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When Arya and the boys entered the sitting room, they saw plates, cups, and dishes gliding towards the dining table. Arya's hunger only grew at the sight of meat pasties, lasagne, and delicious desserts.
Ginny, noticing the three of them watching, said:
"We don't have to do everything magically, you know. Come on, lend a hand and we'll finish sooner."
The three headed into the kitchen and returned with several dessert trays that looked absolutely mouth-watering. Once everything was in place, everyone gathered around the table. Ginny and Harry sat at either end.
Arya was ravenous but tried to maintain proper table manners. Mrs Potter's meat pasties were unlike anything she'd ever tasted before. Apparently, Mr Weasley agreed, because he said:
"Wow, Ginny, your cooking's incredible. You've really taken after our mum in that department."
He then glanced at Hermione and added:
"We're always stuck with ready-made meals!"
Hermione shot him a glare.
"Are you saying my cooking's rubbish?"
Ron quickly replied:
"No, darling! You just never have the time!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
The dinner conversation was lively — they discussed Teddy's new job, which apparently involved working in the "Misleading Magic" Department at the Ministry. Arya was curious to know what exactly they did there. There was also talk of the upcoming summer wedding. Ginny shared some very helpful tips with Victoria.
It took Arya a few minutes to realise that Victoria was, in fact, Bill Weasley's daughter — their Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. She was so excited about this revelation that she left her dessert half-eaten to tell Scorpius.
Scorpius said with a grin,
"To be honest, I already knew."
"Oh, come on! I thought I was the first to figure it out!" Arya groaned.
Their conversation was interrupted by James.
"Dad, did you know they've fenced off the Forbidden Forest? Apparently, one of the hags escaped!"
Arya whispered to Scorpius, delighted:
"At last! My favourite topic!"
A brief silence fell over the table. Then Harry asked quietly:
"No, I didn't. When did this happen?"
James, absent-mindedly stirring his pudding, replied:
"A week or two ago. Professor McGonagall said it's nothing serious, but it's strange they've put up a barrier around the forest."
Hermione added:
"Well, sometimes a Headmistress has to do things she can't explain. No need to worry — I doubt there's a problem Minerva can't sort out."
Arya wanted to say something but changed her mind. They might ask how she'd got that information and she wouldn't be able to explain.
A few seconds passed in silence, filled only with the clinking of cutlery. People began chatting in twos and threes. Arya glanced over at Harry, who was sitting not far from her, and asked:
"Mr Potter, may I ask when you last saw my father?"
Harry paused for a moment, thinking.
"I think… two or three days ago? Why do you ask?"
"Oh, just wondering," Arya replied, returning to her pudding.
Harry studied her for a moment, then asked:
"If you've got a message for your father, I'd be happy to pass it on when I next see him."
Arya replied gently:
"Thank you, Mr Potter… but I don't think he's in the mood to hear messages."
She busied herself with her food. She didn't want to elaborate on her father's behaviour.
A few minutes later, dinner was over and everyone was busy clearing the table. James was approaching Arya, wearing his usual smug grin.
"I really want to know how you managed to get into the Forest!"
"I can't say. It's private."
James smiled.
"Come on, I promise I won't use your method."
Arya grinned back.
"You couldn't use it even if you tried."
She then joined Albus and Scorpius, who were standing near the stairs, giggling about something unclear.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione were seated near the fireplace, chatting. Ginny, after seeing Teddy and Victoria off, turned to the children and said:
"Alright, boys in Albus's room, girls in James's."
James protested. "But I want to sleep in my own room, Mum! All my stuff's there!"
"This way's better. Trust me," Ginny insisted, and disappeared into the sitting room to join Harry.
The four of them headed upstairs. Arya entered Albus's room, picked up her suitcase, wished the boys good night, and shut the door behind her.
When she entered James's room, Lily was sitting on a chair by the mirror, brushing her hair. She smiled at Arya.
"We've got one bed and a foldable sofa. Take whichever you like."
Arya thanked her and looked around. James's room was far messier than Albus's. Posters of brooms and motorbikes covered every wall. It looked more like a magical supplies shop than a bedroom. On one wall, the Firebolt 2030 gleamed. Arya wanted to get a closer look, but she knew better than to snoop without permission.
She unfolded the sofa and lay down. Placing her magical calendar beside her, she tried to sleep. An hour passed. Sleep wouldn't come. In that time, she'd entertained a thousand foolish ideas — all centred around finding her father. She even considered transforming into her phoenix form and flying to the Ministry. But it was a ridiculous thought — she'd never used her phoenix's invisibility powers before, and even if she had, she didn't know how to enter the Ministry. And even if she did find her father, he likely wouldn't react kindly.
