The first night at the inn, was marvelous. They decided to watch one of the movies available in the lobby, which turned out to be My Girl. They all gathered in one room and marveled over how alike Macauley Culkin and Harry were, laughing hysterically when Harry blushed. Then Sookie brought up a platter of pies and slices for them all to pig out on. Then when they were all tuckered out, the boys retreated to their room and Rory, Hermione and Ginny climbed into the large bed and chatted until they fell asleep.
At that moment, Harry was having another frightful nightmare and his scar was hurting more than ever. Flashes of the whooping Willow and an old shack filled his subconscious and he was screaming as he saw himself chasing Ron's rat down a hole, all the while, transforming. A big black dog, like the one at the bus stop, back home, was following close behind, his sharp teeth, nipping at his heels. At least he thought it was a dog. The next time he looked he saw a wolf. Then he felt himself being shaken, violently and he thought he was back at number four Rivet drive, being shaken to death by his uncle, while Voldemort's laughter filled the air.
"Harry!" Ron shouted, trying to wake him. "Harry, wake up!" Harry fought his way through the waves of the unconscious until he was finally awake, his chest heaving, as a trembling hand wiped the blood from his brow. Ron was no stranger to moments like that one, that night. It had become a part of being Harry's friend and dorm-mate.
"Ron, where's Scabbers." Scabbers was Ron's rat.
"He's in his cage, Harry, like he always is at night, why?"
Harry stared over at the cage and sure enough, the rat was happily chewing his food, his ready eyes, glittering in the moonlight. Harry sighed with relief. "No reason, Ron. I was having a bad dream," he explained for his own benefit. He hoped that was all it was and not the ones he usually had before something bad happened. Even though they happened frequently, it didn't frighten Harry any less.
"Mate, you never told me, what happened at the Dursleys."
"Its nothing, really, but I just have had enough." Harry said, hoping Ron would quit, there. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his uncle's fat obnoxious sister.
Ron, however, pressed on. "Harry in all the time you've lived there, you wait until now to leave? why now, Harry?"
"I couldn't take it anymore, Ron. Uncle Vernon's horrid sister came to stay and she ran off at the mouth about my parents, so I blew her up. Naturally I was in so much trouble for it. Uncle Vernon was livid, but I was beyond caring. So I just left."
"You blew your aunt up?" Ron's eyes were wide with amazement. Harry nodded.
"She floated away like a balloon, carrying my uncle with her. I have to admit it was really quite funny."
"Are you kidding? That would have been hilarious!" Ron was chuckling at the pictures he had of the scene in his mind.
Harry yawned. "Goodnight, Ron."
"Goodnight, Mate," Ron replied, rolling over and going to sleep.
The next morning the boys stumbled out of bed and met the girls downstairs in the dining room, where Sookie was already serving an array of dishes, some of which Harry had never seen before, even at Hogwarts. The girls were chattering about what they wanted to do that day and the boys stared, dumbly at the three of them, wondering how they found the energy, so early in the morning.
"Do they ever tire of it?" Ron asked.
"They're girls, Mate. What do you think?"
They both sighed and began piling pancakes on their plates and drowning them in maple syrup. "So, Rory, What are we doing today?" Ron asked.
"Well I thought I'd give you the guided tour of Stars' Hollow, complete with the library and the bookstore and then back to Luke's for lunch."
"Isn't there anything else to do?" Ron asked.
"Well there's Mrs Kim's Antique shop." Rory suggested.
"That's your friend Lane's Mom isn't it?" Hermione asked, her excitement building.
"Yeah, but she doesn't know we're witches, or wizards for that matter," Rory added looking directly from Harry to Ron. "If she did, she would probably never let me near Lane again. Lane knows though."
The thought of seeing an antique store was only marginally more fun than the bookstore and Ron was beginning to wonder if there was anything fun around Stars' Hollow to do. Neverthe less he tagged along with Harry and the girls as they went into the library first, which was only small and then the bookstore, which was even smaller. Then Rory led the group to Mrs. Kim's. The short, plump woman watched the group like a hawk, scowling and muttering to herself. "YOU BREAK, YOU BUY!" she screamed, when Harry picked up a strange bottle necked vase. Feeling her death stare, he replaced the vase on the bronze table and crossed his arms as he followed his friends through the cramped store. His arm snagged a wooden dragon and he paused, waiting to see if it would fall. It looked as if it was going to, so he dug his wand out and used it to steady the sculpture, hoping Mrs. Kim hadn't noticed him using magic. The he tapped Rory on the shoulder. "I'm going to wait outside."
"Me, too," Ron chimed in, pulling a face. "That woman is scarey." The two, high tailed it out of the shop and waited on the front lawn.
Lane watched them from her room and knew instantly that Rory was also there. She waved at the boys, but they didn't see her. She bounded down the stairs and out the front door. "Hey Guys." She huffed.
"Hi, Lane. " Harry gave her a meek wave.
"You're mum is freaky," Ron whispered.
"Oh, that's just the way Mrs. Kim is."
"How do you stand it?"Ron asked.
"Oh, I have my ways," Lane answered, flippantly.
They chatted briefly until Mrs. Kim appeared on the porch. "Lane Kim! No boys!" she barked at the girl.
"Sorry Momma." Lane flew past Rory, Hermione and Ginny as they were exiting the house, with barely a hello to Rory.
"Bye, Mrs. Kim!" Rory sang out.
"Thank you for the locket, Mrs. Kim," Hermione chimed in.
Ginny simply waved. She looked slightly glum and had been all day.
"Gin, are you okay?" Rory asked.
"I'm fine," Ginny mumbled and charge on, a few steps ahead.
Rory didn't know what it was, but she was going to get to the bottom of it, later on, when they had a moment alone, although she did wonder if it was another Harry-related moment.
