Ch6: Surprise?!?
Harry took a few minutes to process this new data and than decided to head up stairs and find the others. [Ron will defiantly want to know about this...] Harry walked a little quicker now and almost collided with Ron on the landing to their room.
"Hey! Watch where you're going! Oh Harry, it's you" Ron blushed slightly while helping Harry to his feet. "I was just coming to find you. Mom gave us a break today and Hermione is writing to Krum...so I figured we could play chess or something." Ron ducked as he finished his question because what appeared to be a large furry rat had nearly missed his head. "Pig!" Ron swore under his breadth and swung aimlessly at the owl before it zoomed off upstairs.
"Listen Ron, there is something I got to tell you!" Harry pulled Ron inside of their room; for some reason not wanting anyone else to overhear him and went over Lupin's whole conversation.
"Really? I didn't even know they still existed. That explains a lot though...I wondered why I liked being around her so much." Ron blushed and dropped his gaze at the last comment.
Harry pretended not to have heard him and continued on, "Let's go find the girls. We can do something with them today." Harry lead the way out of the room and up to the third floor.
"Leah? Josie?" Harry knocked on the door and waited for an answer. But none came. He pushed open the door and gazed around the empty room. "Maybe their downstairs?" Ron turned and headed down. But on the second floor they heard a 'pop' and "Looks like your in trouble Josie!" come from a closed room.
Quickly, they headed over and opened the sliding doors. Leah and Josie were on the ground sitting around some kind of board and laughing. "What's going on?" Harry walked over to them and saw that it was a game board...Trouble to be exact.
"What's this?" Ron stared down at the new entertainment and pushed on the dice dome. 'Pop!' "What kind of magic is this?" Ron jumped back a bit, remembering only too well all the kinds of things his brothers use to give him.
Leah and Josie laughed. Harry sat down and couldn't help but smile. "Ron, it's a Muggle game called Trouble. You push this thing and than move your pieces however many numbers come up on the dice. Come on...you guys can play with us." Leah moved over and Ron sat down beside her. Josie poured out new pieces for the boys and they began a very interesting game.
"KIDS, DINNER TIME!" Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs. What sounded like a flock of Horned Kronks came smashing down the stairs. Ron, Leah, Harry and Josie poured into the kitchen laughing and slumped into chairs gasping for breath. "That is an awesome game!" Ron pulled a plate in front of him and started unloading heaps of mashed potatoes onto it.
"I hope you were keeping out of trouble!" Mrs. Weasley only managed to conjure up more laughing and bustled away completely lost on the joke.
By now the house was completely clean and looked almost normal. That's when Harry realized something missing: the normal muttering of Kreacher.
"Hermione, where's Kreacher?" This seemed to be the wrong question since Hermione huffed up the stairs with an answer. Harry turned helplessly to Ron.
"Dumbledore said it was taken care of. That's all we know, and Hermione isn't too happy about that. Fears the worst she does." Ron just shrugged and went back to chess with Leah. Mrs. Weasley came in and whispered something to Ron whom quickly left and returned a few minutes later. Ignoring the strange behavior, Harry tried to think of what had happened to Kreacher. [Surely Dumbledore wouldn't have killed him! No, Dumbledore was too nice for that.] But than Harry remembered when he had seen Dumbledore face Barty Crouch Jr. and Voldemort, the amazing sense of power that had radiated from him and made Harry shudder.
Harry woke up the next day to a card and a rough package on his pillow. He tore open the card and it read:
Dear Harry, Just wanted to wish you a 16th Happy Birthday. One more year and you'll be of age. Gosh how you kids grow up. Well, see you soon. Stay out of trouble!
Hagrid
Harry couldn't believe that he had forgot today was his birthday. The excitement and adjustment of the last few weeks seemed to steal time from him. Never had he enjoyed a summer so much!
He tore open the package and found a stone with a weird symbol in the middle of it. Hoping it was nothing dangerous, and knowing Hagrid too well, he wrapped it again and put it on his trunk. Than rushed to get dressed and head downstairs. This would be the first birthday he could celebrate with friends, maybe even have a birthday party!
