This is a very long chapter. I love it.

Anyway here it is.

Chapter Thirteen

Christmas

Lily sat down at the Gryffindor table and glared at Arabella. "So you're leaving us over break?"

"Mum wants me to be there for 'family time'. Aaron is obsessing over the fact that he's going to be a father soon and how I won't be a good aunt to his baby, considering I was a terrible sister." Arabella rolled her eyes, "Trinity is back from America and so mum says I have to come and talk to her about the schools in America."

"Poor you." Karrie said, sitting opposite to Lily and Arabella. "But at least you have a sister. I have three brothers." Karrie made a face and helped herself to potatoes.

"Yes, and several first, second and even third cousins every Christmas coming to your house." Peter said sitting next to Lily.

"Lily, one day I'll bring you to a Petigrew reunion." Karrie promised. "No one will notice. We have so many people in our family."

Lily nodded and turned to Peter. "So are you guys going back home?"

"Hell no." Peter and Karrie said at the same time.

"Hanging out at Peter's house makes me fell small and inadequate."

"You didn't grow up there Kare." Peter said.

Lily patted her friend. "So Pete and Kare are staying who else?"

"My mother wants me home." Remus said walking over to their end of the table and sitting down. "You'll never guess what's happened!"

"What is it?" Karrie asked.

"Just wait until James and Sirius get here, let them talk themselves out before I spill." Remus said, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

It wasn't long. "My sweet, my pearl, how are you?" Sirius asked flinging himself into the chair next to Arabella and smiling a disarming smile at her. Arabella swatted him and continued to eat.

"Sir, you staying for break?" Lily asked.

"Ma mère, elle veut moi." Sirius said. The table broke down laughing. "What?" Sirius asked, completely oblivious to his blunder.

"Sir, you just said 'my mother wants me.'" Lily said through gasps. Sirius turned red and joined in the laughter.

"James?" Lily asked when they quieted.

"I'm thinking about it. My mum wants me home, but since Sirius isn't-"

"I thought he was?" Lily asked, surprised.

"Whenever Delphine wants Sirius to do something-" James began.

"I never do!" Sirius finished in a sing-song voice.

"Oh."

"Yeah" James said.

"Jamie, stay please?" Sirius asked putting on a puppy dog face.

"Don't call me Jamie." James said.

"Oh please Jamie?" Lily asked, chocking slightly on her laughter. James was going red.

"My dove, help us please." Sirius said to Arabella.

"That's it Sirius Black." Arabella said sharply. Everyone turned to look at her. Her dark face was darker then usual. "I'm tired of being called those stupid names!"

"What?" Sirius asked as Arabella stalked out of the hall. "Bell-" he started but Lily threw him a look.

"Now you've done it." Lilly said. "She'll hate you for eternity now Sirius!"

"Oh come off it, I was joking!"

"We know it, but it got too far. Imagine if I started call you names like 'The raven haired one'?" Karrie asked standing. Lily rose with her.

Remus sighed. "Well, have fun reasoning with Arabella." He said tersely.

"What?" Karrie asked. "Going off with you leaving me on edge about your good news?"

Remus smiled slightly at her. "Thanks Kare." He muttered.

"Good news and you haven't told us Remus!" Sirius looked up at his friend.

"I'm going home this break." Remus announced. He smiled when everyone looked disappointed. "I haven't explained why yet though." He pointed out.

"What?" the group said together.

"My mother's pregnant!" Remus sang out. The group gaped.

"So you'll be a big brother!" Lily cried flinging herself at her friend. Remus patted her and nodded happily.

"I can give you some pointers," Karrie said, "three younger brothers and I'm still in one piece!"

"Thank you Karrie." Remus said with a broad smile.

"Oh my god! I'm so happy for you Remus." Lily said. She hugged him again and then stepped back. "I have to go tell Arabella. I'm sure she'll help too. I mean she has two younger brothers."

"You guys are great!" Remus said as Lily hurried to find her friend.

