191I don't own anything
CHRISTMAS BLUESI'm glad that you liked the last chapter. Hope this one will satisfy you as well…
Having woken up in the hospital wing after Quidditch games before, Harry wasn't surprised at the huff he received from Madam Pomfrey when he tried to convince her that he was well enough to leave the ward.
"You have broken a rib, Mr Potter! You are not going anywhere!" Harry sighed in defeat, he knew from the tone she used it wasn't worth trying to plead, so he settled with reading the Healers weekly, which had been left on the table beside the bed.
"HARRY! I was so worried, they wouldn't let us see you!" Lily threw herself around his shoulders making Harry feel just which rib he had broken.
"Um, Lily? My rib is kind of broken and…" Harry didn't have time to ask her to let go before she flew of him with a horrified look on her face. He winced in pain and rubbed his chest.
"I told you! I told you this would happen. Oh, please tell me you'll stop this flying nonsense?"
"Nonsense? He bloody stole the show!" Sirius said gleefully next to her, smiling proudly at Harry.
"Malfoy's been banned for two games for hitting the bludger at you!" James said looking both happy and a little solemn.
"Knew it was him!" Harry exclaimed with a smirk. Lily looked disapproving at his non-existing anger.
"He should have been expelled for that dirty trick! It's supposed to be a sport!" She huffed in annoyance. Sirius smiled next to her nodding his head.
"Told him good she did. Went past all the teachers and poked him in the chest saying he wouldn't live to see another day if he as much as glares at you from now on." Sirius said smirking, making Lily blush. Harry laughed at the mental picture that conjured up.
"Too bad I missed it!" He said making himself comfortable on the bed.
"You're fine though aren't you?" James asked finally edging closer to the bed. Harry smiled and nodded.
"Had much worse happen! There was this time when I swallowed the snitch…eh, playing with my dad…" Harry said suddenly remembering what he could say and what he couldn't.
"Really!" Sirius said excitedly laughing.
"How did you do that?" James asked curious, but Harry didn't have to think up an answer as McGonagall entered the ward.
"I see that you're awake Mr Potter. How are you feeling?" She asked sending Sirius a stern look.
"I thought I sent you too Professor Flitwick!" She muttered, making Sirius hit his forehead with a loud smack, as if suddenly remembering something long forgotten.
"That's what I was supposed to do!" He said sheepishly before exiting quickly with a cheeky smile.
"That boy." McGonagall muttered closing her eyes briefly as if praying for mental strength.
"I'm fine Professor." Harry answered her question, wondering what kind of trouble Sirius had gotten himself into this time.
"You will be glad to hear that Mr Malfoy has been banned for the rest of the games including the final, in case Slytherin make it that far. It was an unsporting trick he played and he has as such been punished." Harry nodded contently and James whopped with glee, attracting Pomfrey's attention.
"Time's up! I want all of you…oh hello there Minerva, didn't know that you were coming by. The boy's fine, but he will stay here until tomorrow just to make sure he doesn't suffer from the concussion." Harry furrowed his brows at Madam Pomfrey's words. If he had a concussion it was a mild one, as he didn't have a headache.
"Hm, well we'll leave you to it. Come along you two, I'd better make sure that Mr Black has arrived for his punishment!" McGonagall said with a look at James and Lily.
"What did he do?" Harry asked quickly before they left.
"He sent a snake after Malfoy saying that they could comfort each other in their great loss! The screech Malfoy made must mean that he's afraid of his own house mascot!" James said laughingly before being led out by a scowling McGonagall.
"Not a laughing matter! Against the school reg…" Harry laughed as McGonagall's lecturing voice echoed after them in the corridor. A snake eh? Harry could think of at least a couple of tricks he could play with snakes. But the more he thought of it the more he wondered if he still had the ability to talk Parseltongue, he did after all not have the scar anymore.
Well he'd just have to check that out as soon as he was out of Madam Pomfrey's hands.
