small_gifts | FIC: Love and Dreams to Share for paulamcg (Reply)

Title: Love and Dreams to Share
Author:

paulamcg
Rating: PG
Prompt: (1) One of them receives just (or almost) what he needs most desperately. (Or anything about gifts.) (2) The light Remus can conjure on his palm. Also tried to incorporate: Borderline slash/gen, Hardships and hope. Poverty. Simple blessings. Beauty in unexpected places. I am well over 18, which is the legal age in my country, too, but I actually prefer G and PG.
Summary: James proposes to Lily on a winter afternoon. Sirius and Remus celebrate (note the rating, get your mind out of the gutter =P)
Other notes: I may extend this, when I have more time. And it'll probably get reallllllll angsty, cause that's what's been coming out of my brain lately. For now, it's pretty darn fluffy. Hope you like it,

paulamcg! Oh, and the first set of lyrics is from A Charlie Brown Christmas. The others are classic Christmas carols.

Christmas 1978

Snowflakes in the air,
carols everywhere,
olden times and ancient rhymes
and love and dreams to share.

The streets are coated with a fine powder of snow, and the shops are decked in fairy lights and garland. Shop windows glow with magical light, highlighting the holiday gifts. A large group, all barely out of school, laugh as they wander through Diagon Alley, simply enjoying a winter afternoon.

The tall, bespectacled man grabs redheaded woman’s hand, and takes off running, grinning. The woman runs behind, one hand holding down her hat, the other clasped in his, and laughing at the pace. The three men left in their wake smiled knowingly.

“James, darling what is this?” They stop in front of a giant pastry shop, and Lily is slightly afraid that James will have even more sugar. Then suddenly a pair of hands cover her eyes. She stiffens for a moment, before registering the barely controlled laughter behind her. “Oh, very funny boys. Now, where are we going?”

James simply takes her hand again, and says, “Wait and see.” Motioning to Sirius over Lily’s shoulder, he makes sure his friend knows the rest of the plan. Sirius rolls his eyes, indicating, yes, of course he remembered the plan.

James starts forward, making sure that Remus and Peter are watching the ground so as to make sure Lily doesn’t fall. They turn a corner, and walk to the second shop. The glow of the window turns everything soft and beautiful.

James nods to Sirius, who slowly takes his hands away, backing up to where Remus and Peter stand, a few yards back.

Lily opens her eyes and gasps. The window in front of her was filled with rings, engagement rings. Always a quick one, she looks back to James, still holding her hand and grinning like a madman. She simply gapes at him, until, still grinning, he gets down on one knee in the snow. “Lily, I love you. I always have, and I always will. Marry me?” James says, the nervous energy making him nearly vibrate.

Lily is frozen for a second, then pulls him up out of the snow, and kisses him soundly on the mouth. “Yes, James! Yes, I will marry you!” James wraps his arms around her, saying, “Pick a ring, Lily. You deserve the best.”

The three men behind them smiled at the picture the two of them made, then walk slowly away. Their part was done.

O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect Light.

“So. James finally asked Lily.” Sirius still can’t keep the grin off his face. James had been planning for months, and Sirius was proud to do his part to help.

“Yeah. Still amazes me sometimes. I keep thinking that one day she’ll turn around and hex his knees backwards,” Peter is still in wonder that James ever got Lily to agree to date him, let alone marry him. But then again, miracles have been known to happen.

Remus says nothing, simply squeezes Sirius’ hand. He had always known Lily would say yes. Sirius squeezes back, and Remus wonders for a minute if he’s been planning something as well. But he pushes the thought from his mind, because neither of them have the money, and it wouldn’t matter even if they did.

Sirius and Peter fall into conversation about Quidditch, Christmas, and Peter’s girlfriend Marie. Remus tunes them out, until he notices the first star in the winter sky. “Hey, guys,” interrupting a rather heated discussion about lacy versus silky, “the first star. Make a wish.” They all stop and fall silent for minute, indulging in the simple moment of wishing on a star. Then they keep walking to the Leaky Cauldron. Peter flooes to his flat in London, and Remus and Sirius take the next fire to their own.

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Their flat is small, because Sirius’ inheritance isn’t that great, and Remus is working three jobs and still poor. But as Sirius always says, you can’t put a price on freedom.

The shuck their coats in the hallway, and walk the two steps into the living room. Remus flicks his wand and lights come on in the room. He mutters another incantation, and bright blue flames sprout in his palm. He holds them for a moment, then throws them into the fireplace, where they grow and crackle merrily.

“I can’t believe Jamesy finally asked her! And pulled off that plan!” Sirius dances Remus around in a clumsy waltz, happiness and excitement pouring off of him in waves. “This calls for a celebration!” Sirius declares and suddenly heads off to the kitchen waving his wand, and suddenly jazz music is pouring from the floor, or maybe the ceiling, or perhaps Sirius himself.

Remus chuckles to himself, and stretches onto the sofa. He can hear Sirius rummaging in the cupboards. “Well, we’re too poor for champagne, and that good bottle of wine from Paula down the hall, bless her, is gone.” He sounds disappointed, but then there is an audible, “Aha! A cheap bottle of white wine!” He emerges from the kitchen a minute later with two glasses. He hands one to Remus, and settles in him with the other glass in his hand. Remus slides his arm around his shoulder, and Sirius raises his glass.

“A toast! To James and Lily, for finding the good in the world, if only in each other.” A clink of glasses, a sip of the (horrible) wine. Remus raises the glass again, declaring, “To freedom, and knowing money does not buy happiness!” Clink, drink. Sirius raises his glass again, and says, “To you,” and kisses Remus soundly on the lips. So much so that Remus almost doesn’t notice that his wine glass is getting smaller and rounder.

But he can feel Sirius grinning like an idiot, and opens his eyes to see himself clutching two plain gold rings. “Sirius… wha…. You charmed the glass, didn’t you?” He realizes it’s not the most perfect thing to say, but he still can’t believe what he’s holding.

“Moony, you have two rings in your hand and you’re thinking about charms? Honestly,” but Sirius is grinning ear to ear, and plunges on to explain, “I love you, Moony. I know we can’t really get married, but I want to be with you. So, will you?”

Remus smiles and slides one of the rings onto Sirius’ finger. “Happy Christmas, Padfoot.”

“Happy Christmas, Moony.”

Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!