Chapter Fifty Seven
Harry's Birthday
The week had gone by rather quickly and they all had fun with swimming and quidditch. Harry and Hermoine were spending a lot of time together, and having fun all the same. That weekend they had decided that they were going to go to Diagon Alley to get birthday gifts, and school supplies. They decided that Hermoine would distract Harry in the book store while the others were off buying their gifts for him, and then they would all finish their shopping together. While they were in the book store, Harry could have sworn he had seen a big black dog out front, but when he looked again, it was gone. He shook his head and thought that it was his imagination. "Well, should we get some light reading for while we are at school Hermoine? I don't know. I might like some old time western novels, or something like that." He and Hermoine were looking around while the others were shopping. They got all the books that everyone else needed while in there, and did some light shopping. Harry picked up a couple of muggle westerns, while Hermoine picked up a couple of Romance Novels. Harry looked at her weirdly when she did this, but just shrugged. He then went and got a couple of books on quidditch strategy's also.
When they were done, they met everyone else out front, and handed each of them their packages of books. They then went to get their supplies for Potions and all the other things that they needed. When they were done, they headed back to the Burrow for lunch and some more Quidditch. "Oh before you two go off to play quidditch, give me your permission forms so I can sign them." Harry and Ron had completely forgot about those, and went up to get them. They handed them to Molly for her to give them her permission for them to go to Hogsmeade on the weekends. She signed them with a smile, and sent them on their way. Hermoine and the rest had already gotten them taken care of by their parent or guardian.
They were out playing a pick up game of quidditch, and Harry was trying his hardest to get Hermoine up on a broom to try to play. He had finally talked her into coming up with him on his broom, and was leisurely flying around the area and toward the pond. He landed and the sat by the pond contemplating life, and talking about what their futures might bring. "What do you want to do when you get out of school Harry? I want to either teach, or go into the ministry as an Auror, or Unspeakable." She was smiling over at her boyfriend while sitting in his lap while they were watching the water.
"I don't really know Moine, I think that I might want to be an Auror like my dad was, or maybe teach also. I know that whatever I do, that I want to do it with you by my side. I know that this might be too early in our relationship, but I have a strong feeling about us, and I was wondering if we're still together and alive then, if you would marry me sometime in the future?" He looked at her with all seriousness, and a smile on his lips.
She was flabbergasted to say the least, but she knew that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him also. She leaned over and gave him a kiss and smiled. "Of course Harry I will marry you one day. I also feel the same way about you. I know people might think that we're too young, but we are growing up in an age that has seen us take on the Dark Lord twice all ready since we started school, and even tho we can hope that he won't come back, it's not guaranteed. I love your Harry, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You didn't know this, but one of the reasons that my parents invited you on our vacation this summer was because they can see it also, and they wanted to get to know you." She kissed him again, this time a lingering one that was as passionate as a couple of young teenagers could.
When they broke up, they got up and flew back to the burrow. It was time for dinner, and tomorrow was Harry's birthday. They sat down with the rest of the clan to eat dinner and spent the rest of the night playing games, and finishing up the rest of their summer homework.
The next morning found them getting up and having a big breakfast of all of Harry's favorites. There was Pancakes with Blueberry syrup, eggs, sausage, orange and pumpkin juice. They had a good breakfast where everyone wished Harry a happy birthday. The party was for that afternoon, and everyone went down to the pond to go swimming and enjoying the warm day before the rest of the guests got there.
After lunch all the rest of the guests began arriving, and they had a great party. Harry got a whole lot of interesting gifts for himself and Lightning.
His list of gifts was turning out to be a large list of things that everyone thought that people thought that he needed. There were three packages that came from people that Harry didn't know who two were, and the other one was unsigned. He decided to open those last.
From his friends and family he got all kinds of stuff.
From Ron he got a book on the history of the Chudley Cannons, and a signed poster.
From Percy he got a gift certificate from Flourish and Botts for 20 galleons.
From Fred and George he got a variety of pranks from Zonkos and a box of sugar quills
From Ginny he got a set of grooming tools for Lightning and a pendant of a Unicorn
From Bill he got a charmed box that he could use to keep his private stuff that only he
could get into it, unless he allowed others to?
