Eh voila, chapter 2
Harry smiled to himself as he counted down the seconds on his watch until he would be officially sixteen. The second hand hit twelve and Harry gave a silent cheer, he thought about what he may be receiving for his birthday from Ron, Hermione, Remus, Dumbledore maybe but no Sirius. He wouldn't receive a present from Sirius anytime soon.
Harry's grin faded as his mind began to once more glide over the events of his Godfather's life. Snape's memory, their first meeting, his accusations, his anger and then how much he'd looked forward to finally moving in with his Godfather. He looked down at his empty hands and sighed dejectedly, his high spirits suddenly dissipating from his body into the surrounding air.
He nestled back down into the pillows of his bed and closed his eyes, slowly drifting to sleep.
"Let go of me, I have to go after him!" a voice called out and he looked to see the girl form before being restrained, restrained by a tall, hallowed looking women with greying blonde hair and glowing gold eyes.
"No, she's dead, we can't afford for you to go too," she insisted at the struggling teen in her arms.
"Let go now Lupin!" the girl yelled a flash of green light and then there was laughing.
"Move," a cold voice hissed.
"No, please, spare Harry, killed me instead, please, not Harry!" it was Lily, his mother; he hadn't had this dream in a long time.
"As you wish, foolish girl," Voldemort murmured, "Avada Kedavra!" and Harry was once again blinded by the acid green light he knew too well.
Harry sat up sharply and put a hand to his chest as he heaved; gasping for breath as sweat poured from his pores and dripped onto the drenched sheets. He knew the second part of his dream, that had been the night his parents died, but the first bit. The events had been remarkably similar to when Sirius had gone through the Veil; the last time he had seen his Godfather; grinning, and taunting Bellatrix at her attempts to put a stop to his unbeatable Godfather.
There was a tap and Harry looked up, it was Hedwig, he threw open the window and his snowy white owl flew in and took up settlement at the perch he'd bought for her that now rest by his bed. She was carrying two parcels strapped to either leg, he was untying the first one when they was a familiar whizzing sound and then the non-stop excitable twittering from Pegwidgeon.
Harry shook his head at the disdainful looks Hedwig was given the fluffy little owl as Harry moved over to it and took its letters, sending it on its way before Hedwig reacted. He dumped the letters on his cover-strewn bed and quickly untied the two parcels on Hedwig's legs. She ruffled her feathers, hooted happily and nuzzled his cheek affectionately.
"Hey girl," he said to her and she hooted again in response.
He sat on his bed, still in an old pair of blue and white striped shirts and a greasy flannel nightshirt. He wrapped the covers around him and pulled the parcels and letters to him when several more owls flew in. A black one with glowing red eyes that dropped a parcel and card and left, a great tawny thing and a girl by the looks of things, she left something for him, an owl he recognised as one of Hogwarts also with a package and another one, even more official looking.
He looked around him, five presents, five cards, Hogwarts list and another letter, he looked at it, all that was on the envelope was 'Mr Harry J. Potter'.
He pulled a present that was wrapped in red and gold with its matching card to him; he opened the envelope and read the letter.
'Dear Harry,
How are you friend? I hope you're because I'm great, you'll never guess what's been happening…'
'Too right I won't!' thought Harry.
'…First, Bill's got a girlfriend, guess who it is, yep, Fleur, they've been making eyes at each other all summer, well, when she's been here, she's graduated you know and had been in and out of HQ, I think she came more to see Bill than anything else.
It's like a fun fair here, Charlie has gone off to recover some escaped Dragon's, very boring, Fred and George have joined the Order. Mum had a fit when she found out what they had done and that they had no intention of going to Dumbledore and begging him to let them come back. But like Dad said, 'they've come of age' and well, did you rally think even mum could dissuade Fred and George? No, I didn't think you did.
