Lexi was happy to be free of the castle walls for a while, the Astronomy lesson just finished up a few minutes ago and the young Gryffindor had been jumping to get outside. Today was a good day for her, it was her birthday! Even with the overcast sky's threatening to open up above her, Lexi was ecstatic to be turning twelve. She had left her friends inside the castle, but told them where she was going and she knew they would catch up with her later.

She ran through the grass, her robes flapping behind her and her books close to falling from her arms. A smile was plastered to her face as she came to an abrupt stop and plopped down in the soft grass, depositing her books to her left. Even with the year's hectic happenings, her new werewolf status and first year in a magical school, she felt surprisingly calm and at peace with herself.

It could just be from being outside, ever since The Accident, which is what Lexi called her attack now, she just adored being outside. Running through the grass, feeling the wind in her hair, breathing in the smell of the fresh oxygen and the trees all around her. Autumn was here, and the leaves were turning a color similar to her eyes, deep golds and greens, reds and oranges. Everything was so colorful out here, everything was perfect.

Most likely all the Gryffindors knew it was Lexi's birthday.  So besides that it was a gorgeous day to be outside, Dilly was eager to catch up with her housemate, because of course she had something for her.

Dilly didn't have a lot of money to buy presents. This wasn't because her guardian, Mme. Nagde, was ungenerous; it was just that she was practical enough to know that one could not buy friendship. So she only gave Dilly enough to get Lexi a few small things, wrapped up in a parcel of red and gold tissue. Dilly's favorite part was the card itself. It was decorated with twinkling butterflies and when you opened it, they went fluttering around in all directions. Then there was a charm bracelet, which could be added to a charm at a time. Dilly had of course started it with the Gryphon, for Gryffindor. And last but not least, there was a box of chocolate frogs.

Diilly had been carrying these things around with her in her book bag all day, so when she caught up with Lexi she immediately pulled out the package and  offered it to her. "Happy Birthday!"

Lexi saw Dilly running up to her and stood up with a smile, "Hey you!" She said with an excited wave as the other Gryffindor ran over. "Happy Birthday!" Dilly said as she handed Lexi a present. "Thank you!" She said, opening it up. First the card, as that was generally the best part of presents because so many people had these crazy creative cards to give people. Plus whenever it was someone's birthday, Lexi couldn't help but make big, outrageous birthday cards that were so unnecessary but never failed to make the receiver smile.

She opened up the card and a burst of tiny butterflies caught her attention, they were swarming around the card in different directions until one got the bright idea to escape the card and flutter off. "Oh my goodness! Was that supposed to happen," Lexi giggled as the little sparkling butterfly zipped around her head and rested on top of her hair. Then she pulled out the charm bracelet with the Gryphon on it, "That's so cute!" Lexi stopped for a moment and shook her head, "I'm sounding too girly aren't I? Can you help me put it on, I'm terrible with clasps." She held out her wrist and the bracelet for Dilly. It was true, Lexi was ungifted when it came to putting bracelets on. How some people did it,  she had no idea. There was a magical thing with bending the wrist and moving your fingers around in some way to get it together, and it just didn't work.

And of course, the box of chocolate frogs came out next. "Dilly, I love you! Chocolate is the best thing, right next to breathing and bacon of course." She hugged her friend and thanked her over and over for being so awesome. Because when someone gives you chocolate, and a magical butterfly for that matter, they deserve a big hug. And a billion thank you's.

Lexi's birthday!

Annette had spent the whole night before after homework and finished Lexi's present. It was a great big throw blanket with Lexi's name scrawled across the top. Annette had started it when she first met Lexi and since they had been in Hogwarts for a while it had a big gryffindor lion knit into the design. To go along Annette had persuaded some upper class men to find her certain ingredients in Hogsmeade for her. Ingredients to make... Chocolate Bacon ice cream!

A master seamstress couldn't have done better. Now all Nette had to do was find Lexi. She ran up all the step to get to gryffindor tower. She asked a few students crawling out a hole in the wall if Lexi was in there. They said that she had headed outside.

Tripping on her untied shoelaces Annette ran outside, the parcel delicately wrapped with golden wrapping paper with moving pictures of warbler birds tucked into her elbow. The tub of ice cream tucked under another arm. She saw Dilly and Lexi smiling at each other. Dilly had already given Lexi her gift. Now it was Anni's turn.

"LEXI DEAR!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" Nette said finally getting a brooms-length away. "I have a special present for you!" Annette pulled out the ice cream first along with a spoon. She knelt down and presented her friend with her gifts. "Bacon- chocolate ice cream for you indulgence and this." She said passing the golden package to her firey headed friend. "Happy birthday Lex."

