Thank you reviewers! You make my day. This chapter is longer than the others, so enjoy!

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Year Six, Birthday

Today was Lily's sixteenth birthday. Today she became the age that people recognized as growing up. It was a Saturday at Hogwarts. Today was the day that people were lounging outside, playing with the giant squid and finishing homework assignments. Today was the day that only Lucile and Scott knew was special.

She missed the days before Hogwarts, when she was at home and her birthday was celebrated like a national holiday. She was showered with surprise gifts and a monstrous cake; she was allowed to do whatever she was inclined to do for an entire day. Albus was even forbidden to pick on her on her birthday. Not that he was available to pick on her at school this year, either. No, now he was out on his own, just like his older brother James. His graduation had been more a happy occasion to Lily than a sad one like James's. To be honest, she did not miss Albus much at all. He was currently working in Wizarding London, apprenticing with an apothecary. He and one of his old Slytherin buddies were sharing a flat in the heart of London, and he did not come home often. Her father, however, when Lily had always suspected of favoring Albus, was upset that his son lived so close to home, and yet never visited his family.

Lily enjoyed being an only child, in the sense that she was an only child. She had the full attention of her parents when she was at home; they did the activities she wanted to do, they were there to help her with her Quidditch, they were there to listen to her and her alone. Not to mention the fact that Albus was never around to tear the mickey out of her to annoy her to death about her lack of magical knowledge. Plus, his Slytherin mates were never around to assist him in poking fun at her for various things or to eat all of the food in the house.

However, she was not currently at home for her birthday, she was stuck at Hogwarts, where only two people in the student body knew about her special day. Garrett had mailed her a very sweet card from Greece, along with a few Chocolate Grogs (her favorite sweet), but that was all she had received so far today.

She was currently munching on one of her chocolaty gifts outside near the lake, with her best friend and her boyfriend. The lake was unnaturally still today, the air windless and heavy. Next to her, Lucile and Scott were working on their Transfiguration essays. Lily was supposed to be adding the finishing touches on her own parchment, but she was too distracted by the students frolicking across the lawn, playing with Fanged Frisbees and throwing rocks into the calm water of the lake. She id not want to be stuck sitting under this tree, doing homework, on her birthday. She did not usually have a problem with not being popular, but now was one of the moments she did. It depressed her a little to think about all of the students at Hogwarts who were not her friends; many of them didn't even know her name. Right now there were only two people here who cared about her, and they were focused on their homework, not her.

"I'm going for a walk," she announced, taking the last bite of her Chocolate Frog and rolling up her unfinished essay. She noticed that Lucile and Scott shared a significant look behind her back as she stood up. "Can you guys take my stuff in when you're finished with your homework?" Without waiting for an answer, Lily walked away towards the forest, planning to take a stroll around its perimeter.

Behind her, she heard a violent whisper of "Go!" from Lucile, and before she had taken ten steps, Scott was coming up beside her. He slipped his hand into hers, intertwining their fingers. "Come with me, Lils," he told her, and led her towards the edge of the forest. He was walking quickly, practically dragging Lily along by the arm.

Garrett had always made sure to do something sweet for his friends' birthdays before he moved to Greece. One year, Lucile had woken up with a stuffed rabbit (her favorite animal) next to her head. AL day it blurted out random saying in Garrett's voice, such as "I love you, Lucile!" and "You're neat!" Lily hadn't stopped giggling all day. The next year, Lily had gone down to breakfast following a trail of lily petals all the way down to her seat in the Great Hall. That seat was strewn with lilies, her favorite breakfast foods heaped on the plate in front of her.

Scott hadn't even given her a gift. Granted, Lily and her boyfriend had been fighting a lot lately and spent most of the time sulking around and glaring at one another, but he still could have gotten her a present on her birthday. Lucile hadn't even given her a gift yet, though Lily knew one would come later in the day as it always did. Maybe she had been wrong, though. Maybe there was no one at Hogwarts who cared about her. Maybe that significant look Scott and Lucile had shared was a bad omen. Maybe that "Go!"was telling Scott to go dispose of her in the forest. Lily wanted to cry.

