"So Tom really isn't coming back for Christmas?"
At the Lovegood house, Pandora's face fell when Luna said it. Even Xenophilius, who usually bickered with Tom nonstop, looked quietly disappointed.
Tom had become part of the family. He could pop in anytime he wanted, but the house still felt strangely empty without him during the holidays.
Luna watched her parents, her big eyes blinking thoughtfully. She wasn't nearly as down as they were. She was still debating whether to tell them about the surprise Tom had mentioned.
She didn't have to decide.
Before she could make up her mind, all three of them turned at once toward the sudden voice behind them.
[I'm back! Long time no see—did you miss me?]
"Who missed you, you smelly cat?! You show up every other day like it's nothing! We're still trying to get rid of you!"
Xenophilius immediately lifted his chin and gave a cold snort, putting on his best aloof expression the second he saw Tom.
Pandora ignored her husband's attempt at dignity and covered her mouth, laughing as she ratted him out.
"You should've seen him earlier, Luna. The moment you said Tom wasn't coming, he looked heartbroken."
"Pandora!"
Xenophilius's face turned bright red. He tried to protest, but Pandora just smiled sweetly at him.
"Look at that—Daddy's shy now."
"I still have an article to finish! I'm going back upstairs!"
Completely defeated in front of his wife and daughter, Xenophilius fled the room, leaving behind a burst of bright laughter.
"So Tom," Pandora said once he was gone, turning to the cat with a curious smile, "didn't you say you had things to do and weren't planning to come home for Christmas?"
[Yeah, well… things wrapped up faster than I expected. And besides—]
Tom reached into his space and dumped a huge pile of assorted snacks onto the table.
[It's Christmas. I figured I should at least come home for a bit.] He gave a little shrug. [I'm only staying a few days, though. I have to head back to school for Christmas itself.]
After all, it was the debut of Santa Golem Mark I. Tom wanted to be there in case anything went wrong.
He didn't think of himself as the type to flake out at the last second like some cartoon wolf or robotic cat, but he still felt a little responsible for his own creation.
"That's fine," Pandora said gently. "As long as we can spend Christmas Eve together, that's what matters."
She didn't push. She had no idea what Tom got up to at Hogwarts every day, but the fact that he never asked them for pocket money yet somehow managed to bring home this much food told her he was probably doing better than they realized.
As his guardians, all they needed to do was support him from behind the scenes.
"Mom?"
Luna had already wandered over to the table at Tom's invitation and was happily sampling the snacks. She tilted her head at her mother, who seemed lost in thought. "Aren't you going to try some?"
"Coming, sweetheart!"
Pandora smiled and ruffled Luna's hair before sitting down to try the treats Tom had brought.
They tasted similar to the ones they usually bought in Diagon Alley, but somehow sweeter—maybe because they came with a little extra warmth.
By the time Xenophilius finally came downstairs for dinner, he found two humans and one cat slumped at the table, clutching their stomachs, surrounded by a battlefield of empty snack bags.
"?"
For a brief, petty moment, he thought maybe it was better when Tom stayed at school. At least then his wife and daughter wouldn't forget he existed.
Thankfully Tom still had a conscience. He pulled out another stash of snacks and shared them with Xenophilius, restoring at least some of the man's sense of importance in his own home.
"By the way, Tom," Luna asked once everyone had recovered, "where did you even get all this? I remember Dad tried to give you allowance money when you left for Hogwarts and you turned it down."
She looked at him curiously. "What do you even do all day at school? Anything fun happen? I heard the Forbidden Forest has tons of magical creatures. Have you seen a crumple-horned snorkack? Does it really look like Dad described?"
The rapid-fire questions made Tom's head spin a little, but Luna's expectant expression made him give in. He started telling her everything that had happened since he'd been at Hogwarts.
He didn't hold anything back—Quirrell, Voldemort, Newt, Nicolas Flamel, even Norberta. All of it.
Just like he'd expected, the Lovegoods had very unique brains.
Most parents would've reacted to the news of Voldemort's return with fear and worry. But not this family.
"Voldemort's back?! For real?! That's front-page material!"
—Xenophilius.
"You're saying he was possessing Quirrell? How did he even do that? Is it some new kind of spell? Fascinating… the magic of curses is truly something else."
—Pandora.
"Voldemort, huh? But since you're fine, that means you already dealt with him, right? I knew it. Tom, you're the best!"
—Luna.
Tom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. That was Voldemort, not some random stray cat. Their reactions were way too casual.
(Even he had felt the pressure when facing the guy… though in the end he'd basically punted him like one.)
Seeing Xenophilius already looking like he wanted to publish the story and Pandora itching to study the possession magic, Tom quickly changed the subject. He told them about Newt and Nicolas being dragged in by Dumbledore, how Nicolas had taken him on as a student, and how he and Newt were working on new magic together.
"—You're saying Nicolas Flamel took you as his apprentice?! The Nicolas Flamel? The one who made the Philosopher's Stone?!"
