Kurumi had just finished straightening her dress since it had gotten a bit crumbled during her dash from the common room to the Room of Requirement when she saw Carter enter the room.

She had him had never really spoken much before Quidditch tryouts, but she supposed that, if nothing else, tryouts had at least helped her get to know some of her fellow Gryffindors that she may not have gotten to know otherwise. Maybe it WAS a good idea that she had tried out after all? Kurumi still had to wait and see how all that went down to be sure. She STILL wasn't sure if it would be better if she made it or didn't make it.

Shaking her head to remove all thoughts of Quidditch from her mind seeing as she probably would start talking about waffles again she smiled and her cheeks flushed. "T-Thank you," she chirped bowing. "This was mostly the Room of Requirements' doing though. I simply thought that I wanted to find a space that would provide me with the best location possible to throw a surprise birthday party for a friend who had been like an older brother to me and I wanted to be able to show him how much I and many others appreciate him for just being him." See, it WAS much more complicated than it needed to be. She supposed that is what made the glitter happen.

"I think everything is set for the most part," she nodded looking at the table and adjusting the cake's position a bit to make sure it was perfectly centered. "I was thinking that it would be a good idea to charm some of these glitter filled balloons to float over the entrance so that when Simon shows up we could have them pop..."


So, you know, if someone with a slightly more skilled hand wanted to charm the balloons she was all for it.
Blushing a bit more as Kyle entered and complimented the setting, Kurumi decided to just bypass explaining how it was mostly due to the Room of Requirement and all she did was think. Ask and you shall reeceive, right?

"I was thinking we could arrange all the gifts around the cake," she chirped gesturing towards her handy work. Well, she really didn't do it ALL by herself. Twinkle, Kurumi's favorite house elf, had helped her quite a bit with the icing and frosted flowers.

"SELINA!" Kurumi smiled and managed to squeak out before Selina knocked all the wind out of her small frame with one of the little lion's famous Skylar hugs. "You look very nice," she continued when she found her breath had returned.

"Well, the cake recipe is mine," she nodded. Technically three different cake recipes since she wasn't sure which flavor Simon would like best. She had the usual vanilla and chocolate flavors - embellished, of course - but then she had a blend of the two flavors with a sharp taste of raspberry. "The house elves helped me with the decorating though. I am not sure I would have been able to finish on time the way I wanted to without their help." The buttermilk based icing HAD taken her a little longer to mix than expected...especially with Walnut continually sticking his nose in the bowl.

"Presents over by the cake, please."
"T-Thank you Caroline," Kurumi said blushing a bit more. She was probably beginning to look around the same color as her dress at this point. "You look very nice."

In fact, all the girls did. Kurumi looked down at her red and black plaid dress with brown boots and began to wonder if she was a bit underdressed compared to everyone else. Her dress did have a big ribbon on it. That gave her some fancy points didn't it.

Kurumi then turned her attention to EVERYONE and gave a quick glance towards the door.

"D-Does anyone know when Simon is getting her?" she asked nervously as she toyed with a lock of her black hair which hung loosely around her waist. "I-I-I think Josh was going to bring him here..." Which could spell disaster depending on the lion's mood.

Meant to sleep the weekend away? Not on her time he wasn't. "There will be no sleeping in here today mister." Flipping over the back of the couch she landed right on his stomach. "You know, if you insist on sleeping I'll just have to keep waking you up." She would do it too. Had he forgotten what happened the last time she found him sleeping in here?

All the girls were dressed up she couldn't believe how pretty they looked. She moved closer to her friend. Kyle whispered what she needed for her to do. She nodded with to Kyle. "Of course I will." Aww that was sweet, she was honored to be her right hand -or in this case foot woman. She could tell that Kyle was nervous. "You look great by the way." She winked at Kyle .

She glanced over at Carter who was standing there alone. So is this the way it was going to be? She blinked a few to stop from crying....again. She couldn't do that here, it was supposed to be a happy time, it was a birthday party. She didn't need to start crying messing up her makeup and She had to have her head on straight to look out for Kyle today.

