Harry's First Christmas, page 1
part #2 of James Potter Short Story Series Series
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Page No 1
Harrys First Christmas
A Marauders Christmas Story
b y G. Norman Lippert
Dedicated to Tom Grey and supportstacie.net
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Page No 2
ou have to admit, the young man said, raising his chin approvingly and looking out over the
busy street, the city is nice at the holidays.
You can admit it all you want, the auburn - haired woman next to him sniffed,
stepping over an oily puddle on the footpath . It wont make it true. Give me a Christm as in the Berkshire
hill country any day . Ill never be able to feel festive about a Styrofoam snowman impaled on a taxi antenna.
The lights are nice, the man commented, unperturbed. And the sense of hustle and bustle. Its
like were at the North Pole and all the people around are Santas elves.
I ve known to o many elves to think thats very festive either, James. She pulled her wool hat down
on her brow and shivered. And how can it be this cold without snowing?
The man smiled and bumped h er playfully with his hip. Buck up, Lil . I ts the first time weve been
out of the hou se alone in months. It might not be a n enchanted sleigh ride through a winter wonderland, but
i ts still Christmas. And s omebody I know is going to absolutely adore whats in this sack here. The man
held up a small white bag with the word s Shugarwhims , Diagon Alley printed on it in dark red letters. The
woman smiled a little crookedly and snatched the sack from his hands.
Hes too young to even know what footie pyjamas are. All hell know is that they keep his little toes
warm at night.
I wasnt talking about him , t he man, James, replied quietly, putting his arm around the woman,
Lily, and snugging her close as they walked. She gave a small sigh and settled next to him.
I adore him no mat ter what he wears. But the green will bring out his eyes, dont you think?
James rolled his e yes theatrically. I thought so t he last three times you asked , back in the shop. I
haven t changed my mind yet, but I might if you ask once more .
It doesnt hurt you to indulge me, at least while we only have one. Wait until we have a houseful.
Y
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Like that family back in the sale corner at Shugarwhims? James replied archly. Dont even joke
about such thing s. Ive never seen so mu ch red hair in my life. And I m pretty sure one of those charming
children tried to sneak a Zonkos stink bomb in to my coat pocket. Little blighter couldnt have been more
than eight years old.
Oh, but did you see the twins? Now that really would be lovely, dont you think?
Now youre just teasing me. Lets practice with one baby for a while, then well talk about having a
bakers dozen. Fair enough?
Lily didnt answer . She allowed the small sack to dangle at her sid e as she walked, her eyes pensive.
James glanced aside at her.
Youre not still worried, are you? he asked in a low voice.
Lily shook her head slightly, not exactly in negation, and shrugged. She sighed shallowly and said,
How can I not be?
James drew a deep breath as they stopped at a busy intersection. A grime covered bus burred by,
pulling a plume of exhaust behind it. James turned to look at his wife. You heard t he headmaster, Lil. Even
if this prophecy is real, were perfectly safe. Like he said, if it ever becomes necessary, w e can hide the house,
choose a Secret K eeper and lay low until the danger passes. If you cant trust old Dumbledore to know what
he s talki n g a bo ut, well
Lily looked up into James eyes, searching them, her brow furrowed very slightly. After a moment,
she looked away. Come on, she said, pulling him by the hand and stepping off the curb.
They crossed the street and walked a while in silence. The muggle crowd moved around them like a
river around a rock, tense and scowling, lugging packages and hailing taxis. Lily looked up at the windows of
the apartments over the busy street. She knew this area relatively well, despite her profession of distaste for
the city. One of her best friends from school, Anastacia T roika, now lived in a third floor walk - up on the
opposite side of the street. Lily scanned the building and easily found the window of Stacias flat; colored
light flickered behind the lace curtains. Muggle passersby on the street would have assumed the lights were a
telly, but Lily knew better. Stacia liked to decorate her Christmas tree with live Russian flickerbirds, their tiny
flashing wings lighting the tree as they built their immaculate little nests in its branches. Lily had helped her
erect just such a tree in the Gryffindor girls dorm during their third year, until Dumbledore had suggested
that the flickerbirds colorful flashing wings and tinkling birds ong were proving rather a nuisance to the girls
attempting to sleep nearby. Lily had always suspected it had been Christiana Corsica whod complained to
Dumbledore, and not because the tiny birds were keeping her awake at night. Christiana was simply nas ty
and vain, and she tended to dislike anything that might be considered more beautiful than her self . This, at
least, was Lilys strong conviction, if not an admitted fact. Strangely enough, Christiana now lived in a
penthouse on the next corner, along w ith her creepy twin brother, Chrystophan. Neither of them worked, as
far as the old school network of Lilys friends knew, but the Corsica family was wealthy, and everyone
assumed that the penthouse was provided for the twins by their reclusive father.
