Summary; What do you want for your Birthday? This little drabble expresses Harry's experience as he receives his Wizarding Inheritance. Enjoy. Blessings. LL
 

July 30, 1996; 11:40 pm . . .

Harry James Potter, the-boy-who-lived, was lying on his bed reading Quidditch Through the Ages, as a simple means of passing the minutes until midnight.  He couldn't remember how many times he had already read it, but tonight he was simply reviewing it for the sake of having something to occupy his time until it was time to receive his Wizarding Inheritance.  He flipped the pages, studying strategy images and the best ways in which to use them.  He sighed when he got to the page showing the reader how to maneuver the Wronski Feint.  He already knew this as he thought to himself,  'Why am I looking at this?'

Harry reached up and pushed his glasses up his nose as he watched the quidditch player on the page execute a perfect Feint and then fly off the page only to reappear on the other side to redo the intricate move - forever, or at least for the life of the book.  Harry studied the move once more.

He shook his head as he asked himself once more why he was looking at the same images again. 'Good question,' he smirked as he thought to himself while he turned another page.  'Mione would have scolded him for spending time on something he already had memorized.  The coming term would be the beginning of sixth year after all.  While it was true that Quidditch was important, it would not be on any of their exams, she would think he was wasting his valuable studying time.  Harry smiled to himself as he remembered his last letter from her, "Harry, it is time to get serious, we have only two more years at Hogwarts, you know . . . "

He looked up from his book as he thought of Hermione and turned to look at the digital clock on his desk. Blaring red numbers announced that it was now 11:56.  He sighed and closed the book and placed it on the floor next to his bed. 

His emerald eyes traveled around his small bedroom.  There was barely enough room for his bed, desk and its chair with the wardrobe pushed tightly into the corner.  He sighed once more as he looked at Hedwig's empty cage, missing her companionship.  He had sent her to Remus for the night since he was unsure as to what would occur when he came into his wizard's inheritance. 

Remus had offered to let him stay at Grimmauld Place tonight, but Harry just did not feel ready to go to Sirius' home so soon after his death.

He closed his emerald eyes tightly as he tried to eject the sad thoughts surrounding Sirius from his mind.  He would think more on that later.

Harry took a deep cleansing breath and let it out as his eyes traveled once more to his clock.  Just as they stopped to view the red numbers, the clock flipped to 12:00.  He inhaled sharply as a white and gold spiral of warm air began to form around him.  Its motion was surprisingly powerful yet very calming.  He sat up straight on his bed in a cross legged position as the air tightened around him like an embrace.  The sensation he experienced was one of exhilaration as though he was soaring around the pitch at Hogwarts on his Firebolt.

Then without any warning whatsoever . . .

He was . . . well at least he was soaring . . . around the pitch.

In panic Harry landed within the dark stands of the pitch.  He perched in a Slytherin seat and shook out his feathers as he tried to look down at himself.  His breathing was erratic from both joyful excitement and surprised panic.  He tried once more to get a better look at himself; all he could really tell was that he seemed to be covered with black feathers.  His gaze journeyed around the pitch and then he looked towards the castle where he noticed a light shining like a beacon in the headmaster's office high within his tower.

Harry ruffled his feathers once more and then shook his head.  It wasn't that he thought that the headmaster would be upset, it was more that he was still surprised himself and didn't feel ready to share just yet. 

He closed his emerald eyes and inhaled deeply.  'Well,' he thought, 'you've got to do it sometime.'  When he exhaled, he spread his wings and jumped from the high seat.  The rush of wind around him filled him with a sense of freedom he had never experienced before.  His soul soared as it seemed to meld with his new found freedom.  His wings stretched to their full span and caught the air. He glided just above the grass and then flew straight up into the dark night and through the three hoops at the western end of the pitch.

He sang out his happiness and exhilaration and then headed south to Surrey.

His voice sang out as he continued south, occasionally he stopped to enjoy the summer night under the brilliant stars.  He soared and flipped in circles as he learned this new winged dance.

The lights of cities seemed to blink their night sparks of life reaching upwards to the sky which had its own light show.  The dipper shaped moon hung low in the sky surrounded by stars blinking in their individual attempt to be noticed. 

