Tuesday 16th December 1980

Godric's Hollow, 22:30

"You ready?" Lily asked that night, turning over on her side so she was facing him.

James sighed heavily but gave a resolute nod. "I'm ready. Are you ready?"

"I'm already working from home for the Department of Mysteries," she pointed out. I'm just to go in tomorrow to finalise my leave of absence and that's me."

Was it wrong for James to be somewhat envious of his wife? She was getting some sort of closure from her job. She'd be able to tie up loose ends and organise some sort of work. He couldn't do that. He just had to get up and leave. And it wasn't like he could be an Auror at home! Well, he could do paperwork, technically, but who on earth would volunteer for that?

And technically he wasn't even "getting up and leaving". He just wasn't going in today. Maybe it was because his day off had been yesterday so it felt weirder because of that or something. It was just like he was taking another day off without asking anyone for permission and that's why it felt wrong. That had to be it. It wasn't like this was a sudden decision or anything. They had Anne this to be the day for, well, days. The only surprise had been his day off because that was actually meant to be three days ago but there had been a whole situation that needed all hands-on deck so his day off had been pushed back. And now he was going to have a lot of days off.

"What about your Charms Mastery? You can definitely still do that, can't you?" He asked.

It would be a shame for Lily to have put in all this effort already just for it to mean nothing.

"I can still do it through the Department," she confirmed. "I'll be doing research for it at home. It will just take even longer now. Especially since I won't be able to meet with Flitwick really. But research is something. Better than nothing."

James gave her a sympathetic look. That had to suck. Her Mastery was taking longer than usual as it was, considering she was only doing it part time as she worked for the Department of Mysteries. Not that she'd been doing much work there since Harry had been born, they had allowed her to do whatever work she could at home. Apparently, it was mainly research based. And now she couldn't even learn from her Charms Master? And just had to plod along with research? Yeah, that sucked. Especially since Lily adored Flitwick and adored learning from him. Not being able to do that was going to be hard from her.

"He taught me for the last time just last week," she said wistfully.

"No for the very last time," James tried to be optimistic. "When this is all over, you'll be able to go back to it all again."

She sighed. "That's if Flitwick even wants to teach me after this."

"He will. He loves you."

Everyone loved Lily, after all. She gave him a smile at that.

"We're really doing this."

James nodded. "We are."

"It doesn't seem real."

"Well," he gave a short laugh. "We haven't done it yet have we?"

That earned him a thump on the arm.

"James!"

"What?" He granted her wrist before she could go in for another thump and pulled it towards her so he could give her hand a kiss. "We haven't."

She rolled her eyes at his antics.

"You know what I mean."

James sat up, feeling like he should get serious now.

"I do. But it isn't going to feel real for a while. Frank said it was just starting to dawn on him now the imitations of what they've done. And, what? It's only been a few weeks for them? That's how long it took for it to feel real but they're okay, Lily," he said earnestly. "That's the whole point, isn't it? Sure, it's weird and it's scary but the Longbottoms are okay. They're safe. And we will be too."

As much as he hated to admit it, even to himself, James had started to feel more anxious, more on edge this past week or so. It felt like everyone was watching him. That there was a threat lurking everywhere. Is this how Moody felt all the time? Because it sucked. And he wanted it to all go away.

"We're going to be okay," she breathed.

James reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Yeah, we're going to be okay."

Thursday 18th December 1980

Marauder Flat, 09:00

"Since when has Christmas been a week away!" James yelped

Sirius watched in amusement as James ran around trying to get ready but not really achieving anything. He ran past his shoes five times there.

For someone who held Christmas in the highest regard, deeming it to be the 'best holiday of the year", he was wildly unprepared this year. Like, seriously unprepared. No wrapping paper. No ribbon. No plans. Who was this and what had he done with James Potter?

"What am I supposed to do?" He asked frantically. "I can't go anywhere! I can't go shopping!"

Now there was an interesting and unexpected side effect of going into hiding. Or was it really? Nobody really went to Diagon Alley anymore. It wasn't safe. So many shops had put owl ordering in place for this reason - they had been losing sales. Quite ingenious, Sirius thought. Something that would hopefully stick around if this war ever ended, it was quite useful not having to queue up and deal with people. Merlin, now he was starting to sound like Severus.

See what was happening to him since he didn't have James with him anymore? James had only been in hiding for two days! But that was two days of them not being a work together, fighting crime and all that. James wasn't his partner anymore. And it felt wrong. It was weird and Sirius didn't like it.

This wasn't fair. None of this was fair. Not to any of them. He just wanted things to be normal again.

Saturday 20th December 1980

Severus' Flat, 15:00

Dora winced as Severus held his wand to Remus' arm. As brave as she was, she did not like getting her blood taken. It felt all weird and wrong. And sore, for that matter. Watching someone else do it wasn't pleasant either, especially when you could see the vial fill with blood. Remus didn't seem to mind so much, though.

