Lily descended the stairs leading from the girls’ dormitory into the deserted Gryffindor Common Room, book in one hand, blanket in the other. She settled herself comfortable on an armchair by the fireplace. Lily opened the book to where she left off, wanting to continue it, but her eyes did not focus. They wandered around the empty room, making Lily feel more lonely than ever.
This was the first Christmas that Lily was going to spend without her family or friends. Her parents had died the previous month because of a terrible car accident and her sister, Petunia, would rather let a pack of mucky pigs stampede through her spotless new house than to have Lily spend Christmas with her new family.
Lily’s best friend, Hailey Jane, had to go home for Christmas for a family vacation. Hailey had offered to stay with her, but Lily knew that this family vacation meant a lot to Hailey’s family.
She could not and would not be that selfish.
And yet, Lily wished she had been that selfish right now. Nobody was around for Christmas in Gryffindor House except for her.
And the Marauders.
Lily sighed.
This was going to be a long Christmas.
“All right, Prongsie,” Sirius said. “She’s down there. All by herself. Remember what to do?”
“I still think this is an unwise idea,” Remus said. “James’s just going to make a fool of himself--again. You too, Sirius.”
“Remember what happened last time you dressed like Santa, Sirius?” Peter asked. “He thought you mocked him and gave you a whole bag of coal.”
“You’re right,” Sirius said, behind a long, curly white beard. “Santa still owe me a pony.”
“You asked for a pony?” came James’s muffled, yet incredulous voice. You see, the reason his voice was muffled was because Sirius had tied a fake, bright red reindeer’s nose around James’s face. Sirius’s ingenious idea was for him to dress like Santa Claus and have James as Rudolf the Rednose Reindeer and try to cheer Lily up, convincing her that Christmas with the Marauders will not be as horrible as she thought.
“Yes,” Sirius said indignantly, his Santa hat slightly lopsided. “Problem?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“These antlers are so damn heavy!”
“Shouldn’t you be used to it?” Peter asked.
“These are different from the ones in my stag form.”
“You’ll manage,” Sirius assured him. “For Lily.”
Even underneath that big, bright nose, James’s dreamy eyes were visible.
“Yeah,” he said. “For Lily.”
“Good,” Sirius said, adjusting the pillow that was supposed to be his stomach underneath his Santa Claus outfit. “Come on, Rudolf. Giddy up!”
“I’m a reindeer, not a horse,” James complained.
“Ah, close enough.”
Lily had finally concentrated on her book, when she heard a loud ho-ho-ho coming from somewhere behind her. She turned around and saw Sirius dressing like Santa Claus, riding on a little green carriage, apparently charmed to float by itself. James was on all four, tied to the little carriage, clad in a brown jumper and tan khakis, with humongous antlers on his head. His face was hidden under a bright red nose. Rudolf and Santa, Lily thought.
“Ho-ho-ho!” Sirius called again. He and James had fully descended the stairs now.
“What are you fools think you’re doing?” Lily yelled, her face turning a rouge hue. Without waiting for an answer, she stormed out of the common room, steam almost visibly coming from her red ears.
“Told you it was a bad idea,” Remus said, coming from the dorms, Peter at his heels.
“What did we do wrong now?” Sirius wondered.
“I don’t know,” James said, getting up, and removing the antlers and false nose. “I’m going to find out though.”
James hid behind a tree and watched Lily sat by the lake. He transformed into his animagus form and surreptitiously joined her.
Lily turned around when she heard a faint cracking of a twig. She jumped in surprise when she saw the rather large stag, but smiled politely at it nonetheless.
“Hello,” she said quietly.
The stag bowed slightly, as if to greet her back. Seeing as Lily had already turned her attention back to the lake, the stag nudged her left shoulder gently with its nose. Lily looked at it.
“Sorry. I’m not in the mood. You should find someone who’ll give you the attention you want.”
The stag stayed in its spot firmly, as though telling her it wanted to keep her company. Lily got the hint.
“Okay, you can stay if you want.”
The stag moved its head, like it’s nodding.
Lily smiled. “You sure are an intelligent fellow. Can I…can I…?” Lily gestured with her hand.
The stag nodded, granting her permission to pet him. Lily raised a hand and gently stroked the stag along his back.
“At least you’re here with me,” Lily said. “I have no one…”
Is that why she was mad? But...but what did it have to do with him and Sirius?
“My parents recently died and Hailey’s gone home...”
Oh! So that’s why she stayed. Poor Lily...
“And there go Potter and Black, dressing up like Santa…”
Here it comes.
“My dad used to dress like Santa. Seeing Black like that...”
Oh. We reminded her of her dad. Stupid. Stupid! So inconsiderate of us!
“But what use it is telling you? It’s not like you understand...”
Oh, but I do!
“Thanks for listening anyway. I feel better.” Lily leaned over and kissed the stag’s cheek. She petted it one more time before leaving.
The stag turned back to its human form as James. He got an idea to cheer Lily up. But he’s got to get back before her. Thank Merlin for the secret passages.
Lily gave the Fat Lady the password (“Mistletoe”) and climbed through the portrait hole. She was about to head up to the dorms when she heard James call her.
“Wait!” he yelled. “Lily, wait.”
“What?” she asked dryly.
“I--I...er...just...just wait.” He nervously cleared his throat. He began to recite, “Oh, dear Lily, please don’t be sad. Us Marauders were just…trying to make you, er, more glad? Yeah, er, we tried our best to make you cheery. But it didn’t work because those ideas were Siri’s.”
“Hey!” protested Sirius.
“Er...Let us substitute for those you miss. We promise we’d bring you tons of bliss!”
“Well, as much as we can anyway,” added Remus.
“And er...” James looked helplessly around. “So sad, be not, ’cause the Marauders are here. We’d give you the best Christmas of the year!”
“There’s only one Christmas each year,” Peter commented.
“Shut up,” James said. He turned to Lily. “So...er...what d’you think?”
She didn’t reply. Lily just stood there staring at James for a long time. “That,” Lily finally began, “was worst poem I’d ever heard.”
“Oh,” James said, trying to and failing at hiding his disappointment.
“But,” Lily continued, “you tried...and I admired that.”
James smiled. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Lily smiled shyly back. Then she headed toward the girls’ dorm.
“Does this mean that you’re hopelessly in love with me?” James called after her.
“No.”
“Does this mean that you’d go out with me?”
“No.”
“Well...does this mean that I have a chance?”
Lily turned around, mid-stairs. “Yes.”
The End