Title: Prime Number, I Challenge: birthday party Word count: 100 Note: this is set in the Motherless Child timeline. It takes place about nine months before New York Minute.
No celebration, he'd told the Headmistress at the beginning of the year. 41 was not a significant birthday, not to mention that most who had called him "friend" were either dead or exiled. It was better to let his birthday arrive and pass unnoticed.
It was a surprise to see the owl gliding toward him at breakfast. Minerva raised her eyebrows as the creature delivered a single envelope, waited to be paid, and glided off toward the exit.
"Dare I ask who?" murmured the Headmistress.
"A fellow member of the Order," said Severus, and tucked the envelope into his sleeve.