Chapter 14: Birthdays

Severus knew what to expect today. It had become clear throughout the week that Harry had never celebrated his birthday. Any hints of presents or parties were met with a confused look. His negligent relatives seemed to have never acknowledged what should be every child’s favorite day of the year.

With the small hand clasped in his, Severus made his best attempt to stalk down the corridors. Keeping a slower pace than normal, he couldn’t help but glance down at his charge. Harry, still awed by the signs of magic everywhere, had adjusted greatly to his new surroundings. He no longer shied away from everything magical, although he still wasn’t quick to embrace it.

A tug on his hand brought the man to a halt.

“Look, Sev’us,” Harry squealed as he watched a knight being chased by a dragon in one of the portraits on the wall.

Yes, he has come a long way. Severus allowed the interruption for a while longer as Harry continued to watch the knight and the dragon battle in the scene.

“Come, Harry,” Severus said, tugging the boy away from his entertainment. The Great Hall was just around the corner and the birthday boy had a room full of people waiting on him.

How Severus let the Headmaster convince him to have a party thrown for Harry was beyond him. Granted, it would just be the Hogwarts staff, but even a small social gathering was something the potions master typically avoided.

Pausing for a moment before the closed doors, Severus took another quick glance at the boy. The things I do for you, Potter.

“SURPRISE!” came a great shout as the doors swung open.

Snape scowled at the, in his opinion, garish decorations adorning the Great Hall. Red and gold seemed to be the theme for the party and he strongly suspected that Minerva had been the head of the decorating committee.

Snape’s scowl lessened a bit when he looked down at the face of the young boy, who was still gripping his hand. Harry was frozen in place, his jaw dropped and eyes were wide. Tugging on the boy’s hand, Severus led Harry slowly into the room.

“Happy Birthday, Harry,” Dumbledore greeted from the head of the table. At the opposite end saw a large pile of presents in wrapping paper of all different colors. All of the professors currently in the castle were in attendance and had grins extending from ear to ear watching the joy light up on Harry’s face.

“This is for me?” Harry asked in nearly a whisper, he eyes following white doves flying overhead with red and gold streamers in their mouths.

“Yes, it does seem a bit extravagant for a 4 year old’s birthday party. However, seeing as the sign says ‘Happy Birthday, Harry’ and you are indeed the only Harry present, it’s safe to say this is for you,” Severus said dryly. The sarcasm may have been lost on the young boy but at the words “this is for you,” Harry’s face lit up in rapture.

“Come sit, Harry,” Dumbledore called over, indicating to the two empty seats at his right. “First, we’ll have our lunch before you dive into those presents.”

Severus rolled his eyes as he prodded the birthday boy past the gifts. The pile wasn’t exceptionally large, and had Harry been the type of child he once imagined then he’d have expected a tantrum at the amount. However, his ward wasn’t a spoiled child. In fact, even the surly potions master had to admit that the boy deserved a bit of spoiling… only now and then, of course.

Severus grabbed the plate in front of Harry and served a portion of grilled chicken, creamed spinach, and a bread roll. A quick wave of his wand had the chicken cut into small pieces. After making sure that his ward was eating properly, Severus laid a glare on the amused female staff. They had been watching their co-worker, hiding their laughter behind goblets of pumpkin juice. Harry wasn’t the only one who had changed.

“Enough,” Severus growled and focused on his own meal, ignoring the burst of laughter coming from further down the table. Women!

The meal proceeded with the normal idle conversation amongst the staff while Dumbledore entertained Harry with stories from his youth.

“I remember one of my birthdays when I was much younger, Harry. We were having a picnic by the small lake in our garden. I was sitting on the edge of the shore, talking with Mr. Gills.”

“Who Mr. Gills?”

“Why, Harry, Mr. Gills was my best fish friend. So there I was, having a lovely conversation with Mr. Gills,” Dumbledore continued before being interrupted by a burst of giggles from the child.

“But fishes don’t talk!” Harry exclaimed in giggles. His laughter drew the attention of the entire table, unable to keep smiles off their own faces.

“Now, Harry, whoever said that fish couldn’t speak?” Albus chuckled at Harry’s face as he tried to understand how someone could speak to a fish.

Severus cleared his throat, drawing the attention from the farfetched tale that the Headmaster was sharing with his ward. With my luck, Harry will run straight to the lake the next time we’re outside the castle to try and talk to a fish.

“I do believe that it would an appropriate time for presents to be opened now,” Severus drawled as the dishes before them disappeared back to the kitchens.

There was a sudden ruckus as everyone started passing presents from the far end of the table to the birthday boy.

Harry only had to look to Severus once for permission to proceed. At his nod, the young child slowly peeled the paper back from the box set in front of him. His small hands pulled a leather bound book from the wrappings. Severus leaned over and opened up the front cover revealing pages of photos. There on the opening page was a photo of Lily Potter holding a newborn Harry. Her hand caressed the baby’s face but she never looked up from her child. She was captivated.

