Why not join the dark?

Birthday

14-year-old Harry Potter sat on his bed, waiting as the minutes ticked by and got closer to midnight, which would announce the arrival of his 15th birthday.

Harry thought back on all the things that had happened this year. He was elated that he'd found out about his godfather, even if it had been rather strange in the way that it happened.

He was excited at the prospect of his birthday, as Sirius had hinted that he would send him a present. It wasn't that he was excited about the present, per se, but rather about the fact that it would be his first birthday, that he could remember, where someone so important to him had actually bothered to get him anything.

Harry sat towards the edge of his bed and looked up at the clock on his dresser, which he had fixed from the pile of junk in Dudley's second bedroom. The hands ticked closer to midnight and Harry started his countdown, whispering quietly to himself along with the passing seconds as it quickly went down 20... 19...18... Harry was starting to wonder what Sirius may have got him 15... 14... 13... Then Harry thought about how maybe his friends had gotten him a card or something and he could very well picture that Hagrid would most likely make him some of his famous rock cakes, to send in an owl delivery. Harry's excitement was really built up by this point now, 8 onto 7 to 6... He really couldn't wait, so he turned back to the Clock and focused all of his attention on it, as it counted down and he welcomed his birthday 3... 2...1... Happy birthday to me! Harry smiled as he thought to himself about what he already knew would be delivered to him at some point in the coming days, from his godfather Sirius.

The newly 15-year-old went to move when suddenly a searing pain raced through his spine into his head. Harry collapsed to the ground in agony and quivered on the floor, as pain raced to every fibre of his being.

He looked around, thinking that maybe a torture curse had been fired at him or something of equally horrific pain, when Harry could not see anything he was confused- he thought for sure that someone must've cursed him to feel so horrible.
Harry heard the hooting of an owl and looked out of his window. He could see the faint silhouette of something approaching his window, as his vision started to close in and fade to darkness and then all he knew was the shadows of his own eyelids.

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Harry's eyes slowly blinked to wakefulness, with the groggy realisation that it was his birthday. He went to move, but his body ached all over, so he laid back down again.
Looking up Harry could see that there was a bunch of owls all sitting at his window, making quite a lot of noise, he knew that it couldn't continue or else his uncle would get very angry.

The teen heaved himself up from the floor, pushing on his aching muscles to move himself away from the ground and into the chair that had been pulled out near his desk. He lifted his arm and move forward to open the window, as he had just about adjusted to his achy muscles and stiffly tensed body.

Unlatching the window, six owls flew in carrying parcels and landed in front of him. Harry removed all of the parcels from the owls and gave each a treat, as they one by one then went to Hedwig's stand, to have a drink and a rest for a few minutes. Once the owls had adequately rested, they took off again and quickly left his room.
Harry watched them leave before turning back to his pile of gifts now set before him.
The birthday boy reached forward and picked up the first letter, which he could tell was from Hermione, just by the handwriting on the front:

Dear Harry,
I hope your summer has been very well so far. I can't wait to see you on the Hogwarts express on the way back to school come September. I hope you like the present I got you and that it is very useful in your studies. Happy birthday I hope you have a good time even if you are with your relatives,
Love Hermione