Birthday Boy

Harry rolled around in his bed. He was at his house. After his Muggle friends had gone back to France, he had moved back in. Hedwig had been waiting for him when he had gone back, and now she was sleeping soundly in her cage a few feet away from Harry.

Harry, however, was wide awake. He couldn't sleep. He put on his glasses and got out of bed.

The master bedroom was very large. Across from the king-sized bed was a big bathroom, in which there was a bathtub large enough to be a jacuzzi. To the side of the bed were wide sliding glass doors that led to the balcony.

Harry slid open the doors and stepped onto the balcony. The night was cool and quiet, except for the rustling of the trees. The moon was shining brightly.

Harry sat on the balcony rails, hugging his knees to his chest. The ground was over twenty feet below. If someone fell off the balcony, the least of their injuries would be a few broken bones. Harry, however, had perfect balance.

The moon's glow illuminated his face, and the wind rustled his hair.

Harry was thinking about Ginny. He hardly knew her, although she definitely knew him, and she claimed that he had said he loved her.

Had he? After all, he had left everything to her.

And now he was her Auror instructor. Ginny's first lesson was going to be on his birthday. It was going to be a very uncomfortable lesson indeed.

Harry woke up on July 31st feeling very sick in the stomach. In any other situation, this would have been normal, because he never really liked his birthday. But today it was much worse. It was his first lesson with Ginny, and he had been dreading this day for the last few days. He didn't know why, but he felt a little nervous.

He went downstairs to find Hedwig in the kitchen with and envelope at her feet and a parchment tied to one of her legs. He opened the envelope first to find a single dried up vitamin. Typical, Harry thought. Dursleys.

Harry took the parchment from Hedwig and read:

Dear Harry,

I know you don't remember who I am, but I just wanted to say happy birthday. Well, I know I'll be seeing you later today, but I just wanted to say it now. If you want you can come over to the Burrow today. A few people are going to be here, such as Lupin and Tonks (do you remember them?) and well, it's actually for your birthday. I'd understand if you wouldn't want to come, but then I guess we'll just celebrate you birthday without you.

Wishing you a very happy 19th birthday,

Ginny

Harry sighed. He didn't remember Lupin and Tonks at all. And now they were inviting him to his birthday party. He knew he'd be feeling very uncomfortable if he did go, but it would be rude to not go.

Ginny walked around looking for office number 797. At last she found it. Just below the number 797, there was the name H. Potter.

Ginny knocked on the door. Harry immediately opened it.

Ginny's heart fluttered. This is how she felt every time she saw Harry. Every time she saw his smiling, handsome face, his sparkling green eyes, his dark and messy hair…

Today, Harry looked a bit uncomfortable and nervous. Ginny didn't blame him. She felt the same way.

"Er…" Harry started. "Hi, Ms. Weasley."

"Oh…" Ginny said, startled. Harry had never called her Ms. Weasley before. "Hi… Happy birthday, Ha – Mr. Potter? You can call me Ginny."

Harry smiled. "You can call me Harry."

Ginny smiled as well.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Come in," Harry said finally, motioning for Ginny to follow him inside.

Ginny entered, and then stared in awe at all the Dark detectors in the room.

"So, I guess you want to be an Auror," Harry said lamely.

"Yeah," Ginny said. "I guess so."

"Well, I was already going to go chasing after this one bloke who's been identified for shooting Muggles with poisoned arrows – "

"Oh!" Ginny exclaimed. "You've found out who that bloke is? I've heard that three Muggles have already died!"

"Seven, actually," Harry corrected. "I've been on his trail for weeks, and now I've finally found where he's been staying."

"Seven…" Ginny said, absentmindedly.

"Yeah." Harry said. This didn't seem as uncomfortable as he thought it would. "It's actually more like a group of Voldemort's old supporters, not just one bloke."

"Really?" Ginny asked. She didn't even flinch when Harry mentioned Voldemort.

"The group still believes that wizards are superior to Muggles, and they have started attacking Muggle-borns as well."

"Have they?" Ginny asked, although she wasn't surprised.

"Yeah," Harry said.

"So," Ginny said. "Are we going after them?"

"Only if you're not scared," Harry said, smiling.

Ginny smiled back. "Let's go then!"