Chapter 7: Christmas holidays

The Christmas break arrived soon in Hogwarts. Nora was one of the many students who went to visit relatives. Nora secretly felt relief to leave, she had been scared of the attacks that had happened at school.

"You made it!" Nora was pulled in warm and tight hug. "I've missed you so much!" Nora's grandmother kissed the girl on forehead.

"Mum don't break her," said cheerful voice behind them. It was Nora's uncle Bill: "Come here kiddo!"

Nora ran to his uncle, who pulled Nora up from the ground and flew her around, finally pulling her in warm embrace: "Seriously missed you, kiddo! How have you been?"

"I… I m… missed you t… too", Nora said with bright smile as she stepped in the car: "I… I'm fi… fine, a… are we g… going s… straight h… home?"

"Yes, Annie and others are there already" Uncle Bill said, "though that fuc- "

"Manners William!"

"Sorry mum, I mean, that "brilliant" Sean could go to outer space to lick some spare as– "

"William! Language!"

Nora giggled in the backseat, which made Uncle Bill smile. The year's Christmas charts number one single started to play out from the radio. Nora secretly preferred the previous year's Queens song over Whitney Houston's. Her grandmother quietly sang along with the song, while Uncle-Bill tapped his fingers on the wheel. Nora wondered if the song reminded them of her parents.

"I… is U…. Uncle I… Ian j… joining us?"

"Of course! There would be no Christmas without him!" Uncle Bill smile became brighter and winked at Nora from his front mirror.

Most of the students went to their homes for Christmas, but for Corvus, he stayed at Hogwarts. His aunt and uncle went away for holidays, so he and Draco stayed at school.

The Great Hall seemed smaller and was a lot of emptier than normally. Gryffindor table was the fullest with having all the Weasleys on the same table. Potter and his friend Granger were also there. Ravenclaw table had a group of sixth year students. Hufflepuffs had couple of older students, and Slytherins him, Draco, Crabbe and Coyle, plus few older students.

Corvus had always hated Christmas. All the nonsense decorations, like the huge Christmas trees on the Great Hall. He disliked the jolly Christmas carols. Malfoy family had always made him feel inferior. He was excluded from the family portraits and gatherings. He got less gifts than Draco, and his gifts were smaller and cheaper than his. The only good thing had been the food.

But Corvus opinion about Christmas changed a little on that year's Christmas morning. All his friends had left gifts for him. Henry gave him book about his favorite Quidditch team. Michelle had been practical and gotten him new quills, some ink and parchments. From Olivia he got a box of Chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's every flavor beans. Astoria on the other hand had given him newest spell book. Nora gave him long hand-knitted scarf. The scarf was made from shining silver and dark green yarn. The knitting was time to time uneven, but it was still the first ever hand-made gift that Corvus had ever received, since his aunt and uncle would never bother to soil their hands and there were no grandparents that would spoil him.

"Oh, what a beautiful scarf! Who did you get it from?" Gemma Farley asked smiling. She was sixth year Prefect.

"A friend of mine made it."

"Wow, she is really talented", Gemma said and gave Corvus knowing smile. She was surprisingly sharp yet kind to every student, even to the ones from different backgrounds. Other Prefects looked more after their houses fame, than people's wellbeing, which made Gemma different. That's why Gemma was surprisingly popular among students from all the houses.

"Yes, she is", rare smile appeared on Corvus face.

"It's good to see you're doing well Nora." Aunt Marianne said. She was exact copy of Nora's mother Rosemary, but what Nora had understood and seen from the picture, they were the two sides of the same coin. "I heard that you're going to all-girls school in London."

"Y… yes." Nora answered, patting Mr. Whiskers, who was lazily laying on Nora's lap.

"Good, you are too young to be mixed up class with some boys. Your aunt did the right choice to put you there. Me and Sean decided that all our children will be do their studies in catholic schools. The girls are also studying in all-girls school. Erin is in top of her glass. Fiona is talented in music and has the voice of an angel! Connor is as popular as always! He is aiming for American football team!"

"Ye… yeah, th… that's g… great." Marianne smiled and went to help her mother in the kitchen.

"Nora! It's really you, come!" Connor greeted. He had blond hair and brown eyes. He was a year older than Nora.

"He… hey C… Connor. Ho… how do y… you like B… Boston?"

"It's alright. Mum wants us to do well, and dad is as busy as always. But the school is fun. It's too bad they don't have hand-craft classes. I like sewing, Grandma Saoirse thought me a little."

"Th… that s… sounds n… nice." Nora smiled.

"Yeah, anyway, do you want to go out to play?"

"S… sure!"

