Harry sighed he stood and Lily and Severus outfitted him for the upcoming hike. Edward and his family were here for some reason and so were other people. Those in town were gossiping again . Harry was finally not hiding his face and everyone could finally see that he had Lily's green eyes.
"God, his eyes are amazing!' Edward's thoughts hit him and he hid his smirk. "So green. How the hell did he and his mother get eyes that green? "
"I can hear you, Edward." Edward stiffened. His family looked at him. Alice smirked. "Thank you for the compliment. As to your question I have no idea."
"Yes of course sorry. " Edward replied, "I'm coming over to talk to you."
Sure enough Edward walked over.
"Hello again, Harry." Edward said, smiling at him. "Going hiking this weekend?"
"It's a ..." he glanced at Severus. " "Family." outing." Severus flinched again but Lily put a calming hand on his arm. Her eyes begging him. "It will be the first time I have done such a thing to be honest..."
"Seriously?" Severus suddenly asked, in shocked, then recovered, "Of course, " He scoffed, "Potter would never take his children out like that..."
"My sisters would indeed have fits ." Harry replied, " I can just hear Ana "My dress! My dress! You want me to touch that fish before it's cooked, you want me to eat that fish without proper side dishes!? I have to sleep in the dirt?!" oh she would be having a cow."
Several people were laughing Edward included. He quickly introduced him to Esme.
"Edward wasn't kidding you are a cutie. " Esme said, Harry looked down at the floor hiding his blush.
"Esme!" Edward hissed. "Don't say that!"
His cheeks were tented as well.
"I heard about your little campaign in Literature Class and completely agree with you." Esme told Harry as if Edward hadn't spoken. She saw Severus and Lily looking confused. She quickly explained the situation to them. " I think we should take Harry's concern to the school board. "
"I completely agree." Lily said brightly. She liked this woman. She'd never actually met the Cullens and Hales before. She was holding a shirt up to Harry. "Go try this on, honey."
"No." Harry said, Severus cocked his eye at the teen. "It's not black. "
Severus sighed and fetched the same shirt in black. Harry nodded and went to try it on. When he came out of the changing room he had to model for Lily, Esme, Alice and Rosalie. He swore later that day that they had him try on everything in the store. He finally escaped so he could smoke outside after giving his mother his credit card and practically begging her to use it so that James had to pay for everything. Severus had smirked at him for that. Harry had managed a weak smile.
"I should really get you to talk to my father." Edward said , joining him in leaning against Severus' car. "Smoking isn't good for you."
"I know that." Harry scoffed, he looked at the cigarette in his fingers. "Shit."
"Oh." Lily blinked, "Harry, dear I didn't know you smoked."
"Bad habit I picked up from Uncle Sirius." Harry replied, and heard Severus scoff only to be elbowed in the ribs by his mother. "I was trying not to get caught at it honestly. I open my window when I smoke at home and have an ash tray that Ashley made for me so that the smell doesn't get on anything. "
"That's very considerate of you, Harry." Severus said, as kindly as he could. "Thank you."
"No problem." Harry shrugged, not looking at the man.
"I keep telling him that he needs to talk to Carlisle but he says he knows the dangers." Edward said, smoothly.
Lily giggled at that. They said their goodbyes and went back to the house and un packed they then packed bags for their camping trip. Harry wasn't looking forward to this at all. He sat in his room playing a game on his T.V. that had online features. For being surrounded by forest they got great internet access and cell service. He had a headset on and would occasionally say something to other people playing the game. He played until someone knocked on his door.
"AFK." He said, pulling his headset off they'd just beat a boss. "Come in. "
Lily entered.
"You need to get to sleep, Harry. We're leaving early Severus already has the car loaded. "
"Alright, " Harry said with a nod. "Night."
"Night, dear."
She left and he pulled his headset back on.
"I'm quitting for tonight, " he told everyone. "Logging off."
He saved and shut everything down before crawling into bed and trying to sleep.
Harry soon found that he didn't much care for hiking. They'd been hiking higher into the mountains since five o clock in the morning. He could tell he was slowing them down but they didn't complain.
"Do you ..." Severus looked back at Harry. Lily curse her had said she needed to go to the bathroom and had left the alone. "uh...do this often? You and Mum? Do you do this outdoor thing often?"
"Whenever it is sunny and clear we come out here. " Severus replied, he cleared his throat. "Normally, I wouldn't suggest this but since you're so far ahead how about we bring you with us ? To bond... What I mean is I put a lot into education ..."
"I understand. " Harry said, he was itching for a smoke but he'd seen the look in Severus and Lily's eyes when they'd found out he smoked so he'd left them at home. " That would be...what I mean...yeah, okay, sure..." Harry shrugged and leaned against the tree more leaning his head back against it. "Man , would I like a smoke..."
"We are outside." Severus told him cocking his eyebrow. "I'm rather surprised you haven't had one until now. "
"I purposely left them at home." Harry said, absently, "Along with my cell phone and my laptop, my tablet, and any other electronics. "
Severus smirked at him.
"I'm glad you are taking this bonding seriously. "
"I'm only trying."
Severus started so Harry had heard his and Lily's talk and was trying as well. Again he smiled at the boy. He handed Harry a bottle of water and they stood in silence until Lily came back huffing but declaring that she'd found a perfect camping spot in a meadow a little farther up. Severus gave her an irritated look and judging by the huff Harry made he was thinking the same thing she'd left them alone to force them to bond. They began walking again.