Hogwarts: I'm Truly a Model Wizard-Chapter 707: Birthday Gift

As the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, 12 Grimmauld Place had rarely been so lively.

The house was impeccably clean; even the picture frames had been polished and adorned with colorful decorations.

Mrs. Black's shrill tirades did little to deter Fred, who had cheekily placed a red pointed hat on her frame. Kreacher, for his part, pretended not to notice, lightly banging his head with his broom as he closed his eyes and trudged upstairs.

Pointed hats in every color dotted the house, while streamers lined the walls and windows. The ceiling was adorned with flying Unicorns and Phoenixes made of balloons, adding a magical charm to the festive air.

As Kyle opened the door, Fred and George were laughing, tossing fireworks into the air. The fireworks burst against the ceiling, releasing seventeen winged golden pixies that fluttered around Kyle with cheerful energy.

"Don't play with fireworks in the house..." Mrs. Weasley admonished the twins, her tone striking a balance between stern and indulgent. She then approached Kyle with a warm embrace. "Thank goodness you're back. Today is a big day... Happy birthday, dear."

"Yes, it's very important," Fred added with a grin.

"After today, you'll be considered an adult wizard," George chimed in.

At seventeen, wizards reached adulthood, and today marked Kyle's seventeenth birthday. Starting tomorrow, the restrictions on underage magic—particularly the rule forbidding wizards from using magic outside school—would no longer apply to him.

This meant he could use magic freely without fear of repercussions, though he had already bent the rules several times. That morning's encounter with Death Eaters and his earlier confrontation with Dementors had gone unpunished, thanks to the leniency of Auror Office Director Scrimgeour and others who turned a blind eye in light of his impending birthday. If it had been a year earlier, Fudge would never have allowed him to act against the Dementors. But now, such concerns would soon be behind him.

"Don't just stand there in the doorway; come on in," Fred and George insisted, dragging Kyle to the dining room.

Dinner was nearly ready, and Mrs. Weasley had hung two vibrant red banners over the lavishly set table. One read:

"Happy Birthday to Kyle and Harry."

The other said:

"Celebrating Kyle's Coming of Age."

Today wasn't just Kyle's birthday—it was also Harry's, though he was turning sixteen. The coincidence made the day even more special, and nearly everyone from the Order of the Phoenix had gathered to celebrate.

The first to arrive were Lupin, Mr. Weasley, Tonks, and Kingsley, who returned together after their workday at the Ministry of Magic. Moody and Mundungus followed soon after. Despite Mrs. Weasley's usual disapproval of the thief, she made no comment today—it was, after all, a special occasion.

With so many people gathered, the atmosphere was electric. For once, no one spoke of Voldemort or the Death Eaters. Instead, laughter filled the room as everyone enjoyed each other's company.

Around eight o'clock, the door opened again, and Diana and Chris entered.

"Oh, Diana, I'm so glad to see you! I thought you'd be stuck at the Ministry again," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, hurrying over to greet them. "Today is Kyle's coming-of-age day. It would have been a shame to miss it."

"You're right, Molly," Diana replied with a warm smile. "I made sure I'd be back."

"But won't there be problems at work?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her tone laced with concern.

Diana, understanding the reference to the Department of Mysteries, reassured her. "Don't worry, my colleagues are very understanding."

...

By eight o'clock, everyone was seated around the table. Mrs. Weasley was in high spirits; she hadn't been this cheerful all holiday.

"Before we eat, I think we have one more important thing to do," she announced, pulling out two beautifully wrapped boxes and handing them to Kyle and Harry.

"They're presents—happy birthday!"

"Thank you," Kyle said, smiling as he accepted his gift. Inside the box was a watch with a gold dial depicting planets. When he put it on, the strap adjusted perfectly to his wrist.

Harry's watch, while different in design, resembled a Golden Snitch. It was clear both watches had been chosen with care by Mrs. Weasley.

Afterward, the others began presenting their gifts.

Fred and George handed over a large bag filled with the best-selling items from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Moody gifted them a Sneakoscope, insisting they needed to remain vigilant for dark wizards or Death Eaters lurking in the shadows.

Lupin gave them ties, the latest models from Madam Malkin's Robes. He admitted, somewhat sheepishly, that he'd taken an advance on his salary to afford them.

Mundungus, whom Kyle barely knew, presented two pieces of silver jewelry. While Kyle suspected their origins might not be entirely legitimate, he still expressed his thanks.

