11. A Very Special Birthday

"Al?" Alastor scrambled to a sitting position at the sound of the voice and looked at the door to the dormitory.

A grin spread across his face when he saw the fourth-year with wheat coloured hair lounging in the doorway, his hazel eyes good-natured as always. Even at fourteen, he was the typical tall, lean, and rangy cowboy.

"Hi, Danny."

"What're you doing here all alone?" Daniel asked, a very faint drawl in his voice due to the fact that he'd grown up in the American state of Arizona.

Alastor felt his cheeks grow warm as he rose from the bed. "Well, feeling kind of sorry for myself."

"Why's that?" the older boy asked, raising an eyebrow to emphasize the question.

Letting his shoulders droop, Alastor confessed, "Well, today's my birthday and nobody seems to have remembered."

"It's your birthday?" Daniel sounded surprised, but Alastor knew he'd told his only Slytherin friend about it just the week before, when he'd given Daniel a toy guitar that played country music for the older boy's birthday.

Alastor nodded, rolling his eyes. "Yes, and you know it."

"You're right, I do," Daniel admitted before changing the subject completely. "Why don't we go for a walk?"

Alastor blinked, surprised. "A walk?"

"Yeah, you know, putting one foot in front of the other?" Daniel's hazel eyes were bright with amusement. "I hear people have been doing it for thousands of years."

Alastor was grinning as he joined his friend. "Have they now?"

"Yeah, they have," Daniel answered with a laugh, patting Alastor's shoulder in a brotherly way that Aurelius never would have done.

Together, they left the Slytherin dorms and meandered their way up to the third floor. Alastor blinked when they came across a door opposite a tapestry of a man getting clubbed by trolls.

"I don't think I've seen this door before."

"You haven't?" Daniel asked, looking down at his companion.

Alastor shook his head. "No."

"Well, in that case, let's see what's in here," Daniel suggested before turning the handle and gesturing for Alastor to go in first.

Stepping into the room, Alastor was surprised when a chorus of voices shouted, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"You remembered!" Alastor exclaimed as his friends surrounded him, pressing gifts into his hands.

Stewart grinned even as he rolled his eyes. "Of course we would! You're our mate. We could never forget your birthday!"

"Thank you, thank you!" Alastor repeated over and over again quite happily, even as he sat down to begin opening presents.

Rolanda sent a Wigtown Wanderers jumper via Griffith, that team being his favorite. Mrs. Hooch sent a plate of her brownies. Griffith, himself, gave Alastor a fairly large wood carved plaque with the four House mascots carved into it. Holden presented him with a box of Honeydukes sweets. Mr. and Mrs. Redgrave sent a box of assorted cakes from their shop, Sweet Nothings, and a pair of grey knitted mittens and matching scarf. Rremly gave Alastor a two-way mirror ("In case things get too much for you at home," the other boy explained for Alastor's ears alone.) and a scarf he'd knitted himself with the colors of the four houses and their mascots all woven together in unity.

Percy presented him with two spectacular ensembles that he and his brother Josselyn (otherwise 'Joss') had designed together. One was a set of bottle green trousers, waistcoat, frock coat, and cloak—all embroidered with silver flourish designs—and the other suit was of deep vermilion with gold embroidery that didn't all clash with Alastor's unkempt shoulder length right hair.

"Consider yourself an honorary Gryffindor," Percy grinned.

Poor Alastor couldn't find any words. It was too wonderful a gift and too wonderful a gesture. Percy laughed and hugged him in the end, taking Alastor out of his misery, which Alastor was more than grateful for. Then there were the gifts from the rest of his family: Quidditch trading cards from Julian (though everyone called him 'Jules'), a year's subscription to Quidditch News from Viatrix and Lucilla (otherwise Trix and Luci), and a poster of the Wigtown Wanderers beaters, Anthony Brisby and Jarvis Lovelace—who Alastor quite admired—from Juno.

Belladonna's gift was Mischievous Defense: 100 Hexes for Defense and Mischief by Artemis Brookstone. "You'll find page thirty-four quite useful." He turned to the page in question to see it was a section on the Bat-Bogey Hex. Alastor couldn't help but laugh and told her he'd certainly bookmark it.

Mr. and Mrs. Pomfrey had sent Alastor a knitted jumper, a basket of fruit, and a songbook. Poppy's gift was a batch of apple tarts and a sketchbook full of sketches featuring Willow House, the countryside, and their family. Stewart's present was a pair of socks that he urged Alastor to try on right away. Once Alastor had, Stewart tapped them with his wand and muttered an incantation of sorts. Suddenly, the socks started doing a tap dance routine and Alastor was a helpless passenger. After the laughter died down, he presented Alastor with his real gift: a large portrait of the six of them—Alastor, Stewart, Percy, Griffith, Belladonna, and Rremly—standing together in view of the castle wearing their school robes, all looking happy. To say the least, Alastor loved it, and he rather imagined he might stare at it for hours just to see what their portrait selves would do.

Daniel's gift was a beautiful harmonica with a promise to teach the younger boy how to play 'Home on the Range'. There was even a gift from Milo—Quidditch Through The Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp—who smiled a bit nervously, as if worrying whether or not Alastor would like it. Even more surprising was the fact that Alastor received gifts from Alfons and Maximilian Albrecht. They gave him a book about potions used in conjunction with Defense Against the Dark Arts: Potions for Defense by Andranos Withering.

However, this gift was delivered through Daniel who informed him that Maximilian was in the hospital wing. He'd been attacked by the Gryffindor Ross Graeme who mistook him for Alfons. When Alfons found out what happened he'd gone to avenge his brother. Another spectacular duel ensued between Alfons and Ross which landed them both with a detention when Professor Morrigan caught them.

Naturally he'd heard about the duels, which were already considered legendary. Alastor wasn't altogether certain who sent out the first hex, but he could imagine it wasn't Alfons. Alfons was generally polite and nice to everyone- unless of course they have wronged him, his brother, or his friend Felix. Alastor felt it must have been Ross, as he wasn't terribly nice to others. He was usually guarded and kept to himself, but when something or someone happened to annoy or upset him, he certainly let the world know about it. Alastor had seen it for himself. How often had he seen Ross glare at Alfons or Maximilian were quick to answer a question in Potions.

From what he knew, the twins were quite intelligent—excelling in all their classes with ease—and from what he could see they never seemed to have to study hard or put in great effort into their work. Even in Herbology—which they both weren't terribly fond of—they still pulled in top marks. The same went for their friend Felix. Alastor figured that would be enough to annoy anyone who was jealous and had to work hard for their marks, but yet, it was just Alfons who attracted Ross' ire. To say the least, Alastor couldn't understand it at all.

With a prod from Daniel, Alastor was brought back to the present. The lights were dimmed and suddenly made out three figures carrying in a large vanilla cake topped with strawberries, twelve candles, and the four House crests etched into the corners with coloured frosting. Apparently Rremly, Stewart, and Percy had disappeared to the kitchens to fetch the cake without him realizing it. After a rather… interesting rendition of the birthday song—which Stewart embellished with new hilarious stanzas—they all tucked in.

Several hours later, Alastor and Daniel were the last to leave the room, each laden with the gifts Alastor had received.

"So, how are you feeling now, Al?"

"Much better, Danny, thanks," Alastor replied, glancing back down the corridor. "Say, the door's gone."

Daniel laughed. "It's only there when it's needed, Al. Don't worry."

"Well, all right, then," Alastor answered doubtfully.

Talking and laughing, they made their way back to the common room. It had been, by far, Alastor's best birthday yet.