Chapter 11:

It's Something You Feel

Tuesday, 25 July

Remus and Maia watched the quartet of teens walk back towards the manor house after spending the morning with the adults learning about magic that can be manipulated without their wands. Minerva McGonagall had baulked at Remus taking the 'children to such a charlatan' until Harry and Neville had put on a display of using their magic to bloom several buds that were in the floral arrangement on the table at lunch three days after they'd started. All four had made some progress, although Hermione was lagging behind the others, and it was bothering her.

"I wish I could help Hermione," Maia said. "Until she is willing to feel her magic flowing in her, she will not succeed."

"I know, Remus agreed. "She wants a book, something she can study. I don't think that 'feeling' her magic is really something she's comfortable with."

"No truer statement has ever been made," Maia laughed. "Go, I have work to do. There are two witches who are nearing the time of their delivery, and I want to visit them. They've both chosen to give birth at home, since hospital is in such disarray. If I am not here on Thursday, you will know what I am doing."

"I'll come down before our class to see if you're here. If you're not, I'll do some potions work with them," Remus said before hugging the witch and heading home. He passed through the hedgerow and smiled, as her being on the outside of it – the land between the manse and the village – was so appropriate. Sirius had offered her a cottage either closer to the house or one in the town, but Maia preferred her home be away from others.

The first time Remus had met Maia was when he awoke from a dreadful full moon night. He'd broken the upper part of his leg and was attempting to hobble home when she came upon him. His clothing was in rags, and he'd not had the money to purchase his usual Blood Replenishing Potion or a Strengthening Potion that helped him recover upon arriving home. Maia removed her own outer cloak to cover Remus, providing him with dignity, and then picked herbs and flowers as they made their way home and had Remus chew them. He was surprised when it worked to ease his discomfort and help restore his inner equilibrium.

Maia stayed for two days to ensure he healed properly and sent for his necessary potions. They spent their time playing chess and talking. She wasn't alarmed by what Remus was; she was impressed with Remus's restraint and care in ensuring he never was near a human he could accidentally bite. They were both well-read, so they had much to discuss, and Maia explained to Remus what botanicals she'd used, should he find himself in a similar situation regarding his morning-after medication.

For her part, Maia explained that while she could have gone to Hogwarts, her parents had chosen not to send her. For generations, Maia's family had avoided formal education systems, considering them too restraining in how they taught magic, instead choosing to school their children at home. As a result, she'd never been fitted for a wand, and now that her parents were dead, she practised solitary magic and had earned the title of 'Hedge Witch' for it.

Hedge witches differed from others not just in their solitary nature but because they could easily feel the elements in anything that was living. While she was able to manipulate all four elements – earth, wind, water, fire – Maia was most adept with water. Through the connection to the water, she could divert streams from destroying houses or help the tiny droplets move nutrients more quickly in a seedling.

She was surprised when Remus sought her out a month ago, not near the full moon, and asked her to come and help teach his 'nephew' wandless magic. Remus held nothing back from the story, although Maia already knew of the magical flare that pulsed through all living things on that June night. It had awoken her from a trance and alerted her to some change in the world.

Due to their solitary lives and closely intertwined existence with magic, Hedge Witches felt how magic had expanded itself. Maia's night was emotionally wrought, as dark magic was pulled from a thousand points of creation around the country. Not just witches and wizards who dabbled in questionable magic, but creatures like trolls and boggarts lost some of their power. She felt when the Death Eaters first lost their magic and then their lives. Those who embraced the darker side of magic had pulled the world out of balance; magic chose to right itself. As to what happened to the wands, Maia had an idea, but she needed to consult a magical elder from a community she was friendly with in Spain.

After that night, the earth felt lighter, almost joyful, and things grew with abundance. While she couldn't ascribe emotions to a hydrangea bush or an elder tree, Maia watched and felt their surge in 'green' or growth magic. Remus had told the Hedge Witch that Harry was strong in his magic and might be in danger because of his actions. For the eradication of so much evil from their world, Maia was willing to work with the boy, even if he was a horrible spoilt brat. What a surprise it was to meet Harry and discover that he was the opposite and that he was quickly embracing elemental magic.

