Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Harry Potter. All the characters you recognise are JK's, all the rest are mine. :-)

The rest of the trip to Hogsmeade station went smoothly, except the fact that James had gotten slapped a total of 6 times by Lily.

A record, Sirius called it.

What James did next earned him another slap. He tried to get to get into Lily's carriage on the way to Hogwarts in his invisibility cloak, unfortunately he tripped trying to sit down and his cloak fell off. Lily slapped him, went as red as her hair and chucked him out the carriage.

As the carriage travelled slowly back to the castle James shouted after it, "Did anyone tell you, you look beautiful when your angry Lilykins?"

He could hear laugher coming from her carriage, and an angry sound he supposed came from Lily.

He was staring dreamily after the carriage for about 10 minutes. He then realised that the feast must have started and headed back up to the castle. He arrived at the Entrance Hall while Professor McGonnagol was walking to her office, sneezing.

"Hi Minnie! How was your Christmas?" he grinned cheekily as McGonagal's lips turned pale and a full 180 degree straight line.

He carried on walking, until he got to the Great Hall. The smell of meat pie filled his nose. James walked through the doors and the half girls of Hogwarts starred at him, he grinned and waved, blew a kiss at Lily (who rolled her eyes and glared) and headed towards his friends.

"Prongs where have you been? You missed the whole prank we planned!" Sirius shook his head pityingly, as though it's the biggest crime to miss a prank.

James looked in the direction of the Slytherin table. He hadn't noticed that all the boys were wearing pink tutus and serenading the girls, who looked disgusted. It seemed the girls hadn't noticed that all their hair had gone and they were suddenly wearing abnormally large nose rings.

They look a damn sight better than they usually do! Thought James.

"Quite an improvement don't you think?" said Sirius, noting the amused look on James' face.

James merely smirked as he dug into his food. Sirius was just as enthusiastic when it came to food.

"Do you even chew?" asked Remus, obviously disgusted at his usual behaviour.

Sirius gave a lazy smile as he swallowed. Some Ravenclaw girls swooned.

- - - - - -

Down at Lily's end of the table, she was ranting and raving about "that arrogant bullying toe rag James Potter!"

Ariella, one of Lily's best friends was the only one who didn't put up with the rants. Today, like every other day, she was busy daydreaming, Lily could guess what – or who – about. Sirius Black was the Hogwarts Heartthrob and James' best friend. He and James had earned the most detentions each than anyone in Hogwarts history.

Lucy was also one of Lily's best friends. She was shy, clever and easily the most fun person to be around. She was currently going out with Remus Lupin, one of the marauders and James Potters best friend. Lucy was a good audience when it came to ranting. She nodded ,gasped and said ooh and ahh in the right places.

Lydia was again another of Lily's best friends. She was going out with Sirius Black. Of course Ariella said she was okay with it, although Lydia was oblivious to it, everyone knew Ariella wanted to tear her head off. Most of the boys in Hogwarts liked Lydia. She was Lily's very best friend and had been since the very first train ride to Hogwarts.

"… who does he think he is walking in 20 bloody minutes late?" ranted Lily

"Well you did sort of chuck him out of the carriage Lils," said Lucy, licking her Smoothie Lolly

I wonder if she noticed its January… Ariella found herself thinking.