Christmas Confusion
Christmas was both a wonderful and chaotic sort of day. It of course began with a few brightly colored presents at the end of the bed.
Minnie enjoyed unwrapping her gifts. There was a new scarf from Lysander and a Spellbound album from Cody.
There was box of fever fudge from Josie, accompanied by a very colorful hand drawn comic. The comic portrayed Minnie dressed as Supergirl, punching Brenna square in the mouth. It certainly caused Minnie to chuckle.
Aunt Luna had sent a necklace covered in silver protection charms. While her Godparents sent her a simple silver bracelet with her name scrawled across.
Her father gave her a new set of dragon scale lather gloves for Herbology. The gloves had little violet flowers around the wrists. Her mother took a slightly less practical approach, giving Minnie the newest SpiritSprout record a band shirt and a new set of hair clips.
Duke left dead mice outside everyone's doors, as he did every Christmas. Aunt Luna had explained that it was the best gift Duke knew how to give. It wasn't the most pleasant, but it was appreciated. He was given several large steaks for the freezer along with a new blanket to burrow into.
Christmas morning continued with a very bountiful breakfast as a family. Minnie's parents really couldn't cook anything proper. Minnie recognized Lulu's name on a little paper that accompanied their breakfast, so she knew where the menagerie of treats came from.
They spent the late morning at St. Mungos, visiting their Grandma Longbottom. Their Great Gran met them there.
Grandma Longbottom was quite off her rocker, but she was intensely loving to the girls. Despite not knowing who they were, she treated them like a small child might treat an older sibling. She let them hold her baby doll and they all shared sugared butterfly wings. She'd wave her arms and try to get the girls to dance to music that never played.
As they left the hospital, they ran into their Great Uncle and Aunt Flume who it seemed were also there to visit Grandma Alice. They wished the little Longbottom family a Happy Holiday and promised free sweets upon their next visit to Honeydukes.
They had lunch at Great Gran's, who always had Great-Great Uncle Algie visiting over the Holidays. His jokes were always funny, making everyone but Great Gran laugh at the table. He somehow always managed to sneak her parents a bit of whiskey under the table.
Great Gran gave each girl very elegant looking handbags as Christmas gifts. They were almost too elegant with gold trim. Minnie wondered where she was supposed to carry such a bag.
Christmas dinner was always spent at Grandma and Grandpa Fyre's. It was a warm cottage with many muggle amenities. They had a computer, iPads and a few televisions. Grandpa Fyre was a muggle who insisted on keeping up with technology.
Uncle Jack surmised it was because Grandpa Fyre wanted to watch American football. After dinner he turned on a game he had saved specifically for the occasion.
"How are the snackers doing this season? Have they finally replaced that awful left receiver?" Alice asked their Grandpa before sitting beside him. She had a can of muggle soda and a big plate of biscuits.
Her father was setting up a chess game for himself and Uncle Jack. Minnie was seated on the floor, drinking a bit of butterbeer. She didn't care for American football, but she liked watching the television well enough. They were rarely around them, so it was just fun to watch the colors.
Her mother and Grandma were in their Grandma's office, working on a supposed surprise.
It wasn't really much of a surprise. The past two years, Minnie and Alice's Christmas gift from her grandparents had been gowns for the Gazette Gala.
The Gazette Gala was a formal party her parents threw to encourage networking within the Gazette's current members and its' former members. Minnie was convinced that was what they were obviously finishing up.
"No, unfortunately." Her Grandpa beamed proudly at Alice.
Slice had shown a slight interest in Muggle sports. She knew most of the rules and regulations. This was a feat no one else in the family dared to attempt.
"Damnit." Alice dramatically crossed her arms.
"Alice, watch your language please." Minnie's dad scolded, but didn't look up from the chess set. He was leaned over, the wrinkles in his forehead growing at Jack's every move.
"Remember what I told you?" Her grandfather asked Alice with a proud lift of his chin.
"We can only use inappropriate words when Pittsburgh is playing." Alice sat up proudly.
"Good job." Her grandfather toasted Alice who responded by lifting her muggle soda.
"I hear you've been killing that Quidditch thing." Grandpa Fyre jokingly asked as Alice rolled her eyes. "Jack says you are the best Sweeper Gryffindor has ever had."
Minnie had wondered at first if it was his age that made him say certain things wrong. However, according to her mother it had been a longstanding joke. It had nothing to do with his muggle mind pressing into its' mid eighties.
"For the record, that isn't a difficult task to be." Jack rolled his eyes standing up and taking his place across from Minnie's dad, "And I specifically remember saying Alice was the best Keeper Hogwarts has ever had. That is a much more difficult task of course, considering Gryffindor has only had two-maybe three good Keepers in the last four decades. Two of which I myself played against. However Hogwarts has had incredible Keepers in the past, but Alice is a natural talent."
