Chapter 11 Unauthorized Presents
The light was just beginning to creep into Muriel's dorm room on Christmas day when she awoke. After dressing carefully, she grabbed the bag of presents she'd gotten for the marauders. She'd tricked one of the younger Gryffindors into giving her their password only two days ago, and she hoped it hadn't changed.
As quietly as she could, she entered Gryffindor's common room and headed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, looking for the door that said '6th years.' She pushed it open and slipped inside. The empty bed nearest the door she guessed was Peter's. She carefully extracted a wrapped box and left it for him to find when he returned. Remus was next. He hadn't bothered to close his bed hangings, but he'd pulled the covers all the way over his head to block out the light. She left his boxes too. Then she found the smallest box and left it for James.
Sirius was in the bed by the window. She pulled out the last present and put it at the foot of his bed, then knelt down to look at him. His hair was scattered around his face, and she smiled. It reminded her of when she'd sent him spiraling across his back yard. She leaned on the bed and laid her head down on her arms, watching him sleep. She didn't realize she'd fallen asleep herself until Remus awoke.
"Padfoot, get up! Presents!" Muriel and Sirius both jumped, then stared at one another. Sirius grinned. They heard Remus thumping around.
"Er, Moony? Better toss on some clothes before you come over here. We've got company." Sirius was trying not to laugh. He knew the kind of goofy things Remus slept in. Muriel grinned.
"You, too, I would say." She stepped back and pulled his bed hangings closed as he got dressed. Remus came stumbling over a minute later, his hair sticking up at odd angles.
"Happy Christmas, Mur," he said sleepily, handing her a little box that trailed a great deal of red ribbon.
"Thanks Remus, you too. I put yours on your bed." There were now several more boxes than she had placed there. "The house elves must have been here since I arrived," she laughed. "Only two of those are from me, and it looks like they're on the bottom."
"Remus got two? I only got one!" Sirius exclaimed, thrusting aside his bed hangings dramatically. His hair was pulled back into the usual sleek ponytail, and he was smiling broadly in spite of his words.
"Happy Christmas, Muriel."
"Happy Christmas, Sirius." They must have looked at each other a moment too long, because Remus was already opening what she'd given him.
"It's a book," he said, "Thanks!" He was about to toss it aside when Muriel came back over to his bed.
"It's not just a book! Don't you recognize a port key when you see one?" Sirius and Remus both gaped at her. "Sirius told me you didn't get to go home for Christmas because you couldn't catch the train to get back," she explained delicately. "So I made this port key that activates with the same password as the Honeydukes passageway. It links to this room."
"You made me an unauthorized port key for Christmas?" His voice was dull, and suddenly Muriel was uncomfortable. Remus was the prefect of the group, but she'd been pretty sure he'd broken a few rules in his time. She threw a glance at Sirius, who was grinning knowingly. You can't make a port key for a place you'd never been. He finally had his confirmation that she'd hexed his broom all those years ago. She winked at him, then turned guiltily back to Remus.
"Well, yeah, I checked the lunar chart and saw that the same thing will happen over the Easter break and I thought - " She didn't get to tell him what she thought, however, as he tackled her with a huge bear hug.
Sirius laughed, but when Muriel started to turn blue he decided to interrupt. "All right, Moony, that's enough, you're squishing her!" He pushed Remus back onto the bed and pulled Muriel away as they all laughed.
"This is the best," Remus said, flipping through the book. Muriel grinned.
Sirius picked up the little package on James' bed. It was the only one, since all his other presents had been sent to his house. "You got something for James? I thought he was still hexing you in the hallways?"
"He is, but at least it hasn't been welts and boils lately," Muriel answered. "Besides, I'm still hexing him too. I only got him that because our team's seeker is tired of trying to practice without a snitch." Sirius laughed again and tossed the box back onto the bed.
"Your turn," he said, handing her a small box. He sat down on his bed to watch her open it. Remus paused as well. She gasped when she saw it, then looked up at Sirius.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, lifting the chain out of the box. It was a sliver chain hung with alternating black and purple gems to match her dress robes. He took it from her and turned her around to fasten it for her.
"Now it's beautiful," he whispered in her ear as he caught her eye in the mirror. Remus snorted, and they both looked over at him. He had opened Muriel's other present and apparently eaten one of the candies inside, as water was now pouring out of his ears and nose in alarming quantities. Sirius was laughing so hard that he had to sit down, but Muriel ran for her camera. She managed to snap a picture just before the effect wore off.
"What was that?" Remus asked, looking at the drenched bed and floor.
"Waterspout Wafers from Zonko's," Muriel said.
"The new joke shop in Hogsmeade? When did you manage to get there?" Sirius asked. The shop hadn't been open yet when they'd last gone to Hogsmeade.
"It just opened last week. I knew there'd be something there to get you guys for Christmas, so I took a little unauthorized trip."
"Unauthorized is the word of the day, then," Remus said, shaking his head.
"Did I get anything unauthorized?" Sirius laughed as he picked up his package and shook it.
