At last the crowd stopped cheering and continued their conversations. Harry was too excited to notice that it was getting dark. Wondering where the time went, he looked around to see that Mrs. Weasley disappeared. Soon after disappearing, Mrs. Weasley brought out the snitch shaped cake. Once again she put too much work into his birthday cake. Harry blew out the candles. His parents and Sirius congratulating him. The Dursley's standing in the corner talking to Mr. Weasley. Everyone was now eating their piece of cake. After everyone finished their cake, it was time to open presents. Harry wasn't sure he wanted all the attention. But everyone had come out for his birthday, so he'd have to deal with the attention.
"Present time!" called Mrs. Weasley as she was coming through the door with the presents hovering over the yard. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon shrieked when Mrs. Weasley had the gifts hovering over the lawn. They looked utterly disturbed at this act. Dudley on the other hand was talking to Luna, and didn't seem bothered by the magic at all.
"Alright I'll start with this one here." Harry bent over and picked up a package that read To Harry From Severus. Harry opened it, to find something that he'd had plenty of experience with, a pensieve. But when Harry went to thank Severus he disappeared. So Harry went on with the opening the presents. Fred and George got him none other than jokes; Oliver and Katie got him a Quidditch collection including his own set of balls, and a repair kit. Ginny had already given Harry a gift, in his own mind, but she bought him a new sneakoscope, to add to his collection, each was of a different style. Hermione and Ron had given Harry some really special photographs from when they were at Hogwarts together. And Neville gave Harry many books he had found interesting while at Hogwarts, most of which were about herbs. He had gotten many, many more gifts; he thanked everyone, for everything. "Thank you all for coming here today, and thank you so very much for these wonderful presents. Please enjoy the rest of the evening."
Shortly after he had thanked everyone, people started to leave. The sky grew dark, stars twinkling in the moonlight. Thanking each and everyone as they left, Harry thought the night went well. The only people who stayed were the Weasley's, Harry's grandparents, Oliver and Katie. They had plenty of room at the house for everyone. And Harry liked the company. Before he turned in, Harry had a knock on his door. "Come in." he said to whom ever was outside the door.
"Harry dear, we didn't want to give you this in front of everyone, so here, Happy Birthday." Harry's grandmum handed him a shrunken chest, which he restored to the proper size with a flick of his wrist.
He had opened it up to find things he had, but they weren't his. "Who's were these?" he asked his grandmum.
"Oh but your fathers dear. Take things out, look at them."
Harry did as she had asked. Ginny looking curiously into the chest as he did so. "Wow, this was dads after he left Hogwarts?" he was referring to the Gryffindor Seekers badge, that had the years he played etched in the front, as well as his name. Mary just nodded at him. Next he pulled out a long thin box, one that looked like something that came from Ollivander's. "Is this…dads' wand?"
"Ah, yes dear it is. We were able to visit the house after...well you know, and we found it. We kept its box, and returned it there. Some place in there is your mums' wand also. Keep looking."
Sure enough Harry found it. He could feel tears rushing to his eyes, but he forbid himself to cry. So instead he kept pulling out more things from the chest. A Gryffindor banner, his dads' captain badge, pictures of not only himself but of his whole family. The more he dug into the chest, the faster the tears came, and the harder it became to hold them back. He felt a tear trickle down his cheek. Ginny right there holding his arm around hers, comforting him. "I'm so sorry Harry, I didn't mean for you to cry." said his now saddened grandmum.
"It's alright, there not tears of sadness, there tears of joy, of remorse."
At that Mary left Harry and Ginny there looking into the chest. The day couldn't have gone better. Things were really looking up for Harry. Tomorrow he had his Auror test at the Ministry, which, he didn't need a job, but he wanted to see if he could pass. His birthday was the best he'd ever had. Everyone he had ever cared for was there, his friends and his family. Even the Dursley's seemed to have a good time, considering that they can't stand magic.
Dudley seemed to like Luna quite a bit, and Luna seemed to like him. Even funnier, Luna gave Dudley her address, and told him to write her. And Dudley gave Luna his telephone number so she could call him. For some reason Harry felt that Dudley liked magic more than his parents had, he was more excepting to it than them. Harry knew this before his fifth year, when the dementors came. And he was glad that Dudley and Luna seemed to like each other.
Soon after packing his dads' things into the chest as they were, Harry went to turn in. The lights went out and when his head hit the pillow, he fell fast asleep. But it didn't last long, a mere two hours of sleep and he heard something downstairs. Ginny must've heard it also, for she was wide awake next to him. "Ginny, I'll take care of it, go back to sleep please." He had given her a kiss on the cheek, and headed for the door, wand ready in his hand.
"Harry be careful, please."
"You know me."
"That's what I'm afraid of." At that she laughed and returned back to bed.
He cautiously walked down the hall. He heard a mans voice. One he recognised but couldn't put a name to it, without a face. He reached the door way to find Winky holding this man by charm, so he couldn't leave the small entrance. "Winky heard strange man at door, Winky keep him hear until Master come." Winky said so proudly.
"Mr. Diggory? What can I do for you at this hour? Oh, thank you Winky, you can go now, it's alright." At that Winky let her hand fall back to her side, and walked courtly back into the kitchen.
"I've gone mad, boy, mad! I keep hearing Cedric's voice calling out to me!"
"Mr. Diggory, I can help you, first, please give me your wand, you're a bit unstable, I don't want either of us to get hurt." Reluctantly Mr. Diggory handed Harry his wand. "Thank you, and secondly you're not going mad, please fallow me. Oh and thirdly please don't yell, people are still asleep."
