Christmas in the Snow Solo Closed

For once, Melody was not looking forward to being home. Hogwarts had become a second home to her, and it would be strange to be anywhere else. She was so used to being in her dorm, at a class, or just out on the grounds, that it was strange to be back in her hometown.

Broxbourne, England's fresh green trees were all completely coated with snow. The grass underneath the thick layer of white was not visible, and only a few twigs poked up out of the ground. On a row of neat little houses, one stood out most of all. It was the largest, and the yard was the wildest. Overgrown vines draped the house and shrubs lined the outside. Even the patch of lavender sprigs outside had vanished and been replaced by the white. Lights were on inside, and a mat in front of the polished wood door had a cheesy picture of a jolly man in all red, saying 'ho, ho, ho!'

Melody groaned, her parents had never had the finest taste in decoration. She sighed, and vowed to get it over with before she could start. She reached up a pale hand, took a sharp intake of the cold air, and knocked on the door three times. For a moment, she thought no one would answer. She stood out in the snow, waiting, with her puffy brown jacket on and snow boots to match.

After a little while, the door swung open, and Melody was hit with the warm smells of baked goods and chocolate. She smiled at the feeling of home, but it vanished quickly when she looked at the woman who stood in the doorway. Gentle, kind, and frail, Emily Rathburn was also a strong woman. She balanced a tray of cookies in one arm, carrying a small baby in the other. Melody recognized the child as her cousin, Basil.

"Hello mum," said Melody simply.

Not to her surprise, Emily almost dropped the tray and the baby. She shrieked in delight and hastily set down the tray, before scooping her daughter up in her arms. Melody coughed and choked for air as she looked over the woman's shoulder to the crowded inside. All of her cousins, her aunts, her uncles, her entire family seemed to be there, sitting around the table and on the floor.

"Mel!" A little boy with blonde hair giggled and ran over to the reunion of the mother and daughter, joining in on the hug.

Melody would have liked to push him away, but he was simply too cute for that. The boy was another of her cousins, and his own mother was watching from the end of the table, narrow blue eyes soft, and warm for once.

"Hey Finn," Melody smiled and ruffled his hair as her mother let her go. She gasped for breath and was only just regaining her air when she was suffocated by another bear hug, one by a tall man with thin, graying hair. His face was worn with wrinkles, but a smile was placed on it, and he had on a sweater vest and khakis.

"Hey dad," Melody smiled into the man's chest.

"We didn't think you would ever come home for Christmas!" said Emily, "but you could have told us, my dear, why, we could have picked you up at the train station! However did you get home?"

Melody shrugged as she was released once more. "I walked."

"You walked?" Emily gasped.

Richard, Melody's father, could obviously sense a long talk about safety precautions for his daughter, so he clapped his hands together and rubbed them with a large smile on his face. He looked around at the family and they smiled right back, though a few were still watching the mother fuss over her daughter.

"How about we get this dinner started, then?" said Richard.