Alfie, Who?

Christmas

Professor Slughorn is known to "collect" students that he considers a good bet. Students who he believes that when they leave Hogwarts, will be good to have as friends and allies. In the past he has befriended students who went on to become professional Quidditch players, important members of the Ministry of Magic, newspaper editors, merchants. All of them providing him with luxuries that  brought him great joy in his old age. Long ago it became customary for him to invite students that he deemed worthy into his "Slug Club." He threw meetings and parties for them, successfully leaving a positive impression of himself on them so that they would remember him when they became the successes that he expected.

Upon the return of the Potter line to Hogwarts, Professor Slughorn decided that he would start a junior club for first years. His motivation shifted from "what can they do for me" to "what can I do for them." He has always done a lot for his Slug Club members. But it was always with the expectation that in the future, they would do something for him in return. Professor Slughorn now wanted to make an early impact on his students and guide them positively throughout their time at Hogwarts. The Potter children reminded him of his role in the rise to power of the most powerful dark wizard of all time.

Professor Slughorn had invited Alfie, Hugo, Ffion, Barry, and others to a Christmas breakfast before the beginning of the holidays. He had invited Lily and Morgana to join the Junior Slug Club, but oddly enough, they both kindly declined because busy schedules limited their extra curricular activities. "Besides," Lily had said. "He only wants me in his club because I am a Potter." She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "He's very opportunistic." They did, however, attend the Christmas breakfast.

The Junior Slug Club Christmas breakfast took place in Professor Slughorn's office. There was a large Christmas tree decorated with silver and green lights. Professor Slughorn was a Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts and he still likes to honor his old house. There were red and gold candles floating in the air and the whole place smelled like cloves and cinnamon. There were poached eggs, bacon, white pudding, kidneys, potato cakes, baked beans, fruit pudding, corned beef hash, and smoked kippers spread out on a table covered in red linen.

"My family goes back at least ten generations." Barry MacMillan likes to brag about his pure blood status between swigs of pumpkin juice and bites of sausage. Morgana shakes her head in approval. "My family is one of the Sacred 28."

Professor Slughorn has historically not been one to subscribe to blood purity prejudice. "Well, there isn't reason to believe that we aren't all descended one way or another to a 'Sacred 28.' " Then slightly under his breath: "Especially with as much inbreeding that occurs in some of those families." Then quickly interrupted by a little too loud Morgana.

"Well, some of us can't really say that, can we, Professor?" With arms folded she turns her attention to Alfie.

"Not necessarily so, Miss Goyle. Muggle born witches and wizards may very well be descended from squibs." He looks around quickly to see that some of his students don't yet know this term. "A squib, well, that's a non magical person born to a wizarding family. They are usually sent to live with muggles."

"Where they belong." Said Morgana.

"Well, yes, Miss Goyle. It is not really fair to raise a muggle in a world where he would struggle to fit in . A life where he would be at an acute disadvantage!" He looked from Morgana to Alfie. There is some tension between the two. He tosses a cinnamon candy to Alfie, unexpectedly. Alfie takes out his wand and "Avifors!" turns it into a tiny red bird that flutters about his head and whistles a bit before landing on the table where it finds some cake crumbs to peck. "But when it shows up again, it's like generations of repressed magic, manifesting itself full force in the witch or wizard that finally gets it!" He looked to Hugo. "Mr. Weasley. Your mother was muggle born, wasn't she? Best in her class. There wasn't a spell that she couldn't master when she put her mind to it."