"You're uncle and aunt sends their love dear. I spoke to them earlier." Pomfrey suddenly said softly, surprising Harry. It took a second to realise that she meant Mr and Mrs Potter.
"Oh. That's nice! Thanks." She sniffed and straightened herself before leaving him with his magazine. He was bored out of his mind and looked around the room for something else to read, and spotted a small bag next to his bed.
Stretching forwards carefully he managed to grab a hold of a handle.
Opening it he snorted good naturedly. Lily must have prepared that hospital bag he'd asked for, as it was filled with a change of clothes, a book on charming paper and a stack of paper to take notes. Harry figured he didn't have anything better to do and opened the cover of the book.
The next morning he was awoken by Poppy who declared him healthy enough to escape her care.
"Don't you dare come back here anytime soon, you hear!" She called after him as he left.
The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers as Harry entered the Great Hall, and Harry couldn't help but sneak a look at the Slytherin table where Malfoy sat glaring at him.
"Good to see you alive and well Potter! Didn't think you'd make it." Steven, the Captain said jokingly.
Harry gave him a soft glare and got seated next to Remus who'd retuned from his aunt's sickbed.
"Heard you did well?" Remus asked looking curious.
"Yes, it was a hard game." Harry said with a bright smile ready to launch into the tale of how they beat Slytherin, already forgetting that he'd just exited the hospital wing.
"If Quidditch is too hard for you to stomach then maybe you should quit!" Harry smirked at Malfoy who'd appeared next to him.
"Not a good loser eh?" Harry asked, making Malfoy growl at him. The Gryffindors around Harry burst into laughter when Malfoy stormed out of the hall followed by his friends.
The rest of the term after the now famous Quidditch game passed quickly, and Harry couldn't wait to celebrate Christmas with his family for the first time ever.
When the time came for them to leave for the Hogwarts train, Harry couldn't help but feel happy to wave goodbye to the school.
Lily promised to exchange Christmas presents with them by owl and Sirius gave them a gloomy goodbye as he slowly trudged of to his parents.
James wondered if they should take Sirius home with them instead as Sirius mother started on a tirade as soon as he reached them.
But Mr Potter after a quick look, didn't think that Sirius parents would allow him to come.
It felt strange being back at the Potters house again. It looked ready for Christmas with a heavily decorated tree in the living room.
"Where are the presents?" James had asked as soon as they'd entered, making his mother smile.
"Not until Christmas eve, James!" She answered calmly as if having heard the question before.
"I'm not going to open them, just have a feel and a little shake…" James said innocently, making his father snort.
"Since when have you been able to not open a present as soon as you spot it?" He asked, making James shrug.
"How are you feeling darling?" Mrs Potter asked Harry who gave her a happy smile.
"Great! I can't wait to have a proper Christmas." He walked over to the Christmas tree and touched a hovering silver speckled miniature broom. He therefore missed Mrs Potter's worried look.
"Do we have any biscuits?" James asked looking hopeful. Harry turned as well, he wouldn't say no to a biscuit.
"In the cupboard, dear. But don't have too many, we'll have dinner in a bit." She called after them. After far too many biscuits and milk, James and Harry made it upstairs where they settled in James's room talking about the map.
Lily had borrowed a book on identifying charms that she thought could be helpful and James had taken a book on transfiguration.
"We need to keep the map a secret and be able to transfigurate it to something else if we get caught!" He'd explained at Lily's dubious look.
Harry had promised to continue with his book.
"What are the two of you talking about?" Mr Potter asked walking in.
"Oh just Quidditch, dad!" James said quickly, making Mr Potter smile.
"Ah yes, heard all about your game Harry, Well done!" Harry smiled, it had been a good game.
"Thanks for the broom! It was great." Harry said, smiling. It wasn't a Firebolt but as Malfoy had said you can't have everything.
"Yes Dad it was great! You should have seen Harry go!" James said proudly thumping Harry on the back.
"I had a go as well, but Lily refused. Can you believe that she thinks it's an unnecessary risk to fly? Mad she is!" James said making Mr Potter smirk, looking quite scary indeed.
