"In 1672, Matilda Mossgrove, in desperate straights, for she could not remember the recipe for corn removal, cried out to her long dead husband Alkus Flit, a potions master to help her. Surprisingly his spirit came down and helped her, since she was in such dire need to have those corns removed...." Professor Binns droned. Nobody yawned or sighed, they were to bored to do even that.

The next two months had passed without much notice. No more strange incidents occurred in the Gryffindor house. Halloween had come and gone without much trouble, unlike Harry's first year where Professor Quirrel had let in a giant mountain troll, and Harry and Ron had conquered it with some cunning and a whole lot of luck.

Tryouts for the open position on the Quidditch team had finished, and Ron was a back up chaser to Dean, who ended up being rather quick with scoring with the Quaffle. Harry supposed he had lots of practice playing Muggle sports like Basketball and Soccer which involved getting balls past guards and through hoops. But Ron seemed glad to at least be on the team, even if there was barely a snowball's chance through hell that he'd play.

November rolled on through without much fuss, Snape was the usual grouch that he always was, snapping and growling at Harry and now James. Harry felt a little better knowing Snape didn't only hate him, and with two people he hated, Snape couldn't push them as hard without taking up more time. Professor McGonagall had moved onto teaching them how to turn their chairs into chimps, and everyone had mixed success.

James through the months had also shown great improvement. He wasn't so moody, and so shy. In fact he was rather funny at times, although not in the ways of Fred and George Weasly, but in his own quaint way. He often spent time around Harry, Ron and Hermoine (Ginny had found friends her own age.) and they enjoyed his presence.

By the time everyone had the chair to chimp thing pretty much conquered, it was the second week of December, and Hogwarts was covered in a thick blanket of snow.

Harry, Hermoine, Ron and James were huddled in a circle closest to the floor, studying. Hermoine and Harry were sitting closest to the fire, in their cloaks, Ron in-between them, also in his cloak. James was facing them, in his robe, perfectly fine.

"Aren't you cold?" Ron asked, looking up from his charm book. James shook his head, not looking up from his book of History.

"I got the new winter coat in already. I'm nice and toasty." James
snickered. Ron snarled.

"Well not all of us have nice thick fur coats over every inch of our
bodies." Ron sniffed. James looked up.

"Too bad for you." He giggled. Ron growled.

"Watch it, or I'll look up a skinning spell and then I'll have a nice thick coat to sit in." Ron hissed. James looked absolutely horrified.

"Oh no! Not the coat! I'll sick animal rights on you! Fur is murder!" James squealed, before laughing loudly.

"You would know." Ron snapped playful, a small grin tugging on his face. Harry couldn't help snickering into his Potions homework. He glanced over to Hermoine who was doing the same into her Transfigurations book. James straightened, before giving Ron a very long raspberry. Ron scowled and muttered something nasty felines, and James giggled before turning to his homework again. Just then, Neville entered, looking distressed.

"Have any of you seen Trevor my toad?" He asked with a sniffle. Everyone looked up.

"Where did you leave him last?" Hermoine asked.

"I had him on my bed and he was right beside me and I was cleaning his toes and then I heard something crash across the room and I looked away, and when I looked back, he was gone. I only looked away a second!" Neville said, with a hint of exasperation. Neville's toad was always disappearing on him.

Harry and Ron shrugged, they hadn't seen Trevor recently. But James' face was crinkled in thought.

"Yeah, and my broomstick is missing!" Seamus added as he came over.

"And my wand!" Dean added. James snapped up to his feet.

"Did you hear anything besides the crash. Like giggling and shushing?" He asked. Harry, Ron and Hermoine stood in curiousity, wondering what James was thinking.

"Well, I thought I did, but there were a couple girls snickering on the
steps near the room, so I thought it was them..." Dean answered. "What's your point?"

"I bet I know where they went, be back in a jiffy!" He said before dashing up the staircase. Harry shrugged to Hermoine and Ron, and they followed, leaving a confused Seamus, Neville, and Dean. Panting, they caught up to James on the very last step before the dorm.

"What's up?" Hermoine asked James.

"Look, I know the two that took those things, and probably some other things, I know them real well. Now I'll let you see what I'm about to do, because I'm trusting you not to tell anyone what I'm about to do. You won't tell anyone will you?" He asked. All three nodded. "Good, I'll have to lock the door." He muttered as he ushered them in. As soon as the door was locked James looked around. "Okay Mungo and Rumpel, where are you?" He asked calmly. There was a loud female giggle right behind Harry, causing him to jump straight in the air. James sighed. "Come on out Mungojerrie and... who's that little girl that hangs with you all the time? I can't remember her name..." James drawled. There was a loud pop and right in front of them, sitting on the trunk near Harry's bed was a tall brightly stripped woman, wearing a black sleeveless tube top, and a pair of black shorts, her big brown eyes glaring sharply at James.

