Boxing Day, and once again, the Pepper household in Sandy, Bedfordshire, was once again bustling. The day before the family had gathered round the magically elongated table and eaten more turkey than Francis thought he'd ever seen. Then he and the boys had decamped briefly to St Mungo's late afternoon to see Claire.

Octavius (or as he was now answering to, Monty) and Catherine's living room was strewn with people on armchairs and the sofa, cross-legged on the floor, trailing into the adjoining kitchen where the leftovers were set out for grazing, and off the back of the living room towards the garden, his brother's studio, filled with canvases and half-finished portraits was filled with laughter. Monty was telling Ambrose, Tim, Eta and Zeta, and their respective company stories about America and the past twenty years he'd been stranded there, making flying cars.

Catherine, his wife, was seemingly non-plussed about the shock of it all now she'd been home a week, and her children were back. Theta, having moved out to live with Ruby during the previous few months, and having spent the last half of 2009 working as apprentice to Francis, had grown up considerably since last Christmas, and was instead listening intently to the extended family of Hughes and Pepper adults who had assembled in the living room, with its fading floral wallpaper, covered in lines of Monty's portraits, some which moved, others of living family, which stayed still.

"Here we go." A tap of his wand against the wine bottle forced out the cork with a gentle pop and Francis finished topping up the glasses on the table, or that were outstretched for refilling. He finished with Flynn, and then placed the bottle down in the middle of the table, just out of easy reach but close enough for someone to get up and pour again...

"Then we'll know who's drinking it all really..." He chuckled quietly to Flynn and rejoined him just aside from the sofa and armchairs where the women seemed to have gathered in the forms of Catherine, Theta, Ruzena and Audrey. They, Ianto and Flynn were the extended Pepper family of Hughes, which Francis enjoyed the company of greatly.

"I don't think we'll run out of stories for a while," Francis thumbed over his shoulder towards the noise of the teenagers and Monty in the painting studio, "but beats a room full of moping teenagers trying to convince us the latest wrock music is the best ever." It was also good to see his two sons laughing along happily.

"How are things with you then? It seems we talked far too infrequently this year."

Flynn was a family guy. He loved his parents, he loved his sister, he loved his uncle, his former aunt, and his uncle’s partner as well as all his cousins! He adored his extended family, the Peppers, as well. He felt like he didn’t get to see them enough, but what were the holidays if not an excuse to visit your relatives? He felt like so much time had gone by that Little Ambrose was no longer so little. In fact, he was practically a person now!  Unfortunately, Tobias and his three children couldn’t stay for too long, as they had other family things to get to. That didn’t bother Flynn too much, as he was able to see Gertie, Bertie, and Alfie more often than he did Francis and his brood.

He thanked his cousin and brought his glass to his lip. “Well, I think I’ll be the one drinking all the wine by the end.” Flynn joked. “I forgot that Ambrose was a mopey teenager.  Gods. Next thing you know, he’ll be bringing home girlfriends to meet the family. I saw him at the Yule Ball with his date. He’s doing much better with the birds than I did at his age.”

Flynn had never brought girls home to meet his family during his time at Hogwarts. That was partially because during Hogwarts, girls didn’t really like Flynn. He had been strange, awkward, and alienating. Not much had changed, except now people thought he was charming instead of creepy and weird.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard! I got a promotion. I’m now the Healer In Charge of the fourth floor. It’s a lot of work. Administration is so much more different than being a healer.” He took a sip of his wine. “But it’s better pay, and I still get to see patients. I also met somebody.” He wasn’t sure where things were going to go with that somebody, but he was happy with where they were at, even if it was awkward with no real labels attached yet.
 

"...I saw him at the Yule Ball with his date. He’s doing much better with the birds than I did at his age.”

"Cyhirae Trishna." Francis explained, his features lightening a little. "It was somewhat unexpected, up until recently girls have been just 'friends', but he's got taste, she's the Astronomy Professor's daughter. Perhaps let him tell you about it, hmm?"

“I don’t know if you’ve heard! I got a promotion. I’m now the Healer In Charge of the fourth floor. It’s a lot of work. Administration is so much more different than being a healer. But it’s better pay, and I still get to see patients. I also met somebody.”

