"Right, where do you want your books?"

I gazed around the vast empty space that would soon be our living room and frowned. Do I want the bookcases by the window where I'd get natural light to read by or by the fireplace where it's more cozy?

"I love that you're really contemplating this here, but the box is getting rather heavy, Kay," James grunted from the doorway. I blinked at him, shocked that he was even carrying it in the first place.

"Pet-there's this really brilliant thing we possess called magic. Why aren't you using your wand?"

James frowned and hoisted the box a bit in his arms, shifting uncomfortably between feet.

"Well I just kind of grabbed it and at this point my wand is in my back pocket. It's a bit late to grab it now, yeah? So decide where you want them because I'm honestly about to drop them."

"I swear," I muttered, grabbing my own wand out of the back pocket of my jeans and flicking it at the box. "There."

"Thank Merlin. I swear some of those books are heavier than a hippogriff," James muttered, shaking out his palms and turning to head back down the stairs. I hovered the box to the window and walked over to plop down on top of it. The room seemed so much bigger now that the previous occupant had removed all their stuff. It doesn't seem that the furniture James and I have will fill it.

"You took the couch!" Kent exclaimed, hurrying into the room and setting the box that held our living room furniture by the door. "What the hell am I going to sit on now?"

"I picked out that couch when we first got the flat, Kent! It's a nice couch," I shrugged. "I'm sure you'll survive."

"It's not fair! I get to live in the crap flat and you two move into the nice new posh one and you take my couch," Kent declared, pulling the shrunk couch out of the box.

"Why don't we take it to a vote?" James announced, floating our box of bedroom furniture on the floor next to the other box. "All in favor of Kaylie and I getting the couch?"

James and I fisted our hands in the air while Kent pouted. I beamed proudly and summoned the couch from his hands.

"Two against one! We win!" I exclaimed, brandishing it smugly.

"That's how it always goes! Five years out of school and I still get bloody outvoted by you two!" Kent snapped. "Happy fucking birthday to me."

"My birthday too," I pointed out beginning to unpack all the furniture and place their miniature forms where I wanted them around the room. "You should be happy! With James and I out of your hair you've got a bachelor pad all your own. I mean you're only twenty two once-let your hair down! Especially because now I don't have to hear it through those paper thin walls."

"That was mostly you two," Kent frowned but turned on his heel and headed down the stairs.

"Can I just get him a couch for his birthday?" James questioned with a small wrinkle of his nose. "I mean he does have to shoulder rent on his own now."

"James," I sighed. "Our rent is twice as much. I mean we can hardly afford it on your salary at the shop and Kent and I still haven't even touched the Department of Mysteries yet. We're still office clerks. We can't afford to buy him a couch for his birthday. We've got this rent now and we've got to save to get Cameron and Dom a wedding gift. Mum has a great futon that's just sitting in the attic and I paid for most of this couch in the first place."

"These are all true points," James shrugged, nudging the coffee table over an inch with his toe. "It's just going to be weird not living with him, you know? I mean I've lived with him for eleven years. It's just going to be strange not having him around as much. I know everything about the lad. His sleeping habits. How he takes his tea. The birthmark on his left buttock. Which by the way you have on your right. Twins!"

I self consciously placed a hand over my backside and frowned a bit.

"Probably more I want to know about my brother," I added thoughtfully, but walked over to James nonetheless. "No, I take that back. Probably more I want you to know about my brother."

James wrapped his arms around my shoulders and comfortably placed his chin on the top of my head.

"But your birthmark is far cuter."

"James, are you still fussing about moving in together without Kent? I thought we agreed that it was the right step for us? I mean we've been together for six years. We have to cut the cord when it comes to Kent at some point, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," James declared, pulling away to look me in the eye. "You're right, as always. I'm ready to do whatever makes you happy, Kay."

"I've decided!" Kent exclaimed, starting to pull tiny cardboard boxes out of his pockets.

"Decided what?" I questioned, frowning at the boxes and enlarging them again. He better not have broken anything or I'll kill him.

"Decided what I'm giving you for your birthday," Kent declared, dusting off his hands.

"You haven't even gotten me a present yet?"

"Kaylie," Kent scoffed. "Honestly. This is me. King of last minute. Anyways, I've decided I'm giving you the couch for our birthday. That and my help of moving you in. Now-you probably want this box, Kay."

I caught the box he tossed at me and enlarged it a bit so I could read the writing.

Kaylie's Clothes.

"You mean I can't wear this out tonight?" I questioned, holding my arms out and modeling one of James' old Quidditch jerseys and a pair of my holier jeans.

"If you want, but Vic might kill you," Kent snorted.

"I have a three year old and I still dress better then you!" James declared, bringing his voice to a high falsetto and brandishing a finger at me. "If I was able to drag myself out tonight then you should make more of an effort to look nice."

