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The days before Harry's birthday passed in a blur, since he was so weak and sore from not being able to eat and the beating by his Uncle didn't help with anything. He was dimly aware that at midnight tonight he was going to be his fifteenth birthday. Later the night Harry struggled to sit up from his bed still a very sore from the beating he received from his uncle; he glanced at the clock it read, 11:55 pm. Harry set aside his 4th year Transfiguration book, since he was trying to study all day so he could get his mind off the pain. Just then six owls came flying in through the open window, and were landing on the floor except one that was flying around the room about the size of a tennis ball. Which Harry knew instantly was Ron's hyperactive owl, Pig.
As Harry was struggling to stand to try and catch Pig, when a sudden and immense pain ripped through his body. Harry collapsed to the floor falling to his knees on the floor. The pain was so immense as it coursed through his body, through is tightly shuteyes Harry could see a light starting to come from somewhere. Harry cracked open his eyes through the pain, and his eyes nearly shot open upon seeing the white glow that was growing, was actually coming from him. As the white glow engulfed his body the pain that was going through his body a moment ago was gone. By now the white glow was completely covering his entire body and he was now floating a few inches above the floor. Suddenly Harry felt the strangest tingling sensation running through his body, giving him goose bumps. While Harry was in the glowing white ball of light, he could hear sounds of a song that he heard only a few times in his life. It was the phoenix song, but this one was different somehow but he was certain it was the song. After about five minutes Harry was lowered back down to the floor and the glowing stopped. Harry was standing in the center of his room, looking around his room wondering exactly what just happened. Suddenly Harry noticed that he wasn't sore anymore, he quickly looked at his arms to see not a single bruise on them. Harry also suspected that his body probably didn't have any bruises anymore either, but it was too dark to tell. Also Harry felt unusually energized, he had never felt so much energy running through him. But he ignored it, thinking that it had something to do with whatever just happened. As Harry was turning his head around to look around his room, he felt his hair moving about behind his neck just reaching his shoulders. He wondered why his hair was so long all of a sudden, and the way it hung there it felt different. Harry was brought out of his daze by the sound of a hoot he looked at the owls that have gathered in his room to deliver his presents, but the look he was expecting from the owls was not what he was getting. All the owls, except for Hedwig and Pig were giving him the strangest look, like they were wondering who this person was standing in front of them. But Harry ignored the looks and gathered his presents. Harry had received six letters and four of them with parcels. Harry decided to open the one from Dumbledore first:
Harry,
I hope you are doing well. No, nightmares I hope? I would like to first congratulate you on becoming a prefect first of all. /What!? I'm a prefect?/ It is a great honor being given this title, and seeing, as you'll find out anyway. Ms. Hermione Granger and Mr. Ronald Weasley have also been made prefects as well. The reason for three prefects is because with the return of Voldemort, I believed that the students should be able to work together as a collective and no shoulder everyone's burden on a single person. Good luck.
Now in the parcel that I have sent with this letter is a gift, actually it's one of many of your family's heirlooms. But this one is very unique. Your mother herself only wore it once, I believe. She asked for me to give it to you on your 15th birthday. Why? I didn't ask I only followed her request. Apparently this heirloom has been in your family for generations, and nobody knows exactly who got it. But through some very unique magical age testing, my research says it older then the founding of Hogwarts. So it is quite old, wear it and protect it.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Harry could only stare at the parcel that came with the letter. Slowly he reached for it and removed the wrapping. To find a small wooden case, he slowly lifted the cover to see what was inside since the letter didn't say. After the cover was out of the way, Harry could only stare in awe at the beautiful glittering gold and silver chain necklace in it. After about a minute of staring Harry reached for it and slowly pulled out the chain, to discover once it was clear of the case, there was a more beautiful pendant of a gold and silver phoenix hanging at the bottom of the chain. Most of the body of the phoenix was silver with its wings spread open like it's ready to take flight, with the tips of the wings, gold and parts of the head too. (A/N: You remember this don't you? From my earlier chapter.) In the partial moonlight hitting the necklace, the phoenix seemed to almost come alive if it could and sparkle. Harry then placed it around his neck, and as it rested against his chest it felt like it always was there and it belonged there. As it rested there, the phoenix glittered even more, and then the strangest thing happened. Harry could hear a slowly melody of notes being song by a bird, which he recognized immediately as the phoenix song, the same one he heard while floating in that ball of light not too long ago. As the song continued Harry relaxed and the excess amount of energy he felt earlier was leaving him, almost like it was being contained with more control. Harry could only smile at the wonderful gift he had received. The next one Harry opened was from Ron:
Hey mate.
