A/N
I know that Ron and therefore Juliet's birthday is supposed to be in March, and that the time of Harry getting the memory from Slughorn is April and the Battle of the Astronomy Tower is around June. I just completely forgot about Li's birthday, and since she'd be turning 17 and the Trace would be leaving her, I thought that it was important to make sure that it didn't go by unnoticed. So please, no comments about how I got the date wrong!
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As I wake up, I barely realise what day it is. After the ordeal of being plunged within my father's memories, I'd been distant and locked within my own little world, constantly going over the scenes in my head. It brought me some small comfort to know that - even though I wasn't really there - he hadn't died alone. Still, that didn't stop the nightmares that plagued me or the constant edginess I found myself on.
It took me a few moments of quiet reflection to realise the date, and to let out an inauspicious groan.
Today, of all days, had to be my birthday.
In previous years, I had enjoyed and even celebrated the event, counting down the birthdays until I turned 17 and the Trace was gone. But this year it simply served as a reminder that it wasn't only the anniversary of my birth, but the anniversary of my father's death.
With a sigh I dragged myself out from beneath the warm sheets and into the cold insecurity of the morning air. Burying my head in my hands, I took a deep breathe and tried to find any differences within me from yesterday. The Trace was gone - by wizarding law it would lift on my 17th birthday - and yet I didn't feel any different. As if I'd been expecting some mystical epiphany or burst of wisdom. In truth, I felt identical to how I had yesterday - exhausted.
With a resultant sigh, I stood up and grabbed my towel from the chair, heading to the bathroom. After taking a long, hot shower, I washed my face and brushed my teeth, before drying my hair with a quick-dry charm. There came a knock on the bathroom door as Draco waited patiently for the bathroom. "I'm just finishing" I called tiredly as I gathered up my things and opened my bedroom door, stepping out of the room and shivering in the cold air. The bathroom had been humid from the evaporation caused by the shower, in comparison my bedroom was like the Arctic.
Being a school day, I still had my lessons, so it wasn't even as if I could celebrate my birthday with a well needed lie in. I grumbled to myself as I dressed, flicking my wand towards the towering pile of books in the corner and trusting them to sort out which ones I would need for the day. By some small mercy, I didn't have Care of Magical Creatures, so there was no reason for me to embark on the trek out of the castle and into the freezing cold. Firstly however I had History of Magic with Professor Binns, followed swiftly by Defence Against the Dark Arts. Every girl's dream birthday, I'm sure.
There was a tap on my bedroom door as I was straightening my tie. Without waiting for me to open it, Honey burst into the room with an energetic squeal and wrapped her arms so tightly around me that I swear I would have passed out had it been a second longer. Sophia crept in quietly behind her, giving me a warm smile as she perched on my bed and flicked through the latest edition of Witch Weekly that I'd left on my bedside table.
"So, how do you feel?" Honey quizzed as she bounced slightly, clearly more enthusiastic about my birthday than I was. I shrugged my shoulders "the same as yesterday." Honey gasped in exasperation, rolling her eyes as she did so. "Honestly Li, it's your birthday! You should be excited!"
I sighed and put down my hairbrush, turning back to my friends and lounging on my chest of drawers, crossing my arms across my chest. "I'm just not in the mood for celebrations I suppose."
Honey exclaimed in shock. "Leave her be, Hon. She doesn't want to celebrate," Sophia told our friend without even looking up from the magazine.
Honey shook her head in disbelief, red hair swaying as she did so. "Well, everybody is waiting for you anyway, and you only turn 17 once."
"You only turn every age once" I grumbled as I pulled on my shoes.
"Just humour her" Sophia said as she stood up, tucking the magazine under her arm to read at breakfast. With a sigh, I picked up my school bag that was heavy with books and equipment, and made a mental note to ask Hermione how she managed to make her bag as light as a feather despite having twice the amount of books I did. Honey tucked her arm through mine and pulled me out of the room, leaving me with no choice but to follow.
