In the Melancholy Moonlight

Chapter XXXVI: This Perfect Day

It was a perfect day
What I'd give if I could find a way to stay
Lost in this moment, now
Ain't worried 'bout tomorrow
When your busy living, feels like dreaming,
Slowly drifting through this perfect day

"Perfect Day"
Lady A

LUCY:

I was ecstatic when Dad said we'd be staying in Tahoe another week. Sure, it meant the full moon would be the same day we got back. Sure, it meant Cedric and I would be doing nothing but homework as soon as we got home. But according to Harry, the Weasleys were in Egypt until the end of August anyway. Truthfully, I wanted to stay in Tahoe as long as possible.

"We're heading to the beach!" came Brandon's voice on our second-to-last full day. "You two coming?"

Jessica glanced toward me, and I shrugged. "Sure. You want to go?"

She pulled her shirt off her shoulder to show the straps of the bikini top she was already wearing. "We'll be right down!"

I glanced at the clock, and jumped slightly. It was 3:58. "I'll meet you down there in a couple minutes," I said, getting to my feet and hurrying up the stairs.

I wrenched the diary out from its hiding place between the mattress and the bedframe and pulled a quill out from my drawer. I flipped to the most recent page of conversations and waited.

The pages of the books were enchanted to glow slightly when there was an unread message. They were also enchanted to erase all of their messages as soon as every page was full to make room for more messages. We hadn't filled the diaries yet, but I reckoned they would be full by the end of summer. Between Ron accidentally getting Harry in trouble with his aunt and uncle and Hedwig not being allowed to send letters, I was the only person from the wizarding world he could talk to, which led to us talking a lot, whenever we could.

I watched Jessica's small electronic clock, waiting for it to read 4:00 (meaning it was midnight in Little Whinging) so I could be first to wish him a happy birthday. I knew that this year, I might be the only one who could.

When 4:00 came, I put my quill to the paper and wrote in my nicest handwriting.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY! I'm sorry I'm not there to celebrate with you in person, but I wanted to be the first person to wish you a happy birthday. Here's to many more years of adventure. (Hopefully the non-lethal type, but I'll be there for you every step of the way anyway.) I hope you're asleep right now, because you should be, but you should see this in the morni-

Before I could even finish writing, a couple of letters began to appear. I set the quill down and laughed to myself as his words appeared.

Okay, first of all, you're one to talk when it comes to sleeping habits. But thanks, Lucy, I'll admit I was happy to see the pages start glowing. I didn't even realize how late it was.

Working on homework?

Yeah, that essay about Wendelin the Weird

How fun. Well, I'll leave you to it because you really should be sleeping

Harry's handwriting was shaky, and I had learned that meant he was laughing as he tried to write.

Lucy, again with the sleeping thing

But happy birthday again