"Lily eh? Who's that? Does my little jamesy-boo have a girlfriend?" He teased, laughing when James blushed beet red.
"No! But she will be, she's the girl I'm going to marry. You'll see!" Harry felt strange hearing that, had it been predestined all from the start?
Mr Potter smiled and shook his head.
"To young for that James! Wait a little while longer." James rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Not now dad, later when we've finished school silly!" He laughed.
"What will happen when you finish school dear?" Mrs Potter walked in and got seated next to Mr Potter, who smirked. James just shrugged.
"I'll get married to Lily." He stated as a matter of fact, making her smile.
"Oh, how sweet! Who is she? Is she a good girl?" Mrs Potter asked delighted.
"Of course she's a good girl! She's the best!" James exclaimed sighing at her stupidity. Harry laughed.
"James emptied a whole pitcher of milk over her, the first morning at Hogwarts." Harry said giggling whilst James sent him a glare.
"You did what, James?" His mother asked aghast.
"It wasn't on purpose!" James said in self defence, pleading for Harry to save him.
"He did apologise." Harry admitted, after letting James sweat for a moment. He didn't want to be to evil, so he forgot to tell them how James's flowers had turned into spaghetti in her hair.
After a nice dinner, where James complained on a stomach ache after eating too much, they settled down for the evening, with a board game. Harry and James being the undefeated winners.
The next morning James came downstairs starry eyed and with a disgustingly sweet smile on his face.
"Lily wrote me a letter." He all but whispered in awe, putting his elbow in his thankfully, empty bowl. He sighed dreamingly looking out into space.
Mr Potter, who couldn't seem to stomach James face expression at the early hour, excused himself for a moment. Harry could hear him laugh outside the door.
"What did she say?" Harry asked eyeing the letter held carefully in James's hand.
"Oh she just asked if we'd found anything interesting in the books." James said in a bored tone, waving Harry's question away as if disturbed.
"Then why were you so happy?" Harry asked perplexed.
"It's my first letter from her! I'll treasure it forever and then one day I can show it to our children." James said in a serious voice, sighing yet again with a smile on his face. Mr Potter who'd walked in hearing what the letter was about burst into laughter making James glare.
"What is it that's got you so amused this early Harold?" Mrs Potter asked, she had walked in carrying a list.
"It's not funny! Stop laughing!" James demanded. Harry tried hard not to laugh but Mr Potter's belly laugh was highly infectious and soon he too started laughing.
"HARRY!" James exclaimed aghast. But Harry couldn't stop and neither could Mr Potter it seemed.
"Really Harold what is going on? Did James play with your wand again? James?" Mrs Potter turned towards James with a scowl, making him scowl back.
"I didn't do anything! They're just laughing at my letter." James said in a hurt tone, holding up his letter.
"Sorry." Harry managed, his lower lip trembling in suppressed laughter. It seemed as if Mr Potter had managed to get himself in control as well.
"I'm sorry, it's just…well you're eleven and I hardly think…" He seemed to finally notice James serious face, Mrs Potter who was standing behind James sent her husband a warning look.
"Er…it's just really sweet." He finally said turning towards the tea kettle getting busy.
"Sweet?" James asked still looking grumpy. He turned towards Harry who quickly pointed at Mr Potter.
"I just laughed at his laughter!" He defended himself, trying hard to look innocent.
James sniffed disdainfully and finally served himself some toast, making his father sigh in relief.
"What do you say we visit the Hogsmead's Christmas fair today?" Mrs Potter asked once they'd all finished eating. James brightened up at once.
"Can I buy some chocolate for Lily?" He asked at once, making his mother smile with teary eyes.
"Such a gentleman you are James." She gushed, nodding towards him. Mr Potter said he had to get ready and quickly escaped the kitchen.
Harry and James were ready in no time and they were soon of. Harry who'd never heard of the Christmas fair in Hogsmead before was surprised to hear that it was famous all around Europe.
