Erised's Bane

by The Laziest Woman on Mars

Sixth Year--Spoilers, Harry must come to terms with new pain, as well as the prophecy that dictates his own life, all the while trying to contain the madness that threatens to breach his soul, deciding if desire brings him happiness or destruction.

3. The Surprise Party

Erised's Bane

Author's Note: Hi! Thanks for reading my little story. I'm still not sure exactly where I'm going with this, but we will see after a while. Anyway, until then, I hope you like it. Special thanks for those of you who were so nice to read and review, and even more special thanks for those of you who have read all my other stuff as well. You rock!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The only parts of this story that I do own are the plot and the original character Lord Hornswaggle, who is a painting and thus not much of a character...oh well. There will be some more original characters later.

Chapter Three: The Surprise Party

Harry pored through the book, writing hastily on a piece of parchment at his side. The light was flickering at his side and Madam Pince was peering at him in irritation, unwilling to let him in her library but forced to do so because Dumbledore had allowed it. There was a pile of books at his side and his fingertips were slightly stained by the ink. He yawned widely and looked at his watch, realizing with shock that he had been holed up in the dusty room for more than three hours. Stretching, he stood and replaced the books on the stand, tucking his papers into his bookbag and walking back down the hall.

He stopped for a moment at his room and dumped his parchment on the small desk before leaving to walk back down the hall, waving at Lord Hornswaggle who was shouting at Harry's back for slamming the painting back closed. He wandered down the hall, deftly avoiding a house-elf that scurried by. He paused for a moment before making his way towards the hall filled with paintings of fruit. Tickling the pear, the handle appeared and he pulled it open to reveal a kitchen bustling with house-elves preparing for something...what, Harry didn't know.

"Harry Potter must not see!" squeaked a voice from behind him. Dobby came running up and slammed the door back behind him. Harry jumped back out into the hall as the door crashed a mere fraction of an inch from his nose. Dobby scrambled to Harry's side. "I am sorry, sir, but you cannot see! Not yet, not until later."

"What are you talking about, Dobby?" Harry said, running a hand through his hair. Dobby's eyes widened and he grabbed the tail of Harry's shirt and began dragging him away from the door.

"I is talking about nothing, sir, nothing at all. You must forgive Dobby, he gets excited sometimes. We is just getting things ready as usual, sir, there is nothing unusual in that, is there?" he squeaked, voice wheezing with a nervous laugh. "Nothing unusual at all."

"What is going on?" Harry muttered again, pulling away from Dobby and wandering towards the door. He stopped when Dobby jumped out in front of him, waving his arms madly. He shouted, "Don't peek, no peeking at what we is doing, sir!" His eyes were flickering and he pointed a long finger towards Harry. "Don't make me do magic, sir." He warned with a nervous chuckle.

Harry stopped, grinning. "Okay, Dobby. I get it; you're hiding something from me. I can wait. But what am I going to do in the meantime? I'm bored out of my mind."

Dobby grinned, jumping up. "Why does not sir visit Hagrid? He is not busy now, and I think he would like company, having only Grawpy." He said. "Come on, I will go with you! You see, I like being sir's company." Harry shrugged and let Dobby lead him down the hall. They passed McGonagall, who only gave them a curious nod, as they made their way from the castle and out towards Hagrid's stone cabin. Fang let out a howl when he saw Harry coming and began barking madly. A moment later Hagrid's shaggy head emerged from the door, looking slightly more bruised but decidedly happier than it had been when Harry last saw him.

"Ther' yeh are!" he said. "I was wonderin' when you'd come down here, Harry." He said. He swung the door open wide and waved him in. "And an 'ouse-elf as well? What's a critter like yeh doin' outta the castle?"

"I is keeping Harry Potter company." Dobby said, anxiously looking at Fang, who was drooling and keeping a very close watch on the quivering house-elf.

"That's Dobby." Harry said. "The house-elf that tried to kill me a few years ago."

"Oh, that's who yeh are." Hagrid said, squinting as he looked down at him. "I was wonderin' if I'd meet yeh. A bit odd, I'd say, yeh aren' like those others. Wanted yer freedom, did yeh?"

