CHAPTER SIX

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

31 JULY 2001

-Harry James Potter-

9:00 a.m.

Harry woke up, startled from a loud air horn noise on his right. He turned his head towards the direction of the sound only to find Ginny in front of the doorway with a air horn in one hand. She was also using the sweet innocent smile she usee whenever she does a prank.

"Happy birthday, Harry." She said and Harry groaned.

"Really? Wake me up using an air horn and then say happy birthday to me." He said." How the heck do you even know how to use one?" Just as Harry said that, Hermione emerged from the doorway, giggling.

"Oh." Harry sighed." That's why." And with that, Harry faced the ceiling again and closed his eyes. He was about to go to sleep again but then the loud air horn siren woke him up. He turned to Ginny and Hermione.

"Why?" Harry asked simply.

"Well we aren't gonna let you sleep through your birthday aren't we?" Hermione said.

"Alright, alright." Harry said, defeated." I'll come down. Give me a few minutes." With that said, Harry got up to and head towards the bathroom to get ready for his birthday.

9:15a.m.

When Harry exited he bathroom, Hermione and Ginny weren't there. Assuming they were downstairs, Harry wore a T-shirt and some shorts and had downstairs. When he entered the kitchen, there was just darkness. Harry was about to turn on a switch nearby when the lights suddenly flickered on showing a group of people.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!!!!!" They all yelled and Harry jumped back, before falling to the floor from fright. After a few seconds, laughter emerged. Harry lifted his head to see the noise being made by the entire Weasley and Hermione, Kingsley, Neville and Luna.

"You alright Harry?" Neville asked, as Harry got up.

"Alright? I am 21 years old. I can get a heart attack from that." Harry said jokingly.

"Relax. You have like many more years to go." Hermione said. Harry just looked at Ginny.

"So know I know why you were so determined to wake me up." Harry said.

Ginny did the same smile as she said." Well, you should have known me better."

Harry rolled his eyes." Yeah." He said.

They all smiled and step to the side. There were many presents from all shape and sizes and wrapped in different colours. Behind all the colourful presents was a simple vanilla cake with a 2 and 1 shaped candles. They was blue icing on cake that spelt 'Happy 21st Birthday Harry Potter'.

They had fun. They sang the birthday song to Harry and the cake was delicious. He had also received many awesome presents from his friends and family. Harry was talking to Bill and Charlie. Both of them being the least visited Weasley, Harry wanted to make sure they at least have a chat, when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"I'll go get it." Charlie said. He exited the kitchen and Harry continued to talk to Bill until Charlie came back. With one look at Charlie, Harry could already tell that something's wrong. He eyes were glued towards a white paper and his hands we're shaking slightly. Apparently Mrs.Weasley had took notice of this.

"What's wrong Charlie?" She asked, pushing the familiar gold ring with a shiny blue Sapphire in her index finger that helps her to hear her surroundings. It was sort of an indication that she was listening. Charlie didn't said anything. Instead he just looked at Harry and handed in the letter.

"This is for you." He said, handing in the letter to Harry.

Ronald wishes you a happy birthday. If it weren't for him pestering and threatening to leave my sight, I wouldn't have even thought of it. But I am doing this for his own safety and yours. It is very dangerous to be leave him alone.

-The Red Bandana.

This is forged. So don't bother trying to match the handwriting.

Harry looked at the letter for a bit before laughing. Charlie looked at him in confusion and the ones that haven't read the letter just looked at him with curiosity.

"Relax Charlie." Harry said." Someone just played a prank on us."

"What was it?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Just some person trying to impersonate the Red Bandana." Harry said and everyone looked at him with wide eyes except for Kingsley. He still seemed curious for some reason. Harry thought it was probably because on why he would sent it.

"It's just a prank someone did. There is no way he would actually did that. With everyone looking at him, why the heck would he risk it?"

"But it said that Ron was threatening to leave." Kingsley said in a confused voice.

"He could have tied him up and try to convince him on the dangers." Harry said. That seemed to convinced everyone.

"Alright." George said." After our little interruption, it's time for you to open your presents."

"Yeah, let's do that." Harry said and soon after Everyone gathered around Harry and ang him the birthday song and things went back to normal. However though, whenever Harry's green eyes met the white paper which was now lying on a table. He couldn't help but felt a bit strange seeing it.

There's no way he would do that...right? Harry thought to himself. No one seemed to notice that he was thinking as Harry was good at pretending that he was focusing on opening his present.

If it weren't for him pestering and threatening to leave, I wouldn't have even thought about it...That sounds like something Ron would do. So did The Red Bandana actually wrote this? Or was it still a prank?

"Hey Harry you forgot to open my present." Kingsley said and Harry looked at him. He was holding a a thick rectangular box with blue and purple strips wrapping on it.

"Didn't you already gave me a book on quidditch?" Harry asked.

"Is it wrong to give a birthday boy another one?" Kingsley said and Harry sighed, he then smiled.

"Alright. Give it to me." Harry and Kingsley gave the box to him.

