The Secrets of The Sighted (Golden Trio Era) {3}

Ron Turns Seventeen

February moved towards March with no change in the weather except that it became windy as well as wet. To general indignation, a sign went up on all common-room noticeboards that the next trip into Hogsmeade had been cancelled. Ron was furious. "It was on my birthday! I was looking forward to that!" Ron moaned to Harry and Mikayla. "Not a big surprise, though, is it? Not after what happened to Katie." Harry pointed out. Katie had still not returned from St. Mungo's.

What was more, further disappearances had been reported in the Daily Prophet, including several relatives of students at Hogwarts. "But now all I've got to look forward to is stupid Apparition! Big birthday treat..." Ron pouted grumpily. Three lessons on, Apparition was proving as difficult as ever, Mikayla is still the only one able to Apparate properly, though a few more people had managed to Splinch themselves. Frustration was running high and there was a certain amount of ill feeling towards Wilkie Twycross and his three D's, which had inspired a number of nicknames for him, the politest of which were Dog-breath and Dung-head.

"Happy birthday, Ron," said Harry, when they were woken on the first of March by Seamus and Dean leaving noisily for breakfast. "Have a present." He threw the package across on to Ron's bed, where it joined a small pile of them that must, Harry assumed, have been delivered by house-elves in the night. "Cheers," said Ron drowsily, and as he ripped off the paper Harry got out of bed. Harry opened his own trunk and began rummaging in it for the Marauder's Map, which he hid after every use. He turfed out half the contents of his trunk before he found it hiding beneath the rolled-up socks in which he was still keeping his bottle of lucky potion, Felix Felicis.

"Right," he murmured, taking it back to bed with him, tapping it quietly and murmuring, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," so that Neville, who was passing the foot of his bed at the time, would not hear. "Nice one, Harry!" said Ron enthusiastically, waving the new pair of Quidditch Keeper's gloves Harry had given him. "No problem," said Harry absent-mindedly, as he searched the Slytherin dormitory closely for Malfoy. "Hey... I don't think he's in his bed..." Ron did not answer; he was too busy unwrapping presents, every now and then letting out an exclamation of pleasure. "Seriously good haul this year!" he announced, holding up a heavy gold watch with odd symbols around the edge and tiny moving stars instead of hands.

"See what Mum and Dad got me? Blimey, I think I'll come of age next year too..." Ron chuckled looking at the watch his parents had got him happily. "Cool," muttered Harry, sparing the watch a glance before peering more closely at the map. "Knock knock!" A sing-song voice sounded through the door as Mikayla rapped her knuckles on the dormitory door. "Come on in!" Ron called back and Mikayla didn't have to be told twice, the door swung open and in lightning speed Mikayla crossed the room and tackled Ron in a hug. "Happy Birthday!" She yells enthusiastically, "it's surreal that you're of age now. Harry, can you believe our ickle Ronniekins is a man now?"

Ron groans, "I think you're spending too much time with Fred and George." Ron grumbles as he pushes Mikayla off the bed while she was distracted at looking at Harry, making a surprise squeak to force it's way between her lips. Mikayla frowned as she saw that Harry wasn't paying attention to them as his eyes were glued to the Marauders' Map. Mikayla looks to see a small frown on Ron's face as he stares at his best friend, "that's it." Mikayla got to her feet and stalked over Harry's bed and snatched the Map out of hands, "hey!" Mikayla held the map out of his reaching. "I'm confiscating this for the day, you'll get it back before curfew." Harry's mouth opened to argue with Mikayla but she wasn't having it.

"Nuh uh, it's your best mate's birthday and a sad birthday boy is illegal and I won't hesitate in killing anyone who ruins Ron's big day. You only turn seventeen once and we are not allowing Draco Malfoy distract you from participating in the special day." Harry sighed and threw hands up in surrender, "okay." Mikayla nodded curtly before clearing the Map and tucking it away in her little blue bag, swapping it for a handful of gifts wrapped in red wrapping paper with golden ribbons. "M, you didn't have to get me so much." Ron began as Mikayla piled seventeen gifts, who just shrugged casually, "one gift for every year of life. Some of them are just silly and the others are meaningful."