My poor neglected James. I haven't written about you for a while now. Here, have a chapter…

Sun shone through a gap in the dark blue curtains, lighting James' peaceful face and waking him from a deep sleep. He yawned as he stretched out, 'Stupid sun.' he thought, rolling out of his bed with a loud thud! From somewhere downstairs he heard a muffled voice saying "James is up then." But he couldn't make out its owner from upstairs so he put on his dressing gown and stumbled his way tiredly down the stairs.

Had he been awake enough he would have noticed the bags in the hall, the bags he tripped over, but as it was he wasn't, so trip over the bags he did. "Oof," he groaned as he landed sprawled out across the hall floor. That's when the kitchen door opened and six legs appeared in front of him.

Gentle chuckling and howling laughter sounded as hands grabbed his arms and helped him up.

"Are you ok baby?" Joanne fussed over him, playing with his hair and wiping down his robe.

"Yeah mum, I'm fine," James answered as he swatted away her hands. "Who put the stupid things there in the first place?"

The laughter stopped and a voice spoke up. "That would be me."

James looked over and saw his best friend stood there looking only slightly apologetic. "Should have guessed," James muttered. "What are you doing here?"

Sirius shrugged. "Staying for a bit, so long as your parents don't mind of course."

"We've already said you can," Henry put in before turning and walking back into the kitchen.

"Come on boys, your breakfast will be ruined," his mother spoke up before following her husband.

No sooner had she said it than both boys, reminded of what they were missing, were racing into the kitchen and shovelling food down their throats.

"Slow down!" Joanne scolded her son and surrogate son when she saw them. "You'll get indigestion."

"Whatever," James said between mouthfuls of food. He did slow down though, so did Sirius.

"So what are you two doing today?" Sirius asked Henry and Joanne.

"Work," Henry said as though the idea wasn't all that interesting. He worked in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry.

"Me too I'm afraid," Joanne said. "Cornelius wants me to look over a few documents. I should be back by four; you think you two can fend for yourselves until then?"

The boys nodded eagerly at the prospect of a day home alone, usually, if both of them were working, Joanne hired someone to look after them. But if today she wasn't just think of the things they could do.

That thought seemed to have crossed Joanne's mind too. "On second thoughts maybe we should get Mrs Fizzlebroom to look after you."

"No," Sirius said in an over-exaggerated sound of terror.

James shot him a look and then laughed slightly when he saw the look on Sirius' face, it matched his speech perfectly. He turned back to his mum. "You can't leave us with her, she's horrible. She makes us play board games and eat raw vegetables. We'd be better off on our own."

Henry smiled; he used to be looked after by Mrs Fizzlebroom too. "Perhaps they could be trusted this once, we can floo them regularly, and vice versa, and if anything happens then they can stay with Mrs Fizzlebroom for the rest of the summer."

A look of horror crossed both boys' faces. "We'll be good," they promised, their fingers crossed beneath the kitchen table.

Joanne considered this for a moment. "Fine, but one hint of trouble…"

"Ok mum, thanks!"

And with that the boys were racing up the stairs.

"We're going to regret this aren't we?" Joanne asked meekly seeing the enthusiastic boys.

Henry nodded solemnly, stood up and walked to his wife, taking her hand. "No doubt," he answered. "But at least we can palm them off on Francis for the rest of the summer if they do anything. Imagine - the house to ourselves for another few weeks."

Joanne's eyes shone at the thought. "You're right. Come on, the sooner we leave the sooner they can mess up," she laughed. Kissing her husband she disapparated, Henry shouted "Goodbye" to the boys and followed his wife.

"Are they gone?" James asked Sirius, whose ear was in the gap of the partially open door.

"I think; I heard some popping." Sirius said as he stood and closed the door.

"Good," James said heading to his en-suite bathroom. "Unpack and then we can get started on business."

Sirius grinned and headed downstairs to get his bags. He was halfway down the stairs when a shout reached his ears. He quickly raced back up again.

"What?" he panted when he got back into the room.

James was stood in front of him wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts and an anxious expression on his face.

"Not what I need to see mate," Sirius commented wryly, shielding his eyes.

"Shut up and look," James choked out. "What're they?" He pointed at his chest which was covered in lots of small red dots.

Sirius shrugged. "Looks like a rash?"

James scratched the dots. "It's not a rash! It's too big, and it's spread all over, look." He turned around and sure enough there were identical dots on his back.

