The Planning of a Fairly-Big Event [Open to all except Ellie]

Ella laid back in the grass staring up at the clouds waiting for everyone to return. She sent out a massive load of owls this morning inviting everyone to help her plan out Ellie's 11th Birthday Bonanza, but of course, it was going to be a surprise.

As she waited, the sun beamed down on her and the scent of fresh flowers wafted through the air. She loved everything about springtime, it was so beautiful and not too nippy outside anymore either. She decided to close her eyes and allow the fresh breeze to carry her thoughts far, far away.

Aylee grinned as she ran towards the courtyard. She clutched her small bag in which she brought her tiny notebook and pen- she carried them everywhere. Her long her was tied in a ponytail, not bothering to do it at all. She had received Ella's owl this morning and she was super pumped to help! She hadn't talked to Ellie a lot so she was excited to help plan her party. Aylee still kept wondering if Ella was going to tell Ellie's real age... Sighing, the Ravenclaw girl went outside into the courtyard.

There she saw Ella with her eyes closed. Grinning, Aylee walked in front of her and exclaimed, "Welcome back to planet Earth!" while poking her friend's shoulder. She put her bag down which seemed, surprisingly, a bit heavy.

"Hey Aylee" Ella replied to the girl standing over her, poking her. Just as she turned to face Aylee, she saw a Gryffindor come up."Hello Rebecca, I'm Ella." she bowed and continued, "Thanks to you both for coming out to continue. Now, Elita, Ellie for short, is going to be turning 11 not long after term starts and I have no clue how to throw a huge party alone."

She flashed them a smile, pacing up and down the courtyards hoping more people showed up. "We haven't got much time and we need to pick a location, theme and other things before then. While Ellie will be allowed in Hogsmeade this coming year, not everyone is so we can't hold it there. Anyone have any other ideas?" Ella scanned the two girls hoping they remembered what it was like being 11.

Rebecca smiled in greeing as Ella introduced herself. The Slytherin seemed very nice, unlike the description of rude and mean Slytherins her mother gave her. She wondered how many other Slytherins there were. She had already met Ella, Aurelia and Wade and it looked like there were lots more from what Ryland said on her first day. Shrugging, she listened to Ella talk.

"ELEVEN?!" Rebecca exclaimed with shock. "But she's a third year!"

She looked at Ella and Aylee in turn for an explanation.

Ella laughed at the Gryffindor's response, "We had family problems, she was brought here early by the old headmaster." Ella explained. "Does anyone remember how they felt being eleven?"

((I changed her age since she started when she was 9 (2 years behind) and she's a third year now so she should be 11.))

Aylee felt speechless as Ella said her sister's real age. When Rebecca looked at them, she stared at Ella, wondering what to say. She let out a sigh of relief as Ella covered it up. Then she grinned.

"Being eleven was the best," Aylee answered. Then she hesitated. "Except for the part where me and my younger brother Kynan started to fight over the laptop."

She looked around. "Maybe we can hold the party here? It looks big enough."

"Maybe we can hold the party here? It looks big enough," Severine heard as she walked towards the small group excitedly chatting.

"Hey guys!" she greeted as she approached them. She looked critically around the courtyard. "I supposed it is big enough," Severine mused, "but how are we going to hide a party that is held here from Ellie?"

Rebecca turned around as she saw her friend Severine enter. She flashed her a grin and turned back towards Ella and Aylee.

"Someone can keep her distracted while the others put up the decorations?" she suggested. Then she looked around, thinking about a theme for the party.

"I can talk to our mom and ask her to take her out to Hogsmeade for a treat or something." Ella replied as a few of the students worried how they were going to hide the decorations ad all from Ellie. "I also like the idea of the party being held here. This, we could say, would be her 'coming up' year since she should technically be getting accepted to Hogwarts this year. It's going to be pretty big. I plan on balloons arches for her to enter through and it'll most likely be formal dress. It'll probably be at night so we can have torches and candles floating around the edges of the perimeter." Ella continued as she thought of other things they could do. "What about colour schemes? No one has to wear certain colours but I'd like the decorations to be like two colours at the most. Maybe a light pink and light blue or green? Anyone else have any other suggestions about anything whatsoever?" Ella began to grow worried as time passed because the party was quickly approaching and they were still in the early parts of planning.

Aylee grinned as Rebecca suggested distracting Ellie. It was a fun idea, everyone puts up the decorations as fast as they can while someone keeps Ellie away. But would they manage it? Then she listened to Ella's suggestion. Mom...? the Ravenclaw wondered. Wasn't their mother dead? Oh, I bet she's referring to Professor Vega! Their Care of Magical Creatures had adopted Ella and Ellie. How silly of her to forget!

"I like Rebecca's idea of distracting Ellie," Aylee said, thinking of the scene. "And I think we should make the two colours Ellie's favourite. After all, it is he birthday. It should be full of her favourite things, right?"

She looked around the courtyard again, wondering what the 'favourites' would be.

"I like the balloon arches idea," Aylee said again. "And the formal dress thingy." Then a question popped into her head. "Are gifts going to be manditory?"

"Gifts aren't going to be mandatory." Ella watched Aylee's face at the mention of mom. "Ellie usually like's light pink and light green, pastel colours." she continued, hoping she could find balloons in those colours. She decided she should assign different people to jobs.

"Aylee, you're in charge of helping me decorate, Severine, you're in charge or the food and Rebecca, you're in charge of the music. Any questions?" Ella said shifting her feet out from under her and recording everything down in a notebook.

Aylee nodded at Ella's answer and started to think about decorations. She could ask her mother to send her a few on her next letter. Grinning, she made a kind of salute and took out her own notebook from her bag. She sat down and started to make a list of what they could use to decorate.

The List:

She was about to finish when a great idea came to her. Aylee looked up at Ella.

"What if we make a treasure hunt for her?" she asked excitedly. "When she wakes up on the day of her birthday, we can leave a riddle under her pillow to find the next clue. Then the last clue leads her here? It would be a great way to keep her distracted!"

"Well,I like that idea, but we don't really have time to write riddles, and I don't think Ellie would play along, she'd get too frustrated." Ella looked at Aylee, "Professor Vega should be taking her out anytime soon because the party has to start tonight. I got all of Ellie's outfit and once everything's set up later on, I'll be helping her get dressed." Ella drew the layout of all the decorations and everything and how the party was to be set up.