"Hurry. What's inside." Bill asked. He said that whenever Harry had received a gift. Harry open and inside the wrappings was a black leather case which had white silver wordings that spelt "Broomstick Servicing Kit. Made in Japan." After reading those words, Harry felt very happy. The servicing kit Hermione had made was great but it was made in Britain. In Japan, the broomstick servicing kit was said to be the best and it even adds a bit of speed when used.

"How the heck did you get one of this?!" Harry asked, surprised and amused.

"I am the minister for Magic. I can get one of those easily." Kingsley replied and Harry laughed.

10:06 a.m.

After one entire hour of talking and eating, Everyone left, Kingsley being last. After bidding goodbye, he took one last look on the letter before saying to Harry.

"Your still on break." He said and Harry scoffed.

"Yeah I know." He said and Kingsley disapparated back to his house. Harry had asked Ginny for some time to relax on his own and, despite Ginny's protest, had reluctantly agreed at the cost for him to clean up the birthday wrappers and save any spare slices of cake for tomorrow. So right now she and Ted were out shopping with Hermione.

After cleaning up the wrappers which laid all over the floor and putting the spare slices of cake in the fridge, Harry laid back in the couch with his free time in the world. He took a glance at the letter which he had not touched.

Harry's birthday was great, but he had a feeling that something was off. Like that someone else wasn't here. Who he had hoped would arrived. It didn't take him long for him to realized that the person was Ron. Harry never had a birthday without him ever since he went to Hogwarts. He got up from the couch and picked up the letter.

Did you actually threaten to leave him, Ron? He thought. That probably meant that Ron wasn't forced. Wasn't taken hostage and wasn't like a bait for death eaters. He was with him in his own free will. That made Harry a bit angry.

What are you doing? Why are you staying with him? Why don't you want to come back? Harry thought angrily. He looked at the letter.

"For his safety and yours."

What does it mean? Harry thought. He already knew that Ron was under a curse. He already knew that The Red Bandana was trying to free him from the curse. But Harry didn't knew that it would also put the people around him in danger.

Was he a danger to others? Is the Red Bandana... for the first time... was good?

Harry shook his head. What nonsense. He thought. Whether Ron was a danger to others or not that still doesn't make Harry's wish on seeing him again change. Throughout the rest of his time alone, Harry just spent looking at the letter, taking in each word at the time, to find any reasons, clues or anything that can Harry can work on.

-Kingsley Shacklebolt-

10:27 a.m.

"Did you give Harry the Broomstick Servicing Kit." Ron asked.

"Yes, I gave him the kit." Kingsley replied honestly.

"And how did he react?" He asked hopefully.

"He was very happy to have it." After Kingsley said that. Ron leapt with joy. Kingsley had called Ron after he returned to his home from Harry's birthday party. Because of where Ron was, he was hallucinating of himself in a random forest with a river running behind Ron. He had called to not only tell him about the broomstick servicing kit Ron had suggested to him but also the letter he had sent.

"Anyway I need to talk to you about something that happened in during the party." Kingsley said and Ron stop celebrating and looked at Kingsley.

"And what's that?" He asked nervously.

"While we were celebrating, a certain letter arrived at the door. The letter, belonging to The Red Bandana handwritten saying that you wished him a happy birthday. Was this you?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I-uh- I have-uh- I have no idea what you're talking about." Ron said in a very unconvincing voice. Ron was terrible at lying. If he had told Kingsley rather than show that he was The Red Bandana, Kingsley wouldn't even believed it.

"Really?" Kingsley said and Ron sighed in defeat.

"Yes. Yes I wrote it and sent it to him." Ron admitted.

"Why? Why the heck did you do it?" Kingsley asked with his arms raised into the air.

"I just felt a but guilty not being to at least saying a happy birthday." Ron said.

"Look, I understand it is hard but you can't just arrived at their doorstep and a hand them a letter. Might as well tommorow you attend the anniversary wedding." Kingsley said before he realized something." You aren't gonna write a letter to Bill and Fluer, are you?"

"Uhh...No." Ron said and Kingsley already knew it was a lie. He immediately did a facepalm.

"Ron." Kingsley said calmly." You can't just do this."

"Look I can." Ron said annoyingly." I already planned alk of this. I would make a letter appeared out of-" He tried to say but Kingsley cut him off.

"Ron your thinking emotionally!" He snapped." I know it is hard to do so, but you can't! Thinking emotional had never helped us! Like during the battle at the Ministry! We thought, despite having the lowest amount of Aurors in 100 years, we could take over 100 death eaters! And looked where that lead us! Look whete that lead you! You're being hunted by death eaters, the magical and non Magical community! We can't risk it Ron!"

Rom just looked at his feet. He just sighed.

"Fine. I guess I won't." Ron said."But one question though, why do you care? Why are you advising on wha to do and what not to do?"

Kingsley looked away from Ron and onto one of the trees.

"Answer me." Ron said impatiently.

"Because they want you home. Because Harry, Hermione and your entire family want yo home. We all want you home." Was all Kingsley said, before his visions go blurry and soon he was in his cleaned up room.

