Augusta gave Alex an approving smile, her admiration for him growing with eapliment.

  After dihey gathered in the living room to exge Christmas gifts. Alex passed out the presents he had carefully selected for each person.

  For Lily, he had a beautiful music box and some children’s books for Harry. For James, he gifted a small, well-ed vial of euphoria potion, and he handed out simir oo everyone present. Seeing that Alex had thought of each of them made the group’s respect for him grow even more.

  Augusta, realizing she hadn’t prepared a gift for Alex, quickly unhooked a delicate silver from around her neck. It was inally a gift she po have made into a locket for Neville’s photo, but she ha to Alex warmly.

  "Here, Alex, take this on behalf of the Longbottom family. I’ll have a new one made for myself ter."

  The Pifted Alex a rare set of books titled Mysteries of Magical Defense, whicluded personalized notes and blessings from Lily and James.

  Lily expined, "We know you’re dedicated to learning, and these are hard to find. We hope they’ll be useful."

  Alex’s eyes lit up as he admired the books. "Thank you both so much! I’ll take good care of them."

  He was truly grateful, knowing how precious the books were.

  Then, Sirius approached Alex with a smug smile, pulling out a small fxen bag. Handing it to Alex, he said, "Don’t say I hink of you. Open it."

  Alex took the bag, expeg something simple, but as he exami, he realized it was an ented item—a small bag with an Uable Extension Charm, Capacious Extremis. Inside was a magically expanded space of three to four cubic feet, perfect for carrying everything he needed.

  "Wow, this is incredible, Sirius!" Alex excimed, his eyes shining.

  He had been thinking about buying something simir, but the price had been too expensive.

  Sirius shrugged, looking proud. "I noticed how much you were lugging around the other day, so I figured this would e in handy. It should st you a good four or five years."

  For once, Alex had no snarky eback, only words of gratitude.

  "Thank you, Sirius. This is… perfect."

  Sirius grinned wider, pleased by Alex’s genuiion.

  As the evening tinued, ughter and joy filled the air.

  "Looks like the Death Eaters are keeping their distaonight. I wonder how things are going at the Weasleys’," Sirius whispered to Alex, showing that he was still on guard, despite the festive spirit.

  But a sudden, pierg arm shattered the festive atmosphere, pulling everyo of their Christmas gathering.

  ‘Great, Sirius, way to jinx us,’ Alex thought, armed, as he felt his stomach drop. He knew instantly that something was wrong.

  The group reacted swiftly. Clearly, they’d been prepared for this possibility.

  Wands were drawn in an instant.

  James raised his voice, calling out, "As pnned! Lily, Alice, Augusta—you stay in the room and guard the boys. The rest of us will hahe enemy outside. Frank, send a message to Dumbledore and the Aurors!"

  Just as James finished speaking, a loud rumble came from outside. The defensive wards around the house had been activated; the Death Eaters had begun their assault on the home.

  Frank raised his wand, summoning a silvery ferret Patronus. He whispered a message to it, and the Patronus darted through the wall to deliver the warning.

  ‘So that’s the Patronus charm,’ Alex marveled briefly, though there was no time to dwell on it.

  The men quickly moved outside, wands raised, while fshes of red, yellow, blue, and green lit up the windows from their spells. Lily, meanwhile, handed Harry over to Alex.

  “Follow me,” she said, her voice calm and steady.

  Alex knew better than to try and act brave. He followed Lily closely, clutg Harry protectively as she led him, Augusta, Alice, and Neville to the basement.

  Ohere, Lily pushed open a door to a small ste room filled with shelves stacked with household items. Lily tapped a few bricks on the wall with her wand, and a wave of magic washed over the walls.

  “This is a safe room,” she expined. “Ohe prote spells activate, it’s nearly impossible to open from the outside. We should be safe here until help arrives.”

  Alex felt a bit of relief, holding little Harry close.

  Augusta, keeping calm, looked at Alex reassuringly.

  “Don’t worry, d. We prepared for this. These cowardly Death Eaters will regret ing here.”

  Alex nodded, seeing how experienced and prepared they were. He felt his own tension ease slightly, but the muffled sounds of spells and explosions from above reminded him the battle was ongoing.

  After a while, Augusta even mao joke, “ you imagiheir faces when they realized they’ve walked right into a trap?”

  Everyone chuckled, sharing her fidence. But just as they were settling in, a faint, uling rustling sound came from outside the basement door. They exged tense gnces, gripping their wands tightly. It wasn’t clear if the noise was friend or foe.

  Suddenly, the ensified—a series of loud thuds and bsts pounded against the door, apanied by bursts of magic that sent ripples through the room’s protective spells.

  Alice, clutg her wand tightly, gnced around with worry. "Could it be that Frank and James didn’t mao hold them off? And why hasn’t support arrived yet? Is… is it Voldemort himself?"

  Augusta kept her posure, holding Neville close with one arm and her wand iher. "Calm down. We don’t know what’s going on up there. Stay focused."

  Lily nodded, keeping her voice steady. "Whatever’s happening, the protective wards are holding for now. We’ll have to rely on ourselves. Keep calm and be ready to defend."

  Alex g the weakening protective magi the door. "The wards are getting weaker. Let’s set up a barricade just in case they break through." He waved his wand, stag boxes and furniture to form a makeshift bunker in front of them.

  Everyone quickly followed his lead, moving tables, chairs, and anything else they could find to create a half-circle barrier around the room.