Carina McGonagall is named after the constellation containing the second brightest star in the sky - and it just so happens one Sirius Black is named after the brightest. They've always had an interesting relationship throughout the years - pranks...
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3rd November 1976
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
While she couldn't see Sirius on his birthday until the end of school hours, Carina had planned everything to the finest detail for the celebrations.
Everything was perfectly set in place for the plan that was to be executed after they all had dinner in the Great Hall together - a surprise party for Sirius, held in the Kitchens; as per the norm at this point, for all of Carina's boys, and a few of her best female friends who got along well with the Mauraders. Although Pandora got along fine with the boys, she was busy - a study date with her perhaps boyfriend, Xenophilius. Carina wasn't sure if they were dating, the two were almost inseparable and affectionate but it was still a bit weird and inconclusive. Other Gryffindors who Carina vaguely recognised were coming, along with many, many others. Carina always forgot that outside of their friendship, the Marauders were actually popular in school. Whereas she... She was sort of nobody.
Lily flat out refused to go. If word got around to Severus that she went to a party willingly that James Potter was basically hosting for Sirius Black, then he'd probably kill her and that seemed likely to not even be an exaggeration. As well, while Carina had forgiven - though not forgotten - the incident of last summer, Lily seemed to still be resentful. Or at least holding on to some emotion from it. Carina believed that deep down Lily may not have been expressing how she truly felt about James - her hatred was too perfected, and too rehearsed, as if she was trying to convince herself too. Carina would never tell Lily that she thought that though.
Marlene tried to encourage her to go as well. All the girls - Marlene, Mary, Dorcas, and more. Everyone they were friends with was going to be there - except Lily. But she didn't succeed any more than Carina. It felt like she had made steps backwards from her friendship with James, which was probably to do with her growing closer to Severus again.
When Carina walked past Lily in the dining hall, she was staring off into the distance. In the direction, Carina realised, of the Slytherin table - specifically towards Severus, Mulciber, Avery, and that group that were slowly becoming known for their blood supremacy. There was little more Carina could do but sigh as she left the red-haired girl to her thoughts, alone in the dining hall.
The timing would have to be just right to make sure that everyone, all the gifts and every detail was perfect for the moment Sirius arrived - but Carina was convinced it could all work. All that was left to do was collect all of the presents together. Everyone had agreed the safest place to hide them was in Carina's dorm - as in Gryffindor they'd be at risk of Sirius' dog-like senses and unstoppable curiosity and no one wanted him to find their gifts.
Well, except Sirius himself.
Breathing heavily, Carina had almost reached the top of the stairs when a hand touched her shoulder. Carina turned to see Nola. "Will you tell Sirius happy birthday from me?" the girl asked. Carina nodded and smiled - noting a boy that she recognised as the year above them who she'd seen around Nola before waiting a step or two below the two girls, but holding Nola's hand. A knowing grin between the girls was shared before Nola joined her boyfriend down the stairs and Carina continued up to the dorms.
"Accio gifts for Sirius!" she said the second she was through the door, still slightly out of breath. Each one rushed from its hiding spot, forming a bubble around her, hovering like a cloud just before rain before she sent each one to their places in the kitchen, with a rather complicated Charm she had specially learnt.
It created a sort of portal, but only downwards, which was why she had to run up the stairs, but with only minutes to spare now, Carina had no other option than to follow the packages down.
The second she had landed, Remus was right there to pull her to one side, as everyone was crouching in the dark in the kitchen, waiting. He tapped the Mauraders' Map before quietly announcing to the group: "He'll be here in one minute!"
They all hopped into position - the surprise party position.
For one very long moment after Sirius entered the room, everything was deadly still and silent.
Before it erupted into a cacophony of noise.
Everyone screamed "SURPRISE", a shockingly loud chorus for the group present. As this happened, a song began to blast over the little devices Carina had made to hone music at her will.
"You are the dancing queen Young and sweet Only seventeen Dancing queen Feel the beat from the tambourine You can dance You can jive Having the time of your life See that girl Watch that scene Diggin' the dancing queen," sang out ABBA, inspiring a choir of slightly drunk sixth years to join in.
Blushing like hell, Sirius stood awkwardly in the middle. He refused to admit he liked the song - even as people pointed at him as the dancing queen as they sang - because he was punk, damn it.
He made eye contact with his girlfriend as she sang, off-key and very waveringly to him, along to the music. "You are the dancing queeeeennnn." She pointed at him as she sang, twirling around him. Everyone was dancing now. "Young and sweet - Only seventeen." She continued in her sweet but slightly stupid singing.
Sirius couldn't help but laugh at his idiot friends. As the music ended, a few house elves appeared, seemingly recruited into the celebration, as they carried out the cake.
Gryffindor red and gold. It made Sirius so happy to see it. This symbol of his friends, his pride - his separation from his family.
The seventeen candles atop the cake flickered as he squeezed his eyes shut. He could hear his friends singing happy birthday and he smiled.
He made his wish.
And out went the candles to uproarious cheers.
The party continued, cake being passed around from person to person and presents being handed from friend to friend into the middle of the excitement where Sirius stood. He opened gift after gift thanking his friends for each one.
Finally, he came to Carina's gift. There were a few little bags that she gave him - not one large present but several smaller ones. A new high-quality quill, the book he had been wanting, and a self-lighting crystal shard that, when looked through, would show the true nature of whatever was being viewed. Seeing through glamour was always useful and Sirius smiled - Carina had obviously paid attention to how bad he'd been at the charms meant for that purpose. What even was that spell called again? He couldn't remember for the life for him.
As he reacted to the final box, Carina stopped him for a second - "This is from me and Mum."
He peeled back the red and gold wrapping to reveal it.
Another watch. Not like the wristwatch from Christmas, not just any watch.
The pocket watch. The traditional seventeenth birthday present in the Wizarding World. He almost burst into tears.
"I thought, you might like it, I've got one too, from my mum for when I'm seventeen. It's traditional, y'know? It was almost a fight with James' mum about who'd get to give you one, but we eventually settled on it. I hoped you'd really like it. Please say you like it, I mean if you don't - "
His mouth met hers and stopped her words in her throat.
"It's perfect," he whispered once he pulled back from Carina. Sirius surveyed the golden watch carefully, a smile on his lips.
"It's absolutely perfect."
Even with all the excitement happening around her, one thing could not escape Carina's mind though. One thing that had been mentioned in passing a few days ago that had been almost eating her up thinking about.
So as the party ended and everyone left the Marauders and Carina to clear up, she finally plucked up the courage to ask them. "That full moon when I had Prefect duty and couldn't help," she began and their faces immediately fell. "What actually happened with Snape? And don't you dare lie to me."
