Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter Four

Centering and Celebrations

The next few days passed with very little fanfare. Hermione spent most of her time in her and Ginny's room reading a book Lupin had lent her; Apparation, a beginner's theory, while Ron and Harry generally found other, less scholarly things to do. Life at Spinners End was calm and relaxed; a great departure to the rest of the magical community. Though Fudge had not budged from his position, the magical community was getting more angry at how his actions, or lack there of were leading to.

Every time Harry passed the locked doors on the second floor, he listened hard to hear anything that might be taking place inside, but all was silent as Dumbledore had not appeared at Spinners End since he left the night he arrived.

Hermione had soon taken to bothering them with Apparation tips from her book, and was trying to convince Harry and Ron to read the book after her. Though they were growingly interested in learning Apparation, they were not in such a frenzied rush like Hermione to begin; they had a month and a half till they left for Hogwarts.

However, much to their dislike, many of the Order members were more on Hermione's side. "The sooner you start," said Lupin quietly, "the better you will be by the time you get to Hogwarts."

Harry noticed that Lupin at times was reserved and quiet, more so then usual; Harry was sure he knew why. Lupin had lost his two best friends, and now, he was the only one left outside of Wormtail, and Harry suspected that Lupin did not consider Peter a friend anymore.

In the end, Harry and Ron finally gave in, and joined Hermione, Ginny, Lupin, and Tonks, who had stopped by for a visit.

"Now," said Lupin as they gathered out in the clearing, "Apparation is a simple concept, very simple. That said; doing it is another story. All Apparation takes is concentrating on where you are, and where you want to go. You need to be able to focus on your body, as you are trying to transport yourself as a whole, not as part, so you need to learn to understand where you are, not the location, but your body in that location."

Lupin closed his eyes in concentration, and with a small pop, and a swish of his cloak, he disappeared, reappeared standing next to Tonks who jumped out of surprise and fell backwards; Lupin caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Sorry," said Lupin, helping her stand again.

Tonks however was laughing, and Harry couldn't help but laugh too.

"Yes," said Lupin, "good way to sneak up on somebody. However, what I just did, though simple in theory, requires a great amount of concentration as I have said. The longer the distance, the more focus it takes. Time and space is important in magic, and Apparation is moving oneself through space."

Lupin had them focus on feeling themselves standing, to pay attention to how their bodies feel; the ground at their feet; the wind around them as it brushed against their exposed skin.

Harry found that the more he focused, the more relaxed he got, almost as if he was becoming one with himself. There were a few times he had to brace himself as he thought he was falling, only to open his eyes and feel like he had hit the ground, were he wobbled slightly. Lupin, who was watching them always smiled when Harry did this.

Hermione and Ginny, Harry saw were doing the same thing. They would be focusing so much that they would almost seem as if they were unbalanced, then, would out of shock open their eyes, and wobble as if they too felt like they had been falling; it made Harry feel better about it, as he thought that he was doing something wrong.

Ron however was just standing still, not moving.

"You must relax. You must center yourself," said Lupin.

"What do you mean center?" said Ron, opening his eyes without moving.

"Well," said Lupin thoughtfully, "it is a feeling as if your body is all you are noticing as if the world had fallen away around you and all you felt was your body in space."

Harry now understood about the feeling of falling; it was as if you were completely unsupported.

Hermione, Ginny, and Harry ended up setting down with Tonks in the shadow of the stone edifice of Spinners End as Lupin stood next to Ron, walking him through it in greater detail.

"Now," said Lupin quietly, "try to ignore all other sounds but my voice. If you can feel comfortable in tuning out all other sounds, it is a step for focusing your mind. When you feel as if you can only hear my voice, or hear nothing at all then open your eyes. Just learn to trust yourself."

Ron stood silent and unmoving for many minutes, Lupin repeating the mantra 'Focus' in his ears. Soon, a strange look came over Ron's face and seconds later he opened his eyes.

"See," said Lupin, smiling.

"That was weird," said Ron, grinning in a bemused sort of way.

"Now," said Lupin, "I want you to close your eyes again. You were able to focus you mind, and discipline it to block out one of your senses. Now, in reverse, you are no only going to focus to block out sound, but you are going to try to focus on yourself. Focus on your heartbeat, the rhythmic pattern it makes. Then, when you feel you are concentrating on your heartbeat, focus on how your body feels around you again."

Ron closed his eyes, with the rest watching from the ground. It took many minutes, but the same strange look came over Ron's face, and a second later his eyes had opened, and he had to brace himself as he was almost pushed off balance.

Tonks cheered as Ron grinning came to set down with the rest of them.