The Greengrass family had lovely family dinner on Christmas eve. In the center of the table was huge Turkey. With it was served both roasted and mashed potatoes, pees, brussels sprouts, pigs in blanket, Yorkshire pudding and gravy, with cranberry sauce. As for dessert their table was filled with both Christmas cake and pudding, mince pies and brandy butter.

The dinner went the same as usual. Daphne was being loud and joking around. She was as lively as always, laughing and chatting around with her parents. Astoria smiled and made snarky side comments every now-and-then. The girls' father would say a strict word or two occasionally, but eventually give the two warm smile. Their mother would be quite but smile at the sight in front of her.

Still Astoria felt that something had changed. "I have no idea, what the two of your school is thinking. Allowing those filthy mud-bloods to study with you. If they need to learn magic, then they should have their own separated school, so they wouldn't ruin our pure blood." Astoria's mother Clarissa Underwood stated.

"I know what you mean mother. There's this one mud-blood Granger in the same year with me. She acts like she'd know everything and is a huge know-it-all. She is only book-smart, but she doesn't have true strength within her. Sometimes I wonder how she could destroy us all with all her pretense."

"It's great Daphne that you see the real treat. Those mud-blood scums are the real threat to our society. I hope the ministry wouldn't be so blind to see it!" Orion Greengrass, Astoria, and Daphne's father cried out.

Astoria remained quite during the whole conversation. She had thought like her parents when she was arriving to Hogwarts. She had thought people like Nora were dirt. But after getting to know the girl and other muggle-born students like Daisy and Sinead had made her mind eventually change. She didn't think that Colin Creevey or Justin Finch-Fletchley deserved their fate to be petrified, especially because of their family backgrounds.

Then there were so many amazing half-blood witches and wizards that she had gotten to know, like Michelle, Henry, and Matthew. All of them had a muggle relative, but still their total grades were better than hers or even Olivia's, who was pureblood just like Astoria.

Corvus naturally was his own number with his ambition. He had always been thirsty for both power and knowledge. He had always been especially talented wizard.

Nora was helping her grandmother in the kitchen. She was smashing cranberries for jelly, while Iris was making the stuffing before-hand. Their family didn't have dinner on Christmas eve, but huge feast on Christmas day. Nora's grandfather was in the living room watching television with Mr. Whiskers on his lap. Uncle Bill and Uncle Ian had gone out to meet their old friends in local bar. Aunt Marianne was out to meet some of her old friends and making the last-minute Christmas shopping. Erin, Fionna and Connor were sleeping off their time difference. Uncle Sean was upstairs making business calls of his own portable mobile phone.

"So, tell me Nora, what are your friends like?" Grandmother Iris asked with mild smile on her face.

"W… well, O… Olivia i… is v… very b… bubbly p… person. She h… has a… adventurous s… soul. "M… Michelle is t… true. She d… doesn't a… act a… anything. A…. Astoria i… is al… always wi… willing to li… listen and h… help an… anyone. C… Corvus he…, "Nora smiled gently:" He is r… really t… talented. H… he is ho… honest and b… blunt, b… but me… means well. D… Daisy, s… she is r… radiating l… like sun, b… but d… doesn't o… often th… think w… what she says. M… Matthew i… is sm… smart and k… kind, b… but do… doesn't always k… know how to s… show it. S… Sinead is sh… sharp, yet h… has a so… soul of d… dreamer."

"Wow, you have made lots of friends. What you like to come and visit with them in here, if it's okay with your aunt?"

"S… sure!"

"Mm, she most likely will call you today or to- "her speech was ended by ringing phone. "Iris Barell. Yes, I will give her the phone." She gave the phone to Nora.

"N… Nora."

"Hello darling," Aunt Laurell's voice came from the other side of the phone. "I'm sorry for not sending any letters. How have you been? How has the Hog- thing been?"

"I… it's n… not a pr… problem, n… neither did I s… send y… you a le… letter. A… and I a… am g… good, I've l… loved it!" Nora breath out. "I've m… met s… some f… friends e… even!"

"That's great thing to hear," Laurel sounded truly pleased. "There's a reason, why I send you to your grandparents for the whole winter break." She took a deep breath. "I've met someone. A man, he has a child from a previous marriage. We met at work, around the time you started going to school. W… We are thinking of moving in together, a… and I went to see a doctor this week. I'm pregnant."

"Woah, t… that's a… amazing Aunt Laurel!"

"Thank you. My mother doesn't know yet, so if she calls, then don't tell her. She doesn't know about Dan or Melanie or about the baby yet. Because, well you know her."

"Y… yes, I d… do."

