Chapter 3 – Birthday Thoughts
A/N Again thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, or favourited my story, I appreciate any and all criticism and hope you enjoy this story. A few announcements:
1 – As you can tell I enjoy Percy Jackson; my next story will be about that series if you enjoy please follow or try and remember my title to find it once this story is complete.
2 – As you may also tell I am new to writing fanfiction and I haven't really looked into opening any polls, however if people do want to have some choices in this story, please leave a review or PM as to how to efficiently open said poll and I will leave choices open.
3 – To those of you who have read this because of the rated M tag, firstly enjoy haha, and two please bear with the story into later chapters if that is all you are after, and a warning to others I believe I might make them quite graphic.
Finally, can a few people suggest how long they would find the common suitable chapter, I am unsure just how big of a word count I should aim before completing a new chapter. Also, I am likely to enter 1st person sometime or the other, please let me know if it ends up bad and if third would therefore be best. As always enjoy, and please review if you like. TitanOfTides.
The light was shining through the window of number 4 Privet Drive, into the smallest bedroom, otherwise known as Harry's room. The room was clearly neglected, just like the person living in it, with the wallpaper on one side ripped and starting to hang loose. The other walls lacking a fresh coat of paint and becoming worn and faded. Even the carpet was clearly old and lacked any care. This wasn't even to mention the furniture; like the bed, broken and barley standing with a soggy, ancient mattress to go with it, or the wardrobe with a door hanging off its hinges by a thread, the splintered wood decorating the outside.
The room but was all but basically a prison cell; not only with the way it looked, bare, empty, and diminished in its basic use… to be lived in, it was also used for that specific reason, to imprison the user. It was working. Harry woke up early on his birthday at 7am, feeling worse because of the day but also refreshed from what happened yesterday. The blood ritual. Basically, the blood adoption turning him into Sirius's son, Harry was quite proud to be able to say that. It just made it all the worse that he wasn't here to hear him say it. Or to even one day call him dad. After all, while his real father James wouldn't ever be replaced, the blood adoption made him Sirius's son as well. Biologically, magically, and therefore legally, Sirius was one of his Dad's. What other way could Harry feel any worse? He gained Sirius as a father figure ages ago and now its official, it's too late since he's gone. It was quite unfair wasn't it?
As the sunshine streamed into the room and woke Harry Potter up. His day started at 7am, in his prison cell as normal, the only difference was, it was his 16th birthday.
Harry put on his much hated glasses that were, of course one of his worst attributes, for the simple fact of hiding his emerald ocean eyes behind the lenses but having no other choice, he simply stuck them on his head and looked round to see Hedwig. Since she was gone last night when he got back, he thought she would be there in the morning to greet him, yet she wasn't. Not in the cage or not near the window, Hedwig was nowhere in sight. It left him quite saddened that she wasn't there for him to wake up too. Thinking upon it though, he realised she may be out receiving his birthday wishes from his friends.
That thought of course, lead him to think about his friends, like if they were truly his friends or just wanted to use him for some kind of gain. He thought about each of them, their conversations and behaviours through the years, their actions, and mannerisms when he was around them specifically or together. Some of it was quite worrying, and he wondered why he hadn't picked up on it before. For example, Ron.
Simply put Ron was like a total enigma to Harry these days, he had to admit that Ron hadn't basically changed around him and still was his best friend, along with Hermione. But that was defiantly one of his problems, the lack of change. Everything from his behaviourisms and opinions had never really changed as he grew up. Things like his attitude to all the Slytherins' and his jealousy of anything Harry might do. Not to mention how he ate, and he could safely say since he knew, a starving man wouldn't eat like that. Then there was the way he spoke to Hermione, as if she were nothing and dismissed her whenever she made him angry which clearly was nearly every day. Harry swore sometimes he heard him mutter under his breath 'Mudblood' a few times but wrote it off as if he were just imaging it.
Honestly, he started to question why he was still such close friends with Ron. Other than the fact of him being his first friend and helping him though the magical world till his fourth year, he hadn't really been that much of person to rely on. Especially after the Triwizard Tournament which he really let Harry down on, not believing him and causing arguments. Not to mention those arguments he has with Hermione, sometimes actually making her tear up it was downright awful how he treats her sometimes, and then act possessively over her. He would have to watch Ron this year, he believed.
Another was Hermione, sometimes her behaviour is completely different to what it normally is, like agreeing with Ron over things she would normally argue with hours on end. Or the way she's been talking up Dumbledore around him, ever since the start of last year, basically telling Harry how Dumbledore could help with all of his problems, refusing to acknowledge how Dumbledore had left him out to dry that year. Harry could tell how his feelings for her had changed, slowly but surely since the whole Yule Ball, and through watching her learn in the DA, but of course could see Ron was clearly interested and somehow, weirdly, Hermione was too. It ripped a hole in his heart most of the time, but he knew he couldn't just leave them because of some developing feelings, he was their friend first and foremost he could deal with the pain, somehow.
