AAAIH: Chapter Eight

Sixth Year: Lily's Birthday

It was in late May, after the Masquerade and things were quieter that Kat and me were hitting Lily with pillows, jumping on her bed at 5am in the morning.

"Happy Birthday Flower Girl" Katrina and me chanted endlessly till Lily finally woke up and thumped us both with her pillow (It was from her mum and asize bigger than ours!)

"You guys are nuts!" she said moaning but smiling.

Kat and me glanced at each other's faces.

"WE know!" Kat and me both cried.

"C'mon Lils, its your bee-day it's the weekend, get dressed and lets have a party!" announced Kat standing up on Lily's bed (and her knees).

"Ouch get off my legs Katrina Lavinstone and its-" she glanced at her clock, "ten past five in the morning!"

"Ooops"

"Blonde moment?" I suggested "helpfully"

"Would you guys stop calling me blonde? Its offensive and I'm not even blonde!"

"Kat, the brown bits in your hair are highlights remember?"

"Oh yeah"

Lily and me both laughed and Lily whacked Kat again with pillow. And we had this massive pillow fight! By the end of it, there were feathers covering the whole of the dorm room.

"Look at the mess you two made!"

"Us two? You're the one who started it!"

"Hey guys, I don't mind I think it looks pretty cool, we should invite everyone later tonight and have a birthday bash in here!"

"Great idea, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILY!" added two new voices, Cassie and Daisy had woken up and joined us.

"Hey hold on" said Lily putting her hands up,

"Don't rush into it too fast, we don't have any clothes or music!"

Kat then held her hands up,

"Hey hold that girl! When did Lily Evans become the slightest bit concerned about her looks?"

When she started dating Sam Dorset, I thought disapprovingly, I mean Sam was a nice guy and all but what about poor James?

"And you Miss Demesne, you have developed an attitude and little air haven't you missy?" said Kat.

"Well I've got to be a bit more daring sometime" I replied in a fake-diva-like-way.

Katrina laughed,

"Alright! We can go shopping in Hogsmede today, its great that your birthday was on the Hogsmede weekend Lily! About the music…hmmm…"

"We'll sort it out!" piped a voice. The three of us in surprise jumped up and looked around; it was Peter at the doorway along with the rest of the Marauders excluding Remus.

"Huh?" asked Lily confused.

"Well Evans…" began Sirius strutting into Lily's room and picking up a random hairbrush on the floor and started to comb his hair. He was odd.

"…Me, James, Remus and Pete can do a little music for you, you know a little muggle dee-jaying"

"You're a DJ? They have them in the wizarding world?" asked Lily bewildered.

"Yup and they rock!" replied Sirius happily.

"And why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Because dear Demesne child" said Sirius. I snorted. "That is so unladylike! Anyway we thought it would be cool for the Evan Girl's you know!"

Lily and me exchanged glances. Lily sighed and gave in.

"Okay but it better be good and no excessive drinking!"

"Wahoo!" shouted the Marauders. Kat rolled her eyes.

I looked at James, he nodded.

"So what time do you want it? You can use the common room it's bigger," he said almost shyly.

Lily smiled briefly,

"About 7 ish would be okay and yeah that is a good idea. I don't want my room to be a wreck either"

"Well you could use our dorm. Room if not the common room?"

"No thanks Potter" she snapped.

I was a bit mad with Lily; come on James was only trying to help. Well after that they left and we all sat down on the bed again. It was a bout six am by now.

"Well Hogsmede trip starts at 10:00 so we have plenty of time" I said.

"Cool, what shall we wear?" asked Kat.

"I guess I'll just wear something like jeans or a skirt? and a tee-shirt, they've got quite nice ones in that new store: Bewitched by WS "

"Girl are you carazy? That's way too plain for you're number 17 bash!" cried Katrina.

Lily rolled her eyes and fell back onto her comfy bed.

"C'mon back me up Sella! We need something totally gorge for our birthday girl"

"She's right Lily…And I know the perfect outfit" I replied.

Lily looked interested.

"What?"

"The dress at Xzilaraating"

"NO WAY!"

"Omigosh Cele you are a genius that's the perfect dress"

"NO, NO AND N AND O"

"Why not?"

"First" began Lily calmly as possible, "its way to flashy, not my thing, expensive and I'd just never ever look good in it!"

"Okay" started Katrina this time putting her hands on Lily's shoulders.

"It's not flashy Lily that sounds totally cheap, it's sexy what are you stuck in the Victorian age! And of course it's your thing! You're a really pretty girl Lils and it matches those bright emerald eyes of yours! Expensive? Tut tut, my gift to you!"

Lily felt silent then fell back onto her bed again.

"Okay I give up! I'll wear the stupid dress!"

"YAY!" Kat and me chorused.

