Chapter 32

Allen quickly and swiftly put the small black box inside his backpack so no one could see the exterior of it.

"Ah! What did you do that mate! I want to see what's inside!" William spoke quickly but quietly, making sure no one else could hear them.

"No-uh, later, in the dormitory, I'm not gonna show something like this to the whole house!" Allen answered exasperatedly.

Armand looked pensive about it. "Why not? Your mirror and pocket watch are already showing off a lion and a snake, what's the harm in a box?"

"I… It's… It's embarrassing dammit. You think I don't feel embarrassed about those two things whenever I take them out?" Allen's face flushed.

"Right then, but you use them to give off an image to everyone around, no? That's what we agreed, so, this can also work for that. Just open it as if you don't care." Said Armand, while containing a laugh.

Allen squinted his eyes at him. "You know, I would believe you more if you could hold your laughter."

"So- Sorry, hahaha, but what I'm saying is true. I do wonder who sent this to you, and I don't think neither William or me can hold our curiosity until nighttime." Armand raised an eyebrow while looking at Allen.

He let out a sigh. "I get it, yeah, my image and whatnot, to be honest, I'm also curious." Allen took out the box out of his backpack, trying to appear as calm as possible. Then when any Slytherin looked his way or the box, he just started at them and the light in his eyes would scare them to look the other side. He took a short breath, then lifted the lid of the box.

Putting the lid aside, Allen look towards the content of the box, three golden keys with a letter on the side.

When he opened it, Armand and William stood behind him, peeking to also get a glimpse of the content.

The letter started with a greeting, wishing him a happy birthday, and they were also sorry for not being able to take care of him. It continued with an explanation as to why they couldn't. It was impossible for them to take care of another kid in a war-torn country. So they escaped, far away from Britain. They wrote how they tried to get his parents to leave the country as well, but both of them refused, saying that they had something to do, something to protect.

His relatives couldn't understand his parents, and after they died, they came back only to left Allen in an orphanage home, far from the magical world, in the muggle one, so he would be safe.

They apologized profusely in the letter, saying that they wanted to meet him, and to meet their daughter, maybe even live together now, if he wanted. Now that Britain is in peace.

Apparently they are related because of his great-grandparents, he had a brother, which married, which had a daughter who married as well, and this woman also had a daughter, who is the one writing to him right now. I… don't understand family trees, would this make her my aunt? Or some kind of far removed aunt? I don't get it. Why the family trees in this book have to be so complicated. Allen squinted his eyes gazing at the letter.

Then she continued the letter about what the war meant for them, for her relationship with her family. It continued on and on. While Allen didn't mind the information, he thought that it was a bit too much since he was just eleven, no, twelve years old.

The letter finished saying how Professor McGonagall contacted her and her husband and how it took her a while to find them since they were really well hidden. Then the keys, each key was for a Gringotts vault, one from his father, one from his mother, and the last one, from the two of them, where they probably saved money for him. Wait, but if I get this, doesn't it mean that I won't be able to get the Ministry's help? Would that be better? I'll have to check first if there is any money in the vaults in the first place. Maybe the Ministry checked with Gringotts frist to see if I would have the means to support myself with that money? Otherwise it makes no sense.

His Aunt, how he decided to call her after a bit of deliberation, finished the letter with a heartfelt message, about how she wants to see him now that they are in Britain again and her daughter is getting close to attending Hogwarts. Lastly, she kept the vault keys, his father gave them to her so she would give them back to him in time for his school years.

She once again, wished him a happy birthday. Signing the letter with her name. 'Aria Walker, née Smith.'

When he finished the letter, a small photograph fell down, it was of his aunt, uncle and cousin, and another one from his parents, most likely before he was born.

'P. S. Professor McGonagall told us about you being sorted in Slytherin, I'm sorry if it's out of bounds but my husband and I thought it would fit to have a themed box to give everything to you. Hope you found it amusing.'

After he finished reading, Allen put everything back in the box and closed it, then put it back again in his backpack. He stared intently at nothing, thinking about what he just read when his thoughts were broken by William.

"You, um, you didn't told us that…" His face looked a bit pale.

Armand interrupted before William could continue talking. "You didn't told us that today is your birthday. Is what William is trying to say."

"R- Right, yeah, why didn't you tell us?"

"Oh. Well… I didn't want to put pressure on you guys to give me a gift, so I was gonna mention it on Christmas or something, since I didn't think I would get any gifts." Allen looked back at his backpack.

They stayed silent for a moment before Armand spoke. "I see, well then, why don't we all share our birthdays? Even with Sophia and Elsie, so something like this doesn't happen again."

"I agree!" William shouted. "My birthday is on 15 May!"

"Mine's on 23 August."

Armand and William looked at Allen. Must I? You already know is today."

Both nodded.

Allen chuckled. "My birthday is on 20 September."

"Alright then, now the only ones who are missing are the girls." William pumped up his fist in the air.

"Right, the girls, don't think you'll leave unscathed out of this one, I believe Sophia might get mad at you for not telling her, no, us." Armand corrected himself.

