Harry spent the next week studying his new schoolbooks, trying to get a feel for the subjects. Even as he read, his mind was running through ways to use the subjects, though not all of them were jumping out as immediately helpful. He was pretty sure that the only way Astronomy was going to be helpful would be if Riddler went on a space kick. Though if Isley ever got her hands on anything from his Herbology book, she’d be twice as terrifying, and really, she hardly need the help. But all in all, there was a lot of theory, and not as much practical instruction. Which made sense, you didn’t want overzealous kids blowing themselves up without a teacher there to watch them do it.
Still, no amount of new information could get Harry to forget about his birthday when it rolled around on Saturday. The fact that it was being held at Mount Justice was just a bonus.
Dick had already gone ahead earlier in the morning, so when Harrier and Batman walked into the kitchen/living room, everything was already set up, streamers criss-crossing the ceiling and a banner above the kitchen bar.
“Happy Birthday!”
The whole Team was there, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, even the members he doesn’t know very well, Superboy, Artemis, and Miss Martian. Batman was obviously there as well, since they came together, and Red Tornado was off to one corner. But someone was missing.
“Hey, where’s Kent?”
Considering nobody on the Team had met Kent Nelson, apart from Robin, there were a bunch of confused looks. Red Tornado stepped forward. “Kent Nelson has not arrived as of this moment. Furthermore, League records show that he has not communicated with any known member for several days.”
Harrier’s face falls. “But he said he’d be here…”
Robin threw an arm around Harrier’s shoulders, squeezing briefly. “Don’t worry about it, he’ll show up. Now come on, we’ve got cake.”
Harrier twitched. “Cake?”
M’gann nodded. “Yup! I didn’t know what kind you liked, so I made chocolate and vanilla, and then I made another one for Wally, because hello Megan, everybody else is going to want to get cake too.”
“Hey!” Wally protested. “Actually, wait, no, that was a good idea.”
M’gann laughed. “So, what do you want to do first, Harrier? Cake or presents?”
“Cake, definitely cake,” Harrier nodded.
Everybody sang, even Batman and Red Tornado (though general consensus was that Red Tornado shouldn’t sing anymore), and Harrier blew out the candles.
“What’d you wish for?” Artemis asked as Robin tried to explain the whole concept to Superboy off to the side.
Harrier smirked and shook his head. “I can’t tell you that, it won’t come true. Don’t you know that?”
“Nah, I always told people. It’s easy when you wish for cake.”
“Man, that’s a good idea. Hey, where are the plates?”
“I’ve got them right here, Harrier,” M’gann said, floating the stack over. “I can serve, if you want.”
“I don’t care who serves it, as long as they do it now,” Harrier said
“Now you’re talking my language, kid,” Wally added.
0oOo0
After gorging themselves on cake and ice cream, the party settled into comfortable conversations, with everybody drifting around talking to one another. At least, until M’gann announced, “Present time!”
Everybody crowed around the couches and coffee table, jockeying for a good spot. “Here, open mine first,” M’gann urged.
Harrier ripped open the brightly colored package, and found a framed photo, a famous picture of the Gotham City skyline and surrounding area. “I heard you were going away for school, and thought it might be nice to be able to have a piece of home when you get there.”
“Thanks, Miss Martian. This is actually pretty cool.”
“Ooh, me next!” Wally dashed forward, depositing his present in Harrier’s lap.
It was a copy of Yen Sid’s hat from the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, blue with stars and moons. “I ran all the way down to Disneyworld to get it for you.”
Harrier put it on, the hat slightly too big, making his ears squat out and push down. “Thanks, Wally. It’s great.”
“You should probably open mine before I get upstaged any more than I already have,” Artemis muttered. It was just a Happy Birthday card with a bit of cash inside, but it wasn’t like Artemis knew Harrier very well.
Harrier shrugged. “Hey, it’s not like I’m going to turn down cash.”
“’swhat I figured.”
Red Arrow wasn’t in attendance, but he had sent along a card with a coupon for “Free admittance into R-rated movie of your choice.”
Superboy tossed a small package at Harrier, who caught it easily. It was a deck of cards with the Superman symbol on the back. “It’s so if you don’t like where you go, you’ll at least have something to do.”
“We’ll have to take the Jokers out before we send you off, though,” Robin joked as he pushed his present on Harrier. He tore open the wrapping and found a pair of sunglasses. “I programmed them with a full electronic heads-up display and recording suite. That way you can look nearly as awesome as me, and still be able to track what’s going on around you.”
“You got me Knight Vision glasses? Sweet!”
“It’s called Detective Mode,” Batman corrected, but Harrier wasn’t listening, he was opening Batman’s present. It was a very expensive, very high-end watch. “So you won’t be late to class.”
“I’m never late to class!”
“You overslept and were late to training this morning.”
“It’s my birthday!”
“So?”
Harrier fumed, but allowed himself to be distracted as Aqualad passed over his present, the last one of the day. Inside was a book bound with a material Harrier had never seen, and an Atlantean to English guidebook.
“It is a book on Atlantean sorcery, one of my favorites. It was given to me from King Orin’s personal library, and I want you to have it.”
“Wow, Kaldur, this is awesome. Really, I don’t know what to say.”
“No words are needed between true friends.”
Harrier just nodded. It had been a great birthday party. There had only been one black spot.
Kent Nelson never showed up.