Christmas at the Evans' was a dour affair. Petunia returned home in a terrible mood and even worse - she brought Vernon with her. He grumbled a greeting to Lily and then began to overwhelm her mother with questions about the maintenance of the house, "you know, the type of work Mr Evans used to do around here." While Lily appreciated the suggestion that they, mere women, could not maintain a home, she felt they had no need of Vernon's help (after all, Lily kept things in top shape with a few charms here and there).

They started the morning off with a gift exchange in the living room, Lily sitting by the tree to help hand out presents. First, Petunia made a fuss about the fact that nobody had thought to get Vernon a gift. Then, she further poisoned the well by making a backhanded comment about Lily and James not paying for dinner the other night. Lily struggled to hold her tongue.

Even after all of that, Lily still tried to extend an olive branch. She gave Petunia a thoughtful gift which was met with dull approval. Petunia slid open the jewellery box Lily had wrapped for her, a hair clip in the shape of a leaf, decorated with delicate sapphires and diamonds, inside. Truth be told, Lily had found it in an heirlooms shop in Diagon Alley. The shopkeep, a kind old lady who went by the name Mag, assured her it had no magical properties so Petunia would never know where it had come from.

"Something blue," Lily explained, forcing herself to smile no matter how painful it was to be the bigger person. "Perhaps for your wedding." The clip was gorgeous, everyone in the room knew it, yet Petunia refused to react.

"Well, Marge is my Maid of Honor, she's organizing all of that." It was a kick to the gut. Petunia always had impeccable timing. Right when Lily saw a light at the end of the tunnel her sister made sure to quickly put it out. After seven years of such behaviour, Lily was growing tired of trying.

Once they finished up with gifts, their mother wandered off to the kitchen, insisting she make them all some breakfast. Lily tried to busy herself cleaning up the bits of wrapping paper left around the room while Vernon and Petunia sat watching from the couch. Vernon had one meaty arm wrapped around her sister's thin frame. Lily tried not to grimace at the image.

"I hope you broke up with that boyfriend of yours," Vernon sneered when they made eye contact.

"You will, if you have any self-respect," Petunia piped in. It was unbearable. The two of them sitting on their high horse, showing off their relationship as Lily's lay in shambles because of them. The doorbell rang then, and Lily made for the front hall, grateful for any excuse to get away from her sister and Vernon.

"I'll get it!" she assured her mother when she saw her head pop out of the kitchen. Lily took two seconds to catch her breath before swinging open the door, hoping for James' face and instead, finding Fabian's.

"Hey…" he began awkwardly. He stood a few steps away, eyes facing the ground. Lily stepped outside to prevent anyone from hearing them speak - the last thing she needed was another earful from Vernon and Petunia.

"What're you doing here?" Lily crossed her arms against her chest to keep warm.

"Truth be told...I wasn't entirely honest with my family about our breakup before coming home." Lily nodded understandingly, having landed herself in the same boat. "My mum had already made this for you by the time we got home…" Fabian produced a wrapped package from behind his back, though Lily knew exactly what it was without opening it.

"Another sweater," she grinned, "your mother is an angel."

"She thinks the same of you," he told her. It was a kindness Lily didn't feel she deserved, not after the way she'd treated Fabian at the end of their relationship. For months, she'd known that things weren't right and she'd said nothing. Lily had never given Fabian a chance to try and save their relationship. She would bear that guilt till her last breath.

"She probably shouldn't think so highly of me," Lily said, swallowing back the lump in her throat.

"You should try not to make such a good impression," Fabian shrugged, though still, he avoided Lily's glance.

"Do you hate me?" She blurted the question out and once it was there, hanging in the air between them, there was no denying it'd been on her mind for months. "You must think I got what I deserved," she went on, "getting kidnapped-"

"No," Fabian insisted earnestly, his soft brown eyes finding Lily. "I'm not saying I forgive you for it all but I...I never hated you," he confessed, "never could."