"And that should be enough," Severus said after what felt like was an age later.

"Did you really have to take that much?" Dora asked reproachfully as Severus tapped Remus' arm with his wand to heal the spot the blood hand come out.

She didn't like the way Remus winced slightly.

"Stay there and drink this pumpkin juice," Severus instructed him, handing over the glass. "Tell me if you start to feel faint."

Remus nodded and obediently took a swig of the pumpkin juice.

"You could have at least chilled it," he whined, making Severus give him a dark look.

"You're lucky I'm handling vials or else I would have frozen that on you," he told him, carefully splitting Remus' blood into several vials.

Dora stared at it; head cooked to one side. She didn't know what she had been expecting but Remus' blood looked pretty normal to her. Bright red and, well, bloody.

"I'll let you watch me destroy it when I'm finished," Severus reassured him.

But Remus shook his head. "I trust you, Severus."

"Still. You watch me do that." He insisted.

"Okay," Remus agreed easily.

Dora thought that Severus was being sensible.

"You should be more careful about your blood," she scolded him.

"It's just Severus," he said, inspecting his arm.

Dora had to admit that Severus was good. There was no mark where the blood had been extracted, not even any bruising. Healers at St Mungo's should really take note. Though, maybe she should be a bit more forgiving. Blood was rarely taken from witches or wizards in a medical setting unless it was to check for the presence of poisons. It wasn't like Healers got a lot of experience at taking blood.

"Are you feeling okay?"

He smiled gently at her. "I'm feeling fine."

"He'd feel better if he actually did as he was told and drank all of his pumpkin juice," Severus interrupted pointedly.

Sunday 21st December 1980

Godric's Hollow, 17:00

James finished the chant rather listlessly, no passion or warmth in it at all. He didn't even glance at the candle as he finished up. He just put it out and played with it in his hands. Harry had even fallen asleep during the whole process.

"It didn't feel right," he said heavily, putting the candle on the table.

"I'm sorry, James. I shouldn't have pushed," Lily said anxiously.

She had had a weird feeling about this and she should have listened. Her instincts were usually right about this sort of thing, after all. It was just, these Sabbat rituals used to be so important to James. Comforting, even. And she had wanted them to be important and comforting to Harry too. But it looked like that that wasn't to be. Not right now anyway.

Whether it was because of his parents or because they were barely a week into being "in hiding", Lily didn't know. What she did know was the fact that none of this felt right.

Maybe it didn't matter quite so much. They had years and years ahead of them, after all. That was plenty of time to figure this whole Sabbat thing out.

In the meantime, they may as well just do what they felt like doing. Was t it better to actually enjoy little bits and pieces rather than force the whole thing? It wasn't like Harry was going to remember this first Yule or Christmas. He was just about to turn five months old.

They had plenty of time ahead of them.

Monday 22nd December 1980

Severus' Flat, 10:00

Remus shook his head in amusement as Severus scrawled down notes on what he had just told him. For someone who claimed that he hadn't really fully thought his project through, Severus certainly had a lot of questions to ask. All about him. And being a werewolf. Things he didn't usually like talking about but yet, here he was, doing just that. Because it was actually useful. Kt might help him. Help dozens of people. So, he talked about it. And, funnily enough, the more he talked the less uncomfortable he was. Sort of.

But then he had to keep talking and Severus asked even more questions, wanted even more details. Details that Remus couldn't put into words or just didn't know no matter how many different ways Severus phrased the questions

"I don't see why all of this is important," Remus said finally, trying not to let his frustration show.

It had been a lot of questions, after all, and Severus hadn't been giving a lot of feedback. Was he even saying anything useful? Severus was writing a lot but he was also crossing out a lot of things. That didn't bode well.

He just wanted to be useful.

Wednesday 24th December 1980

Godric's Hollow, 14:00

"I don't understand," Rosemary said with a frown, bouncing Harry on her knee.

James and Lily exchanged looks with each other. They had agreed that they didn't want to tell her parents exactly what was going on with them and the whole "going into hiding" thing but they also had to tell them something since they wouldn't exactly be able to visit anymore. "There's been some threats made to us and we just want to play it safe. Keep us all safe."

"It's just a security measure, mum," Lily tried to explain in a way that didn't sound too scary.

"But why would you need security measures?"

"It's because I'm an Auror," James jumped in. "There's been some threats made against the Department and the advice is that we all kind of lay low with our families for a bit."

Harry chose this moment to spit up all over himself. Apparently, he was done with being bounced.

"It is under control though, isn't it?" Rosemary asked anxiously, handing Harry over to be cleaned up.

"Definitely," James hurried to reassure her. "They don't think that it's going to be for long at all."

"Well, that's something, I suppose."