As she walked alongside James, Lily wondered how many other windows above belonged to
wizarding families, or how many of the shops along the busy street were secretly run by witches and wizards.
Diagon Alley and its secret surroundings were quite large, a nd yet Lily knew that many of the shops
technically outside of the hidden magical district also kept secret back rooms and upstairs offices, catering to
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the thousands of magical folk who travelled through the area each day; the Diagon Alley run - off, her father
had always affectionately called them. Some of the secret wizarding shops merely sold cheap magical cookery
and trinkets, like the dreadful cuckoo clock James had gotten her last year, but some of them dealt in much
darker services. For no reason, Li ly thought again of the Corsica s and their mysterious penthouse. Was it
possible that they were, in fact, engaged in some sort of business, using their conveniently located home as
their meeting place? Lily shook her head, smiling a little crookedly. Just because you dont like her , she
thought to herself, doesnt give you an excuse to imagine her as the spearhead of some dark conspirac y .
She decided not even to me ntion her musings to James. He had outrig ht hated Ch ristia nas
Hufflepuff brother, Chrystophan, and would probably have the poor twit mentally convicted and sentenced
to Azkaban before they even got back to their front door in Godrics Hollow.
As the two of them approached the next corner, a rather thin, unhappy - looking Santa was ringing a
bell and extolling anyone whod listen about the breathtaking deals to be had in the shop behind him. As
James and Lily passed him, James hooked Lilys elbow and pulled her sharply around the corner, heading into
a narrow side street.
Where are we go ing? Lily asked, frowning at her husband.
I dont mean to cause you alarm, love, so lets just walk a bit faster and keep a sharp eye out.
What on earth are you talking about?
I cant know for sure, but Ive been a sneak long enough to recognize s neaking. I think s omeone is
following us.
Lily drew a sharp breath, but James spoke before she could voice her fear. Dont worry, Lil,
whoever it is, theyre no older than we are, and not anywhere as good at tailin g people as me and Padfoot . I
notice d him when we stopped at the corner a block back. He turned and stared into the window of the shoe
shop like he was trying to count the boots.
So we shou
dark street ?
Because, James replied evenly, glancing aside to watch their reflections in a shop window. I want
to see who he is.
James, no! Lily whispered, glancing up at him. That s daft !
Stay behind me, James said, and Lily was annoyed to re aliz e that her husband was rather enjoying
himself. He turned again, suddenly, pulling Lily into a very narrow, dead - end alley. Instantly, he pushed her
to the side, up a series of steps and into a dark doorway. He stood in front of her, his wand suddenly
pr otruding from his hand. Deftly, he twirled it in his fingers a trick he and Sirius had practiced for nearly
the entirety of their fifth school term, believing it made them appear dashing and roguish. Lily rolled her
eyes.
Footsteps clattered along the footpath outside the alley and a shadow a ppeared. A moment later, a
shape ran around the corner and into the alley. The figure was thin, draped in a long black cloak. The hood
had come down, revealing black hair and a long nose. Lily immediately recog nized the figure and drew a
breath to call out, but James was faster. He leapt down the steps, blocking t he mouth of the alley and raising
his wand.
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Levicorpus, he commanded, but his voice was drowned out by the voice of the newcomer, who was
a split s econd faster with his disarming spell . There was a flash and Jame s wand spun out of his hand,
clattering into a stack of trash cans at the rear of the alley.
Really, Potter, the voice of the newcomer drawled, You should try to learn some new spells.
Severus! Lily cried, moving past James, getting between them. What are you doing?
Not what you are probably thinking, Evans . That ship has sailed. Other than that, I have no need
to explain myself.
You were following us, James declared, step ping next to his wife. Not exactly the sort of behavi or
one would expect from the next Hogwarts Potions Master.
And walking unprotected along busy city streets is not exactly what one might expect of two people
whove been warned of possible attack.
James narrowed his eyes. How would you know about that?
Snape sighed dramatically. For a Gryffind or, you are a remarkably suspicious ma n, Potter. Indeed,
as the next Potions M aster, I have been invited into certain confidences . Let us leave it at that.
Lily studied Snapes eyes. But Severus, why were you following us?
Snape met Lilys gaze for a moment, and then looked away, lowering his wand. He seemed to
struggle with himself for a moment, and then gestured at James, glaring at him. Beca use , Evans, this man
you have attached yourself to is too arrogant and foolish to believe that anyone can touch him. He cannot
protect you. And if he wont fulfill that duty, then some one must.
