Disclaimer: JK owns everything

Lily Evans twirled her auburn hair around her left index finger and plopped down upon her family's moth ball ridden couch with a smile plastered across her face. She dropped her feet onto the wooden table in the room and watched the snow fall onto the front lawn of her family's quaint English tutor through the window. The Christmas tree in the room had been shoved into the corner and had a mountain of colorfully wrapped presents squished under it.

It had been the best holiday Lily had had since she had begun attending Hogwarts. So far, there had been no annoying letters from Potter, no all-too-cheery relatives, and best of all, no Petunia! Well, Petunia was coming to see them with her whale of a husband, Vernon ( or as Lily called him, 'Vernopotamus') on Christmas for lunch.

But that fact was far from her mind as she got up, placed a Christmas record in the family record player and skipped into the kitchen.

"Mum?"

"What is it sweetie?"

"I need to get presents for my friends. Can you take me to Diagon Alley this afternoon?"

"Sure thing."

"Okay, thanks."

Lily turned around and smiled as she walked towards the stairs and past the table and vase in the hall. This was going to be the best holiday ever!

o O o O o O o

"Where the bloody hell is your eggnog Padfoot?" A disgruntled James Potter yelled across his friend's flat, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose as he did so.

"What's an eggnog?" Sirius said, as he walked into his cramped kitchen, scratching his bum.

James' jaw dropped, "What's... What's an eggnog?"

"Yeah, I just asked you that, Prongs," Sirius answered with an arched eyebrow.

James slammed the fridge door covered with colored magnets closed with a sigh, "Where's the nearest muggle market?"

"Dunno."

James let out a strangled cry and ruffled his jet black, already messy enough hair, "Merlin…"

Sirius grabbed some milk from his refrigerator and a box of cheerios, "Wanna play Chess?"

"No I don't want to play Chess."

Sirius shrugged and leaned his shaggy head back, pouring some milk and cheerios into his mouth. A few droplets of milk managed to escape his lips and spill down his chin. James watched him in horror, mouth hanging open, as Sirius chewed and swallowed the concoction.

"Wanna play Chess now?"

"Fine, Padfoot."

Sirius smiled and jumped over the back of his black leather couch. He set up the board that was on his stained wood table and leaned back. James stalked over to the purple bean bag across from the couch and frowned.

He sunk into the beanbag and his frown deepened, "I always have to sit in this thing."

Sirius flipped his raven colored hair and looked at his friend, "You're saying it like it's a bad thing."

"It is a bad thing!"

Sirius shrugged, and moved his piece first. After a few seconds of silence he looked up again, "Hey, I need to get presents for you and the guys. Think we should go today?"

"Yeah. I still need to get Lily something."

Sirius opened his mouth as if he was going to say anything, then closed it again and shook his head.

"What, Padfoot?"

"Nothing."

"Okay."

After fifteen minutes it was clear that Sirius would lose: he only had 2 pawns and his king left, all of which were grumbling angrily at him. He got up and shuffled his sock covered feet on the shag rug, "I'm bored." A lopsided grin began to form on his face. He kept shuffling his feet.

"What's so fun- oh no. Padfoot. No. Stop!" James screamed rather girlishly as he leapt up and sprinted away from Sirius' static filled body, and out the nearest doorway.

"Wait, Prongs! I just want to talk… about Lily!"

"Really?" James asked sticking his head out from behind the doorframe.

"Nope!" Sirius said as he poked James' nose, zapping him. "Now lets go get some presents already."

o O o O o O o

The coins in Lily's winter coat pocket jingled as she walked down the snow covered Diagon Alley with her mum at her side. Lily had a smile on her face that stretched from rosy cheek to rosy cheek. She had decided that her best bet for presents would be books for her bookwormy friends, and was en route to Flourish and Blotts. They walked down the icy cobblestone street in a content silence.

Lily and her mum finally reached the snow covered doorstep of Flourish and Blotts and stepped inside. Lily took off her scarf as a rush of heat greeted them. 'Thank god for heating charms,' she thought as she hung her coat on one of the pegs on the wall. She immediately started towards the Charms portion of the shop, looking for a book for her friend, Darcy Dawkins. Suddenly, she spotted something that made her heart skip a beat.

o O o O o O o

"Ever get that feeling like someone's watching you, mate?" James asked Sirius as he leafed through the books in the Charms section.

"No, that's just nonsense." Sirius answered from his position on the floor, lying against the wall.

"I guess you're right," James said, but he still looked over his shoulder. His jaw dropped. "Sirius!"

"What?"

"They're selling A Guide to Wizard Thievery for only 9 sickles!"

"Merlin. Prongs, I had no idea you were such a bargain junkie; you already have two copies of it."

"But it's so cheap!"

"But you have two copies."

"But… 9 sickles…"

"I thought you were here to get a present for Lily."

"Oh! Right." James looked back towards the bookcase. All of these books were so boring; Lily would never like any of them. Maybe if he could find a book about a sexy black haired wizard winning over a beautiful red haired goddess. She'd be sure to love that. James suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his neck that made his hair stand on end.

"Are you sure you've never felt like someone's been watching you Padfoot?"

"Yeah, Prongs I already told you-"

And just at that moment a shrill voice screamed, "Potter!"