"LEXI DEAR!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" The red head turned to look at the owner of the loud voice, she hadn't expected Annette to be there. She was just so loud, normally she wasn't that loud. Hufflepuff's were quiet right? Then she got down on her knees, holding out ice cream and a spoon.

"No way, chocolate bacon ice cream? Anni you just made my life!" She popped a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, "Okay, you need to tell me where you got this because it's amazing. Did you try this stuff? It's addicting, I'm hooked." Lexi said with a smile before accepting the other package. It was official, Alexandra's friends were amazing. She knelt down to put the ice cream on the ground next to her chocolate frogs and her butterfly card before opening the package.

She opened it up and pulled out the big blanket. "Okay, did you guys plan this? Because this Gryphon totally matches the charm on my bracelet." Lexi said grinning, pointing out the lion in the middle of the blanket. It was true, they did look awfully similar. Thank God Lexi loved her house and had tons of Gryffie pride.

Lexi hugged Annette, it was a huggy kind of day. "I feel really terrible that I ripped the wrapping, because the little birds are so adorable. First butterfly's, now warbler's; I love magical things! Thank you, both of you. I'm definitely not feeling so homesick on my first birthday away from home anymore."

Dessa could hardly contain her giggles as she crept slowly up to the group of fellow firsties congregating on the green grass, Lexi's birthday present clutched behind her back. She fought her clumsiness, easing closer and closer, keeping an eye on the ground because the last thing she needed right now was to hit a stump and go sprawling.

The wind carried to Dessa's discerning nose the scent of bacon mixed with chocolate, and she perked up, her steps quickening. Over Lexi's shoulder, she made eye contact with Dilly and Anni. Quickly, she placed a finger over her lips to indicate that they ought to stay quiet and keep her secret surprise attack just that--secret.

Alice walked quietly, a journal clenched tightly to her chest, as she approached Lexi. She had been working on Lexi's present for months. It was a journal that journaled all of their adventures in the last month. She had added pictures of their tree, and blades of grass, a spoon from the ice cream they ate on that hot summer day, even a small droplet of blood from the attack. That had been the hardest part for Alice to write, having to recount the terrible day.

She had worked on it in sun, and clouds, in cold, and hot, just like their friendship. It did not matter what was going on, Lexi and Alice were friends through it. They were always there for each other. "Hey," She said quietly, a smile on her face. "How's it going?" She asked, hiding the notebook behind her back.

Lexi was still bubbling with the sheer joy that came every year with her birthday when Alice walked up. The Hufflepuff had that shy smile on her face as always, her mousy brown hair straight as a pin that barely moved in the breeze that was starting up. "Alice! I think it's going pretty good. Oh my God, you have to try this ice cream that Annette gave me. It's so good!" She said holding out the spoon.

"C'mon, you know you want to try it! It's soooo good! I'm addicted already!" Lexi said as she bounced. She blinked her eye and stilled for a moment, one of her eyes blurred as she popped the contact out. "What the heck," she said rubbing her eye. The contact wasn't for vision, but for color. After becoming a werewolf and having a few transformations, one of her few side effects were golden-yellow eyes. Like a cat. She had her dad send her a pair of normal green contacts so that she wouldn't freak anyone out.

"Hey guys, how does this look?" She said, knowing one eye was bright yellow and one was green. "Maybe I should do this more often. Kidding, I wouldn't." Lexi popped the contact back in after saying a spell to clean the surface off. "All better, no more wolf eyes for Lexi!"

Alice politely declined the offer of the ice cream. Any ice cream that was not vanilla, she just didn't like. Alice never brought this to people's attention though, when they offered. She always just politely declined. "No, no thanks." She said. Alice plopped down next to Lexi, feeling the slight breeze blow. The Gryffindor seemed at her happiest at that time, eating her ice cream, outside, on her birthday. What could possibly be better? Well, for Alice she would be tucked away, a new book in her hands, sitting in a large chair by a roaring fire.

But, Lexi was happy for now, so Alice was happy.

Suddenly, Lexi seemed to have discomfort in her eye. Alice looked at her, as, as... Did Lexi just peal her iris off? Nope. Nope. Contacts. Alice was comfortable around contacts, as that was what Jane used frequently. But wait. Under the contact there was not the normal green eye that Alice had grown accustomed to. It was yellow.

Alice inhaled sharply, remembering Lexus from Knockturn Alley. She shook the memory off, trying to not go back. Not to the past. Lexi was making a joke about it, and Alice laughed nervously, half hoping that she would just put it back now. And she did. Alice laughed at the final joke, before shifting awkwardly.