Sometimes she wondered if she was too emotionally dependent on him. Maybe she needed to learn to live without leaning on him. But even thinking about that felt impossibly hard. As these thoughts swirled in her mind, her eyelids grew heavy, and at last, she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Arya was awakened by laughter and excitement from downstairs. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at her calendar. It was Christmas Day. A tiny Santa figurine had popped up, and delicate flakes of snow trickled down the dome. She tapped the words Merry Christmas on the calendar, and a red-wrapped chocolate egg emerged from beneath the glass. She popped it into her mouth happily and sighed — she'd have to wait until her birthday for another treat like that. The calendar only produced surprises on special dates.
Then she turned to her Christmas presents. Since she'd already received most of her gifts ahead of time, she hadn't expected much. But to her surprise, four wrapped boxes were placed neatly at the far side of the room, all addressed to her.
There was a magical bracelet from Mrs Potter, a book titled The Inventors of Magic from Scorpius, and a compass from Albus. The final gift was a diary, with no sender listed. But Arya had a good idea who it was from.
When she left the room, she spotted Albus and Scorpius lurking about like patrolmen. Albus hurried over.
"Were you alone in there?"
Arya, confused, answered.
"Yeah … why?"
Albus lowered his voice.
"Scorp and I had an idea. If we want to figure out what's really going on at school, we need to track which professor goes where and when. So we thought we'd borrow the Marauder's Map from James."
"Borrow it?!"
"Well, borrow might not be the exact word..."
Scorpius chimed in with a convincing tone. "Besides, he's leaving school this year. He won't need it anymore."
Arya replied in a quiet voice.
"Suit yourself. He's your brother, Albus. Do as you like."
"Just make sure no one comes upstairs while we're at it," said Albus.
Arya huffed.
"Fine. I'll keep watch. But make it quick."
Then, as she turned towards the stairs, she smiled.
"By the way, thanks for the presents."
She descended the staircase. In the sitting room, a beautiful Christmas tree stood proudly by the fireplace, decorated with great care. Hermione stood beside it, murmuring incantations under her breath. Coloured lights wrapped themselves around the branches. Red ribbons floated gently into place. Bells large and small jingled softly.
Arya whispered, "That was amazing."
Hermione smiled, her wavy brown hair pinned back, eyes bright with joy.
"Not too tricky. I can teach you the spell if you like." She then made her way to the breakfast table.
Arya saw James approaching. He was wearing a red knitted jumper and looked quite cheerful. He smiled.
"Hey, we're going to play a bit of Quidditch after breakfast. You in? We've got a small pitch out in the back garden," he said, pointing towards the far end of the sitting room.
Arya replied,
"Better not. You lot haven't seen me play, and I'd rather not reveal my hand just yet."
James smirked.
"I could just pop down to the pitch one day and watch you during practice."
Arya raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you could — but at least make an effort, instead of expecting me to just hand you my secrets on a silver platter."
James laughed.
"As you wish," and turned towards the stairs. Arya walked beside him, subtly blocking his path, trying not to be obvious.
"By the way, James, where could I get a Firebolt?"
James stopped, looked surprised for a moment, then softened.
"Well, you'd have to send an owl to Diagon Alley. I can send one for you, if you like."
"Oh no, thanks. I'll manage."
After a pause, James said,
"Want to see mine? You can even try it out, see if it suits you."
Arya, heart thudding, climbed one step and stood in front of him. Her brain was racing faster than her pulse.
"No need. I've got another idea. What do you say we play a different kind of game? Albus and Scorp don't even like Quidditch."
James raised an amused brow. It was clear he had picked up on Arya's slight nervousness.
"Alright. What sort of game?"
Arya stepped down from the stair and said more quietly,
"How about Truth or Dare?"
James laughed.
"You sure? It's not half as fun here as it is at school. No proper dares allowed."
Then, lowering his voice and gazing into her eyes, he added,
"Though we might uncover a few interesting truths about each other."
He turned to the others and called out,
"Rose, what do you reckon? Fancy a round of Truth or Dare?"
Rose, still eating her breakfast, smiled.
"Why not?"
Just then, Ginny emerged from the kitchen.
"Whatever you lot do, don't burn the house down!"
She smiled warmly at Arya. She was dressed in an elegant green coat, her emerald earrings catching the light.
"We grown-ups are heading out for a walk and have a few errands to run," said Ginny. "James, you're in charge of the house. I expect everything to be just as we left it when we return — you know what I mean."
"Got it, Mum," said James, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
At that moment, Albus and Scorpius came down the stairs. Arya, relieved to see them, headed to the breakfast table.
"Did you find it?"
"Yeah. Took us a while, though," said Albus. "But I'm not telling you where it was."
"That's fine. I won't ask," Arya said with a sly grin. "But in return, you all have to play Truth or Dare now."
"What?"
She shrugged. "I had no choice — he was about to fetch his Quidditch broom."
"I've got terrible memories of playing Truth or Dare with James..." Albus muttered.
Once breakfast was over, everyone gathered in a circle in one corner of the sitting room. Their expressions were a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation — especially Lily and Hugo, who seemed the most thrilled of all. James stood tall and addressed the group.
