IT'S MAGIC ❤︎ WHY DONT WE

twelve

the school year was close to over. it was may. may twenty-seventh to be exact. zach's twelfth birthday.

the group of friends were celebrating out in the courtyard, just like they had last month for daniel's birthday.

"happy birthday zach!" the friends cheered as they surprised him with a cake. since the hufflepuff common room was near the hogwarts kitchens, gabriela, christina, and zach tend to go there when they get peckish.

they were friendly to those who worked in there, which was part of the reason they got them to make zach a birthday cake just like they got one for daniel.

"a year ago today, i got this letter that completely changed my world." zach chuckled as he looked at the beautifully designed cake. "thank you guys, this is truly amazing." he smiled.

"it is weird though, celebrating my birthday without my mother and siblings." zach's friends looked puzzled for a moment, "what about your father?" kay asked him.

"oh he doesn't care. we-we never really had any kind of bonding, he cared only for ryan, mum and himself. now with reese he cares for her, not me. not his oldest."

the group felt bad for zach, who quickly noticed they did. "no. you better not feel pity for me! i'm fine, it doesn't bother me. my mum, reese and ryan care about me, you care about me, that's all i need."

he flashed them a smile before digging into the cake. "so who do you think is going to win the house cup?" corbyn asked the group, curious to know himself.

this was something corbyn loved yet hated. he loved the challenge, but hated the fact that he wasn't able to figure it out or predict it.

"definitely not gryffindor. harry, ron, and hermione have been sneaking out and breaking rules. they keep costing us points." jonah sighed, "watch it be slytherin." christina mumbled.

"it probably will be, they don't seem to be losing any points." tate told the group. "but anyway, happy birthday zach! you're twelve, must be nice." the ravenclaw smirked gently.

tate was the youngest of the group, her birthday at the end of august.

"yeah! welcome to the club buddy!" corbyn cheered, "now all that's left is for christina, jonah, and tate to turn twelve then we've got the whole group the same age!" the blonde added in.

"well, not for long, seeing as tate's the end of august and i'm beginning of september." gabriela giggled again.

"oh shut it!" tate huffed, although it was evidently jokingly. the group of eight laughed as they kept celebrating.

"oh! zach i almost forgot! i bought this over the christmas break for your birthday since we aren't allowed to go out to hogsmeade during the year yet." christina rambled, rummaging through her bag.

she handed him a small box, smiling excitedly for him to open it. when opening it, it was a necklace with a red stone.

"it's charmed, it's supposed to help calm the wearer when they get too overwhelmed with emotions and at the same time it's spelled to smell of the person you miss the most so you'd feel close to them again."

zach smiled, he was so thankful for both his presents and this gift. "chris... this is amazing! thank you!" he hugged her brunette friend gently, "but you... you really didn't have to."

"what are you talking about? it's your birthday, of course we'd get you presents!" daniel chuckled, his happy demeanor making zach smile too.

"well, it's just... i don't get a lot of presents, birthdays or any holiday." he shrugged.

"why not?" jonah knit his eyebrows together, who doesn't get presents on birthdays or holidays? "well... my family doesn't have a lot of money, the money we do have goes toward the more important things than birthday or christmas presents." zach shrugged again.

this wasn't a big deal to him, why did it seem like such a big deal to his friends?

•••

it was the end of the year, everyone was getting ready to go home for the summer. jonah and christina were finally twelve, next up was tate.

zach was sad he wouldn't see her on her birthday, but he just decided they'd celebrate together once second year started.

all students sat in the great hall for one last feast before going home to their families. the room was decorated in slytherin banners and colours in honour of winning the house cup.

dumbledore got up to the front to make an announcement, "another year, gone! and now, as i understand it. the house cup needs awarded and the points stand thus. in fourth place, gryffindor with 312 points!"

daniel, jonah, and kay sighed, they knew they wouldn't win but fourth place sucked. "in third place, hufflepuff with 352 points!" zach, gabriela, and christina were a tad upset about not winning, but they were okay with third place.

"second, ravenclaw with 426 points!" corbyn and tate cheered for their house, second place was good, they were happy with that. "and in first place, with 472 points, slytherin house!"

the winning table erupted in cheers for their placement. jack and draco laughing and smiling, making daniel's heart break for several reasons.

he lost the house cup. not only coming last place, but losing it to who he thought was his best friend. and now he knows he's lost his best friend for good. jack was gone, and that was killing daniel.

but then, dumbledore spoke again, congratulating slytherin but moving on to say there were a few last minute points to award.

he handed them out, gryffindor climbing the ranks, eventually being tied with slytherin.

when the final points were given, they had beaten slytherin by ten, winning the cup. what an amazing way to end the year in jonah's opinion.