Chapter Three

Haywick Park

The following morning everyone awoke to find their breakfast in trays sitting on the chests at the end of their beds. Ron and Harry sat in bed, enjoying their waffles and eggs, and then got dressed and went downstairs.

Waiting in the living room were Percy, Fred and George. Percy was reading one of the Whitby's books and the twins were playing with wizard crackers. They all looked up and wished Harry a happy birthday, then went back to what they were doing.

On one of the panels on the wall that wasn't covered by bookcases was a picture of a girl Harry had not noticed the night before. The wind was whipping her very dark hair in front of her fair face and she laughed merrily as she tried to pull it away.

"Ron, who's the girl in that picture?"

Ron squinted at girl's face. "I don't know, let's ask Percy. Oi, Percy!"

Percy looked up from his book, and Harry noted that he looked rather greyish and sickly.

"What?" he asked groggily.

"Who's that girl in the picture?" Ron pointed to the girl, who was now looking up at the cloudy sky in the picture.

"That's Madeline Whitby, Beverly's older sister," he answered matter-of-factly.

"Beverly has a sister?" Ron asked, somewhat offended that no one ever told him.

"She died shortly before you were born. She used to watch me, Bill, and Charlie when Mum and Dad were away. Very nice, from what I remember." He smiled sadly and returned to his book.

Harry looked at Ron, who looked more perplexed than usual. "How come no one ever told me about this?"

"No one likes to talk about it." Percy replied, looked somewhat annoyed that he was being disturbed but quite anxious to be the giver of information. "She was fifteen when she died, probably the youngest that they killed. It was front page in the Daily Prophet and everything."

"The youngest that who killed?" Harry asked, feeling as equally perplexed as Ron.

"The Death Eaters. That's why Mr. Whitby became an Auror."

Harry looked up at the picture. Beverly's sister was killed by Death Eaters?

"Why did they kill her?" He asked with his eyes still on her portrait.

"No one ever told me."

Percy looked behind them as Ginny, Beverly, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley entered the room.

"Has everyone eaten?" Mrs. Weasley asked, holding several small emerald green bags.

When everyone nodded she passed out the bags, telling them to put anything they win inside. Fred and George chuckled, casting frighteningly mischievous glances at Ron.

"Fred, George," Mrs. Weasley called sternly. "If you put your brother in a bag I swear you'll never hear the end of it!"

"Oh, don't worry Mum," Fred grinned.

"We were just thinking of the good old days," George added not-so-reassuringly.

Ron shuddered, glaring at his brothers. Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"All right then, let's head out!" Mr. Weasley announced, motioning everyone out the door.

"Just a little longer," Mr. Weasley said for the fiftieth time once they'd reached the harbour. Harry could hear Fred and George panting behind him, and Ron was holding a stitch in his side. The hot sun had been bearing down on them the whole journey, and even Mr. Weasley seemed worn out by the walk.

"There, over to that little shack everyone!" He motioned to what looked like a fisherman's shack built into a pier on the beach. Once they reached it, Mr. Weasley knocked on a door, and two eyes greeted them from behind a peeping box.

"Ticket please," came a raspy voice from behind the door.

Mr. Weasley slid their ticket through the slot and the man opened the door. They walked through the shack to the end where there was another door, which was opened to reveal a magnificent park that looked as though it was far from the beach.

Haywick Park looked like a large medieval village, with a large stone tower in the centre. There were four paths on all sides leading to the tower, each lined with shops, booths, tents and restaurants. Harry could see a body of water in the distance, which Mr. Weasley said was the Kelpie ride. To their right was a large carousel with live unicorns, and what looked like a large Billywig spinning into the air.

"Alright gang, let's meet at Haywick Tower at seven." Mr. Weasley announced as the group dispersed.

As the boys stood in wonder at what was before them, they heard a familiar voice calling from one of the shops. Hermione Granger came bounding towards them, bushy hair flying, with what appeared to be a book in her hands.

"Hey Harry, Hey Ron," she smiled, revealing her even teeth.

"How did you manage to bring a book to Haywick Park?" Ron asked teasingly.

"I didn't, I just bought it from one of the shops. It's about the Park and its history."

Harry shook his head and smiled, "So, what should we do first?"

Hermione handed them a folded map that had come with her book. "You two take a look, but I personally think the Underwater Voyage or the Giant Billywig would be fun."

The boys took the map and looked it over. There was a Ferris wheel, a Kelpie ride, and they also saw the Monstrous Maze and the Haunted House that Fred and George told them about. They decided to go on the Giant Billywig first.

As they approached the ride they could hear Hermione going on about it.

"It's not really a giant Billywig, it was Transfigured into one from a large tree that was cut down."

"Aren't Billywigs those bugs from Australia that make you giddy and float when they sting you?" Harry asked, thinking he must've read it somewhere in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

"Yes, they're also believed to be the key ingredient in Fizzing Whizzbees."

