Thank you sevenphoenixtears for being my beta reader, I am so thankful for all that you do.
Harry was okay; a little bored—but otherwise okay. He was sitting on a swing, wondering what he had wondered the whole summer holidays: why had his friends not written back to him? He had sent a letter to Ron and Hermione on the first day back. He tried to be patient and not worry; he tried to keep busy until the letters arrived.
Harry did have to admit that things at the Dursleys were much better than they had ever been. Now that he was a wizard-in-training, the Dursleys ignored him and didn't give him many chores; Harry suspected that this nicer treatment would end soon. He was sure things were going to change for him...
"No, damn it, get away!"
Sooner than Harry thought; he looked around, got to his feet, and tried to see what was going on.
"You bastard! I'll get you for that!" The voice was a girl's, with an accent.
"I don't see how! Stupid girl, stupid..."
Harry ran to where he thought the fight was coming from. He stopped to find a boy (big like Dudley) on the ground, and a girl (small like him) above, getting something from the boy's hand.
"Stupid girl," the fat boy said. He was kicked by the girl; a hard one to the ribs.
"Don't ever bother me again," said the girl, an accent that sounded American to Harry. He found it strange, but nice.
The girl was in a defensive, ready-to-fight pose, her feet firmly on the ground, and her back low, like a pouncing cat. She held something to herself fiercely. Harry couldn't see the colour of her eyes, but he would have to be blind to miss her auburn, un-brushed hair. Her hair was not red (like any member of the Weasley family), or frizzy (like Hermione's), but she reminded him of them, and his heart hurt some.
"Hey, you're not look'n for trouble are ya?"
For a second, Harry couldn't imagine who she was talking to, but felt very foolish when he realized it was him.
"Ah no, I just wanted to know what was wrong. You don't need my help."
The girl smiled, "Ya darn right I don't. Well, actually, I might. Please help me lift this thing up," the girl was pointing to something big, and metal with a vacant look.
"The big… jerk and his friends took my stuff," the girl held a book in her hands, "and hid it here."
She and Harry took opposite sides of the metal and lifted it with all their collective might. Sure enough, another book, gum, a huge, blue purse, and lip gloss, was under the metal lump. "Oh good, it's all here. Here, have some gum. I'm Elly, Ellieana Ross."
"Thanks. I'm Harry Potter."
"Wow, cool—I mean—I thought so, but I didn't want to assume."
Harry, to say the least, was stunned.
"So you're a...a wiz—I mean—a witch?"
"Yup, I never knew Harry Potter would be so nice. So, you live around here? I live there," Elly pointed to a double-story, red house across the lot where they stood. "Very convenient to play at the park."
"I live nearby, on Privet Drive. Do they bother you much?"
"This is the second day, but I'm sure they'll leave me alone," Elly smiled and seemed to glow with confidence, it showed in her hazel eyes.
"What are your books?"
"They're called "Unwind", and "Uglies", my two new faves. I love books—fiction that is. You can borrow them if you like; but keep them nice."
Elly didn't want to be rude for staring, but the lightning-bolt scar was very cool.
Harry looked at the covers with interest, and was now reading the back cover of "Unwind" for a description; he didn't seem to feel her eyes on him.
Elly was popping gum bubbles, keeping her eyes locked across the street, "I might'ta been wrong—definitely wrong—they're coming back."
Harry looked to see the boy Elly had kicked (when he was down, but was now back up), and another, older, bigger boy, coming their way.
"Okay, time to go—we can make it to my house," Elly took the books back and put her purse over her shoulder, "let's go Harry."
Elly started running, but Harry, who was much faster, was in the lead. Harry went for the red house Elly had pointed out; he tried the door and was relieved that it was open. He held the door for Elly, and slammed it shut the second she came through.
Elly locked the push-lock and the dead-bolt on the front door.
"Lock everything," Elly told him.
"You really think we need to?" Harry asked, wondering how vicious and determined these bullies were.
"Just to be sure; I take no chances," Elly informed him.
Harry made no more arguments; he locked doors and windows as he saw them. Elly was in the kitchen locking the door that led outside.
"Are your parents home?" Harry asked. With everything locked, he had nothing to do but to think, and one thought was that they had just locked her parents out of the house.
"No, no parents. I live here with an aunt, an uncle, and a grandmother. They should be back late. If we stay down here we can hear them pull into the driveway."
Harry now knew what it was like to feel sorry for an orphan; he did not care for it at all.
"Are they magical?" he seriously doubted it, since they lived in a pretentious, very Muggle neighbourhood.
Elly scoffed, but smiled at him, "No, I wish, but no. My parents were, but they were horrible. I am a ward to my relatives," Elly paused and got more gum. "I thought my grandmother was magical; things would often happen when she was around, but it turned out it was me." She smiled at this, as if she should have come to the conclusion that she was the witch.
"Oh, please, Harry, sit down. Anywhere you like; I'll get us snacks. Do you want something to drink? "Elly was in full host mode, eager to wait on her guest.
"Just water, thank you."
"Okay, be right back."
Harry sat down on a small (but very plush), grey armchair, and waited for Elly to come back. From his vantage point, he looked at the whole room, and decided it would not impress any of the Dursleys at all. While the room was tidy and clean, the mismatched furniture and second-hand quality would be distasteful to the Dursleys. Harry thought what the Dursleys would hate most of all was the art. Every wall had a minimum of five, framed paintings of abstract art. Art (and any other form of creativity and expression) was frowned upon by the Dursleys—and worse—the abstract art, that showed no real meaning or function. The paintings would be worthless, and considered a waste to his relatives. What Harry did not like was the color scheme; everything was grey, black, off-white, or white. It was a cheerless living room, even though it was decorated with art.
