The Muggle taxi moved swiftly, screeching to a halt every few minutes; it appeared to be struggling through the snow. Arya lifted her head from Scorpius's shoulder and glanced out the window. The street was bustling, families with children—both young and old—darting in and out of shops, returning with arms full of Christmas shopping. The remnants of yesterday's snowfall still dusted the pavements.
Arya glanced back at the car. In the cramped backseat, she was squashed between Scorpius, Albus, and Lily. James sat in the front seat beside the driver, busy looking for Muggle's money. They hadn't gone far past King William Street when Lily suddenly exclaimed with delight, "We're here! This is the place!"
The taxi stopped. The elderly driver gave James a glance. "That'll be ten pounds." James handed him the fare, and the five of them disembarked. While everyone busied themselves unloading suitcases from the boot, Arya finally saw the Potter house: a large brown door with a semi-circular stone step beneath it.
Lily, beaming, dashed up the steps and knocked. After a short wait, the door opened to reveal Mrs. Potter. She stood in the doorway, smiling warmly at the group. Threads of silver ran through her long red hair, but her eyes still held the same kindness. Ginny Potter remained as beautiful as ever.
Lily threw her arms around her mother. "I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too, darling."
Then, turning to Arya, she said, "Hello, Arya! So lovely to meet you. Albus has told us so much about you."
Arya smiled. "It's lovely to meet you too."
With gentleness, Mrs. Potter guided Arya inside and began chatting with Scorpius.
Inside, the house was warm and inviting. It lacked the grandeur of the Malfoy manor, yet Arya preferred it this way. Just past the entrance hall lay a corridor that led to several bedrooms. Opposite stood a large sitting room adorned with a red rug and a golden chandelier, evoking memories of Gryffindor Tower. Bookshelves and golden sofas encircled the room.
The fireplace blazed fiercely, casting its glow across the room. Above it hung a family photo. Arya could clearly see the Potters' wedding day—Ginny and Harry looked overjoyed in the picture.
She heard Ginny say, "James, could you please take Arya and Scorpius's suitcases upstairs?"
"Sure, Mum. Where should I put them?"
"In Albus's room for now."
Turning to Arya and Scorpius, she added, "You two sit tight—I'll bring you some coffee. Milk and sugar?"
"Black for me, please," Arya replied.
Ginny brought over the coffee and sat with them, still exuding her gentle warmth. Arya, seated by the table, noticed several copies of The Daily Prophet. One featured a Quidditch player on the cover. She had nearly forgotten that Albus's mother wrote for the sports section.
Ginny, stirring her coffee, said with a smile, "Sorry I couldn't pick you up at the station. I was busy preparing for tonight's party. I hope that Muggle taxi didn't give you too much trouble."
Arya and Scorpius both shook their heads.
"Well, I'm really glad you're here this year. Albus really enjoys having company, and sometimes he feels a bit lonely when he's home. I'm sure your presence will help with that."
Arya and Scorpius smiled. Ginny took a sip and called toward the stairs, "James! When you're done, come help me in the kitchen!"
James came downstairs grumbling, "Mum! Why do I have to do everything?"
"Because you're the only one allowed to use magic—and you're the eldest!" she teased.
James begrudgingly joined her, as she expertly used her wand to prepare the food—rolling dough, pouring cream over pastries, slicing cakes.
"Are they coming tonight?" he asked, prodding a pastry.
Ginny swatted his hand with her wand. "Don't touch! That's for the party!"
She continued, "Most of them, yes. I've asked your uncle to spend a few days with us. They work so hard—especially your aunt. I can't even remember the last time I had a proper chat with Hermione!"
Then, as if remembering something, she called out, "Al! Where are you? Your friends are here!"
Albus came downstairs, dressed in a navy T-shirt and black jeans—Muggle clothes suited him. He joined Arya and Scorpius, who were curiously observing the family conversations.
"Don't you want to change clothes?" he asked.
"I've taken off my coat—this is comfy enough," Arya replied.