"Good," said Lupin, smiling. "This is a start. There actually are many forms of magic that require this, as Harry would understand."

"To be honest," said Harry, laughing, "you are a far more effective teacher then Snape was at this sort of thing."

"Well," said a dangerous sneering voice. "I guess I need to work on my homework seeing as it seems I am such a lamentable teacher."

Snape had apperated at the edge of the clearing. With out saying anything else, he walked briskly to the door, his robes billowing behind him, and slammed it shut. It was not until he had slammed the door with a crack that made birds in the nearby trees taking flight did anyone speak.

Ron couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"Well," said Lupin, grinning, "I think that we should stop for now, and go grab something to eat. I think this is a good place to leave it for today."

Harry was grateful that they did not meet Snape in the house again. Harry had to be honest, the concept was so much more doable when someone who was not out to keep him down was teaching him. Harry had accepted that Dumbledore trusted Snape, but that did not mean his feelings would ever change while Snape treated Harry as if he is his father.

"That was a weird feeling," said Ron as they sat down at the large table. "I almost felt like I was falling off a cliff or something."

"Well," said Tonks, smiling, "that's what you're supposed to feel. That way, when you get used to the feeling, you won't get scared and lose concentration and splinch yourself."

"When you can center yourself," said Lupin as he and Tonks bustled about the kitchen, "you will learn to focus your mind and body faster. It just takes time."

Tonks was prodding base of a pot with her wand, trying to start a fire, only to ignite the cuff of her robes. She hastily extinguished it. "Maybe I should leave you to do this Remus," she said, her robe smoking slightly. Instead, she gathered cutlery, plates, and goblets and was able to make it to the table accident free.

The kitchen door opened, and Mrs. Weasley bustled in. Before the door swung behind her, Harry saw Snape's profile walking back down the hall. "So," she asked, joining Lupin in preparing lunch. "How did it go?"

"Well," said Lupin thoughtfully, "they are disciplining their minds well, so hopefully later we can start with small steps."

"Better then my first attempt," said Tonks, shuddering.

"What happened?" questioned Ginny as Mrs. Weasley brought over a flagon of Butterbeer.

Tonks shuddered again. "Let's just say I was trying to get across the room, and ended up apperating onto the coffee table which collapsed under my weight, and sent me crashing to the ground. No one ever told me how to center myself, and focus properly. Mum wasn't too happy about it. I had to teach myself. But at least I didn't turn into a random assortment of body parts; I had a suspicion that if I had, she would have left me for a little while to teach me to be more responsible with my magic."

"Well," said Lupin, as he and Mrs. Weasley carried over a pot of soup, and a variety of sandwiches, "if you're up to it, we could have another go at centering. It is going to be a while before you can actually try to apparate. But, in time you should be able to center yourself a lot quicker, making Apparating an easy escape."

Now that Ron had learned to center himself, he was all the more eager to learn to apparate. Harry however was being more cautious about his approach. They still had a lot to learn and master before he would be confident enough to do it with out apprehension. Hermione seemed to be taking the same approach.

Harry felt more inclined to join in the laughter and chatting at the lunch table. Learning the basics of Apparation seemed to him to be exactly what he needed; an opportunity to focus on something more pleasant then the events of the past month. He had even begun forgetting about the locked rooms. He felt so free at Spinners End instead of feeling alone and isolated like at Privet Drive.

"Fred still won't tell me what they are working on next," said Ron, taking a gulp of butterbeer. "They said it should be marketable in time for the return to Hogwarts. We should go see them when we go to Diagon Alley to get our things."

Harry's heart sank slightly. In the light of Voldemort being recognized and out in the open, Harry doubted that he would be allowed to venture into Diagon Alley with its crowded twisting paths. He however was very surprised that Mrs. Weasley did not react as much as before to Fred and George's chosen profession. Hermione however seemed to be thinking the same thing of Harry's chance of going to diagon alley. She was watching him closely.

"Just wish they would let us fly around a bit," said Ron.

"You are only protected within the clearing," said Lupin sternly. "We aren't going to risk it." Lupin glanced at Harry. "There will be all the time for flying when you get back to..." he broke off glancing at Harry again. Ron and Hermione also glanced at Harry; Harry remembered back to Ron's expression at Privet Drive when he made the comment about getting quidditch back, how Ron's smile had faded.

"I take it my ban hasn't been lifted," said Harry miserably.

"We tried," said Lupin quietly. "We honestly did. It is not in the Order's or Hogwarts hands to overturn it. Ludo Bagman is proving to be an obstacle at the moment."

