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By SK

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@Ileen Knight | @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood | @Sylvain Indarys | @Erik Tharaldson

It was early when Dee first got up. Much too early, one might say immanely early. But, well, sacrifices had to be made, and today wasn't just any day.

For one, it was the last day of camp. Things had to be done, trunks had to be packed, goodbyes had to be said. But that wasn't the reason that Dee was up before dawn, sneaking around the tent, trying not to wake anyone - especially her best friend. No, it was also Ileen's birthday, and Dee was planning to make it a memorable one, even with the busy day ahead.

Now, she knew at this point that Ileen wasn't a fan of parties. Not only was she not a fan of crowds, no, after the year they'd had, Ileen seemed convinced that any gathering of more than five people, for no matter what reason, was doomed to end in disaster. If she was completely honest, looking back at the previous day, Dee couldn't really begrudge her that, but it just so happened that the plans she'd made for today involved exactly five people, so it should be fine, right? Plus, Dee was absolutely certain that Ileen actually liked everyone involved, so she was convinced that Ileen would be happy to see them. Probably.

Dee had asked Aida and Syl to come weeks ago, knowing that they had also befriended Ileen over the past month and a half. They had even made plans to go visit Aida's cave in Scotland together, and although Dee wasn't sure how much of Ileen's compliance with that idea had been due to the fact that there would be horses involved, she wouldn't have agreed if she had a problem with anyone who was coming.

The last addition to today's... well, she wouldn't call it party if she wanted to avoid Ileen's wrath, so, birthday gathering, she supposed, had been a rather spontaneous one, since Dee had only actually met Erik yesterday and there had been a couple of minor inconveniences since then. Still, she'd asked when she had the opportunity, disregarding her personal opinion of him for the sake of making this a great day for Ileen, and he'd agreed to come.

So, all of this, plus Ileen's terribly inconvenient habit of getting up when sensible people were still caught in dream land, coupled with her own marvellous idea of watching the sunrise together on their last day at the camp, had her now sneaking out of the tent well before dawn, balancing a chocolate cake and a blanket, with a small, soft, wrapped present in the front pocket of her hoodie.

There wasn't much to prepare, really. Dee had picked out the hill already before, it was just a little way off camp but would give them some privacy and (hopefully) a nice view of the rising sun. She spread out the blanket, and put the cake on it in hopes that no one was going to steal it in the five minutes she'd be gone. A quick look around told her that none of the others were in sight yet, but the day had begun to dawn, and she'd told all of them where to meet, so they should be able to find it by themselves.

Two minutes later she was back in their tent, climbing up two steps of the ladder to be able to shake Ileen awake. "Good morning!" she whisper-yelled at her friend. "Get up, it's your birthday!"

Ileen slept badly that night. She was haunted by nightmares, still processing the event that had happened yesterday. It had been a glorious ending to the summer camp – testing the team spirit of Slytherin. Well, what could possibly go wrong with that? Exactly: everything.
So, even though she would miss Erik some people, she had been glad that the camp would end when she had climbed into bed last night. She had buried her face into the pillow trying to forget everything that had happened, but sleep had refused to come the more she had been waiting for it.
Hence, come morning she was sleeping like a dead person when someone shook her shoulder to wake her. Sleepily she opened her eyes, just to meet the blue sparkling ones of her best friend Dee. “Good morning, Glad Percival didn’t smother you with a pillow,” she greeted her and pulled her into a hug. “And thank you.”
Then she blinked, still hugging her friend in this weird half lying position. Why was Dee already up? Dee up before herself? Very suspicious. “Is everything okay?” She whispered, careful to lower her voice to not wake anyone up. She hadn’t told anyone but Dee that today was her birthday. She shivered at the thought anyone else in this tent could know about it. She didn’t want that kind of attention by this chaotic mess called her tent.

