Chapter Twelve

July 31, 1990

… ... ...

"Rise and shine!" Remus announced, pulling the covers off of Harry, causing him to groan and protest.

"G'way," Harry muttered sleepily, tossing on his side and squishing Slyther, who had made his way from the pillow to the mattress.

"Aren't you going to get up for your special day?" Remus said with a grin. The groaning and protesting stopped, and Harry fumbled for his glasses as he stretched in bed, slowly sitting up. Smiling, Remus handed Harry his glasses, and he adjusted them on his nose.

"Special day?" He repeated, looking down at Slyther apologetically. "What special day? It's not Christmas," he reminded Remus.

"No," Remus admitted. "It's more special than that." Harry looked at the older man quizzically.

"More special than Christmas?" He said. Remus let out a laugh.

"You don't even remember your own birthday? I'm shocked."

"My birthday doesn't matter," Harry said brusquely, shivering as his bare feet touched the ice cold, hardwood floor. "So why are you acting so cheerful?" Remus frowned.

"Your birthday does matter, Harry. Why would you say something like that?"

Harry shrugged, looking at Remus obviously. "Because it doesn't. It's just another day of the month."

"It may," Remus said, "but it's a special day of the month. Why not try acting cheerful on your birthday?"

Harry sighed. "Because it doesn't matter. July thirty-first was always just another boring day of the month for nine years, it's not going to change any, Remus." Harry gave another shrug, going past Remus and into the kitchen.

"Don't act like that!" Remus said, following Harry into the other room.

"Just drop it," Harry said.

Remus sighed, giving up. "Well, you're going to have to stay with Albus for a while today, Harry," he said, starting up another conversation as Harry seated himself in a chair. "Severus and I have someplace to be."

Snape, overhearing this as he passed the kitchen, stopped abruptly and glared at Remus. "We are? And when, pray, have you planned this?"

"You know," Remus said shortly, "where we have to be." Snape raised his eyebrows.

"On a Saturday? I have no where to be today."

"Yes, you do," Remus corrected Snape. "We have to go to Hogsmeade today."

"Hogsmeade?" Harry repeated, his green eyes suddenly had a sparkle to them. "What's that? Can I come?"

"I'm afraid not, Harry," Remus said, hesitating. "We have to pick something up there, and I'm afraid you can't come." Harry frowned.

"Why not?"

"Well," Remus started slowly, "you'll see tonight."

"What's going on tonight?" Harry asked, looking at Remus in confusion. "Did Albus announce something at supper last night? 'Cause, I wasn't really listening, and Slyther wouldn't shut up—"

Hah! Take that back! Slyther cried, coming out from the bedroom.

"No, no," Remus replied with a hearty laugh. "It's something that Severus and I need to tend to."

I tell you, said Slyther, that human is keeping something from you.

"You think?" Harry said sarcastically, turning his head around to glare at Slyther. He turned back to Remus. "So…you and Snape—"

"Professor," Snape hissed. Harry, thankful that his back was turned to Snape, rolled his eyes.

"Professor," he corrected himself, "Snape are going to 'Hogsmeade' to 'tend to something', and I can't come?"

"Harry," Remus started, "I would love for you to come. You know that. It's just something that Severus and I have to do on our own. But, tonight when we have supper, you can see what we picked up."

"Well," Harry said slowly, "if your going to show me it anyways, can't I just come in the first place?"

"Why do I have to come?" Snape spoke up. "Can't you get this thing on your own?"

"I'd like it if you came with me," Remus said, giving Snape a look. Snape sighed, a sign that he would come.

"Okay," Harry agreed carefully, "I'll stay here at Hogwarts with Albus. And, maybe he'll even let me go tour one of the classes!" He exclaimed excitedly. That's really not what Harry was planning to do, though only if he could convince Remus that it was... "Anyway, Slyther and I have…business to attend to, too."

"Oh?" Remus said, eyebrows arched. "What kind of 'business'?" Harry just smiled mysteriously.

"None," Harry said shortly. He got up from the chair and bent down, picking Slyther up. "Come on, let's get dressed," he said to the snake. "Then we'll go see Dumbledore and tend to our business."

Which is? Slyther asked. I wasn't informed on any kind of 'business.'

"You'll see."

-

"Ah, Harry!" Albus said happily as Harry entered his office, with Slyther perched on top of his head. "Glad you've come."

Harry grinned. "I actually just wanted to ask if I would be able to go explore the Hogwarts grounds with my snake, here."

"Oh, I don't think so," Albus replied with a frown. "I was informed of your…misadventure that time, Harry. I don't think Remus would approve."

