Chapter 9: Happy birthday Sirius
"Shut up James!" Stella exclaimed. The boy just wouldn't be quiet and they were trying to move about under the invisibility cloak.
"Sorry." He hissed back. "I don't even know where I am though."
"No need to yell about it." Tina said.
"Why aren't you under the cloak?" Peter asked Stella.
"The piano thing." Stella replied.
"I swear that one day I will make a map of this school." Remus muttered.
"Where's the Hufflepuff common room again?" James asked.
"By the kitchens." Stella said.
"Honestly James you have a memory like a leaky cauldron." Tina sighed.
"Why do we have to put so much effort into his birthday?" Peter asked.
"He's thirteen." Stella said.
"Plus he kind of needs some cheering up." Remus said.
"Yeah he hasn't been quiet the same since the summer holidays." James added.
"Apart from that he pranked Stella on her birthday." Tina said.
"Okay so why did it have to be so elaborate?" Peter asked. "I mean if we didn't have Remus we might not have been able to break into the Ravenclaw common room."
"Hey!" James and Stella said indignantly.
"Sorry." Peter said.
"Look it's not that elaborate." Tina said. "It's actually quite simple; it's just going to have a big impact."
"Right." Remus said. "It's not that difficult compared to the Halloween prank."
"Dude everything is easy compared to that thing." James said with a roll of his eyes.
"But it was so worth it." Stella added.
"True." Tina said.
"Hufflepuff common room." Remus said. They all turned and sprinted towards it.
"So that answer your question Peter?" James asked. The boy nodded meekly.
"Um how do we open this?" Tina asked.
"Oh I'm sure you just-" Stella began but then she stopped and scratched her head. "I have no idea."
"You're kidding!" James exclaimed.
"Keep it down James." Remus said nervously.
"Oh right sorry." James whispered. Peter looked worried and did some kind of nervous jig. The portrait began opening. They all looked at Peter who looked just as surprised.
"Peter keep dancing." Tina said. Peter did another nervous jig and another until the portrait swung open completely.
"Peter you're a genius." Stella said.
"Who da thought." Remus muttered. They all looked at him. "You dance to get into the Hufflepuff common room."
"Since when was this place party central?" Tina asked.
"No." James said.
"What do you mean no?" Tina asked.
"I mean no." He replied.
"No what?" Stella asked.
"We're party central." James said. "I mean look at the prank we're pulling off."
"James now is not the time." Remus said.
"I don't care they are not party central." James said.
"Okay James." Peter said.
"They are not party central." He repeated.
"We get it." Tina said.
"They are not party central!" He exclaimed.
"Shut up." Stella hissed at him. "You'll wake the whole dorm." James looked like he was ready to argue when Remus trod on his foot.
"Stella's right." He said. "If you wake the dorm we can't pull off our prank." James looked at him for a minute.
"Alright we can talk about it later." He said reluctantly.
"Thank you now put the cloak back on." Tina said. They all looked at her.
"You know I was wondering why I could see you." Stella remarked. James looked around frantically.
"Um guys when did we get out of it?" He asked.
"What? I thought you took it off." Remus said. James ran a hand through his hair distractedly.
"I thought you did." He replied.
"There." Peter said pointing to the corridor. James sprinted out to get it. He came back moments later.
"That was a close one." He said with relief.
"Okay let's go." Stella said. James looked at her.
"But we haven't done anything." He said.
"Correction you didn't do anything." Stella said lightly. "While you were looking for your cloak I put up the notice."
"Great let's get out of here." Remus said. They shoved the cloak over them and quickly left the Hufflepuff common room.
"Happy birthday Sirius." Stella and Tina said through stifled yawns.
"What are you guys doing on the floor?" Sirius asked. "Actually what are you doing in our dorm?"
"Sleeping." Tina said.
"Don't you have like a bed for that?" He asked.
"Remus offered to sleep on the floor but I turned him down." Stella said.
"I mean in your own dorm." Sirius said.
