Does Age Really Bring Wisdom?

[Katalina Harker]

Seventeen. It was almost surreal that today Katalina Vanderhol was celebrating her seventeenth birthday...it didn't seem like it was even possible. For Kat it seemed like just yesterday that she was walking through the front doors of Hogwarts New Zealand as a shy scared eleven year old and here she sat, alone, in the student lounge as a seventeen year old woman...no more shyness present, but still just as scared as she ever was only now her fears weren't the same naive ones that she'd had at the tender age of eleven. Pulling out the envelope that her mother had sent to her the day before (with strict instructions not to open until April eleventh or there would be severe consequences) Kat opened it, revealing a letter written in her mothers script.

My dearest Katalina,

Today is the day that you become of age. In ways it saddens my heart that this day has come in what seems all to short of time, but in every other way I'm filled with pride and excitement. You have turned out to be an extremely beautiful and wonderful young woman and words cannot even begin to convey how very proud I am of everything that you do and are. Happy birthday my beautiful daughter. May your special day be filled with nothing, but the best.

All my love,
Mom

Tears filled Kat's eyes as she read the words over and over that her mother had written to her. Beautiful and wonderful. Those weren't exactly the words that she would have used to describe herself...far from it in fact, but coming from her mother she could almost believe that they were true. As she went to slide the letter back into the envelope she heard something slide around in the bottom. Reaching she felt cool metal and withdrew a gorgeous heart necklace. Kat smiled as she fastened the clasp behind her neck and ran her finger down the chain, tracing the shape of the heart with her finger when she reached it.


"Happy birthday Kat. Make a wish," she said to herself as she blew out the single candle on top of the cupcake that she had nicked from the kitchen only moments before coming to the lounge. When she opened her eyes her heart felt heavy. So much had changed this year, most of it all due to her own actions, but through it all one thing had remained constant...the one thing that she would continue to wish for seemed like a damn near impossibility. Why on earth would someone continue to wish for something that just wasn't going to happen?

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner saw Lily earlier that morning and his thoughtful fiance had thought to remind him of what day it was. He hadn't forgotten even though he and Kat hadn't dated in such a long time. He hadn't been able to pin down Lily so had asked a few Gryffindors until he'd been pointed in the right direction. He came through the doorway and paused for a minute. She had grown even more beautiful since the day he had first met her. So much had changed and happened since the day she had befriended him. They'd both been painfully shy and now look at them. A grin split his for once clean shaven face as he came to flop down on the couch beside her.

"Happy birthday kiddo." He handed her the present, brushed a kiss over her cheek and casually slung an arm across the back of the sofa. "I hope you'll get your wish," he nodded toward the cupcake. He did hope she would be happy and find someone to love as much as he loved Lily.

 

[Katalina Harker]

A small crooked grin played on Kat's lips as Sumner plopped down on the couch next to her and handed her a present. "Thanks...though I doubt that one will come true, but I'll have another cake so maybe a different wish later tonight in my dorm," she said plainly as she tore into the box as withdrew a bottle. A cheeky grin stretched across her face as she said, "Oh...now this will come in handy I can assure you of that." Kat snaked one arm around Sumner's neck and gave him a light squeeze. "Thanks. So how have things been? Don't get to catch up with you that often," she asked curiously, wondering how things were with her friend.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily had finally gotten all the presents she had sneakily purchased during their trip to Brightstone and the Mall not long ago. Juggling the three boxes with red bows, she headed down to the common room looking for her husband to help her. She glanced around and not seeing him there, she stopped and put the packages down on the table and restacked them so she could head to the lounge to meet up with her friend.

Heading in the door, she smiled as she saw Katalina sitting on a sofa next to Sumner -- holding a bottle of alcohol. "Well, that looks just yummy. Think we can get away with cracking that open?" she asked with a smile. Setting the packages down on the table, she jumped on Kat's lap, giving her a hug. "Happy birthday!!" she added, giggling.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat squealed as Lily jumped in her lap and squeezed her tightly. She returned the hug, trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard. "Thanks Lily! Hmm, I wonder if the headmistress would get her maternity undies in a huge knot if we just popped it open and got plastered right here," she asked with a goofy grin on her face. Kat reached for the packages that her friend had brought for her. "Good gracious Lily...thank you so much for all of this," she said getting a little misty, but reigning it in quickly. Picking up the Gryffindor snow globe she gave it a swish and watched as the small flecks swirled about in the liquid. "It's awesome Lily," she said, still watching the globe. Throwing the designer handbag over her shoulder she hopped up and started to strut around, looking very silly. "So do you think I can take Hollywood by storm with this look," she piped up in a high pitched voice. This was nice. Her birthday was meant to be spent with friends who cared about her...not sulking about the one person who didn't.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily laughed as the suggestion was made to pop open the bottle right then and there. "I would prolly say we might get away with a sip or two but probably not getting plastered, though that would be amazing!" As Kat got up to open her presents, Lily slid to sit across Sumner's lap. Her legs rested on his thighs and she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Kat parading with her new bag cracked Lily up to no end. The way she was laughing others might think she was already nipping at her husband's gift to their friend.

