Author's note: Hey look, I am alive; I know everyone was starting to doubt it. In my defense, I would like to say that school does keep me busy and my internet was down for a while. That and I am known for procrastinating. If I do this again, someone just email me and curse me out for not updating and I'll get my big butt up and do it. Sarah

Queen of the Mountain: Glad you liked the last chapter. I know it was soooo long ago that I updated and I will try to be better about it. And I think you fic it very good. You have a lot of great potential to be a great writer.

Coco-Pop: I love your pen name. I'm glad you like Cat. And I promise to have more Lily and James moments in the future. I like writing them, and people love to read those moments.

princess52577: I'm sorry it took me sooo long to update! I hope you're still reading!

Gred and Forge Weasley: Love your pen name! Very funny. I did try to take you advice on Petunia's letter. Tell me what you think.

SnowHedwig05: Thank you for reading!

Katrin: Wow, I'm soooo glad you like this story so much! I hope you continue reading! I know I took forever to update. Shame on me!

Wudnulike2know: I know I am evil. But I find if I end with a cliffhanger more people read. I know I'm not a nice person. I hope you keep reading.

SiriusLives001: Yes, Girl power. A lot of that in this chapter too. Oh well, I didn't plan it that way. Please enjoy.

Soccergirl: I'm sorry I didn't update sooner, now I feel bad. I need to get better at not procrastinating. I promise to be better about it!

Fanglessphsyco: well of course I had to keep you in suspense. It's my job. And here's the next chapter. I hope to get better at updating.

Sweet Sarcasm: I know, I'm evil with the cliff hangers. And are you sure you want me to sum it up for you because that would take a lot of room and space and I too am lazy!

Lost without a name: yes, it should be a rule, that girls always win snowball fights. I never wine those, of course I can't throw a ball to save my life, and it's quite sad and pathetic.

HPPhoenix07: do I really need to respond to your review? I mean I'm going to see you in 7 FREAKING DAYS! Anyway, please keep reading! I'm trying to set a good example for you to follow, notice I'm UPDATING!

Ron-n-Hermy-4ever: Hey look at that, I updated. I'm surprised I didn't forget how. And you should update too. But I know you were busy, what with being in Florida and what not.

KTSweeps: Glad you liked the last chapter. I'll try to update sooner next time.

Milkywaypnay37: well here's the next chapter. Petunia's letter is in here. I hope you like it.

The ORIGIONAL Meathead: you can totally have a chocolate chip cookie! Ok, so I updated…it only took a long while. Hope you like it.

Queen of Day Dreams: Nope, Hazel and I are still alive. Just getting caught up in school. But spring break is just around the corner. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. And I will try to make a WILL so someone can post it so you all know how my fic ends if I were to ever to fall off the face of the planet. Cause you never know what will happen.

Here you are:


Lily-

The burial ceremony will take place on December 26th, the day after Christmas. It would look uncaring and bad to family friends if you failed to attend the ceremony. Please ask to be excused from school; it shouldn't cause any problems because you wouldn't have to say the night and would not miss any school. The ceremony will take place at 8am so you should have plenty of time to go back to your school afterward. You would not be required to stay for the gathering after the ceremony.

My Regards,

Petunia

Ps. I ask you to please refrain from bringing your…friends.

Lily finished reading the letter somewhat surprised. She had expected Petunia not to even let her go to the funeral. Lily walked over to the couch Cat was sitting on and hand her the letter so she could read it. Then Lily went and sat on the arm of James' plush chair.

"What does it say Lily?" James asked quietly and rubbed her back.

"It just states when the funeral is." Lily said looking down at James with a hint of a sad smile.

"This letter is a bit formal to have been written from a sister." Sirius said as he finished reading the letter over Cat's shoulder.

"Petunia and I never got on very well, especially after I was accepted into Hogwarts." Lily answered as Cat handed the letter to Sam, who was still on the floor in front of the fire.

"Is she serious about you not allowed to bring us?" Cat said.

"She is most likely worried that we would ruin it or something." Lily said.

"Yes but we are not idiots and know how to behave at a funeral. We're not animals." Sam said appalled.

"I think we should respect her wishes because Lily should be lucky Petunia even told her when the funeral was and that she could go." Jo said after also reading the letter.

"But these are Lily's parents; she shouldn't need permission to go to their funeral. It's ridiculous." Cat said frowning.

"I really appreciate that you all care that much but I would much rather you not talk about me like I wasn't here." Lily said to her friends. "I also don't think Petunia and I don't have a normal relationship but there's nothing we can do about it. And it's likely I won't see her after I graduate Hogwarts."

"Yes, but do you really want to go to the funeral alone Lily?" Anna asked.

"Well, no I don't." Lily said then looked down at James sitting by her in the chair. "I was thinking that maybe you might go with me…if you want to that is, and Professor Dumbledore says yes."

"Of course I'll go with you Lily," James said pulling Lily off the chair arm and into his lap leaning forward to plan a small kiss on her neck.

"How about we all go change and go downstairs to the great hall to eat dinner to take our minds off all of this." Remus said to everyone.

"Good idea," Jo said to her boyfriend as she stood to go upstairs.


Dinner was a welcomed affair after the group had spent a good portion of the day running around out in the snow wasting all their energy. They all sat at the Gryffindor table, them being the only Gryffindors who stayed, and talked, mainly trying to guess what they all got for Christmas, while admiring the decoration by professor Flitwick.

