The small boy climbed out of bed excitedly. One wouldn’t believe that it was eighth birthday due to his size. He found a pile of presents by his bed and hurried over to open them. A lot had improved for him over the years. He was definitely a lot happier than he had been three years ago.

He still could remember his fifth birthday clearly. He had been so hopeful that his aunt and uncle would celebrate the day. His aunt had told him when his birthday was, it was the first time in his memory that he could remember anyone mentioning it. When he woke that day, he had high hopes about the day. However, he was given a spanking and then he was shoved into a cage in the basement for the day.

He had believed after that day that he could never be happy again, but then he was rescued by a man by the name of Severus Snape. Now he lived in a magical world where everyone appeared to love him. His first few months at Hogwarts, he had been very unsure of himself. He believed his name was Freak, but everyone told him that it was Harry.

After a while, he grew to accept the truth, he was a good boy and he was not a freak. The Christmas morning after he was rescued proved that. Santa had given him gifts for the first time and it had been given to Harry, not Freak. That alone proved to him that everyone was telling him the truth.

The months after that, he grew happier. He had an excellent tutor who apparently knew his parents at one time. Everyday after their lessons, Remus Lupin would sit him down on his lap and tell him stories about Lily and James Potter. This was always Harry’s favourite part of the day.

Then there were the students at Hogwarts. They all wanted to play with him. Never in his life had he met so many people who adored him. He was disappointed when the school year ended and all the students went home. He went to a new home as well. Apparently Severus had another home away from Hogwarts.

It was there that he had his own bedroom with an adjoining bathroom. Harry made sure to bath everyday. Most children his age didn’t like baths, but after having to live in his own filth for four years, Harry loved them. He liked to feel clean all over. He loved the fact that he had more clothes than he’d probably ever wear.

His sixth birthday came up shortly after the school year had ended. His fifth birthday still being on his mind made him apprehensive. However, he was taken back to Hogwarts to have a party with the other teachers. They had all given him gifts. This was strange to him, even though he knew he was good boy. It was the first time he had ever celebrated his birthday. At Christmas he had cried out of happiness because he’d been given presents, but he had cried again on his birthday. That time it was because he was celebrating it instead of being locked up in a cage all day.

Now it was two years later. It was his eighth birthday and he couldn’t be much happier. Of course he was still unsure of himself at times because he’d lived four years of abuse, but he was better than he had been. The only part of himself he was unhappy with was his height. The teachers had let him meet other children his age, and he couldn’t help but compare their height to his own. He was at least a head shorter than all of them.

That day he was in fact having a birthday party at Severus’ house with several of the children he had met. It was the first time he had one with people his age before, so he had been excited for weeks. When he was done ripping through his gifts, he left his room and ran into his guardian’s room.

Severus Snape was snoring, his mouth was open, and some drool was oozing out of his mouth and onto the pillow. Harry giggled but didn’t say anything. He just got down onto his knees and stared into the mans face. He shook with silent laughter as Severus let out a small snort. He started to blow into his face hard.

“Whuzzat?” Severus asked as sat up.

Harry started to laugh hard at that point.

“What have I told you about waking me?”

He tried to sound stern, but Harry knew that he really wasn’t angry.

“It’s my birthday,” Harry told him. “Today I’m going to have all my friends here.”

“I look forward to it,” Severus answered but in a dry voice. “Go get dressed, I’ll meet you down in the kitchen.”

Harry hurried from the room. He was supposed to wear a new pair of dress robes they had picked out the other day. He really didn’t want to since he disliked dressing up, but he did it anyway. He tried to do everything Severus told him to do, even the stuff he didn’t want to.

Although he knew that his guardian would never hit him, there were times when he was scared that it would all end. He had nightmares where he would wake up back in his cupboard at his aunt and uncles. That was why he did his best to behave because he didn’t know what he’d do if he went back to the Dursley’s. He was told that his aunt and uncle were in prison, but that didn’t stop his fear.

He changed into the green dress robes and then headed down the stairs. Severus had a bowl of cereal waiting for him. They were called Krispy Wands, they were his favourite out of all the cereal brands. The pieces were shaped like wands and stars. They tasted like the alphabet cereal he had eaten once and a while at his aunt and uncles.

