Christmas with the Cades

[Professor James Cade]

James dreaded the annual Christmas party ever since his grandfather died because it meant the event was hosted by Ezra. Even though his brother was back at Durmstrang there was no escaping him now he was living in the mansion, he effectively ran the family for whatever that was worth. The party was a big event and it would be filled with people he knew. The invitations to the event allowed anyone to invite anyone which led to a rather particular mix of guests. Unknown faces around James's age and slightly older could only mean Ezra had invited his Durmstrang crowd, the younger faces were friends and friends of friends of Jess and Jackson and there were plenty of stuffy older types invited by his uncles, quidditch player friend of his parents and random ministry officials that frankly could have been invited by anyone.

Naturally, James had invited Lyra but it was Maddie he was most looking forward to. He wasn't sure if she would show, though she knew he intended to break up with Lyra, however cold-hearted it was, at the party so he was hoping she would be there. James had seen Lyra briefly but she had gone off to mingle while James did the rounds of the family guests. He caught up with his uncles, their wives and talked Quidditch with Jackson who seemed more and more confident every time he saw him but so far there was no sign of the one guest he wanted to see.