Harry woke up with a start when he heard the flutter of wings, and the soft
hoot of an owl. Brushing some of his hair from his eyes, he sat up in bed.
He groped around his night stand for his glasses, and pushed them on his
face. Perched on the window sill was Hedwig, Pig, and three unfamiliar
owls. Harry looked at the time. Two AM. What day was it? Suddenly, he
remembered. His birthday! Tossing the covers off of him, he rushed over to
the window. Hedwig sat on his arm, and Pig followed suit. He pulled the
packages off of their feet, and places them on his bed. Hedwig gave a tired
hoot, and flew into her cage, tucking her head under her wing, and going to
sleep. Pig fleeted around excitedly, and Harry snatched him quickly.
"Pig! Quiet!" He whispered harshly. The owl's eyes widened, and he quickly hushed. Harry put him in Hedwigs cage, and he started to drink thirstily. Harry turned to the other three owls. Who could they be from? He picked up the first owl, a brown barn owl. He detached the parcel from it's feet. The owl hooted and took off into the night. Harry placed the parcel on his bed, among the others. He did the same for the other two owls, watching them take off into the night. Then, he settled on his bed, amongst the packages. He picked up the one that came from Hedwig, and opened the card.
"Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday! I hope the Dursley's aren't treating you TOO bad. I will be in Diagon Alley the day before we have to go to school. I will be spending the night at the Leaky Couldren. I hope to see you there. I have already spoken with Ron, and he will also be there. Keep your head high, Harry, and don't feel discouraged. We're all here for you.
Love,
Hermione".
Harry felt a smile spread over his face. He picked up the package. It was thin, and flexible, and felt suspiciously like a soft-covered book. Harry tore open the package, and peered in the darkness at the book. The title read "101 Tricks And Moves To Do On Your Firebolt." Harry grinned widely, and flipped through the book. "Oh, wow," he muttered. "This is excellent. It will REALLY help me with Quidditch." Harry set the book down on his bed, and picked up the next package, the one Pig had delivered. He opened the card first.
"Harry:
Happy birthday, Harry. Inside the parcel is a birthday present from me, and then Fred and George included one. We hope you like. We're having a good summer here, but things are dull without you. I hope you're doing okay Harry, and we hope to see you soon. Hermione and I will be at Diagon Alley a day before we're scheduled to leave. We'll look forward to seeing you. By the way, how's old Padfoot doing?"
Ron."
Harry put the card next to Hermiones. There was still a long way to go before he could go to Diagon Alley. Oh, why couldn't he stay with Ron for the summer? Harry closed his eyes, images of his fourth year jolting him. Voldemort is back, he told himself. And this, for now, is the safest place for me to be. Harry shook his head, and opened the big box. On one side was a package, signed by Ron. Harry opened it. It contained a package from Hogsmeade. It was a whole bunch of sweets and items. Harry grinned mischeviously. He could do a lot of damage to Dudley with this stuff! He made a mental note to send a big thanks to Ron. The next package was long, and thin. Paper thin, actually. Harry opened it, and a wide, square peice of paper fell out. It was a gift certificate. Harry read it thoroughly. "A Gift Certificate To The Weasly Wizard Wheezes Joke Shop" it read. Harry laughed. He looked the spot where it said "Ammount." There was a big "NO LIMIT" written there. He turned the certificate over, and a small note was scribbled there. Harry read it aloud: "Although our shop won't be open for over a year, we're travelling on the road with them! They'll now be available at Hogwarts throughout out final year! Canary Creams, Ton-Tongue Toffee-- you name it, we have it. See you at Hogwarts, Harry! Fred & George." Harry laughed softly, and tucked the certificate under his bed, with the rest of his school books. Pig let out a hoot, and Harry went to his cage.
"Take a note back to Ron, will you, Pig?" he asked softly. Taking out a peice of parchment and a quill, he wrote to Ron. "Got your present, and I thank you very much for it. I would write more, but it is late, and I do not want to wake the Dursley's. I will try my best to meet you at Diagon Alley a day before we are scheduled to leave. Your's Truely, Harry." Harry carried Pig to the window, and let him fly away. Harry looked at the rest of the presents on his bed. Three to go, he thought.
He sat, once again, amongst the sea of presents. He picked one from the middle. He gave a broad grin when he saw who it was from: Sirius! Inside was a framed picture of a pregnant Lily, a smiling James, and a delightedly happy Sirius. They were standing together, waving merrily in the picture. Harry stared at the picture with tears in his eyes. These were his parents. His very own parents. Sighing, he picked up the card. It contained a little note for Sirius and Lupin. Harry looked at the remaining two presents. He was getting tired, and needed his rest. But, curiosity got the better of him. He choose the small envelope, and opened it. Out spilled his school list, and needed supplies. He checked them over dismissivily, and looked back into the envelope. There was a note! Harry picked it up, and opened it.
Harry:
How are you? I know your stay at the Dursely's is tough, but I want you to hang in there. I am taking care of the school, and making sure Padfoot is safe with Professor Lupin. We are all watching you Harry, and are never more than an owl away if you need us. Please stay out of trouble for the rest of the summer, and don't give the Dursely's too mouch grief. They do not know the situation you are in, but nevertheless are taking care of you. Be good, Harry.
Professor Dumbledore.
Harry tucked everything back into the envelope, and sighed. Dumbledore was right, of course. The Dursley's had no idea what was happening in the wizarding world, but Harry had a very distinct feeling they wouldn't care. With a yawn, Harry opened the last package-- it was from Hagrid! Oh, how Harry missed his giant friend. Inside was a big, chocolate cake. "Happee Berthday Harry" it read. Harry snorted, trying to stifle his laughter. Hagrid must have done the spelling himself. Enclosed was a card. Harry read through it briefly, then put it with the rest of his cards. The cake he tucked under the floorboard, not wanting the Dursley's to know that he had it. Tomorrow, Harry thought, I'll talk to the Dursley's about taking my to Diagon Alley next month. If I ask way in advance, they'll have to say yes... Without another thought, Harry drifted off to sleep.
