Christmas with the Greengrasses had not been what Rose was expecting.

As promised, the girls were met at the platform by Selena Greengrass, who surprised them both by giving her daughter a miss and wrapping a very surprised Rose Potter in a tight hug. Daphne's look of shock softened when she caught Rose's brief flinch at the contact. Only when Rose was thoroughly embarrassed did Daphne's mother turn to give her daughter a proper welcome.

The trio then made their way to the public floo. Daphne went first, stepping into the entrance hall of Greengrass Manor. She had just turned around when Rose Potter came tumbling out of the fireplace, muttering curses in a language Daphne didn't know. Any questions about that were stopped by the laughter from the staircase behind the pair.

This time, it was Daphne who found herself in a hug, to the amusement of Rose. The short brunette had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, before attaching herself to the taller blonde.

Rose smirked. "Ah, this must be the Lady Astoria." The younger girl disengaged herself from her sister, before giving Rose a grin and an exaggerated curtsey.

"Heiress Potter, welcome to Greengrass Manor." Then Astoria gave a deep bow. The Lady Greengrass, having arrived via floo, could no longer contain her chuckle at the scene.

"Daughter, love, I believe that's my line." Astoria rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Could you show Miss Potter to her room, dear? We'll have dinner in about an hour." She made eye contact with Daphne, before inclining her head toward the interior of the home.

"I'll be up in a few minutes, Rose." Daphne patted Astoria on the head, gently. "Whatever this one tells you about me is a lie, I swear it." That earned a laugh from both girls. Then they were walking up the grand staircase, toward the guest rooms, and Daphne was walking toward the sitting room.

She found her mother at the back windows, looking out over the lake. Greengrass Manor, though it sat on several hundred acres of farmland (and the pastures that gave the family its name, centuries before), also sat next to a small lake. It was, Selena thought, the closest she could get to a view of the ocean without being on the coast. And the lake was just large enough to make sunsets an event - the sun on the water was one of her favorite views.

When Daphne entered the sitting room at the back of the house, she found her mother taking in that calming view. She approached her mother, not sure where their discussion would lead. Her mother sighed, but kept her eyes on the waters.

"It's worse than we thought, isn't it?" asked Daphne.

Selena nodded. "When I hugged the girl, I thought she was going to attack me. She was all tension." She shook her head. "How does a child come to be so?" she asked herself.

"Rose grew up with muggles, but won't tell me anything about them. She calls them her relatives, not her family. Never her family." Daphne looked thoughtful. "Pansy asked her if she was going back to them this christmas, and Rose almost hexed her for even suggesting it."

"Nightmares?" asked Selena.

Daphne shrugged. "She's not mentioned any, but the beds in Slytherin all have silencing charms. I do know that she gets up before I do, almost every day."

Selena frowned at this. She was certain that Rose Potter was being abused, wherever she stayed, but that was not an accusation to be thrown around lightly, even where muggles were involved. And whoever was in charge of her in the magical world surely had some reason for placing her there, however obscure. Dumbledore?

Did the Potter Family have a regent? She knew there was a proxy in the Wizengamot, but could barely remember the man's name. Lord Hillyer or some such, she thought. Further, it was unusual for one person to hold both proxy and regency. Madam Bones was one of the rare exceptions, being guardian in fact to her niece Susan, as well as regent for the family, with her ministry post on top of it all. That did not appear to be the case with Rose - whoever was supposed to be looking out for this girl had failed, badly.

"It's funny, when I think about it," began Daphne. "I went into school planning to keep myself aloof and neutral, staying out of the house politics. The wrong word, the wrong hint, and suddenly some boy thinks we're betrothed." She sighed. "No thank you. I chose to be unapproachable, rather than misunderstood. I had Tracy, I'd be fine."

Selena smiled at that - her daughter's master plan, to become the Ice Queen. "You and I both know that it wouldn't work past this year. Astoria would hug you and you'd melt."

A soft chuckle. "Probably. But that doesn't matter, because when the girl-who-lives entered the den of snakes, she was doing the exact same bloody thing!" Daphne grinned as she remembered their first night in the dorms. "Day one, Draco tried to push his weight around with her, and she had him flat on his back in the common room before anyone could blink. 'I'm good, thanks.' was all she said to him, before she reached a hand down and hoisted him up. Poor kid stood there dumb while she walked up to the dorm, whistling." Daphne looked at her mother. "Whistling! But it worked, and everyone pretty much left her alone, even the upper years."