But when Harry reached the kitchen, nothing special happened. Everyone was eating breakfast and he got the normal mumbled hellos. Was it possible that his best friends had forgotten his birthday? Not wanting to look too disappointed or hurt, Harry put on a fake smile and sat down to his eggs.
"So, what should we do today?" Leah jumped up from her chair full of energy and the rest followed. "Let's go up to the fourth floor...there is a really cool looking window there. It doesn't show outside – but it shows whatever place you ask it to...like say Hogwarts...it'll show you the weather there and a picture of it." Ginny rushed ahead of them and they had no choice but to follow.
Still a little downhearted, Harry sat in the back as everyone took turns at the window and it wasn't until near lunchtime that Leah decided to go and talk to him. "Come on, I've got something to show you." Leah dragged Harry downstairs and into his room.
"Oh good, Hagrid sent it. Do you know what this is Harry? It's a Tranquility Stone. All you have to do is trace the symbol with your finger...[Leah demonstrated using Harry's finger]..and it will cause you to relax. Your mind slips into a kind of daze for a few minutes and you find tranquility. I thought you could use it." Leah waited for the power of the stone to wear off. "See, it's only a few minutes, but it's a nice escape from reality." Leah covered the stone again and then turned to face Harry, "But I'm warning you now. Don't use it all the time, and only trace the symbol once. The more you trace it, the longer the spell lasts – until it you won't snap out of it. Okay, so only trace the symbol once!" Leah made sure Harry understood and than headed for the door. "Come on, it should be time for lunch!" with a wink and a smile Leah headed downstairs and Harry followed absent minded.
When he opened the door to the kitchen a rush of noise met him and almost made him miss the last few steps. "SURPRISE!" The kitchen had balloons and banners all over the place saying 'Happy Birthday Harry' and there was cake and presents all over the table. Slightly ashamed he thought his friends had missed his birthday, he blushed and walked into the room.
"Thought you could use a break." Ron smiled and guided him over to the presents. "Come on, open mine first!" Ron's present turned out to be a miniature quidditch game...kind of like chess. Hermione had got him a book on Aurora's and Fred and George gave him a box of their latest tricks.
After stuffing himself with cake and butterbeer, Leah pulled Harry aside, "Now it's time for my present, come with me." Leah dragged him upstairs and into a quiet room. She kneeled down and Harry copied her.
The two cousins sat facing each other and Leah reached out and grabbed his hands. "I want you to close your eyes and relax. Take deep breaths." Harry did as he was told, though completely lost and why. "Ok, now think of your mum and dad." Harry's mind instantly flew to the mirror where he had first seen his parents, then to the picture book under his pillow, last to the only real memory he had of them – the one he hated seeing. But something new happened then. A memory he had never seen before came floating in front of his eyes. His dad and mum were playing with Harry outside on a blanket. He could smell the new grass and the flowers in bloom. He could see his dad was trying to figure out a kite and his mum was blowing bubbles for him – only these must have been wizard bubbles because each one came out a different color and a different animal shape. Harry smiled as he watched his life before Voldemort and saw how happy he and his parent were. The memory lasted until he could feel rain drops on his arm and his parents picked him up and ran laughing into the house. Than quite suddenly he found that he was in a dimly lit living room in the Black house.
Leah was smiling at him and dropped his hands. "Happy Birthday Harry!" She hugged her cousin and than stood up. "That's a something that you will always be able to look back on now. I thought you could use a real memory of your parents, a nice one anyway." Leah smiled and Harry couldn't help but be grateful that she was a Jexie. "Thanks" was all he could say, all he needed to say.
"Wait! Does that mean you saw that too?" Harry got to his feet and headed to the door to catch up with Leah. "Well, yeah. But I wanted to see my uncle and aunt – so I didn't think you'd mind. It's also the only way I can do that – since I'm not a full Jexerelle." Leah blushed a little, but Harry just smiled and the two headed back down to the party. Harry finally able to see his parents laughing and smiling...and not dying.
