#12doxmas

It is strange, not spending the day and night with each other. Usually the only time they’re apart these days is on missions. No one gives them any time to think about it though. James’ house is full and it’s enough of a task to keep them at either end of it, James confined to the East Wing and Lily to the West.

Euphemia flits between the two ends, keeping everything in order and occasionally forcing tasters down people’s throats, catching them unawares.

“You do know it’s an intimate gathering don’t you mum?” James calls after her as she scurries away after attacking him with a spoonful of mousse. Judging from the amount of food he’s tried, she’s cooking for no less than a hundred.

The boys are spread across the library, Sirius browsing through the books on Latin poetry whilst Peter attempts to throw confetti into Remus’ tea. They’re meant to be working out the best way to set up the marquee but it’s simple magic and it’s much more interesting to just be together. If James closes his eyes, he can imagine that they’re third years again, sat in their dorm room after a long day of trying to annoy Filch.

“Are we going to le-“ Remus starts, only to be interrupted by James and Sirius at the same time.

“Anyone fancy a trip to the village?”

Marlene sees them leave, they’re sneaking not so great when the Potter household has about a hundred windows looking over every bit of surrounding land. “They’re off.” She announces to the room, spinning around with her hand stretched out. “Money please.”

“No way –“ Mary leaps up to look out the window but, sure enough, the four of them are running across the front lawn towards the protective perimeter. “Bloody Merlin.” She reaches into her pocket and hands Marlene two galleons.

“I can’t believe you thought they’d last longer than an hour MacDonald,” Marlene tuts.

“Amateur.” Lily laughs from her seat in front of the fireplace, not even looking up.

“If they’ve left, does that mean we can start drinking?” They’re meant to be making sure Lily’s dress fits, but it does and it’s a lot easier to just be together.

“I don’t see why not.” Mary flicks her wrist and the bottle of champagne on the table pops open and pours itself into three glasses. “To Lily and James.”

-

The day plays itself away and before long it’s the next morning and they’re disapparating, everyone crossing the perimeter in groups of no less than three.

Ideally, they would have married in the garden, or at Hogwarts if James’ drunken ramblings were anything to go off, but it was too dangerous. The whole Order was invited and it was too risky for everyone to be at a known location. So Wales it was.

Lily and Remus had found a perfect spot. Isolated and beautiful, there was a small cottage, abandoned or at least empty for the summer, on the edge of a meadow filled with dainty wild flowers. That’s where the girls wait whilst the boys set up the marquee in the meadow and Euphemia and Fleamont transport all the food and drink over with the help of their house elf.

Peter pulls chairs from thin air and orders them into rows, enough to fit the Order and a handful more, whilst Sirius and James magic an arch to stand in as an altar and Remus goes over the perimeter one more time.

“You sure about this?” Sirius asks as he and James lower their wands to admire their finished work.

James looks at him, sharp. “What does that mean.”

Sirius’ shrugs. “Everyone else is. Isn’t it the best man’s job to make sure the groom doesn’t get cold feet?”

“How are your feet feeling?”

“Like they regret asking the question,” Sirius runs a hand through his hair and the gesture is so borrowed that James loses focus for a second. “You know what I think about Evans. You know what I think about you two together.” And, even though Sirius has never said, not outright, James does know. “Then you don’t need to ask how my feet are feeling.”

-

People begin to arrive as the sun sets, apparating outside the perimeter and answering Remus and Peter’s security questions as they pass through. Lily watches from the window as they take their seats, eyes flicking from person to person, looking for anything suspicious.

Nothing was going to go wrong. She knew this. But she couldn’t stop herself from worrying. All of them, together, in one place, it was dangerous. Dumbledore had almost told them they couldn’t invite everyone and then McGonagall had pulled him aside for a word. Lily spots the Transfiguration professor now, being wrapped up in a hug by James. Although she’s too far away to see McGonagall’s face, Lily knows she’s holding back a smile.

“Ready?” Remus’ voice makes her turn and she smiles at him, shrugging.

“I think I’ve been ready for a while. What do you think?” She grabs at her dress and holds out the skirt, twirling for him.