Selena considered that, as Daphne sighed. "And to top it all off, she has me studying with a Ravenclaw named Hermione Granger. Instead of Tracy and I, on our own, it's the four of us. It shouldn't work, but it does, somehow, and I can't explain it." She shook her head. "This wasn't at all how I pictured things."

Daphne's mother hugged her, as the pair watched the sun descending on the horizon. Even in winter, the sight was impressive.

"You two are alike in that, I think. Neither of you trust very easily. But when you do, look out." Selena nodded toward the hallway, and the stairs beyond. "I think that if she lets you in, you're in. Of course, you both will punish betrayal mercilessly."

"And where did I get that from, Lady Greengrass?"

Selena laughed. "That might be my fault."

Daphne nodded, grinning. "I know." Then she looked up at her mother. "We're going to help her, right?"

"Of course." Selena hugged her daughter again. "She's family."

oOoOoOoOo

If she had her way, Marigold Potter would never leave Longbottom Hall.

The first day had been awkward, and her tumbling entrance from the floo helped not at all. But Madam Augusta Longbottom, or 'Gran' as she preferred, had been kind and welcoming. Marigold had not been sure what to expect, but not being in trouble for the embarrassing failure was a relief.

In the back of her mind, she had heard her uncle's voice decrying the freakishness of a fireplace used for travel.

Neville had shown her to a bedroom larger than any she had ever seen - certainly larger than the dorm in Gryffindor Tower, and that room had to fit half a dozen witches. Seeing the bed, Marigold stretched out her arms and collapsed onto the softest surface she had ever known, earning a chuckle from Neville (who was still holding her trunk and standing in the doorway). That chuckle almost proved expensive, when Marigold threatened to hex him for his cheek.

Once the Longbottom heir had made his retreat, Marigold smiled. Already, Neville had started to relax a little - her being invited for the holidays was evidence of that. The Neville from the train would never have been brave enough to laugh at her within her hearing.

It was three days before Augusta managed to coax enough details out of Marigold to figure out where she lived - and how that had gone for her. The conversation had begun when Stewie, the family's house elf, had complained that 'Miss Potterses was doing elve's works'. Augusta found the girl in the hall's kitchen, cooking a full english breakfast.

The aroma quickly drew Neville from his room, and the three of them had what turned out to be their best breakfast of the holiday. Stewie put his foot down, though, when Marigold tried to do the dishes as well, and got his way when Augusta backed him up. Neville went to tend his greenhouse, giving the ladies a chance to talk.

Augusta asked Marigold why she had cooked breakfast. Her answer of "I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here." was less than satisfactory. Before long, it came out that cooking breakfast (and dinner) was the bare minimum that had been expected of her when she lived in her nominal 'home'.

Then Augusta learned about the cupboard. It had been decades since she had found herself doing accidental magic, so the teacup shattering on the counter was a surprise. The noise calmed her down, which was fortunate as her outburst had started to worry Marigold.

"You aren't in trouble, my dear. Your 'relatives', though, that's another story."

Marigold's eyes grew wide in terror. "If they find out I told anyone…"

"They won't." Augusta leaned forward, taking Marigold's hand. "And if I have my way, you won't have to go back there."

Marigold sighed. Something Spellforged had said came to mind, just then, and she decided to go with it. "Well, my sworn godfather is in Azkaban, so he's out as a guardian. Do I have a godmother, I wonder?"

Augusta just blinked for a moment, processing that statement. Sworn godfather? But it was the second part that caught her full attention - and that's when Marigold saw a grin cross the face of Madam Augusta Longbottom.

"Marigold, dear, your godmother is a woman named Amelia Bones." Marigold's eyebrows raised in surprise. "You may know her niece, Susan Bones, a friend of Neville's in your year. I think you'll want to meet with Amelia before the holiday is over."

"You see, Amelia Bones is the director of Magical Law Enforcement. The people who investigate things like, oh, perhaps child abuse?" Augusta got no further, for just then a red-headed witch had started hugging her.

oOoOoOoOo

Plip Plip Plip Plip PLOP. The stone gave Rose a good four skips before sinking into the lake. Not bad. The footsteps approaching the dock told her that she had a visitor, which did not surprise her given the circumstances.

Sneaking out of the Christmas Day festivities would not have gone unnoticed for long.

