REVISED 6/26/2013

It didn't take long for Kirsten to head back up to reach the portrait of Sir Cadogan after Lupin pretty much kicked her out of his office. And this was after he took both éclairs from her. It wasn't her fault that she forgot it was only three hours or so until he transformed into a werewolf. Good on his part for practically throwing her out. She probably would've taken a little nap there if he hadn't. She was still exhausted after eating all that food.

Kirsten frowned slightly as she thought about how painful his transformation would be. And on Christmas day no less.

But the frown left her face as she grinned at the scene in Sir Cadogan's portrait. Apparently, the knight was throwing a party with several monks, a couple of previous headmasters of Hogwarts, and his fat pony. She couldn't tell if the knight was drunk or not. Cadogan was absolutely mad either way.

"Scurvy cur," she said.

"And the same to you, sir!" Sir Cadogan roared, as the painting swung forward.

He was definitely drunk.

Kirsten practically felt the tension as soon as she stepped through the portrait hole, watching the scene before her.

There was Professor McGonagall holding a sleek broomstick, with Harry and Ron looking at the woman in outrage. While Hermione held an upside down book to her face. But as soon as the portrait swung to a close behind Kirsten, all eyes immediately landed on Kirsten.

"Carlisle, did you send Potter this broom?" the Transfigurations teacher asked. Her grey eyes landed on the broom in the woman's hands and they widened, realizing the model of the broom. It was a Firebolt.

"A broom?" Kirsten asked incredulously. The older witch nodded her head in affirmation.

It took a lot of convincing on McGonagall's part to attend Madam Hooch's classes. Kirsten could tell that McGonagall thought it was hilarious that she was afraid of brooms. Or more importantly heights. She just thought it was ridiculous to depend on a chopped piece of wood to keep her suspended in the air.

"Then it is final, Potter," Professor McGonagall said, her eyes back on the bespectacled boy, "It will need to be checked for jinxes. Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down –"

"Strip it down?" Ron repeated, as if Professor McGonagall was absolutely mad.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," McGonagall continued. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free."

"There's nothing wrong with it!" Harry said, his voice shaking slightly. "Honestly, Professor—"

Kirsten's jaw dropped just slightly as she looked between Harry and McGonagall, and saw the desperate look on Harry's face. She remembered how fixated he was on it, and how passionate he was about Quidditch. But was he seriously about to cry? Over a broom?

Then her eyes narrowed as she processed McGonagall's words. Why would that broom be jinxed?

"You can't know that, Potter," Professor McGonagall said, her voice kind, "not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed."

Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and exited through the portrait hole.

Kirsten stared at Harry, Ron, and Hermione in confusion.

"What the hell is going on?"

"What did you go running to McGonagall for?"

The black haired witch settled her eyes on Hermione, who now happened to be standing, face pink. Her brown eyes went from Kirsten to Ron.

"Because I thought—and Professor McGonagall agrees with me and if I tell Kirsten, her too—that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

Kirsten blinked as she looked at Hermione.

"Why would you think it would be him? Wasn't there a name – oh…." She remembered how McGonagall asked if she sent the broom.

She really shouldn't stuff her face till exhaustion.

The girl shook her head trying to clear her mind. Kirsten was about to open her mouth and continue talking until she realized who she was in front of.

And there was absolutely no way she was going to talk about Sirius Black in front of Harry. Who knew if the dark haired boy would slam her through the portrait hole this time?

Oh, she wished he would now.

He wouldn't know what hit him.

"Oh yes, let's sit around the fire and talk about daddy dearest," she said. The sarcasm was evident in her voice as she glanced at the trio. "We all remember what happened last time."

And without another word, Kirsten made her way up the stairs and dropped ungracefully on her bed, after entering her room. She was too tired to think about anything at the moment or change out of her sweater and jeans. Kicking her tennis shoes off the bed, she nestled her body beneath her sheets and fell asleep.

"You all right, 'Mione?"

Kirsten woke up in the early hours of the morning due to hunger. She was starving and practically ran through her dormitory door as soon as she pulled on her sweater over her head and pulled her wet curls into the messiest bun. She piled her plate high with food and didn't bother using her table manners. A barn owl flew to her side as she was digging into her plate. And with little difficulty was able to read the note from Hagrid to stop by his home. It wasn't long before Hermione joined her, only nodding her head in greeting with her mouth full of eggs. And it wasn't even minutes until she realized the odd smile Hermione was throwing her. She couldn't take it anymore.

The smile on the girl's face vanished, taking in the questioning look Kirsten was giving her.

"Don't tell me you forgot…" Hermione said, watching her face carefully. Kirsten's brow furrowed in confusion at her question.

What the hell was she going on about?

Kirsten's eyes dropped to a wrapped package Hermione was now holding in her hand.

"Oh," Kirsten said and shrugged her shoulders. She proceeded into devouring her bacon.

"Did you really forget your birthday?" Hermione asked, eyes wide at the girl before her.

The black haired witch raised an eyebrow at that with smirk on her face. She decided to finish the bacon in her mouth before answering. "Never exactly celebrated my birthday since I was five."

The incredulous look on Hermione's face vanished and was replaced with a sympathetic one. Kirsten rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Not trying to sell a sob story here," she said jokingly. "Anyways, it's just a birthday."

The look incredulous look on Hermione's face was enough for her to crack a smile.

Ron and Harry were the next to ambush her. She tried running out of the portrait hole, especially when she saw the gifts in their hands. But Hermione was standing in her way behind her.

Her eyes narrowed considerably on Harry.

She didn't know whether to be angry or content. She had no doubt that he was the one who told Ron and Hermione it was her birthday. And she wondered if he was still mad at her deep down even if he did get her a gift. Though he shouldn't be angry at her in the first place. She couldn't help that she was Sirius Black's daughter. And she didn't even know about it until that same day. If anything, she should be the one that was angry.

The anger flashed in her eyes momentarily as she looked at the emerald eyed boy. He looked away from her gaze and a smirk graced her lips in satisfaction.

Served him right.

"Happy Birthday, Kirsten!"

The smirk was replaced with a smile in Ron's direction. The redhead grinned at her, handing her the gift in his hand. She didn't notice that he held two wrapped packages until now.

"I think mom sent a cake in this one," he told her.

The sun was setting by the time Kirsten decided to head up to her dormitory. The cake that Ron's mom made her was devoured and all she had left was the half-eaten cake Hagrid gave to her earlier in the day. She grew suspicious of his letter in the morning after Hermione reminded her it was her birthday. And low and behold, the man baked her a cake, gave her a gift, and the biggest hug she's ever received. All she really could do was smile at him.

The witch opened the door to her room to put the cake and the gifts away, when she spotted something on her bed.

Setting her things on top of her trunk, Kirsten sat down on her bed and looked at the tiny wrapped package. Slowly unwrapping the gift, Kirsten caught a glimpse of a shiny glint fall into her lap.

What the hell?

A frown formed on her face as she picked up the little object to find it that it was a beautiful white gold ring. There was no mistaking that it was a wedding band.

One question formed from her thoughts.

Who would send her a wedding ring?

Something caught her eye on the inside of the ring. She brought the ring closer to her eyes, realizing that words were engraved. Reading the small inscription, her grey eyes widened in shock and dropped the ring onto the bed.

SB&AS Forever and Always.