Home For Christmas

By the time George arrived back at Hogwarts castle, he had a couple of hours to spare before Remus would arrive. Since he'd already packed his belongings days in advance, the only thing left to do was to grab his luggage and reclaim his owl. Fortunately, Blinkie was in a good mood today and was more than willing to return to its cage. Something to do with the promise of going home to Ellie for two weeks was all the motivation the bird needed.

While George was carrying his bird cage and suitcase out of the Slytherin's common room, the fairy woke up. The colour had returned to its dark skin, and its hunger for George's magical energy had reached an all-time high. Although it couldn't speak, that didn't stop it from expressing its displeasure through angry scowls and arm waving. George could relate, he didn't like swimming through Hogwarts' sewers either.

Once the fairy had finished venting its pent-up anger, she returned to George's pocket. It knew the new deal and being spotted wasn't in its best interest. Also, it seemed to find George's chest highly enticing. He was like a bonfire in a blizzard to this creature, the mana from his heart was its only source of warmth and comfort. Judging by the way it was cuddling up to him like a puppy starved of attention, George believed his Pavlov's dog experiment was no longer necessary.

During the last hour, George decided to visit the Library one last time. The stones he'd recovered from the cave were still a mystery and the geology section might be able to shed some light. There was something special about them, it was just a matter of finding out what. Sadly, the Library's vast knowledge was once again proving to be too elusive. Besides some information regarding magical imbued stone from wizard architects, George found nothing referencing magic stalactites.

However, that didn't mean George was completely out of luck. Some quiet experiments at the far corner of the Library revealed some of the stalactites' unusual properties. For one, they would glow when a spell was cast near them. The more powerful the spell, the brighter they would glow. With a little convincing, George had gotten the fairy to cast some magic and the stones still glowed. So, not only were they pretty, but they also acted as magic detectors.

Time flew by in the Library, and George's watch told him it was time to find Remus. The werewolf had been in Snape's office the last time, so George assumed he'd be waiting there again. Just as he arrived back in the dungeons, he rounded a poorly lit corner and bumped into Gemma. Unlike him, she wasn't carrying any luggage and appeared to be in a rush. She hadn't even been looking where she was going prior to their collision.

"Wow, that didn't take long. You're already here", Gemma said in relief.

"Oh, hi Gemma. Were you looking for me?", asked George after regaining his balance.

"Yeah, for like the grand total of five seconds. You wouldn't happen to be going to Professor Snape's office?"

"Yep. Were you sent to get me again?"

"Pretty much, but here you are. It seems I was not needed after all." Gemma pointed behind her, "that guy from last time is in there. I'll leave you to it."

George gave Gemma a warm smile and walked past her, "it was nice seeing you again. Have a good Christmas."

He didn't make it very far and an all-too-familiar grip pulled him back. George turned around and saw Gemma clutching his hood. Her eyes avoided looking at him while her spare hand fidgeted with her robes.

"Look, George. I just wanted to say that I was wrong earlier. I assumed you fought the troll on purpose and that wasn't fair of me. That… and I shouldn't have been so dismissive of your Herb club idea."

George shook his head, "you were not wrong to assume those things. I'd got in a lot of trouble over the first few months. I would have thought the same in your shoes."

"Regardless, I was wrong and you deserve an apology. So here it is…", Gemma took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

George smiled cheekily, "I accept your apology. Now revoke all the I-O-U's and we'll call it even."

Gemma frowned and whacked George over the head, "don't push it. A sorry is all you're getting. Now get lost and enjoy the break, I sure know I will. I've had enough of this bloody school and your antics."

Then Gemma turned around confidently and powerwalked towards the Slytherin's common room. After she'd rounded the corner, George's face morphed into a more nefarious grin. He was happy to see some evidence of his trouble avoidance paying off. Gemma had been one of his greatest difficulties as well as allies. It was good to know she would think favourably of him from this point onwards. This was necessary since the new mission may require her involvement.

George knocked on Snape's door and heard the oh-so-welcoming, "you may enter", moments later.

What George saw once he walked into the office both mirrored and differed from the last time he met Remus. Everything in the room was exactly how it'd been months ago except Snape looked even more miserable than usual, whereas Remus looked positively beaming. George could make two assumptions for this behaviour, Snape already knew about the Dumbledore talk and Remus didn't.

"Ah, what a pleasure it is to see you again, George. My word, you've grown", Remus said while raising out of his seat.

George put down the suitcase and cage, "likewise, Mr Lupin. And yes, I may have had a little growth spurt."

"More than a little", Remus chuckled. "So... are you ready to go back home?"

George acted indecisive, "It's hard to say. Although Hogwarts has been an amazing experience so far, I think I'm ready for a break from the madness."

"That's good to hear, George. Really good."

Remus walked over to George and gave him a pat on the back, "let's not keep your family waiting. They're all very excited to see you again."

Then he bent over and picked up George's things, "as your mother has told you, we will be using the Floo Network. Do you know what that is?"

