Lily's Birthday
Lily Evans had always loved her birthday. And her twelve birthday was no different. She awoke with a smile and air of peace that settled around her, remaining as she got ready for the day and made her way to the great hall for breakfast. She sat in her usual spot and made herself a cup of tea.
It was still fairly early in the morning, so many students weren’t yet in the hall. Lily made eye contact with James Potter, a few seats away. She gave him a glare before turning back to her breakfast.
The seats creaked as she heard the sounds of shuffling before James appeared directly opposite her.
“Hi.”
She glared, “Hi, Potter.”
He grabbed a piece of toast from the basket and continued to stare at her, “Marlene told me it’s your birthday.”
“It is”, she spoke as she buttered a croissant.
James dropped the toast onto the plate, “Are you doing anything for it, then?”
“Well we have classes, but afterward I’m spending the afternoon with Sev.”
“Boring”, he whined, “Don’t you do anything?”
“I do plenty!”
He rested his head on his hands, peering at her in contemplation, “What do you do then? With Sev?”
She swallowed a bite before looking at him and speaking, “We used to hang out in the park and playground nearby where we live, and we like to read together and practice magic.”
He scoffed, “So school work?”
“It’s not for school, it’s for fun.”
He groaned, starting to move back to his previous seat, “You’re so dull, Evans. It’s a wonder why Marlene and Mary hang out with you.”
She folded her arms, “Oh, like you’re such a fun person. You and your friends just pick on other people because none of you have anything better to do.”
James sat down, “We’re just having fun… something you wouldn’t know anything about.”
Lily turned away from him, gulping down the remainder of her tea and grabbing her bag to leave the hall without a glance back.
She made her way outside, pulling her hat and cloak from her bag. Sitting, by one of the trees, she got out her book, flipping through the pages to find where she had left off. Resolved to stay there till the bell rang for the first class.
After half an hour of reading, she spotted a parliament of owls heading towards the castle. A few owls separated, heading to different spots of the castle as the majority flew through the open windows of the great hall. One tawny owl, that she knew well, flew over to her, dropping a small parcel and bundle of letters by her side before heading to the school owlery.
She grabbed the parcel first, carefully opening it. The label held her parents’ and sister’s names, all written in her mother’s handwriting. Inside was a book, The Carpet People by Terry Pratchett. She hadn’t read it yet, only having come out last year. With the book sat a green beaded necklace, placed in a small pouch. She smiled, tying it around her neck and hiding it under her shirt so she wouldn’t get in trouble for it. Lily picked up the stack of letters next, opening envelopes of birthday cards from family and family friends. She noticed the lack of a card from Petunia but tried to ignore it.
The bell rang a moment later, and she bundled everything into her bag, quickly getting up and heading to her first class of the day. Excited to see Severus.
She slipped into her seat in Flitwick’s classroom. Getting out her Charms exercise book and ballpoint pen.
“Lily”, a voice called, sliding into the seat next to her.
She looked up and smiled brightly, “Sev!”
“Happy Birthday, I’m really sorry, I couldn’t get you anything, but I made you a card.”
“That’s so sweet! Don’t worry about it, you don’t need to get me anything at all! I’m just excited to spend time with you this afternoon.”
“So am I”, he started to say before two hands rested on their desk, a comical frown staring at him.
“You didn’t get Evan’s a birthday gift? I thought you were meant to be best friends.”
“Leave us alone, Potter”, Lily hissed, “It’s none of your business!”
James lifted his hands up in defence, “Jeez, angry today, aren’t we? Is it because Snivellus forgot your birthday and is trying to pretend he didn’t?”
“I didn’t”, Severus glared at him.
Sirius Black sauntered over, wrapping an arm around James’ shoulders, “Jamesie! Don’t be so rude, it’s because he couldn’t afford to buy anything. I mean look at him, it’s obvious he has no money.”
James scoffed, “What, he couldn’t afford a single little gift?”
Sirius barked in laughter, pulling James by the shoulder to find their own seats.
Remus stared at the two as he fidgeted with his satchel, walking behind them. Lily stopped him as he passed her desk.
He turned to her, “Happy birthday, Lily. Did you get anything from your parents yet?”
She nodded, “Yeah, they sent me this necklace and a new book. It came out recently, you can borrow it when I’ve finished.”
“Class. Oh, I got my mum to send me some pressed flowers for you. I thought we could make something with them later?”
“That's great! I’ve got plans with Sev after classes are over, but are you free for lunch?”
“Yeah, sounds good”, he walked to his desk with Peter, turning around to see Sirius’ glare aimed at him.
“What?”
“James doesn’t like Lily, so we don’t either.”
“I like her, she’s my friend.”
James nudged Sirius, “I don’t care if he’s friends with Lily.”
Sirius huffed, leaning his head on his palm as he looked down at the graffitied desk, “I’m just trying to support you”, he mumbled.
Peter turned around, “Support me. Pince banned me from the library again. I was just trying to do read this boring book for that Potions essay, but apparently, I was reading it out loud and she banned me straight away!”
“How dare she”, Sirius narrowed his eyes in loyal outrage.