"I's Rumpelteazer!" She snapped in brash cockney, before pouting. "I can' believe..." She muttered. It was then that Harry noticed the large bag at her feet. James was snickering to himself. Then there was a second pop, and an identical male, except that he wore a muscle tee instead of a tube top, Rumpelteazer appeared, looking exasperated.

"Teazer, 'e wuz jus' doin' tha' to git you ta show yerself. Ain't tha'
roight Quax?" He sighed throwing the bag to the floor and taking a seat on the trunk opposite of Rumpelteazer. 

"Yeah, and you fell for it." James giggled, before turning straightfaced. "Now fork over the loot that you've just taken." He deadpanned. The two had just seemed to realize Harry and his friends behind him. The male's jaw dropped and he paled as he pointed behind James. James looked behind him, then nodded.

"They're okay Mungojerrie, they're friends. Now give back what you took, or we'll team up and zap you together." James snickered. Both
Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer rolled their eyes and sighed.

"Oohkay... now 'eres tha' frog we took." Mungojerrie said, pulling Trevor out of his bag and tossing him on Neville's bed.

"An dis is tha nifty broom tha I snitched." Rumpelteazer said, pulling out the long broom from her small sack. The three gawked, and Harry reasoned mentally that those sacks must be like Santa's (if he believed in such a person) that they were technically bottomless and could hold almost anything, yet small enough to carry easily. She placed it back on Seamus' bed.

"An dis cloak." Mungojerrie said, pulling out a long silvery cape. Harry gasped and grabbed back his invisibility cape, which once belonged to his father. He stared at them, agape. He'd hidden his cloak very carefully, so no one knew where it was.

"An deese pretty pixie sticks." Rumpelteazer said pulling out a wand with frayed white hair sticking out one end with a wrap of tape at the top, and a second, a dark cherry, perfectly fine. Ron turned pink and was muttering as he grabbed his busted wand. Rumpelteazer tossed the other wand on Dean's bed.

"Is that all?" James said with a stern look as he tapped his foot. Rumpelteazer and Mungojerrie nodded glumly and turned their sacks upside down to prove it.

"Who are you people?" Harry said immediately after.

"That's Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, expert theives. It's their job." James replied simply. Rumpelteazer and Mungojerrie beamed. "But the question is why are they here, they normally don't go out so far as Hogwarts." James said suspiciously. Rumpelteazer giggled.

"Don' be dat way Quax! We was sen' 'ere by Munky, honestly!" She said enthusiastically. Mungojerrie nodded eagerly.

"Yup, 'e wan'ed to tell ya tha' the ball's comin up, an 'e remoinds ya tha' you 'ave to be dere." He said officially.

"An Jenny wan's you ta give Professa Dumbledore dis fer Christmas!" Rumpelteazer said presenting a large wrapped package. James took it and grinned.

"I can't stay mad at you two clowns for too long, you know that don't you?" James said with a broad smile.

"Yup!" The bright duo said unison.

"Well we's gotta be goin'." Mungojerrie said.

"Yeah, gotta busy schedule tonoite!" Rumpelteazer said before giggling again.

"Okay, won't keep you waiting, just don't steal anything else from here okay?" James sighed. Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer looked doubtful. "Or I'll get you at the ball, and turn you bright green. You've seen me do it before."

"Yeh, bu' Veektoria deserved it! We's you friends!" Rumpelteazer cried. "Oh foine, we won' steal from 'Ogwarts, since i' means so much to ya Quax." She sighed. Mungojerrie nodded, and then both disappeared with another pop.

"Sorry about that, they're kleptomaniacs, they have an obsession with stealing. Good thing it's their job, otherwise I don't know what would happen." James clucked

"What's their job?" Ron asked.

"To steal stuff." James replied, weaving a circle of questions as he walked to unlock the door. He froze and turned.

"How would you guys like to go to the ball?" He asked seriously.

"The ball?" They said in unison.

"It's strictly by invite, so I'm asking you. Basically it's when we all
gather together and sing and dance the night away. It's rather fun, so I want to know if you want to go." James said softly, a slightly whistful tone in his voice.

"But...but won't we need fancy clothes?" Ron asked nervously.

"Nope. It's informal." James said. "And Robes would definately not be the best option if you want to join in. Also it's storytelling." James pitched. 

"When?" Hermoine asked. "I've got to go with my parents for Christmas vacation." James bit his lip.