Dobby nodded, steepling his spindly fingers. "I likes my freedom, sir." He said. "The other's think Dobby odd, sir, but Dobby thinks his freedom is good. Other house-elves is not liking their freedom as much, though." He said with a worried sigh. Harry assumed that Winky had yet to overcome her problems.

"Well, I hope yer friend gets better." Said Hagrid. "But in the meantime, is the you-know-what going as planned?"

Dobby nodded, his large green eyes glistening. "Yes, it is sir. Dobby thanks you for letting me do this, sir, he feels most honored." He said, bowing so that his nose touched the ground.

"What is the you-know-what?" Harry said, narrowing his eyes. "What are you planning?"

"Can't say nothin' more." Hagrid said loudly. "Yeh'll find out soon enough. But since yer here, would yeh like to see some of the creatures I got planned for yer N.E.W.T. course?" he said.

"Well...sure." Harry said after a long moment, unsure of how to tell Hagrid he wasn't completely sure he was taking his N.E.W.T. class. "Where are they?"

"In the woods." He answered. "Not that far in." he growled, seeing Harry's nervous look. "Besides, the centaurs have left this part of the forest to us. You comin', Dobber?" he said.

Dobby, who was slowly backing away from Fang, glanced up. "N-no sir. Dobby must finish helping prepare the-the You-Know-What." He said. He waved to Harry and quickly disappeared with a crack, leaving Harry staring at an empty place on the floor. "Well." He mumbled after a moment. "That was...odd."

"Yeah, well." Hagrid said. "Shall we get a move on, then?" he said. Harry nodded and followed him out of the cabin, basking in the warmth of the sun before entering back into the shade of the forest. "Prefer the dark, these do. And I think yeh migh' be able ter help me with 'em, Harry."

"What do you mean, help?" Harry said, but he needed no answer when they emerged from a large pile of logs that seemed to have been stacked to waist-height. Several snakes with shimmering black scales, tinged with gold, emerged, blinking lazily at Hagrid. "What are those?" he said, staring at a large one that was staring just as intently back at him.

"Black Serpents." Hagrid said. "Mos' muggles see 'em and think they're just ord'nary snakes, but they've got amazin' powers, almos' as powerful as dragons. Blood is used in lots of potions, and their venom is incredible." He paused for a moment in thought. "Well, that, and they can disappear."

"Disappear?" Harry said suddenly, looking back at the pile of snakes. As if in answer to his question, the one he had been staring at vanished in a small puff of smoke, reappearing a moment later curled up at Harry's leg. "Did you say these things have venom?" he said nervously, inching his foot from the snake's mouth.

"Not too powerful...dare say it'd jes knock yer out fer an hour or two. But these are pretty friendly...raised him since they 'atched, and ain't had no trouble with 'em. Think you'd like ter...chat?" he said. Harry blinked and turned to the snake at his foot.

"Erm, okay." He said in minor hesitation. My name is Harry Potter. He said, recognizing immediately that he spoke not in English but a mottled, hissing tone. The snake blinked once more and suddenly vanished again. Harry felt a horrible sensation as an invisible force made it's way up his body. A puff of smoke later and the snake was curled around Harry's throat, making him gulp.

Hello, Harry Potter. It said. You ssspeak parssseltongue, I sssee? I am Vengaurd and thessse are my brothersss and sissstersss. His tongue flitted in and out of his mouth and Harry felt the tail on his back thumping as if the snake were some sort of pet.

Do you...like it here? Harry said, clearly at a loss for words. The snake distinctively chuckled--a horrible hissing that would have sounded like a hacking cough in any normal creature.

As opposssed to what, Harry Potter? Where elssse would we live? Other placesss it is not sssafe. They kill our kind, when we are not the enemy. We fear our mother of birth, sssir Harry Potter. He hissed.

You fear your mother? Harry asked in utter confusion. But...why?

Ssshe is not our kind. Ssshe would not have had us born, but her massster came to take her away. You have ssseen her...you have been her and you are what ssshe hatesss mossst. My mother is Nagini....sssshe worsssips the Dark Lord only, sssir. Harry gulped and took a quick breath.

Nagini? You mean...you mean Volde...

We do not sssspeak his name! The snake hissed loudly. We do not dare ssssay it! He isss a murderer, Harry Potter! Keep us sssafe, we beg you. Keep uss sssecure.

