Disclaimer - Do I really have to do a disclaimer at the start of each chapter? Fine, I don't own, never have and never will.
Chapter 7 – Summer Holidays
The summer holidays passed by reasonably quickly for the Potter boys and Dudley. In between studying with Madeline and going out with old friends the boys had barely any free time. Three weeks into the holidays Madeline invited the family back to the manor in France. She explained that her family had gone on holiday so the place would be empty apart from the house elves. After an argument over how wrong it was to intrude on other peoples homes when they weren't away Madeline managed to sway Petunia and Vernon into seeing things her way.
"Ziz vould give ze boys chance to play Quidditch. Zere are vards around ze manor so zey can't be seen." The boys were very excited about that and Petunia and Vernon eventually caved.
"But only for a week!" Vernon tried to be stern in the face of threetwelve year old boys puppy eyes.
"Two weeks."
"One week!"
"Week and a half!"
"Oh for the love of…" Vernon stopped the following words with a roll of his eyes. "Go clear it with Madeline."
"YAY!" Vernon had promptly received three overly enthusiastic hugs from three overly excited boys before they scampered off.
"No Dudley! You hold it like this!" Danny grabbed Dudleys hands and repositioned his grip on he Cleansweep. Once Danny was satisfied he gave Dudley a small glare. "Now don't move your hands."
"Okay Danny." Dudley rolled his eyes.
"Okay. Now push off lightly and hover it for awhile. Don't let go, don't fall off and DON'T push off too hard." Dudley grinned and nodded. For once Dudley did as Danny instructed and rose from the floor and hovered the broom.
"Wow." Dudley grinned.
"It's great isn't it? Now, move around slowly for a bit. Don't go too far from the ground because I don't want you to fall." Dudley nodded and gripped the broom hard zooming across the garden. "DUDLEY! I TOLD YOU TO GO SLOWLY!" Danny raged stomping over to Harry angrily.
Harry was standing nearby with Hedwig perched happily on his shoulder. Harry snickered at Danny's anger and Dudley's flying. Danny's Nimbus 2000 was leaning against the chair Harry was stood by along with another Cleansweep. Danny snatched his broom up quickly and ordered it 'up' before swinging his leg over the thing.
"Danny I don't think you should…" Too late. Harry watched as Danny shot off across the garden after Dudley. As soon as the plump blonde boy saw Danny chasing him he darted off leaving Harry to watch a broomstick chase around the Tremaine garden.
It took an hour before Dudley gave up and Danny and he landed. Harry was still petting Hedwig but feeding her some owl treats he's apparently summoned using a spell Madeline had taught him. Harry laughed at the state of both Dudley's and Danny's hair. The windswept locks were messier than usual and as Petunia saw the state the boys were in she practically screamed and told Madeline to summon her a hair brush immediately.
"OW! Mum that hurts! Leave me alone!" Harry burst into hysterical laughter as he watched Petunia tackle the knotted hair and Danny run away to hide somewhere with Vernon. Madeline crossed tha patio and stood next to Harry wrapping an arm around the short raven haired boy's shaking shoulders.
"'Ow are you feeling 'Arry? Fine I 'ope?"
"I'm good. It was fun to watch them."
"Did you not 'ave a go?" Harry shook his head trying his best to control his laughter. Madeline clicked her tongue at Harry and none too gently pushed him out onto the field.
"Madeline?"
"Jus' because you aren't well doesn't mean you cannot 'ave a go. Come, I shall show you."
"B-b-but what if…"
"Don' be stupide! I vill be with you, eef anything 'appens I shall bring you straight back down!" Madeline then didn't give Harry much of a chance to protest as she commanded a broom to hover next to her and scowled at Harry until the boy hastily climbed onto it. Madeline slid onto another broom and made Harry copy how to correctly hold the broom. Harry copied though his hands shook with nervousness. Showing Madeline his shaking hands in concern Harry received another impatient click of the tongue.
"Don' be stupide! You are jus' nervous. Now, after three ve shall push off a little bit. Got it? Bonne! Une, deux, trios!" Harry swallowed nervously and pushed off from the ground. In his nervousness Harry pushed a little too hard off the ground and went zooming into the air. Not hearing the worried yells of Madeline Harry continued rising.
The wind blew through his hair and rustled his robes as Harry rose up and up. The wind took Harry's nervousness and replaced it with a strange feeling of belonging. Smiling to himself and forgetting about his earlier worries Harry levelled his broom before diving towards the floor in a dive that had Madeline and Petunia screaming. At the last moment Harry pulled out of the dive and rose again. Grinning like a mad man Harry flew around the garden. There was nothing to be worried about with flying, for some reason being sat on a broomstick and flying wildly through the air felt natural to him.
"I wonder if this is what Danny felt like…"