They rested at London Tower Bridge, staring at the Thames swirling below them in the night, reflecting the stars that danced in the sky. "London's beautiful," Aquila admitted quietly.
"You used to live here before you moved, right?" Dudley asked.
She nodded, gesturing in the direction of where her old home was. "Wizarding community, near the Ministries." She sighed, resting her head on her arms as she leaned down, staring into the water. "It wasn't anything special. I like Number 8 much better than I did London. A bigger yard, place to fly, room to breathe, and people my own age."
"Lots of old people, then?"
She nodded. "At least in their sixties. It was an old community that had been around for centuries." She sighed. "And you, have you lived in your house for your whole life?"
"Except for when Potter first got his letter. Dad went a bit mental, trying to keep the owls away. Sold the house, we moved to a house on the middle of a rock..." Dudley shrugged as she glanced at him in surprise. "Dad bought the house back once Potter was taken away by that giant guy."
"And how old were you?"
"Twelve maybe."
She hummed, signalling she heard, and sighed quietly. "Do we ever have to go home?"
"Not really," Dudley humored her. "We could just be homeless all winter, but then we wouldn't be able to celebrate Christmas." Aquila giggled. "Besides, it's getting a little chilly. Aren't you cold?"
"A tad," she admitted. "I've been in Scotland all term. This is summer there."
"That is true," Dudley grinned. "Come on, let's head back. Mum's missed you."
"Is she the only one to miss me?" Aquila teased. "Merlin, maybe I should just stay in Scotland."
"We all missed you," Dudley insisted, throwing his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get going. It's a hell of a drive, and it's late." She sighed in agreement and they began walking, their steps slow and in no means rushed to get to the car parked just a few blocks away. They had no desire to leave, and no desire to ever be separated.
"Thank you," she said softly. "For tonight. It was lovely."
"Good, I was worried you might now like it. Not everyone likes surprises," Dudley responded, his one hand shoved in his pocket, and the other holding her close.
"Well, I do," Aquila answered, smiling to herself. She stared at the road ahead of her, wondernig if there was ever a moment he just decided to stay in the city. Because now would have been the perfect moment. But they got in the car and took off towards Little Whinging, back to their respective families... back home.
It was the same as she had left it. The bustling garden of the Dursley home, the rather distraught looking yard of her own, and the average yards for the rest of the block. Her mother had planned to create an herbal garden in the front, but Aquila supposed she didn't get around to that. Dudley's car parked in her driveway and Aquila saw the living room light click on. Her mother.
"How has she been?"
"Mum came over a few times, to check on her, but other than that, quiet. She didn't really answer Mum's calls, but did let her know she was alive by telling her to go away." Aquila sighed, grimacing. "So I'm assuming fine."
"I'm sorry," Aquila sighed. "Please don't take it personally."
"I don't... I'll help you with your trunks-"
"No need," Aquila grinned, getting out of the car and approaching the trunk. It popped up and she glanced around the barren street before pulling out her wand, casting a quick charm to shrink her trunks. She grabbed them in her hand, shutting the trunk, and grinned at the expression on Dudley's face. "What? I'm a witch." She approached him, touching his shoulder gently, and placed a quick kiss on his lips. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, of course. Mum probably wants to see you." She nodded, smiling, and ducked inside, spotting her mother looking less than pleased. Aquila sighed, listening to the sounds of Dudley's car pulling out of the driveway, and stared at her mother.
"I thought you broke that off."
"It's lovely to see you too, mother."
Her trunks clinked on the tabletop of the coffee table, and Aquila found that the home was... it was pretty spotless. "Don't take that tone with me. You promised that you two wouldn't be long term."
"I promised no such thing," Aquila said sharply. "I don't want to argue about it. I'm dating Dudley and there's nothing you can do about it. I'm seventeen years old. I'm of age." She shook her head. "It's late. I'm going to bed. We can talk about this some other time. Why couldn't you pick me up from the station?"
"I had errands to tend to," Euryale sniffed.
"Errands," Aquila repeated blandly. "Like what? Dusting under the refridgerator? Sending an owl?"
"Don't take that tone with me," Euryale repeated sharply.
"I'm going to bed. Goodnight, mother." Aquila grabbed her trunks in a flourish, climbing the steps as she listened to her mother follow her.
"You look good," her mother called suddenly.
