"Hey Lily," said Alice about a week later in the common room.
Lily looked up from her book. "Hmm?"
"Tomorrow is a Hogsmead weekend. We still need to get presents for people," said Alex.
"Oh, of course," nodded Lily.
"So, what are you going to get me for Christmas?" James asked from behind her. He bent over her and kissed her.
"Something," said Lily.
"Well, are you going to tell me?" asked James.
"Nope, it's going to be a surprise," smiled Lily. James gave her a puppy-dog face. She hit him playfully with a couch pillow. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise. Besides, I don't even know yet. That's why I'm going to Hogsmead tomorrow."
"Well, I'll just have to follow you huh?" smiled James.
"Do that and I won't get you anything," laughed Lily. "And don't even think about using your cloak. It's snowing."
"Damn, well, I'll just have to wait, won't I?" said James.
"Yep," said Lily. She kissed him and went back to her book. Lily moved so her legs were across James' lap. (They were sitting the love couch.) Cloe, Lily's cat, jumped on Lily and curled up on her stomach. Five minutes later, she felt Cloe being lifted off her. She closed her book and looked at James. He had her cat in one arm and was stroking it with the other.
"Well, this is odd," smiled Lily.
James looked at her. "What?"
"Well, Cloe normally hisses, bites, or scratches most guys," said Lily. "She only liked me, Alex, Alice. Watch." She looked around the room. Remus was reading, Peter was playing Wizard's Chess with Sirius... "Hey Sirius! Come here real quick."
"Yeah, hold on," said Sirius. "Check Mate, mate." He flicked his wand and the pieces went into the box, followed by the board. He walked over to Lily and James. "What?"
"Pick up my cat," said Lily. She nodded to the cat in James' arm.
"Um...ok?" said Sirius. He went to pick it up, but Cloe clawed him. "Ow! She clawed me!" Cloe backed up onto James' shoulder, hissing silently. Lily and James laughed.
"She doesn't like guys," smiled Lily.
"She likes James!" said Sirius.
"And which amazes me," said Lily. James looked at her questionably. "Well, I didn't like you for a while."
"Oh, right," said James.
"She must know you love him," Sirius told Lily. She blushed a little.
"Well, I'm going to bed," yawned Lily. She kissed James goodnight, picked up Cloe, and went up to her dormitory.
The next morning at breakfast, the sign-up sheet to stay at Hogwarts came around. Lily, Alex, Alice, James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter were the only Gryffindors staying.
"Hey, instead of opening our presents in our dormitories, let's put them in the common room before we open them," said Alice. Everyone agreed.
"Come on," said Lily, getting up. They walked past Pringle and stopped at the entrance of Hogsmead. "I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks at noon." Lily kissed James. "And don't follow me." She, Alex, and Alice left.
"What are you going to get James?" asked Alex.
"I'm not sure. Something that has to do with Quidditch though," said Lily.
"How much money can you spend?" asked Alice.
"Well, my mum and dad are stinkin' rich, so they gave me a lot for me to change into wizard money. So, I'm just going to ask to take it from my vault. I have piles of gold, silver, and bronze coins," said Lily.
"Yeah, same," said Alex and Alice.
"So, I can get you all anything I want," said Lily.
Lily got Remus a book on Magical Creatures, Sirius a bag full of different joke items, Peter a book on Herbology, her mum and dad a couple sweets. She got James a snitch signed by the Bulgarian Quidditch team. They were his favorite team.
"Ok, go away," laughed Lily. "I need to buy you two gifts. I'll meet you in the Three Broomsticks at noon."
Lily past a quills shop and saw what Alex and Alice were admiring a couple weeks ago. She walked into the store and got Alex a midnight blue quill with hot pink ink and Alice an acid green quill with rainbow ink.
She had everything wrapped all the gifts at a gift-wrapping store that was only opening during the holidays. Lily looked at her watch; it was 11:45. She decided to send her mum and dad their presents. After she did that, she went to the Three Broomsticks.
After Lily, Alex, and Alice left, the Marauders did their Christmas shopping. James got Alex a simple gold chain with a star pendent, Alice a simple gold chain with a cross pendent, Remus his own Hogwarts, A History book, Peter a bag full of sweets, Sirius a cheap spiked collar as a joke and a new chess set. (His looked all dark wizardish)
"What are you going to get Lily, mate?" asked Sirius, when they met back up after James told them he needed to buy their gifts.
"I don't know," said James. "What do you guys think?"
"Jewelry," said Remus. "All girls love jewelry." They walked into the jewelry store and looked around.
"Hey guys," said Peter. "Come here." He held up a charm bracelet. They came over, followed by the shopkeeper. It had four charms on it: the Hogwarts crest, a heart, lilies, and a white orb.
"That's a very special bracelet," said the shopkeeper.
"What do you mean?" asked James, taking the bracelet from Peter.
"The lilies will make the person always smell of lilies. The Hogwarts crest has a powerful protection spell on it. The heart will tell the person how people around her feel about her. And the white orb turns black when evil is around," said the shopkeeper.
"I'll take it," said James. He paid for it and went to the gift-wrapping store. It was noon when they were done wrapping their presents. They all carried two or three bags. They found Lily and her friends sitting at a big table.
"I've never bought this much Christmas gifts," James said sitting next to Lily.
"Well, you have three more people to buy for," said Lily. "But, you're right. I had to buy for four more people."
"Let's eat lunch here and go back to the castle, it's freezing," said Alice. After everyone ate. They headed back to the castle.
A/N: Well, here chapter 8! I hope you like it! I like it!
