"Wake up honey" Lily said looking at her peaceful daughter.
"Ugh, Mom go-way" Phoenix slurred out sleepily.
"Come on you don't want to sleep away your 11th birthday do you?'
"As a matter of fact that would be preferable." Phoenix stated as she got out of bed.
She brought herself downstairs and thought about what her mom had in mind for her birthday. She always planned something behind her back; she never had a standard birthday party.
"So I was thinking we could go to Diagon Alley today and then go out to dinner at the 3 Broomsticks since I know you don't like the Leaky Cauldron that much. What do you think?"
"Yeah that sounds great."
"I was also thinking that while we were shopping in Diagon Alley we could buy you an owl."
"Really, I thought you said I didn't need one, I mean I don't really need one, you have one after all." Phoenix exclaimed.
"Yes, well maybe that was because I was waiting until you were 11 to let you have one so it would mean something to you. I was also thinking that we could redo your room because it doesn't really seem to suit such a grown up young lady. I was thinking furniture, bedding, paint, the whole nine yards. Also, there is a room in the house that I would like to move you into, just to give you a bit more privacy, a larger area etcetera; I think you have earned my trust so you won't need to stay directly next door to me. Keep in mind that if you become a wild child in your teen years I can always move you back in." Lily reminded her somewhat mischievous daughter.
"This is gonna be so cool. What is the catch here?"
"No catch, actually the room thing is a Potter family tradition. Technically I don't have to move where you're at, but I thought it would add a couple of perks for you."
"So when do we leave?"
"As soon as you actually eat the breakfast in front of you, nutter, I am not going to have you starve yourself because of your birthday." Lily stated.
"Right" Phoenix said looking down finally realizing that she hadn't touched her food. Her mom warmed the food with a charm and she gave her a look of recognition and gratitude.
Phoenix and her mom were very close, her mom was at work the night Voldemort came to kill them. He killed her brother Harry and her father, but for some reason could not kill her. Phoenix knew there was a lot more to that story than she was being told, but alas that was all the information they had graced her with, not to mention her mom was rather sensitive when it came to the subject.
"We'll have a proper party this weekend, alright?"
"Sure I don't really care about that," and she didn't, a proper party usually consisted of a bunch of adults coming to their house. Not that she didn't enjoy their company, her mother always tried to help her find friends, but it never seemed to work out. People didn't really understand her in general, not that she was particularly peculiar, she was a very caring person and more times than she could count she had been taken advantage of by people who she thought were her friends.
After she ate she went to get ready, looking at her clothing it reminded her of how different she was. She didn't just throw on a t-shirt and jeans on any given morning. She wore a skirt almost every day, knee high socks were one of her must have accessories.
She put on her plaid skirt and her perfectly pressed blouse, pulled on her socks and slipped on her favorite black flats with bows on them. She put her hair up in a perfect pony tail without an elastic band. Some would say that she was dressing up because it was her birthday, but in reality this was her daily routine. She decided to go down stairs; she wanted to get to Diagon Alley as soon as possible.
When she came down stairs she saw Severus who looked at her and said, "You look pretty." "Thanks, but it is pretty much an average day for me as far as dress and appearance are concerned" she stated matter of factly. "Well I know that, but it doesn't make you any less pretty. Besides the green in your shirt brings out the beauty in those eyes," She blushed immensely at the compliment.
Severus looked at her checks and smirked, "So I was wondering if I could accompany you and your mother to Diagon Alley?"
"I guess if you must, you do every year anyway, so I might as well oblige you in your pathetic request for a social life." "Oh, is that what you think, that I don't have a social life?" "Why else would you wish to come with an 11 year old and her mother?" "I guess I will have to agree with you until I come up with a better retort?" He smiled at her. Phoenix only rolled her eyes and went to find her mother.
"Mum we need to go, Sev is already here and you're still messing around doing your hair." Phoenix was getting to be impatient, not that she didn't understand why her mother was taking so long, she always took this long, but it was her birthday for Merlin's sake and she wanted to go.
