Wristbands | Sirius Black [1]

Chapter Twenty-Four

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[Chapter Twenty-Four: Wristbands]

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 It was December first, snow was falling and Mr. Cracker was having a blast as he danced along to Christmas music in the small house Aspen built for him. By the time the clock struck midnight, turning it from November thirtieth to December first, the spirits of the Nutcracker lifted. It was like a brick had lifted off of its wooden chest—allowing it to drift free like a leaf in the wind. Aspen enjoyed the Nutcracker's enthusiasm, she and it were both dancing along to Christmas music as the snow outside landed onto the grounds of Hogwarts. For that day, classes were cancelled. The coldness was too unbearable for the Professors—leaving the students ecstatic to have no classes.

Even though the weather was dreadful, everyone was happy. It felt as if the war was no longer happening, something the students had never felt before in their lives. Children of all ages, from eleven to eighteen were outside playing in the snow. That morning, Wendy and Aspen were invited to breakfast with the Marauders—Aspen declined. She was grateful that they wanted her to be around, but she decided to not go. She wanted to sleep in on the cold wintery day. Wendy, on the other hand, went along happily.

Aspen suspected something between both Wendy and Remus. Ever since the discovery of Remus' dirty little secret—a name she learned the boys called his lycanthropy—the two were never apart. They always denied it when they were asked, which was a lot. Aspen only wished they'd get together already,

Even Lily Evans and James Potter are dating now!

Was that mentioned yet? The school went nuts when James accidentally kissed Lily in the great hall, they went even crazier when Lily kissed back. Sirius almost cried as Remus and Peter congratulated the pair. Wendy and Aspen waited until nighttime to freak out with the girl. Wendy, Aspen, and Lily grew closer during the time after the whole incident. Almost every night they had sleepovers in each other's dorms, Lily found out about the Nutcracker and hadn't been able to leave it alone since. However, the Nutcracker didn't seem to mind—ever since it turned Christmas season, he grew fond of everyone and everything around him.

Aspen and Wendy appreciated the newfound companionship with Lily, unfortunately it still hadn't filled in the empty hole where Evelyn once resided. Even Aspen, Evelyn's main target of her hatred, missed the girl. Mainly who she used to be, the happy energetic girl who funnily pined over every boy she witnessed. The girl who got drunk would leave Aspen and Wendy in hysterics with all her babbling. The girl who Evelyn used to be in any year before her seventh.

"'Then I saw mommy tickle Santa Claus, underneath his beard so snowy white. Oh, what a laugh it would have been—if daddy had only seen mommy kissing Santa Claus last night.'" Sang Jackson Five on the radio, Aspen sang with it.

The Nutcracker was dancing on its miniature bed, throwing around shreds of paper as if it were snowflakes. Aspen was cutting out snow-shaped paper drawings, and hanging them around the dorm. Christmas had to be her favorite holiday—it was when the best music played on the radio. Christmas was also the time people seemed happier, more jolly. She might have had a horrible home experience, and just a horrible mental state altogether—but seeing and feeling everyone else around her makes herself happy.