Chapter Seven: The Best Birthday

The Potter-Black Cottage,

Godric's Hollow

North Wales

Monday 26th July 1994

To Mr and Mrs Weasley,

I understand that you have regularly looked after my Godson, Harry Potter, during the holidays and have made his summers happier then he's ever had before he began to attend Hogwarts. I would like to thank you for taking such good care of him. He is a good kid and you can be assured that I have been looking after him to the best of my ability.

I would like to extend my hand to you and your family in friendship. I am aware that certain individuals to not wish for me to raise Harry, but I love him as only a father could. I am hoping that you and your family will join me and Harry on his fourteenth birthday on Saturday 31st July at our home for celebrations.

I understand that you may not feel comfortable with my presence - considering my past - and that your opinion may very well be that of everyone else's. I promise you I will not be mad and come and harm you or your family if you turn my offer down.

This is a genuine offer of friendship to you.

I hope, if you accept, that you will help me give Harry a birthday he deserves.

Yours sincerely,

Sirius Black,

Harry Potter's Godfather and Guardian

"I don't know Ron. I don't think it's a good idea," said Molly Weasley, as she gazed down at the letter that had arrived via Hedwig that morning.

Ron scowled. He had known his parents would react like this. Harry had sent a letter to him a week ago explaining that Sirius was sending a letter to his parents asking about his birthday and he had been prepared for this reaction. Since the letter had arrived Arthur and Molly Weasley had been discussing in quiet tones about what they could say.

Looks like they don't want to risk it, he thought.

Since the revelation that Sirius Black was innocent and guardian of Harry Potter, Ron had witnessed his parents worrying over his welfare. They didn't think it was right, even if he was innocent, and Ron, having met Sirius Black, was determined to defend him. Though his parents had hardly discussed it in front of him or his brothers and sister, he knew they were fairly concerned that Black was using him to his own ends.

"Why not?" protested Ron.

Arthur glanced to his wife and nodded for her to continue.

"Everyone is extremely wary of Sirius Black and what he is doing to Harry - and we have his best interests at heart - I just don't believe that Black would want us blood-traitors to impose upon his home. He comes from a very dark family, Ron."

"You think he's being horrible to Harry!" accused Ron, anger showing on his face. "He's not! I've had countless letters from Harry over the weeks and some photos too!" Pushing back his chair, Ron ran up to his room, dug around in his chest and extracted three Wizarding photographs. Back in the kitchen he shoved them into his parent's hands. "Look at them!"

The first one showed a one year old Harry sleeping in his Godfather's arms and Sirius' face was a mixture of joy and happiness. The second showed a thirteen year-old Harry standing next to his Godfather in front of their home, waving happily. Sirius had his hand on Harry's shoulder and was grinning broadly. The third illustrated Harry and Sirius throwing a Quaffle to one another, laughing. The Harry on the broom threw the Quaffle but he misjudged his aim and hit Sirius on the head with it, which massaged the spot but didn't care.

"If Harry wasn't having fun or was being forced to do things he didn't want to do would he send these?" said Ron. "Would his photographic self really be that happy?"

Molly bit her lip, "Probably not," she had to admit.

"And Harry defended Sirius in Diagon Alley at the beginning of July! It was front page news!" he continued. "If Harry was unhappy would he bother doing that?"

"No, he wouldn't," said Arthur, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Molly, maybe we should reconsider. Give Sirius Black a chance. Write a letter back and say that we accept, but explain that we are wary of him, but we will attend on Harry's birthday."

Molly was silent for a few minutes before finally giving in. It was a rare thing when she let something drop, but the combined efforts of Ron, the photographs and her husband seemed to have won her over.

"All right, Ron. We'll go."

Tuesday 27th July

"Who's coming to Harry's birthday bash?" asked Remus as he poured out a cup of tea for himself and his guest.

Sirius sat back in the armchair, his eyes running over the various paintings his friend had decorated his living room with. "Hermione Granger and the Weasley's."

"All of them?" Remus couldn't believe that Sirius had managed that.

