Chapter 2 Startling News and Happy Birthday

After an hour, the five of them arrived at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. They had traveled here by broomstick, for according to Lupin and Moody, it was the safest way.

Harry felt a wave of pang when they finally got inside the house. This was Sirius's house, he thought, tears threatening to fall again. Luckily, Mrs. Weasley saw him and ran over to give him a chest-cracking hug, followed by Ron, Ginny, and Hermione.

Ron seemed to grow taller (again!) and looked lankier than ever. Hermione didn't change a bit, while Ginny looked slightly different being a few inches taller and her auburn hair pouring down her shoulder.

"Hello Harry!" Hermione grinned. "Wotcha, mate!" Ron chuckled. Ginny simply smiled but it made Harry felt welcomed all the same.

They had lunch right after Harry's arrival, followed by a "highly confidential" Order meeting – no underages allowed (the four friends complained loudly, though Harry didn't fuss – he felt too drained to care much). So the four underages gathered up in Ron's room for a nice long chat.

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"Guys, how about a game of chess?" Ginny suggested after they chatted away for nearly an hour, running out of topic.

"Oh yes!" said Ron enthusiastically.

"Oh no," muttered Hermione. Then she rummaged her bag and took out something like a schedule. She studied it carefully with an absorbed expression, murmuring to herself.

Harry and Ron were halfway through their first game of wizard chess when Mrs. Weasley poked her head into their room, "Ron, Ginny, Hermione – please come and help me bake some cookies, dear," she called, and added quickly when she saw Harry following a disgruntled Ginny out of the door, "Oh Harry, you stay. I suppose you're tired, aren't you?"

"No, Mrs. Weasley," Harry replied quickly. "I want to come."

"If so, honey," said Mrs. Weasley lovingly as she stretched an arm across Harry's shoulder. "Come with us."

They were just finished with the cookies when the doorbell rang. Instinctively, Harry raised his not-yet-washed hands up to his ear, ready for Mrs. Black's infamous bloodcurdling shrieks. But to his surprise, there was no clamor. All he heard was quick footsteps from the door. "Oh Harry," Ginny grinned at Harry's puzzled face. "They removed that hag's portrait – it was a nasty job."

"Excellent," Harry grinned back at her. Then a thought struck him – that Black woman's probably pleased now that Sirius is dead…

But his doleful thoughts didn't carry him further, for the quick footsteps had stopped in front of him.

They belonged to Albus Dumbledore.

"Harry," said Dumbledore gently. He looked a bit wearier than Harry had remembered. "I'm sorry to say that the reason I came here is because of an unfortunate event. Mr. Fudge had just informed me of the disappearance of an Unspeakable from the Ministry."

Harry's eyes widened. "Do you assume this is the doing of Voldemort, sir?" he asked.

"I daresay so," was Dumbledore's reply.

"But… But why would he move so fast?" Harry wondered aloud. "I thought he'd lie low for quite a while."

"We don't know," said Dumbledore with an air of serenity. "And for this reason I've come – to discuss the issue with the Order… Ah, Remus," his crystal-clear blue eyes shifted to Harry's side.

Harry felt Lupin standing beside him. He looked almost as calm as Dumbledore, nevertheless his voice allowed some evident disquietude to slip. "Dumbledore, the members are waiting. We have to start quickly," Lupin said as he led Dumbledore swiftly out of the kitchen. Harry gazed at their retreating figures, thinking hard.

So what's Voldemort playing now? I thought he'd be playing hide-and-seek. The git. He must've caught another Unspeakable and forced him to spill out information… to help him with another plan to kill me, whatever it may be… Well, he'll never win. The battle belongs to Dumbledore – to us.

But do you feel like fighting? Aren't you tired? asked another voice inside him ever so bluntly. You're unnerved by the loss of Sirius. It occupied your life and everything. You won't stand up again and fight your destiny unless you move on. Unless you move on – unless you move on – unless you…

The voice echoed in Harry's mind, but he shut it out. "I'm not ready," he murmured softly, his voice barely audible.

He walked out of the kitchen, unaware of a certain redheaded girl, who was standing beside the sink and watching him all the time with a sad look on her face.

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Two weeks had passed since Harry's arrival at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. He enjoyed living here generally, but he had never completely cheered up, mainly because of Sirius. He spent time chatting and playing with his friends, cleaning the house with Mrs. Weasley, and occasionally meeting unexpected members from the Order like Professor McGonagall, or Professor Snape, though he was better described as unwelcome.

And on this seemingly normal Wednesday, something abnormal was going on in the house.

IT WAS HARRY'S SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY!

"Today," announced an elated Mrs. Weasley at breakfast, "is Harry's birthday!"

"Mum, we didn't forget," Ron swallowed his huge bite of bagel and protested. Hermione, who was sitting beside him, looked quite pleased that he'd finally understood some table manners.

"Okay, okay," said Mrs. Weasley, smiling profoundly. "Harry, these are the gifts you received –" she waved a hand toward an impressive pile of boxes and parcels on the floor beside the table, "—but I suggest you to open them at dinner tonight."

