Harry's birthday was turning out to be a success on all fronts. The Tonks had rented out a small magical park just outside of Bristol for the event, and had prepared a small feast for the gathered friends. This was, after all, Harry's first true birthday party, and the Tonks had wanted to make sure it was special for the young man. The entire Sphinx Club had managed to be able to attend. Padma and Parvati had managed to convince their parents, who were convinced that Harry could be a potential suitor, to let them attend. Harry had turned very red when the pair had told him that, which had given all of the gathered club members a good laugh.
Also present was Charlie Weasley, who had managed to get the day off from his job at the dragon sanctuary. Harry and Charlie had interacted a few more times since their initial encounter at the beginning of June.
Alongside all of the children, Padma and Parvati's father, Hannah Tracey and Lavender's mothers and both of Hermione's parents had made it. Professor Flitwick had been invited but was busy prepping for the rapidly approaching school year, as well as assisting in the selection process for the replacement Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The thought of which had sent a small shiver up Harry's spine, he was, in his mind, responsible for the opening of the position.
Harry gazed out at the collected people who had come to celebrate his birthday, they had all come for him. He felt something inside him build up, a warm feeling that sat deep in the core of his chest. Everyone had taken time out of their lives, simply because they wanted to celebrate his growing older with him. Harry was still adjusting to the feeling that people even liked him, much less would go out of their way to do something for him. He was touched that they cared so much. A voice pulled him from his musings.
"Wotcher Lil' Bro, this is your day! What are you doing over here in the corner?" Nymphadora said, making her way over to him. Her hair was a match for his own today, wild and black, with a comically small party hat hair clip sitting atop her head. She had changed her eyes to match his as well, making her look as though she could be his sister.
"Just looking over everything. I'm still surprised that everyone took their time to come out." Harry said honestly. Nymphadora had taken many efforts to try and get to know him while they were living together, and while her auror training kept her away for days at a time, she still made every effort to come and see him. "Is there a reason you're stealing my look?" Harry asked with a small smirk.
"Well, how else are they going to know I'm your big sister now? I've got to clear all the girls to make sure whichever one you date is good enough for you." Nymphadora said, sticking her tongue out at Harry. Harry once more flushed a beet red, and Nymphadora smiled smugly to herself at her little brother's misfortune. "Now come on and join the party! Mom got a game of Whizzerbye, that's great fun!"
Whizzerbye as it turned out was the name of a flat disc that someone through, and then it would fly about in random directions while people moved to catch it. The Sphinx Club, as well as Nymphadora and Charlie all ran around the large park area chasing the disc as it zipped across the plains. It was exhausting, but very good fun.
"Alright everyone! Time to cut the cake!" Andromeda belted out, her voice amplified by magic. No one in attendance was devoid of a sweet tooth, so it brought everyone together quickly.
Harry's birthday cake was a relatively simple affair, though quite large given that it needed to feed nearly twenty people, covered in a midnight blue icing, with bronze lettering that read "Happy Birthday Harry!" in a choppy hand-written font. While Andromeda had baked the cake, admitting that baking was something she enjoyed, Nymphadora had taken it upon herself to decorate it, with Ted encouraging her to keep it simple. Twelve candles sat atop the cake, and the smoke from them animated itself into magical images of people having fun, and occasionally spelling out "Happy Birthday Harry" themselves. The Grangers had been rather shocked that magic could perform such tasks, and the magicals in the room assured them that that was only some of what magic could do.
"Make a wish Harry!" Hermione called out to him taking her customary seat to one side of him, Padma taking hers at his other side. They had been doing this all year, and it seems that not even their two month separation had removed the instinct from the pair.
Harry looked around at his friends and family that gathered, and he took a brief snapshot with his mind and filed it into his heart. There they were, smiling, looking happily at him excited to share this moment with him. Excited at getting to watch him grow into a young man. Harry held this moment deep within his chest, and pulled the air in with it. Then with a mighty puff, he released it, extinguishing the flames that had their final puff of smoke encircle Harry's head and form into a smoky mostly shapeless crown. Everyone clapped and Hermione and Padma crushed him in a hug between them. "Happy Birthday Harry!" came the call in unison, among all the guests.
As everyone ate their cake, Andromeda had Harry open his presents that various guests had brought him. Harry had told everyone that there was no need for gifts, but everyone had flatly ignored him. Harry was in some ways glad for this, after all, what self-respecting 12 year old doesn't like presents? Ted and Andromeda had gotten him a Nintendo Gameboy with a few games. Dudley had gotten one two years prior, and had been absolutely enamored with it, Harry was interested in seeing if it was as fun as Dudley had made it out to be.
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