“Do you think Draco will get along with my other friends?” Harry asked.

Draco Malfoy was a boy he had known for years. Severus had taken him to meet him shortly before his sixth birthday. The boy only liked certain children. Harry however knew so many other families courtesy of the other teachers and students at Hogwarts that he had a wide variety of friends.

“He’ll behave. He was raised to be a good guest,” Severus answered.

“Good, because I know he doesn’t like the Weasley’s, but they are my friends,” Harry said.

“Why did you have to invite the Weasley twins? It’s going to be mayhem enough with all the children that will be running around here,” Severus sighed.

“You told me I could invite who I wanted and as many people I wanted. You said you were going to get help,” Harry answered. “Anyway, the older Weasley brothers will be here too. They’ll make sure that they behave.”

“I have my doubts, I’m just glad that I did get extra help.”

Some of the teachers from Hogwarts would be there, a long with Lucius Malfoy, who Harry detested a lot. He wasn’t pleased at all that the man would be there for his party, but he would put up with him. He wished Remus could be there, but he was ill at the moment.

He started to eat his cereal; he looked over at Severus who was reading the Daily Prophet. Harry wanted to call him daddy more than anything, but at times he wasn’t sure if he should. He loved his own father even if he was dead, but it wasn’t only that, what if Severus didn’t want him to call him that?

When they were done breakfast, he helped Severus clear up. Harry didn’t have to do chores, but he felt better when he did do them. He didn’t feel right when he wasn’t helping out and he guessed it was because of his old life. No one had liked this at first, but they all realized that he was much happier when he could do them.

“Severus Snape?”

The voice came from the sitting-room. Harry and Severus hurried into the room to find Molly Weasley’s head sitting in the flames.

“Good morning Mrs. Weasley,” Severus said.

“Hello,” she said. “I was just wondering if I could send the children over. They are very eager to go over, and they’ve promised to be on their best behaviour.”

“Very well, the others should be arriving very soon,” Severus said.

Molly bid him good-bye and disappeared. A few minutes later, Charlie Weasley stepped out of the fireplace. He held his hand out for Harry to shake, and then he turned to Severus.

“Good morning sir,” he said.

Harry knew that Charlie and Bill Weasley didn’t like Severus, but they were putting up with him for Harry’s sake. They knew how to be polite when they had to be. A few moments later, Bill appeared.

“I think you’ve grown since I last saw you,” he greeted Harry.

There weren’t too many people who got away with commenting on Harry’s height, but the Weasley’s could. He just smiled up at him. Bill was starting his last year at Hogwarts that year.

“I’ve grown an inch,” Harry said.

Soon all of the Weasley but Percy were there. Harry felt disappointed by this because he liked all of them. He had met Bill at Hogwarts when he was five, and then he was introduced to the rest of the family later. He had gone to their place a few times for dinner or a sleep over.

“We’ll help you with anything you need of course sir,” Bill said. “Percy couldn’t come, but he sends his wishes.”

“Are the others here yet?” Ron the youngest brother asked. “Who else is coming.”

“You’ll see,” Harry answered.

Ginny, the youngest and the only girl was clutching onto one of the twins hand. She was always very shy around Harry. He had a feeling it had to do with his fame. He didn’t know about the details of it, but Professor Dumbledore had promised him that he learn them that year. He didn’t like for people to think of him as famous though. He was just a regular child.

“Well, if you would like to help me set up,” Severus addressed Charlie and Bill. “The others should be here anytime. We’re having the party in my yard.”

“All right,” Charlie said he looked down at Fred and George. “You two behave!”

“We will,” Fred said in an innocent voice. “We’re always very good boys.”

Bill let out a snort, but followed Severus out of the room. The twins just laughed.

“Wanna see what I got for my birthday?” Harry asked them.

“Sure,” Ron said.

Harry led them up the stairs that was concealed behind a bookcase. Ginny was six going on seven, and even she was taller than he was. This put him off a bit, but he pushed these thoughts away. Someday he would be very tall. Everyone got very tall when they were teenagers. All the students at Hogwarts were really tall.