He disappeared and Harry once more felt a crawling sensation. He heard a faint pop as the snake reappeared, bending its head towards the others. He faintly heard the snake relating to the others the gist of the conversation he had just had. Harry turned, realizing he was slightly pale when Hagrid's face fell.

"Wha' happened?" he asked. "It wasn't...rude, was it?"

Harry laughed hoarsely. "No...nothing like that." He said. "It was just something interesting the serpent said. Why don't...why don't we go back up?" The two of them left the forest, Harry able to take a few well-deserved deep breaths when they reached his cabin. "I guess I'll go back up to the castle." He said, running a hand through his hair, pulling it away quickly when he realized he was unconsciously mimicking the gesture his father had made in Snape's memory.

"No, no, yeh can' yet." Hagrid muttered. "Haven' gotten the signal yet."

"The signal?" Harry interjected, glancing back up at the castle. "What exactly is going on, Hagrid? What are you planning?"

"Blimey, I can' believe yeh haven' figured it out yet!" Hagrid bellowed suddenly, roaring with laughter. "I though' yeh were smart, Harry, and here yeh are forgettin' yer own..." he paused, stopping abruptly, and took a long swig of his tea.

"Forgetting my own what?" Harry said suspiciously, when suddenly it dawned on him. "What's today, Hagrid?" he said, his eyes suddenly twinkling with amusement.

"Oh, would yeh look at that, my scarf. Though' I lost that last winter." Hagrid said, kneeling to pick up a long woolen thing that was almost as shaggy as he was.

"What is it, Hagrid? Is it my birth..." he stopped when a loud explosion was heard from the castle and jumped, scrambling to the window. He began laughing when he saw a familiar figure struggling with a banner that was half-hanging from one of the trees near the entrance to the castle. "Tonks!" he cried out. Hagrid followed him as he ran to the castle, laughing loudly.

Tonks turned when she saw Harry struggling up the slope. He quickly saw that her usually bubblegum pink hair was now interspersed scarlet and gold, apparently bedecked for the occasion. "Well, you've done it Tonks." Said a casual voice. "Should have known better than to let you hang the banner. Now it isn't really a surprise, is it?" Remus stepped out of the castle doors, gazing at Tonk's with a bemused expression.

"Wasn't my fault, Remus." She said. "Well, I mean it sort of was, but if it hadn't been for the wind I'm sure I wouldn't have fallen like that." She hopped down and turned to Harry. "There you are. Well, as you can see we've got a little something for you. We've been planning it for awhile, or at least whenever we got a chance. It was all my idea." She said proudly frowning when Remus snorted. "Well, he sort of helped."

"Happy birthday, Harry." Remus said, holding out a hand. Harry took it and laughed when Remus clapped him on the back. "Sixteen now, I see. Interesting age, if I remember correctly. I'm sure you'll be having...well, fun." he said, frowning as if remembering the type of 'fun' he had enjoyed in his own school days. He shook his head. "On a more serious note, I trust you're still wearing that medallion I sent you."

"Yeah. I haven't taken it off." He said, pulling the disk from his T-shirt. The pale gold glinted merrily in the sun.

"Well, make sure you don't let certain...people...see it." Remus said with a frown. "I really wish it wasn't a possibility, but you know there are a certain few students who might not...well, you know."

"I understand." Harry said, thinking distractedly of Malfoy. When they heard another bang the both of them turned, just in time to see Tonks jumping out of the way as Moody glared at her, his wand smoking lightly at the tip.

"Ah, well." Moody said, frowning. "Sorry, but you keep sneaking up on me." He muttered. "Been a tad jumpy lately."

"I didn't notice." Tonks said grimly, dousing the small fire singing the hems of her robes with a bit of water from her wand. "Are the rest here yet?" she said, squinting in the direction of Hogsmeade. "I really wish Molly and Arthur weren't always so late."

"Hard to be on time with that load." Remus muttered. "But if I'm not mistaken, I see a group trekking this way, and unless the citizens of Hogsmeade have all died their hair red, it's the Weasleys." Harry turned his gaze to the village and saw that Remus was right. Seven red heads were bobbing up the hillside, with a bushy brown one dutifully coming alongside. In a moment they crested the slope, all of them immediately breaking out with large grins when they saw Harry.

