The vibe on the Hogwarts Express was one of excitement and relaxation. The members of SCAM were entertaining their various cars with little skit recitations of the tales of Beedle Bard. Dean Thomas passionately recited Romeo's farewell soliloquy to Seamus which made the Irish teen turn varying shades of pink. Everyone seemed so relieved to be out from Umbridge's thumb. All except Harry and Lucy, who seemed to still be melancholy despite the festive air.

"Come on mate..." Ron cried with a soft smile. "Come read for the silver knight."

"No thanks," he muttered softly. Tracey came and sat beside him. Trailing behind were Blaise, Astoria, and Daphne, then Angelina behind them, the latest additions to SCAM. 

"Come on Potter," Blaise complained. "Your gloomy mood is making us all miserable."

"Look," Harry began in slight irritation. "Everyone here is so happy to be away from Umbridge, but I can't help but think that I left a major part of my family, alone, back at the castle..."

"Well, he's not alone!" Hermione piped up. "The professors have all stayed in solidarity! So he's got plenty of people to keep him company."

"Regardless!" Blaise piped up with a roll of his eyes. "Professor Snape is a big boy Potter. He can take care of himself."

"Well, how would you feel if your dad was stuck with Umbridge all Christmas?" Harry argued.

"Which one?" Blaise asked flatly. "I've had seven."

"Blimey," Ron crowed with a shocked face. "That's a lot of Christmas presents..."

"Only one of them is still alive Weasley," Blaise said with a roll of his eyes.

"Huh?"

"My mother there married them for their money."

"Are you saying your mother killed all of your stepfathers?" Hermione demanded in slight horror.

"Of course not," Blaise assured her with a casual smirk. "They all had sudden unexplained illnesses or tragic accidents."

"Wow..." Ron murmured in slight horror.

"It's like Professor Vector always says Weasley," Daphne piped up from her book. "It's all in the delivery"

"Kay but... Your mum killed people...." Ron argued softly. "Doesn't that bother you?" Blaise took a moment to think.

"Nope." He finished before he opened the daily prophet and proceeded to ignore the conversation around him. 

Emmeline beamed as Harry and Lucy rushed off and train and nearly bowled her over with tight hugs.

"We missed you so much!" Harry sobbed into her shoulder. Emmeline chuckled and let out a squeak as suddenly several other students were rushing forward to give her hugs and little Christmas presents. She was blubbering by the end of it which made Lucy and Harry grin. The ex history professor took a deep breath and rubbed her eyes with her scarf before she took a deep breath. She quickly flicked her wand, shrinking the trunks down, then stuffed them into her pockets and grabbed each of the children's hands.

"I have a ton planned today! We're going to bake cookies and decorate the tree and go to The White Horse for dinner." Emmeline declared happily as she led the way through the gate and down the platform  "But for now. We're going to sit on this bench," the three of them plopped onto the wooden bench near the arrivals gate. "And wait for Lucy's mother."

"Erm..." Lucy murmured softly. "Well, I don't know when she's coming."

"That's fine dear. You sent her a letter saying when the train was arriving yes?"

"Yes."

"Then it shouldn't be long," Emmeline assured her. "Now! Tell me what you've been up to! How's your play coming along?"

And so Lucy and Harry launched into an excitable explanation of the lessons that had happened recently in SCAM. Harry proudly explained how he had taught all of the major actors how to conjure corporeal patronuses, and his idea for how to use them.

"It's so spooky!" Lucy said. "But in all the right ways!" Emmeline smiled.

"Well I'm very glad it all worked out," she said before her eyes gained a knowing glint. "Just as I'm sure your classmates appreciate all of the useful spells they've been learning. I'm sure you've told them all about their practicality outside of acting yes?"

"Er..." Harry began with a wince. "You're... not angry are you?"

"No!" Emmeline assured him with a smile. "Quite the opposite! I'm very proud of you! You're showing a bit of Slytherin cunning." Harry laughed a bit along with Lucy and his mother before he frowned. "Mum,"

"Yes, darling?"

"It's almost 1." He pointed out wearily. "Shouldn't Lucy's mum be here by now?" The witch frowned worriedly and looked up at the clock. She knew the train from Dover had been on time last she checked. Sure enough, the train was now departing again. She scanned the crowd for Hannah and frowned deeper.

"M-maybe I got the date wrong," Lucy murmured wobbly as her free hand scrunched up her jumper nervously. Emmeline smiled down at her reassuringly.

