The Empath

Chapter 5: Happy Birthday

At five thirty Mrs. Weasley forbade Harry to go downstairs, so he and Ron sat in their room playing Wizard's Chess. Lily insisted that Sirius go back in his room, and she stayed in with Hermione and Ginny. Almost everyone was downstairs helping Mrs. Weasley get things ready.

Harry was getting very anxious. He'd never had a birthday party before. He'd never spent his birthday with people who cared about him either.

Dobby had stayed. His job (along with helping Mrs. Weasley with decorations) was to make sure Harry didn't sneak out of his room to see anything. Dumbledore had stayed and had had a very long conversation with Sirius in his room before he went downstairs to get the door. Harry heard him opening the door for Professor McGonagall to come in.

While they sat in their room playing chess and listening to the commotion downstairs, Ron informed him about the latest news. Dumbledore had found a way to take the painting of Mrs. Black down, and Kreacher had been sent to work at Hogwarts.

The two boys hadn't seen each other since the last school term ended, so they enjoyed their time together and stayed off of any subject that had to do with Voldemort.

They weren't allowed to go down stairs until six thirty, but both boys had lost track of time while being completely engrossed in their game. After Ron was triumphant, there was a knock on the door, and Lupin came in.

"All right Harry, you can come down now." He smiled brightly at him.

Harry and Ron jumped up and led the way down stairs. "Everything's in the living room," Lupin informed them.

As he went into the living room, Harry could see bright colorful decorations. Streamers hung from the ceiling, there was a table in the corner covered with chocolate and candy, and there were at least five golden snitches flying around the room.

The girls had gone upstairs to get ready, and Mr. Weasley was sitting on the couch grinning up at Harry.

"So Harry how does it feel to be sixteen?" Mr. Weasley asked him.

"Okay I guess. I haven't really noticed a change." Harry shrugged.

"Well it will be more of a change next year when you can you Apparate. Just the same, why don't you sit down?" Mr. Weasley gestured to a chair, and Harry sat down. "It's nice see you again Harry," Mr. Weasley said brightly.

"Dad, I'll be right back. I have to go and get something," Ron told his father, and he left the room with Lupin following. The doorbell rang, and Harry heard Fred and George talking to Professor McGonagall as the three came in the room.

"Happy Birthday Harry," Fred and George said cheerfully together. They put their gifts for him on the empty spot on the table and sat down.

"Yes, Happy Birthday Harry," Professor McGonagall told him while smiling brightly.

Dumbledore and Lupin walked in the room, put their gifts on the table, and told him "Happy Birthday" as well.

He had a sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall weren't there just for his birthday, but he welcomed there presence anyway.

"Harry, I have to say that your father started a tradition in your family on his sixteenth birthday," Dumbledore informed him.

"What do you mean, Sir?" Harry asked.

"I mean that your father celebrated his sixteenth birthday at Hogwarts, and like yours it was most eventful. And ironically enough, the events of both your birthdays were caused by the same person." Harry stopped smiling.

"You mean Voldemort?" he asked wearily.

"No, I mean Sirius Black." Dumbledore got a big grin on his face as Lupin started to laugh at the memory.

"If I am not mistaken, the two of them received two months worth of detentions after that night," Professor McGonagall added. "Sirius and James were bad enough separately, let alone when they put their heads together."

"Well that's not how I remember it," Sirius said as he came into the room and sat next to Harry. "The one who never got into any trouble happened to be the mastermind of the entire night. If I'm not mistaken, Lupin planned most of the evening. James didn't have a clue what was going on, and all I did was get my Hannah to convince Lily into coming to his birthday party. And it was of course in the Gryffindor Tower, so I also had to sneak Hannah in, but that was more for me than for James, and come to think of it, it wasn't the first time I'd done it, either." Sirius got an evil grin on his face.

"A Hufflepuff was in Gryffindor tower? If I would have known about that then, you would have had two more months of detention," Professor McGonagall said astounded.

"Well then, that must have been why I didn't tell you." Sirius smirked.

"I'll have you know that I did have some help with the veela, Sirius," Lupin said knowingly.

"Well then it must have been from the Rat because I was in The Room of Requirements all night the night before James' birthday when you convinced them to come with you. And my Hannah could vouch for that if she were here," Sirius argued.