James resisted the urge to cross his fingers behind his back. It was a childish gesture and it wouldn't do anything. Oh, sure, they could hope and hope for this to be over soon but realistically, James knew it wouldn't. Because for this to be over, Voldemort had to be defeated. And Voldemort was proving to be very hard to defeat. Nearly impossible, actually. In fact, if anything, he was getting stronger.

But no, he wasn't going to think like that. Not today. Today was for family. No depressing thoughts allowed.

Thursday 25th December 1980

Godric's Hollow, 15:00

"Are you sure we aren't going to be interrupting their meal?" Frank asked, adjusting the little waistcoat Alice had put Neville in.

It had little reindeer running across it and it was adorable.

Alice shook her head. "Lily said they were having their meal at one. Something about tradition."

Frank nodded but was still unsure.

"Come on," she urged, grabbing his hand. "I want to see their reactions to their presents."

Picking out presents had been the only thing that had been out of what was quickly becoming a very normal routine these days. Too normal. Too routine. Boring, really. Alice shook her head, trying to rid herself of those thoughts. It was Christmas, there was no room for those thoughts today.

Even though they didn't put as much emphasis on Christmas as the muggles or the Potter and McKinnon families did - that what Yule was for - but they did still celebrate it. Even if it was just exchanging gifts. That way Yule could be all about the ritual and the magic. It was a nice compromise. Even if certain factions of the pureblood society frowned upon the practices. Alice thought it was quite nice. It spread the festivities out a bit. And presents.

"I'll send the Patronus telling them were coming over," Frank said, eyeing her with amusement.

Okay, maybe she was a little too excited about a simple meeting up with friends. But still! Could you really blame her? She hadn't been going anywhere or doing anything. And now she got to do something. That was exciting!

Frank sent his Patronus off and it didn't take long to get a response. Alice lifted up Neville in front of her to give him a kiss. He frowned at that and burbled seriously at her. She nodded at him, as if she knew what he was saying.

"I know, kt takes us a get ready, doesn't it?"

"And who's fault is that?" Frank teased.

"I had to get his outfit perfect!" Alice said indignantly.

Their son had to look good, after all.

"Come on, let's have some Christmas fun," he urged before she could argue further, pulling her into the receiving room.

Two pops later and they were both in front of Godric's Hollow, a very upset Neville on their hands. He didn't not like the feeling of being squished in a tube. She tried to sooth him, not wanting to greet James and Lily with a screaming child.

Thankfully, he quietened to whimpers pretty quickly when she held his favourite position, flush against her chest, his head over her heart. Not a moment too soon because the front door was flung open, a beaming James coming forwards.

"Happy Christmas!" He greeted. "Come on in!"

The small house was decorated very tastefully in a mixture of Yule and Christmas decorations. There were boughs of green with tinsel wound around them. And a glittering Christmas tree in the living room.

There was Sirius and Marlene and Remus and Dora and Chryssie and Severus. Of course, their hosts were there, James and Lily and Harry in a teeny, tiny woolly jumper. Did it have reindeer on it? Adorable! Was that Mr and Mrs Evans? It had to be. Oh, it was great to see everyone.

She was even happy to see Marlene! Wonders would never cease.

"Merry Christmas everyone," she said happily.

Sunday 28th December 1980

Potions Laboratory, 13:30

"So, how is that look into blood types going?" Master Andrews asked him as they sat down at the table to discuss the day's happenings.

It was a good way to end the day, they had discovered. This way Severus could see just how much he had done and his Potions Master could see what more his apprentice needed to cover.

"Uh, good. A bit slow," he said truthfully.

Though, not because he didn't understand it (though, it was a lot to take in) but because he hadn't exactly been a hundred percent focused on it.

Severus felt a bit guilty about hiding this idea of his from his Potions Master but he felt like he had to. One, he still had no real clue where he was going with his whole idea and two, well, he didn't write feel like sharing it just yet. It was his idea. He wasn't ready for anyone to start poking holes in it.

"Have you got other samples of blood?" He was asked curiously.

"One," Severus said truthfully, though it was more than Master Andrews probably ever expected - not that he was going to volunteer that information. "And I'm going to be getting at least three more at the weekend. My friends are working."

How weird it was, even after all these years, to say friends in reference to those of his own. He'd never thought he'd have any friends, except for Lily. Having the Marauders count as his friends was still something he couldn't quite believe.

"At least three?" He was asked in amazement.

Severus supposed that it was quite unusual to have that many people give up their blood like that.

"Maybe even four."

It turned out James was scared of giving blood. Not because he didn't trust Severus with it or anything but because he was scared of the feeling of giving blood. The feeling. Apparently, it creeped him out enough that it made him squeamish. James Potter squeamish about something? What a world they lived in. Sirius had yet to let him live it down.

Master Andrews looked impressed - a hard thing to do.

"That is certainly something."

High praise indeed!