On Thursday, November 26, 1992, Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Sirius, Remus, Amelia, and Heather were all seated around the table in the dining room of Abbott Manor. There were numerous delicious dishes on the table and their pleasant aroma permeated the room.
There was white meat boneless turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and bottles of Coca Classic to wash it down with.
There was a distinct fall theme on display as the table had had a brown tablecloth placed upon it and they would be using brown napkins. The plates, knives, forks, and goblets they would be using had white backgrounds so that fall foliage could be depicted on them. It looked like a scene out of Vermont.
There was also an aura of love, gratitude, and compassion in the air.
The octet had formed such a strong bond that as they prepared to have their Thanksgiving meal, all eight of them could literally feel each other's presence within each other. They all felt a very strong sense of belonging to each other. It was a very warm and pleasant feeling. This feeling existed between everyone at the table with each other but was by far the strongest between Harry and Amy, who had both clearly come to realize that they were the most intimate pair of besties in the world.
Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Sirius, Remus, Amelia, and Heather all started their Thanksgiving feast by taking their first bites of turkey at the exact same nanosecond and grinning at each other as its yummy flavor struck their mouths.
"So," piped up Heather, "Thanksgiving is a time for acknowledging what we are thankful for and I'm sure we all have quite a bit to say on that subject this year."
"Well," smiled Harry, "This year, the thing I am most thankful for is the demise of Lord Voldemort and the knowledge that he is truly and permanently lost and gone forever and will not be back again someday. The peace of mind I have from knowing that Lord Voldemort is no longer a threat is the thing I am most thankful for. However, I don't think a detailed discussion of that is appropriate for the Thanksgiving table. I will therefore add that I am also very thankful for the opportunity I have had this semester at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery to be a member of the Broom Club."
"How do you feel now about my decision to have you, Amy, Susan, and Hannah all join different clubs?" asked Heather, "Do feel free to be completely honest with me."
"I am actually very thankful that you made that decision," said Harry sincerely, "Had any or all of Amy, Susan, and Hannah been in the same club as me, I would have stuck to talking to and interacting with them during club meetings and would have put forth no effort to get to know my other clubmates."
"That's why I wanted all four of you in different clubs," said Heather in a crystal clear voice, "You four had literally become all of each other and I knew that you all needed your own different and unique experiences, including making new and different friends."
"Meeting and making friends with Cedric, Scott, Anthony, Katsumi, and Heidi has been a rich and rewarding experience," said Harry sincerely, "I had found that it has really enriched my life to have the experience of being able to share my passion for brooms with other people who share that passion."
"See, pup?" smirked Sirius, "Didn't I tell you that Heather was making the right decision?"
"You did," admitted Harry, "I also remember you telling me that you regretted not having a wider variety of experiences at Hogwarts, especially with regard to interacting with different people."
"That is precisely how and why I knew Heather was doing you a massive favor in making that decision," said Sirius seriously, "She was making sure that she provided you with a fuller life experience during your school years."
"Who is your favorite clubmate?" Remus asked Harry curiously.
"Heidi," replied Harry a nanosecond later, "Because she brings in vintage broomsticks from her own personal collection to share with us. She even lets us hold them! What a kind kid and a wonderful contributor to Broom Club!"
"Not to mention," smiled Sirius, "Heidi brings in homemade baked goods that her mother makes to share with us all."
Turning back to Harry, Sirius said seriously, "See pup? Meeting different people and having different experiences from each other has been A Very Good Thing for the Yellow Quartet."
"I was the most open to the idea of the four of us," piped up Amy, "Because that is literally my background and, in some ways, it felt like a return to my roots. When I grew up at Nurture's Orphanage in my native homeland of Arizona, I was never close to anyone but got along well with everyone. And, speaking of Nurture's Orphanage, the thing I am most thankful for this year is the support that the student body of Skyward School of Practical Sorcery showed the fundraiser for Nurture's Orphanage. The kindness, compassion, and generosity that the students at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery showed towards the kids at Nurture's Orphanage during that fundraiser really moved me. I was very touched and very overwhelmed by the results of the fundraiser, and I find its success inspirational."
"I was very touched by the students and staff strong response to fundraiser as well," said Heather gently, "As a Headmistress, it hit my soul to learn that my student body was that willing to help out. I'll never forgot seeing how much the spirits of those kids at Nurture's Orphanage lifted on the day I delivered the donated toys and clothes there."
"I am also thankful to Harry," cooed Amy, "For being the one to make the suggestion to make the fundraiser schoolwide. I was going to make a donation myself and asked Harry, Susan, and Hannah to make donations as well. Harry suggested we announce what was going on to the entire school so that we could do a larger and wider fundraiser. I made the announcement and the rest is history. I'll also add that it meant something to me that all three of my fellow Potions Club members made donations."
"You've seemed to me to have mixed feelings about your Potions Club clubmates when we've talked about it," said Ameila uncertainty."
