Harry woke up every morning after that and let Hedwig out, wishing that he could fly away as well and escape all his aches and pains. Between his scar burning and the sorrow of Sirius's death eating away at his heart, life was agony for Harry. He wished Voldemort would hurry up and finish him off already. At least then he could see Sirius again.
But Ron and Hermione had a different view on the matter, judging by the letters Harry received every lonely night.
Ron took a rather timid approach.
Dear Harry,
Are you OK? No, of course you're not, that was a silly question. Sorry.
Anyway, has your scar been burning lately? OH, well, it would, wouldn't it, considering You-Know-Who's returned... But have you been having nightmares again? Well, of course you have, about, you know... Oh you know what I mean. The kind that come true. Or are coming true. Or--
Or maybe you want to be alone. Or maybe you should just tell me what you want and make it a whole lot easier on me. OK?
I'm really sorry, you know, and--
Look, just write back soon.
Ron
P.S. Dumbledore says it's OK for us to come visit you. We're gonna have a birthday party for you, Harry!
At this Harry smiled. He had never had a birthday party before. Momentarily happy, he was glad to be distracted from Sirius. But thinking about the thing he was distracted from brought his attention back to it, and he sank into sorrow once more.
J?K?L
A few days later, Harry woke up to the usual--the screaming from him, and the yelling from the Dursleys. He had had another nightmare.
He averted his gaze to the pile of untouched letters still on his desk as Unlce Vernon wagged his large finger at him. Then he remembered about Ron coming.
"Yeah. Sorry. Whatever," Harry interrupted, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "Look, it's my birthday, and my friends are coming over." He got up and started rifling through his closet. Seeing Uncle Vernon's ruddy face turn a rather putrid shade of green was immensely satisfying, and he added, "You know, the ones who blew up the fireplace?" Harry smirked as Uncle Vernon's face abruptly changed to the color of the fire that used to crackle merrily in that fireplace.
"WHAT IN BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? THEY CAN'T COME HERE!" Uncle Vernon screamed as Harry pulled on his shirt and fumbled for the socks Dobby had knit him.
Harry calmed his racing heart and replied, "Hermione's parents are very respectable dentist, and she's sensible enough to come by car." he hoped it was a nice car, or the day would start off very poorly. (Uncle Vernon judged people by the quality of their cars.)
At that moment, Harry's ears picked up the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. He dodged Uncle Vernon and tore down the stairs as Aunt Petunia screamed.
"VERNON! IT'S THEM!"
Harry laughed to himself as Dudley grabbed his buttocks and announced that he was going to the Polkisses' for tea. As Harry watched, Dudley half ran, half waddled past the Sterling BMW parked in front of Number 4, Privet Drive. He smiled at the sight of Hermione climbing out of the car, helping her parents out as well and looking around.
"Harry! Happy birthday, Harry! It's so good to see you!" Hermione said, hugging him. "You've met my parents."
Harry smiled broadly. "I remember," he said as Mr. Granger shook his hand.
"Harry," said Mrs. Granger soothingly, and Hermione, sensing what was coming, began gesturing wildly for her to drop it. "We just want to say that we're very sorry for your loss." Hermione groaned.
Harry stared blankly at the Grangers for a moment, then regained himself and spoke. "Oh," he said, "OK." This was not the greeting he had expected, and he shook his head as though to shake off the sadness that had arisen in him once more.
Aunt Petunia, a pained expression on her face, gestured for Harry's visitors to come in. Hermione stopped.
"Wait," she said. "There are more coming."
Harry smiled widely as the car opened once more, revealing a family of red-heads dressed in Muggle attire. Harry watched as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley herded Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie out into the sunlight.
"Where's Percy?" he asked Hermione. He received a look from her that silenced him completely. He smiled anyway and waved to everyone, exchanging greetings with all 8 of the Weasleys.
Uncle Vernon made to close the door, but at that moment, a former Marauder exited the car and tipped his hat in the Dursleys'direction.
"My God," said Uncle Vernon in a hushed voice. "It's like a bloody clown car!"
Harry smiled and hugged Professor Remus Lupin, who had enough sense not to talk about Sirius's death.
Harry turned to see a beautiful woman with startlingly green eyes and red hair climbing out of the car.
"Wotcher, Harry," said the woman who looked like his mum. He smiled and gave a hug to her as Aunt Petunia swooned. Uncle Vernon stared at her in horror, and she winked at him and smiled.
"Nymphadora Tonks, at your service," she said. "But please, call me Tonks."
Harry laughed and turned to greet Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, who was wearing the usual bowler hat pulled low over his magical eye.
A muffled sound came from the car at that moment, and Mad-Eye stepped out of the way obligingly as an unkempt, tangled mass of hair led the way for Hagrid, the half-giant. Anut Petunia gasped and her hand to her chest as Harry found himself locked in a bone-crushing hug.
"Let's go in, shall we?" he said to murmurs of assent from the group. They all stepped inside, Harry beaming and leading the way.