"He is still reeling over the Triwizard tournament," said Hermione calmly. "You know, how he had bet you would win outright but the goblins had another agenda."

"And Fudge wont step in," said Tonks, between bites of her sandwich. "He isn't really keen on doing anyone else any favors."

Harry had expected that the ministry would have changed their tune a bit since they accepted Voldemorts return. But it seemed that they were still being as bothersome as before. They have not humbled in the face of the danger that grew right under their nose.

Harry, Ginny, and Ron spent the rest of day building a card castle out of an exploding snap pack; Lupin and Tonks were called by Dumbledore, and had to leave to do work for the order. Hermione choose just to sit; her nose in her Apparation book, and only occasionally looking up from it to watch the others duck as the card castle blew up in their faces.

When they were called by Mrs. Weasley to come down for dinner, it was to find that Spinners End was fairly deserted. Only Mrs. Weasley remained from the Order as the others were all out doing various things for Dumbledore. Deep down, Harry grew apprehensive; if all of the order were out, did it mean Voldemort was up to something that required the whole lot of them to keep watch?

The rest of the night was quiet and calm, as Ron beat Harry in a long battle of wizards chest and Harry felt nothing but peace and collected when he layed back in bed and slowly fell asleep.

***

It came to Harry quite a shock when he realized that his birthday was coming. He was enjoying life at Spinners End that he forgot about his 16^th birthday. Of course, he had never had a real birthday, so in a way he understood why. When he awoke on the morning of the thirty-first, it was to find the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix quite active. Ron it seemed had already left before Harry woke up, and two floors below, he could hear a lot of movement.

Harry dressed quietly, and hurried down the stairs to the kitchen to find everyone huddled by the door to the hallway. Ron looked up as he Harry entered.

"Go back," said Ron, grinning. "Where not ready for you yet."

"What's the use now?" said Ginny, giggling.

Harry couldn't help grinning as he made to turn back up the stairs.

"Oh Harry dear," said Mrs. Weasley, "don't bother. Seeing as you're here anyways. We thought we would make a little surprise for you. What would you like for breakfast then now that you are up; Eggs; or perhaps some Sausages?"

"Anything's fine," said Harry as he moved further into the room. As he looked around, he noticed that many members of the Order it seemed had stopped by to celebrate his birthday. He sat down at the large table while Mrs. Weasley bustled around the kitchen making breakfast.

"You didn't actually think we would forget?" said Hermione, as she and Ron sat down on Harry's sides. "It's not like you have had a real birthday party yet."

Harry didn't know what to say. A part of should him had expected something like this, but now that it was happening, Harry was having a hard time articulating the words to thank them.

"Well," said Ron, misreading Harry's silence, "we thought it was a good idea."

"It's great," said Harry quickly, not wanting to sound ungrateful. "It's just that after never having a birthday party my whole life, I just grew to not expect them."

Harry ate quietly, and quickly as everyone around them chatted happily to each other. It was a weird feeling, to finally be having his birthday celebrated when all his life, it was generally ignored by the Dursley's.

"We were going to yell surprise," said Ron, grinning between mouthfuls, "but you weren't supposed to wake up till we were ready."

"Sorry," said Harry, smiling as Mrs. Weasley continued to bustle around the kitchen. "You should have locked me in or something."

"We considered putting a sleeping potion in your drink last night," Ron said shrugging. "But mum made me swear I wouldn't try to do it. Not like I was going to anyway. Seeing as Snape is, as he said, a 'lamentable teacher', I would probably have burned the house down if I tried to make one of his potions."

Hermione pursed her lips and busied herself with finishing her breakfast.

In Harry's haste to not prolong his first birthday party ever, he had already finished eating well before anyone else. He soon resigned to sitting and watching as everyone else ate at their leisure, and wishing they would hurry up.

Harry did not have much longer to wait however. His heart was pounding in his chest as Mrs. Weasley, and Lupin cleared the table.

"Were meeting in the drawing room," whispered Hermione, as many stood from the table.

"The what?" questioned Harry, quickly getting to his feet.

"The room on the other side," said Ron, as Mrs. Weasley moved quickly over beaming with pride.

"Come on Harry dear," she said quietly.

Mrs. Weasley steered Harry straight through the kitchen door and into the door opposite which Harry had never entered. He found himself into a room as large as the kitchen filled with chintz armchairs much like the ones Dumbledore had conjured at his hearing. The various small tables throughout the room were laden with stacks of presents, and snacks and favors. It was decorated with red and gold streamers, and to one side he saw a large table laden with more presents and a large birthday cake that Harry could see had "Happy 16^th Birthday Harry" written on it in red icing.

