Incendio

The Hogshead wasn't the most festive when it pertained to Christmas decorations. Just a small wreath in a corner that looked like moths had devoured it slowly over the years and a mistletoe above the door.

Samantha and Neville were set to meet for their third time, he'd stayed for Christmas to protect anyone left behind. He asked if she minded meeting him on Christmas Eve, she didn't mind.

"Back again I see?" Aberforth asked as she sat at the bar.

"Of course. People apparently prefer to know what's going on inside of Hogwarts with their children." Samantha insisted with a lift of her chin, "Wouldn't you want to know if it was your child?"

He didn't answer but turned to leave, "Longbottom should be here soon, you two both better be out of here before one am. That last time you were here gabbing away till nearly three am, and we open in the mornings at six for breakfast."

"Of course sir." Samantha was terrified to think what kind of breakfast he served.

There was a loud bang on the front door. Aberforth looked at Samantha with bugged out eyes.

"We're closed. Can't you read?" Aberforth yelled at the door.

The person banged again.

"Upstairs." Aberforth hissed at her. "Second room on the right, climb under the bed."

She ran and did as he said.

She pulled her cloak over her head and laid an ear against the floorboards. Aberforth's deep voice was unrecognizable.

"I told you lot, we're closed. No more drinks or vacancy tonight."

"Are all your rooms full Aberforth?" A silky voice trailed into Samantha's voice. "That's certainly never been a problem before."

"Bed bugs," Aberforth bellowed back, "nasty outbreak of them."

Samantha looked up at the bed and began scanning it for bed bugs. She scratched her skull quickly, hoping they weren't catching.

"You know we've had trouble with that before Miss Burke."

Samantha knew the name immediately, it had been branded into her memory. Could it be Hilda Burke, the woman who had seduced her brother? She felt herself practically hugging the floor now. Could it be? Could Jack be there?

"Oh yes, you've always had much trouble with that." Miss Burke replied in a sing song way. "Well, can you at least serve us a drink for the road?"

"I'm afraid not. I believe you and your friend will need to find other accommodations." Aberforth informed them.

Samantha just kept wishing the other person would say something, anything, to prove it was Jack.

"Come on Hilda my dearest. We can find somewhere else."

She recognized the voice immediately. It was Jack. She grasped her jaw and kept herself from sobbing.

"You need your rest. If we are to have you in tip top shape for next week, you need to sleep."

"It's just a Quidditch tryout, besides you know the beds are bumpy here." Jack responded.

Samantha realized what they wanted him for. They wanted him on a Quidditch team, to make the Ministry and You-Know-Who look better.

"If that's what you want darling?" Hilda responded quietly. "We will be back another time Aberforth."

The sound of the door slamming should have been welcomed by Samantha. Instead she grieved, her brother was again lost. She'd signal her parents via Potterwatch that she'd seen him, but she could do nothing else.

Aberforth came to fetch her, "Nasty woman."

"What do you know about her?" Samantha asked.

"To start with, she has an appetite for much younger men." Aberforth helped her out from under the bed. "It's not her worst offense, but it is certainly on the list of her horrible traits."

"The man with her, what'd he look like?" She feigned ignorance.

"Young, dark brown hair with dark eyes, freckled skin, wore a long black cloak like the rest of them. She's been with him a while. Last time I saw them, it was around last year. Could've sworn the boy was still a student."

"He was a student."

"Why, did you have class with him?" Aberforth asked as they entered in a side sitting room with a fireplace. Above the fireplace was a picture of a young girl, smiling somberly.

"He's my older brother." Samantha revealed. "His name is Jack. He left to be with her, he gave up everything for her."

Aberforth went silent and traced her with his eyes before looking above the fireplace.

She noticed his pause.

"I had a brother who gave up everything for the person he loved." Aberforth mentioned, the gruffness in his voice slightly subsiding, "Left his whole family behind so the two of them could find power together."

"I can't imagine giving up everything in the whole world for someone else."

"You obviously haven't been in love." Aberforth lead her back down into the pub.