Tonks's gift was a bottle of magical hair dye capable of temporarily changing hair color at will—a simple version of a Metamorphmagus ability. Harry immediately tried it out, turning his hair bright red, and excitedly asked Ron if it suited him.

Kyle, on the other hand, felt slightly embarrassed and discreetly pocketed the hair dye, which earned a disappointed look from Diana. She had clearly hoped to see him experiment with a new hair color.

Once everyone had shared their gifts, Diana presented hers. She handed Harry an album containing several sheets of parchment.

"I've gathered every photo I could find of Lily," she explained, giving the album to Harry. "There are seventeen pictures in total, from when she started school to when she graduated, and then from her wedding to James."

"Thank you," Harry said, his voice filled with emotion. He clutched the album tightly, clearly eager to look at it but aware that this wasn't the moment.

Diana then turned to Kyle, handing him a stack of parchment.

"The writing will vanish tomorrow, so you'll need to read it quickly," she said. "Also, if a second person tries to read it, the writing will disappear immediately."

Kyle examined the parchment, which felt like the ordinary kind sold in Diagon Alley. But as he glanced at the top line of text, his eyes widened:

"Merlin's Notes."

His mouth twitched, and he quickly folded the parchment shut. Remembering Diana's warning, he noticed everyone else had tactfully turned away, though Mundungus hesitated for a moment. Sirius, sitting nearby, placed an arm firmly around Mundungus's neck, ensuring his attention was elsewhere.

Conversation resumed only after Kyle had securely stowed the parchment.

"Haha, finally, it's my turn," Sirius declared, rubbing his hands together.

True to his reputation as a spendthrift, Sirius's gift was extravagant but somewhat predictable: a solid gold Quaffle.

"Sirius..." Lupin sighed, rubbing his forehead. "You've been moping for three days, and this is what you call a surprise?"

"Is it not good?" Sirius blinked, looking genuinely puzzled. "Kyle's a Chaser. I thought this was a very suitable gift... Oh, and it has other functions as well."

Sirius slammed the Golden Quaffle onto the table, and a booming roar echoed through the dining hall:

"Kyle, score!"

The entire room fell silent. Everyone exchanged glances, and the atmosphere turned awkward.

Kyle stared at the gleaming gold ball in front of him. For reasons he couldn't quite articulate, he suddenly didn't want it.

It's gold... it's gold... as long as I don't hit it... he tried convincing himself as he forced a smile. "Thanks, Sirius."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

Kyle laughed weakly.

"Oh, by the way, Harry, I've got a present for you too," Sirius said, seizing the chance to shift the focus. He pulled out a small suitcase.

"This has the Undetectable Extension Charm. It's about the size of a broomstick case, so it's not huge, but it can hold plenty. Should make school life easier for you."

"Thanks!" Harry said, his eyes lighting up as he took the suitcase.

He'd always envied Kyle's ability to travel light, compared to his own yearly struggle carting a mountain of luggage. However, as he looked at the small, practical suitcase, he suddenly felt self-conscious about the gift he had prepared for Kyle: a set of Quidditch models.

Quick-thinking, Harry pulled another item from his pocket and used a Transfiguration Spell to conjure an elegant package.

"This is the gift I prepared," he said, handing it to Kyle.

Kyle opened the box, and yet another flash of gold lit the room. Inside was a pile of Galleons—about a hundred—with a few silver Sickles mixed in.

Kyle raised an eyebrow. Sometimes he wondered if Harry had been influenced by Sirius's extravagant tendencies or if this was some bizarre payback or something he'd done to upset Lily. Either way, Harry was starting to resemble his godfather in some ways.

"I didn't really know what you liked," Harry said, blushing slightly. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Kyle said with a grin.

Though the gift wasn't particularly creative, it suited him just fine. He had a soft spot for "vulgar" gifts like this.

Seeing Kyle smile as he pocketed the Galleons, Harry exhaled in relief. He had just withdrawn that money from Gringotts yesterday, and now it was gone. Still, he figured he could replenish it before the school term began.

With the gift-giving complete, the atmosphere grew even livelier. Laughter filled the room as everyone tucked into the delicious food, their conversations turning naturally to recent events.

"Sirius, I've noticed a lot of people heading to the Ministry recently. How much is left of your donation?" Fred asked curiously.

"I don't know," Sirius replied, sipping his brandy. "You'd have to ask Remus about that."

Fred turned to Lupin.

"I think there's still about 3,000 Galleons left. I haven't checked closely," Lupin said casually.

"How is there still so much?" Sirius looked astonished.

He'd initially donated 5,000 Galleons, a fifth of which had been split between the Auror's Office and the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. He hadn't expected so much to remain.

