Your next chapter. Same disclaimer.
Christmas Day
Mandy's PoV
When I woke up there was screaming echoing around the room and I was freezing. "Mandy, please stop screaming." I heard James roar. Suddenly the room was silent and I found myself in Sirius's arms.
"That must have been one hell of a nightmare." Sirius said.
"Mandy sweetie, do you remember what happened?" Andy asked.
"It was dark and cold; I think I wasn't wearing anything. There were cold hands and I was lying on a long table. I think it was wooden. They were torturing me somehow. I don't know."
"Panda, do you remember where the cold hands were?" Andy asked softly.
"It was too vague, I think they were holding me down, I don't really remember Droma."
"Alright Panda-bear, let's lay down, you're safe here I promise." James said gently smoothing the hair out of my face. I lay back down between them but it was a while before I fell back asleep.
Christmas morning I woke up once again snuggled between the two of them. James's eyes slowly opened and I gave him a weak smile. "Maybe we can go spend the day with your dad." I whispered.
"Yeah maybe," James responded.
"Cheer up mate it's Christmas." Sirius said.
"Come on Jamie it could be worse." I said.
"How so?" He asked.
"I could be dating Sirius."
"That's not worse." He replied.
"Alright ... it could be a full moon on the thirtieth and we could be at Hogwarts."
"Yeah I guess that could be worse."
"Come on let's go downstairs and see if we can get some of that homemade breakfast that I can smell." Sirius said.
"That's breakfast? I though Jamie just smelled that good." I said.
"You wish." Sirius answered.
"Knock it off guys." James said but we could tell he was slightly smiling. We dragged ourselves out of the comfortable bed and down the stairs to the kitchen.
"I was wondering when you three would get down here." Andy said halting us all in the kitchen.
"Oh, where's Delilah?" I asked.
"Good morning to you too," She snapped.
"I'm sorry, good morning Droma queen." I said softly.
"Dora was up for ages last night, I didn't get much sleep. I'm sorry for snapping. As for De she's in the living room. Now wait just a minute." Andy said when we headed for the living room. "Before the three of you go racing in there for presents De wanted me to warn you to take it easy on our guest. He's a bit under the weather but De insisted he visit for Christmas. Oh and take those trays of breakfast with you." She explained. We nodded and took the trays into the living room.
When we got there I heard a sharp gasp from James and saw the tray he had been holding falling. I thought hard and suddenly it stopped and levitated sideways setting down softly on the coffee table. I looked up when I heard the voice. "Wandless magic? De, are you sure that's Mandy?" I almost dropped my tray when I recognized it. There in front of me sat Mr. Potter.
"I know she's only 16 dear but she says Remus thinks its emotional accidental magic." Delilah answered. I sat my tray down and blinked rapidly. He really did look sick.
"Mr. P." I said. "I—I—I'm not sure I could have done it if I wasn't so upset."
"Upset? Baby-girl, what do you mean?" Mr. P said.
"Mum and Mrs. P said ... they said you're dying." I stammered.
"Come here baby-girl," he said opening his arms to me. I slowly walked over to the chair and sat down on his lap as James sat on the arm on the chair. "Baby-girl ..." He started.
"I can't lose you Mr. P." I said softly.
"Nonsense I'm as healthy as a hippogriff. Don't worry about me." He said.
"But they said ..." I started.
"Oh did they now?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"Dad, are you really dying?" James asked.
"Listen kids, I love all three of you with all my heart but there comes a time in every witch or wizard's life that the great Merlin and Circe call them up to help protect the skies and watch over those on Earth."
"But why now? Why you?" James asked.
"Now James, my handsome baby boy, you, Mandy, and Sirius all knew I wasn't going to live forever. I'm getting on in years and it's my time. I know that you'll all be able to stay strong for me. You three are growing up and you really don't need me as much as you did when you were younger." Mr. P said.
"Don't say that Dad we love having you here." James said.
"Yeah Marco it wouldn't be the same without you." Sirius said.
"I know that but there's a difference between what I said and what you said." Mr. P answered.
