Cats and Dogs

Chapter 25

My eyes shot open and I quickly sat up with a grin. I threw off my sheets and jumped off my bed, ran out of my room, down the hall, past the kitchen and the stairs and into the living room and my grin grew.
“Alastor!” I called loudly. “ALASTOR!!” I yelled even louder.
“What?!” he bellowed.
“Presents!” I screamed excitedly. I ran over to the large Christmas tree in the corner of the living room by the fire place and fell to my knees and grabbed a large box, I grabbed the card and frowned when I read that it said Alastor. I pushed it aside and let out a shriek when it shook violently. I looked at it with wide eyes and then scooted away from it.
I heard heavy foot steps and I saw Alastor enter the living room a few moments later with messy hair and an agitated look. I pointed to the still moving box, “That’s yours.”
He let out a gruff sound and limped over to it. “Which one is yours to me?” I asked looking at the presents.
“That one.” he said pointing to a square box.
I smiled, grabbed it, and tore it open. I mock gasped, “Oh my! A camera! How did you know, Al?!” he rolled his eye while the weird one was looking at all of the boxes. I smiled and moved the gift aside and grabbed a smaller box and grabbed the card.

Happy Christmas, Amilia!
I really hope you like your present, see you soon.

Love,
Lily Evans

I smiled and peeled off the wrappings and then opened the box to see something shimmering and shining. It looked like a cluster of stars. I pulled it out a gasped softly. It was a beautiful blurple butterfly. It’s wings were shimmering beautifully and the second it was in my palm it fluttered to life. I smiling in awe at its beauty. It softly and quietly flapped its wings and flew out of my hand, as it flew a shimmering, starry substance trailed after it. It flew over my head and then shinned brightly before landing softly on my shoulder. One of its antennas touched my ear, “Hello? Amilia?”
My eyes widened at Lily’s voice. “Lily?” I asked in astonishment.
I heard her laugh, “Yes, it’s me. How do you like your present?”
I blinked a few times and then grinned, “I love it! What exactly is it?”
“I made it. I just finished it the first day of break. It’s a way we can communicate, whenever, wherever.”
“Wow, Lily, that’s amazing! It’s beautiful!”
“Thanks. But, do you mind me asking, but why a doe?”
I smiled, “Do you like it?”
“Yeah, it’s lovely. But why a doe?” she asked again.
“You’ll see when we get back to Hogwarts.” I stated with a sly smile.
“Hm… Alright then. Well, we’re about to eat breakfast, I’ll talk to you later. She’ll glow brightly if I’m calling you and just put her on your shoulder if you want to call me.”
“Alright, sounds simple enough. Bye, Lily.”
“Goodbye!”
The butterfly flew off my shoulder and then began to fly around the room. I turned to Alastor to see him opening the gift I got him. He pulled out the wand sheath with a small smile, “Ah, I’ve been meaning to get one of these! I’ve had to keep my wand in my hand at all times, ’cause I saw the most gruesome thing a while ago. Some lad put his wand it his back pocket and now his buttock-”
“Okay, er, fascinating story, really, but I think I’m going to pass on it this time.” I grabbed another present that was in the shape of a book.

Hope it comes in handy, though I hope you never have to use them!
~Remus

I tore open the wrapping and saw a book entitled, Practical Defensive Magic & Its Use Against the Dark Arts.
I smiled and then put it by my camera and reached over and grabbed a large, but flat gift and pulled off the card.

It’s a gift from both Frank and I. It was my idea but he drew it. He’s quite talented in many things.
Hope you like it. ;)
Your friend,
Alice

I smiled lightly and opened it. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. It was a drawing of me running into Sirius’ arms and then we began to snog. My face was red with what I was convinced with anger and I clenched my jaw and shut my eyes tightly.
“What is it?” Alastor asked.
My eyes flew open and I quickly pulled the drawing out of his view as he watched me with a raised eyebrow, “Nothing!” I snapped.
I glared at the picture and dropped it with the other gifts before reaching out a grabbing another one. It was a box of different types of candies from Honeydukes from Peter and then I grabbed another present. It was a large box and I pulled off the card and read it.

Use them well, my grasshopper.
Your best-mate,
James!

I smiled and opened the large box to see a wide range of different Zonko’s assortments and a book entitled, Basic Hexes For the Busy & Vexed. My smile turned into a grin and I shook my head.
“That’s your last one. The rest is mine.” Alastor stated gruffly. I frowned at his large pile.
“Why did you get so many?” I asked with a pout.
He scoffed, “Maybe people are just grateful I’ve been putting Death Eaters away!”
“Alright, alright, so touchy…” I mumbled the last part, causing his eyes to narrow in suspicion.
I grabbed the last box. I was the smallest and I grabbed the card.