"Pig! Quiet!" He whispered harshly. The owl's eyes widened, and he quickly hushed. Harry put him in Hedwigs cage, and he started to drink thirstily. Harry turned to the other three owls. Who could they be from? He picked up the first owl, a brown barn owl. He detached the parcel from it's feet. The owl hooted and took off into the night. Harry placed the parcel on his bed, among the others. He did the same for the other two owls, watching them take off into the night. Then, he settled on his bed, amongst the packages. He picked up the one that came from Hedwig, and opened the card.
"Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday! I hope the Dursley's aren't treating you TOO bad. I will be in Diagon Alley the day before we have to go to school. I will be spending the night at the Leaky Couldren. I hope to see you there. I have already spoken with Ron, and he will also be there. Keep your head high, Harry, and don't feel discouraged. We're all here for you.
Love,
Hermione".
Harry felt a smile spread over his face. He picked up the package. It was thin, and flexible, and felt suspiciously like a soft-covered book. Harry tore open the package, and peered in the darkness at the book. The title read "101 Tricks And Moves To Do On Your Firebolt." Harry grinned widely, and flipped through the book. "Oh, wow," he muttered. "This is excellent. It will REALLY help me with Quidditch." Harry set the book down on his bed, and picked up the next package, the one Pig had delivered. He opened the card first.
"Harry:
Happy birthday, Harry. Inside the parcel is a birthday present from me, and then Fred and George included one. We hope you like. We're having a good summer here, but things are dull without you. I hope you're doing okay Harry, and we hope to see you soon. Hermione and I will be at Diagon Alley a day before we're scheduled to leave. We'll look forward to seeing you. By the way, how's old Padfoot doing?"
Ron."
Harry put the card next to Hermiones. There was still a long way to go before he could go to Diagon Alley. Oh, why couldn't he stay with Ron for the summer? Harry closed his eyes, images of his fourth year jolting him. Voldemort is back, he told himself. And this, for now, is the safest place for me to be. Harry shook his head, and opened the big box. On one side was a package, signed by Ron. Harry opened it. It contained a package from Hogsmeade. It was a whole bunch of sweets and items. Harry grinned mischeviously. He could do a lot of damage to Dudley with this stuff! He made a mental note to send a big thanks to Ron. The next package was long, and thin. Paper thin, actually. Harry opened it, and a wide, square peice of paper fell out. It was a gift certificate. Harry read it thoroughly. "A Gift Certificate To The Weasly Wizard Wheezes Joke Shop" it read. Harry laughed. He looked the spot where it said "Ammount." There was a big "NO LIMIT" written there. He turned the certificate over, and a small note was scribbled there. Harry read it aloud: "Although our shop won't be open for over a year, we're travelling on the road with them! They'll now be available at Hogwarts throughout out final year! Canary Creams, Ton-Tongue Toffee-- you name it, we have it. See you at Hogwarts, Harry! Fred & George." Harry laughed softly, and tucked the certificate under his bed, with the rest of his school books. Pig let out a hoot, and Harry went to his cage.
"Take a note back to Ron, will you, Pig?" he asked softly. Taking out a peice of parchment and a quill, he wrote to Ron. "Got your present, and I thank you very much for it. I would write more, but it is late, and I do not want to wake the Dursley's. I will try my best to meet you at Diagon Alley a day before we are scheduled to leave. Your's Truely, Harry." Harry carried Pig to the window, and let him fly away. Harry looked at the rest of the presents on his bed. Three to go, he thought.
He sat, once again, amongst the sea of presents. He picked one from the middle. He gave a broad grin when he saw who it was from: Sirius! Inside was a framed picture of a pregnant Lily, a smiling James, and a delightedly happy Sirius. They were standing together, waving merrily in the picture. Harry stared at the picture with tears in his eyes. These were his parents. His very own parents. Sighing, he picked up the card. It contained a little note for Sirius and Lupin. Harry looked at the remaining two presents. He was getting tired, and needed his rest. But, curiosity got the better of him. He choose the small envelope, and opened it. Out spilled his school list, and needed supplies. He checked them over dismissivily, and looked back into the envelope. There was a note! Harry picked it up, and opened it.
Harry:
How are you? I know your stay at the Dursely's is tough, but I want you to hang in there. I am taking care of the school, and making sure Padfoot is safe with Professor Lupin. We are all watching you Harry, and are never more than an owl away if you need us. Please stay out of trouble for the rest of the summer, and don't give the Dursely's too mouch grief. They do not know the situation you are in, but nevertheless are taking care of you. Be good, Harry.
Professor Dumbledore.
Harry tucked everything back into the envelope, and sighed. Dumbledore was right, of course. The Dursley's had no idea what was happening in the wizarding world, but Harry had a very distinct feeling they wouldn't care. With a yawn, Harry opened the last package-- it was from Hagrid! Oh, how Harry missed his giant friend. Inside was a big, chocolate cake. "Happee Berthday Harry" it read. Harry snorted, trying to stifle his laughter. Hagrid must have done the spelling himself. Enclosed was a card. Harry read through it briefly, then put it with the rest of his cards. The cake he tucked under the floorboard, not wanting the Dursley's to know that he had it. Tomorrow, Harry thought, I'll talk to the Dursley's about taking my to Diagon Alley next month. If I ask way in advance, they'll have to say yes... Without another thought, Harry drifted off to sleep.