Chapter 2: The Anonymous Gift
Harry woke up the next day and heard Dean and Seamus shouting for him to come down. Harry groggily looked at the calendar and realized it was Christmas Day. Suddenly awake, he leapt out of bed, threw on his robe and flew downstairs.
"Happy Christmas, mate!" Seamus and Dean yelled together as Harry ran into the common room.
"Happy Christmas, Seamus, Dean," Harry replied, grinning, his eyes shining.
"Oy, Harry, come here. You've got a load of presents," Dean called waving him over to his seat by the Christmas tree. Harry walked over and, with Dean's help, pulled the various-sized gifts out from under the giant evergreen.
"Weh', goo on, o'en suh," Seamus mumbled through a large mouthful of Chocolate Frog. Harry and Dean winced and withdrew slightly from Seamus as he was spraying them with bits of chewed-up chocolate.
"We asked for the news, Seamus, not the weather," Dean told him matter-of- factly. Seamus stuck his tongue out before kissing his boyfriend. Dean and Seamus had been going out for about three months before letting it out into the open. That all happened nearly five months ago.
Harry rolled his eyes and picked up one of his gifts. He unwrapped it to find a sweater with a Golden Snitch on it, a box of peanut brittle, and a large plum cake from Mrs. Weasley. From Ron, he'd received the updated version of Quidditch Through the Ages. Hermione had given him a gift wand to Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop for 5 Galleons and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Hagrid sent him a wooden flute.
"Hey, Harry, you've got another present here," came Seamus's muffled voice. Harry and Dean looked over to see Seamus crouched under the tree, holding out a gift. Harry took it and looked at the wrappings. They were emerald green with silver stripes criss-crossing it. He picked up the card attached.
Dear Harry,
Happy Christmas.
Love,
A Friend
"So, who's it from?" Dean inquired.
"I...don't know," Harry replied, staring at the note. "There's no name. It just says, 'Love, A Friend'."
"Oooh, Harry's got a lady admirer," Seamus teased. "Wonder who it could be?"
"Seamus, you know perfectly well I don't like girls that," Harry admonished him. It was true. Harry was gay. He had only told Dean and Seamus because he knew they would understand. "Besides, who ever said it was a girl? Hopefully, it's a guy." Suddenly, he eyed Dean and Seamus mischievously. "It wasn't either of you, was it?" he asked teasingly.
"Nope," they replied together. Harry shook his head.
"You two have been spending way too much time with each other," Harry told them. He undid the wrappings and out of them fell a hardcover copy of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
"What is it, Harry?" Seamus asked curiously.
"It's a copy of Romeo and Juliet," Harry answered.
"Shakespeare's?" Dean asked.
"Do you know of any other Romeo and Juliet?" Harry replied sarcastically. He dodged the pillow Dean threw at him, then shrugged and set the book aside for later.
After awhile, Harry decided to go and wander around until lunch. He went outside and sat in a special garden that Professor Sprout had been keeping with the book he had received anonymously. Unnoticed, a stranger walked up on silent feet behind Harry as he opened the manuscript to the first page.
"Lonely without your little worshippers, Potter?" a cold voice drawled, making Harry almost jump out of his skin. Then he realized who the voice belonged to.
"Don't you have days to ruin, Malfoy?" Harry asked turning around to glare at the tall blonde.
"You bet. Starting with yours," Malfoy replied cheerily. His steely grey eyes fell from Harry's face to the book in his hands. "What book?" he asked, nodding to it.
"Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare," Harry told him, glancing at the book. "He's a Muggle author. You wouldn't know any of his work."
"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet," Malfoy recited dramatically. He started walking away, then turned and fixed Harry with a piercing stare.
"Never judge a book by its cover, Potter. Though it might be cold and nasty, the inside may be nicer and friendlier. You never know." He turned and strolled away, leaving Harry dumbfounded and staring at the blonde's retreating back.
Could it possibly be?! Harry thought incredulously.
"Hey, Harry."
Harry looked over at Dean.
"Oh, hi, Dean. Where's Seamus?" Harry replied.
"Library. He wanted to see if they had a book that he needs for his Advanced Transfiguration class," Dean told him. "You all right, Harry? You look like you had a bad day."
Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his unruly black hair.
"No, I'm fine," Harry replied. He started heading towards the stairs. "I'm going to try and force myself to open my parents journals."
"Okay. Good luck, mate," Dean called as his friend disappeared up the stairs.
Harry climbed the staircase to the boys' dorms, avoiding Colin and Dennis Creevey along the way. He flopped onto his bed, drew the curtains, and cast a Silencing Spell around his bed. He picked up the two journals and stroked the soft covers. With trembling hands, he opened his father's journal to the very first page. He read the title and dedication.
James Potter's Journal
Dedicated To: My son Harry. You were everything your mother and I ever wished and we cherished you more than anything. We loved you more than life itself. Above all, remember, no matter what, we will always be with you and we will always love you.
Harry blinked away the tears that were blurring his vision. He quickly closed the journal, said the counterspell, and walked out of the room, wiping tears from his eyes.
A/N: So...what do you guys think??? Tell me! Suggestions, opinions, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism (NOT the other crap), please! Anyway, I gotta go. Working on chapter 3, it'll hopefully (and most likely) be up later this week. Lata, y'all!!!!!!
