For the next few days, Harry cut himself completely off from everyone. Ron took to sleeping in the twins old room (they had an apartment now) to give Harry his space. Ginny was trying to be cheerful, but even she seemed preoccupied. Hermione figured that Ginny was probably being consume in Harry's unhappiness as she could tell his feelings and no one else was sensing them. Mrs. Weasley would send up food trays, and Harry would set them back outside, hardly touched.
Ginny, after a week of Harry moping around his room, opened the door without knocking. She went to his bureau and pulled out a t-shirt and pants, and then walked over to his bed and pulled the covers off of him.
"Hey! What the-" He started as Ginny turned her head, him being in boxers and a white shirt.
"You, Harry, are getting up and spending the day with your friends."
"But-"
"No buts!" She yelled, and threw his clothes at him. "Get dressed and get downstairs for breakfast."
Harry stared after her, then slowly got dressed. Ginny seemed really forceful. What had Michael and Dean done to the little girl who seemed mild and meek and needed his rescuing? Wow, that was almost four years ago. Could so many things happen in that period of time to make you almost forget something? Yes, it could.
Harry walked downstairs to the smell of eggs, bacon, sausage, and freshly squeezed orange juice. He took a seat next to Ron and started his breakfast, just then realizing how hungry he really was.
"Welcome to the world of the living Harry." Hermione said. "You ready for a busy day?"
"After the rude awakening I got, I'm ready for anything." He replied, casting a weary eye at Ginny.
"Oh, please. I was the only one with the guts to actually go up there and get you." Ginny retorted.
"What's on the agenda for today?" Harry asked.
"We're going around London. We figured we'd do a little sight-seeing and then go and check out Fred and George's joke shop." Hermione replied.
They all finished their breakfast quickly and sufficiently and headed out.
Harry felt glad that they had picked today to drag him out of bed. It was a beautiful summer day and comfortably warm out. They walked leisurely in silence for a short time until they saw a group of teenagers, mostly girls.
"Oh my god! It's Daniel Radcliffe!"
"Dan! We love you!"
"Look, there's Emma Watson and Rupert Grint!"
They all gaped as the group attacked three teenagers who'd looked like they were trying to slip away unnoticed.
"Geez, that almost makes me glad I'm not famous." Ron said, watching a girl steal Dan's jacket.
"I'm glad I don't have fans." Harry said. Then, with a look from Hermione, added. "At least none that act like that."
"What are they famous for?" Ginny asked Hermione.
"You know, I'm not sure. I heard my parents talking about them one time, I think, and they couldn't stop laughing about them for some reason. I don't know."
They walked away. When Harry looked over his shoulder, he thought there was something oddly familiar about that Dan guy . . .
(sorry, but that was too easy. No more mentions of the Harry Potter stars. I was just having some fun when I wrote that scene)
They all somehow ended up at a basketball court. Harry had never really been the best at it, but he was okay, and Hermione surprisingly had a knack for it. Ron and Ginny both got the hang of it after a while, although Ron sometimes forgot to dribble. They soon had a game going, Harry and Ron versus Ginny and Hermione. They were down to the last couple of points (they had decided on 20 to win and one point per shot) when Harry got the eerie feeling of being watched. The wind blew particularly hard, and the others watched as he walked out the gate.
"Harry?" Hermione asked, tentatively.
Harry didn't answer. He walked slowly down the street, a glazed look in his eye. He seemed to be in a trance. Ginny ran out of the gate and grabbed Harry. He didn't react to her, but just kept walking. Ginny walked around him and smacked him clear across the face. It seemed to wake him up. He touched his cheek and then looked at her with a mixture of surprise and hurt.
"Oh, Harry. I'm so sorry. You wouldn't react to me, I didn't know what else to do. Are you alright? What happened?"
"I don't know. It just felt like my brain left my body somehow."
"Let's go visit Fred and George now." Hermione suggested.
"Welcome to our joke shop." Fred said. "For you guys, you get 50 off."
Harry smiled his thanks and looked around the joke shop, not sure where to start. Hermione and Ginny went to the simpler tricks, like the 'Disappearing Head Hats'.
Ron lead Harry to a display of the new "Muggle inspired" tricks, now showcased near the back of the shop.
Disappearing Ink: ink that will only appear to the writer, everyone else will see a blank page!
Whoopee Cushion: your friend sits on this, he'll really fart!
…and other childish Muggle things.
Harry stared at the assorted jokes and gags. One was a kit of do-it-yourself home-making gags. The twins also had and odd amount of treats. Regular ones, not just joke ones.
Harry decided on one do-it-yourself kit, a box of fireworks, and a pack of Weasley's Lightning Sticks (Harry had tasted it, it was kind of like a Shock Tart, with a bit more power).
Ron had bought Canary Creams and a box of Skiving Snacks, which had finally been perfected.
Ginny had a cowboy Disappearing Hat and Disappearing Ink.
Hermione had a book that had a history of jokes that had been pulled, which included a few of Fred and George's.
Fred and George had already Apparated to Number 12 Grimmuald Place, having locked up for the evening. Harry and the others walked back slowly, enjoying the street lights humming slowly on and the feeling of sweet peace that had fallen on them.
They walked into the house and tip-toed to the kitchen. Harry laughed at something Ron had said and opened the door. The kitchen was pitch black. Harry flipped the switch.
"SURPRISE!"
Harry blinked a couple of times to let his eyes adjust to the light. Then he saw a bright red banner that had "Happy Sixteenth Birthday, Harry!" written across it in gold.
Harry stared around at the people standing before him while Ron and Hermione both pulled him into a hug.
"Today's my birthday?" He asked, staring at them.
"Harry, how could you forget your own birthday?" Ron asked, as they led the bewildered Harry into the bright lights.
Harry had never had a birthday party before, but this one, Harry knew, took the cake (no pun intended), as being on of the best ever held. Everyone was there, Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, Lupin, Mundungus, all the Weasleys, Mr. And (that insisted on being capitalized stupid computer) Mrs. Granger, and of course, his two best friends.
Harry knew he could not be happier. As he blew out the candles on his cake and Mrs. Weasley handed him his first present, Harry thought nothing, not even Voldemort, could spoil this moment.
(this is not one of my favorite chapters. To me, it is boring, nothing really happens, and I hate writing unexciting things. I don't know . . . Did you guys enjoy it? Until next chapter!)