"You should ask my sister for some tips," Lily suggested, holding back tears.

"Is everything alright?" The fact that Fabian even cared to know how Lily was doing was more than she deserved.

"Fine," she lied, forcing a smile, "everyone's doing well."

"Give your mum my best," Fabian told her. "She's not working this year I hope?" The very question broke Lily's heart.

"No," she told him, "she's taking some time off." Fabian went down the front steps, facing the gate.

"Happy Christmas, Lily," he said, looking back over his shoulder.

"Thank you for coming, Fabe," she said, waving goodbye. As Fabian exited the Evans' front gate and turned the corner to apparate, Lily finally allowed her tears to flow, soaking the red and green striped wrapping paper of the package in her arms.


Christmas morning at the Potters' followed its usual schedule: gifts in the morning, brunch at noon, topped off with an afternoon of leisure. Most years, James was filled with the holiday spirit - up before the rest of the house and hurrying along the day's festivities. This year though, he spent most of the day mopping. He was miserable because he missed Lily and yet he couldn't bring himself to go to her, his pride getting in the way. Rather, he resolved to spend his day wallowing in misery at home.

"Don't you think you've let this go on long enough?" Sirius badgered him. They were playing a game of chess in the sitting room, the sound of Mimsy and Mrs Potter cooking together in the kitchen - preparing their big Christmas dinner - wafting from the other room.

"I'm the wronged party. She should apologize to me," James stated indignantly, making a move on one of Sirius' bishops which was smashed brutally from the Chessboard by James' pawn. Sirius rolled his eyes, ignoring the game.

"Don't be thick."

"I'm not going to beg for her forgiveness when I did nothing wrong." James knew that wasn't entirely true - he had allowed his temper to get the better of him at dinner - but he was still wounded by Lily's words.

"I just think, seeing as it's the holidays and all, and we know her sister kind of sucks, maybe you should reach out. Unless you're willing to just let this relationship go…" the mere suggestion made James tense up.

"Why should one fight mean we're suddenly over?"

"Because you're being a stubborn bastard!"

James glared at his friend, pushing his chair back from the table. "You think I should be the one to apologize first?"

Sirius sighed exasperatedly, "I think you should try and talk to her. Maybe hear her out, see what she has to say." Sirius was right, of course. Nothing between James and Lily could be resolved without a conversation.

"When did you become such an expert in relationships?" James poked him, the hostility gone from his voice.

"I've always been rooting for you and Evans. I don't want to see you fuck it up."

"I don't want to fuck it up." Had he? Had his stubborn pride driven Lily away? The very thought made James sick to his stomach.

"I don't want to interrupt her day with her family. Besides, mine is the last face her sister will want to see."

"What if I go?" Sirius suggested. "I can invite her to dinner? Everyone's coming over for it anyway, it'll be a safe space."

James didn't know what the right move was. He was hurt by Lily's words after dinner and her clear lack of faith in him. James was always desperately trying to be the guy Lily wanted and deserved but what if it just wasn't him? What if he could never escape the binds of pridefulness?

"You'll feel better once you've talked," Sirius reasoned, "and Marlene and I can be your backup if you need it."

"What if all those things she said to me after dinner, what if that's how she really feels?" James said out loud what he'd been worrying about since his fight with Lily.

"Prongs…"

"What? For years she thought I was nothing more than an arrogant brat. Suddenly her whole opinion of me has just changed? It was naive to think she wouldn't still harbour some of that resentment…"

"It wasn't suddenly," Sirius reminded him, "it took Evans quite a while to warm up to the idea of you and, as a witness to your love story, she seems quite infatuated." James didn't know why Sirius was so dead set on ensuring that the pair made up - it didn't change his life if their relationship failed.

"I don't want to lose her," James confessed, "but I don't want to be in a relationship with someone who doesn't see the best in me."

"I don't think that's what's going on here Prongs, trust me."

