Disclaimer – anything you can recognise from the Harry Potter series is not mine
Lounging in the comfy chairs around the roaring fire Sirius was upside down on an armchair with his legs over the back of the chair and his head hanging near the floor, "I hate this time of year." He moaned gaining the others attention. Boxing Day has passed for the four teens quickly, Lily sighed and swung her feet up onto James' lap as he was sat on the other side of the sofa, "What about Hogsmead?" James asked sliding his eyes to Lily face where a small thoughtful frown had appeared.
"We can't let Lily get caught sneaking into Hogsmead." Remus said not looking up from his book.
Lily suddenly jumped up causing the boys to jump slightly, "Back in a minute." she said halfway to the portrait hole already. Leaving the Marauders sat in confusion at her departure, she quickly made her way to McGonagall's rooms where she knew their head of house would be, not even sparing a glance to where Mrs Norris lurked, she tapped on the door "Come in… Ah Lily what can I do for you?" the professor asked motioning to the chair in front of her desk before offering a tin of biscuits to the young woman. "I was wondering if you would give James, Sirius, Remus and I permission to go into Hogsmead today? It would keep Sirius out of trouble for a few hours." She asked hopefully McGonagall pursed her lips in thought "Hmm... I suppose as long as I have no reports of trouble from anyone in the village. I'll write you a permission slip in case any professors are in the village." Lily smiled at her favourite professor "Thank you."
Soon after Lily was outside the common room permission slip in hand, "Tinsel." She said to The Fat Lady. "Finally! Where did you go?" James cried from where the three of them were still sat.
"Grab your coats and scarfs we're going to Hogsmead." Lily said ignoring James question in favour of summoning her things as she started to pull on her coat, they realised she wasn't joking and quickly summoned their own things.
They were soon at the main doors wrapped up against the cold winter air, pushing the door open they spilled down the front steps laughing and joking. "How did you manage this?" James asked quietly, "I convinced McGonagall that Sirius would cause more problems in Hogwarts than Hogsmead." She replied with a small smirk playing about her lips. Ahead Sirius kicked up snow dancing towards the front gates. They made it down to the village with only 7 snowballs thrown mostly at Sirius. They headed straight for the Three Broomsticks to warm up. Pulling off their coats they looked around the quite pub before sitting down at a table, "I've never seen it this quiet before." Lily marvelled at the sight.
"Yeah, but you've never come down outside of Hogsmead weekends, have you?" Remus questioned with a grin. Rosmerta made her way over to the table, Sirius grinned at the young witch making her blush "What can I get you?" she asked. Remus ordered them all a butterbeer "Alright but you three best not be getting Lily into any trouble been down here in the village." Rosmerta joked.
"Nah." Sirius said "Where going by the book today." Causing them all to laugh, still shaking her head she left to get them there drinks. "I'm guessing the next stop is Zonkos?" Lily question already knowing the answer. "Yep!" Sirius was already bouncing in his seat thinking of what he was going to buy, "We don't have to if you don't want to Lily." James said quietly as Rosmerta brought there drinks over "Thanks." Sirius winked, Rosmerta smiled and left with a pink tinge to her cheeks.
"No, it's fine as long as we can go to Honeydukes after." Lily replied as Sirius continued to list everything he was going to buy. "Yeah that's fine, Remus needs more chocolate for his secret stash." Causing Remus to stick this tongue out at him and Lily to giggle.
They stayed in The Three Broomsticks for an hour discussing what their fellow Gryffindor's were doing and what classes were going to be like in the new term. Feeling warmer they gathered up their coats and made their way to the door waving goodbye to Rosmerta who was behind the bar. When they reached Zonkos James pulled Lily to one side as Sirius and Remus made their way inside "Are you sure you don't want to go for a walk and meet up with them in Honeydukes, Cause the less we know the less likely we are to get detection with him." James asked Lily,
"Are you sure?" Lily asked.
"Yeah let's go, I've already told Remus the plan." James grinned pulling her along.
James and Lily headed towards the shrieking shack leaning against the fence Lily turned to James "Thank you." She said,
"What for?" James asked.
"For understanding, for giving me a place to stay over the summer, for stopping me for moping around the common room," she answered honestly "you've grown up and I'm really glad we're friends..." trailing off Lily looked down bitting her lip.
"Hey, don't worry I'll always be there for you that's what friends are for." James said silently vowing not to push Lily and let her make the choices in where they were. "We should go before Remus eats all the chocolate he and Sirius brought." James said, laughing they left the serious conversation behind and went to find their friends.
It was mid-afternoon when they finally made it back to the school "I trust you've had a good day?" Dumbledore asked heading up the main staircase. "Oh yes sir we're all ready for the new term." Sirius responded.
"Good, good." Dumbledore said eyes twinkling.
"Surprise!" The four friends blinked in shock at the sight of Alice, Marlene and Dorcas sat on a sofa waiting for them. They bounced up and gave Lily a massive hug, before they all sat down by the fire to catch up. "My sister gave birth on Christmas eve; she's had a girl and called her Lilah." The girls all cooed while the boys pulled faces while smiling. "I managed to convince mom that I didn't need to be with the family for Christmas and the new year, so here I am." Dorcas explained.
"Frank was really understanding about me coming back early and so were his family." Alice reported.
Lily and the Marauders then had the three girls in stitches while telling them what they had been up to over Christmas. By the time they had finished it was time for dinner, so they made their way down to the great hall still swapping stories. During dinner Marlene leaned over to Remus who was next to her, "Lily and James look closer." She observed to him. "Yeah, I think Lily's close to admitting her feelings." Remus smirked.
"Maybe, a new year's kiss tomorrow will help." Marlene remarked with a raised eyebrow before the two of them joined back in with the lively conversation the others were having. It was halfway through dinner when the commotion started at the Slytherin table. Looking up the girls frowned at the sight of the peas on the Slytherin table flying about and bouncing off the students. By now the all the students at the other house tables had noticed and where stifling giggles which became impossible when a pea got caught in Goyles' nose. Sirius fell of the bench and rolled on the floor laughing while the others managed to stay seated while still laughing. Finally, the flying professor realised what spell had been used and with a wave of her wand stopping the peas flight allowing them to fall to the ground. "What spell was that?" Marlene asked the marauders still snickering.
"The spell used on bludgers for quidditch" James told them before noticing Dumbledore looking at them "We should get going though" James remarked, the group gathered their things before heading out of the great hall. While heading up the main staircase they were stopped by Dumbledores voice "What an interesting use of the bludger charm" he marvelled before heading off to his office. Grinning at each other the group left for the common room, once there they flopped onto the comfy chairs by the fire with Sirius still giggling to himself occasionally.
Finally, the girls headed off to their dorm room saying good night to the marauders, once the door was shut the three girls turned to Lily with expectant looks on their faces. "So what's going on with you and James?" Marlene inquired getting straight to the point
"I have no idea what you are talking about" Lily lied not looking at the other girls. A pillow hit her on the back of the head thrown by Alice "Liar!" she sang as she and the others gathered on Lily's bed to hear what Lily had to say.
"Fine!" Lily shouted throwing herself onto the bed next to her friends, "I hadn't noticed it before but my feelings towards him have been changing, I've only realised it over the holiday, we're friends now and I don't what to spoil that but I…. I think I'm starting to fall in love with him." Lily's voice trailed off to almost a whisper. "What am I going to do?" Lily groaned looking to her friends for answers.
One chapter to go…