1The days leading up to Christmas break passed by like a whisper- discreet, unnoticeable. It was certain that no one residing within Hogwarts' walls paid much attention to anything other than their dreams and thoughts of the day they wouldn't be forced, much less expected, to work on their homework. Luckily, their pile of work hadn't been increased too much before the holidays- the professors could be rather lazy about their work with the approaching Christmas season as well.
Finally, the start of break came with a clear, blue sky and a bright sunlight covering the frosted castle. The vigor of the blazing sun, though, could not penetrate through the thick layer of bitter cold keeping the frost sticking to each pointy edging of every twig making up the thousands of trees covering Hogwarts' grounds.
The castle was the star of a picturesque scene of winter wonder. With the stubborn crystal flakes of ice staying attached to the castle's stony exterior, and the sunlight able to at least shine through the thick layer of cold, each little flake sparkled like glitter. The air was calm; no noise, no wind. No one would dare think that with such a soothing exterior, Hogwarts' interior would be the source of absolute chaos.
"Move out of the bloody way, you wanker!"
"Sirius!" Remus hissed to his friend, dodging a group of gaggling fifth year Ravenclaws that were obviously staying at the castle that winter break. One of the professors keeping watch of the corridors started to search the crowds for the one responsible for using such language in the corridor.
Lily pushed Sirius' head down as the five friends streamed through the bustle, discreetly passing by the professor. "Lily, lay off the hair!" Sirius exclaimed, flustered and indignant as he pushed his head against Lily's hand to stand upright once more. He swept his hands around his robe in search for a mirror. Coming across one in his left interior pocket, he held it up to himself and began to fuss with his already immaculate hair.
"Serves you right," James murmured to Sirius, "Professor Rastolt was standing not three meters away, Padfoot."
"That old bloke couldn't spot an animagus if the animal transformed right before his useless eyes, James," Sirius let out a bark of laughter that instantly died in his throat upon losing his reflection in the mirror he still had been gazing in.
"Ah, stupid two-way mirror," Sirius grumbled. He looked up and over at James before saying, "Oy, James, take your mirror out of your book bag and hold it up to me."
James turned his head, giving him a weird look. "How in blazes did you know I had the mirror in my book bag?"
"Easy, I knicked one of Lily's bras and planted them in your bag for a joke," Sirius grinned lopsidedly as he held up the mirror, showing only a bundle of red silky fabric. "And that bra's all I'm seeing...not that I'm complaining."
Lily's jaw dropped indignantly as James and Remus' faces both turned bright red. Peter was off to Sirius' side attempting to sneak a peak of the mirror.
"Sirius, you prat!" Lily exclaimed loudly, ducking her head as another one of the professors watching the corridor searched for the source of the yell. Once the coast was clear, Lily straightened up and helped James open his book bag. The frantic movements were causing a bit more attention on the two as Lily seized her bra from the bag amidst childish wolf calls from some of the students watching as they all continued along to walk out the entrance hall into the nippy air outside. Blushing as red as the fabric she was holding, Lily hurriedly forced it into her bag. James threw Sirius the mirror he had taken out of his bag during Lily's embarrassment.
Lily shot Sirius a violent glare as James started to laugh along with Sirius, Remus and Peter trying but failing to hold back a few sputters of chuckles. James placed an arm around Lily's shoulders, leaning over to kiss the top of her head as she crossed her arms indignantly.
"Bloody prat," she murmured, still glaring at Sirius as he shot her a charming smile. "That grin won't work on me, Black," she snapped only half angered.
Sirius moseyed over to Lily's side, switching places with Remus. He took her hand and swung it back and forth, "C'mon Lily, this kind of embarrassment should be relatively familiar to you."
James and Sirius, with one of their hands each holding on to Lily's, hoisted her first into a horseless carriage, following her in with Remus and Peter bringing in the rear.
"Though, I must say, I never imaged red silk to be your cup of tea," Sirius teasingly remarked. Accompanied with the slam the shutting door made was Lily's hand connecting loudly with Sirius' cheek, following by fits of laughter.
"You realize, don't you, that this is going to be the worst two weeks of my life," Lily's dramatic proclamation was met by a half hug courtesy James, who was playing chess one-handed with Remus. As the train hurled closer to London, the air grew colder and colder, creating a crystallized layer over the cabin window the five were currently residing in.
"Don't look at it like that, Lily," Sirius spoke through a full mouth, in the middle of a contest with Peter regarding who could fit the most chocolate frogs into their mouth. It was a hard attempt with the jumping those little faux amphibians did.
