Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I do like writing about it!
A/N: Thank you to Azzurrolunali and TheTaleOfTheSpinster for your Christmas present ideas, and they will definitely be coming up in the next few chapters. If anyone else has any other suggestions, feel free to let me know!
Enjoy xx
The train screeches to a halt in King's Cross, and there's a flurry of movement as everyone tries to get off the train at once.
"James! Wait a minute, not everyone can just pick up their trunks."
I call after James, but he's already lost in the crowd.
Struggling to drag my trunk along the platform, and Sirius picks it up, loading it onto the trolley with a smile.
"Thanks Sirius."
"Anytime. Oh, and Lily?"
"Yeah?"
"James' house...it's a bit...big. Like my house was big, this house is huge."
"Right. Thanks for the heads-up."
James comes running back over to us, and grabs my trolley off me, swinging it around to face the opposite direction.
"My mum's over here!" I walk quickly after him, clutching Papilio's cage and Sirius brings up the rear, pushing his trolley.
"Sirius! And Lily! Hello, my dears!" James' mum pulls Sirius into a hug and he squirms like he's embarrassed, but I know that inside he's loving it.
"Hello Mrs Potter. Thank you for having me." I grin at her, and she engulfs me in a hug, chuckling.
"Oh, aren't you sweet? It's absolutely fine, Lily, dear. I'm sure you'll be a pleasure, and someone has to keep these boys in line!"
She winks at me, and I giggle at the indignant look on James and Sirius' faces.
Twenty minutes later I'm standing, awe-struck, in front of one of the biggest houses I've ever seen.
It's not just big. It's huge.
"Shall we go in, then?"
Mrs Potter gestures towards the massive house, and Sirius leans down to whisper in my ear.
"Told you."
James grabs my hand, swinging it backwards and forwards, and I smile up at him as we walk up the drive to the front door.
"Ladies first!" James opens the door, and I step in, moving over so that the rest of them can come in. I'm still looking around, peering up the stairs, when a loud crack issues from next to me and I jump backwards, startled, as an elderly house-elf appears.
"Effie didn't mean to scare you, miss. Effie is very sorry."
"It's okay Effie," I bend down slightly to talk to her. "My name is Lily, and I'm staying here for Christmas."
"Are you Lily, miss? Lily Evans?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Ah, Effie has heard a lot about you, Miss. Master James must be pleased!"
"OK, thank you, Effie! Would you mind taking these trunks upstairs? Give Lily the first guest bedroom."
"The one next to yours, Master James?" The house-elf adds slyly, and I fight the urge to giggle at her antics.
"Yes please, Effie."
"Alright James, do you want to show Lily to her room, and I'm sure Sirius knows where he sleeps by now. I'll be in the kitchen."
"OK, Mum."
I follow James up the stairs, turn to the right, then the left, then climb another flight of stairs.
"Here you go." James gestures the first room on the right, and I step in, tucking my hair behind my eyes.
"It's lovely!" I gasp, and James walks in and sits on the bed.
"I thought you'd like it."
The walls are painted a deep, rich red, and the bed is a four-poster like my one at Hogwarts. My trunk sits on the bed, empty, and the drawers are slightly open, my clothes neatly packed into them. I take my wand out of my pocket and put it on my bedside table, where a few books sit.
"Can I see your room?" I ask James, and he flushes slightly.
"Umm...sure."
We exit my room and enter the next one.
The walls are red, like mine, but slightly lighter, and the front wall are covered in Quidditch posters, magazine cut-outs and photographs. I walk over to the wall, running my finger gently over the pictures, smiling as I see a photograph of Remus, Sirius, Peter and James in the middle of a vigorous snowball fight. There's another one, in the common room, and I'm in the background, but the picture James keeps stealing glances at me, and picture me keeps blushing.
"I love that picture." James comments, pointing at the picture I was looking at.
"When was it taken?"
"Fifth-year. Just before, you know...the Snape thing."
"Right." I nod awkwardly.
"Do you think, if that hadn't have happened..."
"We would have got together? Maybe. But I feel like now, we're more ready for it. In fifth-year, we probably would have broken up in a week."
"True." James sighs. "It's weird, Sirius told me that I liked you at the beginning of fourth year, and I thought he'd gone crackers."
"He is crackers, but he also helped me, you know, after we...broke up that one time."
"Wow. He really has helped us get together."
"Hold that thought. Where is Sirius' room?"
"Just next to mine, why?"
"You'll see in a second."
I exit James' room and walk into Sirius', where he's flicking through his school bag.
"Oh, hey, Lily, James."
"Hello." I walk over and hug him.
"Okay...thanks, Lily, what was that for?"
"For secretly rooting for us to get together since fourth year."
"You are very welcome."
Just then, Effie appears in Sirius' room with a crack.
"Master Sirius, oh and Master James, and Miss Lily, Mistress Potter would like you to know that dinner is ready downstairs."
"Thank you Effie!" James says, and Sirius grins excitedly.
I go to walk out, but James picks me up, flings me over his shoulder and runs out of the room, me shrieking with laughter the whole way.
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She-who-loves-fanfiction xx