"See if I ever eat those again," Ron muttered, looking at the giant blue insect as they stood in line.

The Giant Billywig would twirl very fast and high in the air and then come back down again. Harry observed that when everyone got off they would giggle giddily and hover in the air.

"They charmed the ride to leave that side affect. It only lasts for about five minutes," Hermione informed. It reminded Harry of Cheering Charms.

When it came time for them to ride they had to turn over their bags and sit on the outer edge of the Billywig. Instead of being strapped in like at Muggle amusement parks they were magically bound to the Billywig so that they would be flung off. After the seats were filled they started spinning, and if there wasn't a giddy carefree feeling overwhelming him, Harry might've been frightened. They were at least two hundred feet in the air and were spinning so fast that if they tried to speak to their neighbour someone ten seats down would hear it. Soon the spinning slowed and the Billywig lowered, and everyone hovered off giggling endlessly.

"So, what do you want to do next?" Ron asked, still giggling.

"Well, I wanted to..." Hermione trailed off and looked in the distance at a girl who was running towards them. "Who's that?"

The boys both turned and saw Beverly as she approached them.

"Ron! Harry! Where'd you run off to?" Beverly was panting, then she turned to Hermione. "Oh, you must be Hermione Granger. I'm Beverly Whitby, a friend of Ron's family," she stuck out her hand, which Hermione shook politely. Harry noted a tad of frigidity in the exchange.

"So, where are you all planning to go next?" Beverly asked.

Hermione blushed a little. "Well, I thought that we might play Quidditch."

"You want to play Quidditch?" Ron said incredulously.

She frowned in response. "It looks like fun! Why shouldn't I play?"

"No reason," Harry replied, eager to play himself, "We need to gather everyone up, anyway."

After fetching Ginny and the twins they headed to the back of the park where the Quidditch pitches were located. Pitch three was free, so everyone rented playing robes and the girls rented broomsticks then set off to play.

Harry took his usual role as Seeker and Fred and George took theirs as Beaters, while Hermione, Beverly, and Ginny played as Chasers and Ron took the Keeper position.

The girls didn't score many points, but that wasn't due to their lack of skill. Ron was an excellent Keeper and all of the girls where exceptionally good at flying. And aside from when George 'jokingly' sent a bludger their way and the girls swivelled on their brooms so not to fall off, the game went fairly decently.

After the game Fred and George complimented the girls on their flying, which made Hermione blush. Though Hermione was at the top of their class at Hogwarts, she herself had to admit that it was mostly cleverness. But no amount of reading could aid in flying, which is mostly why she was never to keen on it. However, Quidditch seemed to have grown on her during the summer holiday.

Fred and George were beckoning them all to follow and soon they found themselves standing in front of the Monstrous Maze.

"Hermione," Harry asked. "What is the Monstrous Maze?"

"It's a maze you have to complete, but some of the passages are blocked by monsters and such. But these have all been trained to take the Stunning Spell and not to attack."

Harry didn't listen to the last few words. The last task at the Triwizard Tournament had been exactly like this. He could close his eyes at night and still see Cedric falling to the ground dead.

"No thanks," Harry said suddenly.

"Sorry?" Fred seemed surprised, "This is supposed to be the best of them all!"

"I'll just sit it out, thank you."

He looked to Ron and Hermione, who understood why he didn't want to go and sat out with him.

"You know, Harry," Ron started once they had seated themselves on a bench. "You really shouldn't blame yourself for what happened."

"I can't help it. I pushed Cedric into taking the cup when we got there, but then he said that we both should take it."

"But Harry, you weren't the one holding the wand when Cedric was murdered, were you?" Hermione added.

He couldn't respond because a young girl with long brown hair had tapped him on the knee.

"Are you Harry Potter?" she asked, hiding something behind her back.

"Yeah," he answered with a tone making it sound like a question.

"I know you probably get this all the time, but can I have your signature?" she asked, handing him the quill and parchment she had been hiding behind her back.

He smiled awkwardly and signed it for her. She thanked him and then went off giggling with a bunch of her friends, who were all staring at him. She wasn't the only one, for Ron and Hermione were both sniggering beside him.

"That's really embarrassing," he admitted after the girl had gone.

"She looks like she'll be starting Hogwarts this year," Hermione noticed.

"Great, more of them," Harry moaned.

"Well, Mr. Potter, are you up to a bite to eat?" Ron asked jokingly.

"Sounds good," he said with a grin, rising.

The three of them headed to the Red Lion, one of the restaurants.

"You know, Hermione," Harry said after drinking his Butterbeer, "We're going to be down three Chasers and two Beaters next year. Have you ever thought about going for the team?"

Hermione laughed, "Harry, there are those who study and those who play sports. I am one of those who study."

"We know that," Ron added jokingly, nudging her elbow.