Francis let his eyebrows raise in mild surprise and interest. Flynn was on the same floor that Claire resided on, but it was probably due to the family relations that he hadn't been assigned to look after her. It would complicate matters for all of them, and he might emotionally have felt more obliged to dedicate attention to her, at the detriment of his health, and his patients. It did reassure Francis that he would be heading up the floor though, despite his young age, because he knew things were in safe hands.

"I had heard something of your promotion, with keeping in touch with the fourth floor, my congratulations. I don't think there's a healer more worthy of such a promotion." He clapped his cousin's upper arm briefly in admiration. "Just don't work yourself too hard, otherwise you won't have time for this somebody you allude to. Come on now, you can tell me." Francis lowered his voice and leaned a little towards him, "Unspeakables are very good secret keepers too, you know."

As he leaned away again, the story next door grew louder a moment, his brother's voice clearly audible about the giggling of teenagers,
"... and he completely missed the flock of gulls coming towards him, you should have seeeen the mess they made to the paintwork - poor bloke had one between his teeth and everything..."

Cyhirae Trishna. He recognized the last name-- he was sure he saw it the last time he went book shopping! Perhaps there was a Trishna who was an author. That would be exciting! And apparently she was the astronomy professor’s daughter. Perhaps the astronomy Trishna and the author Trishna were the same person. Either way, the information wasn’t important enough to Flynn for him to ask. He was just happy that Ambrose was doing quite well with the ladies-- and smart ones too!

“Vivienne Thorpe got a promotion too. She’s the general Healer-in-charge.” Vivienne had been the healer who was assigned to Claire. Flynn tried not to treat family members unless they refused treatment from anyone else-- some wounds were just too personal for him to deal with in a professional manner. He could still do it, but it caused an unnecessary amount of stress for him that he did not enjoy dealing with.

“I think, I’ll always have time for her.” Flynn grinned, “She was my Yule Ball date. Fauna Blake. She’s an auror in training. I got her a pet hedgehog for Christmas. And muggle candy!” Flynn had always had a fascination with muggle culture, though he was painfully oblivious to many of their customs. He had once spent an entire day in muggle london, pretending to be a muggle. He realized it wouldn't work when he walked into an appliance shop and caused a few microwaves to spark.

“Don’t tell anyone else yet-- you know how they are.” Ruzena was protective, Ianto would want to know everything about Fauna, and Audrey would have been a bit rude and judge-y about it. Flynn wanted to introduce Fauna to his family soon, but he wanted it to be on his own terms-- not Francis’.

Zeta was tired of the stories. They didn't fix anything and whenever she tried to draw them it came out all wrong. Plus she had other things to do that day. One of her other projects had turned out just right.

She just had to find Flynn.

Everyone was busy talking. But there, was that-yes, it was. Flynn and Uncle Francis.

"Flynn!" She squealed. "I drew you a plant!" She pushed the piece of paper at him. It was one of her best drawings ever, even if it technically didn't have eyes. Everything didn't need eyes.

Then she looked at Uncle Francis, and realized she didn't have anything for him. She'd given Ambrose a couple drawings, but that didn't count.

Maybe the stories would be better now. She spun around and fled back to the studio.

"Yes, yes we heard." Francis replied with regards to Vivienne, "I'm glad for her, but its a little sad we'll have to get acquainted with another healer with Claire. Not that she notices though, hmm?" Francis shrugged, though there was a little sadness in his eyes.

"Fauna Blake, ah yes, I have heard Theta mention her. No, I won't mention a thing." He tapped his nose and winked. Just in time, for his niece, Zeta rushed up to them, escaping the studio for the living room a moment. She flung a drawing at Flynn, and then whirled round and headed back.

"Express delivery?" Francis asked Flynn, inclining forward a little to better see Zeta's drawing. She had a knack for humour that one, but he was surprised to see a plant. "What you've always wanted, I suppose." He smiled, and glanced back to watch Zeta returning to the other teenagers, and Octavius busy sketching out some sort of illustration for what he was describing. Tim was pushing his glasses up his nose, peering over his uncle's shoulder with curious anticipation.

"I'll never tire of a Pepper-Hughes Christmas." Francis mused, turning back to Flynn. "Well, if you're gifting her hedgehogs, then she must be worth introducing to your family at some point, or do you think they'll scare her off that much?"

