Forever and a Day ~ James Potter

Present

Chapter Fifty-Five

17:36

"Don't tell him," Sirius hissed into Rosie's ear as they headed up the steps towards the front entrance of Potter Manor, where their lovely House Elf was waiting eagerly. "However badly you think we reacted, I promise James will be one hundred times worse."

"You almost Reducto'd the door to ashes," Rosie muttered, raising her eyebrows at him. "And Remus damn near obliviated Charlie to get him to move out of the way. Even Lily swore never to feel sorry for Snape again."

"Exactly," Sirius gave her a knowing look, expressing just how angry James would get if he ever discovered what his sworn enemy had done to some of his closest friends.

Rosie began to hope that if he did find out, then he would actually take a similar approach to Charles. She knew that everyone had thought her brother would completely snap, doing something even worse than anything else on his lengthy record of hexes and curses. But, in fact, he had been the one to persuade the other boys to think logically about the situation and to spend their Christmas holidays both calming down and coming up with a sensible revenge plan that wouldn't get them caught.

Rosie especially noticed that Lily seemed rather impressed with the lack of impulsivity on Charles's end, and it was probably this reaction that had encouraged the boy to become more mature in the first place recently.

"What are we talking about?" James turned around from greeting the Elf in the open doorway as Effie and Monty walked into the house. He smiled innocently at his two friends as they gave each other wary looks.

"You're new girlfriend," Sirius lied seamlessly, smirking as he watched James try not to let his face contort with both guilt and disdain. "Yeah, what was it she was saying about her cat? Oh yeah-" he threw back his head and made a loud snoring sound, forcing Rosie actually to cover her face to hold back a snort.

While Sirius was still busy mocking Cordelia Smith, James sent Rosie a guilty grimace, but she replied with a genuine smile, letting him know she was on his side. So, he spoke up confidently as they all walked into the house, "You wouldn't understand, Padfoot."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't understand, Prongs," he became much more serious now, casually handing his coat over to the patient Elf without looking at it. "Actually, Rosie, would you mind if the two of us had a little chat?" he gestured to himself and James, and Rosie only shrugged in response.

James internally screamed.

But he shrugged back at her, keeping his face perfectly straight as he turned to Sirius and began walking towards his bedroom, "Look, I don't expect you to understand..." he felt himself begin to physically ache as he spent yet more time away from his actual girlfriend to come up with a complete lie about the dreadful Smith girl.

*

Friday 24th December 1976 ~ 16:42 ~ waxing moon

My dearest Jamesie,

Being away from you for so long after only being able to have so little precious time together has truly made me grateful for so many things in my life. I simply cannot wait to be back in your strong arms again, my darling.

My Christmas present to you this year will be: present.

All my love, Cordelia Smith.