The first snow fall of the winter arrived later than usual. The lake froze over; ice-skaters were thick over its scratched and powdered surface. Students built forts and played snowball and flew for recreation over the Quidditch pitch. However, this jolly bit of fun was not shared amongst the four friends. Due to the lake freezing overnight, Max and Rose were unable to meet Stella. Scorpius and Al still spoke with the mermaid through their large paneled window about the recent happenings.

The option of sneaking into the Slytherin dorms to meet their new friend was too dangerous. Though the other three common rooms were practically empty due to their residents taking advantage of the weather, Slytherin housed the largest variety of introverts who don't like sun or sky, or laughter and who stay locked up where it's safe and they're alone. Slytherins also happen to be night owls who stay up far too late into the night, so sneaking in through the tunnel that lead out the mouth of the mantel serpent was suicide; Slytherins don't hold their tongue, especially if they have an opportunity to rat out a Gryffindor. Sneaking in the morning was less risky due to the house residents habit to over sleep, but many fall asleep on the sofas and wake to the slightest noise; they were also known for their vigilance.

Rose, Max, Scorpius, and Al sat in the library after their very last class before the Holidays and grazed dusty books of transfiguration phenomenon's. Scorpius was flipping enthusiastically through the stories; every feat of transfiguration was incredible to him. Al was all too focused during these new sessions. Rose tried to decipher meanings behind clear sentences. And the faint growling behind Max's books told them that he had fallen asleep again. He tried extremely hard to focus and help, but this subject was his least favorite next to History of Magic. Even the story of Paul the Pathetic turning his own head into a moose permanently during his failed attempt at illegal animagi didn't amuse him. It was stories such as these that brought his face to a pale porridge in fear of something similar happening to Stella or his friends.

What they did learn was what the fifth step in Animagus transformation was and that transfiguration in itself was the most dangerous type of magic there was. This only made Rose more excited about their future success.

"You lot need to get outside more often," The group peeled their eyes from their studies and gazed at Illya Vizzini who had stopped leaving the library with his group of friends to speak to the second years.

Max didn't know this Hufflepuff hardly at all and though Illya had never done anything to provoke him personally, Max didn't like when he was around and he didn't know why.

"Just a little brain food," said Al, holding up his books.

"It's not going to snow every day, you know?" said Illya, making his way slowly back to his group of friends waiting for him. "But we're heading to recreational Quidditch. Kernnal has a bet going for who'll win. You should play Rose, I wouldn't mind seeing him put his money where his mouth is." He winked before departing.

Max rolled his eyes and turned to Rose who was staring after Illya, blushing crimson. Max wasn't completely daft. "Rose," he rolled his eyes again. "He's sixth year." Rose didn't seem to even hear him. She looked back at her book with cheeks as red as her hair and a smile across her face. Why did this make him angry?

Scorpius closed his book at last which usually meant that they were all done for the day. Rose had been captain during study sessions, Scor was captain when the subject was transfiguration.

"So," Scor started, propping his feet upon the library table. "What's you plan for the Holidays?"

"Obviously, Al and I are heading home!" Rose said enthusiastically.

"Same," Scor shrugged. "But we're having to spend Christmas day with the grandparents. It sucks. Usually we only see them on New Year but now that I'm getting older, Grandma says she wants to see me before I move out."

"Both of your Grandparents?" Rose asked.

"No!" Al answered amusedly. "Both families getting together at one time? That would be a disaster!" Scorpius laughed uncomfortably at the thought.

"What about you Max?"

Maddox had been hoping that the question wouldn't turn to him. "I'm going back to dad's," he replied. The thought of spending Christmas with Bailey and his dad was terrible especially after experiencing a Potter-Weasley family Christmas. That Christmas, last Christmas had been the best of his life. Max didn't know that family could like each other and get along. He didn't know that laughter and stories were a normal part of Christmas. He didn't know that people could make you feel so welcome and warm inside. He would do anything to be spending this Holiday with the Potter-Weasley family, with Albus, with Rose. But, he had to screw up. He had to nearly kill one of their kids. He had to be so stupid and small minded and drag the first person he cared about into a fireplace, into Elvinshire, into the hand of his lunatic mother, and into the hospital; it was no wonder he hadn't been invited this year.

