Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter- JK Rowling and Warner Brothers do. I also don't own the quote from the book Anna Karenina either, though it is in public domain- and translated from Russian, so translations vary slightly. (There is no resemblance in this story to the actual book, Anna Karenina)

"Happy families are all alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

— Leo Tolstoy in Anna Karenina

1991

Students known to be remaining at Hogwarts- Harry Potter, Fred George Percy and Ron Weasley.

Faculty/Staff: Albus, Filius, Minerva, Rubeus, Argus, Severus

*Ron*

Ron had happily told Harry that he'd stay with him at Hogwarts over the holidays months ago. It would just be the two of them in all of Gryffindor Tower- no one to look at Harry weird or refer to Ron as "little Weasley." He was taller than some of the blokes who had called him that. And he wasn't the youngest Weasley. Ginny was still too little to even come to Hogwarts yet.

So it was going to be great, wandering around an empty Hogwarts.

But then his parents said that they were going to go to Romania to visit Charlie and asked if the boys would be okay at Hogwarts. But they didn't ask in a way that made Ron think he could beg to come along. It was basically just polite abandonment. Even though he hadn't seen Charlie in ages, barely at all that summer, and Ginny got to go. When he and Ginny were both at home, his parents hadn't taken the two of them anywhere cool like Romania.

So, now the twins and Percy would be stuck at Hogwarts too, and it wasn't sounding like it was going to be the special, unique Christmas he had imagined. It was one thing to want to be away from your family, but really different for your family not to want you there.

*Severus*

The holidays were as insufferable as the rest of the year. He would almost welcome the distraction of hundreds of miscreants to be responsible- which was the second or third step to insanity.

But Harry Potter was the worst, and that brat wouldn't even leave! Muggle family not good enough for the boy? Though Severus had never cared for Petunia. Seeing that boy was the worst. The face, the hair reminded him of the parts of childhood he hated most.

But those eyes were worse still, reminding him of the family he never had.

A few more drinks and he would be just like his father.

A few more after that, and he wouldn't care.

*Percy*

He would have stayed anyway, of course, even if he didn't have to. It was his duty as a prefect to monitor Gryffindor Tower. Even though none of the other Gryffindor Prefects had stayed. Even though the only Gryffindors who had stayed at all were his younger siblings and Harry Potter.

But he had to be an example for the family, and young Harry as well. It was his duty not only as a prefect, but also as the oldest Weasley left at Hogwarts. Charlie had told him that when he graduated, and Percy respected both of his older brothers, even though Charlie was somewhat less… traditionally successful that William Weasley, Head Boy, whom Percy hoped to follow. He would be fine at Hogwarts. They would all be fine.

*Fred*

You weren't supposed to have favourite family. He wasn't even sure if George had favourites, though he hoped he was worth being George's. But for Fred, even if he wouldn't admit it, it was always clear: George, Mum (except when she was scariest), Dad, Bill, Ginny, Charlie, Ron, and Percy. They were all great- or at least he loved them all, even Percy. But now, Mum and Dad were picking Charlie above the rest, and they weren't supposed to have favourites. Ron might surpass Charlie just for that, and Fred felt terrible for even thinking that because he loved them both. It just hurt.

Last Christmas, it had been Charlie's last Christmas in school, and they all knew that he was going to take off after graduation, whatever crazy place he could get away to. Even Bill was able to come home for it, when Bill had missed the Christmas before. So Fred was prepared to miss both Bill and Charlie, but for everything to go on like normal other than that.

It was because they were poor. They didn't talk about it, but everyone knew that they were. Dad was underappreciated, underpaid and if honest, underachieving- one of the other things he'd never say out loud. And Mum had her hands full with things that didn't pay, and he would never begrudge that. They wouldn't be anything without her.

But none of that was going to be him. He and George were going to be really successful at something one day. The two of them would have so much money that they could take the whole family wherever they wanted to go. In fact, maybe it was time to start working on some of those ideas.

*Harry*

Thrilled. Harry was thrilled that he didn't have to go back to the Dursleys. He had two full weeks to be at Hogwarts without even having classes, and he didn't even have to think about Dudley or his aunt and uncle. He didn't have to watch Dudley open literally dozens of presents when he would get nothing- or an old cast off of Dudley's- or a mop.

It would be even better if Hermione had been able to stay, but he knew she wanted to see her family. At least Ron was there with him. And the rest of the Weasley children were too, actually.