"Thanks but I have an outfit in my bag. A girl doesn't turn twenty-two twice," I shrugged, setting the box aside and beginning to engorge our furniture to normal size. "Now you two do the kitchen and the guest room and I'll go do the bedroom."

"Don't need to be so bossy," Kent declared as I grabbed a few boxes.

"Someone has to be!" I shouted back, kicking open the door and enlarging the boxes a bit so I could pull out the furniture. I began to place the bed and night tables, banishing the boxes of clothes to the walk in closet to be unpacked later, and propping the mattress against the wall for when it is enlarged. With a flick of my wand all the basics were normal sized and exactly where they were supposed to be. Right, the boys can handle the rest of the furniture and everything else can be unpacked tomorrow. I glanced at my watch and frowned. Lizzie was supposed to arrive by Port Key in twenty minutes-just enough time to shower.

"James! I'm going to hop into the shower, okay? Lizzie should ring soon!"

"Can I join you?!" came his reply, which was shortly followed by a loud thud which I assumed was Kent hitting him with something. "I mean, I'll ask that when Kent leaves."

I rolled my eyes and felt the desire that was still present no matter how much time has passed pool in my stomach. Grabbing my bag, which I placed on the floor by the door, I pulled out the dress I was planning on wearing tonight. A little souvenir from when Victoire and I went out to get Violet some new play clothes. A nude and mint body-con dress with textured detailing and a heart-shaped bodice that I planned to dress down with knee high gray boots and a jean jacket. Since I bought it with Victoire she won't nag me about being underdressed and it's just sexy enough for a night out.

It was nice being stable. Having a job you've grown to love, even if it doesn't necessarily challenge you all that much. Moving into a new flat with your boyfriend. Going to dinner with a few friends on your birthday. Who know that this is what it'd be like being a proper adult.

Kent

"To twenty-two! May you two have a year as fruitful as my life has been at twenty-two thus far!" James exclaimed, holding up a shot glass of firewhiskey. Kaylie, Lizzie, and I raised them in agreement and we all downed them at the same time, all of us pulling the same face as the alcohol hit our throats.

"Euchk," Kaylie groaned, shaking her head a bit. "Firewhiskey is not fun. Not fun at all."

"And tequila is?" I pointed out, referring to the going away party we through for Lizzie before she went of for Spain. Lizzie burst out laughing and snapped her fingers in a spicy gesture.

"Olé! That hangover must've been a fun one. Last I remember was you in the bathtub, Kay," she snorted, pushing another shot her direction. "Care to try to get there again, birthday girl?"

"Traveling has corrupted you!" Kaylie declared, pouring half of it into the empty glass and handing it to her. The girls shot it back and grimaced.

"I'm missing the shots?!" Fred shouted, winding through the bar with his hand firmly clasped around Adder's.

"I see you're on again this week, you two," James declared, pointing at them.

"It's because he must not have proposed this week," Kaylie snorted, her cheeks slightly red.

"Oh! That reminds me!" Fred exclaimed, whipping a small velvet box out of his pocket and bending down on one knee in front of Adder, who immediately stiffened. "Adder, my sweet-"

"Will you put that fucking thing away, Weasley!" Adder exclaimed, slapping him quickly upside the head. "I'll walk out, I swear."

"Now, now," Fred tsked, but pocketing the ring anyways, "that's what you did last week."

"You're absolutely disgusting," Adder snapped but slapped his arse real quick and slid into the booth.

"Where's everyone else then?" Fred questioned, raising his voice slightly above the music.

"Lou is off work," James declared, checking his watch. "He should be here any minute and smelling of dust."

"I don't smell of dust," Louis declared, sidling up and grabbing a few chips from the center of the table. "I smell of books."

"It's a lovely smell, Lou. Like you're eighty," Dominique declared from right behind him. "Didn't one of your co-workers die of old age this week or something? You're like the youngest in the department by a century."

"Yes-it was quite tragic." Louis declared with a slight smile. "But I did get promoted."

"As a historian," Vic snorted sarcastically, rounding up the party. "Congrats."

"Hey! If it wasn't for me Violent won't have updated text books by the time she gets to Hogwarts," Louis argued.

"Yes," I laughed. "We get it. You have the world's most boring job. Take a shot, you win."

"What does your ballerina think of your job, Lou?" Lizzie questioned around a sip of her lager. The table groaned and Kaylie slowly shook her head.

"We're not supposed to bring up Elena," Kay repeated, giving Louis a small smile.

"We're on an indefinite break," Louis stated with a small sigh. "She just joined the traveling company for the Royal Ballet and we agreed that it wouldn't be logical to try and keep up long distance standards. When she settles back down we'll discuss our next steps."

