eleven

•••

"Remus!" Ivy yelled, walking down the hallway quickly with a slightly angry expression. "You didn't tell me today was your birthday!"

Remus smiled, "I didn't want you to get me anything."

"Oh, shut up!" Ivy said loudly. Remus looked at her with an amused twinkle in his eye.

"I appreciate your friendship, I don't need a gift," Remus said. Ivy could barely contain her excitement.

"That's too bad, because I got you something!" Ivy said as she opened her bag and pulled out a few neatly wrapped presents.

Remus gasped. "I thought you didn't know because I never told you!"

"Sirius told me last Hogsmeade weekend."

Remus scowled as he thought about Sirius, his smug, winking face popping into his head. "That bastard."

"Open it!" Ivy exclaimed as Remus took the first present and peeled back the wrapping paper carefully with a smile.

It was a book about charms. "Sirius also mentioned that your favorite class was charms. I don't know why, I despise that class."

Remus looked at it in admiration, flipping the pages gently.

"Okay, open the next one!"

This one was a bag. He looked in and it contained a few chocolate frogs and sugar quills from Honeydukes.

"I didn't need to ask about your favorite candy, I figured this out myself," Ivy said with a satisfied smile.

Remus looked at his presents with a shocked smile. "You outdid yourself."

"No I didn't. I honestly thought about getting you more."

Remus smiled. "Thank you. Really. It means a lot."

"Don't mention it."

•••

"April Fools is in less than a week! We need a prank!" James yelled loudly, slamming his fists on the ground out where they were sitting in the courtyard.

        Yesterday was James's birthday, and he made very big deal about it. Ivy got him things from Zonko's and some candy.

        "I don't know what you want me to say. I haven't done very many pranks in the past." Ivy said as James scoffed.

        "What I'm trying to say is that you need to help! You're the mastermind behind most of our pranks!"

        "We could make the castle covered in snow," Ivy said stupidly with a smile on her face.

        "That's perfect!" James shouted as Ivy laughed, shaking her head.

        "I didn't think you were gonna take it Seriously."

        "It's kind of stupid, but so are we," Sirius said as he shot a wink at Ivy.

        Around a week later, Ivy found herself walking with James, Remus, Peter, and Sirius at midnight. They stopped next to the Great Hall to plan out what they would do.

        "Okay. We'll all split up and cast the snow making charm. Sirius and I will take the map and go to the east wing and the dungeons, Remus and Peter will take the cloak and go to the west wing. James, you're going to create a distraction next to filch's office, and lock him in. Then join Remus's group or us, whoever you see first. Lock the door from the outside with magic. Then we'll meet here and walk back to our dorms. Make sure you cover your footprints with the obliteration charm!" Ivy said. They all nodded and walked their separate ways, waving goodbye.

        "Alright. First stop, Charms classroom," Sirius said, looking at the map as Ivy took her wand out.

She casted the snow making spell and made it a big blizzard. The snow fell fast and the ground was covered in a thin layer of snow immediately. Another spell was cast to keep it cold so the snow wouldn't melt.

"Yes! You're brilliant!" Sirius squealed in excitement as they continued to charm the corridors and the rest of the classrooms. They walked down the stairs and charmed that area.

They finished off the dungeons and walked back to the entrance of the Great Hall.

Ivy held the map as they walked through the snow, casting the obliteration charm behind them to cover up their footsteps.

Remus, James, and Peter were already waiting for them.

"How'd it go?" Remus asked them as Ivy nodded.

"Pretty good. We didn't miss a spot." Ivy said quietly to the invisible people standing in front of them.

"Okay. Let's go back. Ivy, I'm carrying you so you can cast the footprint disappearing charm thing easily." James said as he grabbed her waist and placed her so she was laying on his shoulder upside down, facing the opposite direction they were walking. She let out a noise of surprise and put an arm on his shoulder to steady herself.

"Alright then. Enjoying the view, Potter?" She taunted as Sirius let out a laugh.

          "Very much so, thank you Ivy. I bet Remus can see up your skirt from where he's standing," James said. Remus was standing in front of James, about to move. He turned red.

        "I'm not looking up your skirt because I'm a gentleman," Remus announced to Ivy. She laughed and gave him a thumbs up. James turned around and began to walk, causing her to get out her wand and cast the spell.

They made it back to their common rooms safely. James put her down and said goodbye. It was almost four A.M. She whispered the answer to the eagle's riddle quietly and walked in, slipping on her pajamas and getting in bed quietly.

The next morning was glorious chaos. Ivy put on her hogwarts robes and walked out. The snow was still there, but there was much more of it. It was freezing. Ivy silently celebrated and walked in the deep snow, her legs becoming cold quickly.

She spotted Remus, James, Sirius, and Peter down the corridor. They were looking around at their masterpiece.

