Chapter Three

Master of the House

Harry and Lupin entered the dimly lit house and took off their cloaks. Lupin turned to Harry.

"Harry, take your trunk out of your pocket so I can resotre it. Then I would like you to take it upstairs to your old room and wait for me. There is a meeting of the Order going on downstairs and I'm expected to give my report of tonight. I'll call you presently for dinner. I have many things to talk about with you."

Harry nodded as Lupin disappeared through the door leading to the kitchen. Harry started dragging his trunk upstairs. As he reached the room he shared with Ron last summer, he paused and frowned. Surely by now he would have heard or seen Ron and Hermione? In fact, the house seemed deserted except for him and Lupin. Was he to live here for the rest of the summer with only Lupin for company? At least he would be able to get some basic information on the Order's doings as members were always dropping in to leave reports. As Harry entered his room, he noticed the empty portrait frame hanging on one wall. Phineas Nigellus, a former Hogwarts Headmaster, and Sirius' great-great-great grandfather, usually inhabited the frame, but Harry hadn't seen him since the night he found out Sirius had died. It looked like the beginnings of another lonely summer. With a sigh, Harry flopped down on the bed. Presently, Harry heard footsteps in the hall below. Evidently, the meeting of the Order had come to an end. Harry sighed more heavily. Several of the Weasleys were in the Order and it seemed they were not even going to stop and say hello to him. He heard Lupin calling him down for dinner. As Harry sloped down the stairs, he sniffed the air. For a lonely old bachelor, it seemed Lupin was not a bad cook, judging by the smell of the food. Harry reached the door to the kitchen and opened it.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARRY!"

Harry stood in the doorway stunned. There, around the table, were all his friends. A large banner hung from the celing which said "Happy Birthday, Harry". The table was piled high with heaps of food, butterbeer, and presents. He hadn't had a birthday party before, and was in total shock. With a silly grin, he started forward and was immediately surrounded by red hair. Eight Weasleys had mobbed him and were all hugging him, wishing him happy birthday, and pounding him on the back at the same time. Breaking away, Harry no sooner started making his way to the table when Hermione flung herself on him, hugged him hard, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Blushing fiercely, he was immediately set upon by Nymphadora Tonks, who preferred to be called just Tonks, an auror and a member of the Order, who gave him a hug and a kiss as well. His face glowing like Weasley hair, he broke away from Tonks only to be enveloped in a smothering bone crushing hug.

"Happy birthday, Harry. Be'er than the first 'un, eh?" Rubeus Hagrid, professor of Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts had harry in a hug so tight harry was having trouble breathing. "Listen, I hope yeh're doin' all righ' and feelin' be'er"

"I'll be fine once I can start breathing again, Hagrid" Harry replied. Grinning, Harry finally made his way to the table, where lupin and Mad-Eye Moody gave him a more subdued greeting, shaking his hand and wishing him well.

Everyone made their way to the table and for a while no one spoke as they paid attention to Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking. When the table was beginning to look rather empty, Lupin spoke.

"Well, Harry, Professor Dumbledore sends his regards and regrets he was not able to stay, but I believe he left something for you". He pointed to the large pile of presents at the other end of the table. "Also, he gave me these"-he pulled out three letters from his robes--"for the three of you" He looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "So--what will it be first, then? presents or O.W.L. results?"

Hermione's shout of "O.W.L. results!" was drowned out by six Weasleys and Harry shouting "Presents!"

Harry never had a birthday like this one. Ron had given him a large box of chocolate frogs and a book about the greatest Quidditch matches of all time, complete with a breakdown of the strategies and tactics used. Hermione gave him a box of Inks For All Occasions--multi colored and some with special properties such as for writing notes so only one person could read them. Ginny's present was a new cage for Hedwig. Fred and George gave him a large crate of merchandise from their joke shop, including a selection of their best fireworks. From Charlie he received a dragon hide jacket. Bill gave him a book about ancient Egyptian wizards. As Harry started to open Hagrid's gift, it gave a lurch. Harry backed away quickly, knowing Hagrid liked to give gifts that had a tendency to attack their recipients. When it did not move again, he finished unwrapping. It was a rather furry looking book bag, which purred as Harry held it and gave it's fur a stroke. When the others approached for a better look, however, it started growling at them. Harry put it away to the side. Tonks' present was far better, however. She gave Harry a broomstand for storing his Firebolt, with enough room to also store his Broomstick Servicing Kit. Mrs. Weasley gave Harry the usual enormous box of her excellent homemade fudge. Moody presented Harry with a new, state of the art sneakoskope. Lupin gave Harry a couple of interesting looking books on Dark Wizards and wizarding combat, and also had managed to repair the knife Sirius gave him which melted at the Ministry and must have gotten lost during the battle with the Death Eaters.

Finally there were only two small packages left unwrapped. The first one Harry opened was from Dumbledore. It contained a card, a sealed letter, and a handsome quill made from what looked like a phoenix feather. The letter was addressed to harry and bore the note "Do not open in front of others--for your eyes only". He pocketed this and read the card.

Happy Birthday, Harry

This quill is from Fawkes.

It may come in handy for more than just writing.

Keep it safe.

The last present was a small book about the history of the Ministry of Magic from--Percy Weasley. Harry looked up.

"What happened with Percy after Fudge admitted Voldemort was back?"

A few of the people at the table shuddered, but Ron spoke up.

"Well, he's back on speaking terms with the family. he apologized to mum and Dad and comes round once a week for dinner. However, you know him. He thinks we're still risking our lives by working with the Order and that if anyone's going to take care of V-Vo-Volde-him it will be the proper authorities of the MInistry. Stuck up prat."

Several of the Weasleys looked down and suppressed giggles as Mrs. Weasley said 'Now Ron, that's not the way to talk about your older brother. He feels he can best help in the fight against You-Know-Who by working with the Ministry, and it's not our place to force him otherwise."

Harry nodded and looked at all the presents and his friends again. This outporing of affection for him filled him with a warm feeling he rarely had. Lupin caught his look and smiled.

"You see, Harry, family is more than just blood relation."

With that, the party started to break up. Bill mentioned having to help Fleur with some paperwork she had (Harry glanced at Ron and they almost broke up with laughter), while Charlie, Tonks, Fred, George, and Moody had to go to work the next day. Hagrid got up and clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"I'll be seein' you lot at Hogwarts. Don't get into any trouble."

After they left, Lupin spoke up again.

"Molly, Arthur, and Harry, I need to speak to you for a moment. You three can stay as well" he said, looking at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "First of all, thank you for staying here this summer as well. It's been rather lonely since Sirius has been gone. Now, after he returned here lsst summer, Sirius wrote out a will. It's been all legalized and witnessed, so there is no challenge. As the last Black, he had control of the family assets. So, according to the terms of the will, he named me executor, and as executor, it's my duty to tell you, Molly, that he left half the Black family fortune to you and Arthur.

"What?" Mrs. Wealsy's face was a study in shock. But-but-we can't accept this..

"Sirius, in his will, left a message for you, Molly. He said, 'Thank you for believing me'" Lupin said softly. Mrs. Weasley gave a quiet sob and dabbed her eyes with her hadkerchief.

"The rest of his money, he split three ways between Tonks, myself, and you, Harry. The vault transfer was made today. He also left you this, when you come of age and are out of school." Lupin held out his hand. In it, was an elaborately carved key bearing the crest of Black. "This house is now yours, Harry"