"Don't!" Muriel exclaimed, "You might set them off!" Sirius got a mischievous look in his eye and winked at Remus as he tore open the package and pulled the lid off the box. Inside were many different colored and labeled boxes, all of which said "Zonko's."
"Two of everything they had. Notice yours are labeled," Muriel said, throwing a wicked grin at Remus. Remus looked down at the unmarked box in front of him, and then at the box on Peter's bed, which was about the same size. Muriel followed his gaze. "Don't tell, you'll spoil the fun!" She warned, as Sirius started pulling oddly shaped packages out of the box. In a few moments his bed was covered with wet-start fireworks, and candies that caused everything from water spouting to static electric charges that make you shock anyone you touch.
They spent the next few days planning what they'd do with Sirius' new stash of jokes, practicing shield charms in the snow, and checking on the honking daffodils in greenhouse two that they were supposed to keep alive for their friends over the holidays. Sirius couldn't help but notice that Muriel grew quieter as the end of the holidays approached. On the last day before students were expected back, she still hadn't heard from Severus or her father, and she spent all morning in her room with the mirror, waiting. Remus and Sirius disappeared after lunch, and she knew she wouldn't see them again until late the next day. She finished up the last of her homework before heading down to dinner, dreading what Dumbledore might ask her.
To her surprise, Dumbledore wasn't present at dinner, and she had a pleasant time chatting with the young Gryffindor who'd given her his password, and a few young Ravenclaws who'd also stayed for Christmas. She didn't stay long, however, before disappearing back to her room in case her father or Severus tried to contact her.
When the students returned, Muriel was determined to track down Severus and find out what happened. She was still afraid to use the mirror to contact her father, and owl post could always be intercepted. She caught a glimpse of him at dinner, but by the time she made it to the Slytherin table, he was gone. For the few classes that Ravenclaw had with Slytherin, he came in as late as possible, and by then Muriel always had another partner. To top it all off, he traveled the halls surrounded by other students from his own house, and they were apparently under orders not to let her anywhere near him. She'd had to threaten Macnair just to get that much information. No matter what she said, he wouldn't help her corner Severus.
Three days before the third Quidditch match of the year, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, Sirius found Muriel crying quietly in the library. It was the end of January, and she had not managed to get Severus to say a single word to her. She'd had an owl from her father to say that everything was all right, and that he'd arranged for her to stay the summer in Italy with his sister Rosa. But she didn't think anything was all right at all, or Severus would certainly have told her so.
The light was just beginning to creep into Muriel's dorm room on Christmas day when she awoke. After dressing carefully, she grabbed the bag of presents she'd gotten for the marauders. She'd tricked one of the younger Gryffindors into giving her their password only two days ago, and she hoped it hadn't changed.
As quietly as she could, she entered Gryffindor's common room and headed up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, looking for the door that said '6th years.' She pushed it open and slipped inside. The empty bed nearest the door she guessed was Peter's. She carefully extracted a wrapped box and left it for him to find when he returned. Remus was next. He hadn't bothered to close his bed hangings, but he'd pulled the covers all the way over his head to block out the light. She left his boxes too. Then she found the smallest box and left it for James.
Sirius was in the bed by the window. She pulled out the last present and put it at the foot of his bed, then knelt down to look at him. His hair was scattered around his face, and she smiled. It reminded her of when she'd sent him spiraling across his back yard. She leaned on the bed and laid her head down on her arms, watching him sleep. She didn't realize she'd fallen asleep herself until Remus awoke.
"Padfoot, get up! Presents!" Muriel and Sirius both jumped, then stared at one another. Sirius grinned. They heard Remus thumping around.
"Er, Moony? Better toss on some clothes before you come over here. We've got company." Sirius was trying not to laugh. He knew the kind of goofy things Remus slept in. Muriel grinned.
"You, too, I would say." She stepped back and pulled his bed hangings closed as he got dressed. Remus came stumbling over a minute later, his hair sticking up at odd angles.
"Happy Christmas, Mur," he said sleepily, handing her a little box that trailed a great deal of red ribbon.
"Thanks Remus, you too. I put yours on your bed." There were now several more boxes than she had placed there. "The house elves must have been here since I arrived," she laughed. "Only two of those are from me, and it looks like they're on the bottom."
"Remus got two? I only got one!" Sirius exclaimed, thrusting aside his bed hangings dramatically. His hair was pulled back into the usual sleek ponytail, and he was smiling broadly in spite of his words.
"Happy Christmas, Muriel."
"Happy Christmas, Sirius." They must have looked at each other a moment too long, because Remus was already opening what she'd given him.
"It's a book," he said, "Thanks!" He was about to toss it aside when Muriel came back over to his bed.
"It's not just a book! Don't you recognize a port key when you see one?" Sirius and Remus both gaped at her. "Sirius told me you didn't get to go home for Christmas because you couldn't catch the train to get back," she explained delicately. "So I made this port key that activates with the same password as the Honeydukes passageway. It links to this room."
