Dwelling on Dreams (A Marauders Fan Fic)

Christmas at Godric's Hollow

“Oh gee Padfoot, I’d love to do that but I’ve got two problems. One is that we’re actually full-time members of the Order and the other is that you’re being a hypocrite because that’s exactly what you do,” she said with a laugh.

“Me?” Sirius said, holding his hand to his heart and looking offended. “I am hurt Lily. Don’t mind me while I crawl over here into this corner and cry,” he said, making them all laugh.

Their Christmas lunch was delicious; Lily had cooked an enormous roast turkey with hundreds of different types of vegetables, jellies and sauces piled onto the table. Cassie and Sirius had arrived with a couple of puddings in tow, and Lily had made yet more. After eating enough to last them a lifetime during the first course, feeling as if they would explode from the amount they had eaten, Lily waved her wand, the dirty dishes being replaced with clean ones for their pudding. An enormous trifle floated over from the side, closely followed by a rich chocolate fudge cake, a Christmas pudding, a white chocolate cheesecake and a sponge Yule log.

“How do you expect us to eat all of that?” James exclaimed, even him and Sirius defeated by the meal.

“Are you sure you don’t want any of it Prongs?” Cassie asked. “I made a white chocolate cheesecake especially for you… and me too, because it’s my favourite dessert.”

“Well I suppose I could manage a bit… maybe a small slice,” he said as Lily prepared to slice it up. “Serve me first Lily!” he cried as Lily sighed. “James we have guests!”

“Yeah but Cassie will eat it all before I get any!”

“James can go first,” Cassie said, rolling her eyes with Lily.

Lily marked out a slice with the knife. “Is this enough?” she asked.

“No a bit more.” Lily adjusted the knife. “More… more… Merlin Lily, I said more!” Lily handed him a bowl with nearly a quarter of the cheesecake in it. “That looks great, thank you darling,” he said with a smile.

“Are you sure you can eat that Prongs?” Sirius mocked.

“Yeah I am actually. What are you having?”

“Some of everything,” he said, before devouring the desserts, James following his lead.

“That was delicious,” Cassie said, feeling a little queasy as she finally finished her meal, the bowl in front of her empty. They retired to the sitting room, lounging on the chairs and sofas as they digested their meal, trying not to be sick.

“I’ve got a game we can play,” Sirius said.

“Can we open our presents first?” Cassie asked, eyeing the large Christmas tree in one corner, festooned with tinsel and baubles and sparkling in the light.

“Yeah,” James said as he went over to the tree and pulled out two of the few remaining presents, checking the labels. “Yeah, these are yours,” he said, handing one to Sirius and one to Cassie before sitting down again.

“We have two for you as well,” Sirius said, Summoning a pair of brightly wrapped presents which floated through the air towards them. “This is for you Lily,” he said, giving Lily one, “and this is for you,” he continued, giving James the other.

Sirius and Cassie opened their presents first, beaming happily as they saw what James and Lily had bought them. “It’s brilliant, thank you!” Cassie grinned as she looked at her two new jumpers and cloak.

“Yeah I thought you’d appreciate that Padfoot,” James said, as Sirius sniffed the cologne he had been given. “It’ll stop you smelling of wet dog, if you know what I mean,” he smirked.

Lily and James opened theirs then, Lily gasping in delight when she saw the silver necklace and bracelet that they had bought her, a tiny red ruby wrought in a silver snowflake dangling from the end of the pendant, and similar ones on the bracelet. “It’s beautiful!” she said as she hugged both of them tightly.

“Wow thank you Padfoot, Cassie!” James said as he looked at his broomstick care kit in awe. “I’ve been running out of polish recently and I really needed some more,” he said gleefully.

“Well now you have some,” Cassie said with a laugh before they began to play various party games, making fools of themselves among friends as they laughed merrily, arguing and fighting when they got too involved in the games, a common occurrence.

“No! You ran out of time!” cried Cassie. “You can’t have the last one!”

“Yes we can!” shouted Lily. “I got it didn’t I? I didn’t hear James call the time!”

“Put it back in the bowl Lily!” James replied. “Cassie and I are going to win!”

“If you don’t let us have it I’ll lock you out of the house,” threatened Sirius.

“Fine, I’ll just stay here then! You cannot have Morgana Le Fay; Lily didn’t guess her in time!”

“Yes I did!” she cried, the argument raging on, each pair determined to win; another one broke out half an hour later when Cassie swore that she knew the answer to one of the trivia questions.

“How do Muggles power their lights?” read out Sirius, turning the card over and smirking at the answer.

“That’s not fair!” James yelled. “Lily’s a Muggle; she’s obviously going to know the answer!”

“Well maybe you would too if you paid attention!”

“To what? I never took Muggle Studies.”

“You tell her Prongs!” Cassie said. “This question won’t count and it’ll serve you right for keeping Morgana when you should have put her back.”

“You can’t still hold that against me!” Lily cried as the game continued.

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