Till Forever Falls Apart

Chapter Nine: The Great Marauders Snowball Fight

December 20, 1991

The day had come for the group of friends to board the Hogwarts Express and make their journey home for Christmas. Ron would be coming to spend the holiday with Harry and Val, much to his uncontained excitement.

    Val remembered how the decision had come about. He had told them one day that he would have to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas season, hanging his head sadly.

    "Mum and Dad are going to Romania to visit my brother Charlie, so I'm stuck with Fred, George, and Percy here for Christmas."

    Harry and Val were disappointed for only a moment.

    "Why don't you just come with us?" Val suggested. Immediately, Ron's eyes widened with hope.

    "Really? Your family wouldn't mind?"

    "Not at all," Harry shook his head. "Dad would love to see you again."

    Ron accepted the invite, and Val sent the message with Ruttledge that he would be joining them for Christmas that year.

    Now, as they sat on the train that took them back to King's Cross Station, they fervently discussed their holiday plans.

    "I think I'll be making hot chocolate with my parents, helping them with the tree," Hermione shrugged. "They said they would wait for me to come back before they decorated. What are the three of you doing?"

    "The usual," Harry's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Sledding, wrapping presents, listening to our dads tell stories."

    Hermione looked at them wistfully. "Invite me next year, okay?"

    "You already have room at my house," Val nudged her. Hermione seemed content and went back to the book she was reading.

    "Who's hosting Christmas this year, Val?" Harry asked as he ate a cauldron cake.

    "My dads, I think," Val tried to remember.

    Every year, the Marauders had made it tradition that a different person would host. Each person did it their own way that left Val and Harry surprised every time. There was never a boring holiday when it came to their family, and with Ron coming to visit this year, she knew her dads would be pulling all sorts of decorations out to make the house as festive as possible, most likely with help from Lily and Mary.

    The train came to a slow stop, whistling as it alerted the passengers they had reached their destination. The four gathered their things from the overhead compartments, taking their bags and other various belongings, checking to make sure they had not left anything behind.

    "The family finally decided they had enough Weasleys to feed?" Draco snarled as he walked past them to his mother. Val noticed they had the same low cheekbones and pointed jaw as she made a face at Val.

    Ron looked as though he was going to say something, but Val grabbed him by his collar and held him back. "Have a good Christmas, Malfoy," she said with fake amiability, pleased to see Draco almost as confused as Harry and Ron were as the boy and his mother walked farther away from the three children, her eyes still glued to Val's face for reasons Val could not say she was certain.

    "We told your parents that we would be the ones to pick you up this year," Dorcas smiled as she led the children through the barrier and walked farther along the platform.

    "Sirius wouldn't hear of it," Marlene huffed. "But we convinced him he could live a few more hours without you."

    Val tapped her locket, sending her father a small message.