Stars- James Potter

chapter 12

The months quickly past by and before they knew it tomorrow the students of Hogwarts were going home for Christmas break. The Marauders were as expected, beyond the moon. Little people knew this but the four boys were suckers for the holiday. They would always meet at James', wear fuzzy socks and watch holiday movies while drinking hot chocolate.

Lexi however wasn't practically keen on going home, knowing she would have to spend two full weeks with her family. No she was dreading the moment she had to step out of the train and pretend to be the perfect daughter her parents wanted.

Luckily for her, her friends tried to ease her mind the days before. James especially felt like it was his job to make Lexi feel loved and cared for, so she can think about that love during the Christmas break. Today was the last Hogsmeade trip and Lexi decided to go and buy presents for everyone. She knew what to buy most of her friends, but one person she had no idea what to buy for, was James Potter.

Yes, the two were getting closer and closer and the flutter in her heart, when he would wrap his arm casually around her shoulders, was growing. She knew he liked- no lived for- Quidditch, so naturally she was thinking of buying him something related to Quidditch. The problem was what? First she thought why not a broom cleaning kit? Then she thought to herself it was stupid. He probably has a lot of that.

She was scanning the broom shop when an idea came to her mind. Since James was a chaser for the Gryffindor team, why not buy him gloves and embroiled his name in them. She also thought it would be a good idea to buy him a new scarf and put amortentia in it. That way whenever he wore it it would smell like something he loved. So she did

When Lexi was finished with buying all of her Christmas presents she went back to the school. She went to her common room passing people she knew and smiling at them. Of course there were the good Slytherins, who weren't predujiced and generally mean, no they were nice and were often treated badly just because of the assumptions based on what house they are in.

After she wrapped all of the presents and hid them under her bed, the dark haired girl changed into some more comfortable clothes and laid on the bed, a book sprawled on her lap. She needed moments like this for herself. With no worry about anything, not her friends and what people would think now that she was friends with Gryffindors, or what her parents had in mind for her, she was just a simple girl reading her book. And for a moment she let herself believe it was really possible.

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Lexi was abroading the Hogwarts train along with her friends. She was struggling to drag her train all the way, but then her knight in shining armor came to save the day

" Here let me help you, Lex" James said after seeing the girl struggle. She smiled at him and let him take her trunk from her. " So what are your plans for the holidays?"

" Oh- um you know, probably gonna stay in my room until the day of the ball. Pretend to be the perfect daughter, the same old. How about you? How are you spending Christmas" Lexi asked him

" Well me and my parents have this tradition to decorate the Christmas tree without magic and it's always fun because most of the time we disagree on the color theme. And probably when the boys come we would watch movies and drink hot chocolate. You know you should come. My parents don't mind and they would love to meet you. And even if you don't want to spend Christmas with us please promise me to come to mine if it gets too much. '' he looked at the girl with a hopeful look and pleading eyes. Lexi was finding it really hard to say no to him. It's not like she didn't want to, no she very much did. it was more of the fact that if she did not only would she be punished but she would be disowned for going to a blood-traitors home.

" I don't know, James. You know how long it took Sirius to leave his parents. And there will be a lot of things at stake if I do come to your house. " she said and a frown immediately set on James' face. " But I will still send you the gifts and I know you would love them. it would be like I'm there but not really there. " she quickly added grinning. The boy couldn't help but grin too.

The two boarded the Hogwarts Express and soon found the compartment their friends had occupied. They were just walking into an argument.

" NO, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans is wayyy better that jelly slugs" Peter exclaimed earning a glare from Sirius, who was eating his jelly slugs

" Guys, whatever you want to think, everyone knows there isn't anything better than chocolate." Remus grinned, not taking his eyes off the book that was laid on his lap, and the other two boys looked at him with narrowed eyes.

" What are you guys even arguing about this time? " James asked as she took a seat, Lexi plopped next to him

" Peter says that Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans is better than jelly slugs and Remus as always praises his chocolate. I sweat to Merlin, that boy has a problem" Sirius said and Remus just shrugged continuing with his book.

For the next few hours they sat and talked and played games. Lexi however was getting tired and had a hard time keeping her eyes closed as Remus and Peter were in an intensive game of wizard chess. James noticed her eyelids closing themselves and she shrugged them open trying to stay awake. So he nudged her a little.

"Hey, why don't you take a nap, hm? I'm gonna wake you up when we get there" he said and Lexi looked at him gratefully. The girl leaned on her seat in the train and soon sleep took over her. She didn't even realize it when her head fell on James' shoulder. The boy , however, noticed it and his heart fluttered seeing her sleeping so peacefully, not worrying about anything and anyone. He wrapped one hand around her shoulders to keep her steady and not bang her hand on the window. James kissed her head and looked back up at his friends.

The boys continued with their games and talk , with James stealing glances at the sleeping figure of Lexi.

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"Love, come on it's time to wake up" a voice called and Lexi felt a slight shake on her shoulders. The girl opened her eyes and looked at the smiling face of James Potter. She smiled, but made it into a frown when she remembered where she was going

" We arrived already? '' she asked sadly. James wrapped his arms around the girl in a way to comfort her. " It's going to be alright love. Like I said you can come whenever you want. " he whispered in her ear as her arms wrapped around his torso.

After they pulled away he gave her a reassuring smile and the two of them made their way out. Stepping into Kings Cross station should be a good feeling but Lexi's mood was just getting worse.

She got her truck and quickly bid goodbye to her friends, so that she can look for her parents. She saw her father standing at the end with an annoyed expression. She went to him and he didn't change his face

" You're late" he stated

" yeah, sorry . There were a lot of people on the train. I had to wait for them to get out. " she said emotionlessly. He grabbed her by the arm and apparated to their home, but not before she could catch the eyes of James Potter who gave her a sad smile

Happy holidays to me. She thought bitterly when she landed next to the door of their house.

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