Author's note: This is for my friend Kaitlin, whose birthday is today. Happy 17th Kay!!
I don't know why I type in "Candy" for my name when I always use my real name in fics. Maybe I should change my name on my profile or I dunno…
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Harry Potter universe; just the plot and extra characters are mine. Everything else is JK Rowling's.
The Birthday Surprise
(And what a surprise it is)
"Happy birthday Kay." Vanessa grinned, sitting next to her friend at the Ravenclaw table, slipping a small parcel next to her friend's plate.
Kaitlin turned to her, her eyes shining in excitement.
"I can't believe I'm finally seventeen!"
"Yeah, finally." Her friend teased.
Kaitlin smacked her.
"Oh, go back to your own table." Kaitlin snapped playfully, picking up the wrapping paper and starting to laugh. "V… this is Christmas paper."
"It was the only paper I had," Vanessa shrugged, grinning as she reached for one of Kaitlin's slices of bacon.
"Gryffindor is not going to beat us in the House Cup this year, V." Kaitlin said lightly as she set aside the card, which had the picture of an eagle on it.
"Of course we are." Vanessa grinned proudly. "We beat you last year, didn't we?"
"Yeah, yeah." Kaitlin nudged Vanessa hard in the side.
"So, are your grandparents doing anything for you this year? I mean, since you're too old to have parties…"
Kaitlin rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, well, I still have parties here, don't I?" She smiled and set her fork aside. "They wrote me and told me they would send me something and that it should be here some time this week."
"Should be by tomorrow though, shouldn't it?" Vanessa frowned, "I mean, today's Thursday… is it that big of a surprise?"
"I'm not worried about it," Kaitlin said, airily, waving her hand and giving Vanessa a sudden, sharp look. "But speaking of surprises…"
"Oh yeah! I forgot. Kitty left you a birthday present in your shoe this morning!" "I noticed."
Kaitlin scowled at Vanessa's bright smile.
"Thank you so much for cleaning it up, V."
"That's what friends are for, right?" Vanessa laughed, poking Kaitlin in the side.
Kaitlin squeaked and pushed her friend's shoulder. "Va-ness-ssaaa!!" she whined.
"Hey," Vanessa said, between laughs, "You wouldn't have told me if Amber puked on my stuff."
In spite of herself, Kaitlin laughed. "Yeah, you're right."
Before another word was said, a sly voice came from behind them, making them all jump.
"So, Schluter. Is it true that today is your birthday?"
Kaitlin turned and gulped. There stood, none other than her crush, Sirius Black of Gryffindor.
"Did I hear Owens correctly?"
Kaitlin's cheeks burned as she struggled to keep eye contact with the most handsome boy in the whole of Hogwarts.
"S-Sirius?" she managed.
"The one and only," came the reply.
Sirius smirked, his hair falling at a perfect arc into his mischievous grey eyes. Vanessa glanced at her friend anxiously, knowing full well the enormous crush she had on Sirius Black.
"Well," Sirius continued as though there had been no interruption, "it just so happens I have something for you."
Kaitlin froze and eyed him nervously. "What is it?"
she asked, hesitantly as Sirius reached into the inside pocket of his robes and pulled out a small, neatly-wrapped box.
"It would ruin the surprise if I told you." Sirius smirked, tossing the box to her. He winked, turned on his heel and walked out of the Hall, his head held high with pride. Kaitlin slowly turned to Vanessa, setting the box on the table.
"Really, Kaitlin," Vanessa sighed as Kaitlin gave an excited grin and a slight squeal, "is that the only interaction you two have had?"
"Well, no," Kaitlin said slowly, glancing at the box, "I ask him for help in Charms sometimes…"
Vanessa rolled her eyes and turned to the package as well.
"Kay," Vanessa said slowly, her eyes widening, "its smoking."
Kaitlin, who had had her hand next to the package, withdrew it sharply as smoke billowed out from under the paper. There was an explosion of green smoke, a loud BANG and a large toad sat on the table where the box had been. The frog was about the size of a baby elephant. Vanessa gasped and scooted away from it. It croaked loudly, which made the whole hall shake. Kaitlin yelped in alarm as the frog began to swell.
