Hogwarts Mystery Year 7

Seventeen

June 5th, 1990

Dear Sarah, 

Happy Birthday to me! I guess I'm a man now. I don't really feel any different. I'm sorry I didn't meet you in Diagon Alley today. I promise I meant to. I was all packed and ready to leave first thing this morning, but Gran got in the way. 

*******

Barnaby arose early on the morning of his seventeenth birthday, having left the curtains open so the early light of dawn would shine on his face. He stood in front of the mirror, scrutinizing himself carefully. 

He didn't have the thick beard he'd been expecting; nothing more than the usual morning stubble he'd had to shave for the last two years. He scratched his he head, thinking. No, he couldn't suddenly understand anything about taxes or politics, either. Being of age wasn't all that he'd guessed it would be. Still, his heart was light as he got ready, grabbed his school trunk, and hurried down the stairs. 

"Ah, Barnaby," said his Gran, as he lugged this trunk past the parlour. 

"Grandmother?"

He'd hardly ever known her to be awake before himself. He peeked into the parlour. His gran was seated on the sofa, tutting over the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. She set it down on the coffee table to address him. 

"Happy Birthday, Barnaby," she said, in her usual, formal tone. "I've got Dimble started on breakfast for you. Full English, as you like." 

"Uh..." It took him a moment to process all this. Gran hadn't so much as acknowledged his birthday since he'd turned eleven. "Thanks," he managed at last. "But, I'm actually headed out."

"Out? Just where are you going?"

"To Diagon Alley to meet some friends." 

"And who permitted this outing?" she asked. 

Again, he had to think a moment to find the right answer. "I'm seventeen." 

"Yes, of course." He thought Gran would be upset by this. He was no longer under her control. Everything the Lees owned--the house, their fortune--it was all his now. But Gran merely rose to her feet. "Enjoy your outing. Accept," she held up a finger, giving him a puzzled look, "how will you be getting to Diagon Alley? Have you passed your apparition test?"

"Um, no." He couldn't believe he'd been dreaming of this day all year, yet he hadn't thought about this. "I'll use the floo network!" he realized. 

She shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid not." She strode over to the fireplace. Lifting the ornate silver box they stored their floo powder in, she tipped it over to demonstrate it's emptiness. "We've only just run out of powder."

"Oh. Well, we'll just have to buy more," he said. "Um, if you wouldn't mind apparating me to Diagon Alley..." 

She shook her head once more. "I'm afraid I shan't have the time today."

His heart hammered. This wasn't at all how he'd envisioned this morning going. He was just as trapped now as he'd been before he'd come of age. Still, she couldn't keep him here forever. 

"You don't have to worry, Grandmother," he said. "You can keep Lee Manor. I don't want it. I'm all set to stay somewhere else. I'll just take enough money to pay for school and my own house and maybe my own heard of abraxans, and then you never have to see me again." 

Gran laughed. "What on earth are you talking about boy? Lee Manor isn't yours to give." 

He frowned. "I'm of age. Lee Manor is mine now."