Present time (Leon)

[Maryn Livley]

It was Christmas Morning. All the little kids around the world were happily waking up in their fuzzy pajamas and finding their precious presents wrapped in bright paper under their Christmas Trees. Well, that is except Maryn. She couldn't sleep with all the racket. Her whole family was over for a few days and it seemed they had decided to get up early. Before she knew it, her twin five year old cousins were opening the sunny window and jumping on her bed. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" Called the freckled brunette, April. "Mare-Mare it's Christmas!" Yelled Jamie the the tiny boy. Maryn moved slightly in her bed as reality hit her. It was Christmas Morning and she was being woken up by five year olds? It wasn't the way she pictured her waking up. The twins continued to terioze her until finally Maryn gave up. "Ok, ok, ok. I'm up." She said pulling off her sheets and pulling off the bed. The twins didn't move, but just stared at her. "I can't change with you wanting me." She said sort of annoyed. Maryn was usually much happier, but she had never really gotten along with her family and knew she was in for a weird day. The two zoomed out of her room upon hearing her comment. She quickly changed into some cute pajamas and her robe. It was a tradition for the Livleys to open presents in their pajamas however Maryn wanted to look a bit pretty. After finishing changing, Maryn left the room and walked down the stairs to the Christmas Tree.

She unwrapped her presents, had a muffin for break fast an then got changed. Usually, Maryn would be much happier on Christmas, but this year was different. She had so many things going on in her life to count. A part of her just wanted the whole day to be over. Maryn knew Leon was coming over that evening and she was looking forward to it. They were to exchange gifts and she really hoped he liked hers. She had bought it in Daigon Alley with Mikayla. Maryn had spent much of money on it and really wanted him to like it if just a little bit. Since the day was sort of special, she changed into her green sweater instead of her usual red one, her cold shoes, and black pants. After apply a thin coat of make-up and fixing her hair, Maryn put on her coat and went downstairs. Maryn lived on a busy London street however the all of the neighbors went Caroling every year. She was actually looking forward to it.

It was mid-afternoon and Maryn smiled as she greeted her muggle friends. She had many of them and Maryn loved them dearly. She hadn't seen them since the summer and was eager to catch up on all the news and gossip. Maryn, her friends, family, and neighbors all went caroling throughout the street. They sang marry tunes until it became dark and was almost time for Christmas Dinner. Maryn happily knowing soon after Leon would be over. After the lovely feast, she quickly wrapped his gift in pretty red paper with a gold bow. It may be Gryffindor colors, but she was big on Gryffindor spirit. Maryn then layed out on the parlor floor wrapping her other friends; presents so she could send them in an owl.

[leon]

It was a while before Leon woke up. He felt cold in his usually warm bed, and something didn't feel quite right. He rose, threw on some black jeans and a big blue sweater, then slowly walked down stairs, taking his time. The large house he lived in was far, far too silent. From the muggle books he had read, he knew Christmas was supposed to be colourful and bright, a family sitting around a tree exchanging presents with huge smiles on their happy faces. Scowling at his baby brother's cot which was adorned in tinsle and decorations, he continued through the silent house in his slippers, checking each room as he went. He arrived finally in the kitchen, where the family usually spent their time. Upon the table lay an expensive-looking book and a small note. Picking the note up first Leon read it with angry eyes.

Darling,
Sorry we didn't wake you. I forgot to say yesterday that every christmas now we go to Betty's for a Roast Lunch. Help yourself to some pasta in the fridge. Matt ate your Christmas cake slice, though being such a big boy now I don't expect you to mind. Have fun at your friend's house,
Mum

With another scowl, Leon scrunched the paper up in his hands, almost growling. They usually didn't mind about waking him- and since when did the family leave home on Christmas Day? And of course he wanted his cake slice! It was the Harrow tradition that each Christmas the special cake is made and everyone gets one slice. The rest is taken down the Soup Kitchen for the homeless. Since when did all this change? Leon hissed in his mind. Then he looked at the book on the table, Amazing Broom Tricks the cover read. He flicked through, and his eyes widened as he read. THe book really was amazing- Leon's anger almost faded as he read the first few pages, marvelling as he learnt facts that he never could have dreamt of. Grinning but still upset about the earlier incident, Leon ran up the long staircase into his room. Once there, he pulled on a neater white shirt and left for Maryn's.

It was an hour's journey to Maryn's house, though Leon didn't mind. On the way he read the book, and when he arrived at the people-crowded street he tucked it safely into his bag, beside the present he had carefully wrapped that morning for Maryn. It was in silver, shining paper, dotted with miniture stars which flitted across the page, leaving an odd smell of Vanilla behind- a smell Leon actually loved. Smiling at the spelled paper, Leon walked up to the door of his friend's house, and knocked on it three times.