"Mr. P I still need you, doesn't that count for anything?" I asked softly.
"Of course baby-girl but ... you'll be ok without me. I know you're strong enough to handle my passing. I'll never leave you truly. I'll always be here in your heart." Mr. P said. "Now enough of that. Andy's managed to rustle up what smells like a really good breakfast and it's getting cold so eat up." Delilah nodded and coaxed the three of us into eating. The wireless played softly in the background and everything seemed normal. "Who wants presents?" Mr. P asked as the dishes were carried out of the room by Dixie, the Potter's house elf. James managed to grin and look back at his dad.
"Sure, whose turn is it?" James asked.
"Mandy." Mr. P said.
"Alright, where to start?" I pondered. "Oh I know. James this one's from me." I said handing him an odd shaped package.
"That's an odd shaped one." Sirius said.
"Thanks Sirius." James said sarcastically. He opened it and looked at it glancing at me. "What it do?"
"It's a whose a what's it."
"A what?"
"A whose a what's it."
"What's it do?" I could hardly control my laughter.
"Push the button on the end."
"This one?" I nodded. He pushed the button and almost dropped it when the tip came out of the other end. "What the heck is this thing?"
"It's a muggle writing utensil they call it a pen. I just charmed the decorations on to it. Don't you like it?" I asked using my puppy dog pout.
"It's interesting." He admitted slowly.
"He doesn't like it." I wailed, burying my head against Sirius's shoulder.
"No I do, I promise." He said reassuringly.
"Alright, I believe you." I crawled forward and grabbed another present. "Here, Sirius, this one's for you."
"From you?"
"No, from the bunny sitting next to you." He looked around and smiled.
"You can be my honey bunny any time you want." I rolled my eyes and he opened the present. "You really didn't have to."
"Sure I did, it is tradition." I answered. Finally all the paper had fallen away from the book and he just kinda stared at it.
"Uh ... thanks Mandy." He said.
"Do you like it?"
"What it is exactly?"
"A day planner. I though you could use it to remember what homework is due when. Or you could use it to keep track of all your dates." I said.
"Er ... thanks." He said.
"Sure. Here ya go Mr. P, I thought you'd like this." I said. He opened it and smiled.
"I love it baby-girl." It was a Christmas ornament of a broomstick, beater's bat, and a snitch. He flipped it over and smiled reading the poem on the back. When he finished he looked at me and smiled. "It's sweet, thank you so much Mandy."
"Mrs. P, for you." I said handing her the present. She opened it slowly and her face lit up.
"Aw Mandy, thank you it's perfect." It was just a collage of five pictures I had put together. One was of her, Mr. P, and James; one of me and James; one of James, Sirius, Mr. P, and I; one of all five of us; and one final one of Sirius and I. James had taken the last picture last year when he found out I had just been dumped by Brad and couldn't help but find comfort in Sirius embrace. When James had found out what I was doing he said that his mom would love to have that one in there.
"I love that one." Mr. P said softly pointing to the last one.
"And I know just where to put it." Mrs. P said hanging it above the mantle.
"Hey just thought I'd stop by before I went home." Andy said popping into the living room.
"Thanks for breakfast Andy, Happy Christmas." I said.
"Happy Christmas, Panda."
"Are you sure you can't stay a little longer?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah I have to get home to Ted and Dora. I'll see you all tonight." She said. After a round of hugs she left taking a couple gifts with her.
"You gave them great gifts but left us with this?" James asked.
"James Aaron Potter, I could have sworn your father and I raised you better than that." Delilah snapped.
"I'm sorry Mandy; I really shouldn't have said it." I nodded.
"Sirius, your turn son," Marco said. Sirius nodded and turned to the tree. Christmas morning progressed and soon there were only six presents under the tree. I rolled my eyes knowing at some point James had remembered our yearly tradition of gag gifts.
"James ... what is our tradition every year usually including Remus and Peter?" I asked.
"Gag gifts." He said looking rightfully ashamed. I reached over and cuffed the back of his head before turning to Sirius.