Hope you're having a good summer? Don't let those muggles get you down. Can you believe some fool has gone, and given Fred and George 1,000 galleons. Whoever it was must have been mad. Dumbledore said that you could come over and stay at our house only on the last week before the term starts. I don't know why, but he said it was for your own protection. Anyway hope you like the present.
-Ron
Harry giggled, because he was the 'mad' one that Ron so put it, who gave the money to the twins so they can a joke shop. Since he didn't want the prize money from the Tournament. Harry ripped off the wrapping to find a book titled, Quidditch: Tips for Seekers. Harry put the book down and went to Hermione's. He wasn't really surprised from the looks of the parcel that it was a book.
Dear Harry,
I hope this letter finds you well. Right now I am in France, studying some of their history. /Harry rolled his eyes. She's still studying new things even out of school./ And before you think anything you should consider doing a little studying yourself including Ron. I decided not to go to Bulgaria with Viktor Krum, for personal reasons. But I am still enjoying my summer. Be sure to study for you O.W.L.s, we have them this year. Enjoy the gift.
With Love from,
Hermione
Harry took off the wrapping to see as what he suspected a book. Which was one on dueling covering just about everything there is needed to know about dueling, called: Dueling: Offenses & Defenses. The next one Harry went to the letter from the Weasley Twins giving him a joint partnership in their business as co-president. Harry was in completely shock, ordinarily he would refuse because it was theirs, but they already went ahead and made the official documents, and all he had to do was sign he dotted line. Once they graduated the papers would become official, so Harry decided to just accept and signed. He then went to the package that was by Sirius, his godfather that read:
Dear Harry,
Before you say anything. I am perfectly fine and safe, I'm sorry that I can't tell you where I am for safety reasons. Just trust me, okay? I hope those muggle relatives of yours are treating all right. If they're not just tell me and I'll write them a threatening letter. Just to scare them of course. /Yeah right! I can see that evil grin of yours, Padfoot. You'd send the letter with a couple of hexes on it probably./ I hope the gift I got you will help. Remember if you have any strange dreams about Voldemort, you write to Dumbledore right away. Understood! Well, I best be off. I working for Dumbledore now, so don't worry I will be careful. Take care.
Snuffles
Harry opened the package to find a book on animagi. As Harry looked at the book, he could feel a very wide grin appearing on his face. I am definitely going to read this. Harry set the book down and the next letter he grabbed was from the school:
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to be one of the Gryffindor Prefects. It is a great honor to have this title, as I am sure you are aware of the responsibilities of being a prefect. I hope to prove to be an example student by being prefect.
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Wow, I guess I am a prefect. Wait a minute, what is going on here? How could I have been made a prefect, with all the rules I have broken over the years? As Harry read the rest of the list at the bottom as a silver badge with the letter P on it fell out of nowhere and into Harry's lap. The rest of the letter had the list of this year's school supplies. Harry grabbed the badge and placed it on the nightstand and put everything else under the loose floor panel. Harry felt suddenly very tired, he decided to write his response letters tomorrow and send them with Hedwig. Of course, he wondered whether or not he should to tell Professor Dumbledore about floating in a ball of white light and miraculously healing himself of the bruises he received from his uncle. I'll think about it in the morning. Harry thought lazily to himself. As Harry relaxed in bed preparing to go to sleep, he reached for the phoenix necklace still around his neck and placed his hand over it. Still hearing the phoenix song in his head, Harry slowly drifted off to sleep for the night.
Harry's dreams of that night were confusing yet at the same time, he knew nothing was wrong. He dreamt that he was in a black void, when there was a faint light that appeared in front of him and was growing in intensity. Once the light was about the size of a person a flying creature appeared inside the light. It's brilliant light was almost blinding as Harry's had to partially cover his eyes to see it. After his eyes adjusted the light, Harry was able to identify what the flying creature was. His eyes nearly doubled in size when he saw it. The creature was the most beautiful phoenix that he was ever seen, since it didn't have the ordinary red and gold colors, and it was slightly larger then any phoenix he was ever seen but not by much. Instead this phoenix's colors were silver and gold, much like the phoenix necklace he received. But the silver, appeared to be more like the brightest color of white there was possible with the light shining on it. The combined colors of silver and gold magnified the phoenix's beauty ten fold. Hello, there. Harry thought to himself. What surprised Harry was that the phoenix floating there in the air bowed its head, at him like she was responding to Harry's unspoken greeting. Harry could only stare at the phoenix's response, as the magical creature slowly disappeared into the void, leaving Harry in a dreamless sleep.
