As November soon turned into December, the end of term finally arrived as Braedey now packed his stuff for the Christmas holidays, and his trip to the Russo's home in New York City. Braedey had already sent a letter via Ruby to his uncle Franklin to tell him what was going on. Terry too was going as Roger, Cho, Penelope, and Samuel were staying up at Hogwarts for Christmas this year.
"So, how are you gonna get all the way to New York City? It's literally on the other side of the world." Terry asked to his best friend as the two walked towards the entrance hall of the castle.
"We use a portkey. Franklin taught me that spell once I was a teenager. And now; considering I'm now a teen, it's the start of a journey of a new me." Braedey answered back as he clearly remembered how to say the spell. "I just can't wait to see Jasmine."
"I can tell. You're smiling more today, you're more active, and you're clearly excited." Terry pointed out. "I mean, the Russos are at Ilvermorny, and you're over at Hogwarts. Makes sense."
"I've also got my gear." Braedey said as he then held up a brick. "Something to blend in."
"That's just a brick." Terry said bluntly.
"Exactly the point." Braedey smirked as he then spots Harry, Ron and Hermione approaching the two Ravenclaws. "See you three haven't packed."
"See you have." Ron pointed to the American's trunk, Redwing's cage and boombox. "Off to New York?"
"Yeah. I'll be in the Big Apple this Christmas. You three be very careful, okay?" Braedey nodded his head once.
"We'll be fine, Braedey. Have fun in New York." Harry reassured with a smile as the two do their secret handshake.
"Tell me everything when you get back." Hermione said as she proceeded to hug the American hybrid before kissing him on the cheek, catching Braedey by surprise yet again. "Merry Christmas."
Braedey quickly walked off with Terry, lightly touching his cheek where Hermione's lips made contact. Terry's eyes were wide as saucers as his mouth was open as well. "Dude. Hermione kissed you. On the cheek! You've gotta date her."
"Terry, I don't think I'm ready. Maybe third year once this Chamber Of Secrets mess is dealt with." Braedey shook his head as the two Ravenclaws exit the castle.
After bidding farewell to Terry, Braedey headed to a secluded area close by to Hogsmeade train station. The American brandished his wand and aimed it at the brick. "Portus."
The brick shook for a few moments as it changed into a portkey with the destination set for the Russo home up in New York City. When the departure time just seconds later, Braedey felt an invisible hook attach to him before the familiar landscape of Hogwarts vanished as he was spinning. Braedey smiled as he laughed a few times... before arriving at his destination.
"OW! GODDAMN IT!"
Unfortunately, the destination was a storage cupboard in one of New York's subway stations. Braedey slipped out of the cupboard, unbeknownst to the No-Majs, and he proceeded to climb up the stairs up to street level with both his trunk and Ruby in his cage.
On the way to Russo's home, Braedey now noticed New York City was in full Christmas mode, with trees put up, Christmas lights dazzling on every street and Central Park as well, and Christmas songs playing on radios.
"There's no place like home." Braedey commented to himself as he reached his actual destination: The Greenwich Village section of the New York City borough of Manhattan, which runs from Bank Street to Broadway.
Braedey proceeded to knock on the door, which was opened just seconds later by Jerry. "Hey, Braedey. Merry Christmas."
"You too, Jerry. Permission to step in?" Braedey nods back in respect.
"Permission to step in?" Jerry questioned.
"Permission to.... step into Christmas. Let's join together." Braedey started to sing 'Step Into Christmas' by Elton John as Jerry joined in immediately.
"We can watch the snow fall forever and ever.
Eat, drink and merry
Come along with me
Step into Christmas
The admission's free."
The two laughed before hugging for a few seconds. "How you been, Braedey?"
"I'm brilliant, thanks. Jerry. It's good to be home." Braedey said back as he entered the cafe. "Where's everyone else at, Jerry?"
"Oh, Rex and Jasmine are in the apartment. Theresa is just getting a few things." Jerry told the hybrid. "And just to let you know, Rex's girlfriend and Jasmine's boyfriend are coming over to stay as well."
"Alright, thanks." Braedey gave Jerry a thumbs up before heading up to the Russo apartment.
