Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Author's Note: The fourth chapter is up, edited, and complete. Once again please forgive any small typos I might have overlooked. I hope you enjoy, please review even if it is a short one. As for a question on the pairings see my note in the first chapter. But no, unlike a lot of fics there will not be an instant relationship and everything may not turn out all right.
Chapter 4: Birthday Wishes
Mr. Weasley was rarely home anymore. Ron explained to Harry that since the return of Voldemort the Ministry had been up at arms for any signs of him. All the Ministries employees were working as hard as ever, and even though Harry wished there was something he could do, he thought better of it.
"At least the Ministry is working with Dumbledore again, Hermione took a small bite of her dessert. "Things will go back to normal for the time being. This year I doubt there will be a safer place than Hogwarts. Oh and Harry I took it upon myself to write Dumbledore about your dream. I used Hedwig, I hope you don't mind."
"No not at all." Harry looked down at his mashed potatoes. It was hard to listen to Hermione. No one knew that he alone would be the one to face Voldemort. No one knew that Harry carried this burden on his shoulder.
Harry knew the prophecy hadn't lied. The memory of being told that he was either going to kill or be killed was crisp in his mind. But he treasured his friends more than anything, and to tell them would only put them in danger. So he decided this was something that he was going to keep to himself.
Ginny set her fork down. "Don't worry Harry, everything will be fine. I just know it." She smiled at him from across the table. "Let's talk about something else; this kind of dreary talk depresses me."
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Hey Harry, what do you want for your birthday?"
"You don't have to get me anything. Letting me stay here is enough." Harry tried not to smile. Even though he'd been getting birthday presents for the last four years, he still wasn't quite used to it.
"Don't be silly Harry, Hermione rested her head on her hand. "What do you want?"
"Come on tell us!" Ginny squirmed in her chair. Ginny's hair draped her shoulders now, not in the pigtails Harry had been used to. Harry smiled though, because even though she was getting older she still had that little girl bounce to her. She was the closest thing he'd ever had to having an actual sister and Harry cherished that.
"I'm not sure you guys. Really though you don't have to get me anything."
"Ok I won't," Ron smirked. "But remember you asked for it."
Mrs. Weasley came in from the kitchen. "Your father isn't coming home for dinner tonight I guess," she gave a small sigh. Nobody liked seeing Mrs. Weasley like this. Even Crookshanks appeared to have felt some inclination of pity, as he kept rubbing himself against her leg.
"Don't worry mum, I'm sure he'll be home tomorrow night." They all stood up to help clean the table. Harry tried to keep his mind occupied by washing dishes. Letting it slip to think of the prophecy, or Sirius was something he wanted to avoid at all cost.
Hermione flicked her wand, "Reparo" and fixed a plate that Harry had dropped. She walked over and hugged him. "I know you still miss him Harry, but he's not coming back." She looked him in the eyes. "You have other things to worry about now. Try not to think about it to much. Why don't you turn in early tonight, we can finish this."
Ron put down a plate. "Yeah we can scourgify the rest. Go get some rest mate."
* * *
A form of lethargy had hit Harry the following days. He'd spend hours at a time staring at the small mirror that Sirius had given him, wishing with everything that his greasy haired god-father would appear.
Even Fred and George had trouble getting through to Harry. The instances they were at The Burrow and not running their flourishing shop, even their jokes and odd demeanor could only make Harry smile shrilly.
The days all seemed to pass at once to Harry. When July the 31st rolled around however, he was awoken bright and early by a vigorous shaking.
"Wha, what is it?" Harry's vision was blurred by the lack of his glasses. He felt like a bobble head doll as the blurry image of Ron continued to shake the living daylights out of him.
"Get up mate." Ron continued to shake him.
Reaching for his glasses Harry pushed Ron off of him. Ron stood smiling widely at the side of his bed. He was fully dressed and looked ready to take on the world.
"I'm not going to let you mope around here all day Harry, especially since it's your birthday. Oh by the way, happy birthday."
"Oh," Harry rubbed his eyes, "Thanks. Ron I've decided what I want for my birthday; sleep." Sleep was a refuge to Harry. He hadn't been having any bizarre dreams lately which meant it was a place of pure bliss, where there were no problems. He pulled the covers back over himself.
"Too bad, you had your chance." Ron tugged Harry's arm so hard he nearly fell out of the bed. "We're going to Diagon Alley to celebrate your birthday. Hermione and Ginny are all ready. We're just waiting around on your sorry hide. Now come on get dressed." Ron tossed a robe on top of Harry's head. Harry smiled as he pulled the robe on. He didn't feel terribly bad anymore, maybe a trip out with his friends was just what he needed.