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn moved aside the presents as she wrapped them. She had so many friends and so many presents to give out. It was funny, her first year Maryn was such a shy girl. She had now morphed into a crazy, happy fire bolt that liked her friends and to have fun. Sometimes, Maryn had bad days. The train attack and the whole ordeal with the letter were mainly the usual source of her sadness. However, it always seemed to leave her mind. She always seemed to get back to normal in no time. Days before, she had been sad in Diagon Alley and now she was happy, perky, and back to her old self. Maryn looked as the candles flickered around her. They were pretty in their solitude. They danced across the walls and maryn laughed at their prettiness. She continued to wrap the presents until every one was wrapped and sorted by the order of which she would see each friend or send the present with her owl.

Finally, Maryn laughed at her work and stood up. she knew it would take Leon a while to get to her house as he didn't leave near her. While turning to go back to her room, Maryn heard someone knocking on the door. She smiled making her way towards it. She saw Leon and smiled at him. "Hey, Leon come in." Maryn said holding the door open for him. "Welcome to Casa Maryn." She joked pointing to the walls around her. Her house wasn't huge, but it wasn't at all tiny with the two stories. Maryn looked at him waiting for him to step inside.

[leon]

The door opened just as Leon was beginning to think nobody was home. Maryn stood there, a smile on her face as she welcomed him in. Leon had a feeling she had just been laughing- though everytime he met with her he had that feeling, so it was nothing new. Smiling in return Leon stepped over the threshold into the house, looking around him. It was a nice house- the kind Leon would have chosen to live in with his ideal family. That is, not his current family. He gazed around at all the obvious we-are-a-great-happy-family-and-we-know-it signs. Pictures of the family, schoolwork from Maryn and her younger family, the lot. Leon thought back to his own home. It was currently decorated in old-fashioned decorations- no colourful tinsel or features which gave the house a happy image, just plain colours which Leon's mother thought was 'tasteful', and what Leon thought was 'boring'. Looking at Maryn's colourful house, Leon tried to keep his happy image as he spoke.
"Great house! I love this-" Leon pointed towards a painting on the wall, of a simple house, center door, four windows, the typical house drawn by a young child. Standing next to the house were several people, all holding hands and smiling. The picture was coloured in with red and blue crayons, missing the lines and smudging. Leon could tell the picture was a 'happy' picture, and smield at it. "-Who drew it?"
(hope you don't mind me describing Maryn's house a little there!)

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn smiled as he came in and she closed the door. "Thanks." She said warmly. He house was dressed brightly for the holidays as was her own room. She even had her own lighted Christmas Tree in it. She took his coat and put it in the stairwell closet where they kept all the coats of guests. Maryn watched as Leon was drawn to a picture of a house. "Oh, me, but that was years ago." She said kindly. Maryn wasn't really an artist. She was a dancer and that's what she loved to do. Maryn had drawn a few little things when she was younger, but that had purely been for fun. "Yea, I was like five then." She said still looking at it. "Mom just decided to put it in a frame." She smiled at it and then sighed. "Actually that's not me and my parents. That's my grand-parents house with them, the neighbors, and me." She said softly. "I was very close to them then. Maybe more close to them then my parents." Her parents were in the kitchen so they couldn't hear.

Maryn walked into the living room. She sat down on the couch waiting for Leon to follow her lead. "So, how long did it take you to get here?" She asked nicely. Maryn suddenly remembered she had forgotten something. "Oh, forgot. Do you want something warm to drink?" She giggled. It was cold outside and Maryn would mind a drink herself. Suddenly, her little cousins ran in the room. "Christmas, Christmas! Maryn who is this?" Yelled April. "Mare-Mare read me a story!" called Jamie. Maryn stared at them lovingly. "Calm down you to." She said in a semi stern voice. "Leon this is April and Jamie." She introduced her cousins. She said nicely waiting for Leon to say something.

[leon]

As Maryn took Leon’s coat he thanked her, smiling at the picture again. If he had drawn a picture like that, his parents wouldn’t have thought once about putting it in a frame. Though if he suggested it then they might have for a little while, though would take it down for one of Leon’s brother’s old nappies or something stupid like that. “If I had grandparents then I would be closer to them than my parents! Actually, I probably am anyway, even though they are dead.” He smiled weakly, though regretting opening his mouth. He didn’t want to ruin the jolly Christmas atmosphere in Maryn’s house. Following Maryn into the lounge he looked around. Maryn’s home seemed what a home should be- comfy, homely, with all the right decorations and objects. His lounge at home was a bleak, empty room with a television, sofa, window, plant. That was all. Leon hated bringing people to his home and was glad Maryn had invited him to hers, so he wouldn’t have to show her his home. Other than Katie-May’s room and his own, every area in the Harrow household looked unlived in and fake. Sitting down on the couch with Maryn, he almost jumped as she suddenly blurted something out about a hot drink. Leon was just about to answer and say that anything would be great, when two little people ran in.

The first immediately yelled about Christmas, and Leon smiled, amused. Then the second asked Maryn to read a story and Maryn looked at them with a kind expression. Leon would have loved some happy cousins like that, and would swap them for his baby brother in an instant. As Maryn introduced April and Jamie to Leon, he smiled at them cheerfully. “Hey April, Jamie. You having a nice Christmas?” He spoke in a friendly tone, hoping they would like him. He didn’t have much experience with small children- he hated Matt and he was the only person under ten in the family. Leon looked at Maryn, unsure of what to do or say next.

