Wow, reading some of the answers from last time's questions. We all sort of celebrate 4th of July the same way!
Well duh! It's a summer holiday! It's not like you can really do something completely different!
Shut up
I don't own Harry Potter!
It was now down to the last few days of his mundane life at the Dursleys, at least for most of the year. Harry was stretched out on his bed, watching the first rays of the down creep around his room. He enjoyed the calm silence that hung around the Dursley house at this time in the morning. Uncle Vernon had taken the week off (most likely to protect his wife and son against any "freakishness" that might have gone on in his absence) and Aunt Petunia and Dudley had decided to sleep in.
"Let's see, I said goodbye to Inspector Homes, the rest of the force, the guys at The Keep…who am I…oh right." said Harry ticking off the people he had left to say his temporary farewells. The final people…two people he should have at least put as the first and second person he told he wasn't going to be around for a few months.
Officer McFinn and The Queen.
Despite not going to the Garden Party with the McFinn's or Dr. Clark anymore, he was still invited by royal command (So Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon couldn't not let him go.) to attend the party. Even when the Garden Party wasn't going on, he'd still go and visit with her from time to time, but if he was going to boarding school, and didn't show up for weeks on end without telling her why…he had a bad feeling the Dursleys would be arrested.
Not that that bothered him, but he didn't really want her to get worked up into a frenzy, it wasn't worth it.
"Whoops." said Harry. He sprang from his bed and rushed downstairs, he scrawled a quick note to the Dursleys…he paused…Life at the Dursleys finally improved this far. He was ignored and avoided yes, but…he had some freedom…freedoms he thought he'd never have.
He hastily wrote the rest of his note on the piece of paper by the phone and hurried out of the house. He hurried down to the bus station as fast as he could, if the bus was there, he'd go and see the Queen first. If it wasn't running on time, then he'd go and spend some long overdue time with Officer McFinn and take the later bus.
He arrived at the bus station just in time to catch the bus to London. He handed over the money and vaulted over the turnstile to the bus and jumped on just in time before the doors closed.
"Just about missed the bus, dearie." said a kindly old woman knitting in the first seat behind the driver. Her husband sitting beside her with the yarn stretched across both hands had fallen asleep in that position.
"Keeps things interesting, ma'am." said Harry with a polite smile.
Harry walked to the back of the bus and sat down and enjoyed the ride in silent comfort. Soon, he'd be off to a school that…well, was full of things that he never dreamed could be real. He was finally getting away from the Dursleys, and it took nothing less than magic to make it all happen.
God, since when did I write for Disney? said Harry, scoffing at his own thoughts.
Ever since he had first ridden on the bus to London, he would attract strange looks from the other passengers and they'd inquire about his guardians. He could only smile warmly at these people; it was nice of them to be concerned for him. He wished he could get some of that attention and kindness from his own family.
It wasn't more than an hour till he arrived at the Charing Cross Station and disembarked the bus. He headed towards the phone booths and pulled a small piece of paper out of his thin wallet. He typed a few numbers, without putting money in the phone's coin slot and held the phone to his ear.
Thank you honored guest for using the royal phone line. The free public service for all royal guest. For English press one.
BEEP
If you need a chauffer, press one. For a personal car, press two.
BEEP.
If you would like a particular driver, say the name of the driver, otherwise press four.
"Andrew Velth" said Harry clearly. He could hear the other side of the phone line ringing. Finally someone picked up.
"Andrew Velth, here, what can I do for you?" said a voice from the other end of the phone.
"Hey, Andy…it's me." said Harry with a smile.
"Hey kiddo! Let me guess, instead of waiting at your place you came to London again?" said the man's voice on the other end.
"Right on the nose." said Harry with a smile. "Best make you guys sort of happy, especially Sebastian."
"Yeah, he can be one cantankerous son of a donkey can't he? Charing Cross?" laughed the man on the phone.
"Yup. I'll be here." said Harry.
It wasn't even a few minutes later when a shiny black limousine with little red, white and blue flags came pulling up to the curb. Several people stopped and watched it intently, hoping to see some British Royal climb in or out of it. Without waiting for the car to even be turned off, Harry hurried over to the passenger side door and climbed in.