"Oh yeah we were up late we didn't want to disturb the other girls." Stella explained.
"Right, well thanks." He said.
"No problem." Tina said. Sirius looked at the pile of presents apprehensively.
"Open them." James said.
"I'm not sure I want to yet." Sirius admitted.
"What? Why?" Stella asked.
"I don't know I want to wait til everyone is up." Sirius said. James rolled his eyes and lobbed a pillow at Remus and then another at Peter. They both let out muffled yelps, although Peter's was rather high pitched. James picked up another pillow and aimed again.
"I've got another pillow aimed at your head Remus so wake up." He said sternly. Remus slowly began to rise out of bed and instantly he threw James' pillow back at him knocking him clean in the face.
"Ow!" James cried.
"Don't throw things at me then." Remus said. "Happy birthday Sirius." He added. Sirius and the girls exchanged bemused looks and cracked up.
"I'm finally thirteen." Sirius said happily and as Peter got out if bed he opened his first present. It was a whole load of sweets. Remus grinned.
"I hope you like them." He said. Sirius grinned at Remus.
"Cheers mate." He said. Then he opened the other presents. He got a joke book from James, a supply of pranking equipment from both Tina and Peter and a piece of silk embroidery from Stella. It was red and gold, the colours of Gryffindor, in the middle was a silver star which said Sirius underneath in silver cursive. Sirius looked at it for a moment.
"Wow Stella this is beautiful." He breathed. "But what do I do with it?" Stella laughed.
"You'll see Sirius, you'll see." She said. "Just hold onto it for now."
"Did you make that?" Tina asked. Stella shook her head.
"My mother did although I did design it." She explained. She pulled out a piece of parchment and showed the others. It was a drawing of the piece of silk she had given Sirius.
"So as I said keep it on you Sirius." Stella said as her eyes twinkled mischievously. Sirius looked at her then shrugged and stuffed it in his pocket. Tina snorted.
"Great way to look after your present." She said. They all laughed. After a bit of joking about they went down to the common room. When they entered all they could hear were murmurs as everyone had crowded around the notice board.
"What's up with everyone?" Sirius asked. His friends exchanged glances and then shrugged.
"Maybe Quidditch try-outs have been announced. The first match is in a month." James suggested.
"James I already told you try-outs are this weekend." Tina said.
"Oh yeah." James said.
"So if it's not try-outs then what is it?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know let's find out." Stella said. She barged through everyone and received many 'heys' and 'watch its'. When she finally reached the board she looked at the writing on a small note, it was small and slanted. It read:
All students are to report to the Black Lake at 8 o'clock for an important announcement.
Signed Professor Dumbledore.
"What time is it?" Stella asked the nearest person.
"7:50." They replied.
"Shouldn't we get going then; the note says to be there for 8 right?" Stella asked uncertainly.
"Yeah…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
All the Gryffindor students sprinted down the staircase and towards the lake, ignoring breakfast. Sirius caught up with Stella.
"Is that part of your prank?" He asked. Stella grinned at him mischievously but kept running.
"Just hold onto that piece of silk." She replied. Sirius looked at her for a moment. Tina, James, Remus and Peter caught up.
"I'm not built to run long distances." Tina huffed.
"Quit moaning." James said.
"Stop flirting." Remus said. James and Tina looked at him.
"We are not flirting." They said.
"Remus was talking to Sirius and Stella." Peter said saving Remus, who fist bumped him.
"Oh shut up." Stella said. They walked to the lake side, which was already surrounded by students.
"Where's Dumbledore?" A Hufflepuff asked.
"Has anyone seen him?" Another student asked.
"We are meant to be here for 8:00 right?" Another asked.
"Right." Remus whispered to Stella. "Peter, Tina and I are going to the kitchens, keep everyone occupied." Stella nodded and nudged James. He nodded as Remus and the others slipped off.
"I wonder where Dumbledore is." James said looking at Stella.
