Chapter One: The Summer of Community Harmony

'Mum! We don't have to do this stupid program!' I whined

'But dear, it will help your father and I learn more about this wizarding world of yours,' replied my mother.

'I can tell you everything you want to know! You don't have to live with a wizard family for the whole summer to learn more,' I argued 'I've got heaps of books in my room if you want to borrow them and we could go to Diagon Alley if you want,'

'Nonsense,' said Mum 'The 'Summer of Community Harmony' is a wonderful idea- it was very lovely indeed for your Professor Dumbledore to offer us the opportunity,' she said matter-of-factly

I personally thought it was very stupid indeed for my Professor Dumbledore to let the Prefects name the project but I digress...

'But Dad would-' I protested

'Your father thinks it is a wonderful idea, don't you Greg?' she asked narrowing her eyes at the man behind the newspaper

'Oh yes dear, smashing idea,' he said absentmindedly

'Well of course you do,' Mum said fondly 'but really Elizabeth, Mr Dumbledore told me when he came for a cup of tea the other day-'

'He came for tea?' I asked incredulously

'Yes, I made him those lemon fingers that you like so much. As I was saying he told your father and I that the idea was popular with non-wizarding parents like us, he said that it was important that we should become more involved and this is a wonderful way to get started,' she said

'But- Oh, let me clear this up- You, Dad and I are going to live with an all-wizard family for the summer so you can learn more about my world as you call it?'

'Yes,' Mum said simply 'We would have considered it a lot sooner seeing as you're already sixteen but this is the first year they're doing it since... since- oh what was it again Greg?' she asked

'1868, dear,' he said not looking up from his paper

'Yes, that's it. Oh and there is going to be a ball!' she said excitedly

'A ball?' I asked, arching an eyebrow

'Oh yes with all the families participating in the program- it will be such fun!'

'I'm sure. Do you know who we're staying with?' I asked, crossing all her fingers and toes that they were not Slytherin.

'We're not sure yet but I asked that we be paired with another child in your age group and your house- Gryffindor' she said proudly. (I suspect that she was proud of being able to pronounce it rather than all the qualities you must possess to earn a place) 'So then you'll have someone to play with!'

I don't think 'playing' will be very likely.

The first week of the summer holidays flew by; this meant that the dreaded 'Community Harmony Summer' was upon us. Look, I admit that I should be trying harder to look forward to it; and I also know that I'm playing the 'moody teenager' part very well and that I should try to support my parents and appreciate their efforts.

But at the moment all I can hope is that I'm not paired with someone like Mulciber or Snape- even though their parents probably wouldn't sign up but it would be just my luck. I suppose that it would be quite nice spending time with one of the Gryffindor girls but most of them are muggle-born anyway. I guess I'll be happy with a first or second year that's relatively quiet.

As we loaded the car I asked Mum and Dad 'Have you found out who we'll be staying with yet?'

'No,' said Dad, heaving his suitcase into our old car 'It'll be a surprise,'

I made a face.

'I should be worrying the most, pet.' he said 'what if it's a boy? I'm sweating here!'

I rolled her eyes but smiled at him as I got in.

'You know where to go?' Mum asked

''Course!' exclaimed Dad 'Are we all ready for an adventure?'

My mother clapped and I said 'I think adventure is a very appropriate word,'

It took us two hours to reach our destination and my parent's excitement was contagious- I was in a very good mood. This only improved when I stepped out of the car to face a beautiful, white, double-storey house with a wonderful garden. I was beginning to wonder why I'd thought that this was a bad idea.

'How lovely!' exclaimed Mum and Dad beamed. When we reached the front door Dad picked up the brass doorknocker in the shape of a lion and knocked three times. I found myself feeling slightly nervous.

I heard footsteps on the other side of the door, shut my eyes tightly and held my breath.

'Nottingham!' roared a boy's voice in front of me 'We're going to have such fun!'

I opened an eye and saw the grinning face of James Potter, fellow Gryffindor and soon-to-be seventh year. I didn't know whether to smile or to drown myself in the nearby pond.

'Potter,' I said, grinning 'This is my mum and dad,'

'Lovely to meet you both, I'm James Potter.'

'Nice to meet you too, James,' said Mum sweetly

'James Potter, eh?' asked Dad 'The one besotted with that redhead, yes?'

