A/N: For my very dear friend Katmom, whose birthday it is today. A day she is close to sharing with Lily Evans, which inspired me to write it like this.

MARAU-NERDS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY!

SETTING: Gryffindor Common Room, January 1977, before breakfast. The Marau-Nerds are diligently decorating the area before Lily comes down for the day. Imagine wands waving, streamers being magically Stuck to walls, light shows appearing in corners, the fire dancing, etc.

Remus: Are you sure this is the right day, James? I saw her friends smuggling a cake up to the dorm yesterday.

James: Yes! Has to be. I remember hearing it and every year, you know I do this and she's never once said I was wrong. And you know Evans; she'd tell me, right?

Peter: (who was in charge of the fire) James? Want this to say "Evans" or "Lily"?

Sirius: (snorts as he transfigures all the throw pillows in the room into the shapes of flowers) Try "Delectable Lily Flower".

Remus: "Oh Delectable Lily Flower, Be Mine!"

James: No, Moony. I'll save that for Valentine's Day!

(The rest groan.)

Sirius: I got The Fat Lady to sing Happy Birthday to her. She said she'd ask the other portraits.

James: (beams) Groovy! That's what Muggles say, right? I want today to be a day that Evans will smile about.

Peter: (shaking his head) Careful there, Prongs. Remember what happened before Christmas. That present she thought was a Howler?

Sirius: Oh, that was classic. And your mum's bracelet went everywhere. What were you thinking, Prongs, to give her jewelry when you're not even dating?

Remus: Shhh…I hear the girls.

(The boys all hide behind chairs and sofas, save for James, who slips on the Cloak of Invisibility and waits to follow Lily closely as soon as she appears.)

Lily: How can you girls even think of breakfast? After all that last night? I'll never fit in my jeans again.

Mary: Please, Lily. You'll look smashing in them and you know it. It's not like the boys won't be watching your arse, same as always.

Lily: (giggling as she appears in the room) Yours as well, Mary! Remus hasn't taken his eyes off of it in years!

Remus: (blushing) I'm going to kill Prongs.

James: (still under the cloak) Happy Birthday, Evans!

(All the decorations become animated, including the fire which gets a bit carried away in spelling out Lily's name in bright orange flames. Pillows dance at Sirius's command, and Remus sends the streamers to float politely about the room twining near the girls.)

Lily: (eyes wide and looking impressed) Wow. That's, just. Wow. Amazing work there, Remus. Yes, I heard you. Thank you so much for this.

Mary: Even if you're—

(Lily covers Mary's mouth with one hand, muffling her.)

Mary: If you're really early! (she smiles brightly and Remus blushes again)

James: (dramatically removing the cloak) Happy Birthday, Lily! This was all MY idea. They helped, though.

Lily: (sighs) James. Er, thank you.

James: In the Wizarding World, you've come of age, you know. So this is a big day. No more Trace on your wand! You can learn to Apparate, even.

(The Marau-Nerds cluster about, smiling and spilling over themselves to share about the wonders of being an unTraceable adult.)

Remus: (Pulling Mary aside a bit) Mary, what did you mean by being really early? It's not that early out, even if the sun isn't up yet.

Mary: Oh, Remus. (smiles shyly) Lily's birthday was yesterday. So this is just really early for her next one, you know?

Remus: Why isn't she telling him that? You know she tells him off at every opportunity. (frowns)

Mary: Maybe he's finally getting through to her?

Remus: Merlin! He'll be impossible to live with.

Mary: Don't tell him, okay? She will if she wants him to know.

Remus: On one condition.

Mary: What?

Remus: Come with me to Hogsmeade? (blushes again; this has taken him years to manage)

Mary: Finally!

(Remus and Mary leave the common room, followed by Peter and Sirius. The latter is making annoying kissy sounds on his way out the door and The Fat Lady breaks into an operatic rendition of Happy Birthday. James offers Lily his arm and, slowly, she takes it.)

A/N: Never fear, the Marau-Nerds are still nerds. I just wanted to be NICE for Katmom. :)