Birthday Wishes Always Come True - Wish Upon a Star

written by: albe-chan

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction and I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned, I am making no money from this, and any similarities with real life are purely coincidental. This work will contain MATURE THEMES, such as coarse language, mature subject matter (scenes containing graphic sex, recreational drug use, nudity, etc.), and/or violence. Please, if you are not over the age of 18, or of majority in your country, DO NOT READ THIS! You have been warned!

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Lily bumped into Carmichael on purpose that evening when she took a stroll after dinner, having consulted the much exalted Marauder's Map. He was by the lake, puffing off a joint. He smirked when he saw her approaching and for a moment Lily forgot what Worthington had said about him, and the events preceding last year's Easter break. He was easy and familiar. He was Carmichael. And when he kissed her, exhaling into her mouth, she inhaled and then puffed the smoke out as he pulled back.

"Hey," he murmured, and then his brows drew slightly together as she remembered why she'd gone for a walk with the specific goal of bumping into him. "Uh oh. You look pissed." Carmichael smiled as he said it, and the redhead couldn't help but glance at the adorable dimple that only made her more pissed.

Lily sucked in a breath. "I am," she said lightly, and accepted the joint when he offered it, taking a hard drag. "You'll never guess what I heard at Pep Practice this morning," she said with a forced, too loud to be convincing bravado of calm. She took another puff off the joint and handed it back. Carmichael lifted a brow.

"Then you should tell me so we don't waste time with my poor guesses."

She barely held back her sneer, and folded her arms. "I heard you set it up, that night we 'partied' before Easter break last year," she said crisply, staring Carmichael in the eye. He didn't react whatsoever.

"Set what up?" he finally drawled.

Lily glared, gritting her teeth, fists clenched. "That you set it up so that I'd be high and down to fuck with Zane and in exchange you scored a bunch of pills."

Carmichael's mouth hardened a little, and he toked silently as if deciding how to react. "Who told you that?" he asked at last. Lily narrowed her eyes.

"Does it fucking matter? Is it true?" she growled.

"It matters bunches to me. And not precisely."

Lily's mouth fell open in shock. "Wow," she said after a beat of stunned silence. "So what, precisely, is the truth, then, Carmichael?" she demanded.

Carmichael rolled his eyes and took another hit off his joint. "The truth, precisely, is you decided to get high with me, we partied, and you hooked up with someone." Lily frowned.

"Did you know Zane would be there?" Lily asked.

"Yes," Carmichael said lightly. "He was always at those sorts of things."

Her temper raged, because Carmichael still seemed perfectly at ease, as though it didn't faze him in the slightest that she was spitting mad. She felt her wand in her jeans pocket. "And did he give you a bunch of pills?"

Carmichael almost smiled. "He used to be my dealer. I bought them."

Lily couldn't tell if he was holding back or not. He was still just Carmichael. It was almost infuriating now. "And did you get a special deal that time?" she finally asked.

Carmichael smiled the tiniest bit. "He had more inventory than expected, so I suppose yes."

Lily's mouth hardened and she barely stayed the urge to slap him across the face. "Wow," she said icily. "You're a piece of shit."

He grinned and she drew her wand, trying to reign in her temper. "Yeah?" he drawled. "Then I guess that makes you more than pretty dumb, Potter. How many people warned you last year I'm sketchy?" She gaped for a second, too mad to even respond, and Carmichael added softly, "And for the record, that transaction took place before you even agreed to come rolling with me." Lily shook her head, still stunned beyond words. "Who told you that rubbish anyway?" Carmichael asked again.

Lily pursed her mouth at him. "Why does it matter to you?" she shot back.

He offered the joint but Lily waved it away, making the dark haired Ravenclaw smirk. "Because if it was who I think it was, I'm going to be almost impressed."

The redhead frowned massively. "What does that even mean?" she snapped, pissed off and tired of Carmichael talking in circles, hedging around everything.

He grinned and shrugged, absently chewing on his lip ring, distracting her. "It means Worthington is really trying to get in your knickers." Lily's eyes narrowed.