Tom nodded.
"Oh, that's incredible! Since he's your teacher now, do you think I could get an interview with him? The next issue of The Quibbler would sell out instantly!"
[......]
Tom fell silent. He should've known better than to expect anything normal from this man.
"You said you and Mr. Scamander are researching new magic? Something that could help Obscurials regain control—or even stabilize their Obscurus? I know Mr. Scamander was expelled in his third year, and I respect what he's done with magical creatures, but creating spells? Why him and not me?"
Pandora, ever the proud Ravenclaw, couldn't quite hide her bias against Newt—an expelled Hufflepuff who specialized in creatures rather than spellwork.
She admitted Newt's achievements in magizoology, but when it came to inventing new magic—the field she considered her own—she was confident she was better.
Tom had gone to Newt instead of her? She wasn't saying anything out loud, but she was definitely a little jealous.
Tom felt helpless. It was true that Newt wasn't the best at spell creation, but he actually understood Obscurials. Without Newt, Tom probably wouldn't have come up with the idea at all.
What Tom didn't notice was the tiny, satisfied smile tugging at the corner of Pandora's mouth.
She knew all of that, of course. But that didn't mean she was going to let him off easy. Teasing the cat was one of her favorite pastimes, and she'd finally caught him in a moment of awkwardness. She wasn't about to waste it.
Still, she knew when to stop. Satisfied after watching him squirm for a bit, she was about to let it go—until Tom spoke again.
[In that case, why don't you just join us too, Pandora?]
Tom's eyes lit up as he made the suggestion.
Specialization existed for a reason. Pandora had spent years creating new spells and magical effects. Her knowledge in that area had to be deep. Bringing her in could seriously speed things up.
"Eh?!"
Now it was Pandora's turn to look stunned. She'd only been teasing him—she hadn't actually expected to get dragged into the project.
Newt was a hero who had once stopped Grindelwald. She respected him, and Luna was a fan. But still—
[It's settled then! I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore and bring you along. We'll work on it together!]
Tom made the decision before she could argue.
[And of course we won't forget our little Luna~]
He reached over and patted Luna's head as she looked up at him hopefully.
[Want to come to Hogwarts early? You could see your future school, meet Professor Scamander in person… I could even get you his autograph.]
Luna's eyes sparkled for a moment, clearly tempted. But after a short pause she shook her head.
"Even though I really want to… I think I'll pass. If Mom, Tom, and I all leave, Dad would be lonely all by himself at home."
She smiled. "Besides, you said Mr. Scamander is teaching at Hogwarts now. I can just ask him for an autograph once I start school."
(Xenophilius, listening from upstairs: That's my daughter. She really does care about her old man.)
"And besides—" Luna's expression turned mischievous. "Didn't you say you were going to give me a big surprise for Christmas? If I go to Hogwarts now, I'll miss it, right?"
Tom couldn't help but smile at her serious little face.
[Fine. I'll make sure it's a really good one.]
"I'm looking forward to it~"
Tom didn't stay long. He spent a few relaxed days with the Lovegoods, celebrated Christmas Eve together, and enjoyed Pandora's cooking before it was time to leave.
Luna had wanted to give him his Christmas present early, but he refused.
[Gifts are more fun when you wait until Christmas to open them, aren't they?]
He didn't leave empty-handed, though.
Just before he went, Xenophilius handed him a bag of cheese-flavored cookies.
"Here. Pandora made these specially for you. Try not to steal food from other people's houses again. Next time you might not run into anyone as nice as us."
Tom actually felt a little embarrassed. After all, the first time he'd met this family, he'd been lured in by the smell of roasted fish they'd left on the windowsill. He'd been so hungry he'd eaten their entire lunch without realizing what he was doing.
The Lovegoods hadn't gotten mad. They'd taken him in instead.
Xenophilius was clearly teasing him about that old memory now.
[I already told you that was an accident! And you know I can just teleport straight to Hogwarts. No one's going to kidnap me.]
Tom grumbled, but he still carefully accepted the bag and tucked it away.
These were homemade with love, after all.
"Pfft—"
Pandora nearly laughed out loud watching the exchange, but she caught her husband's pleading look and held it in.
If Tom found out these cookies weren't made by her but by Xenophilius—who had spent the past few weeks secretly learning from her just to make something nice for him—he'd probably come up with some excuse to run right back.
What a tsundere husband. Even when he was being stubborn, he was adorable.
She didn't say anything, but the corners of her mouth curved upward anyway.
Tom glanced at her, confused about what she was smiling at, but didn't think too much of it. He said his goodbyes to the three of them, pulled the black curtain across reality, and vanished.
"Filus," Pandora asked once he was gone, "what do you think would happen if I told Tom those cookies were actually made by you?"
"!"
Xenophilius's face turned bright red. "Don't you dare say anything!"
"I'm just saying… I bet he'd be really touched."
"I think he'd be disgusted."
Listening to her parents, Luna wore a thoughtful little smile.