Harry Potter and the Emerald raindrop

AkashaWinters

Chapter 6

A Horse for Harry

The next day dawned as bright as the last; Harry woke early at half past seven to get ready for the day. Harry paused unsure what exactly to wear; Jacob had worn an old t-shirt with a pair of riding trousers, Harry recalled. Well, Harry didn't have any riding trouser, but he had plenty of old clothes. Finding one of Dudley's huge t-shirts that had been given to him a few years previously, Harry pulled this on along with a pair of old jogging trousers and trainers and ran a comb for his hair, not that it made a difference of course, but no one could accuse him of not combing his hair now. He somehow felt that he wanted to impress Jacob, he wasn't sure why exactly, probably because the gypsies had seemed like such nice people.

He made his way to the reception room and once again enjoyed a quick breakfast before making his way downs stairs and through the kitchen to the back of the manor. Walking down to the stables Harry took in deep breath, it was going to be hot again today, but hopefully not too hot, he would be out most of the day.

Arriving at the stables Harry was surprised to find the workers were already here and the horses were being fed, looking around Harry spotted Jacob pushing a dog out of the tack room. No, wait. It wasn't a dog in was a very small pony, no bigger than a dog with a dark brown coat and big eyes.

Harry was now used to the smaller ponies wandering around the yard buildings; they whole yard complex was closed off with gates and they couldn't get free but the workers preferred to let them out of their stalls when there weren't too many people around as they were often very intelligent and got bored easily.

"The smaller they are, the more intelligent they are", Jacob had said and Harry didn't doubt it.

"Shoo Missy! Go on! Get out of it!" Jacob told the pony who trotted off in the opposite direction to steal some hey off a laden worker.

"Want some help?" Harry asked, he one raised eyebrow at the exasperated look on Jacob's face and laughed.

"Na. I was just looking for some things for you actually." Jacob said leaning against the doorway. "What size feet have you got?"

"Eight. Why?" Harry asked a little confused.

"Excellent!" Jacob disappeared and reappeared with a pair of nearly new leather riding boots and a pair of dark green jodhpurs. "Here these should fit you, if your going to be spending your time here you might as well look the part."

Harry retreated off to the yard toilet to change into the jodhpurs while Jacob routed around for more things. Harry walked back towards the tack room, Jacob had done well he thought: the jodhpurs were a good fit as were the boots, he thought he looked quite the part in them as well, the green matched his eyes bringing out their colour nicely. Harry frowned, since when had he care what he looked like?

"Here" Jacob passed him a pair of leather…well; Harry wasn't sure what they were. Jacob laughed. "They're gaiters. You put the around your calf and the bottom of your shoe. They keep everything clean and look cool!" Harry laughed at this and secured the 'gaiters' onto his calves.

"Right now. We have an hour and a half before the children start to arrive for lessons, so that should give us time to teach you the basics" Jacob grinned, "let's go find you a horse!" he led Harry to the stables were the general horses were kept.

"Harry, this is Taz. "Jacob gestured to the horse in front of him it was about fourteen hands with a beautiful black coat that was shining. Taz is a Rocky Mountain pony. He's fast, surefooted and very good across country. He's one of ours."

Jacob and Harry entered the Stable and Jacob showed Harry how to put a halter on Taz and lead him out of the stall, this didn't seem too hard, he'd never been too bad at Care of Magical Creatures. Inside the school Jacob showed Harry how to tack up Taz and made Harry do it until he could do it flawlessly while Taz waited very patiently. Jacob told him Taz was often very lively and usually naughty with people, but he seemed to be at ease for the moment.

Finally Harry was helped up into the saddle where he was shown the correct position. Once Harry was happy with this and felt safe Jacob stood in the middle of the school while Harry walked Taz around it in different patterns, while Jacob corrected him posture and signals. Taz was responding easily to him and Harry was really beginning to enjoy himself. It wasn't all that different to riding a broom, which confused Harry as Hermione had once told him she had gone horse riding and enjoyed it, yet she was terrified of the idea of flying. Maybe she had a secret fear of heights, Harry mused.

Soon Jacob had Harry slowly trotting round the school in time with Taz's movement. Jacob was almost ecstatic with Harry's progress. Harry was very disappointed when the children started to arrive and he and Jacob had to finish their lesson. Harry took Taz back to his stall, where he untacked him and gave him a piece of carrot.