"What were you doing in The Room of Requirements all night with a girl?" George asked slyly. Everyone stopped arguing and looked at Sirius questionably with grins on their faces.

"We were just - well - " Sirius stumbled over the words while trying to figure out how he was going to get his foot out of his mouth this time. Just then Ginny and Lily walked in. "Lily!" Sirius said jumping to his feet to greet her with a hug.

Fred and George stopped talking, their faces went straight, and their eyes practically popped out of their heads when they saw Lily. Harry stared at her too. His insides squirmed, and he felt like the whole world had stopped. Her robes were royal blue and lined with silver. Her flowing black hair fell down to the middle of her back. Harry thought that her robes brought out her deep blue eyes.

"You clean up well, Dad," she told Sirius in admiration.

"I hope you're not too ashamed to look somewhat like me now," Sirius said and then proudly introduced her to Dumbledore and McGonagall.

Fred sat down next to Harry where Sirius had been sitting.

"Harry who's that?" Fred asked him not taking his eyes off of Lily. Harry, who had also been staring at her, looked at him and grinned.

"That's Lily," Harry whispered back.

"That's the girl Ron told us about? Sirius' daughter?" Fred asked him astounded.

"Yeah, that's her," Harry told him as he looked back at Lily and smiled.

Tonks came in teary eyed and hugged Lily.

"Boys, you might want to pick your jaws up off the ground before she looks over here," Lupin told them grinning. Harry looked at him as his face went red.

"I guess we know what he was doing in The Room of Requirements now." Fred slugged George, and they both laughed.

Lily turned, her eyes locked with Harry's, and she started to walk toward him.

"Happy birthday Harry." she smiled at him. "Sorry I didn't get you a birthday present."

"Yes you did. You found Sirius. I don't think that anyone will be able to top that one," he told her while trying to catch his breath.

"Well that wasn't just for you, now was it?" she asked while twirling her hair that was laying off of her shoulder with her fingers and nervously biting her lower lip.

"Well, it still meant a lot. But if you feel bad about not getting me a gift, there is something that you can do," he said coyly.

"What?" she asked.

"You could sit next to me for the evening," he said hesitantly looking at the empty spot next to him, looking back at her. He quickly added, "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to."

He didn't know what had gotten into him, and he started to feel embarrassed until she came over and sat next to him. Everyone was staring at them at that point, but they didn't seem to notice or care until Ron and Hermione came in hand in hand. Harry looked at them confused and then grinned.

"You mean you two finally stopped arguing long enough to realize your undying love for each other?" he teased as Ron and Hermione looked at each other and blushed. "It's about time."

"Oh shut up or Hermione will turn you into a pin cushion," Ron teased back.

"Well at least I can say I approve of you girlfriend, Ron."

"It looks like you're not doing too bad there yourself," Ron said as Harry's face went fire red, and he fought the urge to look at Lily.

After everyone sat down, Harry started to open his gifts. Dobby, of course, gave Harry socks, but this time they were blue with gold lightening bolts on the side. Terrified of what would happen to him if he tried Fred and George's present in front of Lily, he promised them he would try it later and put it aside.

Every gift seemed as if it was carefully thought out by people that knew him well and loved him very much. He decided that this had been the best birthday ever as he put his last gift aside and thanked everyone.

"Wait a minute, Harry. You haven't opened all of your gifts yet," Sirius said as he stood up and handed Harry a small, neatly wrapped box. He unwrapped it and looked up at Sirius.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Open it and find out," Sirius told him. Harry did as he was told and opened it. Out flew a small golden snitch.

For any normal person it would have been impossible to catch at this point, but Harry had been Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team for five years now, and his reflexes were amazingly fast, so he just simply grabbed it with no hesitation or problem and inwardly hope that Lily had been impressed. Her wide eyes and bright smile assured him that she had been.

"If you remember, that's probably the same snitch your father was playing around with when you saw him in the Pensieve last year, he had nicked it one day after Quidditch practice.

"Your mother hated him playing with it and thought that it only showed how conceited he really was, so on her sixteenth birthday, he gave it to her and told her that she meant more to him than Quidditch. She took it and told him that she didn't care and that he was just using it as a way to get her to go out with him.

"Years later after they got married, they had just moved in together and were unpacking when James found it amongst Lily's things. It really had meant a lot to her and was the reason why she started to be nicer to him. Consequently it caused her to get to know him and fall in love with him.