Mrs. Weasley steered Harry into a large winged back chair and started piling presents in his lap so that soon he was under the weight of many strange shaped boxes.

It was a weird feeling as Harry sat with a pile of presents in his lap with everyone around him talking and laughing. It felt strange; the closest thing he could remember was when they were celebrating the Gryffindor common room after winning the quidditch cup in his third year. He hoped that it would not end the same way as that celebration had. He had moved most of the presents to the floor near his feat.

"Well?" said Mrs. Weasley beaming. "Why don't you open something?"

"Oh," said Harry, "I... I Just, I didn't expect this."

"Harry," said Lupin, smiling, "did you really think we would forget your birthday? Of course, if you want we can take all your gifts back; I am sure they could fetch a good many galleons."

"No!" said Harry, quickly picking up one of the presents at his feet. "I... I'll keep them."

As he unwrapped his first package, Harry felt the blood rushing to his face, and was sure that it looked the same as the red wrapping paper on the box he was opening. When he had finally ripped all the paper away, and opened the box, he found a book from Hermione; "Disappearing Acts: The Art of Transfigured Concealment."

"I," said Hermione, quietly, "I thought it might be useful for learning to become an Auror."

Harry flicked through the first few pages grinning. It was full of information on the various forms transfiguration in hiding your identity from those you don't seek to share it with.

Harry opened Ron and Ginny's gift next, which turned out to be a box of various wizarding candies which included a box of chocolate frog cards marked "Quidditch Collection" to which Harry was sure contained cards of famous quidditch players.

Lupin had given him a book that went more in depth on the magic of Occlumency and Legilimency.

Moody however had given him what looked like a small glass ball that looked eerily like his magical eye, though not electric blue; as he held the green glass eye in his hand, he had a strange feeling that Moody was expecting him to lose a eye. A note however dashed that fear; 'Harry, this is a seeker's eye. It will allow you to know when someone invisible and untrustworthy is near you and will grow warm as you move nearer to them or they to you." Harry placed the seeker's eye back into its box and set it aside.

As Harry opened his presents, he could feel the heat coming from his face; and knew his grin had not yet subsided. Tonks had given him a league standard Golden Snitch, though he doubted if he would ever get to use it seeing as Ludo Bagman was refusing to lift Umbridge's ban.

Kingsley had given Harry a book; "Defensive Stances: How to Brace for the Attack" Which went into various stances that could be used to fortify and brace ones self for certain curses and hexes and to aide in the effectiveness of countercharms.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gotten Harry a Guide to Auror training; "Elite Forces: A Study of Auror Training," Flicking through the pages, Harry found that it was an in depth updated guide to the Ministry's Auror Training and requirements post -Hogwarts.

Harry chooses not to open Fred and George's gift; knowing them, it would probably be something that Mrs. Weasley would not approve of.

As the pile of presents began to shrink, Harry had a growing desire to finish soon, and join the party. After a few more minutes however, the last of the gifts had been opened, and Harry rose, stepping over the paper strewn floor to join the others.

Deep down, Harry felt an immense pleasure at finally having a proper birthday party. Everyone was laughing, joking, and the air was not tense. In the light of his party, Harry was finding that he felt whatever Voldemort was up to, that it really didn't matter as long as the party continued. He soon took to wandering around the room speaking to everyone.

"You holding up?" said Moody in a gentle growl.

"Fine," said Harry, taking a gulp of pumpkin juice.

Moody was surveying Harry with his magical eye, and Harry growing uncomfortable excused himself to refill his drink.

Hermione and Ginny were chatting with Tonks at the far end of the room. Kingsley and Lupin were talking in whispers by the corner. Harry, however, walked back over to the refreshment to corner Ron.

"Why didn't you tell me you guys were doing all this?' said Harry, grinning.

"Well, didn't you expect it?" said Ron, pouring himself something to drink.

"Not really," said Harry, honestly. "Not when I've never had a real celebration for my birthday since I was probably one year old."

"Well, we thought it would be a nice change," said Ron, shrugging.

"I am enjoying it," said Harry hastily, "but I really stopped expecting the Dursleys would ever acknowledge my birthday and after so many years of that, I just grew to accept it."

Mrs. Weasley bustled over. "Are you ready for your cake?"

"Oh...yah okay," said Harry, as Mrs. Weasley cut into his cake and started putting pieces onto plates and passing them around.

And as everyone raised their glasses to toast him, Harry was grateful to finally have a proper birthday party in which no amount of words of thanks could ever truly show how much he appreciated it.