It had started to snow just before the Christmas holidays and Hogwarts was now covered in a powdery white layer that gave the school a fairy-tale castle-like aura. The Marauders mostly spent their time in the common room, as snowball fights were forbidden until further notice. “I don't think so, why is McGonagall giving us up so much about the holidays?” Peter wailed after their last lesson. "You'd better be glad that we don't have homework in any other subject! Besides, it's HOLIDAY!" James grinned broadly and jumped into the air at his last words. “No school for two weeks!” He usually loved Hogwarts, but with all these prohibitions, it just wasn't fun! They hadn't played a prank and even Snivellus had to spare them, as they were constantly being watched.
There was a spirit of optimism in the common room, some packed their bags or looked for lost books and items of clothing. Nojiko was among the former, she sat in the dormitory and tried desperately to close her suitcase! "Tell me, Lily, where does all this stuff come from? I swear to you, I didn't have that much at the beginning of the year!" She had to leave most of her books here, for better or worse. "I could ask you the same question! Take a look at that ..." Lily was sitting on her trunk and couldn't close it. “Do you really want to celebrate Christmas with Potter and Black?” She gave her friend an incredulous look, who just grinned broadly. "Yes, and I should tell you from James that you are also invited if you get bored with skiing!" The redhead snorted contemptuously and went back to working on her luggage.

“That means no. Poor Krone, he won't like that!” Although he should be used to setbacks by now, Nojiko thought to himself. James tried going out with Lily since she was a junior year, but she always refused!“He will survive. Aah!” She shouted a little because her suitcase, which she had laboriously closed, jumped open again and spread her laundry on the floor. "That's enough for me now. Kalos!" Nojiko waved her wand and the case closed with a loud snap. “Shall I help you?” Lily shook her head and began to put her clothes back into place. "No need, thanks. I can manage it ..." The two girls grinned at each other.

Nojiko threw herself on her bed and crossed her arms behind her head. “What do you have against James?” She grinned to herself, knowing that her friend was in love with him and didn't admit it to herself. "He's arrogant and annoying! He also tumbles at any girl he comes across!" That answer came quickly - too quickly to sound believable. "Arrogant, yes that's right. But he actually only runs after you, my friend is the one who turns everyone on. Wait, that sounds kind of wrong!" She grinned broadly, she knew Sirius too well to be bothered by this fact. She also had to admit that she also enjoyed flirting herself. “He just pretends to be good looking too much!” Lily desperately looked for a reason, which was almost amusing again. “So you think he's handsome ?!” This time, Nojiko wouldn't let her friend get away with it that easily. "No, well, it works. He looks better than many, but still ... I have to go down again, see you soon!" Sunny grinned to himself, that was the most common reaction when you tried to talk to Lily about James !

The next morning the students gathered in the Great Hall, Lily and Nojiko had already said goodbye when Lily went downstairs with her luggage. Sunny was too late, she ran as fast as she could through the hallway, down the great stairs and looked around the room. Your friends ... yes, there they were!James waved to her, then Sirius and Remus turned around and rolled their eyes at the same time. “Where have you been?” She heard her friend's voice in her head. "Well, I had to say goodbye to Shadow and then I ran into Peeves, you know me!" She pushed past a group of Slytherins who were talking about Lucius Malfoy. "... He's supposed to be quite successful!" She had never liked the tall boy with the light blond hair and couldn't understand why everyone was so enthusiastic about him! Suddenly Nojiko ran into someone who turned around and hissed: "Take care ... Oh, it's you!"

"Hi Severus, let me through!" She pushed him a little rough aside and finally stood in front of her friends. “Hi guys, everything is ready!” They nodded and pointed to the suitcase next to them. Remus drove home to his family, just like Peter, and accordingly had little with him. "Let me guess, you have all the books with you?" Nojiko grinned mischievously at him, he blushed a little and mumbled "I have to study ..." Everyone laughed, even Moony. The doors opened and almost all of the Hogwarts students streamed through the exit and down to the train station. They were accompanied by four teachers who looked suspiciously in all directions and held their wands ready.