“I think you look beautiful.”

She laughs, “thank you.”

He holds out her hand for her and she takes it, grateful that it’s him walking down her the aisle. As a girl, she’d always thought it would be her dad next to her on her wedding day but his death last year had taken that away from her.

Remus had been shocked when she asked, of course. But he’d said yes.

“You look good too. Very handsome,” she tells him as they walk down the stairs to join Marlene and Mary.

“I’ve heard the rumours about weddings, thought I’d put some effort in,” he pretends to puff out his chest and she rolls her eyes.

“Who knew the marauders could scrub up so well?” They’re wearing matching dress robes, the only difference the tiny animal footprints embroidered on their collars. You’d have to lean in closely to see them and Lily hadn’t been surprised to find out they were Sirius’ idea.

“Everyone.” Marlene says, impatient. “Now hurry up, you can’t be late to your own wedding.”

“They’re literally right outside Marls, it’s fine.” Lily reassures her bridesmaid.

“Well let’s get outside then.”

Mary shoves Marlene’s boquet into her hand and pushes her through the door, “Follow us in 20 seconds, okay? Good luck.” She gives Lily a bright smile and then follows Marlene who, unable to react now everyone seated has turned around to watch the cottage, is walking slowly towards the aisle.

“20 seconds to run.” Remus whispers.

“You scared you’re going to lose Potter to me?”

“You know when you say ‘I do’ that you’re saying it to all four of us, Evans, don’t be daft.”

“I do.” She looks up at him with a grin and he nudges her shoulder.

“Time to go.”

The walk up the aisle felt like forever. It was only a few metres long but, it was too many metres away from him. She’s wearing snitch earrings and is pretty sure this is why James is crying when she reaches him at the altar.

“Look after her,” Remus says as he kisses Lily on the cheek then goes to stand behind Sirius. James manages a strangled ‘shut up’ before he snatches up Lily’s hand and pulls her in for a quick kiss.

Their guests titter, and Euphemia tells James to behave, but Lily doesn’t mind that he’s not meant to kiss her until later.

The minister clears his throat and James steps back, sheepish. “It’s been a while.”

“24 hours.” Sirius mutters behind him.

The minister clears his throat again and starts to talk, but Lily isn’t listening to any of it. She’s too busy staring at James, her fiancé, her James, her soon to be husband. She knows he isn’t listening to a word either because he’s too busy grinning and Lily has never loved a smile more.

“ –the rings.” Peter steps forward and they tear their eyes away from each other to accept the rings, simple gold bands with each other’s name inscribed on the inside.

It’s a haze as they slip the rings onto each other’s fingers and the minister gets them to repeat their vows, simple, muggle ones, and then suddenly they’re saying ‘I do’ and Lily realises she’s crying and laughing as James dips and kisses her, softly and furiously all at once.

She can hear clapping in the background but, as he pulls away, James whispers “I love you Mrs Potter,” into her ear and she hears that as loud as a crescendo, in her ear, in her veins, in her heart.

“Stop hogging the bride,” then Sirius is pulling them apart and scooping her up and spinning her around and it’s the first time she’s seen him smile in months and it’s brighter than all of the lanterns hovering above them.

It was Sirius who managed it first, but only by an hour or two. Years after, if asked for one of their greatest memories of all of the adventures they had together, becoming animagi together would remain the answer.  It was a pivotal moment not only in their development from children to young men, but in the evolution of their very friendship. Close as brothers when they started their journey towards illegally transfiguring themselves, their bond after was sacred and unyielding.

Three months into fifth year, two days after a full moon, there was a lightning storm. Remus was still in the hospital, Peter had not returned from detention with Professor Sprout from a prank in class gone awry. Sirius and James snuck out of the castle under the invisibility cloak. It was not past curfew - most people were at dinner, so the use of the cloak was a bit unnecessary. But it added an element of mystique to the proceedings, and if there was one thing that the boys could appreciate together, it was the added flare.