"Then I guess you and him have lots in common," she snapped, and whirled away, stalking back up to the castle.

By the time she got back to the castle she was impossibly more furious, and stomped through the Entrance Hall, wanting nothing more than to curse someone, or something. She was hurt and baffled and now thoroughly confused. Because she had a feeling Carmichael was obviously guilty, but now she couldn't help questioning Worthington's motives for telling her. Did he think that she'd fall into bed with him, delusional with gratitude? Was he really that thick? Or was it just a conscience thing? Did he feel like maybe he should tell her, seeing as how Carmichael obviously wouldn't and the common gossip portrayed them as a couple? Was it possible Worthington felt bad she was blissfully ignorant and him wanting in her knickers was unrelated? She didn't know the answers to any of her questions.

She was so lost in thought she didn't pay attention to where she was going and as she passed through the portrait hole to the Gryffindor common room, she bumped directly into someone. "Oof!" she gasped.

"Christ, Lily," her cousin Hugo said, smirking, gripping the tops of her arms to right her before she fell. "Pay attention to where you're going."

"Sorry," she mumbled. Then something occurred to her. Of all the people at Hogwarts, who else was most entitled to have access to the Marauder's Map? After all, Hugo's mum and dad had both seen it and used it! "Hey, do you have a second?" she asked.

Hugo shrugged. "Sure. But literally only a second."

"Wait here," Lily breathed, then hustled up to her dorm, dug the Map out of her trunk and brought it back down to show Hugo. "C'mon," she mumbled. "Let's go out into the corridor."

They went out through the Fat Lady and headed down the corridor to an alcove. "Lily, you're acting like a spaz," Hugo said blandly. "And this is taking way longer than a second."

Lily narrowed hazel eyes at him. "It's worth it," she mumbled, and handed him the blank Map.

Hugo's dark auburn brows lifted. "Um, thanks?" he said. "But what the hell do I want with some manky, mangled old parchment?"

Lily smirked, rolling her eyes, and pulled out her wand, tapping the map as she murmured, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." As the Map slowly appeared and Hugo's brows shot up, she said smugly, "I'm sure you've heard of the Marauder's Map, right?"

"Are you for fucking serious?" Hugo whispered, dark eyes huge. Lily nodded, and they shared a moment of awe, looking at myriad little dots of the castle and its inhabitants going about their daily lives, not knowing they were being watched. "How did you get this?"

"Albus," she said simply, then took it back, clearing it with a soft, "Mischief managed." She tucked it into her pocket with her wand. "I figured you should get use of it too, considering your parents used it back at school too."

Hugo grinned. "Thanks, Lily."

The redhead smiled, and then bit her lip. "Just do me one favour?"

"Sure."

"Don't tell anyone about the Map, okay?" Hugo laughed.

"Obviously," he said, ruffling her hair like her brothers would. "I thought you were going to ask me to get Worthington off your back or something."

Lily scowled. "That too," she muttered.

Hugo laughed some more. "Just give him a chance, Lily, he's not a half bad guy under the douche bag exterior." Lily frowned but went back to the common room as Hugo headed down the corridor, off to do whatever it was he'd been going to do in the first place. Once she'd gone through the portrait hole, which the Fat Lady gave her a sharp look for, at being disturbed so frequently, Lily spotted Worthington easily, with various Quidditch fans and friends, and frowned some more. She barely knew the guy, and had no clue if she could trust him. But then again, she'd trusted Carmichael at face value, and look where that had gone.

She headed up to her dorm and shook her head, and glanced at the Remembrall on the night stand beside her bed, and sighed, thinking about Scorpius. It would be so much simpler if he wasn't Godric only knew where, doing Merlin only knew what, with Salazar only knew who. And even though she knew she should work on her Potions homework, she pulled out his letters, all of which she'd read and replied to, except for the last, longest one. She unfolded it, smiling at his bold hand, and set in to read. It started out like all the others.

