"Christmas Decorations", Part 2.
He hurtled up the three flights of stairs, slammed the door of his room behind him and kicked a small stool out of the way. Pure blood rights - how would anyone know whether a person was Muggle-born or a half-blood just by looking at them? Being pure-blood didn’t make you any better at magic as far as Sirius could see; Muggle-born Evans was one of the brightest students in their year. Even old Sluggy thought she was clever - and he was Head of Slytherin. Whereas pure-blood Torvil Yarrow was so dumb he’d taken three weeks to learn the way from the Hufflepuff common room to the Great Hall. Why couldn’t they just take people as they were? Why did bloodlines matter so much?
Sirius sighed. There’d be hell to pay now. Just as well he’d already eaten heaps, because clearly he wasn’t going to get any pudding. He’d be lucky to get any supper either. Maybe they wouldn’t eat all the mince tarts, and he could sneak downstairs and grab some later tonight. He tossed his handful of plunder onto the bed and examined it - three toffees, four chocolates and a walnut in its shell. They might have to last until breakfast, so he carefully put them into his bedside drawer and flopped onto the bed.
The worst thing was missing out on his presents. As children, he and Regulus had been allowed to open presents from their parents and each other before breakfast. Because Regulus wasn’t at school, he was still allowed to open his, but Mum had decreed that Sirius was now old enough to wait for the afternoon formalities. Which wasn’t really fair: Bella, Cissy and Dromeda were much older, and they were still allowed to open their presents early.
Feeling more miserable that he’d like to admit, Sirius crossed to his trunk in search of something to read. He felt suddenly guilty when he saw the little present which Ted Tonks had asked him to give Andromeda on Christmas Day - maybe he’d have to owl it to her. Underneath it was a bundle of red and gold. Sirius pulled it out.
James, Remus and Peter had clubbed together to buy him a proper Gryffindor banner for Christmas. The colours glowed richly under the room’s chandelier, and Sirius spread it across his trunk.
That was what this room needed! Colour, lots of colour. He stared around at the pale silvery wallpaper and the green curtains and bedspread. Red and gold were much better, and they were Christmas colours too.
He managed to levitate the banner to the wall above his bed but it was too big to fit properly behind the bedposts. It would have to go on the far wall, though at least he could then see it from his bed. He rather liked the idea of Gryffindor’s lion watching him as he slept, guarding against Slytherin serpents. So he rummaged in his trunk for Spellotape.
It wasn’t the best thing for fixing a large banner to the wall, Sirius discovered, after wrestling with tape and banner for some time. It wasn’t strong enough, and the minute he got one end fixed and started on the other, the first bit would collapse again. He’d need some nails or pins, or a few good sticking charms. But you didn’t learn those until at least second year.
He scoured the room for nails of any kind, but only came up with two small pins, and a loose nail which he pulled from the bottom of his bookshelf. Not much, but maybe he could use them with the Spellotape.
Using his heaviest boot as a hammer, and muffling the sound as best he could with an old shirt, he was just starting on the first pin when there was a soft knock at the door. “Sirius? You in there?”
Andromeda! He dropped the banner and bounded over. She slipped inside and gave him a quick hug.
“You silly boy!” she scolded him in her best older-cousin manner. “Why did you have to argue with them? Your Mum’s furious. And you’ve ruined the tablecloth.”
“She’s got plenty of others. What’s happening?”
“There was a fine old row. Aunty M said you were perfectly sweet to her until they started talking about you being in Slytherin - told Grandma she was silly to bring it all up again. That made Grandad angry, so they all started yelling. Then Regulus started crying and Aunt Cassie suddenly said she wanted a cup of tea and it was time for ‘the children’ to open their presents.”
“They still fighting?” A long family argument meant his parents would definitely take it out on him later.
“No. Uncle Alphard’s got them calmed down and they’re all sitting around opening presents and fussing over Regulus. Bella and Cissy have just gone home - Mum decided they could visit the Malfoys after all.” She looked around the room, and caught sight of the banner. “Sirius! What on earth d’you think you’re doing? If you put it up, they’ll rip it down the minute they see it.”
“Not if someone works a Permanent Sticking Charm.” The solution to his problem was standing right there.
“What sort of someone would do that?”
“Someone who likes a Muggle-born called Ted Tonks. Who gave me a present to give you on Christmas Day.” They stared at each other. “Please, Dromeda? Please, please? It was a Christmas present from James and the others.”
She regarded him for a long moment, then sighed and smiled ruefully. “OK, deal. We’ll both get killed you know - but it is Christmas. Only you’ll have to learn the charm yourself in future.” She pointed her wand at the banner, which immediately spread out and fixed itself majestically across the wall. “Now, you disgraceful little Gryffindor - anything else you want me to put up?”
Sirius shook his head, and was just standing back to admire the effect when they heard someone calling Andromeda from downstairs.
“Quick!” Sirius dived for his trunk and handed over the little blue-wrapped package with its gold ribbon. Andromeda hugged him again, producing a gift of her own.
“Be careful with yours. I’m in the loo if they’re looking for me. Eaten too much.” She winked, and vanished.
Her present was beyond cool. He swallowed, placing it reverently on the bed. The nondescript wooden box contained a model of a Muggle motorbike - a wonderful little black and silver bike labelled “Vincent Black Shadow”. Where had Dromeda got this? Gently he removed the bike and turned it over, marvelling at the detail. It even had a polished wooden stand. He thought of putting it in pride of place on the chest of drawers, but remembered the likely reaction when his parents saw the banner. If they saw a motorbike too …
Display would have to wait until he got back to school: gently he re-packed it and placed the box in his trunk. Then he stretched out on his bed, hands clasped behind his head, and stared across at the golden lion.
With any luck, Uncle Alphard would find a way to visit him later, and might even sneak up some pudding. His parents would certainly punish him. He might not get any presents, might not even be allowed to visit James for New Year. But it didn’t matter.
Sirius Black had a Gryffindor banner on his bedroom wall and a Black Shadow model in his trunk. It was a very good Christmas after all.
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