It's All Relative

[Lily Sedgwick]

[July, 2041]

Morning glazed the horizon with eager step, shuffling a low wave of heat across the land. Despite it being the colder season, it was going to be a pleasant day. Beneath the fresh blue sky, in a sleepy suburban neighbourhood, Lily Sedgwick began to stir. She threw out her arms in a yawn above her head, flex her muscles, and pushed herself to get up. She was twelve years old today. She had little certainty as per birthday celebrations, due mainly to her limited social interaction; her mother had home educated her for the past year, wanting to get things right with her learning and teach her the Durmstrang method that she would have learnt. But Lily longed for friendship once again. She'd had plenty of muggle friends as a child, but as soon as she was due to join them at a muggle secondary, her mother pulled her out of public school and began teaching her magic, herself.

Downstairs, fifteen minutes later, and better dressed for the occasion, Lily was welcomed into the kitchen by her parents, and a large blue cake with twelve candles set out as trees and a miniature dragon galloping between then, was set out upon the table. "Woah!" Lily exclaimed with surprise, knowing she would get a cake but not the design to be on it, "really cool!" Her words were heavily accented by her German voice. She'd learnt the majority of the language from her father, who had grown up there. She still had to practice her English on a regular basis, for though she could speak it fluently, she did make the odd mistake. "What is the plan for the day, mother?"

 

[Larissa Sedgwick]

Early that morning, Larissa had risen half-asleep from her bed to tip-toe down the stairs- as she did annually this day of the year- and into the kitchen to work on Lily's birthday cake. She had decided on a simplistic and abstract design, this time, and topped the cake off with a miniature dragon. Of course, it wasn't a real dragon, as much as she would have loved to have seen one, but it fitted the cake nicely. And so, once completed, the thin blonde returned to her bedroom and slipped into more formal attire, awaiting the moment her daughter would awaken with excitement. And so she should, the amount Larissa had spent on her daughter this year.

Rejoined by her husband in the kitchen only three minutes after their daughter had begun to stir, standing together and offering a united front. Grakul was in the living room with the morning paper, and a small parcel perched upon his thigh. When Lily entered the kitchen, Larissa fixed on her biggest, broadest smile. It was as close as she ever came to smiling, these days. "Good morning, Lily," her voice toned sweetly, "well, I thought that perhaps we could read the post-" she noted the disappointment of her daughter's confused face, "-and then, perhaps, we could go for a day out? I hear the Enchanter's Carnival is underway not too far from here. I've always meant to take you, so.." She turned to her husband who was watching her with raised brows. Larissa clapped her hands together. "But first, PRESENTS." The small family left the un-ignited cake and gathered in the lounge. Larissa locked eyes with Grakul for half a second. Her stomach stirred, and she quickly averted her gaze.

 

[Lily Sedgwick]

Lily beamed. She was definitely looking forward to her birthday celebrations now.. And finally getting to eat that cake! She followed her mother in eager step, joining the man she viewed as a grandfather, in the living. She noticed the present balanced upon him and her excitement swelled. Lily made a mad dash towards Grakul, barreling through his newspaper and onto his legs, knocking the parcel aside in her hurry to give him a hug. "You should not have, you should not!" she declared gleefully, not releasing him very quickly as she did dearly treasure each and every member of her family.