"I sent a letter to Arthur and Molly. I don't think they really wanted to go - Ron certainly does - but his parents expressed their concerns about me. They've agreed to come, but I feel there will be tension in the air for a while," replied Sirius, sipping the tea that Remus handed him.

"Do you want me to talk to them?" he asked.

"Nah," his friend shook his head. "I replied to their letter asking if they would like to meet me beforehand so that we could discuss the birthday arrangements. I said that we could meet wherever they wished, and that I would surrender my wand to them." He shrugged.

"And have they taken you up on your offer?"

"Yes. They want me to arrive by way of Floo at the Burrow. The older children are taking the youngsters out for the morning. I'm going tomorrow." Sirius bit his lip. "I don't want them thinking I'm someone I'm not. I know more than half of the Wizarding World believes otherwise, and I want to change that. I just hope I don't mess this up."

"Are you referring to the time when you Apparated on top of James' birthday cake?" Remus asked, remembering fondly of the incident. He grinned as he recalled the events that had unfolded afterwards.

"Partly. But this is the most important thing I have to do. If I have the Weasley's confidence in me then maybe many other people will to."

Remus smiled, taking a mouthful of tea. "I hope it works out for you, my friend."

"Wish you could be there on Harry's birthday," sighed Sirius. "It might make things easier."

Remus nodded sadly. "If I could I would. Unfortunately the Full Moon falls on July 30th. And I definitely won't be wide awake enough to come. I doubt you want me ruining Harry's special day by being grumpy. Sorry, mate."

"Hopefully next year then," said Sirius.

Remus nodded.

Clambering out of the fireplace Sirius stood up in the Weasley's kitchen casting his eyes around at his surroundings. His eyes met those of the Arthur and Molly Weasley and he nodded to them, before reaching into his robes and extracting his wand which he very slowly laid on the table in front of him. He stepped back, placing himself against the kitchen wall beside the fireplace. He cast a quick glance round it.

Very homely, he thought. The kitchen was small and cramped. A wooden table sat in the centre, chairs pushed in. Cook books stood upon shelves that lined the walls - a selection of Wizarding and Muggle cookbooks. A clock with one hand was pinned to the wall showing the faces of every Weasley member and where they were. Sitting by the window sill was an old radio.

He waited for them to speak, unsure of what he should say. Let them make the first move. After all this is the most important part of today. Let them judge me.

Finally, Molly Weasley spoke, her voice shaking a little in fear. "Please sit down, Mr Black."

Sirius pulled out a chair, sitting as far away from his wand as possible, and sat back. "Please, call me Sirius."

The two Weasley's joined him at the table, clasping their hands together in front of them. "You want us to help you with Harry's birthday?" Arthur asked carefully.

Sirius nodded. "Yes. I don't really know what is suitable for a fourteen-year-old boy. And Remus has no clue either. And well, since I would like to be friends with you, I thought you might be able to help me." He shrugged, trailing off, feeling a little awkward. At least they are talking to me.

Molly was frowning. "What about a dinner party?"

"I was thinking along the lines of that. What about games?"

"What did you have in mind?" questioned Arthur.

Sirius shrugged. "Don't know really. I'm a bit out of touch with how you celebrate birthdays. You don't really celebrate them in Azkaban."

"What about doing something what you did as a child?" suggested Molly.

Sirius shuddered as his thoughts mused over his unhappy childhood. "No pleasant memories there. It was all big fancy parties and lots of lectures about the issue of 'the importance of the purity of blood', none of which I agreed with." He rolled his eyes. "A big load of bull-shit." His eyes widened when he realised what he had said. "Sorry. I didn't mean to swear like that."

Padfoot, it's probably not a good idea to use language like that in front of them.

They chose to ignore the profane language and instead continued to speak about what they could do. After the first hour of drawing up plans and generally passing ideas, the Weasleys were more at ease with Sirius and seemed to be enjoying his company.

For now they had accepted him.

But that could still change.