"Kat you don't have to buy it though…"

"Of course I will, as I said my gift to you!"

That made me wonder, what on earth was I going to get my best friend Lily?

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I was wondering still the same thing later on that day. I told Kat to go with Lily to buy the dress while I wondered round Hogsmede looking for Lily's present from me.

Everywhere was pretty much packed, I soon I got tired of walking and gazing at the shop windows. I decided I'd take a walk to clear my mind, think then rush off and buy the pressie (at the last minute probably)

I found a small path winding its way upwards from Hogsmede. I followed and found there was a small cave there. Cute. I took a seat on a large rock at the mouth of the cave.

Wow, this is a weird place to sit looking for Lily's present. And when did I get irony? There was a soft breeze; it calmed me a little from my frantic present hunting. I could see Hogsmede from this sort of hill, I was quite far away thought. Better not stray off somewhere, look what happened last time.

Then I heard footsteps, sounded more like animal. I jumped up; they didn't have bears up here right? I was scared, I backed away from the cave and suddenly started to run all the way down.

Bang!

"Ow!"

I rubbed my head, it was sore but there was no blood. I had tripped over something.

"Woof!"

"A dog?"

I got up and it was a dog, which was actually hastily licking itself from the dirt I had fallen into.

It wasn't just a dog. By god it was a massive shaggy black one. It looked more like a demented wolf.

"Okay sorry doggy, but you were kind of in my way I guess it was you…not a bear" I said. What am I doing? Apologising to an animal?

I decided I should probably walk down anyway. But the dog was blocking my way.

"Errr…excuse me?" I said. Okay I had gone crazy.

The dog spat out something at my feet. Gross; please don't tell me it threw up, I thought. But what the dog had "given" me been actually a pamphlet.

I picked it up, the dog gave me a weird look, I stuck my tongue out at it, and it did the same back.

I laughed, and patted the doggie on the head,

"You're a smart dog"

I looked at the pamphlet.

Omigosh!

There advertising for Jasper Jewellers was the most beautiful charm bracelet. It was in a flower design, with crystal and semi-precious stone roses, tulips, coronations, daises and of course white lilies hanging from it and more. I remember a few days ago when were again sitting on Lily's bed talking late into the night.

"Ah I'm not really fussed about jewellery," Lily had said.

"There must be something you love!"

"Well…yeah I love charm bracelets I had this really pretty one when I was little from my dad, but Petunia broke it I never forgave her for it. Ah I loved that bracelet…"

It was perfect! Like fate.

I hugged the dog this time, it licked my face. Very wet.

"You are a really really smart dog thank you!" I said and pecked a little kiss on its nose. Awwww, so cute.

The dog barked and started sniffing me, supposedly for food.

I chucked it the bun I was eating,

"Here catch err…snuffles!" I said inventing a new name for the friendly dog. Snuffles gave me a weird look.

But the dog caught the bun and chewed happily before padding off giving a doggy grin at me. I waved and started to walk back down to Hogsmede myself.

I bought the bracelet and quickly rushed back to where Lily, Kat and me met up and had Butterbeer before heading back to Hogwarts.

It was about an hour before the party when Lily first tried on the dress. Katrina obviously thought this was too late but when she actually put It on it looked great!

The dress was a halter-neck-just-above-the-knee one in a beautiful shade of forest green. There was a pattern of sequins on the top half and the dress at the bottom was ruffled like a ra-ra (whatever that is as told by Kat).

Cassie had got Lily a pair of sparkly shoes and watch. Daisy had got a set of books and pretty hair clip for Lily.

"Oh my god I love you Cele!" cried Lily as she opened my present last. She gave me a rib-cracking hug and put on the charm bracelet carefully.

"I love it, I love it, it's just exactly like the one Papa gave me!" she cried and hugged me again.

"Really?" I was surprised, I smiled, "I'm glad you love it"

"Thank you so much everyone!" she exclaimed and hugged each one of us.

Kat and Me then put on our dresses.

Kat was of course in her favourite colour, Lily and me cringe…pink.

A short pink strapless taffeta mini ball gown. It looked more like the ball gown was chopped off from the bottom to me. It was very pretty though, and Kat looked glam too with her hair in curls and a rose pinned to the middle of her dress.

Me, no I will never be stuck in a pink dress again. I didn't really want to show my legs, they had much to be desired, far to muscular but Kat insisted that whatever dress I wore had to be just-above-the-knee-length.

I let her pick the dress again; I really couldn't be bothered with shopping. She got me a black one, which was quite frilly, but hey it was actually knee-length.

The party started at exactly seven, a small stage set up in the common room.

"Guess this is where the Marauders perform" said Kat smiling as we walked down.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing this" I replied.

"Lets just hope the jerks don't ruin it," grumbled Lily.