"You made me an unauthorized port key for Christmas?" His voice was dull, and suddenly Muriel was uncomfortable. Remus was the prefect of the group, but she'd been pretty sure he'd broken a few rules in his time. She threw a glance at Sirius, who was grinning knowingly. You can't make a port key for a place you'd never been. He finally had his confirmation that she'd hexed his broom all those years ago. She winked at him, then turned guiltily back to Remus.
"Well, yeah, I checked the lunar chart and saw that the same thing will happen over the Easter break and I thought - " She didn't get to tell him what she thought, however, as he tackled her with a huge bear hug.
Sirius laughed, but when Muriel started to turn blue he decided to interrupt. "All right, Moony, that's enough, you're squishing her!" He pushed Remus back onto the bed and pulled Muriel away as they all laughed.
"This is the best," Remus said, flipping through the book. Muriel grinned.
Sirius picked up the little package on James' bed. It was the only one, since all his other presents had been sent to his house. "You got something for James? I thought he was still hexing you in the hallways?"
"He is, but at least it hasn't been welts and boils lately," Muriel answered. "Besides, I'm still hexing him too. I only got him that because our team's seeker is tired of trying to practice without a snitch." Sirius laughed again and tossed the box back onto the bed.
"Your turn," he said, handing her a small box. He sat down on his bed to watch her open it. Remus paused as well. She gasped when she saw it, then looked up at Sirius.
"It's beautiful," she whispered, lifting the chain out of the box. It was a sliver chain hung with alternating black and purple gems to match her dress robes. He took it from her and turned her around to fasten it for her.
"Now it's beautiful," he whispered in her ear as he caught her eye in the mirror. Remus snorted, and they both looked over at him. He had opened Muriel's other present and apparently eaten one of the candies inside, as water was now pouring out of his ears and nose in alarming quantities. Sirius was laughing so hard that he had to sit down, but Muriel ran for her camera. She managed to snap a picture just before the effect wore off.
"What was that?" Remus asked, looking at the drenched bed and floor.
"Waterspout Wafers from Zonko's," Muriel said.
"The new joke shop in Hogsmeade? When did you manage to get there?" Sirius asked. The shop hadn't been open yet when they'd last gone to Hogsmeade.
"It just opened last week. I knew there'd be something there to get you guys for Christmas, so I took a little unauthorized trip."
"Unauthorized is the word of the day, then," Remus said, shaking his head.
"Did I get anything unauthorized?" Sirius laughed as he picked up his package and shook it.
"Don't!" Muriel exclaimed, "You might set them off!" Sirius got a mischievous look in his eye and winked at Remus as he tore open the package and pulled the lid off the box. Inside were many different colored and labeled boxes, all of which said "Zonko's."
"Two of everything they had. Notice yours are labeled," Muriel said, throwing a wicked grin at Remus. Remus looked down at the unmarked box in front of him, and then at the box on Peter's bed, which was about the same size. Muriel followed his gaze. "Don't tell, you'll spoil the fun!" She warned, as Sirius started pulling oddly shaped packages out of the box. In a few moments his bed was covered with wet-start fireworks, and candies that caused everything from water spouting to static electric charges that make you shock anyone you touch.
They spent the next few days planning what they'd do with Sirius' new stash of jokes, practicing shield charms in the snow, and checking on the honking daffodils in greenhouse two that they were supposed to keep alive for their friends over the holidays. Sirius couldn't help but notice that Muriel grew quieter as the end of the holidays approached. On the last day before students were expected back, she still hadn't heard from Severus or her father, and she spent all morning in her room with the mirror, waiting. Remus and Sirius disappeared after lunch, and she knew she wouldn't see them again until late the next day. She finished up the last of her homework before heading down to dinner, dreading what Dumbledore might ask her.
To her surprise, Dumbledore wasn't present at dinner, and she had a pleasant time chatting with the young Gryffindor who'd given her his password, and a few young Ravenclaws who'd also stayed for Christmas. She didn't stay long, however, before disappearing back to her room in case her father or Severus tried to contact her.
When the students returned, Muriel was determined to track down Severus and find out what happened. She was still afraid to use the mirror to contact her father, and owl post could always be intercepted. She caught a glimpse of him at dinner, but by the time she made it to the Slytherin table, he was gone. For the few classes that Ravenclaw had with Slytherin, he came in as late as possible, and by then Muriel always had another partner. To top it all off, he traveled the halls surrounded by other students from his own house, and they were apparently under orders not to let her anywhere near him. She'd had to threaten Macnair just to get that much information. No matter what she said, he wouldn't help her corner Severus.
Three days before the third Quidditch match of the year, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, Sirius found Muriel crying quietly in the library. It was the end of January, and she had not managed to get Severus to say a single word to her. She'd had an owl from her father to say that everything was all right, and that he'd arranged for her to stay the summer in Italy with his sister Rosa. But she didn't think anything was all right at all, or Severus would certainly have told her so.