Harry Potter: And the Secret Letters
Chapter Five: Harry's Birthday Present\
Warnings: A tad Third Book hint. But I'm assuming that you all have read it so I don't mind much.
"Harry? Harry, wake up."
Bloody blurry voices…
"Blimey, Harry! It's nearly noon!"
"Ngh." No! Sleep! Come back!
"We have a present for you…"
"Hmm?" A present? Merlin, I miss those… No! Wait! I still want to sleep!
Fred and George decided, since the normal talking method wasn't working all that well, to instead draw their wands and point them at the dozing lad. "Aqua Erupto!" (5) they chanted in unison and a steady stream of water spouted from the tips and drenched the bed and everything in it.
"What the-?" Harry shot up from his sleeping position, soaked from head to toe and shaking his wet hair out of his face.
"Happy Birthday, Harry!" they chimed.
"Fred? George? Gee, what a splendid way to wake someone up," came his sarcastic reply, the rude awakening making him irritable.
"Yeah! We thought so, too," exclaimed Fred proudly.
"Hey, maybe we should make some gag alarm to do that if you don't wake up to the chime," suggested George.
"An alarm?"
"Yeah, why not?"
Fred shrugged. "Sounds fun to me!"
"May I ask why you woke me up early on a Saturday?" Harry interrupted.
"Firstly, it's not early. And in case you forgot-"
"-it is your birthday, Harry."
The young Gryffindor rubbed his eyes tiredly and reached for his glasses on the nightstand. "Um, where are my glasses?"
Fred and George exchanged a smirk. "Perhaps they're downstairs."
Downstairs…? "What the bloody Hell are you two scheming?" Climbing out of bed, drawing his wand to dry his clothes, and groggily remembering the correct spell to mumble, Harry stumbled over to what he believed was the general direction of the door. Assuming the brass-colored blob was the knob, he yanked it open just to trip on every other step on the way down the stairs. Once he reached ground level, all he could see were numerous different colors of robes and a smear of orange that was a tad bit taller than him. So, it seemed that all of the Weasleys were awake. "Has anyone seen my glasses?" Harry asked exasperatingly.
A brown, odd-shaped being bounded him to him. "Oh, Harry! You look absolutely stunning without them," exclaimed Hermione, half-teasingly and half-truthfully. She handed him the round spectacles and stepped away so that he may look around.
The immediate clarity provided by the corrective lenses was quite overwhelming. Not only was he surrounded by all of the Weasleys (1), but there were random paper broomsticks, hallow plastic snitches, and confetti buzzing around his head. Red and gold streamers were magically adhered to the ceiling and a banner displaying "Hey, Hey, Gryffindor" slowly dissolved into "Happy Birthday, Harry" as it floated in midair. On the dining table was a three layer cake that was decorated with the same phrases as the banner. Alongside it were numerous other treats, goodies, and snacks.
"What… What is all of this?"
"It's called a birthday party," answered Ron bemusedly. "I know you've never had one and all, but don't act so surprised."
"Wow," Harry whispered, catching one of the balls out of the air. "This is amazing…"
The Weasleys laughed merrily and began go about fooling about with the gags and games lying around the room. Harry exchanged hugs with his friends and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before they dragged him over to a small table adorned with a small mound of gifts. Harry was nearly speechless with unspoken gratitude. This was sure to be his best birthday ever.
XXXXXXXXXX
Once three o'clock had rolled around, the festivities had receded slightly, the cake was nearly gone, and there was multi-colored wrapping paper littering the floor. Harry and Ron were in a heated match of Wizard's Chess on the new board and set that he and Hermione had purchased the previous day. Harry was still struggling to simply keep up with his best friend, let alone beat him.
Ron looked up from the board with a smug grin. "Bishop to B7." Harry could only watch dumbly as the piece moved silently to stand diagonally to his trapped king. "Checkmate…"
Harry flopped back in his chair, defeated. "Bloody Hell! How did you become the master at this game?" he asked sarcastically, running a hand through his messy hair. "I didn't even see it!"
"Hence why I was in charge of the game in First Year," he gloated, keeping that incident beneath that third-floor corridor close to him as one of the few moments where he was able to shine.
They laughed together before Hermione's voice broke them up. "Who's that?"
The boys followed her gaze out of the kitchen window. A black owl was flying directly towards the house. Next to it was Hedwig. Each was carrying something or other. "Aristotle! Hedwig!" Harry called, jumping up out of his chair.
"Aristotle?" the others asked.
"Judas' owl," was his only response as he threw open the window to allow the birds entrance. As the two fluttered down gracefully onto the table, the attention of the rest of the family was drawn. It wasn't long until he was untying a letter off of Hedwig and Ron was trying to take a small, wrapped box from the other.
