Chapter Three: Christmas Buddies

It just so happened that the next day was Christmas Buddies day. Normally, Sirius didn't like this Hogwarts holiday tradition but this year he had a goal he wished to achieve.

Sirius walked up to Troy Daniels, a seventh year who was the official head of the Christmas Buddies program, and put on his brightest smile.

" Hello, Troy."

Daniels looked up from the names he had been writing down on scraps of parchment and shot Sirius a suspicious look.

" Hello, Sirius. You've never liked this program so why did you come here early?"

Sirius shrugged good naturedly.

" Well, I've decided to make the best of it this year so I just wanted to see how things were coming along."

" You can't be serious, Black. What do you want? Just cut the crap and come right out and say it."

Sirius sighed.

" Well, ok. I need a favor. I need you to fix it so that I end up with this one girl."

Troy sighed and shook his head.

" No way, Black. If you draw her name or she draws yours then so be it but I won't fix it."

Sirius put on his best puppy dog look.

" Come on, Troy, my good friend. I really like this girl. Can't you do your good buddy Sirius this tiny little favor?"

Troy rolled his eyes.

" First of all, the puppy dog look has never worked on me. Second of all, we have never been good friends. Thirdly, I tell you again, I won't fix it."

Sirius sighed.

" Will you do it for money?"

Troy's eyes lit up.

" Well...how much?"

" Oh, say, fifteen galleons?"

Daniels considered it for a moment.

" Twenty and I'll do it."

" Done. Her name is Tacey Williams."

Troy nodded then held out his hand. Sirius gave him ten galleons.

" Hey! Wait a minute, you said-"

" Ten now and the rest when I actually have her as my buddy. I have to make sure you do it."

Troy grudgingly agreed and pocketed the money.

" Remember, she gets no one but me."

Troy nodded again and resumed his work. Sirius walked away grinning.

*

Sirius, for the first time in his life, was actually excited about the Christmas Buddies ceremony. This greatly puzzled his friends.

" Merlin's beard, Sirius! You're practically vibrating you're so excited! I thought you hated this?" James asked, quite baffled.

Sirius merely grinned.

" I think this year is gonna' be different, Prongs my good friend."

James looked at him, puzzled, then shook his head.

By custom, the girls drew names. Tacey was the seventh to go up. She glanced over the crowd before she drew and saw Sirius grinning at her. She sighed, exasperatedly and everyone in the room could practically read the thought, Please, Merlin, anyone but him!

Tacey plunged her hand in and drew out a folded piece of parchment. She unfolded it and-

" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She wailed, sinking to her knees, seeing Sirius' name on the parchment.

" Why cruel world????" She sobbed, eyes heavenward and fists clenched.

" It's not fair!!!!!"

Troy walked up to her and said,

" Uh, Ms. Williams, could you please go join your buddy and let someone else come up?"

She looked up at him and gripped the hem of his robes.

" No, you can't do this to me! Please don't make me go with him! Please!!!!! It's not fair!!!!" She broke off again.

Troy worriedly looked down at her.

" I'm sorry, Ms. Williams, but rules are rules, we can't just change them for you."

She looked up at him, sheer horror on her face.

" No, you don't understand, you can't do this to me! My holidays will be hell if they have to be spent with him!" She said him as if he were a festering pimple.

After prompted several more times by Troy, Tacey finally accepted her fate and walked towards the beaming Sirius.

" We're gonna' have lots of fun over the holidays, aren't we, buddy?" Sirius asked, elbowing her playfully.

She shot him a look that clearly said, touch-me-once-more-and-I'll-bite-you, then actually said,

" Never call me that. Believe me, Black, it will be a miracle if I don't kill you before this is over."

Sirius merely grinned.