"Right, we all know the rules. One person is chosen at random to begin. They spin the bottle, and whoever it points to chooses between truth or dare. I've charmed this bottle so no one gets picked twice before everyone's had a turn."
He looked around at each of them and added,
"First, we all make a pact: no chickening out. No saying 'I'm not doing that' — got it? Oh, and these are Truth Gums. You have to chew one while answering a truth. If you lie, your face changes colour. As for the dares, I'll be overseeing them. Don't give dares that could damage the furniture — Mum made me promise!"
Everyone nodded. Seven hands were stacked atop one another. James murmured a spell, and a thin blue spark leapt from his wand and enveloped their hands.
"Alright, let's begin. This bowl has all our names. Lily, you pick the first one."
Lily gleefully pulled a name and read it aloud.
"Scorpius!"
All eyes turned to him. Scorpius spun the bottle. It twirled for several seconds before settling on Rose. He looked at her shyly.
"Truth or dare?"
Rose hesitated for a moment.
"Truth."
Scorpius paused, clearly wrestling with himself, then asked in a sheepish voice,
"Is there a boy at school you fancy?"
There was a brief silence. Rose flushed slightly, picked up a piece of Truth Gum, and began chewing. A few seconds passed.
"Yes," she said softly.
Her face didn't change colour — she was telling the truth.
A few moments passed before Rose and Scorpius exchanged a look. Then Rose spun the bottle. It landed on James. She smiled.
"Truth or dare?"
"Well, seeing as we can't do proper dares here, I'll go with truth."
Rose studied him with a mischievous expression.
"Tell us something about yourself that no one knows."
James grabbed a gum, popped it into his mouth, and said,
"I use Muggle hair conditioner."
Laughter erupted around the circle. Lily and Rose clapped their hands over their mouths, trying not to snort. Only Albus looked unimpressed.
"Are you joking?" Arya asked between chuckles.
James's face stayed the same colour.
"Wait — do you go into a Muggle shop and just say, 'I'd like some conditioner, please'?"
"How else would I buy it?" James replied with a smirk, and spun the bottle again.
It spun several times before stopping in front of Arya. She held her breath.
"Truth."
But then she remembered — James might ask how she had entered the Forbidden Forest, and she'd have to admit, in front of everyone, that she was an Animagus. The thought sent a chill down her spine. But there was no backing out now.
James gazed at her for a few seconds, seemingly picking up on her anxiety.
"My question is... what's your boggart?"
Arya relaxed. She chewed a piece of gum and said,
"The last time I saw a boggart, I was seven. It turned into my sister — who had become a firework."
To clarify, she added:
"I was supposed to have a sister. But she never came into the world."
Her voice grew quiet.
"Well, I think I passed — no colour change." She smiled and spun the bottle. It landed on Albus.
"I choose dare," he said with a grin.
Arya smiled mischievously. She paused for a moment, then said firmly,
"Then you have to score ten goals from the penalty point on the Quidditch pitch. You can't come down from your broom until you've scored all ten."
Albus looked at her, then grinned.
"Alright."
James interjected,
"That's a tall order for someone who's never properly played."
But Albus, unfazed, said,
"I'll do it. Go get your broom."
They all headed out to the back garden. The air was cold and dry, with only faint patches of snow remaining on the ground.
The backyard had been magically expanded and looked like a small family park. There were a few sheds, a workspace, a miniature Quidditch pitch, even swings and a slide — though most of them were buried in snow. Lily assured everyone that it looked far more beautiful in the spring.
When James and Albus returned with the Firebolt, Albus mounted it. His hands trembled slightly, but he gripped the handle tightly and soared into the air.
"Did you really have to give him such a hard dare?" Scorpius said, frowning.
Arya answered calmly,
"I wanted to show him he's not as bad at Quidditch as he thinks."
She looked up. Albus was hovering a few metres from the goalposts, holding the Quaffle tightly. He threw the first ball — it missed the hoop by a narrow margin.
"Good thing there's no keeper!" James said with a smirk.
Scorpius shot him a glare.
The second and third attempts also failed, but Arya noticed that Albus hadn't given up. On the fourth try, he hurled the Quaffle with determination. It spun rapidly through the air and sailed cleanly through the goal.
If he kept this up, he could become a decent Chaser someday.
One by one, he made his shots. On the tenth goal, the ball whooshed through the hoop once more. Albus descended slowly, red-nosed from the cold but beaming with pride.
He stopped in front of Arya.
"Wasn't that hard, really."
Arya smiled.
"Good. I wanted you to see that."
"Still don't like Quidditch, though," he added cheekily.
She gave him a knowing look, about to say something more, but was cut off by Mrs Potter's voice calling out from the house.
"Anyone planning to help with lunch, or am I doing it all myself?"
The children turned to see the adults had returned.
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