"Lils, come on… This is psychotic."
Lily Evans whipped around and pointed her wand in the face of Sirius Black, who had looked light-hearted a moment before but was now decidedly frightened.
"Sirius, I asked you to help me sneak out of the castle to help find James a birthday present, not berate me the entire bloody time."
Sirius gave her his best puppy dog eyes – something he was all too good at – until Lily put her wand down and sighed. It was Sixth Year, and she and James had only become friends a few months before during the holidays. He had seen her crying in the Common Room, another muggle death splashed across the Daily Prophet. This time it had been only one town over from where her parents and Petunia lived. He had held her while she cried, and that night Lily decided that there were worse people out there than handsome boys who sometimes took pranks a little too far.
The present had to be just right. She didn't want to give James the wrong idea, mostly because she didn't want to lose the playful banter and easy nights that she'd grown fond of. She didn't want to give off the impression that his friendship meant nothing more to her than a wrapped box of treacle tarts, either.
"All I'm saying is that you're overthinking it, love. James will be right mad over anything you give him," Sirius said, softer, hoping this comment wouldn't result in her wand back in his face. He ran his hands through his long hair. "He's crazy about you."
"No he isn't," Lily replied, walking into another store. Dress robes. Absolutely not.
They had already been in the joke shop, which Lily deemed too predictable. The sweet shop seemed too impersonal. And she couldn't buy him an owl for Merlin's sake. What did a boy with more gold than he knew what to do with even want?
Standing in front of the Quidditch shop, Lily Evans had an idea.
Later that night a group of Sixth Years sat by the fire in the Common Room, waiting for the right moment to leave and sneak off to the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta had told them she wouldn't tell, but only because it was James' birthday, of course.
Sirius passed a bottle of firewhiskey over to Marlene. "His whole room – filled with water, I tell you. Euphemia was bloody furious."
Lily wasn't sure if it was the story or Sirius' relentless giggling that was making everybody laugh, but she wasn't really paying attention. She was looking at James, who took a huge swig from the bottle before passing it to Remus. Lily tapped James on the shoulder.
He looked over at her, eyebrows raised in question.
"I have to give you your present."
"You really didn't have – "
"Of course I had to. It's your birthday, James." Lily rolled her eyes. "I think you should go find your broom."
James gave her another questioning look, but rose anyway. Lily noticed the others' eyes on them as they walked up the stairs to the boys dormitory. Any of time and this might have bothered her, but she was just so bloody nervous about James liking her gift.
His new Nimbus was lying on the bed, and James stopped when he noticed. Lily had conjured a gold band around the handle. Carved into it was a magnificent stag, which she had charmed to glow and move ever so slightly. Underneath, in her curly handwriting, read Prongs.
"I– well, I know how much you love Quidditch… and I really admire what you lot did for Rem –."
Lily stopped, because James had enveloped her in a massive hug.
"I love it, Lils. Thank you."
"Happy birthday, James."