The Marauding Seven - Year 1

The Marauding Seven YEAR 1 Ch.7

Christmas Time, Mistletoe and Wine.

The weeks at Hogwarts had passed quickly, Halloween had come and gone, and with the first falling of snow on the 20^th of December, Christmas fever had really set in.

"So! I'm packed. You're staying here right, Lil?" asked Kate as she sat on top of her trunk to close it.

"Yup. Just me," she said.

"You mean, you and James. His parents are taking a last minute holiday, remember? He's staying too." Alex said.

"What?" Lily had gone an interesting shade of blue, light blue, sort of grey, becoming white quite quickly.

"I thought you knew?" Wye was confused. "I'm sure he told you."

"No, he didn't," by now Lily had returned to her normal colour, and was looking rather saddened. "He told everyone but me. Why was I so mean to him?"

"'Cause he was your first crush and didn't know how to act. Maybe he just forgot, or wanted it to be a surprise," said Alex, answering the questions in reverse order.

"Cheer up, Lil. The holidays will be a perfect time to get to know each other better," said Kate, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear.

"Yeah. You got him a present, right?" asked Wye. Lily nodded.

"Some sweets. I didn't know what else to get him. I don't really..." Lily faltered, before carrying on, "I don't really know him," she added lamely.

"Well I'm glad you got him something, 'cause he got you a present. Speaking of presents, here are yours, you guys," said Wye, handing out three packages. The other girls also exchanged gifts, placing them in their trunks. ('Oh no!' said Kate. 'I just got it closed!')

After that, they went into the boys' dormitory and had another round of present giving, before Remus, Kate, Wye, Alex and Sirius, all had to run, so as not to be late for the train.

"So." James and Lily were sitting by the fire in the common room on December the 24^th. As well as them, there were two 7^th years and a fifth year from Gryffindor staying at Hogwarts over Christmas.

"So what James?" asked Lily, replying to his statement.

"So what do you want to do?"

"I dunno, play cards? Sing carols? Write a letter?"

"Do you really want to sing carols?"

"Nah. Exploding Snap?"

"Okey - Dokey."

James sat up in bed, and wondered why it was so quiet. Then he remembered - Sirius and Remus had left for the holidays. Wait! It was Christmas morning!

He bounded out of bed at hyper-speed, and got dressed quickly. Then he grabbed Lily's present, and the presents that were at the foot of his bed, and hurried across the corridor to the girls dormitory. He knocked, and barged in without waiting for an answer.

"Lily! Merry Christmas!" Lily, who was just sitting up in bed, rubbed her eyes and gawked at James.

"James! What are you doing in here?"

"Came to open my presents! And give you yours," he added.

"Well, go do something while I get changed. Shoo!" Lily pushed him out the room, and got dressed in a red long sleeved T-shirt and a short denim skirt with black tights for warmth. She ran a brush through her hair, left it loose, and gathered up her presents, heading to the common room.

"Hey!" James, who was sitting by the fire, turned at Lily's voice.

"Hi! This is for you..." he handed her a small, hard parcel wrapped in paper with dancing snowbirds and polar bears dotted around on it. Lily smiled, blushing slightly, and handed him the sweets, packaged in pretty Muggle paper with stars on.

"Merry Christmas," she said.

"You too. I'll open yours last."

"Good idea," James smiled at her, and Lily was sure she got redder.

About half an hour later, lots of paper and presents were littered around their feet. Lily had gotten some books from her parents, and tacky plastic robin ornament with a note saying 'Yours hatefully' from her sister Petunia, sweets from Remus, dungbombs from Sirius, A 'Charmed' book from Alex, a pair of green jeans from Kate and Wye, and from James, a little wooden carved ornament in the shape of a phoenix from James. Inscribed on the bottom was :-

To Lily,

A fellow Marauder,

With love,

James

It made her feel quite ashamed she'd gotten him sweets, especially as Remus had as well, for the little Phoenix was so pretty.

"I'll call her 'Snowbird'," she told him.

James had gotten much the same thing from his friends, except in place of the jeans and 'Charmed' book, he'd gotten a book on Quidditch and a book called 'The 1001 Greatest Pranks and Practical Jokes of this Century'. From his mother and father he'd got a bag of 'tricks' (he wouldn't specify what) and an Invisibility cloak. Although Lily had never heard of them, James told her they were very rare and precious, and that it would most likely amount to his great rule-breaking aid. Lily giggled at that.

All too soon, the morning had whizzed by, and it was time for the feast. They both stuffed themselves on the succulent main course, consisting of all their favourite foods, and mint humbugs. Then, they remains of the main course dissolved on the plates, and the puddings appeared. James appeared to be very troubled, so Lily asked him what was wrong.

"You see," he answered, "the trouble with Hogwarts feasts is that there's too much choice. If there was just pumpkin pie or Christmas pudding, I could have both. But with Christmas cake, apple pie, meringue, fruit and chocolate cake as well I doubt even Sirius could manage a serving of both."

"Have little bits of everything then," Lily reasoned.

"Too simple," he replied, and squashed a large helping of everything but fruit onto his plate, though Lily saw him sneak an apple into his pocket for later.

"My best bit was the crackers - much better than the muggle ones!" cried Lily as they returned to the boys' dormitory. "Look what I got - a book on curses, can I try them out on you? -"

"I thought we'd progressed past that."

"It'll be good practice for Snape," Lily argued.

"Hmmm. I might have to make that sacrifice."

"And a wizard chess set, and look at this darling little mouse!" Lily squealed, "I'll call her Ivory."

"Great," said James in a sarcastic tone. "You're right! 'That mouse is just so darling!" he mimicked in a high voice. Lily playfully cuffed him round the head. "How about a game to break in that chess set?" he asked in his normal voice.

"Sure!" replied Lily. She put Ivory in her pocket, and the curse book on her bedside table. "Let's go!"

Lily lay in bed that night with a wide grin on her face. The others would be back soon, and she hadn't felt uncomfortable with James once that day. She was pretty sure their friendship was mended. The magic of Christmas.