Dear Lily,
How are things at Hogwarts? Who did they get to replace me and Al on the Slytherin Quidditch team? Who'd they make Captain? Why do you have to be there, when I'm here. This sucks. We're in Amsterdam right now. I'd tell you what it looks like but we've just arrived, it's dark and raining, and our hostel, I'm pretty sure, is technically a barn. But all in all, it's home for the next week. I'll write more in the morning. Your brother just threw a third dirty sock at me, so I'm assuming that means my writing and light are keeping him up. What a tosser.

The redhead smiled, because although she imagined it must be fun and thrilling, travelling the world, Scorpius always seemed, in his letters, to be just along for the ride. The next paragraph, she assumed, was written before they went off to do their thing, as it looked rushed.

Breakfast in Holland is weird. I miss real coffee. I especially miss waking up with all your hair in my face. Turns out our hostel is a barn. I woke up to the sound of a rooster at four thirty this morning. Please, if you get this anytime soon, send coffee to me. Real coffee. Or some Pick Me Up potion. I'm not picky. More later, darling.

Lily smirked at that and made a mental note to detour by the kitchens with the help of the Marauder's Map to get Scorpius some coffee when she sent a reply. The next paragraph was messy, and somewhat illegible and Lily frowned.

Hello, darling. We went drinking. The locals here like to make tourists get drunk. And it's very late here. Like… Shit. I may or may not have given some man my watch, because I can't find it. Your brother is currently vomiting. What a lightweight. We only had thirteen rounds. Or maybe it was fourteen. All I know is it all got really fuzzy after round ten, and Albus is still tossing his cookies. He sounds like he might be dying, poor bastard.
Ah, I miss you more than I can explain, darling. Your mouth most of all. You have a great mouth, did you know? I bet you do know. I miss that fantastic mouth lots right now. Which sounds inappropriate now that I read it back, but I mean in the best way. (The worst way, too, just for the record). Your mouth is fantastic. At least I remember it being fantastic. Especially when you get mad and it gets all squished together. Or when you smile. I miss your smiles.
The barmaid here, her mouth was almost as good as yours. Of course, hers probably looks awful when she's mad, but her smile was alright. Not yours, but alright, considering we're in Holland and everything is ass backwards. And she's definitely not as good a kisser as you.

The writing trailed off at this point, and Lily had to squint at the last sentence, trying to make sure she'd read it properly. Hurt and confusion lanced through her and she tossed the letter aside. Why would he write that? Why in the name of Merlin's crooked dick would he write, drunk or not, about making out with some slutty bartender whose mouth wasn't as good as hers!? And even if he did, why the hell would he send it!? There were two more pages still to read, and she wondered what he could possibly say after that. She took a deep breath, reminding herself they weren't together, and he was at perfect liberty to kiss whoever he bloody well felt like, or more, but there was something unbearably hurtful at seeing it, scrawled in his messy, drunken hand.

She all but threw the rest of the letter into the drawer on her bedside table, and then picked up the stupid Remembrall and threw it in as well. She firmed up her lip when it wobbled, threatening tears, and Lily took a fortifying breath as she slammed the drawer shut. And, feeling furious and rebellious, pulled out the Marauder's Map. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," she muttered. Her eyes scanned the parchment, on the lookout for one particular person.

Cheryl came into the dorm then and Lily pulled the Map closer on her lap, slouching over it, hoping it would look like she was doing homework. Cheryl, who seemed in a good mood, didn't comment, merely flopping into bed, sighing. Lily spotted the person she was looking for, stuffed the open Map in her pullover pocket and got up. "I'm going to go get laid," she said sternly to Cheryl, who grinned at her.

"Have fun," the dark-haired witch said.

Lily checked the Map again after she got down the stairs, passing through the door in the Entrance Hall she knew would lead to the Hufflepuff common room. Once she stood before the heavy wooden door that had no handle or knob, but that the Map told her was the right door, the redhead hesitated. And then she saw that stupid sentence, written in Scorpius's own hand, and knocked firmly on the door. After a moment some First or Second Year girl opened it. Her mouth fell open as she looked at Lily. "Holy Merlin, you're Lily Potter," the girl said. "You're famous!"

