Birthday Party

The abandoned classroom on the fifth floor was spacious and empty. Piles of desks and chairs had once filled the corner, and dust had covered the floor.

Now the room had been transformed. Rose had not even had time for lunch, making sure everything was ready instead-colorful streamers hung all over the walls, balloons of every size floated above the floor, and a huge rug covered the center of the room. Several cushions and bunches of fresh lilies, still beaded with dew, sat on it.

As soon as class ended, the boys had run to the kitchen and arranged all kinds of food around a huge box: raspberry pie, roast lamb chops, chicken legs, Yorkshire pudding, and more.

Lily Evans thought this had to be the worst birthday of her thirteen years. First, she had quarreled with her best friend because of her own stubbornness; then, that evening, she had accompanied Marlene to the library and searched with her over and over for her missing Transfiguration homework, until both their stomachs protested at once.

Just when Lily thought they were finally going to fill their stomachs, Marlene insisted on checking the abandoned classroom on the fifth floor.

"My crystal ball told me that going to that classroom at seven tonight would bring good luck!" she said stubbornly.

"Did your crystal ball tell you that one of your roommates is going to starve to death tonight?" Lily asked curiously. She really had no energy to argue with Marlene and could only drag her leaden feet up to the fifth floor again.

Standing before the dusty door, Lily thought things couldn't possibly get any worse.

But the sight before her left her speechless. The abandoned classroom, which should have been dark and dusty, was brilliantly lit by flames. All her friends at school stood in a row in the center of the room and waved their wands in unison as she entered.

Streams of colorful fireworks burst from their wand tips, and streamers fell onto Lily's shoulders and hair.

Seeing Lily standing there, stunned, Rose walked over to her with a guilty look. "We didn't mean to keep it from you these past few days—we just wanted to give you a surprise!"

Lily was too shocked to speak and let Rose pull her toward the middle of the classroom.

"James and I were discussing this that day. I was in charge of decorating the room, and the others did everything else." Rose pointed to the box on the rug. "The cake. Want to try it?"

James eagerly opened the box for the girls. The cream cake seemed slightly misshapen, but it looked presentable enough overall.

Rose placed the little crown she had made on Lily's head. The star-studded crown sparkled especially beautifully against her red hair.

They sat down around the cake on the rug, and Marlene led them in wishing Lily a happy birthday. Lily could barely speak. Her green eyes glistened, and her tears seemed ready to fall at any moment.

"Don't cry, Lily." Rose took her hand. "You have to be very happy on your birthday!"

James held a little wooden knife, eager to cut the cake for everyone. The room was lively and bustling. Sirius waved his wand, and a rousing, peculiar song from a band came from the corner. Peter bobbed his head to the music, and Remus wore a faint smile.

Mary and Natasha joined Rose and the others in trying to cheer Lily up, but they seemed to have achieved the opposite—her almond-shaped green eyes filled with tears. James's hand froze mid-swing with the wooden knife, and Rose stopped smiling too. They all thought they had ruined it.

But Lily smiled. The tip of her nose was red and tears were still streaming down her face, yet a dazzling smile bloomed across it.

"I'm just... so happy!" she said haltingly. "I... thought... today would be... the worst... day!" When she finished, she gave a violent sniff and accidentally blew a little snot bubble.

James stood there foolishly, staring at her without blinking. At that moment, there was no one in his eyes but the red-haired girl! Even the little snot bubble struck him as adorable!

Lily hugged each of the girls in turn. Rose was last, and Lily held her tightly for a long time, until James kept urging everyone to eat the cake.

The cream cake looked utterly ordinary, but Lily's eyes widened as soon as she put a bite in her mouth. "Did Mum make this?"

Rose nodded with a smile. "It was all thanks to James. He hired four owls to bring it here in one piece. They were exhausted and pecked him hard several times-"

Lily wanted to cry again. She looked at James in a way he had never seen before, making him feel as light as air.

Just then, the classroom door opened again, and a thin figure stood in the doorway.

"Snivellus-" Sirius sprang to his feet. He narrowed his eyes, gripped his wand tightly in his right hand, and raised it at him. "What are you doing here? You're not welcome!"

Snape's expression was ugly. He seemed not to have expected them to be there too, and his whole body was tense as he held his wand before his chest.

"Sirius, sit down!" Rose grabbed Sirius's left hand and forced him back down onto the rug. "I invited him. Snape is Lily's friend too!"

Sirius was unmoved. James and Peter also raised their wands at Snape, and the air in the room was ready to explode.

"Potter, put your wand down! Severus—I'm so glad you could come!" Lily's different tones made James's expression turn rather ugly, and he stayed where he was.

"At least for today-" Rose said helplessly, "for Lily's sake, put your wand down, will you?" She tugged at Sirius again and, discreetly but boldly, scratched his palm with her fingers. Sirius's wand hand stiffened for a moment, and he let her pull him down to sit.

Neither of them looked aside, as though by unspoken agreement. Rose's heart pounded, and she suddenly felt the classroom was a little hot.

Once Sirius gave in, James had no reason to hold out either. He angrily put away his wand, his gaze moving back and forth between Snape and Lily. His expression grew colder and colder, all his earlier cheer gone.

Snape did not enter the classroom. He stood in the doorway and sincerely wished Lily a happy birthday, then declined her invitation under Potter's hostile gaze.

The room before him was full of glaring scarlet, making Snape feel dizzy for a moment.

Lily stood up and exchanged a few words with him. Rose saw Snape shake his head, push open the door, and leave.

As he turned away, Rose saw him give her and Sirius a meaningful look. There even seemed to be a strange smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Why invite Snivellus-" James muttered. "I feel like the whole room smells of greasy hair oil now!"

Seeing Lily's face darken, Rose kicked James hard in the shin. "Do I have to say it again, Potter? Snape is Lily's friend too!"

James Potter could forget about winning Lily over before graduation!

Sirius gave a cold snort through his nose and glanced at the doorway in disgust, as though there were some piece of rubbish there.

But he did not want to ruin the party Rose had prepared so carefully. After this, he would have plenty of chances to do something else.