As we made our way to the Great Hall, I was surrounded by "Happy Birthday" shouts from all directions, being flung at me like curses as more and more people wished me well on this momentous day. By first lesson, I'm sure that the entire school would be aware that today was the day that Juliet and Ron Weasley lost the Trace and became adults.
I'd barely entered the Great Hall by the time Hermione grabbed me and squeezed me almost tighter than Honey had. "Happy Birthday Li!" she said with a grin, raking a hand through her bronze curls and trying - unsuccessfully - to tame them. "Thanks" I mumbled, smiling at Luna who had drifted to Hermione's side.
There came a cheer from the middle of the room as Ron - clearly basking in the birthday glory - cut into a huge birthday cake. Hermione squealed in rage "he was supposed to wait for you!" she roared, shooting Ron a thunderous glare from where she stood. I smiled weakly and shook my head "it doesn't matter, I'm not really in a birthday mood."
Hermione looked back to me and nodded gently - unlike Honey and Sophia, she at least knew that today was also the anniversary of my father's death. She patted my arm sympathetically and whispered "try to enjoy today Li, I know it's hard."
With a reluctant nod I followed Honey and Sophia, who had walked over to the Slytherin table where another large cake and streams of confetti and glitter were falling. Honey pinned a badge to my shirt that read 'Birthday Girl' and sat me down before a large pile of presents and letters, grinning as what seemed to be the whole of my House gathered around to watch me on my special day.
From Honey and Sophia I got an admittedly stunning purple handbag which perfectly matched a pair of purple heels I'd bought a few months earlier. Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle handed me a perfume in a pretty glass bottle which I was certain had been picked out by Honey. A group of girls in the year below nervously gave me a pair of silver stud earrings which I put into my ears just to make them happy, and then my siblings came over to present me with their gifts.
Ginny gave me a new pair of flying gloves and in a large box that had been delivered by twin owls from Fred and George I received a supply of their best-selling products including love potions, Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder and the classic sickness sweets. Ron sheepishly gave me a potions book that I'd been wanting and from Harry and Hermione two tickets to see the Holyhead Harpies. I thanked each of them warmly as I added each gift to the pile, and scanned the room for any sign of Draco, who as of yet hadn't made an appearance.
He's probably on his way now, I told myself.
To keep myself busy during the rest of breakfast, I read through the letters and thanked people for their kind words and gifts. Then, towards the end, there was a hand on my shoulder. I spun around hopefully, expecting to see Draco smiling down at me, when instead it was merely Perseus, giving me an awkward smile as he pulled me to him and hugged me tightly.
"Happy birthday, little sister" he said quietly, the sadness evident in his voice. "It's not really a joyous occasion" I replied as I hugged him back. "No," Perseus said before pausing, "but he wouldn't want you to be upset. He'd want you to enjoy your birthday."
Perseus released me and I sighed, watching as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter. "Mum wanted me to give this to you - she has a present waiting for you at home, but it's too big to send by owl apparently. She said for you to read it when you're alone."
Perseus reached into his pocket again and pulled out a tiny silver ring with an emerald inset. "This was her wedding ring, she wants you to have it."
I shook my head. "No Perse, I can't take that from her..."
Perseus grinned and ruffled my hair. "She wanted you to have it. Besides, she gave me Dad's for my 17th." Perseus held out his hand and showed me the silver band around one of his fingers. "I think that she always hoped to give it to you if she ever found you again."
He opened my hand and pressed the beautiful ring into it, closing my palm around it. "Have a good day Andromeda" he whispered, hugging me once more before striding off to the other end of the hall and where his friends were deeply discussing a dive in Quidditch and whether it was allowed or not.
I pushed the ring onto my finger and admired the silver and green against my skin. Tucking the letter into my pocket, I gathered up the letters still on the table and smiled at a couple of first years whom Honey had paid to carry my presents back to the common room for me. "Thank you" I told them, offering them each a slice of the Victoria sponge cake, which they gratefully took and scurried off with their arms full of gifts.