"Long time no see kid." said Andrew with a bright smile. "How's everything on your end?"
"It's getting better with each passing day." said Harry beaming.
Andrew looked at him quickly. "The lot you stay with finally waking up and being parents?"
"I'm going to a boarding school, I won't be around for them to order about." said Harry.
Andrew nearly slammed his foot on the limo's breaks and had some poor old man with a load of papers nearly crashed into their bumper. "How the heck did they agree to that? From what I hear, they're not willing to let go of you."
"They're not, but my parents signed me up for this school before they died, and this school is…pretty persuasive." said Harry with a fond smile.
"I can see why you wanted to visit her majesty. She'll want to know why you aren't going to be there for her next Garden party." said Andrew.
"Hope she forgives me." said Harry.
"Like she's ever told you 'no'." scoffed Andrew.
Before he could get into see the Queen, he'd have to go through the crucial inspection by the Queen's head butler: Sebastian. It was never ordered by the Queen herself, but Sebastian always took it upon himself to make sure that Harry was properly attired to see the Queen. Unfortunately, he had…antique tastes. And, on top of that, he didn't trust Harry to put the clothes on himself.
"Honestly, do you find the worst outfits you can to come and visit the Queen in?" sighed Sebastian.
Harry's nice comfortable shirt and jeans would then be ripped off him by the fashion crazed butler, shipped down to the laundry to be cleaned and fitted and then he'd be forced into a pair of shorts, knee high socks and a frilly shirt with a red bow tie.
Every time he'd look in a mirror, he had to turn his head to make sure the butler didn't attach a fake ponytail on his head.
I can't tell if he's trying to make me look like a boy from the Victorian era or a girl…thought Harry with a rueful smile.
"There, now you look presentable. One moment, wear this." said Sebastian holding out a small top hat, he placed it carefully on the boy's head, but then ripped it off. "Never mind, not even a hat can hide that mess." Sebastian then escorted him to the Queen's sitting room and left them both to make them a fresh pot of tea.
"As always, mind your manners." muttered Sebastian as he left the room.
The Queen looked up from her small leather bound book and tried to stifle a smile. "I see once again, your clothes didn't meet Sebastian's tastes."
"I swear, he likes looking at my knees." said Harry with a smirk. "How are you today, your majesty?"
"I'm fine my dear, a little birdie tells me that you're leaving for boarding school soon." said the Queen with a gentle smile.
"I need to keep my mouth shut when I'm with Andy, he's got the biggest mouth…" said Harry rolling his eyes.
"On the contrary, while you're in the changing room with Sebastian, I get a lot of inside information from the staff." said the Queen with a smile. "He only told one person, the rest of the staff have big mouths."
Harry laughed and shook his head.
"So…what school is this?" asked the Queen with a smile.
"Uh…uh…" said Harry confusedly, he didn't' know how to put this. "I'm not sure…I can tell you."
"A secret school?" said the Queen putting her book down slowly.
"Well, it's, it's complicated." said Harry.
"Is this school just not another way of saying you're running away?" said The Queen softly.
"No ma'am, I swear I'm going to school, I just…I don't want to say where I'm going. I don't want the teachers to freak out if you show up all of a sudden." said Harry quickly.
Harry didn't quite want to tell the Queen where he was going, last thing he wanted to hear was her screaming "Witch!" and then tie him to a stake and set him on fire. Though from the books he had read, there was a simple spell he could use to chill the flames. He hoped he'd never have to use that spell. Well…least not forced to…
He didn't notice the look of understanding on the Queen's face. Must be Hogwarts then, or he would have told me.
"I promise, I'll be back next summer." said Harry with a smile. "I'll be able to come to your summer garden party at least.
"I would hope so." said the Queen with a smile. "Ah Sebastian, thank you."
The Butler came back into the sitting room and placed a porcelain tea set down on the table and set beside it a small plate of biscuits. He bowed, turned and left the room without saying a word.
"I think out of all my staff, he will miss you the most." said the Queen fondly.
