A rush of sounds like a rock on glass came to the boy's ears. Harry awoke to see a silver owl with fierce eyes banging on his window, clearly annoyed to have waited so long.
"Shh," he said while opening the window. The bars had never been replaced as Uncle Vernon had never been bored enough to get off his fat lazy ass and fix it last year. It was carrying a letter tightly tied to its foot from Professor Dumbledore. It read:
Harry,
Lord Voldemort has freed the Dementors from Azkaban. Word has it they plan to attack the school on October 31st. We request that you teach the Patronus spell to the students in fifth year and above so Professor Lupin, who has once again joined us, can teach you and your classmates Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts. Please reply to this letter immediately.
Yours Truly,
Professor Dumbledore
"Oh crap!" the boy exclaimed. "Hermione is never going to forgive me if I don't, and she'll be jealous if I do. So, basically, damned if I do, damned if I don't." Taking out his silver ink, a quill, and parchment, he wrote in reply:
Professor Dumbledore,
I accept your request to teach Patronus at the school. Please inform me with more details after September 1st's Sorting ceremony.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
He rolled up the yellowish parchment and tied it to the odd owl's leg. Just as he was dressing, Aunt Petunia called him to make breakfast for the family. Dudley had previously rammed her into a wall last week, breaking an arm and leg and disabling her. Harry was the only person who could cook, which was stupid because Dudley ate the most. But, since the Dursley was actually treating him nicely, he did it without complaint. (Harry suspected Dumbledore had owled them). They even were letting him do his homework as well as stay with Ron for the last two weeks.
So, Harry plodded downstairs and started cutting up the cantaloupe, melon, and other fruits needed for his fruit salad. Dudley didn't mind eating it because he always had exactly a litre of it with extra sugar. Dudley always complained about healthy food, but he didn't anymore.
After he finished making his less than troublesome breakfast, he walked outside in jeans and a red T-shirt to Mick's, the convenient store he worked at. It was a good few blocks away, but her needed the exercise. He had also made a friend there; his name was Erik and he had black hair that was always spiked and silver eyes. It reminded Harry of both himself and Draco Malfoy.
"Harry, you're early today. How was it that you even got up early enough to walk here and still be on time. It's only 7:00! Don't rush, man" the other boy said.
"Believe it or not, I had a bird pecking at my window," mumbled Harry as he turned on the slush machines. "Stupid thing wouldn't stop till I fucking banged on the window."
"Hey, make sure you don't say that around customers!" yelled Erik from the storage room as he was getting the refill candy. "I value my job!"
"You don't just value your job, you need it," retorted Harry. Harry actually didn't need the money, but he decided the work was good for him, as well as a good opportunity to get away from Privet Drive, even if it was a Muggle job. Customers came and went as always. A customer that Harry knew came in at around quarter past three. He recognized her straight away.
"Hermione? Imagine seeing you in Surrey! Don't you live in London?" Harry asked, happy to see a familiar face. "Listen, I have to tell you something. I couldn't tell you by you know what because Hedwig was asleep and she hates being woken up. Excuse us, Erik," he said, dragging Hermione into the storage room.
"What is so important? You have a job to do!" an irritated Hermione said pointedly.
"I'm the Patronus teacher at school! The school is being attacked on October 31st, and I have to teach all students fifth year and above the Patronus spell," Harry explained.
"You? But you have Quidditch, and homework, and…"
"And I have the world record for the best Patronus," Harry finished, smirking. He could tell Hermione was jealous.
"Well, I suppose." Hermione left the storage room and marched straight out the door, not buying anything.
"Didn't go well with Hermione, did it?" asked Erik. "Why?"
"Uh…I got a job she wanted at school. Coordinating, sport initialization, that sort of thing."
"Oh. Okay. I she a bit of a nerd?"
"Uh…bit," Harry said, looking at the clock. "Well, it's 3:30, time to go. See you, Erik!"