"Thanks Uncle Jack." Alice giggled, her cheeks turning red.
Minnie's mother and grandmother returned to the room with large beaming smiles.
"So which of my beautiful Granddaughters will be playing dress up first?" Grandma Fyre asked, waving her arms and making the black fringe on her sleeves resemble a bird's wings.
Alice jumped up excitedly raising her hand, "Me of course!"
Alice returned moments later looking quite sweet in her light blue tea length dress. It had little capped sleeves and a bottom that looked like she were floating on a cloud. It offset her soft curls and her bright eyes.
"I feel like a princess." Alice exclaimed with a big twirl. The twirl caused the skirt to fly up slightly revealing more fluffy clouds beneath instead of a petticoat.
Duke flew around the bottom of the skirt with Blossom following. They both seemed entranced by the cloudy atmosphere at the bottom.
"You look like a princess." Minnie's mum conceded with a small smile.
"Alright Minnie." Her Grandmother called out after Alice had changed. "Your turn."
Minnie felt quite like a woman as she looked at it in the mirror. She didn't feel ugly or fat, she felt very much like an elegant witch.
Minnie's gown was made of a violet colored satin material. It had a neckline that formed the shape of a V. It floated along the floor with just the smallest amount of white sparkle. It really brought out the deep brown in her eyes and hair.
Her grandma kissed her cheek before taking her hair and pulling it up a little. "Updo, of course."
"Of course." Minnie agreed looking at how her skin looked quite refined against the color.
Her grandma wrapped her arms around her shoulders, "Now I can't imagine anyone saying you aren't the most beautiful girl in the world."
Minnie swallowed a little, "Mum said something didn't she?"
Her grandma nodded, "Only enough to tell me to go over and above for your gown this year."
Minnie appreciated the gesture, she had to admit she did feel prettier, even if briefly.
"You know the only person who can recognize your beauty is you right?" Her grandma asked.
"Mum said something along those lines." Minnie explained.
"Yeah, your mum had to learn that lesson herself, little later in life, but she did learn it." Her grandma asked with a shrug. "As do most people."
Minnie really didn't want to talk about it.
"Now let's show everyone." Her grandma said with an adoring smile.
Everyone of course exclaimed the beauty of the dress and Minnie in it. She did feel beautiful currently in the dress, but she suspected that the moment she took the dress off she'd return to seeing her flaws again.
Alice couldn't stop talking about how beautiful Minnie looked in her gown. Even when they'd returned home later that evening. It was very late, nearing midnight, but their parents said it was alright they stay up a little later together just to wind down from the long day.
Their mother made them hot coco and had turned on the WWN which was being headed by Cody's dad for the evening.
Her parents made it all of twenty minutes before both falling asleep on the sofa. Her mum's head lay upon her dad's shoulder. Her dad was snoring and her mum's hands were silent beneath Duke's body who was laying himself across her hands.
Minnie and Alice had seated themselves in the big bay window, watching the snowflakes swirl against the lights of the village below them. The lights from their Christmas tree looked dazzling against the crestfallen snow. Artie was curled in a blanket upon Alice's lap, not asleep but also watching the snowflakes fall.
"We have a few more standard muggle Christmas songs tonight before we continue on to a very special broadcast that I personally have insisted upon closing out the Network's Christmas broadcasts for many years now." Lee's voice calmly sounded over the radio. "It is important as the years go on, that we remember the fight, we as a community and a world, battled three decades ago. It is important to remember the little moments of light we found during that time. That way, when we hold our children at night we remember the gratitude that they hopefully will never have to endure what we did. So after the next few songs, stay tuned in for a rebroadcast of The Very Special Potterwatch Christmas special."
"Mum's in that." Alice whispered looking back to their sleeping parents. "Lee plays it every year. How far have you gotten in the book?"
Minnie shrugged, "Not much today obviously. But yesterday I made it to where the Gazette got banned."
"Oh, then we should turn off the radio before then. It might spoil a few things." Alice laughed before waving her wand, making the radio turn off.
"You aren't supposed to do magic outside school." Minnie scolded.
"Not that anyone would know, since mum and dad do magic and all. Honestly, I think that trace law is prejudice against Muggleborns. Did you hear Hermione's trying to change it?" Alice chuckled.
"Still, we're not supposed to."
"If I give you your Christmas present will you keep it a secret then?" Alice asked sitting up onto her knees.
Minnie had wondered why her sister hadn't given her a gift, but had wrote it off as Alice being embarrassed not to have gotten her one.
Minnie didn't have time to answer as Alice ran from the room and returned just as quickly. It was a very large present, and Alice looked ridiculous as she pulled it behind her.
