Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any canon characters. People that claim to be J.K. Rowling that aren't are losers. I have no desire to go to court and deal with mean lawyers. I don't like mean lawyers.
Author's Note: Thanks again to my lovely Beta. Love you girl. This Thursday it's time for school again. I am so excited. A little update on my poll, Sirius is in the lead and Remus is one point behind.
Ch. 10: A Marauder Christmas
Peter recovered quickly, but his attack baffled the teachers. There was nothing to suggest that Peter was harmed at all. They were wondering if the wounds were self inflicted, but Madam Pomfrey said that all of Peter's injures couldn't have been self induced. The curious thing was that Peter had no memory of where he was before that.
"I'm telling you guys, someone knows something," James said, who was finishing up a Transfiguration essay before winter holidays. Sirius bragged that he already completed the same essay and was now free for the rest of holidays.
"Obviously, but why was Peter hurt?" Remus asked.
"Maybe the attack wasn't meant for him?" Sirius suggested.
Remus looked thoughtfully. Something didn't add up on his attack. They wondered if Peter was brought there after the whole attack. James suggested that it might have been Snape, which Remus of course shot down the idea.
"I don't know. How could there be a mix up? Maybe it was meant as a message," Remus said.
James looked like he was trying to find a flaw in this theory. "Some message. They left nothing, but Peter. So what were they trying to say? Die, Peter, die," he said furiously. Peter was sleeping on his bed, which he had be doing a lot since he got back from the hospital wing. All of his injures seemed to be healed, but he seemed to have developed a fear of going out in public.
"So, Sirius are you staying at Hogwarts?" James asked.
"Yes, but I'm going to see my cousin Andromeda for the day of Christmas," Sirius told them.
"Cool, Remus and I are staying too. Peter has to go home because his mom wants him home. Christmas is going to be so cool," James said happily. He loved Christmas and looked forward to it more than anyone else.
"You guys should come with me to visit Andromeda," Sirius suggested hopefully. He wanted his favorite cousin to meet his friends. He was excited to meet Andromeda's baby. He wished that his brother would come, but knew it was impossible. His parents decided to go on a trip and wrote a letter telling them they should stay at school.
"That would be great," Remus said.
"I'm in!" James said excitedly.
Sirius smiled at them. "So, what did you guys get Amber and Bonnie?" he asked them.
"I got Amber a case with paints and stencils. I got Bonnie a broom servicing kit," Remus said.
"I got Amber and Bonnie necklaces," Sirius said proudly. Remus looked at him surprised.
"I got them perfume," James said. Remus looked impressed at their thoughtfulness. Sirius smirked at the expression. Remus always said they were thick.
"You know, Sirius, Bonnie got a Cleansweep." Remus smirked.
Sirius glared at him. "Her dad owns the company that makes them. Like that's impressive," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. It annoyed him that she had a better broom than him. She teasingly offered a ride on her broomstick.
"And your furious she has a better broom than you," James chuckled. Sirius glared at them. If looks could kill, he would have two less dorm mates.
In all their time they were in the same dorm, Remus and James never fought. It was normal for Sirius and Remus who seemed to row about everything, but it surprised Sirius on the day that Bonnie and Amber were suppose to leave James and Remus got into a big argument.
"Do you know how stupid this is?" James said furiously. Sirius was surprised at his anger. James never really got angry before. He and Remus had just got into the dorm.
"That's your opinion. It's important to me, why can't you just support this?" Remus asked equally as furious.
"Whoa, guys cool it. What's going on?" Sirius asked.
"You tell him," James said angrily at Remus.
Remus sighed. "James is just upset because I was trying to look for the werewolf that bit me," he said. Sirius looked at him with disbelief. Didn't they already have this conversation?
"I thought you said you would forget about it. There was a reason we didn't think it was a good idea, you know," Sirius said, now angry.
"You guys don't understand," Remus said.
"We understand plenty. There is no good to come from looking for the werewolf. Have you ever thought that maybe it doesn't want to be found? I heard my parents talking this summer. Weird stuff is going on. It's dangerous and you shouldn't be doing what you're doing," James said.
"James calm down. Remus, that was stupid of you to hide it from us. We understand you want to know, but what if you don't like the answers to your questions? Please stop looking for the werewolf. If it's that important to you, look for him when you're of age. At least then you know spells to protect yourself with," Sirius said, still angry with him. So this is what he was doing in the library. Looking for some werewolf that attacked a little boy for no reason.
"I should curse you right now for being so stupid," James threatened.