"Have you suddenly developed the sight? After all these years of messing around in Divination class?"

Sirius chuckled. "Just trust me on this one." James, who had absolutely no idea what step to take next, had no choice but to do just that.

"Fine," he agreed, "you can see if she wants to come to dinner."

Sirius grinned from ear to ear. "Excellent."

"I'm not grovelling," James reminded him.

"We'll see about that."


Marlene had never met the family of a significant other before and yet, in a matter of hours, Henry had been able to convince her to do just that. After coming through her bedroom window and confessing his attraction to her, Marlene and Henry had fallen into bed together, shagging for the first time. The whole thing had been amazing - the shagging, the intimacy - and in the heat of the moment - squished together on Marlene's twin bed, she'd agreed to attend his family's Christmas dinner.

"I'll pick you up at six p.m," Henry promised as he put his clothes back on. Marlene watched him from the bed, comforter wrapped around her shoulders. She was still too happy to feel panicked.

"Okay," she agreed, "as long as I won't be a bother."

Henry laughed, a little nervously, "trust me, they'll be happy to meet you." He hesitated before adding, "I've told them about you."

"You have?" Marlene beamed.

"Does that make me sound like an absolute psycho?"

"No," Marlene smiled, rising from the bed so that she could touch him only to be reminded of her nakedness. They kissed passionately, Henry pushing into Marlene with such force she went toppling back into her bed, the frame ramming into the wall. The two froze, biting back laughter, Henry lying on top of Marlene.

"I'm afraid I won't be alive to meet your family if my parents catch us together," Marlene whispered to him. They waited, in case anyone happened to rise, and then Henry lowered the ladder he'd come in on.

"Six o'clock sharp," he reminded her before descending.

"Yes sir," Marlene agreed.

They'd kissed and she'd waved at him as he disappeared into the dark, only the sound of his feet hitting the ground to let her know he'd made it down safe. With a flick of Marlene's wand, the ladder was mist.

Marlene struggled in the hours that followed not to regret her decision. Only two days ago she'd been with Sirius and now she was planning to meet Henry's family? She couldn't help but doubt herself and it left her in a sour mood the next morning. No one asked any questions of course, because Marlene's mood had been poor as of late - first because of Henry, then Sirius, now Henry again. It was an absolute disaster.

After breakfast, and hours of struggling to get out of her own head, Marlene approached her elder sister for advice. The announcement of Amy's pregnancy, and marriage, had been made to everyone in the house on Christmas Eve. The whole family was thrilled of course and she'd already promised to bring Alex back over to visit before the baby arrived in the spring.

Alone, in Amy's bedroom, without the prying ears of their family, Marlene let loose. She told Amy all about Henry showing up the night before, climbing in her window, she even told her sister that they had shagged, despite the intimacy of the detail.

"Well," Amy chuckled at the end of it, looking positively stunned, "I did say he would surprise you."

"Amy, is it a mistake?" Marlene worried, "don't you think it's way too early for me to meet his family? I mean what if we don't even work out, what if this is all just a honeymoon phase…"

"You're panicking," Amy told her calmly, "That's normal at this stage but if you want my advice? I don't think Henry is looking for you to commit to a lifetime together. I think he just likes you, from what I recall he was quite close with his family." Amy gave her sister's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. They sat on the edge of her double bed, side by side.

"They might hate me." Marlene couldn't stop imagining the worst-case scenario.

"Unlikely," Amy assured her. "You're pretty difficult to dislike, even when you're being an absolute downer."

"Sorry," Marlene apologized, "I've just felt…"

"Confused?" Her sister suggested. "Marlie, that is completely normal."

"Did you feel that way with Alex?"

"Everything is scary in the beginning," Amy shrugged. "I didn't know for certain in the early days whether Alex was the one, just that I liked him a lot."

Marlene nodded. "I like Henry a lot," she said, more to reassure herself than anything. "He's special."