"Oh yeah…" Sirius said, not really sure what he was meant to do.

"And they're itchy," James moaned, scratching them.

"Ha?" Sirius said, still uncertain.

James glared at him. "Be more helpful." He demanded in a whining tone. "Get me something to cool this itching, please," he whimpered.

Sirius did as he was asked, going into the main bathroom to raid the medicine cupboard. He came back with a bottle of thick white liquid and some cotton wool. He was about to put it on James when a thought occurred to him.

"Is it contagious?"

James looked at his best friend as though he were crazy. "I'm itching like mad and you're bothered about whether or not it's contagious? Put it on!"

Sirius shook his head. "Wait a minute." He disappeared downstairs and when he came back he was dressed in too long rain-coat style trousers tucked inside thick leather boots. He was wearing a matching rain-coat jacket and dragon hide gloves. On his face was a beekeepers hat. "Okay, ready!" he announced cheerfully.

James rolled his eyes. "You look ridiculous but whatever. Hurry up." His voice sounded desperate so Sirius hurried and put the lotion on James' chest, stomach and back. The relief was instant but it only lasted a few minutes.

"Do you want me to floo your parents?" Sirius asked, amused by his friend's behaviour but worried because of his constant whimpering.

James nodded and Sirius scuttled off. Five minutes passed when he returned. "You're out of luck mate, they're out to lunch."

James groaned, partly from his disappointment and partly because of the intense itching sensation. He scratched again.

"Stop it," Sirius ordered. "You'll wipe the lotion off. Get some pants on and we'll go to the Ministry."

It was James' turn to do as instructed and the two boys, one dressed as some kind of fashion-challenged bee-keeper and the other wearing a pair of loose jeans and what, from a distance, looked like white war paint on his upper torso, set off to floo to the Ministry.

Sorry about the delay. Enjoy what's there, I might be good and get the next chapter out on Wednesday, but I have a mountain of work to do so we'll see.

Oh, and just before any of you think to complain about Joanne and Henry and how they seemed eager to get rid of James for the holidays. It was meant as light-hearted banter that shows the two of them know how much of a handful their son can be, especially when Sirius is around. They wouldn't really send James away…for long anyway :D

Right. Some replies to reviews I think, just 'cos I'm bored.

Fairybells: It wasn't that original I'm ashamed to say…I kind of stole the idea off the 3rd film. You know the random scene where they're eating the sweets? Very odd so I thought I'd adapt it. Glad you liked it though.

Sam: You always seem so enthusiastic. You're not one of those odd, naturally cheery people are you? Scarily crazy and hyper I can handle but naturally cheery? CREEPY! Anyway, now there's a possibility I've insulted you I'll say glad you liked the prank and how do you like the way this chapters gone?

LiliI had a lot of trouble finding an animal that suited Dumbledore because Phoenix just seemed so obvious. I went for Giraffe because they're tall (like Dumbledore), rather odd (like Dumbledore) and I always thought that they're was something cool but mysterious about giraffes (why do they have to be that tall anyway?) and I always saw Dumbledore as being similar in that way. I don't know, I might have it completely wrong but that's my opinion. What do you think he should have been? And Dumbledore did find it amusing, but would you want to show that when you've got a very angry group of teaching staff behind you? As if McGonagall wasn't bad enough you've got everyone else too, and besides, it was kind of dangerous if you think about it. Don't worry, I have things worked out in my head, especially after you brought this up, the boys will see Dumbledore was impressed and amused, it'll just take a while. And as for Hogsmeade, you'll have to see, I can't go giving away all my ideas can I? ; )

Rachael: Thanks for the oh-so informative review(!) Only joking, seriously Thank you for even bothering to review.

Kei: Oh my odd psychotic friend, I've already thanked you in person but I just re-read your review and I have just one teensy-weensy comment: Why aren't those gold stars real? They'd go nicely in my locker with that green feather ball!

And a few older review replies:

Katie: What do you think is going to happen now they've broken up? Hmm…

Krapster: I do try to make Growing Up… different but it probably just seems so much because I keep jumping from one thing to the next! But it seems to be working if you're liking it. And isn't Sirius the greatest? You should see the calculator I use in my school exams, I got bored at the end of a maths exam last year, maybe the year before… whistles innocently

That's enough for today. Sorry if I've left anyone out. Busy, busy, busy!

Rae

PS: Does anyone else think this chapter seemed a bit...basic?