Oh wow, I love this! You really bring them to life; I love how you show us their perspective without prettying them up, and the variations of the yearly ritual work great -- reflecting what is happening in the wizarding world from their side.
"It was not wonderful. It was not dreamlike. It was two people coming together out of overwhelming needs of several kinds. It was an unaccustomed activity for them both."
This made me tear up a bit.
The first Beholder story I've managed to read this year, and what a wonderful start! ♥