INSTEAD, james potter [1]

Chapter Fifty-Eight

The snow fell on grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, coating the usually green grass with a thick layer of white snowflakes. Some younger children were building snowmen, having snowball fights and lying down, making snow angels. 

Rubeus Hagrid, an enormous man working as groundskeeper and keeper of the keys at the school, was happily helping Professor Flitwick as he decorated the large Christmas tree in the Great Hall with all sorts of red, white and green ornaments for the holidays. 

In the middle of all the happiness and enjoyment, there was a couple walking into the Great Hall for breakfast on a Wednesday morning, earlier than usual, bickering among themselves, but not without reason. 

"It's your birthday, Lyra. Your eighteenth! Once we're out of here, you can go to muggle bars and... vote in muggle elections," James Potter tried to argue lamely, realizing that he wasn't getting his point across. "This is your first birthday with us as a couple, too! You've got to let me make a big deal out of this."

"We can still celebrate my birthday... I just want us to tone it down a little," his blonde girlfriend said, smiling at him and running her fingers through his hair. "All I need is a good, quiet day with you and the boys."

"Can we at least have a party?" the dark-haired boy whined, trying to make his best puppy-dog face in order to convince her of his side. "I'm craving some firewhiskey and a dance with my favorite girl."

"It's a Wednesday, James," Lyra reminded him, looking at him strangely. It may have been her birthday, but it was also a day smack in the middle of the week. "Who in the bloody hell parties on a Wednesday?"

James gaped at her, sometimes wondering how her mind worked. If there was any reason at all to have a party, then he thought people should have a party. No excuses. "People who are turning eighteen!"

"You can have a party on my birthday but not a birthday party," Lyra acquiesced, sighing defeat. If James Potter had made his mind up about something, there was no turning back. She knew this because she had once been something he had made his mind up about. "Just don't involve my name in it."

"Fine. Compromise," he grinned down at her, happy to have gotten at least part of his way. He was about to lean down to kiss her sweetly, not yet having been able to give her her birthday kiss, but she pulled away.

"Compromise?" she scoffed, looking at him incredulously. If that was his idea of compromise, she wondered how their future arguments would end up going. "I'd say you got more out of it than I did, you dolt."

"Oi, don't call me a dolt!" He pulled back from her, faking offense. She had called him much worse in the past, especially before they got together. But he liked pretending he was hurt because she would always give him a very good apology. 

Lyra could see exactly what he was doing. She had gotten to know him extraordinarily well throughout the last few years. She thought she knew him better than anyone, other than Sirius, so she could easily play along. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Oh, you just wait," he warned, grinning. He then turned, seeing the groundskeeper hanging mistletoe around the Great Hall and got a wonderful idea. "Oi, Hagrid! Could I have one of those?"

"Sure, James. Have a' it," Hagrid smiled at him, handing him one. He then noticed who he was standing with and smiled even brighter. "'Ello there, Lyra. I owe yeh one after the biscuits you made for me last week. I 'spect me debt is paid now, huh?"

"Of course, Hagrid," the blonde smiled back, being surprisingly fond of the man, mostly because he was the only one she knew who had a dog. The school didn't allow them and Narcissa was allergic, so her family hadn't ever gotten one, despite her begging. "I was paying you back after you let me pet your new dog. You know how much I love dogs."