"How much money should I bring?"
"I thought you might ask that," Ron sat down on his bed as he talked, "None. It's your birthday it's our treat. We're all paying." He rubbed his hands together as Harry put his shoes on. "Oh Fred and George said happy birthday too, but they had to be at the shop today."
Ginny rapped loudly on Ron's door. "Are you two coming or not?"
"Yeah, yeah hold your horses sis," Ron shook his head at Harry. "Girls."
A few minutes later Ron and a fully dressed Harry joined Ginny and Hermione in front of the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley held a pan of floo powder tightly in her right arm.
"Happy Birthday Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley embraced him in a huge hug with her free arm.
"Thanks Mrs. Weasley." Harry grinned widely at all of them. Ginny and Hermione hugged him in turn, each wishing him a happy birthday. Harry was so happy he nearly forgot everything that was bothering him.
"Now you all come back in one piece for dinner. I've made Harry a special birthday cake and I'm not going to let it go to waste." Mrs. Weasley stirred the floo powder with her hand.
"We will mum. Ok everyone ready?" Ron took a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. "Hey Harry try not to end up in Albania this time."
"I only was one fire place short thank you very much," Harry joked. "And Knockturn Alley isn't such a horrible place. It just needs some different lighting…and people…and everything else." They all chuckled. Harry loved it when he made people laugh.
"Diagon Alley!" Ron threw down the floo powder and disappeared in a burst of emerald flame. Harry took a handful of the powder, and following Ron's example burst into a flame of his own. Hermione and Ginny did the same and soon the four of them were standing in the bright, warm sunlight of Diagon Alley.
Witches and wizards buzzed around, coming in and out of shops everywhere. A cool smell of ice cream drifted over from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor that gave Harry a strong desire for a sundae. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.
"First things first, we're going to The Leaky Cauldron."
"Why are we going there?"
Ginny led the way, "You'll see." She pulled open The Leaky Cauldron's large double doors and let Harry walk inside. Ron and Hermione filed in behind him, taking in a feint smell of alcohol. Harry scanned the room, taking note of a weird looking witch with a goiter that kept winking at him. His eyes finally landed on an extremely large man, dressed in a patched overcoat, drinking from a mug larger than Harry's head. Harry smiled.
"Hagrid!" Harry nearly ran to him. Hagrid's large figure turned on the stool and beamed down at Harry. Setting the mug down he embraced Harry in a hug so tight that Harry thought his spine might snap in two.
"Harry meh boy!" Hagrid sat him down on the stool next to him. "When they said you'd be comin' I came as soon as I could. 'appy birthday Harry!"
"Thanks Hagrid." Harry looked back at his friends that had joined them.
"Now can we trust you," Hermione put a hand on Hagrid's gigantic back "to keep your eye on him for a few hours?"
Harry looked at Hermione, "You're not staying?"
"No," Ron fiddled in his pocket. "We've got to be off to buy you a present. We thought you could stick around with Hagrid while we did it. Don't worry I'll make sure Hermione doesn't get you a book." Everyone gave a small laugh but Hermione who only gave Ron a reproachful look.
"Don' you lot worry bout nothin'. Harry's as safe as can be with meh, and he won' go wondering about or nothin' either."
"Thanks Hagrid." Hermione patted Hagrid on the back one more time. "We shouldn't be too long I hope. Try to stay out of trouble you two."
When Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had left the tavern Harry turned to Hagrid. "So how have you been Hagrid?" Harry adjusted his glasses.
"I've been fine Harry. Hey Tom! Bring this boy the best mug of butterbeer ya got!" The bartender nodded at Hagrid's request and went about fulfilling it. "Dumbledore's just been in a wonderful mood since the ministry got ther' head outta ther' own behind and started workin' with em. Means I'm happy as can be at Hogwarts. Grawp is doin' just fine too. He still eats a bit too much fer is own good though."
"That's wonderful Hagrid. I think." Harry gladly accepted the butter beer that was sat down before him. Taking a deep swig he let it travel down his throat, tingling as it went. "Any news from the Order?"
"Don' you go concernin' yourself with that now. Especially when you've got presen's to open." Hagrid reached down beside his stool into his large knapsack from which he extracted a small brown package. He handed it to Harry who looked down in it in astonishment.
"Hagrid you didn't have to get me anything." Harry couldn't help but smile at the package. The day definitely had turned around for him. He carefully took off the paper revealing a small white box.
"Now I know it ain' much but I hope ya like it." Harry sat the brown paper down on the counter and carefully opened the box. From it he withdrew a glass sphere, roughly bigger than his fist, which contained a miniature perfect moving model of the galaxy. Harry stared in awe as every tiny planet turned and floated around the fake galaxy.