"How are you!" Mrs. Weasley cried, waving fiercely. "We would've gotten here sooner, but we were out of Floo Powder, and Arthur had to Apparate out and buy some more." She sighed, smiling when she saw Harry. "And how are you, dear?" she said. "Hectic summer so far, I dare say?"

"Actually as soon as I got here, it's been pretty boring." He said. "Well, except for Peeves. He seems intent on annoying me since I'm the only one here for him to annoy that can't threaten expulsion." He shared a grin with Hermione and Ron, who had walked up to his side.

"I'm so sorry to hear about the police." Hermione said, biting her lip. "They weren't too hard on you, were they? I know how they can be sometimes..."

Harry laughed hoarsely. "Yeah, you don't say. It was really creepy. The guy next to me...I don't know what he was in for, but he had way too many tattoos and everybody around was calling him 'Butch'."

Hermione laughed, but Ron frowned. "Tattoos? Oh yeah, aren't they those weird drawings muggles put on themselves? I saw one once...this guy said they stab you with needles and inject ink." He cringed. "That's not really how it's done, is it?"

"Actually, it is." Hermione said thoughtfully. "Sounds rather unpleasant, doesn't it?"

"I saw a muggle getting one on television when I visited Dean over the holidays." Ginny said. "It was awful. Screaming pretty bad too, I don't see why somebody would get one of those things."

Ron shuddered before turning to Harry. "Well, happy birthday anyway. Guess you've never spent a birthday away from the muggles? Except for the day Hagrid got you away from them." He said, turning to Hagrid who was grinning sheepishly.

"Yeah, that's pretty much how it is." Said Harry, shrugging. "So what have you got planned? Pin the tail on the donkey?"

"Actually in our world, its usually Pin the Tail on the Werewolf." Said Remus with a grin. "But that wouldn't be very pleasant, would it?"

Mrs. Weasley, who gave Remus a look somewhere between amusement and exasperation, turned to Harry. "Well, it isn't like we're having a birthday for a three-year-old." She said thoughtfully. "But I dare say we'll have a time of it, dear. I remember how Arthur tried to do an act like a muggle clown at Bill's eighth birthday."

Bill laughed loudly. "Don't remind me about that, now. That was a truly frightening experience."

Hermione shuddered. "I can imagine." She said with a grimace. "I hate clowns. Eerie things they are."

"Well, I guess we can go on in." Said Mrs. Weasley, smiling. "No use in standing out here all day chatting, is there? Why don't we see what the house-elves have prepared for us?"

They walked towards the great hall and Harry immediately saw why they had been so busy earlier. Large balloons were hovering around a table in the middle of the room and Harry immediately saw that Dobby was intent on his idea of the Christmas before, though this time the streamers said HAVE A HARRY, HARRY BIRTHDAY and the balloons, which were scarlet and gold to match Tonks' hair, each had a grinning image of Harry's face.

He turned red, shoving Ron in the arm as he erupted in guffaws. A glance around showed that several others of the group were laughing, and the twins were fairly rolling on the ground in what appeared to be very expensive robes of a black leathery material, Ginny crushed between them and holding her sides. Even Remus was chuckling, and Moody's usually straight face was twitching, the scars jumping at every snicker.

"Well then." Harry said after a moment, trying to maintain his composure. "Shall we have a seat?" The group sat at a table, the twins clapping him on the back and wiping tears out of their eyes as they sat across from him.

"Sir, there you is!" shouted Dobby excitedly as he ran towards the table. "We is having a surprise party for you, because we all hear how you have never had one." He said. "Do you like Dobby's decorations?" he asked.

"Oh...yes." Harry said, elbowing Ron as he started sniggering uncontrollably. "They're very...nice."

He jumped when Dobby emitted a high squeal of pleasure and fell backwards, apparently under the weight of his multiple hats, which Hermione had just noticed and was frowning at in displeasure. When he reemerged he was pushing a knit cap from his eyes. "I is pleased, so pleased to hear that you are happy with my humble decorations!" Dobby squeaked. "But we have made food, sir. All of Harry Potter's favorite treats!" As he said it, dishes of food suddenly appeared on the table.