"Ow! It bit me!" called out the redhead, sucking his finger gingerly.
"He bit me the first time he delivered a letter." Harry took over for his injured comrade and retrieved the square box with ease. He fed both owls some treats that were in a jar by the window before fingering the parcel carefully. It was black with that familiar green ribbon wrapped around it. Harry smiled somewhat fondly. Was the black to match his hair just as the green was to match his eyes (2)?
"Who's it from?"
"What's the letter say?"
"Open it, Harry!"
Numerous comments began to come from the Weasley Gallery (3) and the Gryffindor Seeker, needless to say, was feeling a little pressured.
With a sheepish grin, he murmured, "Um, uh, er, excuse me, will you?" He turned on his heel and retreated up the stairs to his bedroom, letter and gift in hand. Hermione and Ron followed him up, but the others were left there to look on in bewilderment.
"Judas sent you a birthday present?" Hermione asked as soon as they were safely behind closed doors.
"Looks like it." Harry sat on his bed and Ron dropped down beside him, snatching up his best friend's mysterious gift and shaking it slightly.
"I wouldn't open it if I were you," she warned.
"Oh please, Hermione! You're sounding the same as you did in third year when Harry got his Firebolt. It turned out to be absolutely fine!" Ron defended, looking over the other boy's shoulder as he opened the letter.
"Yes, but I was right about it being from Sirius wasn't I?"
"Who cares…?"
Hermione frowned, but stayed silent as the boys read the correspondence.
Dear Harry,
Happy Birthday. July third, right? I believe I heard that somewhere. If I'm wrong, then think of this as your belated birthday present. I do hope you like it. It's not all that complicated of a gift, but if for some reason you cannot figure it out, just call out my name. Alright?
Thank you for trying to be sentimental with the silver ink. You would be surprised just how fitting the color is. I appreciate it. And you're probably right about Toadseye and Lockhart. Dumbledore most likely would keep the ministry out of Hogwarts and loony Lockhart deserved a place in the mad house long before his memory loss.
As for your questions… Merlin, I've never been asked so many questions all at once before in my entire life! How about this? Every time that you write me a letter, I'll tell you one fact about me. After all, I'm supposed to be your secret admirer. It would be kind of contradictory for you to know as much about me as I do you, don't you think?
Anyway, now you can go open your present. I'm sure Ron is about to tear it open for you if you don't hurry up. So, I'll talk to you soon… sooner than you think.
Signed,
Judas
P.S. If it makes you feel any better, Hedwig bit me, too. I don't think our owls like us speaking to each other. Heh.
After he had finished reading the parchment, Harry handed it to Hermione to read over and took the small gift from Ron. Slowly pulling out the bow, he glanced at his two friends and cautiously removed the lid. Inside was a glass sphere.
"What is it?" asked the redhead.
"A remembrall?" offered Harry, taking the globe out of the container and turning it over in his fingers.
"No. It's too small to be a remembrall." The girl held out her hand and was soon given the gift to inspect. Ron had busied himself with looking at the box while the other two mused over the artifact. "It's about the size of a miniature snow globe," she noted.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, Hermione, but that is not a snow globe." Harry indicated its clear hallow center for emphasis.
"I know that. I'm just taking observations."
"You don't know what it is, then?"
She glanced sternly at the boy before turning her attention back to the object in question. "Not yet. But I will, shortly. As soon as I have access to the Hogwarts Library."
"That's a month away!"
"Then I suggest not using it until we know exactly what it is and what it can do."
"Hey! What's this?" chimed the redhead, interrupting Hermione's doubts about Judas' trustworthiness. The boy was holding a small scrap of parchment and peering on both sides.
"Let me see." Harry accepted the paper from the other and, too, looked on both sided. "It's blank."
"Where was it?" Hermione asked, peaking at the parchment, as well.
"At the bottom of the box. It was underneath the globe."
"How odd."
"Considering all that we have seen, I don't think some plain parchment is all that odd."\
"I suppose," she conceded, folding her arms patiently and watching Harry draw his wand from the waistband of his pajama bottoms. "What are you doing?"
"There has to be something on this paper, right? I mean, why else would he send it? What would be the point?" he replied, aiming his wand at the scrap. "Revealio!" (4) A faint glow came from the tip of his wand as it touched the paper. There was a short silence, but nothing happened.
"I still think that it is odd," the girl continued, pretending that nothing had interrupted her in the first place.
"It could've gotten in there on accident. You know, it just happened to be in there when Judas put in the globe," suggested the Keeper.
"That's ridiculous! It has to have a purpose. But what?"
"Dunno…" Harry snatched up the letter from where it lay on the bed and scanned it over. "… 'but if you can't figure it out, then call out my name.' What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Maybe just as it says," offered Ron, exercising his ever-present, simple-minded way of thinking. "Call out his name, Harry. Say 'Judas' into the globe."
