Burning Love

•Agenda•

Christmas Eve at Hogwarts was always a whirlwind of excitement, and this year was no exception. The common room was aglow with twinkling lights and the scent of pine from the enormous tree in the corner. Everyone was buzzing with holiday spirit, and laughter filled the air as we played games and caught up with each other.

Sirius and James were at it again, trying to pull off some ridiculous prank involving a stack of enchanted snowballs that would launch themselves at unsuspecting victims. "I can't believe you two thought this was a good idea," I laughed, shaking my head as I watched them load the snowballs into a makeshift catapult.

"Trust us, it'll be legendary!" James exclaimed, his eyes shining with mischief.

Lily and I exchanged amused glances. "Let's show them how it's done," I whispered to her, already scheming a playful prank of our own.

Just then, Frank Longbottom joined the festivities, his cheerful demeanor instantly brightening the atmosphere. "What's happening over here?" he asked, looking between the boys and us.

"Oh, just planning some holiday chaos," Lily replied, a grin spreading across her face. "Want to join?"

"Count me in!" Frank grinned, instantly blending in with the group.

While the boys were distracted with their snowball catapult, Lily and I set our plan in motion. We quietly enchanted a few ornaments from the tree to float and twirl above their heads, each one releasing a shower of glitter as they passed. It was innocent enough, but we knew the boys would be utterly confused when the decorations started to dance around them.

"Alright, on the count of three!" I whispered to Lily. "One... two... three!"

As the ornaments floated into the air, glitter exploded all around James and Sirius. They looked up, bewildered, and then burst into laughter as the sparkles fell onto their heads. "What the—? Grace, Lily!" James shouted, trying to swat the ornaments away.

"Consider it a Christmas gift!" I called out, unable to contain my laughter.

Sirius, however, was quick to retaliate. "You think you can prank us and get away with it? Not a chance!" He launched one of the enchanted snowballs at us, but we dodged just in time, causing it to splat against the wall instead.

"Nice try, Black!" Lily laughed, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

The atmosphere was electric with playful rivalry, and we spent the evening in a flurry of laughter and harmless chaos. The boys plotted their next prank while we plotted our next counterattack, and even Frank got in on the fun, joining our side as a willing participant in our mischievous schemes.

As the night wore on, we played games, exchanging stories and teasing each other mercilessly. At one point, Sirius snuck up behind me and tickled my sides, sending me into a fit of giggles. "Admit it, you're having the time of your life," he said, leaning in closer, his breath warm against my ear.

"I'll never admit anything!" I retorted playfully, but my heart raced at how close he was.

Eventually, we settled down to play a round of Exploding Snap. The tension of the pranks simmered down, and we focused on the game, cheering and groaning as cards flew in every direction.

As the evening wore on, and the clock ticked closer to midnight, I couldn't help but feel grateful for moments like this—full of laughter, friendship, and love. The warmth of the fire crackled beside us, wrapping us all in a cozy embrace.

It was a Christmas Eve to remember, full of playful banter and sweet moments, with the promise of more adventures to come as the holiday season continued.