It was early on the morning of Harry's 17th birthday, and he was already starting to pack. He was going to wait until his gifts arrived from everybody then he was going to set off for the Burrow.

A few hours later there were taps at the window and Harry looked to see Hedwig tapping her beak on the window. He waved his wand and the window opened, he waved it again and the gold colored dots of light shaped something like a deformed bird floating up at his ceiling vanished.

Hedwig landed on his bed and tied to her leg was a wrapped package shaped like a book. He untied it and took the note from the top. It was from Hermione wishing him a happy birthday and saying that she hoped he liked the gift and that they'd see each other soon. He opened the package, and to his great surprise, it wasn't a book, it was a wand cleaning and servicing kit. According to the manual, if used regularly, it improved wand results and helped prevent accidents when in pockets. Just then several more owls came flying in the window, including Pig. He detached all the packages and began to unwrap them as the owls flew back out the window.

Included in these were two gifts from Lupin, a book entitled "Advanced Defensive and Offensive spells and jinxes, N.E.W.T. and beyond" that had to be, at least, a thousand pages, also a sort of wand holster that could be attached to a belt, or strapped to an arm which then could be hidden by a sleeve. There was an assortment of sweets from Ron which came with a note saying how sorry he was for giving him such a lame coming of age gift, but that he didn't have a lot of spending money these days because he had lent most of it to someone. He also sent along with it a schedule of apparition test dates and had one the day after tomorrow circled. Ginny sent him a silver, rectangular locket with a picture of herself in one side and an engraving on the other reading. "So you'll always have someone by your side" there was also a note with it.

Dear Harry,

I hope you like the locket; I had to borrow money from Ron in order to get it.

I had Fred and George put an almost permanent shield charm on it, or a least

they say that it will last around eight-hundred deflections, depending on the

strength of the spells its deflecting. But knowing you you'll probable go

through that in a week, he he. Happy Birthday Harry

-Love Ginny

Harry smiled broadly and slipped the locket over his head onto his neck, then returned to opening his presents.

Fred and George had given him a bottle of Fire whisky and a bottle of Rosmarta's oak matured mead, which he wasn't perfectly sure he trusted, they had also given him a few things from their shop.

Harry had just finished opening his gift from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley when out of the corner of his eye he noticed three, large, tawny owls carrying a large, flat package between them flying towards his window.

The owls flew in dropped the large package on his lap, it was roughly the size of his trunk but for how thin it was. He freed the owls from it and unrolled the piece of parchment that was attached to it, it was from Professor McGonagall.

I knew that he would have wanted you to have this, and I'm sure that

You would want to have it as well. We would have gotten it to you

Sooner but it took some time to prepare.

P.S. The schools Governors have still not yet decided whether to reopen

the school or not.

Harry was sure he knew who she meant by (he) but didn't have any idea what was in this package.

He unwrapped it and found himself holding a large picture of an empty room with an large arm chair in the middle, and just like that it all became clear. This must be a another of Dumbledore's portrait. Harry was very grateful for this gift, but had no idea where he was going to put it, especially while he was traveling to the Burrow.

Harry had barley put all his gifts in a net he had drawn up that he could sling over his broom for the trip when yet another owl came flying threw his window. He took the letter from it's leg and flicked it open.

Harry,

It just occurred to me that you'd probably leave your aunt and uncle's as soon as you could today. And I'd just like to ask you not to go anywhere until we can pick you up and escort you to the Burrow, Tonks and I will be there in an hour or two.

-Please stay there, singed Lupin

"Oh this just great, even after I'm of age they still have to escort me to places. Am I ever going to get to do things on my own?" Said Harry angrily looking down at the letter

He crumpled the letter and threw it into the waste basket. He sat down at the desk and grabbed his quill and a piece of parchment that had a long list of words on it all crossed out but the one at the bottom of the list. He crossed out the last word, put the tip of the quill to the parchment just under the last word and started to write.