Aquila stopped, staring down at her mother. "Quidditch. Every day, for the last three months..." She swallowed, turning back towards the top of the stairs. "I live for it mother."
"Does Ireland pay you? Or are you just volunteering?"
What kind of question was that? "I'm paid," Aquila answered carefully. "It goes to a locked, high-security vault in Gringotts that's solely in my name." She glanced at her mother, who seemed to sour at the news. "Why?"
"I was just wondering... hoping you were paid for the matches. All those medical bills can't run cheap."
Aquila shrugged. "Not really." She stared at her mother for a moment. "Then again, neither do you. The money is mine, mother, not yours. Therefore, you won't be seeing a cent of it. You don't need it, and I intend to donate most of it to charity."
Euryale sputtered. "Charity!"
"Yes, you know, helping the poor, the children, Muggles," Aquila said firmly. "Charity." She climbed the steps once more not bothering to look back. "Goodnight, mother."
"Aquila, how dare you not contribute to this family-"
"Contribute?" Aquila scoffed. "Mother, I've been giving you your fair share of whatever you needed. I've let you have your fun with throwing my future away. I've contributed in everyway I could have. I never asked for fancy things, or much, but you've instead asked of me. Asked for my own money, my own future, so that you could get the luxurious life you gave up for father. Well you know what? You won't see a single knut of my salary, because it's my salary."
"Aquila, please, that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" Aquila demanded. "That I pay for whatever you want because I can? I get a reserves salary until I make the team. It's not as much as you seem to think it is. I could barely afford a weekly rent, let alone your shopping habits." Aquila shook her head, and slammed her bedroom door shut. She should have known the woman wasn't planning on a proper welcome to her daughter. Afterall, Aquila hadn't had one in seventeen years.
Christmas break was full of avoiding her mother, who didn't seem to try to give Aquila any reason to talk to her in the slightest. She mostly was gone, visiting friends or relatives, which Aquila hoped to steer clear from.
Death Eaters weren't the crowd Aquila wanted to hang around, and it worried her that her mother was becoming close to them again. Was her mother to be trusted?
Christmas Eve, she found herself seated at the Dursley's dinner table, a magnificent feast presented around her. The Dursleys had refused to let her spend Christmas Eve alone, as her mother was attending some ball full of artificial faces and people that held dark private activities.
It wasn't Aquila's cup of tea anyway. She'd rather be at the Johnson's playing Quidditch or sitting at home making a buttload of pastries.
"Is there Muggle traditions for Christmas?" Aquila questioned once everyone was seated. "For instance, in the Wizarding World, we tend to listen to horrible tunes on the radio and drink eggnog and many small things that aren't really all that important, on retrospect. Usually, we attend a ball or two."
"A ball?" Vernon asked. "With the fancy dresses?"
"And the snobby rich folks that love flashing their money." She rolled her eyes. "It's nothing fun, and it's so tiring, all the dancing and small talk. None of them like anyone they invite anyway. It's where mother is now." Aquila shrugged.
"Well, we tend to have a dinner," Petunia stated, almost brightly. "And then we sort of go about our business. We're not big on tradition. But I remember my mother would always have us sit around and read Christmas stories, listen to Christmas music, and watch programs. And then my sister and I would stay up as long as we could, waiting for Santa Claus."
"Santa Clause?" Aquila questioned. "Who is that?" Dudley blinked and even Vernon looked surprised by the question. "Sorry, is he someone famous?"
"You've..." Dudley cleared his throat. "He's, er... sort of like ... well, okay, he's Father Christmas... he watches over kids to make sure they've been good, and then on midnight all over the world, he delivers presents Christmas night and fills the stockings and eats cookies kids leave out..." She blinked. Was he... "Sort of magical, I guess. He's got a team of flying reindeer and loads of elves."
"And all over the world, they believe in him?" she asked, confused.
"Oh, yeah, but he's called different things everywhere," Petunia input. "If you're bad, he puts coal in your stocking and you don't get any presents."
Aquila leaned forward in her seat, biting her lip at the obvious ton in Dudley's voice. "So... how come I've never heard of him? We don't have that in my world. Elves put your presents at the foot of your bed when you wake up."
"Well, he's..." Dudley hesitated. "No one believes in him, see? He's a legend."
She frowned. "So... you believe in him, but you don't."
Petunia grinned. "What's your mother doing tonight?"