Harry walked out the door onto the bust Surrey street. He did not expect to see a little girl with a pale face, blonde hair, and blue eyes standing directly in front of him.
"Hello. I am Circe. Harry, mother and father told me to always look for a wizard if I got lost. Father doesn't much like Muggles," the young girl stated.
"You, you're Circe Malfoy?"
"Yes. You know my brother. He is such a jerk."
"Agreed there. I was right when I said Malfoys weren't all that bad."
"I was with Draco when I got lost. Could you help me find him?"
"Well, okay, but only because you're nice," Harry told Circe while closing his eyes. Since there were few wizards in Surrey, with a closed yet open mind and concentration it was easy to find Draco. "He's on 5th Street and 108th Avenue. East is descending, opposite is west for avenues and north is descending, opposite is south for streets. I suppose I'll see you at Hogwarts' this year or next?"
"This year. But, do you think you could walk with me? I'm afraid of there Muggles."
"Okay. As long as I don't have to talk to Malf-your brother. Follow me," he said, turning around. He followed a few winding streets and a few traffic intersections until he found the shop Draco was in.
He actually looked good in Muggle clothes. Draco was wearing a green silk shirt and black pants. 'Totally Draco', Harry thought. He was asking the clerk if he had seen his sister, although the disgust of talking to a Muggle was apparent of his face.
"Draco! I'm right here! Harry brought me!" Circe exclaimed as if it was the simplest thing. Draco wheeled around on his hell. A look of mixed relief and disappointment crossed his face when he saw the two of them.
"I'm okay, Draco. I followed father's orders and looked for a wizard. I saw him coming out of a store."
Harry wouldn't have been surprised if Draco had insulted him, but instead surprised him by saying:
"Thank you, Potter. Shows you're not a jerk like the Weasel. Well then, I'll see you at school." He walked out of the store with Circe and gave Harry a wink, or what Harry interpreted it as, anyway.
'He did not just wink at me,' Harry thought, shocked.
'I did not just wink at him,' Draco reassured himself.
"Shh," he said while opening the window. The bars had never been replaced as Uncle Vernon had never been bored enough to get off his fat lazy ass and fix it last year. It was carrying a letter tightly tied to its foot from Professor Dumbledore. It read:
Harry,
Lord Voldemort has freed the Dementors from Azkaban. Word has it they plan to attack the school on October 31st. We request that you teach the Patronus spell to the students in fifth year and above so Professor Lupin, who has once again joined us, can teach you and your classmates Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts. Please reply to this letter immediately.
Yours Truly,
Professor Dumbledore
"Oh crap!" the boy exclaimed. "Hermione is never going to forgive me if I don't, and she'll be jealous if I do. So, basically, damned if I do, damned if I don't." Taking out his silver ink, a quill, and parchment, he wrote in reply:
Professor Dumbledore,
I accept your request to teach Patronus at the school. Please inform me with more details after September 1st's Sorting ceremony.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
He rolled up the yellowish parchment and tied it to the odd owl's leg. Just as he was dressing, Aunt Petunia called him to make breakfast for the family. Dudley had previously rammed her into a wall last week, breaking an arm and leg and disabling her. Harry was the only person who could cook, which was stupid because Dudley ate the most. But, since the Dursley was actually treating him nicely, he did it without complaint. (Harry suspected Dumbledore had owled them). They even were letting him do his homework as well as stay with Ron for the last two weeks.
So, Harry plodded downstairs and started cutting up the cantaloupe, melon, and other fruits needed for his fruit salad. Dudley didn't mind eating it because he always had exactly a litre of it with extra sugar. Dudley always complained about healthy food, but he didn't anymore.
After he finished making his less than troublesome breakfast, he walked outside in jeans and a red T-shirt to Mick's, the convenient store he worked at. It was a good few blocks away, but her needed the exercise. He had also made a friend there; his name was Erik and he had black hair that was always spiked and silver eyes. It reminded Harry of both himself and Draco Malfoy.