"Sure, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said politely. He guessed he could wait.

"Our plan for today," Mr. Weasley spoke up, folding up a copy of the Daily Prophet, "is to go to Diagon Alley from morning till afternoon, and have a celebration party at dinnertime."

Everyone around the table beamed and Tonks made a shrill whistle. Harry blushed profusely as he looked at the smiling faces. He didn't know that they'd make such a commotion about his birthday. But he felt delighted, of course. Today, unlike the days Harry had had lately, will be pleasant and fun all the while.

About two hours after breakfast, they headed off for Diagon Alley as promised. Harry was accompanied by Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Bill, Tonks, Lupin, and Mrs. Weasley.

As the archway opened for them to enter, Harry was once again amazed. He hadn't been here for a long time and he was ready for a nice stroll inside Quality Quidditch Supplies, and oh, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Mrs. Weasley insisted to visit Fred and George first. And so they did. Fred and George Weasley waved at them as they walked into their joke shop. The twins looked very jubilant among the nonstop customers.

"Business is booming, business is indeed booming," said George. He was panting slightly.

"Here, have a seat – sorry, that's the only space available," said Fred.

"But we plan to expand the size of our shop," added George, "as soon as we got enough money."

Fred clapped his hands together, "That's right!"

Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, and Tonks looked impressed. And Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, even Bill, each bought some of the twins' products in special discount.

They left Fred and George's joke shop after one hour, and then sauntered among the colorful shops. At noon they reached a battered looking brick wall, and Mrs. Weasley, to Harry's surprise, tapped some of its bricks and the entrance to a small alleyway opened up for them to enter. There were numerous wizard restaurants and cafes within the alleyway. Diagon Alley, Harry decided, was much bigger than he'd known. They ate at a fabulous restaurant called Pixie's Tavern, recommended by Bill. "He often brings Fleur here for romantic dinner," Ron whispered to Harry furtively.

After an immensely satisfying meal, Lupin and Tonks had to go for an Order task. "See you later," they said, and vanished with two pops.

The rest of them spent a lazy hour in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, chatting and savoring a variety of sundaes. So far, Harry was enjoying himself. He has definitely cheered up, having a cool sundae and basking in sunny air with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Bill, and Mrs. Weasley. They looked like a family.

Before finally decided to leave, they bought some school stuffs for the coming school year. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny each needed many new textbooks. Harry couldn't help but feel pesky when the manager handed him a brand new copy of Advanced Potion Making.

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Dinner was scrumptious. A variety of mouth-watering dishes lined up neatly on a magically expanded table, showing of their maker's skills. Though it surely wasn't as grand as the Hogwarts feast, it was nevertheless very charming. Obviously, Mrs. Weasley had cooked the food with all her might, helped along by Ron, Hermione, and Ginny (Harry was chucked out – "Rest, dear.")

So, as a result, dinner party was an even better experience than at Diagon Alley during the day. Luminous candles lit the hall, and chatters of the people livened up the whole house. Harry got a snack box called "The Best From Honeydukes", from Ron; a book titled Handbook for Young Auror Trainees Like You, from Hermione; another book titled Everything About Beastly Dark Creatures, from Lupin; an exquisite quill with auto-refilling ink, from Ginny (she looked fluttered when Harry told her it's a really wonderful gift); a delicious cake from Hagrid; a peculiar-looking wizard wristwatch that is also an alarm clock and bewitched memos ('time to wash your socks, boy!'), from Tonks; a big box of homemade chocolate chip cookies, from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; another box full of the Weasley twins' joke products, from the Weasley twins; and a delicate bejeweled casket, from Bill.

A/N – Aaahhh, I'm so tired! Think up any other gifts Harry should've received – yourself! I'll just stop here. : )

Harry was happy – very happy. But he couldn't help noticing the way everyone treated him – handling him like something fragile. Harry had a distinct feeling that they were trying very hard to cheer him up purposely. This made him pretty uncomfortable, but he tried his best to hide the feeling.

After all, he had no right to feel down when he'd just had his best birthday ever.

At nearly midnight, the party finally called to an end. Still quite unsatisfied, Fred and George ignited miniature fireworks along the stairs and all over the hall, causing a great deal of oohs and aahs from the youngsters, and a mere grunt from Mrs. Weasley, who was luckily in a good mood.

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A/N – Okay this chapter is quite flat in my opinion, forgive me if you are feeling bored to hell at the moment. I promise there'll be more actions later. And actually, this chapter was originally two chapters; I thought the progress was too slow so I cut the part where they chatted in Ron's room (and things got a bit...er...emotional) and combined the original chapters 2 and 3 into one. If you want to read the deleted part, please tell me and I'll post them along with the next chapter.

P.S. the next chapter is a lot more interesting:D and thanks for the review, OrlandoObsessed! And guys, please spend a small portion of your time to post a review. I'm a beginner and I'd love your suggestions and criticism!