Lily looked up from the chessboard over to Sirius as he stuffed another frog into his mouth, quickly closing it to let the frog get it's one good jump out of its fake system. Once he was sure it was safe, Sirius opened his mouth and slurped out, "If you look at it that way," Lily flinched as a drop of chocolate/spit hit her cheek and disgustedly wiped it away, "You'll be too depressed to even get off the train when we-," his words were cut off by the slowing of the train coming into the station.
"Looks like we're here," Remus said. He moved his king quickly to the right and announced as he stood, "Checkmate, Prongs."
James took a few moments to regard the board with frustration, having never once beaten Remus at a game.
"James," Lily pulled James back to the presence. He turned his head up to Lily's.
"Wha...oh!" Shooting up out of his seat, the other three guys walked out of the cabin after clapping their hands on James' shoulder, and kissing Lily's cheek, by means of farewells.
"Don't fret, Lily," Remus said before he disappeared out of the compartment, "These two weeks will go by faster than you think they will. Have a happy Christmas." With that, they were off.
James turned to grab both his and Lily's bags, pulling them out of the compartment above them. Turning back to her, he handed the brown bag to Lily and said, "Well, I guess this is it."
Lily forced a smile and slowly nodded. James quickly pushed the straps of his bag over his shoulders and then used his free hands to cup Lily's face, his right thumb pushing aside a lock of hair caught in her eyelashes. "Don't worry about it. Like Remus said, these two weeks will go by like a game of chess between Moony and Wormtail- like a flash." Lily's smile turned genuine for a moment as she lightly giggled for a second.
James used his fingers to raise her chin as he brought his lips down gently to hers. After a few dazzling moments, he pulled away, grinning lopsidedly at her. Helping her with her book bag, he made to walk out of the compartment, waving lovingly before he rounded the corner.
Before he was completely gone, Lily quickly rushed over to him and turned him completely around by the shoulders. James let out a small exclamation of shock, instantly silencing when Lily's lips crashed against his own fiercely. He blinked for a few moments before quickly getting in to the kiss, his hands holding her tightly in a warm embrace.
With Lily's fingers lightly grazing through his already tousled hair, she pulled away, breathless. James stared down at her with bright, shining eyes, his lips red from Lily's lipstick, and swollen from their passionate kiss.
"Happy Christmas, James," she whispered, pulling away.
"Happy Christmas, Lily," James responded after snapping himself out of his dreamy trance. Pecking her cheek lightly, he turned again and finally walked out of the compartment, down the hall, and out of the train. Lily stayed for a few moments, just looking around at the compartment, down at the seats not fifteen minutes prior had held her friends.
With a sigh, Lily reluctantly walked out of the train. This would be a long break.
"Tha'll be....fif'y poun's ma'am," came the voice from the cab driver as he turned in his seat to leer creepily back at Lily in her seat. It took all her willpower not to shudder as she stared at him for a moment before reaching in to the pocket of her muggle coat to get out the correct amount of muggle currency. She hadn't dealt with that kind of money for over six years, but it hadn't taken long for her to get into the hang of it once more. She already had to use change on a payphone to call her aunt after finding no one waiting to pick her up at the station. It was safe to say she was extremely disappointed, but not too surprised, to hear that "no one could be spared that morning to drive all the way out to the train station" to pick her up...at least, that's what her aunt had told her.
So, there she was, after having called up a taxi cab to take her all forty miles south of the station to her aunt's estate. And now, she had to use her own money to pay for her ride there as well. Placing the money into the driver's hand, careful not to touch the dry, peeling skin at all, Lily forced a polite smile and said a clear, "Thank you."
"M' pleasure, miss," the middle-aged, beer-bellied man said as he let his own toothless grin respond to Lily's. He continued to leer at her as she started to fidget uncomfortably under his gaze. "Woul' you like meh t' get your bags, miss?"
"No, thanks, I've got them," Lily said quickly, grabbing her bags and opening the door. "Thanks again." Before he could say any more, she shut the door and walked up the stairs to the front entrance of her aunt and uncle's manor.
Coming up to the large, mahogany door twice her length in height, Lily dropped her bags and just stood there for a moment, hearing the sound of the taxi cab riding further and further away from the estate...Lucky pervert.
Staring at the door, Lily sighed. Biting her lip, she brought her hand up and forced her index finger to push the doorbell. Her heart dropped to her stomach, the deep bells of the doorbell ringing through her ears as she waited for someone to let her in.
A/N: I know, I know. And before you can say anything, just keep in mind that I did update, no matter how long it took, I did do it. Hope ya'll don't hate me too much!