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Harry woke up early on the morning of his eleventh birthday. His birthday was always the earliest he ever got up during the summer holidays.
His uncles were coming today, and he was very excited. His Uncle Moony had promised him that he would take him out to Diagon Alley within the first week of August where he could get anything he wanted.
Harry jumped out of bed and reached for his glasses.
He bounced down the stairs and into the living room, where his parents were quietly enjoying a hot drink.
Upon seeing him enter, Lily got up from her place on the arm chair and bent down to give Harry a kiss on the cheek. “Happy birthday, my sweet boy!”
He smiled up at his mum, very excited for the day ahead.
James held his hands out for Harry to give him a hug. He ran straight into his father’s arms, grinning so widely that that it was starting to hurt.
James pulled away, and looked down at his son. “I remember the day I turned eleven. Your grandma let me buy whatever I wanted from Sugarplum’s Sweet Shop.” He smiled fondly at the memory. “It was great, until I was sick.”
Rolling her eyes at her husband, Lily turned her attention back to her son. “Do you want to open your presents or your cards first?” Lily pointed to the neat pile of cards on the coffee table.
Harry’s eyes lit up, there would be a letter from Hogwarts in that pile! “The cards!”
They had both expected as much, remembering themselves how excited they had been when they received their letters. Of course Lily had had no idea about Hogwarts until the letter had arrived but knowing that she wasn’t alone in the world, or a freak, made her 11th birthday one of her happiest.
Harry sat crossed legged on the floor, the letter from Hogwarts was at the top of the pile.
His name was written neatly in a beautiful emerald ink. He knew it was Professor McGonagall’s handwriting. Turning the envelope slowly, slightly worried he wasn’t actually accepted into Hogwarts, he traced his finger over the Hogwarts emblem. Being careful not to tear the seal, he slid the letter out and quietly read it to himself.
James had moved to Lily, who was perched on the arm of the arm chair, and was now smiling proudly. His son would soon be, hopefully, getting into sufficient mischief and carrying on his legacy.
He had meant his greatest friends and the love of his life at that school, he could only hope Harry’s experience would be similar.
I should give him the invisibility cloak, see what he can do with that. Lily wouldn’t like that, but she wouldn’t have to know.
Unfortunately, his wife had never quite liked pranks very much, it was one of the reasons why she hadn’t liked him in the first few years. Not like he could blame her, he had definitely been very arrogant as a young lad, she’d him better; now they were raising a handsome, kind young man together.
He wasn’t certain where Harry stood on pranks, but he hoped he’d at least find a friendship group that could stand against time, much like his own. They would die for one another if it came to it.
Harry looked up at his parents, “when can we go to get all the stuff?”
Lily chuckled at her son’s excitement. “There’s plenty time for that!”
Harry made his way through the cards quickly, making sure to present them all neatly on the coffee table; he wondered if next year there might be cards from his new friends.
In front of the fire place there was a modest stack of presents, all wrapped neatly with blue wrapping paper.
He’d only asked for one thing, an owl. He was glad there wasn’t an owl shaped present though, he wanted to pick the right one himself.
Harry sat facing his parents, knowing how much it meant for them to see his face when he opened something. He reached for the first present, a small box which he quickly found out was a chocolate frog.
After he opened the last present, a trunk for his things at Hogwarts, he made sure to thank his parents and give them a hug.
He held them tightly, wanting to show his gratitude for everything they had given him: in turn they kissed him on the head.
Then he was off, skipping up the stairs with a brand new top he was excited to wear. It had a giant golden snitch on the front surrounded by all the England players signatures.
James quickly shouted up at him, “your uncles will be here soon, don’t forget.”
He hadn’t forgotten, how could he. He loved his Uncles Sirius, Moony, and Peter. They always talked about Hogwarts to him: all the fun they had, all the professors that were no nonsense and the ones that could you could always have a laugh with.
He’d been told that McGonagall was secretly a softie, though by how they described her, he wondered if they were having him on.
They said that they’d love him even if he wasn’t a Gryffindor, though he often found himself wondering what would happen if he was sorted into Slytherin.
His mum had said one of her friends at school was a Slytherin and he was a very kind boy so maybe it wouldn’t be all bad.
But his parents had been in Gryffindor; he definitely didn’t feel like he’d fit in Ravenclaw, he wasn’t stupid but he certainly wasn’t smart, Hufflepuff sounded alright but it wasn’t Gryffindor.
*
After Harry had dressed, he bounced down the stairs, prompting his mother to exclaim playfully, “bloody hell! You’d think an elephant lived upstairs!”
“Sorry mum.”
James glanced down at his watch, “they’ll be here soon.” Harry couldn’t help but look towards the door, “excited are you?”
James was very glad Harry had such a good relationship with his best friends. If they didn’t like him, it would have been very difficult to give him up. He was almost certain Lily wouldn’t have liked that.
A single knock came from the door before Sirius let himself in, Remus and Peter behind him.
