Visiting over theHolidays (Vallegra)

It may be December but that made no difference in the heart of Mexico; San Miguel de Allende, home of the Montez family. Not only was San Miguel one of the largest LGBT friendly cities in Mexico, it was also the largest wizarding living area next to Mexico City. Being a Squib Raphael and his family had always lived there, even after he'd been thrown out of his parents' home at sixteen he'd been able to stay at friends' houses until one day, much much later, he'd married the muggle Alma from Mexico City and they'd lived together in San Miguel since then. And with two magical daughters, only one of whom they knew for certain was magic, San Miguel was simply perfect.

The family of three lived in a house with  one family, in a two story building squeezed between two others with a small courtyard in the middle of the first floor where the gardens were. Not that the gardens were confined to that area. Vines grew out of one window (Allegra's) and there was moss all over the floor of the courtyard provinding a soft place to sit or step. Not to mention the vines growing up the bare brick wall of Allegra's bedroom, the mossy stones that served at seating opportunies on her floor or the magical moss carpet (self cleaning!) at the foot of the bed.

Allegra's room was on the second floor, right at the front of the building and to get up and down there was a narrow, winding staircase, railing covered with curling vines, and the room next to hers was the common room/living room area for all the families. Across from her room was her parents room and downstairs there was a large kitchen, used by all the families, that was always very clean despite the number of people that ate there. On the diagonal opposite was Sofia's room, the white door locked.

On the ground floor when one came in one saw a bright open spaced hallway that led straight to the courtyard with doors leading to the bathrooms (one for each family) which were marked with name signs, and the door leading to the second and family's rooms. The walls of the house inside were all either bright orange, bright blue or bare brick, but each room had a cheery atmosphere and was well lit at all hours of the day.

The courtyard was full of magical and non magical plants, mostly tended to by Raphael, Allegra and Alma, and was wonderfully suited for eating in as well. Raphael, who was something of a carpenter/handyman, had carved Alma a beautiful wooden bench once for her birthday and for christmas a table to go with it and there the family ate most of the time.

The family they lived with consisted of Armando, Raphael's best friend, who was six foot five, very muscular and a metal charmer; his boyfriend of twenty years Jack, who was equally tall and muscular and a potions master from Texas; and Carla, their six year old, adopted, squib daughter, whom Allegra sometimes babysat.

And when Allegra arrived in London Armando was there to pick her up and apparate her home, just after saying goodbye to her friends, where the sun was just rising, around five AM. The warmth of the air encompassed her and brought a grin to her face, running straight into her parents' arms who were waiting in the doorway for her and Lupa.

A few days into the holidays, before the 24th, which was when they celebrated Christmas, Allegra woke up at five, again, full of excitement. She got ready and watered her plants, had breakfast with her parents and Armando before her mother and Armando left to their workplaces. Alma was the assistent manager at a local hotel and sometimes worked long hours, sometimes even weekends, but today she would be home at around five thirty. At six AM Allegra and Lupa helped George get Carla ready for her day care center.

By eight in the morning Allegra was already done properly tending the garden with her father, who'd then moved on to prep the kitchen for chocolate making. In her letter she'd written Victoria she'd given her the floo address of George's potions shop so he could just take her home with him when she arrived, which should be any minute now.

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(Montez' y Lopez' house)
(Allegra's room)
(The Montez Family)

"Victoria!" Allegra grinned and ran into her friends arms, hugging her excitedly, "I'm great, I'm so happy to be back home, but even better now my best friend is here! How are you, did you get here alright? And don't worry, it's nice and cool in all of the rooms, let's go to the kitchen, my papa is so excited to meet you-" Allegra grinned, leading her best friend to the kitchen where she was promptly cut off by a grinning Raphael who came forward to hug Victoria as she entered the kitchen, "My daughter has told us so much about you! I am Raphael, you may call me Rapha, Allegra says you'd like to make some chocolate, yes?"

The man spoke with a heavy accent and stumbling grammar, but it was understandable enough and as warm as the sun. One could see where Allegra got her demeanor from, the whole house radiated happines. Jack reappeared soon with a crooked grin, popping his head in, "What's this I hear about chocolate?" flicking his wand to summon some fruit from the basket on the table to take with him he added, "Save me some, por favor, I'm going to take a nap. Carlita's been keeping me up all week." The man gave Allegra a kiss atop her head as he passed and left again, leaving a nodding Raphael in the kitchen with the girls.

"How about I prepare the things we need and you show our guest the house, querida?" Allegra nodded eagerly, smiling at Victoria, "Would you like to see the house?"