"So then you're not really broken up then," Lizzie put in happily.

"No we are."

"But you said you're on a break?"

"What's the difference," Louis questioned, running his finger around the ring of his glass.

"Well you obviously still care for each other-I mean that doesn't mean you're completely broken up. You're kinda like half way broken up."

"No we are-you can't be halfway broken up. You either are or you aren't," Louis argued. "There's black or white. No gray."

"Is there ever any gray with you?" Victoire snorted.

"Wanna take a shot every time Louis brings up Elena?" Fred hissed in Adder and I's direction. I stifled a laugh but the two of us readily agreed. We love Louis but it's been two months since he made the decision for them to take a break. We can only play pity so long. We love Elena and know as soon as she's back they'll probably be at it again.

"So how's the new flat, Kaylie?" Vic questioned, accepting the beer that James handed her.

"Brilliant," Kaylie declared, grabbing James' hand. He smiled at her fondly and placed a kiss on her forehead. "All the furniture is in we just need to unpack everything else. Anyone care to volunteer tomorrow?"

Everyone made themselves distinctly busy with their drinks. Cameron waded up to the table with two pitchers of lager in his hands.

"I come bearing drinks. It's not a party until someone gets smashed," he announced grandly. "That goes double for you two, it is your birthday and the drinks are on us all night."

"I'm willing to get pissed and wander home alone. I yet to have anybody to be annoyed with by my middle of the night stumblings," I declared, holding out my glass to him.

"You have a spare room?!" Lizzie exclaimed. "I'll totally take the spare. I was going to move back in with Mum and Dad but you know…who wants to do that? It'll only be for a year and then I leave again. I'll pay!"

"Flatmate?" I exclaimed excitedly-the mere prospect of splitting the rent more worthwhile then just the prospect of Lizzie's company.

"Flatmate!" Lizzie echoed, clinking her glass against mine.

"Can we go dance or something? This is my first night, in a month, without food on my frock and my hair brushed. I'm going to convulse if I don't get culture in me soon," Victoire questioned, jumping up and bumping hips with Cameron who took her hand and twirled her.

"I have no rhythm unless Ellie is there," Louis pointed out with another small sigh.

"BOTTOMS UP!" Fred exclaimed, pointing to me and Adder. We quickly downed the last of the shots on the table.

"We need more hard liquor," Fred pointed out, grabbing James round the arm and forcing him out of the booth, knocking over Lizzie and Dominique in the process.

"So James warming round to the idea of just the two of you?" Vic questioned, obviously abandoning the idea of dancing, leaning into Kaylie.

"I think so. He said today that he wants to make me happy," she shrugged, sipping pensively on her drink. I gave her a confused look and she shrugged again.

"You having second thoughts?" I whispered, poking her in the shoulder. She gave me a perturbed look.

"No! Not at all," she declared, glancing over at the bar where James was attempting to balance a mixed drink on his head. A random person knocked into him and it went careening to the floor. Fred placed a hand on his forehead as James cleaned up the mess with a sweep of his wand. She frowned slightly. "I just feel like I'm forcing him."

"You're not," I declared with a small shake of my head. "He wants to. Trust me, he's talked to me about it."

"I'm just glad that we're finally moving on to a new step in our relationship," Kaylie declared happily. "It was getting a bit stale."

"What it's like to be in love," Vic announced. "I'm sure everything will just fall in to place now."

"We sure hope so," I snorted. "It's about time that we start a new phase in life."

Kaylie

"And that's what I call a successful birthday," James exclaimed, slipping the key into our new flat.

"I would have to agree," I declared. I was just the perfect amount of tipsy and full of good vibes from a lovely night out. "And I'm really happy that Lizzie is moving into the flat with Kent. He's not one to live alone."

"That did work out rather nicely," James declared, throwing out an arm before I could step into the entryway. "Wait, I think there's a tradition that goes with this."

"What are you-"

But before I could finish, James had me around the knees and was cradling me marriage style. I felt a giggle rise up in my throat.

"Isn't this a married tradition?"

"Well I've never been one to follow traditions exactly," James shrugged, sweeping through the rooms and to our bedroom. He kicked open the door and tossed me on the bed, jumping in next to me. "Plus I couldn't give up an opportunity to jump into a bed with you."

"You get to do that every night," I pointed out with a small smile.

"Then I must be a lucky man," he declared giddily. "But I also have a gift for you."

"A birthday gift? I thought we agreed the apartment was enough?" I questioned, pushing myself upright against the headboard.

"I'm just an above and beyond kinda of bloke," James laughed, his voice drifting out of the closet. There was an errant curse and the noise of one of the boxes being upended.

"JAMES! Don't make a mess," I commanded.

