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Do They Know It's Christmas?

The house was full for the first time since September much to Lily's delight as she bounced down the hallway on the way to breakfast. Now they could have family snowball fights and sleigh rides as well as Quidditch. Though Lily wasn't too fond of the sport, family Quidditch was lots of fun, what with about twenty people on each team it usually turned into a bit of a mess.

When she entered the kitchen she found her father cooking eggs and bacon and her older brother Al sitting at the table chatting away. She bounced over to him and hugged him from behind. The past couple of months had been weird without Al and though she wouldn't admit it to his face, she'd missed him terribly, more than she'd ever missed James or Teddy.

'Morning Al,' she said before releasing him and taking the seat next to him.

'Morning Lily-bug,' he replied reaching out to straighten one of her braids causing her to grin.

'So are the breakfasts at Hogwarts better than Dad's?' she asked and Al laughed while Harry grinned.

'Perhaps equal in flavour but oh Lils you wouldn't believe the post in the mornings! There must be more than two hundred owls every morning and they come in from every corner and fly around. It's amazing!' he exclaimed and Lily grinned, picturing it in her mind. Harry placed two plates of bacon, toast and eggs in front of them before settling down with his own plate across from them.

'What about the classes?' enquired Lily and Al grinned knowing this question would never have crossed any of their cousins mouths.

'They're great. Potions is interesting as is Defence. Flying isn't too bad and Herbology's great – though I may be slightly biased,' he admitted and Harry and Lily laughed.

'How is Uncle Neville? And Aunt Minerva?' she asked her mind whirring as she pieced life at Hogwarts together and her own excitement and anticipation grew.

'They're both great. Hagrid had an injured Thestral and it was interesting though Score couldn't see it,' he said.

'Score?' asked Harry and Al hesitated before replying.

'My friend in Gryffindor. I mentioned him in letter. I share Potion and Herbology with him and of course Flying and Astronomy,' Al said though Lily noticed his eyes never met their fathers or hers.

'What's he like?' asked Lily curiously before taking a bite of egg.

'He's pretty funny and smart. He loves flying and Quidditch and doesn't have many friends,' Al summarised.

'Lucky he has you and Rose then,' Harry said and Al nodded.

Lily and Al both finished before Harry and decided to walk into the town together. It had stopped snowing though it was still chilly and the ground slippery as they headed into the centre of town chatting about what they'd both been doing since they'd last spoken. Unlike Teddy who was the traditional overprotective brother and James who was the typical annoying brother, Al was the brother Lily got along best with. He was the perfect big brother in her eyes as he didn't pick on her and was always willing to play or just sit around and talk. Their mother sometimes said that they acted more like very good friends than brother and sister.

By the time they'd done a lap of the small town and had finished their hot fudge sundaes that Al had bought they decided to make their way home. They took the long way home discussing the books they'd read lately and Al's classes in more detail.

It was going to be a wonderful Christmas with Al back, Lily thought.

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