A Birthday to Remember

Two days passed and Harry awoke early to find Hedwig hooting incessantly.

« Morning Girl » he laughed as he got up and stretched looking out the window to see the sun shining. He put on his glasses, got some clean clothes and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. A few minutes later he emerged and went downstairs to get some breakfast, as he walked down the stairs, he could hear whispering. He smiled and as he reached the bottom step poppers exploded around his head and shouts of « Happy Birthday Harry! » from Aunt May and Peter.

May enveloped the surprised boy in a hug and kissed his cheek. « Happy Birthday, Dear » she said as she pulled away to look at him fondly and watched as Peter walked forward and he put an arm on Harry's shoulder. « Happy Birthday, little cousin » he said as Harry laughed and looked around the room, on the table there was a large pile of presents and a banner and balloons stuck on the walls saying « Happy sixteenth birthday! ».

Harry walked towards the couch and sat down as he began to open the presents from Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys and the Order of the Phoenix. From Hagrid he received a penknife much like the one that Sirius had given him for his Christmas the year before. Ginny had sent him a holster for his wand. Ron gave him a new set of gloves for Quidditch. Hermione had sent him a book on « An Auror's Guide to the Defeating Dark Wizards ». The Weasley Twins had sent their usual supply of their new products. From Neville and Luna he received magical flight enhancement products for his Firebolt. Molly, Arthur and Remus had contacted all of their old school friends and had made Harry another photo album of James and Lily in their days at Hogwarts.

Harry opened a few gifts from May and Peter mostly all new things that he could use for the new school term. Peter stood up and made his way into the hallway to go get the larger gift they had bought for Harry.

Harry looked at the large, carefully wrapped gift and looked at May and Peter who smiled. « Well, go on aren't you going to open it? » said Peter, as Harry took an edge of the paper and tore it. As he pulled the paper off and opened up the trunk he realised it was his very own state of the art Quidditch set. He stood back looking at it in awe and then back to his relatives. « Guys, I can't accept this, it's too much » he said running his hand over the intricate carvings on the trunk lid. « Of course you can dear, it's not everyday you turn sixteen » said May laughing. Harry smiled and raised an eyebrow at Peter who smirked at him. Harry walked forwards and hugged May. « Thank You, you don't know how much this means to me » he murmured. He and Peter shared a silent thank you and nodded to each other and smiled.

Later that morning Harry looked at the card that Dumbledore had sent with the Portkey for their journey to Grimmauld Place for his party. It was a handkerchief. Harry laughed at his subtlety. « Aunt May, Pete! Are you ready to go? » Harry shouted upstairs eagerly. Peter appeared at the top of the stairs with Aunt May in tow as she made her way to the kitchen to pick up a tray of food she had made.

« Did the Professor send the Portkey Harry? » said Peter looking around the room. Harry nodded and looked to the handkerchief lying on the table. Peter tried not to laugh as Aunt May looked to the two boys. « Ready? Now where is this Portkey object you were talking about dear? » She asked Harry. She followed her nephews' gaze and looked startled at the object in front of her. « It's only a handkerchief, how can we travel by that? » she said with a bit of fear in her voice. « It's alright Aunt May, its the safest way for wizards to get around nowadays, all we need to do is touch it at the same time and you will feel a little queasy when travelling but we'll be there in no time I promise » he said as he took her hand and placed it just above the handkerchief, Peter following suit, as Harry motioned for them all to place their hands on a corner. At that moment the world around them burst into a swirl of colours, wind rushing past them, and the familiar pull as if they were being sucked into the ground.

Within five minutes, Peter opened his eyes to find they were no longer standing in the same room but in a brightly lit hallway. Harry took their hands from the handkerchief and put it into his pocket. May gasped as she took in her surroundings, as Harry motioned to them to follow him towards the large kitchen. The door was closed and as he opened it a swirl of whistling and whooshing colours erupted in front of him and shouts of « Happy Birthday » resounded all around the room. He smiled as he saw the familiar faces of his friends and the Order and greeted them all as they walked inside.

