DECEMBER 7 SATURDAY

The snowfall returned for the weekend. James and Sirius set to build a snowman a second time.

It struck James, as he sat on his knees shaping a leg, that pretty much everybody had a date by now. And here he was stuck waiting for Toady to hopefully blossom into a were-swan.

Even Fletcher had a date. Fletcher! Apparently he had found Phil's sister Xylophonica in the kitchen pantry, just by the raisins.

"I don't want to do this My Fair Lady-Over," said James. "Rora asked me if I was free, so I asked her what's in my horoscope..."

"But you have to go with Toady!" said Sirius. "We're doing this together but you must take her!"

"Why?"

"Why? We're making her the most popular witch at Hogwarts, yes? That was what you wanted. She can't be the most popular witch at Hogwarts if she doesn't have a date. And it's got to be somebody of high social status dunnit!"

"But I'm not so sure it's possible to win this bet. And I especially don't want to be stuck with Toady while everybody around me gets such top-notch dates! Everybody keeps asking if I have a date yet, it's so humiliating, having to tell them it's a surprise."

"Look, I understand completely. You don't want to look like a fool. No one's said you can't have a spare. Don't quit on me. Just ask her who she likes and promise her that person. Chances are you're not her type after all. These are feminist times so we should probably ask for her opinion. And let her know what we're doing...And if it's ok if we do it..."

James felt better now. Of course it wasn't unlikely that Toady desired somebody else. He really hoped that would be the case.

When the snowman was finished the chaps were very pleased, but there was just one problem.

"Hey, didn't Miss Morrow say mild weekend?" Sirius asked.

"I can't remember what she said but it does feel mild," James replied.

Because temperature could be mild and snowy at the same time. So what could they do to keep the weather from destroying their perfect work a second time?

"Now there's a stone I'd like to throw on somebody who deserves it sometime," said Sirius.

The stone he referred to looked like a plain stone, half covered in snow. But when he touched it he winced. He removed his unicorn-skin gloves and found that his hands had turned blue. James however did no shop at pricy foofoo shops like Chenille's so he was convinced his plain gloves could handle a cold stone.

He was wrong. It felt so brutally cold he hurled it right into the snowman's chest, where it stuck.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After treating his hands at the Hospital Wing James set off to look for Toady. He found her in the library , quizzing herself on the rule book. James sure hoped she'd never be made prefect, no matter how much she wanted it.

"Hello," he said.

"Good day," Toady replied.

Just the way she spoke was grating. She was clearly trying to imitate Professor McGonagall, but Professor McGonagall didn't fake authority. She actually had it.

"Hey listen, I'm just going to say it straight," said James. "I have decided to make you the most popular witch at Hogwarts in time for the ball! You're dream is coming true at last!"

Toady was absolutely completely silenced. Yes, to have her dream come true had to be a lot to take in.

"I promise you that the most popular witch at Hogwarts can have any chap she desires! So... who is he? I'm asking, so I can tell him to cancel his plans!"

Or she, eye-roll.

Somehow a dagger had appeared in Toady's hand. She made a cut in her left pinkie.

Bloody hell most people just pinched themselves!

"Now you," she then said, trying to give James the dagger.

"Sorry?"

"We have to do the Unbreakable Pinkie Swear, so I know this won't end in humiliation for me."

Was she crazy?

"You are so paranoid! I will not do the Unbreakable Pinkie Swear! You can catch infections that way!"

"What are you a baby?"

Now she flapped her arms and clucked like a chicken. She had some nerve!

Now James had no choice but to take the dagger and make the cut. He and Toady hooked their bleeding pinkies (there was a band name). Never before had James felt so violated.

"I swear by this my pinkie," said Toady. "that if I do something naughty, there will be a karmic retribution."

Then James had to repeat the Unbreakable Pinkie Swear.

"I swear by this my pinkie that if I do something naughty, there will be a karmic retribution."

Then they had to whip out their wands and say: Osay I Owvay Ybay Ymay Inkiepay Ingerfay.

Then the swear was officialy unbreakable and they could stop hooking pinkies. (Another good band name.)
"Who do you fancy then?" James asked as he gauze-bound his pinkie.

Toady's expression took a turn for the bashful.

"Sirius Black."

Why had James expected anything else? Had he expected anything else? He'd have to be a proper moron to expect anything else for there was no universe in existense where anybody could have said anything else.

An unexpected reply would have been fun, for once.

But hey, James couldn't say he was jealous.