His next option would be to stay at Hogwarts with people he liked, like some of the Professors, but if he did not get on and off the train with Rose, Al, and Scor, he was sure he would be re-invited to the Weasley-Potter family Christmas, bringing tension, discomfort, and awkwardness with him. He wasn't going to do that. He would have to spend it with his dad.

Rose narrowed her eyebrows as she didn't believe that he would prefer it. "Come to think of it," Max started to prevent his friends from asking any question that would require him to lie. "I need to pack." He stood up from the table and left his friends watching him as he left and didn't look back.

"Good evening Everard," Professor Dalbert nodded in passing.

Max nodded back as he jumped onto a staircase that had just decided to move. He walked through a couple tapestries, jumped over a step that had a yellow stone, and climbed through the portrait hole to pack for the Holidays that everyone would be leaving for the following morning. Max kept a somber face and tried not to have any emotions toward the prospect. If he really thought about how his Holiday was going to play out, he would become quite depressed.

Max took a breath before pushing his dormitory door open and entering. He took his book bag from his shoulder, dumped it onto his perfectly made bed that he had been forced to do all his life, and began shoving random clothes from his dresser and floor into the small bag.

"Just now packing?" Calvert asked from his usual spot on the wood floor against his bed with his sketch book in hand.

"Don't judge my methods," Max mumbled. He really didn't give Calvert much attention; he was a bit of a nosy nuisance.

"I haven't even started yet," Calvert mumbled also without looking up from his drawing. "I'm nearly finished with scene thirteen."

Max didn't bother to glance at the notepad. He wasn't very close or interested in any of his roommates. Calvert never shut up, Micah was all too busy with his crafts to socialize, and Daniel and Benjamin were always too busy arguing over missing combs or shampoo.

He sat on his four-poster bed, realizing that he had nothing left to pack. Instead, he took from under his pillow a small box cutter and began emphasizing his name across one of his bottom posters with what he could only assume were the carvings of names belonging to residents of other generations.

"You look awfully depressed," said Micah, looking up from his clay monster for the first time in six hours. He often had a habit of noticing that which others whished he wouldn't. "Where's Rose? I thought you guys cleared up whatever was bothering you two."

"She's in the library with Scorbus," he replied indifferently.

"Weird to see you two apart though," Micah thought. "So, you two aren't a thing, right? Like, she's not dating anyone?"

Max dropped his box cutter and gave Micah his trademark 'stop talking' face that rarely worked on this kid. It was common knowledge in this room that Micah fancied Rose. He thought her red hair and freckles gave her a nerdy vibe and she had given the false impression that she was an art enthusiast. Micah has had a crush on her since last Halloween and wouldn't stop pelting Max with questions concerning his dearest friend.

"I just think she would be able to experience more if she hung out with me more often. I mean, she doesn't get away from your friend group to experience the world," said Micah.

"So, you, as a twelve-year-old boy, will show her the world?" asked Max annoyedly. "She's not interested anyway, she likes this Vizzini guy."

Micah dropped his clay tools and stare at Max angrily. "Who?" he asked indignity.

"Illya Vizzini," Max repeated, laying back on his bed and twirling his purple curls around his fingers. "He's this Hufflepuff beater that is apparently very popular and blarney and could get any girl he wants but for some reason seems to have pegged Rosie making her blush and giggle when he's around; it's really quite sickening."

Micah was sitting up scowling. "I've never heard of this Hufflepuff," he crossed his arms.

"Yes, you have," Max yawned. "He's the one who is always asking people if they've seen a girl named Aubrey."

