Snapshots

Unexpected Gift

I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter! This is written for EvylinDevilin's Choose Your Path Challenge

"It's Samantha's birthday in two days." Sirius said breaking the silence between him and James.

"I know." James replied.

"I haven't gotten her anything."

"You never get her anything or even wish her Happy Birthday."

"Well I've decided I'm going to get her something!" Sirius said "I've no clue what though."

"Simple!" James exclaimed "Get her some flowers or chocolates, you know stuff girls like."

"She'll think I waited to the last minute!" Sirius said.

"You did wait until the last minute." James pointed out.

"I know! But she can't know or else my head will be parting company with my body! We've only just started to be civil to each other and I really don't want her hating me all over again."

"Alright it's your call mate." James said with a shrug. "But I would do something that she'd remember."

"And that's giving her flowers and chocolates?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey! At least she wouldn't forget you going up to her and giving her a snog." James laughed and Sirius glared at him.

"I hate you Prongs."

"I love you too Padfoot." James grinned "In a complete straight way."

Sirius rolled his eyes at James and went back to thinking about Samantha's gift. He had a big problem, since he and Samantha were now on somewhat friendly terms he had to get her a birthday gift. He didn't even know what she liked!

Sirius resolved to get Samantha something when he went to Hogsmead tomorrow. If all else failed he could always get her something from Honeydukes.

But then Sirius actually got to Hogsmead and hit a mental brick wall. He didn't know what she liked so how on earth was he supposed to pick something? They should really write a guide book for this kind of thing he thought. Without really thinking of anything else he bolted into Honeydukes and prayed for something to hit him. As if one cue someone slammed into him as he opened the shop door.

"Ow!" Sirius groaned rubbing his now throbbing shoulder.

"I'm so sorry!" Sirius's heart stopped, he had slammed right into Samantha.

"Samantha! What are you doing here?" Sirius asked feeling as if God really was against him.

"Uh…getting some sweets?" Samantha answered holding up a bag of liquorice wands.

"Oh right." Sirius muttered "So…um…it's your4 birthday tomorrow!" he said the first thing that had come into his mind other than Help me.

"Yep," Samantha replied "Sixteen tomorrow."

"It's not all it's cracked up to be you know." Sirius said with a shrug.

"Still, sixteen is a big deal!" Samantha said. "Well, Alice and Frank are waiting for me so bye Sirius."

Sirius gave her a small smile and stepped to the side to let her pass before heading into Honeydukes. As usual on a Hogsmead weekend the shop was crowded with students. Sirius glanced around hopeless before quickly purchasing some Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and leaving the store.

After searching every store and stand in Hogsmead village for a suitable present for Samantha, Sirius admitted defeat. He sat moodily in the Three Broomsticks with James, Remus and Peter with a tankard of untouched Butterbeer in front of him.

"Oh cheer up Padfoot!" James said noticing his best friend's bad mood.

"I looked everywhere!" Sirius said in an exasperated tone "Every shop and nothing! Why is it so hard to get a decent birthday gift? All I've got all day is some Dungbombs and a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans!"

"Give her the Bertie Botts Beans then!" James suggested.

"No way! I love them too much!" Sirius replied "And Sam hates Dungbombs…I found that out when I let one off accidentally in the Common Room remember?"

"How could we forget?" Remus asked "It smelt like dung for weeks afterwards!"

"And I got an ear bashing from Sam and Lily." Sirius winced at the memory of the two furious girls.

"Magic must be studied, mastered and used for good, not for idiotic pranks!" James mimicked Samantha "The look on your face was priceless! You looked like you were about to cry!"

"Shut up Prongs." Sirius muttered "And for God's sake Mooney! Wormtail! Stop laughing!"

Remus was clutching his side and Peter was pounding the table, both were laughing hysterically and soon James joined in while Sirius looked ready to do murder. Sirius quickly got up and stormed out of the Three Broomsticks with his friends' laughter ringing in his ears.

He stormed furious through the village back to Hogwarts when something caught his eye in a shop window. He took a couple of steps back and saw what had caught his eye was a small and very unremarkable blue chocker necklace with a small pendant. Sirius grinned and walked into the shop.

Samantha smiled as she went to be the next night. Lily had arranged a party in the Common Room and almost everyone had come. James and Sirius had hoisted her onto their shoulders and paraded around the Common Room singing Happy Birthday, very out of tune which caused her to laugh so hard that she couldn't breathe.

She stopped suddenly because lying on her bed was a small and badly wrapped package that she was sure hadn't been there before. She picked it up then she carefully unwrapped it and gave a small gasp when she saw what was inside it. A beautiful necklace and a small card.

I hope you like your birthday present-Sirius

Samantha smiled and tied pit around her neck, wouldn't tell him until years later that the necklace was one of her favourite birthday gifts.