"Ivy! It worked!" Remus said and held up a hand to high five it. Ivy reached up and hit his hand as hard as she could.

        McGonagall had said that whoever did this would be punished severely. They all giggled to each other. They wouldn't find out because there was no proof.

        It took Flitwick and Filch a while to get rid of it. The whole population of Hogwarts had to bundle up for a few days. They were all happy with their success.

•••

        The O.W.L.'s were in less than two months and Ivy was incredibly stressed about them. Her friends thought she was silly for preparing so early, but she was positive it would pay off.

        "Ivy, you should take a break. We just got back from Easter break a few days ago," Peter said. The four boys and Ivy were all sitting under the tree near the black lake.

        "That's very thoughtful of you, Peter, but I don't have time for a break," Ivy said as she looked over her Herbology notes. None of the other boys were studying.

        "You should. You've been at it since breakfast. It's two p.m. and it's a Saturday." Sirius said thoughtfully as Ivy continued to do her work. She didn't reply. It was quiet for a few seconds.

         "I studied this morning, so I'm not right now, even though I probably should," Remus said. One full moon had passed since Sirius had asked her about her opinion on werewolves, and another one was in five days. Remus was getting worried she wouldn't find out before the end of fifth year. He glanced over at her. "Ivy, you need to take a break. It's not good for your health. When's the last time you got a full night of sleep?"

Ivy sighed and brung her eyes off her work. "What do you mean by full night?"

"Like, seven hours or more."

Ivy shrugged and mumbled a quiet 'I don't know' as Remus snapped and pointed at her.

"You need to take care of yourself. You look peaked. Sick." Remus said, pointing a finger in her face. Ivy suppressed her smile and closed her work. He nodded in approval.

"I'm gonna fall behind if I stop. And I'm not sick, I don't get sick." Ivy said as Remus shook his head with a laugh.

"What is that supposed to mean? Everyone gets sick," Remus said as he furrowed his eyebrows with a smile.

        "Well, I don't. I can't even remember the last time I've been ill," Ivy said as she looked over her History of Magic notes.

        "You need to relax. I know it's hard, but you deserve it," Remus said with a warm smile as Ivy sighed in defeat.

"Quiz me first, then I'll take a break," Ivy said as she passed her notes to him.

"Okay. Where can you find a bezoar?"

"In a goats stomach."

"Good. When did the Giant wars take place?"

"Before the year 1900."

"Yes. What does the charm 'Avis' do?"

"Shit," Ivy said as she covered her face in her hands. "I have no clue."

"That charm shoots birds out of the tip of the caster's wand."

"I knew that! Merlins beard, I'm useless," Ivy said as she flopped on the ground dramatically. She looked at the sky as Remus tried to make her feel better.

"It's one question. You're doing fine." Remus said. Ivy sat up and sighed.

"I'm putting it away." Ivy said, grabbing the notes from his hands and putting it in her bag.

"Good. You need a break."

Meanwhile, James and Sirius were arguing about something very silly.

"No! Definitely not!" Sirius shouted as James shook his head furiously.

"You're telling me that a fucking phoenix would beat a hippogriff in a fight? I think not!" James said as Sirius began to defend himself.

        "Phoenixes are cool," Sirius retaliated, "They are very very smart. They would win with their intellect, obviously!"

"Hippogriffs have sharp talons and a beak!" James said as he waved his arms. Peter watched him intently.

        "Ivy, what do you think?" Sirius asked. They both turned to look at her, anticipating their answer.

        "Probably a phoenix. A phoenix is smarter and also has talons and a beak." Ivy said thoughtfully as Sirius cheered. James rolled his eyes as Sirius danced.

        "Hell yeah! Idiot! I was right!" Sirius said as he danced around James. James crossed his arms as Ivy laughed and watched Sirius do his victory dance.

"Ivy, when's your birthday?" Remus asked. Sirius finally sat down next to Ivy.

"It's the week of owls. June first."

"You better be ready to have fun. Don't be like 'oh, I'm Ivy, I have to study all night,' no! We will be celebrating!" Sirius said pumping a fist in the air as Ivy rolled her eyes.

"It needs to be a quick celebration, but yes, I'm fine with that," Ivy said as Sirius cheered.

"What should I get you?" Remus asked as Ivy waved a hand.

"You don't need to get me anything."

"You got me something! And it's not just that, you deserve something for being such a good friend," Remus said pridefully as Ivy rolled her eyes. James nudged Sirius and pointed at them discreetly. They continued to talk, oblivious of the two other friends watching them.

"I don't care what you get me." Ivy said as Remus sighed.

          "If you don't like your gift, it's your fault."

          "I'll like it because it's from you," Ivy said with a smile, looking at the black lake. He blushed at her words.

         They sat with each other and talked until dinner, where they walked into the Great hall and then their separate ways.

•••