Harry took a few minutes to process this new data and than decided to head up stairs and find the others. [Ron will defiantly want to know about this...] Harry walked a little quicker now and almost collided with Ron on the landing to their room.
"Hey! Watch where you're going! Oh Harry, it's you" Ron blushed slightly while helping Harry to his feet. "I was just coming to find you. Mom gave us a break today and Hermione is writing to Krum...so I figured we could play chess or something." Ron ducked as he finished his question because what appeared to be a large furry rat had nearly missed his head. "Pig!" Ron swore under his breadth and swung aimlessly at the owl before it zoomed off upstairs.
"Listen Ron, there is something I got to tell you!" Harry pulled Ron inside of their room; for some reason not wanting anyone else to overhear him and went over Lupin's whole conversation.
"Really? I didn't even know they still existed. That explains a lot though...I wondered why I liked being around her so much." Ron blushed and dropped his gaze at the last comment.
Harry pretended not to have heard him and continued on, "Let's go find the girls. We can do something with them today." Harry lead the way out of the room and up to the third floor.
"Leah? Josie?" Harry knocked on the door and waited for an answer. But none came. He pushed open the door and gazed around the empty room. "Maybe their downstairs?" Ron turned and headed down. But on the second floor they heard a 'pop' and "Looks like your in trouble Josie!" come from a closed room.
Quickly, they headed over and opened the sliding doors. Leah and Josie were on the ground sitting around some kind of board and laughing. "What's going on?" Harry walked over to them and saw that it was a game board...Trouble to be exact.
"What's this?" Ron stared down at the new entertainment and pushed on the dice dome. 'Pop!' "What kind of magic is this?" Ron jumped back a bit, remembering only too well all the kinds of things his brothers use to give him.
Leah and Josie laughed. Harry sat down and couldn't help but smile. "Ron, it's a Muggle game called Trouble. You push this thing and than move your pieces however many numbers come up on the dice. Come on...you guys can play with us." Leah moved over and Ron sat down beside her. Josie poured out new pieces for the boys and they began a very interesting game.
"KIDS, DINNER TIME!" Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs. What sounded like a flock of Horned Kronks came smashing down the stairs. Ron, Leah, Harry and Josie poured into the kitchen laughing and slumped into chairs gasping for breath. "That is an awesome game!" Ron pulled a plate in front of him and started unloading heaps of mashed potatoes onto it.
"I hope you were keeping out of trouble!" Mrs. Weasley only managed to conjure up more laughing and bustled away completely lost on the joke.
By now the house was completely clean and looked almost normal. That's when Harry realized something missing: the normal muttering of Kreacher.
"Hermione, where's Kreacher?" This seemed to be the wrong question since Hermione huffed up the stairs with an answer. Harry turned helplessly to Ron.
"Dumbledore said it was taken care of. That's all we know, and Hermione isn't too happy about that. Fears the worst she does." Ron just shrugged and went back to chess with Leah. Mrs. Weasley came in and whispered something to Ron whom quickly left and returned a few minutes later. Ignoring the strange behavior, Harry tried to think of what had happened to Kreacher. [Surely Dumbledore wouldn't have killed him! No, Dumbledore was too nice for that.] But than Harry remembered when he had seen Dumbledore face Barty Crouch Jr. and Voldemort, the amazing sense of power that had radiated from him and made Harry shudder.
Harry woke up the next day to a card and a rough package on his pillow. He tore open the card and it read:
Dear Harry, Just wanted to wish you a 16th Happy Birthday. One more year and you'll be of age. Gosh how you kids grow up. Well, see you soon. Stay out of trouble!
Hagrid
Harry couldn't believe that he had forgot today was his birthday. The excitement and adjustment of the last few weeks seemed to steal time from him. Never had he enjoyed a summer so much!
He tore open the package and found a stone with a weird symbol in the middle of it. Hoping it was nothing dangerous, and knowing Hagrid too well, he wrapped it again and put it on his trunk. Than rushed to get dressed and head downstairs. This would be the first birthday he could celebrate with friends, maybe even have a birthday party!