Then there was Ginny. She was totally different to Hermione, for one she never listened to him and was just starting to fling herself at him, after the Battle of the Ministry. He supposed it was better than before that when she was constantly surrounded by boys, like Dean. Harry started to wonder if that was to slowly make him jealous, as if it helped her chances to get him in a relationship. Like Ron, he would have to watch her very closely now with Sirius's warning about them. He briefly thought about the twins, seeing as those were the last of the Weasley's he was close to, but realised Sirius gave no warning about them and properly had either nothing on them or they had nothing to do with whatever Sirius had found. He was sure he could trust them two out of the Weasley clan the most now, they were like his cousins basically.
Then of course there was Luna and Neville, both were a peculiar case especially together. He could see the opening start of crush between the two, from their time together in the DA, and openly supported it. Harry hated the fact that he was only partially close to them after the years and only through the DA. 'Luna defiantly has seer powers or something,' he mused to himself. Neville could do with more confidence, hopefully he gets it soon enough.
Finished thinking and worrying about his friends, Harry realised he was hungry and decided to try and get some birthday breakfast, even if it meant venturing downstairs in what was probably worse than the snake pit. Harry entered the kitchen and not a moment later heard his Uncle Vernon.
"Freak, get out of my way, or better yet make yourself useful and make the toast." He told Harry in his thick voice, before trogging off without waiting for a reply. Harry realised though he could put up a fight, it was a simple task to complete for now and did it, grabbing some of the bacon of the counter and eggs and hurrying upstairs when the toast was done.
Upon entering his room, he was delighted to see Hedwig resting comfortably on her perch in her cage, she looked at him with a gleam in her eye that showed her love, she gave a affectionate hoot, and held out her leg that had several hanging parchment pieces. Harry then looked on the bed as he quickly went to retrieve his letters and saw a small pile of gifts that must be for his birthday. Grinning he stroked Hedwig's feathers and fer her a nice piece of his bacon, and leaving owl treats as a bonus for her. She nipped his finger in a loving way before watching him open his letters and presents.
Looking at his letters, while quickly starting his breakfast before it got cold, Harry saw the first one was from Dumbledore, his shock fading away he ripped open the letter and read:
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday my boy, hope you have a wonderful and safe birthday. Please stay inside the wards as you know they are the best protection for you and after the incident at the Ministry, I think it would be wise to keep a low head for the next few weeks.
Hope to see you well in September.
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster
Harry sat there in wonder, how dare Dumbledore, the incident? Did he not mean the Battle that cost him his godfather? Not to mention the wards, as always 'the wards Harry the wards' was all he ever spoke about during the summer to Harry. It was like he wanted Harry to forget there was a world outside those wards. All this just made him more and more angry as he continued to think about this and Sirius's warnings, he knew to try and calm down though, he really couldn't let his anger overtake him like it used to. He started to think about Occlumency and how he had started what was like torture to him with Snape. While he didn't want to think about Snape, he thought it would be good to start trying Occlumency, even by himself he would just have to do some research on the matter, and perhaps start meditating.
The next letter was actually one he was looking forward to, it was from Hermione and at least provided some reason as to her lack of communication throughout the last few weeks, as well as her worry for him from Sirius's passing.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday Harry, 16 and nearly legal to do magic soon! I'm sorry I haven't had the chance to write, even though I know it will have been horrible for you the past few weeks but I hope you know I'm here for you in you want, I've just been recovering from the injury from Bellatrix at the Ministry, the hex left a scar but don't worry I just wish Sirius could have got something like this instead. Dumbledore has been helpful in getting potions for me to heal faster, you should talk to him Harry, he wants the best for you so please stay safe like he asks. Along with that Ron asked me to do his homework for Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology, isn't he amazing? I'm so glad he's letting me help, anyway Happy Birthday, I miss you and your present brings you some comfort till School.
Love Hermione
Harry took a minute to reread Hermione's letter, some parts were strange like the bit about doing Ron's homework and Dumbledore giving her potions, but Harry felt guilty for not realising Hermione was still recovering from the hex she caught at the Ministry. He was glad she would be there for him and reminded himself to make sure she was okay instead of forgetting again. He quickly located her gift and gasped at the wizard photo of himself and Hermione staring back at him, with a clear wide-eyed grin stuck on his face as Hermione hugged him in Hogsmeade. It must have been just after the first DA meeting where everyone signed the list, a moment when Ron had gone to get a round of butterbeer for us, when Colin Creevey quickly came forward and snapped a picture. Looking down he realised this must have been the moment he captured, the two of them hugging and grinning before becoming shocked at the photo and quickly giggling. He was somewhat glad Ron wasn't in the moment and saw how the wizard photo moved in the beautiful wooden frame, it was defiantly a perfect birthday gift. He had to write a reply and wait for it to dry for Hedwig before coming back to his gifts.