They headed straight to the Quidditch field, putting up Alertness Charms as they went that Remus had found and suggested they learn if they wanted to be successful at this ridiculous endeavor. He had long ago stopped trying to talk James and Sirius out of their plan. Instead, sometime in third year, he had stopped ignoring their schemes and adopted the role of research assistant. He devoted most of his time not consumed by Prefect duties and homework to coming up with new spells that would aid the other boys. Most of the time it meant helping Peter, who lacked the natural gumption that fueled most of Potter and Black’s successes.

The weather was atrocious. Rain pelted down on the two figures and the and bent the trees into gruesome stick figures, shedding the last of their leaves in an angry shake. “Lovely day for a stroll, isn’t it, mate!?” Sirius threw his arm around James’s shoulder and raised his face to the sky, feeling the rain beat down on his cheeks and wet his hair. James grinned and crowed a whoop of delight.

The two boys were already soaking wet and James could barely see thanks to the rain running down in sheets on his glasses.  His thick, wiry hair stuck up in giant, wet poofs all of his head, making him look like a tall, gangly troll. Sirius, who was broader but not taller than James, could feel his longer, shaggier hair curl up around his shoulders as it dripped down onto his shoulders.

“Do you have your potion?” James asked and spun around them in a circle, securing the last of their protective wards against anyone who would be stupid enough (like them) to be out in the middle of the storm. A roll of thunder answered him and Sirius laughed manically, high on adrenaline and risk. He groped in his damp pocket for the small vial and showed it to James.

“Mate, this is it. You’re ready.” James gripped onto Sirius’s arm, in an attempt to calm his friend, who suddenly looked slightly putrid green, but also to comfort himself. “We have arrived!”

They had never been this close. There had been a failed attempt last year and the abysmal failure over the summer. The summer’s failure had humbled the boys and they had resolved to each other then that their next attempt would be different. It would be better. It would be controlled. It would be focused. And now they could feel the difference in the air. While damp and slightly chilly, there was a crackle of energy on the wind, occasionally erupting into actual lightning overhead.

Sirius took a deep breath and then pulled out his wand. James said nothing as the other boy concentrated on the words he needed to say, the words he had been reciting at sunrise and sunset for the better part of four months, ever since their disastrous attempt in August, and then pointed his wand straight at his heart.

“Amato Animo Animato Animagus!”

James then handed him the potion. “Cheers, brother!” He thumped Sirius on the back and took a step back. Sirius popped the cork from the vial and downed it in one swig.

At first, nothing happened. Then, with a clap of thunder roaring overhead and the buzzing of a tripped Alertness Charm, Sirius screamed. His body began to morph from its human shape. Limbs twisted in unnatural ways, cracking bones. Hair began to sprout everywhere, as dark and as thick as Sirius’s long, dark curls. James couldn’t move. His mind whirred with adrenaline and excitement. He wanted to run to check on the buzzing from the Alertness Charm, but he also felt like screaming right along with Sirius. He did neither. He was unable to take his eyes from the gruesome sight in front of him.

Sirius’s scream died on his tongue as he fell to the ground, his head elongating and disappearing in a dizzying spread of fur. His body was mutilated past the point of recognition, half human, half beast. James could see now it wasn’t hair after all, but fur and it was everywhere. Even as Sirius was shrinking in height, but not girth, the fur kept coming. Huge pads erupted from palms of his hand, which braced his fall to all fours.

The Alertness Charm buzzed again, this time closer. James had no choice this time but to turn away from the carnage in front of him and run back along their path, through the clump of trees that separated the pitch from the school.

“Lumos!” His wand’s tip erupted into a beacon of light and he held it up high, shining the light into the shadows of the small glenn. The path to the school snaked up the hill and out of sight. In the middle of it something froze. It was an animal of some kind. James hissed and approached, trying to scare it away. Closer, he could tell it was a small deer of some kind, perhaps not more than a few years old. The antlers on its head were not fully formed. It did not move, but regarded him with an interested expression and then turned, heading into the thickest part of the clump of trees and disappearing.