"Make it stop!" Vanessa squeaked, plunging her hand inside her robes for her wand.
"I don't know how!" Kaitlin cried back, imitating her.
Before either of them could act, the frog exploded, sending green frog guts everywhere. Kaitlin screeched, running her hands hopelessly over her head.
"It took me a half-hour to do my hair this morning! I'm going to kill him!"
"Don't let it ruin your birthday Kay," Vanessa said wearily, pulling off her glasses and scowling at the pieces of organs that had smudged them.
"But – my hair!"
"Look, forget about your hair, okay?" Vanessa snapped, tapping her glasses with her wand, but the stuff remained.
Kaitlin, who had watched this, dropped her mouth in horror. "Oh God," Kaitlin gasped suddenly, noticing a small, neatly wrapped box sitting where the frog had been, "not another one…"
"You should probably open it," Vanessa said tensely, now resorting to wiping her glasses off with a napkin.
"No – are you mad?" Kaitlin gasped. "What if it's another frog?"
"We can't just let it sit here." Vanessa pushed the box towards her friend.
"Yes we can!" Kaitlin shoved it back.
"Kaitlin."
"Vanessa."
"Open the damn box."
"No, you open it."
"It's your present."
"You're the one who's curious."
They stared at each other defiantly. Kaitlin made to stand, but the frog slime acted like glue and cemented them to their seats.
"It's starting to smell," Vanessa said, breaking the long silence between them.
Kaitlin bit her lip and, at last, reached for the small parcel. Both girls jumped as Kaitlin's hesitant fingers touched the package. Vanessa emitted a small squeak of surprise as the wrappings fell away to reveal a small letter. Kaitlin laughed slightly, both at Vanessa and in relief that noting bad had come. Yet. She picked up the letter, which said,
Kaitlin-
The frog probably exploded and got in your hair. Sorry about that. As you can tell, I like to make a memorable impression on people. There is a Hogsmeade visit at the end of the month, and I'd like to make it up to you. My treat. Since you're probably late for class already, meet me in the Entrance Hall if your answer is yes to my offer. I'll even walk you to class, but you must meet me after you read this.
-Sirius.
P.S. Happy birthday.
A grin spread slowly across Kaitlin's face.
"What is it?" Vanessa asked, reaching for the letter, but Kaitlin, who had jumped to her feet (the slime has dissolved as she read the note), grinned broadly and said, "I'll tell you later." And, ignoring Vanessa's protests at being left in the dark, Kaitlin high-tailed it to the Entrance Hall, her heart soaring in excitement. She came to a dead stop, staring transfixed at Sirius, who stood there as promised and smiling back at her.
Author's Note: Yeah, I wrote this instead of doing my AP English homework. Maybe not too smart on my part. :-X Oh well.
Again, Happy birthday Kay!
And yes, today happens to be my friend Kaitlin's seventeenth birthday. I actually wrote this for her sixteenth birthday (the rough draft sucks) and I never touched it, but I decided to put a fic for Kay on here since she means that much to me. J Trust me: the final draft is so much better than the rough and makes a lot more sense.
If you were confused:
Kitty & Amber: Kitty is Kaitlin's tortoise-shell cat (her real name is Ashes, but they call her Kitty) and Amber is my beautiful half-tabby cat.
Houses: Kaitlin and I both took a House quiz for this fic and we both got our respective houses. Actually, since my first HP online quiz, I have gotten nothing but Gryffindor. Kaitlin has gotten Ravenclaw, which totally fits her. I personally think Hufflepuff fits me, but I'm just going by the quiz (and no, I swear I'm not just putting myself in the house because I can). I'd love you guys to review, but this will be one of the few fics I won't care about flames because this is for my friend from me.
Christmas wrapping paper: I am notorious for wrapping gifts between January and November in Christmas wrapping paper. Why? Because it's the only wrapping paper we have in the house. My family is just special like that.
…and yes, V is my nickname.
Did I mention I like to type Author's notes? J