Uncle Vernon had determined the neighbors weren't people they wanted to socialize with, so the heavy restrictions on Harry had been lifted.
Harry hurried to the park the next day and didn't see Lea. Suddenly, hands slipped over his eyes and a voice whispered in his ear, "Guess who?" He chuckled and pretended to think, pretended to not know who was behind him.
"Hmmm… Dudley? Aunt Petunia?"
The voice laughed and Harry took the opportunity to swing around and grab Lea by the waist, swinging her around. When he finally set her down, she smiled at him with laughter in her eyes and a mischievous look grew in his eyes. "Tag! You're it!" He cried, tapping her on the nose and sprinting away.
Lea dashed after him and managed to smack his head. "Now you're it!" She yelled, turning on her heel and dancing out of his reach.
Eventually they both collapsed on the ground, breathless from the combination of running and laughter. "We're a pair of fools." Lea announced with a grin.
"Nah. We've just got a touch of the madness," Harry corrected, reaching over and taking her hand with a smile. Lea's breath caught in her throat and he immediately squeezed harder. "I'm not seeing anyone, are you?" He boldly asked, surprised as she was that the unsaid question actually left his lips.
"No. I'm surprised you're not, though, handsome devil that you are," She said with a grin, easing the slight tension that had arose with Harry's sudden question. Lea rolled over and rested her head on Harry's chest while he roared with laughter and placed a hand on her head, playing with her hair.
"Oh yeah, girls are just clamoring after me," He joked, still chuckling.
The next week that passed was one where Harry almost never thought of the magical world he had been missing desperately merely weeks before. Finally, Hedwig flew back with Sirius's reply.
"Harry, I'm happy for you. It's about time you got yourself a girlfriend! Ha. But don't screw it up. James nearly did that with Lily, and you seem more like your father every day. And if she hurts you, maybe I'll give that girl a visit. In all seriousness, though, I don't care how much you like her, don't tell her about our world. You know better, but still. Just a warning. Now, you better write back and give me the gossip! Buckbeak says hi, and so do I. And that wasn't on purpose, I swear. Sirius."
Harry was mostly grinning but had a slight blush on his face as he folded up the letter and buckled down on his History of Magic homework. He was asleep less than 10 minutes later.
He awoke around 10am and realized he was 14 years old. It was his birthday. "Boy!" Uncle Vernon bellowed up the stairs, and Harry walked out, yawning. "We're going out. If I find a single thing out of place when we return…"
"Yes, yes, you'll lock me up. Bye. Have a good time." Harry said listlessly and disappeared back into his room. As soon as he shut the door, he noticed 4 owls sitting on the bed, bearing 4 magnificent cakes. They were from Sirius, Ron, Hermione and Hagrid. Harry scribbled off some thank you replies to all four of them and sent the owls back off (except for the very colorful bird in Sirius's case).
As he was eating a slice from Sirius's cake, the front door bell rang. Harry cautiously took a peek out of the window and saw Lea standing there. He bolted down the stairs and wrenched the door open. "Happy birthday!" Lea squealed, throwing her arms around his neck. She eased back and, before she lost her nerve, pressed her lips to his.
Harry was shocked, as this was his first, and their, first kiss. Lea drew back and looked at him anxiously. "Wow. What a birthday present." Lea tossed her head back and laughed.
"Nah, I got you a real present." She handed it to him, a colorfully wrapped box, and skipped inside. Harry nipped upstairs and grabbed Sirius's cake.
"Nice cake. From one of your friends?" Lea asked, and Harry shook his head.
"It's from my dad's best friend, also known as my godfather."
He was relieved when she didn't ask his godfather's name. Harry unwrapped Lea's present and found a book of piano music and a little pouch. "I wasn't sure what to get, so I thought I'd give you piano lessons," Lea said with a touch of anxiousness in her voice. Harry nodded with a grin and squeezed her hand before opening the little pouch. "You don't have to wear it, but it's mine and I just had it engraved on the back," Lea said hurriedly as a dog chain and tag slid out of the pouch.
Harry shook his head and deftly slipped it over his head. On the front was a music note and on the back were the words 'Harry James Potter'. He leaned over and kissed Lea thank you. She blushed and promptly sang him 'Happy Birthday'.
The pair of them ate their way through the cake and then lounged around in the living room. Harry was avoiding taking Lea up to his room, where magic was evident everywhere, literally. Parchment with essays written on them, spell books, ink and his trunk. "So, do you want to start your lessons now?" Lea said, while Harry had his head in her lap and she messed with his hair.
"Ah, in a few minutes," Harry said quietly, his eyes closed. She smiled and asked,
"When're your folks coming back?"
"Dunno. They never even said where they were going," Harry replied and then rose to his feet, pulling Lea with him. Together they walked to Lea's house and she proceeded to give him 'the grand tour'. She finally showed him the piano, and he sat down next to her on the bench. "Play something," He requested, and she nodded before raising her hands and depressing the keys. A gorgeous song resonated from the instrument for a good minute before Lea finished the song. Harry started clapping with an awed smile, and more clapping came from the door.
Both Harry and Lea turned around to see a woman standing there, remarkably similar to Lea. "Thanks Mum," Lea said with an embarrassed smile. She stood up and said "Mum, this is Harry, Harry Potter. Harry, this is my mum, Emily Montana."
Harry reached over to shake her hand and was shocked to see Mrs. Montana's eyes perform the familiar flick upward to his forehead and his scar. She obviously recognized the lightning bolt as her eyes widened fractionally. Quickly she tried to cover her recognition, babbling, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter. I'll leave you two alone now," She quickly backed into the hall and shut the door.
Lea gave the door a quizzical look and then looked over at Harry. He put his finger to his lips and pressed his ear against the door. Quick, light steps could be heard, heading away from the piano room and towards the back of the house. Harry yanked the door opened and followed the footsteps, and Lea shadowed him. The back bedroom door slammed, and immediately Harry and Lea pressed their ears to the wood.
"He's a hero, Dann!" Emily's voice yelled, and a man's voice, Dann Montana, shot back,
"I don't care! I don't want any hint of…that…near my daughter!"
"Our daughter, Dann, and have you forgotten what I am?"
"How can I?" Dann snarled, and Emily said heatedly,
"She would be one too if you hadn't beaten it out of her when she was young! Her name was down for-"
"Don't say it!" Dann hissed. "If you hadn't been pregnant when I found out what you are, I would have left you."
"We would have been better off." Emily snapped, and Dann slammed his fists into the wall.
"I can't divorce you, no matter how much I want to. Catholic standards…"
"Yes, yes, I realize. You're as terrified of your parents as you are of my powers. Though that doesn't stop you from drinking and hitting me and Lea."
Dann ignored this and growled, "I'm still her father. And I won't let her date a freak!"
"Is that all you can come up with? That's not very original." Emily said sarcastically.
"I'm banning that Potter boy from this house."
"No! I'm proud to have 'that Potter boy' in my house."
"You…"
"Just try and stop me, Dann."
Silence fell, and heavy footsteps clumped towards the door. Lea grabbed the back of Harry's shirt and yanked him into the adjoining room as Dann stormed out the front door. Cautiously Harry peeked out, and tried to rear back, but Emily spotted him.
"Please go home, Harry. I need to talk to Lea." Emily requested wearily. Harry shot a worried look at Lea but heeded the request and walked out. He slowly walked back to the Dursley's, trying to imagine what the rest of his summer would be without her.
Harry was sitting on his bed as the Dursley's came home. Their loud voices carried upstairs, but Harry didn't move. He honestly didn't want to see them in any way, shape or form.
