Gus didn’t want to be here. Stuffy events weren’t for him, and if the invitation hadn’t told him it was a requirement for staff to be in attendance, he probably would have skipped it altogether. He’d naturally gravitated toward Basil Foxwood for conversation, although it had been polite and more work talk, so he’d excused himself to shadow Mason Skeeter. The Herbology professor had to be used to having him underfoot by now - he spent a lot of time following him around like a lost puppy at events that Hogwarts put on - but Gus felt bad hovering as much as he did.

So, finally breaking off from both of them to give them some peace, Gus found himself wandering around the soiree, pausing every now and then to admire the effort Headmaster Black and his wife had put into hosting the event. One of the professors spoke of the decorations and Gus found his own gaze lifting toward the ceiling, a light smile brushing against his lips as twinkling stars met his gaze. A shooting star burst across the sky and then fizzled out. He laughed.

“Hogwarts decorations are one of my favorite things about this school,” Gus mused as he turned his attention toward the woman; he didn’t recognize her - not that he recognized a lot of the professors just yet - but she was a face he hadn’t ever seen. She was dressed up much more than him. Gus had worn his professor robes for ease. They always go all out. Christmas with the floating candles in the Great Hall is a personal favorite, and if you get there at the right time, it snows too.” That was the only snow he didn’t mind.

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