"Why don't I just take you directly home? Then, if your mother is on the way, I'll come back and wait for her more."

"O-okay," Lucy said wearily. Emmeline winced.

"You can stay at the cottage with Harry until I get back." That made Lucy's stiff posture relax a fraction. Emmeline led them around a corner to a secluded area.

"Close your eyes and hold your breath." Harry reminded Lucy even as Emmeline grabbed her arm a little more securely. Lucy nodded and complied as Emmeline turned on her heel and disappeared with a crack.

The trip reappeared not far from the cathedral in a little alley between two shops. Lucy quickly straightened herself up. Before she turned to the massive church. 

"My house is right there" She pointed out the small grey stone building across the lawn from the church.

"Let's go see if anyone's home." Emmeline encouraged as the trio made their way towards it. Harry looked around in curiosity as they climbed the steps. He'd never seen the house before, let alone inside of it. Lucy reached out and knocked on the door. She waited nervously as the sound of footsteps came from within before the door opened.

The man was tall, with kind eyes buried beneath a layer of wrinkles. His eyebrows were bushy, with a bushy beard to match, and his hair was silver streaked with white.

"Hello," he said with a slightly raspy voice. "Can I help you?"

Lucy was frozen in horror.

"W-who are you?!" She cried "Where is pastor Mathers?!"

"Ah!" The man replied with a weary voice. "I'm afraid Pastor Mathers requested a transfer. He's been relocated. Somewhere in America... New York, I believe."

"When did they leave?" Emmeline demanded coldly.  the old man blinked in confusion at the woman's clipped tone.

"Day before yesterday I believe." The man replied softly. Lucy was shaking now, and struggling to hold back tears. Emmeline could barely contain her rage. Why hadn't Hannah said anything?! How could she just leave without saying anything?! 

Is she happy?

Had Hannah asked that because she knew she would be leaving?

"Is there something wrong?" The pastor asked worriedly. He noticed Lucy in severe distress and hummed in worry. "Would you like some tea perhaps?"

"No," Emmeline suddenly blurted out. "Thank you." Then she turned and scooped Lucy into her arms and marched off with Harry hot on her heels.

"W-what now?" Lucy sobbed. "What's going to happen to me? Am I going to have to leave?"

"No!" Both Harry and Emmeline cried in unison, one in horror, the other with a bit of anger in her voice. Emmeline took a breath and recentred herself.

"We're going home and we're going to spend Christmas together, like we'd initially planned." Emmeline insisted softly despite the fact that Lucy was still sobbing. 

Emmeline had hoped that the walk would calm her nerves a bit but didn't really work. Lucy had gone still in her arms as they arrived at the Droveway but she stopped crying and was merely leaning her head against the woman's shoulder, barely making a sound. She remained emotionless and still even as Emmeline gently placed her on the couch. Seeing her there, staring straight ahead unseeing, set Emmeline's temper past the point of control and she had to leave the room. She meant to make cocoa, but her hands were shaking too much to hold the canister steady. Not to mention the counters were filthy. She scowled and began aggressively dusting the cupboards. She couldn't believe how much dirt and grime could accumulate in just a few days.

"Mum."

"What?!" She snapped at Harry who flinched a bit. 

That made her absolutely crumble. 

She let out a sob and put a hand over her eyes.

"Oh, Harry darling I'm so sorry!" She said desperately before she pulled her son in for a deep hug. Harry sighed and reached up to rub her back with his spare hand. Emmeline coughed a bit. "I should be the one comforting-" she cut herself off as she pulled away and saw the mug of cocoa Harry had in his hand. He'd even added whipped cream and marshmallows. She let out another sob before she took it with soft eyes. "I'm sorry... I let my temper get the better of me."

"It's fine. I understand," Harry muttered as he grabbed his own mug from the counter. He stared into it for a moment before he sighed. "Honestly... this is the better way it could have turned out."

"Harrison James Potter!" Emmeline cried with a scowl. "This is no time for jokes!"

"I'm not," Harry argued with a sigh. "I'm being completely serious... remember what dad said? The day after we met Lucy. He said he'd seen things like this before, and this was the better way it ended. The alternative was actual physical abuse." Emmeline pursed her lips in distaste. 

"Regardless,"

"All I'm saying is it could have been worse," Harry argued before he gave his mother a faraway look. "She could have suffered for years in silence, never letting anyone know how bad it got until she had no choice." Emmeline blinked at his tone then let out another sob and pulled her son in for another hug. This time she was the one offering comfort as she placed kisses on his head and rubbed his back. When she released him he looked tired. Exhausted really.

