ripped pages (r. lupin)

3-So this is Christmas

1st Year

Remus's POV

We have five days until Christmas but I'm still stuck on ideas present ideas for my friends. On the first day on the holidays, Mum sent me some muggle shopping catalogues so that I could find something for my friends but I was still lost. I have Peters present, which is a drawing box, with regular and coloured pencils along with a sketch book. For James I got a few harmless devices to assist with his lifelong mission of pranking as many people as possible before he dies, and for Sirius I got some new quills and disappearing ink for all the stupid notes he passes. But the one present I couldn't quite figure out was what to get Lizzie. I knew she liked books, so I annotated one to give her. That had become a regular habit ever since we swapped the first book. Once a month I give her a book of mine and vice versa. Apart from a book I still had nothing.

My eyes swept the catalogue for a nice looking jewellery shop once again when something caught my eye. A small pendant shaped like our favourite constellation. Cassiopeia. Countless nights me and Lizzie snuck out of the common room to the astronomy tower to watch the stars. Its our thing.

////

I sat for breakfast on the morning of the 23rd to see most peoples owls swooping down and dropping last minute parcels on their laps. I crossed my fingers under the table praying that the necklace I had ordered would come in today. The entire group decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays so that they could spend them with each other. Tonight was a full moon and so I was late to breakfast, but then again over the Christmas break many others have picked up my routine habit. Out of the corner of my eye my ragged brown owl entered into the great hall. She made her way over to me and dropped the small package into my lap.

I lightly patted her back, as I sent her to the owlery to rest up. The velvet, crimson box felt soft in my hands. I opened the box and the bright pendant gleamed up at me. It was perfect.

////

I walked into my room late at night and grabbed the wrapping paper and gift I had hidden in the chest at the foot of my bed, and slowly tip-toed to the desk next to my bed, trying my hardest not to wake up the boys sleeping soundly in the beds next to mine. I grabbed the tape and scissors from the top draw and begin to neatly wrap it. Once it was wrapped, I scribble my name on the top and clean up after myself. I sneak down to the tree in the common room and place it under that, right near the back.

////

I woke up on the morning of the 25th to Sirius running around our room in circles and screaming like a mad man with no shirt on and goose bumps covering his back and arms, James hyperventilating and rocking back and fourth in the corner with wide eyes of shock, and Peter trying to calm down the both of them.

"CHRISTMAS! ITS CHRISTMAS REMUS WAKE UP!" Sirius grabbed my collar and James ear and pulled us both to the door of the girls dorm, Peter trailing along, confused and quiet (Like always).

"LIZZIE! ELIZABETH BLACK! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! GET UP! Preferably sometime in the next month! Please." He started to scream as he brought up his fist and banged loudly on the door. It swung open violently, and we were met by a messy haired Lizzie who was still in her shorts and small t-shirt.

"I do not care what day of the year it is, Sirius. It is current 5:30 in the morning. I am all alone in my dorm and I plan to make the most of that. Get the hell out before I make you." She said sternly before grabbing her brothers ear, twisting it, then pushing us all over to it and inside our dorm.

"Well that was successful, wasn't it."

////

We all met down in the common room, down by the huge Christmas tree in the corner, at about 7 in the morning. I made my way over to the small two seater couch and Lizzie sat next to me. James and Sirius dispersed the gifts to the owners silently, pausing to squint and attempt read what I can only assume was my handwriting.

When all the gifts have been handed to each person we all began going around and opening them in turn. A handmade bookmark from Peter, an assortment of fancy chocolate's from James, and a muggle camera from Sirius. A pair of small hands held out a big box full of stuff from Lizzie. A poster for a muggle singer (David Bowie?), a big, baggy, obviously handmade, beige sweater, some more fancy chocolate and a ring with my and her initials engraved on the inside. I signalled for her to open my gift, and she slowly ripped it open, trying not to rip the card stuck to the front. Her hands found the soft, red box and as she opened it her eyes glossed over and began to sparkle. She pulled me by my shoulders into a tight hug, which she stayed in for a while. When she released me tears were flowing freely down her face and dripping onto her shirt. I pulled her back in and wrapped my hands hesitantly down her waist.

"Thank you Remus. Thank you so much" She whispered into my ear as she pressed her face into the crock of my neck.

A round of applause rang out from around from around us and we both lifted our heads in confusion. The group of boys sitting at our feet looked up at us like they had just watched the best movie of their lives. I burst into a fit of laughter, shortly followed by the rest of the group. Our laughter was short lived as Minnie burst into the room announcing that we should all come down to breakfast with what was left of the school.

We all made our way to the great hall, with occasional giggles and matching grins etched on our faces.

////

I flipped my hand through my hair, attempting to get the snow out of it from our great snowball fight minutes previously. We all walked up to the dorms, elbows interlocked, and the grins from earlier replaced with smirks as we had absolutely destroyed the Slytherins in the greatest snowball match of our lives. As we reach our dorm, I cast the spell that enables Lizzie to be able to enter our dorm and swing the door open. James begins to light the fire and Sirius begins to gather enough pillows and blankets for our fort. We take the mattresses from our beds and place them on the ground, next to each other.

Once the fort is assembled we all pile in and get comfy. Its quite cramped but we make it work, with James, Peter, and Sirius on one mattress each, and me and Y/N cramped on the last one. We begin the gossip session. Sirius whining about homework, Peter and James going on about their crushes on Lily and Sybil. I notice Lizzie next to me fiddling with her necklace contently, looking at it with a light smile on her face. It brings a matching smile seeing her so happy.

"A group as epic as ours deserves a nickname to match. Suggestions?" Sirius starts.

"The musketeers?" Peter suggests.

"Not original enough." James chimes in.

"The marauders?" Lizzie pipes up.

"Perfect."