ᴱᵖⁱˡᵒᵍᵘᵉ⁻ ᶜʰʳⁱˢᵗᵐᵃˢ
Christmas is always, for some unknown reason, always held at the Ambers Mansion. Although, it isn't the Ambers Mansion anymore. It is now the Headquarters of the Division of Magical Management.
It was supposed to be the Department of Magical Management but that would make us a part of the Ministry when we worked above the Ministry.
We do exactly what we said we would do. We manage the Ministry; oversee the well-being of the society and we are a highly secretive unit that allows only certain people in it and has strict rules against violence.
It was only fair my house would be the headquarters since I was the one to give the idea for this particular unit. It was being wasted since it was only home to one person who didn't even live there after getting married.
Even though it has people running around and files thrown everywhere, we cannot imagine celebrating Christmas anywhere else. Just like we cannot imagine having the Christmas Ball anywhere other than the Malfoy Manor.
Two rooms are strictly dedicated for our personal use. One of them is Lily's room and the other was the dining room. I did what Lily so subtly asked in her letter- a shrine for her.
I kept everything exactly how it was and just kept a table in the corner. The table had a portrait I had specially made with Lily, my mum, my dad, Severus and Lucius. The painter was asked to make them be as happy as possible and he did exactly that.
Like every year, before the guests came, Draco, Narcissa, Sirius and I go into Lily's room and light a candle in front of the portrait. I change the flowers in the vase and put a charm so they stay fresh for a long time. We then talk about the five of them as we sit on the floor next to the table.
The first to arrive are Theo, Daphne and their son, Harden in Daphne's arms. Everyone immediately starts cooing over baby Harden since he is the first baby that's been born out of the lot.
Draco has taken baby Harden from Daphne and she throws her, now empty, hands around me. "Cassie," she says after pulling away. "Look how big you've gotten"
"Yeah," I reply, my hand gently stroking my stomach. My very pregnant stomach. "Almost seven months"
"Seven months, already?" Theo gasps. "I remember when this one was seven months. Couldn't stop going to the bathroom"
"Neither can she," Draco joins the conversation. "Don't even mention the mood swings and all the swelling. It's disgusting," he makes an unattractive face. "But I can't wait to meet the little guy"
Daphne immediately straightens up. "Guy?" she repeats. "I thought you weren't going to know the baby's gender"
"Yeah, we weren't but we had to," I answer. "Narcissa wanted to decorate the baby's room and Sirius wanted to buy him gifts"
Just then Blaise makes his grand entry putting a stop to our conversation. "How is my godchild?" he puts a hand on my belly and gasps when he feels a kick. "I think that means they're good"
I nod and laugh. "It's a boy, Blaise. We're having a boy"
Blaise is now over the moon and I start to regret telling him this. While he is off celebrating the news with Narcissa and Sirius who are equally thrilled even though they knew sometime before, Pansy and Millie arrive.
Pansy and Millie were the first same-sex couple to publicly date in the magical community. They earned a lot of praise and respect and were an inspiration to younger generations. They were hated and shunned by the older generations as well. It didn't stop us from loving them or accepting them.
This is why Pansy and Millie handle the laws department of the Ministry. The first law they implemented was that everyone got the same rights, regardless of their sexuality, gender, race, or blood purity. They received all types of reactions but most were good ones.
Blaise handles the international relations department of the Ministry. He gets the work done and has been successful in his job. The magical community has good relations with the rest of the world thanks to the charms of Blaise Zabini.
Daphne being the perfectly perfect lady that she is- handles the news department. She knows everything about everyone and knows which news to be told and when to be told. She also knows the importance of privacy and thus knows which news not to print.
Theo and Draco are in charge of the security of the magical community. They control almost all of the foot soldiers that work in the Ministry. That includes the police, the Aurors, everyone.
Crabbe and Goyle are in charge of the Department of Mysteries. They insisted on the position and none of us knows why. What matters is that they get the job done. They are usually tardy because of this and thus are the last ones to arrive.
Marcus Flint and Cassius Warrington are in charge of the Sports Department. I don't know how they handle that and are the star players of Ballycastle Bats and Montrose Magpies respectively.
I am in charge of overseeing the education of the children. I make sure the children learn what they are supposed to in school, if they get the right equipment in school and if they have the right faculty. Basically, everything Dumbledore didn't do in Hogwarts.
Just as we are serving dinner, the doors open and in comes a swarm of redheads. Sirius is the first to get up and hug Molly Weasley.
Everyone isn't exactly friends with Potter and lot but we have accepted the fact that we have to spend every Christmas together. It is easier since we work in close quarters with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.
"Madam Minister," I greet Granger as she hands me a bottle of wine. "Just in time for dinner"
"Smells bloody brilliant," Weasley barges in and begins to drool.
"Don't get your saliva on the food, Weasley"
"Ron!"
"Always a pleasure," I mutter under my breath.
Weaslette and Potter pass by me, hand in hand. Lovegood gives me some advice about Heliopaths before Blaise drags her away. Molly Weasley embraces me and honestly, I have gotten used to it now. George Weasley and Arthur Weasley exchange a pleasant greeting with me before joining everyone at the dinner table.
Now it feels like Christmas.