"Wow thanks a million Hagrid. I've seen these things in Diagon Alley before." He took out the small base and sat the model on the bar. He continued to watch the tiny specks of stars light up the black sphere. "This is definitely going beside my four poster at Hogwarts. Thanks again Hagrid."
"I'm glad ya like it Harry. Yer very welcome." Hagrid took another gulp from his mug and slammed it back down on the bar so hard it nearly shattered. Harry carefully packaged the sphere back up and set it aside. It was nearly eleven and Harry began to feel very hungry.
"I could sure go for some food right about now."
"Now Ron and Hermione told me s'pecially that they wanted to eat with ya. I'm just here to make sure you don't go hurtin' yerself or nothin."
"I hope they come back soon then. Are you going to eat with us too Hagrid?"
"I'm afraid I can't do that Harry. I promised Dumbledore I'd be back by this afternoon. I got lots of work to do fer lesson next term."
"That's a shame Hagrid. I really wish you could join us." Harry finished his butterbeer and stretched. The two of them had varied conversations for the next half hour. Harry tried to dig information about Voldemort out of Hagrid, but he gave up the cause when he realized that Hagrid didn't know much more, if anymore than he did. It wasn't until they were almost in a tizzy about who was for sure to win the Quidditch World Cup that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny showed their faces at the door.
Harry very reluctantly left Hagrid in the Leaky Cauldron to follow his friends to Florean Fortescues, where they treated him to the largest sundae he'd ever seen.
"I can't tell you how thankful I am guys, it really means a lot. This sundae is so big I'm never going to be able to finish on my own. Please help me." At Harry's request they each took a spoon and began devouring the sundae.
"You just wait," Ron quipped between bites, "You're going to love us even more when you see what we got you."
"I'm serious you guys shouldn't have."
"But we did." Ginny said, adjusting herself in her chair. Hermione sat a large brown package on the table, on top of which was a bright luminous bow. Harry couldn't help but smile as she slid the package towards him.
Harry carefully opened the package to find a large black case. The words Long Distance Flight Broom Accessory Kit was embossed on the front in gold lettering. Harry looked at them. "Wow this is amazing. Thanks everyone!" Harry gave them each a large hug and, forgetting completely about the sundae, opened the case.
He took out each small instrument one by one to examine them. A small compass, a barometer, and even a padded cushion seat were inside. After thoroughly looking over the twenty odd items that were inside, he put them back and shut the case.
"So what do you think?" asked Ginny.
"I think it's absolutely wonderful. Thank you all again." Harry sat the case beside his chair and took another bite of the quickly diminishing sundae. Hermione leaned down again and after a few moments rose with another tiny box, which she sat upon the table. "Another present?" Harry was astonished. Hermione nodded. Ron gave her a quizzical look but if there was anything he wanted to say he didn't. Ginny only smiled and took another bit of ice cream.
"I thought you might like something from the Muggle world." Hermione stared at the empty bowl of ice cream. Harry popped open the tiny box to reveal a beautiful silver lined watch. "Since yours seem to have a habit of breaking. It's waterproof too, just in case. It's mechanical, so it will run at Hogwarts."
"Wow Hermione, thank you." He pulled the watch out and fastened it to his left wrist.
"You're very welcome," said Hermione. Ron tossed the empty ice cream container in a trash can and wiped his hands off on his shirt. He smiled across the table at Harry who went suddenly pale.
"You ok?" Ron raised his eyebrows a little.
A chill was creeping up the back of Harry's spine. He quickly looked back and forth between his friends, his face deathly white. He fumbled in his pocket choking out words, "There's a, a Dementor nearby."
They all reached for their wands. Ron and Ginny stood up, and began looking around the street frantically for any sign of the black hooded demons. Hermione held her want up but lowered it slowly. "Harry," her voice didn't shake a notch, "I don't feel anything." She looked up at Ron. "Do you feel anything?"
Ron dropped his wand to his side. "No I don't."
"Me either." Ginny sat back down. "Are you sure you're just not imagining things Harry?"
"If there's a dementor around shouldn't we all feel it?" Hermione said sternly.
"Well I can feel it. I've felt it enough, I should know what it feels like!" Harry's body was cold, almost rigid. His eyes swept the street. Then as suddenly as it had begun, the chill stopped, and he began to feel warm again. The color rushed back to his face, and he sat his wand down on the table. "I could have sworn that," he shook his head confused. "You guys believe me right?"