-Ronald Billius Weasley-

Ron vision went blurry and soon he was in the forest. He just stood there for a while. Taking in on what Kingsley had said to him.

We all want you home. The line repeated in his head with Kingsley's voice. Ron reached into his pocket and pulled out an empty paper he was supposed to write his happy anniversary towards Bill and Fluer to. He violently crumbled the paper into a ball and threw it away. He heard a bark from behind him. He turned around and looked down to see Juno sticking his tongue out playfully. Ron smiled and bend down to pet her. Ron then sit down on the ground and Juno hopped into his lap and sort of rubbed her head against Ron's shoulder. Ron smiled weakly but it dropped too soon. He looked at a random tree was soon lost in his own thoughts.

Out of honesty, Ron was scared. Scared to come home. He kept wondering on how would Harry, Hermione, his friends and family would react when they learned about the truth. That in fact Ron, the Ron that they had been trying to find for so long was in fact the killer that they had tried to capture. Would his family disown him? Would Hermione not love him again? He felt scared to even thought about it.

But they would understand. Ron thought. Kingsley understand why I did this when I explained.

We all want you home. The voice ringed through his head again. Sure he had said that he wanted Ron home, but was because he missed Ron or was it because Ron had to answer for his crimes and actions of murder. Even if Ron does get away with it, it wouldn't be the same. It be his family and friends avoiding him because they would be scared of him. Scared because of what he had done over the past 2 months.

But despite all of that, Ron had done this all, rather than to just kill himself was to come home. To see his family's faces again, to laugh, to hang out with them, to live with them until it was his turn to die.

But the problem was that Ron had no idea when he would be coming home. In fact, he's not sure whether he would have the chance to.

-Ginerva Molly Weasley-

1:06 a.m.

I opened the door into my house. After closing the door, I went into the kitchen to see Harry examining the fake letter that someone had sent to him from what Harry had said. But from the face he was wearing while looking at it was enough to tell Ginny that he doesn't even believe it from himself either.

"I thought you said the letter was fake?" Ginny spoke and Harry jumped, not realizing that Ginny was in the room.

"Ginny." Harry said, still surprised." I wasn't expecting you to be here so early."

"Early? It's one in the afternoon!" Ginny exclaimed. Harry looked at the clock and slightly chuckled.

"Oh. Where's Ted?" Harry asked once realizing that Ted wasn't with Ginny.

"With Hermione. She insisted that she wanted to spent a few hours with him." Ginny said." Anyway about what I said, I thought you said the letter was fake?"

"I thought at first. But now I'm not sure anymore." He admitted and Ginny came and sat next to Harry.

"You're confused." Ginny said." You don't know if it's real or not and if it is, you wondering why is Ron staying with him."

"I am not confused on why Ron chose to stay with him. Apparently it was for his and my safety."

"Your safety?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah. But there's nothing I can do about it. The Red Bandana just believes that killing all the death eater seemed to be like a way to stop it." He said.

"Well there has to be like some sort of cure for this, isn't there?" Ginny said and Harry chuckled.

"Ginny, all books that contains on how to cast a ritual have been burned and everyone who had known of it is long gone. Derek probably has the last remaining book was somehow wasn't noticed and wasn't burned. Only he knows how to cure the curse." He said and then he got up and face the fireplace." And besides that we don't even know what curse he is under. It could be one where he would be mind controlled temporarily. There could be one where Ron would have lost his memories. There could-" He suddenly stopped, apparently thought of something. He turned to Ginny with wide eyes. All she did was raised her eyebrows.

"What if..." Harry began."... they put a tracker on Ron?"

"Tracker?" Ginny repeated.

"Yes. That would make a lot of sense. Like how the Red Bandana kept on finding death eaters before we can."

"Yeah, I guess that's fair. But if Ron really did have a tracker on him, why don't all the death eaters gather to him. Why are they in separate groups?" Ginny said.

" I don't know. Maybe there's like some sort of distance that doesn't stretches through the entirety of Britain." Harry guessed." We don't know anything for now Ginny, so far this is the best we got."

"I agree with you Harry but do you know what that means?"

"No, what?" Harry asked.

"It means that death eaters are probably everywhere, searching." She said.

"I mean I am not surprised at that." Harry admitted." On the 5th we would be breaking into that university and try to get some information, probably there we could know of this curse Ron holds."

"Yeah." Ginny said." Harry."

"Hm."

"Can you promise me something?"

"What is it?"

"Can you promise me you'll be safe."

"Relax Ginny." Harry said jokingly." I'll be alright. I promise." He smiled and so did Ginny but she still couldn't stop worrying.

END OF CHAPTER SIX

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

Author's Note

Good News. School just closed because someone was tested positive, so that means I would have more time to do this work. If you're wondering why like there are words misspelled like 'the' becomes 'tge', it's probably because I typed fast and wouldn't realize that I made the mistake and I never bother to check it. I will do it for the nest chapter though, I'm not checking for this one cause I took so long to make this and you are probably impatient right now. So sorry for any grammar and spelling mistakes. The nest chapter is about the break in, so buckle up.