Finally they were on the train, driving through the snowy landscape of Great Britain. They talked about this and that, occupied themselves with party planning and their planned trip to Hogsmeade. "We could go to the village via the Howling Hut!" suggested Peter, but the others shook their heads. "No chance, we have to think of something else!" James stared thoughtfully out the window and said quietly, "What if only one goes? I know it's not our way, but it would be easier!" He turned from the steamed-up window and looked at Nojiko."No, I won't let my girlfriend run around Hogsmeade alone when Voldemort is there at the same time!" Sirius sounded reproachful and shook his head in disbelief. "But we could disappear together. A rat and a phoenix, who will notice? I just hold Peter carefully in my claws and nobody notices anything!"

Peter winced and looked at her fearfully. "I don't know ..." The discussion was interrupted when the door was thrown open and Narcissa suddenly stood in front of them. “May I speak to you, cousin?” Narcissa Black was in her year, a Slytherin and a proud Black! In the past year she had had something with Lucius Malfoy, who had been in a class with her older sister. "Sure, go ahead!" Sirius looked coldly at his cousin, everyone knew that he didn't think much of his family. “Alone.” She let her gaze wander contemptuously over the other inmates and shook her head in disgust. “I have nothing to hide from my friends!” She sighed and her fingers clutched the wooden door of the compartment.

"As you want. I should tell you from your mother that you should come home for Christmas to celebrate with the whole family!" Sirius raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat. “I have no intention of ever setting foot in this house again! So no, I would rather spend the holidays with my friends!” At that, he put his hand on Nojiko's knee and gave his cousin a warning look. “Good as you like!” She turned on her heel and slammed the door behind her. "How did I deserve this?" Sirius' face had an unfathomable grin, he was visibly relieved that Narcissa was gone. “She and Lucius want to get married when she's finished with Hogwarts!” Everyone looked at Nojiko in surprise, who shrugged her shoulders. "I heard over dinner the other day ..." Indeed, she had overheard Snivellus and Regulus Black as they talked about it."Let's talk about something else, like ... the plans for the vacation!" James fully embraced Sirius' distraction and shared his ideas about how they should spend the Christmas vacation.

“Here we are!” James exclaimed happily a little later when the three of them arrived at the Potters' house, Godrics Hollow. His parents hadn't had time to pick her up so they had traveled with flea powder. Sirius, who had come last, got out of the fireplace and looked around the familiar living room. "There you are at last! We were already worried!" James' mother came out of the kitchen, a happy smile on her face and hugged her son. "Sirius! Nojiko!" She hugged the two of them so tightly that they almost lost their breath. "Hello Mrs. Potter!" the two answered as if from one mouth and immediately had to laugh. They often spent part of their summer holidays with Krones' parents and were therefore well known. "Come into the kitchen, I have hot chocolate! You look all frozen!"

They followed the friendly woman into the kitchen and sat around the large table. Immediately they were each given a steaming cup in front of their noses and asked to tell the news. James reported on the uneventful drive here and the last week at Hogwarts, where he probably missed their planned secret trip to the village. "So, so! I understand that Dumbledore is worried. At this time ... Oh kids, I'm happy to see you all again!" She smiled at James and squeezed his hand, his two friends just grinned. "And you two, when can I get ready for your wedding?" Sirius' eyes widened, he almost spit a long gulp of cocoa on the table and began to cough. Nojiko laughed and shook his head. "I should marry him? Forget it!" Mrs. Potter sighed sadly and said: "We'll see!"Nojiko was quartered in the spare guest room, while Sirius and James settled in its room. They spent the first week almost exclusively outside, having snowball fights and having Sunny teach them to ski. Time flew by and Christmas day had come! The Potters had set up and decorated a large tree, the living room was only lit by the warm open fire and a few candles, and the presents were set up under the fir tree! Everyone had at least three presents and after unpacking they had a wrapping paper fight that they ended up breathlessly laughing. It was a wonderful evening with the Potters and Nojiko hardly missed her uncle. He was at his university Christmas party with his colleagues and was probably just philosophizing about Shakespeare or Shaw.

At some point, it was well after midnight, the three teenagers went upstairs, still engrossed in their conversation about Quidditch that they had started an hour ago. “I tell you, the Nimbus is the best broom for a