"Seriously, Hermione—Katie Bell is one of the best Chasers at Hogwarts and she's at the top of her class."

"Really?" she asked in a somewhat hopeful tone.

"Yeah, and Ron's going for the team this year, aren't you Ron?"

"I am?" he asked, Butterbeer dripping on his jumper.

"You said whenever a position was open that you'd try out," Harry reminded him.

"Oh yeah, it's this year, isn't it?" said Ron, obviously nervous.

"Who will he have to trial for?" Hermione asked as the bartender refilled her Butterbeer.

"I don't know. I never had to try out, remember? Professor McGonagall just assigned me. It'll probably be either her or Madam Hooch."

"Oh, didn't you hear? Madam Hooch is retiring this year after Christmas," Hermione told them sadly.

"You're joking," said Ron, "I always liked Madam Hooch," he added, sipping his Butterbeer sorrowfully.

"Who's going to be the Flying teacher or Quidditch referee, then?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said, "but I think Oliver Wood's interested."

Harry grinned. Oliver Wood is the former Gryffindor Quidditch Captain and is rather zealous and fanatical about the game.

"Have you heard about the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I asked Hagrid in an owl last week, but I can't remember her name..."

"Her? You mean we're having a witch this year?" Ron said dubiously.

"Yes, if only I could remember her name!"

She looked as though she could kick herself for not knowing the name of a teacher she's never met.

"What does it start with?" Harry asked.

"I don't know... Ficus, Finn, Figg..."

"Figg? As in, Mrs. Figg?" Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Please tell me 'Mrs.' isn't her first name!" Ron said.

"No, I think it's Arabella, it was on the cover of her cat books," Harry said.

"Cat books?" Ron asked, but before Harry could answer Hermione gave a yelp.

"Arabella Figg! That's it! How did you know?"

"She used to live down the street from the Dursleys. She'd watch me when they went out and she always made me look at pictures of her cats."

"She's not a Muggle?" asked Ron doubtfully.

"No, I guess she must be a witch. I never knew."

"Well it's a regular epidemic: first your aunt, now this Figg character. You better watch out, or Dudley might get a late letter to Hogwarts," Ron joked.

"Don't even say that!" Harry begged, knocking on the wooden countertop.

"Your Aunt is a witch?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"I'll tell you all about it when we get back," Harry promised.

The doors opened to the restaurant and Fred, George, Ginny and Beverly entered.

"Mum and Dad are saying we only have an hour and a half left," Fred told Ron.

"You guys better get to it, I believe you've only ridden the Giant Billywig. There's much more out there!" George added, a far-off look in his eyes.

They finished their drinks and followed the group out. Harry rode the Kelpie ride, which you had to eat Gillyweed to go on, as well as the Underwater Voyage, which had you swimming through a warm lake filled with tropical Merpeople—who were much more attractive than those of Hogwarts' lake—and various tame water creatures. The only downturn of the evening was when Percy got sick on the Ferris Wheel ride. Ginny and Beverly offered to take him to the Hospital tents.

They arrived at the tower at seven, still waiting for Fred and George to come out of Jerome's Joke Shop.

Beverly walked up to Harry, handed him a wrapped package and said "Happy Birthday, Harry!"

She smiled. "Go on, open it."

Harry was so shocked that she actually got him something that it took him a while to start opening the package. Stripping the paper away, he saw... a book. He looked up at her to make sure it wasn't Hermione who was handing him the gift.

"Magical Phenomena by Marie Sinistrée," he read the title aloud. "Thanks, Beverly," he replied with a polite smile.

She smiled brightly. "My pleasure."

Hermione gave Beverly a sideways glance and then walked up to Harry, handing him a gift of her own, which felt like another book.

"Hope you like it," she smiled, giving Beverly another sideways glance.

Harry pulled the paper away to reveal a hand crafted book that read My Family Tree. He looked up at Hermione in astonished excitement.

"Hermione," he started, leafing through the pages filled with names, history, and pictures. "This is wonderful! Where did you get all this?"

"I found most of your mother's family using Muggle resources, but for your father's family I had to get help."

"Who'd you ask?"

"I sent an owl to Dumbledore and..." she paused, trying to remember something, then went on, "Snuffles."

Harry smiled. Snuffles was their codename for Sirius Black, who was Harry's godfather. Sirius had to go in hiding because he escaped from Azkaban, a wizarding prison, where he was sentenced for the death of Peter Pettigrew, who was still alive and had framed him for his alleged murder.

He thanked Hermione, who gave him a friendly hug, and then the twins came bounding forward, a bag full of goodies in their arms.

"Got you a present, Harry," Fred announced proudly.

"But we'd better wait until we get back, don't want any questions asked," George raised an eyebrow in the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who were approaching from one of the restaurants.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Mr. Weasley asked.

Harry nodded with the group and smiled to himself. This was the best birthday he'd ever had.