January 16, 2009 fell on a Tuesday. January sixteenth was Audri's twelfth birthday; she was older than most other first years. Normally, she'd wake up to pancakes made by Grace, but on her twelfth birthday, Audri awoke to small sobs coming from the left of her and a smaill pile of gifts and letters before her feet. She ignored the parcels to hurriedly feed Peregrine and turned her attention to Indira.
"Indira? Indie, are you ok?" Audri whispered. It was still quite early, she didn't want to wake their fellow dormmates, so she tip toed over to Indira's tapered four poster. Indira didn't bother to cover up her swollen eyes or red nose as she normally would.
"My mum sent me another letter," Indira looked at the fallen parchment in front of her. She lay on her side in fetal position with half of her head covered by a pillow. Audri, concerned, took a look at the letter. It expressed her mother's disappointment in receiving a note of her fallen Transfiguration grade. Mrs. Wytherby could be entirely harsh with Indira sometimes, Audri despised her for it.
"But you haven't done horribly..." Audri trailed off, sensing Indira's worsening mood.
"I have to pass! You don't understand! You don't have to work at school, you belong in Ravenclaw!" Indira cried rudely. Audri, shocked took a step back.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what I've done wrong," Audri said, perplexed. She crept back to her own bed.
"You just don't understand," Indira reclosed her curtains angrily.
"What's going on?" Tessa asked, her blonde curls all out of place.
"Nothing," Audri smiled sadly. She looked at the packages. She didn't want to open them in such a foul mood, but knew they could instantly brighten her day. She took the letters first, seeing an unexpected extra. From the Poole's.
'Dear Audri,
Richard and I hope you are doing well with them. We're sorry if we made you sad or angry, and wish you the best of luck. Happy birthday, darling! Although we won't be near you to celebrate any more, we send our love. Enclosed is some money for you, use it wisely! Love always, Grace Poole.'
Audri wasn't sure how she felt about the letter. It was nice to have, but she felt angry still, and hurt by them.
"It's Audri's birthday! Wake up!" Tessa shouted to the others, making her blush. "Blimey. I didn't get you anything."
"That's alright," Audri smiled. She moved to her next letter, and following through. Her turn out was better than expected, just like Christmas. She recieved loads of chocolate, and something called a Wonder witch product from Ron and Hermione and George and Angelina. It supposedly would give her hair a golden shimmer. She wondered if it worked. Teddy always swore by Weasley Wizard Wheezes.
"Your birthday is early!" Eldrida said excitedly. "Shall we throw a party?"
"No, my mum's coming, I think," Audri smiled. "She wrote me, and hinted at something. I think that was it."
"How very lucky for you, a mum who cares," Indira sniffed. The other four turned to her.
"Indira, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Audri spoke quietly.
"It's her birthday, don't ruin it for her!" Their third roommate, Cherie, shouted.
"Come out already!" Teddy shouted from outside. The girls, besides, Indira giggled.
"Do you like Teddy?" Tessa asked with a smirk.
"No!" Audri shouted, obsidian eyes enlarging. "Ted's like my brother! I know you like him!"
She playfully pushed Tessa and ran out of the room, before further embarrassment.
"Where's Indie?" Teddy looked behind her, to no avail. Ethan stood next to him, quite fidgety.
"She's in a sour mood," Audri replied. "She got another letter from her mum."
"What a mad woman! Well I 'spose we better be off. Don't want to miss breakfast!" Teddy gave a huge grin to much amusement. Some days Audri felt better off without Indira. She was almost always in a foul mood, although she would never forget how Indira stood up for her against Daelon. It was something only a true friend would do.
"Do you think she's lost it?" Teddy asked over sausages, spitting all over Ethan.
"Say it, don't spray it!" Ethan shouted, wiping away peices of meat from his face. "That's dusgusting."
A note dropped on Audri's plate just as Neville walked past towards the teacher's table. She smiled at him and opened it.
'Come to my office for dinner.'
