Navigation properties not loading properly

My context looks like:

public class ApplicationDbContext: IdentityDbContext<ApplicationUser> { public ApplicationDbContext() : base("DefaultConnection") { this.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = true; } //DbSet properties } 

so, lazy loading is enabled.

I have following class:

public class Home { private ICollection<Slide> _slides; [Key] [Required] public string Name { get; set; } [ForeignKey("Header")] public int? HeaderID { get; set; } //Navigation properties public ICollection<Slide> Slides { get { return _slides ?? (_slides = new List<Slide>()); } set { _slides = value; } } public Content Header { get; set; } } 

Note that both navigation properties Header and Slides are used without virtual keyword. As far as I know when we don't use virtual keyword - properties should load eagerly.

However, when I get my Home entity from database, both my navigation properties are null (but property HeaderID has value).
Even if I switch to this.Configuration.LazyLoadingEnabled = false; - preperties not loaded - they still null.

Here is how I get my data from db (using repository pattern):

public static Home GetHomeComponent( this IRepositoryAsync<Home> repository) { var result = repository .Query() .Select() .First(); return result; } 

I solved my problem with Include properties:

public static Home GetHomeComponent( this IRepositoryAsync<Home> repository) { var result = repository .Query() .Include(x => x.Header) .Include(x=>x.Slides) .Select() .First(); return result; } 

However it's not convenient for me (since I have too much navigation properties to load).

So, my question is:
I don't use virtual keyword - but why my navigation properties not loading eagerly?
Or I'm doing something wrong? Is there any other way to load my navigation properties without using Include?