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn's head sagged at Leon's comment. She didn't exactly know how to explain this. His grandparents were too dead, but could they have died as tragically as Maryn's? "Umm, I was very close to them." She paused. "They died in a Death Eater attack of their house." Maryn sighed again. "It was a long time ago." She said walking into the other room. Maryn had asked questions, but of course April and Jamie had interrupted. They could be so annoying, but Maryn loved them dearly. She smiled at the lovingly as Leon asked them both some questions. April admittedly smiled and nodded. "Yep, yep, yep. I got a lot of presents." She cried merrily." Jamie watched a bit reliantly. He wasn't quite as cheerful as April, but more cautious. They were both very different, but still alike in some ways, "Yep, I love being in London." He said after a second. Jamie and April lived with their parents in Dublin and were in London for Christmas. Maryn watched their perky little faces.

She smiled at them and looked back at Leon. "Yep, April here will defiantly be a Hufflepuff, like I almost was." She said shyly smiling at her cousin. Maryn then looked over at Jamie. "Now, he is a true Gryffindor." Maryn said truly. Jamie had real courage unlike Maryn. She never thought of herself as brave, but truly weak. Maryn was very cheerful and loved life. She hated Death Eaters and wanted to stop them, but when she got down to it, Maryn didn't think she could actually fight them. Maryn smiled back at Leon. "So, how about that drink?" She asked nicely looking at the two. "Me, too, me too!" April and Jamie cheered. Maryn smiled at them deciding to entertain them. She took out four cups from the near by buffet table. Maryn made hot water home out of her wand and picked up the near by chocolate and added it in there also. Maryn was smart, but couldn't do the accio spell yet. She was, however, working on non verbal spells a bit. She handed the cups to Leon and the twin and took a sip of her own. "So, how has your Christmas been?" Maryn asked Leon nicely.

[leon]

"They died in a Death Eater attack of their house." The words hit Leon suddenly, and he wasn’t expecting them. How horrible for Maryn, he thought to himself. She must really hate all those stupid wanabe-he-who-must-not-be-nameds. Smiling at the rather long nickname, Leon noticed that it looked a little like he was smiling at the fact that Maryn’s Grandparent’s had died in the hands of Death Eaters. He wiped the smile off straight away, scowling at himself inside. “That’s horrible, I’m so sorry.” As April and Jamie answered, Leon got a little more used to being in the company of younger children. Sure- he always spent time with Katie-May, when she was younger and now, but April and Jamie seemed so much younger. It didn’t seem to matter as Leon spoke to Maryn’s little cousins. “Lot’s of presents? Lucky you, then! I love presents, especially when you get something you’ve been wishing for but didn’t expect it.” Leon paused suddenly. In the past two Christmases he hadn’t really had such an experience, due to his baby/toddler brother. Scowling at the thought of Matt Leon agreed verbally with Jamie. London was great for him too, he loved being able to do whatever he wanted on the streets and knowing no-one would care as they didn’t even know him.

“Thanks, just what I need!” Leon said with a smile, taking the Hot Chocolate from Maryn. The cup heated his hands and he sipped it, burnt his tongue and yelped loudly, laughing at his own stupidity. “My Christmas? Before this, pretty boring. A few presents I was expecting which don’t change my life from my parents, a great book from Katie-May, a couple of odd bits and bobs from friends. The decorations in my house are like the catalogues for Christmas interior designs, with no life and colour. That’s why I love this place!” Leon smiled, waving a hand at the colourful room. “But I don’t really mind, I was expecting boredom with my parents and it’s boredom I got. How about you? Looks like this place has been having fun!”

[Maryn Livley]

Maryn shrugged. She was still thinking about Leon's comment. He seemed a bit upset at what he had said and the truth was, he didn't know the half of it. Leon knew the outer edge of Maryn's life. He didn't yet know the core of it all and Maryn didn't think she had the strength to tell him. She smiled as he took the cup. maryn loved making drinks for people as it took little effort and was a fun time passer.Maryn smiled again taking a sip as Leon talked to Jamie and April. They were still young, but Maryn already knew they would be great wizards. She had a lot of faith of them unlike the bit she had for herself. Maryn nodded at Leon. "Well, it has been hectic. I've been taking care of April and Jamie and have little time for anything else. But, I did get to start reading ahead for the work we will start back at Hogwarts." She shrugged a bit laughing at herself. "It passed time." Sometimes Maryn could also be like a Ravenclaw. She was funny that way. However, Maryn hoped she had never even seemed like a Slytherin.

Jamie and April had left the room by this time. They had been called in for a last minute brownie before their baths and bedtime. She finally had time to talk to Leon a bit and give him his present. "Here." Maryn smiled admire her packaged gift. "I have a few things for you." She smiled hanging him the package that had been at her feet. Maryn grinned as he opened the package. Inside was a book and a Ravenclaw Scarf that Maryn had made herself. "That's a Quidditch book explaining the changes made to the sport since it was first invented." Maryn said excitedly. She was glad at the choices she had made for gifts and hoped he liked them. "What do you think?" Maryn asked nicely.