"Oh," Harry said, biting his lip and thinking fast. "Well, Remus said it would be all right if I was extra careful."

"Maybe I should just check that out with him," Albus said thoughtfully, surveying Harry though his half-moon glasses. Harry could tell that the headmaster was searching Harry's posture, features for any signs of lying. Though he was, Harry was thankful that Albus didn't spot any.

"He and Snape already left," Harry informed the older man.

"Professor Snape," Albus corrected Harry.

"He's not my professor," Harry pointed out as politely as he could. Albus smiled.

"It still sounds politer." He seemed to be thinking in his chair for an answer to Harry's request. "I'm sure, if Remus said so, that you were extra, extra careful, that it would be all right if you explored the grounds." Harry opened his mouth to thank the headmaster, but Albus carried on. "Though, just for precautions, I will have Hagrid check on you every once in a while."

"Hagrid?" Harry repeated, looking utterly confused. "Who's that?"

"Ah," Albus started with a smile, "Hagrid is our Gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys and the Grounds at Hogwarts."

"Oh," Harry paused. With this 'Hagrid' checking up on him every 'once in a while,' how would he be able to go see Sirius? "Er, well, all right."

"Excellent," Albus said with a smile. Harry grinned back, turning around and heading for the door.

Lies, lies, lies, Slyther chanted. Where are you really going? To follow the new human and the greasy human?

Harry sighed, shielding his eyes from the burst of sunlight as he stepped into the cool summer's breeze outside of Hogwarts. "What did I tell you about calling them that?" Harry said. "It's Remus and…uh, Snape."

Just answer me, Slyther said. I'm not famous for patience. Actually, I'm not famous at all.

"We," Harry said, squinting in the sunlight, "are going to the Whomping Willow."

And just WHY are we doing this? Slyther demanded, thumping his tail up and down on Harry's head as if he were hitting Harry; trying to get down from on top of his head. Ooh, Slyther said suddenly in realization, you're going to see…IT…aren't you?

Harry frowned. "It? No. Sirius? Yes."

Let me down! Slyther exclaimed, thumping his tail on Harry's head more violently now. Let me down, let me down! No WAY am I going to see IT!

"Be quiet," Harry scolded. "Sirius isn't an 'it.' He's my godfather."

You don't have to keep repeating that, Slyther said. Harry shook his head as he came up to the Whomping Willow, rushing through before it had a chance to thwack Harry with its branches.

The tunnel to the abandon shack was very muddy, Slyther had to notice. Well, it had been when he, the new and greasy human had come down that time. You could smell the dampness of the mud, as if it had just rained. But, it hadn't.

I don't like this, Slyther said. I don't want to meet that murdering maniac. He's brainwashed you, Harry. Making you believe him about all his lies. He probably told you to bring me down so he could skin me!

"Skin you?" Harry repeated, taking a turn into the shack. "Why would Sirius possibly want to skin you?"

Don't! Slyther exclaimed, eyeing the abandoned old shack nervously. Don't SAY that! It's scary enough as it is. Imagine if the new human or greasy human found out about this—

"You better not be threatening me," Harry said warningly, scowling. He lifted the snake off of his head and set him down on the floor. "You are not to tell Snape or Remus about this. And what did I tell you about calling them 'new human' and 'greasy human'?"

Plenty, Slyther remarked. But, I've stopped listening after the fifth time.

"Harry?" A tentative, unsure voice carried throughout the shack, coming from the shadows in the section of the shack in front of Harry.

"Yeah," Harry said, glancing down at Slyther, who had slithered over to a corner. Probably afraid of being 'skinned.' "Sorry I couldn't have come back sooner," he continued, "but it was sort of hard getting away from Remus after what happened before."

"It's okay," Sirius said, finally coming out of the shadows to face Harry. "I'm just glad you're here now." Harry grinned and stood up, taking his hands and dusting the front of his pants. He went over to the corner of the shack behind him to dig Slyther out, but the snake bit Harry's finger instead.

"What was that for?" Harry cried, nursing his index finger.

For trying to skin me! Slyther cried out. I will NOT be skinned. Why, I should tell the greasy human about this—

"He already knows!" Harry cried, glaring down at Slyther, though he hadn't a clue where Slyther was curled up at since every inch of the corner was filled with darkness. "He listens in to our conversations, remember?"

Sirius eyed Harry suspiciously. "Are you okay?" He asked. "Is everything all right?"

"Fine," Harry muttered, sitting back down on the ground in front of Sirius. "Just arguing with that snake over there. He's paranoid."

How did you know what—

"It's called asking Remus what it meant," Harry snapped to Slyther. "Now come out. None of us are going to bite, unlike you."

