Title: Secret Santa
Disclaimer: HP is not mine
Rating: K+
Beta: Love to Hannah
Summary: A little Christmas story I wrote some time ago.
Secret Santa
Remus Lupin wasn't in the best of moods, nor was Sirius Black, his boyfriend. Both had been running a little too fast on their way in to the snow covered school grounds, to play in the snow with their friends. Laughing and joking with the rest of the Marauders and Lily, Remus had nearly run over their head of house, Professor McGonagall. The stern transfiguration professor immediately scolded him for his inconsiderate behavior; obviously she had been in a bad mood.
James, Peter and Lily were astonished over the fierce reaction of their Professor, but none of them dared to say anything against her, in their opinion, overreaction.
Sirius wasn`t so restrained and wouldn`t stand by while his lover got scolded for such a trifle.
In the end he landed them both in detention, as it seemed like Professor McGonagall didn't care that it was the Christmas holidays at all.
Now, shortly before seven p.m., and shortly before dinner for the other students started, Sirius and Remus walked to Professor McGonagall's office.
Reaching their destination, Remus and Sirius knocked on the wooden door. A silent „Enter. "could be heard from the inside and the two boys walked into the room.
Without looking up from the papers, she was reading though, Professor McGonagall sent Remus and Sirius down to a small classroom, next to the transfiguration classroom to clean it out.
Groaning the two left and walked down to their destination, hoping that the work wasn´t too much and that they perhaps would get a chance to go to dinner anyway.
Remus was in such a bad mood that he nearly snapped at Sirius, who was grumbling silently to himself and getting on the nerves of his boyfriend with his nagging.
Minutes later the two unlucky Marauders reached their destination and Remus half-heartedly pushed the door to the small room open. As the door swung wide, clearing the view into the classroom, he stopped in his tracks. Sirius, close behind him, ran into Remus`s back, not expecting the sudden stop. His face soon showed the same astonishment as Remus`s.
The room they were supposed to clean wasn`t in need of a cleaning at all.
A cracking fire burned in the fireplace, filling the room with comfortable warmth. Apart from the flames, where the only source of light was a few floating candles which illuminated the festively decorated room. In the center stood a small table, perfect for a romantic dinner for two.
An amazed Remus and Sirius went in and looked around, taking in the fluffy carpet on the floor, the warm light of the candles everywhere and the small Christmas tree in the far corner and the comfortable- looking couch in another.
"Wow, that's cool!"Sirius stepped to the small table. Spotless china and cutlery shone in the candlelight.
Remus stepped up to Sirius, wound his arm around the taller boy, and rested his head on his shoulder. His eyes were still wandering over his surroundings, not quite believing what he was seeing. "Do you have an idea what this is all about?" Remus wondered.
"No, clue, but perhaps that will answer your question." Sirius pointed at a dark green letter waiting on the middle of the table, Remus's name neatly written on the envelope.
"Oh. For me? I wonder what's written inside?" Remus reached for the letter and opened it curiously. Out came a Christmas card. It showed two candles, whose small flames moved like real ones and smelled of cinnamon and cloves.
Dear Remus,
After giving the idea of the Secret Santa some thought, I decided that I wouldn`t buy you something that one day will collect dust, forgotten in the darkest corner of a shelf, but to give you a beautiful memory on your last Christmas here at Hogwarts. I hope you and Sirius will enjoy your evening together.
Happy Christmas
Your Secret Santa
P.S. To start your dinner, call for Pinky. The elf will be at your service for the evening.
Remus immediately recognized the handwriting, as did Sirius. Both grinned from ear to ear as Remus put the card back in the envelope and tucked it safely in the pocket of his jeans.
Sirius made vague gesture around the room as he said, amazement clear in his voice, „Who would have had thought that Minerva would do something like this?"
"Yes, it's really fantastic!" Remus agreed. He took a seat at the elegantly set table and rubbed a hand over his belly. It was a familiar gesture he did often when he was hungry.
Sirius`s stomach growled loudly, showing that it, too, was more than ready for some food, and he took his seat.
"Wonder if we get something different from the others." "Sirius said, hoping that they would get something special and not the normal school food. Not that Hogwarts food was bad in the least.
Remus secretly hoped the same and asked: "Should we call for the house elf, then?"
"`Course, I`m starving." Sirius lifted his fork, ready for whatever they got served.
"Pinky." Remus called, a little unsure, but moments later the small house elf appeared next to the table with a slight crack.
"Good evening, sirs! Can Pinky serve your dinner now?" The small creature squeaked.
"Yes, that would be fantastic, and something to drink would be nice too."
