Author's Note: I understand now that the title of chapter one doesn't make any sense since this chapter begins two days later, which isn't the end of summer, but the end of July. The lack of a better title, I am going to leave it alone and continue to use lame titles. Also, I didn't do any research to see what day July 31, 1991 landed on. I made it a Friday in this story for artistic reasons. If you make mistakes, then make sure they are at least consistent, I say! eNJOY!
Teachers, Parents, and Wizards.
Chapter Two: Weekend at Godric's
Ron arrived with his father at Godric's Hollow by mid afternoon on Thursday. He ventured to the tree house and had to stare at the willow tree for a while before he could see it. Climbing the spiral stairs was a bit of a challenge as the wind moved, making them harder to see. If they weren't evenly spaced, he may not have found them, but he coped.
Harry was back in the tree house. He had dozed off after reading the same paragraph in his History of Magic text. When Ron stuck his ginger head inside, Harry lay on his stomach and his head faced away from Ron. He had taken his shirt off and was using it as a makeshift pillow.
A wicked grin spread over the taller boy's face as he watched his friend sleep. Ron took an object carefully out his pocket, reached back, and with one last look at the sleeping boy, threw it.
He laughed insanely as the water balloon fell right over Harry's back.
With a gasp, Harry jumped to his knees in surprise. His glasses had slipped off in the motion and through blurred vision, he managed to see a speck of red at the doorway.
Cursing his friend's name, for who else could it have been, he got up, grabbed a few water balloons to his chest, and slid down the branch on both feet. He followed the sound of laughter and fixed his gaze on Ron's hair as he chased after his blurry friend, his own water grenade at the ready in retaliation.
Ron and he had been best mates since they were three years old. Both their parents are involved in an organization to stop He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named headed by Headmaster Dumbledore. The Order of the Phoenix, it was called, though Harry and Ron didn't know exactly what went on in those meetings. They were usually ushered off to play with the other children while the meetings took place, it was there that they both became fast friends, and have been inseparable ever since.
"Ron!" Harry roared as he chucked a water grenade in the direction of the red head.
Ron turned around just asthe balloon landed two feet behind him. He barely blinked as he threw a red balloon. Harry barely dodged it.
"Ruby!" He called. There was a POP and the house elf appeared at her master's heel.
"Master Harry called?" She squeaked.
"Get my glasses and the rest of my balloons." Harry ordered as he ducked just as another balloon sailed over their heads. "They're in the tree house."
"Yes, sir." With an exiting POP! she was gone.
Harry threw another water balloon and hid behind his mother's rose bushes. He knew it was a mistake as soon as Ron threw his next balloon. It popped as it hit a thorn, drenching Harry easily.
Ron had taken refuge in the tool shed twelve yards away. Harry was able to throw three more balloons, each getting closer to their target when he heard the familiar POP! at his heel.
"Here's Master's eye-glasses and balloons." Ruby stated proudly holding up Harry's black frames and a handful of blue balloons.
Harry took them and with a rushed "Thanks," he pulled Ruby out of the way of a red balloon. With his improved eyesight, he took an empty balloon to his lips blew fast breathes into it and watched as it filled with water. Soon he held a perfect blue water bomb and peered over the bushes.
Ron was no longer attacking and Harry thought it would be the best time to move to a better position. He only had one more balloon left. He had to make it count.
Stepping out from behind the rose bushes, Harry aimed his balloon and for the briefest moment he saw Ron by the back door still blowing into his balloon, and threw it. But it never made contact. It hovered in the air. Instinctively, Harry looked over to the back door.
Lily Potter stood at the doorway. Her arm outstretched in the direction Harry had thrown his balloon, her wand held causally in her hand. A blue and red water balloon held in the mid-air.
"Hello boys," Lily said cooly. "I see you've found a way to entertain yourselves."
"Hey, mum." Harry said in a practiced voice. Ron came out of his hiding place behind the tool shed.
"Where's your shirt?"
"Left it in the tree house." He said walking toward the house
Harry shook his head at her as he approached her. Lily cried out in laughter as droplets of water landed on her.
"Harry, stop it." She shielded her face with her arms, the hovering charm on the balloons broke and crashed into each other.
"Arghhh!" Ron yelled, as the balloons exploded over his head. He was just as soaked as Harry now.
"Come on, I'll dry you off, then go inside and change." She said, pointing her wand to herself. Her wet clothes instantly dried and were fresh looking. The boys walked up to her laughing merrily as she placed a drying spell on both of them.
Harry's hair was thick and the spell wasn't able dry it completely as he walked into the kitchen Pearl handed him a towel to dry off.
"Balloons that fill with water when you blow into them, huh?" Lily said, examining a small Harry gave her. "Where did you get this?" She asked.
"From Sirius no doubt." James said from behind his wife. He read the label
"I think so too, it's just the sort of thing he'd do." Lily agreed mildly."It's also the sort of thing you'd do dear."
"You know you're right." James said smiling mischievously. "But Harry didn't get this from me."
"I gave them to him." Ron said pulling out his bag. "It was an early birthday gift from my brother, Fred and George."
"After you change, I want you two to go back outside and pick up the mess with the water balloons, okay?"
"Yes mum."
"Oh, and you'll do the dishes after dinner tonight." She added handling the bag back to her son.
The boys trotted upstairs to change and went back outside to start clearing up the shreds of balloon that littered the yard. Harry climbed the stairs to the tree house and retrieved his History book and shirt.
"Dinner time." Pearl's voice squeaked over the laughter and everyone headed into the dinning room.
Dinner was a quiet affair. The boys talked Quidditch and about which Hogwarts House they wanted to be sorted in. They both came from families who were Gryffindors they had grown up believing that they, too, would be sorted into Gryffindor House.
"As long as it's not Slytherin," Harry added. "I don't think I could stand living with Malfoy for ten seconds. Let along ten months."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Ron nodded. "He's such a pain in the..."
"Ron," Lily said looking at him meaningfully.
"Sorry Mrs. Potter." He apologized, his ears turning red in embarrassment.
"When do you think we'll receive our Hogwarts letters Dad?" Harry asked suddenly. Ron gave him a grateful look for changing the subject.
"Hmm, most likely on Monday, Tuesday at the latest. That should give us plenty time to go get you fitted for your school robes, supplies and stuff." James replied, giving his wife a wink.
Harry wanted to ask what "and stuff" meant but refrained when his mother spoke.
"James, I thought we decided that we would get his robes tomorrow."
"Not for his birthday, Lils. We can still go, but I want Harry to have fun, not stand for hours while Madam Maklin measures him. It'll give him sore arms." James added lamely.
"He won't stand for hours."
"You know what I meant. He can get his robes later in the week."
"I guess, but you will get some of his school things?" Being school teachers they already know what texts and supplies students needed at the beginning of term.
"Yeah, I need to replenish a few supplies." James looked at the two boys. "So how about it, do you wanna to go Diagon Alley tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Harry and Ron said excitedly in unison.
Lily smiled warmly. "It's settled then. I'll go get the peach cobbler." She stood and headed into the kitchen.
Both boys broke out into wide grins at the sound of dessert. "Don't forget you two are doing dishes afterwards." Harry' s mother called, which was followed immedaitely by groans from the dinner table.
Cleaning up didn't take long under the supervision of Pearl. she made sure the boys didn't act up too much and before long they were heading up stairs and off to bed. They played a few rounds of chess, Ron won all of the before they got into bed. Harry fell asleep quicklyhis dreams fullof the stores heknewhe would be visiting at Diagon Alley the next day.