a break from a break *open*

[Katie]

I love winter break. James Sirius Potter thought as he walked slowly down the street in the center of Godric's Hollow. Hogwarts had finally came to the end of the first term which marked the beginning of James' long-awaited winter vacation. He had been planning on coming home and visiting with his parents who were more than happy to have him back, along with his little brother and sister.

There was a tradition in the Potter family, just like there are traditions in many other families, to go and visit Godric's Hollow at least once or twice a year and put flowers on Harry's parents graves. This was, unbeknownst to his parents, James' fourth visit this year. With the help of his two favorite uncles, he had a way here and back with enough time in between. James smiled at the memory of his last visit as he kicked a tiny pebble along the road as he walked. This time, he was here with his family, who were getting something to eat at the moment. James had scarfed down his food in record time and rushed out the door, looking for some alone time.

There was a reason why James liked coming here and why he risked himself getting into trouble by coming. He loved the peacefulness of the quaint town and how much he seemed to be rooted here. His grandparents had actually lived here with his father for awhile, before Voldemort had come and taken them away from Harry. A surge of hatred and pride surged through him at once at the thought of the person who was responsible for the demise of his grandparents. Hatred, because Voldemort had taken away his father's parents from him when he was such a small child; and pride, for his father, because he was the one who finally defeated this terrible man. James' thoughts kept him busy as he walked through the snow-cleared streets and he didn't realize that he had already met his destination.

The graveyard was very well kept and flowers lined graves as well as personal belongings to the person that had died. James spotted his grandparents grave easily because of his memory of them times he had been before, and swiftly walked over to them. Usually when he came here he spent time with his grandparents, just filling them in on what was happening with his life and his family's lives. So without waiting much longer he pulled out a blanket from bag and set it on the ground on top of the snow and began to talk. "Hi Grandma, Grandpa." He smiled and nodded his head to the two gravestones. "How've you be-" All of sudden James heard a noise a few feet away from him hiding in some bushes. "Hello?"

[upsidedowninjuries]

Albus hadn't taken too long to finish and his parents told him to go walk around. He shrugged grabbed his cloak and walked out in his maroon long sleeved shirt and some blue jeans. He looked to his left then to his right and knew where he should go to the graveyards. He went and soon saw his brother go the same way. He smirked and went the long way around he needed some time to think anyway. He could see his breath and he loved being in this town he felt a weird connection to this place.

He was in the graveyard and looked around the graveyard and looked at all the fallen souls. He kind of felt bad for the people who had died. He sighed and thought about how it was so hard to listen to people about how their grandparents were there for their birthdays and such and he never really got that from his dad's parents. Before he knew it he ran into the bushes and started to curse himself. He quickly got out of it and heard his brother.

He sighed and came out still pretty angry about everything. " Yes Hello James it's just me." He looked over and sat at on the bench across the way. He was angry and still didn't get it. " James why... Why do you talk to them? Their gone it's not like they will talk back to us. The stupid guy that so many died trying to save people like us they are gone." He looked down. Then smirked " Bet it's a very good conversation huh?"

Albus would ever let it go and he would be the first to say he'd gladly kill the man if he were still around. He sighed a bit and took out an apple he had picked. He shook his head. " Sorry James I just don't see the point if their gone it's just not fair. Everyone else knows his or her grandparents it seems but we don't get that. " He bit into his apple if there was ever a better way for Albus to learn acceptance it was probably through dealing with the fact that his grandparent James and Lily were gone.

[Katie]

The defensive stance that James had positioned himself into on the blanket relaxed when he noticed it was just his brother behind him. He really hadn't been expecting it to be him; he thought some person had come to the graveyard to do the same thing that he was doing. A small grin appeared on his face, though he knew this wasn't the time, when he saw his brother run into a bush. "Hey Al. You okay there?" his grin subconsciously faltered.

Sighing, he turned back to the graves in front of him as his brother talked. James always knew that his brother didn't quite understand why he talked to his grandparents and how he always felt some kind of resentment towards them because they weren't here anymore. "Al, just because they aren't here, sitting next to me or something, doesn't mean that they still can't hear. I know that they won't be able to respond but that doesn't stop me." Though James had never met his grandparents, he still felt a very deep connection between him and the both of them.

Grudgingly, he tore his gaze away from he graves and looked at his brother who was sitting on a bench. "Albus," James never used his brother's full name except for when he was talking to him very seriously. "I know you don't understand why this happened to them. Hell, I can't even understand it. They were good people and only because of a very mean man were their lives taken away from them. But you just gotta remember that they were great people and died protecting our father." By now, James was up and sitting next to his brother on the bench, leaving the blanket behind him on the ground.

"Now, as to answer your first question." James had a small smile on his face now, because the seriousness appeared to be over. "I like talking to them. I think that if they could, they would answer me. And a major plus is, no interruptions, unlike when I talk to certain people." He raised his eyebrows at his little brother and laughed.
He laughed a little.

