Personal: Another Birthday
Title: Another Birthday
Date: July 31, 1998
Time of Day: 8:30am
Characters: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley (mentions of Charlie, Molly and Ginny)
Location: The Burrow
Status: Personal
Brief Summary: Harry receives his birthday present from Ron.
Completion: Complete
Warnings: None
Harry rolled over on the narrow cot, the sound of Ron's snores piercing through his sleep induced euphoria. He groaned softly at the fading dream of Ginny's lips and opened his eyes. Another loud snort and Ron flopped onto his back, his arm falling over the mattress, his mouth opened wide.
Stifling a yawn, Harry sat up and reached for his glasses on the nightstand. A quick glance at the clock told him it was a quarter past eight. He could vaguely hear Mrs. Weasley below speaking with someone, their muffled voices nearly drowned out by the clanging pots. Harry stood and wandered down the hall to the loo, running his hand through his tousled hair.
When he returned, Ron was awake, pulling a t-shirt over his head. Ron grinned as his head poked out from the shirt. "Happy birthday, mate."
"Birth...oh, right, thanks." It was his birthday. He had forgotten completely. But then again,considering the past few weeks, the last thing on his mind had been turning another year older. He was eighteen now, and it didn't feel any different than seventeen.
Ron continued to grin madly at him and Harry paused before taking another step into the room. He eyed Ron suspiciously. "What?"
Shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, Ron rolled back onto his heels, subtly nodding to his left. Harry followed his gaze, taken back by the cage sitting on his cot. A beautiful tawny owl with black spots stood inside, staring at Harry unblinkingly.
"Hermione helped me pick it out," explained Ron quickly, noting Harry's lack of reaction. "Had to hide it from you the last week, which wasn't easy with as much noise as it makes...the bugger likes to sing I think."
As if on cue, the owl hooted what seemed to be a chorus of notes, it's feathers ruffling as it cocked it's head to the side to study Harry. Harry walked toward it, his heart feeling the sharp ache as it always did when he thought of Hedwig. He slipped his finger through the cage and the owl nipped gently at him, as if reassuring him. Harry managed a smile and looked over to Ron.
"Well, I figured you'd need a new one..." Ron trailed off, suddenly seeming uncomfortable. "Hermione thought it might be too soon--"
"He's perfect," said Harry. "Thanks, Ron."
After he placed the cage by the window and opened the door to let the owl roam free for a bit, Harry and Ron left the room. Ron, seemingly more at ease now that Harry had approved his birthday gift, rambled on about the owl as they headed downstairs. "Hermione wanted me to suggest Vector as a name, and I told her you probably wouldn't want to name your owl after her favorite Professor, but she made me promise--"
"Vector's a great name," said Harry quickly, deciding at once. "He looks like a Vector, doesn't he?"
Ron shrugged and they continued into the kitchen, both of their eyes avoiding the family clock that sat perched on the kitchen counter as Mrs. Weasley cooked swiftly around it. Harry watched her slide sausages into a sizzling pan as another charmed spatula moved over the eggs, flipping them in the pan. Charlie sat at the table, nodding at them both over the top of the Daily Prophet. He had stayed in England since Fred's death, helping with the rebuilding of Hogwarts and spending time with his family. Harry knew he wouldn't be around much longer, due to the conversation he and Ron had overheard between Charlie and Mr. Weasley the night before. He was due back in Romania, though he had sounded somewhat reluctant to go.
"Harry birthday, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley, gathering Harry against her in a tight hug. She patted him on the cheek and nudged him into a chair. "Sausage and eggs this morning? I've made some juice for you, here you are. Ron, your hair needs a trim, dear, you're starting to look like George..." She stopped abruptly, wiping her hands on her apron and turning away from them to continue cooking. Harry glanced at Ron who gave him a strained smile before shifting uneasily in his chair.
Nothing had quite been the same in the Weasley household since Fred's death. Mrs. Weasley pretended to be her usual, cheery self, Mr.Weasley was much quieter now, most of his free time spent in the shed with his Muggle contraptions, and George rarely came around for a visit anymore. The tension was thick at times, and Harry was thankful that he and Ron had been spending so much time at Hogwarts and Hogsmeade where their minds could be focused elsewhere.
After Mrs. Weasley slid a plate full of eggs in front of him, Harry grabbed his fork, eager to concentrate on something other than the hollow atmosphere. He was distracted, however, by Ginny entering the room. Their eyes met and and he felt a pleasurable jolt when she shot him a smile, one that conveyed that they would talk later. As he watched her sit next to Ron and steal one of his grapes, he couldn't help but think it might be a worthwhile birthday after all.