George nodded enthusiastically, "I've just been reading about it in the Library. I never knew wizards had a way to travel around the world in mere moments. It's incredible!"

Remus appeared to find George's excitement contagious, "indeed it is. I'll never forget the first time I used it. Let's just say I envy you. Professor Snape has been kind enough to allow us to use his fireplace. If you can just stand over there, we will begin."

George walked over to the jet-black fireplace beside Snape's desk, while Remus fumbled around in his jacket. George took a glance over at Snape, who'd been unusually silent, and the man acted busy organising the letters on his desk. After a few seconds, Remus produced an old leather pouch covered in grey dust.

Then he held the pouch out, "here George, grab a handful."

George reached out and stuck his hand into the pouch. The grey dust was fine like ash and smelt of a mixture of coal and burnt paper. It was also warm to the touch. George grabbed a fist full of the powder and walked into the fireplace while ducking under the mantle.

"Need I explain? You are a natural," Remus exclaimed.

George held his fist up and asked, "so what do I have to say? Your address?"

"Tumbledown will do", Remus answered, "just speak clearly and don't rush. Then throw the powder to the ground. I'll be there right after you."

George nodded and took one last look at Snape. He still hadn't said a word since George entered. All he'd done was mind his own business. It was as if Snape had been told not to interfere. If so, then his patrons 'carrot and stick' treatment must have been working.

George cleared his throat before shouting, "Tumbledown", and tossing the powder to the ground.

The next thing he saw was bright green light followed by a warmth quickly travelling up his body. Then the heat and light died down, revealing a whole new location to George. He was standing inside Remus's fireplace in his living room. The cramped room with nothing more than a cheap gaslamp illuminating it was vastly different from how he remembered it. The formally cluttered space was practically empty, it was like Remus had moved out.

From the stacks of paperwork and odd trinkets to the ominous chest on the sofa, everything was gone. Also, the flowery wallpaper had been taken down and replaced with white paint. The stained carpet had been pulled up and replaced with a new soft rug. The damp windows had been swapped out for more modern double glazing, keeping the room warm. Overall, George could only commend the renovation. The granny flat hadn't been exactly appealing.

One aspect of the room that stole George's attention was the lack of a reinforced door to the basement. Out of curiosity, he took a look into the basement and was surprised by the transformation. The ultra-secure werewolf holding pen covered in scratches and blood was completely gone. The chains had been removed, and a new layer of concrete had been poured over the floor. Wooden panelling was covering the walls, making this space into a pretty decent basement conversion.

George heard the sound of a fire roaring behind him followed by an owl panicking. He turned around and saw Remus walking out of the fireplace, carrying his suitcase and Blinkie. The bird was freaking out, presumably due to the experience of the Floo powder. Remus noticed George standing near the basement and walked over to him.

"What do you think? Is it an improvement?"

George looked back down the stairs, "yeah, it is certainly an improvement. It's hard to believe this is the same house."

Remus gave the door frame a tap, "since I'll be moving out soon, the place needed a little… sprucing up."

"You're moving out?", this was news to George.

"Oh, I must have neglected to mention it in my letters", Remus realised.

"Yes, it was around a month ago. Dominic and I have opened a garage repairing vintage cars from all around the country. Your father was my first commission, and he paid me handsomely. It was enough for me to move out of this house and rent a much more modern home."

George could clearly see a glimmer of excitement and hope in Remus's eyes. It was clear he was passionate about this new business. Although George doubted Dominic motives being purely innocent, it was good to see Remus's life improving.

"When are you moving out? Soon, I presume?"

Remus nodded, "just after Christmas. For now, I'm keeping most of my belongings at the workshop until the move."

Then Remus put the cage down and pulled a large mobile phone out of his pocket. It was much bulkier than the normal commercial equivalent. Remus extended the long telescopic aerial and walked toward the front door.

"Dominic, are you there?"

After a short pause, he said, "yes. I have George here."

Then there was another pause before, "okay. I'll drive him over."

Remus put the phone away and turned back to George, "that was Dominic. We should get going."

George picked up the cage and left Remus's house. Outside was an expensive classic sports car sitting on the driveway. Remus walked over to the car, opened the boot, and carefully placed the suitcase inside.

"Did Dominic give you this car?", asked George.

Remus chuckled while closing the boot, "no, no, no. I'm only borrowing this car until I can afford my own."

Although the car journey was only short, George was impressed by Remus's driving skills. He was aware the werewolf had taken and passed his driving test due to Amanda's constant updates, but this seemed like more than a few months of experience. Remus was driving more competently than most of the other road users.

"Remus, have you been driving a lot since I've been at Hogwarts?", George inquired.

"Dominic is to blame. I guess you could say I've inherited his interest in all things automotive. With the new car restoration business and the constant trips down to Diagon Alley, I've clocked in my fair share of miles", Remus happily explained while tapping the steering wheel in rhythm with the song playing on the radio.

