A/N- I am not bright enough to own the song or the characters, so alas, I am only responsible for the plot.
This chapter is dedicated to Harriet Fields, for her enthusiasm, encouragement, and commitment to this story, thanks, Harriet! It's people like you that make a difference in the lives of characters!
A big thanks to all of my reviewers: Harriet Fields, Twilight 4Evr/ Gotta luv Jasper, HermioneGranger1971, mysterious Victoria, Merino649, and kt130.
So here's the fifth chapter… sigh… tell me what you think.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Lily slept for the remainder of the day and most of the night. When she woke up at 2am, she felt back to normal. Either the delicious chicken soup or the pepperup potion must have done the trick, Lily was betting on the soup. Her secret admirer, she thought to herself, was a lifesaver. Glancing at the clock, she wondered if whoever he was had come. She looked at her tree for any changes, but what she was searching for was sitting under the tree.
It was a box, wooden, painted green, with boughs of holly adorning the lid. She lifted the top; curious to what would be inside, and how it could apply to four calling birds. With the very opening of the lid there was a surprise, for the inside of the lid itself was a mirror, reflecting four bright, jolly red cardinals, on a snowy pedestal. One cardinal was spreading its wings, its beak open wide as if in song. Another was standing on one foot, as if hopping from the porcelain twig it was positioned on, with its mouth open in song as well. The other two were grouped around, bills open wide in praise. They were all porcelain, even the glittery snow they were sitting on, and it was a beautiful sight set against the green background. Robbin was right, Lily mused, this boy did have good taste.
On the plain green bottom of the box, there was a note Lily hadn't noticed before. It was written in vaguely familiar handwriting and said, "Lift the floor, for it will become the top; just as you have lifted me up from my meaningless life, and brought significance to my days, whenever I see you, it's like I'm at the top of the world."
The note brought a tear to Lily's eye, it was so sweet. She was sure now that this was not a joke, for only someone that really loved her could write something so pure, and she knew that. She wished she could fathom who sent it.
But there were more pressing matters at hand. She didn't see any handles at all, and she couldn't figure out how she was supposed to open the box. She flipped it over and examined it from the bottom. It looked as if even if she could open it, there would only be the bottom of the box anyway. She was baffled, but too curious to give up. She flipped the box right side up again and gently knocked on the floor's wood. It sounded hollow, yet there was absolutely no space between the bottom of the box and the floor of the inside. She sat the box down and stared at it.
After quite a few minutes of staring, she determined that the only way to lift the base was to pull on the dais; after all, it was the only object possible to grasp. Gently, she pulled on the little bird which was spreading its wings, afraid every second that she might break the delicate fowl, but it must have been sturdier than it appeared, for it did not split from the base, it simply lifted the whole floor out of the box with it.
Lily set the floor, which was now the top, onto the gold carpet beside her and peered into the box. She couldn't believe her eyes. The floor was at least another foot deep, and stacked with little drawers and shelves, green, lined with red velvet. It had been magically expanded, and Lily realized that this was not a mere decoration, it was a jewelry box! Eager to explore all the nooks and crannies, Lily pulled out one drawer and found folds of velvet to hold rings. There was a note there as well, and it said: "to hold tomorrow's gift." Lily couldn't believe it, that something this romantic and clever had been given to her.
She eagerly explored the rest of the box: there were hooks on each side for necklaces, little drawers with velvet lined boxes for pins, earrings, and bracelets. Lily now understood the purpose of the mirror. She was mystified by the little box, it kept surprising her, but when she was sure all its little astonishments were over, she replaced the lid with the cardinal pedestal, and it became the floor. Lily was still gazing fondly at the box when she noticed a little silver handle on the right side of the box. She carefully turned it, and the box astonished her once more. The little birds began to revolve, and sing a high, tinkling, beautiful melody, which Lily recognized as the twelve days of Christmas.
It was so beautiful, such a thoughtful gift, Lily yearned for whoever had sent it. If it were possible to be in love with someone and not know who, thought Lily, I would be so there.
0o0
James went down to breakfast the next morning, wondering if Lily was well yet. He had decided that if she was not present, he would visit her right after breakfast, with perhaps some blueberry muffins which he knew by stalking- er- knowing her well- were her favorite breakfast food. However, his fantasies about visiting a sick Lily in bed and nursing her back to health were blown away when he saw Lily and Robbin sitting across from Sirius at the breakfast table. He wondered what had brought on that change. Then he noticed that Lily was sitting next to Snape, who was in furious discussion with Padfoot. This can't be good, James thought as he sat down next to Sirius and across from Lily. He gave her a wink, which she pretended not to see as she looked away to talk to Robbin about the weather. Robbin looked rather confused as she replied to Lily that it was not sunny, that there was a spectacular blizzard outside. James smirked, then averted his attention to Sirius and Snivellous.
"There you are, James," said Severus in mock-politeness, "I was just inviting you and Sirius over for a little duel tonight."
James raised his eyebrows, but his eyes were excited under his glasses, "of course I'm in, I did promise you a fight, didn't I. Sirius is my second, who's yours?"
"Dolohov," replied Severus after scrutinizing the Slytherin table, "but I don't need one, seeing as I'll be the one doing the killing, not being killed."
"It's too bad that your last words are false, Snivellous," said Sirius, even though James had no intent on killing Severus or being killed, but if it came to that…
"We'll see about that," replied Severus, "I wouldn't place any bets, though. Meet us next to that statue of Gregory the Smarmy, there's a secret passage there, where none of the teachers will be able to find your bodies."
"We'll see you there," replied James, "We found that room in first year, so there will be no reason to meet us outside. I look forward to seeing you in a dark passageway."
"Let the duels begin, then, at one o'clock am. Don't be late," Severus said.
"Oh, I wouldn't miss a chance to beat your ass so hard, your mother will be feeling it!"
"Until then, Potter, I'll be sure and warn your father of your death."
"Don't bother, send your last letter to your own mother," countered Sirius.
"I wouldn't be talking, seeing as your mother has abandoned you, blood traitor," Snape smirked, "ta-ta."
He got to his feet and strode away. Lily looked at the two boys in shock, "you aren't really going to duel him, are you?"
"Hell yes!" said Sirius, James grinned in anticipation.
A/N- hahaha! CLIFFIE! Review if you want the next chapter up today!