The next morning, Christmas Eve day, after breakfast, Lily went to Professor Dumbledore's office to ask permission. She stated the password to the gargoyle, knowing it since she was head girl, and going up the stairs.

"Enter," Professor Dumbledore called after Lily reached the big wood door to his office and knocked.

"Good Morning Professor," Lily said as she opened the door and entered the office, closing the door behind her. She walked to the pair of plush chairs in front of his desk and took a seat.

"Can I offer you a lemon drop?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"No Thank you." Lily answered with a small smile; she always found Dumbledore's fascination with muggle candy very amusing.

"Then let me offer you my condolences to you." He said soberly.

"Thank you," Lily said. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Go on," Dumbledore encouraged.

"Well, the funeral for my parents is taking place on the 26th of December and I would like to ask permission to attend it." Lily said nervously looking at her hands in her lap; it was still a hard subject to talk about.

"Well, that sounds appropriate." Professor Dumbledore offered a small smile at the head girl. "I assume you plan to floo there?"

"Well yes that is what I was planning on. It's easiest since I plan to leave and return the same day." Lily said.

"Well, that sounds like top notch plan. Just come to my office in the morning and floo out of here." Professor Dumbledore smiled.

"Actually there's one more thing I would like to ask for." Lily blushed. "I would really appreciate it if you allowed James you go with me. For moral support, you know."

"Well, I'm sure that would be fine. I just ask that you keep a close eye on him. Who knows what kind of trouble he would get into out there by him self." Dumbledore winked.

"Thank you so much." Lily said getting up. "I really do appreciate it."

"Not a problem, just come here when you leave." Dumbledore said as Lily went to the door. She opened it and left with a small smile.


"Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas!" Anna yelled at the top of her lungs, most likely waking even the Slytherin's in the dungeons, as she jumped up and down on top of Cat's bed as Cat buried her head under her pillow.

"It is seven in the morning…" Sam ground out as she rolled over to look at the clock. "And it is vacation; I know there is some type of rule against waking up this early on a vacation."

"I agree with Sam," Jo said squinting at the lamp that Anna had lit by her bed.

"Nope! No Rule! Up!" Anna laughed and just bounced harder on Cat's bed. Cat glared daggers up at Anna; she wasn't a morning person at all.

"I would quit that bouncing if I were you, Anna." Lily sat up smiling.

"Nope!" Anna laughed.

"She will hurt you; you know how she is in the mornings." Lily warned.

"But it's Christmas and no one can be grumpy on Christm- ahhh!" Anna screamed as Cat chucked her pillow up at her and she fell, landing in a pile on the floor.

"I need a good two more hours of sleep unless you have a death wish." Cat said falling back down on the bed.

"Come on Cat," Jo smiled. "We're all awake now, might as well go downstairs."

"You know, I doubt the guys are awake yet…" Sam smiled evilly.

"You have something up you sleeve and I want to know what it is…anything to get a good joke on the Marauders," Cat smiled sitting back up.

"Well, this is going to be great." Lily shook her head.

"You know you want to get a good joke over on them." Sam said.

"I agree to the plan!" Anna said from her spot on the floor by Cat's bed.

"You haven't heard the plan yet," Jo laughed.

"Doesn't matter."


"Shhh…" Sam put her finger in front of her lips to indicate that everyone had to be really quite. The girls had crossed the common room, the empty common room, and tiptoed up the stairs to the boy's dorm.

They had decided that Jo and Sam would wake up Remus, Anna and Cat would wake up Sirius, and Lily had to wake up James by herself. So, as they stood outside the door Lily decided that they would first turn on all the lights, blast the radio, and Jo had transfigured some quills into huge, heavy, pillows. They all decided that this would definitely be fun.

"Ok, so Sam you turn on the radio and Anna you turn on all the lights as soon as we open this door." Lily said.

"Here we go." Cat whispered. "Wands ready?" Sam and Anna nodded. "OK, 1, 2, 3." And Cat opened the door, a second later both Sam and Anna had muttered their charms and we stuffing their wants back in their pajamas and getting ready to attack the guys, who were groaning and moaning from the light and the blasting music, with the pillows.

"Go!" Jo said. And all the girls ran to the respective bed, and attacked the guys who were now yelling and trying to defend them selves from the pillows and the tickling hands.

Lily ended up straddling James' waist and tickling him, since she knew that was one of his few weaknesses. He wiggled, laughed, and begged until he was close to tears. Jo and Sam were hitting Remus all over in both directions with the pillows until he was out of breath. And Cat was wrestling to keep Sirius on the bed as Anna hit him with all the strength she had with a pillow.

"STOP!" James finally yelled. And all the girls stopped and Sam turned down the radio.

"Party-pooper," Anna mumbled.

"You have succeeded in waking us all up. There is not need to torture us further." James said reaching up to tickle Lily as she was still straddling his waste.

"Babies…" Cat murmured as she climbed off of Sirius and all the girls retreated to the door.

"We'll be waiting down stairs to open presents." Jo said.

"Merry Christmas!" Lily laughed as she exited the dorm last and smiled evilly at the boys.

"Merry Christmas indeed!" Remus sighed and flopped back on the bed.

"Oh they are so dead." Sirius said pulling on a shirt and to go with his pajama pants. "Let's go, we can worry about revenge later."