"Go and try to get some sleep darling," Emmeline assured him softly. Harry tossed a worried frown to the girl sitting on the couch, still staring straight ahead holding an untouched and slowly cooling mug of hot cocoa. Emmeline smiled and rubbed his back in encouragement before he sighed and nodded. Emmeline watched him climb the stairs and then she went to sit by the girl on the couch.

"Lucy darling," she began softly. The girl jumped a mile and turned to Emmeline with wide eyes. Then she let out a sob and began to cry, clutching the mug in her hands tightly as she sobbed. Emmeline pulled her into another firm hug and whispered soft comforts into her hair. This time when the girl fell silent it was into a deep sleep. Emmeline sighed, picked the girl up, and brought her up to the master bedroom. After tucking the girl in she returned to the couch and stared at the fire for a few minutes before a firm scowl took over her face. It was only 3 in the afternoon. She had time. Emmeline very quickly did something to make her look more presentable before she quickly secured the house. Then she threw a handful of floo powder into the fire.

"Ministry of magic." Emmeline declared before stepping into the flames.

Benjamin Grummy had worked for the DFS relocations branch for nearly twenty years. Almost immediately after he had graduated from Hogwarts in fact. And he had done so proudly, knowing why the institution was so important. 

Because he had been a part of it from a very young age.

His parents had died, very shortly before he started Hogwarts, from dragon pox. After a bit of shuffling around he had landed in the care of his great uncle. He hadn't known the man very well back then. The man didn't say much at family gatherings. When Benjamin started living with that uncle he found out why. The man was a tyrant prone to violence and harsh words. But the most horrifying part was when he found his cousin in the basement. Ben hadn't even known he had a cousin. The man had decided to chain his own son up because it appeared he didn't have any magic. According to his uncle, "Without magic, you're nothing.". The DFS had been instrumental in saving them both, for which Ben would be eternally grateful. 

Of course that didn't mean his childhood had instantly turned around.

He had nightmares for years, including through his first few years attending Hogwarts, and his initial lacklustre marks had earned him a place of ridicule among his Ravenclaw housemates.

Benjamin Crummy was a popular taunt.

"Benjamin?" a familiar voice spoke up with a note of awe. The desk worker looked up and blinked.

"Emmeline Vance..." he muttered. Now this was a surprise. Benjamin usually wasn't too keen to speak with any of his old classmates, least of all the Slytherins, but he had rather fond memories of Emmeline. She had been two years above him and had run a little study group that saw him through his owls with reasonable scores. It was just a shame that she had hung around with such awful people. Alecto and Amycyus Carrow were vile. Granted she only was around the Carrows cause they were all on the Quidditch team together, but it was still a bad look. Especially since those two went on to become death eaters. 

"Goodness!" Emmeline cried, gaining a soft smile. "It's been so long! How are you?"

"I am well thank you," Benjamin replied softly. "What brings you to the Department of Family Services today?" Emmeline's face hardened before she let out a breath through her nose.

"I have come to report the abandonment of a child and request temporary guardianship." Benjamin blinked and his shoulders fell a fraction.

"During Christmas?" He groaned out tiredly.

"Yes," Emmeline said softly. Benjamin sighed before he pulled out a form.

"What indication did the parents give to you that they intend to abandon their child?"

"Not intend. Have. The pair of them moved to America and left their daughter behind while she was at Hogwarts." Emmeline explained cooly. The man looked up with a pained expression.

"I see... Do you know where she's from?"

"St. Margarets Bay, Dover."

"Well typically during the holidays we like to keep children in the same town they grew up in, just so they don't have to adjust to as much-"

"I also live in St. Margarets Bay," Emmeline said firmly. Benjamin blinked. Then Emmeline sighed. "Her mother asked my family if we could help her daughter adjust to the magical world... I don't know how you would go about confirming it but I believe it was her mother's wish that we be the one to continue raising the girl." Benjamin hummed softly as he looked over the paperwork in his hands. Then he huffed and crumpled it up.

"What's her name?"

"Lucy Mathers."

"Don't worry about anything. We can start this process after the holidays... for now, just try and give her the best holiday you can." Benjamin declared. Emmeline beamed at the man.

"Thank you! Have a very Merry Christmas!"

"You as well," Benjamin said softly even as Emmeline rushed out of the office heading back the way she came.