Chapter 1

'Daddy?'

'It's over.'

'Daddy?'

'He's gone.'

'Daddy!'

Harry rolled over. His dreams were still haunting him, two years after the final battle.

'Daddy… wake up!'

'Not yet, Nate,' said Harry sleepily. 'Go back to sleep.'

'But daddy…'

'Sleep, Nate.'

'But it's your birthday…'

Harry's eyes snapped open. Five years had passed since Harry had awoken in Number Four for his last birthday there. Four years since Sirius' will was read. Three years since his son was born. Two years since he had defeated Voldemort.

'Daddy? Are you awake?'

'Yep,' Harry yawned, looking over to his three year old son in the muggle play-pen. 'Are you?'

Nate grinned at him over the top of the play-pen. 'Yep!'

'Is Mrs W up yet?'

'Yep!'

Harry smiled, sitting up on the couch in the living room of the Burrow. 'She's making breakfast isn't she?'

Nate nodded, obviously pleased that he had roused his dad successfully.

'Are you hungry?' Harry asked slyly, stretching as he stood up.

Nate clapped wildly, nodding fervently. Harry laughed as he hoisted the three year old out of the pen. As soon as his feet touched the floor, Nate's legs started pumping, but Harry refused to let go.

'Go, dad, go!'

Harry laughed as he let go of Nate, who ran full throttle into the tiny kitchen. Harry chased after him, causing him to squeal with delight as Mrs Weasley grinned at the two of them.

'Happy birthday, Harry, dear,' she said as Harry picked Nate up and put him in the highchair.

'Thanks, Mrs Weasley,' he said, smiling as he kissed her on the cheek, stealing a piece of cooling bacon as he did so.

'Mine!' Nate shouted as Harry chewed the meat. He handed the piece over and sat down at the table.

'How are you, Mrs Weasley?' Harry asked as he poured a small cup of juice for Nate.

'Oh, I'm the same as always, Harry,' she replied, setting down a plate of toast on the table. 'Just glad that we're all still here.'

Harry smiled. 'You'll be staying that way for a while.'

'Thanks to you, Harry,' she said, sitting down across from him as a pot boiled on the stove. 'I'm just sorry that –'

'No need to be,' Harry said, patting her arm. 'It was inevitable. I'll be okay.'

'I know,' she said quietly. 'And I didn't mean to bring it up! It's your birthday, Harry!'

Harry grinned more broadly as Mrs Weasley pulled out a box wrapped in gold paper from under the table.

'Oh, Mrs Weasley, you shouldn't have,' he said, taking it from her all the same.

'Well, it's a big day,' she shrugged, blushing slightly as she turned her back to stir the pot's contents.

Harry gasped as he ripped off the paper. 'Mrs Weasley!' he laughed, pulling out the margarita glasses, salt rimmer, and shaker.

'I thought it would be fun,' she shrugged, but looking pleased all the same. 'And I know you'll want one with this little one,' she added, nodding towards Nate, who had sloshed his juice over the table of the high chair.

'Isn't that the truth,' Harry said, smiling as he reached for a cloth to clean up the mess. Nate was splashing in the juice, squealing with joy as he became stickier and stickier.

'Whoa, someone's having fun,' said a friendly voice from the kitchen entrance.

Harry looked up and caught sight of Ron and Ginny in the doorway, both with gifts in their arms.

'Happy birthday, Harry,' Ginny said, kissing him on the cheek as she handed him a small box wrapped in red paper.

'Thanks,' Harry said, grinning as Ron slapped him on the back, setting his blue bagged gift on the table. From Ginny Harry received a box of kosher salt, from Ron lime juice. 'Are you hinting at something?'

'Hint? Us? Of course!' Ginny said, pointing her wand at Nate's plate, vanishing the spilt juice.

'Happy birthday!'

Harry whipped around and found Hermione in the doorway this time, a box in her arms and Crookshanks at her heels.

'Recipes?' Harry asked as he ripped off the paper. Hermione laughed, kissing him on the cheek.

'It's a group effort,' she said happily, helping herself to toast.

'Where's Kit?' he asked, handing Nate a piece of toast.

'Upstairs,' Ginny answered. 'She'll be down soon. She was just waking up.'

Harry nodded as Mr Weasley entered, carry a case of muggle ale, it appeared to Harry.

'Happy birthday!' he said cheerfully, placing the case on the table while he gave Harry a one armed hug.

'Thanks, Mr Weasley,' Harry said, pulling out one of the cans. 'Umm, what is this?'

'Oh! A muggle ale sort of thing,' Mr Weasley explained excitedly. 'From Canada. They call it beer there, and it's different than our ale here.'

'Oh, well, thanks, Mr Weasley,' Harry said happily, setting the case of Kokanee under the table.

'Mum?' Nate asked, looking between them all assembled there and eating toast.

'She's coming,' Harry said wiping Nate's hands with a wet cloth as Mr Weasley coughed pointedly.

Harry looked up at him.

'Did you see her on the stairs?' he asked.

Mr Weasley shrugged, looking past Harry to the door. Harry turned around in time to see Kit, a large cake in her hands, beaming as she led a smiling Remus, Tonks, Oliver, Sasha, Charlie, Kristina, and twins into the kitchen. Harry noticed that they carried bags that no doubt held the final ingredients for the margaritas.

'Happy birthday to you,' they all sang, everyone, even Nate, joining in, 'happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Harry … Happy birthday to you!'

'And many more,' the twins sang in prefect harmony as Kit set the cake down in front of Harry and holding back Nate's flailing hands.

'Make a wish,' the all said, looking at him expectantly. But Harry didn't know what to wish for. As he looked around at them all, his eyes landed on Nate.

He blew out the candles in one as they all cheered and Mrs weasel brought out a knife.

'My present is waiting upstairs,' Kit whispered in his ear as Harry took the knife from Mrs Weasley. Harry grinned, passing a piece of cake to his son, who smooshed it over his face, glad that he was twenty.