"Yes, I'm aware of your neat-freak standards," he laughed, popping his head out. "It's all going to be put away tomorrow. Of course, you're not going to color code my side of the closet so don't even think about it."

I rolled my eyes, well planning to get my way in the end, and slid out of bed to slip out of my dress and boots.

"Bring me a shirt too?" I called, pulling open the cardboard box with our bedding so I could at least get a quilt. There was a muffled reply. He emerged a few moments later with one of his t-shirts clutched in his hand and a small silver box in the other.

"Well if we're stripping down," he declared with the raise of an eyebrow. He ignored my eye roll and pulled off his Henley and jeans before bouncing on the bed. "C'mere."

I tossed the quilt on the bed and went to grab the t-shirt but James pulled at my wrist.

"Just open it as is," he declared cheekily. "Present for you, present for me."

I gave a small snort of amusement but tossed my chest length hair over my shoulder and grabbed the box from his palm. Crossing my legs I carefully undid the wrapping paper, unfolding all the creases in the achingly slow way that I knew drove James crazy. There in my palm sat a simple hinged leather box. Exactly like the one Fred carried around in his pocket at all times in case of the off chance of Adder saying 'yes' one of these days. A box the exact size and shape of those that hold engagement rings.

Is that why he carried me over the threshold? Is that what he and Kent talked about? I mean I'm almost positive James would go to Kent and ask his permission. Did Kent have any twinkle in his eye when we spoke about it at the party? Were we ready for this? Moving in together was one thing but fiscally I'm not sure we were ready. I looked up at James. His eyes were wide and eager-huge brown pools that I always just wanted to swim in. But just as I was about to flip open the lid there was a sharp tap at the window. I looked over my shoulder and bit my lip.

"Who would send an owl at this hour?" James questioned, climbing out of bed and sliding open the sill. The owl dropped a thick envelope in his palm and took off into the night. "It's for you. Think it's a birthday card?"

"I don't know," I declared, taking it from his out stretched hand and flipping it over. Oh, work. I slid the official Unspeakable seal open and pulled out the letter-quickly scanning it and feeling my hands begin to shake.

Dear Miss Scott,

First of all, a very happy birthday to you and your brother.

We are sorry to contact you at such a late hour but it has come time that we require you and your brother to use your special capabilities. Therefore we are very happy to inform you that you have both been promoted to the Department Level.

We expect you to be at the office promptly at ten am to be debriefed.

Good evening and welcome to The Team,

Griselda Rotham

Assistant Head of Department of Mysteries

"James," I declared, shaking out the letter. "Kent and I have just been promoted! We're no longer office clerks but actually get to utilize our training!"

He grabbed the letter and quickly scanned it with a grin growing on his face.

"You're a top deal now!" he announced, grabbing me round the middle and pulling me on top of him. "I knew it was only a matter of time! I wonder what your top secret assignment will be?"

"I can't fathom it. We've been trying to wheedle it out of Mum for years. I mean if Griselda is contacting us it must be big. She's right under Mum," I answered, shaking my head slightly.

"Well what a perfect time to open your present," he replied, grabbing the box and holding it between us. I reached up and fingered the velvet. A ring I could handle now. With this promotion comes a pay raise and I don't need to be as worried about money as before. And I love James more than anything. I could get married. I mean it's a weird concept to wrap your mind around but if you think about it James and I were practically married as it was. But as James snapped open the box the visions of what our wedding would be like faded from my mind.

Nestled on the little pillow was the most perfect pair of pearl earrings I've ever seen. Well, perfect and expensive but I just got a promotion so I' not as worried about the cost as I would've been fifteen minutes ago. I held my breath as James sat up and gave me a minute hurt look. He must've seen my face fall involuntarily.

"Do you not like them? I mean Victoire said you would when I showed them to her last week, but if you don't I can always return them?"

"No James!" I declared, taking the earrings out of the box and pushing them through my ears. "They're beautiful. Just very unexpected."

James grinned then, fingering one of the studs.

"I surprised you, didn't I?" he questioned, burying his face into my neck and peppering kisses there. "Nothing is too good for the girl I love."

"You most definitely did," I stated, pulling his face up so I could kiss him. It wasn't a ring, but I still had James. We were in love. We were finally living together on our own. We were finally stepping forward with our future.

A/A: Ohmygod, I must be crazy. Not hours after I close Pirouettes and Transfiguration do I start a new story. I blame my sister, Kenzie. But then again without her this story wouldn't be happening. She's the funny one of the two of us so a lot of the one line zingers are by her magnificent brain. We have tons of scenes and actually a bunch of ideas to add to Snapshots. Anyways, hopefully I'll get a new chapter up for this in a bit but Kenzie is at camp for a week so it might be slow posting. But I gave you three today so you can suck it.

Love you all!

Emmie Rose