Happy Bloody New Year

"Wake up Prongs! WAKE UP! It's CHRISTMAS!"

I opened my eyes and looked around the room. No longer was I encircled by the stone walls of Hogwarts, but the dark blue walls of my own room. I stepped off my bed, and onto the almost frozen tile that spanned across the room. After yawning and stretching and hearing more of Padfoots yelling, I dragged my feet towards the door. When I opened it Padfoot was mid-knock, he grabbed my arm and pushed me downstairs.

"About time," my dad was standing by the Christmas tree. Anyone would say that we were exactly alike, except for a few minor details. His hair wasn't jet-black like mine, but a light graying brown. Though, it was still just as messy as mine. His eyes were blue, not hazel like mine. Those two characteristics I inherited from my mum. Other than that, we were exactly the same, appearance-wise.

In personality, I think I took after my mum. Everyone's always tells me how she was quite the troublemaker at Hogwarts.

"Happy Christmas, boys," my mum just came in the room.

"Happy Christmas," Padfoot and I said in unison.

"Presents!" I said focusing on the Christmas tree that towered over everyone in the room. It was engulfed with candles, and angels, and stars… breathtaking.

My gaze traveled south as I spotted the presents under the tree, almost harmoniously Padfoot and I lunged at them.

First, we opened the presents from my parents. I admired the dress robes that I had just unveiled. They were a deep scarlet color and made of a thick material. I looked at Padfoot, who also had dress robes in dark gray.

"Mum, dad, these are great and all, but why do we need dress robes," I asked, genuinely dumbfounded.

My parents exchanged glances of glee, "James," my dad began. "Your mother and I have decided that you and Sirius are old enough to attend this years' New Years Eve party and we've already told the Lupin's, the Pettigrew's, and Emily's parents that your friends can come too."

I gaped at them. Every year my parents threw the greatest New Years Eve party and I was forced to either stay in my room or go to Peters' house. This is great! Padfoot and I exchanged excited glances.

"And there's one more thing Sirius, look over there," My mum pointed towards a small white box beneath the tree that was simply labeled, Sirius. He picked it up and took out a small piece of parchment inside and read aloud.

"Follow the box," he looked up at us very confused. I smiled and pointed at the white box which now had made its way to the staircase. I stood up and walked towards my parents.

"I guess he didn't notice," they nodded in agreement and we followed Padfoot up the stairs. Once Padfoot reached his destination he stood, speechless.

He was standing in front of the door of his room. The door was decorated with gold letters which plainly said, 'Sirius.' Under his name was a small paw print, my idea of course. This simple gift stood as a symbol that Sirius was permanently part of the family, my unofficially adopted brother. He turned around to face my parents and me.

"Thank you," he chocked out. My mother stepped forward and gave him a hug.

"We'll meet you boys downstairs to have breakfast," my dad said as my mum and him went downstairs.

I faced Padfoot. "It was my idea to add the paw print."

He smiled. "I noticed."

"Shall we go eat," I asked, he nodded.

We went downstairs to eat breakfast. The entire time my mother was lecturing Padfoot and me on proper etiquette. After we were finished eating breakfast Padfoot and I went to the tree to finish unwrapping the rest of the presents.

"Prongs, is this what I think it is?" Padfoot asked as he finished opening his present from. I gave him a smile, signaling that indeed it was. I had gotten him a penknife. It could open any lock imaginable, and untie any knot.

I opened the plain white box labled 'From Sirius, to Prongs.' A hyper snitch energetically bounced out the packet, my quick reflexes kicked in and I caught it quickly. It gleamed in my tight grasp, and smelled of new Quiditch supplies: my favorite.

"I thought I'd give you a new one since I kind of burned the last one."

"Thanks, Padfoot." Some one knocked on the door. Padfoot and I exchanged glances. We got up and went to the door. My mum had already gotten it.

"Emi!" I called.

"Hey, Emily!" Padfoot said beside me.

