Cassidy and Andrew were too busy welcoming their mother to take notice of the concert going on. They hadn't seen her since they left for Hogwarts, and needless to say, the missed her greatly.
"Hey there, you two!" their mother exclaimed, gathering them into a big hug. She beamed at them proudly as Hagrid stepped behind them to carry a small bag of luggage into the castle. "How have you been, my dears?"
"Great! Hogwarts is wonderful!" Andrew exclaimed. They walked into the castle after Hagrid.
"Yes," Cassidy agreed, her face pale expressionless. "I've been learning a lot..."
"That is so wonderful to hear!" their mother said happily. "Now, you're both in Gryffindor now? That's so great! I was a Ravenclaw in my day. Wonderful house, though Gryffindor is great also!"
They chatted for a while, Cassidy and Andrew leading her up the winding stairs to Gryffindor Tower. Cassidy felt a little downcast, not really sure why, but she had always been a little intimidated of her mother.
Cassidy and her mother shared many physical characteristics. Her mother had the same, ova shaped face, and bright, light blue eyes. Her hair was darker though, a deep brown, long and curly. She had it tied up in a bun for the moment. Their mother shared her height with Andrew. They were both very tall, leaving Cassidy in the dust. Cassiyd often resented having to be looked down upon.
Their mother had seen and inspected Andrew's room for cleanliness, and once satisfied, she wanted to see Cassidy's room. Cassidy led her up the staircase to the room she shared, and her mother's once cheery expression was tainted with a slight frown.
"Oh, dearm" she said, patting Cassidy on the top of her head. "You know, there are some really easy spells to take care of all that dust!"
With a few waves of her wand, the dust was gone, Cassidy's trunk organized according to her mother's standards, and her bed made neatly. Her mother pocketed her wand, and smiled proudly.
"I'm sure you'll get it dear," she assured Cassidy.
She and Andrew moved down the stairs, but Cassidy hung back. She kicked her trunk, knocking it back out of order, and then joined them downstairs.
"Are you hungry, Mum?" Andrew asked, as they settled in the common room. "You must be after such a long trip."
"Oh, I could sure use with some dinner," their mother agreed. "But first, I want you to open your Christmas gifts!"
She showed them the package Hagrid had carried for her, and opened it, revealing a few presents for each of her children. Cassidy and Andrew accepted them gratefully, and opened them.
Cassidy received a few extra textbooks on spells and potions, and frowned. Her mother must have received her report by now. She had passed everything with flying colors! She set the books down, and opened her last gift. It was a new quill, parchment, and ink. She aid thank you politely, and watched Andrew open his presents.
Andrew was very excited to receive his gifts. His mother had given him some splendid things. A broom care kit, a new cauldron, and a few Quiddich pins were among his favorites.
"Wow...these are great! Thanks, Mum," he said, pinning the Quiddich pins to his robes.
"Your father got you some gifts too," their mother said, her voice a little less excited at the mention of them. She handed them a present each. "I'm afraid they won't help you much here at Hogwarts, but he seemed to think you might need them."
Cassidy opened her gift, a little more excited. Inside was a wall scroll, with her favorite phrase written in kanji on it: Yanagi ni Kaze, which meant "willow at wind." She let a smile escape her lips in the safety of her family's presence, as she also unwrapped a beautiful Japanese kimono-type dress. It was deep blue with a moon and star print on it, and the wide, silk belt was a beautiful silver. Also included was a pair of traditional Japanese shoes. She felt an overwhelming sense of happiness filling her heart, which she accepted for the time being. A note enclosed read as follows:
Happy Christmas Cassidy.
It's about time I let you be feminine, though I do think your toughness is certainly important and should not be given up. I thought you might like this for some time when you have to get dressed up. Enjoy.
Dad
Andrew's gifts were a set patches for his gi, sommemorating his progress. His father had not awarded them to him previously because of his rash nature, and he wondered why he had sent them now. Also enclosed was a new pair of numchaku, because he had broken his earlier in the fall. His final gift was a wall hanging and a bonsai tree. He looked very pleased to have received them.
"Shall we go to dinner now?" their mother asked, sending their things up to their rooms with a wave of her wand. "I would like very much to see all my old professors once more."
They headed down to the Great Hall, their mother leading the way in her Long, flowing green dress, and her black wizzarding robe.