Mr. Diggory did so. They walked down the hall into the direction of the Enchanted Mirror. "Cedric Diggory, Enchanted Mirror, House of Potter." Harry called into the mirror. And soon there after Cedric appeared.
"Harry, I'm going mad! I look into the mirror and instead of seeing myself I see Cedric!"
"Calm down Mr. Diggory you are suppose to see Cedric. It's an enchanted mirror. Now please trust me you are NOT going mad."
"Prove it boy, prove it!"
"Alright I will." Harry faced the mirror and began to speak, "Hello Cedric, nice to see you again, not under the circumstances, but you know." "Hello Harry, how are you? Ah, Happy Birthday! And remember I never blamed you for what happened."
"I know, but I still feel guilty, I'm the one that suggested we both grab it at the same time."
"But I agreed that it was a good idea. Is my dad alright? I can't see him."
"Mr. Diggory! Well let me call Severus." And at that Harry yelled for him, "SEVERUS!"
"Snape is here? Does he know about the mirror?"
"He knows to well of the mirror, I'll explain later, here he comes."
"What in bloody hell do you want Potter, I was asleep."
"Firstly, my house, I'll wake you when I please. Secondly please help me with Mr. Diggory, I think he's drunk."
"Why I ought to…never mind, this isn't the time nor place, here give him this. Do you have a goblet?"
"Oh, so I the eighteen year old can now do magic. I see, Accio goblet."
Right then the goblet appeared from the kitchen. Snape filled it with the potion, and gave it to Mr. Diggory. "If you don't mind Potter I'm off to bed again. Good night." And Snape stormed away.
"I'm sorry you have to live with that Harry." exclaimed Cedric.
"No, it's my fault, I told him he could stay. But I love it when he yells at me because I get to correct him, that I'm no longer at Hogwarts. That he can no longer treat me like I am."
"Cedric, is that really you?" Mr. Diggory finally came back to normal.
"Ya dad, it's me. I want to –er come back home with you, as a ghost."
"But we have no enchanted mirror."
"Not yet you don't, give me a second." Out of nowhere a hand mirror appeared. "I know the incantations to enchant it, you can take it with you. As long as I get it back." As he was speaking he was using nonverbal charms to enchant the mirror. "Here you go Mr. Diggory." He handed the mirror over to him.
"Thank you Harry, for all your help, I'll be going now."
"Mr. Diggory hold on I think this is yours." As he handed back the wand.
"Oh thank you again boy. How do I make this thing work though?"
"Just say Cedric Diggory Enchanted Hand Mirror then your house. Your welcome Mr. Diggory, let me walk you to the door."
"But of course, thank you again Harry. I guess I'm not mad after all."
"Your welcome once again Mr. Diggory. Have a good night."
At that Mr. Diggory left into the dark of the night. The sky once blanketed with stars and the moon was starting to turn purple. It was early morning, late evening. The chill of the night crept up on Harry. So he too walked back to his room, to turn in once again. As he opened his bedroom door, he heard Ginny weeping.
"Ginny are you alright? What's wrong? I'm here."
"Oh goodness, your okay. I thought something had happened to you, I was afraid to leave the room." She said this while springing up from the bed, and running to hug Harry.
"I'm quite alright Ginny, dear. It was Mr. Diggory. He thought he was going mad, hearing Cedric's voice. But everything has been worked out. Don't worry. Let's get back to bed shall we?"
"Agreed, I'm so tired, it was a long day. So much has happened. And you have a big day tomorrow, you'll need your sleep." Right then she snogged Harry, and dragged him to the bed. They both feel asleep fast, Ginny was right it was a long day, and Harry did need sleep.
Sooner than he would've liked it was morning. He dragged his groggy self from bed and walked downstairs to make tea. When he got there he found out he was not the only one up. Hermione was already in the kitchen with Mrs. Weasley making breakfast, and starting the fire for tea. "Good morning Harry. Are you excited for today?" asked Mrs. Weasley as cheerful as ever.
"Good morning Mrs. Weasley. Not at all, I couldn't sleep at all last night, but I guess I've got to do it anyway. But it doesn't matter if I pass or not, I've already got a job at Hogwarts. I just wanted to see if I could pass."
"You'll do fine dear. I have all the faith in you. Plus you're still acting Minister right now; people will hope you can pass that test. But with everything you've been through I know you'll do fine. Sit and eat." Pointing to the plate of food on the table in front of Harry, and ushering him to sit down.
"Harry where's Ginny, she's not upstairs. I went to go wake her up and she's not there."
"I'm not sure. When I woke up she was still asleep. I have no clue where she'd be."
"You two sleep in the same room?" asked Mrs. Weasley in a sharp tone.
"Yes we do Mrs. Weasley." Seeing the look on her face Harry continued. "We do nothing of the sort Mrs. Weasley; we just share the bed, nothing else."
"I believe you Harry. I'm just surprised that's all."
"Surprised at what, if you don't mind me asking Mrs. Weasley?"
"Not at all dear, I'm surprised at how fast you two are moving. It seems just like yesterday we all came running down the stairs to you two snogging. Maybe it's just me."
"Mrs. Weasley I respect your opinion and I see how it can seem that way. But neither of us will do anything that the other doesn't want to. We both decided to share a room, it wasn't one forcing the other. Just so you know."
"Harry dear, even a very old wizard would not be able to say that to their girlfriends mum. You show great wisdom, and respect. I know that you two wouldn't hurt each other, and I trust you two to take this situation as adults. Now I think we should go and look for her, don't you?"
"Agreed Mrs. Weasley. I think I know where she went, if you'll excuse me."
"Of course dear, hurry back before your food gets cold."