A/N: Welcome to a multi-chap on the Christmas of '70 at the Black household. I've got absolutely nothing planned, as it is based on an advent calendar challenge, but updates will be daily-ish! Hope you enjoy and please, please leave a review!

WC: 693

It's a little nippy on Platform 9 and ¾ and Bella wishes she had remembered to take a scarf. The scarf would also help because it would mean she could pretend she was doing something with her hands; rearranging it, trying it, picking the invisible lint of it, rather than having to look passably agreeable in front of all these people.

These people. She scoffs at herself. Bloodtraitors, half-bloods and filthy Muggles, parents to their filthier Mudblood children, who look so terribly lost, slightly confused, but also revoltingly overjoyed and full of wonder of the world around them, as if they still couldn't believe magic was real. They disgust her.

The Purebloods will send a house-elf, that's the way it is done.

Of course, Bella doesn't count. She dismissed the house-elf immediately, when Mother offered that he should get the girls. She missed last Yule, last Spring, and the better part of last Summer. She hasn't seen a lot of her sisters, and she truly misses them.

First there'll be Meda, her first sister. Meda looks just like her, they've got the same dark eyes, slightly upturned nose, pronounced forehead and of course, the absolute crazy back mane they call hair. Bella's mastered every trick in the book to keep it carefully tamed back. But only for when she's with Mother and Father, of course. The rest of the time, she lets it free to tangle in the wind. She's also taught Meda all of her clever spells, and she knows her sister likes to smoothen her hair down, or keep it neatly in a braid down her back, in all circumstances. It makes her face look softer, her eyes kinder.

That's the difference between Meda and Bella. They look the same, but Bella is fiery, clever, manipulative. Meda is passionate, intelligent and scheming. It's the same thing. But it's not. That's what Meda and Bella are.

And then, there'll be Cissy. Darling, little baby Cissy – who will always be little baby Cissy, even when they're both well over 70, and no matter how much Cissy protests that she's grown up. But she has grown up, it's true, though Bella refuses to acknowledge it. Cissy is baby Cissy, her darling.

She looks absolutely nothing like Bella or Meda. Long blond straight hair flowing to her waists, no one knows whom she got it from. It's caused more than one argument between her parents. It's absolutely ridiculous though, because one look at that nose, that smile, that poise, and everyone knows she's a Black through and through.

Cissy is loving. Cissy is obedient. But Cissy will get her way every time. Is it because she is loving, and obedient? Is it because of the way she looks? Bella knows people underestimate Cissy and it makes her laugh, oh, how it makes her laugh. They don't know what Cissy can do.

The train finally pulls up, all hooting and smoking and bubbling with over-excited children. It brings back memories, though if they're good or bad, Bella won't tell. Besides, she can already see Cissy's blond hair running up to her.

"Bella!" Cissy cries and throws her arms around her. Bella hugs her back. "You came!"

"Of course I did, like I told you!" Bella exclaims.

"Well, we can never be too sure of what our sister tells us," Meda, who has suddenly appeared comments, and she smiles at the two of them. For some reason, Bella thinks her words have a double meaning. But no. She's just imagining things.

"Oh Bella, you'll never guess what happened last week, I didn't have the time to tell you-" Cissy prattles on while Bella levitates both of her sisters trunk.

They walk away from the station, Cissy chattering on, Meda close by her side but silent, the three Black sisters, together. It's just how she likes, surrounded by her sisters. She wants to hold on to the moment, as if it was going to go away, soon. But she rubs the strange feeling away.

This will be a lovely Yule. Or maybe it will be a shattered Yule, a broken Yule. She'll just have to wait and see.

A/N: Submitted for a bunch of things at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (challenges and assignments)!