"Okay I'm coming Ms. Impatient, I'll be down in two minutes you can talk to Sev until then." Lily yelled down the hallway.
"So you're going to be my teacher this year?" She said awkwardly.
"Yes, and if you think you are getting off easy just because I know your mother incredibly well you will find your life to include the exact opposite".
"Great, I am looking forward to your show of favoritism". She said, "So how is it that we can't have a proper conversation without speaking as if we are a member of the Wizengamot?"
"This is yet to be known by those who have looked into the relationships of young ladies who have befriended their mother's best friend." The edge of Sev's lips started to turn upward as he finished. His attempt to keep a straight face was failing spectacularly.
"I wouldn't exactly consider you a friend, more of a well-respected authoritative figure whom I happen to put up with based on his relationship with my mother ,who just so happens to have the right to make my life miserable as my legal guardian."
"So how the two of you come to some conclusion or should I allow you to sarcastically comment about one another's relationship status for the rest of the morning" Lily mused.
"No we can go, I don't know how much more of him I have the mental capacity for." Her daughter answered with a smile as she skipped towards her mother.
"We wouldn't want your brain to melt now would we Miss Potter, the rest of the year is still ahead of us." Severus commented with a smirk.
They flood to Diagon Alley and the first thing Phoenix said was, "Can we go and look at owls now?"
"Honey I think it would be better if we did that last since we need to find bedding and paint and furniture."
"But mom what if there is an owl that I really like that isn't their later; it could completely ruin my birthday."
"My my, you are a bit over zealous about this, maybe you're not ready for the responsibility after all." Her mother said knowing it would stop the argument.
"No, I am ready we'll go later" Phoenix back pedaled.
"That's what I thought" Lily commented with a smirk, "Don't worry Love. I am sure there will be the perfect owl there for you later."
They started with furniture, she found a beautiful captain's bed, she found lace curtains and a comforter. She picked a dark walnut for the wood and a damask comforter.
It was perfect, a little preppy, sophisticated, everything she needed. Her mom bought her a matching book case, desk, and vanity. It was perfect, everything she could dream her room would be, and it now was perfectly Phoenix Potter.
"So, can we go look at owls now?" Phoenix nearly shrieked.
"I am wasted, how about you go, and it is right over there, I trust you, and here is some money." Lily knew it was time for her daughter to start to take care of herself, or at least buy an owl by herself.
Phoenix looked at the galleons for a moment, then ran off to the owl shop. Severus sat down next to Lily with the bags he had been carrying. "Man Sev this is becoming harder and harder to do every year." "Lily you don't redecorate her room every year." "No, but the whole birthday scene is getting rather difficult. Every year I try to make it special because she doesn't have any friends who will help her have a good time. I feel so bad that I have created a child with no friends. I only hope that she can make some friends at Hogwarts, she worries me you know, she has spent her whole life around adults and it has made her quite mature, but I feel bad when she doesn't get along with the other children her age."
"Lils, you can't make her life any different, she loves it. She still has fun; you can't blame yourself for the fact that she is different than her peers. And quite frankly I am happy that she isn't like most of the dunderheads I deal with. She is loving, compassionate, loyal, and courageous. Lils, she is just like you, she is an amazing witch, but she is also an amazing person. She doesn't need to be like everyone else to be special and amazing."
"Thanks Sev, you always know the right thing to say in situations like this"
"Lils you're my best friend and I love that little girl of yours, but I hate to see you beat yourself up about the fact that the two of you are absolutely brilliant."
All of the sudden Phoenix ran over, "Mum, Mum, so there are these two owls that are tiny, I am talking like 6 inches tall tiny and they have to go together, but they cost as much as a regular owl and they are super smart. The shop keeper is even willing to give them to me for one galleon and 2 sickles with a cage because nobody has wanted them even though they are entirely wicked. I know you said one owl, but these two wouldn't eat any more than one. Their perfect mom they are identical, pretty, smart, just like I imagined my owl would be only their like 1/5th of the size. So what do you think?"
