Inferno | Draco Malfoy

008 | Birthday

January, the start of the year. Daphne and Tracey begged for me to go back to Hogwarts early so we can all celebrate my birthday together.

I suggested that we can all crash at my place but Daphne went on holiday so it would be less of a havoc if we spend the celebration at the castle because she wouldn't have to carry all her thirteen bags. Besides, my birthday is on a Sunday so we'd be in the castle either way.

It's a Saturday night and we are having a girl's night. The one where you do each other's hair, paint nails, gossip, eat, blast music and pretend you're on stage. We had only finished doing face masks and now getting ready for bed at the late hours of the night, quarter to midnight. Obviously, we are meant to be in bed but remember, Tracey is mates with some of the house-elves so she easily convinced them to not let any teachers disrupt us, they even brought us a charcuterie board.

Tracey and Daphne's goal is to stay up until the clock hits twelve so they can be the first to wish me a happy birthday. Both of the girls talk about their future dreams and ambitions.

Daphne wishes to be happily in love (with Blaise) and have kids (ahem, with Blaise) she wants to become a publisher for Witch Weekly which I think is stupid when she can start her own magazine. It would be a sell-out seeing that she's the definition of dramatic.

Hair full of the prettiest curls, Tracey wants to travel and explore. From Europe to Asia, all around the world, living there and embracing different cultures. She's never been the academic type of student, she's more of a creative and open-minded person. That's why she gets along with Professor Trelawney and a lot of the Ravenclaws, they come up with the wildest possible hypothesis. Some with logic some nonsensical.

I guess I don't know what I'm working towards. Mum told me that life has endless possibilities and only one final denouement. The best job for me is a healer, I love potions and charms.

"A healer? Your future wizard must be lucky." Tracey hugs her pillow.

"You think I, Adriana Clarissa Harlow, will allow myself to be betrothed to a vicious wizard who acts like a lizard?"

"I mean, you can always pull a Mrs Zabini." Tracey shrugs her shoulders trying not to burst out laughing.

Yumna Zabini, Blaise's mother, is a legendary iconic witch. She's famously beautiful and has had seven husbands, each disappearing and leaving her piles of gold.

I throw a pillow at Tracey, she tries to hit one back at me but it ends up hitting Daphne. In a matter of seconds, we trash the dormitory with pillows on the floor, until they both look at the time. Daphne and Tracey share the same expression.

"Ready...Three...Two... ONE!"

In an instant, I feel a cheering charm over me. The music is blasting in the background, Daphne and Tracey attacking me with the pillows on the floor. Wishing me a happy birthday. I'm not kidding, these two boisterous girls could be heard in every room of the castle. If not the whole of Britain itself.

The cheering charm starts to calm down and they both immediately give their gift to me. I unbox Daphne's pretty pink box to see something that I only now remember. I use only one perfume and it will never change, I finished a bottle in October and never bothered to get another one. I shut my eyes as Tracey shoves Daphne aside and hands me her gift, she gives me a mimbulus mimbletonia, a plant I absolutely adore, it's incredibly rare since it originates from Assyria. I hug them both in a long breathtaking hug.

"You need to be careful with that, it doesn't like me very much. I can't handle any more stinksap." Tracey blocks her nose.

I wait for both Daphne and Tracey to fall asleep so I can turn on my lamp. Mum and Dad weren't thrilled for me to leave on my birthday but before I left, they had given me a letter and two gifts. I opened the big one on my way, a makeup kit so I can stop stealing Mum's.

On the back of the letter, it tells me not to open it until Sunday which is technically today, early morning.

Dearest Adriana,

This is one of the letters where me and your father write together. Enjoy this mess and ignore his lack of maturity.

On the 9th of January 1980, a beautiful baby girl was born.

"Hi Adriana." A handsome man holds you. Guess who that is. Hint, green eyes.

Oh shut up, stop wasting the parchment. Anyway it's my turn, Happy 14th birthday my sweetheart! I still remember the first time holding you after your dad was done hogging you, Camden running into the room trying to wake you up.

I still remember that time you fell flat on your face.

(Ignore that, this is meant to be sentimental, Andrew.)

As I was saying, you are growing up to be a perfect powerful young lady. You are my daughter, you always will be.

Hey where are my credits, I made her too.

Can you shut up?

You're not allowed to laugh at that joke, Adria.

How long is this bloody letter? I notice that this 'sentimental' letter is five individual pages together. I'll read it later, of course. I love it when my parents write together, seeing them bicker over parchment makes me feel at home.

Also, I'm thirteen- well fourteen, now, and I know how the body works. I'm not daft.

Taking the lid off from the present, there is a note with it.

They know me a bit too well.

If no one can hear you then you simply don't exist.

SilentSneak. It's a pendant you can put onto necklaces or any piece of jewellery. Mine's a bracelet on a circular golden pendant. The name speaks for itself honestly. Tap once and the noises you make (footsteps, talking) will become inaudible, tap two times and the noises you make will become audible again. Though, this only applies to the owner. The pendant won't work on anyone else. I've wanted one since I saw my cousin have it, this will come in handy if I want to go out past curfew hours or sneak around the school in general.

Might as well get a whole tour.

Mum, Dad, Daphne, Tracey, and everyone who has given me or will give me gifts are so thoughtful.

As materialistic as I am, I've grown up with everything I've wanted. I love money, who doesn't? But sometimes, the most special things are always ignored or brushed over because it's not Gold-Galleons. You can find the smallest but most beautiful traits in people.

Times like this are when I appreciate everything and everyone around me.