"He is," Amy agreed. Marlene couldn't help but wonder if part of Amy wasn't just tooting Henry's horn because she wanted to get Marlene away from Sirius.

"What'll I wear?" Marlene asked, taking a deep breath.

Luckily for her, Amy had the perfect outfit: a knee-length red tartan skirt and a white blouse. Marlene left her sister's room to send James an Owl, informing him of her absence from dinner that evening. Her family would still attend of course - Maureen and Caroline would not miss an excuse to hang out for the world.

The rest of the day Marlene spent trying to read but rather, stressed about her impending dinner. What kind of first impression would she make? How many members of Henry's family would be present? What were his parents' names? She panicked all afternoon, terrified that she would make an absolute fool of herself or worse - behave her age.

At half-past five, Marlene's family departed for the Potters' leaving her alone for the half-hour she had before Henry arrived. To occupy herself she poured half a glass of wine and drank it in silence, sitting at the dining room table. As he'd promised, Henry's knock came at six on the dot.

Marlene stood before the closet mirror, adjusting her ponytail before greeting Henry at the door. It'd been so long since she'd touched herself up to impress a boy. Henry was smiling when she greeted him. He had his brown hair slicked back and wore a black and white polka dot button down - which poked out from beneath his coat - with straight black trousers.

"You look beautiful," he told her.

"I'm not imposing on your family dinner am I?" Marlene worried right off the bat. There was a part of her, small and weak, which hoped Henry might suddenly call the whole thing off.

"Not at all," Henry promised, kissing her cheek. "In fact, everyone is very excited to meet you." Marlene wasn't sure if that made her feel better or worse.

"It means a lot," she told Henry, "that you want to introduce me to them."

"I know it's sudden," he confessed, saying out loud what Marlene had been feeling all day. "I don't do this with every girl, if that's what you're thinking, in fact if I'm...if I'm being honest you're the first girl I've been with, in quite a while."

"Fighting for the resistance doesn't make for a great dating life I see?" Marlene teased him, making Henry laugh.

"No," he confessed, "quite the opposite."

"So what you're trying to tell me is that I'm not just one in a line of girls you've already brought home to meet the family?"

"My complete infatuation with you is very out of character," Henry nodded, making Marlene blush. It was hard not to do anything he wished when he said things like that.

"Should we go?" she asked, her worries melting away. She threw her jacket on and locked the door behind her, taking Henry's arm as he apparated them to his family home.


Alice had spent most of Christmas day banging on the door of her father's bedroom, begging him to come out. By the time the sun had begun to duck below the horizon, she'd given up. Alice threw together a Christmas dinner which she ate alone, sitting at the dusty dining room table with a radio beside her for company.

She couldn't help but wonder what Frank was up to. She had spent the past few Christmases with Frank and it felt odd, his sudden absence from every aspect of her life. She missed him and yet she knew his distance was entirely her own doing. Sitting alone in self-pity, listening to a sad rendition of an old Christmas carol, Alice was startled by the sound of knocking at the front door.

She suspected one of her friends, perhaps Lily or Marlene had come to check in on her, in her dreams, it was Frank, here to sweep her off her feet despite her recent behaviour. She was surprised instead to open the front door and find Dorcas Meadowes, standing on her doorstep with a long, brown, paper bag containing what Alice could only hope was alcohol.

"Happy Christmas!" Dorcas enthused.

"What're you doing here?"

"Christmas dinner with my family finished up early and I thought perhaps you'd be in need of a nightcap." Dorcas' dark eyebrows rose.

"Am I ever. Come in." The two made pleasant small talk as Alice led Dorcas through to the kitchen where she grabbed the girls two glasses. Dorcas produced a bottle of Firewhisky.

"Where's your dad?" she inquired, filling the glasses up halfway.

"Upstairs," Alice replied simply, doing god knows what.

"Moody said he tried to check in on him once or twice in the past few months and couldn't get him to answer the door."

