December came, and one day the Hogwarts Castle found itself knee-deep in snow. Mr. Filch, the gamekeeper, could be seen on the grounds defrosting broomsticks, yelling at students who came by.
Hagrid came by with a list of those students who would stay at Hogwarts for the holidays. None of the Potters and the Weasleys signed up, but Lorcan and Lysander Scamander did, because both of their parents were at St. Mungo's after being attacked by an Erumpent.
"I really wouldn't fancy being a Magizoologist," Rose whispered to Albus when Lorcan told him about his parents' attack during one Double Herbology lesson. "Did you know an Erumpent is classified as a Class XXXX in the Ministry of Magic?"
The professors, including even Professor Longbottom, seemed to give them twice as much homework as Rose said Erumpents were dangerous. Albus and Colin had to spend the whole of one weekend finishing two essays, one being a foot-long essay for History of Magic ("Note at Least Two Reasons for the Last Goblin Rebellion of the Sixteenth Century") and the other being for Charms ("List the Differences between the Tickling Charm and the Hex of the Same Name"). One December evening, as Rose "checked" Albus and Colin's Astronomy essays about Pluto's moon Charon, Victorie climbed through the portrait hole holding a few bright green envelopes.
"Professor Slughorn told me to give these to myself, Dominique, Louis, Albus, James, Rose, Fred, Roxanne, Daniel Jordan, Lambert Jones, and... that's all," she announced, handing Albus and Rose the envelopes and searching for other Gryffindors she was ordered to give the envelopes too.
"What's this? A Slytherin booby trap?" asked Albus, noticing that the whole envelope was green, except for a silver, cursive writing with the words "A. S. Potter" on it.
"Silly boy," said Rose, who had already tore off the paper and had started reading the letter inside, which, Albus couldn't help noticing, was also green with silver writing, like the envelope. "It's an invitation for the Slug Club Christmas Party, on... hey, it's next week!"
Albus tore off the envelope and started reading for himself.
"Dear Albus Potter,
You are invited to a Christmas party on the last day of term at my office, which is in Dungeon Seventeen. You may bring a friend or non-member (of same sex if you're a third year or under) to the party.
Yours sincerely,
Professor H. E. F. Slughorn,
Order of Merlin, Third Class, Potions Master, Head of Slytherin House"
Albus and Rose exchanged a look, and then Albus let out a low whistle.
"Hey Colin," Albus said, "Want to come to the party with me?"
"Yeah, would be great!" said Colin enthusiastically.
-
A week later, on the last day of term, Albus was wearing his bottle-green dress robes sent to him by his father. Colin was also wearing long midnight blue ones, and the two walked down into the dungeons with Rose and Roxanne and James and a friend of his called Henry Price, who was in Gryffindor and in James's year. They talked together as they went past the many dungeons.
"What's the POINT of this whole Slug Club thing, apart from students bringing Slughorn food, I mean?" asked James, who looked contented about being invited nevertheless.
"You wouldn't want to say that in front of Slug—someone's coming!" said Henry.
Professor Slughorn was walking in their opposite direction, and he beamed at them when he saw them.
"Oh, hello Potters and Weasleys, Creevey and Price!" he boomed. "I was beginning to worry that you've lost the way or forgotten about the party!"
"Sorry, Prof—" began Henry.
"Oh, not to worry, not to worry," said Slughorn, carelessly waving his hand. "And Henry, congratulate your uncle Matthew on finding the thirteenth use of dragon blood for me! Oh, what nice robes, Creevey! Looks like all the Weasleys are talented. Fleur, landlady of the Three Broomsticks; Bill, Head Curse-Breaker at Egyptian Gringotts Branch; Ronald and Hermione, Order of Merlin, First Class; Fred and George, Order of Merlin, Third Class; Ginny, first underage to earn Order of Merlin, Second Class. Come in and make yourselves at home, everybody, I've made a perfect party punch for you! Oh, and Albus and James, there are so many people I'd love you to meet! Follow me to find out! You can also bring Mr. Creevey and Mr. Price with you."