Lexi noticed her friend's agitation, "Relax Alice. I'm not going to bite you or anything. I'm just being a goofball on my birthday. It's a normal thing." She tried to make light of the situation, but she realized how uncomftorable she had made Alice. Whoops. Strike one for Lexi in the great friend department.

"Anyways! It's really nice out, and we're just sitting out here having a good time. Right Dessa!" She yelled that last part, noticing her friend in her peripheral vision. She turned and cocked an eyebrow. Tapping her ears, she said "Hearing got a whole lot better in the past few months. So did my vision. Why don't you get your not-very-sneaky butt over here and give me a hug silly!"

Dessa heaved an enormous overdramatic sigh as she made a show of dragging herself over to Lexi, before tackling her in an enormous hug. "Happy Birthday, you insane ninja of awesome."

Dessa put spin in the hug until they were practically running in circles, before she suddenly remembered the gift she had clutched in her hand. She released abruptly and went stumbling to the ground. From her place in the grass, she glanced up at Lexi sheepishly, holding out the small box containing her friend's birthday present. "Here's your gift, Lex." she sniffed for a moment and then pushed herself up. "Is that bacon I smell?"

She watched Lexi begin to pick at the paper, and her hand shot out to stop her friend. "Wait! I forgot your card!" she rummaged in her robes and pulled out what appeared to be a small square of paper. However, when unfolded, it would expand into a large and elaborate Happy Birthday banner, complete with the Top Ten Reasons why Lexi McGee Is Amazing.

As Lexi opened the card, Dessa eyed the box. Within--if all was well--Lexi would find  little fireworks that Dessa was fairly nervous about, considering the fact that she had just figured out the charm for them, and she was still slightly afraid that they might set the paper ablaze. However, if they were as she hoped, then Lexi would be able to carry them around with her in a small box, and release them at will to throw her own little celebration.

Lexi tore into the card with a smile at Dessa's oh-so-dramatic entrance. She almost fell backards when it popped open though. It flung out of her hands and onto the ground where it unfurled majestically to reveal an enormous banner declaring "Happy Birthday!" Plus the top ten reasons why she was amazing, and she totally was so that was just a given.

The Gryffindor started chuckling, "Reason Four. You're the only one who can threaten my NCIS discs and get away with it.... Reason Five: You're the only one who will threaten the NCIS discs but not actually destroy them because let's face it, you're just as addicted as I am."  She shook her head with a laugh, "It's so true!"

Next, she finished opening the box. Well, she ripped the paper off. As she opened one flap, a little gust of heat shot out with a blue crackle. "Dessa, if you got me a miniature dragon that's trying to set me on fire, I'm going to scream..." Tentatively, she reached into the tiny box and took out a small pouch. Part of it was a bit singed, and to Lexi's relief, it wasn't moving around. No dragons. Good.

"Are they fireworks? Dessa Share! Isn't this like... not allowed on grounds?" She asked in exsasperation. Then she smiled mischeviously, "I like it."

Dessa grinned as she dusted herself off. "I figured you would. And the fireworks aren't really that hot. You see, as long as you don't hold one for too long, it kinda just feels like warm water...and they bounce!" She noticed the singe mark on the pouch containing her fireworks and frowned. "Hmm...that was supposed to be fire retardant...oh well, live and learn. Now, what's this I smell about bacon?"

She looked over and saw Annette holding a tub of ice cream. "Is that where the bacon smell is coming from? How is that possible?"

"I made Lexi maple glazed chocolate bacon ice cream for her birthday." She turned to Lexi, and reassured her. "Not to worry Lex, 'ole mate, I've got more ingredients for way more ice cream, I have a stash just for you, although I think I'll have to make it again for Dessa's birthday, huh, Dess?" Annette turned to Dessa grabbing a sppon and looking ravenously at the tub in her hands.

Annie put the tub down on the ground and mock- walked away slowly. "Easily Share. Don't eat my hands."

"Might I join you? This looks like fun."

There was something slightly odd about the voice, besides the fact that it came out of nowhere. None of the words carried any emphasis and every space lingered for an extra second. It didn't sound natural. That's because it wasn't. It came from her.

Hovering a few feet from their cluster, Dione offered her fellow first-year girls a slight, demure smile. She pointed to herself -- the sign for 'me' or 'I' -- and her chained fingers danced through the familiar pattern of spelling her name. "Dione," translated her artificial voice, helpfully. She'd never spoken to any of her non-Slytherin classmates before, and thought they might need the refresher.

"I heard someone mention a birthday. Happy birthday." She pointed questionably to Alexandra McGee. "To you?"