Flitwick coughed loudly, “Excuse me, you four! I’m trying to teach here, unless there’s anything you’d like to share with the rest of us, hopefully about Charms?”
Sirius jumped up, “Yes, professor. My friend here”, he patted James on the head, “is extremely charming.”
James and Peter erupted into laughter, Remus covered his mouth with his hand to hide his own laughter.
The corner of Flitwick’s mouth lifted up, as he shook his head, “Very funny, Mr Black. But back to the matter at hand!”
Lily frowned in disapprovement, “They can’t be serious for a single second!”
Severus turned to her, “Just ignore them.”
She smiled at him before turning back to the front, “I’ll try.”
As the class finished, Lily and Severus made their way out of the classroom, having to separate as Severus went to Transfiguration, and Lily to Herbology.
Just before they went their separate ways, Marlene, Mary, and Emmeline ran over to Lily.
“Lils!” Mary called, “We had an idea for something to do to celebrate your birthday! You’re free after classes, right?”
“Oh”, Lily glanced to Severus, “I actually had plans with Sev. We’re going to hang out by the lakes.”
“Well then, when it gets dark?” Emmeline suggested, “You can hang out with him till like 6 and then meet us in our dorm?”
“Please!” Marlene groaned, “We’ve planned something so good, you’ll love it!”
Lily turned to Severus, “Would you be alright with that? We didn’t really have anything specific planned, and we’ll still have a couple of hours.”
Severus shrugged, his head down, “Fine.”
She beamed, wrapping her arms around him, “I’ll see you later!”
As soon as they separated, Mary grabbed Lily’s arm, “So… How do you feel about being twelve?”
“Much, much older and mature”, she joked, turning away from Severus with a smile and walking to her next class with her roommates.
-
The day went on, and Lily spent time with Severus in classes shared with Slytherin, and her roommates in the other classes.
As lunchtime came, Lily went with the girls to the great hall to grab some food but left with her hands bundled with food wrapped in napkins, and Remus next to her. They made their way together, up to the Gryffindor common room.
A few other students were scattered around, but a place by one of the lit fireplaces was free. Lily and Remus sat on the carpet by the fire, and as Lily laid out the food, Remus got out an envelope filled with pressed flowers, as well as some freshly cut.
They spent the entire lunch break sitting, pressing flowers into their favourite books, and decorating their boxes, jewellery, and coasters with them.
With five minutes left until break finished, Remus got out a badly wrapped gift.
She unwrapped it, a wooden frame, with engravings of lilies along the sides, held a photograph of a lamb cuddling up with a small, ginger cat.
“I didn’t really know what to get you, but I know you like animals so when I saw this, I thought of you.”
“I love it”, she smiled at Remus, reaching over to hug him tightly.
They went back to class.
-
The bell rang for the final time that day, signalling the end of their last class. Lily packed up her things and headed out of History of Magic. More than half of her classmates had woken up by the bell and were now joyfully running out the door. Lily followed them, at a slower pace.
Only to be stopped by James Potter.
She frowned as he stepped in front of her, blocking the doorway.
“What do you want, Potter?”
James tilted his head, “How’s your birthday going?”
Lily smiled bitterly, “Good until now.”
He grinned humorously.
“Now can you move?” She pushed his arm, “I’ve got somewhere to be.”
“But I got you a birthday present”, he pouted.
“Well, I don’t want it.”
She could hear Sirius and Peter giggling from behind her.
James hummed in thought for a moment before his grin returned with an idea, “I’ll move if you accept my present.”
Lily huffed, “Fine”, she held out her hand.
James snorted as he placed a piece of folded paper in her outstretched hand, and moved out the way for her to leave.
She left immediately.
Sirius called after her, “Have fun with your slimy boyfriend!”
The laughter of the three grew louder, and she turned to glare, spotting Remus standing behind them in silence.
She turned away, speedily walking down the corridor. She unfolded the piece of paper to see a drawing of her and Snape holding hands. But Snape was drawn as a snake with long, greasy hair. The two had comical matching frowns.
The artwork was titled ‘the bootlicking nitpicker and slimy snake.’
Lily crumbled it into a ball and threw it into the dustbin in a passing classroom.
She reached the edge of the lake, finding Severus waiting for her.
He looked up and frowned slightly at the tired expression on her face, “Are you alright?”
Lily nodded, sitting next to him underneath a large tree, “It’s nothing. Just- Potter and his friends. They’re the most immature boys ever. I hate them.”
Severus fiddled with a blade of grass, “Does that include Lupin?”
She turned to him with a small, indignant lour, “He’s my friend.”
“He hangs out with them.”
“They’re his roommates”, she sighed, “And I may hate who he’s befriended, but it’s good he has people to hang out with. Those three are so cruel to people they aren’t friends with, and Remus was so upset about it. It’s good for him to be friends with the people he has to live with for seven years.”
“You’ve talked about him a lot recently”, Severus glowered.
An excited smile graced Lily’s lips as she blushed slightly, she clasped her hands together before she spoke, “Okay, I haven’t told anyone this yet… But I may have a wee crush on him. He’s really sweet! And we’ve got loads in common, and he’s so cute.”