"Of course we do." Hermione picked up the broom case. Ron and Ginny both stood up with her, "I think maybe we should go back to The Burrow."
"I agree," said Harry. He arose quickly from his chair. "I guess I'm just going nuts."
"Nah," Ron put an arm around Harry, "You've been there for a long time." They all laughed and started back to the nearest fireplace they could find.
* * *
Owl after owl kept arriving at The Burrow for the rest of the day, each with another
birthday present for Harry. A new wand case from Lupin, a box of chocolates from Tonks, even Moody sent him a carton of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
After opening a brand new pair of mismatched socks from Dobby, Harry was almost tired of receiving presents. He sat everything beside his bed, and then followed Ron downstairs for the cake Mrs. Weasley had promised earlier.
Mr. Weasley even made it home that evening to celebrate. He presented Harry with an autographed poster of the Chudley Cannons, and joined everyone at the table for the cake.
Mrs. Weasley really had out done herself making the cake. Even Fred and George went opened jawed at the large four tiered cake, dripping with so many colors of frosting it may very well have been made purely of it. Everyone was having such a good time eating and laughing the night passed with a fury. It wasn't until Mrs. Weasley gave Crookshanks a good scolding for jumping up on the table and eating the leftovers of the cake that they noticed how late it had gotten.
Another round of thank you's and hugs were given before Harry and Ron walked the flights of stairs to their bedroom. Harry sprawled out on the bed and sat his glasses aside. "Thanks again for everything."
"Don't mention it mate." Ron said in a distant voice, peering out the window.
"You ok?" Harry sat back up, putting his glasses on again. Ron gave him a glazed look, before sweeping back to the window.
"Yeah I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"I said yeah I'm-" Ron stopped his sentence and squinted out the window. "I think I see another owl coming." A medium sized brown owl fluttered closer to the window. By the time Harry sat up and leaned over to the window, the owl had perched itself on the window ledge. It stuck its spindly leg out to Harry.
He quickly untied the letter and unfurled it.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday! I do hope this arrives on time. Miss Granger's letter has informed me that you are once again experiencing dreams about Voldemort. It is imperative that you continue your Occlumency lessons every night until you return to Hogwarts at the beginning of term. I cannot stress this enough. I still wish to remind you that I require your presence when you arrive at Hogwarts. In lighter matters, I hope you have had a pleasant birthday.
Headmaster of Hogwarts
Albus Dumbledore
P.S.- I've enclosed a few Quidditch Cards from my personal collection. Happy Birthday.
Harry looked up. "It's from Dumbledore. He wants me to keep up the Occlumency."
"You know what Hermione would say, "It's probably for the best"," Ron smiled and leaned back against his pillows.
"I will. It wouldn't bother me so much if it wasn't so painful to practice. I think I'll write Dumbledore back and say thanks for these Quidditch Cards. I don't have any of them in my collection!" Harry took a quill and began scribbling a quick reply.
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
Thank you very much for the cards! Today was absolutely wonderful! Don't worry I will continue to practice Occlumency.
Harry
Harry lifted his quill up. "Kind of short don't you think?" Ron said. Harry looked over and over at the parchment.
"Yeah but, I can't think of anything else to say. Plus I want to get it off as soon as possible." Harry tied the parchment to the leg of the owl and sent him back off to Hogwarts.
"So did you have a good birthday?" Ron snuffed out the candle by his bedside as they both lay down.
"The best ever. I can't wait to try all those things on my broom. Thanks again."
"No sweat."
"And for the watch," Harry still had it on.
"It wasn't, from me."
"Oh,"
"Harry what do you think Dumbledore wants to talk to you about?" Ron said hurriedly
"I have no clue. Whatever it is it probably isn't good. It never is." Harry gave a small sigh. "Sometimes I really wish I was you Ron."
"Really?" Ron sounded a little shocked, but with a small hint of pride in his voice.
"Yeah really. Sometimes I get tired of…just everything." Harry rolled over in the dark. It was scorching hot in the room and hard to breathe.
They fell asleep without much more conversation that night. Neither one of them felt much like talking.
It was very early in the morning when Harry heard a rapid pattering coming up the stairs. He barely had time to roll over and reach for his glasses when Hermione burst into the room with such a ruckus that it upset Pigwidgeon's cage. Her hair was frazzled and neither of them could see her very well because the sun had barely risen behind the horizon. She was breathing heavily from running up the stairs and as Harry put on his glasses he could see panic on her face. She had a copy of The Daily Prophet clutched tightly in her hand.
Harry sat up and took the paper from her. No one said anything as Harry turned to the window's morning light to read the headline of the paper.
Dementors Murder Two in Diagon Alley