The Lone Wolf {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 16 - Christmas Day

The Potters and the McKinnons grew closer as the holidays went on. They started to see each other nearly every second day and now Ivy and James had more people to play with. Marlene was still a bit cautious around James, but Ivy managed to convince both of them to loosen up just a little and give the other a chance. And soon, Marlene would come over to their house and play Quidditch and teach Ivy how to braid her hair and ask James what prank should she do on her brothers and they would all go back to the McKinnons and set this prank into place. Then they would have to run back to Potter Manor when Mitchell chased them out of the house, desperately pulling a hat over his rainbow hair. The holidays were definitely more fun than they used to be. 

The sun was just starting to rise when Ivy heard the banging on the other side of her bedroom door. She groaned and curled up in a ball, pulling her blanket over her head. The banging continued. "IVY! IVY!! IVY! IVY!" The annoying voice chanted with the banging and Ivy sighed with annoyance, sitting up. She looked at the clock on her wall and her eyes widened. It was 6:07. It was morning! She realised and started to grin with excitement. James only banged on her door like that for special occasions or when he wanted to be really annoying. Sometimes both... 

"IVY!! IVY! IVY! IVY!" Ivy jumped up and grabbed her purple bathrobe. She wrapped it around her and ran to open the door. She opened the door to see her brother with crooked glasses, bleary eyes and his bed hair even more horrendous then it normally was, but that didn't hide his massive grin. 

"It's Christmas!" They yelled in unison and Ivy grinned. 

"Merry Christmas Ives!" 

"Merry Christmas Jamie!"

"Come on!" James grabbed her wrist and dragged out of her room and down the stairs. Ivy screamed and ran after him, careful not to trip. "Our stockings are full! And look at how many gifts there are!!" 

He was right. Underneath the Christmas tree, which had been decorated top to bottom with golden lights and red tinsel, were a few presents. Not many, but it was still exciting. On the very top shone a bright star, which Ivy got to put up this year. Above the fireplace were two stockings, a green one and a red one. The green one was Ivy's but they sorted that out years ago, even before Hogwarts.

James dragged her to the fireplace and opened his stocking. It was filled to the brim with different sweets like Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans, Sugar Quills, Liquorice Wands, Jelly Slugs and much more. Ivy dug through hers and grabbed a Sugar Quill and started eating it immediately. 

"Come on!" Ivy said, and dragged James to the Christmas tree. They sat down and grabbed their presents from their parents. Ivy turned over her present and started to rip at the red wrapping paper, instead of waiting for their parents. Her eyes widened and she let out a small scream, jumping up to her feet. 

"James! James! James! James! James! Look!" Ivy shook the wrapping off and waved the broomstick in front of him. "It's a broomstick! It's a Moontrimmer!! It can fly-" 

"Higher than any other broom and still be controllable!" James finished and jumped up too. He went to grab it but Ivy moved it out of his reach.

"No, back off! You can't touch this! I think it's faster than yours!" 

"What?! I wonder what mine is..." James held up the package wrapped in blue paper. It was soft and definitely didn't look like a broomstick. 

"It's not a broomstick Jamie." The twins turned around as their parents walked down the stairs. Ivy ran to her father, giving him a big hug. 

"Thanks for the broomstick! Merry Christmas, Dad!" She exclaimed and hugged Euphemia too. "And Mum! I got a broomstick! Is it faster than James' broom??"