“Wait – let’s go out of here.” Ileen pulled herself up into a sitting position. With a silent yawn, she stretched her arms and shook her head to get rid of the last bit of sleepiness. A small smile appeared on her lips and she peered over to her best friend. She was so glad she had Dee. With her around, she always felt safe and appreciated – and despite everything that had happened, the girl even remembered her birthday. This positive energy was a valuable source of happiness to Ileen.
“You are already dressed. Are you crazy?” she hissed and climbed down from the bed. To not push Dee out of her way she just dropped down on the other side of the bunk bed. “Let me get dressed quickly, okay? Then we can go outside and watch the camp one last time in the morning? What do you think?”
Carelessly, she pulled a wine-red hoodie and one of her favorite jeans out of her suitcase and hastily changed her clothes. With a few quick twists she tied her long brown hair into a ponytail. Now she was ready to go. Only one thing was missing. She rummaged through her suitcase one more time and pulled out her camera. Ready armed, she straightened up and grinned at Dee. "Ready when you are."

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By SK

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Interactions | @Ileen Knight
Mentions | @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood

Dee giggled into Ileen's hair when she was pulled into an awkward hug, half on Ileen's mattress, half dangling off of it. "Raincoat wouldn't," she said, blinking at her best friend innocently, her eyes twinkling. "He hasn't got it in him to throw anything worse than pillows and paint my way."
She pulled herself out of the hug, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "And yes, silly, everything's fine. Come on, get up if you don't want the rest of the tent to wake up." It was pretty obvious that Ileen was still half asleep from her reactions, and Dee snorted when her best friend just let herself drop directly off the bed instead of waiting for Dee to climb down the ladder.

"I'm not crazy, I'm just accommodating your weird schedule," she retorted softly while Ileen slipped into her clothes, then rolled her eyes at the Slytherin's suggestions, fingering the bracelet on her wrist, half covered by her sleeve. Why did she think Dee had woken her up at the nick of dawn, before any sensible person would even think about getting up? "Just relax for once, will you? I got a surprise for you. And don't worry," she continued, anticipating protests, "it's nothing bad. You'll love it."

She barely had the patience to wait until Ileen had gotten her camera before she took the other girl by the elbow and started dragging her out of the tent. "I've been ready since before you even woke up," she shot back, but threw her friend an affectionate smile as she steered both of them out in the dawning light of day. It was still before sunrise - they had some time left - but the shapes of the tent around them were sharper, clearer than they had been when Dee first woke up.

"Come with me," she told Ileen, already heading towards the hill where the cake and hopefully the few invited guests were waiting, but then stopped while they were still sheltered between the last of the tents. "Or, wait, I want to give you something first."

From the front pocket of her hoodie, Dee pulled a small, soft present that was sloppily wrapped in light yellow paper. It contained a slim, hand-made bracelet - one of those she'd made at the embroidery errand months ago instead of actually doing embroidery. It was simple - just slanting stripes in alternating colours, no fancy pattern or anything - but she'd picked colours that she thought suited Ileen for it, had made it with her friend in mind even before she knew when or if she wanted to give it to her.
On her own wrist was a similar bracelet, just longer, looping twice around her skinny arm, same pattern but different colours. The only colour both had in common was the golden thread in between, and Dee thought it was rather fitting - the two of them were so different, but the thread was the connection they shared.

She wasn't really all that worried that Ileen wouldn't like it, but still bit her lip when she pressed the gift into her friend's hands. It did feel personal, somehow. "It's not much," she said, releasing her lip to gift Ileen a sweet smile along with the bracelet, "but I hope you'll like it. You can open it now or later, if you like, but we still got somewhere to be!" She paused for another second, then added softly, "I'm really glad I met you in the Hogwarts Express last year, Ileen. I can't imagine the past year without you."

She'd give her friend some time to open the wrapping paper now if she wanted to, then took her by the hand again to continue on their way, waving at the figure she could already see at the place she'd left the blanket.

@Ileen Knight @Dealla Prince

Hexcode= #3c78d8

Getting up early was always a chore but Sylvain never found it difficult, just unpleasant. Double-triple checking that he didn't forget anything Sylvain exited his tent before first light. The most important to remember was what Sylvain carried tucked beneath his arm, a small brown-paper-bag-wrapped gift, a book. He was wearing the same clothes to the sunrise fiesta that he had passed out in last night, and the only reason Sylvain had passed out was that he stayed up so late to spend most of the night reading the present he had purchased for Ileen. "Jinxes for the Jinxed." As much as he wanted the knowledge to be the witch's to discover first, as usual curiosity got the better of him. So with a bit of reluctance, he decided that someone to share the book with, in the event her own curiosity was piqued by the words within, would have to serve as reinforcement for the used gift.

