Ellie the Marauder | Sirius Black

|21| Christmas Tradition

I was sleeping all snug in my bed, dreaming of sugar plum fairies or something trite like that, when all of a sudden there arose such a clatter from above me that all hopes at a peaceful sleep were extinguished.

"CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" said a voice... loudly.

"Nooo... Sleeep gooood." I grunted, hiding my head under my pillow.

"WAKE UP SNUGS!!!!!" said another voice. Why are there two of them?

"ELLLLIIIEEE BOOOO!!!!! WAAAAAAKE UUUUUPP!!!!!" said the first voice.

Suddenly I became very cold and the world was much too bright. I fought to grab my blankets and pillow, but it was two against one. I glance over to see Calvin smirking. I didn't even know that fish could smirk. Cheeky little thing better watch out before I turn him into cat food...

I finally just curled up on the ground where Dad and Sirius had thrown the blanket and pillows.

"NO NO NO! YOU ARE GETTING UP!" Sirius said just before he hoisted me over his shoulder, fluffy comforter and all. Usually he didn't let me bring stuff like that with me, I expect he was just in a generous mood on account of it being a holiday and all.

Sirius carried me down against my will to our cozy living room where there was a sea of presents... well technically it was more like a pond or lake... It was some body of water between a sea and a puddle of presents.

Anyway, he let me off on the couch and helped me get all situated in my comforter cocoon, then went to the kitchen to grab us coffee, and to tell Benny that it was time.

Sirius had never had Christmas at our home before. He had stayed at the castle one year, and gone to James's house another, but he had only ever come over to our home on Christmas Eve or Boxing Day.

"Oooo! I can't wait for you all to open your gifts!" Dad said bouncing in his squashy chair wearing a Santa hat that bobbed around happily.

Sirius and Benny came back in, and I held onto the warm coffee mug greedily, relishing in its warmth. "mmmm... Sirius this is so good! Did you put mint in this?!"

Sirius grinned from his place just beside me on the couch. "Yep."

I sniffed the air..

"Why are you sniffing the air?" he asked all confused. I thought the answer would be obvious, but I guess I would have to spell it out for the poor mutt.

"I was checking to make sure you didn't burn anything." I deadpanned. He gave me a bit of a dirty look, but nothing was going to stifle his Christmas spirit today.

"Alrighty! Who's first?!" Dad asked happily.

"How about Sirius? He's the guest and all.." Benny suggested. I would probably categorize him more as an honorary part of the family... guest sounds so formal..

"Oh I don't have to... I- it's your house-" He said incoherently. I figured he just felt awkward about not having presents, but little did he know that there were just as many for him as there were for the rest of us.

"Nonsense! You go right ahead!" Dad said looking for a gift for Sirius among the lake of presents surrounding the great and dazzling Christmas tree. "Here! This one is from me!" He said handing Sirius a medium sized gift, wrapped in metallic gold paper and topped with a big red bow.

Sirius looked more than a little surprised, but took the gift and ripped into it enthusiastically. "Good Merlin! This is perfect!" he yelped. Sirius held in his lap a book on how to charm muggle inventions. I don't think that sort of thing is exactly legal... but it was the perfect thing for him to use when he started working on making that motorbike fly.