Moonlight

Chapter Six

November 18th 1975

Lilith was almost crushed to death on her birthday. Dora had thrown herself at her while she was still lying in bed. She groaned.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY STAR!" Pandora practically shouts in her ear. The other girls were awake as well, looking at the scene from afar.

"Thank you, Dora," Lilith coaxed. "Don't take it the wrong way, but get off me!"

She did still smile like an idiot. Lilith sat up and let the sun warm her skin.

"Happy Birthday Lil," Alicia and Brenda cheered. Lilith thanked them and got out of bed to hug her three roommates. She then proceeded to get dressed and ready for the day. It was Tuesday, so she had to wear her school uniform and go to classes today. When she left the bathroom and entered the dorm again, Brenda and Alicia were already gone.

"They went ahead," Dora told her. "I wanted to give you your present before everyone else."

She held her hand out, a small midnight blue box in it. Lilith took the box and opened it. In it was a golden chain. It was beautiful. It had a blue crystal pendant. The crystal had smooth edges and a golden frame. Lilith teared up.

"It's the moonstone," she explained. Lilith was so fascinated with the chain she barely listened to her. "Thank you so much. I love it," she wasn't screaming, she was saying it in a calm and deifying voice.

"Do you want to put it on?"

"Yes, oh Merlin, of course!" Dora helped her chain it around her neck. It just matched with her. She looked gorgeous, and Pandora told her she did. Then they went down for breakfast.

Alicia, Brenda, and other good friends from their house were waiting for them, bright smiles in their faces. They congratulated her and, to Lilith's surprise, prepared a cake for her. She blew out the candles, wished for the same as every year, to find her own way, and thanked them all properly. Then they ate cake together. Lemon. It was delicious.

"Hey, Lil! Happy Birthday, darling," Dorcas yelled, coming over to crush her in a hug. The boys followed, congratulating her with a warm hug. They'd celebrate later, after class.

"Oh my god, I love your present, Dora!" Dorcas exclaimed.

"The chain, right?" Regulus asked. Dora and Lilith nodded. "I like it on you."

Classes went by in a rush. The group met up in the library to study for tomorrow. They sat around a long table, books, notes, and quills spread over it.

"Can I have your astronomy homework for a sec, please?" Evan asked Lilith. She handed him the sheet without looking up from her book.

"Why is it so fucking hard to draw that shit?"

"Language," Lilith warned. Barty and Dorcas snickered.

"Look, you have to hold your quill more like this." Regulus demonstrated it with his own quill.

"Ooh, teacher Black is back," Dorcas mocked him.

"Hey, he's good at that," Pandora defended Reggie.

"If you two only amuse yourselves, you must already be done then?" Lilith asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, mam," they replied at the same time. "Then we should leave after our professor has finished the lesson," Lilith announced. All of them, minus Regulus, snickered at that.

They changed into comfortable clothes and snuck out of the castle. It was easier when they snuck out early. So, they did when everyone was eating dinner.