Changes

Changes

by Celestial Star

Chapter 1 - Weddings and Love Letters

     Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione stepped into the kitchen and chatted, drinking pumpkin juice.

     "Mrs. Weasley, thanks for inviting us to your house," said Harry politely.

     Mrs. Weasley smiled. "No problem, Harry. I'm glad to have you here. I heard you were made prefect this year. I'm proud of you."

     Harry looked abashed, and mumbled a brief thank you, while Ron was practically green with envy. The room was so thick with tension you could've cut it with a butter knife.

     "So, where are the other Weasleys?" Hermione spoke up, changing the subject.

     Mrs. Weasley looked upset. "Well, Charlie went to China, studying those dragons again, Bill's still at Egypt... Percy's planning his wedding..."

     "His wedding?" Harry exclaimed.

     Ron looked happy. "Yes, he's getting married to Penelope Clearwater. Isn't it great? Now he'll move out, preferably out of town, and we get invited to his wedding party." He licked his lips. "Lots of food there."

     Harry, Ginny, and Hermione snorted into their pumpkin juice, while Mrs. Weasley scowled at him.

     "Anyway, when's Sirius coming?" Hermione asked casually, trying not to stare at Harry's "as green as a fresh pickled toad" eyes.

     Harry bit his lip, trying to keep from laughing. As Ron, Ginny, and Hermione stared at him, he suddenly burst into laughter.

     "Okay... What's so funny?" Ron asked with an arched eyebrow.

     "Well, you see... Sirius... has a girlfriend," Harry said dramatically. He waited 5 seconds for it to sink in. Ron choked on his juice, and the orange liquid came out his nostrils, staining his clothes, and Hermione and Ginny started to giggle hysterically, more at Ron's antics than the fact that Sirius had a girlfriend.

     "You're not serious?" Ron said disbelievingly.

     "I'm not kidding, Ron. You'll see here when he brings her later on. They're snogging every time I catch them together. Can you actually believe Sirius used to be the ladies' man?"

     "And now his godson is one as well," Hermione said, grinning.

     Harry, with an amused expression, got up and approached the balcony. He opened the glass doors, and was shocked to see a snowy white owl flew in, with five other owls. Each was carrying letters and packages. the white owl, Hedwig, hooted softly, and flew over to Harry, nipping his hand affectionately. The others just waited patiently, and flew out as Harry took the letters and packages.

     Ginny finally seemed to have found her voice. "Why are so many packages there for you, Harry?" She asked. "It's not your birthday yet, is it?"

     "No," Harry said. "I wonder what these all are." He opened a pink-and-white envelope, while the others looked over his shoulder, curious. The letter read:

Dear Harry,

     Hi! I heard your birthday was coming up, and I just wanted to say Happy Birthday. I'm sorry for popping into your house like that: I hope I didn't startle you too much! Well, I'll see you in Hogwarts! Kiss kiss! ("Kiss kiss?" Ron repeated with disgust.)

     Parvati Patil

PS: If you don't have a girlfriend, I'm free... I forgive you about what happened at the Yule Ball.

     Ron snickered. "Parvati Patil came TO YOUR HOUSE???"

     "When I was swimming in the backyard," Harry groaned. "She took a picture of me."

     Hermione rolled her eyes. "Knowing Parvati, almost every girl in Hogwarts will have a picture of you wearing nothing but your bathing suit." She turned around. "Ginny... Do you have one?"

     "Well, I..." Ginny looked ashamed.

     Harry saved her. "Doesn't really matter anyway," he shook it off, as Ginny looked at him gratefully.

     He opened the rest. The other letters were similar in content, saying happy early birthday, and that they were available. They were from Cho, Padma, Lavender (to Ron's displeasure), Susan Bones, and - to their horror - Pansy Parkinson. Ron looked sick - his face was positively purple - and Harry opened the packages next. The gifts from the girls were: a pack of tarot cards, from Parvati; a good luck charm, in the form of a snitch, from Cho; a miniature crystal ball, from Lavender; a little figurine of a broomstick, from Padma; a plush doll of a white owl, from Susan Bones; and a badge in the shape of a snake, from Pansy Parkinson.

     Harry threw out the badge, cards, and crystal ball, gave the figurine to Ron ("Think of the Cannons!" "Sure."), the plush doll to Ginny ("Do you like dolls?" "I guess.") and the Snitch to Hermione ("Just keep it, I know you don't like quidditch!" "No, it's fine."), who beamed. He also threw out the letters, except for Cho's.

     "Harry, do you... do you still like Cho?" Hermione asked, her voice faltering. Ron's eyes narrowed at how she said that comment.

     Harry flashed a sexy, quirky grin that made Hermione's (and Ginny's) heart melt. "Not really. But she writes in the letter that she feels better about Cedric, and that's a relief, because... because you don't know how happy that makes me. Especially when it hurts so much..." Tears flooded Harry's eyes. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looked at him with sympathy.

     Suddenly, with a faint - pop -, Fred and George (A/N: Or is it Gred and Forge? ^_^) Apparated into the room. "Let's go to the beach!" George suggested, while Fred just smiled innocently.