Four days before Christmas, Mason's mum returned from Switzerland. She showed up at our door at two o'clock in the afternoon, holding an umbrella in defense against the frigid rain that had been falling persistently since the previous evening. Mason jumped up to meet her the moment she rang the bell, and I was right at his heels. Mum beat us there, and was ushering Mrs. Bones towards the kitchen (presumably for a cup of tea) when we reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Mum!" Mason burst out as he practically tackled her. He had missed her these past months, as I well knew, and he was unabashed by the fact.

"Hello, darling." Mrs. Bones let out a breathless laugh, wobbling on her feet as she embraced him, then stood back to look at him. "Merlin, how you've grown! And what's this?" Her slim hand brushed a mark on his cheek.

My friend grinned. "James is teaching me some quidditch strategies... I may have crashed into the shed."

Playing Quidditch while it was sleeting had not been one of James' better ideas. Mason was lucky he'd ended up with no more than a small scar.

Mrs. Bones shook her head, smiling, and as she continued to look at her son, I looked at her. She was noticeably thinner than she'd been at the beginning of September, and I was sure she hadn't had so many worry lines when I'd seen her last. Her voice and posture radiated exhaustion. The look in her eyes as she stared at Mason was decidedly pained. "Are your things ready, dearest? We've got to get things ready for your Grandad and Nana; they should be arriving before supper."

"Sure. It's all ready to go, I've just got to grab it." Mason smiled and headed for the treehouse.

"Why don't you go help him, Lily?" my mum said, in the tone that meant 'give the adults a moment alone.' She wore a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes, and that was how I knew there was something happening that I didn't understand. I was tempted to linger, but my conscience won the debate so I followed Mason out to the treehouse.

By the time I reached the ladder, he was already halfway back down the ladder, one bag slung over his shoulder and the other tossed down to the ground.

When he set foot on the grass, Mason looked at me, and his expression was more troubled than I'd ever seen it. But he didn't say a word, just trudged back towards the house. I trailed behind him, wondering what was going on.

The moment we set foot in the kitchen, our mothers fell silent. Mason glanced at me, perhaps wondering what to do next, but I could only shrug in return. I thought it strange that he, who had a level of confidence that I could only dream of, seemed at a loss for words.

After too long of a silence, Mrs. Bones spoke. "Alright, shall we go?" Her voice seemed strained, and the smile she wore as she made her farewells to me and Mum was too cheerful to be genuine. Mason and I did little more than wave; we'd be seeing each other again before long. I watched my mother take Mrs. Bones' hand and squeeze it reassuringly, and then they were gone.

I made for the back door, intending to retrieve a book and retreat to a quiet place, but my mum's voice halted me in my steps. "Lily, can you stick around for a moment? It's important that I speak with you."

Frowning, I turned back, joining my mother where she was leaning against the marble countertop. I noticed that the grey in her dark red hair was more noticeable than it had been in the summertime, and wondered if there was a reason for it. Her eyes, at the moment, were a tumultuous mixture of pain and trepidation. Standing there, in our kitchen, she told me all I needed to know.

Susan Bones was ill. In the course of her secretarial job at the Ministry, she had come in contact with a certain package, meant for the Minister, which had contained a curse. Upon opening the package, she was knocked out by something - not, as was first suspected, a simple delayed jinx, but something much more sinister.

Inside the package had been contained a miniscule, but endlessly harmful, magical parasite. It had released a cloud of something strong that had knocked Ms. Bones out - and taken advantage of her helplessness to invade her body. After this event, she'd become sick, and when investigated it was found that the parasite had multiplied itself and begun to spread. This had taken place over a month ago, and she had spent much of her time since then seeking out a remedy. She had gone to Switzerland to see a specialist on the subject.

Presented with all this information, I wasn't quite sure what to say. I bit my lip. "Does Mason know?"

Mum shook her head. "She's going to wait until after Christmas to tell him. She doesn't want to ruin the holiday."

"Did the specialist help her? Is... is there a cure?"

Slowly, my mother shook her head. "They couldn't tell her anything certain. This parasite is a recent discovery, so they don't know how things will progress. There's not a cure, at least at the moment. They can't figure out how to stop it from multiplying."

I looked at my mum. "If there's no cure... will it kill her?"

She sighed deeply. "I don't know, Lily. I just don't know."

