Christmas Farewells
After another week of finals, there was a feast in the Great Hall to celebrate the end of term. There were plates of roasted turkey, bowls of mashed potatoes, and boats of brown gravy. For the vegetarians, there was kale salad, squash, carrots, broccoli and eggplant.
As Liam sat with his friends, Richie “Goonah” Parker came up to him and whispered in his ear. “Can I speak to you later?”
“You can speak to me now, can’t you?” asked Liam.
“Not here at the table!” said Richie. “In private.”
“Alright. Let’s meet up once we’re downstairs in the common room. I need to make sure you boys are ready to get on the train tomorrow.” As Richie walked away, Liam stole a glance over at the First and Second Years and saw some eye rolling. Whatever Goonah wants to talk to me about, he mused, it’s not as private as he thinks.
Benedict, meanwhile, was sitting with his friends. His sister was directly across from him. Cosmo asked him, “Are you going to hang out with us tonight? Play a round of wizard cards or something before we head home?”
“No,” said Benedict. “I’m meeting up with my girls tonight.”
“You see them all the time, though. Don’t you get tired of them?”
“No. It’s never boring, believe me.”
“Do you have to have all three?” asked Theo. “It would be sporting to share. They’re all very pretty.”
“It’s their decision as much as mine,” said Benedict. This won him an eye roll from Bell.
After the meal, the Hufflepuffs went downstairs to the common room, except for a few who were meeting friends from other Houses. This included Benedict, who met up with Alyssa, Freya and Meriko in the Entrance Hall. He slipped his arm around Meriko, and the three went up the Grand Staircase together.
Liam saw his Second Year boys down to the boys dormitory. “Alright, boys,” he said, “I want you all packed up and ready to go. We’ll have one more shower in the morning, so leave your toiletries out. Everything else needs to be in the trunk. And don’t throw it all in a big heap. Keep it organized, and it will be easier to get started up again when we come back in January.
Turning to Richie, he said, “Goons, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“Let’s talk in the hallway,” said Richie. The boys stepped outside the room. Liam leaned against the wall and squatted down so that he was level with the younger boy. Richie said in a soft voice, “Could I? Do you think it would be appropriate if I sent a Christmas card to Aylie?”
“Of course, you can,” said Liam. “Do you want to send cards to all of your Hufflepuff sisters?”
“No,” said Richie. “I just want to write to Aylie.”
“Alright. Go ahead. Pick out a nice card and send it to her.”
Richie, his voice falling even softer: “I don’t know where she lives.”
“Don’t worry about that,” said Liam. “Address the card to Aylie Covenshire, Godric’s Hollow, and give it to your owl. It’ll get to her.”
“She lives in Godric’s Hollow? You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Her sister is friends with Stacy. They know Hark, too, remember? They all live in Godric’s Hollow.”
“Yes, I remember. Ayle gave Hark a hug that first day, but she’s not his girlfriend.”
Liam smiled to keep from laughing. “No, she’s too young for him. But not for you. Go ahead and write her. I’m sure she’ll be happy to get a card from you.
Benedict took a walk around the castle with his three girlfriends. It was Meriko’s turn to have Benedict’s arm around her. Freya clung to his other arm while Alyssa took the lead, pointing out all the decorations hanging from the walls, chandeliers and suits of armor.
“Look at the tinsel hanging from that lamp!” said Alyssa. “From a distance, it looked silver, but when I got closer it turned blue. Now it’s green!”
“Nice effect,” said Benedict.
Meriko asked, “What are you getting us for Christmas?”
“I’ll write you all letters,” said Benedict.
“Bell said she gets tons of little gifts from her relatives at Christmastime,” said Alyssa.
“Yes, and we give gifts too,” said Benedict, “to many, many cousins. It’s all secondhand stuff, though. Someone gives me a book. I read it and then give it as a gift to someone else.”
“So, you’re giving us old books for Christmas!” said Alyssa with a laugh.
“Or something that Bell doesn’t want anymore.”
“Can’t we see you?” asked Freya.
Benedict shook his head. “We’ll all be busy with our families.”
Alyssa asked, “Aren’t you going up to Faerydale or something, Freya?”
“Druid’s Grove. We’ll be there the whole time.”
“So, I’ll be Godric’s Hollow,” continued Alyssa, “Freya will be in Druid’s Grove and Meriko’s in London. That would be quite an itinerary, trying to see all of us.”
“Yes,” agreed Benedict, “especially for someone who can’t apparate.”
“You can’t see all of us,” said Freya, morosely, “so you won’t see any of us?”
“There’s just no time,” said Benedict. “I’ll be with family every day.”