"When you were born, James put a hovering charm on it so that it would hover over your crib and you could play with it. After Voldemort killed them and I found you, you had tears in your eyes and refused to let it go. When you fell asleep, I took it from you, and I've had it ever since. I thought you might want it back," Sirius told him as Harry stared at the snitch completely entranced by it.

"Well, time for cake. Bill, will you help me bring it out please?" Mrs. Weasley said as she stood up and made her way to the kitchen with Bill following behind her.

~ ~ ~

The next day Ron woke Harry up and they both got dressed and went down stairs for breakfast. Fred and George had Apparated to their new house (located above their joke shop) last night, so it was just the two boys in the room.

When they got to the kitchen, they saw Sirius sitting next to Lily and Snape sitting across from the both of them. Harry noticed that Sirius and Snape were both trying very hard to carry on a civil conversation for Lily's sake.

They sat down at the table next to Sirius and Dobby came in with their food. Without saying a word, Dobby set their food on the table and ran out of the kitchen obviously afraid of the tension that was building in the room.

"You're not angry with me are you Uncle Severus?" Lily asked Snape.

"No, of course not. I expected as much when I found out that you were here. I do wish you had told me where you went though. Going up against the Dark Lord was not the brightest idea you've had. If you had told me than I would have - "

"You would have what? This is something I had to do. He's my father!" Lily told him pleadingly.

"You could have been killed!" Snape said sternly.

"But I wasn't, and besides it's your own fault," Lily told him sitting back and slouching in her chair.

"Oh, no you don't. You can't blame me for your actions," Snape said defensively.

"Oh, yes I can. Its how you've raised me, to always fight for what's right no matter what happens. You yourself are a spy for Dumbledore. You go up against the Dark Lord all the time, and I'm supposed to look at that and do nothing when the time finally calls for it? I don't think so. Perhaps if you had raised me to be lazy and self-serving then I would act like it, but you didn't, so it's your fault," Lily informed him.

"You're more like Sirius than you'll ever know and SIT UP IN THAT CHAIR!" Snape commanded her. "Improper etiquette is defiantly one thing that I did not teach you!"

Lily obeyed and looked up at him with loving eyes, and Snape softened. "Now, are you going to transfer schools?" Snape inquired after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, I would like to," she replied.

"That's fine, just don't let this little family reunion get in the way of your grades. You have to stay sharp in order to be ready for your N.E.W.T.s next year."

"Yes sir," she replied.

Sirius rolled his eyes as he started to get annoyed with Snape and inwardly hoping that Lily didn't have to put up with this her entire life. However, Lily seemed to be very used to it. She listened intently and seemed to know exactly how to handle the situation as she didn't say anything but "Yes sir" when he got done with his sentence.

"Uncle Severus?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"I was thinking, and well, Voldemort knows that a young girl broke into his headquarters, and then all of a sudden I show up at Hogwarts. And not only am I a young girl, but I'm his ex-prisoner's daughter. He'll put two and two together. I can't tell everyone that you raised me, with you being a spy for Dumbledore, so, what do I tell them?" she finished looking up at him questionably.

"When you went to Beauxbatons, your history was between Madam Maxime and myself only, and even she didn't know everything. Your records show that you were raised in an orphanage in France after your grandmother died when you were five. You can stick to that story," he informed her.

"Okay, I will," she replied.

"If you make friends with Potter, which under the circumstances I'm sure you will. Don't go around acting like you own the place and braking school rules. You are not only representing Sirius, but you're also representing Beauxbatons," Snape said sternly.

"Yes sir."

"If you'll excuse us for a moment I would like to discuss something with Sirius privately."

"Of course, Dad?" Lily questioned while glancing over at Sirius.

Snape's eyes widened and quickly looked down at the ground raging with anger from hearing Lily refer to Sirius as Dad.

"Join me in the next room Severus?" Sirius asked politely though it seemed to Harry that it had been a struggle. They both stood up, glaring daggers at each other, and left the room.

"What was it like having him raise you? It must have been awful!" Ron said horrified.

"Well, he was very strict, but only because he was trying to do what was best for me," Lily told him nonchalantly.

"I dread having potions with him; I couldn't imagine having to live with him!" Ron said as chills went up his spine.

"Oh no I forgot about that!" Lily gasped.