---

Christmas with the Weasleys was, as always, a great success. There were over twenty of us, although we were missing Roxanne, Dom, Albus, and Uncle Charlie - Roxy was with her fiancé's family, Dom had stayed at Hogwarts, Al was at Malfoy Manor, and Charlie hadn't been able to find anyone to watch the dragons. We gathered at the Burrow to eat loads of delicious food, exchange gifts, and stay up past one o'clock playing charades.

It was exhilarating but also exhausting, and at the end of the day (beginning of the next day?) I was more than happy to sink under my blankets and sleep. I woke late in the day on the 26th, nearly twelve o'clock, and went downstairs to make myself an early lunch.

Halfway down the stairs, I heard murmurs of conversation from the kitchen. I glanced down at the worn leggings and oversized t-shirt (Dad's) that I was wearing, and wondered if I should change before venturing down. But I figured that if someone important was here, they'd be in the living room, so I shrugged and continued on my way.

In the kitchen, I found my mother and Mrs. Bones sitting at the breakfast table sipping tea. They glanced up when I walked in, and Mason's mum smiled. It was a pained smile. "Lily..." she said. "Mason went out to the treehouse. Perhaps you should go find him. He's not exactly pleased with me right now, and you... you'll be able to do more to pacify him than I will."

I nodded. My stomach was grumbling, but my friend was more important than my hunger. I fetched my coat and went outside to find him.

Mason was not, in fact, in the treehouse. Rather, he was sitting on the ground with his back against the tree itself. His arms were wrapped around his bent legs, and his head was tilted up, staring at the sky. He was wearing a jacket, but not one really warm enough for the freezing day, and I could see him shivering.

I stood looking at him for a moment, but he didn't seem to notice me, so I sat down next to him. "Hey," I said.

He didn't respond, just sighed. Then after a moment said, "I guess you've heard."

"Yeah."

Mason sighed again. "She says that when she first passed out, nobody took her to Saint Mungo's. They just waited for her to wake up and sent her home. It was a few days before she noticed an ache in her stomach. Then she started feeling sick whenever she ate." His voice was shaky. "That's when she went to the hospital. If she'd gone right away, they might have been able to remove it. But by the time she went, it had latched on too tightly. So now she just has to wait, while they do their research. She believes they'll find a way, but I... I don't know what to think anymore."

I reached over and grabbed his hand, intertwining his fingers with mine. "They will find a way. I know they will. Your mum won't let this defeat her."

"But what if they can't? What if it does?"

I shook my head. "Don't think like that, Mason. Everything will be fine." Perhaps it was wrong of me to say that. But it was so obvious that he was scared, and I wanted him to feel better, and it was all I could think of to say.

For the first time in the conversation, Mason actually looked me in the eye. "Do you really think so?"

I tried not to look away. "Of course I do."

That was the first time I ever lied to him.

---

The Burrow was the center of Weasley family Christmas celebrations, but New Year's took the festivities elsewhere. The annual New Year's Eve party was a responsibility passed between my mum and Aunt Hermione, seeing as the non-familial guests were generally my parents' old school friends, or friends from the War. People liked to be invited into the homes of the members of the 'golden trio,' which Mum didn't mind as long as nobody (read: reporters) walked in uninvited and tried to take photos of the bedrooms or ask intrusive questions.

This year, the party was to be at my house, which had its pros and cons. On one hand, it meant I could retreat to my room if I grew tired of the old music and tipsy adults. On the other hand, it meant I was dragged into a gruelling day of preparations beforehand. I suffered through hours of hanging decorations and chopping vegetables (all of which Mum made me do without magic), which was only bearable because Aunt Hermione had brought Rose over to help.

We gossiped while we worked. Rose told me Dominique had a boyfriend who she was keeping a secret because he was a Slytherin and three years older than her. Thinking back, I recalled seeing my cousin with an older boy I didn't recognize once or twice.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Oh, bloody hell, I don't remember. I think it starts with an 'L.' Liam, or Lucas, or something. Logan, maybe?"

I shrugged. "I don't keep track of the Slytherins much, beyond Al."

Rose nodded in agreement. "Speaking of Al, is he coming tonight?"

"I doubt it. We sent the Malfoys an invitation, but they never replied."

My cousin scoffed. "Of course not. They wouldn't be so civilised."

I rolled my eyes. "Just because Scorpius Malfoy follows you around like a puppy dog doesn't mean the family is uncivilised. You don't know anything about them."

"I know enough to know I never want to have anything to do with them."

"You don't think he's cute?" I asked, honestly wondering how she'd respond.

"Oh, I don't know... maybe. But he's bloody irritating!"

"I think you like him," I said smugly.

"I do not."