I waited until the last possible moment, watching as more and more people left the hall and set off to their first lesson of the day. Still, Draco didn't show up.
With an angry sigh, I gathered up my things and stormed from the hall, frustrated that not only had Draco failed to make an appearance, but I would now be late for History of Magic.
Still, Professor Binns was usually far too lost within his past to even notice that most of the class were snoring loudly. I doubt he'd notice me sneaking in.
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I didn't get to read my mother's letter until lunch. Taking a few moments to lock myself in one of the toilet cubicles, I opened the envelope carefully and tugged out the letter, which was written on a piece of delicate cream parchment. The handwriting was shockingly similar to my own - small, cursive and neat. I blinked a few times as I began to read.
My beautiful daughter,
Today is your seventeenth birthday, the day that you become an adult and more importantly a woman.
I never thought that I'd be able to say happy birthday to you, never thought that we'd be together again, and the fact that we are makes me happier than I could ever explain. You won't understand until you are a mother yourself how difficult it was for me to give you up, and only then will you be able to understand how happy it makes me to say happy birthday to you, my daughter.
I hope that Perseus gave you part of your present from me - my wedding ring when I married your father. We didn't have much money hence the simpleness of the ring, but it is very special to me and it makes me incredibly proud that I can now pass it on to you, and when you have children of your own you can pass it on to your daughter. Perseus wears your father's wedding ring, so you will both always carry a part of your parents with you.
I am so proud of you Andromeda, and sincerely hope that you don't spend your special day in sadness. Your father would have been so proud of you darling, and he would want you to enjoy this day. After all, you only turn seventeen once!
I look forward to seeing you soon and giving you the rest of your present. It's the potions kit I had when I was your age, including some diamond test tubes and a ruby pestle and mortar that has hidden qualities in encouraging the success of potions. They were a gift to me from my own parents when I turned seventeen, and now I pass them on to you.
I love you darling, and hope that you and your brother are making up for lost time whilst at school. Perseus tells me that you are quicker even than he at Quidditch. You clearly take after your father.
See you soon,
Your mother,
Cecelia Percival Black.
I hadn't realised that there were tears streaming down my cheeks until one fell on the letter and smudged the ink. She thought that my father would be proud of me, and making my family - both my families - proud was really all I wanted in life.
I folded the letter neatly and put it back into my bag, leaving the cubicle and going to the sink where I sorted out my hair and makeup. I hadn't seen Draco all day, but we both had a double free period next and I was hoping that he'd make an appearance.
"Happy Birthday Juliet" a third year cawed to me as she washed her hands in the sink next to me. "Thanks" I mumbled, although I had no idea who the girl was.
"Hey, you're dating Draco Malfoy aren't you?" she piped up again, giving me a scarily enthusiastic smile. I nodded my head as I applied some lipstick, and tried to restrain myself from slapping the girl who was staring at me in a strange fashion. "I just saw him a minute ago, on the seventh floor. It's strange, one moment he was there, and then the next he seemed to disappear! Weird, huh?"
The girl giggled as if it was completely normal, fluffing her hair before skipping away. "Well, bye Juliet!" she called to me as she left the room.
What had he been doing on the fourth floor? How could he have disappeared? You can't apparate within Hogwarts grounds, and Draco wasn't even seventeen yet. He still had the Trace.
Curious, I grabbed my stuff and crept from the bathroom, heading straight to one of the smaller staircases which led all the way up to the seventh floor. It was abandoned during this time of day - everybody was either in the Great Hall eating lunch or studying in the library. Still, I tiptoed as I climbed up the ancient circular staircase, holding on tightly to the smooth stone wall.
Upon reaching the top, I looked around for clues that Draco had been here. There was nothing, I found to my frustration, but around the corner came a quiet rumble.