Stepping into the hall she looked for Arabella. "Bell?" there was no answer so Lily hurried towards the library. Finding Arabella in one of the old and dusty sections Lily looked at her friend.

"What's the matter Ari?" she asked.

"Sirius is just so annoying." Arabella said. She was still seething.

"Bell, listen, he's just joking."

"I know, but he could be nicer about it." Arabella said, slamming the book in her hand into her other hand. The binding broke and the cover fell off.

"Bell." Lily said, picking up the pieces and quickly fixing the book. "You should just talk to him about it."

"I can't. He's such a jerk."

"I'm sure. Sirius is just a little bit of a prankster. He wants someone to laugh with and you would be perfect to help him with that."

"I don't want to be with Black." Arabella growled.

"Not with him Bell, as a friend, he needs you to laugh with. Come back. Remus needs some pointers at being the older sibling. He's going to be a big brother."

"Good for him." Arabella growled.

"Was I this annoying when I was fighting with James?" Lily wondered aloud.

"No. you were worse." Arabella said with a small smile.

"Oh thanks."

A week passed and Arabella would leave any room that Sirius entered that she could. She completely ignored him when he tried to talk to her. Sirius was getting frustrated.

Matters came to a head at the last class of the term. Double potions.

"Today class." Professor Lightoff glowered at the class, "Today I will be testing your knowledge of the acne potion. The fourth years collected bubotuber pus for your potions. Remember to put on gloves; you don't want that on your hands. I will be dividing you into pairs."

Sirius threw Lily a look of desperation. James and Snape looked like Christmas had come early. Arabella looked livid.

"Potter and Snape, you shall work together." The pairing glowered at each other.

James put his hand in the air. "Excuse me professor. Wouldn't it make sense for us to change partners? I mean we need experience with others."

Professor Lightoff's face looked slightly purple. "Potter, do you not like my pairing?" she asked, daring James to retort.

"No professor." James said.

"Evans and Ackerley."

Lily looked at the blonde girl and grimaced. She was tall and mean looking. From experience with Ackerley, Lily would probably be doing all the work for fear of torture.

"Petigrew- Mr. Petigrew-" Professor Lightoff corrected as Karrie and Peter began to raise their hands. "Avery."

"Black and Figg."

Arabella looked like she was going to explode. She began to shake her head violently. "Do you disagree Figg?" Lightoff pounced on her.

"No Professor. I was trying to get something out of my hair."

"The next time do it in the hall during passing time. Five points from Gryffindor." Professor Lightoff glared around the room as the Slytherins snickered. "And one point from Slytherin for every one who sniggered at that. I have had enough of yours random blather. Stop wasting my time!"

The room was silent.

"Lupin and Rosier." Remus nodded to the brown haired boy who hissed slightly.

"Pitchard and Miss Petigrew shall work together." Professor Lightoff continued until the class was paired off.

"You have until the end of this class to finish an acne potion. Begin. You may use anything you need, including books."

Lily smiled slightly at Susan Ackerley and went to sit next to her. "Listen up, Evans." Susan spat. "I don't want any mistakes in this potion. Now get to work."

"Excuse me." Lily said. She hated being pushed around, and just because Susan was taller and seemed stronger then her, didn't mean that she couldn't try. "I think we are in a partnership. That means we do the same amount of work, or else one of us fails."

"If we get the potion done I won't bash your head against a wall for that Evans. I don't want your stinking mudblood hands all over a perfectly good potion, so either you make it or you are going to the infirmary for some remolding of your face."

"Susan-"

"Ackerley." Susan snapped.

"Fine then Ackerley." Lily rolled her eyes. "While you do seem to have some physical advantages over me, I have something you don't have. To find out what that is you better be willing to at least touch the same materials as me. I can fail you for this assignment and still get an A my self. So failing, or helping me and getting an A. those happen to be the chooses."

