Chapter Eleven
Saturday was Harry's birthday and all his aunt was telling him was that they would celebrate later with cake, but at the moment they had to go to the Borrow as she had other things to deal with. Harry took this as normal because his birthday was never a big deal before. He figured why should it change now?
Harry and Dudley made sure they took their brooms to the Borrow. Dudley was now flying a broom a lot like Harry's. It was slower but easier to control. Dudley liked it and it was nice now that he wasn't on that training broom. Harry liked it that he wasn't always asking to fly his broom.
Moments later Harry, Dudley and Petunia walked out of the Weasley fireplace into the kitchen. The only person that was there to greet them was Molly. "Hello, Harry. Dudley…. The kids are out back. You go head and join them," Molly said.
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," Harry and Dudley said in unison remembering the edict that Petunia had been teaching them and they headed towards the back of the yard.
Harry and Dudley stepped into the back yard and found themselves surrounded by kids, "Surprise!" Everyone yelled.
"Happy Birthday! Harry," Oliver Wood said patting Harry on the back.
"Yeah, Harry, Happy Birthday," Susan Bones said giving Harry a big hug then turning to Dudley saying. "And you Dudley!"
"Thanks," Harry said shocked that all his friends were there.
"Yeah, thanks," Dudley said feeling a bit uncomfortable being around Harry's friends.
He didn't have to worry because Harry's friends were ready to welcome him into the group. The girls grabbed both boys by their arms guiding them to the three large tables that were set up covered with food and gifts. Sirius walked up and patted Harry on the back. "I guess from the look on your face, you didn't expect this," Sirius said.
"No, I didn't but it is nice," Harry said reaching for a strawberry that was on top of the chocolate cake.
"Harry! Leave some for the others," Petunia said walking up with a tray of food.
"Yes, ma'am," Harry said shoving the berry into his mouth. Harry loved Strawberries. Petunia had planted them every year at home but none of them ever managed to produce any or
that is what Harry told her. The truth be told Harry ate them. He couldn't help it. He couldn't stay away from them.
Petunia was watching Harry to make sure he didn't eat all the berries. The boy didn't know it but his Aunt knew what he had done back on Privet Drive. He didn't know though that she had planted the plants for him. Vernon hated Strawberries. He didn't care if they had any or not. So, those bushes were for Harry not any of them. The trouble was Petunia knew the boy loved the berries so much that he couldn't stop eating them once he started. So, to make sure they had some left for the cake she had to keep a close eye on him.
At that moment Fudge, his flamboyant wife, and his mousey daughter arrived at gates of the Borrow. "Who invited them?" Sirius asked leaning close to Remus.
"They did," Remus muttered. "But play nice, we don't need Fudge worked up over things.
Fudge held the gate open for his wife and daughter. Fudge's wife was a woman with the shape like Petunia but she had a bit too much make up on. She was holding a frilly umbrella that she had open holding it to block out the sun. She was complaining as they walked through the gate. "Look at that house? Why would they have a birthday party for The-Boy-Who-Lived here?"
"Because he is friends with the Weatherbe family," Fudge said.
"Father that is Weasley family," his daughter corrected. "I read in the paper that Harry Potter is friends with their son Donald."
"Oh that is right, the boy's father works for me," Fudge said and he walked over to where Petunia, Arthur and the other adults stood with his best politician smile on his face. "Hello, everyone, it is a nice day to have a birthday party outside isn't it? Millie dear, thank you for inviting us," Fudge said.
"It's Molly," Molly said smiling.
"Oh, right," Fudge said.
"This is my wife Matilda and my daughter Talia," Fudge said.
"Welcome," Arthur said greeting Fudge warmly and introducing the others to the two ladies.
Talia walked over to where Harry stood and quickly introduced herself. "Hi, Harry. I'm Talia Fudge. I know all about you. I read everything that has ever been written about you," she said.
"That is good," Harry said trying to be nice but something about this girl made him nervous. She just hung on him too much.
Harry was not the only one that didn't like her. Ginny hated her. She was almost hissing from where she stood beside Hermione. "Look at her, standing holding him like that," Ginny snapped.
