AN: Enjoy!

As the Christmas break approached, Vision grew slightly nervous, as though he was half expecting the invitation to be revoked. He would have understood, an extra child at Christmas was quite a burden for any family, let alone one that had already taken in two orphans. However, while one of Wanda's letters from home did make mention of Vision's Christmas visit, it was only to ask what he liked to eat, and one other thing that Wanda wouldn't tell him.

So, the day before all the students going home for Christmas were set to depart, Vision packed his trunk with everything he would need for the break, and the following morning, he loaded Nebula into her basket and hopped into an invisibly led carriage with Wanda and Pietro, as well as Sam and Carol, who were also heading home for the holiday. They were waved off by Steve, Bucky, and Scott, who were all staying behind at Hogwarts.

They rode to the Station, where the Hogwarts Express was waiting for them once more. Though he had been raised at an orphanage, Vision had also been raised with good manners and proper etiquette, so he helped Wanda and Carol fetch their trunks, Gamora's cage, and the carrier containing Carol's cat, Goose before he retrieved his own.

Wanda tried not to feel jealous when Carol smiled at him in thanks. Wanda wasn't possessive, not at all, but.. Vision was her best friend. No-one else's.

While they all shared a compartment to begin with, the rowdiness of the Gryffindors bothered a certain little cat, and so, the formerly Shy Snake, her Baby Badger, and their pets retreated to a quieter location. Thankfully, with a lot less students riding the train this time of year, this was not nearly as difficult as it was at the beginning or end of the year.

When the Trolley Lady passed by, despite Vision's protests, Wanda bought them each a Pumpkin Pasty, and a pack of Bertie Botts to share, while they happily chatted about the coming Holiday. Vision, who could not remember celebrating Christmas anywhere but at the Orphanage, had quite a few questions.

"Do you have a tree?" He bit into his pasty. "We stopped putting one up at the orphanage after the little kids kept trying to eat the decorations.

"We do" Wanda nodded. "We usually decorate it together.. the kids have started decorating around the bottom, but Clint and Laura said they're waiting on us to do the rest."

"They are?"

"Mmmhm.. we're gonna have so much fun! Decorating the tree, opening presents.." Wanda grinned.

"It sounds wonderful" Vision managed a smile, not wanting to ruin Wanda's excitement, but he doubted that he would be receiving any presents.

"And Laura makes a great Christmas lunch. Not as big as the Hogwarts Feast, obviously, but it will be delicious, I promise.." Wanda continued. "I think Laura's really looking forward to meeting you, Vizh."

"She is?" Vision seemed surprised. "Why?"

"Well, she's a Hufflepuff. Clint's a Gryffindor, now Pietro. Cooper and Lila haven't been sorted yet, obviously, but she's pretty sure they'll take after their Dad. I think she feels a bit outnumbered sometimes, so it will be nice for her to have another 'Puff around."

"What about you?" Vision nervously popped a brown bean in his mouth, relieved to find that it was chocolate pudding flavoured. "You won't feel left out, being the only Slytherin?"

"No.. well.. not really."

"Wanda, you know you can.."

Before they could discuss this any further, Carol burst into the compartment, coughing. Goose was perched atop her shoulders like a strange furry parrot.

"Pietro and Sam decided to have a fart contest.. can I hang out in here until the smell clears out?"

As much as she usually liked Carol, Wanda couldn't help feeling slightly annoyed, but it wasn't due to any jealousy over Vision, not at all. Wanda briefly considered rejecting Carol's request, but before she could say anything, Vision beat her to it.

"Of course.." He offered her the pack of Bertie Botts. "Would you like one?"

"No thanks" She replied, as she sat beside Wanda, while Goose hopped down to investigate Nebula, dozing in a basket at Vision's feet. "I've been burned by those a few too many times this year.. What's your family up to over Christmas, Vision?"

It was an innocent question, and their was no way Carol could have known her mistake, but when Vision's face fell, Wanda was just about ready to hex the Gryffindor beside her.

"Oh, I don't, um, have any Family.. I'm spending the holiday with Wanda and Pietro and their Foster Family."

"Oh.." Carol was immediately chastened. "I'm so sorry, I didn't think.."

"It's alright, I don't talk about it much.." Vision tried to reassure her."

"I'm still really sorry.." Carol looked genuinely upset by her mistake, and Wanda's expression softened a little.

"Hey, you couldn't have known" Wanda laid a hand on Carol's shoulder. "Pietro and I don't talk about our parents deaths much either."

"Sometimes its easier not to.." said Vision. "For me, Hogwarts has been a place where I can forget I'm an orphan for a bit. The one place I've ever been where it doesn't really matter."

"That's fair" Carol smiled softly. "But I do need to learn to watch my mouth a little more. I'm a first generation Half-Blood. My Mother's a muggle, so she moved us to a Muggle neighbourhood and kept me away from the worst of the war, and pretty much most of the magical world in general, until now. This is the first time I've really been able to engross myself in magic, and everything that comes with it.. I'm only just now learning how bad the War was.. So again, I'm sorry."

"I forgive you" Vision smiled. "Everyone's had a foot-in-mouth situation at least once. Most of us many times."

"Very many times.." Wanda added. "Do you still live in that Muggle Neighbourhood, Carol?"

"Yeah" Carol replied. "Why?"

"Well, if you need to get away during Summer, you can come visit my place.. I'll already have Vision over."

"You will?" Vision was surprised once again.

"Sure. You're my best friend, Vizh. Everyone has their best friend to visit during Summer."

Vision wasn't sure his orphanage would allow such a visit, but he didn't want to ruin Wanda's good mood. She was his best friend too, after all. So, he simply smiled, munching some more beans as they settled in to enjoy the rest of the train ride.