Harry Potter and the Birthday Party
It was his 18th birthday.
It was strange to think about, as it always was, when so many times over the years he could have died, either by accident or people trying to kill him. Somehow Harry Potter had survived this long. It always felt like something to celebrate in that context. He wasn't trapped at the Dursleys' or safe and sound at the Burrow for this birthday. They were at the Winchester which... was weird. Harry didn't hate Neil, didn't even dislike him anymore, but it felt odd, thinking that it wasn't for Harry that Neil had opened up his restaurant.
That didn't take away from the party. All that really mattered to Harry was that the people he loved were around him. The cake was amazing simply because it meant someone had bothered. The presents, too, were completely unnecessary and fantastic, no matter what they were. Just having all of them together, everyone healthy and in one piece, knowing the war was over back home, made this the best birthday yet. Whatever awkward feelings might exist did not matter here, no more than the island's magical pranks or the dark recesses of Rapture which seemed far away. Nothing could hurt them here, as long as they were together.
It was strange to think about, as it always was, when so many times over the years he could have died, either by accident or people trying to kill him. Somehow Harry Potter had survived this long. It always felt like something to celebrate in that context. He wasn't trapped at the Dursleys' or safe and sound at the Burrow for this birthday. They were at the Winchester which... was weird. Harry didn't hate Neil, didn't even dislike him anymore, but it felt odd, thinking that it wasn't for Harry that Neil had opened up his restaurant.
That didn't take away from the party. All that really mattered to Harry was that the people he loved were around him. The cake was amazing simply because it meant someone had bothered. The presents, too, were completely unnecessary and fantastic, no matter what they were. Just having all of them together, everyone healthy and in one piece, knowing the war was over back home, made this the best birthday yet. Whatever awkward feelings might exist did not matter here, no more than the island's magical pranks or the dark recesses of Rapture which seemed far away. Nothing could hurt them here, as long as they were together.