Samantha shrugged, she wasn't sure if Aberforth was the person to ask what being in love was like.

"I guess for me, I can't be in love with anyone who wouldn't be willing to compromise at least a little." Samantha thought aloud.

Aberforth laughed but spoke no more, except to tell her to be out by one.

Neville arrived a few moments later. His face had more markings on it. At least they were bandaged this time.

"You promised me." She crossed her arms looking at his face. She reached into her bag, she'd recently purchased a few Essence of Dittany bottles.

"And you promised me you'd keep out of trouble." He rubbed the back of his neck, taking the bottle from her. "I can tell by your broadcasts that isn't true."

She shook her head. "Nope."

"You alright?" Neville inquired sitting beside her.

"Everyone's always asking me that." Samantha remorsefully remarked.

"Your face is a bit telling." Neville said, "I always knew if we were going to survive potions or not by your facial expressions."

Samantha laughed, "Well, then you know the answer, I'm not alright."

"I've got some stuff that might cheer you up though, before I tell you everything that's going on." He said, feigning a smile and pulling a couple of envelopes from his pocket. "Ginny and Luna sent these for you."

Samantha took the letters and loved just seeing her friend's handwriting. "This does cheer me up. Seeing you does too."

He nudged her elbow with his'. "Can't give up hope now."

Samantha smiled, she had to admit she enjoyed his optimism. "Especially not at Christmas."

"I wish it was still last year. When my worries consisted of making sure Gran didn't find out I'd had too much to drink." He looked over to her. She wasn't sure if it was his scars, the dark circles under his eyes, or if it was just the general stress, but he really did look like an adult now.

Samantha coughed before laughing, "That was the best part of my Christmas, going with you I mean. It was before everything fell apart." She leaned her head against Neville's shoulder without thinking about it. She tried to remember the party and not the chaos at home that had followed.

"Mine too." Neville sat a little straighter and put his arm around her. She could feel him playing with the bottom of her hair.

Samantha half laughed, "So how are things in Hogwarts?"

She got her pen and bewitched it to write everything he said. As he spoke she absentmindedly imagined a perfect world where nothing was wrong.

Her biggest worry would be helping Colin to be the best Editor-In-Chief the Gazette had ever had. They'd listen to Lee and Electra's radio show every night while Samantha taught Colin how to use the printing press. He'd tease her about Lee, and she'd insist she was happy he'd moved on.

Samantha could have been preparing to have an entry level position with the Prophet, doing her best to write amazing essays. She and Hermione would spend hours in the Library, pouring over NEWT level books. They'd work hard and go to Slug Club together, secretly making fun of McLaggen.

Ginny and Luna could go shopping with her for Christmas presents in Hogsmead. Of course the first stop would be at the newly refurbished Zonkos, that Fred and George would have bought out. Ginny would tell them too much about her and Harry's love life while Luna warned them about the dangers of Nargles in Mistletoe.

Her brother might've brought home a nice girl from his new job. Maybe they'd have a nice Christmas dinner and watch their favorite muggle movies. Her parents would be happy and slow dance in the living room under Christmas lights.

She'd still need Neville's help with Herbology, but maybe they would have held hands while he taught her. Maybe she would have stolen a kiss from him on the walk back from the greenhouses.

It was all of course implausible, but it was all very nice to think about. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it a little longer. It was warm with the crackling fire and Neville's shoulder was comfortable. His sweater smelled like the Gryffindor common room, a mix of cinnamon and firewood.

"Sam." She felt a light touch on her cheek. "You've fallen asleep. It's nearly two, Aberforth will kill us."

Samantha sat up quickly. "Oh my goodness." She was embarrassed. "I'm so sorry Neville. I've never fallen asleep on someone while doing an interview before."

"It's really alright." He whispered.

"I've also never fallen asleep on anyone's shoulder, so I'm sorry." She said in a hushed tone, she listened carefully, Aberforth was snoring above them.

He shook his head as if he didn't believe her.

She nodded drowsily. "I should get going."

