"What are we going to do for a holiday prank this year?" asked Peter. He was seated on the edge of his bed and looked nervous. "We usually plan these things in advance, and —"

"I've taken care of it, Wormtail," Sirius informed him. He and James shared one bed, James's head on his lap. "Or rather, Remus and I have taken care of it."

"You have? Without me and James?" Peter looked visibly hurt, but James shrugged.

"Yeah, they're the smart ones," he said idly. "At least when it comes to pranks. I'd bet that Sirius came up with the idea and Remus did the magic bit."

"Oh." Peter deflated slightly. "What is the prank? At least warn us so we don't get caught in the crossfire."

"But that ruins the fun," Sirius pointed out, smirking. "Watching you and Prongs — yes, not even Prongs is immune — fall prey is the fun part. Just you wait. I think you'll be a little…giddy after this prank."

James and Peter exchanged mystified looks.

James sniffed his eggnog at breakfast the next morning — the headmaster had ordered a special feast in honor of Christmas Day — and when he smelled nothing suspicious, he deemed it safe to drink.

Next to him, Sirius smirked, his eyes swiveling to Peter as he took a cautious sip too. Remus was buried in the newspaper but he was fighting back a smile.

All throughout breakfast, everyone dipped into the eggnog, smiling, laughing, groaning, behaving as though everything was normal. But as they drank more and more of the eggnog…

"Siriiiius," James slurred, and immediately looked confused. "What did-did you put in the —" Eggnog had too many syllables, so he stopped there.

"Just wanted to lighten things up a bit," said Sirius with a mischievous expression. "Look, even McGonagall is loosening up."

McGonagall, indeed, had taken off her hat and unraveled her bun so her grey hair fell down to her back. She was a little ruddy in the face and her hands were shaking slightly as she poured more eggnog into her glass.

Peter, meanwhile, was facedown on the table and was weeping. "Erry-one h-hates me," he sobbed.

Sirius glanced between his distraught friend, his reckless boyfriend — who had now climbed the table and was playing hopscotch with the plates — and his entirely unhelpful co-conspirator, who was more amused than anything.

To be fair, Sirius was also enjoying this.

Over at the Ravenclaw table, Gilderoy Lockhart had taken off his robes and was dancing horribly on their table, while his housemates cheered him on. The Hufflepuffs had a little more control, but they were caroling. And Slytherin…Sirius had arranged a special surprise for them. When one sipped from their glass, their robes would turn a garish pink. It was a rather ingenious addition to the prank, Sirius thought, grinning as a drunk Slytherin stumbled past him, cursing.

"We're brilliant," he said to Remus as the mayhem raged around them. He raised his eggnog. "Well done."

504 words

12 Days of Shipmas - Spiked Eggnog

Note: The eggnog was only meant for the seventh-years.