Micah furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Oh, that guy? Why would she like him? He's so… blond and… uh,"

"You can't think of anything bad about him?" said Max. "Yeah, neither can I."

"But he's much too old!"

"That doesn't mean she can't think he's appealing," said Max.

"If anything, I would think that she liked you," Micah thought, finally gathering up his tools. "She's always hanging onto your arm and laughs at everything you say; you're not even funny. You're always playing with her hair and she always has her legs over your lap when you guys are reading."

Max remained silent for a moment. "We're just friends," he said quietly, staring at the ceiling above.

Maddox turned when hearing Calvert give a small snort of laughter. They hadn't noticed him watching their conversation.

"What?" Max asked.

Calvert smirked. "You guys are such girls."

Scorpius sat alone at the Slytherin table for Breakfast. He chose a seat on the opposite side that Poppy was in fear that his food would be poisoned. It had been a long night. He and Al had been trying to explain why they would be gone to Stella through their dormitory window. She had thrown a fit and still couldn't understand the concept of Christmas. Scorpius liked Stella, she was intriguing and curious and she was very kind if you were sad, but right now, he was a bit pleased to be away from her. Since that day, he and Al had first seen her staring at them through the window, she is what has consumed every drop of their time. In their thoughts, from their mouths, from Al's mouth mostly. His best friend would talk of nothing but the mermaid. Scorpius agreed that she is priority, but after a while, the topic of Stella began to become tiresome; he regularly checked his hair for gray streaks now.

Scorpius was hit in the back as Al sat beside him. Albus looked exhausted though it was only morning. He removed his new glasses to rub at his eyes. Al had been wearing glasses since the night Moonacher sprayed in his eyes. The potion was easy enough to remove given that they had the antidote, but it was during the last inspection of the incident that Madam Pomfrey found Al's eyes to be extremely weak. Scorpius had wondered why Al always held books so close to his nose when reading. Apparently, he has had bad vision most of his life and hadn't realized it. She gave him options of spectacles to choose from before conjuring his choice from midair to now be worn when reading, while in class, or when he wanted to see the world clearly.

Al chose square glasses like his grandfather's instead of round like his dad's despite how much Madam Pomfrey begged, saying that it would be ironic and adorable.

"Where's the Gryffindors?" Al asked, peering toward the Gryffindor table for their friends.

"Rose insisted in helping Max pack for the Holidays," Scorpius replied through a mouthful of waffles. "You know Max isn't looking forward to Christmas, but Rosebud thinks that if she helps him pick out the proper clothes, or teach him a few carols, or give him a few recipes then he will have his own little Potter-Weasley Christmas."

Al snorted slightly. "It's not what you do over Christmas that makes it great, it's the people you're with."

"I know that," said Scorpius. "And so does Rosebud, she's just really trying."

"I wish he could spend Christmas with us again," Al thought. "Him and you both. It was a lot of fun."

"But you know why he can't?"

"Of course I do. My parents don't mind, it's Rose's that's uncomfortable now. You know, since Belladonna, Max has been a sensitive subject," Al replied.

"You would think that her parents would understand," Scor thought. "Like this is exactly what happened in their years with Harry Potter. The amount of times you've told me they've almost been killed for their friend; Rose is only following in their footsteps."

"It's different coming from a parent's point of view," said Al. "It says what goes around comes around. They're now realizing how much stress and fear they put on their parents back then. It's not just them though, Max could come. If he simply asked, everyone would say yes. It's the discomfort that would come with his being there that's making him not go. He's being considerate therefore his Holiday is ruined."

"Gryffindors," Scorpius shook his head.

Something heavy slammed into Scorpius' back again causing him to spill milk down his front. Olivia propped her head on Scor's hair to catch her breath. She often had a habit of getting into a run and not being able to stop unless she caught herself on something larger; Scorpius was usually her stopping point and her abrupt visits against him was nothing unusual.

"What's the deal?" Al asked.

"She's not listening," Olivia gasped. "She still doesn't want you to leave and now she's trying to break the glass."

