The Forgotten Potter Twin

Chapter three: The birthday party

Harry was up with the sun.

It was his fourth birthday! Although there wasn't too much to be excited about.

Every birthday was exactly the same. Wake up, Harry opens about four presents alone, Colin opens his hundreds of presents with adoring parents watching, parents play with Colin, Harry goes and stays in his room.

But this year was set to be different. Mother and Father had arranged a party with other wizarding families. With children!

Harry had no friends. In fact, he'd barely spoken to a child his age his whole life. The only child his age he had spoken to was Colin, which was never fun. But now that was going to change! And Harry couldn't be more excited!

Harry ran into the bathroom and had a ten minute shower, brushed his teeth and got dressed. He decided to forgo attempting to brush his hair, whatever the outcome, it would probably look worse.

As Harry went down the grand master staircase he saw mountains upon mountains of brightly coloured parcels tied with golden bows flooding the whole room and spilling into the drawing room. Harry knew better than to expect any of these were for him.

He found his pile of presents in a corner of the hall, wrapped in tissue paper. There were only three of them this year. Remus and Peter had given him some robes, a handsome silver colour. They were nice, but not exactly what Harry wanted. Sirius had given him some chocolate frogs and a smart silver pocket watch with his initials (HJP) decorated on the front. His parents hadn't even put half the effort they had for Colin's presents into Harry's one. On the floor was a folder with a H scribbled on the front. Harry opened it.

Inside was reject photos from The Potter Family Album. Almost all of them had Harry in them. These pictures had been taken with the family on better terms. Some were even of his parents as children, some were even photos from the wedding that hadn't made it to the album. The proper album only had one picture of Harry in it, the picture of every one in the whole house, including the house elves.

Harry felt touched. He decided to go and say thank you to his parents for thinking to give them to him.

He collected up all of his presents and went the drawing room to find them. He found them with Sirius, Remus and Peter. They were with Colin, who was gleefully opening his presents.

"Cool! A toy broomstick!" Colin cheered lifting the about 30cm toy broom into the air and began to chase it as it flew around the room. The adults laughed at his antics.

"Mother, thank you for my present, I love it!" Harry said politely to Lily.

Lily didn't even hear him.

"Mother" Harry tried again, tapping her on the arm.

"Careful, don't bruise me", Lily told him without looking at him. "I have to look my best for the party! Can't afford to let my little Colin down!"

Harry decided to say thank you to his father instead. But he was too busy with taking photos of Colin chasing his new toy to notice the little boy with tears in his emerald eyes.

Harry knew where he wasn't wanted and decided to go upstairs. As he gazed at the hundreds of presents for Colin from family, friends and fans all over the world, rushes of jealousy and sadness went through him.

He wondered if he'd be in the sixth best room tomorrow.

*

Harry decided to wear his new silver robes for the party. He began to wonder if that was why Remus and Peter got them for him.