No place like home

She laughed at his comments and smiled. Somehow he had always known how to make her laugh in the worst moments. In a strange way she appreciated her time with her brother a lot more now that he wasn't around. She didn't see him just as the annoying older one in the family anymore. "Well you certainly weren't no angel" she said with a giggle. This was true as Alice was always the decent one in the family. She still was, just the whole situation was making her seem less and less like that every day.

"No I haven't been there but I can only imagine. The Bones house is never a quite one really. But I'm surprised about Amelia, I though she would come here with her mom and dad as well. That was the plan I think" she said, wondering what happened to her.

"Oh shut up Frank! I'm not a very huggable person, there's nothing wrong with that" she said removing herself from his arms and with her cheeks getting a little red. Truth was Frank knew more about her childhood than she did. He was there to witness it all and was much older at the time. "Remember when I would go around the house crying cause you didn't let me dress you and put make up on your face. I was so disappointed to find out you weren't a girl" she said laughing

Alice heard a small pop and then her father talking to someone. "We must have guest then. Come downstairs with me" she said leaving his backs and walking down the hallway. "Oh by the way, I slept in your bed last night. Hope you don't mind" she said with a little smirk. Coming downstairs, she saw that Ernie had arrived. "Hey Ernie!" she said greeting him cheerfully. "How come Amelia didn't come?"

Frank rolled his eyes. He threw his stuff onto his bed. He had missed this room. He had missed so much. He couldn’t explain how great it felt to be home. It was like nothing else he had ever felt. “I’m coming,” said Frank.

“Good day Neville. Madame Longbottom, looking as good as ever,” Ernie said tipping his hat. He still knew his pureblood manors. He may be Highland farmer but least he knew manors when it came to woman. “Only you are polite to her,” Neville whispered to Ernie. Ernie shook his head and chuckled, some things never change. “Hello Alice. Aren’t you gettin’ big,” said Ernie with a smile. “Something about her date getting interrupted by some Slytherin guy, that’s what I got out of it so don’t yell at me, and now she is hiding in her closet and won’t come out,” said Ernie. “I feel bad for the guy when she gets hold of him next time,” laughed Neville. “I don’t think she’ll do anything like that Neville, she has a rather different way of getting revenge now. Sometimes I worry about what things she gets from me,” said Ernie. “Merlin help those poor kids at Hogwarts, I think Kingsley is going to regret making her Perfect,” said Neville shaking his head. “Ah Frank my boy, how’s the real world been treating you,” said Ernie shacking Frank’s hand. “Alright I suppose,” said Frank.

Susan appeared using Floo power. She stepped out from the fireplace nearly knocking over the portrait. “I’m sorry Mrs. Longbottom, I didn’t know you were there,” said Susan. “It’s alright dear. I see your husband is still as charming as ever. Where are those dear children of yours?” asked Mrs. Longbottom. “They’ll be coming later I think,” said Susan. She didn’t have the heart to say anything about getting devoiced. “Any luck?” asked Ernie. “None, Jessica ran off somewhere. Drew, is out with my father. Amelia is still hiding in her closet and won’t come out. I think Edgar went off to stalk Amelia’s new boyfriend, he said he’ll be coming later,” said Susan. “Hannah’s shopping I suppose,” said Susan seeing the pamphlets on the coffee table and covered them up to make it look like she was organizing the magazines.

((One of the things I changed is that Edgar and Claire/Jessica are still alive))

( Yeah I red your applications so I'm up to date. Sorry for the god mode btw! :/ )

"Really? Well that's quite rude!" said Alice shaking her head. Dating to her was complicated and stressful enough without something interrupting it. Especially if she remembered the last date she went to. It was the worst kind of date, a blind date. Safe to say that both her and that Hufflepuff guy were in a very awkward situations which was hard to get out of. "Did she tell you who it was?" asked Alice curiously. She couldn't understand who could be that rude and insensitive. Although she personally knew a lot of Slytherin guys who were jerks.

"Does anyone want coffee? I'm going to make some for myself" she announced. After a few people agreed to the idea she went to the kitchen and put the kettle to boil. As she was waiting she saw her dad passing by and getting something from the fridge. Her brother's words instantly popped into her head. She was being selfish and surely could try more to behave, at least today of all days. "Hey dad. Do you want some coffee as well? Or help with anything? I can set the table if you like" said Alice really trying this time but also hoping that she didn't overdo it. Being too nice would just make her look suspicious.

The best thing to do was probably just to apologize, which she still hasn't done. But as Alice was very stubborn just as her mother, that was something hard to do. After all, she was right and apologizing would mean admitting that she wasn't. That somehow her dad had a right to control her so much, or be suspicious of her or even threaten her friend. She wasn't innocent either of course, yet she still wasn't ready to give up. Either way, Alice just wanted a peaceful Christmas. "I'm trying" she said softly as she was stirring the coffee.

A doorbell rang and Alice heard her name being called. She was being delivered a package to her name. With a look of surprise, she took the package without saying anything. Who would send her anything at this time?

“She can’t even form a real sentence. I think she told Edgar but I won’t swear to it. I’m sure that’s where Edgar was going, to search for the guy and probably scare him half to death,” said Susan. She loved her kids but she knew how dangerous Edgar could get, he had her temper. She was glad most of the other kids didn’t have her temper.

“Alice if you don’t mind making coffee for me that would be great. Better get Ernie a coffee too,” said Neville. Neville knew Susan only drank tea. Susan wondered around looking for something to do. She had to do something.

((I'm too lazy to post twice, log out then back in))

Alice received a box and she took it to the kitchen. At first she didn't know what it was but then he saw the name of the person who sent it 'Dolohov'. With that red, she pushed the package down under the table so it would stay hidden. She couldn't take it to her room as many people would notice her holding something so large. Not that she expected Andrei to send her deadly knives or anything, but she had a feeling that just his name on a delivery to Alice wouldn't set well in this house at all.