"I really thought girl talk would work," Al sighed. "Scor, would you?"

"But she likes you best," Scorpius moaned.

"We leave for home in a half hour and I just spent three and a half down there, it's your turn."

Scorpius rolled his eyes and stood up from the table. Olivia took a bagel and followed. "This is starting to feel a whole lot more like babysitting than science," Scorpius grumbled.

"If it isn't the blood traitor and squib's sister!" Poppy called as they passed her leaf of the table. "How about trying to- hph!"

Olivia had just thrown her bagel at Poppy and took off running with Scorpius' hand in hers, laughing.

"Cunning," Scorpius yawned when standing before the stone wall of the Slytherin dormitory.

The wall slid aside to invite them. The common room was emptier than normal; most students were already at breakfast or were last minute packing. Scorpius shuffled down his stairs and Olivia skipped behind him, not giving a second thought about heading to the boy's dormitories; she and Rose had this in common. Scorpius kicked aside Quin's newspapers and knocked on the long unwater window showing one and a half feet of under-sand roots and approximately five feet of mucky green lake water.

What could have been mistaken as seaweed flowed into sight. Stella's hair always met the eye first as her large green eye peeked inward at whom was summoning her. Stella's face poked into view. She slowly wandered out with her arms crossed and her lips pouty.

"Stella, we have to go," Scorpius signed. "We need to see our families."

Stella scowled in the opposite direction. Scorpius rapt on the glass again to get her attention. "I'm not Al," he signed. "I won't baby you. We're leaving, but we'll be back. You need to trust us to do that."

'forget'

Stella signed. "We won't forget," Scorpius signed back. "Albus never stops talking about you, I swear. He won't shut up about you therefore it will be impossible for him to forget."

Stella grinned broadly at this. "I'm leaving," Scorpius signed. He placed his long-fingered hand against the glass and waited for her to do the same as a sign of goodbye.

Stella finally swam away. "Hey guys," Olivia and Scor spun around as Ethan Holac waltz in. "I forgot my- what's that!" he called in wonder. Ethan zipped to the window and pressed his face against the glass. "That's a mermaid!" he called. "I knew it! I knew we had mermaids in the black lake! Did you see it? Oh, I can't wait to tell Alac!"

"Obliviate!" Ethan was blasted in the back of the head before Olivia tucked her wand back into her robe pocket. "Yeah Ethan," she mumbled. "You've know there were mermaids in the black lake six times already." She and Scor left the room with Ethan still rubbing at his newly erased mind.

"You really need to learn that spell," she told Scorpius. "that way, you two won't have to keep running to me every time you need someone obliviated." Scorpius didn't respond. "You did well," Olivia said. "With Stella. You really know how to talk to girls."

"It's easier when you don't have to use words," said Scor.

"I was wondering," he stumbled suddenly. "I mean, Al, he's acting different."

"I hardly think I need to tell you why," he said.

"No, I know. It's just, he used to act different around me at least. He used to smile more, at me."

"Yeah, he liked you at one point, I don't know if he still does," Scorpius said casually. "But now there's only one girl in his life. He's obsessed with Stella, I would almost say he's addicted. I don't think it's healthy."

"He liked me?" Olivia gasped.

"It was kinda painfully obvious."

"Why did he though?"

"Well," Scorpius thought. "You're pretty, and brave, and you stand up for what and who you believe in." Olivia smiled sheepishly. "All sought out attributes in a girl. But I don't think Al fancies you anymore because he's gotten to know you." Olivia's smile dropped. "Not that you have a bad personality or anything, but most guys like girls until they're used to them. Considering Al is now comfortable around you, that says that he's no longer trying to impress you, which means he no longer fancies you."

There was a silence only broken by their footfalls against the stone passageways. "You're right," Olivia raised her eyebrow. "You really aren't good at talking to girls."