"Okay Phoenix but remember you have to take care of both of them, that is a big commitment…"
Before she could say anymore Phoenix ran back towards the shop, this left Lily smiling. "I hope these owls are good for her. I figured it would give her something that cares about her even when I am not there while she is at school."
"Plus, I'll be there if she has any problems and so will Sirius although he will probably just teach her how to properly prank people. You can always meet her down in my quarters if she is having a rough time of it."
"Thanks, guess my over protective mother syndrome is showing." "Don't worry, every parent freaks out before their kids go to Hogwarts, its normal. She knows every single professor, she considers them her Aunts and Uncles, they might be harder on her, but they will make sure she is doing okay."
"Your right, your always right, what was I thinking Severus?"
"First of all, it is Sev to you little missy. Second, you were thinking that you love your daughter and want the best for her. Third, you didn't want your daughter to have any more hurt in her life time after what happened to her father and brother and how upset she was for the months after the tragic event. You still feel guilt about it even though you don't admit it. So basically, you're upset that you might not be able to see a daughter you put every spare second of your life into protecting every day and that is okay. You were thinking, a lot, it was all just about one little girl who your entire heart is devoted to."
"Sev, I think it is time you go home," Lily stated, her face full of disappointment.
"Lils I didn't mean it, I really didn't. I shouldn't have brought it up, Merlin I am such an idiot. Please Lily, I want to apologize, please, I shouldn't have said…"
"Just go Sev, we'll talk later."
Severus nodded and got up whispering one more apology, but aparated almost immediately thereafter.
"Hi Love, well they are quite beautiful aren't they" said Lily admiring her child's new pets as she brought them back.
"Thanks, I think I'll name them Flora and Fauna, that way their names go together, you know." Phoenix stated.
"Mum are you alright did you hear what I said?" she said worriedly.
"What, oh yeah"
"Then what do I want to name them?"
"Oh I don't know. You can name them whatever you want."
"Seriously Mum what is up? Something is off. Speaking of which where is Sev?" she paused for a moment and came to the conclusion that something had happened between the two of them.
"You got in some kind of argument didn't you?"
"Scout it's none of your business, but yes I might have gotten in a bit of a disagreement with Severus."
"So basically what your saying is you got in a big fight with him and told him to leave even after he apologized 10 different times?"
"Something like that, how did you guess?"
"Your overdue Mum, you know your once yearly argument should have happened three and a half weeks ago, but who is counting."
"So Miss Inquisitive you ready to take your owls home."
"Sure we can take Flora and Fauna home"
"Oh so that is what you are going to name them?"
"Yep"
"Alright grab my arm"
"Yes ma'am"
Whoosh and they were back home.
"Go put Flora and Fauna in your room and then we can have some desert."
She went up to her room and let them out to explore and came down and saw her mom. They usually didn't eat sweets in fact they didn't eat meat in order to stay healthier.
As they were eating their "cake" which was really fruit and custard, but Phoenix's favorite all the same.
"I don't like it when you fight."
"Scout don't worry about it, and were not fighting FYI. I am simply reminding Severus that he needs to watch what he says and how he says it."
"Yeah, reminding him by asking him to leave after he said something disagreeable. Last I checked the definition of an argument is a discussion of different opinions particularly where there is contention. You had a discussion, he said something disagreeable and there was contention, so why wasn't it an argument?"
"You really are pushing it today with the cheek."
"It's my birthday; I am allowed to be a little naughty if I want to be."
"I don't think there is any excuse for naughtiness."
"So are you going to admit it was an argument or not?"
"I guess it was a small argument, but you know Sev he will apologize and I'll forgive him."
"Didn't he already apologize?"
"As a matter of fact he did Scout, multiple times really, I was just too frustrated to forgive him. So I let him go home with a bit of guilt. He will come by later and beg for forgiveness and I will oblige him. He just needs to gain a little bit more humility. You know how his arrogance gets out of check and then he says whatever he feels like. I am just fixing the problem, quiet yet completely satisfactory."
