Harry Potter and the Emerald raindrop
AkashaWinters
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potterverse. Anyone who doesn't know that should be exiled to Mars. I only make exceptions for poor people in remote corners the world who cannot read and don't have the money to buy the over priced 1,000 page books. I'm not making any money from my poor attempt at fanfiction. Also for this page, Joan Aiken wrote A Necklace of Raindrops and I do not own any of the rights.
Chapter 5
Meeting the Neighbours
Ten minutes after leaving the yard they arrived at a small wood at the end of the gravel path they had been following across the Mooreland. In front of the wood stood a group of brightly painted old style caravans with horses grazing in temporary rope paddocks and children it brightly coloured clothes playing games across the open space inside the circle of caravans. There were several small fires with cooking pots above them and adults sitting in groups eating lunch. Jacob walked over to small green caravan with blue swirls on it were a man sat before a fire cooking some bacon.
"Gavin, this is Harry." Jacob said pushing Harry towards the man. "Harry this is my uncle, Gavin."
"Nice to meet you, Sir" Harry, replied not sure weather calling the man by his first name was polite, it wasn't in the wizarding world.
"Harry's a wizard," Jacob stated as though this explained everything, which it probably is"
"Yes, of course he's a wizard. Nice to meet you Harry, there's no need for the 'Sir' or this second name nonsense, you may call me Gavin, unless your wanting me to call you Mr Potter all the time, hmmm?" Gavin said smiling at Harry.
"No of course not, umm thanks Gavin." Harry said smiling it was a relief to know that, although the gypsies recognised who he was, they were not about to treat him any differently to everyone else. Harry was beginning to like these gypsies; they seemed far friendlier than the majority of the wizarding world and less prejudice too.
"Help yourself to some Bacon," Jacob suggested, passing a plate to Harry who took a seat next to Jacob on the grass.
It was really nice here, so peaceful watching everyone moving around enjoying life. Occasionally Harry would observe an occurrence that was not quite natural, a child jumping just a fraction higher than should be possible, a woman circling her hand over a steaming cup of tea to cool it down and there was always a strong smell of herbs and a taste of magic that seemed to linger in the air, but mostly these people seemed to live with out magic, they didn't use it for every small thing as wizards did for 'practicality' they seemed to work around these things and use very subtle magic without noticing it. Sometimes, Harry felt that this was how magic was meant to be.
"So you go to Hogwarts do you Harry?" Gavin asked. Pouring Harry a cup of tea and cooling it down absentmindedly.
"Yes, I'm about to start my seventh and final year, term starts in about two weeks." Harry replied.
"I know, we're going to be leaving in a weeks time to make our way there ourselves, natures been giving us warnings and we feel we should seek the safety of Hogwarts." Gavin explained. "The white wizard, has given us permission to stay within her grounds and we hear her calling to us." So do I, thought Harry.
"Do you mean Albus Dumbledore?" Harry asked thinking that this could only be the possible explanation.
"Yes, Albus – the white one," Gavin, replied. "That's what his name says."
"Well I guess we'll be seeing each other again." Harry replied, smiling at the thought of seeing these friendly people everyday. He missed the wizarding world greatly and being around these people seemed to ease that somewhat.
Jacob spent the rest of the afternoon explaining the basics of horses to Harry and showing him where everything was kept. Harry had decided that while staying at the Manor he might as well help Jacob, as he had nothing better to do and today had been fun, Jacob even persuaded Harry to learn to ride. When it had turned seven o'clock that evening, Harry had just finished helping Jacob turn the horses out for the night and check on Pasco, he said goodnight to Jacob and promised to meet him at eight thirty the next morning before heading back to the manor to have a bath ready for the big dinner later that evening.
When he arrived on the visitor's floor of the manor the Dursley's were rushing around getting ready for the dinner this evening.
"Where have you been?" Petunia exclaimed. "Get into that suit at once. No, take a shower first. You stink!"
Vernon was insisting that Dudley and Harry both wear a suit. Dudley had barely fit into his old one and Harry had never owned one so they had been shopping shortly before they left to buy Harry and Dudley new suits and Petunia a new dress as her newest one was 'out of session'.
Harry quickly bathed and dressed into a dark forest-green suit with a crisp white silk shirt, Vernon really had gone all out with this, even for Harry. Petunia had chosen the colour, normally Harry would have cringed at the idea of a green suit, but it made his eyes standout, maybe Petunia's choice in colours wasn't so bad after all. He combed through his messy hair as well, he had grown it longer in the summer, it fell into his eyes at the front. His aunt had not liked it at all, but every time she tried to cut it would grow back to its original length in a matter of seconds, so she had given up.
Harry waited in the hall way for the Dursley's to finish getting ready. Finally Dudley arrived wearing a midnight blue suit and complaining loudly that it was too tight, Vernon was wearing a traditional black suit and Petunia was in a stylish matching black evening dress (she had brought several as she had insisted that it was impossible to wear the came dress twice or an evening dress at lunchtime.)
They made their way down to the dinning room at ten to eight to find the butler waiting by the entrance ready to open the door.
"Mr Vernon Dursley, Mrs Petunia Dursley, Master Dudley Dursley and Master Harry Potter." The butler announced as the four entered the large hall, Petunia exclaimed in delight at the grandness of it and Vernon straightened himself to look more puffed up than ever. The couple previously sitting stood up to great their guests.
"Mr Dursley! It's a pleasure to meet you and your family at last." Sir Michael exclaimed taking Vernon right hand and half shaking it to death while plastering a huge smile across his face. Even then he still looked incredibly forbidding in his dark purple suit and black shirt.
"It really is a pleasure." Lady Caroline said, taking Petunia's hand and politely shaking it while smiling at Harry and Dudley. She was wearing a matching dress again, however this time it was a dark purple dress with black embroidery instead of the white as Sir Michael had changed his shirt colour. They really were well suited to the Dursley's, Harry smirked at the thought.
"Have a seat, do have a seat, dinner will be served in just a moment. Jeeves, can you please tell the kitchen that we are ready to be served!" Their overly enthusiastic host exclaimed. Shortly a plate of steaming hot roast was placed in front of Harry, and Vernon and Sir Michael were in deep discussion over metal supply prices and Petunia and Lady Caroline ("do call me Carol") in one involving the latest celebrity scandal over the latest Big Brother show, while Dudley and Harry tucked into their meals and returned polite answers to any question that was fired there way. For the purpose of the visit, Uncle Vernon had decided to tell Harry went to Smeltings with Dudley, as this would be far less of a scandal than saying his nephew was a young offender.
Vernon had done his usual threatening over his 'funny stuff', but it had been far less vigorous that it could have been. Harry guessed this was probably because he had managed to go through the whole of the previous summer without using any magic at all and had left on good terms, or as good as they could be.
They meal finished swiftly, and they finally parted for the evening, they would be having breakfast in the reception room as they had yesterday so there was no fuss in the morning, then Lady Caroline would spend the day entertaining Petunia and the other wives, while the European Building Committee met to discuss their plans and hear Vernon's presentation, all very old-fashioned it you asked Harry. Dudley and Harry were allowed to do as they pleased during the day as long as they arrived back on time ready for dinner and the evening.
Harry entered his room and stripped off his suit getting changed ready for bed. It had been a long day and surprising tiring and Harry was out cold the moment his head touched the pillow, falling into a deep undisturbed sleep.
Chapter 6…. 'A Horse for Harry' and food for thought.