"I hope you like it as much as I did when I saw it. I thought of you immediately and just knew it was perfect for you." Alice exclaimed excitedly handing it to Minnie. Her messy pigtails flew about as her hands clapped quietly. "I hope you like it, even if it's not exactly the best present ever."
Minnie opened the silver packaging to reveal a simple guitar without strings. It was a chestnut color with little stars etching the sides.
Minnie was shocked and she tried stuttering out words, "Lissy, this had to cost you a lot."
Alice shrugged, "Well, I'm not saving for a broom anymore. So I had to put my money somewhere."
"Still, it's-"
"I know it doesn't have strings, but Uncle Jack was teaching you guitar that one night and he promised he could show you how to string it." Alice interrupted wringing her hands. "And, I know Uncle Jack and I have Quidditch in common, so I figured this way he could teach you something too."
It was the best gift in the whole world to Minnie. Minnie almost felt like she'd given Alice an underwhelming gift in comparison, just a new Taylor Swift record. Minnie cautiously put the guitar down before embracing her sister. "I love you Lissy."
"I love you too Minnie." Alice responded with a big sloppy kiss to the cheek. She looked back out the window. "It's been an excellent Christmas don't you think?"
Minnie nodded, her eyes still glued to her guitar. "It's been pretty wonderful."
"You know, with that gown Grandma Fyre made you, you actually need a date to the Gala this year." Alice suggested in a hushed tone. "You can't look that beautiful and not have a date. Not that you should only make yourself look beautiful for a date and all, but it would be interesting to see you with some arm candy."
Minnie rolled her eyes.
"Roll your eyes as much as you like, I'm just suggesting a scenario where you could maybe get your first kiss."
"And who do you suggest I ask?" Minnie asked pulling a blanket around her arms.
"Lysander fancies you. You could ask him." Alice's eyes became bigger, "You could ask him tomorrow, he will be at the party!"
He'd never insinuated such a notion. It made Minnie beyond confused as she asked, "Did he tell you that he fancied me?"
Alice nodded, "Yeah."
"He actually told you that?"
Alice raised an eyebrow, "Yes, Lysander is my friend of course. Friends tell each other things."
Minnie felt herself begin to laugh. She knew they were friendly because of Alice being Aunt Luna's Goddaughter. She just didn't think they were close enough to divulge secrets to each other.
"And he wanted advice on impressing you." Alice cocked her head, "I didn't have any good advice. I'm not sure what would impress you and honestly no one really deserves you. Not even Lysander even if he is awful nice and he's not a bad looking fellow."
"I guess." Minnie decided to be honest, "But I don't think I fancy Lysander."
Alice pinched her lips, "Well that's disappointing, I had your whole wedding planned. Technically I had a double wedding in mind, me with Lorcan you with Lysander."
"That would certainly make Aunt Luna happy." Minnie laughed again, hoping it didn't wake her parents, "I never knew you were such close friends with my friends."
"Just Lysander, and I guess Cody too, but I don't think all of your friends would want to be my friend." Alice shrugged. "I know Josie doesn't like me."
"She thinks you are really good at Quidditch." Minnie tried qualifying.
"I know she does, but she doesn't let me do anything but practice when we are at practice." Alice said with a small huff to her voice.
"That's the point of practice." Minnie laughed.
"Yeah, but the rest of the team gets to run drills with each other." Alice said dolefully, "Josie only lets me take breaks when everyone else is flying their drills together."
Minnie sat up and raised an eyebrow, "She makes you fly drills alone?"
"Then after practice she always tells me to run extra drills while the rest of the team goes to dinner together." Alice revealed with a slump of her shoulders.
It all made sense. Minnie had seen the team sitting together, all of them except Alice, but she didn't want to believe it. Josie couldn't be so cruel. It had to be a misunderstanding.
"And I'm never invited to celebrate with them, unless it's in the common room because it's hard to keep that a secret really.." Alice pulled her blanket around her more. "But they all get invited together by Josie to celebrate in some room I'm not supposed to know about the next day."
"Room you aren't supposed to know about?"
"Room of requirement." Alice shrugged, "I don't know why they think I don't know about it. Dad showed me years ago where it was so I could go somewhere when I needed to cry."
Minnie was too stunned to speak.
"I guess I understand. It's probably because I'm annoying." Alice said with a drowsy sigh. She leaned her head against the window.
"Who said you were annoying?" Minnie asked, clenching her fist.
"Josie" Alice shrugged and closed her eyes. "I mean, it's probably true and everything. I do talk too much and she's just doing what's best for the team I guess."
She fell asleep against the window, leaving Minnie alone with her thoughts.
Minnie couldn't sleep, even as she retreated to her room. She was determined to get to the bottom of this. She'd talk to Josie, tomorrow at the party, and see if it were really true.