A/N: Hey! A quick note to thank everyone who's putting alerts on this story, and to all those who review so accurately, especially Catapult, who makes my day everytime. I'm glad you still find the story appealing, and I swear I've rarely written as fast as I do this one... ^^

14. Friends

December went on and came to its end quite quickly after that event. Though Elyn hadn't wanted to turn again, she could still smell and hear people yards away.

Sirius had taken upon himself to teach her how to not pay attention, and she had managed for a while.

Until Remus decided to make sure she was alright, and she lost it.

Saying she launched herself at him to sniff his shirt is an understatement.

She didn't look at him for days after that.

James found it hilarious. Sirius didn't even bother. He'd have lost his precious parts if he had.

The Christmas break started on a snowy Saturday morning, when Elyn woke up to the sound of Lily closing two trunks on her bed.

She had sat up in a bolt and had glared at her friend.

"Lils, why on Earth are you packing my things?"

Lily didn't even look at her as she seemed to list things on her fingers. "'Cause you're coming home with me for Christmas."

Elyn stood up and came to rest before a friend, her head tilted, her eyes shooting lightning. "And you didn't think it wise to tell me that?"

Lily shrugged. "I thought it a good idea to make it a surprise. I overheard you saying your parents were going to France with your sister and left you here, so..."

But Elyn hadn't got the time to answer as the door slammed open, and Sirius' and James' head passed the door.

"Hullo girls. Lily, as lovely as usual. Elyn, love, are you done packing yet?"

Lily growled and stood before Sirius, her hands on her hips. "I told you she'd come with me, Black."

He smirked devilishly. "And I had the idea first. It's already agreed."

Elyn sighed and let herself fall onto her bed, and closed her eyes to shut herself off the fight. "For God's sake, stop yelling..."

James came sitting next to her. "Sorry we didn't tell you. Sirius asked my parents if you could come and stay with us, they said yes, but then Lily had the same idea."

"Exactly! And she'll come with me!"

Elyn growled faintly and sat back up. "Look, Lils, Pads, I'm flattered, but if you had asked me first, I'd have disagreed. There's not way in hell I'm staying with you. You've known me for four months only, and I don't want to be a dead weight to your families."

Lily and Sirius both rolled their eyes, so perfectly synchronized it was almost comical.

"Elyn... You won't stay here alone when all your friends are going home..."

Almost all, she thought. Severus was always staying.

"But-"

"No buts, darling, it's settled. Now, as obviously, you won't choose us by fear of upsetting the lovely lady here, and as we all know you'd choose us anyway, why not compromise?"

Elyn's eyes narrowed. "Compromise? You're frightening me, Pads."

He smirked wickedly and wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders, which she quickly shook off. "One week with us, one week with her. As Mrs Potter makes the best Christmas pudding in all England, you'll come with us first."

Lily seemed to ponder, and then she nodded. "I like the idea."

Elyn sighed, and then smiled a little. "Alright, I surrender. But to one condition. We go camping altogether during Easter's break."

Lily and Sirius exchanged a glance, completely ignoring James' presence, and smiled. "Deal."

Half an hour later, Elyn's trunk was finally done, and she pulled it along to Hogsmeade, walking alongside Lily, who had demanded her company to as far as the train station.

They both got onto the Hogwarts Express, and settled together in an empty box.

Soon to be filled with four Marauders...

"So, where d'you live, Prongs?"

James smirked, an unusual gesture for him. "Don't you know already?" She shook her head, and his smirk disappeared. "Near Southampton."

"And Mrs Potter has one hell of a garden! Straight to the sea!"

Elyn's eyes widened, and she chuckled. "Well, it seems you went to live there for the view more than for the company, Pads."

He snorted. "You'll see for yourself, and I'll mock you then."

She smiled, and turned her gaze to Lily. "And you? Where do you live?"

Lily's eyes blurred, as if she was picturing her house. "Little Whinging. In Surrey. Small house, but cosy. My sister, Tuney, already decided she'd settle down in the same village once she's married."

Elyn's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "She's already engaged?"

Lily shook her head, disgust written on her face. "No, she has a boyfriend. Horrible one. I've never seen someone so fat and yet so confident he's a top-model. He's called Vernon."

"And that name is already horrible in itself."

After a quiet silence, Elyn's eyes felt the familiar pull to look at Remus.

He was staring at her, and affection was so embedded in that stare she felt a chill run up her spine.

Her mouth opened in a gasp, and James misunderstood it. "Remus lives near Wales, in a village I can't pronounce the name of. Endless woods, everywhere. There a beautiful lake nearby also, perfect to fish. Maybe that's the good location for our camping in April."

Remus didn't ask about it. He was still locked to Elyn's eyes.

The only thing that disturbed their quiet exchange was Peter giggling with pleasure when the food trunk passed by.

Mr and Mrs Potter had both had their influence on their son's appearance. While Harry was his father's clone, James himself was a perfect mix between his father's blue eyes hidden behind glasses and his mother's untamed black hair.

Mrs Potter reminded Elyn of Mrs Weasley a bit, in the way she embraced her as if she was a part of the family.

Sirius practically ran into Mr Potter's embrace himself, looking rather like a child when he showed him one of his latest acquisition in Jonko's.

The Potters apparated their guests right in front of their porch.

After the really uncomfortable sensation of being wrapped in latex and suffocating, Elyn shook her head off the feeling, and looked up to see an adorable cottage.

She'd have loved her house to look like that.

Its stones had been so washed by the sea winds and salt that they were as smooth as a mirror, and had quite a lavender tint to them.

The garden was flawless, even considering the plants were growing in sand.

"Welcome home, children."

James had soon grabbed Elyn's hand to show her her room, the guest room, since Sirius slept in his room.

She didn't think of making a creepy comment about that when she found her window was showing the sea.

The water was blue despite winter, and the waves soothing.

She stared until a low chuckle echoed behind her. "Told you, love." She felt Sirius' arm wrap itself around her waist, and put her own around his.

"I love it."

"You should see it in summer though."

"I hope I will."

After an hour talking with James' parents and answering their practical questions about what food she liked, if her room was to her taste, if she needed anything, Elyn settled down onto the living-room's huge sofa, tucked between her friends as they debated about Quidditch teams.

"Boys... What are we gonna do?"

James chuckled. "Well, Christmas' Eve in in two days, so I suppose tomorrow we'll go buy your dress and presents, and the day after, prepare everything for the big feast."

Elyn rubbed her temples. "Big feast?"

"Remus and Peter always come for Christmas, as well as some of Pa's oldest friends and my grandmother."

She felt her heart twitch at the thought of a mistletoe covered house and Remus innocently stepping under a branch. She blushed.

And Sirius, of course, noticed. "I'll be in charge of mistletoe."

"And I thought nothing would have been worse than spending a whole week with you two... Kill me."

James then launched himself at her and started tickling her belly. "I'll be happy to oblige."

And the afternoon went on.

Elyn's smile rarely left her lips.