Then Kurumi walked over to her. "Oh, your welcome." She looked at Kurumi, wasn't she just as cute as a bug on a rug. Why people made up that saying, when clearly bugs wasn't cute....period. Okay, so like butterflies and ladybugs were cute. "Thanks, you look nice yourself." Well at least Kyle and Kurumi thought that she looked nice. She look to over at Carter again, and rolled her eyes. Boys suck.

Selina smiled at Kurumi and her outfit. It was very cute and fit her personality perfectly. But she could see that Kurumi felt under dressed so Selina said, "Hey, you look great Kurumi. Don't worry about it. You just rock you and besides I love the plaid. I am Irish after all."

When she spoke about the cake Selina could not help but giggle at the Walnut part of the story, "I swear that little kitty is too much trouble for his own good. But at least it got done. The house elves are wonderful for helping you." She knew how much they meant to Kurumi. She hated the injustices that were still on them even after Hermione Weasley's great strides in the issue.

By Kurumi's suggestion she placed her present by the cake with Kyle. Beside Kyle she saw Caroline. The girl hugged Caroline and said, "You look great. So who were you two talking about?" But before they could answer Kurumi called them all over.

"A little bit, but that's okay." Emmy stood up and smoothed out her skirt. "I've been playing since I was four. Do you play any instruments?" She asked, always excited to meet new musicians. Maybe they could even learn a duet!

Emily kept re-reading the passage over and over again, then laughed as Nika spoke. "An anything room huh?" she giggled as she stood up.
She walked over to the small bookcase and ran her fingers over the spines. "It would be perfect for a party I guess... Although you'd have to bring your own food. It's one of the five Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration..." Merlin she was a nerd! Why did she always have to say things like that?!
She blushed and cleared her throat. "Um... should we test it?"
She closed her eyes and thought of something she needed. When she opened them again the bookcase had grown along the wall and was full of many more books, so Emily hadn't even read!
Grinning she turned back to Nika. She freaking LOVED this room!

*With a groan Matty tried to turn away but she jumped on him stomach.*
"Ow! Are you trying to kill me?"
*He laughed and lifting her up he set her on the end of the couch. Sitting up Matty rubbed his eyes and smiled over at her.*
"Good morning."

"Er, not well," Presley said nervously. "I mean, I play the violin, but I've only been playing for four years, so I'm not nearly as good as you are on the piano. My mum tried to get me to take lessons when I was a kid, but I think I only actually showed up to one or two. Then when..." talking about piano always seemed to bring up her mum, but Pres could not talk about that to total strangers, they wouldn't understand. "When I was seven my dad let me quit." She finished lamely. "I almost regret it now. It's a gorgeous-sounding instrument. What about you? Do you play anything else? or just the piano?"

''I am sure you will find that thing pretty interesting as well.'' Josh said as he kept the happy and excited expression of a person who had just discovered something of great importance and dying to show it someone to claim as his since he needed to keep Simon believe that he had found something new in that room. Hopefully the lion boy was a good enough actor for that. ''But i do warn you, captain, don't try to go all rawr on me about the possibilities of trouble. I guarantee you no one is going to catch me with it.'' Then stopping in front of the very spot where the door to the Room of Requirement supposed to be, he looked back at his friend, the familiar smirk, which always appeared on his face when up to something, glued on his face. ''And you are to tell no one about what are you going to experince now. No one. Not even to the precious future girlfriend. Understood, captain?''

Probably these were enough and maybe more than enough to create an air of mystery above them. Yup, it should be. So deciding that way, Josh indicated his best friend to follow right before pushing the door open. ''Silence and vigilance.'' he whispered pretending to get a hold of his wand while stepping inside. And once he was inside the room, he waited for Simon to follow rather impatiently. ''C'mon you tortoise snail. Do you always need a broom to act fast? Mooooove your bottom. Girls don't like guys who walk slowly.''