"Hey James, Sirius, Happy Christmas," Emily lived across the street from me, so she probably walked. She came inside with a few presents in her arms. When we walked in the living room she handed us a present each.

I unwrapped mine, it was a book called Quiditch, Tips and Tricks for the Highly Advanced. "Thanks Emi, I got you something too." I reached under the tree and gave her a small present wrapped in red, broom decorated paper. I watched Padfoot who just opened his present and was inspecting it. "Watcha got?"

"It's an Invisible Ink Set," he said reading the box. "Complete with Invisible Ink, Quill, and Revealer. Thanks Em! Here's yours." He handed her a lumpy package.

She opened it. "Wow Sirius, Socks! Oh, look at the cute little snitches and the quaffles. It's wonderful! Thank You! So, I actually came over to ask you something."

"Shoot," I said.

"My parents gave me some dress robes, and they were like-"

"Say no more," Padfoot began.

"We finally get to go to my parent's New Years Eve party this year!" I finished, cutting him off.

"Wow! Really? No wonder, that makes sense."

"You know what I was thinking," I began. "Lily said that she was going over your house and all. So I thought that maybe she could come over, probably on the day of the New Years Eve party." She looked at me thoughtfully.

"I guess I could... trick her into to coming," she smiled mischievously. "That's the only way, not to tell her whose house its going to be at." I smiled at her.

"Really? But wouldn't she find out one way or another?"

She frowned. "We'll just have to see."

"BOYS!" I heard my mothers voice travel through the backyard, obviously magnified by magic. "COME INSIDE TIME TO GET READY FOR THE PARTY!"

Moony, Padfoot, and I slowly descended our brooms and hit the ground firmly.

"We have two hours before it starts," Moony grumbled at my right.

"I know, but you know women," Padfoot smiled next to Moony watching my mother incessantly taping her foot.

"Come on, hurry, you have to get out of those dirty clothes and go take a shower," she said much less, well loud. "And don't cause any trouble, I know how hard it is for you three. Believe me I've been there, but you'll just have to try," she smiled. "Go on now."

We were all showered, dressed, and ready to greet guest in about half an hour; Me in my scarlet robes, Padfoot in his gray robes, and Moony in his forest green robes. We decided, having much time on our hands, to visit Emi.

We went across the street and knocked on her immense wooden door. "Hello." Her mum got the door.

"Hello Mrs. Douglas, is Emily there," I said very politely.

"I'll see James," she said in a very posh sort of way.

After about ten minutes a very disgruntled Piper stood at the door.

"Hey Piper," said Moony.

"Hullo Piper," I said.

"PIPER!" said the over exaggerated Padfoot.

"Hey guys."

"Where's Emi?" I asked.

"Trying to persuade your Lily."

"She found out it's at me house? HOW!"

"She didn't find out, she just doesn't want to intrude in a party where she doesn't know anyone," she said, giving me a half smile.

"S'alright, Prongs," Padfoot padded me on the back.

"Yeah, she'll come. Emily'll persuade her," Moony added. I turned and headed back towards the house, hoping they were right.

An hour passed and guests were beginning to arrive. It was ten o' clock and there was still no sign of the girls.

"Why aren't they here yet?"

"Calm yourself Prongs," Moony said becoming extremely annoyed with my 'whining.'

"Look, there they are," Padfoot said pointing at Emi and Piper. We were against the wall watching everyone. Emi was wearing glittery pink robes and Piper was wearing lavender robes.

"Hullo James, Sirius, Peter, Remus," Piper greeted us.

"Hey guys!" Emi said after her.

"Hey Emi, Piper," we said simultaneously.

"Where's Evans?" I asked impatiently.

Piper and Emi exchanged glances. "Um, she didn't want to come, she went back home," Piper answered.

"Why?"

"Well we told her whose house it was at," Emi continued.

"And…" I demanded.

"She said she wasn't going to come," Piper finished.

"Whatever," I separated myself from the group. All of a sudden this party didn't seem so fun.

