The next two weeks for Harry were filled with early morning walks to the swings, intense hours of defensive training, and the now commonly occurring dream of him and a girl having a picnic on a green hill. While Harry didn’t have any particular qualms about these dreams they left him wanting more every time he woke up, for some reason this dream settled his fears and grief better than everything else, besides swinging with Emma and writing to Ginny.
While he still couldn’t make out the girls face he noticed that slowly but surely the dream was becoming sharper, more defined. It wasn’t really blurry anymore but still things were a bit indistinct. Something that was bugging him was that he knew the laugh of the girl from somewhere, he’d spent hours trying to recall where he’d heard it but it eluded him.
Sometimes he would wake up from the dream standing up, other times he was hugging his pillow as if it were a person. He also knew these weren’t just normal dreams either, they were too real. He could feel the grass on his legs and hands, and when he ate a strawberry he could actually taste it. He couldn’t make heads or tales of this but he was happy this time the dream didn’t involve long winding hallways or an endless procession of friends and family falling through the veil in the Department of Mysteries. In fact, Harry couldn’t recall a time when he had actually been excited about a dream.
Along with Ginny’s now almost daily correspondence, Harry had received a few letters from both Ron and Hermione telling him about the different things that were going on in the wizarding world. The one thing that frightened him however was that neither of them had heard anything about Voldemort or the Death Eaters in the past few weeks. The only thing that was closely related was something Ron had said about Fudge trying to salvage his career by randomly searching houses and arresting suspected ‘threats’. Although the ministry Aurors had apparently arrested over fifty people, not a single one of them had been actually declared a death eater. From what Harry could tell Fudge was, politically, on his deathbed. His reputation had taken quite a hit after Voldemort waltzed right into the ministry itself after saying that he was all just a figment of Harry’s imagination. Fudge’s career was poised to topple and Harry would have no ill feelings if it were he himself who gave the last shove.
Before Harry knew it, it was July 30th, the day before his birthday. He hadn’t even remembered about it until Errol and Pig came flying in together carrying a very large box filled not only with a chocolate cake from Mrs. Weasley’s cake, but a smaller box of sweets from Fred and George. He set the sweets aside and reminded himself only to feed them to
He also received individual packages from Hermione, Ron, Hagrid, Lupin, and Ginny. Everyone sent him either large amounts of sweets and cakes, or books on defensive, or white magic. Ginny had sent him a small leather bound book, which held, when he opened it, pictures of Harry with Ron, Hermione, the Weasleys, Lupin, the Order, and to Harry’s anguish a small picture of him and Sirius grinning stupidly at the camera during Christmas break.
Harry’s heart ached as he recalled the best Christmas of his life, when he was with everyone at
He turned over to the last page of the book to find a short letter to him from Ginny.
Harry,
I remember you showing me the photo album Hagrid made you of your parents, I noticed that there weren’t many of your friends or your new family, so I decided to make you another. I asked Colin to owl me a bunch of really good photos and I sorted through them and found the best ones. I hope that you think this is a good present; I wasn’t really sure what to get you, seeing as you sure as hell don’t need anymore defense books or broom stuff. You can send it back if you don’t like it.
Happy Birthday
Ginny
Harry’s touched that Ginny cared enough about him to go through all this trouble just for a birthday present. The photos in the small book brought a smile to his face, he especially liked the on of all the Weasleys, and all of the Order on Christmas last year. They looked up at Harry and waved happily, as if there wasn’t a war going on when this was taken.
Harry then reeled when he remember a similar picture that Moody had shown him that same Christmas. In it were all the members of the old Order of the
For the rest of the day Harry played with Emma, showing her the photo album, and bringing over some of the tamer prank candy that Fred and George had created. They both laughed when Joy accidentally ate one of the Canary creams and burst into a giant yellow canary, complete with realistic chirp. Once the charm finally wore off Joy too joined in laughing about the prank.
For his Birthday Emma had baked a cake all by herself. She carried it out while singing happy birthday to him, then told him to make a wish and blow out all the candles.
I wish this war could be over, and I wish that I could have a family. Harry thought with his eyes squeezed together, and then blew hard at the candles. Emma took the one that went out last and handed it to Harry.
“When you go home tonight take this candle and place it under your pillow. If you do it will make your wish come true!” The little girl chimed, thrusting the candle into his hands as he was walking out the front door.
“Okay Em, I do want these wishes to come true. Thanks Mrs. Massey! I had a wonderful birthday,” Harry said to Joy as she hugged him tightly then wished him goodbye.
Harry didn’t head directly home, instead he walked around the park once or twice thinking about random, pointless things. His feet carried him without thinking, eventually taking him to the front of the Dursley’s house. He sighed and looked down at his watch. It was only 9:00 at night; he would have to just sit in his room and try and go to bed. He thought of talking another walk, but his better judgment told him nighttime and a dark alley don’t mix too well, not to mention what Moody would do to him if he did indeed decide to go for a walk.
So solemnly, he resigned his fate to his bedroom, and walked up the front path to the door.
“Oy! Potter, happy birthday mate!” Someone invisible whispered as a heavy package thudded in front of the door.
Harry immediately recognized the voice as that of Tonks, and spun around wildly searching for her and her invisibility cloak. She didn’t appear but whispered once more,
“Sorry, can’t take off the cloak, Moody would skin me alive” revealing myself to the enemy’, sorry you didn’t have a great birthday. Next year though we’ll throw you a huge party to celebrate your coming of age.”
Harry looked in the direction of where the voice was coming and smiled, “Thanks Tonks, it’s nice to know that it’s you keeping watch and not someone like Dawlish.” Harry picked up the poorly wrapped package and tore off the paper revealing a small book titled, 101 Ways to Decorate Your Room by Martha Stewart.
Harry was shocked, “Martha Stewart is a witch?!!”
“You bet, how else do you think she figured out about those stocks? She’s not a very good one though, just can make things look pretty. I figured you’re in your room enough that you should at least make it look nice.” Tonks whispered from behind the begonias.
Harry smiled again in her direction, “Thanks Tonks, it’s perfect. You’re right my room could use a little bit of a personal touch. Tell everyone hi for me, and tell them I said thanks for their gifts too.”
“Sweet dreams Harry,” Tonks whispered from farther away as headed inside. Harry smiled, knowing that his dreams were definitely going to be nice, especially when it came to the part of him kissing the girl in the dream. He just wished he could figure out who it was.
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