THE FORBIDDEN FOREST-JAMES SIRIUS POTTER

10: Secret Santa

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE TRAIN was due to leave for Platform Nine and Three Quarters for the Holidays, a group of Gryffindors sat around the fire in their warm common room. Each had a wrapped gift on their lap as Sofia explained that after the gifts were unwrapped, they were allowed to reveal what names each of them had pulled out of the hat. "I still don't understand," Owen said, his eyebrows knitted and staring at his gift, "what is the point of this tradition? If it's secret santa, then why don't we just keep it a secret?"

Roxanne rolled her eyes at Owen's comment. "Because, it's a muggle tradition, and it doesn't make sense, like most muggle things. I mean, what is the point of that fellyphone you guys use? And why do you entertain yourselves by kicking a ball on the ground. That's no fun at all," said Roxanne.

"Oh hush you two," Bailey scolded before looking up at Sofie, the only one of the group standing up. "Continue, Sof."

"Oh, I'm done talking Bailey," Sofia said with a smile. She plopped down on the ground in front of the fire and placed her little gift in her lap. All of her friends looked at her, waiting for more instruction. "You can open your gifts now," Sofia prompted. The teens all looked down at their gifts greedily before ripping the paper off. Sofia took the wrapping paper off her's gingerly, sometimes she saved the paper for her own presents later. She placed the light blue reindeer paper to her right and opened the black box in her hand. Inside, there laid a small silver bracelet with a single charm on it. The blonde smiled and held up her bracelet to get a closer look. The charm was enchanted and became animated when she focused her attention on it. It was a tree, much like the one in the forbidden forest, with fairies dancing around the base of tree trunk. Two people sat on a visible branch. The one who looked to be a boy drew the girl into his arms and the charm froze. Sofia's face lit up and she looked over at James with a blush and a smile on her face. Though the two had been friends for six years before that night, she knew that her and James had become extremely close after the forbidden forest.

James was watching Sofia intently when she opened her gift. It'd cost him a small fortune, but he didn't mind. It was the enchanting of the charm which was tricky, he had wanted to do it himself but became frustrated and had sent it through owl post to his Dad who happily enchanted it for him. When she looked his way with a very bright smile on her soft features, he knew he had done well. He returned the smile before picking up the smaller of his two presents. He tore the wrapping off and opened the cardboard box. A red bouncy ball sat in the box and James's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. He examined it before deciding to give it a whirl. He threw it to the ground, expecting it to come bouncing back up at him, but instead it disappeared. In milliseconds, it dropped out of nowhere onto his lap. "Wicked," James whispered to himself and pushed his glasses back into place. He set the ball down next to his armchair, checked to make sure it hadn't teleported or rolled away, then picked up his second, much bigger, gift. He ripped off the paper in excitement to reveal an odd contraption.

"Oi mate, what is that?" Rylan exclaimed and detached his and Bailey's hand to maneuver his way over to James. Bailey pouted and moved to sit next to Sofia on the ground.

"I don't know..." James muttered and examined the body of the instrument. He plucked one of the strings and it made a deep yet pretty sound. Then, as if someone had said lumos, he realized what this odd thing sitting in his lap was. "It's a guitar! Sofia! You got me a guitar!"

Sofia beamed at him and nodded. "If you want, I can teach you some chords on the train?" James nodded vigorously and stood up and walked over to Sofia. The blonde looked up at James, slightly confused as to why he was looking down at her from his height. James held his hand out to her with a bright smile. Sofia looked to Bailey who nudged her forward. Sofia took James's hand and he pulled her up and into a tight hug. James buried his face in Sofia's hair. She smelled like roses , James noted, and her hair was so soft. After what seemed like eternity, James pulled away. "I love it. Thank you," he said. Sofia felt her cheeks heat up.