"True," acknowledged Amy, "I like Mason the best of them. Brett is just too overwhelmingly stiff and serious to connect with. Ernie is the one I have the most genuinely mixed feelings about. He brings in vintage cauldrons from his personal collection to share with us and that's something to be thankful towards him for. However, he does tend to be pompous and full of himself. I generally dislike people who self-praise and compliment themselves. Fundamentally, Ernie is a good person. I just find his lack of humility off putting. "
"That's quite fair and reasonable, Amy," acknowledged Ameila.
"As for me," said Susan, "The thing I am most thankful for this year is the solidarity that Harry, Amy, and Hannah showed me by wearing those yellow bone bracelets along with me on the twelve years anniversary of my parents' deaths. Since I don't want to get into a heavy discussion like that over Thanksgiving dinner, I'll also acknowledge that I am quite thankful for the overall student experience at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery. I actually really enjoy it when a teacher is pairing students to work with each other in class and the teacher pairs me with someone who is neither part of the Yellow Quartet nor a member of the Sand Club. For example, I really appreciated it when Professor Flitwick paired me up with Parvati to practice the Cheering Charm on each other. It was a nice feeling to work and interact with someone who I normally don't have much to do with and I am thankful for the opportunities such as this that the overall student experience at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery have provided me. OHH!"
"Susan has just realized something," smiled Ameila.
"It's just struck me that Heather probably instructed all of the teachers before the semester started to pair students up in classes with other students who are neither their besties nor their clubmates," said Susan thoughtfully.
"Smart Susan," grinned Heather, "Yes, I can confirm that I did have this conversation with all of the teachers before the semester started. To me, this is another way to give students even more chances to meet and interact with different people at different times."
"But?" wondered Harry curiously, "How would all the teachers know what clubs everyone is in?"
"I provided all of the teachers with lists of club memberships," replied Heather matter of factly, "I instructed them to double check this sheet before each class to avoid pairing up clubmates."
"It's really worked out well for me," smiled Susan, "I'm in a club I enjoy with seven clubmates that I enjoy the company of about equally with no bad apples. And the fact that I've gotten the opportunity at one point or another to work with all of the second years is wonderful."
"The thing I most thankful for is similar to Susan's," said Hannah genuinely, "I am most thankful for the solidarity that Harry, Amy, and Susan showed me by wearing the lemon drop H.A. necklaces along with me on the eleven year anniversary of my dad's death. But during a Thanksgiving feast is not the place for such a deep discussion. One moment in time stands out to me. Or, rather, one day in time. I am extremely thankful for that day that mom and daughter spent together on the campus of Skyward School of Practical Sorcery the day before its official opening. I've had a wonderful experience at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery, including being the Water Club with four fantastic clubmates, but that first day I set foot on campus with mom will always be my fondest memory of the school."
"The was a wonderful mother-daughter moment for both of us," cooed Heather fondly.
"We both owe Harry a huge debt of gratitude for having that idea," recognized Hannah.
"We absolutely do," agreed Heather, "Harry's thoughtfulness literally gave us maybe the best mother-daughter moment of our lives."
"I knew how much that moment would mean to both of you and that's why I suggested it," said Harry warmly, "The two of you had a rare opportunity to make a really special lifetime memory and I wasn't going to let that pass you two by."
Hannah and Heather gave Harry kind and warm smiles at that.
"The only thing that would have made it better would have been if mom would have let me wear high heels for the occasion," rued Hannah.
"High heels are terrible for your feet," said Heather in a crystal clear voice.
"They are also bad for your knees and back," added Amy, "Not to mention that they a tripping hazard as it's hard to keep your balance in them."
"Yes, that's right, Amy," said Heather approvingly, "I hadn't even thought of the tripping hazard part. High heels are hot garbage, plain and simple."
"It's not worth destroying your feet, knees, or back for a little bit of fashion," said Amy sharply, "Add in the tripping hazard part and high heels are indeed hot garbage. "
"When it comes to what I'm most thankful for," said Sirius seriously, "It has to be Heather's continued acceptance of me. You see, during our years as Hogwarts students, I did something really mean and nasty to Heather that could have easily caused her to hate me forever."
"What might that something be?" Harry grilled his godfather uncomfortably.
"In our fifth year, " said Sirius heavily, "Heather won a box of chocolates as a prize from Professor Kettleburn for choosing the most successful niffler in a Care of Magical Creatures lesson. I snuck up on Heather from behind and snatched the box of chocolates from her. With many onlookers present, I proceeded to eat all of the chocolates myself in Heather's face. When they were gone, I waved the residual smell back at her while laughing in her face."
"That was a very humiliating moment for me," admitted Heather, "I was really bummed out about not getting to eat or enjoy any of the chocolates I had won. But the public humiliation aspect of that incident was the most upsetting part for me."