Nika smiled as Emily spoke some big words. The-five-principal-exceptions-to-WHAA? Right. Well Nika's just gonna nod and pretend like she knows what Emily is talking about. That always seems to work.... well most of the time. She got really excited as Emily said "test it". Nika knew what she was going to do!

She looked over at Emily and watched as she went first. Oh. Books. Typical Emily. Well Nika loves books and all she just doesn't like reading them... "MY TURN!" She said waving her arms in the air as she closed her eyes. Well Nika wanted a lot of things. Like a trampoline, a computer so that she could send emails to her family because owls are way to complicated, a giant cupcake because who doesn't love cupcakes?!, and the list can continue forever.

Nika decided that she should only choose one for now because she didn't want to overwhelm this anything room. Even magical rooms must get tired after granting people's every want, except food. Cause that's an exception to Gamp's-Law-of-Blah-Blah-Blah. She concentrated hard on the one thing she really wanted. "IT WORKED!!" She ran up to the giant thing and got inside and started bouncing. "GIANT TRAMPOLINE!!!" Yeah Nika freaking loved this room too.

Kurumi giggled along with Selina. She DID have a point about Walnut. The cat was a menance to himself. Hopefully some therapy sessions with their new Care of Magical Creatures professor would prove helpful to the feline. He also needed to get over people commenting about his short legs. Another first year had found themselves with a pair of ruined shoes the other morning after mentioning something about not being able to see Walnut's legs because they were so stubby.

Kurumi smiled gently at Carolina and noticed the obvious tension between her and Carter. Maybe they were hungry? She should have baked some cookies along with the cake to appease people until the guest of honor showed up.

Then, Kurumi heard the rather LOUD voice of a certain Gryffindor booming down the corridor and stop outside the door. "NOX!" she squeaked flailing her wand in the air and darkening the room. "Everyone, get down and when I cast Lumnos again aim for the balloons charmed above the door," she whispered. Everyone here at good aim, right? Simon or Josh weren't going to lose any limbs over this surprise...yes?

A small sliver of light appeared before the group and two shadowy figures made their appearance. Glancing over her shoulder at everyone, Kurumi jumped to her feet. "LUMOS!"

Let the surprise begin!

"If you say so..." Simon still wasn't convinced totally, especially since his friend wasn't explaining anything about what he had found but something made him follow him anyway down the hall from the common room to the Room of Requirement. He couldn't help but roll his eyes as Josh tried to get him to relax and not be all prefecty as the older Gryffindor liked to call his actions that he herself considered being responsible. "Understood," he assured his companion though he did raise his eyebrow at the mention of future girlfriend which stopped him in his tracks long enough for Josh to get impatient.

"I'm coming ...I'm coming," he replied with a shake of the head as he followed his friend into the room not seeing what could possibly be the rush. Whatever Josh had found would keep...wouldn't it? Simon wasn't sure but he certainly couldn't tell anything at the moment as the room was pitch black with the only light coming from the corridor but soon vanishing again at the door closed.

"Josh...what's going on?" he asked with a sigh just as a familiar voice cast Lumos bathing the whole room in light again and causing the seventh year to raise an arm as if to shield as he blinked in surprise.

Alright it was time, well soon. She nodded to Kurumi putting the present next to the beautiful cake. It was almost time, her hand almost began shaking out of nerves. "Thanks" she whispered to Caroline with a smile, "Kurumi you look amazing" she whispered smiling finally able to get a good look.

Blushing when she heard the voices outside of the room of requirement she couldn't have been more glad that the lights were out right then. Thanks to Kurumi's spell.

Ducking down and out of sight she readied her wand and waited, she'd have to finish any conversations later after Simon and Josh had made it safelt into the room. Safely was the key word. Still, oddly enough right now she was able to sit still without making a single sound - almost eerily still. No keening over to the left or falling down on her part. She'd managed to lose the clumsiness for now and that, that was brilliant.