As Sylvain anxiously made his way towards the hill pointed out to him a while ago by Dee, the lad's shoes became slick in the fine dew of London's pre-dawn, summer grass. The intoxicating aroma of smoldering campfires, teenage life, mingled with the aromatic bouquet of wildflowers, and snagged Sylvain like a grocery bag in the wind, carrying the lad further into the camp grounds. Without thinking, Syl set to taking the long route to the hillock rendezvous, passing through several dozen tents where the snoring of the students could awake even the most lazy of giants. The lad much preferred an early morning hike to sitting in the dew anyways. This way he at least had the chance of stretching his legs to get his mind working.

Seeing a white cloaked figure atop the hill, Sylvain ascertained that Aida had, in the typically striking fashion, managed to make it to the party. Happiness swelled within him as his anxiety dissipated. Ever since their talk on the beach the two hadn't shared more than a few words in private, and the lad, who had missed her, was looking forward to catching up afterwards. Hopefully she had a bit of spare time today. The wizard also hoped she was doing well, and that her tent mates were taking excellent care of her. Giving his own wave, but also unsure if she'd noticed him, Sylvain began to quickly ascend up the hill from behind her position. Straining his legs as he clomped his way up the wet earth towards the blanket Dealla loved to bring out on such occasions, Sylvain finally arrested his movement as he arrived at the crest of the hill. Dealla was as on the money as always, this would be a marvelous spot to watch the sunrise together.

Panting from the minimal exertion of climbing a steep incline, Sylvain gasped out a few words to Aida as she suddenly disappeared, crouching to the ground, and removing her hunchback cloak. "The..... others... make it... yet?" As if fate answered his questions, a bit of movement near the base of the hill attracted his eye as he noted Ileen and Dealla's forms and their imminent arrival. His own silhouette replaced that of Aida's glowing one as she crouched, and his outfit was considerably less white as he wore the typical blue hoodie he toted everywhere with him. "Hurry up you two, you're going to miss the sunrise!" Holding the book to his side, Sylvain had a moment of nervous apprehension, but he looked to Aida for reassurance. "Do you think she'll like Jinxes for the Jinxed? It was a little stuffy, but it's also cram packed with information." He would raise his eyebrow and look curiously at Aida. "And what are you doing down there? Need a hug?"

Ileen audibly closed her mouth, which she had already opened in protest. With great effort Ileen swallowed the grumble and followed Dee out of the tent. She really didn't want to wake anybody up. After yesterday she didn't know who she could look into the eyes. A cool shiver ran down her spine when she thought about the events of the past day. Wait. Stop. Let’s not bring the memories back up. But a surprise? Ileen frowned suspiciously. It would better not be a big group event…
“I- My sleeping schedule isn’t weird,” was the first thing Ileen said when the tent canvas had fallen shut behind them. Her little nose was wrinkled defiantly, and she glared at her friend. “Unlike others, I just go to bed at a reasonable time.” Dee knew that Ileen wasn’t serious. At least not a 100 percent, just very tired and slightly traumatized.
If she was completely honest, she was very glad Dee did something to distract her, even though Ileen wondered how she had made it through the night. With a slight twinge she glanced at the bouncing wavy hair of her friend as she followed her. She wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt her. Dee was an important part of her life, a person that kept her walking. Next time, she hopefully wouldn’t be as helpless as this time. Her mood darkened while her thoughts slipped to Erik. She should probably talk to him in private, soon – after yesterday she was even more worried.

As the dawn gradually rose, Ileen continued to follow her friend and let herself be torn from her dark thoughts when Dee suddenly stopped and turned to her.
“Oh. Dee! You didn’t have to give me anything!” Ileen’s cheeks turned red when Dee gave her the small yellow wrapped present. It was the first time in her life a friend gifted her something. Well – it also was the first time she had a real friend at all at the time of her birthday.
At first she carefully examined the package to find out what might be inside. It was soft and flexible. Ileen actually had no idea and so she carefully removed the paper. Her eyes widened when a bracelet made of wool fell into her hand - including all her favorite colors. “It’s beautiful,” Ileen whispered and looked up at her friend. “Did you make it?”
She would immediately stretch her arm towards Dee - an implicit request to put the bracelet on her. Then she would pull her friend into a tight hug. “Thank you so much. That is the best present I ever got and I will never take it off” She was absolutely serious about it. Hopefully Dee would notice how touched Ileen was. The girl wasn’t good with words so she tried to put all her love and gratefulness in this move. Her heart felt like it would explode.