"All right!" said Ron, immediately reaching out for a pile of pork chops on a large platter.

"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley shouted. "You know the rule. Birthday boy goes first, you follow." She said. "Same rule applies to you." She warned when Moody started to grab a large plate of rolls.

"I swear that woman's got eyes in the back of her head." Moody grumbled. "And that's saying something, coming from me." He added as his own magical eye spun about in its socket.

"Yes, well." She said, with a large sigh. "You first dear, go on." Blushing slightly, Harry reached out and began filling his plate. When he was content with the pile of food--and indeed they were all his favorite things, he pulled back and with a tremendous uproar the rest of the table began the feast.

Harry was in the middle of tackling a mincemeat pie when he felt a cold creeping up his spine. He turned quickly and met an amused pair of sparkling blue eyes concealed under a pair of half-moon spectacles.

"Ah, I see you've started without me." He said. "Do you mind if I join your party?"

"Quit yer huffin, Albus, and conjure up a seat." Said Moody as he tore off a piece of his steak. Dumbledore smiled and indeed pulled a large, plush chair out of midair. It fell with a satisfying clunk beside Moody and Dumbledore took his seat, filling his plate with a flick of the wand.

"I like your decorations." He said knowingly, looking to his side where a life-sized Harry bobbed up and down on the front of a large scarlet balloon.

"Oh, um...thanks." he said, turning red once again. Dumbledore chuckled and began eating. The atmosphere was casual, more so than any Harry had been in for a long time. He didn't know whether it was the occasion, or the decorations, or simply everybodies eagerness to put things aside for a few simple hours, but not one of the group remembered the Order of the Phoenix, Harry's appointment to the group, not even the death that lingered so fresh over their heads...

When the plates were nearly empty and nobody seemed keen on eating anymore, the plates disappeared. Harry had just opened his mouth to thank everybody for coming when suddenly another dish appeared. He stifled a groan when he saw that it was a large cake bearing sixteen tall candles, bedecked with that photo which he had seen so often in the paper lately, the same one that was winking back at him from fourty-nine balloons--one having been popped in the twins overly zealous merry-making.

"What a...lovely cake." Said Mrs. Weasley, now fighting off laughter herself.

"I'm going to kill Dobby." Harry muttered to Ron, making him burst out with even more laughter.

"Blow out your candles." Mr. Weasley managed to say, wiping tears from his eyes. "Before they melt all over the place. And don't forget to make a wish." He added. "Just nothing too drastic...when he was five Fred wished for a dragon and George had to use his wish to make it go away...though not willingly, mind you." He added. The twins grinned at each other with the memory.

I really shouldn't be surprised. Harry thought, shaking his head. He thought for a moment before leaning forward. Wish I could get Sirius back. But I doubt a birthday cake can do that much. Finally, with amusement, he thought of robes like the ones the twins were wearing, and blew the candles out. He was just wondering how he would look in black leather when they appeared on him, smelling like the leather Harry had once seen in a muggle shop.

"Rip-off!" Fred said proudly, George grinning alongside him.

"Wish I could have some." Ginny said with a sigh.

"Don't mind her." Ron said, rolling his eyes. "It's frightening, really, she's turning into a triplet...Fred and George have corrupted her."

Dumbledore was grinning as he rose. He waved his wand and the cake immediately broke itself into multiple sections, each piece levitating itself towards each person's plate. "Ugh...look, Harry, I got your nose." Ron said as he poked at the cake. "This feels weird..."

"Yeah, I know." Fred snorted as he took a large bite. "I just got your lovely green eye. I think it was the right."

"Well, I got the left." Ginny said. "Stop winking at me, it's really kind of creepy..."

"Yeah, only Fleur can wink at him, Harry." Ron snorted as he leaned over.

"Well, all I got is your hair." Tonks said. "Kind of messy."

"Well, I'm about to eat your scar." Hermione said as she raised her fork to her lips. "If that's not strange, I don't know what is."