[upsidedowninjuries]

Albus rolled his eyes as his brother was teaching him something though he did understand. " Okay hello I only a year younger than you James it really bugs me when you do treat me like I'm still 4 I'm not I'm a big boy. But I know mom and dad tell us this stuff all the time. But James their never here they haven't seen you or me. Never give us that hug like mom does when we get off the train even though it still embarrassing we let her do it anyway. "

Albus looked over at his brother and at the graves. " I just donno James it feels weird when they don't answer. I mean it's like they are just staring at us all the time plus it kind feels like i'm a disappointment to them. I mean Lily and you talk to them and mom and dad do as well and I sit her every time and just look at them." That was the truth he felt stupid cause his older brother was head boy on the quddich team and his sister smartest girl in her age. Then there was him not on a team not any titles just Albus.

" James why is the only time you and I ever really have these heart to hearts at their graves.?" Albus noticed that that was the only time they ever really talked about something’s that were really important. He sighed a moment and looked up at the night stars and smiled it was snowing. He loved the snow. He looked at the graves again and said even though he was almost in a trance he said. " Everyone of us it seems is well known for everything. Us potters its so weird everyone knows us and still even though we aren't dad girls just want to know us. I swear one girl took my scarf this year. I hate that James and Lily don't know you, Lily, or me."

He just stared at them but he didn't feel anger he felt sadness. HE still had his hood up and he snapped out of his trance and looked to his older brother he understood. He sighed and leaned back and his back cracked he thought to himself how if he could he'd totally show everyone he could do a lot. Live up to his parent’s name and his grandparent’s name. He looked over at his older brother and listened to his answers.

[Katie]

"A 'big boy'?" James laughed his deep laugh at that, scaring some of the birds from the nearby trees away. "Oh c'mon Al, you know you love those hugs." He grinned widely and started advancing towards his brother with his arms opened wide. Without waiting one second, James wrapped his arms around his brother, laughing loudly as he realized Albus was trying to push him away. "Oh, I'm only joking." He leaned back, still grinning at himself.

"Oh, shut up! Why would you think that you are a disappointment to them? You've done great in school, far better than me, and you're very nice. There is no reason for you to think that. I'm positive that they don't." He pointed to the graves. "And as for you just sitting here while we talk, you can change that. Listen, we're here for a few more days. Just come out here by yourself one day and just start talking to them. Tell them what's going on with school or quidditch or something. That's what I do." He shrugged. "Maybe I'll even get Uncle Fred and Uncle George to sneak us both up here sometime."

He contemplated his brother's next question, actually trying to figure out the reason why that was. "I dunno...maybe I just feel more serious here than I do anywhere else." He shrugged again.

The next comments his brother mentioned made James start to laugh, despite the seriousness that the conversation was being held in. "Don't worry Al you'll get used to having girls take your stuff...or rush you in the stairwell, or come and flirt with you at lunch, or..." He started to name off a lot of things that had happened to him since he came to school. Being the first son of Harry Potter that came to Hogwarts did reward him with some promising experiences, some really good and some not so good. "I wish that they could know us too and that I could know them. The stories that Dad tell us that he heard from other people are good and all, but it hasn't given me a good picture of how they were. I guess it must be the same way for him..." He gazed at the graves for a while, deep in thought.

[upsidedowninjuries]

He looked and nodded a small smile formed but disappeared. He looked at the place where his and his brother's grandparents laid. He sighed and rolled his eyes. A bit but saw where his brother was coming from. He smirked and said " I almost forgot James I bought these on my way here. He pulled out to black roses with white tips. He smirked. " I thought a change in color was in order. " He handed one to James.

He looked at James and says. " We Can't just set these down James we have to throw them.He smiled a bit and looked at the graves with a sly smile and nodded his head though he knew his brother didn't know what he was up to. Albus looked over at his older brother. " You know how Mom and dad hate it when I tamper with magic well I did anyway I did something nice for our grandparents for once. Plus I had some extra time and was bored."

Albus smiled and looked up at the snow. He didn't want to get in trouble so before his parents came or saw he looked at his older brother. " I really would like to sneak up here with you once and a while. I dunno just being here does feel different" he shrugged his shoulders and pointed his finger at his older brother. " Tell anyone I said that I will totally expose your baby pictures to the whole school" He laughed a bit.

Then he counted one to three and through his flower onto Lily's grave and a firework exploded softly and there was a Christmas card of all of them and in some fire it said Have a very merry Christmas grandma from HARRY. GINNY. JAMES. LILY. AND ALBUS-SEVERUS!. He smirked as it worked and warmed him up a little. He looked over at his brother and rolled his eyes. He jestured and leaned back. " Well that was cool wasn't it. Your turn now!"

He smiled and looked around and saw their parents leaving the food place. He nudged James and pointed toward them. " I think we should do it before we get caught I kinda don't want to be grounded over summer last year sucked." He laughed a bit. He looked down and said. " And Uh James. I'm sorry I um wrecked your time with them bet you probably wanted to be alone to talk to them."