"Good boy!" Taz whickered in response and Harry smiled.

Finally lunchtime arrived and Harry tacked up Taz and Jacob put a bridle on his own horse and they rode down to the campsite where they stopped off for lunch. Harry was very envious to watch Jacob ride bareback and canter ahead of him, well he was a gypsy, thought Harry ruefully, and Harry wasn't half bad himself.

During their lunch a little girl of about five years had come up to Jacob. "Jacob! Can I ride with you? Please! Daddy won't let me ride; coz penny's got a sore leg. Can ride on Jerez with you?" The young girl asked him excitedly.

"Sorry Meg, but I'm making the meal right now, maybe later." Jacob said smiling at the small blonde girl dressed in a patchwork dress. Her face fell and suddenly she looked really said, then just as quickly she beamed up at Harry.

"Will you give me a ride? Will you? Pleeeaaase!" Meg asked loudly a silly grin plastered across her face; Harry felt his face giving way to a huge smile.

"Go on, you give her a ride. I wouldn't bother with Taz's saddle, just put on the bridle; someone will give you a leg up." Jacob said returning to this cooking. Harry took the little girl's hand and led her to where Taz was grazing, he the put the small girl on and climbed up behind her. He rode around the area while the girl giggled then finally stopped to let her down. Taz bucked and cantered off to join the other horses. Harry grinned as the young girl ran up to a group of children and began to chat to the excitedly.

Harry and Jacob walked back to the stables where they spent the afternoon working with the horses. Finally the afternoon turned to evening and Harry left the Stables and made his way to a nice cold bath before dressing once again in his forest-green suit and waited for Petunia to come and collect Dudley and him for dinner.

Soon Harry found himself and Dudley being guided into the Dinning Hall where they were introduced to several Committee members and their wives, there were no other teenagers there and the nearest person to Harry was three years older than him; Mr. Anthony Baxter, a twenty year old man who would be inheriting his father's business, he reminded Harry very much of Percy with his wooden personality and obvious enthusiasm for anything related to drills. Vernon seems particularly fond of Anthony and highly approved of having a son to take over the family business and Harry began to feel very sorry for Dudley, who would surely be the victim of Vernon's latest obsession, he wouldn't know what hit him.

Harry sighed, he could tell he was in for a boring evening; he took a sip or the cup of tea in front of him and gasped as it burnt his mouth. Great he thought, just what I need. Harry remembered the way Gavin had circled his hand over the cup to cool it down and wondered for the second time how he did it. It was obviously with use of magic, but not the normal sort. Harry looked at his cup of tea and copied Gavin's motions. Nothing happened.

That wasn't really surprising magic always involved more than a movement, but Gavin hadn't said anything, at least, not out loud. Harry remembered what Jacob had said about the gypsies using "natural magic" and nature giving them "warnings". Harry closed his eyes and imagined something very cold, an iceberg in the middle of the Atlantic. He waved his hand over his cup and imagined the coldness in his cup. Suddenly there was a gasp next to him; Harry opened his eyes to find Dudley staring at his teacup. Harry looked down to find to see that his tea had turned into solid ice. Oops, Harry, thought maybe a little to cold. Harry gestured to Dudley to stay quiet while checking no one else had noticed before imagining something warmer, but not boiling hot. Finally after much practice, Harry managed to get a perfectly temperatured cup of tea, taking a long sip he gave out of sigh and returned to the conversation around him.

Harry spent the rest of the evening talking to a lady in her mid fifties, her name was Beryl and she secretly confided to Harry that she too found this committee meetings very dull and knew just how he felt. Beryl was a very friendly lady who loved the countryside as much as Harry and he soon found himself in a deep discussion with her about Sir Michael's horses and the gypsies staying on his land. Harry was surprised to find that Beryl very much approved of the gypsies and their way of life, although she admitting she much preferred the luxuries of her own life to every try "living it rough". Soon the evening drew to a close and the other guests left while the Dursley's and their host made their polite goodbyes and Beryl made Harry promised to sit next to her the next evening at dinner, telling him his conversation was "far more entertaining than any of those grumpy old men", which made Harry smile.

Later that night Harry climbed into bed with a slight headache beginning; maybe I shouldn't spend quite so much time out in the sun. Harry decided he would ask Jacob to have tomorrow's ride in one of the indoor schools as he drifted of to sleep.

Chapter 7..….. Warnings from Nature, and Harry has a dream….