"We have Knockturn Alley to thank for that," Lupin said, chuckling. "Almost every day, someone from there comes to claim the reward with a fake cloak. Naturally, we arrest them on the spot."

"Most of them can't handle being in a cell with Dementors, so they end up buying back their own fake cloaks with Galleons, which we then use to pay the rewards."

"Every day?" Hermione asked, puzzled. "Wouldn't the people in Knockturn Alley warn each other?"

"Not at all," Lupin replied. "Some even brag about getting Galleons after paying their way out, which only encourages more to try their luck."

"What?" Hermione stared, bewildered.

"It's simple," Mr. Weasley explained. "Places like Knockturn Alley operate on selfish interests, not friendships. If someone's been duped, they'll do everything they can to make sure no one else succeeds either."

"They might even actively lure others into the same trap out of spite."

"That's exactly it," Lupin said with a grin. "In the past few days, the Galleons they've contributed have almost surpassed Sirius's original donation."

Hermione seemed at a loss for words, clearly baffled by such behavior. The others, however, took it in stride.

Knockturn Alley, after all, was known for such antics.

...

Everyone enjoyed the meal, with bottle after bottle of Firewhiskey and Brandy being opened. Even Kyle had his fair share, finally able to partake now that he was of age.

It wasn't until nearly ten o'clock that the adults set their glasses down, visibly content yet unsteady on their feet. With much to do the next day, most of the guests chose not to stay overnight and began leaving one by one.

Diana, too, had to return to the Department of Mysteries. Kyle had anticipated that she might say something to him about the attack or ask him questions, but she didn't. Instead, she gave him a hug and whispered:

"I know everything. You did a good job. Sometimes magical creatures are more useful than wands."

"But next time, don't rely solely on the Dragon—a Basilisk would be safer. And don't forget to read what I gave you as soon as possible."

"Okay," Kyle nodded.

By half-past ten, most of the guests had departed. Mrs. Weasley, along with Bill and Charlie, was in the kitchen, tidying up. Meanwhile, Lupin, Sirius, Chris, and Mr. Weasley had gathered in a corner, chatting quietly over a newly opened bottle of Brandy.

Fred approached Kyle and slung an arm over his shoulder.

"Kyle, how's Cedric?"

"How do you know he's hurt?" Kyle asked, surprised.

"We heard from the Ministry, of course," George said, joining them. "Don't forget, we're Ministry employees now. We know a lot of people."

"But Mum doesn't know yet," Fred added, glancing toward the kitchen. "It's your birthday, and we figured it'd be best to keep it to ourselves for now."

Kyle smiled. "Cedric should be fine by now. Didn't you go to see him?"

"We did," George said. "But it was a wasted trip. The Healers at St. Mungo's said he'd already been discharged and gone home."

The three of them made their way into the living room, preparing to head upstairs for the night.

For some reason—perhaps to spend more time with Mr. Weasley—Chris and Kyle decided to stay overnight and return home the next day. But as they reached the staircase, they noticed someone standing in the living room.

Dumbledore.

The headmaster was there, smiling warmly.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

"A wizard's coming of age is a significant event," Dumbledore said, producing a box. "I thought it important to be here."

"Thank you, Professor," Kyle said, though he sounded slightly puzzled.

"No need to thank me," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "Truthfully, I forgot to bring a gift. My memory isn't what it used to be. I hope you'll forgive me—I'll make it up to you later."

"And this," he added, holding up the box, "is Miss Prince's gift."

"Miss Prince?"

"I happened to see a seagull circling aimlessly near the house when I arrived," Dumbledore explained. "It seemed to be searching for a place to land. I guessed it was delivering this."

"A seagull?" Fred asked, raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't it be an owl?"

"In many countries, seagulls serve as messengers," Dumbledore said with a smile. "They're particularly skilled at crossing the sea—better than owls in some cases."

At that moment, the sound of voices drew Sirius and the others from the corner. They approached, surprised to see Dumbledore.

"Oh, Dumbledore!" Sirius exclaimed.

"I'm glad to see you, Professor," Mrs. Weasley said, her tone bright. "Have you had dinner yet? If not, I can make you an orange marmalade pie."

"As much as I'd like to say you shouldn't go to the trouble," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eye, "I find I cannot resist a warm pie."

He followed Mrs. Weasley into the kitchen.

"Professor Dumbledore," Sirius called after him, holding up the Brandy bottle. "Would you like a glass? Authentic Dragon Brandy."

"Oh, yes, please."