Author's Disclaimer: I am no where near as good a writer as J.K., nor do I ever aspire to be. I do not own any part of this fan fiction, save for parts of the plot.

Chapter 1 - Birthday Surprises

Harry Potter awoke in a sweaty panic. He had just ended another nightmare. This had happened every morning since the end of term. Every morning he awoke with his sheets in tangles and his forehead drenched in sweat.

Not every nightmare was the same. He had so many problems running through his mind and he couldn't find a way to deal with any of them. He was still grieving for Professor Dumbledore, the loom of his inevitable quest for the last of the horcruxes hung above him, and on top of it all, he was worried about Ginny.

At Dumbledore's funeral, he had told Ginny that if they stayed together both of them could be in danger. He was afraid Voldemort would use her like he had used Sirius. Now, however, he was beginning to regret his decision. She was on his mind, morning, noon, and night. He couldn't stop thinking about her and how he felt a physical need to be with her. He missed the way her fiery red hair fell into her face when she was concentrating really hard on something, and how pretty her big, brown eyes looked when they were staring into his green ones.

Harry reached over to his bedside table and picked up his glasses. Now, that at least he could see, he thought maybe he could forget the awful dream he had last night. it didn't work. he heard a soft rapping at his window and saw his snowy white owl with a letter tied to her leg. He got up and crossed the room to open the window.

Hedwig flew in and landed on the desk, holding her leg out with the attached message. Harry saw that it was from his friend, Ron.

Harry-

How's you're summer been, mate? Listen, I have an early birthday present for you. Mum says she's inviting you to stay the summer with us starting next week Saturday (your birthday). She says about 1 in the afternoon that day should be okay. Hermione just got here this morning, by the way. Send a letter back with Hedwig A.S.A.P.

- Ron

Harry was very excited about the prospect of getting to spend his birthday with his friends. He grabbed a blank sheet of parchment and his eagle feather quill and wrote:

Ron-

Tell your mom that I'd love to stay with you guys. One o'clock on the 31st will be fine. And tell your mom, sister, and Mione I send my best regards.

- Harry

"Hedwig, take this to Ron. then, please just stay with the Weasleys until I get there next week. You can stay with Pig."

At the mention of Ron's tiny, over-jittery owl, Hedwig nipped Harry's finger so that it left an angry red mark before flying out the window. Harry went and opened his trunk and began to pack his school things in it. He haphazardly piled in his cauldron, Hedwig's cage, his quills, parchment and robes. on top of all of it he carefully placed the picture of him and Ginny taken near the end of term. He stared at the magically moving picture of Ginny with her arms thrown around his neck and himself turning quite pink as she planted a big, wet kiss on his cheek. After a long moment, he closed and locked his trunk.

The next week, for Harry, was spent in a low lull of just trying to pass the time until his birthday. Mostly, he just read some of the more interesting parts of his old school books until he got hungry. He was even able to have some of Dudley's fizzycakes and things because all three of the Dursley's seemed to be constantly glued to the television set.

The Dursleys watched the T.v. all the time in absolute terror. Even the muggles were greatly affected by the wizarding world war. People were being murdered left and right, and many more ending up in places far away from their home with no memory at all.

At last, July thirty-first came. Harry was very excited because he knew that today would most likely be the last time he would ever have to see number 4 Privet Drive. He put on his glasses and looked at the clock on his night-stand. The electric green numbers said that it was already 12:52 in the afternoon. Apparently, he had overslept. He suddenly realized that he had no idea how the Weasleys were planning to come to get him. He certainly hoped they weren't going to try and get there by floo powder again. Suddenly, he heard a sound like a loud gunshot. He pulled back the tattered curtain and looked out his window. He looked at the street below and saw a vaguely familiar purple bus. Harry ran down the stairs, out the front door and onto the lawn.

Mrs. Weasley stepped off the Knight Bus looking quite disheveled. She was attempting to smooth out the wrinkles in her skirt and straighten her hat.

"Goodness! I can't stand that wretched thing!"

"C'mon , mum! That was wicked!" Fred said upon leaping out of the doors.

"Well, I know you kids like it, but I don't see why!"

"But it really just isn't the same without Stan. I can't believe he's still in Azkaban." Fred said regretfully.

After Fred came Ron, Hermione, Charlie and Mr. Weasley.

"Where's everyone else?" Harry asked.

Mr. Weasley replied, "Bill and Fleur took Ginny and went to Diagon Alley getting a couple of last minute things for the wedding."

"And George is at the shop finishing up some things since we'll have to leave the shop to the employees for about a week." Harry didn't seem to notice that Fred had a small mischievous smile on his face at the moment.

Harry thought it was probably best not to mention Percy at all. He probably wasn't going to come to the wedding and he was sure Mrs. Weasley did not want to be reminded of that.

Just then, Hermione rushed over and gave Harry a great, big hug.

"Hey, Hermione."

"Hi Harry. Happy birthday!" Hermione then lowered her voice slightly. "Has your summer gone all right? No 'nightmares' or anything?"

"No." Harry lied nervously.

"Good," Hermione said with a sigh of relief.

"Well, then." Mrs, Weasley said brightly. "Harry, why don't you go up and grab your things and we can be off again. I think Ernie's going to want to get going soon. I'm just glad he was nice enough to make a stop for just us."