When Simon entered the room her wand went up and immediately popped the balloon above his head. He did seem suprised.

It was a loud popping sound, but not as loud as when she yelled out "Surprise!" AND there were more of those coming a lot more.

Zara grinned and nodded. "Always welcome," and she exited the room with Helena and her new hair.

Selina giggled along with Kurumi about Walnut. That little kitty had a talent for trouble. But then again if he wasn't the lovable and opinionated adorable kitty he was then he just wouldnt be Walnut. No Walnut was like an incomplete Kurumi.

Suddenly she heard a scramble outside and began to scurry around like the rest of the guests. She was about to scream for everyone to hide when Kurumi got the lights. she silently whispered, "Thanks." And waited with everyone else for Simon and Josh to appear from the opening. Looking around at the shadows in the room Selina suddenly felt very tiny. She was after all the youngest their by three years minus Kurumi who was on the same, if not better, intelligence level with the other guests. Why was she there?

Before she could contemplate this further Simon entered and a pool of light returned to the room. Selina stood up and yelled, "Surprise!"

Caroline hugged Selina back. "Thanks, Hun. You look nice yourself." Selina could really dress up nice, being a lot a like never dressed up much. Or at least she hadn't seen her dressed up. Caroline glance over at Kyle. She didn't know what to say. Luckily Kurumi had called them over. She could heard voices coming from the outside. It's was definitely Josh's voice, out there. They were here.

As she gathered around with the others, she smiled at Kyle "You're welcome." She whispered back to her before they awaited the arrival of the guest of honor. She ducked down with the rest of the group. They could talk more after Simon and Josh got into the room. As Kurumi said 'Nox' Caroline readied herself to pop the balloons.

Before she realized it Kurumi had said 'Lumos' Caroline pointed her wand toward to ballons above the door and then yelled. "Suprise"

Oops, she didn't mean to hurt him. "Sorry, didn't mean to hurt you."

Wait, he was laughing. So did she hurt him or not?

Watching him rub his eyes it was her turn to laugh. "It's not morning anymore. It's noon." Just how long had he been in here sleeping?

"Noon? No wonder I feel hungry." *Putting an arm around her he gave her a long soft kiss Matty smiled.*
"Your a morning person aren't you?"
"She must be, she was the one always waking him up by sending howlers, yelling in his ears, or his latest favorite jumping on him until all the air rushed out of him.*

"Yes noon. Did you sleep the whole..." But before she could finish she was being kissed. Mmm, she liked this. She really did need to wake him up more often.

Haha, he thought she was a morning person. Not even close. "I am so not a morning person. Truth is I just got up a little bit ago myself." Sure she was pretty much always up before him, but that didn't mean she liked mornings. It just meant she usually had to get up early for classes.

Emily pulled out a blue leathered book called 'A Children's Anthology of Monsters' and started to flick through it when Nika shouted out.
"Merlins beard!" she cried as she turned around and saw the trampoine. That was amazing!
Dropping the book on a near by table she slipped off her shoes and joined Nika bouncing up and down. "This. Is. Awesome." she said with every other bounce. She grinned as she bounced around Nika. "So. What do you. Want to. Do now?" she said with every bounce. Mabye this room would be good for practicing dueling spells? She doughted second years would be allowed to duel in the defence room. But she'd see what Nika wanted to do.

Slightly snickering, Josh eyed the dark room as Simon approached and the moment the captain took his first step inside the darkness, Josh slammed the door close rather quickly with a single kick. Hehe. Now his job was successfully done so the rest was for the others to care about. The boy actually didn't know what they were going to do yet judging from the darkness he could see it was going to be the classic way.

Classic but awesome anyway. Totally awesome! Yup, he could see how awesome it was once the room was all illuminated and balloons popped above them while the others yelled 'Suprise'. Merlin, it should be feeling so good to have a celebration with friends like that. Definitely. So he was pretty much happy for his friend. Woooooooooooot.

