บท 177: Party
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With the comforting weight of his new watch on his wrist, Harry drifted back to sleep, a smile lingering at the thought of the day ahead. His rest was abruptly ended by Crookshanks, who decided to drop a dead mouse onto his chest as a "gift." Harry opened his eyes to the cat's expectant look. "Happy Birthday," Crookshanks meowed clearly.
"Thought that counts, huh?" Harry replied with a wry smile, carefully moving the dead mouse away with a flick of his wrist. The quilt, unfortunately stained by the deceased rodent, was quickly dealt with—incinerated with a simple spell. Getting out of bed, Harry scooped up Crookshanks. "Let's go down for breakfast, shall we?"
As they descended the stairs, the smells of a hearty breakfast filled the air, a comforting blend of familiarity and warmth that made the house truly feel like home. Petunia had gone all out, preparing all of Harry's favorites—bacon, eggs, and even some fried tomatoes, a nod to the healthier options she tried to maintain.
Petunia stood at the stove, turning over the last of the bacon when Harry walked into the kitchen. "Morning," she said, looking over her shoulder with a smile. "Happy birthday again, Harry."
"Thanks, Aunty," Harry replied as he set Crookshanks down, who immediately scampered off, probably in pursuit of some imaginary creature.
Petunia plated the food and set it on the table. "Sit down, I'll join you in a minute."
From out of nowhere, Misty appeared with a small, neatly wrapped package in her hands. "Happy Birthday, Master Potter," the house elf squeaked excitedly, her eyes sparkling with joy.
Harry smiled broadly and hugged Misty in thanks. "Thank you, Misty. What have you got here?" he asked as he began to unwrap the gift. Inside, he found a beautifully crafted leather-bound journal, the cover embossed with a detailed engraving of Hogwarts. "It's wonderful, Misty. Thank you so much," Harry said, genuinely touched by the thoughtful gift.
Misty beamed, pleased with his reaction. "Misty hopes Master Harry finds it useful for his adventures!"
"I'm sure I will," Harry assured her, flipping through the blank pages, already thinking of the many uses for his new journal.
Petunia then ushered everyone to the table where they all sat down to enjoy the hearty breakfast she had prepared. Crookshanks, having abandoned his hunt, joined them, settling near Harry's feet, clearly expecting some tidbits to fall his way.
As they ate, Petunia finally spoke up, "Don't go anywhere today, Harry." Harry nodded, having already picked up on the subtle clues around the house that hinted at further celebrations. Balloons subtly tucked away, a stack of extra plates in the cupboard, and the slight rearrangement in the living room for more space—it was clear something was planned, and a few of his friends were likely invited.
"Sounds like a plan, Aunty," Harry replied, his curiosity piqued but choosing to let the day unfold as Petunia intended.
As breakfast continued, Nigel chimed in. "A house party, eh? How very quaint. Will there be games? Pin the tail on the magical creature, perhaps?"
Harry chuckled quietly, mindful not to show he was conversing with Nigel. "I think it'll be a bit more subdued than that, Nigel. But who knows? Maybe there'll be surprises."
After they finished eating, Harry helped Petunia clear the table, and then they both went about their morning routines in preparation for the day's festivities. As Harry passed by the living room, he noticed the extra care Petunia had taken in setting up the space. Fresh flowers adorned the tables, and there was a new, festive feel to the room.
Not long after, guests started to arrive for Harry's birthday celebration. The first to come was Hermione, accompanied by her parents. Petunia had called earlier to ensure the Grangers could adjust their mindset to meeting wizarding families. Despite their growing familiarity with their daughter's magical life, they were still very much Muggles.
As Harry opened the door, Hermione leapt into his arms. "Happy birthday, Harry!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Over her shoulder, Harry exchanged glances with Mr. Granger, who looked a bit out of his depth, while Mrs. Granger appeared delighted by the whole scene.
Following closely behind were the Longbottoms, with Augusta Longbottom leading the way. Neville walked next to her, looking excited. Neville's Uncle Arthur, his wife Helen, and their children, Mark and Lily, came next. Arthur's thick beard gave him a gruff appearance, which belied his kind nature, as Harry had learned during the previous Christmas holiday. Helen was as warm and motherly as ever, her smile as welcoming as a hug.
Susan and Hannah arrived not long after. Susan's aunt was sadly occupied with work and couldn't attend, so her best friend's parents promised to take Susan and drop her back at their house later. Hannah's parents, Thomas and Eleanor, greeted Harry and Petunia warmly as they entered, leaving the two girls with Harry. Susan was quick to jump in for a hug, followed by Hannah.
"Happy birthday, Harry!" Susan exclaimed, stepping back with a bright smile.
"Thanks, Susan! Glad you both could make it," Harry replied, his smile matching hers.
Hannah chuckled, "Wouldn't miss it. Besides, we have to see if you've got taller over the summer."
Harry laughed, playfully ruffling his own hair. "Maybe a bit. You'll have to check the door frame on your way out."
Last to arrive were Daphne with her family—Cyrus and Helena Greengrass—and Astoria trailing behind. The Greengrass family arrived with the Davises; Jonathan and Marianne Davis followed by Tracey. Similar to the Abbotts, once they greeted Harry, they walked in, leaving the three girls with him. Astoria, mischievous as ever, jumped onto Harry's neck, sticking her tongue out at Daphne, "I got the first hug!" she declared, causing Daphne to pout while Tracey giggled.
"Hey, no fair, Astoria! You always sneak up!" Daphne protested lightly, her tone teasing.
Astoria grinned, letting go of Harry to give Daphne a quick hug. "Just keeping you on your toes," she quipped.
Tracey, still chuckling, added, "Looks like Harry's the popular one today. How many hugs is that now, Harry?"
Harry grinned, "I've lost count, but keep them coming!"
As they settled into the living room, Petunia brought out a tray of homemade cupcakes, which immediately caught the group's attention. The simple yet thoughtful setup for the day highlighted the easygoing atmosphere of the birthday celebration.
Sadly, Petunia didn't invite Harry's other friends. As she only knew those she had met during the Christmas holiday at the Longbottom household and Harry's business partners, the guest list was limited to familiar faces. The Patils, Lavender, Pansy, and a few others had never met Petunia, thus were not invited. Harry didn't mind and thought about inviting them over at another time.
As everyone settled in, the adults chatted among themselves, while Neville and the other kids were eager to hear about Harry's trip to France. Although he had already met with Tracey and Daphne the day before, they listened quietly as others asked about his travels. Harry didn't mention his internship with Nicolas Flamel but shared general stories about his visit to France.
When Susan asked if Harry had brought anything back from France, he chuckled and began distributing gifts he had prepared earlier. Susan blushed shyly and stammered that she was just joking. Hannah laughed, "It's your birthday, Harry! Why are you giving us gifts?"
Harry smiled and responded, "Well, I already gave gifts to Tracey and Daphne yesterday. I thought it'd be nice to give you guys something too." He then handed out the gifts to Susan, Hannah, Neville, Astoria, and Hermione. Each of them was pleasantly surprised and thanked him for the thoughtful presents.
The day progressed with light-hearted games and discussions. They played a few rounds of wizarding chess and a magical trivia game that Petunia had learned about and prepared especially for the occasion. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and the joyful noise of friends enjoying each other's company.
Nigel, watching the festivities unfold, commented to Harry, "Seems like you're the life of the party, Master Harry. And here I thought we'd be wrestling with trolls by now!"
Harry grinned, replying silently, "Well, we can always arrange that for next year's party if you're feeling left out."
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