“Who’s dat?” Harry asked looking down at the photo.

“Your mother, Harry. That’s you she’s holding,” Albus said softly, meeting Severus’ eyes over the child. They shared a look of apprehension to what the reaction of the child would be.

“She loved me,” Harry stated before looking up at his guardian.

“She did. Very much,” Severus said softly and looked toward Hagrid. The half-giant had large tears running down his face. “Just thought he’d want to know what his family looked like. There’s plenty of room to keep adding photos as he grows. Might want some of his new family in there.”

“Very kind of you, Hagrid. Very kind indeed,” The headmaster said softly.

They proceeded with the gift opening and Harry received a book of fairy tales from the headmaster, a charmed music box from Professor Flitwick, a night blooming potted plant from Professor Sprout, and a child sized broom from Professor McGonagall. The broom had caused a bit of a stir, for both the potions master as well as the child.

Harry had stared in confusion down at the broom laying on the table. Severus, however, was nearly ready to lock the blasted toy up in his warded storage cupboards. Who gives a 4 year old a broom?!

Before Severus could get started on a rant, his young charge’s voiced piped up. “T’ank you, Auntie Min. It’s small like me! Not big like Aunt Petunia’s. That one was too big for me.”

Professor McGonagall’s face turned pale as she realized what Harry had thought she had given him. “No, Harry. This broom isn’t for cleaning. It’s for flying. You can fly on it but only when Professor Snape is with you.”

“Fly?” Harry asked in confusion, looking to his guardian for confirmation.

“Yes, child. Wizards use brooms to fly on.”

“O-kay.” Harry responded slowly, as if trying to understand just how one would fly on a broom. “T’anks.”

It wasn’t the first time, nor would it be the last, when every staff member shared the same thought. Oh how I’d like to curse those blasted muggles.

“I believe a few presents remain in that pile, Harry. Why don’t you finish opening them,” Dumbledore said encouragingly, breaking everyone out of their internal rants against the Dursleys.

Severus watched with closed off emotions as his present was placed in front of the boy. He didn’t really expect that Harry would like the gift but he deemed it practical.

“What is it?” the curious boy asked as he studied the contents of the box. The box contained a small, black pewter cauldron, a metal stirring rod, and several containers of different colored powders. Severus had made sure that none of the ingredients supplied would be harmful to the boy. They weren’t even real ingredients. Just charmed powder that would react in water to fizz and smoke.

“Why, Harry,” Flitwick squeaked, “you have your own potions kit.”

“Potions?” Harry asked, his eyes lighting up. “I can brew too?”

Severus couldn’t lie and say that he wasn’t pleased with Harry’s reaction. The boy had been quite content to simply sit and watch as Snape brewed in his lab. It only made sense to buy Harry his own supplies.

“I’m sure, Harry, that Professor Snape will let you brew with him now in his lab,” Dumbledore said warmly, smiling at both of his boys.

“Wow. T’anks, Sev’rus. T’anks so much.” Harry gushed and threw his arms around his guardian.

Severus cleared his throat, his discomfort very apparent. “Yes, well, it only makes sense that if you’re staying with me that any failure in potions would be unacceptable.”

There were a few more presents remaining. What Harry never knew was that several members of the wizarding world would send presents to him every year on his birthday. However, the Dursley’s house was blocked from owl post, set to lift upon receiving his letter on his 11th birthday. The presents had automatically been returned to their sender, and many had stopped making the attempt. However, this year a few presents arrived at Hogwarts and Albus decided to pass them on to the child in an attempt to make up for the years without any gifts at all. They were of course scanned for potential curses and hexes set to harm the child.

Harry tore into his last present, no longer taking his time with the wrapping paper. Bits and pieces of colorful paper now lay scattered around the table and floor. Shining up from the small box was a gold pendant in the shape of a shield. On the shield was a roaring lion with the phrase “virtuti fortuna comes”.

Severus stared down at the Potter family crest, which had quickly lost the attention of the 4 year old. Picking up a scroll that had come attached to the box, Severus’ face narrowed in anger as he read.

Dear Mr. Potter,

This pendant has been in my family’s possession for several years as I am a distant relative to your late father. I do trust that you will keep it well and those responsible for your care will keep it until you are of age.

Should you ever be in need of family, Mr. Potter, know that you can call on myself, and my family, for any needs. Should you ever need a home in our world, please know our home is always open to family. I look forward to the day we can be reunited as bloodlines are of the upmost importance in our society. They are the ties that bind us and those bonds cannot be broken.

Yours,

Narcissa Black Malfoy

“Albus,” Severus growled, flinging the scroll at the headmaster. “This has Lucius Malfoy written all over it.”

The table was silent as everyone watched the Headmaster read through the letter.

“It seems you are correct, Severus,” his blue eyes looking up from the letter. “Come to my office when young Harry is down for his afternoon nap. I believe we’ll have much to discuss.”