"Forgot about what?" Harry asked since Ron was obviously still getting over the thought of living with Snape.

"That he will be my Potions teacher!" she cried.

"Why's that a problem? He'll let you off easy," Ron told her when he finally came out of his semi-coma.

"No he won't. It's actually going to be the exact opposite from that. Uncle Severus is very strict when it comes to my schooling. I'll be lucky to make it through the year alive!" Lily said worriedly.

"Join the club," Harry said as Hermione and Ginny came in and sat down opposite of them. Ron got up and moved his plate on the other side of the table so that he could sit next to Hermione.

~ ~ ~

"I'm willing to put our differences aside while we're with Lily, Snape, but it doesn't mean that you're my new best friend! What is this important matter you wish to discuss?" Sirius asked Snape, trying to keep his voice down so that Lily wouldn't hear them from the kitchen.

"Nothing has changed between us, so you don't have to worry, we won't become friends anytime soon, that I can assure you!" Snape spat at Sirius with the hatred in his eyes growing every second. "As for the important matter, it's about money. I trust since she'll be living with you, can you manage to take care of her financial needs?" Snape asked patronizingly.

"Of course I can. She'll have the best that money can buy," Sirius said matter-of-factly.

"Good, she deserves no less. But I must ask you to try to keep Potter away from her," Snape spat.

"I would think that she's old enough to make up her own mind in that area," Sirius told him after rolling his eyes.

"As much as you would want you're daughter and James' son to be together, you have to remember to think of what's best for Lily!" Snape demanded.

Sirius raised an eyebrow and let out a small-annoyed chuckle before saying, "What's best for Lily is her happiness."

"Oh come off it man! If Lily were to fall in love with Potter, then the Dark Lord would just see her as another tool in which to capture him! And what if he dies before this is all over? Would you really let your pride cause her heartache?" Snape questioned.

"Heartache is the consequence of living life. You can't just sit in a corner and let life pass you by. Whether she wants to be with Harry or not, it's her choice! And I will protect her!" Sirius said commandingly.

"Like you protected Hannah?" Snape suddenly blurted out.

At this Sirius put his arm to Snape's throat and pushed it into the wall causing Snape to gasp for air.

"What on earth is going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked as she entered the room with Dumbledore.

Sirius released the pressure slightly.

"Say goodbye to her, visit her occasionally, but stay the hell away from me! And don't worry I'll take good care of MY DAUGHTER!" Sirius released him completely.

Snape adjusted his robes while glaring fiercely at Sirius, and went to the kitchen. Sirius, Professor McGonagall, and Dumbledore followed him.

"Lily, I must be going now. I'll see you at Hogwarts," Snape told her casually as if nothing at all had happened. "I'm sure that Quincy will be ready with your things soon. You should be expecting her in a few days time."

Lily stood up and hugged him. Snape looked tearful and caring as he hugged her, two emotions Harry had never seen him show before.

"I love you Uncle Severus," she whispered gently in his ear.

"I love you too Lily," he whispered back. He pulled away, looked her in the eye, nodded, and turned his heel and walked toward the door. When he got to the door, he turned around and looked at Lily. "By the way, last year was the last year for many of Hogwarts' Quidditch players, chasers in particular. Two from Hufflepuff, one from Ravenclaw, and all three from Gryffindor. If you feel that it won't interfere with your schoolwork then be sure to keep and eye out for tryouts. Seeing how talented you were on the Quidditch field at Beauxbatons, I for one would like to see how well you do at Hogwarts," He grinned at her.

"I will," she assured him. "What about Slytherin?"

"My dear, there is no chance that you'll be sorted into Slytherin! You're far too sweet. You'll probably be sorted into Gryffindor like Sirius or Hufflepuff like your mother." with another nod, he turned to his heel and disappeared from site.

Lily walked up to Sirius and hugged him.

"Thank you, Dad. I know that that wasn't easy for you, but thank you for doing it for me. I love you," she told him after she pulled away.

"I love you too, Lily," he told her with tears in his eyes. "Come on you need to take your potion before you go to Diagon Alley,"

"I'm going to Diagon Alley?" she questioned him.

"Yes, after everyone gets done with there breakfast Molly is taking you all in to get your school supplies." Lily's eyes brightened up with excitement.

"Really? I've never been to Diagon Alley before." She hugged him again and quickly pulled away beaming.