Harry gazed at his best friend skeptically. If it worked, he'd have to repay Ron with a few chocolate frogs on the train. If it didn't, Harry would look like a complete fool talking into a crystal ball. Luckily, these two had already seen him at his worst; so he gave it a shot, anyways. "Judas…? Judas, can you hear me?"
There was again silence amongst the three of them, and, for a few moments, nothing happened.
"Okay, next idea," pressed Harry, tossing up the ball and catching it as he thought.
"No! Wait, look!" Ron touched the other boy's arm and paused his actions in time to see letters materializing inside the crystal. Harry immediately recognized the clean green script as Judas' handwriting.
Yes, Harry. I can hear you.
The three Gryffindors exchanged glances of surprise, curiosity, and uncertainty.
Or, more precisely, I can read what you're saying. Much like you're reading this now.
The first words faded out and were replaced with new ones; it continued to do so and the sentences went on. Once they finished reading the last of the message, the entire thing faded and the glass was left empty and clear. The trio didn't say a word as they tried to correctly think of how to respond to such an object.
"What is this globe thing?" Hermione asked into the crystal.
There was a long pause before another message appeared.
Is that Hermione?
"How did you know it was her," asked the Seeker, still slightly taken aback that he was indeed having an actual conversation with the boy on the other side of the letters.
Her handwriting is much neater than yours, Harry. Is Ron with you, too?
"I'm here."
I see. So, you know who I am then?
"No. We actually don't know who you are at all considering you decided to use codename Judas when speaking with us," snapped Hermione bitterly. She didn't trust this character at all.
Ah, so you don't trust me?
"Something like that…"
"I think this is bloody brilliant," chimed Ron, earning a smile from Harry. The other quite agreed with his teammate.
I'm glad someone supports Harry talking to me. I'm not that bad, Hermione; just a Hogwarts student like you. What makes you distrust me so much?
"How about the fact that we know next to nothing about you and yet you seem to know the world about Harry?"
He's Harry Potter, for Merlin's sake. Who doesn't
Ron suddenly burst out laughing. "That's exactly what I told her yesterday!"
Heh. And don't worry; Harry asked me all about the lot of unanswered questions in his last letter. I already thought of something to fix that tidbit.
"That one-fact-per-letter deal?" Ron asked.
Yeah… Um, sorry, but my dad is calling me. I have to go. If you ever want to talk to me, I'm right here. Okay?"
"Right." Harry watched as the words faded away before he realized that there was something that he forgot. "Oh! Wait! Judas?"
Yes, Harry?
"What is the blank parchment for? Why would you send me something with now writing on it?"
I wouldn't. There is something written on it.
"What?"
I cast a certain spell on it. You'll have to say a specific phrase before the message is revealed.
"A phrase? What is it?"
What fun would it be if I told you? You'll have to figure that out later. Don't worry; one day you'll discover it.
Harry was silent with thought. He had to say a particular phrase for the message to appear? Like what?
Good-bye, guys. I'm sure we'll talk sometime soon, but I really have to go.
There were no words for a moment and then the last message surfaced.
And Happy Birthday, Harry.
The crystal became clear and no more words formed.
"I like him," Ron stated amiably.
"He seems well enough, but still…" Hermione picked up the letter to read over once more. Both boys sighed and rolled their eyes at her as she murmured something about why Hedwig would feel the need to bite him.
"What would he have to do to win your favor? He just sat here and talked to you."
"He didn't 'sit here' at all. Once I know more than the style of his handwriting, than perhaps I may reconsider." She slammed the letter down on one of the cardboard boxes next to her and exited the bedroom.
Harry looked at Ron, who shrugged, and then went back to examining the crystal ball. If Hermione didn't approve, fine. She didn't have to be a part of his friendship with Judas if she didn't want to.
That night, as Harry lay in bed, trying to fall asleep, he stared at the globe on the bedside table. "Goodnight, Judas," he whispered.
Goodnight, Harry.
TBC…
(1) – Minus Charlie and Percy I like Percy, too… (Pouts)
(2) – I have no clue! It just sounded right that I use black. Think whatever you'd like…
(3) – Like Peanut Gallery… Get it? Play on words…? sighs Never mind.
(4) – I can't remember where I read this spell, but it's in Harry Potter somewhere, I'm sure…
(5) – Sorry, I thought to add this in here last minute. But this is from my HP&tGoF PS2 video game… in case you were wondering…
AN/ As I said before, it is not the writing of these chapters that is difficult, it is the finding of the time to type them behind my parents back. So, again, I beg your forgiveness for the absolutely unacceptable lateness of this chapter. Number Six has already been started and I will try my very best to get that to you as soon as possible… Thank you!!! So very much!!!