"WAKE UP, MY LOVE," was the first thing Claudia heard as she woke up on the sunny Sunday that was her 17th birthday.

The girl cracked a small smile, the sun shining on her face as she finally opened her eyes only to meet warm brown ones immediately.

"Happy birthday," Remus said, his smile only growing as hers did.

"Thank you," Claudia said, trying her hardest to not burst from all the happiness she felt from being tangled in Remus' arms in her warm bed.

"How does it feel to be 17?" He asked, bringing her even closer to him by wrapping his arms tighter around her waist.

"The same," she said. "But different."

"The same but different?" Remus questioned with an amused smile and a raise of his eyebrows.

"Well, it's the same," she shrugged. "But it's different. I'm 17, so I'm of age. And all my other birthdays since forever have been shitty but now I'm here with you and things feel like they're gonna be fine."

"Which they are," he smiled. "I'm gonna make this the best birthday you could possibly ask for, my dancing queen, so let's start off on the right foot!"

With one swift motion, the boy grabbed onto Claudia's waist and somehow moved her over so that she suddenly was on top of him.

"That good?" He asked with a grin.

"Perfect," she smiled, placing both of her hands on his cheeks and leaning down to kiss him on the nose. "You know you just called me dancing queen?"

"Sure did," Remus laughed. "You're 17 now, so it's only right. We did the same to Sirius."

"I bet he loved that."

"Honey, loved would be an understatement," Remus chuckled, brushing some hair from her face before finally kissing her so softly that she felt nothing but fireworks as they both smiled into the kiss, his hands roaming all over her.

"Stop," said Claudia, breaking the kiss and scaring the boy who wanted to be as careful as possible, only to laugh slightly which only caused confusion on him.

"Why're you laughing?"

"I'm just saying," she shrugged. "I'm technically an adult now, and you are not so maybe-"

"Now you're the one who's being a tease," Remus pointed out. "Kiss me?"

"Alright," Claudia giggled, leaning down and kissing him again, only to break it. "You're-"

"Shut up," Remus chuckled, melting into her again and then just allowing her to wrap herself around him as they lay in silence for a while.

"Can we stay here all day?" Claudia asked quietly as they intertwined their fingers.

"If you want to," Remus spoke. "But our friends are excited to see you."

"Mhm," she nodded. "Then I guess we'll get up just for them. But let's just wait a little while longer, okay?"

"Of course," Remus smiled. "Anything for you, birthday girl."

"You're too good to me, you know that? There's no way I could possibly repay you for all you do for me."

"I can think of one or two ways," Remus grinned, earned himself a glare from his girlfriend.

"Says the boy who rejected me last night," she pointed out.

"I didn't reject you!" He said in a defensive tone. "I just want you to be truly ready. And sane in the head!"

"I'm always sane in the head!"

Remus laughed, "Okay, that's not what I meant, alright? I just...don't want you to be uncomfortable with my touch."

Claudia stopped for a moment as she smiled at him out of pure admiration, "I could never be uncomfortable with your touch. I love you."

"I love you," Remus responded, and then, eventually, the two managed to get up and get ready through way too much laughter, eventually ending up in the Great Hall with all of their friends for breakfast.

The chatter was loud yet happy, and Claudia felt such a rush of happiness and gratefulness that she just couldn't stop smiling to the point where her cheeks literally ached.

Watching Inez and Sirius argue over who had better hair, James trying to impress Lily and Remus cracking some of his sarcastic jokes only made it all better.

However, as she sat and listened intently with Remus' hand in hers, the group of people suddenly went quiet as they all looked up at someone standing behind Claudia.

Ingannamorte.

She had been rather off of the radar ever since the incident of Claudia's family visiting, so much to the point that they had only seen her in class and not in the Great Hall.

However, the woman felt a secret need to be in there on that morning.

And the reason was the brunette girl in front of her who ever so resembled her mother.

"Happy birthday, Claudia," Ingannamorte smiled.

"Oh, thank you, professor," Claudia smiled, feeling rather confused over how the woman had made the effort to come talk to her when she was just another student.

But, she wasn't just another student to Ingannamorte.

She simply couldn't be that.

"I hope you have a good day," Ingannamorte smiled. "You too, Ms. Evans!"

"Oh, thank you," the ginger smiled as Inagannamorte turned on her heel and left the Great Hall.

"That was weird," Marlene pointed out, earning herself a shrug from Claudia in response. "I thought she hated you?"

"Nah, she doesn't," Claudia said. "Well, that was months ago, at least."

"I don't think anyone could hate Claudia," Remus said. "Especially not Ingannamorte."

"Exactly," James sniggered. "Claudia's the favourite now!"

"No, I'm not," the girl chuckled.

"Then why didn't she wish me a bloody happy birthday?!" Sirius exclaimed. "Face it, Maple, you're a teacher's pet now."

Claudia sighed, "Your jealousy's showing, Sirius."

