AN: I began to write this, and I remembered something terribly important, so this chapter WON'T actually be a visit to St. Mungos, although there will be a visit in one of the next few chapters. Also, this is slightly shorter than usual, but wouldn't you rather have a 600 word (or so) update than no update at all? Plus, I love the end of the chapter ending where it does.

Chapter 26: A Different Day Than Planned

James' POV:

When we finally set out that afternoon, it was almost four. The floo networks were down due to holiday travels, and since Dad wasn't going and Mum didn't particularly like apparating, so we took a muggle taxi to a spot a couple blocks from St. Mungos.

"Who are you here to see?" asked the dummy.

"Lily Evans," replied Mum.

"She's currently at Hogwarts due to the increased space that was needed. Miss Evans will be back in a week, on the 26th."

Mum turned around and stared at us. "But you said-"

"Sorry, Mum, we completely forgot that she had been moved."

She sighed and turned around, saying, "Well, we can just come back next week. Since we're out, you two can help me with some Christmas shopping."

Padfoot and I exchanged glances. "Oh, wonderful," I whispered to him, my voice dripping in sarcasm.

Mum whipped around. "You will say nothing more of that sort on this outing or you don't get presents this year," she snapped, "And I mean it!"

So, under that threat, Padfoot and I walked around Diagon Alley (after taking a taxi to the Leaky Cauldron), carrying piles of gifts that seemed to get bigger by the second.

"Let's see, a self correcting quill for your cousin Bert, he's always misspelling things; and oh! James, do you think your Aunt Martha will like this?" Mum went on like this for ages, and whenever we tried to get in a word edgewise, she would glare at us sharply as if we said something to make her invoke her "no presents" ultimatum.

Finally, she handed us each a few galleons and said "Go on, you can do some shopping of your own."

After buying gifts for Moony, Wormtail, Mum, and Dad, I set about looking for something for Padfoot. I finally decided on a large poster of all the Quidditch teams; they were flying around, scoring goals and whacking the bludger at each other. Every so often, one of the seekers would catch the snitch and the poster would go blank except for the team that had gotten the snitch, who would wave for a few moments before the whole cycle began again. Each cycle lasted no more than 10 minutes.

I didn't have much money left, but when I saw a necklace that was the same shade of green as Lily's eyes in a window, it turned out I had just enough.

"This for your sweetheart?" asked the shopkeeper, an old witch whose knees creaked when she bent down to get the necklace from the case.

I pondered this for a moment. "Sort of," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"I bet she's going out with someone else, whoever she is, but that you're still in love with her, aren't you, dearie?"

I looked down, biting my lip.

As she handed the package over, the shopkeeper said, "Well, good luck, dearie. No, no," she protested as I tried to hand over the money, "it's my Christmas present for you, and for this lucky girl of yours."

Smiling, I set down a few sickles on the counter. "Well, here's a Christmas present for you."

"Thank you, dearie," she replied with a wink, "Merry Christmas."