From down on the Quidditch field, James heard a deep bark. Whirling around again, he sprinted back down towards the pitch, searching for Sirius. Instead of the convulsing, mutilated body James had left stood a gigantic black dog. He was enormous, easily the size of the small Shetland pony that had lived in James’s back garden growing up. Absolutely covered in black fur, the dog barked again and lunged at James, who fell to his knees and through his arms around the animal. The fur felt different than regular dog hair, almost like human hair but with fur’s consistency.

“Sirius! You did it! This is…” He drew back to look into the dog’s face. The eyes were a dark brown, but danced with humor only James Potter would recognize. The dog sniffed at James’s face and then licked him with a huge pink tongue.

James laughed and pushed the dog away from his face. “Merlin, man, don’t kiss me. I know where that tongue’s been.” The dog grinned at him and then threw its head back and barked. Another clap of lightning sounded and James stood up, looking up at the sky. The dog ran around his feet, yipping and barking, making a right old racket. At James’s full height, the dog came up to almost his waist. Not expecting it, the dog jumped up to put its paws on James’s shoulders and was almost tall enough that James did not have to look down very far to see into its face.

“Easy, boy,” James said, his voice tight with affection. He was so proud of Sirius that he almost couldn’t talk. They had done it. Their plan was actually possible. Remus would not have to be alone again. At the very least, Sirius could be with him for every future transformation. The enormity of their success wrapped him in a cocoon of emotion and he reached up to pet the dog’s face again, rubbing his ears like he would any house pet.

Sirius - the dog - barked and dropped back to its front paws and then nuzzled James’s pocket where his own potion was ready to go. James pulled it out and examined the contents, then raised his head to the sky. There had been a lull in the storm and the rain had ceased in the excitement of Sirius’s own transformation and James needing to investigate the glenn.

“Think I should give it a go? It’s not the beginning of the storm anymore.”

The dog whined and then ran around James in a big circle, barking.  James laughed and then pulled out his wand and the Snitch he always carried it. He transfigured the snitch into a big rubber ball and then chucked it into the air, watching it soar across the pitch towards one of the far goal posts. Sirius howled and bolted after the ball, tail tucked behind his legs as he took off, trying out his new form.

James could not let himself feel disappointed about not being able to attempt his own transformation tonight. Their years of hard work had paid off. It was not often in James’s life, nor would happen often in the future, that he felt overwhelmingly proud of the work he had done. But in this moment, he did. He watched Sirius catch the ball in his mouth and dart back towards him. And he laughed. It had begun to rain again and he threw his head back and he laughed as the rain poured down around him and the sounds of a happy dog filled the air.

Almost an hour later, the storm had ended but the rain had not. Sirius had finally grown tired of playing fetch and had joined James in the first row of the Quidditch stands. The Snitch had been transfigured back from a ball to its original form and James threw it up into the sky and then jumped up to retrieve it. He felt drunk on their success every time he looked down at the dog laying at his feet.

It was now getting late, growing darker by the minute, and James wondered if they should head back to school. He was almost hesitant to suggest it, not wanting to ruin the momentous occasion but also desperately wanting to fill Remus and Peter in on the events of their evening.

“What do you think, boy?” James leaned down and stroked the dog’s ears. “Think we should head on back?”

At the suggestion, the dog growled and shook its great head. Overhead, a clap of thunder rumbled and James instantly glanced at the sky. Dark clouds, which had felt just like encroaching darkness, had rolled in from the west and lent an eery feeling to the deserted pitch.

“I think it might storm again,” James whispered, hope and excitement both leaping together in his chest. He pulled out his own potion and held it up to the dog’s face. As if to answer his summation, lightning flashed and James could see the reflection in the dog’s big, brown eyes. Sirius started to howl and James began to laugh again. “Okay, let’s try!”

It was hours later when James and Sirius finally donned the invisibility cloak and slunk back up the hill to the school. James had, with little doubt once he had watched his best friend do it for himself, mastered the animagus form and had transformed into a gigantic stag.

They were drunk on youth, ambition, success, and luck. Thus, as they stumbled back into the Great Hall, an hour past curfew and most of their long legs sticking out of the bottom of the invisibility cloak, it could have been a disastrous end to their evening had they been found by anyone other than Lily Evans and Remus Lupin.

