Chapter 75

I'll Be Home For Christmas

"The Patronus Charm is a charm that evokes a partially-tangible, positive energy force known as a Patronus..." Remus read from where he lay on Sirius' bed.

"Well, thank you captain obvious." James criticised, rolling his eyes at Sirius who simply shrugged.

"Patronuses are also called spirit guardians..." Remus continued reading, ignoring James' comment.

"Spirit guardians? All they do is drive away dementors? how are they a guardian?" Sirius asked, he was laying on his bed as well, except while Remus was laying on his stomach near the top of the bed, he was laying on his back on the bottom, with his legs resting on the pillar that held up the curtain.

"I think they are supposed to resemble our spirit guardians." James said. "Like your spirit guardian is obviously a dog, therefore your patronus is going to resemble a dog."

"My patronus will not be a dog!" Sirius exclaimed, giving James a glare.

"It'll be a dog." Remus agreed. Sirius just gave a loud groan and facepalmed.

"Just skip to the part that tells us how to do it." James told Remus, he was bored already.

"Why do you guys even want to learn this... the chances you'll ever actually see a dementor is like little to none... unless you plan on going to Azkaban... You're not planning on going to Azkaban are you?" Remus asked looking at them suspiciously. James rolled his eyes again.

"Seriously Remus? Who plans on going to Azkaban?"

"Umm... Insane people... and the more time I spend with you guys the more I believe you're insane."

"I've never seen a patronus before. I want to see it." Sirius said, giving the first excuse that came to his head... it sounded pathetic, especially to him.

"Then ask McGonagall, I'm sure she can do one." Remus shrugged, but looked in the book for the explanation anyway, knowing full well that they weren't going to do it the easy way.

"That's no fun." James replied.

"The incantation is 'Expecto Patronum'..." Remus read pausing to read the rest in his head before reading it out loud.

"Expecto Patronum!" James said pointing his wand at nothing. There wasn't even a flicker of sparks.

"Wow, impressive." Sirius said sarcastically.

"Shut it, Si."

"You have to think of something happy. Like a memory or something." Remus explained, shortening a page and a half of text into two sentences, the book was far more thorough than necessary.

"Something happy... hmm" James began to think. "In two weeks we'll be out for Christmas Break!" He said before pointing his wand again "Expecto Patronum!"...

Still nothing.

"This spell sucks." James concluded.

"James, I told you it's an auror level spell, you're not going to get it in two tries." Remus told him. "I think you need something happier. You try, Sirius."

"Frankly I don't really think I should bother right now." Sirius replied.

"Why?" Peter asked, glad he wasn't the only one who didn't think he could do it. Though Sirius didn't normally have such doubts.

"Oh, no reason. James just reminded me that you lot are leaving me all alone for nearly a month. That's all." Sirius gave a loud sigh, as though it was the end of the world. Remus looked at James.

You haven't told him yet? Remus mouthed. James gave him a 'woops' look and rubbed the back of his head, causing Remus to roll his eyes.

"Oi, Sirius, that reminds me. I got a letter from my parents a few days..." Remus quickly interrupted correcting him "Fine, weeks ago."

"Wonderful, it's great to know my impending lack of social communication reminds you to converse with your own parents. I'm glad I've saved your family ties." Sirius said sarcastically.

"Impending lack of social communication..." Remus repeated, a mixture of disbelief and humor in his voice, not sure whether to be amused at Sirius' dramatics or to be impressed that his friend actually managed to use that phrase in an actual conversation and still sound like he knew what he was talking about.

"Sirius, you have the mirror... You can talk to me any time you want to, I always have it on me when I'm at home." James reminded, it seemed as though Sirius was in a dramatic mood today.

"Social deprivation!" Sirius exclaimed, completely ignoring them both.

"You're just trying to make us feel bad... aren't you?" Remus moved up so that he was hovering over Sirius' face, going out of his way to make sure Sirius saw the lack of pity or concern on his face.

"Yes. But you clearly don't care, so..."

"Just read the stupid letter, Sirius, before I change my mind and decide I don't want to spend any more time with you then absolutely necessary." James tossed an envelope in Sirius' direction, Remus caught it due to still taking up most of Sirius' field of vision, but he handed it to Sirius and moved back to the book closing it and putting it with the other books he needed to return to the library before vacation.

"What's it say?" Peter asked, as Sirius began to read. Halfway though the letter the latter sat up, now sitting cross-legged on the bed with his eyes wide. He began mouthing the words as he read and didn't look up till he was finished.

"You're serious?" Sirius asked as though he didn't quite know what to say.

"No, I just decided to think up the most cruel joke I could pull off and got my parents to help me with it." James' sarcasm made Remus laugh.

"But.. I mean, that's kinda... Isn't stuff like that kinda a family only thing?" Sirius looked a little nervous.

"Not if we don't want it to be. Besides, didn't we already go through this, you guys are family."

"But.. your parents..."

"Have been bugging me to ask some of my school friends over for like... ever." James shrugged, he'd expected Sirius to have some doubts.

"What's it say?" Peter repeated, though he had most of it pieced together by now.

"My parents want Sirius to come over for Christmas break." James explained, though still looking at Sirius, who was rereading the letter, as though looking for some hint that it wasn't true.

It really wasn't surprising. Sirius, understandably, had a few trust issues. And the Potters and Blacks usually didn't mingle well together. Like opposite sides of the same coin really. Well no... More like opposite sides of two completely different coins that were not similar in any way, shape, or form, but still...

James gave a small sigh and sat next to Sirius on the bed. "Look, if you're worried they don't like you, don't be. They both really like you, or as much as they can for how little they've met you. I didn't bully them into it or anything."

"But... I..." Sirius began, he hadn't even considered that one of them might actually want to invite him, he'd only even celebrated the holiday two times, he didn't know anything about how family celebrated Christmas. He'd only get in the way.

"But you, nothing. You're coming home with me, whether you like it or not." James said with a smirk.

Sirius said nothing for a good long while, simply reading and rereading the letter again.

"This is a first," Remus said to James after a little while. "Is Sirius Black at a loss for words?" He asked smiling. "The guy who just used the phrase 'impending lack of social communication' in conversation without sounding like a total nerd is speechless?"

"Shut up, Moony." Sirius said, though not with any force in his voice. Remus just laughed.

"I gotta warn you though my parents are really old, they can't handle stuff like exploding toilet seats or pretty much anything even remotely scary. Oh, and you can't do magic, they actual..." He was interrupted by surprise as the large form of Sirius Black latched on to him.

Sirius didn't say thank you, he didn't have to. The hug and unshed tears said more than a simple thank you ever could.

A/N) Hi. ^_^ I'm back. I'm so excited. Sirius gets too be with friends for Christmas. Yay! Merry not-Christmas Sirius. ^_^