What Jerry said earlier caught Braedey by surprise, but it also brought sadness as well. Rex has a girlfriend and Jasmine has a boyfriend now. Wow, a lot can change in just five months.
Braedey soon reached the Russo apartment and immediately opened the door. He walked in to see Jasmine sitting on the couch, reading a magazine with Ruby sitting on her shoulder, while Rex was cooking some Christmas themed cookies and studying magic by reading a book.
Braedey immediately made his presence known. "Merry Christmas, fellow wizards!"
Both Russo siblings turn to the source of the voice, and smiled and cheered immediately as the two rush over to greet their friend, or crush in Jasmine's case. Ruby even flew over and landed on Braedey's head, chirping in response to seeing his owner again.
"Hey, Braedey." Rex greeted the American.
"Come here." Jasmine then proceeded to hug Braedey and kiss him on the cheek in the same place where Hermione kissed him.
"Hi, guys. Sorry I was late. The portkey wasn't cooperating." Braedey apologised as he collapsed onto the couch, along with the two Russos. "Tell me, guys. Ilvermorny, what's it like in there?"
"It's brilliant. The landscape is brilliant, the school is amazing. Even Jasmine had a good time. We all got sorted into Wampus house. The ceremony is kinda different to Hogwarts, involves statues." Rex explained to Braedey about their experience at Ilvermorny so far.
"Has anything eventful happened yet?" Braedey asked with concern, wondering if something bad was happening to Ilvermorny as well, especially with what was going down at Hogwarts.
"Nothing much." Rex said as he looked at the clock, remembering how long the cookies take.
"Then how do you get there?" Braedey asked again, getting curious about the American wizarding school.
"Oh, we got the Ilvermorny Express, an enchanted Amtrak train that was stolen from the line that goes from Lorton in Virginia to Sanford in Florida. No-Majs say its the longest passenger train in the world." Jasmine told her crush. "It departs from Grand Central Station right here in New York."
"Man, that definitely puts the Hogwarts Express to shame." Braedey then switched topics. "So, Rex, heard you've got a girlfriend. What's her name?"
Rex's eyes widened for a few seconds. "Uh, Juliet. She's a vampire. Don't freak out."
Braedey's mouth dropped open. "A vampire? Oh, no. I'll believe you when I actually see her." He turned to Jasmine as Rex got him a drink. "Jasmine. Who's the lucky boy?"
Jasmine immediately hesitated for a few seconds, unsure of how Braedey will react. "Mason Greyback."
Braedey immediately spat out his drink upon hearing the last name. It was familiar to his knowledge. "Greyback?! As in Fenrir Greyback?! The werewolf Death Eater?!"
Jasmine's eyes widened in shock at the reveal of this information. "No, I've never heard of him."
"Fenrir served You Know Who during the first wizarding war. He was a werewolf, and he's now incarcerated in Azkaban." Braedey explained to Jasmine and Rex. "Along with all the other Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange. Let's just say she, mom and my uncles, they have a VERY mean history."
A door knock interrupted the social time as Rex ran over to open it. Standing outside the apartment was a blonde haired girl who Braedey assumes is Juliet and a boy known as Mason Greyback.
As Rex and Jasmine greets both their guests, Braedey stood observed the two. 'I guess she's the vampire, and he's the son of the Death Eater werewolf.'
Juliet and Mason now noticed the elephant in the room and their eyes widened in shock, immediately recognising the tribrid standing in front of them.
"That's...." Juliet struggled to get over her shock.
"Grindelwald." Mason uttered as he walked over and stared at Braedey in anger. The tension was intense as everyone just stopped, not moving a muscle. Mason then unexpectedly offered his hand. "It's an honour to meet you. We've been hearing good things about you."
Braedey relaxed and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Mason Greyback." He then pointed at Juliet. "And this be Juliet, the vampire."
"And honestly, you look cuter in person." Juliet nodded as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Braedey quickly realised what Juliet was doing. "Whoa, easy, tiger. I'm kind of taken here by Jasmine, and a friend from Hogwarts, Hermione Granger. Now with that out of the way, I think it's time for a movie. I was thinking Home Alone. Any takers?"
"I'm in." Rex called.
"Same here." Jasmine nodded in agreement.
