Summary of this OS: It's Christmas, and some members of the First Order of the Phoenix reunite around a table for a Christmas meal.
Rating of this OS: K, it's so soft!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, nothing is mine. I don't make any money out of this story.
.:.
This was written for:
- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): ASSIGNMENT #5: Muggle Art: Masterpieces: Task 2 - Write about a group of people sharing a meal.
Word count: 611 words
A Fleeting Happiness: First Order of the Phoenix
Christmas, 1980
They were all sitting around the table, for a Christmas dinner. It was one of the rare occasions where the Order finally allowed itself a moment of peace and joy.
Dorcas was sitting in front of Lily, and Fabian was sitting on her right, just in front of James. Sirius suddenly leant forward on her other side and turned towards Fabian, already laughing at what he was going to say. She rolled her eyes and rather focused on James and Lily, and Remus and Peter, who were currently eating their meal far more calmly than the two boys on her sides…
Until the three young men heard what Sirius had just said (she hadn't paid any attention to him, so she didn't know what was so funny about it), and they burst out laughing. And because they had the most contagious laughs ever, Lily, Marlene and Dorcas started laughing too, and soon, all the other members of the Order who were present were looking at them suspiciously, wondering what had gone through their heads.
"Sirius, you have to stop making those horrible jokes!" Marlene hiccupped.
"Oh, please, you're so grateful to have me in your life, and you can't hide it," he replied, winking at her, and all she did in response was scoff (probably because it was true, and they all knew it very well).
They all started eating a little more calmly after that, and finally, she could savour her turkey and her potatoes quietly… until Fabian decided to steal one of her potatoes. She looked up and glared at him, and when she noticed Lily was actually part of the plan (there was this mischievous glint in her eyes), she crossed her arms.
"You have potatoes in your plate," she indicated, pointing towards it.
"I know, Dorie, I know. I just wanted to see your reaction," he replied with a grin. And she shouldn't, she really shouldn't, but she found herself grinning back.
"You don't steal somebody else's food, Fabian," she scolded him. "I thought everyone knew that."
He just laughed in response to her (not so serious) scolding, until his brother sided with her, saying, "I have to agree with Dorcas on this, Fab. You don't steal someone else's food, unless you have a death wish… especially when it's hers!"
When he heard the last part, Fabian couldn't help it. He abandoned his surrendering position and burst out laughing once again. Dorcas, on the other hand, resumed her glaring.
When she looked at the rest of the table, she noticed that everyone was looking at the three of them, and that the elder members of the Order, Moody, Aberforth and Caradoc, were shaking their heads, more or less amused by their antics. She also noticed that they had finished their plates, as they were a lot calmer than them.
"I think we should hurry," Lily voiced her thoughts. She pointed the oldest men and they all agreed to stop their antics, just for the time being.
"We have to hurry and be back for Harry soon. We have to let Frank, Neville and Alice have their own Christmas, without our son, and it's already getting late," the red-haired woman added after they offered the Potters to stay for one more drink. James agreed with her (although he argued that "Neville and Harry must be asleep by now") and kissed her temple, and when they bid farewell to the others and went home, they had no idea of what was going to happen to the Order in the following year.
Actually, none of them knew it was going to be the last Christmas they shared together.
I hope you liked this! :)