"Note," pointed out Sirius, "That Heather does not deny or attempt to deny how upsetting and hurtful that incident was for her. Yet, Heather continued to accept me in our immediate post Hogwarts years although we weren't close at that time. And there is now a genuine and pleasant closeness between us. Bear in mind that I never apologized to Heather for that incident either. I honestly deserve to be one of Heather's most hated people. Instead, I am one of her most liked. Heather has continued to give of herself to me, including and especially giving me her friendship."
"Sirius," said Harry calmly, "You were in the wrong in the incident in question, but you are being too hard on yourself."
"I agree," added Amy, "Sirius, making some mistakes, especially in your youth, doesn't make you a bad person. Human beings are flawed by nature. Personally, I think it would be a worse reflection on Heather if she were still holding a grudge against you for that. "
"Indeed," confirmed Heather, "Sirius, I don't forget that you were one of the handful of people who were there for me and who gave emotional support at a time when I really needed it after my husband died. You, James, Remus, Lily, and of course, Ameila were the only five people who were truly there for me and supporting me at that time. Trust me, Sirius, I am indebted to you for being one of the people to have provided me with both company and emotional support in the immediate aftermath of my husband's tragic demise. At a time in my life when I most needed people to support me, you were there for me. That means something to me."
"I'd say that more than outweighs the chocolate theft incident," said Susan matter of factly.
"Yeah, " nodded Hannah, "Sirius, given what mom just mentioned, few people in the world are more deserving of mom's friendship than you are."
"Sirius," Harry told his godfather reassuringly, "When the chips were down for her, you stepped up to support Heather."
"Which proves," finished Amy reassuringly, "That you are a good person and a good friend."
"The thing about the chocolate theft incident," interjected Remus, "Is that I was a prefect at the time. The staff had hoped I'd be able to rein in James and Sirius a bit. But I didn't have the heart to do so. I couldn't bring myself to tell off James and Sirius for their bad behavior because I was too grateful for their friendship. A few days before the incident where Sirius stole Heather's chocolates, James had intentionally hit Ravenclaw Chaser Rachel Davies hard in the nose with a quaffle. I should have stood up to James and Sirius more and called them out on their bad behavior, but I never did. "
There was a slight pause and then Remus continued, "The thing I am most thankful for is Heather's financial support of me. Heather, believe me, it's not lost on me how much of your own money you've spent on my Wolfsbane Potion. It's also not lost on me that you put a lot of care into making arrangements for me so that I could both live here and teach at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery."
"It is my pleasure to be able to help you, Remus," said Heather glowingly, "What better to use my vast fortune than to help out my friend in need?"
"In my case," said Ameila heartily, "The thing I am most thankful this year is the fact that Heather has allowed to me to live on the campus of Skyward School of Practical Sorcery while everyone else here is either a student or teacher even though I don't contribute much there and instead work at the ministry as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"Living alone isn't healthily for anyone," said Heather firmly, "It was best that I bring you on campus and allow you to eat and sleep there and so forth."
"I am also still very thankful to Sirius for when he made the suggestion about a year ago for me to move in here," added Ameila, "I remember how he inquired about who I lived with and when I told him I'd been living alone since Susan had left Bones Manor, he seemed very worried about me."
"I knew it would be better for your mental health if you moved in here with us," said Sirius seriously, "I felt it was my duty as a friend to make the suggestion and I knew that Heather would be on board with it."
"I still say I should have made that suggestion myself," rued Heather, "Ameila and I have been besties since we were schoolgirls together at Hogwarts."
"You had a lot on your plate at that time, Heather," said Ameila in understanding, "And like I said before, I could have and should have reached out to you, and you would have said yes."
"I did notice," said Amy observantly, "That Ameila almost immediately seemed a lot happier after she moved in here than I had ever seen her during one of her visits here before she moved in with us."
"That's precisely because my mental health took a turn for the better the nanosecond I moved in here because of the fact that I was now living with and coming home to company," said Ameila in a no doubt about type of voice."
"I have an easy choice of what I'm most thankful for this year," said Heather in a heartfelt voice, "I am incredibly thankful for the creation of Skyward School of Practical Sorcery. The day Hannah and I first set foot on the campus is seared into my memory and my heart forever and that's A Very Good Thing. I get goosebumps thinking about seeing the campus for the first time and going, "Is this heaven?"
"I remember replying, "No, it's Skyward School of Practical Sorcery," recalled Hannah fondly.
"I had dreamed of opening my own school of magic," reminisced Heather radiantly, "I am one of the luckiest people in the world because, well, I wished upon a star and my heart's desire came to me."
"One thing I know all eight of us are extraordinarily thankful for," piped up Harry, "Is our arrangement of the eight of us continuing to live together at Abbott Manor during school breaks. All of us understand and appreciate the concept of Chosen Family."
Next nanosecond, spontaneously without any thought, Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Sirius, Remus, Ameila, and Heather all rose from their seats and, all looking at each other, they all yelled "Chosen Family!"
More than anything else, the significance of this Thanksgiving was spending it together.
Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Sirius, Remus, Ameila, and Heather were indeed all chosen family to each other.
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