Remus and Peter both had a small bag in their hands, but Sirius had nothing. It didn’t matter much to Harry, it just struck him as odd.
“Happy birthday to my favourite godson!” Sirius bent down to ruffle Harry’s hair.
“But I’m your only godson!” Harry laughed.
“That’s what I said isn’t it?” Sirius pulled a face, trying to appear confused.
It didn’t last long, however, because he turned to his best friend and asked, excited, “can I give it to him now?”
James nodded, just as eager for Harry to open his next present.
Sirius left the house and came back quickly holding a long yet thin package. He made Harry close his eyes and hold out his hands before gently placing it down.
The second Sirius let go of it, Harry opened his eyes, he didn’t want to assume it was what he thought it was but he still threw himself onto the ground to tear it open.
He ripped the colourful paper off in pieces, finally revealing the beautiful brown of a broom handle. Engraved along the top in gold was Nimbus 2000.
Harry looked up at his godfather in disbelief. A brand new broom! And a proper one, not a tiny one made for kids. This was the fastest one available for sale, and looked magnificent.
He didn’t know what to say, choosing to make up for his lack of verbal gratitude by wrapping his arms tightly around Sirius.
As he let go, Sirius whispered, “you’ll need that for when you get on the Quidditch team.” He winked.
“You know first years never get on the team.” Remus’ smile was crooked, he knew Sirius meant well but it was unfair to get Harry’s hopes up.
“I think for James Potter’s son, that won’t be an issue.” He turned away from his friend. “Right, Harry?”
“I’ll certainly try!”
“That’s the spirit, son.” James was very proud of the young man he and Lily had raised.
Harry stuttered, “can we go try it out?”
“Open up your things from Moony and Wormtail first.” James took the opportunity to get a proper look at the broom.
He’d been there when Sirius had bought it, he’d asked if it was alright to buy Harry something like that and James insisted on coming along.
James had been after a new broom for himself and decided it was the perfect opportunity to have a look. There had been one beautifully crafted broom that was begging to be taken home but he had promised Lily he wouldn’t buy himself one - no matter how tempted.
Harry turned a bit red, getting so caught in the excitement he had momentarily forgotten about his other uncles’ gifts.
He stuttered. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright, Harry.” Remus held out his hand, “happy birthday.”
Gently grabbing the bag, he sat back on the floor. Inside there was two neatly wrapped presents, a packet of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, and a sugar quill.
Remus had gifted him a Quidditch jersey with *Potter 30* on the back and some knee pads.
After thanking Remus and offering everyone a jelly bean - which they all graciously accepted - Harry took the bag Peter was holding.
The presents were less neatly wrapped and stacked awkwardly. Peter had given him a small wizards chess board (travel size), a chocolate frog, and a small pin saying No #1 Quidditch Fan.
Immediately, Harry turned to his mum, asking her to put the pin on his top.
“Aren’t you forgetting something, Harry?” Lily queried.
Sheepishly, Harry turned back to his Uncle Peter, “thank you, Peter. Fancy a game of chess later?”
“No thank you. I’m not very good.”
“I’m sure Harry’ll teach you, right lad?” Sirius thumped him on the back.
“Right then. Get your knee pads on and we’ll go test out your new broom!” James smiled down at him before standing to go through to the kitchen. “I’ll be right out!”
The three remaining men followed Harry into the garden, with Lily close behind, camera in hand.
Harry immediately mounted his broom, very eager to see if it really was as fast as they say.
“Go on, Harry! Show me what you can do!” Sirius cheered.
As his mum snapped a photo, Harry kicked off, hovering in the air for a moment. He needed to wait for his dad.
When James came into the garden, he was wearing a similar jersey to the one Harry had just gotten, but with a 27 plastered on the back.
“Like it? We match!” He shouted at his son, giddy with excitement.
Harry nodded profusely. “Come on then! Don’t keep me waiting, it is my birthday.”
James planted a kiss on Lily’s cheek, “I’m about to make our son cry.”
Once James joined Harry in the air, he demanded a race. “Let’s see how fast the Nimbus 2000 really is, unless you’re scared!” James jeered.
Harry’s eyes lit up. ”Try to keep up.”
With that, he shot off towards the opposite end of the garden. It wasn’t very big but it was good enough for a race.
James was quick to follow Harry, getting very close. With a more skilled player, the speed would have been much more noticeable, but Harry’s natural talent couldn’t make up for his lack of practice. But James was confident Madam Hooch and the captain of the team would make him a menace on the pitch.
They both quickly grew bored of the racing and instead James chose to try to teach some stupid tricks he had learnt over the years.
Looking on, Lily couldn’t help but smile at her perfect family. She wouldn’t trade the life she had made for herself for anything.
She didn’t want to think what might have happened if Voldemort had succeeded in finding them. To miss Harry’s milestones, and going off to Hogwarts would have been devastating. She was so thankful of Sirius to be their secret keeper.
To see her son getting ready to go to Hogwarts, the place that she met her love, was a feeling no one could have explained to her.
She wouldn’t have traded it for the world.