Hermione had a hunch from the talks she had with Ron's little sister that she liked Harry. "Don't worry, I don't think Harry likes her."
"How can you tell?" Ginny asked.
"By the look on his face, he is just being nice to her. Come on, let's go save him," Hermione said and the two girls walked over to where Harry stood with the others. "Harry, did you bring your broom?" Hermione asked bring up the one thing Harry would love to do on his birthday.
"Yeah, let's play a quick game of Quidditch before lunch. I'll be Captain!" Oliver said.
"Oh, no, Harry and Dudley will be Captains. It is their party," Alicia said.
"Yeah," another kid agreed.
"Okay," Oliver said feeling let down.
The kids who wanted to play all lined up and one by one Harry and Dudley took turns picking members from their teams. Harry had an advantage over Dudley because he knew who could play and who couldn't but he played fair. He picked members from the Quidditch teams and other members for his team. So, the teams were evenly balanced. The adults along with Fudge and his wife sat in chairs around the fielded with the kids that were not playing cheering for their favorite teams.
Fudge was sitting next to Petunia. "Heard that Harry was an excellent flyer, but this my first time seeing him in action. The stories I heard were not exaggerating. I think he could go pro before he finishes school," Fudge said.
"Well, Harry still a little young to think about that," Petunia said.
"You never think about playing Quidditch professional," Fudge said.
"Yeah, right," Remus muttered. Sirius and him were both giving Fudge cool looks. Fudge would love to use Harry in any form even if he would destroy the boy's favorite game. No! His two Godfathers were going make that didn't happen. James loved Quidditch as did his son and that his how it was going to stay. If Harry wanted to play professional, it was going to be on his own free will not because Fudge wanted it.
Dudley's team didn't do to bad and Ginny had given Harry run for his money. She didn't fall for the same tricks as Draco or some of the other seekers had in the Quidditch games at school. It took Harry a bit to catch the snitch even with her on a slower broom. As they landed, Harry told her so. "You did good! I might have to work to keep my position the team in a few years," Harry said.
"I would rather try out for chaser but that won't happen for a few years. Gryffindor won't need new members in that position for a few years," Ginny said.
"You know, I always wondered why the school doesn't have a junior league. It would be a great way for younger players to learn the game and if one of us got hurt. We could always have replacements ready to play with us," Harry said.
"I like that idea Harry. I'll talk to Professor McGonagall about it when we get back to school this term. It wouldn't be too hard having two teams. The captain of that team could be my assistant. We could work together in making plays. This way the junior team would know our plays as well," Oliver said already seeing everything now.
"Now you done it," Fred complained as he walked up behind Harry. "Oliver is off and running now."
"Sorry," Harry said laughing. He liked Oliver unless he got him up at four in the morning to practice for a match. It was then that he wanted hurt him. Soon all the kids were talking about a junior league as they sat down to eat. They loved the idea specially the younger ones who wanted to play but never got the chance because there was not a place for them.
Harry finished eating and went to check out the cakes. He was just about to snitch another strawberry when he noticed Scabbers eating on a chunk of chocolate from the cake. "You better not let Molly see you," Harry said to the rat.
"Who are you talking to?" Remus asked as he and Sirius walked over to make sure that Harry didn't eat all the strawberries. Well, Remus was asked by Petunia to make sure this didn't happen. Sirius was there to make sure there to keep Remus from cleaning out the chocolate.
"Scabbers," Harry said pointing to Ron's pet rat.
It happened in an instant. Remus and Sirius caught sight of Peter and Peter caught sight of them. The pair pulled their wands but Peter was faster. He changed into his human form and grabbed a hold of Harry picking up a knife from the table shoving it right under the boy's throat. "St…ay back," Peter stammered. "I do…n't want to hurt him."
Suddenly everything went dead quiet. They stood there looking in shock at the ragged man holding a knife against Harry's throat. It was Fudge that broke the silence. "Now, see here. You are threatening a Lord. Put that thing down right now and…"
Fudge didn't get to finish for Peter had pushed the knife right against Harry's throat causing the boy to yelp. "Shut up!" Sirius snapped turning to growl at Fudge, who was only standing a few feet behind him by this time. He then turned to face Peter. "You don't want to do this Peter. Remember, he is James son and he was your friend," Sirius said.
