Chapter 10

The Christmas holidays were almost upon them and the twelve magnificent Christmas trees were beginning to appear in the Great Hall. The massive form of Hagrid could be glimpsed through the Characteristically spiky green leaves of the giant fir trees.

"Grew 'em in the grounds me self!" Hagrid beamed as he saw them watching him. "Gotta watch out fer Gytrash's though!" He chuckled as he left the tree in a corner and began to help Flitwick (who was standing on a stepladder) decorate it.

"What's a Gytrash?" Peter asked curiously.

"It's not very nice… Has a problem with werewolves and vampires… Don't like to be disturbed normally but they do like a nice scratchy fir tree…"

Remus went slightly pale. James looked at Sirius to see if he had noticed but Sirius was grinning as Flitwick struggled with a large red bauble.

"Only two more days!" James said happily in the common room.

"You're staying at Hogwarts though." Remus said as he stuffed his history of magic notes into his schoolbag.

"Well done Moony, I've been talking about it all month!" James said grinning. "But I hear Snivelly's staying… Time for some fun I think…"

"Why don't you give 'Snivelly' a break?" Remus asked starring at the flickering orange flames.

"Hey he's not giving us a break!" Sirius said indignantly. "I was walking to Herbology the other day, minding my own business when out of the shadows appeared Snivelly and started hexing me!"

"Oh the injustice of it all!" Remus said though he was smiling. "Ok, just try not to get expelled…"

"I think that's Snape's life ambition!" James said also looking into the flames.

"It's a full moon tomorrow Moony." Sirius joked.

"I know." Remus said and it might have been a trick of the firelight but for a second he looked oddly pale and wrinkled, like he had suddenly aged twenty years… "I'm going home a bit soon by the way. We're… We're going on holiday."

"Cool, where to?" Peter asked excitedly. "We're staying at home. I think my uncle's coming for Christmas though…"

"Er… Wales." Remus said quickly. "Yeah, my brother's got a penfriend in Wales."

Neither James or Sirius said anymore on the matter and next morning they were saying goodbye to Remus and promising him they'd keep him posted. "Thanks." Remus said as he made to leave the common room. "Much appreciated…"

"How d'you think he's getting back?" James asked as they watched him through the window to the common room.

"Dunno." Sirius said. "D'you know who else is staying?"

"Are your cousins staying?" James asked.

"Hope not." Sirius replied laughing. "Unless my lovely aunt Elladora is on another house elf hunt… She's got a new hobby, sticking their heads on the wall…"

The next day as James, Sirius and Peter headed down to the last feast before their classmates' departure; they realised to their horror that Narcissa, Bellatrix and Andromeda were in fact staying at Hogwarts. "Rodolphus invited me back to his house in the South but I declined." Bellatrix boasted. "I'd rather stay for the Christmas festivities."

Sirius said nothing but pretended not to have heard her and continued to the great Hall, which blossomed magnificently under all the decorations. "I'll send you an owl!" Peter promised them. "Have a good time without me." James, though determined not to let Sirius know this was very keen to hear whether Lily would be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. The last time he had spoken to her had been last week in Charms when he had accidentally set the end of her hair alight.

"I'm visiting my Grandparents." Lily told her friend Maria excitedly. "What about you Anstia?"

James turned back to his friends gloomily and continued to mash up his mashed potatoes. The one good thing about the week had been the absence of potions lessons, Dumbledore was apparently still searching for a new candidate. Snape was looking very angry about Gryllus' departure and so were a few other Slytherins, Narcissa Black included. Dumbledore had not told them the details of Gryllus' dramatic resignation.

"Bye Pettigrew." Sirius and James grinned as Peter waved them goodbye, stumbling over his trunk.

"Bye! See you next term!" He shouted but a stampede of fifth and sixth years blocked him from view.

"So," James said turning to Sirius. "What's first on our list of things to do?"

"Well lets find out who else is here," Sirius said and the pair of them broke into a run. "Hope Pringle's gone home."

"Wouldn't bet on it, it's not like he's got a family." James said grinning. Apollyon Pringle was a much-disliked elderly caretaker (far past his retire-by date, as the students often quoted to one another.)

They had just turned a corner into the corridor with the statue of Albert the Ever-knowing when none other than Severus Snape appeared in their line of vision.

"Snivellus!" James cried in mock surprise. "Long time no see!"

Snape made to walk past them but Sirius stopped him. "What're you doing here Snivelly?"

Snape whipped out his wand and pointed it at the pair of them. "I'm staying at Hogwarts for Christmas." He said through gritted teeth.

"How long's it been since you last washed your hair Snape?" James laughed. "Three months is my bet. Any other takers?"

"Three and a half." Sirius said.

"I'll get Gryll…" Snape trailed of half way through his sentence.

"No Gryllus to save your neck now Snivellus!" Sirius said grinning. "So… Mind if I try out the bat bogey hex on you?"

"You couldn't master that if you tried. Professor Quibly says it's a fourth year and above hex." Snape said calmly.

"He lies." Sirius said nastily.

"I'll get McGonnagal!" Snape said looking slightly panic stricken. "I'll…"

At that moment Andromeda came breezing round the corner. "What's going on?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

"Snivellus is blocking the corridor." Sirius explained to his cousin, who he had not seen much of so far. Slytherin was going to her head. What had been perfectly friendly human being had been distorted by the evil green.

"What, Severus?" Andromeda asked looking puzzled. "You're Narcissa's friend aren't you?"

"Yes." Snape said still glaring at Sirius and James.

"Oh lay off Sirius, what's he ever done to you!" Andromeda said and continued walking.

"What's he ever done to me!" Sirius said as though this was a ridiculous question.

"Well he doesn't miss an opportunity to hex us," James said thinking.

"And he doesn't wash his hair." Sirius said grinning.

"Ah look, he's gone." James said turning back to where Snape had stood moments before. "Coward."

James and Sirius spent most of the Christmas holidays outside in the grounds enjoying the winter snow. Snape could often be seen deep in conversation with Narcissa or otherwise scribbling in a notebook by the lake.

Yes I know it finishes in mid air… I'll probably rewrite this when I've finished the story anyway.