The Marauders Era

Christmas Day

After a quick breakfast the four Marauders went outside into the grounds for a snowball fight. They were joined by Marlene, Alice and Lily. They formed teams, Marlene, Alice, and Remus vs. James, Lily, Sirius and Peter. Remus was extremely good at snow fights, as was Peter. Sirius was awful. 

Remus sent snowballs flying straight at James' face, Peter retaliated by getting Remus in the back of the head. Sirius spun around, trying to get momentum but his snowball flew off in the wrong direction and he fell over. Lily helped Sirius up and handed him another snowball, then attempted to give him a few tips. 

After a few hours out in the snow the seven of them returned to the castle for Christmas lunch. Marlene, James and Sirius talked about Quidditch the whole meal. Lily told Remus about her sister Petunia's boyfriend Vernon with disgust. Before long Peter and Alice joined in and they all laughed about him. 

After the meal James and Lily went back into the grounds for a walk. Lily stuck her foot into a rabbit hole and sprained her ankle. She put her arm around James and he helped her towards Hagrid's hut. Neither of them knew Hagrid very well, but he always seemed nice. 

They knocked on the door and his cherry face answered. "Merry Christmas!" he said happily. "Lily hurt her ankle, can we come in?" James asked. "O' course, come on in. Outta the way Fang." Hagrid said, moving aside and holding back a large boar hound. Lily sat down and put her foot up on James' lap. Fang drooled all over James' robes and was very clearly friendly. 

Hagrid rummaged around on his shelves and pulled out a dusty tin box. He opened the lid and took out a roll of wizarding bandages. "May I?" he asked. "Sure, thank you." Lily replied. Hagrid slipped off her shoe, careful not to hurt her ankle any more and wrapped her foot and ankle in the bandages. "Yeh'll be fine in a few days." he said happily. "Thank you." Lily replied. "It's nothin' really. Do you want summat to eat, a cup of tea as well should do the trick." Hagrid said, putting a massive kettle onto the fire. 

He passed them their tea and put a plate of rock cakes on the scrubbed wooden table. James took a bite from a rock cake and felt his tooth nervously when Hagrid turned away, he though his tooth had chipped, which it had. They stayed with Hagrid all afternoon, they talked about their plans after Hogwarts, about Voldemort, about all the creatures in the Forbidden Forest, about Hagrids work and about James' parents, who Hagrid knew.

At half past five they walked back up to the castle together for Christmas dinner. Hagrid told them that he had enjoyed talking to them, wished them a Merry Christmas and went up to the staff table. James and Lily found their friends at the Gryffindor Table. "Where were you? Or do we not want to know?" Sirius asked. "Shut up Padfoot." James said. "We were with Hagrid, it was quite nice." Lily said. "Except for his rock cakes." James cut in.