#*winter holidays

She had been helping out at the Menagerie for the morning but Brianne had been let free for lunchtime and she wandered down Diagon Alley, looking in windows and trying to decide what she felt like eating. So little was she paying attention that she almost didn’t recognise the figure walking towards her in the street until they were almost passing. “Bertha? Hi!” She greeted the Hufflepuff with a wide grin. “How are your holidays going? Not that there’s long left now!” Brie wasn’t one to pay attention to the news and this time around she had adamantly ignored it because she didn’t want to hear about any tragedies. Vaguely, she had registered her mum saying something about the new term not starting until a bit later than Brie had thought it was but she hadn’t thought much on it, having much more interesting distractions in the form of Xanthus whisking her away on a little adventure.

@pctterprongs​:

@morallyblack​:

@rattypeter​:

And for the four of them to all share, a bottle of Odgen’s Firewhiskey.

Remus gave @bloomingevans​ an out-of-print book on Advanced Charms that he found in a second-hand bookshop and a pair of fake glasses so she can always feel comfortable, elegant, pragmatic and like she’s ready to win a Quidditch match.

Remus would have been happy to stay in the security and comfort of the Potters’ right up to the moment they had to go back to Hogwarts but Dumbledore had other plans. Just a simple reconnaissance mission, the letter said. A suspicion about one of the new hires at Flourish and Blotts for over the peak shopping period and concerns over a new selection of books containing information about darker magic than was usually sold there. He knew he was to keep an eye out for a familiar face who would be helping him, but he hadn’t been told who, no doubt some security measure but when he apparated into Diagon Alley and walked down the cobbled street to see Edgar Bones outside the bookshop he put two and two together and hoped for the best.

“Edgar!” he called to get his fellow Order member’s attention. His years as a Marauder had taught him a lot about being sneaky -- two Hogwarts students greeting each other as they meet up over the school holidays would be a lot less conspicuous than two people trying to communicate whilst pretending they don’t know each other. They weren’t friends. Remus barely knew him, just as he barely knew most people who should have some part in his life but the easiest way to make sure they were on the same page quickly was to not rely on non-verbal cues Edgar had little chance of understanding, not being James, Sirius or Peter, but rather to pull him into a friendly hug like they really were friends who would greet each other in such a way all the time and mutter in his ear, “Dumbledore sent you?”

When he rolled over in his bed, slowly coming out of sleep, he became very aware of the smell of cigarette smoke and sex and Walden Macnair clinging to his bed sheets. His pyjama top had never made it onto his body and the charms from the night before had faded, showing his scars in all their glory, as well as fresh scratch marks. He fought a smirk as he replayed the moments in his mind and mentally berated himself for not feeling more guilty for letting the suspected Death Eater into his dorm.

The sounds of his dormmates already moving around reminded him today was the day they would all be returning home for the holidays, Peter going with James and Sirius to Potter mansion. Remus was staying at Hogwarts, just as had been arranged with his parents. He would have to leave the dorm for a while later, maybe go for a walk around the grounds while he gave the house-elves time to go in and change the beds but he was quite happy with the idea of spending the rest of the holidays in the comfort of his bed with his personal library of books. Ignoring Christmas Day, of course. Which reminded him that he should sort his friends’ presents out before they finished their holiday packing and went down for a final breakfast before the train.

He pulled his curtains open and looked at James. “You look rough!” he said said, deliberately pitching his voice a little louder and cheerier than usual. “Take my presents for you three with you, will you?” he crawled to the end of the bed so that he could open his trunk and fish out the gifts.