Impact Winter

December 21st, 1890 - Pennyworth

The house felt alive again, with her children in it, and Emilia's relief had been palpable for days. She'd missed them desperately; not because she worried, but because she was lonely. Loneliness was - it was fine, she could live with it, but that didn't mean she enjoyed living with it. And so: she was glad to have them back, if only for a few weeks - she had even taken an extra day and a half off at the Department of Mysteries so as to spend more time with them.

Today she had off - she would go back in tomorrow to work on her projects, and for half the day on Wednesday, and then she would be home again on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. She told them as much as she poured herself coffee - not that she was lonely, of course, but that she was going to be around all day.

"Is there anything either of you would like to do today? Any plans?"

She had something to tell them today, too; they deserved a warning before Christmas.

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@Anne Moony @Edison Moony

Anne's attempts to maintain her composure dissolved at the first sight of mum. Darting like a snitch, Anne nearly took her mother down where she stood in a massive hug, her latest growth spurt had her nearly as tall and Anne narrowly avoided headbutting mum when she came in for an assault of a hug. After spending her first birthday away from home and the initial tide of disappointments that came with Hogwarts, Anne felt homesick to her bones. For the length of a hug, the world made sense again.

And Anne's coup had been successful - her gifts were stored safely under her bed, Ned's broom begging to meet its new owner. How was she going to make it all the way till Christmas before spilling her own secret? The question kept her twitching at night, but for now, she could focus on mum and tea made the right way. "Can we go to High Street? It isn't fair that first years can't go to Hogsmeade during the term. Or skating! Let's go skating!"

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@Emilia Moony @Edison Moony

Ned was relieved to be home. The comfortable familiarity of his mother and sister's company was something he missed. Not to mention, he needed to only be responsible for two people instead a whole slew of rowdy Gryffindors. Unlike Anne, he wouldn't admit to missing their mother, but it was clear that he had.

"I'd be happy to do anything today," he commented, agreeably and then snorted out a laugh when Anne immediately launched into her own suggestions. "A few more years, and you'll be able to go. I do bring you back sweets every time, though." Ned also didn't understand why first years weren't allowed when many already lived in Hogsmeade.

Emilia gave her own laugh at Anne's enthusiasm and Edison's agreeable comment; she ought to have expected exactly this, from both her children.

"Skating it is, then," she said easily, "At least there's Ned's Honeyduke's as a consolation prize - and your third year will be here before you know it." Anne's third year, unfortunately, coincided with Ned's seventh - when he would (theoretically) be looking at the auror training program.

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