Chapter Twenty-Two

DC: I don't own Harry Potter

"Happy Birthday Lily!"

"Thank you!"

Even sat at the little circle table. Lily was given more presents, manly from everyone else other then the Marauders. They couldn't really get down to Hogsmeade to get her anything. But Lily understood. She loved Roy, her bear, then any presents anyone gave her, or at least that what she told them.

It was afternoon when they were giving her presents. The cake wasn't going to happen until dinner, which Dumbledore stated was going to be a little after five. This gave Lily time to enjoy the time of being five year old.

Luckily they had their camping trip the day before, because almost an hour later it had started to rain. It hadn't let up yet. It made the whole castle, and its inhabitants a little sullen.

But it is now nearing four thirty.

"Well…something got in the way of the day…" Sirius said gloomily staring out one of the windows.

"Aw don't say that." James said.

"Yeah you'll make Lily sad." Remus answered.

"What's down here?"

Lily had opened a door that led to the dungeons. "I've never seen so much dark."

"Well there aren't any windows down there Lily." James said.

"Not like there's any sun to give the windows light…" Sirius said with a sigh. James and Remus gave him a glare, before turning back to Lily.

"I'm not sure you want to go down there…" Remus said. "They have…scary things down there."

"Ooh like what?" Lily asked.

"Like…animal heads in jars." James said, trying to think of the scariest thing.

"Ooh I want to see!" Lily said, hopping up and down.

"I don't think we should--" Remus started.

"Why don't we? Haven't been down there all summer!" Sirius said, going with the idea of Lily's. "It'll be fun!" He added.

He moved away from the windows, grabbed Lily's hand, and led her down the steps. The other two boys sighed, and followed suit.

It was very dark in the dungeons' halls. The halls were narrow and you almost couldn't see where you were going. Finally Remus used his wand to light up their way, although it didn't shine too brightly.

They passed by all of the potion classrooms, and Slughorns office, and arrived at a closet. They stopped in front of it and stared. James, Remus, and Lily didn't know what was in there, but Sirius wanted to find out. He opened it, and to everyone's surprise, a ghost popped out.

Lily screamed.

"If that didn't make anyone deaf, I swear…" The ghost said sleepy like. "What are you four doing in the dungeons?"

"Just giving her a tour…" Remus said pointing down to Lily.

"We should have come down here for Halloween!" Sirius whispered to James. James laughed at the thought.

"You're dead!" Lily shrieked. Lily had visibly gone white, but you couldn't tell really. It was just that dark. Lily didn't like the sight of ghosts.

"I would like to think I knew that." The ghost said irritably. "If you don't mind shutting the door, for I have no solid hands, you're letting all the light in."

"Terribly sorry." Sirius said, and shut the door tight. They stood there for a moment wondering how it let in any light, before Remus turned his wand, and they were walking again.

"I didn't know there were ghosts here…" Lily said, sticking a little closer to Sirius, and holding his hand with both of hers. She was slowing him down just a bit.

"Well I guess we really didn't see them all summer…so we just kind of forgotten all about them." James said.

"Yeah… Oh! Here it is! The potions closet!" Sirius announced.

"Are you sure it is?" Lily asked. She didn't want the mistake of going into another ghostly closet.

"And what was the other closet?" Remus asked.

"I don't know." Sirius replied with a grin.

He found the door to be locked. So he pulled out his wand, and said, "Alohomora!"

The door made a click, and swung open. They stepped inside. There were shelves of different potion ingredients, different types of things in jars, and cauldrons. There was also a desk in the corner with some schoolbooks on it.

"You'd think Slughorn would have more security…" Remus thought out loud.

"Well he's getting old." James replied. He wandered over to the books, and started to flip through them.

"Look it, Lily! Heads in a jar!" Sirius exclaimed, holding one to Lily.

James and Remus got ready for another scream, but all they heard was, "Wow! That's amazing!"

Sirius knew all the jars had an unbreakable charm on them, so he let Lily hold one. Meanwhile James lit a torch, and Remus started to look around. "So many things…" He said.

"This is so cool! I want one! Can I keep it?"

James turned around to see a rats' head in a jar. He jumped backwards, knocking down several jars in the process. Lily giggled, but her giggling stopped when another ghost appeared from the walls. She dropped the jar, and screamed again. James went to Lily's side, as Remus started to put the jars back onto the shelves. Luckily the jars were unbreakable.

"Merlin shut that girl up!" A lady ghost, with a shrill voice, stated. "What are you four doing? You woke me from my beauty nap."

"Are you sure you could get any more bootyful when you're dead?" Lily asked. "Your not that bootyful in the firs--"

James put a hand over Lily's mouth. He smiled nervously over to the ghost, who now looked a little annoyed. "I'm sorry…we're…"

"Leaving! Come along Lily!" Sirius said, dragging her out first. James and Remus hurriedly followed, locking the door behind them.

"That was certainly something we'll never do again." Sirius said.

"I've forgotten the ghost slept down here during the summer…" Remus said.

"I say we leave…here…and go someplace…brighter?" James said. He was getting tired of not seeing much light. Remus's wand wasn't helping any.

"Like the windows will show any light!" Sirius said, feeling glum again. "Oh all right. That was fun, I guess, and we should get back…" Sirius lit his wand for a moment, and looked at James's watch. "For CAKE!"

Sirius and Lily were first to run up the steps and into the Entrance Hall. Remus and James slowly walked back up to the brighter, but still gloomy outside the windows, Entrance Hall. Sirius and Lily were first at the Great Hall doors.

"I know Grandpa's in there!" Lily said. "It's five o'clock like he said the cake would be there!"

"And you may come in!"

The boys opened the door, and Lily squealed in delight. Already they knew this wasn't going to be a normal birthday party.

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Lala Rue here, and I felt like updating!

Three more chapters...Tear Tear...

But I shall have a sequel!

To all my reviewers thanks! And to those who helped with ideas, or are going to help, thank you!

I'll update soon if I can get some reviews!

Love, Lala Rue!