Scorpius had just stepped into the freezing winter air as nine tenths of the school made their way to the carriages passed the yard that would bring them to Hogsmeade station and back home. Al had bundled his face in his green and silver wool scarf to keep the breeze from burning him. Scorpius would have done the same if Olivia wasn't holding onto the slack of his scarf and using it to cover her own face. He hadn't gotten to know this girl until a couple months ago, but it seemed she adapted quickly. She was considered part of their friend group though clearly being the third wheel on the Dale. Though Scorpius strongly speculated that she had a mild crush on his friend, she always hung close to, or better yet, onto his person. The three of them climbed into the thestral drawn carriage and waited until it took off.

"Hphfoosenthehmm," Al mumbled.

"What?" said Scor.

Albus pulled his scarf away from his mouth. "Have you seen Roax?"

"Who?"

"It's Max and Rose, I thought it would be clever," Al replied.

"I would have gone with Mose," said Scor.

"…No."

"I haven't seen them, they're probably ahead," Scor replied.

He tried to adjust his robe but it had been pulled tight over Olivia who was asleep under it. Scorpius gaped at her. He may have woken her up and gathered his robe if he was unaware how late she had stayed up the night before, helping them research for Stella. He let her sleep and tried to conceal shivers.

The carriage came to a holt as the three of them hopped out. Scor squinted through the thick crowd to find perhaps a mound of indigo curls belonging to Max, or maybe a heap of red frizz belonging to Rose. Something cold gripped his hand and he was led, well, dragged through the crowd and onto the train. Olivia didn't stop running until she swung him into the back compartment.

"Why do you always do that?" Scor asked, ripping his hand from hers.

"Do what?" she smiled.

"Drag me places, I can walk,"

"It's better to run. Besides, you're too slow."

"Well excuse me is I like to stop and smell the flowers," Scorpius crossed his arms.

"Hyperion, the people who stop and smell the flowers end up missing their seat and are forced to share a compartment with Relctory," she said, propping her green rubber boots on the seat opposite.

"What'd you just call me?" Scor asked.

"Hyperion," she replied.

"My mom's the only one who calls me that, when I'm in trouble."

"I like it."

Scorpius was about to ask her to kindly not use his middle name when the compartment door swung open to emit Al.

"You really need to stop running, Olly," he said, taking a seat across from Scor.

"I'm always the first in class and if I wasn't, you two would have been hounded for being late so many times. The teacher's trust me because of my punctuality and it is my punctuality that causes them to believe my bullcrap excuses for you guy's tardiness," she said very fast.

Scor smiled at this logic but frowned again as the train gave a lurch and began puffing away.

"Are they even coming?" said Scor, looking through the compartment window.

"They're on the train," Al assured him. "They were just caught up with the flock."

The trolley lady came by and the three Slytherins bought a series of sweets including two packets of licorice which was Olivia's favorite.

The trolley lady left before Rose and Max finally emerged into their compartment. Max turned his nose up in disgust and searched around until his eyes landed on Olivia and her packs of licorice. Max said nothing about the terrible smell of Hell's sweet and took a seat on the opposite side of Olivia.

"He hates licorice," Scorpius explained to her as she gave Max a quizzical look.

"Oh, well I wouldn't have bought it if I had known you didn't like it so much," she said. "Punctuality."

"Where were you guys?" Al asked.

"Rocky wanted to talk Quidditch," Rose replied, trying to tie her hair in a knot. She could never gather her hair at once and always missed pieces. This was why Max usually ended up doing it for her as he did today.

The ride home seemed extremely long as Al conversed and explained what they had discovered overnight and any new developments in the Sugamina experiment, all of which Scorpius had already heard or learned himself. Rose seemed intrigued, Olivia listened, Max didn't approve still, and Scorpius fell asleep.

It was Max's kick to Scorpius' shin that woke him.

Olivia, Rose, and Albus were fast asleep, slouched in chairs, and Max was adjusting himself to get comfortable.

"Sorry," Max mumbled.

