𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 49

CHAPTER FORTY NINE
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH HARRY GETS
A SURPRISE

. . .

There was a dull sort of feeling when Harry woke up the next morning. It was always there when he began his birthday at the Dursleys, and he blinked in the darkness for a few moments, before sitting up and pushing his glasses over the bridge of his nose. 

Light managed to push through the material of the horrendous curtains that Aunt Petunia had insisted match the rest of the house, but it still managed to keep the room rather dim. Harry reached for his lamp, grasping around in the dark to find the button that he needed to push down, eyes snapping close when the bulb flashed on. 

The amber glow lit up the room and the mess it was in, the calender that came with Ron's Christmas presents the previous year - it displayed an image of Gordon Gudgeon (the seeker) of the Chudley Cannons for July, and was rather appropriate given the very last box of the month which wasn't crossed off and had a cartoon-like drawing of a present on it. 

Harry reached under his bed, grasping around under he pulled out a bundle of material, unstrapping it and quickly turning off the alarm for his clock - he had begun to set it so early that the Dursleys would hang him by the end of the toes if he dared let a noise like that at such an early time. 

He jumped out of his skin when he heard pecks on the window, before seeing Hedwig's empty perch out of the corner of his eye and pulling the curtains and window open. The bird flew in and dropped a small wrapped parcel on his bed.

Reaching for it, he pulled the brown wrapping off in no time at all and grinned at the sight of Honeydukes chocolate. The card detailed it to be from Ron and Hermione, and Harry was glad to see a variety of flavours, from plain chocolate to having mallowsweet honeycomb to it having pumpkin or pineapple pieces.

The card was short and sweet, but just recieving it had lifted his mood. He didn't mind so much that he couldn't spend the birthday with his friends and that he was at the Dursleys - and he minded even less whhen he realised just what invitation he had receieved. 

He shot from his bed when he remembered Jane, hurriedly changing out of his pajamas and into the clothes he had been gifted for the garden party (he deemed the appropriate for such a day), before throwing a few things in his bag, slowly pushing the door to his room open. 

He made sure to have fed Hedwig and kept the window open just enough for her to get out, making sure to lock the door behind him before descending down the stairs. Leaving the bag by the doorway, Harry creeped through into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. 

It didn't take him very long to get things ready; he fried some bacon up and left them in the oven to keep warm, bread beside the toaster and the orange juice readily poured into glasses in the fridge. He took the bins out, cleaned the rest of the dishes from the night before and even managed to dust a few things before he heard the first signs of movement from upstairs. 

With that, he decided to leave the house; it wasn't as if his Aunt Petunia didn't do all these chores, in fact it seemed like she did everything she asked him to do all over again anyway, 

A short instance of confusion occured to him as he came to the end of Magnolia Crescent, smiling at the woman tottering past with her little yappy dog before coming to a stop. They hadn't exactly agreed on a meeting place the previous day. 

Just to be safe, Harry decided to check the tree they used to always meet undery. Now, they varied between there and the manor, but Harry was glad to have thought of it, because as he approached he saw a small slip of paper fluttering from where it was attached to the tree. 

'Happy birthday' The note began in the pretty scribble that Harry was used to seeing in the margin of Romeo and Juliet, or Pride and Prejudice. 'Come to the manor - I know you said no surprises, but I have one. So come. Quick.'

It wasn't even signed, but Harry knew Jane had written it, rather quickly by the looks of things.

He didn't see it as useful to waste anymore time, so within seconds he had pocketed the note and started towards the manor again, walking alongside the river until he turned away and over the gate, following the usual journey up the road until he reached it.

The ivy covered gates were already pushed open and pinned back, as they had been since the days preparing for the party. But as Harry pushed onwards ip the gravel driveway, he wasn't greeted by the usual calm front garden.

Instead, Flora's car was parked by the front door and Angela was carrying something rather heavy out of the front door. Harry wasn't too sure what - it was covered by a velvet sheet, but it didn't really matter as he darted forward.

"Let me help." He smiled at the woman as he took the other end, slowly managing to reach the car and putting it down in to the boot. "Is Flora going somewhere?" Harry asked. 

"You'll find out soon enough." Angela smiled, adjusting the end of her shirt. "Jane is just.. there."

"Harry!" The ginger girl exclaimed once she saw him, dancing down the front steps. Flora followed behind, a wicker basket in arm that she also placed down in the boot before closing it. "Good, you're here. Now get in."

"What?" Harry stared. "Get in? You mean the car?"

"Yes, silly." Jane looped an arm around his. "Happy birthday by the way - I wasn't really sure what to get you, then Flora mentioned something and I thought we could tag along."

"Where are we going?" Harry asked, letting himself be pulled along to the side of the car once more. "What about my uncle and aunt-"

"Don't worry about that!" Jane shook her head, meeting his eyes with a smile as her hands found his. "It's your birthday, now come on." 

Harry didn't have any more words to protest, even in his confusion, and climbed into the backseat of the car. The leather seats were admittedly rather comfortable, and he pulled his bag off of his shoulder and placed it in the footwell, shoulder brushing against Jane's as she did the same. 

"I've got Jerry watching the house." Angela stepped away from the door after closing it, arranging a square of stiff floral fabric over her hair, turning to Flora to let her tie it. She slid into the passenger seat of the car, Flora getting in the driver's. "And I've asked Mary to come along for a couple hours this afternoon, make sure that everything is running smoothly."

"Perfect." Florence adjusted the wing mirror on her side, as well as the rear-view. Then, she placed a pair of sun glasses over her eyes and turned to the back seat. "Don't worry Harry, we'll make sure everything is fine. I've promised Jane to help give you the best birthday of your life."

And before Harry could say anything, they had set off.

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