When Fire Meets Gasoline | Wizarding World

chapter nineteen | the big christmas disaster

Stepping back onto the grounds of King's Cross Station made Mary realize how quickly the year was going by. She remembered seeing the faces of her family as they watched her leave the station on the first day of September. Now, she would see them again for the first time in over three months.

The anxious feeling came over the girl when she spotted her brother waiting for her. She huffed a sigh and made her way towards him. "Hey!" she called out.

Tobias looked over and smiled. "Hey, you." He gave her a hug, one that Mary knew was sincere. "Behaving yourself?"

"As much as I can," she replied. "You?"

"You know I am," he said.

"I find that hard to believe," Mary joked, grinning.

The boy rolled his eyes playfully as the two began to walk. "Come on. I'm taking you out to eat." He paused, then continued on. "So, how's things going with the mission? Are you and Draco getting far with it?"

Mary was a bit hesitant to respond. After the last letter she got from him a few months ago, she really felt as if Tobias didn't need to know any more about what was going on. "It's going," was all she said.

"Well, that doesn't sound convincing," he retorted.

"There isn't much to say about it," she told him. "Draco and I have been working hard on it, though."

Tobias exhaled loudly, shaking his head. "I don't think that answer will be good enough for Dad and Mom."

Mary couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was hoping that wasn't the case, but being at the halfway mark of the mission, she really wasn't sure. Now, she was beginning to feel more nervous than ever.

"So what exactly have you been up to while I was at school?" she asked.

Tobias let out a chuckle. "Oh, nothing too crazy."

"That doesn't sound convincing," she mocked him from before.

The boy looked at his sister. "Well, nothing crazy until now, I mean. There is something I have planned to do with a few other people over the holidays."

"Which is what, exactly?" she questioned.

He paused, scratching his head. "I'm not really supposed to tell you, Mary."

She frowned. "Why not?"

"It was Dad's idea. He thought it would be best if you focused on your mission with Draco and nothing else."

Mary sighed, walking outside with her brother. "Is it something big?"

Tobias smirked down at her. "Oh, yes it is. I can guarantee it."

With that, Mary was left with the thought of what could happen, a gut feeling that it would be something terrible.

*******

For the next few days, Oliver found himself inside his house, trying to enjoy the holidays, despite the situation of being with his parents. While the atmosphere was mostly calm, Oliver still had the feeling that his parents were hiding something from him.

By Christmas night, the three were sitting around the table, finishing up their clootie dumplings prepared by his mother. It was quiet among them, but Oliver saw that his parents were itching to say something.

Finally, his father cleared his throat, getting Oliver and his mother's attention. "Well, Isla, I think it's time we tell Oliver our news."

Oliver raised his eyebrows, interested yet nervous of what news his parents were about to drop on him. "What is it?"