"Honey, you would need these to do that," she said, handing her one last item that she had stuck in her pocket.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Laughing Kat grabbed the sunglasses from Lily and slipped them on her face. She struck a pose and said, "Oh this is so the look I was going for!" Any outsider would think that Kat was blissfully happy with her life with the way she was acting and if acting happy made her friends happy then by Merlin she'd act until she was blue in the face. Plopping down back in her spot on the couch she grabbed the bottle that Sumner had gotten for her. "I'll be saving this for a rainy day," she said as she tucked it away safely back in the box. "So what's new with you guys," Kat asked as she pulled her legs up under her, looking at her two friends.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily looked her husband in the eyes and raised an eyebrow, silently asking him who should tell Kat what is new with them. The look he gave her back gave her the go ahead. "Well," she started out, pausing as she decided exactly how to drop the bomb. "Did you know there is a guy at Makutu Mall that is able to perform wedding ceremonies?" She was a bit cryptic, but wanted to see exactly how she would react to the news.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat found the look that the two exchanged a bit odd, but she shrugged it off not giving it a second thought. She listened as Lily asked her a question and replied, "Oh really? I didn't know that. You guys should..." Her voice trailed off. It took her a minute, but she finally put two and two together. Wide-eyed she just stared at them both, at a loss for words. "You guys already have. Haven't you?"

 

[Lily Drage]

"It wasn't exactly the plan, but," Lily picked up Sumner's hand and showed Kat the ring that now resided there, "yeah. We did it." She held Sumner's hand, waiting to see what reaction Kat would have to their news.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Mixed emotions and Kat was full of them. Excitement, disappointment, confusion, sadness. You name it and it was all there. "So you guys didn't want anyone there," she asked, hurt evident in her tone, but then she figured she was being selfish. Plastering a huge smile on her face she hugged both of her friends tightly. "This is awesome. I'm so happy for you both. Gosh, it looks like I have yet another marriage to keep a secret," then Kat realized just what she had just said out loud. She clapped her hand over her face and quickly tried to change the subject. "So which dress did you end up picking," she said to Lily, referring to the day her friend had tried on dresses at the mall.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily returned the hug, noting the hurt in her friend's voice. "No, it wasn't that we didn't want anyone there. It was very spur of the moment. We were talking about it and things just fell into place. Really." Then the words that Kat said hit her. "Oh, and its no secret, so nothing to worry about there. Wait a second. Who got married?" She was totally curious now. Who was married and keeping it a secret from the world?

 

[Katalina Harker]

"Well I guess I did say that spontaneity is the spice of life," she said, chuckling a little to herself. "Congratulations you guys! I couldn't be happier for the two of you!" At first Kat thought she had gotten away with her little slip of the tongue, but then Lily caught on. "poop...if I tell you then you have to swear on your grave that you won't say anything because I will be in deep deep hippogryff doo if you say anything," she started, looking at Lily and then to Sumner before continuing, "Kiera did. Over the Christmas holidays. She married James Potter."

 

[Lily Drage]

"Ew. Really? She married that prat?" Lily blurted out before thinking about it. "Sorry. I shouldn't talk about him like that but he is such a tool. I really never liked him at all." She stuck her tongue out and made a fake wretching sound. "Why keep it a secret? Shouldn't you be proud of your husband? Want to tell everyone?" Lily couldn't understand why Kiera would not want to tell everyone under the sun that she was married. Lily and Sumner had chosen to keep things quiet until they were able to tell Kat first, thinking she deserved to know before everyone else. Now that she knew, Lily wanted to shout it from the North Tower and tell everyone. "We were waiting to tell you, but now everyone can know that I am Mrs. Lily Drage!" She couldn't help but giggle, she was so excited.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat snorted at Lily's response. "Well I'm not real fond of him either, but he seems to really love her and she's completely gaga over him," she said truthfully. "As for the secret part it had something to do with being leaked to the press or something of the such and they didn't want a big fuss and everything so they had a secret wedding and are having another once she graduates...and I'm really saying way too much so this is where I shut up now," Kat sad closing her lips tightly, willing herself to shut up. Giggling slightly as Lily exclaimed that she was Mrs. Lily Drage a thought hit her. "Okay so is someone going to fill me in on just where in the hell the Drage part comes in," she said, very confused by it all.

Just as she asked the question an owl flew in through the open window and dropped a letter right in Kat's lap. It wasn't a bird she knew and as she opened the letter and read over it she was absolutely floored.

Katalina,

Happy birthday. I hope your seventeenth is the best that it can be. A girl so strong of heart deserves nothing but the best.

You're probably wondering who in the world I am. I promise that I am not a predator stalking his prey, just a boy who has eyes for a certain gorgeous Gryffindor.

Good luck on your next Quidditch game. One may not think it possible, but you fly even more beautifully than you walk.

