Forgotten (Harry Potter next generation fanfic)

Chapter 8: A Christmas to Remember

November flew by and soon Christmas came around the corner. Professor Slughorn came around the Slytherin common room with a list asking who was leaving for the Holidays. All four of us signed the piece of parchment and returned to our talk.
"So what do you plan to do for the Holidays Belle?" I asked finally finishing my Transfiguration homework that was due after the holidays. She looked up from petting Thalia and smiled brightly at me.
"Oh you know the normal Christmas stuff. Christmas caroling, baking, shopping, skating in the park. You know the big deals going on in shops are totally barbaric." She stated with a laugh. I looked over to where Albus and Scorpius were playing Wizards Chess with total focus, Albus in the lead. Scorpius was in deep thought before making his move.
"Knight to E5!" He ordered and the black knight piece moved magically to its instructed spot. Albus smiled with a look of knowledge before making his move that would possibly win the game.
"Queen to E5!" His piece moved over to where the knight was and took a sword smashing the knight to pieces. Albus had a satisfactory smile on his face as he stared at Scorpius's bewildered one.
"Check mate!" He finally said winning the game.
"Now that is totally barbaric." I stated with a laugh as the pieces put themselves back together and the boys put the game away. Scorpius's sat next to me and began to talk about letting me come over some time during Christmas break and I smiled through his entire conversation.
"Every year we have this Christmas party that my grandparents host and a bunch of people come over, though they're mostly people from the ministry and old friends." He said with remembrance. I laughed and put my arms around him with assurance.
"It can't be that bad. Especially with all the decorations and food. Everyone must have a great time every year for your family party?" I said making his face fall.
"Not really. Sometimes my grandfather forces them to come over by scaring them. Tell me about your family's Christmas." He changed the topic of his family and looked at me with excitement.
"Well every year my family also hosts a Christmas party but it just includes family and friends so it's usually small. My grandmother comes over and helps mother bake these amazing ginger bread cookies and Christmas cakes that literally make you melt after a single bite. We always have a lot of Christmas decor that makes the house glow in colors, father plays Christmas music from a radio in the living room. And it's tradition for someone in our family to put the star on the tree, this year it's my little siblings, Lara and Luke, turn. At around midnight each one of us opens one present before going to bed." I finished and he looked amazed at my Christmas party. "But it can't be as great as yours. I mean a bunch of important people come to your place and you get to meet them." I quickly pointed out. He shook his head and smiled at me.
"Not really. It's doesn't sound as fun as yours. Maybe I'll just come over to your place this Christmas-" he started before Belle interrupted with a smile.
"Too late I'm going over to her place!" She informed with smirk.
"What about your family?" He asked her with crossed arms.
"My family decided to go to Romania to visit my sister and her boyfriend. So Anna's parents agreed to let me over." She said sticking her tongue out at Scorpius making Al and I burst out laughing as the house elves came down with our luggage and took it out of the common room where the would put it next entrance of Hogwarts. Midnight jumped onto my lap and hissed at an elf trying to put her in her cage. I pet her gently and looked at the elf with a apologetic look.
"It's fine I'll take her with me if you don't mind!" I exclaimed and the elf moved over to where Thalia was eyeing the creature with icy daggers.
"Same here. Trust me you don't want to force her into the cage!" Belle stated holding her cat close to her.
"Anyone leaving for the Holidays are to report to the carriages in the Courtyard!" Professor Slughorn instructed and I stood up with my friends at my side as we exited the common room and headed towards the carriages where we hopped in and talked throughout the ride to the station.
"Is your dad still mad at you Al?" Belle asked the sad looking boy next to her. He nodded and sighed.
"He's always mad at me. Like nothing I do is good enough for him!" He stated as we gathered in an empty compartment and sat down.
"Well he is idiotic. Your very talented Al. Maybe not in the way he expects you to be, but you are!" Scorpius assured him with a smile.
"He's right Al. Just ignore it and if anything happens you know where to floor powder yourself to!" I told him with a laugh. He rolled his eyes at me and turned to Belle and began a conversation about different types of jinxing spells. I turned towards Scorpius with a smile.