"You seem to misunderstand me you mudblooded idiot-"

"Ackerley!" Karrie was suddenly right next to Lily. "Don't you DARE call Lily that! She is not!" Karrie's face was red and she looked slightly afraid of the consequences.

"Kare, I don't care what mudblood means-"

"She called you a mudblood?" Sirius asked, rising. Arabella rose to. "How dare you! How dare you-"

"Class sit down!" Professor Lightoff yelled. The class sat.

A harassed looking teacher hurried into the room a few minutes later. "Harriet-" he started.

"Bernard, I'm teaching a class."

"I know but the you-know-what is failing around the-"

"How can it be fading?" Professor Lightoff hissed.

"The powers that flow through it are ancient and as we say whimsical." The teacher said.

"So why do you need me?"

"The potion you brought up. It's needed again."

Professor Lightoff glowered and then turned to the class. "Class, I will be gone for ten minutes. If any of you talk to anyone else you get a months detention. You may talk to your partner Petigrew."

With that the teachers left the room.

Ackerley ran to the door and listened. She turned, a nasty smirk crossing her face. "They're gone."

Snape rose and pointed his wand at Ackerley. "Susan, I am sure you would like a months detention, so why don't you sit your sorry self down."

"I have a few issues I am going to resolve with the mudblood filth that Lightoff paired me with." The blonde girl began to advance on Lily who was sitting quietly stirring her caldron.

All the Gryffindors rose, except the muggle borns at Ackerley's threat.

"Sit down." Lily said in a bored voice, not even looking up.

"Lily do you know what she's calling you?" Karrie asked.

"No one asked you Petigrew." Ackerley snarled.

"Oh you nasty girl-"

"I said sit down." Lily said, cutting through the conversation.

"I don't think I take orders from you mudblood."

"Interesting Susan, I find that if you sit down, you won't have to be cleaning bed pans in the infirmary, if you chose to remain standing, then well, who knows what can happen." Lily said, still not looking up from her book. "Please if you are standing sit back down. I would rather do this where we won't get in trouble."

The class remained standing and Ackerley continued to advance on Lily. "I'm warning you Ackerley, if you get to close I can do anything I want. It's all self defense." Lily reached over her table and picked up some powdered newts tail. She sprinkled it on the potion, making it hiss.

"Evans, you don't boss around the whole entire class, you aren't the teacher!" Ackerley yelled.

"Ackerley, if you think I am intimidated by you, then why don't you look at yourself in the mirror. That's scary."

With a yell Ackerley threw herself at Lily. James, Karrie, Arabella, Remus, Sirius and Peter ran at Ackerley to stop her.

Avery threw out a leg and caught Sirius. He tripped and went flying into Rosier, who was punching at James. Karrie was trying to get past Rose Wilkes, who was barricading Ackerley.

Suddenly Ackerley was flung across the room and Lily sat there, her face red with anger. "STOP!"

"Thank you Evans, but since this is my classroom, I believe I give the commands." Professor Lightoff said dryly.

Lily's red face changed shades and Rosier stopped punch James. Sirius let go of Rosier's leg and Karrie dropped her wand.

"What happened here Dulo?" Professor Lightoff asked the girl. Heather looked up her brown eyes wide in fear. "Tell it to me!"

"Well, Susan went to make sure you were gone then she goes on about 'resolving differences' with Lily. She kept on calling Lily a mudblood-" Professor Lightoff hissed and the Gryffindors glared at the girl, who was cradling an arm against her. "Lily didn't do anything, she just sat there making her potion and Susan kept on coming closer to her. Then Lily said something and Susan dove at her. Then James, Sirius, Karrie, Peter, Arabella and Remus all jumped at Susan and Arthur, Keith and Rose all jumped to Susan's defense."

"Does anyone want to add to that?" Professor Lightoff asked.

"She broke my arm!" Ackerley said.

Professor Lightoff whirled. "How did she do that?"

"I don't know. I was moving into punch her and the suddenly I was over on this side of the room." Ackerley cradled her arm.

