maple syrup | remus lupin [1]

118. they grow up so fast

DESPITE THE WISH to do nothing for the rest of the night, Claudia didn't mind the surprise party the Marauders had arranged for her and Lily alongside the girls.

It was a sweet, sweet way to make her feel better, and having all of her favourite people in the room made it all better.

With the exception of plenty of Gryffindors that Claudia didn't know and Lily, who the party also was for, probably did, Claudia saw her closest friends as well as some people from the Ravenclaw team; including Mary and Henry.

Of course, Remus immediately frowned at the sight of Henry who hugged Claudia as she walked inside the Gryffindor common room and greeted everyone, but the way the boy nodded at him as he retreated back to his smiling girlfriend Jia Li made him smile at the boy who had only really ever helped him get the girl.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder after hugging a slightly tipsy and weirdly giggling James, Claudia turned around to find Mary staring right up at her.

"So, now that you're seventeen, does this mean that you can apparate me to my friends' houses in the summer?" Was the first thing the thirteen year old asked. "It would be very helpful, you know."

Claudia laughed, "I'll only do it if you pay me," she said, knowing damn well that seeing Mary outside of Hogwarts was impossible.

Mary rolled her eyes, "I'm sure I can get you to do it for free. But, anyway, happy birthday!"

"Thank you," Claudia smiled, hugging the smaller girl and then, since she had already greeted basically every person she knew in the room, walking with her to sit down on the couch by the fire.

"I like your bracelets," Claudia smiled, pointing to the golden bracelets with round pendants with strange orangey glows shining from them.

"You do?" Mary grinned, causing the girl to nod in response. "Well, that's good because one of them is yours!"

Claudia was completely baffled as Mary immediately took one of them off her wrist and handed it to her. "No, no! I just meant that it was pretty, not that you should give me one!"

"Claudia," Mary chuckled. "I was supposed to give you one the entire time. So, I suggest you take it before I go and give it to someone else!"

Claudia smiled thankfully, accepting the bracelet and letting Mary help her put it on, "Why does it glow like that?"

"Oh, right!" Mary smiled. "It's a friendship bracelet. I charmed it so that it continues to glow for how long the friendship lasts! So, to keep it pretty you have to live with being my friend, Claudia!"

"You made it specifically for me?"

"Of course! You're my friend, Claudia. I would even call you the sister I never had. I'll probably make more of these since I'm so popular and I've got a lot of people to give these to, but you're a great start!"