Sincerely,
Your Secret Admirer

Kat re-read the letter at least four times, none of it making any sense whatsoever. "This has got to be a joke," she said as she handed the letter to Lily to read. She felt something in the envelope and looking inside she withdrew a beautiful lioness charm. A very confused expression overtook her face as she held the little charm up and examined it. "This is just so odd," she said, none of this making any sense whatsoever.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner had stayed silent through most of the talk, his grey eyes narrowed and intent on Kat's face. He held his breath for a second, waiting for the ball to drop. She took it remarkably well and he found his hand rubbing Lily's back unconsciously in relief. His free arm hugged Kat back and then when she demanded to know what was going on, he shrugged a shoulder. "A while ago I found out that Estrella and I share the same father. Long story short, my mum's a ***** and disowned me, so I took on my real father's name." A slow smile spread across his face and turned into a smirk. "So now Estrella's my big sis. Weird huh?"

He watched curiously as the owl came and craned his neck to see what she received, his lips brushing Lily's neck lightly. His eyes met hers and he brushed a strand of hair back from her face. To anyone who would look, they would see a special moment pass between the two, the love he had for his wife blazingly evident on his face.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily smiled as Sumner rubbed her back. "Yeah, and with that, Estrella and I are sisters-in-law. It made Christmas interesting, that is for sure, especially since she invited me over, not my hubby here." Her next thought was interupted by the arrival of an odd owl. She watched intently to see what it brought, watching as she opened up a beautiful lion necklace. As she looked, Sumner's lips brushed her neck and she smiled. Lily turned to smile at him as he brushed her hair with his hand. Leaning over, she kissed him gently on the lips, returning the love in his eyes with her own. She was still in shock that they had actually gotten married so quickly, but it felt beyond right to her.

Snuggling a bit closer to Sumner's chest, Lily asked Kat about the package. "So, who do you think this is from?"

 

[Katalina Harker]

"Weird...yes. Awesome...even more so," Kat said in reply to Sumner's explanation of why he was now a Drage. It all made so much more sense. Looking at Lily she merely shrugged. "It says my secret admirer, but who the hell admires me? I don't even recognize the handwriting...do you," she asked, still in shock that she even got something like this. "It's just weird. I mean the charm is really pretty, but I'd at least like to know who sent it so I could thank them."

 

[Lily Drage]

"I really have no idea who that might be from. It is really pretty. Whomever it is, they know about you playing quidditch so it must be someone with access to the grounds." Lily looked over the writing carefully. "Well, I don't know the writing. This is kinda cool! You have an admirer!" she giggled, then stopped for a moment and sobered. "Or, you have a stalker."

 

[Katalina Harker]

Someone with access to the grounds. Which most likely meant it was a student. For just a moment her face lit up, thinking that there was a possibility that it was Ch...she quickly cut that thought short, knowing that thinking like that would cause her nothing but heartache. It wasn't even his handwriting so she knew it would have been wishful thinking all for nothing. Her eyes got wide as she looked at Lily and said, "Oh you're funny. A stalker. Wait what if you're right?"

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily looked to Sumner, then back to Kat. "I was joking, but, I don't know what to do if it really is a creepy stalker." She was a bit nervous for her friend. "Um, maybe you should tell someone in charge? I really don't know, Kat. Are you sure you don't recognize the writing?" She encouraged her friend to look again just to be sure. It had to be someone with a crush, didn't it?

 

[Katalina Harker]

Great. Now Kat was going to have to start sleeping with her wand grasped tightly in her hand...just in case. "So maybe like the headmistress? I don't want to seem like I'm overreacting, but this is getting a little creepy the more I think about it," she said as she began nervously twisting a strand of her hair. She took the letter from Lily and read it over several more times, but it just didn't look familiar. "I have no clue. Maybe...maybe I'm just getting all freaked out over nothing. I mean it's just one letter right? Harmless," she said, though she wasn't sure even she believed her words.

 

[Sumner Drage]

Sumner shook his head. This was all very surreal and irregular, the way they could hang out after all they had been through together. He kept silent but knew that if it was something that could possibly harm Kat, he would be there to help her in a second. He looked between them, thinking that Kat should go and say something, just in case.

 

[Lily Drage]

"Maybe," Lily agreed with Kat. "I hope this is nothing but something should be said just in case. Who knows, I might be over reacting." She laughed a bit nervously. "Is it possible that it might be something that, um, well, that he could have orchestrated?" She didn't say the name, knowing her husband's dislike for the man that Kat was in love with, but it just dawned on Lily that it could be Chace trying to make up for things.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach and she swallowed hard, fighting the tears with everything she had in her. She shook her head at her friend saying in a shaky tone, "No. It wouldn't be...he doesn't...he has no reason...just no." A single tear escaped from her blue eyes and she quickly wiped it away. "You know...it's probably some idiot trying to get under my skin," she started and then she could only think of one person who would do something like this to get to her...someone who flirted with her only for the simple fact of because he knew it pissed her off, "Fenton. I'm going to murder him. He's playing with me. Oh two can play at this game." Kat just knew it had to be the cocky pain in the ass housemate of hers.