"You are weird Mum."
Sure enough an hour later they heard the flew go off and who came out, none other than Severus Snape.
"Hey Sev long time no see."
"Miss Cheeky what can I do for you?" He said with a smirk.
"First, you can apologize to my mother and say how your arrogance was getting the best of you because that is what she believes the problem is. Second, you could give me my new comforter which you left in your pocket after my mother requested you take leave."
"Your wish is my command Miss Potter."
She picked her new book back up and went on reading as if he wasn't there at all.
"Lily" "Lily" He bellowed.
"I am in the upstairs living room Severus." She yelled back.
He hurried upstairs as fast as he could and looked at his beautiful Flower sitting on the window seat with a scrap book of what used to be her family such a long time ago. Crying was the other thing he noticed it was obvious on her face.
"I hate this; every time we celebrate her birthday all I can think of is how I don't have a son to celebrate a birthday for, nor a husband to help me with my children. I am such a failure at this. I make her birthdays miserable because I am miserable."
All of the sudden Severus had a weird urge to pull her into a big hug, so he did. He sat down with his best friend on his lap and hugged her; he rubbed her back and gently caressed her hair whispering soft and kind reassurances to her all the while. She finally calmed down after crying out every tear she had in her body and then some. "You didn't have to do that you know."
"Yes I did my beautiful flower because I caused it. It was my fault sometimes my "arrogance" gets in the way of the way I think and speak to those I love. Lily there is no one on this earth that I care for more than you and I hurt you. No, it was not my intention, but I didn't think about how those words could affect you and for that I am sorry. We lecture Phoenix about thinking before she acts, yet I believe I am the one who needs some lecturing in that department. They were not hurtful words in and of themselves, but I didn't think them through and they hurt you, my best friend, Lils could you ever forgive me?"
"If I must, thank you Sev, I might not be willing to admit it, but I needed that crying session and I always feel comfortable around you."
"Thanks Lily I appreciate it."
"I try to hide how upset I am from Phoenix you know, but sometimes I just need to have a break down. I am glad I broke down on you though."
"Any time my beautiful flower. You look tired you should go to bed."
"No I don't want Phoenix to know."
"I'll tell her you fell asleep while reading your book and I woke you to apologize, but that you were tired and are going to bed, that way she doesn't see your tear lines."
"Okay Sev, I guess I'll go." She got up off of her best friends lap and kissed him on the top of his head and went to go to bed.
"Hey, your mom was asleep when I went up there so I woke her to apologize, but she just went to go and get ready for bed."
"You mean she broke down and cried in your lap and she doesn't want me to know."
"Pretty much, how did you figure that out?"
"It is pretty much the standard argument cycle for the two of you. Anyway I am going to go tell her goodnight."
"Okay, but remember you bought my story."
"Yeah, yeah" she commented as she walked up the stairs.
She walked up stairs and laid on her mum's bed awaiting her return from the loo.
"What are you doing?" Lily said, her face blushing as she realized that her daughter could see her tear stained face.
"I came to wish you goodnight, I wasn't aware that it was a crime."
"No it isn't, come here birthday girl." She gave her preteen the biggest hug she could muster.
"Mum have you been crying?" Trying to make the questions as believable as possible considering she already knew she had been crying a lot, all over Sev.
"Maybe a bit."
"A bit, it looks like you created Lily Falls right out of your eyes."
"Okay I had a bit of a break down if you must know."
"All of the sudden Phoenix just wrapped her arms around her mother and buried her head on her chest.
"Oh Scout, shh, it's alright." She sat down on the bed with her child on her lap and let her just hold onto her for a while.
She rubbed her back and played with her long black hair. Eventually they both laid down next to each other Phoenix in a pair of sweat pants and a matching shirt her mother in her PJ's, they fell asleep just like that.
Lily was the first to awake in the morning looking at the child in her arms she decided to hold onto her a moment longer. She loved her daughter and wished she never had to let go.