It has only been a few days since the last Hogsmeade visit, but the wait seemed longer. Christmas was finally here. Hogwarts was more crowded than ever, since most people stayed back for the ball. That morning, everyone woke up with piles of presents. Lily had recived two sweaters from home, some chocolate frogs from James, Remus, Sirius and Peter, a french chess set from her french friends, a book called "Charming You." from Ruth, and a small bottle from Kate. Evidentally, Ruth had recieved the same thing.

"What's this for?" Ruth said, after she thanked Lily for a poster of Muggle London.

"I have no idea." Lily said, closely examining ever inch of the bottle.

"Open it..." Ruth suggested.

"No, you open it." Lily said.

"I think we should ask her later." Ruth said taking the safe way out. Kate had obviously woken up early, because she wasn't in her nicely made bed, but her presents weren't open yet.

"Where could she have gone without even opening her presents yet?" Ruth asked, picking Kate's present from her.

"No idea." Lily said.

"What did James get you?" Ruth asked.

"Um...just some chocolate frogs from him and the boys." Lily said, as her face fell.

"Oh..." Ruth said. Chocolate frogs were very pathetic presents to recieve from a boyfriend, especially one that's been in love with you for nearly 7 years. Ruth herself had recieved a beautiful snow globe from Remus, because he knew she collected them.

Neither of them said anything for a while, and then Lily decided to break the silence. "Let's go down for breakfast."

When they entered the common room, everyone else was already down there, all but Kate and Lyle.

"We were wondering when the two of you would finally wake up." Sirius laughed, and the group went down to breakfast together.

The great hall was decorated with the usual decorations, including the twelve christmas trees. Suits of armor had been bewitched to sing carols whenever someone passed by. Peeves, of course, always hid in one of them and changed the lyrics with his own version of the song.

After breakfast, Ruth and Lily went up to their room and started getting ready for the ball, which started at 7 and ended at midnight.

"How romantic would it be..." Ruth said...swooning over Remus and the ball.

"I guess so..." Lily said, still puzzeled over why James had just gotten her some chocolate frogs, and they weren't even from him. They were from him and his friends.

"Oh Lily...stop thinking about it." Ruth said. "He loves you, that's all that matters."

"I know..." Lily said. "But he hasn't been acting like it lately."

"What do you mean?" Ruth asked.

"Well...we haven't spent a lot of time alone lately, and he hasnt told me he loved me in a while." Lily sighed.

"It takes time..." Ruth said. "I mean...he's had his eye on you for so long, now that he has you, I guess it takes a while to get it all into his head."

"I hope you're right." Lily said. "The thing is, he's been disappearing, every once in a while. He'll just completely disappear and not tell me where he's going in the middle of the night."

"Lily, I know what you're talking about." Kate had come in without Lily or Ruth knowing.

"Where've you been?" Ruth asked, with a hint of coldness in her voice.

"The library." She replied.

"What were you doing in the library?" Lily asked, curiously.

"I had to do some last minute research." Kate said.

"Research? On what? It's christmas." Ruth said.

"I know, but...I've been working on something...and I think I've finally cracked it." Kate said.

"What?" Ruth asked.

Kate was about to reply, when Jessica, another Gryffindor 7th year, came in.

"Hello." She smiled.

"Hi." The three of them said.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, I'm just getting ready for my date." Said Jessica.

