DECEMBER 13 WEDNESDAY
Seeing their names appear in such elegant writing on them map made them giddy every time. James got off the statue of Lady Grey and blanked it just for the sake of playing with the latest feature.
"Hocus pocus! Reveal yourself!"
Mr Moony wonders if you need help?
"I think we all wonder that!" said Sirius.
Mr Wormtail says: the first word is I.
"I wasn't even thinking that right now!" said Peter. "But it's true! The first word is I!"
Mr Padfoot doesn't believe in global warming because climate changes have always occurred, even before there were factories and cars. Discuss.
"Those climate changes were caused by greenhouse gases and they caused mass extinctions," said Remus.
"But it was totally natural. that's my point," said Sirius.
"You're point was: you don't believe in global warming, and then you go on to say they have occurred in the past."
"Look. Shut up. Nobody likes a nitpicker."
"You said discuss."
"I didn't say that. It's only an illusion. Because if Prongs won't say the password, he has either forgotten it, or he is lonely and in the mood of a chat. I was talking to him."
"Oh ok!"
Mr Prongs recommends a spring wedding.
"I think a total of 13 m's went into this map," said Remus.
Sirius gave him a provocative side-glance. "Devil Snare."
"Just found it interesting. Devil Snare."
A total of 13 letter m's, could that really be true? James and Sirius tried to count them all in their heads. They had used many words beginning with m, and some of the words contained the letter m.
"I'm only getting 12," said James.
"Did you remember to count the big one?" Remus asked.
The map had, apart from the drawing of the map, and all the nifty features, a huge watermark in the shape of an M.
"I suppose you're right!" said James. "I don't know, it just felt good I guess! Lucky! What is the numerological value of m, anyone know?"
"It's 13."
"And today is the 13th!" said Sirius.
And as if that wasn't enough, they could hear another pair of unlucky m's coming, and smell the mulled wine. James tucked away the map.
Professor McGonagall had developed a habit of stopping for longer chats.
"Good day!" she said and began to drag her tartan slippers.
The chaps picked up their books from the floor.
"Good day professor McGonagall!" they said, putting on their most angelic.
McGonagall stopped, and looked at each of them.
"You wouldn't snoop in my cabinets, would you?"
"No mam!" said James.
She seemed to believe it.
"That's odd..," she said.
"What's odd?"
"Two days ago Mr Romsay told me he had found the kitchen in a state of absolute shit arse, as well as three of your aprons."
Two days ago, that was when they had made that cake and chair.
"Oh that!" said James, seeing no purpose in denying it. "That's when Sirius turned twelve. We wanted to make him a cake."
"Are you sure you didn't make two cakes?"
"Yes I'm sure."
"Didn't it occur to you to clean up after yourselves?"
No.
"It won't happen again," said Remus.
McGonagall looked at them in such a way, she hadn't looked at them in such a way before. There was doubt in her eyes. Doubt, although they were telling the truth, and she knew it. Just not the whole truth, and she suspected it.
"That is good to hear," she said. "Because I'd hate to see you get in trouble with the Yule Lads."
"Who are the Yule Lads?" Sirius asked.
"The Yule Lads are 13 vicious little elves who punish mischievous children during the Yuletide."
Was she serious? They were twelve! They didn't believe in fairy tales!
"That explains why I've never met them!" said James.
"The Yule Lads are based in Iceland, which, I'm sure you know, is full of elves. They have completely wiped out the entire wizard race over there. It is all elves now. But the Yule Lads prey on mischief. And according to astrological reports, they sense great mischief here. This Yuletide, they are coming to Hogsmead. In fact, they have already arrived."
"If they only target mischievous children, how can they have wiped out the entire wizard race?"
"Because for a long time, children haven't been able to survive. While the adults have only gotten older. If only the children had just listened."
She shook her head, and sighed.
"Remember class starts in five," she said and walked away.
"Yule Lads!" said Sirius. "What does McGonagall take us for?"
"I've never even heard of them!" said James.
"What's a couple of tiny elves going to do?"
"There's thirteen of them, maybe they're all called Muhammed."
"They're not called Muhammed," said Remus.
"Don't be racist they might be."
"They are called things like Stufur and Gattabefur."
"Are they all werewelves?"
"The Yule Lads are not to be taken lightly! One of them harasses sheep! Another one steals pots and pans! There's even one that slams doors very loudly!"
"Hey I have a question?"
"What?"
"Do they leave presents?"
"If you put a shoe in the window, you will get either a present or a rotten potato, depending on if you've been good or mischievous. But beware! For if you get 13 potatoes, the Yule Lads will come and get you!"
Hooray free presents!