"Oh yes! We always go there before Christmas to buy the last bits and pieces and to hear the choir of course." Mrs Potter said when Harry asked if they had been there before. Mrs Potter nodded to several people and Mr Potter got stuck talking to friends.
"Here you go boy's, go find yourself something nice." Mrs Potter said when they reached The Three Broomsticks.
"If you need anything I'll be in here with a hot cup of Butterbeer." She said shivering slightly snow was slowly falling down from the grey clouds.
"Come on we have to find the chocolate first! What if they run out?" Harry didn't think it would as they were quite early. But he had to admit that it was far more crowded than he had thought it would be.
A group of uniform clad, giggling girls walked pass Harry and James, squeezing between them and separating them from each other. Harry looked around trying to find James, but he was hopelessly lost in the crowd.
Thinking that he'd find James eventually he walked around buying little presents to the people he liked.
"Really must have some chocolate." Harry turned at the word chocolate and spotted two girls belonging to the giggling mass that had separated him from James. He shrugged thinking that James would meet him there and started following them.
"I think he really likes me! What do you think I should wear, Billy? The red dress or the blue?" Harry thought the girl should keep quiet. She had a very high pitch voice making him wince every time she spoke.
"Oh, I don't know? You should ask the crystal. It never lies." The other girl said giggling. Harry rolled his eyes they sounded just like Lavender and Parvati going on about crystals and tea leafs.
"Did you know that Sophie's father wanted her to stop coming to school?" Harry was amazed at their amount of gossip and chattering.
"No! He wouldn't? Doesn't he know how hard it is to be accepted! Cassandra doesn't accept just anybody, you now!" The one Harry knew was named Billy said in a huff.
"Really, no wonder she's so hopeless! Her father must be crushing her inner eye." The other girl said with a giggle.
"You're not mocking Cassandra are you?" Billy said in a serious voice.
"No! Of course not! I was just…" Harry sighed in relief at the sight of a sign saying; Speck's finest chocolate. James had to be somewhere around.
The cue leading to the chocolate stand was enormous. It seemed that all of the giggling girls clad in the same red school uniform had made it into it. All of them giggling. If James wanted to buy some chocolate he'd just have to stand there himself. Harry thought, shivering at the thought of lining up with the girls. Some of them were already eyeing him and giggling. Harry sneered at them and walked to the other side of the stand where they couldn't see him. Harry read the name of the school from one of the girl's cloak. Cassandra's school for gifted girls, it sounded familiar for some reason. Maybe Hermione had mentioned it at some point.
"You should take the red one Lucia!" Harry almost covered his ears when the girl, Billy and her friend walked towards him. They had another girl with them as well now, giggling like mad.
"Well, well. What do we have here? All alone eh?" Harry grumbled, why not, he thought. It made his day perfect.
"What do you want Malfoy? Can't get enough of me in school? Now you look for me in the streets as well?" Harry asked, making the blond boy glare viciously at him. Malfoy moved forward and pushed hard, Harry fell towards one of the red clad girls who'd bent down to tie her shoes. The other ones were nowhere to be found.
"Sorry!" He muttered standing up not really looking at her, ready for whatever Malfoy was up to next.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord has approached… born and loved to those who will trice defy him... born as the seventh month dies…" Harry turned so sharply at her voice that he slipped in the snow and landed on his behind. He didn't hear all the commotion suddenly erupting behind him, when a suddenly appearing James and Sirius sprung out from a corner, jumping on the surprised Malfoy, hitting him where they could reach.
Harry had eyes only for the girl sitting in the snow, still fingering her shoe lace, with a vacant look in her eyes.
"…mark…"
He couldn't hear all the words she was mouthing as the grunts and shouts behind him were too loud, but he knew of the word alright.
"…Month dies…"
"Oh, what's happening?" Harry blinked at her stupidly and she gave him a shy smile before quickly joining her friends who'd noticed that she was missing, they started giggling as soon as she made it over.
"Couldn't tear his eyes of you!" was the last Harry heard before they disappeared in the crowd.
