Previously on The Snitch of Secrets...
"Well, this is the entrance hall, and just through here is the living room." They walked into a large white room with flowing curtains and a beautiful painting above the large fireplace. "Through there is the kitchen, dining room and a bunch of other rooms. Come on, let's take your stuff upstairs." They walked out of the living room and started up the stairs. "To the left side of the house are all the spare bedrooms, and to the right along this corridor are all the family rooms." Dorea led the way down the family hallway, she pointed to the first door they came to, "this is James' room," before pointing at a door just across the corridor, "and this is your room, Sirius, me and Charlus are at the far end of the corridor. Make yourself at home, son." Dorea nodded at Sirius.
"Sirius, get up! There are presents!" James barged into Sirius' room. "Come on man, get out of bed." Sirius opened his eyes, "Go away, man!"
"It's Christmas!" James smiled.
"Alright, give me ten minutes. I'll meet you down there." Sirius sighed.
James smiled and ran out of Sirius' room and back into his own. He dressed quickly before running down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. His parents were waiting in the living room. "Is Sirius on his way?"
"Yeah. He said he'd be ten minutes." James sat beside his mother on a sofa. Milly, the house elf came in to other James a drink. "Master James can I get you anything? Maybe a glass of orange juice?"
"Thank you, Milly. That would be great."
Sirius came barging into the room, "Good morning! Merry Christmas!" Sirius bounded up to them, slightly resembling a dog.
"Present time!" Dorea smiled, jumping to her feet. She pulled out her wand and summoned the first present, "James, this is from you. It's from me and your dad."
James quickly opened his present, it was a brand new chess set. "Wow, thanks mum. Thanks dad."
Mrs Potter summoned another present, "this one is for you Sirius from me and Charlus. I really hope you like it." Sirius unwrapped the present to find a magical penknife.
"We thought that since you were friends with James then chances are you are as mischievous as he is. We've always supported James in his pranking ways." Charlus grinned.
"Thank you Mr, Mrs Potter." Sirius smiled.
James had received several awesome presents; a box of chocolate frogs from Remus, sugar quills from Peter, and Sirius had given him a copy of Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland as well as a big bag of dungbombs. Sirius had received the same as James from Remus and Peter. He had also received a broom compass from James, and a large box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans from his parents.
"So what did you get Kate in the end?"
"Erm a necklace."
Lily had been really excited about seeing her parents and even her sister Petunia but Petunia had been horrible since Lily's first moment back in the house. Christmas morning was no different. "Come on girls! Let's open some presents."
The girls came running down the stairs, Petunia barging past Lily. "Me first! Me first!"
Lily opened her present from her parents first. They had bought her a very pretty white gold necklace with a round pendant with a doe in the middle of it. "Mum, dad, it's beautiful. Thank you."
Next Lily opened the present from her sister, Petunia. It was a pretty blue top. "Thanks Petunia. I really like it."
"Whatever. Mum and dad got it." Petunia responded snidely.
Lily frowned as her eyes began to pool with tears. Lily's fingers found another present, she watched herself open it closely, trying to avoid her family's eyes. Her present was from Sev, he gave her a simple goblins gold bracelet. It had pretty ornate green stones all around it. There was a short note, I'm sorry. Lily put it on and smiled. He really was her best friend. Lily also had several gifts from the Gryffindor girls; a pretty scarf, a couple of books, some chocolate frogs and a beautiful new quill.
"The Prewetts are coming over for dinner this evening," Dorea said to the boys, "what are you two up to today?"
"I was thinking we'd play some Quidditch." James answered.
"Cool!" Sirius said excitedly.
"Just make sure you're back in time for tea," Mrs Potter said as she ruffled both boys' hair.
"I think I'm going to break up with Kate," James told Sirius as they sat high in the sky on top of his broom.
"How come?" Sirius asked coming up beside him on his own broom.
"I don't know. It just doesn't feel right. Do you know what I mean? She's great but…"
"But you're only eleven and you've just realised there are plenty of girls who are interested in getting with James Potter," Sirius laughed.
"Something like that," James smiled at Sirius.
James and Sirius bounded back into the house, "mum we're home!"
"We're in here," Mrs Potter called from the living room.
"Mr, Mrs Prewett, Alice. Nice to see you." James smiled at them.
Alice grinned at the guys, "Hey!"
"Hi," Sirius replied.
The three friends quickly began to talk about their Christmases, "Remember how Arthur and Molly had their baby? Well I got to see him. He's gorgeous, little Bill." Alice told them.
"Oh, wow. Alice, that's really cool." James replied.
"Have you spoken to Kate over the holiday?" Alice asked James.
"Erm, no not really." James looked awkward.
"Oh dear. I know that face. James Potter what have you done?" Sometimes Alice really reminded him of his mother sometimes.
"I haven't done anything." James frowned.
"Yet," Sirius added.
"Oh, no. What are you going to do?" Alice asked.