But when Harry reached the kitchen, nothing special happened. Everyone was eating breakfast and he got the normal mumbled hellos. Was it possible that his best friends had forgotten his birthday? Not wanting to look too disappointed or hurt, Harry put on a fake smile and sat down to his eggs.
"So, what should we do today?" Leah jumped up from her chair full of energy and the rest followed. "Let's go up to the fourth floor...there is a really cool looking window there. It doesn't show outside – but it shows whatever place you ask it to...like say Hogwarts...it'll show you the weather there and a picture of it." Ginny rushed ahead of them and they had no choice but to follow.
Still a little downhearted, Harry sat in the back as everyone took turns at the window and it wasn't until near lunchtime that Leah decided to go and talk to him. "Come on, I've got something to show you." Leah dragged Harry downstairs and into his room.
"Oh good, Hagrid sent it. Do you know what this is Harry? It's a Tranquility Stone. All you have to do is trace the symbol with your finger...[Leah demonstrated using Harry's finger]..and it will cause you to relax. Your mind slips into a kind of daze for a few minutes and you find tranquility. I thought you could use it." Leah waited for the power of the stone to wear off. "See, it's only a few minutes, but it's a nice escape from reality." Leah covered the stone again and then turned to face Harry, "But I'm warning you now. Don't use it all the time, and only trace the symbol once. The more you trace it, the longer the spell lasts – until it you won't snap out of it. Okay, so only trace the symbol once!" Leah made sure Harry understood and than headed for the door. "Come on, it should be time for lunch!" with a wink and a smile Leah headed downstairs and Harry followed absent minded.
When he opened the door to the kitchen a rush of noise met him and almost made him miss the last few steps. "SURPRISE!" The kitchen had balloons and banners all over the place saying 'Happy Birthday Harry' and there was cake and presents all over the table. Slightly ashamed he thought his friends had missed his birthday, he blushed and walked into the room.
"Thought you could use a break." Ron smiled and guided him over to the presents. "Come on, open mine first!" Ron's present turned out to be a miniature quidditch game...kind of like chess. Hermione had got him a book on Aurora's and Fred and George gave him a box of their latest tricks.
After stuffing himself with cake and butterbeer, Leah pulled Harry aside, "Now it's time for my present, come with me." Leah dragged him upstairs and into a quiet room. She kneeled down and Harry copied her.
The two cousins sat facing each other and Leah reached out and grabbed his hands. "I want you to close your eyes and relax. Take deep breaths." Harry did as he was told, though completely lost and why. "Ok, now think of your mum and dad." Harry's mind instantly flew to the mirror where he had first seen his parents, then to the picture book under his pillow, last to the only real memory he had of them – the one he hated seeing. But something new happened then. A memory he had never seen before came floating in front of his eyes. His dad and mum were playing with Harry outside on a blanket. He could smell the new grass and the flowers in bloom. He could see his dad was trying to figure out a kite and his mum was blowing bubbles for him – only these must have been wizard bubbles because each one came out a different color and a different animal shape. Harry smiled as he watched his life before Voldemort and saw how happy he and his parent were. The memory lasted until he could feel rain drops on his arm and his parents picked him up and ran laughing into the house. Than quite suddenly he found that he was in a dimly lit living room in the Black house.
Leah was smiling at him and dropped his hands. "Happy Birthday Harry!" She hugged her cousin and than stood up. "That's a something that you will always be able to look back on now. I thought you could use a real memory of your parents, a nice one anyway." Leah smiled and Harry couldn't help but be grateful that she was a Jexie. "Thanks" was all he could say, all he needed to say.
"Wait! Does that mean you saw that too?" Harry got to his feet and headed to the door to catch up with Leah. "Well, yeah. But I wanted to see my uncle and aunt – so I didn't think you'd mind. It's also the only way I can do that – since I'm not a full Jexerelle." Leah blushed a little, but Harry just smiled and the two headed back down to the party. Harry finally able to see his parents laughing and smiling...and not dying.