You never know, Slyther said, warily crawling out of the shadows and settling down almost behind Harry. There, happy?

"Ecstatic," Harry said sarcastically.

"I... didn't know you could..." Sirius looked at the snake behind Harry's foot, and then back up to Harry.

Harry looked confused. "What? Talk to snakes?"

Sirius nodded his head.

"Well, I didn't know I could either, really—" Before Harry could finish, however, Slyther began to talk again.

Okay, so he may not want to skin me, Slyther reconsidered. But I don't trust him.

You didn't trust Remus, either, Harry pointed out.

I still don't, Slyther replied.

"So, how were you able to come down here with Remus being in 'overprotective father' mode?" Sirius said, changing the subject. A smile tugged at the corners of Sirius's lips, which caused Harry to grin in spite of himself.

"Snape and Remus went out," Harry said. "They left Albus to 'babysit' me. But, I'm ten, I shouldn't need babysitting, should I?"

From the amount of trouble you get into? Of COURSE you'd need a 'babysitter', Slyther said.

I don't get into trouble, Harry thought. Only with the Dursleys… sometimes.

Sirius looked at Harry quizzically. "Ten? But I thought you were—" A dawned look of realization crossed Sirius's face. "Today's July thirty-first, isn't it?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah," he replied. A sad, disappointed expression crossed Sirius's face.

"I'm sorry I forgot, and I don't have—"

Harry smiled and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm hoping Remus won't go all out for my birthday, anyway. I mean, it's just another day of the month, right? Nothing special."

"It is something special, though," Sirius said with a laugh. "Today's the day you were born."

"Yeah," Harry said sarcastically, "I'm aware of that. But I haven't ever celebrated any of my birthday's with the Dursley's. For nine years. I've learned that July thirty-first is just like any other day of the month."

"I can't imagine how you could think something like that," Sirius observed with a shake of his head. "Another day of the month? Yes. But a very special day of the month."

Harry groaned. "Stop sounding like Remus."

Sirius grinned. "That's not a bad thing! If I sound like Remus, then I sound smart!" Harry laughed.

We should go now, Slyther spoke up. The old human sent some other human to check on you, remember?

"Right," Harry muttered. He turned his attention back to the man sitting in front of him. "I wish there was something I could do," he said. "You can't hide down here forever, Sirius. Someone could find you, or—"

"Don't worry about me," Sirius said softly, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Just go. But don't forget about me, all right? I love your company." Harry nodded.

"I'll try to get some food at lunch and bring it back to you," he promised, getting up from the ground, bending down to pick Slyther up.

"Happy birthday," Sirius said softly, with a smile.

-

"Are Remus and—" Harry stopped, catching himself, "—Professor Snape back yet?"

"No," Albus replied, offering Harry a lemon drop. Harry smiled and refused the offer, his eyes urging Albus to go on. "They were having a tough time…deciding."

Harry frowned. "Deciding? On what? And how do you know this since they aren't even back yet?" He leaned forward in the chair that Albus had offered him to sit on, gazing at the old man in puzzlement.

Albus just smiled, not losing his cool just yet. "They informed me just a few minutes before you came into my office. Did you have a good time exploring?" He asked with a pleasant smile, changing the subject.

Harry nodded slowly. "Yes, I did. Shouldn't we go to the Great Hall now to have supper, since it is supper time?"

Albus shook his head, folding his hands on his desk and leaning forward, his half-moon glasses glinting in the sunlight. "Not yet, dear boy."

"Why not?" Harry asked, frowning. "Everyone's already down there."

"Not yet," Albus repeated. "The Great Hall is being…under construction." Harry snorted, looking at the headmaster in disbelief.

"Under construction?" He repeated, still looking disbelieved. "The Great Hall is under construction? What happened?"

"Oh, not much," Albus replied briefly with a small chuckle. "Just a minor, uh, flood."

"Flood?" Harry repeated, his eyes growing wide with every word Albus said. "A flood in the Great Hall? How?"

"No need for details," Albus said. "Why don't we wait here for five or ten minutes? Just until it's all cleared out."

"I—I still don't believe that the Great Hall is under construction," Harry admitted with a shake of his head. Harry suddenly squinted his eyes in realization. "Wait a second," he breathed. "I saw some staff go to the Great Hall when I came back from, er... exploring. The Great Hall wasn't flooded."

Ah-HAH! Slyther cried from on top of Harry's head. Got you there, didn't we, old man? Cough it up. Tell us what you're up to!

"Albus?" Harry turned his head towards the entrance of the office at the sound of Remus's voice. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion at the way Remus looked: eyes glittering, a smile formed on his lips. What was he up to? "The, uh, Great Hall is ready."