However, since that fateful night was no one’s but theirs, disaster was averted. James slid the cloak from their frames at the sight of Remus descending the stairs and waved. Sirius bobbed on his feet with palpable excitement.

“Remus!” Sirius hollered, charging forward towards their friend. “We did it!”

Remus, who had been talking in low murmurs to Lily Evans, froze. He looked instantly to James for confirmation, who nodded as he bounded up the stairs after Sirius and pulled Remus into a tight hug.

“It’s true, mate. Every word.” Too enthralled with their success, he barely remembered Evans until after he had let go of him. Instantly, his hand went to his hair. Ever since the beginning of that year, Lily Evans had made him nervous.

“Uh, hey there, Evans.”

She frowned at him in response. “Potter. Black. You two are out after curfew. Remus, I really don’t think we can just let them…” She turned to Remus, who was still speechless and was now almost sagging against Sirius. Whatever color he had regained from surviving another full moon was gone.

“Remus?” Her eyes went to Sirius and then they narrowed. “Black, what did you mean, ‘you did it?’ Did what exactly?”

Sirius beamed. “Changed the course of history, Evans! We’re…we’re Marauders!” He pulled at Remus, clutching him now around the waist with one hand. Remus had apparently lost all powers of speech. “Come on, pal. We’ll show you ourselves. Right now. We just need to go and collect poor Pete from purgatory down in the greenhouses.”

“But it’s after curfew…!” Lily began, but Sirius wasn’t listening as he pulled Remus towards the door leading out of the Great Hall. James cut in.

“Look, Evans…” He paused. The enormity of what he and Sirius had achieved that night hit him squarely in the face. James had thought he knew the consequences well enough when they had come to their decision all of those years ago about becoming Animagi, but they had been children. He was older now, maybe not a man yet, but clearly someone who was now required to wrestle with the consequences the actions of his youth brought.

Lily watched Sirius and Remus disappear outside and then looked up at James, her frown deep and disturbed. “Tell me, Potter, why I should not confiscate your invisibility cloak and march you straight to Professor Dumbledore’s office myself? I am never surprised by your audacity, but your brazen disrespect for the rules and your willingness to allow your friends to be swept up along with you is disgusting.”

On a normal evening, this would have made James at once disappointed and angry at the same time. But tonight her words did little to goad him. He was too busy riding the high of their triumph and basking in Remus’s stunned reaction. It felt too good. Everything would be okay from here on out.

“Evans, can I ask you something?” He bent over to retrieve the cloak that had fallen to his feet when he had hugged Remus.  “Have you ever done something for a friend that would change their life? For the better? And you didn’t do it because someone told you to or because it would be a good laugh? But because you knew it would help them in ways - huge ways - and they would never ask you to do it but you know it’s the right thing and you did it anyway?” Words tumbled out of him at her and he finally shut his mouth, or otherwise he would have kept going.

Her face fell in shock at his honesty and without thinking, she nodded. Then she realized what she had done and blushed, breaking eye contact with him and looking at her feet.

Potter grinned. “Well, to answer your question, I can’t tell you what I did tonight because it’s not my secret to tell. But I can tell you that I made Remus’s life better. His life, after tonight, will never be the same. You don’t have to understand - or even believe me! - but if you like Remus at all, you’ll let us have this one night.” He folded his arms across his chest and smiled at her.

Lily shook her head at him, in annoyance, dismay, and a touch of bemusement. “Good grief, Potter. Get out of here. Before I start to think you’re pulling my leg to get out of trouble.”

die hard can suck my balls: she’s just bitter she’s not invited to the potter’s for christmas

die hard IS NOT A CHRISTMAS FILM SIRIUS: isnt everyone remus, isn’t everyone

can we just watch love actually pls: I would invite Minnie

can we just watch love actually pls: but feel like that is detention earning material

can we just watch love actually pls: and want to start the new year with a clean slate

die hard IS a christmas film: u r already head boy u pussi

can we just watch love actually pls: blocked

die hard can suck my balls: are u even meant to get detentions if you’re head boy

can we just watch love actually pls: i mean

can we just watch love actually pls: ive had 12 already this term so….  clearly the answer is yes