~*~*~
One hour later, the group of teenagers were sitting the couches while Home Alone: Lost In New York was playing on the TV. They were at the part where Kevin was playing a joke on the hotel staff to cover his escape.
"I knew it was you. I could smell you getting off the elevator." Mr. Tommy gun said.
"You was here last night too, wasn't it?"
"Yes, sir, I was?" The concierge man answered.
"You was here.... and you were smooching with my brother!"
That caused the teens to laugh, the reason being they've never seen this movie before. Braedey had watched it twice back home in Chicago, but he wasn't going to spoil anything for his friends.
"Ba... wha? I'm afraid you're mistaken, sir."
"Don't give me that. You've been smooching with everybody! Snuffy, Al, Leo, Little Mo with the gimpy leg, Cheeks, Bony Bob, Cliff."
The caretaker now realised his name tag says Cliff on it. He gasped. "No, that's a lie."
"I could go on forever, baby."
"I'm terribly sorry, sir, but I'm afraid you're mistaken." The concierge quickly apologised. "We're looking for a young man."
"Alright. I believe ya. But my TOMMY GUN DON'T!"
The hotel staff actually believed the person they were looking for had an actual Tommy gun on him. Jasmine struggled to hold in her laughter.
"Get down on your knees and tell me you love me."
The concierge man told his staff members as they get on their knees. The man huffs and looks around, making sure no one was watching. "I love you."
"You got to do better than that!"
The other staff members decide to join in. "I love you!"
"Maybe I'm off my hinges, but I believe you. That's why I'm gonna let you go." Mr. Tommy gun then changed his mind. "I'm gonna give you to the count of three to get your lousy, lying, lowdown four flushing carcass out my door!"
The staff immediately scrambled to get out of the door as fast as they could as the group laugh again.
"One."
"Open the door!"
"Two..."
The staff run out of the room as the guy on the TV starts firing his Tommy gun while laughing like a crazed maniac, causing the hotel staff to duck for cover as a few people come out of their rooms to see what was going on.
"Three! Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!" Mr. Tommy gun and Kevin say at the exact same time, causing Braedey, Jasmine, Mason, Rex, and Juliet to burst out laughing. "And a happy new year."
"What a bunch of idiots." Juliet bellowed, her boyfriend still laughing alongside her. "Those people are so stupid."
"Ah, I'm just glad the hotel stuff didn't run into Slimer. Oops, wrong movie." Braedey shook his head as he recovered from the laughing mess he was in. He then turned to Rex. "So, what's cracking for Christmas day?"
"Oh, we've got a few friends of ours from Ilvermorny coming over for Christmas dinner. They're gonna love you." Rex said as he and Braedey do a fistbump.
Braedey continued to watch the movie with them, all the while with wondering how his friends back at Hogwarts were doing.
~*~*~
25TH DECEMBER 2012
Soon, it was Christmas day in New York City. Braedey awoke in Rex's room, so does Justin as they both look outside the window, and it was shockingly snowing already as the boys smiled at each other.
"IT'S CHRISTMAS!!"
As the teens opened their presents a while later, Braedey got some presents from Franklin, Stefan, the Russo family, and his friends back at Hogwarts, plus Hermione who brought Braedey an amber with a mosquito stuck inside, Ron got him a broomstick care kit for his Adamantium 550, Harry got Braedey a moving framed picture of the Allied Alliance during their first year, and Alex got Braedey a complete DVD box set.
As Christmas Dinner was being prepared by both Jerry and Theresa, Rex, Jasmine and Max's friends arrive with more presents. Rex proceeded to introduce the newcomers to Braedey, who greeted back in a friendly manner, causing them to like him already.
Their names were Nick, Joe and Kevin Nikolai, brothers from New Jersey.
And Jasmine's new best friends; Miley Nightgale and Demi Lawrence.
After some Christmas dinner, Demi threw a mini party in the lounge as her friends and Braedey join in who broke out his speaker and began playing party tunes. The American was having the best time of his life as he got to meet new friends and hang out with his crush and her family. Braedey smiled as he sung along with the Nikolai brothers, Miley and Jasmine, thinking about Harry, Ron and Hermione who were missing out, he did feel sorry for them.
But, in Braedey's view, this is the best Christmas ever.