𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | l. lovegood

xvi

𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐑, Christmas still managed to be the most magical time of year. The drawing room smelled of pine from the tree that had been decorated with sparkling ornaments and a golden star. An aroma of gingerbread filled their senses anytime someone went into the kitchen, and the air was filled with holiday cheer as the most wonderful day of the year approached.

Dorothea woke up on Christmas morning to a layer of fresh, white, glittering snow coating the ground outside of 12 Grimmauld Place. Molly had made a breakfast of gingerbread waffles, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Presents were opened right after. Dorothea had received chocoballs from Neville, a Muggle book called To Kill a Mockingbird from Hermione, a light purple knitted sweater from Molly Weasley, a load of sweets from Sirius, a scrapbook from Luna to record all their adventures, as well as some carrots – which was confusing to everyone else, but amusing to them.

Tonks had given her a book on advanced Transfiguration, and she got a second copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander from her parents – her last copy had been read so many times that it was falling apart and covered in so many annotations that it was nearly impossible to see the words on the pages.

While everyone else talked in the kitchen or opened Christmas crackers, Luna and Dorothea went outside for some quiet. The brunette instantly shifted into her animagus form and excitedly dashed across the street to the park, Luna following close behind with her camera.

One of the first things Dorothea had done when the transformation process was complete was see if she was still able to move things with her mind in her bunny form. To her delight, she was.

She stood up on her hind legs. A flurry of snow lifted up from the ground, and Luna snapped a picture as it came back down. After taking a few pictures, Dorothea shifted back, and the two began to build a snowman.

"Luna?" Dorothea asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "What are Nargles?"

Luna smiled brightly as if she'd been waiting ages for someone to take an interest and ask. "They're magical creatures. They live in mistletoe," she explained. "They're not harmful, but they can have some unwanted effects if one gets too close."

When the snowman was done, Dorothea cast a charm to keep him from being destroyed by the Muggle children. Molly called them inside for dinner, and they ran back across the street into the warm house.

Dorothea took her plate of food from her mum and turned to carry it out of the crowded kitchen.

"Thea, you're eating at the table with the rest of us," Andromeda called after her before she could pass through the threshold.

Dorothea turned back around. "I don't want to," she said plainly, avoiding the eyes of everyone else in the room as she stared blankly at her mother.

"That wasn't a request, Dorothea." Andromeda placed her hands on her hips. "You're part of this family, it's Christmas, and you're going to eat with us."

"There's too many people here." Dorothea looked around the kitchen. There were her family, the Weasleys, the Golden Trio, Luna, Sirius, Remus, Mad-Eye, and Kingsley. The plate in her hand began to tremble slightly as her hands began to shake. She took a deep breath in through her nose. "I-I'm not trying to be rude, but I-I feel like I can't breathe when there's this many people."

Before Andromeda could reply, Sirius spoke up, "What if the kids eat here in the kitchen and we go up to the dining room?" he suggested to his older cousin, speaking calmly. "Thea's right, it is pretty crowded in here."

"Would that be alright, Thea?" Ted asked, gently rubbing his daughter's back.

"I don't wanna eat with them," Dorothea said bluntly, eyeing the Weasley children and Harry.