"Sounds about right," Alice sighed.

"There's help you know, a whole ward at St. Mungo's dedicated to this kind of stuff."

"I can barely get him downstairs let alone to a hospital." It was hopeless, especially considering Alice would need to return to school in a week. She'd considered staying behind, to try and help her father get back on his feet, but it was pointless when he was uninterested in trying to fix himself.

"It can feel impossible," Dorcas reasoned, "getting past the loss of a loved one."

"Since she died everything's just become so hard." Alice couldn't hold back the tears that came with the confession. "I just keep screwing up."

"You're healing."

"And all I've done in the process is hurt the people I love."

Dorcas frowned, clearly unaware of the split between Frank and Alice.

"I was unfaithful," Alice admitted, overcome with guilt, "I ruined everything with Frank."

"No one's perfect Alice…"

"I'm a monster." It was the first time she'd said it out loud - the way she felt about herself. "Everyone I've loved...just...leaves." Her face fell into her hands, fat tears seeping from between her fingers. Alice had never felt lower, her life more pointless, than it did at that moment. Sitting in the kitchen her mother had once loved, the very one in which she'd spent hours upon hours baking or enjoying a cup of tea and a crossword, the very kitchen she left that fatal morning not realizing she'd never see it again.

"You've experienced more sorrow in seventeen years than most people will in a lifetime," Dorcas told her. "This guilt you're feeling, the one that makes you want to recede into yourself, it comes from your heart. The very same heart you've always had - one filled with love and kindness." Alice wiped the tears from her blotchy cheeks. "You can't move on until you forgive yourself, Alice. Not only for what you did to Frank but also the blame you bear for her death. You have to let it go."

Dorcas was right of course. The guilt Alice had been carrying around since August was eating her alive. It was the very feeling which had driven her to self-destruction, that had caused her to believe her life and the choices she made in it were meaningless. It was the same guilt that stopped her father from getting out of bed every day and Alice didn't wish to end up like him.

"Alice, look at me," Dorcas commanded, Alice's glossy, brown eyes shifting across the table. "Life is about making mistakes. You cheated on Frank, that was a mistake you needed to make in order to learn a valuable lesson. It doesn't make you a terrible person and he doesn't hate you for it, I should know. I was cheated on once myself."

"What?"

"My first serious boyfriend, Sam, started shagging a coworker and I caught them in our bed."

"Fuck."

"I struggled for a long time to forgive him, I'm still not sure I fully forgive him now, but I never hated him, not even close. It's hard when you have that much love for a person," Dorcas insisted, "and I know Frank loved you deeply."

"I loved him too," Alice's voice quavered, "I still love him."

"I know," Dorcas sighed, raising her glass to her lips. "It doesn't mean that will be true forever. You just need time to fall back in love with yourself. That is who you really need to focus on, not Frank, not your father-"

"Maybe I'm a lost cause," Alice sighed, taking a gulp of whiskey. She winced as it burnt its way down her throat.

"Not a chance. You're going places Griffith, whether you like it or not." Dorcas made the statement with such conviction Alice almost believed it herself.


Remus had never cared much for the holidays. For him, Christmas break was simply a time for rest, during which he did his best to avoid causing his parents any trouble. This year, of course, the holidays were dampened by Leila, whom Remus missed terribly and yet knew was likely gone from his life forever. His mother did her best to lift his spirits, encouraging the family to spend time together throughout the day, she even prepared Remus' favourite foods for breakfast.

He was grateful for his mother's effort but sadly, nothing could fix the fact that Leila had run from him. Finally, Remus had confessed the truth to someone he really loved and he'd paid the price. It was official - he would spend his life alone, never letting any women in too close. It would be better, at least, than the ache he currently felt in his chest.

As had become tradition, Remus and his parents took the Floo Network to the Potters' for Christmas dinner. While Remus' parents were typically quite shy, both had been welcomed into Caroline and Alec's friend group and over the years, Remus had seen his parents come out of their shell. Dressed in their finest, his mother always bearing a gift for the hostess, the family gathered in the living room to take turns stepping through the fireplace.