"Judging by the moon, it'll be the twenty-eighth. Too early?" James said. Hermoine nodded. "Well, if it's okay with your parents to go, I'll bet I can talk Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer into picking you up around midnight, if you give them directions, I'll bet they'll be able to find thier way there. You'll have to watch them though, if you don't call them immediately, they'll take something." James warned. "So you guys want to go?"

"The Dursley's won't care, and I've got nothing planned." Harry shrugged. "Yeah, I'll go, sounds interesting."

"My parents are going to go see Bill in Egypt." Ron said. Bill was his older brother and Captain of the Quidditch team, or was he a head boy, Harry couldn't remember, but Bill worked for Gringotts, the wizards' bank in their Egypt location.

"Great!" James said enthusiastically, dropping the package in his hands to the floor where it landed with a soft 'FLOP'.

"What's in there?" Ron asked.

"I don't really know, something knit probably if it came from Jenny." James sighed and placed it in his trunk carefully.

The weeks passed and soon it was Christmas vacation, leaving only Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and James in the Gryffindor house. Ron, the twins, Ginny, Harry and James had a snowball fight, James occasionally swatting some back with his tail. Soon it was Christmas, and Harry stretched lazily as he got out of bed. At his feet was a package from Hermoine, one from Hagrid, one from Mrs. Weasly, and on the top was a small thin one, wrapped in some crinkled newspaper. Looking over to Ron's bed, he found that he was first up, and that Ron had an identically newspaper wrapped package.

Carefully he picked up all four packages, setting the foriegn one aside for later. Inside Hermoine's was a box of Bertie's Every Flavour Beans, guaranteeing to have every single flavour, and it fortunately came with a key to coloring. From Mrs. Weasly he recieved a gray knit sweater with a large black 'H' on the front. From Hagrid he recieved a minature sculpture of a long dragon, hand carved. He was about to open it when James let out a startled gasp. He was staring at the package on the floor in shock, as if it
were going to bite him. Carefully he picked it up and stared at it, tears glimmering in his eyes as he held it tightly to his chest. He climbed back into bed and sat it down in front of him looking at it as if it had him bewitched.

"What's up with him?" Ron whispered as he sat up. Harry shrugged. Carefully he looked over the package, trying to find some sort of identification from it who was from, but found none. Carefully he peeled back the newspaper... to reveal a drawing in a thin frame. More than any regular drawing, it was a drawing of him, holding up a golden snitch in the air above his head, him in his Quidditch robes. Behind him looked to be Hagrid, Hermoine and a bloody nosed Ron in the way back. They were holding a sign that said, 'Potter for President' and the letters were all different shades of gray. Harry knew immediately what this was a drawing of. It was his first game, when he'd caught the golden snitch in the mouth as his broom plummeted to the earth after being jinxed by Prof. Quirrel. It was so detailed, Harry noticed, that he could see individual blades of grass, and faces in the crowd. He looked down into the corners and saw a barely readable scrawl, but it from what he could tell it said James. He looked up to James, who still was still staring at the unwrapped gift from Hermoine.

He looked over to Ron, who had got a box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermoine, a book from Percy on studying, a fancy quill from Ginny, Invisible Ink from the twins, a maroon sweater with a gold 'R' on it from his mom and dad, Dragon's teeth from Charlie, and a Gold Galleon from Bill. He too was staring at a small framed drawing. Harry jumped down and looked at it. It showed him and Ron, red faced, in a snow caps standing on top of a hill, pelting Fred and George with snowballs. Harry remembered that. It had happened a couple days ago, they'd been playing 'Head Wizard of the Mountain' otherwise known as 'King of the Hill' and suprisingly they conquered over Fred and George, who normally beat them at any snow game involving battle strategy.

"Thanks James, these drawings are really good." Harry said after a moment. James looked up, blinking furiously.

"Oh, thanks, I thought you'd like them." James croaked before staring at the gift he'd gotten again.

"Hey, haven't you ever been given a present?" Ron asked brashly. James' head shot up.

"N...n...no not really." He stared at the gift for a moment longer. "I
suppose I should open it." He muttered, before cutting the tape away
carefully and folding the wrapping paper. Inside was a small tea sampler box, and a tiny tin kettle and tin tea cup which would probably make enough for one person. James pulled out the note tucked into the spout of the kettle. He read the note aloud.

"My Aunt gave this to me for a birthday a couple of years back, but I've got no use for it. I know you don't like sweets, so I figured you'd like this instead. The tea's fresh and the kettle and cup are still good. Hermoine." 

