BY fates design

Coming home for Yule

The last weeks of term seemed to drag by as everyone anticipated the arrival of the winter break. Snow had continued to fall, the ground still covered in ice and powdered water crystals. Dumbledore had been generous enough to give them two days free of work so that they could pack to return home.

Walking out of the heir Slytherin dorms, arm in arm with Jake, Cassiopeia couldn't help but let her eyes drift to all the students that looked less than happy to be leaving the school. Only a couple Slytherins had decided to stay at Hogwarts over the holiday, though she imagined many of those leaving didn't really 'decide' it themselves.

Regulus thought back to every Yule he had been forced to spend with his family in some stuffy gathering despite wishing to stay at Hogwarts. He wondered for a moment if she would have been able to tell he was one of those who didn't want to return home or if she would have simply glazed over him.

Jake held him trunk in one hand and had made their other bags, including Cassiopeia's, levitate behind them, a spell Cassiopeia had taught him. "Are you excited to go home?" He asked, his eyes flitting down to her face then straight ahead again.

"Of course I am." Cassiopeia replied with a smile. Jake laughed. He knew her far too well. "Really? Cause you don't look all that excited to me." He mused. Of course it hadn't escaped his eye that the smile she gave him was far from genuine. There was nothing genuine about a pure blood smile.

"I am excited to go home." She insisted. "I'm just not excited about all the work I have to do before the others get here." She huffed out a breath of frustration. No doubt there would be a mountain of work for her and Alex to complete upon their return home. They had been doing as much as they could while still in school but some of the documents needed more time than they could spare while within the castle.

Many of the pure blood heirs nodded in agreement. While they only received a fraction of what the Lords and Ladies did it was still a lot of work.

They met up with the others at the platform, Remus stood by with them. "So the plan is that I will be in Emrys Cottage, or Grimwald place, for a couple of days before heading over to Pendragon Castle. Of course any of you are free to join me." Cassiopeia repeated for what felt like the hundredth time that week. The others all nodded and started boarding the train.

With a final hug to Remus, Cassiopeia followed behind them until they reached their usual compartments. Daphne, Eleana, Astoria, Pansy, Draco and Astro had taken one compartment.

Fred, George, Corvus, Kira, Ginny and Alex were in a different compartment.