"Of course, sirs. Pinky will be right back." Another crack and Pinky had vanished into the school kitchens to collect the extra dinner, made for the young couple as a surprise.
Sirius and Remus waited in silence for their food to arrive, both still too stunned over the present Professor McGonagall had come up with for her favorite student for Dumbledore's game of Secret Santa.
"I still can`t belief that Minnie arranged all this!" Sirius looked around the room for the umpteenth time.
Remus placed his hand on top of Sirius`s, which had surreptitiously sneaked over to his side of the small table.
"Yeah! And we have to thank Dumbledore for having the idea for this whole Secret Santa thing."
"How true," Sirius agreed, stroking Remus's warm hand with his thumb.
A sharp crack stopped their conversation, announcing that Pinky had returned. She brought a trolley with her, piled with different dishes and two bottles of wine.
Pinky lifted the lid of one bowl and served the soup, then lifted one of the wine bottles and asked the two young men, "Do the gentlemen want some wine with their dinner?"
Unknown to them, Professor McGonagall had given the house elf permission to serve the wine, seeing that it was a special occasion and both boys were already of age.
Remus and Sirius enjoyed the first course of their meal, it was delicious, like everything the house elf's cooked, but this was especially tasty and something normally not served to the students. So Remus and Sirius enjoyed their dinner to the fullest, talking and laughing lightly while eating and drinking the wine they were allowed.
"Oh, dear, I`m stuffed." Remus groaned and rubbed his full stomach after they had finished.
"Me, too." Sirius had a satisfied smile on his lips. "You don`t mind, do you?" he asked and popped open the button of his jeans.
"Why don't we move to the sofa for a bit?" Remus asked as he pulled himself up.
"Good idea. Let's get comfy." Sirius followed his boyfriend and they both let themselves fall down onto the soft, red cushions.
Pinky watched the two boys as they snuggled together and asked, "Do the sirs still need Pinky or can I return to my work in the kitchens?"
"Oh, Pinky, of course you can go back. And thank you very much! It was really nice." Remus thanked the small house elf, who smiled from one floppy ear to the other.
"Yes, Pinky it was really nice with you. " Sirius agreed and mumbled, low enough only for Remus to hear, something about his family's house elf and that Kreacher could take Pinky as a role model, because she was really nice and he was a nasty bastard.
Pinky bowed to them. "Pinky is glad you liked your dinner. Good night Master Remus, Master Sirius." With those last words she disappeared back to the kitchens and her daily work.
Remus and Sirius stayed a little longer in their small hideaway, enjoying a few more glasses of wine and making out on the sofa. When they finally decided to go back to the dormitory it was long after midnight.
"What the hell did McGonagall have you doing that you are this late?" James sat on his bed, still wearing his clothes. Apparently he had decided to wait up for his two friends. Peter was awake, too, and watched them curiously from his place under his blankets.
"Well, this was the most abominable detention we've ever had, don't you agree Moony?" Sirius snickered, which made James wonder what they really had been doing in the last few hours.
"Yes, you're right, Padfoot. Really horrible. I never want to do that again." Remus also laughed.
"You don't sound like it was horrible at all. So, where have you really been?" James glared at his friends. He could tell that both had had a few drinks, and not of the non-alcoholic kind.
Still snickering, Remus and Sirius shared a look before Sirius pulled a bottle of wine from behind his back. They had decided to take the second bottle up to the dorm to share with their friends.
"Where did this come from? " Peter asked, now sitting up in his bed.
"We got this on our detention." Sirius answered while spelling the bottle open. "Bring some glasses," he then ordered.
James took one from his nightstand, as did Peter, who was now sitting next to James on his bed.
"So, what was your detention? I, for my part, can't shake the feeling that you are lying to us." The small Marauder wanted to know.
Remus pulled the card he found on the table out of his jeans pocket and gave it to his friends to read.
"McGonagall was your Secret Santa?" James looked at Remus in surprise "And what was it you
got from her?"
"We had a very fine candlelight dinner." Sirius grinned and lifted his glass.
"To our beautiful transfiguration Professor and head of house, Professor Minerva McGonagall, and her fantastic Secret Santa gift!"
Remus snickered and lifted his glass to join the toast. Peter agreed, mostly envious of the better food the two had obviously gotten, while James grumbled that he wanted to have such a dinner for Lily and himself, too.
None of the four Marauders had noticed their unknown guest, who had slipped into their dorm room with Sirius and Remus and left after a while though the door Remus unknowingly hadn't closed completely. Not much of the secret guest could be said, only that if a cat could smile, this one would have.
The end