"I think he is about to propose tomorrow. I accidently found the ring. And if he does propose, then I want a summer wedding! And if that happens, then I'd love for you to be my flower girl."

"R… really? T… that w… would be an h… honor."

Laurel chuckled. She genuinely seemed happy. It was a trait that Nora wasn't used to, and she felt that the gap between them was getting smaller. "I'm happy to hear that Nora, truly. I know I haven't always been the best aunt for you, and won't always be, especially now, when I have a child coming on the way, but do you still have a holiday before summer in your school?"

"Y… yes, w… we have E… Easter ho… holidays."

"Perfect, would you like to visit me then? You could meet Dan and Melanie."

"T… that s… sounds n… nice. L… let's d… do that."

"Perfect, happy holidays to you and to the rest of your family. I'll call you around New Year's and tell you what happened, okay?"

"S… sure h… happy C… Christmas."

They ended the phone call with friendly terms. Nora and her grandmother moved in the living room.

"Rosie, go and fetch me a beer from the kitchen, will you?" Nora's grandfather had dementia. He had forgotten that his daughter Rosemary or "Rosie" as he always called her was death. Because of Nora's looks he often mistook her for her mother.

Nora gave her grandfather sad smile. "S… sure, grandpa!" When she was little, she had been grandpa's girl. She had followed him everywhere and done everything together with the man. His illness had hit Nora especially hard, but it had also made her closer with her grandmother.

After coming back from the kitchen, Nora sat down on a sofa. "So, how was your aunt?" Iris asked. Nora explained her grandparents the situation.

"Well, that's good, your aunt deserves some happiness." Iris said. She didn't really like Laurel, and she hated her Mother. Uncle Bill had told Nora, that in her christening the two grandmothers had caused a huge scene.

"What's all these noise!? I can't concentrate on my work because of you, useless things! Don't you senile shits know, how to shut your mouths?" Uncle Sean said with loud voice, as he came downstairs. What he didn't know was his wife hearing everything as she was arriving home: "WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL MY PARENTS!?"

"Oh, hey Ann."

"Don't 'hey Ann' me, what the hell did you just call my parents?" Marianne had never seen the rude side of her husband, that the rest of the family knew.

"Um, w… well," it was the first time that the family saw the man being speechless.

"WELL!?" Nora had never seen her aunt being so furious and out of control.

"He called us senile shits, and that's not the worst name that he has called me and your father. As I have previously told you darling, he is good to you, but not to us." Iris stated, shooting daggers towards Sean.

Marianne looked helpless and furious. "What's wrong mum?" Fionna asked, she had woken up and walked down the stairs.

"Nothing honey, go back to sleep, me and your father need to have a private talk." Aunt Marianne smiled at her daughter, but her words were sharp and filled with poison. "Come on darling, let's go out and talk!"

Nora didn't see the couple for rest of the evening.

Michelle Haniah Abreo's traditional Christmas differed from many others. In her family they celebrated the holiday big time twice. First in French way in Christmas eve as they ate and enjoyed traditional foods that her father was used to having on Christmas when he was a child. The Christmas table was filled with salmon, oysters with bran bread with home-made butter, goose foiegras, goose, and turkey filled with chestnuts, with sauteed potatoes, garlic seasoned green beans and vegetables. The table also had some nuts, almonds, fruits and many different kinds of cheeses. Michelle's parents were enjoying a glass of wine with the meal.

After the meal the family usually took a nap and prepared to go to midnight mass.

On Christmas day, the family opened gifts given by the close family, friends and family from Michelle's father side. Michelle also wore seasonal dress, but hers was colourful and traditional Ghanan dress. After the gift exchange, the family went from Christmas church where she went with her mother and brothers, plus all her mother's siblings and their children. Michelle's father had work, so he didn't join them.

After the Church the family and some family friends gathered to Michelle's Nana's and grandfather's house, where they had big celebration. People exchanged gifts, hugs, and laughter. Some with talent played traditional drums. People danced traditional dances, including Michelle.

Michelle's nana had made huge pot of rice and cooked spicy but delicious pork stew. All the quests brought some food. Many had traditional Christmas meals like porridge, okra soup, different kinds of stews and meats. One of Michelle's many aunts had huge pot of yam paste called 'fufu'. But not all the foods were Christmas themed: some brought fish-dishes, some comfort soups and many different kinds of desserts like Peanut Brittle, asaana, condescended milk toffee and pancakes. Couple of people had made brukina and sobolo for drinks.

Though there were lots of different kinds of foods, there was sign of Turkey, gravy nor cranberry jam, nor her father's Christmas delicacies.

