AN: 6 pages! This is a long one so be happy!

Nooka: I'm so glad you like it! And Sirius is alive, fifth year never happened.

Chapter 17

Parties, Pets, and Photographs

After several months though, his nightmares diminished, as Harry began to get over his ordeal in Azkaban. He had friends that knew better that Ron or Hermione ever had. And he finally had something that he had always longed for. He had a home, and a family. And wizarding world be damned, he was not going to loose it.

July 31st

"So what were you looking for?" Harry was back at the mall, this time accompanied by Kurt, Ana, Jamie, Moyra and a girl named Rahne 'Wolfsbane' Sinclair . She had arrived at institute a week ago, and Harry had learned that she had already been a student there before, but her parents had pulled her out when the public became aware of the existence of mutants. Now, after much talking with her parents and the Professor, she had been allowed to return. Jamie had been thrilled beyond belief at the girls return, and had told Harry many tales about how the Scottish girl was one of his friends before she left. Harry had thought her mutant power had been very interesting indeed. Rahne was a metamorph, and could transform into a wolf. Harry had told Ana that it sounded a lot like an Animagus, but she had said that most Animagus' couldn't stop the process mid way as Rahne could.

"Hayley Westerna, but I don't know what she'll be under." The small group split up searching the music store for the elusive Cd, with Harry picking a random rack and flipping through those. A laughing Ana pulled him away saying that she didn't think that the singer would be under 'rap' and the two started to flip through the 'New Age' section.

"So what did you say to Ororo?" she asked, referring to when that morning the older mutant had asked Harry what he would like for dinner that night, and what type of cake he liked best. Harry had been completely thrown off at the question, having forgotten it was his birthday completely.

"I just said Roast, I suppose. I've never really had a Birthday dinner before."

"Well I hope you like it tonight! Everyone's making sure Kitty doesn't go near the kitchens!" Harry was very glad to hear this. He had learned the hard way why even Kurt fled the sight of Kitty's cooking.

"Found it!" came Rahne's voice from the Classical section.

After buying her Cd, The small group decided to take Harry to a movie in celebration of his birthday. They settled on the Incredibles, and bought their snacks and took their seats.

Later, they were heading back to the institute, all laughing and talking about the movie, comparing the characters to themselves.

"Do you think we should start calling Bobby, Frozone from now on?" Joked Harry, laughing along with the rest.

"No way, he'd take it as a complement! His head's swollen enough already!" said a laughing Kurt, as they pulled into the institute.

Getting in Ana asked if they wanted to hear the CD on the stereo system in the rec room, and upon entering Harry was confused to see her enter the darkened room without turning on the lights. "Ana? What ar-"

"SURPRISE!!!" The lights flashed on and Harry could see the room filled with people. There were of course all of the Students of the institute, as well as the Professors. But He could also see others, such as Amanda, who is Kurt's Muggle and very human Girlfriend. Also among the group were some of the Brotherhood of mutants, who were another group of mutants who lived in town. Harry had first heard of them as the x-men's once enemies, but after the events of Apocalypse, the fighting had died down and Kitty had even started to date Lance, the leader of the Brotherhood. He had met them a while after arriving in Bayville, while out again with Ana and Kurt. One of the members was an old friend of Ana's although she was apparently forbidden to tell where she had met Todd 'the Toad' Tolansky.

There was a click and a flash, and Harry was startled out of his shock. "W-what?"

There were a few laughs at the look that must be on his face. "Happy Birthday Harry!" Said Ororo, who was standing beside a large cake. Kurt slung an arm over his sholders. "You didn't think you were going to get out of this without a party did you?"

Harry was soon pulled inside and for the first time in his life, celebrated his birthday. There had been presents, a huge amount of presents. He got many CD's, including Hoobastank, Simple plan, and several others. He got clothes all in the Darker Style that he had been starting to wear, as well as a few studded bands for his wrists.

It was the gift from Ana, kurt, Jamie and Moyra that had been unbelievable though. The four of them had put their money together to get him a medium sized tank, and a small snake. It was a Louisiana Milk snake, and was coiled up under a little mini log in his tank. "We thought that you'd like someone else to talk to, someone who doesn't care about names." Whispered Ana into his ear. He had told Jamie a long time ago about his gift with talking to serpents, and he supposed that he had told the others afterwards.

Harry reached into the warm tank, and slowly lifted the tiny snake up to eye level. It was less than a foot in length, and really was the colour of milk. It uncurled itself and looked around, sniffing the air with its tounge. "Hello little one" he whispered at it. The snake didn't say anything back at him, but gazed sleepily at him before curling back up and falling asleep. Harry was smiling as he placed the creature back under its log, before getting up to thank his friends. They all smiled and accepted his thanks, pleased that he liked his present.

After everyone had dinner and Cake, then The music started in the rec room and everyone began to talk and dance. Harry wasn't quite sure what he should be doing then, when Kurt came up behind him, grabbed his arm and the two disappeared in a puff of smoke.

After the smoke cleared, Harry recognized his room, with his close friends all seated around in it. "We thought you like to have a little quiet time." Explained Rahne from her place by his bed. He grinned, and took a seat on the floor between Jamie and Todd.