I pressed my back against the wall as I crept forward towards the corner. There were footsteps going in the other direction. I peeked around the corner and managed to stifle a gasp of surprise. It was Draco, walking to other way in a sort of rage, but that was hardly what surprised me. There, a giant doorway was shrinking in size, becoming smaller and smaller until it was no more than the size of a broom cupboard and finally, had disappeared entirely.
The Room of Requirement.
No wonder the girl had thought Draco had disappeared. What had he been doing in the Room of Requirement though?
I thought back to last year, when we used it as the headquarters of Dumbledore's Army, and then when Harry and Ginny hid the Half Blood Prince's book within it a month ago after Harry attacked Draco.
What reason did Draco have to be in there?
To my horror, the idea of the Dark Lord's mission flashed into my mind and I was then unable to dispel it. It would make sense if this had been where Draco was going all year when nobody had been able to find him. I'd never even considered the idea that he could be in the Room of Requirement, because there was never any reason for him to be.
When I was certain that Draco had gone, I moved from my hiding place and walked over to the now bare wall where the wall had been. Shutting my eyes, I pictured the Room of Requirement and silently begged the castle to help me help Draco. "Please" I found myself whispering over and over again, hoping that Hogwarts would help me as it had done last year with the DA.
There was a faint rumble, I opened my eyes and an elated grin emerged on my face. There, the door had formed.
I rushed forward quickly and opened the door, disappearing inside before anybody heard and came to see what was going on. Once the door was safely shut behind me, I relaxed and drew out my wand. It was dark in the massive room, which had increased to perhaps a hundred times the size it was when we were using it for DA practice. Now however it was like a store room, filled with piles of furniture and old books, rolled up carpets and rugs, brooms, cages, jewellery and anything you could ever imagine. I guessed that when anything went missing within the school, this is where it ended up.
What could Draco possibly have wanted in here?
"Lumos" I murmured, smiling as the tip of my wand began to glow. I flicked my wand upwards and the ball of light left my wand and shot up into the air, lighting up the room slightly. I scanned the room for any signs of what Draco had been doing, and then smiled when I saw a path had been formed. Deciding that whatever Draco had been doing most likely laid at the end of the path, I followed it.
There were things everywhere, the strangest things you could have imagined. Above my head, I caught sight of a tiny pixie darting from between the rafters, and remembered how way back in our second year Gilderoy Lockhart had proved useless in stopping the pixies that had caused havoc in our Defence Against the Dark Arts class. It had been Hermione who had ultimately stopped them, and at the time I'd been incredibly frustrated with the 30 points Gryffindor had been awarded for her quick thinking.
On a table sat a beautiful silver tiara with a large sapphire inset and the silver twisted around the gem to form a raven's shape. I wondered for a moment who it had belonged to, before continuing on my way, avoiding a pile of old brooms and ducking beneath a sofa that seemed to be levitating in thin air.
Finally, the path came to an end, and I frowned. There was nothing here but a few old chairs and an old wardrobe that looked as if it had definitely seen better days. I checked the tables to see if there were any books or clues, but there was nothing but a few first year Divination books. In frustration, I collapsed on a chair and buried my head in the hands.
Suddenly, there was a scramble from the wardrobe. I looked up slowly and frowned, wondering if I'd imagined it. No, there it was again.
I slowly stood up, pointing my wand defensively. I pointed my wand at the handle and slowly twisted my wand, watching as the handle twisted simultaneously. What was going to come out of there?
I braced myself as the wardrobe clicked unlocked, and the door slowly swung open. Then, quick as a flash, a tiny black bird came shooting out from the crack, flapping and chirping as it flew away. I blinked a few times, what was a bird doing in a wardrobe?
It's nothing, I said to myself, what use would the Dark Lord have for a cabinet? The idea was preposterous.
With a sigh, I grabbed my bag and shut the door to the cabinet again, before leaving the room. Perhaps Draco would be in the Great Hall waiting for me with a kiss and a whisper of reassurance of how much he loved me.
Perhaps, but I sincerely doubted it.