Before I could retort, Cassie in red grabbed our hands and led us to the mini stage where there was even a microphone.

Katrina swept across it and held the microphone tight.

"Attention fellow Gryffindors" she said loudly to the crowd of people before her.

"We are here to celebrate Miss Lily Evan's Seventeenth Birthday, yup that fiery little red-head girl who is a swot in charms class is 17! So three cheers for Miss Evans for her all-night b'day bash!"

We all laughed and cheered.

"HIP HIP HOORAY! HIP HIP HOORAY! HIP HOPPING HOORAY AND ONE FOR LUCK HOORAY!" everyone cried and our magical music started pumping by the Maraudering DJ's.

Sam took Lily away to dance, Kat was randomly flirting as usual and I decided to get a drink from the little juice (yes not alcohol) punch table.

It was very sweet, but very nice.

I decided I was not going to dance with many guys; I had enough of the creepy ones.

The Potter/Black Fan club were gathering wildly around the mini stage, they should have security, I thought, mad fangirls could stampede them.

Sirius had grabbed a guitar and was doing something weirdly like that deceased muggle rock star Elvis Presley with it. James had taken over the sound system. Remus was nowhere to be seen. And Peter, well Peter was eating and talking at the same time (ewwww) as some desperate girl with bad taste was flirting with him.

I must have kind of been lost in a daze because James must have tapped me about four times on the shoulder.

"Hey Celeste, can we talk…about Lily?" he asked.

I nodded and we took a seat behind the stage where all the equipment was and a couple of chairs.

"So what's up?" I asked.

"I'm not getting anywhere" James replied sighing.

I took a deep breath,

"Look I know it seems impossible, with Lily going out with Dorset and all. Its not going to last James, don't give up, if you…if you truly love her then you'll know she'll come around" I replied smiling weakly.

James gave me a bizarre look then grinned,

"I do…truly love her"

"Well just continue to be really nice to her, not to obvious and Katrina and me will start hinting thoughts into her head, kapeesh?"

James gave me a high five,

"Kapeesh!" he replied happily.

"Oh did you get her a birthday present?" I asked.

James looked as if I had accused him of killing someone,

"But of course! Its here in my pocket" he pulled out a little green velvet box from his jacket.

I laughed,

"Don't tell me you're asking to marry her," I said.

James rolled his eyes, "No! In here is a rare everlasting tiger lily"

I was completely shocked.

"How did you get that?" I asked.

James eyes twinkled, "I have my ways"

"Okay so how are you going to give it to her?" I asked.

"Simple" replied James cheerfully; " I sneak it into her room at midnight"

I thought for a moment, the party finished at 11, so how…

"How are you going to get it there without her noticing?"

"Now that is a secret!" replied James.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever she better not see you though Mr. Mystery"

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Lily's POV

I rolled over lazily in my sleep. It had been a fun night, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday bash. Thanks to those two munchkins, Cele and Kat. Oh and I loved my presents, the charm bracelet Cele got me was beautiful exactly like the one I lost when I was six. Fate works in mysterious ways.

Speaking of mysterious, there is an odd breeze coming through and the windows are shut in our dorm. Room. I glanced at the gold magical watch that Cassie gave me, its exactly 12 pm, my first day of being 17.

Crunch. I get up but no one is there, damn creepy, I could have sworn I heard something.

When I lay back down on my pillow, there's something lumpy underneath. Quickly I flip my pillow away and underneath is a small green velvet box.

I look over to the other four beds. Cassie, Daisy, Kat and Cele were all fast asleep. So it couldn't be them and I would have seen them.

I still felt that urging temptation though, I took the pretty little box in my hand, and on the top of the box were two initials.

I held it in the moonlight to see. In gold letters there was the initials "LE". I guess that meant me, Lily Evans right?

I opened the box and gasped.

A beautiful tall tiger lily flourished out of it, magical little butterflies twirling around. I recognized the flower, an enchanted one meant to last forever. But they were incredibly rare…who had given this to me?

There was a small note inside, I squinted my eyes to read it, it was in lovely calligraphy though.

Dear Lily,

When I first met you I fell in love with everything about you I couldn't take my eyes away. Your dark red hair, such long and lovely locks. That spirit and brightness of your beautiful almond shaped eyes, a vivid emerald green. Your smile swept me away, but alas you never smiled to me.

I know you cannot love me still, but I want you to know this is deep unrequited love for you still blossoms in my heart.

I'm sorry for everything else, but I can't be sorry for that.

I dropped the note on the floor; it couldn't be anyone but him.

It couldn't be Sam, for I loved him back. It could be no one apart from him.

Some feeling so very unexpected drowned me. And I don't know why but I silent tears fell down my face. I buried myself in my pillow and in a abyss of sorrow.

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