Happy Birthday!
"That'll be Bathilda." Lily announced after a knock on the door. She jumped up from the sofa and opened the door. An ageing woman stood on the doorstep, carrying two wrapped parcels.
"Come in!" Lily smiled, shutting the door after Bathilda. They headed towards the living room, but were cut off by two miniature broomsticks zooming past. Jane giggled as she swept after her brother. Lily laughed and followed them into the living room, curling up on the sofa.
"Jane, Harry, come and see what Mrs Bagshot has for you!" she called. James herded the excited twins over to where Bathilda sat. Bathilda handed a blue-ribboned package to Harry, and a pink one to Jane, who dropped hers.
The twins struggled with the wrapping for five minutes, until James surreptitiously flicked his wand and the paper fell off, revealing two fluffy toys – a green dragon and a pink unicorn. Jane giggled and waved her unicorn about. Harry took his dragon in one chubby fist and crawled off with it; reappearing a moment later on his broom, still clutching the toy.
James chuckled. "He'll be a Quidditch player, that one." He stood up and ran after Harry.
"Thanks for the toys." Lily said to Bathilda.
"Oh, it's no trouble." Bathilda assured her. "Now, I think it's time for a picture, don't you?"
Lily groaned theatrically. "Oh, I never turn out well in pictures!"
Bathilda ignored her and took a camera from her handbag. "Say cheese!" she cried, as James and Harry ran past.
James collapsed down on the sofa, breathing heavily.
"You big kid!" Lily teased. James stuck his tongue out at her.
"Honestly, I don't know where they get the energy from." James remarked.
"They'll tire out soon." Lily assured him.
She was wrong. Forty-five minutes later, she, Harry and Bathilda had run out of things to talk about, and Harry was still zooming round the house in a dizzy, endless circle. Jane had made a pile of all her toys, and was sitting under a mountain of cuddly toys, clutching her doll which really moved and talked.
Lily stood up abruptly. "Right." She said. "Time for tea."
She scooped Jane up in her arms and walked into the kitchen, where the table was laid for five people. She lowered Jane into her high chair and, with a sweep of her wand; ready-made sandwiches and snacks flew from one of the cupboards onto the table.
"Yum, doesn't that look tasty?" James said cheerfully to Harry as he carried him in. Harry clapped his hands in agreement.
"Well, tuck in!" Lily said generously, and the eating began.
Twenty minutes later, most of the food had been demolished. Bathilda dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin and James tried to stifle a burp behind his hand. This did not go unnoticed by Lily, who rolled her eyes.
"Time for cake, I think." She said quickly. Jane gurgled as a cake in the shape of a large, wrapped present hovered onto the table. The candle flickered into life with another flick of Lily's wand.
James turned the lights out, so that the yellow flickering flame on the cake illuminated everyone's faces. Lily picked up Jane and held her so that her feet touched the table. Jane wobbled as she tried to stand. James did the same to Harry.
"All together now!" he cried, and the three adults burst into song.
"Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Jane and Harry,
Happy birthday to you!"
There was a flash of light as Bathilda clicked the shutter on her camera to capture the moment.
"Blow out the candle!" James said to Harry in a childish voice, demonstrating how to blow. "Go on, blow it out!"
Jane and Harry made little puffing motions. The candle barely flickered. James and Lily stood behind the twins and blew. The candle went out.
Harry began to cry and Jane tried to grab the wisp of smoke with one hand. James grimaced as he rocked Harry in his arms and patted his back. Lily flicked the lights back on and took a sharp knife from the kitchen drawer.
James put the twins back in their chairs. Lily held the knife ready to cut the cake. James placed his larger hand over hers and Lily smiled at him.
"Remember to make a wish!" Bathilda chirped. Lily laughed, and the couple pushed the knife deep into the cake. They stood with their eyes closed for a second, and, as James' hand tightened on Lily's, she knew that they were both wishing for the same thing.