The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 77: His First Real Birthday

"Is everything alright Molly?"

Molly dabbed at her eyes.  "Oh, more than alright," she said happily.  "It does me a lot of good to see him like this."  She pointed at Harry with her eyes shining.

The adults looked over at the stove and the kitchen island.  Harry was in the middle of his friends.  Different conversations filled the air as people spoke to one another but there were always people around Harry.  They switched off to show him all sorts of attention, but he was never alone.  Some friends helped give him things as he cooked or moved things about while others watched.

Kreacher, and to Harry's surprise Dobby, were helping serve food and get more things for Harry as needed.  Dobby had popped in and said he was part of a coming guest's gift to help for the day, but Dobby had wanted to help anyways.  He and Kreacher almost came to blows about responsibilities but they reached an even agreement without too much trouble.

Andromeda and Sirius looked at each for a moment.  Sirius coughed.  "Was he...was he really that bad?  Dumbledore didn't say too much to me about how he used to look.  Just that his time at the Dursleys wasn't...well good."

"He was abused.  We should just say it," Samantha said.  "There's documented proof.  And it lasted well into his Hogwarts years."

Molly shook her head in sorrow, not disagreement.  "When I saw him get out of the car that summer..."  She sniffled.  "He was skin and bones.  And I kept finding him sleeping outside with his wand in his hand.  Said the walls were too tight."

Arthur wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  "I still cannot believe we didn't realize Dumbledore was his magical guardian.  Every inquiry we made was denied and the letter he sent to us in reply was, with hindsight, suspiciously empty.  We should have brought Harry to a Healer."

"You couldn't have," Andromeda said.  "It would have caused so much trouble and attention.  You did the best you could.  Better than his actual guardians, Muggle and magical."

Sirius growled, a low and menacing sound from deep within his chest.  "I'll kill them.  The Dursleys.  I'll kill them with my bare hands.  And Dumbledore will have to pay with blood for what he did."

The other adults shuddered at his tone.

Andromeda squeezed his arm.  "Don't say those things on someone's birthday," she hissed.  "You'll invite more trouble than joy, you idiot."

Sirius visibly forced the anger away.  He waved an arm at Kreacher and the House Elf brought over a tray with firewhiskey.  Sirius poured liberal amounts for everyone and he drained his cup with one swallow before pouring another.  "You're right Andi."  He smiled but the smile did not completely drain his eyes of pain and shame.  "Thank you, Molly and Arthur, for helping Harry when I couldn't.  You too Samantha."

"It was really Katie who helped first," Samantha said, more than a little proud.  "She noticed the warnings before anyone else."

They watched as Harry fed Katie a bite from a wooden spoon, watched as the others cried foul and Harry smacking at Fred and George with the spoon when they tried to steal the pan.

"I owe her a lot," Sirius said softly, his anger finally draining from him.

"Are things really that complicated?" Jean asked.  "To take a child to a doctor or healer?"

"Wizarding laws involving minors are rather odd," Andromeda said heavily.  "If the minor has a magical guardian that's easily identified and, well, competent, then lots of things are easy as long as the guardian agrees.  If there is no guardian or it's muddled, then everything is difficult."