"Your turn to start." He stood and walked over to the tree before turning around and holding out a gift to me and James.
"Here you go." Sirius said and then he came and sat back down next to me. His gag gift to me, which hadn't left my lap since I had unwrapped it, was a stuffed puppy much like his Animagus form. The last year it had been a monkey and the year before a rat and the year before that a wolf. I figured the next year he'd get me a stag. I glanced at him and then pulled the paper off and my jaw dropped.
"Where in the world did you get this?" I asked running my hand over it.
"I saw it in a little store in Hogsmead. I had the owner engrave the scene on the front and I charmed the song." He said hesitantly, looking away from me.
I looked at the plain black box and grinned. The scene he was talking about was of one of our full moon nights. It was a wolf running after a monkey being chased by a dog, rat, stag, and a bear. The moon shone bright in the sky and you could see the forest in the background.
"Go on, open it." James prodded. I looked up at him and then back at the box opening it. Suddenly soft music started filling the room. Instead of a ballerina spinning around it was a dog chasing a bear. Halfway through the song the dog and bear spun around and went the opposite direction so now the bear was chasing the dog.
"It's charmed to do that every time you open the box and the song will never wear out." Sirius said.
"It's amazing Sirius, thanks." I said looking at him for a moment. When he looked at me I actually thought about kissing him.
"Mark my words De; those two will end up together one day." Mr. P said breaking me out of my treacherous thoughts.
"What did he get for you Jamie?" I asked ignoring Mr. P. James' gag gift from Sirius was a pair of silky black boxer shorts. I hadn't understood the joke but James paled and Sirius had smirked without saying anything.
"Chaser gloves and a quaffle," He answered.
"Cool, now maybe you'll stop nicking the snitch."
"Maybe," He answered.
"Your turn," I said. For his gag gift James had given me a jar of honey with a few feathers tied to it. For Sirius he had gotten a Slytherin scarf to remind him of a prank they had played that almost went sour for Sirius. I watched as Sirius opened his gift and smiled. His gift was a book.
"What the heck am I supposed to do with a book? You didn't get my gift mixed with Moony's did you?" Sirius snapped.
"File it in your trunk for later use and say thanks for the gift James." De said softly.
"Read the title Padfoot." James answered. I looked over Sirius shoulder as he stared at the book. '1000 Surefire Ways to Tame a Prankster.'
"Ok what am I supposed to ... Oh thanks Prongs."
"Am I gonna have to prod you to open mine as well?" James asked me. I shook my head and pulled away the paper. Usually James and Sirius gifts to me were interrelated you couldn't use one without the other but it didn't seem that way this time. On the top of the present was a hand drawn picture of me going from bear to human to tiger then back to human then to bear and back. I stuffed that under my pile of presents carefully so Mr. and Mrs. P wouldn't see it. Under that though was something that felt incredibly soft. I pulled it out and had to stand to look at it properly. It was a blanket. A blue and silver mink blanket with a white tiger stalking in the middle. In each of the corners was a smaller animal a monkey, wolf, stag, and dog.
"Whoa, flip it over." Sirius said. I turned it around carefully and saw the picture. It was a brown bear much like my Animagus form standing in a field with a maroon border. Under that though was a saying. Reading through it I realized it was our motto.
"I don't know what to say." I said sitting back down and folding the blanket into my lap.
"You could say thank you." Mrs. P prodded.
"Thank you isn't enough. I absolutely love it." I said.
"I knew you would. You missed the last part though." I looked at him then sorted through the paper. Turns out what I missed was a book. A book of all my favorite stories complied together. I dropped the blanket and book and bounded over to James hugging him tight.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." I said squeezing him.
"Mandy ... must ... breathe." He choked out. I shrunk back and let go of him. "It's nothing really I just love to see you happy." I smiled and walked back to the tree to get the rest of the gifts.
There you have it. Tell me please: I'm thinking about starting a new story. Would you like to see their seventh year through the potter books or would you rather I drop this? I promise if I start the new one it'll have better writing. Also check out my profile for a link to the pictures of her blanket.
