The Devil With An Angel's Face

By: Littlebit

Chapter 10: Hogsmeade Shopping

Disclaimer: J.K is a goddess. Merry Christmas darlings!

James was released from the Hospital Wing a few days later, and Malfoy a few days after that.

Potions class was the hardest, because Gryffindor and Slytherin had classes together. The tense rose higher and higher during classes, and it finally was put on hold when the Potions master gave detention to everyone in his Potions class for starting "idiotic fights with one another over petty differences" as he called it.

Detention was to be held on December 18th, the day before everyone who would be going home for Christmas, would leave.

When we returned to the common room in the evening (after we had gotten the detention) there was a long line of people in the common room.

'Oy!,' Sirius yelled over the people, 'what're we queuing for?'

Hogsmeade next Saturday and the list of people who are going home for Christmas. Answered some 3rd year. We immediately jumped into the line.

I usually went home for Christmas, but this year I decided to stay. Who knew what was going to happen? Sirius and James also decided to stay, but Peter and Remus had to go home. We all put our names down on the Hogsmeade list.

Even though it was only December 5th, I had already planned what I was going to get everyone-except for James. James and I had become close lately. Not romance close, just really good friends. Ever since Malfoy's prank we seemed to have an understanding somehow. But he confused me, and it's always hard to shop for someone who is complex.

On Saturday morning I woke up to snow falling outside my window and the bedroom so warm and cosy that I didn't want to get out of bed. But I had a whole day of shopping ahead of me- shopping that had to be done, so I rolled out of bed and shivered into my robes.

I met the boys in the common room, and we all went down to breakfast. Malfoy sat at his table, glaring at us, as usual. There hadn't been any pranks from either of us lately, and it was starting to make Malfoy edgy and cautious.

After breakfast we walked across the grounds and into Hogsmeade. Peter and Remus went off towards Zonko's joke shop and Sirius and James headed off towards the Quidditch shop, and I went off shopping. We planned to meet in a couple of hours in the Three Broomsticks.

First I went to Zonko's and bought some candy for Peter-chocolate frogs, sour oranges and sugar quills. I wasn't especially good friends with him, but still, he was a friend.

For Remus I got a journal with his name inscribed on the cover. He seemed to be have a lot of troubles in his family lately, his mother was sick, his sister ran-away, and there seemed to be a lot of deaths, because he kept on leaving school to go to funerals and things like that. So I thought it would be a good idea for him to write his feelings down somewhere, so that they wouldn't spill over.

Sirius = easy. The only thing he ever wants! Dungbombs! I also got him some new pens that would change colours depending on your mood. I figured I would later owl my mum and ask for some bubble wrap to wrap the pens in . Since they didn't have bubble wrap in the wizarding world, I figured it would probably keep him occupied.

Now James. The hard one. I wandered around for a bit, looking in shop windows, trying to find something that would fit him. But everything seemed too personal or too un- personal.

Finally I wandered to where I started from, Zonko's. I looked up, and saw that there was a little alleyway leading off the side from Zonko's. I wandered down it, surprised that I had never seen it before. I thought that I knew Hogsmeade like the back of my hand, but there goes the magical world turning everything around again.

I stopped in front a shop that had a bunch of interesting things in the window, pictures, glasses that had moving pictures on them, pillow cases, robes. all with moving pictures on them. I looked up at the sign and shrugged. I might as well give Kasey's Magical Picture Shop a try.

I walked into the shop and ran right into James. 'Uf! Oh, hey Lils. I'll see you later at the Three Broomsticks ok?' And to the man standing behind the counter he said ,' Thanks for your help Paul. See you.' And then he left, tucking something into his bag.

'Hello! My name's Paul Kasey. How can I help you?' the man behind the counter said with a grin. He had grey-ish hair, and looked like he was about 40.

'Um. I'm actually not sure. I need a gift for, well, actually for James, the boy who just left the shop. I'm having a hard time find something just right for him. Do you know him well?'

He laughed. 'I suppose you could say that. I'm his godfather.' He had a grin on his face. 'And how do you know him? Oh, wait, are you Lily?'

'Yes, I am.' I said confused ,' but how do y-'

'James talks about you a lot,' Paul said, 'but don't tell him I told you. I'm pretty sure he like-'

'Uh, please,' I interrupted, 'I'm sort of in a hurry. Would you know what James would like?'

A smile slowly spread on his face. 'No, he has everything he needs and more. But I do have an idea.'

He walked over to a giant oak cabinet standing in a corner and opened it. Inside there were rows and rows of photo albums and below them were a list of names. The list went on and on, and never seemed to end.

'Ah, I see you're looking at the list. I'm very proud of that. That's my list of all the people in the magical world. Now, I was thinking about a photo album for James, something personal, but not too personal. What do you think?'

'That sounds great!' I said happily.

'Ok,' he said, taking out a normal black photo album and the list of names. He sat down behind the counter, and motioned for me to sit down in one of the other stools on the opposite side.

'Now, black is too plain...' he started.

Half an hour later I came out of his shop, promising I'd come and see him at the next Hogsmeade trip. I tucked James' present in my bag and hurried off to the Three Broomsticks. I pushed my way through the crowd of Hogwarts students, till I found the boys at a table in the back. Sirius waved, and picked up a Butterbeer that was sitting on the table, showing me that they had already bought me one.

I sat down. 'You're late,' Remus said.

'Yeah, really late. We were thinking about starting a search party to go find you,' Sirius grinned.

'Haha, it just took a little longer than I thought,' I sipped my Butterbeer.

'So,' Sirius said, pretending to run his hand through his long pretend hair. 'Who'd you make out with?' he said in a squeaky voice, trying to imitate a girl.

'Oh, lots of people, you know. Argus Finnegan, Todd Howard and a couple of others though I can't really remember their names,' I joked, looking over my shoulder at the crowds of people, making sure no one was listening. I didn't want stupid gossip about me to run through the school by Rita Skeeter or someone like that.

Sirius giggled. I thought it was because of what I had said, but he told me later on that it was because of James' face after I had said that. His eyes were big and round and he had a look of shock on his face.

Littlebit: Ok, ok, last chapter before Christmas, I think. Anyway the next chapter will probably Christmas day or something. Ciao!!!