As they continued walking towards a hill near the campsite Ileen spotted a silhouette on the top of it. With a frown she turned towards Dee. “What -”
But then the person called them out and Ileen recognized the voice. “You organized a surprise party for me?” Ileen’s voice trembled slightly. Dee wouldn't do that, right? She knew her. But actually it was also a nice surprise to see Sylvain up there. “Aww.” She grabbed Dee’s hand and squeezed it. It was a mixture of concern and happiness that spoke out of her. She would be happy to have a few people around with whom she shared positive relationships. But who would be there?

Interacting with | @Dealla Prince
Mentions | @Erik Tharaldson | @Sylvain Indarys

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By SK

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Dee grinned as she watched Ileen's reaction when she unwrapped the present. "Yes, I made it! A while ago, actually, it has been waiting for you in my dorm ever since." She tied the bracelet around Ileen's wrist with quick fingers, then held out her own wrist next to it so that the golden thread looked like it connected the two of them. "Look, now we match!"
She hugged Ileen back just as tight, her chin brushing the fabric of the hoodie that the taller girl was wearing. "I'm glad you like it," she replied, a genuine, bright smile on her face. "Not that I doubted you would, but I'm still glad."

As they trudged up the hill, Dee snorted at Syl's words and immediately called back, "No, we're not!"
There was still a little time, a few minutes at least until the actual sunrise, although the murky blue and grey of the dawn was lifting and increasingly making way for the clear, pastel colours of the dawning sun, dipping the clouds on the horizon in reds and oranges.
Her eyes searched the hill for other guests - she'd only seen one figure from afar, and apparently that was Sylvain, which meant that Aida and Erik were still missing. A slight frown made its way onto Dee's face. She didn't really know about Erik's habits - just out of spite, she'd assume he was generally unreliable - but Aida was naturally an early riser and it didn't seem like her to be late. But then, as she'd noted earlier, there was still some time. Aida could still show up.

The Ravenclaw snorted in amusement at the contradictory mixture of feelings oozing from Ileen. There seemed to be equal measures of trepidation and joy in her voice - maybe leaning onto the side of trepidation. "Oh please, have some faith in me," Dee teased her lightly. "It's not a party, and I promised you'd like it, didn't I? Just trust my judgement. Do I look like I'd invite idiots to your birthday? Many of them, in any case." Dee frowned, pretending to reconsider. "Or maybe you'd enjoy hexing an idiot or two for your birthday. Have I made a mistake?" A quick wink and a stuck-out tongue signalled that she wasn't very, or even a little, serious about her words, and then she pulled Ileen forward, up the rest of the hill, to where Sylvain, the cake, and a girl lying in ambush were waiting for the birthday girl.

Interactions | @Ileen Knight | @Sylvain Indarys
Mentions | @Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood | @Erik Tharaldson

@Dealla Prince @Ileen Knight @Sylvain Indarys

Hexcode= #3c78d8

Flushed with surprise at Aida's surprise attack, Sylvain's taken aback features softly faded into warm relaxation as Aida squeezed the birthday girl affectionately. As the two knights parted arms and the rail-thin Aida nodded to him, Sylvain extended the wrapped book to Ileen. "Got you something. Happy Birthday." Carefully, he would wait to see if she wanted a hug before giving her one. There was a feeling on her face he didn't recognize, and he didn't want to overwhelm his already shy friend.

Shifting his attention from the birthday girl to Dealla, Sylvain let a little smile creep across his face. "Beautiful spot for a party. You have a talent for picking picnic places." Affection and presents dispensed to those who accepted them, Sylvain sat in the grass next to the previously hidden and now Crouching-White-Tiger. Taking a deep breath and filling his lungs with the morning air, Sylvain let himself relax atop the hillside as the four awaited the glory of the morning sun. If he could make Ileen's birthday even a little bit more special this year he'd be more than satisfied with himself.

@Aida Mòrsgor-Ama Ellwood @Dealla Prince @Ileen Knight