They rounded a patch of trees. Lily was pleased to see that her elimination was not Scott's intention; instead, he had a little table set up. The tears vanished from Lily's mind and she squeezed Scott's hand in excitement. "Oh, Scott!" she breathed as he pulled out her chair for her. The table was set with a candle, as well as all of her favorite foods. He smiled happily when he saw how delighted Lily was by his surprise.

If she was at home today to celebrate her sixteen years, she would be on her second piece of cake by now. She also would not have this delicious lunch set before her. He would have gotten a smashing gift from her favorite brother James—a nice new pen for her calligraphy set, or perhaps a beautiful leather-bound journal—but she would not currently be reaching across the table for the box her boyfriend was handing to her. There was a card attached.

Lily, it read, Happy Birthday. I'm so glad I get to share your sixteenth with you. I hope you enjoy your picnic and your gift, and I hope we can go a day without fighting. You mean more to me that life itself. I don't know what I would do without you. I love you so much that I ache for you when we're not together. I hate fighting with you and hurting you and I don't know why I do it. I know I'm a wanker, but you love me anyway, and I love you for that as well. Thank you for being in my life. Love, Scott.

In their fifth month of dating, Scott had told her those three words that had actually made her cry. He was so shy and sweet about admitting that he loved her. Lily took no time to return his sentiment. She had been mulling over that word "love" for quite some time, nearly a month, and had concluded that she care more about Scott than she cared about anyone. Even though that had almost literally been at each other's throats lately, that feeling had not changed.

Lily almost wanted to cry again. It looked like her birthday would not be so bad after all. When she looked up from her card, Scott was looking down at his hands, embarrassed. She smiled and unwrapped the box. Inside was a gold ring, inset with a small red stone. "They're Gryffindor colors," Scott mumbled.

Lily loved jewelry. Whenever anyone she cared about got her a heartfelt gift of jewelry, she put it on and never took it off again. The locket James gave her had been a enduring fixture to her neck for the past three years. Since her first year, Lucile had given her a different friendship bracelet for every birthday. All five of them had permanent residence on her wrist, and she was sure a sixth would be added today. She wore the charm bracelet from her parents around her ankle. They gave her charms periodically to add to its silver links.

Lunch in the Great Hall was over by the time they went inside. Lily met up with her best mate, and the two went up to Gryffindor Tower. Lucile had made the friendship bracelet herself this year. It consisted of a complicated braid of multi-colored threads. Lily knew that Lucile must have worked for hours on the intricate plait. She threw her arms around her friend, thanking her profusely for the gift.

Lily had enough drive to work on her homework assignments before dinner. If she was at home to celebrate her birthday, her parents would not have accepted this homework nonsense on her birthday. They believed that birthdays were all about fun and family. But her parents were not here. For a moment, Lily wished that she was home, before reminding herself of the wonderful lunch Scott had given her. She touched her locket out of habit. Perhaps, for Scott's birthday, she would fill the last slot with his picture.

Lucile repeatedly checked her watch whilst she finished her work. "What are you waiting for?" Lily wondered after Lucile had glanced at the timepiece for the twelfth time.

"I'm just waiting for dinner," Lucile told her without missing a beat. "I'm starving."

When dinner time finally rolled around, Lucile quickly gathered up her things and dragged Lily down the several flights of stairs to the Entrance Hall. Lily had an inkling that there was another surprise awaiting her at dinner, she just had no idea what it was. Excited fluttering began in her stomach.

She had always loved surprises. She attributed this adoration to her parents, who always sprang surprises on her and her brothers. Many of those surprises had no connection with a holiday, they just happened. One year, Albus received a puppy in the middle of July. It ran away a month later and they had never owned a pet again, but it had been a very pleasant surprise nonetheless. So far in her life, Lily had not experienced an unpleasant surprise. So far today, Lucile and Scott had helped her associate positive things with surprises. Lily hoped that this impending surprise would not change that.

"Right, now, close your eyes," Lucile told her. Wary but anxious, Lily obeyed. Lucile took hold of her friends arm and led her in the direction of the Great Hall. Lucile sat Lily in her usual seat before sitting down across form her. "Open your eyes," Lucile ordered.