Happy Christmas, Whiskers.
Sirius

My shoulders fell in disappointment because I was hoping to read a bit more than ‘Happy Christmas, Whiskers’. I put the card down and slowly and carefully unfolded the wrappings and then my eyes narrowed at the flat, square black velvet box.
I inhaled a sharp breath and let it out slowly as I gently opened the luxurious box.
I let out a small huff and glared at what I saw for not being what I had thought it would be. Well, I wasn’t sure what I thought it was going to be… but still.
A small smile crept onto my face as I shook my head slowly and I pulled out the cat collar. It was black and wondered if the soft, smooth fabric was silk. I held it up and then I looked at the silver I.D. tag and read:

Whiskers
Property of Sirius Black.

I stared at it blankly, not exactly knowing how to feel about this. Should I be flattered? Angry? Amused? I mean, how could I be flattered that someone is calling me their property? But I wasn’t angry so I decided that I should feel amused by this… amusing gesture.
I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle and then fasten the collar around my right wrist, letting it hang loosely there I stood up and stretched. I pulled out my wand and pointed it at all the wrappings, “Evanesco.” The wrappings vanished and I felt Alastor’s eyes glare at the back of my neck. I grabbed all my gifts and cards and looked up to see the butterfly flying over me as I made my way to my room to put these things away.
Once in my room I put my camera, a few of James’ Zonko’s gifts, and some candies into my trunk. I placed the two spell books I received on my bed along with some Sugar Quills and then slowly lifted the framed drawing Alice and Frank sent me. I scowled at it and then shoved it under my bed before climbing onto it. I stuck a Sugar Quill into my mouth and grabbed Practical Defensive Magic & Its Use Against the Dark Arts and flipped it open and pulled out my wand and began to read the instructions for the first spell.

~~~

The rest of Christmas break was slow and inactive. I spent most of my time in my room testing out spells from the spell books James and Remus gave me. Alastor was back to work the day after Christmas, leaving early in the morning, coming back late at night -- sometimes the next morning. Though he said there were too many to count protective spells on our house I still didn’t feel safe which made me sad. I always felt safe here when my parents were alive. With them around this war didn’t seem real and I felt like it could never hurt me or even the ones I love.
I was in shock for weeks over my parents death. I don’t even remember most of the days. Alastor said all I did was cry; I cried when I was awake, while I ate, in the loo, and even while I was asleep and then one day I just stopped and didn’t cry again until the day I was off to Hogwarts.
I found myself smiling lightly at the thought of returning to Hogwarts. The food, the magic and warmth, the adventure, the classes, my friends…
The memory of running around with the Marauders made me get a feeling of longing to return to Hogwarts as soon as possible.
“Royal,” I called for my butterfly. It fluttered off the top of my desk and flew over to me sitting on my bed, and then landed on my shoulder, placed its antenna on my ear and I waited. The was an odd buzz, “Lily?”
“What are you doing up at… five in the morning? Your usually the one who,” she yawned loudly, “sleeps in.” She finished.
I pouted, “Yeah, but I’m bored. I want to go back to Hogwarts already.” I grumbled.
I heard her laugh softly, “Yeah, me too. I think you can last till tomorrow, though.”
I groaned, “No I can’t.”
“You’re beginning to sound like James.”
“Am I, Lily-Flower?” I smiled in amusement as I heard her groan.
“Don’t call me that!” she hissed.
I laughed, “So, do you miss James?”
She sighed, “Yeah… do you miss Sirius?”
“What?!” I snapped. “No--geeze, you and Alice have joined forces to-”
“Make you realize that you and Sirius should be together?”
“No!” I yelled in frustration.
“Look, you’re going to dump Regulus -- then what?”
I chewed on my bottom lip in thought and then answered, “I’m going to take a break from boys. Just enjoy having good friendships.”
I knew Lily rolled her eyes, “You’re so stubborn.” she mumbled. “Everyone knows you like Sirius-”
“Except for me! I don’t know that I like Sirius because I don’t. So drop it.”
“Hmph. Well… just think about it!”
I was about to yell that there was nothing to think about but Royal flew off my shoulder letting me know that Lily had ended the conversation. I let out an annoyed and frustrated scream and threw my face into my pillow, letting out a muffled scream.
After a few more moments of screaming I flipped over and stared into the starry ceiling and watching the galaxies swirl, stars twinkle, and shooting stars fly. I couldn’t help it as my mind wondered into all the memories of Sirius. I couldn’t help but smile at them, even with the occasional shake of the head.
I slowly got of my bed and then got on my hands and knees and reached out under my bed. I pulled out the drawing.
I rolled my eyes as I watched the drawing of me run into Sirius’ arms and then shook my head when we began to kiss… though I was smiling.
I thought back to when I kissed Sirius when I was on the love potion… even though I knew I only kissed him because of the potion I still wanted to go out with him after. I was… looking forward to our date… I was looking forward to kissing him again.
My stomach twisted and my heart began to beat heavily.
I thought back to Slughorn’s dance… the way he kept making me laugh… the way he made me blush… the way my stomach flipped, twisted, and fluttered… the way I felt when he held me… the way he rested his head against mine…the way his warm breath felt nice against my neck… the way my heart seemed to swell and beat faster and harder…
My eyes widened slightly and I dropped the drawing.
“Oh my god… I think I love Sirius Black.”