It was the best Christmas he had ever had. He had never seen so many present all for him. Hagrid had given him a cool flute, and Hermione had sent some chocolate frogs. Mrs. Weasley's jumper was almost as good of a gift as Hedwig, and the fudge was great too. And then, he got an invisibility cloak, which was not only the coolest magic he had seen yet, but also something that had belonged to his dad.

So it didn't matter that the Dursleys had just sent him a fifty pence piece, because that was probably the best thing they'd given him in years, and he didn't even have to see them and cook for them food and clean the house and deal with Aunt Marge. And he had a magic cloak, and the coolest thing Dudley got was probably a third Gameboy or something.

It didn't matter that his family never acted like they loved him, even a little.

*Filius*

Holidays were wonderful, especially amusing this year, watching the younger Weasleys' antics. He did not envy Minerva's position, but sometimes wondered how their lives would have been different, had she been over Ravenclaw and he over Gryffindor. Mostly, he enjoyed the quiet of his students.

The summer was too empty though, and winter nearly so. The children were like his own, and the castle was… lacking without him. He had never cared for small children as a young man, even when he was one himself. This was for the better, as his questionable bloodline and stature would have made finding… such things difficult. But now he had a few hundred children who were all his, and he would be happier when they returned. But until then, he would laugh and joke, and generally enjoy the time, even if it wasn't perhaps perfect.

*George*

"AndGeorge." It felt like that was his name sometimes. Their gifts arrived in one bundle from home, jumper with an "F" on it, jumper with a "G" on it, and one, large block of fudge to split.

Almost every gift from his friends was exactly the same thing as Fred had received. One year they even got two copies of the same quidditch book- why would they need two of the same book when they could get two different books and then switch? Not that he would say out loud that he wouldn't mind reading more…

It had hurt more than he would admit that whenever Fred pretended to be him in jest, no one ever caught on, even their own mother. They weren't that identical. But he always had someone who understood, so he was luckier than most people, wherever they were spending Christmas that year.

*Rubeus*

Harry. That was a lad that he saw himself in. No family, all alone, stuck out 'bit.

Wanted to get a picture album together for the lad, but hadn't been ready in time, so sent the flute instead. Not the sort o' thing young lads played now days.

Boy was better off at Hogwarts, greatest place in the world when feeling down.

Rubeus'd already been to see Fluffy, brought him his present. Dumbledore hadn't been up on the idea o' getting a friend for Fluffy, but he hadn't outright said no. Maybe next year after a bit 'searchin. Dumbledore was good like that.

Bit o' a trip to the pub was what he really needed wasnit? Most interesting blokes were there.

*Minerva*

She couldn't believe she hadn't objected to Hagrid's kiss during the feast. How improper? But a bit of wine did make the holidays brighter.

She learned that her youngest niece had named Minerva's newest grand-niece after her. Minerva Dewell. It was so wonderful and flattering that it was almost the same…

*Argus*

It was the best time of the year until summer when every last brat would leave. But Christmas was good, except for the mess that they made in the Great Hall.

He had a new toy for Mrs. Norris that he thought she would like.

*Albus*

He had watched Harry carefully after giving him the cloak. It was interesting to know learn what the boy would do. And of course Harry Potter found his way into the place Albus wanted to visit least.

The elves had gotten the mirror to the castle, but Albus was to take it down below the third floor corridor himself, so that none of the other professors would know of the stone's final protection, the only one that Albus was confident would work.

Albus had delayed thus far out of not wanting to see it. Because sometimes one's greatest desire was mixed with too much pain, because he couldn't have it. The family that was so torn asunder, and himself owning so much of the blame.

His own brother, his little brother and only remaining family, lived just outside of the Hogwarts grounds, and Albus wouldn't even be sending him socks (and now Albus could not think of socks without being reminded that he had just told Harry that socks were his greatest desire). But, of course, Aberforth wouldn't send him anything either.

But now the mirror had to be moved, to protect young Harry as much as the stone. Severus would do it if Albus asked, but Albus was well aware of how much pain that would put on another still young man.

A/N: Please, let me know what you think! If you think you'll like it, please follow, and I will post a new chapter, I hope every week until it is over.

I would suggest an excellent essay that I used in reference called "Not Just FredandGeorge" by Josie Kearns. It can boil down to: Fred is the one that more often instigates jokes and is an all-around leader, whereas among the two of them, George is more often the relative voice of reason and also more often seen helping others.

I have issues with the way the site formats such small pieces, but have difficulty adding extra spaces.