Harry woke up the next day and heard Dean and Seamus shouting for him to come down. Harry groggily looked at the calendar and realized it was Christmas Day. Suddenly awake, he leapt out of bed, threw on his robe and flew downstairs.
"Happy Christmas, mate!" Seamus and Dean yelled together as Harry ran into the common room.
"Happy Christmas, Seamus, Dean," Harry replied, grinning, his eyes shining.
"Oy, Harry, come here. You've got a load of presents," Dean called waving him over to his seat by the Christmas tree. Harry walked over and, with Dean's help, pulled the various-sized gifts out from under the giant evergreen.
"Weh', goo on, o'en suh," Seamus mumbled through a large mouthful of Chocolate Frog. Harry and Dean winced and withdrew slightly from Seamus as he was spraying them with bits of chewed-up chocolate.
"We asked for the news, Seamus, not the weather," Dean told him matter-of- factly. Seamus stuck his tongue out before kissing his boyfriend. Dean and Seamus had been going out for about three months before letting it out into the open. That all happened nearly five months ago.
Harry rolled his eyes and picked up one of his gifts. He unwrapped it to find a sweater with a Golden Snitch on it, a box of peanut brittle, and a large plum cake from Mrs. Weasley. From Ron, he'd received the updated version of Quidditch Through the Ages. Hermione had given him a gift wand to Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop for 5 Galleons and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Hagrid sent him a wooden flute.
"Hey, Harry, you've got another present here," came Seamus's muffled voice. Harry and Dean looked over to see Seamus crouched under the tree, holding out a gift. Harry took it and looked at the wrappings. They were emerald green with silver stripes criss-crossing it. He picked up the card attached.
Dear Harry,
Happy Christmas.
Love,
A Friend
"So, who's it from?" Dean inquired.
"I...don't know," Harry replied, staring at the note. "There's no name. It just says, 'Love, A Friend'."
"Oooh, Harry's got a lady admirer," Seamus teased. "Wonder who it could be?"
"Seamus, you know perfectly well I don't like girls that," Harry admonished him. It was true. Harry was gay. He had only told Dean and Seamus because he knew they would understand. "Besides, who ever said it was a girl? Hopefully, it's a guy." Suddenly, he eyed Dean and Seamus mischievously. "It wasn't either of you, was it?" he asked teasingly.
"Nope," they replied together. Harry shook his head.
"You two have been spending way too much time with each other," Harry told them. He undid the wrappings and out of them fell a hardcover copy of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
"What is it, Harry?" Seamus asked curiously.
"It's a copy of Romeo and Juliet," Harry answered.
"Shakespeare's?" Dean asked.
"Do you know of any other Romeo and Juliet?" Harry replied sarcastically. He dodged the pillow Dean threw at him, then shrugged and set the book aside for later.
After awhile, Harry decided to go and wander around until lunch. He went outside and sat in a special garden that Professor Sprout had been keeping with the book he had received anonymously. Unnoticed, a stranger walked up on silent feet behind Harry as he opened the manuscript to the first page.
"Lonely without your little worshippers, Potter?" a cold voice drawled, making Harry almost jump out of his skin. Then he realized who the voice belonged to.
"Don't you have days to ruin, Malfoy?" Harry asked turning around to glare at the tall blonde.
"You bet. Starting with yours," Malfoy replied cheerily. His steely grey eyes fell from Harry's face to the book in his hands. "What book?" he asked, nodding to it.
"Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare," Harry told him, glancing at the book. "He's a Muggle author. You wouldn't know any of his work."
"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou wilt not be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet," Malfoy recited dramatically. He started walking away, then turned and fixed Harry with a piercing stare.
"Never judge a book by its cover, Potter. Though it might be cold and nasty, the inside may be nicer and friendlier. You never know." He turned and strolled away, leaving Harry dumbfounded and staring at the blonde's retreating back.
Could it possibly be?! Harry thought incredulously.
"Hey, Harry."
Harry looked over at Dean.
"Oh, hi, Dean. Where's Seamus?" Harry replied.
"Library. He wanted to see if they had a book that he needs for his Advanced Transfiguration class," Dean told him. "You all right, Harry? You look like you had a bad day."
Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his unruly black hair.
"No, I'm fine," Harry replied. He started heading towards the stairs. "I'm going to try and force myself to open my parents journals."
"Okay. Good luck, mate," Dean called as his friend disappeared up the stairs.
Harry climbed the staircase to the boys' dorms, avoiding Colin and Dennis Creevey along the way. He flopped onto his bed, drew the curtains, and cast a Silencing Spell around his bed. He picked up the two journals and stroked the soft covers. With trembling hands, he opened his father's journal to the very first page. He read the title and dedication.
James Potter's Journal
Dedicated To: My son Harry. You were everything your mother and I ever wished and we cherished you more than anything. We loved you more than life itself. Above all, remember, no matter what, we will always be with you and we will always love you.
Harry blinked away the tears that were blurring his vision. He quickly closed the journal, said the counterspell, and walked out of the room, wiping tears from his eyes.
A/N: So...what do you guys think??? Tell me! Suggestions, opinions, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism (NOT the other crap), please! Anyway, I gotta go. Working on chapter 3, it'll hopefully (and most likely) be up later this week. Lata, y'all!!!!!!