"You're not happy about you're Christmas, are you?" Scorpius asked.

"I'm never happy about my Christmases," Max yawned.

"But it can't be all bad," Scor tried. "You still have your father and you get to go to all these adult parties."

Max opened his eyes. "You've never met my father."

Scorpius said nothing. He understood how Max felt and really wished he could do something about it. He had already ordered Max a Christmas gift which was likely waiting for him at his house to be wrapped and sent to the Everard's, but it wasn't the gifts, it was the people you were surrounded with and if you didn't like the people, you didn't like Christmas.

The train puffed past mountains and rivers to emerge into busy streets and pass buildings. They had entered London and had three minutes until they would see their families at last. Scorpius thought still harder about Max and if there was anything he could do.

"You ready?" Scorpius blinked away thought and was surprised to see all his friends awake and gathering up scarves and coats, getting ready to head home.

"Ready for what?" Scor asked, though he should have known.

The train wheels screeched ear-piercingly and with one last, hardly noticeable lurch, the compartment door swung open and Olivia sprinted out in a blur, Scorpius' hand in hers though he hadn't noticed. He fumbled over his shoes and tried not to fall on his face as he was dragged through the throng, hitting many students and Olly zipped through and flung him out onto the platform to be third to get off the train. Scorpius regained his footing as Olly dusted off her hands triumphantly. Scor looked back to find her, but she had already disappeared to find her family.

"Scorpius!" A warm embrace engulfed him as he breathed in his mother's familiar expensive perfume. He pulled away to see her smiling face beaming down at him. She was quite beautiful. Her chestnut hair was in a neat bun atop her head and her soft features and brown eyes glowed. "Let's go find your father."

He was led away from the train and the crowd by his mother's gentle touch. Suddenly, a not to gentle hand gripped him by the arm and pulled him away from his mother. Albus gripped Scorpius in a 'guy hug'. He was standing with the entire Weasley-Potter family, many of which shook Scorpius' hand and some who clapped him on the back, wishing him a Merry Christmas. His mother's touch met his back again. She smiled at the large family.

"You must be the Weasley-Potter clan," she smiled.

"I'm Astoria," she reached out and shook the entire families hand politely and eloquently with much class and grace. Astoria smiled at Rose and Albus. "Merry Christmas Albus," she said. "Those are new glasses, aren't they? I don't remember you having them last year."

"Yeah," George Weasley finally noticed.

"And you must be Rosebud," Astoria turned to Rose. "I've heard so much about you."

Rose beamed as Astoria turned at last to Max and shook his hand. "Quite a hairstyle you have going there, isn't it?" she smiled. "I have heard all about you, of course. Quite a brave little man."

Scorpius' face was beginning to go slightly hot. His mother made it out to sound as though his friends were all he spoke about. Scor noticed a few of the Weasley-Potter smiles fade and with a grip on his shoulder, he knew why. His father, Draco Malfoy, stood behind him now. Scorpius looked up to see his father's face, solemn and absent of emotion. There was an uncomfortable silence that followed this encounter.

"Albus, Rose, Max," Draco nodded to each. "Pleasant to be meeting you."

Nobody said anything. "I think we should probably head out," Astoria said. "Come on."

Draco nodded politely to Harry Potter and the rest of the surrounding family before guiding Scorpius away from some of the friendliest faces he's ever seen.

"We're apperating today, you ready?" Astoria Malfoy gripped her son's hand and readied to head home.

"Wait?" Scorpius called. "I haven't said goodbye to Olivia!"

"Whose Olivia?" Draco smirked.

"Just a friend."

"Go on."

Scorpius ran from his parents at the ticket booth and searched for three boys who looked exactly alike. These would be the Merik boys. He didn't have to search long. Something gripped his hand and he was pulled through the crowd once again to be thrown before two adults with blond hair and a stout stature.

"These are my parents!" Olivia called.