Elly came back with crisps and fruit on a tray in one hand, and held by two fingers in the other, two empty glasses.
"I'll be right back."
She came back with a pitcher of water and poured them each a glass.
"Chips; sorry, no dip; and fruit, help yourself," Elly did with a handful of grapes and strawberries.
Harry took blueberries with a "thanks."
"Mmhmm. So, Harry, who do you live with?"
"My Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Cousin Dudley. I don't like them very much and they don't like me," Harry was surprised, he found it remarkably easy to tell her things.
"Ah that's too bad; I guess I had always imagined the boy-who-lived living with a nice Grandma."
Harry scoffed, but smiled, "No, I wish."
Elly and Harry chuckled, "but hey, nothing can be done. I'm sorry, I would really like it if you'd stay for dinner, but my relatives would say no."
"It's alright, the Dursleys would say no too; but we can be friends," Harry offered.
"Then friends we are!" Elly hugged Harry painfully tight, but only for a few seconds. "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to hurt you."
"It's fine. Maybe our muggles will get used to us seeing each other around," Harry had a new hope that excited him. "You're muggle-raised like me; you would not be suspicious to them. I've never had a friend over to the house before."
Elly nodded her head with sage-like wisdom, "You go to Hogwarts, and before that, never had a friend. Now you have a friend who is near. You play normal muggle and I'll play normal muggle, our families will never know. Mine don't like me either, but they will be happy to get me out of the house."
After a moment of silent companionship, the phone rang.
"Hello, Ross residence," Elly said. Her face clouded with darkness, her scowl deepened more and more by the second. "Fine, alright, okay, it will be ready. Alright, see you soon, bye." She turned to Harry, "Well, my family is coming home early so you have to go now. I'm sorry, but we can hang out tomorrow. "
"Okay, it's not your fault. Uhm, do you want to meet at the park?"
"Yes, I'm there all day after eight so come by anytime." Elly hugged Harry who hugged back, and she walked him to the door and unlocked it.
They embraced again, "Oh, do you want the books?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Yes, I want to borrow them."
Elly got her enormous purse, pulled out the two books and gave them to him.
"Thanks, I'll take good care of them."
"I know you will, goodbye and see you tomorrow."
"Goodbye."
Harry left with the books, and as he made his way back, he began to worry. He did not leave the house with the books, they weren't from the library, and the Dursleys had never bought Harry a book in his life. Harry decided the best thing to do was to hide them outside until he could bring them in while no one was looking.
However, Harry did not have to put this plan into action, he noticed the car was gone and deduced that the Dursleys were out. Harry went upstairs and went to his room, to get a start on one of the books Elly gave him. But first, Harry gave a quick search for some kind of note left for him; he found no note, which was fine.
Harry went up the stairs, two at a time. He was very excited to be home alone and not be baby sat by Ms Figg, it almost never happened.
"Hello, Hedwig, made a new friend today, her name is Ellieana, Elly, and she gave me these books."
Hedwig flapped her wings softly and bobbed her head, she seemed pleased for him. Harry thought as he looked at Hedwig trapped in her cage; maybe now would be a good time to try and free her. Harry really wanted to read his new books, but thought he might not be alone in the house again for a long time. Deciding to be selfless, he went to look for the key to her cage. Harry went to his aunt and uncle's room, and began searching. Harry had never been in this room and never wanted to come back. It was clean and barren as if stuff would be offensive. Harry had no idea where to start, and if he found the key, did he dare take it? Does Uncle Vernon check the hiding place every day? Maybe, but maybe not. Harry went to the sock drawer on impulse and found that there were in fact many keys there. Harry picked one up and felt it was the right one. Harry felt things were going to be alright, he felt that this was going to end in his favour. Harry put the key into his pocket, shut the drawer, and left the room, closing the door behind him. Back in his room, Harry shut the door and went to Hedwig.
"Hedwig, I got the key to your cage," he told her. She flapped her wings against the bars of her cage, and squawked and screeched. "I can't let you out yet, Hed, I stole this key, I'll be in trouble."
Hedwig did not look like she cared much, but did quiet down. "I'm sorry, I promise to free you every night, but it's daytime, Hedwig, you don't want to be outside." Harry put his fingers between the bars and stroked Hedwig's feathers. She closed her eyes in pleasure and seemed to be in a much better mood. "I promise to let you go as soon as the Dursleys are in bed."
Hedwig knotted her head and began to groom herself, she seem to be pleased.
Harry threw himself on his bed, got the books from under his pillow, and read Uglies. He read for what felt like a wonderful eternity before he heard the car pull into the driveway.
He heard three car doors shut, and wondered if he could just go back to reading, and not be bothered.
Elly unlocked some of the doors so it would not look strange, and got things from the fridge for dinner. Vegetables: onions, broccoli, spinach… She couldn't help but wonder what was for dinner. Elly chopped the ingredients and tomorrows dinner out, chicken to defrost in a bowl of warm water. With the tasks completed, Elly went back to the living room to finish her snack. She missed Harry already, but was forced to wait until tomorrow. Elly wonder if she should tell her relatives that she made a new friend as soon as they came in or at dinner time. A thought occurred they would want to know how. She could lie and say they met at the park, and not even mention that her things were stolen and recovered, or that Harry was in the house while they were away. No, no need to mention anything else.
They played at the park and that was it.