In Perpetuum

Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Et faustum annum novum

“And that is another Christmas card,” declared Hermione to the group at large as she gave the owl that delivered it a piece of toasted bread.

“Whose it from?” asked Lily from her position, curled up into James on the sofa.

“Hagrid,” said Hermione simply as she speared another marshmallow onto her fork, “he wishes us all a Merry Christmas.”

It was Christmas Eve and Hermione and her room-mates were sitting in front of the fireplace toasting anything that would stay put on the long toasting forks.

A tapping at the window caught their attention once more. Lily looked over at the window, then at James. James looked over at Hermione, who looked over at Sirius with puppy-dog eyes. Sirius sighed and got up from his very comfortable seat, to what the tapping was all about.

“You have him well-trained,” giggled Lily, who was starting to feel the effects of the elf-wine they had been drinking copious amounts of.

A handsome, tawny-coloured owl was perched on the windowsill. Sirius opened the window, and let the bird in as fast as possible, so that a minimal amount of cold air would be let in. The bird flew over the fireplace and shook the snow from its wings. The heat from the fire caught the icy, white crystals and melted them. Tiny droplets of water fell from its wings to the burgundy rug that covered the floor next to the hearth.

The owl let Sirius detach the parchment that was attached to its leg, and it waddled over to the bowl of bread cubes that had been left on the floor. It nibbled on them while Sirius read over the letter that had just been delivered; the bird not too eager to get back out into the winter chill.

To Hermione and Sirius, Remus and Estrella, James and Lily,

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. We hope to catch up with you all soon.

Lots of love and good wishes,

Marlene, Alice and Heloise

“That’s nice of them,” replied Estrella, “James, can you toss over that spare bit of parchment over there. I’ll send them a reply right now. It’ll make the owl’s return trip in the snow worthwhile.”

James rolled up the parchment and literally tossed it to Estrella, slightly missing his mark. Instead of sailing gracefully over to Estrella, it sailed gracefully into Remus’ face. He was sitting behind his girlfriend with his hands wrapped around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder.

James let out a roar of laughter while Lily batted her arms at him in a futile manner as she tried to get him to calm down. Apparently the elf wine had had its effect on James as well.

Estrella picked up the parchment, and ignored any noises that were coming from James’ direction. She quickly penned a reply and attached the piece of parchment to the owl. It was now attempting to tear a whole in the carpet with its beak out of sheer boredom.

She made to stand up, so that she could let the bird back outside to make its delivery, but Sirius got there before her.

“I’ll take it outside. I have something that I have to check anyway. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Estrella shrugged, but handed over the bird, glad that she did not have to leave the safe embrace of her boyfriend. Hermione, on the other hand, gave him a funny look.

“You’re not going out there to check your motorbike again are you? It’s freezing out there, you’re bound to get pneumonia with all the time you spend out there polishing it and checking that no one has stolen it.”