Ginny's been acting weird she keeps zoning out during meals and she's in the bathroom for hour sin the mourning, she won't even talk to Hermione, not that Hermione's talking to me. You know what Harry mate; I think she likes me…'
Harry snorted, he could just see Ron nodding satisfyingly while telling him this in person, it was a funny seen, then Hermione would announce that she knew what was going on and there would be another argument between his friends which would end with Ron begging Hermione to help him and she would relent when he finally swallowed his pride and said 'sorry'.
'…Anyway, I don't know if Hermione's told you already, she said she may have mentioned it, when we were still talking. Apparently YWK knows where the headquarters are and that Snape's a traitor, Dumbledore suspects someone in the order is behind it but who? Snape isn't spying for us anymore, he's been forced to hide here and protect the place, he won't be coming back this year.
There have been some other attacks, if Diggory wasn't enough now Cho Chang, remember her, ex-girlfriend sort of idea, well her parents were captures tortured for information and then killed. So now we have her sobbing under our roof, I tell you Harry, she's worse than that portrait in the entrance. Tonks was playing darts with it earlier it was so funny, the lady kept screaming her head off!
She keeps asking for you Harry, Cho I mean, not Tonks, I'm sorry mate, I asked, you're just not her type. So yeh, she asked us why we bought you presents and we told her it was your birthday soon, I don't know if she got you anything, probably a bucket to keep your tears in, or hers.
I think that's about it, well…
Bye
Ron
P.S. Hope you like the present, Hermione helped, a little…well maybe a lot but it was my idea!'
Harry smiled, that was a turn of events, Bill and Fleur, no Snape, Ron and Hermione and Cho, had she really asked for him? He moved to the present, it was oblong 'A broom?' thought Harry, before shaking it again 'No, Ron couldn't afford that, could he?'
He ripped the paper off and carefully removed the lid form the box; in the box laid on white cotton was a piece of parchment, a large piece of parchment. He took it out carefully in case it was old and unrolled it, 'The Equally Ancient and even more noble house of Potter'
He looked at it, at the very bottom in neat; curly script was wrote 'Harry Potter'. Just above it, 'James Potter' and 'Lily Evans Potter', beside that was 'Petunia Evans Dursley' and so many more names. He looked over it again and his face fell, all but his had birth and death dates, it looked as though he was the only Potter still alive. Harry smiled, and told himself to remember to thank Ron later.
Next he pulled over the one that looked to be form Hermione, the other one Pig and Hedwig had bought. He opened the let first, like he done with Ron's.
'Dear Harry,
I hope I find you well, I will assume that Ron has already informed you of the recent events, he spent days on that letter trying to think what to say, honestly!
There are however bound to be something he missed out, like Cho is here and has undoubtedly bought you a birthday present, she went into a panic about not knowing your birthday and not getting you one in time. Really Harry, please get here quickly!
I bet Ron's told you we aren't talking; he randomly started hitting on me and said 'Can I fuck you?' I slapped him and he insisted it was a dare, however, I would like an apology and since I'm not talking to him I would like you to tell him so. Sorry, if that seemed bossy.
Great news Harry, we coming to get you on Wednesday!!! Two days Harry!!! Also, guess what happens on the Saturday! Apparition tests, we're of age Harry, we can get licensed! Moody says he'll show us the basic ropes, we're supposed to get our results today, I haven't got mine yet, I hope you did well.
As to your present from Ron, I'm sure you want to know how that came about; it was Dumbledore's idea really. You see we were standing in front of Sirius' tapestry, the family one you know? When Dumbledore walks in he says 'So that's where he got the idea!' Apparently, while in school, the Marauders each made a family tree which magically lengthens when a child is born. Dumbledore said he had confiscated them and handed them over to us, we binned Pettigrew's, wasn't much on it, we want to give Lupin's to him as a Christmas present and well…We thought you might like your father's.
Ron had the idea to patch it up and add some more charms to it, which I did and my personal present to you is a maintenance kit, I hope you enjoy it Harry.
