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“You’ve come at an odd time Mr. Potter. Not that I’m ungrateful, but shouldn’t a young man like you be with his family at this time of year?” The matron asked Harry as she was showing him to the playground. It was New Year’s Eve, and the whole world was celebrating.
“My family likes to have giant parties for the holidays. There is only so many times I can watch my dad turn into a drunk old stag.” Harry shrugged. “This seemed like a good alternative.”
The woman laughed, not understanding that what he said was not a joke. “Well I don’t think this will be any better. The children like to get crazy for the holidays. We don’t make them go to bed if they don’t want to,” she told him with a smile. “It gets to be pretty hectic. Especially the younger ones. They’ll start getting fussy any second.”
“Sounds like fun,” Harry replied kindly.
The children ran around the playground screaming and laughing. The fireworks lit up the night sky in a rage of colors.
Harry noticed that one child sat away from the others. A small boy with dark brown hair and his knees pulled up to his chest.
Harry walked over to him with a friendly smile on his face.
“Not feeling festive?” He asked him.
The boy glared at him and turned completely away.
“Well if you don’t wanna play, then when why are you out here?” Harry sat down next to him. From where they were , they had a perfect view of the fireworks.
“Because I want to,” The boy huffed. “You can’t make me go to bed if i don’t want to.”
“No, I can’t,” Harry agreed.
“Good,” The boy nodded as if they had just finished a business deal. “Glad that’s settled.”
“So, why don’t you want to go play?” Harry asked.
“All of those kids are idiots, and jerks. Why would I want to play with them?” the boy said with his back to Harry.
“Why? What did they do to you?” Harry wondered. He never liked the idea of bullying. Growing up with his cousin had made him active in preventing it.
“They didn’t do anything! That’s the problem! Everyone else gets to celebrate their birthday, but no one even remembers me on mine!” the boy shouted. He had turned to Harry in his anger and he could see eyes red with tears.
Harry didn’t know how to respond at first. He didn’t know what it felt like to have had his birthday ignored in favor of a holiday. With some quick thinking, he replied “Well, you’re lucky. I wish my birthday was today.”
“Why?” The boy sniffled. “It sucks. Everyone forgets about you.”
“Well, the whole world is celebrating your birthday today. Who else could be that lucky? Maybe they’re just jealous.” Harry smiled.
The boy looked at him thoughtfully, and then returned the smile. “You think so?”
“I know so.” Harry watched as the little boy stood up and stretched his arms. Without so much as a goodbye, the boy ran off to join the other kids.
“That was nice,” The matron said as she snuck up on him. “I was watching you. That one has a hard time in making friends. Mom died when he was just a baby poor thing.”
“I think he will do great,” Harry grinned as he saw the little boy watching the fireworks with a new smile on his face.