Happy Halloween!
Lily and James sat outside the Fat Lady portrait handing out sweets to the younger Hogwarts students. It was Halloween and the teachers had organized a trick or treating route for the younger years. The children in wild costumes ran all over the school; to all four common room entrances, the Astronomy Tower, and a few of the classrooms before going to the final stop at the Great Hall. Being Head Girl, Lily had offered to shell out at Gryffindor Tower. And James, wanting to spend as much time with his new girlfriend as possible, had offered to sit with her. Even though Halloween confused the heck out of him.
"So explain this holiday to me again," James said for the twelfth time.
Lily sighed. "It's not really a holiday. We don't get time off classes," she said with the infinite patience that she'd developed since finally caving and admitting that she was in love with James Potter.
"Muggle children dress up in costumes and go from house to house collecting sweets."
"What about big kids?" James gave her a goofy grin. "Do big kids get sweets too?"
"Not generally," answered Lily. "It's usually just the young children who go trick or treating."
"Trick-a-what?"
"Trick or Treating," Lily enunciated carefully. "When kids go up to a door they saw 'trick or treat' to the person who answers it. Presumably it means give us a treat or we'll play a trick on you."
"So if this is a children's holiday, why are we celebrating it at school?"
"What do you call them?" Lily pointed to some first years standing a ways down the hall. They were dressed like a cowboy, a bunch of grapes and a pirate.
James scoffed. "A lot of trouble, that's what I call them."
Lily just laughed.
"Here's another question," James said, pulling Lily back on topic. "The residents of these houses give out sweets, but what do they get in return?"
"Nothing, it's Halloween. They don't want anything in return."
"But it makes no sense!" James cried. "If I spend money to buy sweets I want to get something in return."
"Well, usually the people that do Halloween have children of their own," Lily told him. "There's reciprocity. My children get free sweets from you and yours get free sweets from me."
"But Lily," James teased. "Your children will be my children." Lily slapped his hand as he tried to pinch her butt.
She giggled. "I'm speaking hypothetically, you twat."
"Oh, so I'm a twat now?" James put a hand to his chest and faked an injured look. "First you've got kids by some other bloke and now you're calling me names? I don't know how I'll survive it!"
"What happened to children being a lot of trouble?" Lily grinned as James fumbled for words. She'd gotten him. But she'd always been cleverer than him.
"Well, if they had you for a mother, I'm sure they'd be angels," said James.
Lily smirked. "Nice recovery."
"Thank you."
A red spotted mushroom, a knight and a zombie came up the stairs towards Lily and James.
"Shell out! Shell out! The witches are out!" the mushroom yelled.
"Of course the witches are out," James protested as the kids came to collect from Lily. "This is Hogwarts! We've got more witches than we know what to do with."
The zombie stuck his tongue out at James and ran. James stuck his tongue out too, but they were gone.
Lily laughed and unwrapped a Chocoball. She leaned in close to James like she was going to kiss him. He leaned forward too, his lips slightly parted.
Lily popped the chocolate into his mouth. "Mr. Potter, shut up."
James laughed and swallowed. He pressed a chocolaty kiss on her temple. "Yes, mum."