When all 15 of his guests had squeezed into the house, Harry closed the door and said, "Anyone want something to eat?"
At this Fred and George exchanged mischievous looks and conjured up a long table, chairs, and enough food for 16 people. They then turned to the Dursleys, frowned, and conjured up a couple of TV trays and some birdfeed. Harry laughed, and Petunia gave a haughty sniff and left with Vernon. Harry could have sworn he heard a murmur of, "Good riddance," but he could have been wrong.
Harry smiled and sat down at the head of the table, and they all ate breakfast. Afterwards Harry received his gifts while wearing a party hat that kept shouting, "Everybody mumbo!" He was thoroughly enjoying himself, and he was pleased to see that everyone else seemed happy as well.
After a bit more chatting, they all mingled among themselves, telling jokes and swapping stories. Ron and Hermione, of course, stayed with Harry. They were talking heatedly about their OWL results, which had yet to come, when Tonks strolled up to them and began making small talk.
In a few minutes, Tonks looked Harry up and down, taking in Dudley's old clothes, which fit him worse than ever, hanging loosely on his bony frame, and his hair, even more untidy than ever, lying matted under his party hat.
"Harry, dear, you're looking a bit peaky, haven't you been eating?" She said, oblivious to Hermione's reproving glare. "And you hair's a mess! I should have got you a comb for your birthday!"
"Well, I just got up," he said, more than a bit embarrassed.
But Ron was now surveying him as well, frowning slightly. "Yeah, Harry, eat something, you're starting to look like Sirius did when he was living off rats," he said, then blushed furiously, his face changing to match the color of his hair as he hurriedly mumbled an apology.
Harry dropped his gaze to his feet and murmured, "Nah, I'm OK." He was lying and he knew it, but he tried not to let it show, going to the bathroom for more reasons than one.
J?K?L
When he emerged, his eyes bloodshot and red and his nose running, several people turned and stared at him concernedly. Hermione came up to him.
"Harry..." she said softly. "Are you OK, Harry?" Her face was sad and she continued, "Ron's really sorry. You know him; he forgot... Are you OK?"
Harry sniffed loudly and nodded. "Yeah, I', OK... Just wish he could have been here, is all..." he trailed off and looked up, noticing that everyone was watching him now, all with expressions of sympathy, Professor Lupin especially. His hat gave a weak cry of, "Everybody mumbo!" and died. Fred and George looked at each other worriedly and nodded.
"Hey everybody, who wants free joke stuff?" called Fred, causing a distraction, for which Harry was deeply grateful. He gave another huge sniff and started making small talk again, his mind still wandering around the Department of Mysteries and calling out to Sirius with all his heart.
But Ron and Hermione had a different view on the matter, judging by the letters Harry received every lonely night.
Ron took a rather timid approach.
Dear Harry,
Are you OK? No, of course you're not, that was a silly question. Sorry.
Anyway, has your scar been burning lately? OH, well, it would, wouldn't it, considering You-Know-Who's returned... But have you been having nightmares again? Well, of course you have, about, you know... Oh you know what I mean. The kind that come true. Or are coming true. Or--
Or maybe you want to be alone. Or maybe you should just tell me what you want and make it a whole lot easier on me. OK?
I'm really sorry, you know, and--
Look, just write back soon.
Ron
P.S. Dumbledore says it's OK for us to come visit you. We're gonna have a birthday party for you, Harry!
At this Harry smiled. He had never had a birthday party before. Momentarily happy, he was glad to be distracted from Sirius. But thinking about the thing he was distracted from brought his attention back to it, and he sank into sorrow once more.
J?K?L
A few days later, Harry woke up to the usual--the screaming from him, and the yelling from the Dursleys. He had had another nightmare.
He averted his gaze to the pile of untouched letters still on his desk as Unlce Vernon wagged his large finger at him. Then he remembered about Ron coming.
"Yeah. Sorry. Whatever," Harry interrupted, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "Look, it's my birthday, and my friends are coming over." He got up and started rifling through his closet. Seeing Uncle Vernon's ruddy face turn a rather putrid shade of green was immensely satisfying, and he added, "You know, the ones who blew up the fireplace?" Harry smirked as Uncle Vernon's face abruptly changed to the color of the fire that used to crackle merrily in that fireplace.
"WHAT IN BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? THEY CAN'T COME HERE!" Uncle Vernon screamed as Harry pulled on his shirt and fumbled for the socks Dobby had knit him.
Harry calmed his racing heart and replied, "Hermione's parents are very respectable dentist, and she's sensible enough to come by car." he hoped it was a nice car, or the day would start off very poorly. (Uncle Vernon judged people by the quality of their cars.)
At that moment, Harry's ears picked up the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. He dodged Uncle Vernon and tore down the stairs as Aunt Petunia screamed.
"VERNON! IT'S THEM!"
Harry laughed to himself as Dudley grabbed his buttocks and announced that he was going to the Polkisses' for tea. As Harry watched, Dudley half ran, half waddled past the Sterling BMW parked in front of Number 4, Privet Drive. He smiled at the sight of Hermione climbing out of the car, helping her parents out as well and looking around.
