Chapter Nine: Christmas at Home

Chapter Summary: Henri enjoys a wonderful Christmas at home.

Home was exactly what Henri needed. The warmth, love, and laughter were soothing to his spirit. The day had started well; upon boarding the Hogwarts Express, Henri had found an empty compartment, warded it against intruders using a spell he taught himself, and proceeded to stuff his face with the treats Whispy and Mispy packed for him. Full and content, he slept the entire journey to London and had to be woken by the train conductor because everyone had already disembarked.

Seeing his parents waiting for him, Henri dashed into their arms. His Maman doted on him throughout the drive home, marveling at how tall he had grown, how long his hair had gotten, though she noted with concern that he had lost a bit of weight. His Papa, amused by his wife's inspection, drove them home with a smile.

Unable to sleep that night due to his long nap, Henri excitedly shared tales of his adventures at Hogwarts—his explorations, the mancave, and the house elves' kindness. He told them about all the treats the elves had given him, which made his Papa, the dentist wince at how just how much sugar he'd consumed. Jean was concerned that he hadn't mentioned any friends, so she called her friend and former neighbour Adelaide from Saint Paul de Vence and begged her to let Philippe come and spend Christmas with them in London. Adelaide and her husband, had been wanting a break but had no one to care for Philippe since the Grangers moved to London, agreed to send Philippe to spend Christmas with them.

Henri was thrilled when his Papa announced that Philippe would be coming. They picked him up from the airport, and the boys spent the drive home catching up on everything they'd missed. Over the next few days, they enjoyed playing in the snow, snowball fighting, Philippe had a wicked left arm, his Papa had been trying to get him to try baseball but Philippe's one and only true love was football. They also went ice skating and sledding, and made snow angels and snowmen together.

Henri didn't even mind the last-minute Christmas shopping trip with his parents, using the opportunity to buy gifts for Mispy and Whispy, having already purchased presents for his parents and Philippe. At home, while his Papa, who was a very skilled baker, was busy in the kitchen, they'd sit on the kitchen island and chat. His Maman would drink wine, while his Papa drank whiskey. Henri and Philippe enjoyed drinking eggnog (non-alcoholic) and playing thumb wars, while trying to sneak some baked delights in their pockets to enjoy later.

They decorated the Christmas tree, hung lights, and ornaments, and spent evenings watching holiday movies and engaging in family game nights, which, as usual, ended in arguments. Henri always helped his Papa shovel the driveway. When Philippe wasn't around, Henri tried shoveling with magic, though he knew it was faster without it, even though his spell repertoire was growing, he was sure the levitation spell was not meant for shoveling snow but the pride in his Papa's eyes when Henri used magic to levitate a ball of snow made it worthwhile. Henri was glad his Maman had bought him the second wand in Le Jardin Mystique, because he realized that Hogwarts' wands were tagged to monitor underage magic use at home. But his second wand from Le Jardin Mystique was not tagged so he could practice magic at home with no problem. He loved showing his parents what he had learned. Although he had to be careful not to expose magic to Philippe who was unaware of the existence of magic.

Christmas morning was filled with excitement. Henri received the latest portable video game he had wanted from his parents. This would certainly help fill those hours he spent lounging in his mancave, although he puzzled over how he'd recharge it at Hogwarts without electricity. No matter, he'd deal with that later. His Maman also got him some new clothes and books, while his Papa gave him an adventurer's kit with a torch, a compass, map, and journal. Philippe's gift was a selection of sweets and a book on folklore, which thrilled Henri. Henri's own gifts to his parents and Philippe were met with joy and appreciation, including a bracelet for his Maman, a Chelsea themed watch for his Papa and a hard-to-find band t-shirt for Philippe.

Despite the cold, Henri's Papa dragged Henri and Philippe to a football match, where Henri and Philippe both complained, as Henri didn't care much for football or any organized sport, and Philippe while a football fan, was a Nice fan, and didn't see the reason while he should leave the comfort of warmth to go and watch a Chelsea match. Despite their initial reluctance, they had fun at the game. The jubilant energy was infectious and Philippe the football fan soon got into the game. The Blues lost, and Henri listened with amusement as Papa and Philippe ranted about the game's refereeing on the way home. His Papa was a very mild mannered man but when his beloved Chelsea was involved, he was capable of remarkable fire and passion.

The rest of the holiday was serene, filled with relaxation and recovery from festive indulgence. A small New Year's Eve party was held, but Henri and Philippe were confined to their room because the party was for adults. They didn't mind much, enjoying video games and staying up as late as they wished, eating treats.

After the holidays, they saw Philippe off to the airport and then spent a few more days together before it was time for Henri to return to Hogwarts. He felt a pang of sadness at leaving home, a place where he had been neither lonely nor sad, and where thoughts of Draka had been absent. The prospect of returning to Hogwarts and facing Draka's constant shadow loomed heavily as he prepared to leave.

Henri had planned to not tell his parents about what happened with Draka until the end of the year, he knew once he told them, they'd withdraw him from Hogwarts, and Henri wasn't sure he'd fight them. He had promised himself that he'd stay the entire year and that's what he was going to do. His Papa had taught him that a man is as good as his word, even to himself. Henri had promised himself that he'd see off the rest of the year and that was what he was going to do. At the end of the year he'd tell his parents everything, which will be a big relief because he has hated lying to them, even by omission.

So Henri never planned to tell his parents about Draka but when he was home, he had so much fun that he didn't think about her at all. Well, until it was time to go back.