Birthday Surprises Chapter Fourteen

Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only. Lolly, xxx.

Harry wandered out into the grounds shortly after, heading towards Hagrid's cabin. He was just about to knock when the door opened and Fang leapt onto him. "Hullo Fang." Harry said, trying to push the dog off of him.

"Harry! I saw yeh coming! What are yeh doin' here?"

"A deatheater came to pay us a visit in Privet Drive - I'm leaving later on, but I thought I'd come and visit. Funnily enough, Dudley didn't seem to want to visit. In fact he seemed positively horrified by the idea."

"Aye, so he should be!" Hagrid boomed. "Still a porker?"

"Yep."

***

Harry spent over an hour at Hagrid's, politely refusing anything to eat. Then they headed up to the castle for dinner. Harry immediately saw that Vernon was seated at the Slytherin table, with heavy weights on his ankles. Hagrid seemed rather surprised at this. "Harry? Why's yer Uncle at the Slytherin table, and why does he have weights holding him there?"

"Well, if he comes any where near me, I'm going to hex him into next week - he broke my nose earlier." Hagrid let out an angry shriek and shot Vernon a murderous look.

"Hagrid, it's ok. It was nothing, honestly."

"It wasn't nothing." Hagrid said angrily.

"Oh believe me, compared to everything else, it was."

"What d'yeh mean?"

"Why don't you ask Professor Dumbledore - I have to go and eat. If I don't see you before, I'll see you at the start of term, ok?"

"O'course." Hagrid said, making his way to the staff table. Harry made his way to Gryffindor table, where his Aunt and cousin sat, both looking quite scared. "Why is dad over there?" Dudley moaned.

"Because he upset a lot of people today." Petunia said simply. She almost looked relieved when Harry sat down beside her. "How are you?" She asked, her voice barely audible.

"Fine. Vernon better watch out though." Harry nodded to the staff table, where every single member of staff that was there was glaring at him. Hagrid looked about ready to pull out his pink umbrella, at least until Dumbledore said something to him. Harry was quite amazed to see that Snape was glaring every bit as forcefully as the others. Professor's Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Sprout, as well as Madam Pomfrey, Hagrid and Remus were all looking at Vernon as if he were a pile of dragon dung. Harry's eyes drifted over all of them, before doing a double take - Remus? From the Staff table, Remus nodded to him. Harry grinned back.

***

"Remus! How are you?" He asked eagerly.

"Just fine Harry. Though I was rather...annoyed to hear what had happened."

"Erm...yeah."

"I hope you don't mind - you left the pensieve in the Hospital Wing, and I..."

"It's ok. So have you seen the triplets?"

"I have."

"And what did you think?"

"Well, they look almost exactly like you did when you were their age. They're adorable."

"Right. So, what are you doing here? You're a bit early for the start of term, aren't you?"

"How do you know? Oh, never mind, you're the second generation of Marauder - I should know better than to think that you wouldn't know. Actually, I am coming with you to the Burrow."

"You are? Why?"

"Well...sort of..."

"A guard?"

"Something like that." Remus replied sheepishly. "Sirius would never forgive me if you got hurt."

"No."

"It's a very good job that I have an even temper - otherwise your Uncle would have been rather more...subdued."

"Oh - he was pretty subdued earlier. I cannot believe the idiot lifted his hand to me at Hogwarts - and after I'd warned him!"

"What did you do? Tell me everything." Remus said, looking young and mischievous again. Harry began to explain what curses he used and how he knew they weren't supposed to be mixed.