"What's so stupid?" Peter asked, coming into the room. Sirius gave Peter a look that said don't ask. Peter clearly got the message.
"Promise us you won't go behind our backs again," Sirius said. Remus reluctantly agreed. James didn't speak all the way down to the hall.
"I'm going to miss you guys," Amber said, giving them each a hug. She only shook Peter's hand. She gave them her presents, but told them they weren't to open them until Christmas. She put a charm on them to make sure they didn't.
"It's been fun hanging out with you guys the last few weeks," Bonnie said brightly. To Sirius surprise, Bonnie gave him a hug after hugging his friends. Sirius couldn't help but notice she smelled like strawberries.
"Well, Bon-Bon, warming up to me, are you?" Sirius smirked. Bonnie was red from either embarrassment or from anger. Sirius never knew.
"You irritate me," Bonnie huffed. Sirius laughed. Their friends laughed too.
"I know." Sirius smirked. Amber looked at Bonnie strangely.
"See you guys later," Amber said.
"See you later," Bonnie said quietly. They waved at them. Sirius' eyes lingered on Bonnie longer than what was necessary. The smell of strawberries seemed to linger as well.
"Let's go to lunch," James suggested.
"I hope there are strawberries. For some reason I'm craving them of a sudden," Sirius said cheekily.
On Christmas day, Sirius, James, and Remus went to Professor McGonagall's office to visit. Sirius had asked permission to visit, which their head of house agreed. James was still a little testy with Remus from the other day, but seemed to be containing himself really well.
"Sirius!" Andromeda squealed happily and engulfed him in a huge hug. She didn't look like she was pregnant months ago.
"These are my mates, James Potter and Remus Lupin," Sirius said happily. Andromeda hugged all of them. Her husband Ted came out with a small infant.
"That's Nymphadora," Sirius said. The baby's hair was jet black.
"Want to hold her?" Andromeda asked. She allowed all three of them to hold her daughter while she made dinner. Andromeda had become a good cook and all of them had seconds on dessert.
"So, how is the family?" Andromeda asked after she put Nymphadora down for a nap.
"Horrible. Mom is going to introduce me to that girl this summer," Sirius said.
"You don't have to marry her, you know," Andromeda said firmly.
"I'm not. I'm just playing by their rules until I'm old enough. That will keep me away from Bellatrix's house," Sirius said.
Andromeda looked startled. "They made you stay with Bella?" she said strangely.
"Yeah," Sirius said, startled at the look on her face.
"Try to stay away from her. I've been hearing some really strange things about her and I don't like it one bit. She'll eat you alive if you tick her off enough," Andromeda said warningly. Sirius tried not to flinch and hoped she didn't see.
"Thanks for having us," Remus said happily.
"It was my pleasure," Andromeda said, giving him a hug.
"Your baby is so sweet," James said, who had played with the baby the most. The baby seemed to like the funny faces he made.
"You can always come visit whenever you want." Andromeda said as she smiled at him and gave him a hug.
"See you, Andy," Sirius said happily. It had been such a good Christmas.
"Behave yourself please, Siri," she whispered to him. Sirius nodded in understanding and followed Remus into the fireplace.
They finally opened their presents. Sirius got the usual sweets and a book on Anamagi from Remus and a wallet from James. Sirius also got cologne and a book called History of the Tornados.
"Bonnie must have gagged when she bought that," Remus chuckled.
"Probably." Sirius smirked.
"Amber got me cologne and Bonnie got me Quidditch Through the Ages," James said happily.
"Amber got me Belgian chocolate and Bonnie got me a book of hexes," Remus said, eyeing the book, interested. James looked nervous. Remus knowing more hexes made Sirius anxious as well.
"Amber got Moony chocolate," James chuckled.
"Oh shut up. She said it's really good. Her family is originally from there, you know," Remus told them. They laughed. It was typical of Remus to defend getting chocolate as a present. Amber obviously knew how to get on Remus' good side.
"Oh really. Maybe you two can go there on holiday," James said. Remus got his want and did the Bat Boogies hex. Sirius laughed at his friend's misfortune.
"What's so funny, Padfoot?" Remus growled.
"Nothing, I just wonder if Amber knows about your temper." Sirius smirked. Remus glared at him and hexed him as well. Remus then sat down to read his book, completely ignoring his friends' pleas for the removal of the hex.
Next Chapter: Sirius finds his Muggle Studies class interesting. Amber helps with their latest prank and asks Sirius for a favor. The boys make their first attempt at their Anamagi forms. Another Marauder gets attacked.