His sister-in-law stalked his brother round the car, and Monty employed a placid nephew to try and avoid the ire. For one in their number who did not possess a wand, Catherine Pepper more than held her own!

Francis drew his attention back from the scene on the gravel driveway to his dear wife and their youngest. Dear Gabrielle’s lips had turned quickly into a smile, and Francis mirrored, feeling the lift of his heart that always came with seeing his wife after a little time apart. Mia burbled out a greeting as he wrapped his arms around them and looked down into her bundle, leaning in to kiss daughter on the forehead.

“I can’t decide who’s longed for you the most, beautiful man…”
“Oh surely me for you two, love.” Francis returned softly, squeezing her waist tight as he kissed her, his eyes closing. “I’m so very glad to be on solid ground again.” He shook his curly head and glanced back at the assembled family.

“I think time to ask Imp to put the tea on retire inside to the sitting room together, hm?” He looked to Gabrielle for confirmation this was proper. Despite the place being his home too these days, he still didn’t feel lordly or proper enough to act like it. If they’d still been in their Muggle house in Biggleswade it would have been the last of the leftover turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce. Then there’d have been mince pies, pots of tea and an attempt to tear the boys from whatever Christmas gifts they were glued to, to play a board game.

“Merry Christmas, Camille!” He greeted, spotting his wife’s relative - significantly taller than the average Pepper - in their number.

“I knew it!” A young voice cried from further within the house. It was a little muffled from the amusement of the rest of the family, but Francis thought he recognised Eta, using her new voice projection abilities following the performances of a Christmas Carol[1]. The whole family had turned out to watch of course. They’d all been rather good.

“Come on, let’s go inside and not catch cold.” Francis suggested more loudly, well aware of how chaotic their family gatherings could get.

1.

Ref

What a funny little scene on the doorstep, Camille thought as she watched the Peppers interact. She knew about Monty Pepper’s business with the flying cars - a multitalented man indeed with a very unusual life story. She’d met him before, heard some of his stories but had to admit the man had quite a magnetic and comedic quality to his storytelling.

“Your dad is so busted.” The two teenagers conferred with amusement nearby to Camille in the downstairs hallway. The Arithmancy Professor was becoming rather good at the slang her students used. She knew ‘busted’ could mean ‘broken’ or ‘found out’. She hoped the latter was the correct definition for Ambrose’s assessment of the situation.

“Merry Christmas, Camille!” Francis Pepper greeted her brightly from beside his wife.
“Merry Christmas, Francis.” She smiled brightly and nodded.

“I knew it!” Mirroring the exact words of her mother, Eta Pepper had appeared from somewhere in the house, hands on hips. What Eta knew was presently a mystery, but Camille knew from teaching Eta that the girl wanted a knack for divination. At least the calculation of numbers did not require one to have an inner eye.

“Come on, let’s go inside and not catch cold.”

“Splendid idea for the little one,” Camille agreed, and moved out of the way. “My Ambrose, you have grown up since the last time I saw you!” She had already subjected Zeta to an overly friendly greeting, but Ambrose escaped one. “Quite the young man. Breaking more hearts?” For a boy who never quite achieved academically, Ambrose Pepper had apparently a string of girlfriends back at Hogwarts according to the other staff.

Tim couldn’t lie to his aunt, they had just flown the car…
“It was incredible, Aunt Catherine!” Tim replied and dodged out the way as his aunt and uncle chased each other round it. “Oh dear.” He ducked out of the way and headed towards the throng of people on the doorstep, mostly his cousins, Zeta, Theta and his brother Ambrose. Oh! Professor Duerr was here. Here was hoping Professor Storm wasn’t lurking somewhere within.

“Family Christmas times already off to a good start!” Ambrose announced with a big grin. Tim slipped past his parents to reach them, and began to unbutton his coat.
“At least nobody’s set fire to the curtains.” Tim pointed out in a low tone, not wanting his new step-mother to hear. That Christmas had been rather uncomfortable for all of them. “That was wicked though, I felt much safer than a broom. Thought Dad was doing to be sick though.”

“I knew it!” Eta burst into the hallway and Tim jumped at his classmate and cousin.

“You’re so like your Mum,” he couldn’t resist pointing out. “What, did you predict your Dad would come in a car? That’s hardly difficult.” Tim wasn’t usually quite so sarcastic, but Eta’s proclamations of her predictions had become more dramatic over the holidays with taking up acting at Stardust.

Both babe and mother beamed happily away with the kiss from Francis. Admittedly, Gabrielle was likewise listening to the various conversations between the adults as she quasi-nestled in her husband's hold. Eta's outburst and  Catherine's displeasure were enough to cause squints of brief frustration even as the witch understood how frustrating that all really could be. Monty and his magnificent flying machines were surely to cause the lot of them to go silver haired if he wasn't careful with his works.

"Imp?"

The devilish help appeared with a grunt and the stench of sulfur, brimstone to go with it. "Ay, mistress?" came his gravelly tone. "We're going to the sitting room, if you please. The tea and sandwiches, the lot? It can head that direction. Do you mind?" Gabrielle remarked, smiling faintly as she bounced Mia against her side. Imp gave a nonverbal grunt that no, it wouldn't be that big offence, pressing issue before disappearing off in a huff of smoke, the stench there ever still.

Mia gave a whine; Gabrielle smiled to her family. "To the sitting room, you lot."

“Has it been awful, studying when I’m free?”

Zeta endured Ambrose's teasing with good nature as he always endured hers, but inside she was testy about it. She and school had an ongoing disagreement as as more Peppers began to age out, Zeta left as Pepper-in-charge at Hogwarts wasn't cracking up to be as wonderous as sold. She'd been trying to help out with all the littles, her relations or not, but they were beyond help! That and she couldn't seem to focus on homework for more than ten minutes without wanting to go do something better. But term was over, and it was Christmas and everyone was here and her father was back with the car!

She joined everyone outside to greet the enchanted muggle jalopy. Zeta knew better that to be jealous - she'd ridden in it loads of times and knew she'd get to ride in it soon. Uncle Francis had come along with Tim and now things could really get rolling.

Her mother, of course, was irate about the car and Zeta was all too happy to hurry back in from the cold at Uncle Francis's suggestion.

"I am here for the food!" she declared, trotting on in.

Inside and having a proper audience, Zeta singled out the relatives who hadn't been down to watch them all in A Christmas Carol. [nb]Not sure who that'd be![/i] Clutching Eta by the shoulders, she steered her front and center.

"Oi! Eta was the star of the Christmas play,"[1] she said proudly. "Best Bob Cratchit I ever heard of. A tour de force I think the Daily Prophet said."

1.	23 Dec 2011 - Bah, Humbug!