Sweet Sixteen

"No dad, I think he'd notice if I took the light bulb…" She stopped when she noticed Harry was standing in the doorway with his mouth hanging open.

"Over and out. Err, Happy Birthday Harry!" She said and was starting to blush to the roots of her flaming red hair. A couple of years ago she'd have given anything to be in Harry's bedroom, but she was over him now.

"What on earth? Why are… how?" Harry stuttered, still very confused. A fuzzy voice of Arthur Weasley came from the device in Ginny's hand.

"Wow…you should see these street lamps, they just switched on of their own accord…simply fascinating…"

Ginny rolled her eyes and spoke into it

"Harry's here now. I was just about to explain the situation."

And Arthur's voice came back through it

"Ah. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY" Arthur spoke in the tone of voice people often use towards elderly people or people that speak a different language. "HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A NICE DAY." Then the voice got distracted by something, "Hey is this where the batterlies are, ooh, I wonder what happens if I…" The walkie-talkie went dead.

"Sorry about him, he got very excited when we went into a muggle shop to buy these. Wouldn't stop going in and out of the automatic doors," She sighed "We got some very strange looks. Anyway, back to business. We were wondering if you wanted to stay at the Burrow for the rest of the summer. Call it a Birthday present." Ginny said to Harry.

A huge grin suddenly spread across Harry's face.

"I'd love to!" Harry was suddenly happy for the first time in weeks. He was so happy in fact that he forgot to keep his voice quiet. Uncle Vernon was coming across the landing.

"Why are you making such a racket?" Vernon bellowed "Who are you talking t-" Vernon stopped in shock as he opened the door, he eyed Ginny suspiciously and spoke in a low angry voice,

"Why is there a girl in you're bedroom?"

Harry decided it would be safer if he cut in before his purple Uncle jumped to conclusions.

"This is Ginny, my friend's sister, they were just wondering if I wanted to stay at their house for the rest of the summer, and go to Hogwarts with them."

Vernon looked torn between being happy to get rid of Harry and angry at the mention of the 'freak school'. It kind of made him look like he was trying to divide a very long number in his head.

"So, err I'll just be going then." He edged away from his uncle as if he was a ticking bomb, and started getting his possessions together and putting them into his trunk, he got Hedwig's cage and started towards the door, gesturing for Ginny to follow him. The two of them walked cautiously out of his bedroom door. Harry glanced back to his Uncle Vernon who looked like an insulted hippogriff. They went down the stairs quickly and out of the front door.

It was a cold night, and the stars were shining brightly. At the end of the Dursleys' perfectly cut lawn, sitting on the low garden wall, was his best friend, Ron Weasley, and Arthur Weasley, Ron's Dad. Harry was so pleased to be seeing his magical friends. Being stuck with the Dursleys made Harry feel so cut of from the rest of the magical world.

"Happy Birthday, mate!" said the tall gangly red-haired Ron.

"Thank you so much! I owe you BIG time! So why did you send Ginny in? Why not you?" Harry asked, still very happy that he was leaving.

"Well, you see, Ginny was the only one that could fit through your window! We sent her up on my broom." He waved his hand to the Cleansweep 6 that was propped up on the garden wall. Harry began to wonder how they were going to get back to the Burrow, they didn't own a car anymore, and he couldn't see any ministry official's car parked anywhere. And as if he were reading Harry's mind, Arthur stuck out his wand to the road, and a there was a huge BANG! A towering purple bus was standing in the middle of Privet Drive. Harry had ridden the bus before about three years ago. At the time he was running away from the Dursleys after an unfortunate incident when he 'accidentally' blew up his Aunt Marge. He looked up at the three story high bus and followed Arthur and Ron aboard.

"Well 'ello Neville." Said a very familiar conductor. "How've you been, eh?"

"Fine," Muttered Harry avoiding the puzzle looks he was getting from Ron, Arthur and Ginny. They all paid for their tickets and also ordered some hot chocolate. They were led to three beds on the very top floor.

Ron questioned Harry, "OK, why did that guy call you Neville?"

Harry sighed, "Its a long story, it could take a while."

Ron looked out the window at the dark blur that was rushing past. Ernie, the old driver yelled out, "NEXT STOP ABERBEEN!"

Ron looked back at Harry, "Well, I kind of get the feeling we have a while mate!"