Michelle liked both families' celebrations. Both Christmas tables she had her favourites and peeves. Still, though Michelle had spent all her life in Britain, she had never experienced traditional British Christmas. She sometimes wondered, what kind of Christmases she would have when she'd be all grown-up.

Nora's aunt went to church with her children early next morning. Uncle Sean had gone to hotel to sleep, and apparently wouldn't be joining with the rest of the family for the dinner. Nora's grandmother had danced a little after hearing the news. After Aunt Marianne and Uncle Bill and Ian arriving at the house, the whole family gathered around to watch Queen Elizabeth's Christmas day's speech. In Nora's opinion the Queen looked ever so youthful with the pinkish dress of hers.

"Do you think Princess Di will be joining them?" Uncle Bill wondered. He and the men of the family were having beers, while Marianne and Iris had glass of wine.

"Nae, I heerd she hevny bin thir aftee eh separation," Ian answered. Princess Diana was the only one that they both liked from the royal family. The man had brought their dog Pongo with them. The puppy was satisfyingly sleeping on its' owner's lap.

"Do you think the rumors of Prince Charles, and that woman, what was her name? It started with C…" Marianne wondered.

"Camilla?" Her brother helped.

"Yes! Do you think that the rumors between them are true? Do you think he's cheating the Princess Diane?"

"If he is, then he's about to lose a real gem, and they also have the kids and all!"

"Aye!"

"It's though to keep family together when you have small children. They take a lot of time and attention." Iris was clearly remembering the time in their family.

"Still, neither one of you cheated on one another."

"That's true, but still there were times, we wondered if things would work out. I am glad that they did." Iris said and shared a smile with her husband.

"I have never understood why the Royal's are so important though," Erin said out-loud. "The Irish and Americans get so well along with a president. It changes and depends on how you do."

Uncle Bill smiled at his niece: "Well traditions die hard. It's difficult to stop monarchy that has gone along over thousand years."

"It would be nice to be a princess. Think about it Erin, we could dress up, and change the world like Princess Diana, Anne or the Queen!" Fiona dreamed.

"You would have to be royal to be a queen Fiona!"

"Not if I marry the king!" Mischievous smile appeared on the girl's face.

"What if the king married a man?" Connor wondered, which made his mother to almost choke on her drink.

"That's illegal honey!" Marianne cried out. "Men nor women cannot be together with one-another. The law forbids it, and churches finds it a sin."

The atmosphere in the room came tense. Marianne's kids didn't know for certain about Bill and Ian's relationship.

"I d… don't th… think it's a s… sin. It's just l… love." Nora blushed but spoke out her mind. "A… and I th… think th… they s… should le… legalize the r… relationship."

"Why, isn't it a little… I don't know, abnormal?" Erin wondered.

"I d… disagree. Be… because it's b… been created f… from n… normal l… love."

"Hush, I am trying to watch the telly!" John Barrell stated, and everyone went silent. Nora noted that Uncle Bill and Ian were holding hands. They had met when Nora was four, at hospital. Uncle Bill was visiting his friends who had AIDS. Uncle Ian had worked in the hospital as a doctor, and they gradually fell in love.

"Okay, now people come and help me, Marianne make the potatoes, kids make the table, except you Nora, you helped me big time yesterday, William, make the gravy, Ian darling, can you help me with the turkey?" Iris had soft spot for Ian, had always had.

"O' coorse madam."

"Good, now work!"

Everyone got up, lastly Uncle Bill. He patted Nora on the head and said with even and quite voice: "Thanks kiddo." He smiled as he went to kitchen, to make the "the-greatest-gravy-ever" as he always bragged about his cooking skills.

Olivia's Christmas dinner was traditionally everything but happy. She would have spent her Christmas at Hogwarts if it wasn't for her little sister Lydia, or Lyddie as Olivia called. The dinner was going surprisingly well. The family house elves had performed them lovely dinner, and the conversation was light and well fake, until Olivia's mother happened to ask about her husband's work.

"What do you mean you'll have work then!? Don't you know in how much danger I can be, if I am in here alone with that!"

"Ana, I can try to change it, but I don't make the schedule. And she's not it, she's our daughter."

"I know that, but when she changes, she is not a human! She doesn't know who I am!"

"I know that –"

*CRASH*

Olivia's mother threw glass on the wall.

"I heard that there is a potion that can make her calmer when she transforms, she knows what happens around her."

"What good does it make, when it DOESN'T MAKE IT GO AWAY!" Anastacia Underwood screamed.

"It makes it easier for Lyddie An." Corvinius Underwood II said. He had been named right after his own father.