"So are we..." Lily said, trying to be friendly to the roomate they never really talked to. "So who are you going with?"
"I'm going with Sirius Black." She said. This came as a shock to the three of them.
"Oh...good for you." Ruth said slowly.
"I'm so glad he asked me, he's so handsome and charming and..." Jessica began, but then noticed Kate in the room "Oh that's right...you two went out didn't you?"
"Yes...we're long over." Kate said quickly, and then turned away from her. After no one had said a word, Kate caught on to what Jessica had been thinking and said "It's alright. I don't mind. No hard feelings. I broke up with him." She assured her.
"Oh...well that makes this less awkward doesn't it." Jessica said, giving a weak laugh. The four of them just stood (or in Ruth and Lily's case sat) in silence waiting for someone to say something, anything.
"Why don't you get ready with us?" Lily said, trying to be polite. She looked over at Ruth and Kate, who gave looks saying that they wouldn't mind.
"Sure, that would be great." Jessica said, taking a seat next to them.
After half way through getting ready, Jessica said to Kate, "I'm not trying to be nosy or anything, but why did you break up with Sirius?"
Kate was obviously not in the mood to be discussing this sort of thing, especially with someone she didn't know very well. "Trust issues." She replied coldly.
"Oh...what type of trust issues?" Jessica asked. "I mean its just that I'm his girlfriend now, and... well I don't know if I want to be... after all... I don't know him all that well."
"Oh no... he's perfect for you." Kate said, knowing that Jessica has had her share of boyfriends, each lasting no longer than a month. "I'm sure you'll get along great." She said sarcastically, then turned to her watch. "Look at the time, must be going down to meet the boys Ruth... Lily."
"Right..." Lily said, suspecting that there may be more to what had happened between her and Sirius than Sirius had told her.
"Let's go." Said Ruth.
Ruth was wearing a scarlet robe with a layered bottom. Kate wore a blue robe with lace along the sides. Lily wore a stunning green robe with a wide, and low neckline.
"Wait a minute..." Ruth said, looking at Lily's robe.
"What?" Lily said.
"Something's missing, I can't put my finger on it." Ruth said
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"One more accesory." Ruth said, and gave her a small pearl pendent to wear, which did improve the emptiness of her neckline.
With that, the four of them went downstairs to meet the boys. Kate's and Ruth's dates were both waiting for her, but James wasn't there. Sirius told her that he was already down at the Great Hall, which made Lily disappointed. First, he gets her a horrible christmas present, and now he doesnt even meet her to escort her down to the ball. Upon arriving at the great hall, all the christmas decorations were up. There were the usual twelve christmas trees, and there were wreaths on the doors, and candles on the windows. All the tables had been cleared, except for a few small seats by the refreshments. Lily spotted James standing by himself, so she went over to him.
"There you are, I've been looking for you everywhere." James said.
"Yes well, I was upstairs waiting for you." Lily said, trying to hide the angry look on her face.
"Um..right...well, there's something I'd like to give you." He steered her out into the courtyard, with rosebushes that glowed with fairylights.
"Wow..." Lily said, looking at the sight. "It's beautiful."
"It is..." James said. "But nothing compared to you..."
Lily smiled a little.
"That robe looks stunning on you, so does that necklace." James said.
"Thank you. The necklace is actually Ruth's." Lily said.
"Its pretty, but I know something that'll look even better with your dress." James said, as he pulled out a box and gave it to Lily. "Open it." he said.
Lily opened it, and inside was the necklace they saw in Hogsmeade.
"Oh my goodness...James...its...its..." Lily didn't know what to say, she was so overwhelmed.
"Merry Christmas." James said, and he put it on for her. Then he took a step back to look at her "You look even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined."
All Lily did was smile, and then she kissed him. "Let's go in and dance now."
"Wait." James said. "Just wait a few minutes. I want to be alone with you, just for now." They both took seats in front of the fountain. "Nothing but the sound of the water from the fountain, and the moon...the bright full moon..." He said. It took him a while to realize what he has just said. "The full moon. Tonight is the full moon!" He sat up quickly, thankfully, the moon had just gone behind a large cloud.
Lily stood up too, quite confused. "yes...its the full moon..." she said slowly. "so what?"
James realized that he made a mistake with his reaction, but he didn't even try to fix it because he knew there was more at stake. "Look, I cant explain, but I have to go to Re-" Before he could get his final word out, Remus and Sirius came out.
"Why aren't you inside enjoying the music?" Remus said cheerfully, not knowing what day it was.
"It's the full moon tonight Remus." James said, as he tried to rush Remus inside.
"What happens on the full moon?" Lily asked, still confused and going after James.
"I know what happens on the full moon." Kate came out into the courtyard, and locked the door behind her.
James, Sirius, and Remus stopped dead in their tracks.
"Kate, you don't know what you're talking about." Sirius said, stepping away from Remus and taking a few steps closer to Kate, pointing his finger at her in a very angry tone. It seemed to the other three he was about to strangle her.
"Oh I know EXACTLY what I'm talking about." Kate said.
"What's going on here?" Ruth broke through the locks with Peter coming in after her. Obviously, Peter had just found out it was the full moon.
"Look..." Sirius said to Kate. "All we need to do is get Remus to the hospital wing right now. We don't need anymore from you."
"Fine..." Kate said. "Take him to the hospital wing, u James and Peter. But I'm coming with you, and Ruth and Lily too."
"No." James said. "Kate, this is serious. Don't play games its dangerous."
"I think Lily deserves to know the truth about where you've been going once a month." Kate said.
Lily now had become interested in what Kate had said. "Yes, I think I deserve to know. I am your girlfriend after all."
"Fine..." James said. "But we get Remus to the hospital wing first."