Oh the rising of the sun and the running of the deer

[starfishstar]

OH THE RISING OF THE SUN AND THE RUNNING OF THE DEER

Summary: The Marauders act out a cheery favourite carol. (Christmas 1980.)

Characters: Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, baby Harry

Words: 100

Notes: This drabble (yes, it’s precisely 100 words if you don’t count the interspersed lyrics!) was inspired by author_by_night’s prompt of “Christmas Carol: The Holly and the Ivy” at the rt_morelove Stocking Filler Exchange, but then I just couldn’t seem to get this to be about Remus and Tonks – it insisted on being the Marauders instead. So, it's here, not there.

I kind of think this ought to be a picture, but I can’t draw, so it’s a drabble instead. If it’s songfic for a medieval Christmas carol, is it still songfic?


Story:

“The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown,” Lily sang, smiling as she leant up against James’ side. On their entwined hands, both their wedding bands reflected the glow of the fairy lights they’d strung haphazardly about the house.

“Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown,” she continued. Remus grabbed a paper crown abandoned on the mantelpiece and dropped it on her head, off-kilter.

“Oh, the rising of the sun,” she sang, and Sirius obligingly hoisted little Harry up higher, raising him above all their heads, “and the running of the deer” – James jogged in place, grinning madly.

“The playing of the merry organ,” Lily sang, and Peter tinkled about on the keys of the old upright piano, smiling back at her, then they all joined in with one voice as she concluded, “sweet singing in the choir.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.

Comments

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

Aw, this is sweet! Running of the deer -- of course. Rising of the sun/son: I can see Sirius getting into the punning.

If it’s songfic for a medieval Christmas carol, is it still songfic?

I...don't think I've ever seen that question posed before. ;)

[starfishstar]

Hee hee! Yes, "running of the deer" is why this insisted on being Marauders-era instead of OotP-era. "Rising of the son" – thank you, so glad the pun came across!!

I...don't think I've ever seen that question posed before.

Isn't it a lovely thing about fandom, the endless possible permutations? ;-)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

You may have created carolfic. ;)

I like the puns, how the characters fit the words so well (I see why it needed the Marauders!), Lily being crowned with holly makes me think of the tradition of holly trees protecting against lightning strikes, and the sheer happiness and companionship of the scene. Lovely!

[starfishstar]

"Carolfic"! I like it :-) (That could be a gift exchange in and of itself...)

And thank you, I'm so glad the images of happiness and companionship come through, even though it's so short. With the holly, I was mostly just thinking that in my mind all the boys think of Lily as the best and bravest among them, the one who bears the crown... but holly protecting against lightning strikes (i.e, Lily protecting Harry from the strike that leaves his lightning scar), oh, gosh! And I'd forgotten this until just now, but Harry's wand is holly wood!

Lovely associations, even though none of them were deliberate on my part ;-)

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Sorry I only just saw this... I sent you a PM back. LJ had it marked as "suspicious" for some reason.

I really liked this drabble. :D It fits. And I love the Marauders as much as Remus/Tonks (in some ways more, though I kind of see Tonks as a Marauder by association).

[starfishstar]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I think Tonks works as an honorary Marauder, too :-)