"OH, THERE'LL BE NO'N OF THAT ER'E!" Harry started at the shout behind him. Turning he found James, bleeding from a cut lip, being dragged of a scowling Malfoy by Hagrid and Sirius in a fighting stance ready to fight some more. There was a large crowd of people looking at them and Harry wondered just what had happened when he'd had his back turned.
"What er'e you think yer doi'n?" Hagrid scolded, making James pout.
"He pushed Harry!" He defended himself, pointing at Malfoy.
Malfoy sent Harry a dark look before slinking between the people towards a Blond man, starting to whisper and point at Harry as soon as he reached him. Harry hoped that he hadn't heard too much of the Prophesy. Sirius suddenly smiled at Harry.
"Saw you were in trouble! We came as soon as we could!" Harry looked between Sirius and James and then up at Hagrid.
"Sorry! I was just waiting for James and then he came by and pushed me." Harry said looking down at his wet clothes.
"What did that girl say? The one with the power to vanquish who?" Sirius suddenly asked making Harry cringe. So they had heard a bit of it.
"Not here!" Harry hissed at him, looking around worriedly. Sirius just shrugged, not really caring.
"What was that my boy?" Harry felt like crying, why was this happening to him? What bad things had he done to deserve it?
"Professor! What are you doing here?" Sirius asked amazed, looking up at their Headmaster, clad in a red wizards robe decorated with fluorescent green hollies.
"Well I happen to be quite fond of chocolate buttons." Dumbledore said, offering some out of a bag. Harry took a deep breath of air trying to calm down as Professor Dumbledore and Sirius chatted. He didn't miss the look Dumbledore sent him and had a guess that he'd be seeing him later on.
"Are you getting some chocolate or what?" Harry snapped at James who was whipping away some blood from his lip with his hand.
"Nah! I got her this ever blooming rose for her." James said holding up a paper bag, looking happy.
"That was a great fight wasn't it Sirius?" James asked patting Sirius on the back. They both smiled at each other whilst the owner of the chocolate stand muttered about testosterones.
"Just wait till your mom sees you!" Harry warned making James look horrified.
"Gosh! I can't let her see me with this!" He exclaimed pointing at his cut lip. Harry who noticed that a boy around their age was playing with his wand, charming some Christmas bulbs to fly around his mothers head, turned towards the Headmaster who still stood near them talking to Hagrid.
"Um, sir? Can we do magic here? I mean without breaking the under age restriction?" James and Sirius both looked about to burst into laughter at the notion of them not being allowed to do magic.
"Ah, yes. The restriction doesn't start until the summer holidays." Dumbledore said in a matter of fact, making James and Sirius eye him in horror.
"What? But then how can I…" Sirius actually looked appalled.
"But I was going to…." James said at the same time looking destroyed.
"Now, now boys, there is still much time before the summer holidays." Dumbledore said in an amused tone, looking over his glasses.
"James, Harry! There you are! We've been looking for you." Mr and Mrs Potter said from behind them. James stood stock still, not daring to turn around least they see his bleeding lip. Harry quickly pointed his wand at James and healed the lip, he then smiled wickedly and suddenly James grew a long red beard. Sirius burst into laughter at James face. Mr and Mrs Potter walked around James to get a look at what had Sirius on his knees.
"Oh my! That really is quite Christmassy." Mr Potter said, he too pointed his wand at James and suddenly the beard was decorated with silver bulbs. James who saw himself in a shop windows reflection beamed.
"Take a picture! It's great, I want to show it to Lily!" Harry rolled his eyes, making Sirius eye him strangely.
"He's talked non-stop about her since this morning." Harry said, making Sirius smile.
"Yes, he told me that he got a letter from her." He said eyeing James who made poses for Mrs Potter's camera.
"Mm, she asked how we were doing on the you-know-what." Harry said after noticing Mr Potter listening in on their conversation.
"Anything you boy's would like to confess to before Christmas morning dawns? Never too late to repent." Harry and Sirius both shook their heads negative innocently, whilst James just looked secretive.