Lily grit her teeth in a smile. "So I've heard," she said blandly. "Can you go get someone for me?"

The girl's light brown eyes widened. "Who?" she asked almost breathless.

"Evan MacDougall," Lily said firmly. "He plays Beater for your House's Quidditch Team. I need to talk to him for a second." She saw the girl's cheeks go pink, clearly thinking Lily wanted to see MacDougall for personal reasons and added hastily, "About Herbology homework."

The girl's face fell slightly. "Oh," she said. "One second," she mumbled, and disappeared. Lily blew out a nervous breath, wondering vaguely if she was making a mistake again. Suddenly the door opened again and she sucked in a deep breath, because MacDougall stood there, looking confused.

"Um, hi," she said awkwardly. "This isn't really about Herbology homework," she added, courage wavering as he stepped out into the corridor.

He smiled a little. "Well that's a relief, 'cause I was going to say, I didn't even know we had homework." Lily couldn't help but smile back a little. "So you're really here because?"

Lily pushed a nervous hand through her hair and looked down. "This is probably going to sound lame, but d'you want to like, um, hang out?"

MacDougall's grin widened and he leaned back against the sturdy stone wall. "Like, right now?" She shrugged.

"Um, I guess, yeah," she murmured. And then suddenly, Lily was attacked by nerves. What the hell was she doing? What if MacDougall wasn't looking for that kind of hanging out, the kind she'd initially set out for? And why did it matter so much to her that Scorpius was making out with random slutty barmaids? Hadn't she assumed since the start of term he would be, and then some? That much was true, but… It was different, thinking it versus knowing it.

"That depends what you had in mind, Potter," MacDougall said evenly, and she slanted a look up from under her lashes when he reached for her hand.

"Wanna take a walk?" she asked before she could talk herself out of it.

MacDougall tilted his head a little, but shrugged massive shoulders. "Alright," he said easily and Lily almost sagged with relief he didn't think she was completely stupid. She hadn't dressed to go outdoors, so Lily lead them through a tour of passageways she occasionally peeked covertly at the Marauder's Map to locate properly. "How do you know where we are?" he finally asked, amused as they emerged from a hidden staircase onto the Second Floor from the Sixth. "You don't have a map of the school in your pocket, do you?"

Lily blushed, mouth dropping open, and her step faltered. "What? Is that even possible?" she scoffed after a guilty beat.

"I might not be the sharpest quill on the Knarl, but I'm not a fool, Potter," MacDougall drawled. "I already figured out you didn't just come to ask me to wander around the castle with you."

Lily blushed darker. "Well I couldn't just come out and say, 'D'you wanna come fool around with me in the Second Floor broom closet?' now could I?" She purposely avoided answering the first questions he'd asked. MacDougall chuckled, dark eyes crinkling at the corners, and the next thing she knew, he'd tugged her around by the hand he still held and pulled her flush to his front. Lily's mouth parted in surprise.

"Why not?" he asked.

The redhead almost laughed. "How many girls have asked you that before?" she challenged.

"None," he admitted. "But there's some I wouldn't mind having ask me that. Including you, Potter." She bit her lip.

"Really," she breathed, and gasped as he smiled softly and kissed her gently.

"Aye," he rumbled, and then kissed her properly, and this time she beat him to the punch, tickling his upper lip with her tongue before he could tickle hers, and MacDougall groaned, pulling her impossibly closer against his warmth.

"D'you wanna take this to that closet?" she murmured after several long moments where they snogged in the middle of the corridor, and he chuckled.

"Honestly? Not in the slightest." Lily pulled back, offended and embarrassed in equal measure. "Pick another broom closet, Potter. I'm not your sloppies."

Her mouth fell open and she shoved him, but MacDougall merely hauled her closer and snogged her silly again. "No fair," she groaned after several long moments. "You're cheating," she added breathily as his warm hands covered her ass through her jeans.

"Nay, I don't cheat. I'm being persuasive."

"You find another closet then," she groaned.

