Chapter 23:
They Say It's Your Birthday
Saturday 30 July, 1994
Harry finally arose at eleven-twenty in the morning, the day after their wonderful dinner in Paris. As he blearily stumbled into the kitchen, where Sirius and Remus were leisurely reading the paper and drinking tea, they chuckled at him. Harry groaned.
"Harry, you do not have your father's ability to hold your liquor," Remus said before pushing a potion towards him. "Two glasses of wine and a half glass of champagne would not have given him a hangover."
"I've never drunk before," Harry said.
"Wait, what?" Sirius said. "None of your dorm mates have ever snuck a bottle in?"
"No!" Harry said with much more vigour now that the potion had taken effect. "We're all terrified of McGonagall."
"So were we, until we figured out that Sirius could charm her with his smile," Remus explained. "You are certainly better behaved than we were."
"That is an understatement, Moony. I doubt there has ever been a dorm room of students who caused as much mayhem and madness as the Marauders did," Sirius announced proudly.
"I'm not sure that's something to be proud of, Dad." The potion was in, but it hadn't taken affect and Harry felt like his mouth and brain were full of cotton wool.
"Right you are, Harry," Remus agreed. "Your grades are far more consistent than his ever were too. James kept his grades up, but he went to class to moon over your mum. This one here, classes meant little to him and his grades were atrocious on purpose."
"Brilliant," Harry said. Then again, the way he felt, he'd go to class just to look at Hermione. He couldn't have these thoughts right now.
"I hear what you did there MOONy," Sirius said, laughing at the unintentional pun. "I did the work I cared about," Sirius said. "But the Goblin Wars or the mineral make-up of the moon were not things I cared about."
"And yet, he did get his OWL in Astronomy."
"Drilled into me as a child. The lessons with my grandfather were horrible," Sirius grumbled.
"I don't much care for Astronomy either," Harry said. "I just want to get my OWL and drop the class. I like Potions, but I hated taking it from Snape." Remus started to open his mouth to object but Harry corrected himself. "Professor Snape."
"Well, if you aren't better in control of your magic, you won't be going anywhere near Hogwarts this fall," Sirius said soberly. "Although, I have a gent in mind who could tutor you. He's a kind, if not interesting chap and proves that not all Slytherins are evil; although they are cunning."
"No," Remus said sharply and in surprise. "You're going to let him collect you and Harry both?"
"Not quite. I'm going to be his employer; therefore, I dictate the relationship."
"Who are you talking about and what do you mean 'collect'?"
"Horace Slughorn was the head of Slytherin when we were in school as well as the Potions professor. He's brilliant at brewing, but he has a penchant for picking up on students who will be successful, and then makes them part of his collection of influential folks he knows. He was quite disappointed when I was sorted into Gryffindor. He'd had all the Blacks prior to that and had Reggie too," Sirius explained. "He collected Lily right away, being a natural prodigy at Potions. She was friends with Severus then, so they both were collected. Second year he collected your dad, mostly due to his last name."
"Why would you let him 'collect' you and me now?" Harry asked.
"If I need to hire a professor to teach you Potions, then I am going to hire the best available. I'd approach Severus but given the history you two and he and I have I figure it would be worse than oil and water."
"So, you really are expecting me to stay home in the fall?" Harry asked dejectedly.
"Harry, your Lumos spell could be used on a foggy night to bring ships to shore," Sirius said. "You're simply too powerful and out of control to let you study with other students. That said, if you remain at home with tutors, the Grangers have already allowed Hermione to stay with you, and Augusta is considering having Neville join you as well. You'll still need to keep up with your course work, and as soon as your Uncle Remus, Mimi and I think it's safe you can return to Hogwarts."
"I guess it wouldn't be so bad to be home with Hermione and Neville, but what about Quidditch? I can't leave the team in a lurch," Harry said.
"Harry, that would be the only sticking point," Remus agreed. "But safety comes before Quidditch. Anyway, when you go back you can try out again and rejoin the team."
"To be fair, your flying frightens me, and I flew with your dad. Quidditch hasn't always been the safest for you either. Broken bones, vanished bones, concussions, a black eye, any other accidents I'm missing?"
"There was that time I tore open my shin in first year at practice," Harry admitted.
"You should be kinder to your body when you're young," Remus muttered. "When you get older you feel every place that was knitted back together." Everyone was quiet for a moment. "Well, I'm off to take a long shower and get dressed for Neville's party. What time do we need to be there?"
"Neville asked Hermione and I to arrive early, so we need to be there at two," Harry answered.
"Very good," the werewolf said before leaving.
BB*BB*BB*BB
Sirius said he wasn't quite ready to leave, so Hermione and Harry Flooed over with Remus a few minutes before two. Harry suspected that Sirius was going to pick up Amelia and Susan and bring them over at three, when the party was scheduled to begin.
Neville was there to greet them when they came out of the Floo, Harry remaining upright for the first time.
"Hi, glad you could make it," the birthday boy said as the friends greeted each other with handshakes and hugs. "Gran has told me nothing, just that the party is somewhere else, and we will be taking a Portkey there."
"Has your Gran told you where?" Hermione asked.
"Nothing," Neville replied. "What do you think is going on?" He looked to Harry for answers, even though Harry had none.
"If I know my dad, he's cooked something up," Harry confessed after a moment's consideration. "We can only hope that your Gran restrained his natural penchant for mayhem."
"All of you," Remus spoke, the first time he'd uttered anything since their arrival, "just need to relax and enjoy your day. I was in on the planning and your dad did not go too far overboard."