"Harry, you're early today. How was it that you even got up early enough to walk here and still be on time. It's only 7:00! Don't rush, man" the other boy said.
"Believe it or not, I had a bird pecking at my window," mumbled Harry as he turned on the slush machines. "Stupid thing wouldn't stop till I fucking banged on the window."
"Hey, make sure you don't say that around customers!" yelled Erik from the storage room as he was getting the refill candy. "I value my job!"
"You don't just value your job, you need it," retorted Harry. Harry actually didn't need the money, but he decided the work was good for him, as well as a good opportunity to get away from Privet Drive, even if it was a Muggle job. Customers came and went as always. A customer that Harry knew came in at around quarter past three. He recognized her straight away.
"Hermione? Imagine seeing you in Surrey! Don't you live in London?" Harry asked, happy to see a familiar face. "Listen, I have to tell you something. I couldn't tell you by you know what because Hedwig was asleep and she hates being woken up. Excuse us, Erik," he said, dragging Hermione into the storage room.
"What is so important? You have a job to do!" an irritated Hermione said pointedly.
"I'm the Patronus teacher at school! The school is being attacked on October 31st, and I have to teach all students fifth year and above the Patronus spell," Harry explained.
"You? But you have Quidditch, and homework, and…"
"And I have the world record for the best Patronus," Harry finished, smirking. He could tell Hermione was jealous.
"Well, I suppose." Hermione left the storage room and marched straight out the door, not buying anything.
"Didn't go well with Hermione, did it?" asked Erik. "Why?"
"Uh…I got a job she wanted at school. Coordinating, sport initialization, that sort of thing."
"Oh. Okay. I she a bit of a nerd?"
"Uh…bit," Harry said, looking at the clock. "Well, it's 3:30, time to go. See you, Erik!"
Harry walked out the door onto the bust Surrey street. He did not expect to see a little girl with a pale face, blonde hair, and blue eyes standing directly in front of him.
"Hello. I am Circe. Harry, mother and father told me to always look for a wizard if I got lost. Father doesn't much like Muggles," the young girl stated.
"You, you're Circe Malfoy?"
"Yes. You know my brother. He is such a jerk."
"Agreed there. I was right when I said Malfoys weren't all that bad."
"I was with Draco when I got lost. Could you help me find him?"
"Well, okay, but only because you're nice," Harry told Circe while closing his eyes. Since there were few wizards in Surrey, with a closed yet open mind and concentration it was easy to find Draco. "He's on 5th Street and 108th Avenue. East is descending, opposite is west for avenues and north is descending, opposite is south for streets. I suppose I'll see you at Hogwarts' this year or next?"
"This year. But, do you think you could walk with me? I'm afraid of there Muggles."
"Okay. As long as I don't have to talk to Malf-your brother. Follow me," he said, turning around. He followed a few winding streets and a few traffic intersections until he found the shop Draco was in.
He actually looked good in Muggle clothes. Draco was wearing a green silk shirt and black pants. 'Totally Draco', Harry thought. He was asking the clerk if he had seen his sister, although the disgust of talking to a Muggle was apparent of his face.
"Draco! I'm right here! Harry brought me!" Circe exclaimed as if it was the simplest thing. Draco wheeled around on his hell. A look of mixed relief and disappointment crossed his face when he saw the two of them.
"I'm okay, Draco. I followed father's orders and looked for a wizard. I saw him coming out of a store."
Harry wouldn't have been surprised if Draco had insulted him, but instead surprised him by saying:
"Thank you, Potter. Shows you're not a jerk like the Weasel. Well then, I'll see you at school." He walked out of the store with Circe and gave Harry a wink, or what Harry interpreted it as, anyway.
'He did not just wink at me,' Harry thought, shocked.
'I did not just wink at him,' Draco reassured himself.