"A plant?" Ambrose asked his cousin with confusion, having watched her leave and listening to her greeting to cousin Flynn. "Since when did you draw plants?"

His uncle had been entertaining them with tales of America, and was now illustrating how a flying car needed to be charmed, for Tim's benefit and Eta was nodding along, but Ambrose was pretty sure Zeta's little sister wasn't really understanding, whereas Tim was probably soaking it up like a sponge.

Dressed in a red Christmas jumper with a reindeer on the front, Ambrose was sat the wrong way round on a chair, leaning his arms on the back of it, a few metres away from the younger Peppers.
"Fancy a mince pie?" He asked, nodding to a plate of them nearby. "Though they've gone a bit cold, you'd have to ask someone to warm it up. Wish we could use our wands at home." He was feeling pretty full, but the plate of Aunt Catherine's mince pies had been calling to him since he'd sat down.

"What are the adults talking about? Boring stuff?" He asked, "Theta's joined team boring this year, hasn't she?" Ambrose made a face. He loved Theta like a big sister, as he did Zeta and Eta, but she'd got rather grown up since she left Hogwarts and started working, and got a boyfriend. Now she was sat joining in adult conversations. As much as Ambrose liked to hang out with Flynn and the Hughes, sometimes the conversation got dull - all adult conversations did. They were about jobs, who was getting married, who'd died… yawn.

Next thing he knew, he had a picture of a plant in his hand! It was obviously one she made up, but it bore a uncanny resemblance to a Shrieking Dandilion, which had hallucinogenic properties when consumed in high amounts. It was also an ingredient in certain poisons.  “Zeta, is there something you’re trying to tell me?!” Flynn exclaimed, though his tone was joking and jovial. “Don’t fall victim to peer pressure!” He set the picture down next to him and grinned at Francis.

“She’s a great artist. Where does she get it from?”

And then it was back to Fauna!

“Well, I plan on introducing her to you guys soon—in a couple weeks? I think I’ll tell m’dad tonight or tomorrow. He can usually keep his mouth shut. There’s no way I’m telling Bertie! He works with her! He’d give Fauna hell, and she’s too lovely to scare away!” Flynn spoke just a little bit too loudly. So much for secrets!

“I’d give Fauna hell? Ah, you think so highly of me! Don’t worry, I won’t tell.” Bertie winked and walked towards Monty, muttering to himself. He was apparently, still hanging around. Flynn had been under the impression that his cousin had left with his father.

Flynn gave Francis a frantic look. “I’m doomed. Doomed forever.” The natural Hughes drama was shining through!

By he won’t tell, he meant that he wouldn’t tell non-family members, of course! The first thing that he did was sit down next to dear ol’ cousin Monty, who looked quite snazzy with his mane of hair! He elbowed Monty playfully, “Everyone around here’s being a bit boring. Audrey’s not being as mean, and Flynn’s talking about hedgehogs and his love life to Francis. Blech!” He made a grossed out face, but was really, inside, happy for Flynn and also a bit jealous! Bertie was a hopeless romantic and a serial monogamist—and was more often the dumpee than the dumper. That hadn’t crushed his hopes for a long-lasting relationship, though.

“I missed you, Monty.” He paused, “You should paint a portrait of me and the teapot that Francis gave me! I could put it on Pratt’s desk to annoy him.” Oh, wouldn’t Eddie love that. He might tear it up. Adelebert would have to put some charms on it to protect it from whatever he feared Eddie’s reaction would be. “I’m just joking. You don’t have to do that.”

He looked around the room—the kids were together, and different adults were very deeply involved in their conversations with each other. Audrey seemed to be having a heated discussion with Aunt Ruzena, while Uncle Ianto was humming and playing with one of the potted plants, his face flushed in a way that only alcohol could do. “How drunk do you think everybody is? How long do you think it’ll take for him to dance with the plant?” That seemed to happen every time he got intoxicated at family gatherings.

Tim and Eta were tiring of explanations, or rather, Eta was, and she was looking to Tim to tire with her, and with a wink and a twist of his head, Tim's uncle gave him the sign that perhaps it was enough, sending Tim away with the sketch of the workings of a flying car. Ambrose and Zeta had tired of things and were discussing things not far away.