"Sebastian? Seriously?" said Harry almost choking on his tea.
"He is rather fond of you." said the Queen with a smile. "The clothes he makes you wear are not hand me downs. He orders them especially for you. He can't stand the clothes the Dursleys give you, so he gives you what he deems you look best in."
"Should I be concerned about the style he puts me in?" said Harry with a smile.
"I think you look adorable, quite the dapper little gentleman." said the Queen with a warm smile. "And if worst is true, he knows he'd never be heard from again." she added with a calm sip of her tea.
They spent a good two hours talking about current events, and the latest endeavors of Shadow.
"I have advisors that don't quite see eye to eye with that clever person. I however find him an exciting person to hear about." said the Queen with a smile.
Harry smiled.
"I've tried to speak to the Inspector that has contact with that person, but he tells me to not even bother meeting this Shadow, he likes to keep to himself." said the Queen nibbling an oatmeal cookie.
Harry stifled his own laughter with a biscuit of his own.
"So, what do you have to do to finish getting ready for school dear?" asked the Queen sweetly.
"I…I just have to say goodbye to Officer McFinn…" said Harry putting his teacup down slowly. "I'm doing that today."
The Queen gave him a sympathetic smile, reached down and rang a tiny golden bell.
A moment later, Sebastian appeared back in the sitting room.
"You rang, my lady?" he asked softly.
"Yes, send word to my gardener to have him cut several of the best blue roses, and a few of the nicest tiger lilies. Then get a hold of Andrew, Harry is going to visit Officer McFinn's resting place today." said the Queen.
Sebastian bowed low and walked out of the room.
"There you are dear, now you'll have something to offer him, and I'll be able to pay my respects as well." she said warmly.
Harry placed the best of the Queen's roses and lilies down the grave marker where Officer McFinn's body rested. Andrew waited silently, leaning against his now somber looking black limo.
Harry knelt in front of the stone, saying nothing. He did not know what to say. How could he tell someone, someone he loved but could no longer answer him, tell him that he was leaving?
He looked around the gravestone and saw a few weeds daring to mar it's visage. Harry took a hold of all the weeds around it and pulled them up and out roots and all. When he was done, he let his hand slowly caress the stone.
"I'm sorry, I should be here more often than I have...I just..." he sighed. "I'm going to be gone for a bit, Inspector Homes is going to look after you for me while I'm gone. I'm going to where my parents wanted me to go to school at, so...that's okay...right?" Harry said as he eyes looked up quickly.
"I promise I'll make you proud, and be the best wizard ever." said Harry uttering the vow quietly as to not disturb anyone else who was also coming to speak with their departed loved ones. That and he didn't want people looking at him funny with the whole wizard statement. He didn't just want one departed one to hear his vow, but three.
Andrew watched as the boy sat in the grass in front of one particular stone. He couldn't really believe how well Harry turned out, especially for what he had for a family. It was no secret around the palace that he came from a far less than loving home and that he had been admitted to the hospital several times. There wasn't anyone, from the kitchen maids up that didn't want to have the pleasure of throwing that family in jail personally.
Sebastian however had a more...sadistic approach though no one ever heard what he would do to them personally, but you could see it in his eyes. Andrew smiled as he thought of the stern butler. Sebastian would never admit to anyone if he was fond of someone, he was the picture of decorum and stoicism. But the maids had noticed, purely on accident, that when Sebastian would go and select clothes for Harry, he had a tender smile on his face. It nearly caused the maids to faint, for he never had that sort of look to him before.
Andrew blinked in the warm sunshine as he watched Harry speak quietly to the tombstone, touching the marble stone and smiling softly.
Poor kid, thought Andrew wiping his eyes on his sleeve. He's been through enough; hopefully this school can give him a better, safer life, and some happiness.
Thanks for Reading! It's very much appreciated!
QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER! Who do you prefer? Superman, or Batman.
I was a Superman fan till I watched a few of the newest Justice League and Batman the Animated Series...I'm now a Batman fan! I love how he fights and his gadgets and his attitude!
What about you? What makes you a fan of either one?