“I think we’re all due a little private time with our Benedict,” said Meriko. “If it can’t happen over the break, then it should happen tonight.”
“Not on the train tomorrow?” asked Benedict.
“Not private enough,” said Meriko. At this, Freya nodded her agreement.
“Tonight, then,” said Benedict. Looking to Meriko, he said, “I suppose you’re first. Where should we go?”
“Let’s just pop into an empty classroom,” she suggested. They found one on the second floor, completely devoid of furniture. It was a room where Liam often went with his friends to practice spellwork, though Benedict and the girls did not know this.
Benedict lit the lamp with his wand, while Meriko shut the door behind them. He gazed nervously at her. “What would you like?”
She stepped close to him. “I want my Christmas kiss.” She raised her chin. He moved in close and gave her a gentle kiss. He felt her burgundy lipstick give way as she pressed towards him.
Her dark eyes gazed at him. “You’re so tentative. Are you this way with Alyssa?”
He shrugged. “It’s not one relationship,” he said. “It’s three different relationships. Are you this way with your other boyfriend? Your fiancée?”
“Don’t talk about him,” she said, crossly.
“Then don’t ask me about Alyssa and Freya.”
“Freya’s pouting has put you in a dark mood, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, a little. But this game is harder than it looks.”
“It shouldn’t be hard. Just relax and be yourself.”
“I’m trying.” He ran his hand through her smooth, black hair, but his eyes kept turning towards the door. “They’re getting impatient. I can feel them through the wall.”
“Fine.” She broke away from him abruptly and went out the door. “It’s your turn now,” she said to Freya.
Freya walked in and shut the door. Leaning back against it, she said, “What are we going to do?”
“Meriko says we’re to relax and be ourselves.”
Freya gave a dismissive snort. “This is myself. I’m not trying to be anything different.”
“I know.” He reached his arms out for her. She came towards him, and they embraced. He felt her hands tightly clutch him.
“I hate this,” she said.
“I know. I’m afraid this game is wrecking our friendship.”
This comment only sunk her mood further. “That’s all I am to you, aren’t I? A friend.”
He bent his head and looked into her eyes. “I value your friendship, Freya,” he said. “I love you at least as much as I love Alyssa. I care for you and your feelings.”
She sunk her head into his chest. “You should have taken longer with Meriko. I feel like the clock is ticking on me now. I feel like I’ll never be alone with you again.”
“Here,” he said. “Let me give you your Christmas kiss.” She raised her chin to him and he kissed her as tenderly as he could.
Freya left and Alyssa entered. “This game is exhausting,” he told her.
“You’re just making it more complicated than it has to be.”
“It’s a complicated game, negotiating the three of you.” He pulled her into an embrace. In her presence, he felt a rush of arousal that he hadn’t felt with the other two. The perfume in her hair intoxicated him. He longed to gaze into her eyes. Knowing he did not have much time, he bent down and kissed her firmly on the mouth.
She laughed as he brushed his hand against her breast. “Do you fondle the other two?”
“No,” he said. “Just you. Because I had already done it, I thought I could keep doing it.”
“I’m fine with it.”
“I’m sorry I can’t be with you at Christmas. There’s just no way.”
“Oh, there’s a way,” said Alyssa. “But not one where the other two don’t find out about it.”
“That’s the rules. I have to keep things even somehow.”
“If I knew Freya was going to be this much of a pill, I wouldn’t have even suggested we do this.”
“You knew how Freya is, how she would be,” said Benedict. “You knew it and you did it anyway. Besides, Freya is just Freya. She’s not acting any different than normal. It’s harder when I’m with Meriko. I don’t really even know her. I don’t feel like she’s all that interested in getting to know me.”
“Believe me, Meriko is way more fun to be with than Freya.”
“Maybe for you, she is. I feel like she’s a puzzle I haven’t yet solved.”
“Don’t try to solve her, then. Just relax and have a good time.”
“That should be easy,” said Ben, “but it isn’t.” He sighed. “Come on. One more kiss and then let’s go back.” As they kissed, he ran his hand from her cheek down her side all the way to her thigh.
Out in the hallway, he told them, “I think tomorrow, I’ll start out with Pat and the guys. I’ll find you three after lunch and we can hang out until we reach London.”
The girls protested in unison, “Oh, do you have to?”
“Yes, I’ve been neglecting them.”
“Then let’s wander around the castle some more,” said Alyssa. “We’ll hang out until the prefects come calling.”
“And then, you have to walk us back,” said Meriko, “and kiss us all good night!”
They walked up and down the castle halls for another hour. When it was nearly ten, they made their way downstairs. Q was waiting for them in the Entrance Hall.
