"A new broom?" Lily asked.
"A Muggle motorbike," Remus muttered. "Used. Thing doesn't even run. We've
been working on it all morning."
"Why didn't you just buy a new one?"
Sirius chuckled. "Where's the fun in that?"
December 27th, 1976"Mia!" Sirius screamed from his room. "Come and get this stupid cat away from
me!"
It was only a few days after Christmas, and the residents and guests of Potter Manor
had fallen into a lazy routine of reading books in the late evening. Weather permitting,
James, Sirius, and Remus would take their brooms into the backyard and toss around the
new Quaffle that James got for Christmas. Most afternoons, Lily and Mia caught up on
homework, still surprised that somehow the boys had already finished theirs. Dorea had
insisted that Sirius take down the Caterwauling mistletoe at least from the library, allowing
Remus and Mia to cuddle in the large armchair, surrounded by books and one another. It
was a wonderfully quiet existence.
Except for when Sirius would start shouting about her new cat.
"What are you screaming about?" Mia poked her head into Sirius's room to find
him in Animagus form. The bear-sized, black dog stood growling at a black and grey cat,
who did not seem afraid of the large beast in the slightest, hissing and narrowing its small
blue eyes.
"Padfoot!" Mia snapped and watched as Sirius shifted back into human form,
pointing an accusing finger at the tiny feline pacing back and forth in front of him,
growling.
"The cat, Mia. Get your bloody beast, and take him back to your room!"
"You leave my poor Snuffles alone," Mia cooed as she scooped the little kitten up
into her arms, smiling as it nuzzled its head into the side of her neck, meowing quietly in
contentment.