Chapter Eighty-Nine
The Habit of Hexing
I'll unfold before you, what I've strung together
The very first words of a lifelong love letter
Tell the world that we finally got it all right, I choose you,
I will become yours and you will become mine, I choose you
(Choose You - Sara Bareilles)December 23rd, 1978"I'm just saying, it would make a lovely Christmas gift to me, James," Lily declared
with a sweet smile on her face, the one she used when she was trying to get something.
The sweet smile she tried to model after the one Mia used, the one that Dorea had used.
Unfortunately for Lily, she did not actually have a single ounce of Slytherin in her,
no matter what Sirius had accused her of in the past. Fortunately for Lily, James was in love
with her just enough to usually forget that and fall for her trickery. Just not that evening.
"The room is just big enough to put in several shelves for books and a little desk in
the corner," Lily said, taking a hold of the glass of champagne in front of her and watching
with interest as the lights from the Christmas tree in the corner danced off of the flute in
her slender hand.
James and Lily had been politely arguing about the issue of the empty upstairs guest
room since they had shown it to Mia and the others hours earlier. Everyone had arrived
hungry, excited for an early Christmas dinner—goose, cooked by Lily without the aid of a
house-elf. Said house-elf was pouting in her quarters after Lily insisted on keeping Mia's
tradition of letting Tilly have the holiday off of work. Tilly argued that it was
not actually Christmas and, therefore, should not count, but Lily refused to let up—and
generally, whatever Lily said, James echoed.
Except when it came to the empty upstairs guest room.
"I agree with you on the shelves, just not the books. I think it's the perfect place to
hold all of my Quidditch trophies," James said teasingly, grinning as Lily threw him a
threatening glare. "Let's put it to a vote. Those who agree that the room at the end of the
hall upstairs should be a James Potter Honorary Museum, raise your hands."