Thanks a tons for the reviews and the ideas, this one is a bit late...but it's here!
Please leave a review and keep the ideas coming!
James kicked Remus under the table for the fifth time that evening, Remus was starting to wonder if it was an accident or not.
"Ow, fuck Prongs."
"Sorry." James answered, not sounding sorry at all. Glancing at his friends notes Remus sighed, seeing that James' notes weren't notes at all but scratchy Quidditch plays that jumped to life when James poked them with his wand like he was doing now. An impressive feat of magic seeing as they'd only been sitting in the Library for an hour and normally it took a good day to make even the shittest of drawings animated, but still. It wasn't rewriting his charms notes like he was supposed to be doing.
Remus looked over at Sirius, who was making no attempt to study, no attempt to even look like he was studying, and was instead flirting with a Ravenclaw girl who had to be at least a year older than him at the next table.
Peter at the least, was trying, butchering the pronunciation of the spells he was supposed to be memorizing under his breath.
And then…because why not, Lily Evans chose that specific moment to enter the Library, a thick dusty book under her arm.
"I, uh…gotta take a piss." James said, abandoning his Quidditch plays as a large ink blot started to form near the opposing teams goal posts, and started toward Lily's direction.
Seeing his opportunity at freedom Sirius slipped away as well and in mere seconds Remus could make out the sound of girls laughter and Sirius' I-want-to-bed-you voice, used specifically for flirting and nothing else.
"Uhh…Remus?"
"Yes Peter?"
"Do you think we could…take a break?"
"Sure Peter."
Giving up completely Remus slumped in his chair, letting his eyes slide closed, thinking of how nice it was going to be once exams were over.
"Oi, wake up mate." Sirius chuckled, breath hot and tickling in Remus' ear.
"Wha…?"
"You feel asleep." James said, pointing out the obvious as Remus blinked slowly.
James was once again doodle quidditch plays, his hair looking far more rumpled than when he had left, Sirius had lipstick smudged on his cheek, and Peter had a stack of gingerbread cookies and was looking quite content.
"How long was I asleep?"
"About half an hour."
"Do you think Evans is going home for Christmas?" James asked, and Remus nodded, realizing that his efforts to study were fruitless now.
"You know what we should do?" Peter said, crumbs all over his notes as he delivered the killing blow to Remus' study schedule.
"What?"
"We should make gingerbread houses."
"Yes." James and Sirius answered immediately.
"It can be a competition."
"Whoever wins get's to plan the next prank."
"We need a judge."
"Marpie?"
"Fuck no." James snapped, "that's practically cheating, that house elf is in love with you."
"It can't be any of the other students then either, you'd bribe them half way to the Bahamas."
"I would not-" James started, though they all knew he would when Remus cut him off.
"McGonagall."
The other three boys quieted for a moment before breaking out in gigantic grins.
"Yes."
"Well, I would normally assign you all detentions for this, but I don't think that would help currently." Professor McGonagall said slowly, lips thin in a desperate attempt to suppress a smile.
"I think you're probably right Professor."
"Shut up James, McGonagall's always right." Sirius retorted, sticking his tongue out.
Remus ignored them both, "so what's the verdict Professor?"
Doing a slow walk by McGonagall smiled, finally.
"Hmm, firstly some notes." She pushed her glasses up her nose, "Mr. Black, you're attention to detail is superb and while the final result is stunning it's lacking in scale and volume." She said, noting Sirius' gorgeous and lavishly decorated gingerbread house that was, yes, much smaller than the others.
"Mr. Potter, you're house is of good proportions yet the construction is sloppy and the effort isn't showing through, but the design is wonderful." She noted, handing him back the sloppy gingerbread house blueprint he had created earlier.
"Mr. Lupin, everything here is to scale, it's well made and carefully done and tastefully decorated but it is plain. There is no charm here, no magic, so to say."
She moved on to the final gingerbread house.
"Mr. Pettigrew." She paused, taking it all in, "you're gingerbread house is the winner."
"What?!" James nearly fell out of his chair in shock and Sirius pouted, even Remus felt slightly jipped by this decision.
"How?!"
"Because Mr. Potter, Mr. Pettigrew here has added an element that all of you seem to have forgotten. He's added joy, look at this house." She said, gesturing to Peter's slightly tilted house, with icing everywhere. "He enjoyed himself making this, he didn't care if he won or not, he had fun. This wasn't a competition to him, it was just holiday spirit, something the rest of you are lacking apparently."
James had rolled his eyes and Sirius and Remus shared a smirk.
"Oh just you wait Professor, we've got holiday spirit alright." Sirius winked and McGonagall's lips twitched.
"I look forward to it Mr. Black, now I would suggest that you enjoy your creations before they go to waste and make sure to give the timed transformation spells another look before the exam next week."
"Yes ma'ma!" They coursed, each grabbing their own gingerbread houses and parading out of her office and all the way back to the tower, Peter happily munching on his house already.
"See, I told you guys. It's all in the cookies."
So...what'd you think? Any ideas for me?