George turned the volume down and asked, "so my foster father is still doing business in London?"

Remus glanced over at George, "Dominic is a very productive man. He doesn't waste a second. Since you left, he's been extremely busy. Even now, he's driving back from London after an important meeting with Gringotts Bank. He should be arriving a few minutes after we do."

"What's he been doing at Gringotts Bank?", George enquired.

Remus sighed, "where to start… I think it would be best for Dominic to explain it to you."

Then Remus leaned over and gave George a nudge, "enough about that. What about you? How's the first half of your term at Hogwarts been? Tell me all about it."

Unfortunately, George was relegated to describing the censored version of his time at Hogwarts for the rest of the short car journey. After a few minutes of travelling down empty country roads, they arrived at the Linwood property. Everything was as George remembered it beside a small new building beside the gate. It was made out of thick concrete and had only one window. Through that window, George saw a man dressed in a black three-piece suit.

Remus stopped at the gate and rolled down his window. The presumed-to-be guard left the building and walked at a measured pace towards the car. George couldn't see any evidence of the man being armed, but his body language gave off a dangerous vibe. The guard rested his arm on the roof of the car and removed his glasses. One of his eyes was a dull white, and half a dozen small scars ran across his eyebrow and forehead.

"Mr Lupin, how are you today?"

Remus reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, "I'm doing quite well, Chris. Thanks for asking."

Chris smirked slightly and took the card off Remus, "Mr Linwood phoned ahead. Is that George Linwood with you?"

"Indeed it is. So if you can just let us through, I'm sure…"

"No problem, Mr Lupin. Everything is in order. Have a pleasant day", Chris interrupted bluntly.

Remus awkwardly took his card back and waited for Chris to open the gate. While scanning his surroundings, George noticed a slight glimmer in the corner of his eye. It was coming from the forest next to the Linwood House. Just before George could work out what was causing the glare, Remus started the engine and began driving toward the house.

"I can't say I like Chris very much. He can be a little… intense at times", Remus spoke quietly.

"Yeah, about that", George pointed at the concrete bunker, "when was that thing built?"

Remus scratched his head and avoided answering, "we're nearly there now. You can ask Mrs Linwood. I'm sure she'll be much better at explaining than I."

The car pulled up on the gravel driveway, and Remus quickly got out of the car. At around the same time, the front door opened and Amanda came rushing out. She ran directly towards the car, yanked the passenger door open, and hugged George with all her might. Even with his enhanced body, George still found Amanda's iron grip extremely restrictive. That being said, he didn't find the experience uncomfortable. The warmth of a mother's love was worth the restricted breathing.

However, one little creature in George's chest pocket wasn't having a good time. The fairy desperately started to riggle around, so George had to end the hug before Amanda took notice. Using a carefully controlled amount of force, he pushed Amanda back and stepped out of the car.

"I haven't been home for a second yet and you're already suffocating me."

Amanda held George at arm's length and inspected him from top to bottom, "you've grown so much. Those pants barely fit you any more. We'll have to go back to Diagon Alley and buy you some new uniforms."

"Please, Amanda. My uniform is fine. Can't I just enjoy being back home?", George pleaded.

Amanda finally relented and released George. With his newfound freedom, he looked past his foster mother and saw Ellie standing in the doorway. Unlike Amanda, she didn't look all too happy to see him again.

"Aren't you going to say hello to your big brother?", George teased.

Ellie stuck out her tongue and remained cemented to the spot. George knew why she was acting up. It was all due to his adamant stance on keeping her Christmas present a secret. However, he had planned for this possibility. George reached into his enchanted sack and pulled out a massive silver platter. On it was around a hundred tiny cakes neatly stacked into a pyramid. Every single one of the delicious treats was baked fresh and glistened with sweet fondant icing.

As expected, Ellie's pouting expression was crushed under the weight of her gluttony. She left the doorway in a heartbeat and dashed over to George. Ellie eagerly stared at the cakes while George handed them over to her. The moment she had hold of the platter, Ellie started retreating towards the house.

"Ellie! What do you say?", Amanda shouted.

"Thank you for the cake", answered Ellie before disappearing into the living room.

Amanda turned back to George, "please forgive your sister. She's missed you greatly, we all have."

"I know", George smiled warmly. "I've missed you too."

Remus walked around the car while lugging George's suitcase, "I'll be off now. Do give Dominic my thanks when he arrives."

"Oh, come now. After all you've done, why don't you stay for tea?", Amanda offered after receiving the suitcase.

"Forgive me, but I'll have to refuse. There's so much paperwork with the Ministry when moving house and I've barely started it. I hope you don't mind", Remus said apologetically.

"Another time then", Amanda insisted.

Remus seemed almost a little nervous to answer as he climbed back into his car. After he'd left, George was left alone with his foster mother. Amanda placed one hand around his back and guided him into the house.

"You should have a shower and put on a fresh set of clothes before Dominic arrives. When he's here, you can tell us all about this magical school", she said while smelling George's hair.