Love from
Hermione
Xxx'
Harry smiled and moved to open Hermione's present; there was a book of maintenance spells for all things, some broom polish, broom clippers, burn removal cream and stain removal cream. There were loads of things to choose from.
He opened the parcel and card from the black owl next, it was from Moody, of course; with the x-Aurors ultra-superstitious nature there was nothing in the card except 'To Harry,
Happy Birthday
A. Moody'
The present consisted of a book entitled 'Auror Training: The basics'. Harry smiled, now he just had to get the right O. W. Ls.
Next was the one from the female tawny owl, it wasn't a large parcel, nor a large card but that didn't matter. Harry opened the card and even before he read it his hopes were high, it looked like Cho's handwriting; his eyes darted to the signature at the bottom were it clearly said 'Cho Chang'. Harry's grin widened as his eyes scanned the letter,' 'Dear Harry,
Sorry I missed all of your past birthdays, hope you good? It's big here at Grimmauld place, it's about half the size of my old house though, but still, it's comfortable. Ron and Hermione are fun but Fred and George are beginning to bug me. Why didn't you tell me that Percy was such a prat, you should here some of the stuff he's been sending in.
I really miss you Harry, I'm sorry about the bitter note we left on; I'd like things to change. It's just that I wanted to know what happen to Cedric and I guess I was leaning on you a bit much…'
Harry snorted, a bit much was an understatement, she'd burst into tears at ever interval!
'…so I'm sorry. Please forgive me Harry.
Anyway, I hope you like your present,
Missing you
Cho Chang
Xxx'
Harry blushed when he read the 'x' knowing it meant kisses.
His mind drifted over his first kiss, the one he had shared Cho, that was his only kiss, just as he was dreaming about him and Cho another thought popped into his head. That hadn't been his only kiss at all first yes but only, no way! He'd kissed that girl and he didn't even know her name, he brushed it off, it must have been a one-off thing.
He brushed his thoughts aside and moved onto is present from Cho, it was soft mostly but there were some hard bits, upon opening he discovered a bright red, heart shaped pillow with darker red fluff around the edge. He smiled; there was also a box of chocolates and a miniature working model of a snitch that was magicked to be able to only go so far from its owner. Harry grinned again, trust Cho to get him that, she was a seeker as well of course.
He then looked over at Dumbledore's present, a long, oddly shaped and badly wrapped in brown paper and string parcel. He lifted it and put it in front of him, there was a tag attached which read, 'Thought you might want this back, Dumbledore'. He hastily un-wrapped it and his eyes lit up, it was his 'Firebolt', so Dumbledore had found it! He then looked at Dumbledore's letter.
'Dear Harry,
Wishing you a Happy Birthday and hoping you are well…
Dumbledore'
He then shoved everything off his bed until he was left with the must official looking envelope, the one that said 'Mr Harry J. Potter' on it. He broke the seal and opened it, it was then that he realised, these were his O. W. L results. He felt sick; he didn't want to open them, what if he had failed all of them? What if Lupin had taught him wrong and it wasn't a Protronus he made but an Atronus instead.
Still, better now than later, he unfolded the paper.
'Ordinary Wizarding Level examination results for Mr Harry J. Potter, number of Ordinary Wizarding Levels taken, 9
Astronomy-
Written Paper: E
Practical Examination: E
Care of Magical Creatures-
Written Paper: E
Practical Examination: E
Charms-
Written Paper: O
Practical Examination: O
Defence against the Dark Arts-
Written Paper: O
Practical Examination: O
Divination-
Written Paper: E
Practical Examination: P
Herbology-
Written Paper: E
Practical Examination: E
History of Magic-
Written Paper: P
Potions-
Written Paper: E
Practical Examination: O
Transfiguration-
Written Paper: O
Practical Examination: O
Number of Ordinary Wizarding Levels awarded, 7.'
Harry had to put a hand over his mouth to stifle the gasp and whistle that were issued from it, he'd done it, he'd passed, even potions! He ran a hand through his hair and flopped back into his pillow, a happy smile on his face at last.
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