Scorpius pointed at a chess set on the bookshelf. "Fancy a game?"
"Sure," said Albus, "but I'm not great. You should play my Uncle Ron—he's brilliant."
Scorpius, suddenly anxious, asked, "Wait… is Rose coming too?"
"Yeah," Albus replied.
Arya looked at Scorpius and asked, "Why the long face?"
"It's just… after Hogsmeade, she hasn't really spoken to me. I'm beginning to think that date was part of a dare or something."
Arya scoffed. "Honestly, you let that girl get to you way too much. She doesn't deserve you."
She sipped her coffee, failing to hide her disdain for Rose—a feeling she never quite understood.
When Albus and Scorpius moved to the chessboard, Arya picked up one of the newspapers. But a voice from the kitchen drew her attention—Lily's.
"Mum! Why can Albus bring his friends but I can't?"
"Because Albus doesn't enjoy himself without them," Ginny replied, a bit wearily.
"Well, I don't enjoy myself without Rebecca! Her parents would love to see a magical Christmas."
"Alright, sweetheart. We'll invite her next year—maybe even over the summer."
Lily beamed, kissed her mum, and began helping James with the whipped cream. Just then, the door creaked open. Lily rushed to it and squealed as she hugged her father.
Harry Potter had returned home.
Harry gently pulled Lily away from his embrace and asked,
"So, how was school?"
"It was brilliant, Dad! Oh—and Professor Longbottom says hello. He said I'm probably the best student he's ever had!"
Harry chuckled. "I bet you are. With all the reading you've done on magical plants, no one else could possibly compete."
He stepped into the kitchen. Arya could now clearly see the famous face of Harry Potter. His green eyes, though tired, still held their charm. A faint lightning-shaped scar peeked from beneath his messy black hair, and a deep scratch ran across his cheek. Arya thought to herself—being an Auror must be a demanding job.
After greeting Ginny with a kiss, Harry turned to James.
"So, Mr Seventh-Year, how's school treating you?"
James laughed. "Not bad. Bit dull, though. I've already tried every single illegal activity Hogwarts has to offer."
Ginny raised her brow. "That's why, for the first time ever, we haven't received a single letter about your mischief!"
James grinned mischievously. "Well, that's because Albus blew up a toilet ceiling this year!"
Arya, overhearing this, interjected, "Actually… that was me."
Harry turned towards the living room, surprised. There stood a girl with long chestnut hair that brushed her elbows, her expression calm and confident.
"Hello—you must be Arya Calderon Boot. Pleased to meet you."
"And you," Arya replied, holding his gaze. She recognised the same emerald eyes as Albus's.
"I've seen your father at the Ministry a few times," Harry said. "We worked in separate departments though, so didn't speak much. I'm glad we're finally working more closely with MACUSA."
He shook her hand warmly.
Harry then made his way over to Albus and Scorpius, who were standing by the half-played chessboard. Albus hesitated for a moment, then hugged his father tightly.
"I missed you, Albus."
Just then, the doorbell rang again.
Ginny headed to answer it. A wave of voices poured in as the door opened.
"Merry Christmas!"
"I missed you so much!"
"You never think about anything but work!"
" Merry Christmas, Auntie "
"Merry Christmas, Hugo!"
Arya watched as the large Weasley family flooded in. Rose and Hugo were first, Rose quickly engaging in conversation with James while Hugo hugged Harry.
A moment later, Arya spotted a familiar face approaching—shoulder-length curly brown hair, bright intelligent eyes. It was Hermione Granger, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"Hello, Harry—Merry Christmas," she said warmly and gave him a tight hug.
Arya's gaze drifted to the man beside her, chatting cheerfully with James—Ron Weasley. Tall and lanky, still telling jokes that made the children roar with laughter. He clearly hadn't lost his sense of humour.
After the round of greetings, Arya said to Scorpius,
"This is so surreal."
"What is?"
"Being in a room full of people you don't really know… makes you feel like an outsider."