"Well-"

"Shit!" James suddenly exclaimed. "Oh, shit!"

"What is it?!" Lily asked concernedly.

"Where's my wand?!"

"You lost your wand?"

"Yes! Where is it?!"

"Prongs, calm down-"

"It's always Pete who does shit like this!" The boy yelled. "How do you find your wand if you lose it?!"

Sirius snorted, "Dunno, mate."

"Maybe you can Accio it?" Betty suggested, but there was no need for that as Nicolas suddenly appeared and handed it to him.

"Professor McGonagall found it," he said. "She asked me to give it to you."

"Oh...thank you," James said awkwardly.

"Yeah, yeah," Nicolas nodded. "Wouldn't want to leave your wand laying around, now, would you, Potter?"

"No," James said, giving the boy, who had changed his attention to Claudia, a tight smile.

"Happy birthday," he said simply to her, a small smile twitching on his lips.

"Thank you, Nicolas," she replied, watching him head off to the Slytherin table again, where a smiling Regulus sat as he mouthed a happy birthday to her as well. Claudia smiled brightly in response as Remus chuckled.

"Told you he has a crush on you," he said quietly, causing James, who too knew about the situation between Regulus and Nicolas, to choke on his pumpkin juice.

"You're funny," Claudia laughed, giving James a subtle look as Sirius frowned.

"How close are you two even?" He asked curiously.

"Not that close, why?" Claudia asked.

"Just wondering," Sirius shrugged, though everyone knew that him being curious wasn't the only reason.

"Okay," Claudia smiled faintly. "Well, I barely see him. But, you know, he's the nicest one of them all."

"Mhm," Sirius nodded, watching his brother laugh with Nicolas from where they sat at the Slytherin table.

"Oh, can I give my presents to Claudia and Lily now?!" Peter asked happily as everyone watched Sirius concernedly.

"You've got me a present too, Peter?" Lily asked.

"Of course!" The boy said, urging everyone to get up and head to the Gryffindor common room, despite four of them being Ravenclaws, so that sweet gifts of books, jewellery, records and candy could be gifted to the two girls - who, for the record, both had their separate boys at their feet as always.

"I love sharing a birthday with you," Lily smiled, hugging Claudia on the couch in the Gryffindor common room.

"And I love sharing one with you," Claudia responded, watching James and Remus laugh like idiots over something. "You know, about James-"

"Drop it, Claudia," Lily sighed. "It's never going to happen!"

"Oh, come on!" Claudia urged. "He's so sweet, and he fancies you so much! And he's trying to be nicer and everything and I promise you that you two would be perfect!"

"Claudia!"

"Why not?!"

"Because...because he's Potter!" She whisper-shouted. "He's always been there."

"Exactly!"

"No, that's not what I mean, it's just...I don't know," she groaned.

"Well, I suggest you think about it," Claudia smiled. "For me, okay?"

Lily sighed out of surrender, "Okay."

"Perfect!"

Lily sighed again, "I'm gonna go talk to Marlene before you make me date Filch or something."

Claudia nodded amusedly as as spotted Sirius sitting on the armchair nearby, so she decided to go talk to him.

"Make some room," she said, causing the boy to look up and then move to the side so that she could sit there next to him despite how little room there was.

"I'm gonna talk to you about Regulus," she said simply.

"No-"

"Yes," she nodded. "And you're gonna listen, okay?"

Sirius nodded.

"I don't talk to him often. But he's okay, alright? I know he is. He's got more support than you think he does, and he's still the same quiet and soft spoken boy we all love. But, Sirius, he misses you. Like hell."

"Did he say that?"

"No," she shook her head. "But I can tell, alright? He misses you just as much as you miss him. And he loves you."

"He shouldn't," Sirius said quietly. "I left him."

"You couldn't be there any longer," Claudia assured. "He might be angry but deep inside he knows that."

"But I just left him," Sirius persisted. "I should've at least taken him with me."

"You don't know what would've happened if you did," said Claudia. "And I promise you that I'll take care of him, Sirius. I promise you."

"I should be the one to take care of him. Not you."

Claudia stopped for a while, "You know what? Think about it this way. You take care of me. You have for so long. And my brothers never did. Hell, Nolan has only caused me hell and Nicolas is too awkward to speak to me most of the time. You are my brother. So, in turn, I take care of Reg. It's only fair I give you something in return, isn't it?"

Sirius smiled faintly, "You're a good friend Claudia. Regulus is lucky to have you. And so am I."

"Of course you are," Claudia grinned, messing up his hair which only caused him to slap her hands away. "You know what I was thinking about doing today?"

"No, what?"

"I was thinking about causing a little mayhem," she grinned. "How about you help me pull a prank?"

"I'm intrigued," he said, sitting up in his seat and reminding her so of Regulus. "Who are we pranking?"

Claudia narrowed her eyes as she thought about something, and then a mischievous smile came over her face.

"How about Evan Rosier?"

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