"James dear, say hello to the Prewetts!" my mother pulled me over to where some odd looking people were standing.

"Hullo," I said trying to sound the at least a little bit interested.

"O hello, James. You've grown so much! You've become quite the young man!"

Blah, Blah, Blah. They kept saying the same thing people always tell you. I nodded politely and sneaked of to where the drinks were. I was about to reach for some Butterbeer, when I noticed something else: a bottle of fire whiskey, it was just calling me. I looked around, no one was looking.

Open. Pour. Walk. I went to the backyard and began to drink. Our backyard was really big. Well, it had to be with my dad playing Quiditch all the time. I got my natural-born talent from him. He's good enough to be on any team, but his father wouldn't let him. He said that it wasn't a career.

Man, this stuff is good. I went inside to get more. When I was about to pour I decided to take the whole bottle, and I went to the backyard again.

This is wrong, you can't steal your parents booze. Put it back.

No. They're not gonna find out.

Yes they will.

I don't care.

Yes you do.

I cared, but she didn't end up coming.

You still shouldn't be drinking.

Leave me alone!

Fine, but you're going to get in trouble.

"Prongs! Come on, we've been looking for you. We're counting down!"

"Padfoot, yunoo when herh birthsday is?" I slurred.

"Prongs what are you talking about? Are you drunk?"

"I'm not drunk! I'm talking about Evans! Her birthday is January FIRST!"

"Prongs, you're going to get into so much trouble, come here," he grabbed my arm and pushed me inside. I'm not drunk! I'm fine, what's his problem!

"EIGHT!" See look I'll prove it to him, drunk people can't count backwards.

"FIVE!"

"SEVEN!" see I can count.

"Prongs shut up!" Padfoot tried to push me up the stairs.

"THREE!"

"NINE!"

"Moony, Wormtail Help me!"

"TWO!"

Moony and Wormtail were now helping Padfoot push up the stairs.

"ONE!"

"YEAH!" I yelled. "HAPPY BLOODY NEW YEAR!" I threw the empty bottle of fire whiskey and it crashed into the wall. Everyone was looking at me.

"James David Potter, what do you think that you're doing?"

"Nothsing mum, just celebratin'!" I said sweetly. She gave me that death glare that just lets you know that you're in deep trouble. No one was moving.

She took my arm and pulled me towards the bathroom. "What is wrong with you? Do you know what kind of trouble you're in?"

"It's ok mum, I'm not drunk!"

"To hell you aren't!" without taking her eyes off me she grabbed a bottle and gave it to me. "James, I can't believe you did this. After I trusted you and everything! Drink this. If you think that I'm going to let come to next year's party you are very mistaken. DRINK UP!"

I looked at the bottle, "What is it?"

"It's to de-intoxicate you. Drink up!"

"Why? I'm not drunk!"

"James! Drink it." Scared for my life, I drank it. It tasted horrible. Once I swallowed it I felt sick.

"Mum, I don't feel good."

"That's normal James, now you're going to throw up-" She was interrupted by the sound of my puking into the loo. "That's ok, James. How do you feel?"

"Ugh."

"You'll get better. Come, go to bed. We'll discuss you're punishment in the morning." I dragged my feet towards my bed. Merlin, I feel like I'm melting into a blob. I fell on my bed, almost instantly passing out…

"James! Hello James!" I opened my eyes. I couldn't see anything, everything was a blur.

"Ugh!"

"He doesn't look too good." I heard Pipers voice.

"James! Can you hear us?"

Emi! Help! I tried talking, but I couldn't. I tried moving, no luck.

"Oh god, call his mum."

I felt a wet cloth on my forehead. I couldn't hear anything. I was gone.


A/N: Interesting… so about my disease—the one where I'm addicted to reviews—apparently I need at least five to even write anymore. Sad, I know.

So… tell me what you think? Is there anything that should be fixed? Any un-cannon happenings or characters? Constructive criticism is a writers best friend.