Author's note: Hello all! Bleh- I hate being sick… Ooh well. I guess that comes with winter. Thanks to my reviewers and sorry for the delay… So, with no further ado, onto my story!

Disclaimer: cough Do I look like J.K. Rowling?

Chapter Three: Presents and Floo Powder

Harry lay in bed that night, thinking over the day's events. Through all the years that Harry had known Sirius, granted they were limited, he had never thought of him as the type of man to settle down and have a family.

Harry was enormously proud of his godfather, but at the same time, he was saddened. He knew that he and Sirius would never be as close as they had been before, especially now that he was going to start a family. Sirius was happy now- happier than he had ever been before. But before we consoled each other… Before our losses brought us close, Harry reminded himself. He turned on his side, arm under his head, and sighed. He shouldn't be so selfish. Sirius had the right to be happy, even if it wasn't because of him.

Harry eventually fell into a deep fitful sleep. Images of an empty vase, a lightning bolt scar and a snake on a hearthrug circled in his mind. Harry awoke with a start, cold sweat dripping down his face.

The sun had not yet risen in the sky, but traces of purple crept across the horizon. Harry sighed then slowly sat up, turned and sat with his back against the wall. He knew that he would never be able to go back to sleep after such a vivid dream. What had it meant? He scratched his head then stood up and padded over to the floor length mirror on his closet door. Harry hadn't looked at himself in a few days- since his wish had come true, he realized.

He stood in front of the mirror. A young boy stared back at him. Messy jet black hair covering his forehead and emerald green eyes were hidden beneath circle framed glasses. Harry pushed the hair on his forehead back and saw that the lightning bolt scar that had come to be a part of him was no longer there. He found that he didn't look quite like himself without it.

Harry turned and walked back to his bed, a bit calmer than before. He flopped down onto it unceremoniously. Yawning, he pulled the covers back over him. He'll just close his eyes for a few minutes…

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Harry's eyes snapped open. There, at the foot of his bed, stood his beaming parents, a tray filled with all sorts of food held in his mother's hands and a large wrapped present in his father's. Harry grinned and sat up, sunlight streaming into his room. He hadn't thought of his birthday in days.

His mother placed the tray in Harry's lap, kissed him on the forehead, and then sat at the foot of his bed. His father then put the present on Harry's bedside table, gave his son a hug, and then pulled Harry's desk chair up by his bed.

"Thought we'd make you breakfast and keep you company" James stated.

"Thanks," Harry smiled, biting the end off a sausage.

"We're going to go to Diagon Alley later on to buy your school things," Lily began, "and tonight Sirius, Remus and the Weasleys are coming over to wish you a happy birthday." Harry's heart rose even more. He would get to see one of his best friends tonight for the first time in months.

"Alright, sounds good!" Harry agreed.

Harry finished his breakfast in a comfortable silence, and then his mother removed the tray from his lap. James handed him the odd shaped present from his bedside table.

"Go on, open it!" James encouraged, sitting on the edge of his seat. Harry smiled and ripped open the large present on his lap. Once he had cleared off enough paper scraps, he found an intricately detailed chest. Harry ran his fingers along the seam, taking in its splendour.

"Make him open it faster, Lils!" James whined. Lily laughed, smiling lovingly at her son.

"Don't rush him, Jamsie."

Harry grinned at his parents, and then quickly opened the chest. The latch lifted surprisingly easily and swung back to reveal four balls. The large red quaffle, the two black bludgers, who were trying desperately to free themselves and the tiny snitch, sat in the chest. There were also two small bats and a glove. Harry looked curiously up at his father. "What's the glove for?" he asked.

"That, my boy, is a relatively new invention. That glove will pull back your snitch- and only your snitch- to your hand once the game is over. This little glove will prevent the loss of your snitch. Neat, huh?" Harry nodded and hugged them both.

"Thanks! This is so awesome!"

"Maybe we could go out and-"

"No James, there will be time for playing later." Lily scoffed him playfully. "We're heading out shopping soon."

James pouted his bottom lip then broke out into a smile. "Later on, then, Mini-Me." He messed up his son's hair. "Get dressed then come downstairs."

Harry watched as they got up, Lily carrying the tray with empty dishes, James carrying the shredded wrapping paper. He looked down at the Quidditch balls in his lap and smiled. This was the best birthday he had ever had in his life.

Jumping off his bed and placing the chest on a desk, he quickly crammed himself into some clothes and then leapt down the stairs, skipping the last three. He ran down the hall, and then skidded into the living room. His parents were sitting on the love seat. James's arm was wrapped around Lily and her head was on his shoulder. Their free hands were resting intertwined between them.

"You ready to go, Mini-Me?" Harry nodded as his parents stood up. "Alright. I'll go first, and then you and finally your mother so that you don't get lost." He grabbed a handful of Floo Powder from the pot on top of the fireplace, tossed it into the fire indifferently. He walked into the emerald flames and disappeared in a swirl. Harry waited for a while to make sure he had gone, and then followed.

He arrived in a fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron next to his father. He looked older with flecks of ash in his black hair, and Harry couldn't help but laugh. James spun around to look at him.

"What?" He asked, spinning on the spot. "Do I have something on my back?" Harry chuckled as his father spun around and around.

"Jamsie? You may look good in grey- but not for a few more years." She smiled at him.

"Huh?" He asked intelligently.

Lily ran her fingers through his messy black hair, letting the ashes fall to the ground. "There we are, dear… Now, where are the Weasleys?"

Author's note: So what did you all think of it? I'd really like to know- good or bad. Is anyone planning on doing something special for the release of GoF?

Until next time,

TeenFictionist