I stumbled out of the fireplace into our entry chamber. This was a secure and separate chamber from the rest of the manor that was connected to the main Floo Travel line. We usually used the fireplace in the sitting room for informal visits or when travelling between friendly houses. I enjoyed entering the manor from here after being away for awhile.
The Potter Manor was understated as far as manors go, but exuberant as far as houses go. White marble columns framed the entryway and balconies off the upper levels spoke of old money. Sculptures of mythical creatures lined the walkway, and sparkling lights decorated the season. The manor was completely surrounded by a dense forest, there was no road access, as far as any muggle could tell, the whole land was untouched forest. It was quiet here. It was home.
We followed the path to the main house and as I stepped inside, Christmas affronted my senses. A large evergreen tree stood proud in the sitting room, lights twinkled, and gingerbread filled the air. I was home.
Our house elf greeted us at the entrance with a deep bow.
"Welcome Masters James and Sirius," his nose scraping the floor, "I'll bring your bags up, anything else I can do to serve you, Masters?"
I smiled, "Hot cocoa would be delightful, Toby."
"As you wish." He bowed again and disappeared with a pop.
The three of us settled into a game of exploding snap while the delightful aroma of my favourite foods filled the air around us. My 'feast' upon return was no typical feast. Toby had prepared my favourite foods, so it was grilled cheese, chicken legs, and pizza. Upon Sirius' request steak was added to the menu tonight, always the aristocrat that one.
We laughed and taunted each other as we played. It was a simple act, playing cards, but I could feel it refilling my soul, and looking around the table, I knew it was having the same effects on my playmates. It had been a difficult six months in the Wizarding world. The dark forces of Voldemort have been growing stronger and more perverse. What started as a relatively small threat has since reared its head with hundreds if not thousands of followers, some rumoured to be high in the Ministry of Magic. With these numbers, they grew in confidence and attacks that had once been few in number and small in scale have grown to almost weekly and terrible acts of violence against wizards and muggles alike.
My parents have been at the centre of this fight, high ranking aurors fighting against the powers of a dark mask and a fake name. I knew they were incredibly frustrated with this. My father had cautioned his superiors years before that they needed to pay more attention to this threat to no avail. Now all they can do is clean up his messes. Try to clean up his messes.
Voldemort's message was simple and easy to grasp: the Wizarding race is superior to muggles and we should not need to hide our presence from them in fear. I know a lot of great wizards who would agree with the statement. Sometimes I lay in bed and find that I agree with that statement. But, of course, Voldemort doesn't stop there: Wizarding blood needs to be preserved and untainted. Muggle-borns (what he'd call Mud-bloods) where inferior to the Pure-blood wizard. He needed the half-bloods to support him, but could they not see that they would be next on his list of those unworthy? He called for the destruction of muggle-born witches and wizards. He called for the destruction of the muggle world. He called for total world domination. And he'd do whatever it took to get there, even if that meant killing the pure-bloods that got in his way and refused to bow before him. He definitely lost me there.
The Black family was avid supporters of his cause. The Malfoy family, the Bulstrode's, the Flint's, Gaunts, Lestrange, Parkinson, Yaxley, I could continue but I didn't want to think of this. He had converted at least half of the, what did they call them now, Sacred Twenty-Eight families that were "truly pure-blood". Powerful, old families. The Potters didn't even make this list. I remembered with a smile, my parents discussing this one day over breakfast. Not that they believed in the validity or reason for the list, or cared of the point of the list, of course. But my father was duly angry that he had not been good enough. "The Potter family goes back through generations and generations of the best witches and wizards England has seen! Not 'pure-blood enough' Ha! What my father would say if he was still breathing… turning around in his grave he must be!" My mom had given him an odd look then, and he faltered and closed the paper, "Of course it doesn't matter Helena, it would just be-" He sighed roughly "pass the bacon, would you?" And that was the end of that conversation. Pride: it seems it runs in the family.
"Your mom should be home anytime now." Dad was checking his watch and a flash of worry crossed his face, "We should get cleaned up for dinner, maybe run a brush through your hair," he said with a chuckle.
"I will if you do."
— — —
"What'd'ya think is taking so long?" Sirius asked in a forced conversational tone. He was concerned. She was probably dealing with something his family had done. He followed me into my room. He had his own room down the hall, but we've been sharing a room for six years at Hogwarts, it just felt right and we never moved the second bed from my room once his move here was more permanent.