Lily expected to see flowers or a piled of her favorite foods, or a cake. What she did not expect to see was nothing. Puzzled, she looked around for her surprise. She found it sitting next to her. "James!" she cried, launching herself at her older brother. She crushed him with an enormous embrace.

"Hey little sister," he greeted. "I've come to take you out to dinner." He was acquiring a bit of an American accent, Lily noted.

"It's brilliant to see you!" she exclaimed.

James led the way out of the Great Hall, Lily closely in tow, dancing on her toes from anticipation. They walked all the way to the village of Hogsmeade where James took her to a restaurant bustling with people. Lily grilled James about his life in America while they waited for a waitress to appear with their order.

"Hold on a moment, Lily," said James diplomatically. "I could have sworn that today was your birthday, and therefore we should be talking about you, not me."

Lily knew that this was merely a clever way to start talking about Scott. "At least tell me if you have a girlfriend," she pressed.

"Someone may be occupying my apartment with me, yes," he replied evasively.

"I take it she's American, if she got you saying words like apartment," Lily teased. She raised an eyebrow at him in question. "What's her name?"

"Come on, Lilcifer," he whined. He always used that wretched nickname when he wanted to evade her. It usually got her to back off, but not this time, for today was her birthday.

"It's my birthday," she reminded her brother in a sing-song voice.

He looked defeated. "Jordan," he told her. Then their food arrived.

Lily took a forkful of salad and asked, "Is it serious?"

James gave her the "my-little-sister-should-not-ask-these-questions" look. "James, I am now sixteen years old. You are my brother. I tell you all of my secrets and you tell me nothing. Well, let me tell you something, I am now officially getting older and I deserve to know these things."

James looked slightly taken aback by this speech. "We've been together for a year," he told her. "So, yeah, I'd say it's quite serious."

"Do you love her?" Lily continued.

James nearly choked on his ham-on-rye. "Lily Minerva Potter!" he exclaimed. "These are not questions I expect to come from your mouth."

"I just want to know."

"Well, do you love Scott?" James retorted.

Lily felt the redness creep its way up her neck and spread onto her face. She couldn't lie to James: her head was nodding on its own accord.

"You know," said her brother," I thought I was in love with a girl when I was in school. Not that I am in any way attempting to belittle your relationship with Scott, but I found that love outside of the teenage world is something wholly different."

Lily didn't know how James expected her to react, but his sentiment made her a mite upset. To hide it, she said, "So you do love her."

It was James's turn to blush.

"Well, well, well, James and Jordan," Lily mused. Then, as a bold sixteen-year-old statement, she blurted out, "Are you guys sleeping together?"

"Lily!" James hissed, blushing furiously now. "This is where I draw the line. I refuse to answer you that."

"I take it you are," Lily said. She was trying to act adult about this, no matter how awkward this situation currently was for her. She wanted James to think that he could tell her anything. It was high time for him to start sharing things about his life with her, instead of just listening to his sister's ramblings.

"Hold on a moment," James said suddenly. "You're not shagging Scott, are you?"

"Of course I'm not!" Lily snapped.

"Well, good," James said, trying to regain his composure after Lily's unexpected inquiry.

"Even though you're twenty, James Potter, you still need to be safe," Lily scolded.

James rolled his eyes. "I will not receive sex advice from my baby sister. I think this conversation stops here, Lily, whether it's your birthday or not. Change the subject."

"At any rate, you should bring this Jordan character over to the house when you visit this summer. I'm looking forward to meeting her."

"Well, I'm not coming home this summer."

Lily's heart dropped into her stomach. "What do you mean you're not coming home? Do you want to avoid me just because I'm asking uncomfortable questions?"

"No, you'll still get to see me, and meet Jordan."

The bewilderment on Lily's face had to be obvious. Form under the table, James brought out a plain, white envelope and placed it in front of his sister. "Happy birthday, little sister."

Inside was a round-trip plane ticket, to and from Los Angeles, California. "You're spending the summer with me, Lilcifer."

Her heart now soaring, Lily wondered if this birthday could possibly get any better.

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