"If you weren't my friend, or Neville's kid, I'd make fun of you," Teddy snorted. "Since it's your birthday, I think I shall."
"That's not a gift you git!" Audri threw the note at him.
"Daddy's girl!" Teddy laughed rowdily. His eyes glazed a little and Audri looked over her shoulder to see Professor Ash smiling on her way to her seat.
"Teacher's pet," Audri said back, earning a high five from Ethan. Teddy reddened.
Later, after her Care of Magical Creatures class, Audri waved goodbye to her friends and went up the stairs to look for Neville's office. It was near a gathering of unused classrooms, since he didn't like the office next to the Herbology. He claimed it was too cold, but Audri thought she saw a fire place down there. Either way, this was closer to the Gryffindor's, as he was supposed to be next in line to receive the honor of Gryffindor Head. After Professor Durant, of course.
Behind his office was his dorm. It was larger than Audri's, set like an apartment. She wondered why he went all the way down to dinner if he had a complete set up in his room.
"Aud-ee!" The twins ran up to her giggling madly.
"I knew it!" Audri yelled happily. Neville chuckled.
"Most students don't have their families come for birthdays, but we're the exception," Luna said wisely. Audri burtsed with happiness and hugged her.
"I was missing home already," Neville chuckled, coming from the kitchen.
"We hardly ever come down," Luna replied with a smile. "Has Bernadette been dating the muggle still?"
"Honestly? I have no idea," Neville chuckled again, running a hand through his hair.
"I'll have to ask her before I leave. Dinner is here!" Luna clapped her hands together as a house elf came laden with trays. "I've dearly missed your cooking Jingle."
"Thank you, miss," The little elf bowed and popped out. He came back with a few more things. He was quite talented at holding multiple trays at once. Together, the family sat like they had over break.
"How has school been?" Luna gave Jude a spoon, and looked at Audri. She looked down at her plate. Neville smirked. "What?"
"We've-it's been eventful," Neville blurted out.
"Dad!" Audri hissed.
"What?" Luna's eyes were proturbent.
"Tell her," Neville prodded Audri, still smirking. Audri groaned.
"I almost duelled Daelon Baulder," Luna gasped. The boys caught on and held still for a moment..
"Neville!" Luna looked accusingly at him.
"What?! I didn't encourage her. If anything, we had a nice chat and sorted ourselves out. She didn't whip out her wand or anything," Neville's mouth hung open. Luna raised an eyebrow. "She's learned her lesson."
"Perhaps, we should invest-"
"No Luna, let's not encourage duelling. You know how dangerous that is," Neville looked at her reproachfully.
"I was going to say!" Luna's eye brow rose again. "Let's invest in George's protective gear. The charmed gloves and hats."
"Oh," Neville thought it over.
"I think it won't happen again," Audri said hurriedly.
"But it would provide protection!" Luna's mind was set.
"I can't wear those ridiculous things to school!" Audri shouted. Luna gave her a funny look.
"They make girl's hats now."
"Large, poufy girl's hats," Audri mumbled.
"It's her birthday. Let's torture her another day. We have a present!" Neville rose from the table and rushed to his living room and back with a large box.
"We haven't had cake!" Luna said.
"Cake!" Virgil cried. Jude mumbled with his twin.
"Cake can come after," Neville breathed. Audri excitedly opened her present. There was a box inside. She confusedly opened the next box, to reveal another, and another, until a slender box was revealed. Inside, a lovely charm bracelet with one single charm-a heart. She loved it. It reminded her of a herione's gift, something a character would recieve.
"Thank you! I love it!" The couple smiled at each other.
"It's cheesy, but we want to add a charm for every school year," Neville said proudly.
"I don't care."
A/N Only 3 more chapters! Ahh! And then the sequel.... I'm excited. Going to walk my stupid dog. She'd being an idiot. I swear pugs are the world's dumbest dogs. Sorry, my mom's frustrating me. Any ways, this is just a filler , really. But happy birthday to Audri. Not today of course. Have a nice night, folks.