Illicit | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 19

October had already come around the corner and Eleanor was sitting in the common room with Doris and Kathy. The girls were talking about Amelia's upcoming birthday on the thirteenth, which was tomorrow.

"I just hope she likes our presents," Doris said, magically wrapping the jar of crystallized pineapples and putting a bow around it.

Eleanor smiled to herself. "She will, Amelia likes everything she gets," she said as she hung over the bed to hide a present in her trunk.

Kathy nodded and looked very content with what they had done. In total, the three girls had bought fifteen pounds worth of sweets at Honeydukes. They honestly did not know what else to buy her, but Amelia loved sweets, so they couldn't go wrong with that.

When she sat back up straight she heard a loud 'tick' on the floor. The three of them looked up immediately and checked where the sound came from. But Eleanor already knew, and she had to talk her way out.

"Hey what's that?" Doris pointed at the pebble laying on the floor. Eleanor's heart pounded in her chest.

"Oh er- it fell from my pocket," she said hastily picking it up and putting it back in her pocket. She hoped they would just let it go, because honestly, what was going to be her excuse for having a pebble in her robe pocket?

But to her surprise, Kathy just smiled and Doris shrugged. They then resumed what they were doing.

That storm had to come, and it had to come soon, or else that bloody pebble would be the death of her.

***

"Happy birthday dear Liaaaa," Eleanor sang solo in an exaggerated manner.

"Happy birthday to youuuu!" the three girls ended in unison. Amelia laughed and clapped. Her face was red with embarrassment as some other Gryffindors looked over at her.

"Thank you guys," Amelia said with a chuckle. "But why did we have to do this in the common room again?" she asked, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Because it's your birthday Lia! And everyone should know!" Kathy exclaimed.

She was always very excited when it came to birthdays, and she insisted on them singing the birthday song in the common room every time it was someone's birthday. They always acted as they loathed it, but in the end, they loved Kathy for her enthusiasm.

"Did someone say birthday?" a boy's voice came from the other side of the room. A voice Eleanor knew belonged to Sirius Black.

She smiled and looked up to see the four Marauders making their way over to where they were sitting.

Remus frowned. "You never told us it was your birthday, now we don't have any presents," he looked over at his mates, but only Sirius seemed to care.

Amelia furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at Remus who was standing behind the sofa she was sitting on. "Why would you have to get me presents?" she chuckled, sounding a bit confused.

"Well, we're your friends," he shrugged. "They got you presents as well," he waved his hand at Eleanor, Kathy, and Doris.

"Well, I've had my birthdays here the past three years as well, but you didn't really seem to care then," she said with a soft laugh.

Eleanor bit the inside of her cheek and threw a sideways glance at her brother. But he clearly didn't know what to do.

"I just- Well I-," he looked away and cleared his throat. "Never mind," he mumbled. Remus put his hands in his pockets and climbed out through the portrait hole.