Disclaimer: this work borrows from the world of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books; some plot elements, characters, and concepts are hers.

Chapter 4: White Tea

Jacob and Harry walked quietly down Privet Drive to number 7, which was where Jacob lived.

Number 7 looked very much the same as number 4 from the outside, except it somehow looked a little bit friendlier. It was well kept up, but whoever did the yard work did not have the Dursley's near-manic obsession with perfection.

The grass was a little bit longer, and there were a couple of small weeds in the flowerbed.

The hedge was well trimmed, but not perfectly so. On the whole the yard was well cared for, but looked more natural than the Dursley's did.

Jacob led Harry inside, Here the difference between the Anasazi's and the Dursley's was clear.

Jacob's home was decorated prettily, but had an easy, lived in feel to it, whereas the Dursley's had a stiff feel to it, making you wonder if it was ok to sit on the couch.

"Jake, is that you?" A woman's voice called from the den around the corner.

"Yeah mum, I brought a friend, like I asked you about yesterday"

Jacob called, leading Harry in to meet his mother.

Karen Anasazi was a short, thin woman with blue eyes and black hair, reminding Harry of his late godfather, Sirius.

"Harry, this is my Mum, Mum, this is Harry Potter" Harry smiled "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Anasazi.

Karen returned the smile "Likewise Harry, Jake and I have been looking forward to meeting you."

Harry raised an eyebrow quizzically "May I ask why?" he said, looking between the two.

Jake cracked a lopsided grin "I figure anyone who the Dursley's hate as badly as they hate you has to be a pretty cool person." he said with a shrug.

Harry looked shocked for a moment, and then shrugged "Good point" he said with a chuckle

Karen sighed "Jake, you shouldn't talk about people like that" she chided gently, fighting a grin.

"Sorry mum- well sorta anyway" Jake muttered the last part to himself, making Harry chuckle again.

Karen scowled, but the effect was ruined by her lips twitching as she struggled not to laugh herself.

"Just be careful who hears you talking like that. By the way, have you cleaned your room yet?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Harry and I have some work to do on the greenhouse" Jake said hurriedly, heading for the back door.

Karen rolled her eyes "You'd best have it done before bed!" she called after him.

"That's outrageous mum!" Jake called over his shoulder "The greenhouse will take at least a week. There is no way I can get it all done today!"

Karen gave an exasperated sigh as Harry followed Jake out the back door.

Rather than a garden in the back yard, the Anasazi's had a greenhouse.

The shell of the greenhouse was already completed, as were a few of the beds. There were several potted herbs that looked mature, among which Harry recognized Golden rod, Ginseng, Mint, Houndstooth, and Belladonna, as well as a few others, and a few potted vegetables, all of which were on a low table at the back of the greenhouse, the shelves for potted plants, and the beds were still in process of being constructed.

"I hope you don't mind helping for a while Harry" Jacob said a little sheepishly "Sorry, I should have asked you before, but I didn't really have time to talk to you, and I figured you would be happy to get away from the Dursley's"

Harry shrugged "I like working in the greenhouses at school, though I'm not particularly good at it, and you're right, I'm happy with just about anything that gets me out of there." He said honestly

Jacob grinned "well then, I'm sure I can come up with excuses for why I need help consistently for the rest of the summer"

Harry laughed "Let's see how this goes, and we can take it from there" he suggested

Jacob nodded "Let's get to work."

Harry and Jacob spent the next few hours building the retaining wall for a raised bed along the west wall of the greenhouse.

Jacob grinned "Let's take a break before the real work starts" Harry groaned, and the two headed inside.

Harry squinted as he walked inside, as he realized his head was throbbing with pain.

He hadn't noticed before but somehow going from the bright sunlight to the fairly dim hallway that led to the back door made him notice it, he groaned, his hand reaching to the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead where all of his headaches seemed to originate.

Jacob frowned "Are you allright?" he asked. Harry nodded "Just a headache." He mumbled.

"Throbbing, stabbing or blinding?" Harry looked at Jacob quizzically. "Throbbing"

Jacob steered Harry to a char in the kitchen, and quickly put a Kettle on the stove. "Be right back" he said, and quickly walked out of the room.

Jacob returned a few moments later with a few fresh leaves of mint, as well as golden rod, and a few small pieces of what appeared to be dried bark.

Jacob quickly cut the leaves and the bark into fairly small pieces, and put them into a tea ball that he retrieved from a drawer in the kitchen; he placed the tea ball in an empty mug, and grabbed the kettle off of the stove just as it started to whistle. He poured the hot water into the cup, followed by a squirt of honey, and set it on the table in front of Harry.

"Let that steep for five minutes, then drink it" He said firmly.

Harry nodded, he knew enough about potions to know that all of the ingredients that Jacob had used were also found in the pain potions that healers frequently used, aside from the honey anyway. What Harry did not know, is how Jacob would know that.

"I take it this is a pain reliever?" He asked cautiously. Jacob nodded. "Where did you learn to do that?" Jacob shrugged "I've always been good with herbs, both growing them and using them. I first tried it a few years ago because I was bored, and I found that I enjoyed it, and that I was fairly good at it to boot, so I studied herbology as a hobby."

Harry nodded, and took a sip of the tea, as soon as it hit his stomach he the subtle magic in the brew begin to work, and his headache steadily began receding. What surprised him was that the brew actually tasted fairly good.

The magical tea, combined with the way Jacob had handled his uncle that morning settled it in Harry's mind. Jacob clearly had some magical ability, though he appeared to be untrained.

Author's note: For those of you who missed it in chapter 2, Jacob is a natural Legilimens, though he does not realize it.