"When do you think they'll get together?" I asked him, smirking lightly. He turned to me with wide eyes and a mouth full of chocolate frogs.
"What!?"
"You heard me!"
"I know what you said, I mean why do you think they like each other?" I rolled my eyes and pointed to them.
"Do you see the way they are looking at each other. How Al is paying attention to her every word and leaning closer. How Belle is looking into his eyes with a spark of admiration in her eyes. It's quite obvious!" I pointed out and he made an O with his mouth as he began to see my descriptions. It wasn't long before we had to get off the train and meet our families for the holidays.
"There's your dad Al!" Scorpius pointed behind us and we saw his father and what I assumed was his mother. Al looked at his family with a sad look.
"Yeah. Your right." He turned his attention back to us and smiled before we gathered him into a tight hug. We broke apart and smiled at him before he left us towards his family.
"Come on. Scorpius are you sure your father doesn't mind that your staying with me?" I asked for the billionth time, he pulled out a letter and pointed to the word yes on it.
"Yes. I'm positive Anna!" He stated as we spotted my parents and I ran away from my friends and into my parent's outstretched arms and we embraced after not seeing each other for three months.
"I've missed you so much darling!" My mother said kissing my cheeks and turned her eyes to my friends who looked at us with smiles. Mother let go of me and pulled Belle and Scorpius into a motherly hug.
"You must be Annalise's good friends Belle and Scorpius. I was so happy to hear from Annalise that you would be spending Christmas with us." She stated with a smile breaking the hug. Father chuckled lightly and put and arm around mother's waist.
"Come on dear. We need to hurry home before our meeting with the minister of magic this evening." He informed her looking at his watch. She nodded and held out her arm towwrds me and I grabbed it with a sigh.
"Link arms with me." I told Belle and her and Scorpius linked arms and we apperated out of the station and landed into the living room of my mansion. Belle looked around in amazement and Scorpius looked at all the books on shelves and his jaw fell open.
"Well make yourselves at home. Just don't go in the last room on the left down the hall. Anna tell Kreacher to get you guys some snacks. Your siblings are at your grandmother's. She got them at the school, although Lara and Luke are here. So you basically have the house to yourselves for the evening." Father said before him and mother went to go get ready leaving us in the living room. I sighed in relief and plopped down on the white sofa with a smile. Belle plopped down next to me and Scorpius slowly sat down on the arm chair and stared around the room in wonder. Christmas decorations filled the entire house and in the corner near the living room window was a tall Christmas tree that was decorated with gold, green and silver. Flora walked towards us with a platter of star-shaped frosted cookies that were freshly baked and placed them on the glass coffee table in the center between us.
"Thank you Flora! Would you like one?" I asked, grabbing a cookie and handing it to her.
"Mistress Annalise is most kind and generous to Flora!" The adorable elf exclaimed before taking the cookie out of my hand and eating the treat. She closed her big eyes and spun around in delight.
"Most delicious. Try one Mistress Annalise." She stated and gave me a cookie from the silver platter. I put the frosted cookie into my mouth and was immediately met with a warm deliciousness that filled my mouth and I closed my eyes taking in the moment.
"So freaking good!" I exclaimed with my mouth full. Flora smiled brightly and walked back to the kitchen where the other elves were. Belle and Scorpius reached for the cookies and began eating them, their expressions changed to the same one I had when I tasted the cookie.
"So good!" They said in unison with their mouths full making me laugh loudly. I heard two pairs of feet scurring down the hall and I turned around in the seat and smiled when I saw Lara and Luke smiling back at me. I jumped from my seat as they ran towards me and I gathered them into a tight hug.
"I've missed you guys so much!" I exclaimed still embracing the twins.
"We missed you too Anna." They said in unison with tiny voices as we broke apart. Their grey-green eyes were wide in excitement as we sat down on the sofa, Belle next to me with the twins in either side of us as they began to tell me all about their adventures while I was gone.
"And then we found this bird that was all red-" Luke started.
"Found out it was called a Red Car