Date: July 31, 1998
Time of Day: 8:30am
Characters: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley (mentions of Charlie, Molly and Ginny)
Location: The Burrow
Status: Personal
Brief Summary: Harry receives his birthday present from Ron.
Completion: Complete
Warnings: None
Harry rolled over on the narrow cot, the sound of Ron's snores piercing through his sleep induced euphoria. He groaned softly at the fading dream of Ginny's lips and opened his eyes. Another loud snort and Ron flopped onto his back, his arm falling over the mattress, his mouth opened wide.
Stifling a yawn, Harry sat up and reached for his glasses on the nightstand. A quick glance at the clock told him it was a quarter past eight. He could vaguely hear Mrs. Weasley below speaking with someone, their muffled voices nearly drowned out by the clanging pots. Harry stood and wandered down the hall to the loo, running his hand through his tousled hair.
When he returned, Ron was awake, pulling a t-shirt over his head. Ron grinned as his head poked out from the shirt. "Happy birthday, mate."
"Birth...oh, right, thanks." It was his birthday. He had forgotten completely. But then again,considering the past few weeks, the last thing on his mind had been turning another year older. He was eighteen now, and it didn't feel any different than seventeen.
Ron continued to grin madly at him and Harry paused before taking another step into the room. He eyed Ron suspiciously. "What?"
Shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, Ron rolled back onto his heels, subtly nodding to his left. Harry followed his gaze, taken back by the cage sitting on his cot. A beautiful tawny owl with black spots stood inside, staring at Harry unblinkingly.
"Hermione helped me pick it out," explained Ron quickly, noting Harry's lack of reaction. "Had to hide it from you the last week, which wasn't easy with as much noise as it makes...the bugger likes to sing I think."
As if on cue, the owl hooted what seemed to be a chorus of notes, it's feathers ruffling as it cocked it's head to the side to study Harry. Harry walked toward it, his heart feeling the sharp ache as it always did when he thought of Hedwig. He slipped his finger through the cage and the owl nipped gently at him, as if reassuring him. Harry managed a smile and looked over to Ron.
"Well, I figured you'd need a new one..." Ron trailed off, suddenly seeming uncomfortable. "Hermione thought it might be too soon--"
"He's perfect," said Harry. "Thanks, Ron."
After he placed the cage by the window and opened the door to let the owl roam free for a bit, Harry and Ron left the room. Ron, seemingly more at ease now that Harry had approved his birthday gift, rambled on about the owl as they headed downstairs. "Hermione wanted me to suggest Vector as a name, and I told her you probably wouldn't want to name your owl after her favorite Professor, but she made me promise--"
"Vector's a great name," said Harry quickly, deciding at once. "He looks like a Vector, doesn't he?"
Ron shrugged and they continued into the kitchen, both of their eyes avoiding the family clock that sat perched on the kitchen counter as Mrs. Weasley cooked swiftly around it. Harry watched her slide sausages into a sizzling pan as another charmed spatula moved over the eggs, flipping them in the pan. Charlie sat at the table, nodding at them both over the top of the Daily Prophet. He had stayed in England since Fred's death, helping with the rebuilding of Hogwarts and spending time with his family. Harry knew he wouldn't be around much longer, due to the conversation he and Ron had overheard between Charlie and Mr. Weasley the night before. He was due back in Romania, though he had sounded somewhat reluctant to go.
"Harry birthday, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley, gathering Harry against her in a tight hug. She patted him on the cheek and nudged him into a chair. "Sausage and eggs this morning? I've made some juice for you, here you are. Ron, your hair needs a trim, dear, you're starting to look like George..." She stopped abruptly, wiping her hands on her apron and turning away from them to continue cooking. Harry glanced at Ron who gave him a strained smile before shifting uneasily in his chair.
Nothing had quite been the same in the Weasley household since Fred's death. Mrs. Weasley pretended to be her usual, cheery self, Mr.Weasley was much quieter now, most of his free time spent in the shed with his Muggle contraptions, and George rarely came around for a visit anymore. The tension was thick at times, and Harry was thankful that he and Ron had been spending so much time at Hogwarts and Hogsmeade where their minds could be focused elsewhere.
After Mrs. Weasley slid a plate full of eggs in front of him, Harry grabbed his fork, eager to concentrate on something other than the hollow atmosphere. He was distracted, however, by Ginny entering the room. Their eyes met and and he felt a pleasurable jolt when she shot him a smile, one that conveyed that they would talk later. As he watched her sit next to Ron and steal one of his grapes, he couldn't help but think it might be a worthwhile birthday after all.