"Why are you looking at me?" Stella asked. "I don't know."
"Wait so this isn't part of my birthday surprise?" Sirius asked. James rolled his eyes.
"Of course not, our surprise is way cooler." He said. "Besides how would we even get a note from Dumbledore?"
"James shut up." Stella said.
"I'm just explaining that we didn't do this." James said.
"That's great but you might want to shut up anyway." Stella said. Then she dropped her voice to a whisper. "The teachers are coming, they noticed much faster than we thought they would." James turned to see several teachers exiting the school and heading towards the lake. Dumbledore was leading them but unlike the other teachers, who all looked angry, he had a bemused expression on his face. He walked up and the crowd pared to let him through. Dumbledore stood in front of everyone.
"Well I wonder what all of you are doing here." He said. "I have had teachers complaining that students weren't turning up for lessons, though I'm not sure why they would complain about that." He paused and gave everyone the x-ray treatment. "Would anyone like to explain?" There was a little muttering after Dumbledore asked the question. Then a Slytherin girl came forward.
"I'm sorry Sir." She began. "I don't understand what you mean about us not being in class, you were the one who asked us all to come here." Dumbledore looked surprised for a moment then stroked his beard.
"Did I?" He asked. "Hmm I don't remember doing such a thing maybe my age is getting to me." A few people laughed. "When did I say this?" He asked the girl.
"Oh, um, you left a note on the boards of each common room." The girl replied. Dumbledore studied her carefully.
"I see." He said. "I might have been sleep walking although I do doubt it." Dumbledore's eyes surveyed the crowd as if he was looking for someone. He found them. As soon as his eyes looked with Stella's he seemed to know what was going on. His eyes moved on. Stella breathed.
"James plan B." She muttered. "He worked it out." James nodded and began ducking through the crowd. With a sigh of relief Stella saw Remus, Peter and Tina creeping out of the building with several trays of food and drink.
"HEY!" James yelled to get everyone's attention. They all turned so it worked. "You see Professor Dumbledore I wanted to make an announcement so I forged your handwriting and told everyone to come here." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.
"Really James, and what announcement did you wish to make?" He asked. James paused for a moment.
"Well you see Sir," He began slowly. "Today is a friend's birthday," Sirius buried his face in his hands. "So I decided to bring the school out to sing happy birthday." Sirius groaned while Stella grinned. "And then I had an even better idea, we have a birthday party out here." Sirius actually dropped to the floor at this. Stella giggled.
"Sirius." She whispered bending down. "May I have that piece of silk now?" Sirius looked at her and then pulled it out of his pocket. Stella took it and threw it into the air.
"Wingardium Leviosa." She muttered. She levitated the fabric until it was several feet above the students. "Lumos Solem." A beam of light shot out of her wand and connected with the silk. It burst into gold and red flames that encircled a silver star. Underneath it said Sirius. Stella waved her wand once more. "Stupefy." A bolt of red light hit the centre of the star, which exploded, releasing dozens of smaller stars. These stars created a disco like area by spreading out. Sirius looked up.
"Wow." Is all he could say. Stella grinned at him.
"Happy birthday Sirius." She said. Dumbledore coughed.
"Weren't we going to sing?" He asked politely. He waved and a piano appeared. "Stella as you are one of the organisers would you like to give us a tune?" Stella smiled at Dumbledore gratefully. She ran to the piano and struck up the birthday tune:
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear Sirius,
Happy birthday to you.
When they finished Sirius was slightly red in the face. Remus, Peter and Tina came over with all the food and drink.
"Dig in everyone." Remus said laying out all the food. Everyone began to eat and drink while the teachers just stared.
"Well," Dumbledore said with a smile. "If you can't beat them join them." And with that he got something to eat as well. After a while the other teachers joined in. A few metres away Sirius pulled everyone into a hug.
"Man you guys are the best." He said.
"Well you deserve a nice birthday." Tina said. Sirius looked around
"Best birthday ever." He sighed.