Oliver, Owen, and Oscar were already standing around their parents along with a boy who looked exactly like the three Merik boys. Scorpius knew this last one was a squib. Olivia looked extremely out of place. She was the only girl of the quince and the only of the whole family with black hair and blue eyes rather than blond with brown. She was really quite exquisite. Scorpius shook Mr. and Mrs. Merik's hand.

"Strong shake," said their father. "Says lot about a man."

"I haven't met you," Scorpius nodded to the squib.

"Onex," he replied, taking Scor's hand. "I'm a writer!" he called.

"Uh, good for you," Scor said unsure.

"I've finished two novels already! I'm waiting for the first to get published! I'm going to be famous one day!"

Scorpius glanced at Olivia who rolled her eyes. "Well then I'll never wash this hand," Scor smiled. He assumed the cocky assurance was Onex's way of letting people know that he wasn't going to fail at life in the Wizarding World just because he had no magic which was actually admirable.

"I have to go," said Scorpius at last. "Merry Christmas," he nodded to the Merik family. "Merry Christmas Olivia," he nodded again before leaving to find Max.

Maddox wasn't difficult to locate. He was standing alone in the middle of the crowd, staring at the exit.

"What are you looking at?" Scor asked, standing beside him.

"The Weasley-Potters just left," he replied.

"What? Augh, second year in a row that I don't get to wish Rosebud a proper Merry Christmas!"

"Vladimir!" Max winced as his least favorite name was shouted from across the station. Quickly, he scrambled for his cartilage piercing to unhook it from his ear before spinning around with the ring in his fist behind his back.

Scorpius watched perplexed at his friend who never reacted so fidgety toward anything. A tall man in a brown hat was striding over detrimentally.

"You come when I call you!" the man barked.

He was tall and lanky with thin blond hair poking from his hat. His had a narrow face and nose and had a small mouth. Max appeared to have inherited none of his father's features.

"Change your hair already, we're in public!" he barked again.

Max seemed to wilt under his father's stare.

"Stop slouching, and put your hands by your side, are you a man or a sloth?" Max sat up straight quickly. "Get to the car, Bailey's waiting."

"But can't I just-?" Max stuttered.

"Stop your stuttering! It sounds as though you can't properly speak, as though I didn't raise you with a good education!"

"Can I?" Max stopped under his father's look. "May I at least say goodbye to-"

"I said Bailey's waiting! Get in the car!" Clent turned and started toward the exit.

Max snarled behind Clent and turned to Scorpius. "Well, Merry-"

"Vladimir!"

"…Christmas," he mumbled and continued away with his head down and hands in his pockets.

Scorpius stared after his friend. He scowled darkly. Why would anyone treat their child like that? Especially after not seeing them for a whole semester! Scorpius stood rooted to the spot, staring after the Everards. Max's hair had turned brown and Clent shoved him toward the brick barrier.

Scorpius' chest filled with rage. 'Oh Hell no!'

Scor sprinted toward the ticket booth to meet his parents who were waiting patiently.

"I'm inviting a friend for Christmas!" he gasped when stopping before them.

"You're what?" asked Draco confusedly.

"Please!" Scor begged. "He's treated horribly! I can't let him stay with his dad!"

"Scorpius," Astoria said compassionately. "You've always been a very thoughtful boy, but we can't just take someone else's son for Christmas."

"If he says yes?" Scorpius tried. "If his dad agrees, can he come and stay? You know we have plenty of extra room and I would really like to have someone to hang out with while the Grandparents are in."

"What's his blood status?" asked Draco.

"Draco!" Astoria scorned.

"What? If my parents are coming over, it's best not to start up unpleasant conversations regarding a muggle born guest."

"He's…" Scorpius paused to think. "I- I don't know. His mother's pureblood!"

Draco and Astoria looked at each other.

"If his dad agrees," Draco said at last.

Scorpius ran from the ticket booth again in fear that the Everards may have already left.