"Come on, don't be silly." He grinned and gave a warm smile to Rose.
Arya nudged him. "Don't be so obvious!"
Rose turned away from them and continued her conversation with James.
Albus joined them with a smirk and said, "Exciting, isn't it? Just another typical Christmas."
"If they gave you a ticket to Wonderland," Arya said, "you'd still act this way!"
Albus, hands in his pockets, looked puzzled. "What's that?"
"Never mind—it's a Muggle story."
The three of them took seats on the sofas by the staircase.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione also sat down nearby, chatting animatedly. Their voices rose and fell with excitement, like old friends reunited after a long time.
Ginny entered with a tray of biscuits and joined them, sitting beside Harry.
"Well, it's a miracle we've got you both here," she said.
Hermione pushed her hair back and smiled. "Harry and I see each other nearly every day, but I'm sorry—I've been swamped with work."
Ron, mouth full of biscuit, muttered, "Yeah—she couldn't even make our anniversary. Said it was some top-secret case, vital for the future of wizardkind. What could possibly be more important than our anniversary?"
Harry suddenly remembered something and turned to Hermione.
"Did you manage to get that thing done?"
"Nearly finished," she replied.
Ginny gave them both a mock glare. "No work talk during the holidays!"
She snatched the now half-empty tray from Ron's lap and headed towards the children.
From the hallway came Lily's excited voice.
"Mum! Teddy's here!"
Arya turned just in time to see a young man with turquoise hair step inside, hand-in-hand with a stunning blonde girl.
He strode over to Arya, shook her hand, and his hair turned green.
"Hi, I'm Teddy Lupin. Lovely to meet you."
Arya realised immediately—he was a Metamorphmagus. His soft brown eyes held a gentle sadness. Many said he resembled his father. He was the son Harry had taken in as his own after both his parents had died in the Battle of Hogwarts.
The blonde girl—Victoire—had a striking beauty that Arya suspected came from her mother. She leaned in and whispered,
"His hair turns green when he meets someone new… When he proposed, it turned red." She giggled and pointed to the ring on her finger.
"We're engaged—sort of."
Arya watched them join the rest of the family. They all seemed so close, so warm. She felt a pang of longing—her own family, the Calderon-Boots, had never been like this. Too stern, too formal.
Fifteen minutes passed, and the house remained lively. Lily, James, and Hugo were playing Exploding Snap, their laughter echoing through the hall. James was regaling Teddy with a wildly exaggerated tale, occasionally sneaking glances at Arya.
The adults sat in the lounge, reminiscing and laughing.
"Remember when you were given a love potion?" Harry said to Ron.
Ron groaned. "It was hilarious for you! I had nightmares about Romilda Vane for weeks! What's she up to now?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Works in the Department of Magical Communications. Recently divorced."
Ron quickly added, "Not that I care! Just asking!" He flashed her a cheeky smile, then noticed the half-played chessboard behind her.
"Who played this mess of a game?"
Albus grinned. "Scorp and I. I was about to lose, thankfully Dad arrived just in time."
Ron said, "Don't worry—I can help you out. Fancy a match, Scorpius?"
Scorpius stood immediately. "Only if you're ready to lose."
Ron sat down, studying the board. "If you win, I'll give you a full Weasley joke pack!"
Scorpius smirked. "You're on."
Knight to D5.
Scorpius paused and made his move.
Meanwhile, Arya and Albus sat talking by the fire.
"So, what's our conclusion?" Arya asked.
Albus frowned. "It's not in the forest. It has to be inside the castle."
Arya gave a satisfied smile. "Exactly. Which means it could attack a student at any moment."
"No, it's not like that," Albus said. "McGonagall said it's not a serious threat."
"She didn't say it wasn't dangerous," Arya retorted. "She was just pretending it wasn't. There's a difference!"
Albus shook his head.
Frustrated, Arya raised her voice. "Why can't you see it? Even the centaurs felt it!"
