On the morning of Friday, December 18th, 2020, the Hogwarts Express departed from Hogsmeade station to take the students home for the holidays.
James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily had all settled into the very back compartment and Lily had just finished putting up all of their trunks when the train pulled out.
The Hogwarts Express and its compartments had been magically expanded to allow eight people to still fit comfortably into a compartment but while maintaining distances of at least six feet from each other. The same magic that had been put on Hogwarts to prevent people from getting within six feet of other had been put on the Hogwarts Express as well.
"After everything's that happened over the past few months, both bad and good, I'm happy to be going home for Christmas, " said Lily contently, "I love Hogwarts, and I look forward to more fundraisers for Worthy Wands, playing Quidditch, and participating in the Hogwarts Drawing Competition after New Year's. But, right now, I'm ready for a break from it all. Christmas break is coming at the perfect time for me."
"I feel the same way, " admitted James, "I look forward to more wandmaking, participating in the Hogwarts Drawing Coemption, commentating Quidditch, and so forth after New Year's but I too feel like I need the break at this time."
"You know, " said Albus thoughtfully, "After having developed both closer relationships over the past few months with both of you, James and Lily, I'm looking forward to spending Christmas at home much more so than I did last year. I wouldn't say I need a break. I haven't been through the adversity both of you have. I didn't have to deal with the death of a mentor like you did, James or get COVID-19 like you did, Lily. So, for me, the Christmas break isn't necessarily something I need in the way the two of you need it. All the same, my increased closeness with both of you is really making me look forward to spending Christmas at home this year much more than last year and I've got a great gut feeling it's going to be a good one."'
"Yeah, it's going to be nice for me be able to go home and see mom, dad, and especially Courtney again, " smiled Stephanie.
"Absolutely, " agreed Samantha, "And speaking of Courtney, we have news."
"Which is?" piped up Lily.
"With my success of having a magical core surgically inserted into me after being born as a muggle, " explained Stephanie, "Courtney is going to be granted the same opportunity!"
"Courtney will start at Hogwarts next fall, " revealed Samantha.
"That's wonderful, " chorused James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, and Lily and they all gave some polite applause.
"You are all sweet, " said Stephanie warmly, "Courtney would be so gratified if she could see and hear this response."
"We are going to tell her about it, " said Samantha firmly, "She's really excited you know."
"How could she not be, " grinned Ainsley, "But I'm glad Hogwarts now closes for Christmas break. I'll have to spend a few days with mom at work, but she did manage to get Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off. I'm excited about spending some quality mother daughter time with mom on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day."
"That's wonderful, Ainsley, " said Lily warmly.
"Thanks, Lily, " said Ainsley appreciatively, "It's going to be really nice to just spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with mom."
"Because mom is away on a cruise, I'll be spending Christmas with the Potters this year, " said Hugo matter of factly, "Ginny's on that cruise too, but Harry will be home to be the adult there."
"I'm staying with the Potters too, " explained Devon, "Because mom and dad are both on that cruise as well. "
"It'll be a different kind of Christmas this year, but it will be a good one, " said James confidently.
"Totally agree, " said Lily brightly, "Having Hugo and Devon with us for Christmas this year gives us the opportunity to make if different and special."
"I'm not a fan of four parents of school aged children being away on cruises for Christmas-" began Ainsley but she was cut off as the compartment door opened.
Next nanosecond, the trolley witch entered.
"In the spirit of Christmastime giving, " said Lily with a genuine smile, "I will pay for everybody's orders today."
"You're a sweet girl, Lily, " said the trolley witch fondly.
'YES, SHE IS!" chroused James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, Ainsley, Stephanie, and Samantha.
As none of them were in the mood to deal with Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans on this day, they all stuck to chocolate.
They got a chocolate frog, a slab of Honeydukes s chocolate, and a Christmas cupcake each. Granted the cupcakes were just chocolate with chocolate frosting with the Christmas theming just being a mix of red and green rainbow sprinkles on top. Still, the red and green color scheme mixture made them feel festive. They each also got a glass of ice cold pumpkin juice to wash it all down with.
""Hey, trolley witch?' asked Lily as she paid for everybody's orders.
"Yes, Miss Potter?" replied the trolley witch.
"May I make a suggestion for the future?' asked Lily.
"You certainly may, Miss Potter., " smiled the trolley witch.
"In the future, could share packs of items, both of individual items, and a mixture of items be made available? Think about it, these share pack could likely be made a better deal than individual items and people always sit on the Hogwarts Express in groups. I propose making share packs for two, three, four, and eight people be available in the future, " suggested Lily.
"That's a brilliant idea, Miss Potter, " said the trolley witch approvingly, "Not only could we offer better deals on them, but students in groups could keep the cost down for themselves by splitting the cost between them of share packs when the share packs are available. "
And with that, the trolley witch left.
'That was brilliant, Lily, " grinned Devon, "I suspect that not too long after they get introduced, share packs are all that people will buy from the trolley witch."
"I didn't even think it, " said Lily briskly, "It was a sudden inspiration of an idea!"
"Sometimes the best ideas come in a nanosecond, " smirked James, "I'm really proud of you, big sis, I so want to high five you but alas..."
"By the way, everyone, " said Ainsley, "Let me say goodbye for the holidays right now. Mom is going to pick me up at King's Cross and side along apparate me home right when she sees me, so I won't have time to say to say goodbye then. So, goodbye everyone and have a very Merry Christmas, James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, Samantha, Stephanie, and Lily. "
"Thank you, Ainsley, " said Lily glowingly, "But I have a gut feeling we'll be seeing you again much sooner than you think!"
Later that day at King's Cross after Amy had taken Ainsley home, Samuel, Sarah, and Courtney, spotted Samantha and Stéphane.
"Courtney!" piped up Samantha and Stephanie.
"It's so great to see my sisters again, " said Courtney ecstatically.
"Hey, Samantha, Stephanie,' asked Samuel, "Have you shared the wonderful news about Courtney with your friends?"
"They did on the Hogwarts Express today, " explained Hugo.
"Congratulations, Courtney, " said Lily kindly, "We can't wait for you to come to Hogwarts and be part of our group full time."
"The feeling is mutual, " said Courtney in a gratified voice.
"I'm delighted that my daughters have such good friends, " said Sarah happily, "But it's time for me to take my daughters home now."
"Bye, " Samantha, Stephanie, and Courtney called to James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, and Lily as waves were exchanged between Samantha, Stephanie, and Courtney, and James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, and Lily as the Savers girls got into Samuel's Audi with Samuel and Sarah and Samuel drove them off.
"Now it's time for me to take you five home, " said Harry to James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, and Lily.
Harry held out an empty potions bottle Portkey and said, "Touch it, we don't have much time!"
James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, and Lily all touched the empty portkey bottle and less than a minute later it took them to Potter Manor.
Lily carried everybody's trunks to their rooms for them and as James, Albus, Hugo, Devon, and Lily all met Harry in the dining room, Harry said, "To welcome you to Potter Manor for Christmas, I have prepared a pizza party!"