Dear Hermione,
Firstly don't worry about the previous letters, I was worried but I knew you might not be able to respond from the injury, speaking off, I hope you're okay, I miss you too and hopefully we can meet up soon. Secondly, thank you for the birthday wishes and the present Hermione, its honestly brilliant and I love it, I can't believe you got it from Colin.
I hope Ron isn't asking too much out of you with your injury, I'll make sure to mention it to him, but make sure to tell him no if you need to Hermione, he can do his own work remember. Why is Dumbledore giving you healing potions? I thought the healers at St. Mungo's had already gave you them, right? Be careful Hermione, you never know if it could lead to more damage if you double dose.
Love Harry
Harry let the parchment dry and leaned over to open the next letter, which was a mix from both Neville and Luna, seems they were spending some time together over the summer and decided to save Hedwig some trips.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday Harry, hope you're doing okay during the last few weeks, Gran and I have been going over some techniques for shields during battle, she's quite proud of us for doing what we did so thanks. Again, I'm sorry about Sirius, I hope your present takes you mind of him for a while. Neville
Happy Birthday Harry, I hope you don't mind me and Neville sharing the parchment, we decided to try and learn a few different things in Defence, Charms and hopefully Transfiguration. Hopefully, the whack spurts will leave you to your grief and the nargles won't bother you for your Birthday. See you soon, Luna.
Harry chuckled at Luna and her mannerisms, her and Neville got along great, and he could see them both benefit from the relationship they could develop together. Neville with his confidence and Luna with her fear of losing her friends.
Reaching over to the bed again, he saw two presents wrapped together with some string. From Neville he got a black pair of dragonhide duelling gloves with the fingertips cut off, enchanted to absorb some magic from spells aimed at his fingers, as well as provide extra grip and protections from being de-armed with expelliarmus. An awesome gift and most likely cost a good deal. He was glad he had sent Hedwig off last week with his present of 5 interesting ways to grow abnormal plants and their uses, herbology book, he saw it just coming out in Hogsmeade near the end of the year. Then there was Luna's gift, a simple but effective charm that could fit on a cool charm bracelet he thought he could get in Diagon Alley somewhere. The charm was silver with a sort of glowing orb in the middle, almost similar to the prophecy from the department of mysteries, quite eerie but awesome with its mind art charm. It glowed and felt warm when someone wanted to try and enter my mind and cold whenever someone with the seer abilities did something. A gift definitely suitable from Luna.
The last letter was surprising not from Ron, Harry noticed with a slight hinge on disappointment, however when he saw Fred and George's handwriting, he started to smile that the twins hadn't forgotten him.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday mate, hope you- F
Enjoy you presents- G
Do try and use them and cheer up-F
Don't sit in grief mate use Sirius' gift of pranking- G
Forever our favourite investor and friend
Fred and George
Simple and elegant as always, the twins were brilliant finishing their sentences even in letter. I had a box magically enchanted to hold more items full of pranks the twins had made, like some of that black dust and everlasting screeching marbles, for gobstoppers. 'They really do know how to make some laugh even when they don't want to.' Harry thought, glad the twins cared and started to reply back to his letters.
Dear Luna and Neville,
I hope you are both still well after the few weeks since the Ministry. Thank you for the birthday wishes and the gifts they are both brilliant and will be well used. I hope to see you before school perhaps for school supplies. Enjoy learning the extra stuff, be careful of course.
Harry
Dear Fred – George,
Awesome stuff guys thanks for the birthday wishes, hope you are both doing well and the business. Is Ron okay? He hasn't written back for a while, hope to see you before going back to Hogwarts soon. Make some new pranks, perhaps one where potions can become safely volatile while in Snape's class.
Harry
Harry quickly let the parchments dry before sealing them and seeing if Hedwig was up for the trips again, like she nearly always, she lift up her leg so they could be attached and gave a hoot at the stroke he gave her, before flying off into the still early morning.
By this time, Harry decided to quickly shower and get ready for what would be a full day nearly in Gringotts and if he had the time, pick up a few items in Diagon Alley.
A/N I will admit I proofread while I write and not after when I finish a chapter, if there are any mistakes, feel free to let me know and I'll try to start. If anyone has any quick suggestions, they would like to make before I kick out Ch4 feel free to do so now, thanks.
