, that means I'd never get to play. All I see are a couple of losers," Aurelius said, sitting on the bed.
"The only loser I see around here is you. What is with you tonight?" Stock said.
"Your father only had two hours to spend with you on a holiday, and all you could seem to do was complain about it or argue that it violated that stupid court order. If I acted that way around my parents, I'd have been burping soap bubbles and wouldn't have been able to sit down for a week. How could you treat them like that? When we were growing up, we thought we were lucky to spend two hours with our parents on a weekend. And sitting there eating like pigs while they're making do on stew was the most repulsive thing I've ever seen in my life! Doesn't family mean anything at all to you?"
"As far as I'm concerned I don't have a family, except for Rummert. They've done nothing but fight with me since the moment I got money. He's the only one that gives me what I need."
"What you need is a good whipping."
Stock stood up and called his wand to him, staring at Aurelius furiously.
"And who's going to try to give it to me? You?" Stock challenged.
"Uh, Stock, remember sparring club," Heph warned him.
"I don't care, he can't talk to me that way. Get up and fight!"
"What, and give you a reason to sue my family if I make a bruise on your arse?" Aurelius snorted.
"I thought so, what a coward you are! Like father like son."
"I'd rather be like my father than be like your counselor."
"Don't you dare talk about Rummert like that!" Stock shouted.
"Why, are you going to put me on a court order too?" Aurelius said, standing. "I guess my sister was right all along. You are a jerk."
Stock's wand suddenly burst to life and Aurelius found himself rolling out of the way, the spell knocking over an autographed photo on the wall. But Aurelius wasn't in the mood to play around, whipping out his wand and casting the disarm spell throwing Stock back into a chair, his wand spinning onto the floor. Quickly Aurelius grabbed it and went downstairs, stepping into the kitchen. Martha, still cutting out gingerbread, looked up at him in surprise as he stuck Stock's wand in the turkey.
"Here's your son's wand. Maybe you can give it back to him when he learns how to use it," he said, heading towards the front door. As he got to the hallway he paused thoughtfully, looking back at her surprised face. "Actually, that might take too long. Better just chuck it," he advised, then walked out the front door and down the hill, his own wand still in hand.
When he got near the road, he thumbed up his wand, causing it to light up briefly then stepped onto the bus that appeared there when he reached the curb. Martha, standing near the window, watched him go, and then turned back around to look thoughtfully at the wand for a moment before she got back to her baking.