Title: Advent Calendar
Fandom: Harry Potter
Part: Dec 2nd
Pairing: None
Warning: None
Spoilers: Up to and including OotP
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Remus Lupin or any of the characters or situations herein. JK Rowling owns them. I just write for pleasure and procrastination.
Note: MWPP one today.

It was stifling, all these people packed so closely together in their huge formal robes which were three layers thick as current fashions dictated that they be. Rivulets of sweat ran down his forehead dispite the chill night outside the comparitivly small hall. If it wasn't for the tinsel and egg nog you'd never belive it was Christmas at all. Of course he couldn't really hold his father to blame, since the older man had never expected all of his invited guests to turn up in the first place. That they had had come as a rude surprise to his mother. They were, as far as he knew, still arguing upstairs.

"Jamesey!" The butchering of his name could only hasve come from one of the guests, and he was proved right when the dark, exuberant face of Sirius Black appeared in his line of vision. Following it were the awed face of Peter and the resigned sigh of Remus Lupin.

"Not gotten around to putting him down yet then?" He asked the werewolf in a cheerful manner. Amber eyes sparked with humour as he simply shook his head.

"No, I'm afraid you'll have to accept a different present from me this year."

The other dark haired boy looked askance at them, but knew well enough not to rise to their baiting. Instead he turned to observe the party with a wide grin.

"Good turn out, eh Prongs?"

"A little too good. Mother is yelling father up one wall and down the other as we speak."

"Ahhhh, well. Better too many than none at all, right?"

"By which he means," Remus spoke up, saving his drink nimbly from a passing woman in a robe that was absurdly puffed up. "Thank you for inviting us; and that if you do want to make an escape we're ready to implement it."

James looked questioningly at his three friends. Peter nodded fervently and appeared to want to step even closer to the other three – which was impossible since they were already standing shoulder to shoulder.

"They saw how full it was and set you this plan in three seconds flat. Got to be a new record!"

"Thanks for the offer guys, but you know what with helping to 'host' it and everything –"

He was interrupted by Mrs Potter's stormy entrance via the main doors, and saw his two aunts join her to track him down and force him to dance with them for the rest of the evening in place of his father. Dispite the red cheeks caused by the warmth of the hall, James paled considerably.

"-Get me out of here!"

He had enough time to think that Sirius' immediate grin was not reassuring before the dark haired boy slipped a blue tablet into his drink and downed it. The effect was immediate. He became a very, very pale green colour, and Remus put his arms out to support Sirius, looking convincingly worried.

"James! Quick, where's the loos? I told him not to eat all that before getting in the Floo!"

Taking the hint, James led them out through the crowd, past his hunting relatives and up the stairs to his own rooms where Remus forced a different pill into Sirius' determinedly closed mouth.

"Never knew you had it in you Moony!" James laughed, falling onto the bed along with a relived Sirus and excited Peter. The werewolf just smiled mysteriously at them as he sat down on the floor near the door.

"What, did you think I wasn't as much a Marauder as you or Sirius?" He chuckled. "Merry Christmas, Prongs."