Christmas Fun (Ryan's POV)
“Ah, there you are.” James gave his goddaughter a huge smile. “Ready to go home?”
“Yes! But hang on, there’s something I want to ask you.” She replied quickly. “Elijah’s invited me over during the break. Can I go?”
“We’ll see. I have something fun planned for us.”
“Oh?” Ryan followed him into the fireplace’s emerald flames back to their flat. “What is it?”
“It’s a surprise, so I can’t tell you.”
She sat down in her chair, automatically curling her feet under her. “Do you know anything about the chamber of secrets? Hogwarts, A History didn’t have much information on it.”
“Why?” He asked from the kitchen.
“A project for History of Magic.” Ryan lied. “Hermione and I want to get full marks on the assignment, but there’s nothing in the library about it.”
“I’m afraid I can’t help you either.” He sat down two cups of tea on their coffee table. “There’s nothing on it in any of my books.”
Ryan’s eyes fell on an old Transfiguration textbook and she made a mental note to read that over the break. “It’s okay. I just thought I’d ask.”
“How’s school? You’ve barely wrote to me.”
“Oh, yeah, I’ve been busy with homework and Elijah and I got into a little fight but we’re okay now. And Flint won’t let me on the team but he let Malfoy on the team, when I know I can fly better. So I’m trying to figure out a hex for him.”
James snorted. “Ryan, that’ll get you in trouble.”
“Only if I get caught. Which I probably won’t unless Snape figures out it was me. And-” She stopped, wondering if she should tell him about the attacks. “He probably will, but that’s okay.”
“Snape? Severus Snape?” James frowned.
“Yeah, he’s my head of house. And I’m lucky enough to be the only Slytherin he hates.” She sighed. “It stinks. Potions is one of my favorite subjects.”
“Well, he’s a git. Always has been.”
“You went to school with him?” Ryan asked curiously.
“Unfortunately.” His hazel eyes met hers. “He’s treating you fairly though, right?”
“Um, yes.” Ryan lied again. “I just never get any points from him.”
“Alright, just making sure.” He ran a hand through his messy black hair. “We’ve got to get some things in Diagon Alley tomorrow, so we’ll be leaving early.”
“Okay.” She finished the last sip of tea. “Why don’t you leave your hair like that? I don’t like the blonde look.”
James didn’t answer. “I’m going to bed. Don’t stay up too late.”
“I won’t. Good night!”
As soon as his bedroom door shut, she grabbed the book and looked through it. And she found what she’d been looking for: instructions on becoming an animagus. Ryan began to read, completely ignoring the time, and soon fell asleep in her chair, book in her hand.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” She heard her godfather’s voice as someone was gently shaking her arm. “What happened to not staying up?”
She yawned, looking down at the forgotten book. “I’m sorry...got lost in the book.”
He picked it up, looking at the chapter. He cocked an eyebrow, looking at her, but just closed the book and put it up. “I’ll get breakfast going; you get dressed.”
She didn’t take long to get dressed, opting for a warm wool skirt, boots, a thick Slytherin jumper, and her worn black cloak. As she was fumbling with her hair, she went to the kitchen. “James, can you help me?”
“With?”
“I’m trying to braid it, but I can’t get it started.”
He flicked his wand at the stove to get the eggs and bacon to flip themselves before he moved to stand behind Ryan. “It’s been a while, so hang on.”
She waited, listening to him hum a song she hadn’t heard before. “What’s that?”
“Hmm? Oh, the song? Um, I think it was one of your dad’s favorite songs...Rockaway Beach by The Ramones, I think.” He’d stopped fiddling with her hair. “There.”
“Thanks!” She ran to the mirror to look at it. “It looks good!”
“There’s a spell Lily used to use when she was mad at me, to do her hair. When I remember it, I’ll let you know.”
“That would be wonderful. I’m sure Daph’s getting tired of doing my hair all the time.”
After James transfigured his look again and exchanged some Muggle pounds for Galleons, he led Ryan straight to Quality Quidditch Supplies. “Here’s some money for Christmas presents. I’ve got to get a couple more things.”
“Stay in the store?”
“For now. We can shop after I go in here.”
She followed him inside, staring at the Nimbus 2001 for a bit before a small broomstick servicing kit caught her eye. She picked it up and went to find James. He was in the apparel side, picking out two shirts for the Falmouth Falcons. “Is that what we came in here for?”
“Part of it.” He handed her one of the shirts. “Which style do you like better?”
One was white with a dark gray falcon across the front and the team name on the back; the other was dark gray with a black falcon going diagonally across and the team name crossing it. “The second one.”
“Perfect.” He put the first one back and grabbed one more of the second design. “Now, where are their omnioculars?” He mused, walking around. “Aha, here.” And he grabbed two sets. “Anything for you?”
“A broom?” She asked hopefully.
“Maybe.” He grinned at her. “Buying the service kit?”
“For Harry.”
“We’ll stop at the post and send it off.”
They checked out and exited the shop. Ryan turned toward Scribbulus Writing Instruments to get her next gifts, a raven feather quill for Oscar and a dyed red quill for Hermione, plus color changing ink for both. For Elijah, she ventured to Sugarplum’s Sweets Shop and picked up a variety pack of assorted chocolates, as did James. “Can we go to Madam Primpernelle’s? I still need to get Daphne something. And you.”
“I actually have one more thing to get. Just meet me at the post office when you’re done.”
She nodded, taking off toward the beauty shop. She found a set of emerald green hair bows and got a set each for her and Daphne, plus a set of scarlet and gold for Ginny as there was a sale going on. As she walked out of the store, she almost ran into someone and fell off the sidewalk. “You alright?”
She winced, rubbing her knee, and looked up to see an older man with shaggy black hair and pale grayish blue eyes. “I think so.”
He held his hand out and helped her up, retrieving her dropped packages. “Here.” He pulled out his wand. “Episkey.” Her skinned knee began to pull back together and the pain vanished. “Better?”
“Yes, thank you, mister.”
“Be more careful next time.” He said before disappearing into the crowd.
When they arrived home, James motioned for her to sit down as he undid his spellwork, once again back to his usual messy black hair. “We are going somewhere tomorrow, right outside of Yorkshire.” He said, handing her one of the Falcons shirts he’d bought. “Dress warm, wear this, and Caroline is meeting us there.”
“Where are we going?”
“I’m taking you to your first professional Quidditch game.”
“What?!” Ryan shrieked, grinning from ear to ear. “Yes!”