Slughorn happily escorted Albus, Colin, James, Henry, Rose, and Roxanne into his office, which was filled with lights, famous people, and invitees.
"Where's the party punch, then, Professor?" asked Colin.
"Oh, right there!" said Slughorn, pointing to a far corner.
There was a large table with an enormous silver cauldron the size of a grandfather clock, and in it, Albus could see soft, simmering orange liquid.
"Can we drink it?" asked Albus.
"There's a note here," said Colin. "'Glasses can be found under the table. The ingredients mixed in this party punch are: Pumpkin Juice, Orange Rinds, Lemon Seeds, Watermelon Seeds, Banana Peels, and Butterbeer.' I don't know about you, but it sounds delicious!"
Albus and Colin took out glasses and started to drink. The party punch tasted sweet, and Albus enjoyed it a lot.
"Come on, let me give you a look around," said Slughorn.
Slughorn led Albus, Colin, James, Henry through the people and found many people they had heard about.
"Here's Gwenog Jones, ex-Captain of the Holyhead Harpies," said Slughorn, nodding toward a woman with a strongly built body, who was hugging his son, sixth year Gryffindor Lambert. "You Potters might know all about her; she was once your mother Ginevra's Captain. Oh, and here's Matthew Price," he said, pointing to a balding man in his late middle ages. He's found the thirteenth use of dragon blood. Great student, now an expert potioneer teaching at Durmstrang Institute. Says he's also working on finding another use of dragon blood."
"Think I've found the fourteenth use already!" said Price with a grin. "Think it's tooth whitener!"
But Albus then saw someone he definitely knew. He was walking, trying to say hello to Nearly Headless Nick, who was in conversation from a fat female ghost, when he suddenly walked into someone. When he looked up, he saw a man with untidy black hair and green eyes who was wearing glasses.
"Dad!" Albus shouted.
"Yeah, it's me," said Harry. "How's school?"
"Great!" replied Albus.
"Now, it's not only me who was invited. There's also Mum and Grandad."
Suddenly, a woman with brown eyes and flaming red hair and a bald man with short red hairs sticking out of his bald head came out from behind Harry.
"Hello, Al!" said Arthur, patting Albus on the back.
"Hello, Albus!" said Ginny, hugging Albus tightly. "Had a good term?"
"Yeah, great!" said Albus. "You should've seen how James played last match!"
"I heard," said Ginny. "Speaking of James, where is he?"
"Dunno, I think he went that way," said Albus. "He was with me and Slughorn and Henry moments ago.
Ginny then went to find James while Arthur started to get into conversation with Slughorn, leaving Albus alone with Harry.
"So, Dad," said Albus. "Caught any Death Eaters since September?"
"Only Jugson. Uncle Ron tracked down Greyback too, but he had died while biting himself last full moon."
"WHAT?" asked Albus, bewildered.
"Well," said Harry, "he couldn't risk going out in case he'd get caught, so he had to stay at home where there was no one to bite."
"Apart from himself, you mean," said Albus.
Suddenly, Slughorn and Arthur came up to Harry.
"Oh, there's the Boy Who Lived!" boomed Slughorn.
"Hello, Professor," said Harry.
"How do you do, how do you do, and how do you do?" Slughorn told Harry. "Welcome to my party, Harry, and congratulations on catching your thirty-fourth Death Eater! I say that deserves an Order of Merlin if you didn't have one!"
"Yeah, I suppose it does," said Harry. "But I got a great deal of help from Ron. If it weren't for him, I'd have been killed. He pushed me out of the way of Jugson's Killing Curse right on time!"
"Isn't Ronald the one who got poisoned in his sixth year?" asked Slughorn.
"Yeah. First time you got his name correct."
"Sorry about that. I didn't know how talented and famous he'd grow up to be. After all, he co-created a lot of joke products at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes while working there in his late teens and early twenties!"
After a while, Harry, Ginny, and Arthur used Floo powder to go back home, and Albus and Colin took some more party punch. Too soon, it seemed, the party was over, and Albus, Colin, James, Henry, Victorie, Dominique, Louis, had to go back to Gryffindor Tower, talking about the party and the people they met.