"Harry! Happy birthday, Harry! It's so good to see you!" Hermione said, hugging him. "You've met my parents."
Harry smiled broadly. "I remember," he said as Mr. Granger shook his hand.
"Harry," said Mrs. Granger soothingly, and Hermione, sensing what was coming, began gesturing wildly for her to drop it. "We just want to say that we're very sorry for your loss." Hermione groaned.
Harry stared blankly at the Grangers for a moment, then regained himself and spoke. "Oh," he said, "OK." This was not the greeting he had expected, and he shook his head as though to shake off the sadness that had arisen in him once more.
Aunt Petunia, a pained expression on her face, gestured for Harry's visitors to come in. Hermione stopped.
"Wait," she said. "There are more coming."
Harry smiled widely as the car opened once more, revealing a family of red-heads dressed in Muggle attire. Harry watched as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley herded Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Bill, and Charlie out into the sunlight.
"Where's Percy?" he asked Hermione. He received a look from her that silenced him completely. He smiled anyway and waved to everyone, exchanging greetings with all 8 of the Weasleys.
Uncle Vernon made to close the door, but at that moment, a former Marauder exited the car and tipped his hat in the Dursleys'direction.
"My God," said Uncle Vernon in a hushed voice. "It's like a bloody clown car!"
Harry smiled and hugged Professor Remus Lupin, who had enough sense not to talk about Sirius's death.
Harry turned to see a beautiful woman with startlingly green eyes and red hair climbing out of the car.
"Wotcher, Harry," said the woman who looked like his mum. He smiled and gave a hug to her as Aunt Petunia swooned. Uncle Vernon stared at her in horror, and she winked at him and smiled.
"Nymphadora Tonks, at your service," she said. "But please, call me Tonks."
Harry laughed and turned to greet Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, who was wearing the usual bowler hat pulled low over his magical eye.
A muffled sound came from the car at that moment, and Mad-Eye stepped out of the way obligingly as an unkempt, tangled mass of hair led the way for Hagrid, the half-giant. Anut Petunia gasped and her hand to her chest as Harry found himself locked in a bone-crushing hug.
"Let's go in, shall we?" he said to murmurs of assent from the group. They all stepped inside, Harry beaming and leading the way.
When all 15 of his guests had squeezed into the house, Harry closed the door and said, "Anyone want something to eat?"
At this Fred and George exchanged mischievous looks and conjured up a long table, chairs, and enough food for 16 people. They then turned to the Dursleys, frowned, and conjured up a couple of TV trays and some birdfeed. Harry laughed, and Petunia gave a haughty sniff and left with Vernon. Harry could have sworn he heard a murmur of, "Good riddance," but he could have been wrong.
Harry smiled and sat down at the head of the table, and they all ate breakfast. Afterwards Harry received his gifts while wearing a party hat that kept shouting, "Everybody mumbo!" He was thoroughly enjoying himself, and he was pleased to see that everyone else seemed happy as well.
After a bit more chatting, they all mingled among themselves, telling jokes and swapping stories. Ron and Hermione, of course, stayed with Harry. They were talking heatedly about their OWL results, which had yet to come, when Tonks strolled up to them and began making small talk.
In a few minutes, Tonks looked Harry up and down, taking in Dudley's old clothes, which fit him worse than ever, hanging loosely on his bony frame, and his hair, even more untidy than ever, lying matted under his party hat.
"Harry, dear, you're looking a bit peaky, haven't you been eating?" She said, oblivious to Hermione's reproving glare. "And you hair's a mess! I should have got you a comb for your birthday!"
"Well, I just got up," he said, more than a bit embarrassed.
But Ron was now surveying him as well, frowning slightly. "Yeah, Harry, eat something, you're starting to look like Sirius did when he was living off rats," he said, then blushed furiously, his face changing to match the color of his hair as he hurriedly mumbled an apology.
Harry dropped his gaze to his feet and murmured, "Nah, I'm OK." He was lying and he knew it, but he tried not to let it show, going to the bathroom for more reasons than one.
J?K?L
When he emerged, his eyes bloodshot and red and his nose running, several people turned and stared at him concernedly. Hermione came up to him.
"Harry..." she said softly. "Are you OK, Harry?" Her face was sad and she continued, "Ron's really sorry. You know him; he forgot... Are you OK?"
Harry sniffed loudly and nodded. "Yeah, I', OK... Just wish he could have been here, is all..." he trailed off and looked up, noticing that everyone was watching him now, all with expressions of sympathy, Professor Lupin especially. His hat gave a weak cry of, "Everybody mumbo!" and died. Fred and George looked at each other worriedly and nodded.
"Hey everybody, who wants free joke stuff?" called Fred, causing a distraction, for which Harry was deeply grateful. He gave another huge sniff and started making small talk again, his mind still wandering around the Department of Mysteries and calling out to Sirius with all his heart.