Instead, after they managed to break apart long enough, they found an unused classroom on the ground floor and Lily tried to slow down as their mouths met again. She had a distinct feeling MacDougall wouldn't assume they'd go all the way right there, although Lily was definitely considering it when his fingertips traced the underwire on her bra. And then he pulled back. "Don't take this the wrong way," he began roughly, and Lily grimaced a little.

"That's usually the wrong way to start a sentence with a girl you've just been snogging," Lily said raggedly, sucking in a steadying breath.

His mouth quirked a little. "I've seen you go head to head with the Snargaluff. It's a precaution."

Lily grinned. "So out with it, then," she said playfully.

He looked at her for a moment, then said very softly, "I don't fool around without the intention of something serious coming from it, Potter." She blanched, hoping he wasn't thinking she wanted to get hitched or something stupid-crazy-ridiculous.

"Um," she said, and then MacDougall grinned a little.

"I'm not Carmichael."

Lily frowned. "Obviously," she said sharply, and barely resisted folding her arms. "You're a giant," she added. He grinned wider.

"Aye. But I meant-"

Lily huffed out a breath. "If you're trying to ask me out, you're doing an awful job, MacDougall," she said. "And if you want to make out some more, you're doing even worse for increasing the likelihood of that."

He grinned massively and kissed her lightly, leaning one forearm against the door, above her head, and supported his weight on it, leaning into her bubble. "Wanna go out with me?"

The redhead smirked. "Do I have to come watch you practice Quidditch if I say yes?"

"Just one token appearance. Will I be invited to watch your Pep Practice if you say yes?"

"Not in this lifetime," she said teasingly.

"Bollocks. I'm still interested, though."

Lily smiled, lifted onto her tiptoes, and looped her arms around his neck. "Good. Final term; you can't go bragging to Robertson or anyone else if I say yes," she murmured.

MacDougall chuckled softly. "Not the sharpest quill, but not the dullest, Potter. Of course not."

"Then yes," she said simply. They kissed for several long moments more, and then Lily murmured about curfew, not wanting another detention if she could avoid it.

By the time she got to her dorm, Lily was still in a state of shock and slight awe. She'd gone for an angry, righteous shag, and instead, somehow, wound up with a boyfriend. The redheaded witch sat on her bed, still dazed a little and sighed. Cheryl glanced at her and frowned. "No luck?" she asked softly.

Lily almost laughed. "Not for the main purpose," she murmured. Cheryl frowned more.

"What does that mean?" she whispered.

Hazel eyes glanced around at her other dorm mates. The Pellard twins were tag-teaming in a rapid-fire discussion about boys with Matilda, and Lily looked back at her friend. The dark haired witch leaned closer from her own bed. "You know MacDougall?" she whispered. Cheryl nodded, looking hopeful. "I guess we're sorta going out."

Cheryl gaped for a beat and Lily barely refrained from wincing. "And!?" she half squealed.

The other three girls in the dorm looked over and Lily frowned hugely at Cheryl, who looked hopefully back. "If you tell another soul, living or dead, I'll never speak to you again, and you'll have to switch dorms," she snarled.

Cheryl sighed. "No fun, Potter."

"Don't make me make you cry, Graves," Lily shot back darkly. She wasn't embarrassed, she just didn't want the whole entire population of Hogwarts knowing who she was dating and precisely what they got up to, four seconds after dating them.

"Bitches," Faith muttered as Hope sighed.

"I don't get it," Matilda admitted. The twins frowned in tandem.

"Lily's keeping secrets," Cheryl announced happily. "Juicy ones. And she's not gonna share with anyone else."

"Which makes her a bitch," Hope clarified as Faith said, "Total bitch."

Matilda frowned. "Are they about boys?" Matilda asked. Lily pouted, feeling ganged up on. Cheryl cackled and nodded. "Huh," Matilda said, frowning a bit more. "Sorry, Potter, that does make you a bitch," she finally decided and Lily closed her bed hangings, flipping the four of them off, but sleep did not come easy that night. She tossed and turned and woke up, after her lie in Monday morning, feeling distinctly unrested as she got to Transfiguration.

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