She glanced around—Teddy and James seemed to be listening.
Not wanting to draw attention, Arya lowered her voice. "We'll talk later."
After a brief silence, Albus asked,
"Want to join them for cards?"
Arya glanced at Lily, Hugo, and Rose squealing with laughter, cards exploding in mid-air.
"Not really my kind of fun," she said with a smirk.
She looked at Albus. "How about you show me your room?"
Albus blushed slightly. "Sure—though it's a bit of a mess. Your luggage is up there too."
"I don't mind," Arya replied with a smile.
They climbed the wooden staircase together. The landing led to three bedrooms—Albus's was the middle one. He opened the door and switched on the light.
His room was simple. A white-sheeted bed stood to the right, a small nightstand next to it with a picture of him and Scorpius from their second year. Across from the bed was a shelf crammed with magical gadgets, a smaller white chest, and several books.
Arya glanced at the shelf. "Scorpius owns way more books than you. Honestly, I've been tempted to sneak into his collection—it's like a dream library."
Opening a book, she began reading in an exaggerated British accent:
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Today, I shall read you..."
Arya snapped the book shut and laughed.
"Storybooks!"
"They were all the rage in my time," Albus said.
"I just don't get how any child could stand that thick accent for a bedtime story!" she teased, locking eyes with Albus.
"Sorry, but that accent? I just can't!"
They both laughed as she flipped the book over to inspect the cover. A wizard appeared to be falling into a cauldron—clearly part of one of the tales.
She said,"Well, to be honest, I never really liked these sorts of things. I always told my mum to buy me books like 'How to Fix Things.' I think I've got twelve volumes of it!"
She smiled at the thought, her heart aching for her mother.
Then she glanced at Albus. He was leaning against the cupboard, watching her. Arya asked,
"So, what did you like? Before you turned eleven and went to school?"
"To be honest, I wasn't really interested in much," Albus replied. "But I do remember quite well what came after eleven."
He met her questioning gaze.
"Because it wasn't that exciting!"
Arya asked, puzzled,
"What do you mean?"
"Well, a Potter ended up in Slytherin," he muttered.
"And were you upset about that?" she asked.
"Should I not be?" he replied.
"Oh my god, Albus!" Arya said with disbelief, then continued,
"Honestly, it doesn't matter. You're much more like your parents than you realise."
"If I'd been like them, I wouldn't have ended up in Slytherin!" Albus argued.
Arya said firmly,
"Blood is much more important than silly things like houses!"
Just then, the sound of a door opening broke the tense atmosphere between them. Scorpius stood in the doorway, looking at them.
"You two left me down there with all those Gryffindors!" he exclaimed.
Arya smiled and said,
"Well, we saw you weren't having much luck with Rose, so we thought maybe you could win her father's heart instead. How was the game?"
Scorpius sighed and said,
"To be honest, I lost. Can you believe it, Albus? I was beaten with your pieces!"
"You just need a bit more practice!" Albus teased.
The three of them smiled. Suddenly, Mrs Potter's voice was heard from downstairs,
"Al, come down, dinner's ready!"
Albus grumbled,
"I've told her a hundred times, don't call me 'Al.'"
Arya replied,
"Personally, I think 'Al' is a great nickname."
"Really?" Albus raised an eyebrow. "Would you like it if someone called you 'Ar'?"
Arya rolled her eyes at him and said,
"My name doesn't have a nickname, but if it did, I wouldn't mind."
Scorpius grinned mischievously and said,
"I think 'Ar' would suit you. How about we call you 'Ar' from now on, not Albus?"
"That's not a bad idea!" Albus replied.
Arya laughed,
"You don't look like the type to be a troublemaker, Scorp!"
The three of them walked down the stairs together. As Arya, Scorpius, and Albus descended with laughter, Harry looked at his two friends and said,
"I don't know why, but they remind me a bit of us."
----------------------------------
✦ Like it? For support: reymit.com/malqa
✦ Thanks for reading.