Saturday 31st July

The sun was shining through his window as fourteen year old Harry Potter woke. His green eyes focused on the ceiling as a smile fell across his face. It was his birthday. He had never enjoyed it before, but this year he knew would be different. Sirius had been acting very oddly the last few days, and he had figured that he was keeping a secret.

He lay in bed for about ten minutes before deciding to rise. He took a quick shower, threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, brushed his hair (though it just sprang back up) and went downstairs into the kitchen where the smell of bacon was wafting from.

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" said Sirius as he sat a plate down in front of Harry which held two sausages, bacon, baked beans, scrambled egg, and a few chips. It smelled lovely and Harry hungrily dug into his meal, acknowledging Sirius with a nod.

Half-way through his meal he looked up, focusing his green eyes on Sirius' grey ones. "Are you trying to make me fat?" he grinned.

"What?" sputtered Sirius. "What makes you think that?"

Harry shrugged, stifling a laugh. "Just that with all the food you're cooking I might be too fat to play Quidditch." And then he laughed, ignoring the stunned look on his Godfather's face. Finally his Godfather joined in.

True, Sirius was cooking more then he should for Harry, but he was just trying to be the concerned parent Harry needed.

"Sorry, I just couldn't resist," grinned Harry.

Sirius waved a hand. "Ah, forget it. It's your birthday." He watched as his Godfather took out his wand and summoned a rather large box which came zooming into the kitchen and landed on top of the table.

"What's this?" Harry asked, slightly curious.

Sirius smiled. "Open it. It's from Remus, since he can't be here himself today."

Harry knew why. "He didn't have to." He muttered quietly. Pushing his breakfast aside, Harry reached for the box, pulling the flaps open and looking within. Inside was a rather large photograph. It was an enlarged photo of his parent's wedding day. Carefully he picked it up, gaping as he stared up at the image.

"It's your parent's official wedding portrait," explained Sirius. "Remus thought it would be a nice gift for you. It was rather expensive for him too, but he wanted to do this for you Harry, since you never had the chance to know your parents."

Harry felt tears begin to fall and he struggled to hold them back. All he could do was smile sadly at the image before him. His parents looked so happy - so young - and they hadn't deserved to die. But it was his birthday. A day of celebration, and it would be what his parents would've wanted.

I wish I could remember them…

By four in the afternoon the cottage at Godric's Hollow was filled with shouts of delight and laugher echoing around. The Weasley's with Hermione Granger had arrived around lunchtime. Sirius and Molly had stayed in the kitchen cooking an extravagant meal for them all. A huge buffet was laid out as well, though it was hardly touched after the superb Roast Chicken Molly had cooked.

The official wedding portrait of James and Lily Potter had been hung up in the living room. Only two members of the Weasley clan had been unable to attend - Arthur and Percy. Both had important work at the Ministry. Bill and Charlie had also been invited, and they spent most of the afternoon talking to Sirius, while Molly supervised the 'kids'.

Harry had literally been spoilt. Sirius had spent tons of money upon his Godson resulting in a few Quidditch items including his own practice snitch, a signed photograph from the England Quidditch Team, a first edition souvenir broom stick, as well as a few books on Quidditch. Harry had also received a few 'prank' items from the twins which had already been used on an unsuspecting Sirius. Ron had brought a big basket of chocolate frog cards and Hermione had given him a few smart shirts.

Molly had contributed with a knitted jumper showing the Gryffindor crest and two large gooey chocolate cakes.

Late in the afternoon Sirius, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Bill and Charlie played Quidditch in the garden, protected by a charm to prevent Muggles from seeing them. Four against four: Harry, Sirius, Ginny and Charlie played against the twins, Ron and Bill. The final score was 250-120.

By the time the Weasley's left at eight-thirty, thanking Sirius for inviting them, Harry was exhausted. He made his way to bed, placing his birthday gifts on his bedroom floor before he flopped onto the bed.

He was asleep immediately.

Later on in the night, Harry woke and smiled contently.

That was the best birthday ever.

To be continued...