Amera and Tashia were standing on the landing between platforms nine and ten inside King's Cross Station. They had just taken the long train ride so that they could spend Christmas at home. Harry and Hermione came out of wall from platform 9 3/4, led by two redheaded parents along with Ron and Ginny.
"See you back at school." said Harry, giving Tashia and Amera a hug each.
"We'll send you some presents." said Ginny and Ron together.
"Remember to write to me, ok?" said Hermione, giving them hugs after Harry.
"Yes. We'll also send you presents." Tashia answered all the questions at once.
"Just be sure to mention in your letters what you want, ok?" Amera laughed and hugged everyone again.
They walked out of the station together, and saw two very peculiarly dressed people, who they knew were two Aurors. Amera and Tashia stood with their trunks at a bench, and waved goodbye to them as they got into the small green car. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry all sat comfortably in the back seat, even though it was only made for about a family of four. The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione waved as they pulled away from the curb side, leaving Amera and Tashia to sit down on the station bench.
"She should be here soon. She knows we're coming home today." said Amera, looking down the almost deserted street. It was getting dark, and some snow was drifting down slowly from the sky. They heard a familiar hiccough of a car coming down the street, and stood up with their trunks. A white car pulled up and almost stalled. Aurora jumped out of the front seat and hurried to them, grabbing them in a joint hug.
"I'm so sorry! The damn car decided it would be funny to stall before I even got out the driveway! Took me nearly half an hour to fix it before I jinxed it right…" Aurora trailed off and smiled.
"But who cares! You're home for Christmas! After seven years of no Christmases without you two and now you're home…"
Aurora sniffed, and pulled out of their hugs. Amera and Tashia smiled, but couldn't get in a word edgeways before Aurora started again.
"Come come. Into the car. I'll get your trunks."
Amera and Tashia got into the car, Amera in the back and Tashia in the front, looking out of the frosting windows at Aurora. She looked around once or twice, whipped out her wand and tapped both trunks. She picked them up effortlessly, and put them in the boot of the car. She got into the drivers seat, and adjusted her mirror to look at Amera sitting in the back seat.
"Had a fine term? It's always hard starting out, but at least you got some off lessons."
Amera and Tashia smiled. They wanted to start blurting out everything at once, but just sat quietly and said "Yeah."
The drive back to Surrey wasn't that long, well not nearly as long as the train ride. They got out the car quickly and took out their trunks, which were still as light as feathers, and took them inside. Before Amera closed the door, her owl, Hermes flew in and landed on her shoulder.
"I was wondering where you were. Where in the world do you keep going?"
Hermes nibbled on her ear playfully and Amera laughed.
"Ok, go upstairs. I'll come give you some pellets now."
Hermes flew upstairs, and screeched, indicating he had just landed on his perch. Amera walked further into the house, closing the door and taking off her scarf.
"It's good to be home. Even if it is only for two weeks."
Tashia and Amera walked through the house; nothing had changed, except for the heavenly smell coming from the kitchen.
"Making a little something special for dinner." Aurora smiled.
Amera and Tashia flopped down onto the couch and relaxed.
"Tell me all about your term…you hardly said anything in the car."
Tashia sighed and looked to Amera to do the job.
"Maybe tomorrow mom. We're just so tired."
Aurora went through to the kitchen, and made a lot of noise. She came out with three dishes, balancing on a cloud of sparkles.
"Then eat some dinner and go to bed. You'll need the rest."
Amera and Tashia stood up and went to the dining room, sitting around the table with Aurora.
One week after arriving back home for the holidays, it was Christmas Eve and Amera, Tashia and Aurora were all in their pyjamas, sitting by a beautifully adorned yellow and gold Christmas tree, opening presents. Amera and Tashia's pygmy puffs were hopping around the carpet, chasing each other. The windows were frosted closed, and there was a big fire going in the fireplace.
"This is from Hermione!" said Aurora handing Amera a loosely wrapped present.
Amera looked at it, and tore off the paper. It was a Quidditch book, about her favourite team, the Holyhead Harpies.
"Aww! Hermione is such a sweetheart."
Amera placed the book on top of the pile of other stuff she got. Ron had sent her a huge box of Fizzing Whizzbees, and Harry sent her a pair of Chaser gloves for Quidditch. Her mom and Tashia gave her a lot of things, and all around there was a lot of stuff for every person.
"This one is from Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny." Aurora said, handing Tashia and Amera a present each.
They ripped it open, to find a beige leather bound album covered with moving printed maple leaves. They opened it, and saw that it was a bunch of photos from their birthday party and some other occasions through the term.
"Aw. Hermione made us a scrapbook." Tashia smiled, flipping through the rest of her book.
"This last one is for all of us." said Aurora, opening a light blue and silver envelope.
There was a silver piece of parchment in it, with three other pieces of paper.
"It's Narcissa's invite. For her ball tomorrow night. She even sent us three vouchers for Twilfitt and Tatting's."
Aurora handed them both a voucher, and kept her own.
"That's nice of her. Kitting us out for her ball." said Tashia, reading her voucher.
Amera looked at her voucher, which said unlimited for one dress item on it. There was a beautiful girl on the voucher, spinning around showing off her ball gown.
"Do we have to go?" Amera asked.
Aurora and Tashia turned to look at Amera. Tashia knew why she didn't want to go, but Aurora obviously not.
"You have to go! You haven't been to one of Narcissa's parties before. They're absolutely stunning."
Amera rolled her eyes. Draco was going to be there, and so was half of Slytherin house she supposed. Amera dreaded the idea of having to dress up to see Draco.
"Ok. I'll go. So we're going shopping tomorrow I take it?"
Aurora nodded, and seen as though they were done opening presents now, they went back to bed. Amera climbed the stairs heavily, and up to her room. She flopped back down onto her bed and buried her head in her pillow. She was angry with her mom for making her go to this ball, but she had to. Amera fell asleep, thinking of all the things that Draco had done to her that term.