"But it doesn't make it any easier FOR ME!" Anastacia cried: "I STILL HAVE TO SEE HER TRANSFORM IN EVERY FULL MOON! DO YOU THINK THAT ANY MOTHER WANTS THAT!"

"She is also my daughter."

"THEN BE HERE, FOR US, for me!"

"I'll try."

Anastacia started to sob. Olivia quickly rose from the table and took her sister by the hand. They sneaked out of the dining room and went upstairs to Olivia's room.

"Has it been this bad since I've been away?"

Lydia shrugged: "Not really. Mum was cursing and worrying about her reputation for months after you were sorted in Gryffindors."

"Well, good that they remember that I also exist," Olivia said grinning.

Lydia was the beautiful child, with bright blue eyes and long wavy blond hair, but her body had been ruined by nasty bite marks made by Fenrir Greyback few years back. He had ruined Olivia's parents' life and made her sister's living whole lot more difficult. She had been infected by lycanthropy, and Olivia blamed that for her sister to lose ability to do magic. Olivia often wondered if her parents realized that her baby sister was a squid, and if they hadn't, then what would they do, when Lydia didn't get her letter.

Lydia smiled at her sister. She was pale, but looked lot better than after her transformation, that had happened few weeks back. "Yeah, grannie always asks after you though." Their grannie was Olivia's father's mother, who had thought both girls to be muggle friendly. She had named both of the girls, and Olivia was always sent to her, when it was Lydia's time to transform.

"Good, do you think we can visit her tomorrow?"

"If they manage to calm down, and if not, we can always ask Debby to take us." Debby was the family's main house elf.

"That's a good idea," Olivia grinned. "How have you been lately, how had the transformations been?"

"Changing, sometimes I feel almost alright, sometimes I vomit for weeks." Lydia frowned. "Last time was great though. I got better faster than usually."

"That's good. Do you think they'll get the potion they mentioned?"

"It depends on what Healer Davis has to say about the matter," Lydia stated. The man, Harry Davis, was the family doctor, to whom their mother was secretly yet visibly head-over heels in love with. Their father had no idea about Anastacia's feelings. Healer Davis didn't seem to share the feeling with Anastacia, as he was married and father of four.

"Do you not like him?" Olivia wondered. She had never heard her sister talk about the man so condescending.

Lydia was little taken back by so direct question. She shook her head: "No, not really. He always talks over me, to my parents. He always asks them how I am, not from me. He avoids touching me. I feel like I am invisible to him. Like I don't exist."

Olivia frowned: "You should tell dad."

"And what difference does it make? You know how he is useless against mum. And mum will never accept the change." Lydia stated. "But now tell me, how is Hogwarts?"

Olivia told her sister about the school, the lessons and about her new friends. They called family house elf to bring them some food, and the girls talked till late at night, until they fell asleep.

Nora's holiday was soon coming to an end. Her aunt had called her after the New Years' and told her Dan had proposed to her. Her other Aunt Marianne was having troubles with her marriage, but her children enjoyed their time in Britain. Uncle Bill and Uncle Ian had taken all the kids in Boxing Day shopping, where Nora had gotten herself some new clothes. Fiona bought herself a violin, Connor new sport shoes and Erin make-up and clothes.

"Oh, Nora, I'll see you when the summer comes!" Nora's grandmother said as she embraced the girl.

"See you Nora," Connor piped out. "Hopefully I'll see you soon enough. I heard mum talking of coming back to UK in summer."

"No Con, she said about visiting Ireland", Erin corrected as she hugged Nora.

"Anyway, take care of yourself Nora!" Fiona said and hugged her next.

"Stop arguing you three or we will visit nowhere!" Aunt Marianne voice was stern and held no room for arguments. "Anyhow Nora, it was lovely to see you. Feel free to visit us in Boston anytime you like."

"S… sure."

"See ye lassie." Uncle Ian said and hugged her extra tightly.

Lastly Uncle Bill came to Nora: "Gonna miss you, kiddo!" Uncle Bill said as he hugged Nora: "Here, take this, it's the final Christmas gift." He gave Nora beautiful golden locket, that had both lock and picture of her parents in it.

"Th… thank you!" Nora cried out with happiness.

The family waved to Nora as she entered to train and started to head out towards Kinf Cross' station. She sat down and gave finishing touch to Michelle's Christmas gift: blue mittens.

Nora had also made knit cap to Olivia, scarf to Corvus and socks to Astoria. To Daisy, Matthew and Sinead she had made long leg warmers. Corvus was the only one, to whom she had given her present, because she had asked Nittie for help. For the rest she'd give the gifts soon as they'd reunite.

AN/ Happy Holidays everyone!