“Harry dear, wake up.”
Harry slowly opened his eyes to Mrs. Weasley’s gentle voice. Still drowsy, he managed a smile, but wishing he could continue his happy dreams. He sleepily looked around the room as Mrs. Weasley got his clothes. Ron had already left for breakfast.
“Harry, do you remember what you did with Ginny’s present? I’ll wrap it for you if you give it to me.”
“Why’s Ginny get a present?”
“Because today is her birthday,” Mrs. Weasley answered after a deep sigh. She sat the clothes she had selected aside and began to look through Harry’s bags, wondering where he might have hidden it and why she had not held on to the locket for him.
There was no sign of Ginny’s present in Harry’s bags, so she started to look elsewhere in the room. There was nothing under the bed but a few misplaced toy cars. Harry had not hidden it under his pillow when he was acting older. Finally, she opened the draw on the nightstand and found the jewelry box that held Harry’s present to Ginny. “See Harry. This is what you got Ginny,” Mrs. Weasley said, showing the ornate locket to him.
“That’s pretty,” Harry commented in awe, sparkles reflected in his beautiful eyes.
“It is very pretty,” Mrs. Weasley affirmed. “Are you going to give it to Ginny today?” Harry turned slightly red, shook his head and started giggling. “Why not?”
“’Cause,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders and turning a brighter red.
“You bought it for her. Don’t you think you should give it to her?” Harry shook his head again, still giggling. “Alright, you be silly, but she’ll know it’s from you anyway.” She put the box in her pocket to wrap later and started to help Harry dress. He hugged her tightly the whole time she carried him down to breakfast.
Between breakfast and noon, Harry unknowingly had the job of distracting Ginny, as she had on his birthday. Mrs. Weasley had initiated it by telling Ginny to go play with Harry and keep him out of trouble.
Despite not knowing what he was supposed to do, Harry did a wonderful job. He was so needy, clingy and whiney this morning that Ginny was not able to get more than five feet from him. Every time she told him she had to leave for a few minutes, Harry would whine loudly in protest, begging her to keep playing. If she stood up, he would wrap himself around her leg. Of course, by noon, Ginny was very tired and frustrated with the child. She understood why Ron thought him a brat, but would never say that to Harry.
When they were called down to the kitchen, Ginny almost immediately shoved Harry into her mother’s arms, as Harry had been making her hold him for the past half hour. Ginny’s appearance told everyone she was annoyed, but as her birthday party started, she relaxed and cooled off.
Many of the same people who attended Harry’s birthday celebration were at Ginny’s. She did receive more presents though, as relatives had sent her gifts by owl. Some had wanted to see Ginny on her birthday, but Mrs. Weasley had said there would be no party. As Grimmauld Place was a secure location, those outside the Order did not know about the party.
Harry hardly spoke to anyone, even Lupin. He was busy stuffing down all the food he thought was good, while leaving what was “yucky” for everyone else. Twice, Mrs. Weasley had to chase him away from the birthday cake. When cake and ice cream were finally served, Harry immediately ate the frosting from his cake first, then ate the rest.
Mrs. Weasley realized, too late, it had been a mistake to give Harry ice cream, especially without a bib. Not only was his face sticky and a mess, but in his excitement, his shirt had become a smear of chocolate. His hands were of course sticky as well, but he had somehow gotten frosting in his hair. He was in fact such a mess that Mrs. Weasley deemed he needed a bath. She told Ginny that she could continue the party if she wanted to, while carrying a crying and struggling Harry up the staircase.
Harry was struggling against Mrs. Weasley so much that in her frustration she threatened to spank him. He stopped struggling, but continued to cry about having to leave the party. The warm, soothing water of the bath calmed him however. The scent of the shampoo was also relaxing, as it always had been. This along with the fact that he usually took a nap about this time of day, made Harry somewhat sleepy and calm.
Intending to put him down for a nap, Mrs. Weasley dressed Harry in pajamas. He sleepily pleaded to go back to the party, saying he would be good. Harry clearly needed some sleep and without a nap would only become cranky. Reluctantly, she carried the pajama-clad boy back to the kitchen.
Ginny had waited for her mother to return before opening her presents. Harry settled on Mrs. Weasley’s lap as Ginny began to open her gifts. He was only mildly interested and kept his head resting on her shoulder.
Finally, Ginny opened the last gift on the table and thanked the sender, Hermione. Mrs. Weasley stood Harry on the floor and retrieved a small package in blue wrapping paper from her pocket. “Give your present to Ginny, Harry,” Mrs. Weasley instructed, handing the package to him.
Harry’s face turned slightly red and he tried to move behind Mrs. Weasley’s chair. The others in the room remained quiet as she took Harry’s hand and faced him back to Ginny. With gentle coaxing and a firm nudge to his back, Harry sheepishly stepped forward and held out the gift to Ginny.
Ginny unwrapped and opened the box. As light brilliantly reflected off the silver, peridot-encrusted locket, Ginny gasped. “Harry. Why don’t you show her what it does?”
Harry turned back to Mrs. Weasley. “What’s it do?” Mrs. Weasley stood up as Ginny pulled the locket from the box, examining its thread-like silver chain, which was magically treated to never break or knot. Mrs. Weasley put Harry’s hand around the locket and instructed Ginny to wrap her hand around his. Even through their hands the locket glowed visibly and the pair felt the warmth radiate through their hands.
When the heat and light subsided, the pair released the locket, which clicked opened automatically. Ginny gasped again as she looked into the locket, suspended by the chain she still held. Harry looked at the images within too. The girl he recognized as Ginny, but the boy was not him. At least, he did not recognize it as himself. The boy was much older, a teenager, though the similarities were remarkable.
Harry suddenly felt dizzy and tired. “Are you alright Harry,” Ginny asked, noticing his eyes had crossed and he was wobbling, almost looking intoxicated. Harry fell onto the cold, stone floor, not feeling himself hit the hard floor, or hearing Ginny shriek. Harry did not know she and Mrs. Weasley had lunged quickly to catch him, but had not succeeded. Harry did not know how hard his head hit the ground. He did not know all this because he had blacked out before falling over.