Only Ron had seen Harry’s room before. The others let out loud exclamations when they saw all his toys. Fred and George ran straight for the fake wands. They weren’t up there for long before Severus was calling them back down.

“Another young man has arrived,” Severus said when they entered the sitting room. “Please stay down here until the rest of your guests arrive.”

Neville Longbottom stood in the room clutching a small gift.

“Happy birthday,” he said.

“Happy birthday to you as well,” Harry said. “You can think of this party as yours too.”

“It’s okay, I had a small one yesterday,” Neville said.

Harry took Neville’s gift and set it on a table. He would open the presents from his friends later. The Weasley’s had bought him one gift all together. It had come that morning with the rest of his gifts. As Harry did this, the fireplace lit up and a small girl with blond hair stepped out.

“Hello Harry,” she said in a dreamy voice. “Thank you for inviting me to your party. I’ve never been to one before.”

Harry had only met Luna Lovegood the other day in Diagon Alley. Her father had overheard Harry and Severus discussing the party and had asked if she could come as well. He was always looking for new friends, so he said yes. She handed him a wrapped gift and then looked around at everyone else.

“You’re the Weasley’s,” she said as she eyed each of them. “Daddy says all of you have red hair and freckles.”

None of them seemed to know what to say, so they just greeted her politely. More people arrived over the next hour. Soon Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, Ernie Macmillan, Seamus Finnigan, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Oliver Wood, Michael Corner, Anthony Goldstein, and Pansy Parkinson were there. Harry wasn’t very friendly with Pansy, but she was good friends with Draco.

He led them out to the backyard where Bill, Charlie, Mr. Malfoy, Professor’s McGonagall, Dumbledore, Sprout and Flitwick had set up a magical play ground. Immediately everyone ran to start playing. There were a number of broomsticks on the ground; Harry went straight over to them.

He was joined by Ron, Draco, Oliver and the Weasley twins. They started to fly around the yard racing each other. Bill and Charlie also wanted to play as well. Eventually they managed to get fair teams and started a game of Quidditch. Severus called them down when it was time to serve the cake.

It was just a normal cake with white frosting on it. In green icing were the words: Happy Eighth Birthday Harry.

“Make a wish,” Professor McGonagall told him.

Harry closed his eyes. I wish that I will never be sad again he thought referring to his time three years ago.

Everyone clapped when he had blown out the candles. Severus cut up the pieces and handed them out to everyone. When they were done eating, Harry opened the gifts from everyone. Some of the stuff they gave him were things he already had, but some weren’t. Nevertheless, he was pleased. He was raised to not be selfish, so he thanked everyone.

Neville had given a thorny plant that was supposed to grown with him. It would take one full year for it to grow an inch. All Harry had to do was give it the special plant food that day. The day Harry turned nine; the plant would be one inch taller. He knew that Neville was fascinated with plants.

The rest of the party, he spent the time socializing with each person he had invited. It was kind of nice to know early on some of the people he would be going to school with when he started at Hogwarts. The only person he wasn’t sure about was Luna Lovegood, not that he had a problem with her, he just didn’t understand her.

He was disappointed when it was time for everyone to leave, but he thought Severus looked relieved. He didn’t even realize himself just how tired he was. The Weasley’s were the last ones to go. The other teachers had left after everyone cleaned up the yard.

“Glad that’s over,” Severus said when everyone was gone.

“It was fun,” Harry said.

“Well I’m glad you think so,” he answered. “What do you want to do for the rest of the night.”

“Will you read to me from one of my new books?” he asked.

Although he was eight, he still liked to curl up into Severus’ lap for a story. It was something he had never been allowed to do at the Dursley’s. He knew soon he would be too old for it, so he wanted to get in as much time as he could.

“Go pick out a book then,” Severus told him.

Harry hurried to pick out a new chapter book that Draco had brought for him. When he returned, he quickly climbed into Severus’ lap and laid his head on his shoulder. His guardian was only halfway through the chapter before Harry’s eyes were closing.

“We’ll continue this book later,” Severus said and put Harry on the floor. “Go on up to bed.”

Harry hesitated, then gave Severus a hug. “I love you daddy,” he said.