"Oh, perfect," Albus said with a pleasant smile, getting up from his chair. "Shall we go?" He asked Harry, his eyes twinkling. Harry looked at him strangely.

"Yeah…I think."

Ooh, he bet that that murdering human has brainwashed all of them! Slyther cried out, now he wants to skin us both!

-

Harry could have sworn his heart skipped a beat as he stood in the entrance of the Great Hall. "Happy Birthday, Harry!" The staff exclaimed delightedly, matching the banner that hung in the air.

"What—" Harry started, not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry," Remus said, though he looked anything but. A wide smile played on his lips. "I know you didn't want a big birthday party, but I couldn't help myself."

"So this is why you went out?" Harry said, his face still looked shocked. "Or…supposedly went out?"

"Well," Remus started, glancing at Snape, "we did go out. To pick up your birthday present."

"Present?" Harry repeated, his eyes growing wide. "Present? I have a present?"

"From mostly everybody in the room," Remus said with a chuckle, his eyes wandering the Great Hall.

"I—I can't believe this," Harry breathed, still trying to fight a smile.

"Did you know what we were doing in here?" Remus asked tentatively. Harry glanced up at Remus, shaking his head.

"Nope, I had no clue."

Remus's smile grew a bit wider. "Good." Harry let his eyes wander the room one more time. He couldn't believe what Remus (and Snape?) had done to the Great Hall. A banner proclaiming, "Happy Birthday, Harry!" Hung in the middle of the room, and streamers that changed colors every once in a while were strung just about everywhere. Two balloons were clinging onto the chair which Harry usually sat in, and a huge cake was placed on the table in front of the chair.

"Wow," he breathed, grasping onto Remus's hand. "Let's go have some cake, huh?" Then he suddenly felt a sadness wash over him. If only Sirius could be here to celebrate his birthday with him.

-

"That was…brilliant," Harry said that night as he lay in bed, Slyther already curled up beside his head on the pillow.

"Well, I'm glad you liked it," Remus said with a chuckle. "I wasn't completely sure about it after Severus and I had everything set up. I mean, you had said this morning you didn't want me to make a big fuss about it, and—"

"Don't worry," Harry said with a laugh. "I'm glad you did."

"And speaking of birthdays," Remus said with a slow grin forming on his face, "I have to get your present, now don't I?" Harry grinned as Remus left, and as he returned with some huge in his hands, covered with a blanket.

"What is that?" Harry said as Remus gently placed it on his lap.

"You'll see," he said. "And, Severus did pick it out, but I don't think he wanted me to tell you that," Remus chuckled. "So don't tell him I told you. He wanted me to say that I picked it out."

Harry glanced at Remus in puzzlement before lifting the blanket off of the present, too shocked to hardly let out a gasp.

"It—it's a—"

"Yup," Remus said, admiring the cage with the tiny owl in it. "An owl. For you."

"Wow," Harry said, his eyes wide.

"An owl is also like a messenger," Remus explained, "so you just write the letter, and tell the little guy who you want to send it to. Then, this way, you can also write to me when I leave."

Harry stopped admiring the tiny owl, his head shooting up so he would be able to look at Remus in the eye. "Leave? You're leaving?"

"No," Remus said with a shake of his head. "Not yet. I'm still your, 'lookout', Harry. We still haven't even captured Sirius Black yet."

Harry tore his gaze away from Remus and back to the owl. He couldn't believe how tiny it was.

"How tiny is this bird?" Harry asked, a smile forming on his lips.

"About seven inches long, from the tip to the tail," Remus replied.

Harry took in the sight of the owl: the facial disk had brownish and whitish radials around the edge, which fade to almost white around the eyes. The rest of his head was a brownish to grey-brown. He had a black bill, and large, bright yellow-orange eyes. The flight feathers were spotted white, and his feathers were fluffy and brownish, or reddish, with brown overall streaked with white underneath and speckled on the back.

"Thank you," Harry said with an appreciative smile. "I love it."

Remus grinned and ruffled his hair lightly, getting up and walking over to the door. As he turned the light off, he said, "It's not me you should be thanking, Harry." And shut the door.

Oh, great, Slyther muttered. The new human has got an owl for you to replace me! Isn't that RUDE?

"He didn't get the owl to replace you," Harry said, not taking his eyes off the tiny owl on his bed. "He wouldn't do that."

I know you're listening in, Professor, Harry though, emphasizing 'professor.' And I just wanted to say thank you for the owl. I love it.

No reply.

"Well," Harry said out loud to himself, "at least I told him." The owl hooted.

-

A/N: Thanks everyone! Next chapter soon.