It was not Daphne who came to retrieve her, as she had suspected it might be. Instead, it was Astoria Greengrass who sat next to her on the bench, overlooking an old Muggle-style boat dock at the edge of the lake.

The brunette said nothing, only watching as Rose tossed another stone into the lake. Plip Plip PLOP.

"How'd you make that work?" Tori asked. "That's some impressive charms work, or so my mother would say."

Rose smiled, though it was somewhat strained by the events of the day. "No charms, Miss Greengrass. You just get a flat stone, like so," Rose held up one of the stones sitting in a pile on the bench. "And then you throw it with a little spin, like this." Plip Plip PLOP.

Astoria took another one of the rocks, looking at it closely. PLONK.

Rose chuckled. "Spin it with your finger, like this, so that it's spinning flat, that way it bounces off the water. See?" Plip Plip Plip PLOP

The younger girl chose the flattest stone she could find in the pile, before concentrating on the still water. Plip PLOP. Rose smiled at the way Astoria's face lit up. "See? Told you."

The girls skipped several more stones, Astoria getting all the way to three skips. Then they sat and watched the water for a while. Both girls wore their new winter cloaks - Tori's was a gift from the Davis family, while Rose's green-trimmed cloak came with an unsigned note. Perhaps the boys can help me figure it out, she thought.

"So," began Astoria. "How was Christmas?"

Rose looked at her, not sure what she was asking. "It was lovely, but you knew that."

"Uh huh." replied the younger girl. "If it was so great, why are you out here then?" When she got no reply, Tori continued. "And why is your trunk packed?" Tori let just the right amount of hurt filter into her voice, as she finished. "I thought you liked us?"

Rose's eyebrow raised, as she looked at Astoria. "You've all been wonderful, Tori. I can honestly say this has been the best week of my life, hands down." Plip Plip Plip PLOP.

"Psssssh." Snorted Astoria. "I grew up with Daphne Greengrass, Miss Potter. I know evasive when I hear it. Quit speaking Slytherin and tell me what is what."

Rose turned and looked at her friend's sister, and saw the defiant look on the girl's face. It was as if she was daring Rose to lie. And after the past week, Rose was certain that this future Slytherin would know it if she did try to talk her way out of… whatever this was. She sighed.

"Tori," she began. "There's not… look, you and Daph and your mom and dad have all been great, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

Astoria stared at her, waiting.

"I mean… Tori, no one is ever as kind as you all have been. Not without expecting something." Another sigh. "Not to me, anyway."

Rose was not sure what response she expected from the ten-year-old younger sister of her closest friend. She certainly did not expect what she got.

"Horseshit." Off Rose's stunned expression, Astoria continued. "The Greengrasses are not in the habit of picking up strays, Heiress Potter." She smiled, but kept the annoyed expression in her eyes as best she could - a mixed result. Rose could tell she was trying to be stern.

"Your mother was friends with my mother, and that in and of itself would be enough to invite you over." She looked Rose in the eye, the humor gone. "But the truth is that you had no reason to befriend my sister, and Merlin knows she would have given you none. And you did anyway."

"And then, not long after that, you and Daph went and stunned a professor in front of the entire school, and found out that the old bastard was possessed." She tilted her head, starting to smile at Rose's stunned expression. She tossed another stone into the lake. Plip Plip PLOP. "You can make stones walk on water, without magic. You curse in Goblin. You pranked our elves with a danish. And you're more of a smartass than I am."

Astoria stood, pulling her cloak tighter around her - the warming charms were barely enough for this cold weather, but they worked.

"You owe us nothing, Rose Potter. You're already family, you just don't know it yet." With that, she turned toward the house. "You're not alone, you know."

Rose stood as well. "So it would seem."

Astoria nodded. "Told you. Now come on, Mom wants to talk to us." And with that, the girls walked back to the manor.

The Greengrass family was still entertaining. Tracy Davis and her parents had come over for Christmas dinner, as had Daphne's grandmother. Astoria walked over to Selena, giving her a hug. Daphne and Tracy saw her walk in, then looked over at Rose - Daphne's eyebrow raised in inquiry.

Rose shook her head gently - Later - before hanging her new cloak inside the door. Then she walked over to her friends, a weight having lifted from her shoulders.

Tori may be right, she thought. For the first time in her memory, Rose Potter felt at home.