From Charlie he got a set of Dragon Hide Boots and a Dragon Hide Wand Holster
From Mrs. Weasley he got a Broom servicing Kit, and a new sweater
From Mr. Weasley he got a muggle radio that was set so it can be played at Hogwarts
From Draco he got a book on countering dark curses and the history of the rise and fall of
Dark Lords of the last 1000 years.
From Pansy he got some special owl treats for Hedwig, and Unicorn Treats that Hagrid
had sent him for Lightning.
From Dudley he got a book on the magical history of his family on his mothers side
From Aunt Marge he got a pendant that was his mothers that had a picture of them when
they were kids on one side, and a picture of his parents on there wedding day on the other
side.
From Neville he got a book on Herbology and a sampling of different plants for potions
From Luna he got a lifetime subscription to the Quibbler
From Seamus he got a Kilt and a book of sheet music of Irish folk songs for his guitar
From Dean he got a football signed by his favorite football team
From Lavender, Pavartti and Padma he got a Wizardring Camera with film
From Dumbledore he got a Penseive and a book on the history and proper usage of it
From Professor McGonagall he got some books on Advanced Transfiguration
From Professor Flitwick he got a charmed block that worked like the Rubix Cube, but
more advanced in that it had eight sides and had a chance of changing colors on you
From Hagrid he got a complete set of books on the history of the Unicorn and other
magical creatures.
From the other professors he got a set of Dress Robes and different types of sweets
Now he was looking at the last three packages that he didn't know who they were that sent them. When he looked up at the headmaster, he just had the twinkle in his eyes when he looked at him. "Excuse me Professor, but do you know who sent these last three packages? Two have names on them, but the third just says Padfoot on it." Harry was looking a bit worried, for he only knew of one Padfoot, and he didn't know what he was sending him.
"Well two of them are from friends of your parents, and the third is from one of there daughters. Remus and Dawn Lupin are father and Daughter, and he is going to be teaching DADA this year at Hogwart's. Dawn is transferring here from Beauxbatons for her third year, the same as you. As for Padfoot, I don't know what to say to you, but you might want to look at them." Harry could tell that he was trying to hide something here, but didn't feel like calling him on it.
He opened the packages from Remus and Dawn Lupin first, and found that they had sent him some interesting stuff. Remus had sent him some books on Dark Creatures and a Sneakascope. Dawn sent him box of Chocolate frogs, and a French to English Dictionary.
He opened the package from Padfoot and found that he had sent him a picture of his parents and their group of friends in their ani-magus form. He noticed that one of them looked a lot like Ron's Rat Scabbers. "Excuse me Professor Dumbledore, but who is the Rat in the picture, he looks a lot like Scabbers, Ron's rat?" Professor Dubledore was more than a bit surprised when he heard this, for that would mean that if Petigrew was alive, then that Sirius was actually right in saying that he was innocent.
"What did you say Harry? Did you say that the rat in the photo looked a lot like Ron's Rat Scabbers? Excuse me a second. Ron can you please go get your Rat for me, but please keep him in his cage just in case this is true." Ron looked puzzled, but did as his headmaster had asked. When he came back down with the cage, the eyes of the Professors were wide. "He does look a whole lot like Peter's Ani Magus form doesn't he? I wonder." Dumbledore was scratching his beard with a twinkle in his eyes as Scabbers was getting nervous in his cage. Dumbledore cast a quick spell that was an anti-aparition ward on the cage. "Now no one worry, I think that we may be able to take care of this quickly. Arthur, will you please floo the ministry and have a group of Auror's come here just in case it's who we think it is?"
Arthur Weasley had an idea that he knew what the old headmaster was up to, and quickly went to the fireplace to floo the ministry to let them know what they have found.
A/N: I know that I'm going different from the books with this, but I have an idea on what I'm going to go with this. Sirius is going to be freed early in this one, and Peter isn't going to be around for long. Now this is sounding like where is Voldemort going to come in, but I'm also setting it up as Fudge being the secondary flunky in this. Please read and review. Donald