"Do too."

"Do not!"

"Would you hate him less if he wasn't a Malfoy?"

My cousin narrowed her eyes at me. "I don't know what you're trying to say, but I don't like it. My dislike for Scorpius Malfoy has nothing to do with his family, and everything to do with the fact that he's deplorable, and that's all I have to say about that."

"Okay, Rosie," I said, shooting her a playful wink. "If you say so."

She scowled, and we peeled the remainder of the carrots in silence.

Around seven o'clock in the evening, the guests began to arrive. First, the rest of Rose's family, along with Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur and Louis, who would be ten in February. Victoire and Teddy, who were renting a flat together in London, had decided to have their own smaller party with some of their school friends and the older cousins, so Molly (Percy and Audrey's oldest) probably wouldn't be making an appearance either.

The Bones were not coming. Susan was tired after all the holiday celebrations that had already taken place, and Mason didn't want to leave her at the house by herself, since his grandparents had already returned to America. He was becoming very protective of her, and I wondered if he' d spend every second of the day worrying when we were back at Hogwarts. I was sad he wasn't coming, but I understood. His mum meant everything to him, and if he wanted to stay with her, wild horses couldn't have dragged him away.

The next arrivals were not family by blood, but certainly good enough friends to be family in spirit. Neville and Hannah Longbottom, with their son Frank, who was nearly six years old and considered a minute used not telling people his age to be a waste of time. They had a daughter, Angelica, who was a bit older than me, but she had a debilitating and so far incurable disease that, while not precisely deadly, had forced her to spent much of her life in hospital wards. Most considered it a miracle that she was still alive, but personally I thought I'd rather be dead than spent my life in St. Mungo's.

Anyways, the Longbottoms came in, exchanging hugs with my parents and aunts and uncles. The men immediately started chattering about quidditch, with Uncle Ron clearly looking to pick a fight about the Chudley Cannons. Mum told Hannah - honorarily, Auntie Hannah - that there were snacks in the kitchen if Frank was hungry, and they before long they were off in search of them.

Soon after the Longbottoms came another set of people, about whose presence my feelings were decidedly mixed - the Scamanders. Auntie Luna was always loads of fun, of course, and Uncle Rolf was sure to have some sort of fascinating creature tucked up his sleeve, so that was all well and good. Lysa was a great friend, and between us and Rose we always caused plenty of good-natured mischief. But then... then there was Alec.

He walked in behind Ly, and hung back as I was kissed his mum and playfully shook hands with his dad, then threw my arms around his sister. Not bothering to greet her twin, I immediately started up a conversation with Lysa, leading her into the kitchen where I knew Rose was snacking on crisps.

Just because I didn't acknowledge Alec didn't mean I didn't see him. I saw him perfectly well. I saw the way he shifted on his feet, and the way he wiped his palms against his trouser legs. I saw how he shrunk into himself as I pretended not to notice he was there. I saw the expression he wore, that said he was bearing a burden in silence. Yes, I saw him. But he had made his choice, two years ago, and I had made mine. Alec Scamander was not my business anymore.

So I spent the next few hours dividing my time between family and friends and other people I didn't know who my parents dragged me over to shake hands with. Around ten o'clock, Rose, Lysa and I grabbed Hugo, Louis and James and dragged them outside to play hide-and-seek in the dark. We must've played eight rounds, and James won half of them - he said he had good hearing, but I thought it more likely that he found a good way to cheat.

By the time we'd tired of the game, there was less than half an hour left 'til midnight. The six of us went up in the treehouse, where James managed to get a countdown on the television. We sprawled on the sofa or the floor, and had just made ourselves comfortable when Hugo had a thought.

"We should get the other kids up here, too. The cousins and whoever else."

I sighed, stretching my arms. "Yes, sure. As long as I'm not the one who has to go get them. It feels very nice laying here."

Lysa laughed. "You're deplorably lazy, Lil. Fine, though, I'll get them." She stood up and started for the trapdoor.

"Oh, and grab some food while you're at it!" I called after her.

"Merlin, I'm not your slave," my friend groaned. But I knew she'd bring it all the same.

Five minutes later, Lucy came up the ladder carrying a bag of licorice, with Fred behind her struggling to hold a half-full bottle of sparkling white grape juice and a stack of plastic cups. "Where's Lysa?" I asked curiously.

"She's down there - says she wants you to come down," Lucy said.

Of course she did. "Ugh. why?"

"Dunno, Lils. But she said you'd say no, and that I should tell you she'll sneak into your dorm and prank you if you don't."