"I wrote everything down for you." He handed her notebook and pen to her. "It stopped writing when you fell asleep."

It was his sloppy handwriting she remembered struggling to read at Hogwarts. "Thanks. I'll be back next month, if you can still meet. I won't fall asleep next time."

He nodded helping her stand up. "I'll be here. Do you know when your next show will be?"

"Tomorrow, if I can get things together." She held up her notebook. "We have a whole Christmas broadcast planned. It is Christmas after all."

She should have kissed him, he was close enough to her. She sleepily thought about it, but she decided it would be wrong. She didn't realistically see herself pursuing any kind of romance till after the war, whenever that was.

"I'll be listening." He put his hands in his pockets and stepped back towards the staircase.

She Disapperated and arrived back to the warehouse. No one was awake and she breathed a sigh of relief. She could smile and blush to her heart's content. She put her notebook on her desk before climbing the stairs to her bed.

The next day she awoke to find garland strewn about the warehouse. There was a dilapidated tree in the sitting area and Artie had somehow been stuck atop the tree. She came down and helped Lee finish decorating. She had her old sweater on, it changed to have little reindeer dancing across it. Lee similarly had a sweater with little tiny gnomes dressed like Father Christmas.

They spent their day turning their radio to muggle Christmas music, writing reports and perfecting their evening's show.

Their broadcast began around six pm. Samantha and Lee had poured themselves some holiday Champagne they bought from a muggle shop a few weeks back.

"Merry Christmas from all of us here at Potterwatch." Lee began the broadcast. "Well, at least from Rebel and I. We, like many this Christmas are spending our holiday away from family."

"So we wanted to invite anyone who may be alone this Christmas," Samantha said, thinking of her parents, "to be our family."

"Whether you are in hiding or God forbid, in captivity we are here for you." Lee continued looking dreadful as he spoke.

"If you are are grieving losses, let us grieve with you." Samantha said softly. "If you have chosen to be alone this Christmas for the safety of yourself or others, just know you are not alone."

"We have a few personal toasts, before we begin our normal broadcasts. So may we all raise a glass." Lee said nodding to Samantha. "To our regular contributors, Royal and Romulus. May you have happy celebrations tonight. To our roommates, both of whom we will refer to as Rodent."

"They asked to be called Rapier." Samantha interrupted, "Don't be mean River, it's Christmas."

"Fine, to our roommates, who's names we haven't settled upon, may you both be blessed with the company of beautiful Veela beneath the mistletoe." Lee chuckled out.

"To those who send us leads and put their lives in danger to get the real news out there, may you each be blessed with joy and peace." Samantha lifted her glass higher.

"To whoever our Hogwarts Informant is," Lee began and Samantha began shaking her head, Lee hadn't told her about this toast, "May those teachers stop using your face as a knife sharpener, but I respect your good work my friend."

Samantha sighed in relief.

"To my dad, I want you to know I am safe and I worry about you every day." Lee said looking at his glass of champagne. He never talked about his dad. Samantha knew his father was a muggle-born, who had chosen not to hide with Lee. He was worried it would put them in more danger.

"To my parents," Samantha began, feeling a frog in her throat. "I want you to know I think of you every day. I can't wait for all of us to be reunited, and I mean all of us. Someone we all know was spotted in Hogsmead last night. I hope this information helps in your search. I love you both."

"To my dear Rebel, a Merry Christmas. You do so much for me, and for this show. I'm honored to be on this journey with you. I can only hope you'd meet me under the mistletoe for a real Christmas miracle."

"Ah, River, thanks for choosing me to start this insane project with. However, I hate to inform you that the only Christmas miracle I wish for, is a long night's sleep." Samantha chuckled.

"And finally to that Boy-Who-Lived and whoever may be helping him, may you find what you need to defeat The Head Death Eater. Make him pay for ruining Christmas, among his many other horrific offenses."

They continued with the rest of the show. It was less somber, they chose to leave the more devastating news for another night, but it was in Samantha's humble opinion, one of her favorites.