Severus huffed, turning away, “I don’t want to talk about this stuff.”
“Fine”, she shrugged and dug through her bag to find a bundle of notes, “I’ve been reading this book about augmentation transfiguration. And I’ve had this idea about using one plant to create more, as nature does, but quickened.”
Severus nodded with a smile, “So transfiguring a plant into multiple seeds? I’ve heard it’s difficult, augmentation. But I’m sure you can do it.”
She beamed, grabbing her wand out and plucking a single flower by her legs. Pointing the tip of her wand directly at the flower, she focused her vision and thoughts on the single item. Then closing her eyes, she imagined the beginning of the flower’s life, as a seed. And pictured five of them, willing the flower to become multiples.
As she felt the flower in her hand change, she opened her eyes to see two seeds.
“You did it!” Severus cheered, leaning over to take a look.
Lily bit her lip in frustration, “I was aiming for five seeds.”
He grabbed her arm, “You’ve never tried this before but still managed it, it’s amazing. Just keep trying and you’ll get better at it.”
She nodded, holding the two seeds in her palm.
“Did you want to plant them?”
Lily thought about it for a moment before separating the two and holding one out for Severus.
“Here”, Lily spoke, “I want you to have it. Plant it in your dorm and I’ll do the same in mine!”
Severus accepted it, staring at it with affection, “I will.”
He turned to her, a smile on his face.
“Want me to read through your notes and help work out how to make more multiples?”
“Yes!” Lily grinned, grabbing her notes and laying them out in front of the two.
They stayed there for a few hours, working on their own magical projects together, until the sun started to lower, releasing a wave of dark orange in the sky. The moon was already out, small and crescent.
“We should probably go”, Lily said, starting to pack up her things, “Dinner is starting soon and I promised my roommates I’d meet them in our dorm.”
Severus nodded, grabbing his own things, “Can’t we hang out a little longer? We could go to the library after dinner?”
“I can’t”, Lily answered, her hand stroking Severus’ arm, “They’ve planned something specifically for me, and they’re my friends. We’ll hang out tomorrow?”
“Fine.”
She smiled, lifting her bag over her shoulder and linking her arm with Severus’.
They walked together to the great hall, but just as they entered, Lily was grabbed by her roommates.
“We’ve got food in our room!” Marlene shouted, pulling Lily by the arm.
Mary grinned, turning to Snape as he froze by the doors, staring after Lily, “Sorry Snape! We’re having girl’s night!”
Emmeline cheered with a laugh, hand in hand with Mary.
Lily smiled as her friends pulled her up to their dorms, chatting as they speedily walked.
They reached the dorms. Marlene undid her tie, wrapping it around Lily’s eyes to blindfold her.
Emmeline pushed open the door, as Mary guided Lily inside.
Marlene ran to turn the record player on, and the album Changes by the Monkees started playing. Mary undid the tie, and Lily’s eyes swept over the transformed dorm room. Candles were littered around the room, lighting it up in a soft, yellow glow. Balloons were blown up, hanging from Lily’s bed, and a banner was put up on the opposite wall. A stack of board games was placed on the dressing table, as well as a layout of various foods and drinks. Muggle sweets and chocolate were laid out in a glass bowl. All of the beds were pushed together, pillows scattered amongst the four beds.
“Happy Birthday”, all three shouted in unison, followed by bouts of laughter.
They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening, chatting, eating, and playing games. Monopoly had ended in Emmeline and Lily battling over property and money, with Mary and Marlene having gone broke long ago. They ended it with Emmeline accepting defeat to the birthday girl.
They bundled into the four beds, the candles unlit and the record player turned off. Only the sounds of breathing and the harsh wind outside were heard.
Lily stared at the dark ceiling, “I have a crush on Remus.”
Mary gasped, “I knew it!”
“You two would be such a cute couple!” Emmeline cooed.
“Is your first date going to be a trip to the library?” Marlene joked.
Lily laughed, “I have no clue if he likes me back or not.”
“He so does!” Emmeline scoffed, “Do you see the way he looks at you?”
“You’re going to be the first of us with a boyfriend! I’m so jealous!”
Marlene poked Mary’s arm, “Please, Mary. I have seen you and Aubrey talking. He’s a second away from asking you out!”
Lily gasped in excitement, “That boy in Ravenclaw?”
Emmeline hummed, “I was talking to Florence the other day, and she told me Bertram has a huge crush on Mary.”
Mary found Lily’s hand under the large blanket and held it, “We’re going to get boyfriends at the same time!”
Lily smiled at the thought before addressing Emmeline and Marlene, “What about you two? Anyone caught your eye?”
Emmeline coughed slightly, “No, not really. Not yet, I mean.”
“A lot of the boy’s in our year are so immature. Maybe next year they’ll be more grown up and you'll get a boyfriend then."
Emmeline nodded in silence.
Mary turned to Marlene, “What about you, Marls? Who do you like?”
Marlene gulped, staring at the shadow of her Dusty Springfield poster, her hand on her crucifix necklace.
“James.”