Harry turned to go back in the house when Ron stopped him.

"What, Ron?"

"Harry, you're of age now! You can use magic!" Ron said fervently.

"Yes. Ever since he's gotten back, Ronald's been using magic to do everything, just because he can." Mrs. Weasley said in a tone that very clearly said that it would not be a wise decision for Harry to magically summon his luggage.

"I guess I'll just go run in and get it myself, then. Be right back." said Harry.

Harry dashed back upstairs and went to grab his trunk. It was only then that he realized he'd packed all of his for Hogwarts, completely forgetting everything. He'd forgotten he wasn't going back... However, he left everything in there the way it was. That way, at least for now, he could make everything seem the way it should be.

He dragged his suitcase downstairs and looked back at the Dursleys as he reached the bottom step.

"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, Dudley? I guess, this is goodbye, really."

Uncle Vernon's reply was simply, "Yeah, sure", without even glancing away from the television. Dudley let out a shout of joy. Aunt Petunia, however, surprised Harry when she looked straight at him and said, "You have so much of my sister in you. Take care of yourself. Goodbye, Harry."

"Bye." Harry said turning to leave. He went out the front door, and shut it quietly. He was still pondering in awe at the amount of actual kindness Aunt Petunia had just shown him.

He was shaken back into reality when he felt Ron grab his trunk out from his arm and begin to drag it to the bus.

"You know, Harry, it would be a lot easier to help you with this if you'd let go."

"Oh, sorry Ron."

He let Ron take the suitcase and then climbed into the bus behind him and Hermione, followed by the rest of the Weasleys.

"All set, then?" yelled Ernie Prang from his spot in the driver's seat. He then, took off without waiting for a reply. This threw all seven of them violently and unexpectedly forward. Harry, Ron and Hermione ended up in a pile on the floor. They laughed all the way to Ottery St. Catchpole 'till their sides hurt.

They got off the Knightbus and walked down the hill to the Burrow. When they got there, Harry stopped and stepped back to get a better look at the house.

Ron came up behind Harry. "No, you're not imagining it. The place really is more lopsided then usual. There's a lot of people staying here at the moment, so Mum and Dad put some temporary construction spells on the house to accommodate all the extra people."

They both walked inside and were greeted by the whole of the Weasley family and shouts of "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!" He was suddenly smothered by a wave of hugs from Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Fred, Bill, Charlie, George, and Mrs. Weasley too. He was then dragged out to the backyard by all of them. He saw that the backyard had been made into a big party in celebration of his birthday. There were three or four banners reading "Happy Birthday Harry", there were bright lights everywhere, and there was a long table in the center of the yard piled high with all of Harry's absolute favorite foods. There was even a gigantic, four-tiered double fudge cake with the words "Happy 17th Harry" in bright red icing in the center of the table.

"Thanks you guys."

"No problem, Harry. Just as long as you share some of that cake there -"

"Ronald, must you constantly think of your stomach?" asked Hermione.

They sat down and ate for what felt like hours until it was time to open Harry's presents. Harry reached for the extremely large green one directly in front of him. He undid the bow and opened the lid. Inside, there was another box. It was identical to the first, except that this one was red. This proceeded to happen until he had a total of six boxes. A green, red, purple, orange and yellow one and finally at last a small blue one. Inside the blue box was a thick black book. Harry turned the binding over and read 1000 Fun and Random Spells By Fred and George Weasley. "We thought we'd give you the honors of being the first. We're not putting on the shelves until Christmas."

Hermione had given him a new pair of glasses that were not only indestructible, but they reflected magic, and repelled water as well. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him a new set of black, satin, dress robes that they had apparently spent quite a bit of money on. Bill and Fleur had presented him with a very nice marble Wizard's Chess set. Charlie gave him a new pair of dragon skin boots. And Ron gave him a large assortment of sweets from Honeyduke's.

Finally, it got late and everyone went back inside.

"All right then, everyone." Mrs. Weasley announced. "There are a lot of people in this house at the moment, but I believe we'll manage. Harry, Ron, Fred and George will bunk in Ron's room; I think I've made it big enough for four. Then, ...Hermione, Ginny and Fleur can stay in Ginny's room like you have been. And Bill and Charlie can stay in Fred and George's old room. I think that's everyone, yes."

Then, everyone went up to their appropriate bedrooms. When the four boys got up to Ron's room, none of them could sleep just yet. They were all still too excited from the festivities. So, Harry took out his new spellbook and began to thumb through it.

"So, Harry. You're of age and you still haven't taken advantage of the fact that you can do magic outside school! How about now?"

"Okay... what about this one?" Harry said stopping at a particularly interesting looking spell. He pointed his wand at Ron and said, "fiori rosara!"

"There, how's that?" Harry asked in a highly sarcastic tone.

Ron looked down and saw that Harry had turned his new shirt all pink and full of daisies. Harry, Fred and George all burst out laughing and fell out of their seats and began to turn purple.

"Okay, guys! This is NOT funny!"

Eventually, the three of them caught their breath again and then, all four of them took turns looking through the book and hitting each other with some of the more ridiculous spells. At around three-thirty the next morning, the boys got to bed. Harry's head hit the pillow and he thought about how this was most definitely the best birthday he had ever had.