Looking around, the lion boy smiled happily and once he turned back to face Simon, he cheerfully yelled a ''SURPRISE!!!!!'' right before playfully tackling the boy to the ground.

A too masculine way of celebrating? Perhaps. But he was Josh Carter.

Simon slowly lowered his hand as he tried to adjust back to having light in the darkness but nearly jumped back as the yells of surprise followed by the popped balloons filled the air with sudden noise to add to the sudden light. The quidditch captain certainly was surprised especially since he ahd been completely been unaware of anything being planned not to mention his birthday had been passed for a while. He didn't have much time to recover when Josh yelled an added surprise very close to his ear before tackling him to the ground so they both landed on the room's modified floor displacing the balloons that were floating there. The wind was momentarily knocked out of him as he laid on the floor looking up.

"Um...wow guys. I... I dont know what to say," he replied breathing heavy as he took the time on the floor to relax into the moment and get some bearings. His breathing turned into laughter before moving to lightly push Josh off of him.

That's it this room is now officially dubbed Nika's favorite room. Too bad the food thing wouldn't work though. The only thing that could've made this even more awesome would be ice cream, but they could always make a stop at the kitchens before heading back to the common room.

Nika suddenly remembered that she had to touch her toes for her DADA assignment and quickly dropped onto her butt and touched her toes without bending her legs. Now that that's out of the way.

"Well...." Nika began to think what could they do? Well that's not really the right question because really they can do anything cause it's the anything room! "I don't know. What would you like to do?" She just jumped on a trampoline, in the middle of the school day, with her best friend. What else could she possibly want?

Kyle couldn't help but laugh as Simon had been tackled to the ground by Josh - so that was Josh she hadn't actually met Josh before now. Fidgeting she smiled excitedly over to him. Soo, she might as well surprise him even more. Tell him she made the Quidditch Team and so she'd be playing her second game EVER against him!

Excitedly she stood there and watched as Simon was on the floor, laughing as he pushed Josh off of him. Nervously almost, but hey she had no idea why she just was excited for him and wanted to give him the ruddy present already.

Twirling a section of hair she looked over to him, almost the instant he had pushed Josh off of him she was there hand out to both of them offering to help both up off of the ground. Her eyes mischiviously excited.

"Happy Belated Birthday" she smiled, slyly the expression changing to one that clearly read she had amazing news for him. "Oh guess what Mr. Quidditch Captian - I made the quidditch team...granted it is the reserve team - but I might be playing against you in the second game of the season!" She was excited even though she'd probably be flung in for half a game if something happened to a player...like broken limbs...that thought wasn't a happy one and today, this was for happy thoughts so she simply pushed back the thought and smiled excitedly.

Kurumi laughed as she watched Josh tackle Simon to the floor. Boys could be so weird sometimes. Kurumi was just about to walk over to the two boys and offer her congratulations when she heard Kyle mention the ‘Q’ word. She froze in place and her skin became a bit itchy. Yep, she had seen the roster and had nearly fainted on the spot when she had seen her name on the list. The only thing that kept her from doing so was that she had Selina to teach her another thing or two before the team’s first match and that it looked like her and Josh were going to be paired up at Beaters.

Unless Simon had something else in mind for the third year Gryffindor.

O______o

Casting all Quidditch thoughts aside, Kurumi tugged on the sleeves of her sweater and marched over to Simon who was now pulling himself off the ground. “Happy Birthday, Simon,” she chirped. “We thought that since you were so busy with Quidditch try outs and all your captain duties that you had forgotten your birthday, so…TADA!” She took a rather dramatic looking pose. “I-I-I baked the cake this morning. I-I wasn’t sure what flavor cake you liked best, so there are three different varieties in there.” None of them including Cockroach Clusters, of course. She was still working out the details with those sweets after all.

She took a step back so that Simon could see the table with all the gifts and cake sitting on it. She then looked over at Josh and smiled at him. Yet, he had done a good job getting the lion here – even if he had just risked him injury moments earlier.