She finished cooking the two coffees and brought one to her dad and one to Ernie. "I red your article in the Daily Prophet this week Susan. It was very good, and useful actually. We had a transfer from the Witches Salem Institute and I had to be the girl's guide. To show her around Hogwarts and stuff. She s quite strange actually" said Alice remembering what the girl looked like in her dark eye makeup and ripped up tights.

"I better set the table. Frank, will you help me?" she asked, but it wasn't really a question though. She pulled him to the kitchen and started loading plates on his hands. "Hey can I ask you something? Will you... lend me some money?" Alice asked a bit cautiously, not knowing how he would respond. She considered asking her parents for it but that was out of the question. Her reasons were to embarrassing to explain to either her mom or dad. "I'll play you back of course!" she added at the end.

Frank got the plates that were high up down. “I’ll give you some money later Alice if you still need some when we finish up everything from Christmas,” said Frank remembering that Ernie always gave money. Ernie told him it was because he hated shopping.

He nearly dropped a plate when his mother suddenly appeared next to him. She patted his shoulder playfully as she smirked. She hurried off into Neville’s office with a box then came back to work on diner. She took out the ham and checked on the lamb stew that Ernie insisted in every year.

“Well, Alice, if I remember correctly Salem’s Witches Institute is an all-girls school. Most of the students there are a bit sheltered that’s my personal opinion though,” said Susan. She wasn’t even found of same-sex muggle schools. She had tried to send Edgar to one but she took him out after a year, it just didn’t work for Susan. “Susan doesn’t like same-sex schools. We had Edgar in one when he was little she took him out after the first year,” said Ernie teasing Susan. Susa rolled her eyes.

"Oh thanks Frank" said Alice with a smile as she kept piling plates on her hands. She placed the dishes and the silverware on the long table in the dinning room. She diligently placed every fork and spoon on the right place as, for some reason, Alice was one of those people who freaked out if it wasn't set the correct way and in order. After putting the napkins in as well she was finally done.

Alice turned to Susan and nodded her head. "Yes it is. She told me that she has never been to class with boys. That must be so strange then. I don't think I would like it that much really. I would go crazy with all girls around me. In Hogwarts, not all of them are exactly pleasant." she said shrugging her shoulders. "Oh really? I didn't know that. I think my dad regrets not trying out a same-sex school for the both of us" said Alice with a low voice and giggle. Hopefully if she could joke about it then it wouldn't seem too much of a big deal.

She walked next to Frank as he was setting the glasses. "You didn't tell me anything about your job. I mean...I know you can't really talk about it much, but how is it going. Well I hope" said Alice curious to hear about his experiences. She had always a great interest in fields of work such as Aurors. But of course, Alice was too clumsy for such things so for now she was just trying to focus on school. Although her internship with Wright was also helping her get out of her shell magic wise a lot.

Susan smirked remembering the girls in her year. “Hannah, wouldn’t you say all teenage girls aren’t pleasant?” Susan asked as she snuck behind Hannah tapping her shoulder making Hannah jump. “Yes, most of them still aren’t pleasant,” said Hannah glaring at Susan. “You’re not stirring the stew enough,” said Susan having cooked the stew hundreds of times. “Fine, you do it,” said Hannah trying to sound mad but couldn’t do it. Susan pushed away Hannah’s recipe, she would use the Macmillan recipe she had learned when she had first gotten married.

“It’s doing fine. There is a lot of travel time. It’s not easy living with your coworkers and then being cooped up with them for hours on end trying not to see out of place,” said Frank. He wasn’t too fond of that part of his job. “I hope you like your gift, I had to sneak off to get it,” he added. He remembered trying to sneak out of the apartment to go shopping.

Alice chuckled as she saw her mom and Susan fuss around who was cooking the soup better. Which reminded her that she should really start working on her cooking skills. Even though she was quite a domestic person, Alice could barely boil a simple egg and make breakfast for herself. She was just never in that position that she needed to cook, having her mom at home and the kitchen at Hogwarts. But either way, it would be nice to learn how to make something.

Her attention turned back to her brother as he spoke. "The traveling part sounds wonderful, I would love to do that. But living with the same people you work with sounds like something that would drive me mad." Alice grinned when Frank mentioned a gift. She wasn't expecting he would bring her something. "Aw that's so nice Frank, you didn't have to! Can I see it now?" she said with an excited tone in her voice. She left like a little child who was told Santa was coming on Christmas and she wasn't sure way. Just the thought of her brother picking something out from a far away place and bringing it to her made her feel special.

"Or do I need to wait until tomorrow to see it?" she asked, knowing that she would spent the whole day thinking curiously what it could be, as Alice wasn't a very patient person.

“It is stressful but worth it. It’s still better then training,” Frank said. “After dinner I’ll give it you. I think we are doing most of the gifts tonight to make it easier,” he added. He had tried to understand his mother over the phone but that isn’t easy to do when calling intentionally. “Yes that’s right. We are doing some gifts today, the rest tomorrow!” called Hannah. “Ears like bat,” mumbled Frank. “I heard that!” snapped Hannah. “I love you mum,” said Frank. “You better,” warned Hannah.

Neville and Ernie were talking about their Hogwarts years and Quidditch. Ernie was trying to get Neville to play Quidditch with him but Neville didn’t feel like attempting to kill himself. “Ernie, you know I’m no good at flying,” Neville sighed. “As a first year when you broke your arm but come on we aren’t kids anymore,” chuckled Ernie. “I’m still not doing it. We are getting too old for that stuff. One of these days you’re really going to hurt yourself,” said Neville. “I have in the past but I still don’t stop,” said Ernie.