Peter and May stood awkwardly next to him, when Mrs Weasley suddenly grabbed Harry into a tight hug. « Harry, its so good to see you, you look well » she said as Arthur stood next to her and shook Harry's hand. « Nice to see you again Harry, keeping out of trouble for your new relatives? » he said with a smile as he looked to May and Peter. « Oh sorry, its just great seeing everyone again after so long » he said sheepishly as May put her hand on the boy's shoulder. « Everyone, this is my Aunt May, and my cousin Peter » said Harry as he spied Dumbledore looking at the small family intently.

After talking with everyone Harry left May and Peter to get to know everyone, there was someone else he needed to see. As he quietly closed the door to the kitchen and made his way up the staircase he stopped and looked around him, the house looked so much different compared to the year before when Sirius had been here. He made his way up the staircase and towards one of the old back bedrooms, he turned the knob and went inside, he bowed slightly when he saw Buckbeak but the Hippogriff hardly acknowledged his presence and merely nodded his approval for Harry to come forward. He reached out his hand and stroked the soft grey feathers upon the bird's head. Harry looked down at the bowl next to him and saw the uneaten ferrets that Hagrid had obviously sent for him. « You miss him too, don't you? » Buckbeak looked up into Harry's face for a few seconds then turned away and put his head in his paws turning away from Harry.

They both sat in silence until Harry heard voices coming from outside. He stroked Buckbeak again and made his way to the door and poked his head out to see the faces of Ron, Ginny and Hermione.

« Harry, mate, what are you doing up here? The party's downstairs not upstairs » said Ron as he ate a pumpkin pasty.

Hermione glared at Ron as he looked at her with a mouthful then back at Harry "What?" he said as Ginny walked towards Harry and put a comforting arm around him. "We miss him too," she said softly as Harry looked into her face and smiled "I know you guys do Gin, it just gets hard sometimes you know?" He looked at Hermione and Ron who nodded in silence too.

"Come on, let's get back to the party," he said as they made their way back downstairs.

When they entered everyone was talking to each other, Aunt May had struck up a conversation with Hagrid and Peter stood talking to Tonks and Kingsley. Harry looked around him and smiled as he reached for his drink he looked to Remus who stood with his glass close to his mouth but he was staring at Peter in a very odd way, almost as if concentrating on something important, eventually Harry caught his gaze and Remus looked away as he looked to his best friends' son.

"Harry, having a good time?" he said as Harry walked towards him.

"Yeah, thanks for the gift, you didn't have to you know"

"Nonsense, its not everyday when you turn sixteen now is it?" he laughed.

"Tell me Harry, how's things………..living with Peter and your Aunt May?"

A smile broke out on Harry's face as he looked back at Peter and his Aunt.

"For the first time in fifteen years, except from being at Hogwarts, I'm finally happy, that sounds a bit corny doesn't it" he said laughing quietly.

Remus reached out his hand and placed it Harry's shoulder, Harry looked up. "Not at all, you deserve to be happy Harry, you of all people deserve that the most, your mother, father, Sirius and I are and will always be proud of you, never forget that"

Harry smiled.

At that moment Molly came bustling into the kitchen with a huge birthday cake candles fizzling on top, everyone gathered around the huge table, Fred and George playfully shoved Harry to the front shouting "Speech! Speech!" Everyone began to laugh as Harry said "Alright, alright"

"Well, what can I say?……………I just want to thank you all for organising this great party, but most of all I want to thank you for just being involved in my life, if it wasn't for each and everyone of you……….I don't know what I'd do not having you all in my life…to the ones who became my friends, accepted me into their families, became the siblings I never had…. and the new family into which I've been greatly accepted into…All I can say is Thank You, all of you, from the bottom of my heart" as he raised his glass and raised it into the air as did everyone else as everyone shouted "Make a wish" as he blew out the sixteen candles.

To the reviewers and readers, I will be updating again very soon guys, due to a bereavement in the family, it will be a while until I post again. Sorry Crookshanksthe1st