Raising Snakes

47. Family Yule Celebrations Go Astray

The family were settling down for the holidays Errikos had written to everyone that there would be no celebrations this year at his manor as they had some wonderful news and that they wanted to spend time together to get over the shock of what happened he had gotten many replies to say sorry for their loss but he didn't correct them he couldn't they would find out in the next coming months as a glamor spell would only work to cover Abraxas until his 8th month and then he wouldn't be able to hid his condition but then hopefully by then everything will be out

Tit and Tat got everything for the Yule celebrations and Abraxas had gone to take a nap as baby girl was kicking most of the night and kept waking him up plus being placed in the middle of the bed didn't help but kicking both mates out of the bed did wonders for him as well

Just like before but at a much smaller scale then all the other Yule's Errikos and the family had hosted they had the usual mix of chicken and dumplings, coq au van, cranberry hazelnut turkey wellington, herb crusted roast beef, mushroom wellington, new England lamb and old fashioned honey glazed ham, roasted goose for the meat

A mix of soups which included Winter solstice soup, parsnip soup with pears, Swedish meatball soup and wintertime braised beef stew

Salads were citrus endive salad, Roquefort pear salad and winter persimmon and pomegranate salad

There was a handful of bread ham and cheese, holiday rum eggnog, pecan maple loaf and at Lucia saffron bread

The vegetables were again a mixed selection of farro risotto with walnut cream a d roasted butternut squash, glazed parsley carrots, marconi cheese, potato and parsnip gratin, spicy broccoli rabe with parmesan and pine nuts and seared radicchio and roasted beets

The boys were looking forward to it all like normal this was a yearly chance to completely pig our and not get into any trouble for it and where happy they just had to make sure Abraxas couldn't smell it or have it near him until most likely next year

The Yule Log was waiting for the after dinner ritual where they would burn it and say what they were grateful for as the year had passed and what they hope for the new year Errikos loved it he loved the snow covered ground as when it was all over as they had to burn the log at midnight and watch it burn so they all had to stay up and now that Regulus was now old enough so he could join in he had missed the past few year but Orion always helped right down what he wanted and added a little bit of blood to the parchment before it was burnt they had it down and now this year was his first Yule proper celebration

They sat around and played games as well as made crafts such as Yule decorations from natural sources like twine, sticks and holly as well as making a wreath to hang up on their door, the younger boys had fun making the bird feeders from apples and seeds lets just say Sirius was covered more in seeds than his apple

Lucius helped the elves make the Yule log cake and decorated it carefully the younger boys made sure they got the perfect log for the centre piece and add holly, cinnamon and dried fruit 

Soon they were sitting down for dinner when Tit came in and said that Dumbles and Wally No-Name were there making Errikos get up

"Orion looks after Abraxas, Lucius bring your brothers to their rooms I have a feeling we won't be eating soon, well at least together if you want stay here and eat if not please head to our family rooms I will be in my office"

Errikos went to the Floo room where there stood Dumbles and Wulburga No-Name frozen in place until he said so they could talk however

"Ah Errikos my boy hello would you mind to release us please we have much to talk about" said Dumbles to him but Errikos just stood there and looked at his nails unimpressed to say the least