Scor closed his eyes and he barreled through the brick divider and secret exit from Platform 9 ¾. Scorpius stopped on the other side squint through the mass of muggles traveling home for the Holidays. Scor ran from through and was mildly pleased to find that he was not out of breath. The climbing thirteen staircases a day multiple times a day, Quidditch, and running everywhere with Olivia had paid off.

Scorpius burst from the front doors of King's Cross station, forgetting how cold it was outside. Two silhouettes where growing smaller across the parking lot. Clent's hat wasn't difficult to miss. Scorpius started toward them with all the strength he had. The cold air was piercing his lungs as he ran, trying desperately not to slip across the ice.

"Hold up!" he called. "Hang on!" he gasped again.

After falling once in front of a rather pretty muggle girl bundled in a ping coat with her parents, he was finally within talking distance with his target.

"Oi!" he screamed. He had never used that improper word before. Max turned at last as Scorpius slid to a rather dramatic holt before the two males. From their viewpoint, he probably looked awesome. "Max," he gasped before falling to his knees on the snow. "Let me just, hold on." He sat on the cold ground gasping for air as he clutched a stitch in his chest. So, maybe he wasn't as fit as he had previously thought. "Come. Christmas. With us," he managed.

"What?" Max asked, helping Scorpius to his feet at last.

"My parents said that, if it was okay with your dad, you could spend the Holiday with us."

Max grinned suddenly, but dropped his smile as his dad spoke.

"Whose Max?"

Scorpius scowled slightly in confusion and disbelief. "Uh, I mean Vlad. Anyway, can he come?"

Clent looked confused. "You want to whisk Vladimir away on Christmas. And you expect me to let him go with a complete stranger?"

"If I had expected you to say yes, I wouldn't have asked so politely," Scorpius scowled.

Clent opened his mouth, undoubtedly to tell Scor off, when a loud slam was heard from two vehicles away. A woman with short blonde hair, red lips, a rather large headdress, and smoke issuing from her mouth and pipe stepped forward.

"Hva er dette?" she asked in a language Scorpius didn't understand in the slightest but would only assume was Norwegian.

Max's expression darkened.

"Dette blond gutt er som ønsker å ta Vladimir bort for Holiday. Det er absurd." Clent replied. Scorpius furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He knew Max spoke Norwegian to his father but he had never heard Max do it nor had he heard the language spoken; it slightly gave him a headache.

Bailey circled around to lean against her fiancé's arm. "Du vet, det kan ikke være så ille å ha Vlad borte," she whispered, stroking Clent's shoulders and leaning over him seducing. "Vi trenger ikke å betale en ekstra innlevering avgift på bronka sin ferie fest. Dessuten ville jeg ikke noe imot å ha hele huset for oss selv. litt alene tid? Uten forstyrrelser? Hvem vet hva som kan skje."

Clent grinned while Max wrinkled his nose is disgust.

"Fine," Clent said to both boys. "I'll see you next summer." Bailey pulled Clent to the car and they sped away without looking back.

Scorpius was utterly at a loss. "So, good?" he asked.

"I can spend Christmas with you," said Max, still staring after his dad.

"Why did that happen?"

"I'm not repeating what she said." Max turned away and smiled. "Thank you, really."

Scorpius clapped Max on the back. "I couldn't let you stay there. Clent seemed awful."

There was a loud 'POP' as Draco and Astoria appeared from thin air before them. Astoria looked around to be sure no one was watching.

"So, you're the young man joining us this year?" she asked Max.

"If you'll have me, I'd be delighted," Max replied, reapplying his earing.

"Of course we'll have you," she smiled. "You know, when I was little, I would gather all my stuffed animals and host parties with tea and cakes and-"

"Astoria, dear," Draco interrupted, gesturing toward the shivering boys.

"Yes, well, have you ever done side along apperition?"

Max shook his head.

"Well it's quite easy, just don't move or open your eyes and count to five before walking after we land. Are you ready?"

She took Max by the hand and with another loud 'POP' they were gone.