I groaned. "Fine." I pulled myself up from the sofa and made my way over to the trapdoor, muttering obscenities all the way down the ladder. At the bottom, I found Lysa waiting for me expectantly. And beside her-

Damn. I'd been set up. I pressed my lips together and stared icily at my friend. "What do you want, Ly?"

"I want you to grow up," she said simply. Then, with a smirk, she sprung towards the ladder, closing the entrance behind her. I was stuck - with Alec Scamander.

I suppressed a scowl and looked everywhere except at him. What was Lysa trying to do? She knew I didn't want to talk to her brother. Did she really think forcing me to be alone with him was going to change anything? I was going to kill her for this.

"Don't be upset with Lysa. I asked her to do it."

I continued to avoid his gaze. "Why?" I said, my voice tight.

"Because every time I get anywhere near you, you run the other way."

I scoffed. "Can you blame me?"

Alec was silent for a moment. Finally, he said, "I'm not going to keep apologizing to you, Lily. I've done it quite enough. Whether you've chosen to listen isn't my problem."

His apologies. So many apologies. Genuine enough, but I hadn't listened. I'd laughed at him. I'd told him I hated him. I'd vilified him to everyone I knew. Was I in the right? It didn't matter. I wasn't going to rethink my choices now.

"So why are you here, then? If not to apologize?"

He made a sound of exasperation. "Because- look at me, will you? Please."

I didn't want to look at him. I stared at the ground.

"Come on, Lily. I'm not asking you to give me a bloody hug."

Surrendering, I turned up my head, glaring into his blue eyes. "Five minutes, Scamander. Start talking."

Alec sighed deeply. His eyes were soft. Sad. Pleading. "I've tried to give you space. I've tried to give you time. But I can't take this resentment anymore; it's killing me. I- I miss you, alright? I miss us. I'm not asking for us to be... whatever we were. I just... I want to be friends again, Lily. That's all."

A scathing reply was on the tip of my tongue. He didn't deserve forgiveness. He didn't deserve another chance. That's what I'd been telling myself for over two years now. But was it true? Or was I making excuses?

"Please say something," he begged, his voice tired.

I swallowed, hard. It was scary, standing there looking into his eyes. Not because I didn't trust him, but because I realized I did, and that was a million times worse. I'd spent so much time building walls, trying to protect myself, trying to escape any chance that the pain I'd felt at his betrayal would plague me again... and yet here I was. Ready to open myself up to further heartache. What was I thinking? It would be incredibly foolish. But I suddenly didn't care.

"Okay," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Alec's eyes widened, hesitantly hopeful. "Really? You mean that?"

I nodded. "I mean it more than I've meant anything else I've said to you in the past few years."

Unexpectedly, he laughed. It wasn't a happy laugh. More pained. "You've said a lot of things, Lily. To me and about me. I don't know if I'm to believe you meant them or not."

I flushed, although he probably couldn't see that, as it was rather dark. I thought about all the times I'd lashed out at him and treated him like garbage, and I wondered if perhaps I had hurt him even more than he had hurt me. I wasn't a person who gave out a lot of apologies, but if anyone deserved one, he did.

I bit my lip. "I'm sorry, Alec. For all of it."

He smiled slightly. "We both made mistakes, Lily. Let's put them all behind us. It's about to be a new year, isn't it? The perfect time for new beginnings."

As if on cue, I heard the kids up in the treehouse start counting down. Less than a minute left 'til midnight.

Then, to my surprise, Alec pulled out two plastic cups. I raised an eyebrow, and he grinned at me. "Perhaps I was getting ahead of myself, but I took the liberty of having Fred pour a bit of juice for each of us."

I laughed, and then said, "I hate to disappoint you, but I have a confession... I don't like grape juice."

The blond boy chuckled. "Just my luck."

Shrugging, I took one of the cups. "I didn't say I wasn't going to drink it."

"You don't have to, Lily."

"I want to. Just for the experience."

"Okay," he said, smiling at me. "Ten seconds."

"Nine," I replied.

"Eight."

"Seven."

"Six."

"Five."

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

"Happy New Year," Alec said, grinning as cheers echoed from both the adults inside and the kids up in the tree. He raised his plastic cup. "Shall we make a toast?"

I nodded, an irrepressible smile on my face, and tapped my cup against his. "To new beginnings."

He echoed my words, and we both tossed back the contents of our cups. And despite the fact that the sparkling juice tasted nasty, I felt perfectly happy.