die hard IS NOT A CHRISTMAS FILM SIRIUS: how are u head boy again

can we just watch love actually pls: not sure

can we just watch love actually pls: evans seems to know why tho, ask her

die hard IS a christmas film: ooooooh evans

die hard IS a christmas film: think I just threw up in my mouth

die hard can suck my balls: anyway

die hard can suck my balls: speaking of detention earning material

die hard can suck my balls: are we all set for tomorrow

die hard IS NOT A CHRISTMAS FILM SIRIUS: wrong chat

-

the mastermind to Official Marauder BusinessTM: so

the mastermind: are we all set for tomorrow

the muscle: i think so

the brains: if pete bought the Thing then yes

the mastermind: codenames Sirius

the mastermind: o fuck

the mastermind: codenames *Mariah

the brains: fine

the brains: if ***George bought the Thing then yes

the muscle: what’s the Thing again

the brains: gdi james pull ur shit together

the brains: i mean

the brains: gdi Buble

the muscle: sorry, ive got loads of head stuff going on

the brains: pls don’t discuss urs and evans sex life in the Official Marauder BusinessTM chat

the mastermind: the Thing is the suit

the hacker: got it

the mastermind: right then

the mastermind: everyone needs to get out of 4th period

the brains: I have already planned, scripted and rehearsed my exit

the brains: Euphemia said it was very good

the hacker: Euphemia also said james’ hair looked nice after Sirius cut it in his sleep

the hacker: so she’s hardly reliable

the hacker: also my exit technique is a simple ‘may I please go to the toilet professor slughorn’

the muscle: my hair looked good

the muscle: also slughorn hates u so good luck with that

the hacker: nah evans has been helping me with my homework so I’m growing on him

the muscle: she wouldn’t help me!!!!!

the brains: ha.

the mastermind: how r u getting out Buble

the muscle: head business excuse

the brains: that’s cheating

the muscle: so is George getting help from evans w his homework!!

the brains: relevant?

the brains: no

the mastermind: well I have a perfectly forged doctors note so, all going well, I should see u all outside flich’s favourite storage cupboard five minutes after the bell

the muscle: roger that

the brains: yessir

the hacker: sure thang

-

the mastermind to Official Marauder BusinessTM: where the fuck r u George

-

the best head to the best head GIVER: potter

the best head GIVER: yes evans

the best head: is the reason peter desperately needs the toilet something to do with you

the best head GIVER: evans I hate to break it to you but I really don’t know anything about peter’s bladder

the best head: potter

the beast head GIVER: yes evans

the best head: is the reason peter desperately needs the toilet going to mean I don’t have to go to 6th period maths

the best head GIVER: what if the answer is yes

the best head: I can get peter out of here in less than 30 seconds

the best head GIVER: then yes

the best head: on it

-

the hacker: evans is amazing

the hacker: I am in AWE

the hacker: seriously guys

the hacker: u should have seen it

the hacker: I am in LOVE

the brains: we don’t need another evans fan

the brains: find another ginger to fawn over

the brains: also hurry the fuck up

the hacker: im here

-

the best head to the best head GIVER: this was u???

the best head: I

the best head: potter bloody hell

the best head: this is amazing

the best head: I can see mcgongall smiling

the best head: u r definitely still getting detentions though

-

the muscle sent a screenshot to Official Marauder BusinessTM.

the muscle: we have evans’ approval

the brains: did we need it?

the brains: no

-

Sirius Black to Lily Evans: it was my idea

-

the best head GIVER to the best head: u were right

the best head GIVER: we got detentions

the best head GIVER: but also she posed for a picture with the reindeer so really

the beast head GIVER: she doesn’t have a leg to stand on

the beast head GIVER: and Dumbledore has asked the ice rink people if they can keep it here for the junior school fete this weekend

the best head: how did u even do it

the best head GIVER: a magician never reveals his secrets

the best head: u r an Arse potter

the best head GIVER: beat me in the mince pie eating competition and I’ll tell u

the best head: u r going DOWN

the best head GIVER: I knew u would want to test my nickname out eventually

the best head: blocked