Harry smiled within his mind at the broad vista before him and then he sang out as he performed another loop, spinning and spiraling just before gliding down to land in a tree to catch his breath. 

At one point during his flight, he reached an area that seemed to have a different atmosphere which spread all around him giving him a strong sense of belonging.  He spread his wings to lazily glide along the wind currents through the darkened sky.  Suddenly he was surprised as a band of summer heat lightening lit up the sky before him with its awesome beauty and power.

Within his mind he smiled once more as blissful peace spread its essence through him.

Harry arrived back at Privet Drive just as the sun began to rise over the park's trees, jungle gym and swings.  Harry landed on the highest bar of the jungle gym and watched as his cousin Dudley came into view.  He studied his cousin as he ran by without a glance at the large bird, he wasn't breathing heavy so Harry decided that he had just begun his run.  He watched as he continued along the front of the park down the road and beginning the loop that would take his cousin to the back of the park along Vista Road.  Once his cousin was out of his line of sight, he lifted his black wings and headed to Number 4 Privet Drive.

Harry landed on the top of the fence that enclosed the backyard of Number 4 and looked up to his bedroom window. 'Damn,' he thought, 'How did I get out without opening the window?'  His emerald eyes scanned the yard as he thought about how he was going to get back into the house.  'I guess I could apparate,' he thought, 'well maybe . . . but damn, I hate to apparate.'  His feathers shuttered as he recalled the secret lessons Remus had been giving him in apparition since the Dept. of Mysteries fiasco.  He simply did not like the disjointed sensation that he experienced when he apparated.

Harry sighed.

Emerald eyes closed as Harry thought about his problem.  'I don't even know how to change back to be just Harry,'  he thought as he shook his feathers out and looked longingly into his bedroom window.  He spread his wings and glided down to the round patio table as he looked at the back door. 

He trilled out as a blue jay squawked at his intrusive presence in his back yard.  Harry shook his head and sent out his own musical sounds in response once more.  The jay flew to the fence with an angry flip of his tail feathers as he continued to glare at the strange bird. 

Harry turned his attention from the angry blue jay back to his upstairs window.  Within his mind stubbornness surfaced.  His glance became focused on the glass as he closed his emerald eyes.

With a flashpoint of fire, he opened his eyes to find himself sitting on his bed . . . in human form.

He stood up quickly as he said, "Whoa!"  A quick look in his mirror showed him that he was indeed in human form once more.  He studied his blurry reflection to see if there had been any other visible changes.  He frowned and then realized the problem; he raised his hand and pulled his round wire framed glasses from his face.  He could see perfectly.  He smirked at his reflection then studied his hair.  It was slightly longer then he usually wore it and just as mussed as if he had been flying. 'Well that isn't anything new,' he thought as he turned his head slightly.  He inhaled sharply when he realized that his hair seemed to have green highlights within the new length.  He pulled some in front of his eyes and whistled softly as the softness surprised him.  It had been soft before, now it felt like spun silk.  He shook it out gently and caught the green tint in the early morning sunshine coming in through the window.  'Ugh oh, Uncle Vernon will not like that,' was the thought that crossed his mind.  As he processed the thought, the green vanished as if it had never been there.  Harry arched a brow at his reflection.

With a soft laugh he closed his eyes and focused hard.  When he opened his eyes he was gifted with the sight of his messy locks with green and silver tips.  He smirked as he thought, 'That would be cool to show Salz.'  He changed his hair back and decided that he should shower before Dudley got back from his run.  He grabbed a towel and made his way to the bathroom for a quick clean-up.

After finishing his quick shower, Harry walked the short distance back to his room.  As he was opening his bedroom door, Dudley entered the upstairs hall and nodded in a flash of a greeting.  Harry responded in kind and wondered, not for the first time this summer, what had happened to his cousin to create so much change in him.  They had not fought this summer and his cousin seemed to be constantly busy with working out - either at the youth center or in the basement here.  Harry shook his head as he entered his room.  His thought process changed as he stood in front of his mirror.  He realized that indeed he had undergone other changes, less noticeable then he had expected.  He tilted his head as he studied himself.

