Chapter 277 — Birthday Gift
While Harry was still drowning in anxious thoughts, the first to arrive were not people, but owls.
White, black, large, and small — they swooped gracefully into the living room, scattering glittering feathers as beautifully wrapped packages began to drop one after another onto the table, like a meteor shower of gifts.
"I almost forgot—Harry, happy twelfth birthday to you!" Ron grinned, pulling a rectangular package from behind his back. It was surprisingly small, barely the size of a palm.
Draco blinked, momentarily stunned by its size. "That can't be—" he muttered nervously.
Harry's voice went slightly hoarse. "A… gold card?"
"Yep. Devil's Passport." Ron made a cheeky face.
"You're crazy! There's only one in the world!"
"And didn't I already give you the Nimbus 2000?" Harry said helplessly.
"I'll count this as your next three years of birthday gifts," Ron declared proudly.
Harry sighed. "No, that was a Christmas present. I remember."
"Still, I want my proper birthday gift, Harry. Don't try to wriggle out of it."
Harry looked at him in disbelief, then smiled faintly. "This might be the only gold card I'll ever have in my life."
Ron smirked. "Then you'd better prepare my gift carefully next year."
Harry shook his head, speechless. "Ron—"
"Harry, if it's that important, I can come back tonight with another gift—" Draco began awkwardly, trying to hide a small parcel behind his back.
But Harry reached out and snatched it. "Come on, Draco. You being here is already the best gift."
He tore the wrapping open without hesitation. Harry had learned enough about wizarding customs to know that unwrapping a present immediately — especially in front of the giver — was the greatest show of respect.
Inside the box lay a pair of glasses.
They had square frames made from a crystal-like black material, elegant and modern.
"Harry, these are waterproof," Draco explained, scratching the back of his neck. "They double as sunglasses for Quidditch. The lenses aren't dark, but they'll keep the sunlight out… and they never fog, even in rain."
He looked embarrassed, clearly doubting the value of his own gift.
"That's perfect," Harry said warmly. He took off his old glasses, placed them carefully in the box, and put on the new pair.
Draco visibly relaxed.
Ron gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Lucky for me I gave him a gold card — otherwise, you'd have totally outshone me."
Draco finally cracked a smile.
"Happy twelfth birthday, Harry."
At that moment, Lupin stepped forward, holding a modestly wrapped package. "And this is from me."
His tone was calm, but Harry could feel the faint embarrassment behind it — the same quiet awkwardness he'd once seen in Lupin's smile when they first met.
Harry knew why. Lupin had been a prefect at Hogwarts, a brilliant student — but that brilliance had always been overshadowed by the curse he bore. Before Sirius's release, finding work as a werewolf had been nearly impossible.
Harry quickly unwrapped the gift, afraid of pausing too long and making Lupin uncomfortable.
Inside was a beautifully carved mirror decorated with Ravenclaw motifs — eagles, stars, and intricate filigree.
"I made this myself," Lupin said, his voice soft. "When it's dark, it glows and lights up the room. It should help you when you need both light and free hands."
"That's amazing!" Ron said quickly, exaggerating his enthusiasm to lighten the mood.
Draco nodded in agreement. "Really, Professor Lupin — it's clever. Light keeps away many dark creatures. This will be useful."
Harry smiled genuinely. "Remus, it's wonderful. Thank you."
Lupin blinked in surprise, then let out a small laugh, his shoulders finally relaxing.
Afterward, Harry learned one crucial lesson — never open gifts in front of Ron and the others again. Whether the gift was extravagant or modest, it always drew too much attention.
He excused himself to carry the growing pile of presents upstairs. But when he returned to the living room, the atmosphere had completely changed.
Someone had clearly used his brief absence to prepare a surprise.
Countless sky-blue flowers floated gracefully in midair, glowing softly. Their shimmering petals formed glowing words:
"Happy 12th Birthday, Harry Potter!"
Lupin stood nearby, wand in hand, releasing blue and bronze ribbons that elegantly draped over the nearby bushes and trees.
"Wow," Ron breathed, eyes wide. "For a moment, I thought I was back in the Ravenclaw common room."
"Thank you, Ron," Lupin chuckled.
Then came Sirius — and Dumbledore.
Sirius's robes were a fiery red that flared as he walked, while Dumbledore wore something that looked suspiciously like Muggle pajamas — sky blue, embroidered with tiny stars and moons.
"Happy Birthday, Harry!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. He flicked his wand, and white cream poured from its tip, seemingly onto empty air above the table.
In moments, the cream took shape, revealing an invisible cake that gradually became visible — a golden phoenix carved in cake form.
The cream shifted colors from white to brilliant red and gold, and as Dumbledore gave a final flick of his wand, the phoenix began to sing.
Its voice was clear and bright, echoing through the room.
"That's incredible!" Ron gasped.
"The cake looks delicious!" said Draco, equally amazed.
"And that song—wow!" Lupin added, genuinely moved.
Sirius smiled knowingly — clearly, he'd been in on it. Harry's throat tightened, words catching before they could form.
"Harry," Sirius said softly, handing him a black, nameless book. "This is my gift."
Harry opened it with trembling hands. Inside were pages of moving photographs — his parents, his home, a giggling baby on a tiny broomstick.
"This is you," Sirius said, his voice gentle. "That broom was your first birthday gift from me. It could only rise about two feet off the ground — though Lily once told me you managed to knock over a vase and nearly killed a kitten with it."
Harry's fingers traced the photographs as if touching the past itself.
He turned the pages again and again, unable to stop.
Each photo radiated warmth — a glimpse of a time he could never return to, yet could finally hold in his hands.
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