"Not telling, it's a secret!" Sirius groaned at James revelation.
"You don't tell your parents that you have a secret!" He exclaimed rolling his eyes.
The adults all laughed, making him smile sheepishly.
"Sirius, mum wants you to come now. Bessie and Nessie are coming remember!" Sirius scowled at the boy tugging on his arm.
"I'm coming when I'm ready, Reg!" He snapped, pulling his sleeve out of the boy's grip.
"I think we all need to be on our way. Would you like to come over for a cup of tea Albus? Or are you too busy?" Harry knew what Dumbledore's answer would be and had already resigned himself to the fate.
"A cup of tea would be perfect after all the action." Dumbledore said winking at James.
"Will you let Minerva know where I am Rubeus?" Hagrid nodded and soon Harry, Dumbledore and the Potters were on their way home to the Potters mansion.
"Ah lovely! Just what I needed in this weather." Dumbledore said smiling as he slowly sipped his drink. Outside the window snow was whirling around wildly, blowing towards the window glass. Harry wondered if he could possibly sneak up to his room without anyone noticing.
"So then my boys, how did your Christmas shopping go?" Harry sighed, Dumbledore was not going to let him of the hook so easily.
"Oh, great! Look what I got for Lily!" James exclaimed happily showing of his newly bought flower, he'd also got Sirius a new note book to write up their detentions in as his old one was finished. He didn't tell the adults that though.
"Very nice. How about you Harry? Did you get anything exiting?" Harry nodded glumly showing them the diary he'd got for Lily.
"So anything exiting happen whilst you were out and about?" Mr Potter asked making James finger his lip nervously.
"Nope, really boring." He said, looking away.
"James? I know when you're lying, me better than anyone." Mrs Potter said in a scolding voice, eyeing him warily.
"And why do you keep fingering your lip all the time?" James quickly put his hands down on his lap.
"Er…just exited about Christmas, wondering what presents I'll get…"James asked more than stated. Harry closed his eyes, not knowing what to do.
"There was this girl…" He finally said quietly, making Dumbledore look at him intently.
"Yeah! Harry was really taken by her." James teased. He then noticed the way that Dumbledore was listening to what Harry was saying and eyed Harry curiously.
"Is she someone special?" James asked looking at the Headmaster for some answers.
"She made a prediction." Harry said interrupting James, making Dumbledore nod as if expecting as much.
"A real prediction, but it's very rare to hear…" Dumbledore shushed Mrs Potter with a look.
"And did you hear this prediction Harry?" He asked, Harry nodded slowly.
"Part of it, the fight was so noisy." James looked at his mother in terror, she seemed to come to a conclusion and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Would you mind terribly if I asked you to recite the part you heard?" Dumbledore asked. Harry fought his inner voice which told him to nod his head and walk away.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord has approached… born and loved to those who will trice defy him… born as the seventh month dies…" James fell of his chair with a bang.
"What?" He asked looking confused. His parents shushed him.
"That's it! That's all I heard." Harry said, looking down on his hands. Dumbledore nodded solemnly.
"Harry I must ask that you repeat this to no one." Harry looked up at Dumbledore as if the man was crazy.
"Of course I won't tell anyone! I don't want anyone to know that I have to…" Harry stopped his rant at the looks he was receiving.
"Oh, Harry darling! It doesn't mean that you…" Mr Potter put a hand on his wife's shoulder to stop her from moving forwards, he was eyeing Harry attentively.
"Harry? Is there something we should know?" Harry felt a tear slide down his cheek.
"It's about me. I have to kill him or…" Harry had had enough, he pushed his chair back and ran out of the room towards the comfort of his own room. He heard James and Mrs Potter both call for him but he closed the door and found his own little hiding place. He had been exploring his room for a secret place to keep his secret things in. And he'd found a small room, hidden next to his window. It had a small desk and a charmed window letting light in, he'd filled the room with books he liked from the library and paper and pens so that he could write.
He had finally told them something. Dumbledore must surely realise that he was keeping more things from them. What was he to do?