"Get up the hospital wing Ackerley. Pitchard help her." Professor Lightoff said. "This does not mean that you are excused from the detention you will be receiving." She called after Susan as the girl walked out of the classroom.

"Detention to Black, Figg, Potter, Avery, Rosier, Lupin, Petigrew, Petigrew, Wilkes and Evans." The Gryffindors and some of the Slytherins even all gaped at her.

Arabella put her hand up. "But Professor, Lily didn't do anything against the rules. She sat there and didn't get up."

"Why should the victim have to get punishment?" James asked.

Professor Lightoff looked at the faces. "Evans did you ever lay a hand on Ackerley?"

Lily looked worried. "No professor. I just sat here and tried to dodge her punches. Then one almost hit me and there was a flash and she was on the other side of the room."

Professor Lightoff looked slightly shocked. Suddenly she smiled. "Alright Evans, no detention for you. But the rest of you-" Professor Lightoff turned to glare at the culprits, "Detention as soon as you get back to school. And sixty points from Gryffindor, and fifty from Slytherin." There was a collective groan. "Now get back to work."

Christmas break never looked so inviting. Lily fell onto her bed the first day and turned over. "I'm going to sleep in." she announced.

"You're what?" Arabella yelled. She stood up from where she was packing.

"I'm going to sleep in." Lily said again.

"But-but-" Heather said looking terribly confused. "You never sleep in."

"Well, vacations don't count." Lily said. She grinned at the looks of shock on her roommates faces. "Well, I'll see you when I wake up." And with that Lily went to sleep.

"How does she do that?" Arabella asked Jillian.

"I have no idea." Jillian replied.

When Lily woke the room was quiet. She looked around at the clock and saw that it was nearly noon. Jumping up, she hurried to the common room.

Arabella and Remus were there saying good bye.

"You guys better come back," Lily warned them, "You have detention." They grinned at her.

"Yes of course mother." Arabella said.

Lily turned to Remus. "You take care Remus." She said.

"You make it sound like I'm going away forever." Remus said with a grin. Lily hugged him.

"You make sure not to get hurt at the next transformation." She whispered. Remus nodded. He was two days away from his next transformation.

"Well. We'll see you when you get back." Sirius said. He looked at Arabella. "Bell-"

Arabella suddenly began to pull Remus along behind her. "Come on Remus." She said loudly. "We have to get going."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Yes Sir, try it in front of everyone else. Bell won't come around for a while."

Sirius sighed and waved his friends off. "It was just having fun. I didn't want her to get mad."

"She'll simmer down eventually." Lily said, but silently she added I hope.

Chirstmas morning came around and Lily was the last one up. Karrie, the only one who stayed behind in their dormitory, stared at her.

"Are you sick Lils?"

"No. I'm catching up on sleep is all." Lily looked at the foot of her bed to see a pile of presents. "Comeon, presents."

"We should bring them down and unwrap with Siruis, Peter and James." Karrie remind Lily.

"Oh right." Lily looked at the tempting pile. "Hurry up then." grabbing her dressing gown she picked up her presents and hurried down to the common room. Sirius was sitting there with Peter and James. They all looked up and glared at her. "What?"

"The one day where you have to sleep in." Sirius complained.

"Oh. Sorry, well I'm here and Karrie's here so let's dig in." Lily said and sat dropping her presents and picking up the one from her parents.

She opened the card and read what it said:

Dear Lily,

I hope school is going well and you're getting good marks (again, we're so proud of your marks last term).

Petunia is doing fine. She's top of the year like you.

Well dear, I went up into the attic yesterday and found some of the stuff I needed when I went to school. I sent it along with the present. I wrapped it to, knowing your love of ripping paper into shreds.

Love,

Mum

Lily smiled and looked at the present. It looked like a book. ripping the paper away she found a book on Quidditch.

James and Sirius gazed at it longingly. "Can we see that Lily?"