"Probably just got into something and lost track of time. She'll be here soon I'm sure. Dad's right though - I gotta have a shower after the train ride today, ugh, six hours in a box with you - phew." I shot him a wink and left.
I didn't care about the list, the special twenty-eight. In this day and age, the only place to go is off the list, and I wouldn't want to be the one that took the whole family name off this special prized list. Even if people say they don't care about the list, oh they care. How could they not? Everyone wants to be called special.
Sacred or not, my family would 'count' as pure-blood enough for many pure-blood families, for Voldemort. But with a deep pride filling me, they wouldn't stand for it. My parents are leading the fight against Voldemort, and I could hardly wait to graduate and join them. Muggles may be different from us, maybe even inferior, but be damned that doesn't mean unworthy of life. And muggle-borns? No way. Some of my good friends are muggle born… Lily Evans is muggle-born.
I sly smile crossed my face as I thought of Lily. Now that's a dangerous thought for the shower. I smirked. Lily Evans, where do I even begin -
Bang! A loud knock on the door brought me back to Earth.
"Prongs! Hurry up in there! I've got to look my best too! Don't tell me you're thinking of Evans in there…" Gagging sounds, "you better not be!" Pause "Ugh, just hurry up!"
I laugh, "I'm done, I'm done."
I brush past Sirius on my way out of the bathroom, "I know it takes you so much longer than me to look nice, I should have let you go first." He gave me a playful shove and walked past me.
I dressed quickly, still thinking about Lily and the Christmas card I didn't give her. Annoyed with myself, I took the time alone to write a quick note and summon my owl, Ibis and sent it off to her before I had any more second thoughts. It's just a little card, no big deal.
Not wanting to think about it anymore, I wandered downstairs silently. I heard the hushed voices of my parents talking about things they didn't want me to hear. What had kept her so long? I strained my ears and willed my heart to beat quieter.
"Master James!" Toby announced loudly causing me to jump and stumble down the last stair, "Come, I have prepared another drink for you. Your mother has arrived and is eager to see you."
So much for being sneaky.
"James!" She was coming this way and smiling but her furrowed brow and tired eyes betrayed her happy greeting, "Welcome! How's school? How was the train? Where's Sirius? Tell me about that quidditch game…" Question after question with hardly a pause between them. She gave me a big hug, "You've grown so much! I dare say you're almost taller than your father now." She held me out at arm's length and ruffled my hair, "Oh it's so good to see you!" Another big hug.
When she released me this time, her brow had smoothed and her hazel eyes sparkled. We sat on the couch and I told her how my new quidditch strategy destroyed the Hufflepuff team and how excited I was to play Slytherin next month. I was in the middle of reenacting my highlight reel when Sirius entered.
"And Potter makes another marvellous play!" He announced using his hands as a megaphone as I threw a fistful of air over my dad's shoulder.
"Sirius! Come, come!" My mom popped up and gave him the same big hug and storm of questions. I sat back down and smiled. I'd always appreciated my parents and their welcoming and accepting spirit. When Sirius arrived on our doorstep last summer, I didn't know how they'd react, but they took him in with open arms and hearts and I felt their love for him as an extension of their love for me. They never let me down. When they overheard about Moony's furry problem they were surprised and concerned, but not alarmed and angry. And the next day, they invited him to spend the next week with us, after checking the lunar calendar, I'm sure. We didn't make the special twenty-eight list, but they were mighty special to me. Christmas, always brings out the feelings.
"Dinner is served."
We sat around the old mahogany table with the good silverware and ate my favourite sloppy foods. The meal didn't fit with rich atmosphere, but it was perfect. We ate in a satisfied and comfortable silence. My parents didn't elaborate on what held mom at work. Sirius chatted stories from the school year and I found myself just enjoying the moments.
After dinner we played a few rounds of chess before heading to bed. It had been a long day and I was exhausted. Sirius fell asleep quickly and the comforting and familiar sounds of his quiet snore, his purr as he called it, filled the room. I laid there, my eyes open, my head spinning with uncomfortable thoughts. What happened in the Auror office today? Why didn't she mention it - at all? And perhaps most disturbing, what would Lily think of her card? Would she respond? Why would she? But would she? Thoughts circled around and around in my head. I wonder how her first day home was…
