Climbing out of the Shadows [1D-5SOS-HP]

one-hundred & four.

It was needless to say, Marry's children we doing all that they could to make it up to their mother about the wrongs that they had caused her. All except Hope and the baby's that was, they did nothing wrong.

"I got that for you mum," Ashton gave her a cheerfully bright smile as he pulled the roast out of the oven. "You just put your feet up, rest a bit."

"You calling me old?" Marry put her hands on her hips.

"N-No never mum," Ashton vigorously shook his head back and forth as he went to put the roast on the table Zayn and Michael were setting.

"I tried to get Winky to come," Hope sighed as she walked into the kitchen. "But she keeps saying that house elves don't eat with their masters."

"Yes, she's like that," Marry smiled. 

"Got them all cleaned up!" Liam held up Ernest in his Christmas outfit as Niall came in with Doris in hers. "Baby's make a big mess with such little things."

"Imagine having a bundle of them at once," Marry laughed before walking over to the hall. "Dinners ready!"

There were many shuffling feet, and many people moving around each other to get into their chairs to tuck in for their Christmas feast.

"So, Hope," Louis looked down the table at her. "How's school going? Get into any more trouble this year."

"Actually, no," Hope shook her head. "School's just school this year. I'm convinced you lot were the problem there, because nothing's really happened this year. We just study and hang out, and have fun. Oh, but we do have a new Potions professor, who basically took over his old post and Snape is the Defense teacher now, shockingly."

"Snape actually did it?" Harry's eyebrows shot up. "I mean that man was complaining for years about wanting that job. I thought Dumbledore was just getting a kick out of it at this point."

"Yeah, but he's still Snape," Hope rolled her eyes. "Just in a new post."

"Who's the new Potions professor then?" Liam asked as he took a bite of his mash.

"Slughorn," Hope said.

"Slughorn, really?" Marry asked with a smile. "Well, he was my Potions professor. Great man he was. Your father and I met at this club he used to have. Only the best and brightest students allowed, mind you."

"Yeah, he told me about that," Hope smiled back at her. "I'm actually in the Slug Club."

"You got into a club for the brightest minds?" Ashton chuckled before his mother sent him a death glare. "Sorry."

"I'm smart," Hope rolled her eyes.

"Well, I was head boy," Liam mumbled under his breath.

"I was head girl," Gemma shot him a look.