"Do you really want to know?" James asked.
"Yes."
"I was thinking about ending it," James answered quietly.
"Why? I thought you liked her."
"He's realised that he's young and doesn't need to be tied down…" Alice glared at Sirius.
"Shut up, Black!"
"I'm just saying; nearly every girl in Gryffindor wouldn't mind making out with him."
"Shut up, Black!" Alice and James shouted in unison.
"James, why?" Alice asked, her eyes piercing.
"It's just not… I just want something different… something more…" James answered honestly.
"Like what?" Alice asked.
"Like what my parents have… like the way you look at Frank."
"What?" Alice was flabbergasted.
"You've always liked him. It's obvious to everyone except the two of you."
Alice couldn't think of anything to say, "Is it silly that I want more?" James asked.
"Honestly, yeah. We're only eleven!" Alice answered.
"Hear! Hear! Well said Prewett." Sirius cheered.
"Shut up, Black!" Alice laughed. "James, sometimes you're the silliest, most laid back person I know and other times you are far too serious. Lighten up. You're eleven. You can think about falling in love when you're twenty something. Besides if you don't want more with Kate, then who do you want it with?"
"I don't know. I just feel like we're wasting time. Voldemort is out there and we're sat in Hogwarts learning how to brew stupid potions."
"Ah man, there's nothing we could do anyway. We'd just go get ourselves killed." Sirius frowned, for once serious.
"For once, I agree with you Black." Alice laughed.
The next day, James walked past his father's study, "James, come in here will you?"
James closed the door behind him and sat in a chair opposite his father's desk. Charlus Potter sat behind his desk with massaging his temple with his fingers. "We need to talk, James."
"What about?"
"Remember how I told you about Voldemort?"
"Yes dad," James nodded.
"Well, the auror office are really struggling to find him. He's incredibly apt at hiding. The problem is that more and more people are getting hurt. The ministry aren't making it easy for us to find him. They're too busy pretending there isn't a problem. I need to ask you for a favour. I don't want to but I think I need to. Your mother would kill me if she knew I was asking you this."
"What is it, dad?"
"You have the old cloak and I was thinking that you could spy on some of his followers. The ones at Hogwarts. I'd teach you some defensive magic before you return. I don't want to ask you to do this but I'm running out of ways to save people."
"I'll do it dad." Charlus' eyes clouded over; a large part of him had hoped that his son would say no. "Can I tell my friends. Sirius? Remus? Peter?"
"Yes. If you can trust them then so can I. I trust your judgement, son." A tear ran down Charlus' face. "Friends are a very useful thing to have. It might be worth teaching Sirius some defensive magic as well."
The last week of the holiday was spent learning different defensive spells that Mr Potter thought might help the boys at Hogwarts. "Right, this one won't be that much help at Hogwarts but it's worth knowing anyway. It's an anti-disapparition jinx and there's also an anti-apparition charm. I suggest you try them out at some point but right now we need to focus on the things that will help you at Hogwarts. Now I know you guys are pretty good at your jinx's but you need to be better than pretty good especially against people like Bellatrix Black. So you've got the backfiring jinx. You already know that one… but you definitely need to keep practicing it. The more you practice the stronger your magic will be"
James and Sirius nodded.
"Have you ever used cascading jinxes? They are really good when you have multiple enemies."
James and Sirius both shook their head. Ok, the incantation is cascado. Give it a go."
Both Sirius and James aimed their wands at the manikins that Charlus had placed in the middle of his study. After several minutes Charlus was clapping his hands, "very good boys."
"You both already know the cracker jinx, right?"
"Yeah, used it on Snape once," James said as he high-fived Sirius.
"There's the impediment jinx. You probably already know it but let's do it anyway. The incantation is…"
"Impedimenta" James shouted at the manikin.
"Very good, James. But quit showing off!" Charlus laughed. "I've got a good one for you, Inflatus. It makes people blow up like a balloon."
"Nice!" Both boys replied.
"And you know the knock back jinx, the spell is flipendo. It can be easily deflected but there is a stronger version of the spell. Flipendo tria. It's even been compared to a miniature tornado."
The boys practiced their knock back jinxes for several moments until Mr Potter nodded his head at them. "You've also got the revulsion jinx – relashio. It's perfect if someone is holding onto you or someone else or an important object. There are many more, but I don't think I can teach you anymore this week without your mum becoming suspicious."
"Thanks dad." James smiled.
"No James, thank you," Charlus said as he clasped his son on the back, "and you too Sirius, thank you."
Really hope you liked it. I'm so excited about them getting back to Hogwarts.
So in the next couple of chapters...
Lily and Severus are going to have some friend time...
James is going to make a decision about him and Kate... stay together... break up?...
The marauders are going to start spying on some of our villains...
A big shout out to JSC-HR and xSeverusxCrookshanksx. Thanks for your reviews. You are awesome and really encouraging...