a/n: yes, i was bored so i decided to write this chapter, i may do one for 'playing house' as well. But that's it!

Chapter eighteen.

'Merlin's beard…' Remus wrapped his arms around Ellie and hugged her tightly, 'I am so sorry, are you going to be okay?'

'I don't know.' Ellie said, looking up at him, her hair gradually flickering to a dull brown, her aqua eyes were sad and filled of desperation.

'I don't know what to say.'

'Then just don't say anything at all.' She said softly, leaning in to kiss him, but he backed away.

'Ellie.' He said, 'I don't want to take advantage, you're fragile.'

'I'm sorry.' A stray tear began to run down her cheek, but she brushed it away quickly.

'Come on, I'll take you to St. Mungo's to see your dad.'

'But…' she said weakly,

'I think you need this, it'll be like closure.'

Ellie said nothing; she just nodded.

Outside, Emma and Katherine were trying to contain their excitement,

'Yes! It's working!' Emma said,

'Yeah, what a good idea.' Katherine said,

'Thanks.'

'Huh? It was my idea!' Katherine said,

'No it wasn't, I thought of it!' Emma argued,

'Oh as if, you always try to take credit for everything.'

'No I don't!' Katherine shouted,

'Emma!' a voice shouted, as a figure staggered round the corner, smacking into the wall. The person had a bucket on his head, so naturally no one had any clue who it was.

'Er, yes?' she answered, 'Can I help you?'

'Oh Emma! Thank Merlin it's you!' the bucket said in a muffled voice, 'Can you help me get this off my head.'

'Who are you?' Emma asked, Katherine could hardly breath she was laughing so hard,

'It's me! Siwoop!' it said,

'Who?'

'I think it meant to say "Sirius"' Katherine informed her,

'Oh, um why do you have a bucket on your head?'

'Long story, I'll tell you when it comes off, but for now can you help me get this off? It's extremely tight!'

'Then why did you put it on?'

'Just help me woman!'

'No, I don't feel like it.' Emma said, 'Not when you call me woman.'

'Katherine?' He asked, 'Can you help me?'

Katherine looked at Emma, as if to ask for approval, but she shook her head.

'Sorry.' She said, as they walked off.

'Damn it!' Sirius said weakly, as he sat down in the middle of the corridor.

Christmas day passed what seemed like very slowly, James was bored out of his brains, tired of being asked to pose for another photo with Aunt Margrete, or Uncle Ira, no one seemed to care that Uncle Ira's unpleasant stench was not something James enjoyed being around. He wanted to go home and open his presents, instead of opening countless presents that were stupidly girly; he knew none of them Lily would actually like.

However, for Lily it could not have been more wonderful, she stuffed herself silly with turkey, Christmas pudding and all the other wonderful foods Mrs. Potter had made; and she only had to put up with one completely off-key round of Christmas songs from James' Uncle Bingo. And after opening all of James' presents, she received two of her very own presents from his parents. They gave her a silver bracelet and a beautiful antique music box. Later on, as she was admiring her gift, she laughed as she realised how silly it must have looked to James' other family, seeing this boy looking delighted at a bracelet and music box.

The next day, Lily and James met at the train station and boarded together, for the ride back to Hogwarts. They swapped all their stories and presents, before arriving back at the old castle that was home away from home to them. As soon as they walked in the door they were met by Katherine, Peter and Emma, and bombarded with questions from their friends about their presents and how bad their families had behaved.

'Where's Ellie?' James asked,

'And Remus and Sirius?' Lily added,

'Yeah, don't they care enough to come and ask us for their presents?' James said,

'Ellie and Remus went to St. Mungo's, they left this morning.' Emma informed them,

'And Sirius…' Katherine started to say,

'DAMN IT!' said a voice, coming from the stairs, then followed a loud crash and a number of words too foul to be mentioned. A moment later, a bucket with a body attached to it hobbled into the room.

'Sirius, how nice of you to grace us with your presence!' Emma said,

'Yeah, whatever. Now please will you take this bucket off my head? It's been two days already!' he yelled.

At that moment Ellie and Remus walked in, hand in hand. Ellie looked up at them momentarily, before slowly trudging up the stairs. Then, before walking into her dorm, she swished her wand in Sirius' direction, and the bucket flew off his head.

'I'M FREE! I'M FREE!' He screamed, running in circles narrowly avoiding what could have resulted in him falling into the fire.

'What a party pooper!' Katherine exclaimed,

'Um, Remus… don't you have some explaining to do?' Lily asked, and then James chipped in, 'Yeah, what was with all the gloominess on her face and why were you holding ha-'

'Just don't, not now.' He said, before leaving the room.

'I'M FREE! I FEEL LIBERATED! I'M FRE-' Sirius' screams of delight were cut short by a loud smash. He had run into the wall.

a/n: it's probably really bad as i haven't written anything in months. oh well... review