'Yep! That's me!' said James 'So you don't have to worry about me pulling the moves on your daughter- I don't find her attractive in the slightest!'

I stared at him quizzically. Mum bit her lip to stop herself laughing.

'Oh!' exclaimed James, who had obviously just realized how he has just indirectly insulted me, and he blushed 'I mean... er- I think she's very pretty and everything but, you know, my heart is reserved for Lily,'

'I see,' said Dad slowly

'That was a superb save Potter,' I remarked 'How could I have survived the summer thinking that you thought I was unattractive?!' I asked sarcastically

James grinned.

'Have we been standing here all this time?' he asked gesturing around the front terrace 'Please, come inside or Mum'll go mental,'

We followed James Potter inside and down a long corridor with a wooden floor and walls laden with moving photographs in frames.

'Dad's still at work,' James was saying 'And Mum's in the Floo talking to Aunty Jan- she's in America at the moment but she's leaving to go to Austria tomorrow and the Floo Network doesn't work there- I mean, it's possible but the paperwork to get it set up is terrible!'

'The Floo?' asked Mum 'What's that?'

'I've told you about it before Mum,' I said 'It's when you put the powder in the fireplace and-'

'Oh yes,' Mum said

'James!' shrieked a voice from the kitchen 'Are they here already? How come you didn't tell me?' and a woman who could only be James Potter's mother entered the room

'Hello! My name is Jane Potter- I'm sorry, I look a mess!' she said brushing the soot from he shoulders 'I've been in the fireplace talking to my sister,'

'You're son was just telling us- he's quite charming,' said Mum

'I've told him to be on his best behaviour,'

'I'm Greg Nottingham; this is my wife Rosy and my daughter Elizabeth,'

'An absolute pleasure,' smiled Mrs Potter 'you're in James's year?' she asked me

'Yes, in Gryffindor too,' I replied

'Oh yes, I do remember James and the boys telling me about you.'

We smiled at each other.

'Now: Accio luggage!' Mrs Potter recited and the our suitcases floated down the corridor, she made a rather sharp movement with her wand and the bags went zooming up the stairs 'There.' she said 'Hopefully they'll be where they need to be!' she said cheerily

'Do you want me to show Nottingham to her room?' James asked

'I would love for you to show Elizabeth to her room,' said Mrs Potter pointedly, narrowing her eyes

'Floo Dad and tell him to knock off work early,' said James 'It's only polite,' he added

'You know, I think I will. Would you like me to show you how to use the Floo Network?' she asked

'That would be brilliant!' said Dad excitedly and Mum nodded eagerly.

'Come on Notting- er- Elizabeth,' he said grinning and the James and I made our way up the staircase.

'Have a good summer so far?' James asked enthusiastically

'It's been okay, we're only a week into it though,'

'Well, we're going to have heaps of fun!' he said 'Wait!' he stopped suddenly and I nearly fell over his feet 'Are you of age yet?' he asked

'No, I turn seventeen in three weeks,' she said hesitantly, regaining my balance

'Oh well that's not too bad, that's only three weeks of 'under-age' stuff to do and then a party!'

'I'm not having a party,' I told him

'Rubbish! You're living under my roof and we're giving you a party. You can invite Evans.' he said trying to sound nonchalant but failing

'James, really, I couldn't let you do that for me,'

'Don't be stupid, you're turning seventeen,' he said as he flung open a door to what must be her bedroom.

'Bleeding hell!' shouted a voice that I had not expected to hear from inside the room 'Merlin, James, you almost gave me heart failure! Oh! Are the 'Community Harmony' people here already? Who's the victim?' he asked

'Hello Black. You're looking well.' I noted

'It's Nottingham! I hope you realise that by 'victim' I mean 'extremely privileged individual' although I was hoping for the Potters to get paired with an impressionable first year,'

'You are wicked,' I said shaking my head

'Yes but the ladies love me that way,'

'You think very highly of yourself'

'Oh, come on, admit it Nottingham. How many girls in your dormitory stay up all night talking about me?' he asked roguishly

'So many that I don't think it would be good for your ego to know about it.'

That night, in bed, I had the strangest feeling that this was the day when my summer would go from quite average to freakishly bizarre.

That was yesterday- the next few months could only get stranger.