A/N: This is going to be a slash story. This means m/m. This is my first time writing a Fic. Thank you mrscakeakajane for the help. Hope you all enjoy it
Chapter 1
On a warm summers night, a bedside clock flashed one minute to midnight on 30th July. In a pristine house with nary a paint out of place, Harry hopped from one foot to the other, heart beating wildly in his chest, sweating from hot air circulating the room not wanting to open a window in case dirt came through giving his Aunt Petunia more reason to punish and give him more chores, he couldn't stand or sit still with uncontrolled excitement whilst waiting for the clock to strike midnight. 'One more minute until I am a adult in the Wizarding world.' Harry thought with stinging eyes, thinking of all the spells he could use outside of school and being able to finally get away from this house what has been more like a prison than a home for seventeen years.
The clock finally flashed midnight, reaching his shaking hand out to grab his wand, flicking his ebony wand through the air putting up silencing spells not wanting to wake up the others in the household, not wishing to endure them on such a happy occasion. "Happy birthday Harry. At last I can use magic outside of school without being scared of being expelled from school the only place, that feels like home." He shouted pumping his fist in the air with pure exhilaration.
Harry opened the window after hearing constant tapping, letting in cool breeze giving the hot room a cool feeling, bringing in a smell of burnt BBQ food and flowers from the garden below. He watched as Pig, Errol, a post office owl, a lovely black owl he didn't recognise and Hedwig fly through the window, flapping their wings looking for somewhere to perch with their burdens, leaving feathers everywhere they went, hooting greetings at each other and Harry.
He flicked his wand through the air conjuring stands, water bowls and owl treats allowing the owls to have something to rest whilst they waited. He wrapped his fingers around overexcited Pig flying around his head, with seeker reflexes taking the burden from his leg and putting him on the stand.
Harry walks to his bed staring at the bright red and gold crinkled paper thinking of his loyal house, untying the letter leaving it on thin bed spread, tentatively lifting the sides of the paper with sweaty hands. Once the paper has fallen away, bringing the smell of sugary sweets, peering inside his mouth watered at the variety of sweets from honey dukes all his favourites from Sugar quills and chocolate frogs putting them aside to put in the trunk for the train ride to school to share with his friends for later. He lifted the book out and carefully caresses the lettering, Quidditch through the ages like a prized possession tentatively putting this aside not wanting to bend the pages, wiping his clammy hands on the bed spread, he picks up the envelope what adorned the messy scrawl of his best friend, he breaks the seal on the back, opening the sheet of paper.
Harry,
Happy birthday. The ministry can do bugger all about you doing magic now. You can do it for fun things like sticking stuff to the table so those Muggles can't pick it up or play pranks on them. Ha-ha I bet they will be shaking at the thought of you anywhere near them. We coming to get you at 11am today. I so can't wait to see you and trounce you at chess, also Hermione is coming to join us as well. I hope you enjoy your present. Thought having something to snack on while you read would keep you happy. See you later today.
Ron
He smiled appreciatively at his friends thoughts snagging a sugar quill from its wrapper thinking of his second friend. He turned towards the post office owl perched on the windowsill watching the dark blue sky outside. 'Must be from my other best friend Hermione.'Harry thought with excitement thinking of all the possible things, she could send with bright smile on his face, whilst untying the package from the owls leg allowing the owl to fly off from the windowsill.
He looked at the neat green and silver wrapping with a fond smile, tentatively opening the flaps on the side. Inside he found three books, giving off that brand new smell that comes with new books. One with gold writing on Wizarding Customs. 'Finally can look up customs of the world, I am ignorant of.' Harry thought with a grimace of all the things he missed out on.
Second book showed the writing Dark Arts and How To defend against them.
The third book was on a love story, turning over the book looking at the blurb wondering about the story. 'This seems interesting. It's a love story between two males. Wonder if she knows the significance of this.' He thought shaking like a leaf, hoping his friends don't abandon him over his preferences.
He laid the books next to Ron's presents, whilst grabbing the letter hands shaking so much it took ages to break the seal on the parchment.
Harry,
Happy 17th birthday. Hope you have a good day. I hear your coming to The Burrow later today, will see you there. I will be arriving at 1pm. I hope you enjoy the books. I know you don't know much about Wizarding customs, so thought this be a good book to get you. The last book I thought would be a good light read for you. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me.
Hermione.
He couldn't help the bright smile lighting up his face, at the letter hinting that she knew all along about his secret and wouldn't tell anyone.
He walked over to old Errol who swayed from tiredness on the windowsill, he relieved him of his packages, picking him up lightly in his hand, and put him in Hedwig's cage with water and owl treats to rest his tired body.
He returned to his bed and peered at the letter and package what came with Errol, bright blue packaging with a letter sealed to the top, savouring the crinkling of the paper under his fingers whilst opening the present with a look of wonder he stares amazed at the Wizarding watch what had so many faces, a clock telling time, a face showing hands with names on it and places around the outside like the clock in the Weasleys. 'This is really nice, I can now make sure my family are all ok without panicking all the time.' He couldn't help but feel relieved. He reached for the letter with thoughts of his surrogate parents.
Harry,
Happy 17th birthday. I hope you like the watch. It is a Wizarding tradition to give a Wizarding watch to your son or daughter on their 17th birthday. Ron got one as well for his birthday. I and Arthur both see you as one of our sons even if not in blood. Don't forget to be ready for the arrival of the order to bring you to us. We will see you soon.
Molly and Arthur.
Harry sat on his bed with a teary smile and wishful expression with a heart feeling big with love. 'I am so happy they see me as a son. I see them as my surrogate family.'
He turned towards the elegant black sleek owl sat on the creaky desk in the corner. "Aren't you pretty. You remind me of someone who I think is very handsome even if no one else thinks so. Shame he won't see me for me, but always as my father." He babbled to the owl with a heavy heart, feeling hopeless.
He stroked his fingers over the feathers with a smile and untied the parchment from the offered leg. Tentatively breaking the seal on the back, he gazes down with a shy smile.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I think you're beautiful,
I can't stop thinking of you.
From
Your secret admirer.
He walks over to his bed and rereads the simple poem until he knows it from heart, with a smile of hope, feeling his eyes sting with happy tears, not recognising the handwriting, hoping against hope it's a guy, daydreaming it's from the one he fancied.
Harry carefully lays his presents and letters into his trunk on top of all his school stuff before going back to his bed and laying down, falling asleep before his head hits the pillow dreaming of dark eyes he could get lost in.