Remus went into it first, announcing his destination. He threw the Floo powder to his feet and was transported through the network, exiting through the fireplace in the Potters' sitting room. The room was already full of guests, few of whom paid any mind to Remus' entrance. He saw Marlene's mother and elder sister in a conversation with an older woman he did not recognize but suspected was a relative. James was chatting to a couple in the corner. Remus scanned the room for a friendly face before one came up from behind him.

"Moony!" came Peter's voice, shrill with excitement. Peter was wearing a striped dress shirt with black slacks. His fair hair was slicked back so that his face appeared rounder than usual, his cheeks rosy.

"I'm so glad you're here - Happy Christmas!" Without warning, Peter threw his arms around Remus and hugged him.

"How were your holidays?" Remus asked though he cared little.

"We went north for Christmas and stayed with my aunt Belinda in Newcastle. She owns a tiny seaside cottage right next to this huge mansion where this old blood family lives. I actually got to know one of the daughters…" Peter droned on, not seeming to notice Remus' lack of attention. Remus searched the room for Sirius or Marlene but neither were present, only James, who finally approached the pair - free from his conversation.

"Happy Christmas lads," he greeted Remus and Peter.

"We're down two," Remus observed, James nodding.

"Sirius is picking Lily up…"

"Oh?" Remus eyebrows rose, "why not you?"

James squirmed. "We've had a bit of a fight…" he confessed. James went on to relay the disastrous dinner he'd had with Lily's sister and her fiance. Remus could understand James' pain - it was hard to feel constantly trapped by the assumptions others made about you. James struggled to escape the image of him as an arrogant, spoiled brat.

"It's Sirius' idea - that she comes over and we talk it out." James didn't look so sure about it.

"Just be honest and open," Remus advised.

"Saying you're sorry always helps," Peter added, earning himself an icy stare.

"I'm not the one who needs to apologize."

Peter gave up immediately, never one for conflict, and changed the subject. "Where's Marlene?"

"You'll never guess where she is for dinner," James was smirking now. "She's gone to meet Henry Fawley's family."

"I thought she'd all but given up on him!" Peter gasped.

"I think she's really fallen for this guy."

"At least someone's love life is working out," Remus sighed.

At half-past six, Mrs Potter emerged, standing at the head of the room to announce that dinner was ready to be served. Slowly, the group of around fifteen crowded into the dining room. The long dining table was decorated with a beautiful arrangement of holly, candles and blush Christmas roses.

Remus sat down across from James and Peter, an empty chair beside him and another on Peter's left for Sirius and Lily. The first course was a pear and greens salad, chopped almonds and crumbled goat cheese decorating the top. The servings appeared before the guests whenever Mrs Potter had determined they were ready to move on to the next course, the previous plate simply disappearing.

It was as the first course was being cleared that Sirius and Lily joined the room. Lily took the empty seat beside Remus, Sirius sitting across the table. As everyone was distracted by the arrival of the second course - fragrant, French Onion soup - Remus leaned over to check in on his neighbour.

"Are you alright?" he whispered to Lily.

"I've seen better days," she replied, offering him a weak smile. James was chatting quietly with Sirius, his gaze hardly drifting towards the other side of the table where Lily and Remus sat.

"I've got your back," he reassured her, saying the only thing he could think of which might comfort him were he in Lily's shoes. "Besides, no one can stay mad at Christmas."

Lily's green eyes were glossy, her gaze shifting across the table, lingering for a moment on James before receding back to the untouched bowl of soup before her.

"Let's hope," she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper. Remus couldn't help but think that something seemed off, lacking almost, in Lily's demeanour. He brushed it off, of course, as per-conversation jitters and assumed Lily's distress was no more than teenage angst - as if anything in their world was still that simple.