Despite the threat of city wide destruction hanging over the festivities, Harry could see that the Doctor was as much fun as possible. He wasn't sure why he believed the strange man who'd climbed out of the police box into the middle of Grimmauld Place and wandered up to Number Twelve. There was something sincere in his personality—like a hint that even if he was lying, the Doctor was trying to do what's best.
"So you're all a traveling trope of child magicians?" the Doctor said as he shoveled a overly-large piece of cake in his mouth leaving icing splattered on his lips.
"We're not ki—" Ron started but Hermione shoved him hard to the side.
"We're Wizards," she said.
Ginny brushed against his arm as she leaned in to speak near his ear. "You're not buying this shit about the time machine and blowing up London, are you?"
"I don't know, he seems to really want our help…" Harry whispered back as he unraveled the paper that cloaked another gift.
"He seems to really be enjoying your cake," Ginny quipped.
Harry held up a thick leather bound book, Advanced Wizardry Combat—it was from Hermione. He nodded to her. "Thanks," he said.
She beamed for a moment, proud of her gift. "You're welcome," she said. Her gaze fell upon the Doctor still enjoying the cake. "See, nothing unwrapped here has been the kind of thing that could cause harm to your ship…"
"There's one more," the Doctor pointed.
Ginny hefted the box and rolled it over her fingers. It was small, cardboard and white. There was a dull metallic clang inside as the contents were jostled. "There's no name on it," Ginny said.
"Did someone drop it off?" asked Ron.
"It was sitting on the windowsill, earlier," said Hermione. "Must have arrived by owl when no one was watching."
The Doctor's attention drifted back toward Harry as Ginny passed the gift over. Harry's fingers roamed over the waxy wrapping before he raked into it tore the paper away. As he lifted the top off the box and looked inside he found a silvery pocket watch staring up at him.
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"Pocket watch—strange I don't know who it's from," Harry said. The watch was magnificent in its plainness. Ginny and Hermione leaned in to examine it.
"It's a watch, but it's just nondescript. Who would give you something like this—its so…" Hermione was cut off by Ron.
"…dull."
The Doctor lunged for Harry. "Wait, let me look at that!" Before anyone could protest he was holding Harry's arm steady and delved into his own pocket to produce a watch that bore an uncanny resemblance to the one Harry held. As the Doctor opened his own, revealing the face Harry opened his.
A scrap of parchment with words inked in sloppy quill-work was concealed inside of the watch Harry held. The words scrawled out on it burning a look of utter shock into the Doctor's face.
BAD WOLF.
The horrific stare in the Doctor's eyes read like a death sentence. Harry didn't know what it meant, he could tell that to Ron, Hermione and Ginny it was equally as unclear.
"Doctor, what is it?" asked Hermione.
"We've got to get the TARDIS on its feet again—we haven't got much time," the Doctor sprang to his feet.