Allen raised an eyebrow wondering what he meant but shrugged his shoulders. "Let's go to class, I think we've spent too much time on this." He took out his pocket watch to look at the time. "Seven minutes before class, if we run we might make it."

His friends let out a sigh and ran out of the Great Hall towards their class.

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Just as Armand said, when class finished Sophia went on him, face red from anger since he didn't told them about his birthday, he covered his ears to try and lessen the sound of her voice but it almost felt like she used the same magic he did back in the common room. Allen assumed this is what it felt like to be shouted by a Howler.

And While Elsie was also mad, she didn't show it by screaming, but in her face, she looked more serious than ever, staring daggers at him while Sophia continued to scold him.

"Argh! I get it! I get it! Please stop!" Allen couldn't take it anymore and shouted as well, not before covering them in a bubble so no one would listen to their conversation.

"Mmph, I hope you learned your lesson Mr Lionheart" Allen cringed when Sophia called him by his last name.

"Next time, tell us something as important as that." Added Elsie.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I'll do it next time."

Armand coughed trying to garner their attention. "I believe Allen learned his lesson, so why not, instead of scolding him more, we celebrate him? I asked Dobby to bake us a cake, so we can eat it outside if you want.

He put in a lot of effort since he really likes the both of you."

"Oh, it would be nice."

"Hell yeah, is it chocolate?!" William asked.

"It's strawberry, vanilla and chocolate, since I didn't know what was Allen's favourite, and had to do it on schedule. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, that sounds amazing!"

"Yeah, I agree. Should we get going? Mimmy!" Sophia shouted again, but this time at nothing, until a loud pop reverberated.

"Ms Sophy called for Mimmy?" A small elf, with big eyes and a bit of hair on top of its head appeared in front of them.

"Yes Mimmy, can you bring us a picnic blanket and pumpkin juice? It's okay if you ask the house elves from the kitchen."

"Ah, sorry to interrupt you Sophia, but I don't… actually like pumpkin juice." Allen said the last bit while muttering a bit.

"Wha? O- Oh… Th- Then, what do you like?" Her face reddened.

"Orange juice would be nice."

Sophia just nodded while clearing her throat a bit. "You heard the birthday boy Mimmy, please bring us a picnic blanket and orange juice."

"Will do Miss." With a pop, the elf banished again.

"Shall we go then?" The rest of the group just nodded while they went outside of the castle.

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After their little picnic, in which Dobby and Mimmy met each other, they both discussed what is like to serve their family, of course without saying any secrets about it. Then, all of his friends promised him to get him something for Christmas and his birthday on Christmas.

And since he didn't want to only be on the receiving end, they all exchanged their birthdays again, Allen learned that Sophia's fall on the start of Yule, 21 December, while Elsie's fall on 31 January. He would have to write all of them down somewhere he always checks otherwise he would just forget. Since his past life he would always forget birthdays until his social media reminded him of his friend's birthdays.

The rest of the day was normal though Professor McGonagall did ask him to stay behind again to discuss something, and he imagined what it would be about.

"I'm sorry Mr Lionheart, if I intruded too much in your personal life, I hope your relatives didn't say anything out of line in that letter of theirs?"

Allen shook his head. "No Professor, actually, my… aunt? I don't know how to call her. Wants me to go live with them now since their daughter is close to enter Hogwarts." He scratched the back of his neck.

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows in surprise for a few seconds. "And do you want to?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know, but I guess I can take my time, they took their time as well, so why can't I?"

The professor just nodded her head, approving the approach Allen was giving to the situation. "You can go now, I don't want you to be late for your next class."

"Thank you Professor, see you tomorrow." Allen waved at her as he exited the classroom, running towards his next class.

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Detention was a bit weirder than usual, Professor Snape usually ignored him except when he greeted him, besides that, they didn't spoke a word between each other until Allen finished cleaning all the cauldrons.

Yet, while he was halfway through the cauldrons the professor spoke. "I've heard it's your birthday today Mr Lionheart, I hope you are not up to no good just because of that."

"No Professor; I won't do anything-" Wait, what did he say? Up to no good? I… I… solemnly swear I'm up to no good? That's it! Allen snapped his neck towards Professor Snape, he wanted to thank him but didn't it want it to look too obvious.

When he looked towards him, Professor Snape was already in front of him. "Finish the last five cauldrons and you can leave early for today, consider it my gift, but don't tell anyone about it." He turned back, hi cape floating behind him.

Allen was struck by the sudden act of kindness by his Head of House that he blinked a few times before continuing scrubbing.

Before he left, Allen opened the cabinet with the 'Advanced Potion-Making' Book and swiftly took it while he put back the supplies, he hid it between his robes and quickly thanked the professor for letting him leave early to which he just received a wave of his hand, telling him to leave.

Allen ran as fast as possible with the book in his chest and the password for the Map in his mind. This day couldn't have been better. Happy Birthday to me. He smiled as he ran towards the common room.