"What Advanced Quidditch Moves for the Beginner?" Lily asked, holding the leather bound book above her head.

"Do you know how rare that book is?" James asked, running over and trying to grab it. Lily screamed and jumped onto a couch.

James and Sirius pranced beneath her, trying to get the book.

"Probably!" Lily crowed, keeping it just above their groping fingers.

Sirius finally realized they could get onto the couch with Lily and soon Lily was running around, avoiding the two boys.

"Get her from the side Sir!" James yelled and Lily ducked and ran as the two boys crashed into each other.

She began to giggle. "We have other presents to open!"

"Yeah, but we want to see that one!" Sirius yelled.

"It's not yours!" Lily called over her shoulder as she dashed towards the portrait hole.

"Will you let us see it?" James called.

"Maybe when I'm done!" Lily called as Sirius came up on her. "But not if you chase me around for it!" Lily looked for an escape, but they had cut her off. Quickly throwing the book in the air she quickly yelled "Wingardium Leviosa!" the book began to float above their heads. "Infinate!" she yelled and the book stayed where it was. "Can't get it  down now." she said with a smile and walked back to her pile of presents.

"LILY!" James yelled tackling her. Lily squeaked as she fell over. James was on top of her, tickling her. Lily couldn't breathe through her laughter.

"James!" she giggled, "Let me breath!" taking a breath as James let up. Then he started again. Lily squealed and tried to get out from underneath James.

"Lily get it down!"

"No." Lily managed.

"What is going on down here?" a voice asked.  Looking up Lily saw Bill Weasley. James stopped tickling her.

"She put her book up there!" James cried pointing to the ceiling where the book was still floating.

"It's her book." Bill said.

"Yeah, but it's Advanced Quidditch Moves for the Beginner!" Sirius cried. Bill's eyes went wide.

"Lily let me see it!" he pleaded.

Lily began to laugh. "No." she said between her laughter.

"Does someone have that book?" a voice yelled as the other Weasley appeared. Charlie glared around the room looking for it.

"It's on the ceiling Char." Bill said.

Charlie looked up and yelled. "Why is it up there and not down here in my hands?"

"Because I put it up there. It is mine." Lily said. she was trying to get up from underneath James.

"Please Lily?" the four boys all looked at her.

"No." Lily said. "James get off me."

"Not until you get the book down."

Lily pulled out her wand. "Do I have to put you up there too?" she asked. James smiled.

"But of course. Then I could get it."

"Not with this charm. Wingardiem Leviosa! Infinate!" Lily said. James shot up to the ceiling and stayed there.

"What does the 'infinate' do?" Bill asked looking at the boy on the ceiling.

"Finalizes it until the caster chooses to end the spell." Lily replied glaring at James. "CAN YOU GET THE BOOK?" She yelled up.

James tried to move around, but found himself  spinning in circles. "No!" he replied with a grin. "Mind if I come down though?"

"I do actually, I think I'll leave you up there for a while." Lily said with a smile. "Presents."

By breakfast James had given up at trying to get down. Lily had him connected to her wand and was bringing him down to breakfast when they past Professor McGonagall.

"Miss Evans, why is Mr. Potter floating along behind you?" she asked in surprise.

"He had an accident that involved getting caught in the infinite loop of staying up there. it will wear off after a while." Lily said.

"Are you sure Miss Evans."

"Perfectly." Lily said with a smile.

"Alright, get to breakfast." Professor McGonagall continued down the hall.

"Happy Christmas Professor."

"To you two." Professor McGonagall said with a smile.

The rest of the day was thoroughly enjoyable. After Lily let James down they had a snowball fight.

Sirius, Karrie, Peter and Frank joined in.

"I call captain of one team and Lily as the other since we started. I want Sirius and Peter."

"Karrie and Frank." Lily called. "Who else would there be?"

the day passed and soon they were eating dinner.

all in all, Lily thought, it has been a great and wonderful day.

So review! If you read this, I want feed back. Please!