“I was about to come looking for you,” she told them. “Dennison’s troop is already inside. Everybody was back except you lot.”
“He has to give us a good night kiss!” said Meriko.
Q let out a hiss of irritation. “Get on with it, then.”
There was no room to hide in, no screen or column to hide behind. They were standing in the wide open space of the Hall. Benedict went first to Meriko, then to Freya and finally to Alyssa, doling out one tender kiss to each. He turned his eyes warily to Q. “Good night, Quillan,” he said.
She smirked at him. “Good night, Took.” More sternly, to the three girls, she said, “Come on, now. Down the stairs we go!”
Benedict went down another stairwell and entered the Den. Liam and Lara were engaged in conversation by the fire. When they saw Ben, they both got up. “Sleep well,” said Liam to Lara.
“Thank you,” she answered. “If we don’t have time to talk tomorrow, happy Christmas to you both!”
The elves made another big feast for breakfast the next day – French Toast, omelettes, bacon and something that looked and tasted like ground sausage but was made from vegetables. After breakfast, the carriages were waiting to take the students in threes and fours to the station.
Tess and Vanessa sat with their boyfriends. This opened up a spot for Philip to join Morwena, Rhiannon and Pauline.
Pauline yawned and slumped against Philip. “I’m so tired,” she said. “I was busy packing last night, and the time got away from me, I guess.”
With a nod of encouragement from Rhiannon, Philip stretched out his arm and eased it around Pauline. She accepted it as if it was her due. “I hardly ate anything this morning,” she continued. “I was still full from dinner last night.”
“We really have to pace ourselves when we eat,” said Morwena. “The elves spoil us so.
Directing her comments to Philip, she continued, “I avoided the French Toast this time, but Tess and I split an omelette. Did you try the sausage?”
“Yes, I did. It was quite good.”
“It was vegetarian, did you know that? It’s made from soy protein and vegetables!”
“It’s amazing what they can do nowadays,” said Philip.
They reached the station and mounted the steps to the platform. Philip kept his arm around Pauline, and she made no attempt to pull away. Blake Ellsworth passed close by in the company of other Seventh Year boys. Philip gave the older boy a hard stare and pulled Pauline more tightly to him until Ellsworth was up onto the train.
They found an empty compartment and sat with Morwena and Rhiannon on one bench, Philip and Pauline on the other.
Morwena: “Did you see? Yesterday afternoon, our Government scores were posted. O’s all around! Our whole study group got Outstanding!”
“You’re quite thorough in your preparation,” said Philip. “It was a great help to all of us.”
“You had a good bit to do with it, too,” said Morwena. “None of us have your background in Ministry structure and procedures.”
“I’ve just grown up with it,” said Philip. “There were plenty of times as a kid that I wished I came from a family of Quidditch stars or dragon tamers instead of a giant brood of Ministry technocrats. It never felt like an advantage until I took this class.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to get a job in Ministry straight away?” asked Morwena. “A junior clerk or something?”
“It’s possible. I hope they don’t send me to University saying I need more Arithmancy. It’s a reoccurring nightmare for me, personally.” The others laughed.
“Junior Clerk pays pretty well, though, doesn’t it?” asked Morwena.
“I suppose. It’s a matter of perspective, really. It pays enough for a small apartment. I won’t be going on vacation anytime soon, not on that pay. It’s much less than a Senior Clerk makes, but much more than you’d pull in working in a clothing store or waiting tables.”
“And with time, you move up in the rankings, the pay gets better,” added Morwena. “Plus, the job is basically recession-proof. It’s a career with some very set and successful paths.”
“That’s definitely an advantage,” agreed Philip. “Not always the most interesting work, but it doesn’t go away. People in sales or finance or law make more, but they have ups and downs. A Ministry job is steady and dependable.”
The lunch cart came. They ordered sandwiches, apples and a large bag of crisps to share. An hour later, they were rolling into London. Philip found their trunks and brought Pauline’s to the platform ahead of his own. Rhiannon did the same for Morwena.
They paused before the brick wall. Pauline turned to Philip and asked, “You’ll call me?”
“Yes, I promise.”
“Happy Christmas!” She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then vanished through the barrier.
Philip felt a hand on his arm. It was Morwena. “You’re doing well,” she said. “I think she’s coming around to the idea that you are a solid option for a boyfriend and potentially a husband.
Philip blushed. “I would have loved a kiss on the lips, but it’s more than I’ve gotten in the past.”
“That will come in time,” said Morwena. “Keep asserting yourself.”
“I want to buy her a present for Christmas.”
She gave his arm a tender squeeze. “I’ll help you,” she said.