"I would have been happy with a cake and a few friends in the yard, kicking a ball around like with footie," Harry said. "I really didn't need –"
"Harry when are you going to learn that it has nothing to do with need and has everything to do with how much your dad loves you? Your needs are met – you have clothes to wear, food to eat and a roof over your head. Your schooling for the fall is being organised; those are your needs. Sirius was at your first birthday, the only one besides James and Lily, and he's missed them all since. He wants to give you the world because one, he can and two, he loves you. This party is as much for him as it is for you." Remus's explanation made sense, to a certain degree.
"Last night was amazing, Remus," Harry said. "I know the dinner cost a shocking amount of gold, and one of the men in the loo said he'd waited six months to bring his wife. Dad did not make reservations six months ago, which means he spent more gold getting us the table."
"I assume all of that is true," Augusta said entering the room, "and he insisted that he pay the receipt for the meal last night. That meal was about the future lords and ladies of magical Britain being seen as such."
"Then why did we have dinner in Paris, Gran?" Neville asked.
"Because L'assiette Splendid is the finest restaurant in Europe," she said with a slight smile. "If you have the money to spend, there are times you should. That was a meal for your positions. Today is a party for you both as young men."
"If that was politicking, then why was I there?" Hermione asked.
"Because my dear, you are the future of wizarding world and your introduction to society needed to begin now so that people are ready for you," Augusta answered in her direct way.
"There are quite a few purebloods who disagree with you," Hermione said bitterly.
"Things are changing, Hermione," Remus said gently. "You need to trust us, the adults, to prepare things for you." Just then the grandfather clock in the hall rang quarter after the hour. "Augusta, we have two minutes."
"Yes," she said grabbing a broken china plate, "everyone hold on, Lord Black was nice enough to use this lovely plate as our Portkey." There was nothing lovely about the lime green and florescent pink of the floral pattern that screamed a purchase date of the mid-eighties.
"If you like it, we have an entire crate of it at home you could have," Harry said dryly.
"I only use the Longbottom crest china when setting a formal table," Augusta replied in a like tone. "But thank you for your kind offer." The Portkey activated and the quintet was off.
None of the teens landed well, all flopping down onto the sandy ground. Remus had Augusta's arm through his as they walked into their departure.
"Where are we?" Harry muttered in question, taking in the beach, the palm trees and a body of turquoise water that seemed to glisten in the warm sunlight. It was hot here, but the breeze kept it from being as oppressive as the summer heat in London.
"You've arrived and right on time," Sirius bounded off a deck to a huge white house and over to the group. "Of course, Portkeys are like that. Welcome, welcome to well, Harry welcome home and the rest of you, welcome to La Rose de Potier or the Potter's Rose. This was the wedding gift that Monty, your grandfather, gave to his bride, Euphemia Rosier. It's been the vacation home they used for the last hundred years or so. Your parents honeymooned here, Harry. It was their chance to get away from the war for a while. It's easy to forget everything here." Sirius had a wistful tone to his voice that surprised everyone.
"So, where is here?"
"We're in the Landueloc-Roussilon area of France. That is the Mediterranean Sea, and yes, you can swim in it. However, the house has its own pool so you might choose not to. We have seven bedrooms, six full baths, six half baths, a grotto, a fine wine cellar, a lovely garden that is surrounded by the house on three sides and a fabulous kitchen the Longbottom's elves have already made themselves at home in. Come on, let me show you to your rooms before the rest of the guests arrive."
Sirius showed them the house, which had the main building and two smaller side wings which served as self-contained apartments. "Neville and Augusta, this one is yours. Your elves have already unpacked for the weekend." The pair peeled off the main ground and went to see where they were to be housed until late Monday. The second apartment went to the Graingers, who were staying for the weekend as well. Sirius, Remus, and Harry went into the main house.
"This place is amazing," Harry said in wonder. Hermione stuck close to him the two following after Sirius with their mouths open. After the tour, they both went to change into their swim things and met back at the pool.
About an hour later other students were deposited at the beach house. Some of Harry's Quidditch teammates were here; the twins were the obvious exception to that. The rest of Harry and Neville's dormmates were here as well as several of the girls from that year in Gryffindor. Hannah Abbott was here with Susan and Amelia, and they would be staying the weekend as well, Hannah rooming with Susan. Another girl, one Luna Lovegood, who they boys had seen around school came at the behest of Amelia and Susan. She came over and hugged each of the boys, although they didn't know her until Amelia introduced her, and then kissed Neville before skipping off to speak to some of the Ravenclaws from the boys' year.
"She's a bit eccentric," Amelia said, but she could use friends. I've urged a few of Susie's friends to be kind. She's dealing with some bullying. I wrote Dumbledore, since her father is unlikely to, but…well, it didn't get better. I hope things will change this year."
"I'd say I would watch her, but it doesn't look like I'll be at Hogwarts this year," Harry said with disappointment.
"Neither will I," Neville said.
"Neither will I," Hermione added as she flung her arms over both boys' shoulders. "We're sticking together. Plus, a certain redhead will be intolerable without you there." Harry just tipped his head up and made a guttural sound. He didn't want to think about any redheads on his birthday.
Hermione pulled Harry away from the others and while his balance was unstable, she pushed him into the pool. Neville then pushed her in before jumping in himself. The others followed suit once they were changed. Food, dancing, an overflowing gift table and friends. Best birthday either teen had ever had.