This chapter was very difficult to write, partly because I have never even seen real snow, let alone had a white Christmas. Hopefully it is not too inaccurate.

This is the last chapter in this particular story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Narnia, especially the short quotes from The Magician's Nephew at the end of the second section.


Lucy was awake, but she kept her eyes tightly shut. She never liked to wake up too quickly on Christmas morning - she always wanted to make every moment last. Very slowly, she opened her eyes.

She had to stop herself crying out with delight. It was perfect! She tiptoed to the window and peered out. The ground was covered with a fresh fall of snow, and tiny snowflakes were gently falling. Last year there had been hardly any snow for Christmas, and Lucy had been very disappointed. This year, clearly, would make up for it.

She felt Susan come up close behind her, but did not turn around. The two of them just stood at the window, watching. Lucy felt a cold hand encircle her own.

"It's beautiful," Susan whispered. "It's just - oh, we haven't had a Christmas like this in ages."

"It reminds me of our second Christmas in Narnia," said Lucy. "Do you remember that morning, Susan? The snow was just like this - just right."

"I remember," said Susan softly, and something in the way she said it made Lucy look around. Susan smiled at her, but there was a tear running down her cheek.

"Susan! You're crying!"

Susan smiled again. "Yes, Lucy. Come on. You know the boys like you to wake them on Christmas morning."

"But -" Lucy was horrified. Susan hardly ever cried - and now, at Christmas!

"Come on, Lucy," said Susan again. "Let's wake the others." She leant down to whisper in Lucy's ear. "Not a word."

The Pevensies and Eustace spent Christmas morning helping their parents prepare for the guests. The house was already decorated in red, gold and green, but there was still much to do. Eustace had not spent Christmas with his cousins before, and sadly concluded that it was rather superior to Christmas at home. His parents disliked Christmas, and festivities in the Scrubb household were usually limited to a small display of cards on the mantelpiece (from people his parents didn't want to offend).

The Poles arrived at ten thirty; Mr and Mrs Pevensie had invited them to come earlier, partly because they lived closest and partly because they didn't know each other, and wanted to become acquainted before the other guests had arrived. Jill joined the other children in the living room, where they were busily filling Christmas crackers, while Mr and Mrs Pole insisted on helping Mr and Mrs Pevensie with their preparations. Mrs Pole had brought a tray of Christmas biscuits, the smell of which made all of the children hungry as it wafted in from the kitchen.

By midday, all the other guests had arrived. All four of the Pevensies' grandparents were seated around the fire, updating each other on events of the past year. Mr and Mrs Pevensie were finalising preparations for Christmas dinner with the Poles, while the children were talking with Professor Kirke and Miss Plummer, who had been persuaded to attend by Mr and Mrs Pevensie, who were horrified to learn that each was planning to spend Christmas alone. Miss Plummer was an old friend of the Professor's, and had met Peter when he had been studying with the old man the previous summer. She quickly insisted that all of the children call her "Aunt Polly".

At half past twelve, Mrs Pevensie announced that dinner was ready and everyone seated themselves round the table (which was really two tables joined together, for the dinner table was too small for such a large party). Everyone agreed that it was a delicious meal, and most people had second helpings. Only Susan politely refused.

After pudding, the party dispersed again to digest the dinner. One of the grandfathers fell asleep in an old armchair by the fire. Mrs Pevensie began clearing up, and the children tried to help, but when six children are trying to help at once it can all get a little overwhelming. Finally, the Professor offered to take the children for a walk. Mrs Pevensie agreed gratefully.

"It would do them good," she said. "I'm sure they need to walk off some energy."

All of the children fetched their coats and followed the Professor and Aunt Polly out of the door into the snow-covered yard. The Professor seemed to know where he was going, turning left at the gate.

"Professor," said Peter, as they walked, "when I was staying with you last summer, you started to tell me something. But you stopped - you said you wanted us all to hear it. Couldn't you tell us now?"

The Professor turned to him in surprise. He glanced at Jill and Eustace. "By all of you, I meant your brother and sisters, Peter. It concerned your - adventure - when you stayed with me before."

"Oh, Eustace and Jill have had similar adventures, sir," said Lucy.

"Indeed?" The Professor turned to Eustace and Jill, who nodded. "I see."

They walked on in silence; the Professor seemed to be thinking. Eventually, he turned to Aunt Polly and inclined his head, as though he was asking her something. She nodded.

"Very well," he said. "Perhaps now is the best time, after all. I am going to tell you a story about something that happened long ago when your grandfather was a child."

"A story?" asked Peter, puzzled.

"It is a very important story," said the Professor, smiling slightly, "because it shows how all the comings and goings between our own world and the land of Narnia first began."

There was a long silence when the Professor finished his tale. Finally, Eustace spoke.

"Do you mean to say that you two saw the very beginning of Narnia?"

The Professor laughed. "Weren't you listening, Eustace? I thought I made it fairly clear."

"But then you knew!" said Susan, her eyes wide. "You knew we were telling the truth all along!"

"Of course I knew," said the Professor, "but I would not have doubted you, even if I had not known. Logic supported your story too."

Susan smiled.

"And now," said Aunt Polly, looking around at them all, "Digory and I are very eager to hear your own stories. But I think that will have to wait - your parents will be worried if we don't return soon."

"I think," said the Professor slowly, "that we eight perhaps should discuss this again. I have been yearning for Narnia more than ever lately, and I am sure you all miss it as much as I do."

The children made various sounds of agreement.

"I will discuss it with your parents when we return," said the Professor. "I'm sure we can come to some arrangement. And now we really must get back. Come along."

They all followed the Professor and Aunt Polly reluctantly - each wanted to talk more of Narnia. The Professor and Aunt Polly talked to each other, discussing whether the Professor's small house (he had lost the large one with the wardrobe) or Aunt Polly's little cottage, or somewhere else entirely, would work best for the planned meeting.

"How wonderful!" said Lucy. "To think that the Professor had been to Narnia all along!"

"Yes," Susan replied thoughtfully. "It is rather astonishing."

"I wonder if there is anyone else who has been to Narnia," said Peter. "We seem to have discovered an awful lot in the last few days."

"I don't think so," said Edmund. "We heard tales of the Lord Digory and the Lady Polly when we were kings and queens, remember? But we never connected them with the Professor, and not even with Aunt Polly. I have been thinking about all the old tales they used to tell us, and I don't think any had children from another world in it. Were there any such tales when you were there last?" he asked Eustace and Jill, who shook their heads.

"It's just the eight of us, then," said Susan. "The eight Friends of Narnia."

THE END.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading my story, and a special thankyou to everyone who reviewed. More reviews would be very welcome!

I have several ideas for other stories within this particular universe, but this is the end of this particular one.

Merry Christmas!