Confused by the abrupt change of topic, Aquila replied slowly. "She's in Lincolnshire, at a ball that I protested against going to. She won't be home until well into the morning."
"Spend the night..." Vernon glanced at Petunia in surprise at the request. "We'll make biscuits and watch a few classic movies. A Christmas celebration. You shouldn't celebrate alone." And she would have. Her mother would return home, and go straight to sleep, regardless of what her daughter was doing.
"I..."
"I insist," Petunia insisted. "And I'm not taking no for an answer." She stood from the table, taking the empty plates, and wandered towards the sink, turning on the water. "Now, we'll need to make cookies, find as many cheesy Christmas programmes as we can, and Vernon, you can get started on the peppermint schnaps. Dudley, go find something to watch. Aquila, you go with him."
"Are you sure you don't want me to help with anything?"
"No, dear. It's a holiday. We do as little as possible on holiday." Aquila hesitated, but saw that the red-headed woman would fight her on the issue. So, Aquila shut her mouth, nodded, and followed Dudley into the television room. "I don't understand all this hype about Christmas... why is it such a big deal?" she questioned.
"It's Christmas," Dudley shrugged. "You know, like Jesus's birthday and the whole be kind to others thing..." At her blank look, he ammended. "It's sort of religious, but I mean, mum and dad aren't really religious, so ... it's sort of the commercialization. You get presents and stuff. See family, friends, whoever else. Sometimes it snows, but Mum doubts it will because of how hot summer was-"
"Do you think it's a big deal?"
"Well, of course. It's Christmas." He pressed a button on the remote and a cartoon appeared, showing a reindeer with a bright red nose. It was something Aquila didn't know reindeer had. "Don't you?"
"I mean... sure... it's just not something that I've ever looked forward to before. It's always a ball or meeting some distant family members and ... well, it's not fun."
"This year will be different," Dudley said firmly. "This is Rudolph, and he has a red nose."
"I have eyes, Dudley," Aquila giggled.
He told her the story of Rudolph, and when that program was over, Vernon passed around some mint tasting alcoholic beverages, and then Petunia came in with a few cookies, saying that they were the ones for eating. The others on the kitchen counter were for Santa.
"But I thought he was fake-"
"Well no one's ever see him, have they?" Dudley shrugged. "I mean, he could be just about as real as those... what are they called? Goblins?"
"Well I hope he's not a goblin," Aquila giggled. "They're nasty creatures. Always greedy and looking for loopholes." She took a bite of the cookies, her legs tucked under her as she sat at the coffee table between all of their chairs.
By the time the next program, featuring a snowman, was over, the alcohol had thoroughly passed through their systems and they were, as Aquila officially declared, drunk. "Remind me," Aquila giggled, leaning against Dudley's leg, "to repay you for the alcohol. I've never had schnaps before. Twins say they're dangerous. But everything's dangerous now, so might as well dive headfirst-" She hiccuped and then giggled, hiccuping once more.
"Oh! We forgot the most important part," Petunia cried. "We have to sing!"
Dudley groaned. "Mum, can't we just forget about the singing?"
"Absolutely not! I'll start. Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh. O'er the hills we go-"
Aquila didn't know the words but she giggled and shouted something when the chorus came that vaguely resembled it, though she doubted the actual lyrics were anything close. They sang late into the night, until the programmes turned into advertisements and the light colored sky became black as Aquila's hair.
"Bed time," Aquila yawned, falling over onto her side as she laid in front of the fireplace grate. It was warm, and actually quite comfortable on the plush carpet.
"Are you sleeping down here?" Vernon questioned.
"Yeah," Dudley shrugged, laying down on the couch to Aquila's left. "Might as well..."
"Does Santa come at exactly midnight?" Aquila questioned suddenly, squinting at the clock. She couldn't tell what time it was, but it didn't look like midnight.
"Precisely midnight," Petunia assured her. "I'll wait up with you. You can go ahead, Vernon. I'll be up after Santa gets here." She waved away the large, severe man and laid down on the couch to Aquila's right, staring at the fireplace. "Should we put out the fire for him?"
"No," Aquila giggled. "If he's able to appear all over the world in one night, he's magical, right? He probably Floos in... or maybe he apparates."
"I don't know," Petunia admitted. "I've never asked him."
Vernon left the room and it wasn't even three minutes after she heard his footsteps up the stairs that she knew no more. Sleep had taken over quickly.