DECEMBER 9 TUESDAY

As predicted, McGonagall gave the chaps a small biscuit tin of parking change and that was the yule disco budget.

After school they went to check out the Damnation Army, a two story second hand shop on Bum Street.

James and Sirius, and Peter, were looking at disco balls. Remus had gone off to look for a cooling box.

"What about this one?" James asked, feeling the weight of a decently large disco ball.

Sirius rummaged in a basket of plastic princess crowns.

"One shilling."

They were happy with their findings and were ready to go and pay when a wizard in a commercial Christmas elf-type outfit – a shop assistant from Bubble World- came and took the princess crown.

"I had it first," said the the wizard.

"I had it first!" said Sirius. "You were over there looking for brand teacups!"
"Yes, but before I went to look at brand teacups, I saw the crown and I was going to buy it."
It was a rubbish crown and not at all worth fighting for. But the rudeness was just unbelievable! James and Sirius did not hesitate to make a scene, and thusly risk being thrown out and banned. James whistled for his Ziggy Stardust to appear and sweep dust in the wizard's eyes until he dropped the crown. Sirius picked it up.

Crack.

They were now surrounded by five shop assistants from Bubble World.

"Just hand it over," said their leader.

"Hey what's up?" said Remus. "Have you seen my..."

Then he began to crawl around on the floor, until he found his thimble-ring.

The elf hat wizards lost interest in the crown instantly.

"Give me the ring," said their leader.

"Ok here," said Remus.

He was actually going to just hand it over! Sirius snagged it from his open palm and ran out of the shop, with the elf hat wizards chasing after him.

He hopped in the nearest floo station and came out in Hogsmead square. There he put it on his left ring finger.

He could feel the warmth of great magic power expand within. Not knowing if it was good or evil, he decided to like it.

The five elf hat wizards appeared in a crack. One of them fired a beam of green light that was going for Sirius's heart.

Instead it made a complete u-turn and hit the caster and she fell. One of her fellow wizards looked for signs of life, the others wanted revenge, and the ring as well. Sirius zapped them all into blackcurrant jelly and ran to the Hogsmead Bakery.

And came out of Lady Brunhilda's huge arse in the North Hall.

Shaken from the experience, he was just about to enter the dorm when Remus shoved him aside and locked himself in. This was starting to become irritating now. It sounded like he was doing some violent tidying up in there. Sirius tugged at the door.

"Little dork, little dork, let me in, in, in!"
The lock clicked.

"Oh..," said Remus. "Did I lock you out?"

"Bla bla hit me with your loveliest excuse!"
"Ok. I was, um, I was hiding my porn. People do that, right?"

"I don't care where you put your rainbow yarns. By the way, I only just nearly died!"

"From what?"

"Death. Here's your thimble back. You should wear it all the time."
Sirius pushed by him, fetched the toy piano and placed it on his bed.

"Mamaaa, just killed a man..." Ding ding ding ding DING ding. They needed a real piano in here.

"So... you've discovered its power, then?"

"Yeah it's great!"

"It sounds great. But these things are never as great as they seem."

"Correction: These things are ALWAYS as great as they seem."

"I think you should wear it all the time to be safe."

"Sweet Moo I wasn't born yesterday."

James and Peter came into the dorm now.

"Don't wait up!" said James. "Did you find a cooling box?"

"No," said Remus, glancing out the window.

"Why don't you just take a regular box and teach snow dancing to a fairy?" Sirius suggested.

"What a great idea!"

"Like my ideas always are. Well, I'm going to the chamber of music practice."
"Wait for me, I have to get some film for my camera," said James and followed him out.