Thats it, James said quietly. Ive heard enough. Com e on, Lil,
Severus, Lily said quietly, taking a step closer to the dark figure. What do you know about this?
You know more than you are letting on, dont you? I can tell.
Lil, you cant trust him, James said, tugging on her elbow. For all we know, hes in it waist deep
with those who are against us.
Snape looked away again. Go, he said hollowly. T he longer you stand here, the more dangerous
it is.
James turned to Lily, meeting her eyes. Wait here. Ill be right back. She nodded slightly, her
brow furrowed. James l ooked up at Snape, but the dark - haired man was still looking away, refusing to meet
James eyes. James shook his head in disgust and stalked past him, heading toward the trash cans at the back
of the alley. As he look ed for his wand, he could hear Lily and Snape talking in low voices. Snape was
certainly a greasy git, but in spite of everything , James was quite certain he was harmless. He swore as he
bent, searching between the rusty cans for his wand among the rubbi sh. He finally found it wedged into a
corner atop a moldy newspaper. He grabbed it and wiped it on his jeans as he walked back toward the mouth
of the alley. He stopped suddenly and looked up, examining the buildings on either side of him. Slowly, he
t urned and looked back toward the dead end. A smile came over his face.
I knew this alley looked familiar, he said to himself. Hed have to tell Sirius about it when he got
back to the house. How long ago had it been since that fateful night? Four, five years? Impossible. Sirius
would likely laugh and ask if his motorbike tracks were still burnt onto the pavement . Remus wouldnt be
amused, though. He was the superstitious sort; probably, it was part of what he called his curse. Being
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cornered in the same alley by the Muggle police at one time and Snivel l us at another was the sort of cosmic
coincidence that Remus would find portentious. James decided hed tell him anyway.
Lets go, Lil, he said, approaching her and keeping his back to Snap e. The others will be waiting.
Last time we left the baby with Remus and Pettigrew, they tried to feed him a bowl of mashed Every Flavour
Beans.
James, Lily said quietly, her eyes still on Snape. Severus has nowhere to go for Christmas.
James st opped and looked at her. You cant be serious, he muttered. You really cant.
I am, you great brute. And I know youll do the right thing.
James drew a huge sigh and looked over his shoulder. Snape had pocketed his wand and raised his
hood agai n. As James watched, Snape walked past him, heading out onto the street.
Hey , Severus, James called, struggling to keep his voice even. Er, sorry about trying to jinx you.
Maybe you really were just trying to help. Maybe youll let me repay you b y coming over to our place for
dinner tonight , eh ? Lil made a duck, and Sirius, Remus and Peter will be there. Itll be like old times.
Old times, Snape scoffed, not quite turning back. He sighed. You really dont know who you are
up against, do y ou? Youd inv ite me back to your home, show me exactly where you live , despite everything
the headmaster has told you. Is that right?
Well, James replied, his face darkening a bit. If youre trying to tell me you arent trustworthy
after all,
I m trying to tell you that no one is trustworthy, Potter. Not now. You have Dumbledore, and you
have your circle. Let us hope that you have chosen your friends well, although I have my doubts. But you
must understand that those who are seeking you will stop at nothing. They will not think twice about killing
or torturing. Until you grasp the very real peril you are in, you will continue to make it easy for those who
seek to destroy you. This may be your last warning.
How do you know so much, James said, narrowing his eyes and stepping out onto the street to face
Snape. Dumbledore didnt say anything about killing . He just told us about a prophecy that could cause
He Who Must Not Be Named and his worthless cronies to be interested in our son, and warned us to watch
out and be careful. He told us hed warn us if th e danger ever became grave. Why should we believe you?
Where do you think the headmaste r gets what little information he has , Potter? Snape suddenly
hissed, moving toward James so that they were nearly nose to nose in the da rkness. These are awful times,
times that require the sorts of risks and sacrifices that a person like you couldnt begin to comprehend. Some
of us are willing to venture into the shadows on behalf of ingrates like you. Some of us are willing to take
upon ourselves the responsibilities others shirk . And why do we do it? Well
Snape faltered, glancing aside at Lily, who was watching, her eyes wide. He took a step backwards
and turned away. It hardly matt ers. All that matters is that you heed the warnings youve received, Potter.
All that matters is that you understand what you are facing. After that, your fate is in your hands.
James studied the other man, his eyes still narrowed. Finally, he steppe d back and took Lily by the
