Chapter 822 - Start of Winter Holidays Ⅱ

With Remus still sputtering in shock, the Lupin family departs a bit noisily. They weren't the only ones as Olympia Branstone had long ago already departed with her parents including Pandora with her beloved Xeno's family and David Goldstein with his family. The only families remaining on the empty platform are that of the Prince, Abbott, and Evans families.

Mr. and Mrs. Abbott are both fair-haired with round faces and a bit plumb. A rather warm, jolly family. There is a seven-year-old girl with rosy cheeks and silky blonde hair pulled into piggy tails. She greatly resembled the yet unborn Hannah Abbott and considering their resemblance, the little girl was likely Hannah Abbott's paternal aunt.

"Andrew," the little girl happily rushed out to her older brother.

"Anna," Andrew teasingly said as he picked up the plumb girl in a tight hug with a huff, before setting her down..

"What did you bring me?" Anna Abbott asked with visible excitement on her round face.

"Here," Andrew says as Anna lets out an excited squeak at seeing the box of sweets from Honeydukes.

"Look, mum and dad!" Anna squealed as she hurried off to show her doting parents.

Rowan's face grows pensive as they approach. She did not recall Hannah Abbott having an aunt. Then again, it was highly possible that Hannah was named after Anna Abbott. It highly suggested that Anna Abbott had been killed in an attack during the first wizarding war.

Rowan snorts at seeing Andrew's face goes all goofy at spotting the light-haired Petunia Evans. Tall and thin, Petunia Evan's pale eyes glittered with emotion as she pursed her pink glossy lips at her boyfriend. The couple seemingly entered their own rosy world causing Rowan to almost roll her eyes at her two friends.

Mr. Evans, a ginger-haired man with brown eyes nods his head at Severus, who stiffly nods his head back at Lily's father. It seemed the rumors were true that once a friend switches to a boyfriend, a father changes their view of the so-called friend. Mrs. Evans, a light-haired woman with emerald eyes smiles welcomingly at Severus and nudges her husband with her elbow reminding him to stop glaring at the poor boy. She had always thought Severus was a nice boy in his own way despite his perpetual frown.

Past the Evans couple, Rowan's face stiffens a bit at spotting the tall, slender figure of her grandfather, Reginald Prince. His expression was cold as he studied them suggesting his displeasure with Rowan. Rowan decides to tactfully focus her gaze on her grandfather's ċhėst as Lily hurries to greet her family with Nibby's owl cage in tow.

Rowan turns her gaze at Owny being towed behind Severus. Owny looks rather forlorn at being separated from his mate. Nibby had accepted Owny's as her mate but did not wish to lay eggs yet. The owl couple would wait to nest and hatch owlets until Lily and Severus's 7th year.

The Abbott couple and Evans couple excuse themselves with Petunia and Lily promising to each Andrew and his family at the presentation ball. The Abbott family would have the two girls in their care until their return after the presentation ball. It greatly put the Evans couple at ease and as did the Abbott couple at spending more time to learn about Petunia Evans their son's sweetheart. The Abbott couple did not oppose their sons' interest in a muggle as Petunia Evan's sister was a witch. There was a very good chance that any children born between the two would be magical. If not, well, they had squibs in the family. And, the Abbott's had never been troubled by that fact before especially now with innumerable employment opportunities available to squibs within the wizarding world.

The Abbotts and Evans family soon depart leaving Severus watching Lily's figure until she vanishes through the wall. Severus lets out a content sigh, before frowning and turning towards his grandfather at noticing the absence of a familiar presence. "Where is Aunt Georgine, grandfather?" Severus asked with a nonchalant expression. He is most certainly not concerned about this Aunt! He was merely curious that's all!

"Georgine is still at Hogwarts grading the last of the essays and exams," Reginald truthfully answered. "She will directly join us at Verniac Chateau once she is finished."

Severus frowns in puzzlement at seeing their grandfather seemingly ignore Rowan, and his twin sister not comment on the edgy situation. He turns to glance between the two of them, before thinking it better not to ask. He had enough on his plate as it was.

The return home was unusually silent as the car pulled into the Prince's driveway. Having gained stomachs of steel, Severus and Rowan stepped out of the vehicle without any dizziness or nausea. Poor Owny as usual had passed out in his cage early on during the trip and lay on his side with his beak open and weakly gasping for air.

It is never tiring to see Prince manor for it is breathtaking as always. The front door of the manor is covered in mistletoe and holly wreaths enchanted to form wondrous shapes every couple of minutes. After momentarily pausing to admire Dawn's work, they step into the hallway where Dawn greets them in holiday livery. Little Laldey proudly stands next to his mouthers in a crisp white buŧŧon shirt and adorable holiday overalls with the prince crest embroidered on them.

"Welcome home, young master and mistress!" Dawn happily squeaked as the mistletoe decorations in her hair shake from excitement. Laldey quickly chimes after his mother to copy her, "Welcome home, young master and mistress!

"Thank you, Dawn," Rowan and Severus said in greeting before a faint smile crosses both of their faces. "And to you as well, Laldey."

Laldey beams with pride and puffs out his nonexistent ċhėst in answer. Dawn giggles with pride and says, "Dawn will take the young master and mistresses' things to the bedrooms, and shortly return with refreshments." Dawn easily levitates the trunks and Owny's cage with Laldey cheerfully toddling after his mother.

As usual, the return of Rowan and Severus came as a surprise as Fidel, the peacock of Aunt Georgine froze mid-way through the hallway. He lets out a shrill squawk in horror before shifting pedals in reverse. He had forgotten today is the day that the fiends are to return! Fidel whirls about as if tailfeathers were on fire and vanishes back the way he came.

Severus frowns at the peacock's departing form. "Really that seems like an overaction. I haven't pulled out any of his tail feathers since before the summer before our third year. That was well over two years ago."

Rowan lets out a snort and turns to study the fest-filled halls of Prince Manor. The halls as usual are decorated with trees, Christmas decorations, and the scents of holiday incense. Even the portraits are up for the holidays as one of the portraits that hang in the hall changes with the seasons. It is that of a cottage that at present is warm and glowing with light amid a fierce snowstorm that roars outside of the cozy cottage.

Severus opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by the front door loudly opening and closing shut. Their grandfather, Reginald merely pauses in the hall and coolly says, "Rowan," before striding down the hallway with heavy footsteps.

Severus glances at Rowan and their grandfather's retreating form, before whispering, "What did you do, Rowan? I don't think I've ever seen grandfather this furious."

"It's more like what I didn't do," Rowan drily answered, before swiftly moving to follow her grandfather.

Severus stares at his twin sister's retreating form with a perplexed expression on his face. "Was it because Rowan did not invite anyone to be her escort to our presentation ball?" He mused privately, before concluding that must be it. He did not ponder for much longer before Dawn promptly arrived with sweets. He was hungry and was still a growing boy. Teenage boys tend to be never-ending pit holes that are always seemingly hungry. It is simple fact of life.