"So what are we going to do in here?" he asked, suddenly frightened by the grins that spread over the girls faces.

"How about a game of truth or dare?" asked Ana, who joined the others on the floor. "Harry? What do you think?"

He shrugged, "Sure, why not?"

"Alright, you go first then!"

"Ok, um.. James! Truth or Dare?"

The boy looked up, and grinned. "Dare"

Back in the Rec room the occupants attention were drawn away from their activities when a stampede of Jamie's skipped by the large open doors singing at the top of their lungs: "I SEE LONDON I SEE FRANCE! I SEE THE PROFESSORS UNDERPANTS!"

"Kurt! Truth or Dare?

Kitty and Lance had been in the middle of enjoying their 'alone time' in her room when they broke apart with a gasp when they heard the "bamf' and 'click' before they saw kurt disappear again with the camera.

"KURT!!!" Shrieked an enraged Kitty

"That was easy! All right, Ana! Truth or Dare?

Back in the rec room, everyone was just getting over the sight of the Jamie skipping choir, when Ana stormed in, grabbed Pietro, who had been antagonizing Scott, Kissed him soundly on the lips, then stormed right back out.

"You're gonna get it Kurt, Mark my words!" she threatened, plopping back down on the floor.

"Alright, bring it on!" He laughed

"Oh no, I have something special! Todd!" the said boy paled when he heard his name called, "Truth or Dare?"

"Y-you sure you wanna do me? I- I mean fuzz butt here got you pretty good! Punish him yo!"

"Nope I'm really sure about picking you. Truth. Or. Dare?"

"Dare?" he said, in a pleading voice.

She grinned. "Before I make this dare, everyone in this room must swear on the thing they cherish the most that what is said in this room, Stays in this room." When everyone agreed and swore, they looked anxiously between the two. This was going to be good!

"I Dare you Todd Tolansky," she started, saying his name with a mocking tone, "to tell us all your REAL name!" everyone gasped at what Ana was saying. They all looked at Todd, who had ducked his head, his face red with embarrassment

"Come on Ana!"

"Nope! It's the rules! And no one can tell! We all swore!"

He gave a great suffering sigh, before mumbling something under his breath.

"Todd, we have to hear it."

"Mortemer….. And if any of you tell anyone!"

"Don't worry we cant!" Said Ana with a reassuring smile.

"How did you even know that?" Asked Amanda, who was trying to stop her giggles. Kurt on the other hand was rolling around the floor laughing, clutching his sides.

"Todd and I met back in England a long long time ago, before his mum took him with her to New York. We used to be friends. Imagine my surprise when I get here to find him with this new name and a mutant to boot!" She smiled at him.

"Don't give me that, your so gettin it! But, I think the wiz here needs to join the game yo!"

Later, after all the guest had left, and Kitty had properly dumped a bowl of ice-cream over Kurt's head, everyone said their goodnights, and wished Harry a Happy birthday one last time, the Boy-who-lived was standing at his window, his new snake in his hands.

"What are you going to name her?" came the voice from the doorway.

"I thought I'd ask her first." He answered when Ana came to join him at his window. They stood in silence for a while before he asked, "So how long did the bottle say it would last?"

"Six to eight weeks I think." He nodded taking in the information. "You know I think Blue is a great colour on you!"

"Oh? Thanks… I don't suppose I could use my magic to-"

"No"

"Yeah didn't think so."

"Its against the rules."

"Right."

They descended into a silence again before Ana shifted, "You know tomorrow marks the day we escaped?"

"Yeah," he said softly.

"I was going to wait to give this to you, because its not a birthday gift. Its more of a token, to remember you know?" She then pulled two leather bound books out from her robe and handed one to him. It was plain, with no title on the front. He opened it and was greeted with a blank page. "It's a journal. I thought you'd like one, just to write whatever you want in it." She then handed him the second book, identical to the first, and again he opened it to a blank page, except for the small quote in the middle. "You only live once, but if you live right, once is more than enough." He read out loud. He flipped the page and was greeted by his own image. It was a photo of himself, Ana and Kurt that had been taken a little after his first mall trip. The picture was still, with the three of them grinning at the camera. Harry turned through the book to find it full of pictures of him and others from throughout the year. There was one of him and several Jamies Pinning Bobby down to paint his face with makeup after finding their rooms iced. Another of him passed out on his bed, training uniform still on. There were pictures from Christmas, and the summer, and pictures he didn't even know had been taken.

The pictures were put in according to the time they were taken, so the further he got into the book, he could see the healthier he became. His hair getting longer, his smile becoming more sure. The very last picture was a group shot that had been take not two weeks ago, when they'd had a huge game of ultimate frizzbie. The game had been planned, but they day they had scheduled it for had been wet and muddy from the storm the night before. They had gone out anyways and the picture had been taken afterwards, all of them caked with mud, with little skin showing. His own Mud slapped face grinned happily out at him.

"Thank you" He said quietly, as he closed the book. He placed the two new books on his bedside table before turning around and wrapping his arms around his friend.

"No problem" She whispered back, knowing exactly what he was thanking her for.