His hair hung wet around his face.  It felt strangely soft.  He shook his head energetically thus spreading water across his room.  He stopped when a sudden movement of air blew some of his parchments to the floor from his desk.  He looked down at them wondering what had happened.  He frowned at them and then shook his head violently once more only to have the air stir once more.  His hair was now completely dry. 

He studied his reflection once more.  He could tell that he was taller but he wasn't sure how much.  He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair as he wondered what other new and interesting experiences he would have.  He picked up his parchments and pulled some fresh clothing from his wardrobe.  He needed to get ready to leave  as he was expected at the Burrow this afternoon for his Birthday party.

Harry entered the kitchen to the smell of eggs and bacon wafting through the house.  He nodded to his aunt as he poured himself a large glass of milk and went to sit down.  Aunt Petunia slipped a plate full of breakfast in front of him.  He noticed that his plate had more on it than usual, a silent Happy Birthday for him.  He whispered, "Thank you."

She nodded and turned to Dudley as he entered and said, "You are running late, Dudley, you should sit and eat something before you leave."

Dudley nodded and sat down to begin his breakfast.

Silence filled the kitchen as everyone began eating, lost within their own thoughts. 

Dudley was almost finished when the phone rang.  He rolled his eyes as Harry studied him and answered the phone with a rough, "Yeah?"

Piers Polkiss was on the other end.

Harry could hear him insisting that Dudley should hurry because, "That damn prat was already here and . . . "

Harry's brow rose as his cousin laughed and said, "I'll be there, chill Piers."  He snorted as Piers said something else that Harry was unable to understand as Dudley hung up.

Dudley stood and said, "Gotta go, mum, I'll be back later then usual today."

Petunia nodded as her son left the kitchen to go to the youth center.

Once they were alone, Petunia asked him, "You will be leaving at eleven?"

Harry nodded as he stood and took his used dishes to the sink.  "Remus," he said, "is picking me up.  I will be spending the night at the Burrow and then coming back here tomorrow."

Petunia nodded and then asked him, "You won't be staying there the rest of the summer?"

Harry hesitated and then shook his head while replying, "Ron is going to Romania to work with his brother Charlie for a couple of weeks.  I am planning on going back to the Burrow the last week of break."

Petunia nodded and stood.  She pulled her bag and keys to her across the counter and said, "Ok then.  I will see you tomorrow."

Harry nodded in response and finished his dishes as she left.  Harry went upstairs and began gathering his needed personal belongings to spend the night at the Burrow.  He sighed as he thought about what he had experienced last night.  It had been awesome to fly with such freedom.  His mind traveled to his surprise appearance at the Quidditch pitch.  He sat on the end of his bed as he wondered how he had gotten there and even how he had gotten back into his room.  It had not been apparition - that he was sure of.  He shuttered at his memories.  He did not like to apparate and had even told Remus about the strange disjointed feeling  it made him experience.  No, what had happened to him was something very different, almost as though he had been born with the innate ability to travel that way; the sensation was much smoother for him.

Harry frowned as he looked around his bedroom.  The house was silent.  He was alone with his thoughts.  He looked at his bag and realized that all he needed to pack now was his toothbrush from the bathroom.  He picked up his bag and pulled it over his shoulder as he stood up.  As if moving on instinct he turned and found himself, not standing in his bedroom - no, now he was standing in front of the bathroom vanity.  'Kewl,' he thought as he studied his reflection in the mirror.

Harry exited the bathroom deep in thought. 'Perhaps, I should keep all of these new gifts under wraps until I figure them all out.'  He nodded to himself as he made his way down the stairs to answer the door bell and greet Remus.  He opened the door with a wide grin and excitement flashing from his emerald eyes behind his wire framed glasses. 

Yes . . . some secrets would be held onto . . .

If you are interested in Draco's experience on July 31, 1996 - surf on over to Draco v Piers. 
There you will find a series of segments that pit Draco against Piers while at the same
time showing the growing friendship between Draco and Dudley. 
It explains a great deal of how they worked together and laid their
plans in their common goal to protect Harry.

It will also reveal Draco's admission of his feelings for Harry.
Enjoy.  LL

5-12-5; 2656