Harry (who had gotten his own ear) felt distinctly strange as he began eating his cake, at the same time watching all his friends eat his face. He himself had to stifle his laughter when he saw his mouth grinning at Moody, who was suspiciously stabbing at it. When they were finally done, the platter and all the plates disappeared, a pile of brightly wrapped gifts reappearing in their place. After the twins reassured him that he had indeed tasted very good, Harry pulled over the first of his gifts and began unwrapping it.

From Moody he got a handy pocketwatch that didn't tell time at all. It was, in fact, a foe-glass. Harry felt a small twinge as he looked at all the shadowy figures roaming behind it and snapped it quickly shut. Ron gave him an assortment of treats from Zonko's, which prompted glares from Fred and George who had come to regard the shop they used to love as their mortal enemy. He received from Hermione and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley a large assortment of candied treats, though the fact that Hermione's were all sugar-free reminded him that her parents were dentists.

Tonks, apparently as a jab at her own hair color-changing habits, gave him a kit of tonics which turned one's hair various colors, though by the look she gave him he saw it didn't necessarily have to be his own hair he changed...he was glad when Ron caught his glance that his friend couldn't tell he was imagining him as a blonde for a few hours... The twins gave him a box of treats from their thriving joke shop, but as the box held several order forms Harry had the distinct impression it hadn't been given to him for his benefit alone...

The last gift to open was from Remus. Harry pulled open the package and immediately found a book titled Defense Charms and Counter-Jinxes for the Advanced Student. He picked it up and looked at Remus. "Some of them are very hard...even a student out of school might have trouble with them. But I think you might be able to get them...that is, if you can find time to practice." He added, sharing a glance with Dumbledore, who fully remembered the D.A. Harry had just set the book down when another surprise erupted from the package. Instinctively, with his natural-born reflexes, he shot forward and grabbed it. He pulled it closer and suddenly grinned. "Thought you might like that." Remus grinned. Clutched in Harry's hand was a fluttering golden snitch, beating it's feathery wings helplessly against his fist. He tucked it into his pocket.

"Well, I guess that's it." Harry said, leaning back. "Or do you have any more surprised planned?" he added.

"Well, mum and Ginny were going to do a dance for you, but darn it all, mum threw out her back." Fred said. "I hear it was going to be a riot, too." He ducked when Mrs. Weasley swatted her bag at him, beaning George in the head on accident.

"Sorry, George." She said in mock concern.

"Yes, well." He said, sighing as he leaned back. "That's it, I guess, except for one thing. The speech!" he cried. Harry looked at him in confusion.

"The what?" Harry said, suddenly squirming under the look he was giving him.

"The speech." Fred said. "As guest of honor, you must honor us with a few kind words."

"Oh come on, Harry." Ginny sighed. "At least pretend we matter enough to grant us a few words, your highness."

"That isn't funny." Ron said with a grin.

"SPEECH! SPEECH! SPEECH!" Fred, George, and Ginny were suddenly chanting. Harry ran a hand through his hair and felt himself being hauled upward by Ron and Hermione. He glanced around the group, all of whom were grinning at him in expectation.

"Well..." he started, "I guess...in the words of our esteemed Headmaster," he said, glancing over at Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling, "Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak!" he said. Everybody laughed and the final wrappings disappeared from the table.

Harry sat back down and leaned back. "Finally, it's over." He muttered. "Thanks everybody, really." He said lazily, aware that if he ate one more thing or moved more than a few feet he would burst.

"Yeah, that was..." but what Ron was saying Harry would never find out, because at that moment the doors slammed open with a loud crash and everybody turned. Snape stumbled in, bleaking blearily. He was clutching his side and when he pulled his hand away they saw that it was covered in dark red blood.

"Albus...I..." He looked around a moment longer and without warning dropped to the ground. Every adult in the party got up and quickly moved over.

"Parties over." Harry mumbled.

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Hiya! I hope you like the lighthearted tone of this chapter...I'm trying to make this story angst without being too angst, you know? Of course, I had to end it the way I did...that's just the way things are, I hope you understand. Well, tell me what you think. I like to hear what you guys have to say.

Oh yeah, and check out Jasmine Black's website, which can be found in both her bio and is listed as my website. It's really awesome, has a lot of stories by many great writers, and if you like you can even ENTER your own story to receive a special award and recognition which could bring you FAME and FORTUNE! CHECK it OUT!