A taller figure stepped into the studio and Monty swivelled round on his stool and smiled at Bertie who made himself at home beside him.

"But we were only gone a couple of months!" He protested to his cousin, "Well, it was for all of you, anyway!" He reached for his own glass of wine which he'd been neglecting for the past half an hour or so with talking to the younger Peppers.

"I missed you more, and I'd paint you and your teapot if I hadn't got bookings coming out of my ears." He gestured with his free hand, "Which is wonderful, don't get me wrong, but with two businesses now, either side of the Atlantic, it'll be a bit of a challenge. Still! I'm here, and I'm glad my teapot loving cousin is too." He clapped the free hand on the back of Bertie.

Ianto and the potted plant, eh? Monty's eyebrows rose and his moustache twitched with amusement.
"Its not even late, and he's already well on his way. Merlin, what strength wine did we buy this year?" Monty inspected his glass as if it was written on the side. "I've been too busy talking to these four to drink it." He gave a healthy sip for good measure.

"Well, if he does, better that one than the cacti. Ambrose stroked one of those when he got tall enough to reach it, and regretted it." At the sound of his name being mentioned, the boy looked round, made a face of 'thanks for bringing that up' and turned back to Zeta.

"We're both clearly not drunk enough," He added to Bertie in a low voice so the children couldn't hear, "Feed them all some more leftovers and they'll be in a fit state to apparate home in one piece eh?" Finishing his own glass, he retrieved a bottle he'd 'borrowed' earlier from the living room (hence the speed at which the wine had vanished) and hidden behind one of the canvases.

"Oh, of course," he realised as he automatically offered the wine to Bertie, "You don't… Admirable trait that. No idea how you do it though."

"Since I tried to make Flynn a present!" Zeta slipped her sweater off and wadded it up in her arms. At least she didn't have a reindeer jumper! Though the collar was a little itchy, and so she rubbed at it.

She looked from Ambrose to the mince pies then over to her dad. "Daaaad! Can you heat these pies up? Or we'll try it!" Her tongue stuck out for a moment, and she turned back to Ambrose, grinning.

"They were talking about girlfriends!" Her grin turned even wider, and she plopped down onto the floor. "Does that mean you're on team boring, too?" He was the one who'd had a Yule Ball date, not her. Maybe for the next ball. She winked, then looked back at the pies plaintively.

"Daaaaad?"

“She’s a great artist. Where does she get it from?”

Francis sniffed in amusement, the corners of his mouth curling. Rhetorical question at best.

"… There’s no way I’m telling Bertie! He works with her! He’d give Fauna hell, and she’s too lovely to scare away!” He looked surprised, poor cousin Adelebert, he wasn't scary, just enthusiastic.

“I’d give Fauna hell? Ah, you think so highly of me! Don’t worry, I won’t tell.”

"Ahah." Francis chuckled and toasted Bertie with his own wineglass.

“I’m doomed. Doomed forever.”

"At least for as long as you can't keep your good news to yourself." Francis smiled and his features softened, putting his hand to Flynn's arm for a moment,
"But that means you like her, that things are going well. That's good!" He gave his relative's arm a squeeze before releasing it, pleased for the man. To be young and courting again.

"Fauna… Does she have a thing for hats?" He asked, looking thoughtful, he had remembered a stray comment from Theta a while back. "And werewolves?"

Flynn gave Francis a wary look, “She does have a thing for hats… And werewolves? Though I wouldn’t call it a thing. She’s just all for equality and whatnot.”  He slumped into his chair. “I’ll introduce her soon, I promise. At the next family thing.” He just hoped that his mother wouldn’t play the mother hen—or rather, the mother bear.

Ruzena was protective of all her babies, and Flynn was terrified that she would traumatize Fauna.
He looked out the window, surprised at how dark it had gotten already. Already! And he had to work tomorrow morning. As he looked around the room, it seemed like people were already saying their goodbyes.

“I will keep you updated, write letters and such.” Flynn said, “But it looks like it’s time for me to go. I work early tomorrow,  and I need to be awake.” He stood up to give Francis a big hug. It was a shame things had to end so quickly.

-end scene?-