"Yyy…es he was but that is in the past. If I ki…ll him the Dark Lord will reward me," Peter said.
"He is dead," Fudge snapped.
"Shut up!" Remus and Sirius said turning around and giving Fudge a dirty look. Remus then turned to Peter moving very slowly towards his old friend. "Peter, listen to me. Harry didn't do anything to you. So lower the knife and let him go."
"No, now back off," Peter said shoving the knife a bit harder against Harry's throat causing blood to slowly run down the boy's throat. The women screamed and cried at this. Petunia was holding her breath as she watched this fat rat-like man threaten her nephew.
It was Harry's friends that cooked a plot to save him. Fred, George along several of the other boys stood together talking about what to do. It was Ron that suggested they use the Quidditch balls. The others liked the idea and the cooked up this plan.
Ron opened Harry's snitch's box first and the small gold ball flew right towards the area Harry was standing. It flew around him and Peter. Peter was watching it closely. As he did so, the knife slowly went down just enough to get away from Harry's throat. It was this point Fred and George took aim using their beater skills and hit the bludgers sending them flying towards Peter. One hit the knife knocking it out of his hand and the other hit Peter right in the back.
Peter let loose of Harry, sending the boy flying forward. Sirius caught him and Remus caught Peter. If Remus and Sirius had been alone Peter would have been dead because they would have ripped him a part. But, they weren't and a moment later Peter was on his feet in Remus grasp. Two Aurors, Fudge's bodyguard, who were slowly making their way towards the group to take Peter by surprise, had jumped into action. They rushed over grabbed the man from Remus grasp and restrained him.
"Okay, sir we got him," one man said.
"Yeah, sure," Remus said not really wanting to let Peter go. He wanted to hurt him.
Peter was fighting crying as he was slowly taken away. "I'm sorry. He made me," Peter said again and again.
"What a woos," Sirius said checking over Harry's throat. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Harry said touching his own throat to make sure he was fine.
Petunia rushed over and grabbed him for Sirius holding him tight. "Eeek," Harry cried out suddenly unable to breath.
"Glad it is you not me," Dudley said laughing.
"I was so worried. Are you okay?" Petunia said, finally letting Harry go.
"I was," Harry said trying air back into his lungs.
The group laughed and everyone started relax again. The threat was over with the Mad Death Eater was gone. No brought it up that maybe the rat Harry saw was really Scabbers. They just assumed that Peter showed up this day to attack Harry. When Scabbers would turn missing later on Molly and Arthur both assumed that the rat just wandered off to die. He was over ten years old after all. That was a long life for a normal rat. They would just get Ron a new pet when they went to buy school things at start of term. Fudge had promised the reward for capturing Peter would be given to the boys for their help in saving Lord Potter. It would be enough to help out in getting everyone started for school next term. The kids were just happy that their friend was safe.
Back home at Rosewood Hall, Petunia was tucking Harry into bed checking one more time to make sure that his cut was healed. "I'm fine," Harry told her for the tenth time.
"I know. I'm just worried. It did scare me in thinking that… man could really harm you," Petunia said.
Harry saw gold snitch sitting in his box beside his bed and smiled. "Dad's snitch helped," Harry said.
"Yes, it did. I'm glad you father had charmed that thing to fly around him all the time," Petunia said.
"So, Dad was good in Charms?" Harry asked.
"Oh, yes and your mother loved Transfiguration. They made a great team," Petunia said tucking the blanket around Harry's bed. "Now, no more talk it is bed time. Good night." Petunia gave Harry a kiss on the forehead. The lights dimmed suddenly and Petunia quietly left the room as Harry drifted off to sleep thinking of his parents. He would dream that night of his mother singing a song to him as his father, with a golden snitch flying around them, told him stories about his time at school with Remus and Sirius at his side. He left out a certain rat from the stories. It was like he never existed.