James said, getting a little choked up in the process. "That was nice of her." He whispered, Harry and Ron just barely able to hear him. Carefully he arranged the tea set on his dresser and placed the teas deep into the trunk to keep them fresh.

"Don't you have Christmas where you're from?" Harry asked.

"We do... but it sort of gets forgotten in the rush to prepare for the
ball." James said with a grin. Harry felt that James wasn't being completely honest about it, but made no comment. James looked outside. "Well, what do you want to do? It's about noon, and the Christmas feast should begin an hour or so." James said, obviously changing the subject. Harry and Ron looked at each other for a moment, thinking the same thing, and were about to reply when Fred and George burst in.

"Hello!" They greeted.

"Looks like they've all got the regulation Weasly sweaters on, General Fred." George barked, wearing a green sweater with a blue 'G' on. Fred nodded, he was wearing a blue sweater with a green 'F' on it.

"Good, looks like we've got no Weasly draft dodgers here, General George." Fred barked back. Out of nowhere Ginny appeared in a pink sweater.

"Wha's goin on?" She replied sleepily. "Hey Harry." She said. Fred and George looked to each other.

"Miss, are you wearing your uniform?" Fred snapped as he and George circled her like sharks.

"If ya mean (yawn) the sweater that mom made me, then yes." Ginny replied. Fred patted her head.

"Good girl, nice show patriotism." George said proudly. Then Percy appeared, in his robes.

"WEASLY DRAFT DODGER!!! LET'S MAKE HIM INLIST!!!!" The twins screamed. Percy jumped, took one look at the grins on Fred and George's faces before running off. Soon all they could hear was Percy's shouts and the twins whoops.

"Wonder what Percy wanted to say?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Wanted to say that the feast was starting in an hour, it's one o' clock in the afternoon." Ginny said drowisily. "He got me up for that." She muttered before tromping off. Ron giggled.

"She's not a morning person." Ron snickered.

The hour passed quickly as the three got dressed in more relaxed clothing. James was wearing a white dress shirt and a pair of rough woven gray pants and his regular boots. Harry and Ron were wearing their Weasly sweaters and a nice pair of jeans. They entered the dining hall which was decorated with six huge Christmas trees, streamers and sparkling dust everywhere. They found that Fred and George were already there, with the scowling Percy in-between them, his Weasly sweater (black with a white 'P') mussed and frumpy looking, and from the looks of it handcuffed with a scarf. All the
Professors, Hagrid and Filch were sitting at the head table. James walked off, gift in hand, heading towards the Head table. He placed it in front of Professor Dumbledore, who grinned.

"It's a gift from Jenny, sir." James said with a grin.

"Oh is it now Quaxo?" Dumbledore squeezed it a bit. "Well at least it's not books, I have too many books." He mumbled and James giggled. Gently Dumbledore peeled off the paper to reveal six pairs of plush wool socks. "Oh, finally, socks!" He whooped. "Let's see, red ones, black ones, blue ones, nice bright green ones, black ones with white stars, purple ones, and orange ones. Tell Jenny thank you when you and your friends go to the ball will you, Quaxo?" Professor Dumbledore said with a wry grin. James flushed and ducked his head.

"Can't get one past you can I, Professor?" James chuckled.

"No, no one's gotten one past me in a long time, now why don't you go join your friends there, and leave us old fogies in whistful conversation, eh?" Dumbledore said with a broad grin. James grinned back and walked off to join Harry and Ron, and snickering at Percy, who turned redder than his hair, as Penelope, the Ravenclaw Prefect, passed by.

*O*O*

It was 11:45 and Harry and Ron were anxiously awaiting to go to the ball. It promised to be exotic, and it would be that people rarely saw. Although they almost always did things people hardly ever did, like repeatedly defeating Voldemort at his own game. They knew they should get some sleep, since James had warned them that it would last until dawn. Finally it was five until midnight and James stood up. He was dressed in a loose white t-shirt, and a pair of blue cotton denim shorts. Harry and Ron leaped out of bed, dressed in plain colored t-shirt, jeans, and their Weasly sweaters around their
waists, just incase it got cold. James pulled them into a group, and
whispered for them to hold their hands. He whispered some nonsense words, and a gray mist rose up. Harry couldn't see anything.

"Hold on." James said, there was a grinding sound, and the ground began to move beneath them, although they weren't being dragged around it. The gray mist was beginning to become cloying, then it cleared almost immediately.

Harry blinked and looked around, they looked to be in a junkyard. Trash was stacked in high piles, but fortunately none of it smelled. Lights twinkled above from Christmas lights and the very moon and stars above. Then they heard a growl.

"Who's there?" said a deep menacing voice.