The next morning Harry woke up feeling better than he ever did in a long time. Harry set on the edge of his bed searching for his glasses on the nightstand next to his bed. After finding them he put it on, but was stopped from getting out of bed because his vision was fuzzy. Harry blinked a few times hoping he's eyes will adjust, but his blurry vision wasn't changing. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Maybe I'm still waking up and my eyes haven't adjusted yet. He thought, while still sitting on the bed. As Harry opened his eyes expecting to see his vision blurry since his glasses were still in his hand, was shocked to see that his vision was clearing and becoming sharp. What's happening? wondered Harry, as he looked around his room for the first time without his glasses in awe. Even though he was seen it dozens of times, this was the first time ever he was seeing it through his eyes without the glasses. Right now was one of the happiest moments Harry was having, he couldn't wait to see his friends' reactions when they see him. Harry stood up from the bed and laid his glasses on the nightstand, staring at them thinking that he will never have to wear them again. Harry smiles, and turns for the door to go to the bathroom to clean up. As he heads for the door, Harry glances at the small mirror hanging on the wall and nearly screams from seeing his reflection. But Harry recovered in time by clamping his hand over his mouth before his voice came out. His eyes were staring at a person's reflection that was his, but was not his at the same time. Harry stared at his reflection; at least what he thought was his reflection. Harry's face was still the same but now had a more defined look to it, most of the baby fat that was in his face was gone now leaving a much more handsome face. But what really caught his attention and nearly made him scream was his hair. Instead of his messy black hair that he had for his entire life, there was shoulder length hair that was tied back into a ponytail and some bangs hanging off to the both sides of his head. But what was hard to explain and accept was the color and look of his hair; it was the shiniest and glitteriest color of silver that he ever saw. Also the color and shape of the bangs were shocking as well, they were gold in color and the five bangs were also shaped like lightning bolts. Two lighting bolt bangs hung on each side of his face. While the middle one hung straight down the middle of his forehead, almost completely covering his scar replacing it with the gold lightning bolt bang. As the sun was shining through the window and hitting his hair it glittered beautifully. But the way his hair looked and moved, it reminded him of a unicorn's mane: the way it's mane moved about and flowed as a gentle breeze blow by, almost liquid like. Well? That explains why last night my hair felt longer than usually. Even though I haven't had a haircut in the longest time. But this is ridiculous. Thought Harry to himself, while examining his 'new' hair, by holding the ponytail in his hand and fiddling with it. Harry also noticed, as he was looking at his hair was that the slack that was usually at the bottom of his hand-me-down pants was no longer there, but that the hem was higher than normal. He guessed that he grew a few inches last night; he also guessed that his height now was about 5'9'' or 5'10''. His body also changed a little, it was now proportional with his new height, but he was still really skinny for someone like him. Fortunately he did have some muscle mass thanks to his years of playing Quidditch at Hogwarts, but it didn't help much with his weight seeing that he was only about 110lb, which is what he guessed as he stared at his body. "How am I going to explain this… this change?" Harry said just above a whisper to himself. "Just relax. All you have to do is just relax and picture what you looked like before your transformation." said a strange old voice with wisdom in it, that entered his head. Harry looked around his room wondering who said it, but found nobody in the room. So Harry shrugged his shoulders and decided to follow what the voice said. What do I have to lose? thought Harry, closing his eyes and relaxing once he was relaxed a bit, he pictured his former self with messy black hair that reached about midway down his neck. After a few seconds Harry felt a tingling in his hair, after it stopped he opened his eyes to see his original hair back. After breathing a sign of relief because he wasn't in the mood to explain how he got it. Deciding that he could keep the rest of the changes since they really didn't stick out that much, unlike his gold and silver hair. After taking one last look at the mirror, satisfied with his appearance he went downstairs to breakfast wondering what this new day will hold for him.
A/N: All right I know that some of you are probably thinking the change in hair is going to bit overbroad, but I wanted him to be different for a reason that you'll see later in the story. Now I am aware that the gold lightning bold shape hair bangs sounds like those of Yi-Gi-Oh. But I tried to come up with something different for a while but I just couldn't think of anything. So I am using the gold lightning bolt, it would probably work better for Harry anyway, seeing as he has a lightning bold scar. So I am just telling you that I am well aware of this, so don't go biting off my head that I stole the hair design idea. Okay.
A/N: Continue to R&R