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Everyone, including Amelia, was present for lunch that day, and the discussion had turned to the birthdays of Neville and Harry. While seventeen was the demarcation of adulthood, fifteen allowed these two future Lords to take their seats in the Wizengamot. Augusta wouldn't be an issue, as she was the current Chief Witch of the Wizengamot pro tem. Naturally, the gents were interested in what they would do in the Wizengamot; but the real excitement surrounded neither ever having a birthday party before. Neville, because his gran felt the need to protect him and her belief that he was a Squib – a notion that his wandless skills had completely dispelled; and Harry never had one because the Dursleys considered him less than human.

"So, money is no object," Sirius said, "although I'd like to keep the number of friends to a minimum this year, as we need to keep Harry safe.

"Amos Diggory was in my office again this morning pleading that I charge Harry for the murder of his son, Cedric. I've told him that it was not Harry who killed him, and I've seen Harry's memory of the crimes but that I am not at liberty to share them," Amelia added. "Small party close to home or very far away would be best."

"Very far away," Sirius said with a gleam in his eye. "Let me think on that. So, Neville, what would you enjoy doing? You were impressed with the movie we saw." Sirius and Remus had taken the four youngsters to see a matinee showing Apollo 13. They were all impressed, but Harry and Sirius went back and saw it a second time. "I'm sure there's something else just as exciting is out."

"The movies are fun," Neville said, "but I've always wanted to go to the sea. Do you think we could drive to a beach and enjoy the day there?"

"Neville, your mother loved the beach as well," Augusta said. "She and Lily went on every sunny day they could. Was it James's house or yours they went to, Sirius?"

"It was mine, and I believe we can Floo there. I'll check it out with the staff and ensure that it is ready for a visit. Your birthday is on Friday, and Harry's is Saturday, so how about a weekend at the beach? It's in Brighton, so there are plenty of Muggle amusements. We can Polyjuice Harry if you think it's wise, Amy." The head of the DMLE tipped her head sideways, indicating they could talk about it later.

"That sounds great," Neville said. "It's like a dream come true."

"Excellent. Harry, is it okay with you. I have an idea for your birthday experience, but it might take me a few weeks to put it together. Is this an acceptable way to spend your birthday?"

"Absolutely! I know the Brighton Pier is famous for all the things you can do and eat there, so it sounds perfect. What do you think, Hermione, Susan?" Harry asked his friends.

"I love Brighton," Hermione said.

"Hannah lives close to Brighton, and her mum has taken us. I love going. I hope it's warm enough to wear my bikini and work on my tan," Susan said.

"Susan, sweetheart, you are not wearing any of the suits you bought without my being there," Amelia said. There was an infamous shopping trip where Sirius took the four youngsters to the mall, gave them a not insubstantial sum each and told them to buy what they'd like. Susan purchased some very skimpy but highly fashionable clothing. "The more modest swimming costumes will be worn at the beach. What you wear around the house is a different story. I know Harry and Neville are gentlemen."

"We try to be," Harry remarked. It was sometimes hard when Hermione and Susan came out in their two-piece sunbathing costumes.

"Can I invite Hannah to join us? Her mum could probably come if we need another adult," Susan asked expectantly.

"I don't see why Hannah would be a problem," Sirius said. "As far as I know, the Abbott family doesn't want to kill Harry."

"No, the exact opposite," Susan said with a giggle, "she wants to snog Harry." Harry's eyes went wide, and he looked at Susan. Sirius broke out in laughter.

"There you go, Harry, a good birthday snog, too," Sirius said, and Harry still looked shocked and a wee bit sick. "Please tell me this isn't your first kiss?"

"Well, er, I mean," Harry stumbled.

"You're more like Moony here," Sirius went on, "and nothing like your dad. While he fell in love with your mum in our first year, she kept saying no to his advances, so he felt free to snog much of the female population of Hogwarts. He and I kept a Rota of who we'd snogged and where. Moony was ever so selective in his choices."

"Bravo, Remus, girls like a boy who waits for them," Hermione said.

"That's funny coming from you, Hermione," Neville said, "since you spent most of last year snogging Viktor Krum."

"The Quidditch star?" Sirius said. "Please, tell me how this happened!"

"You know he was there for the Triwizard Tournament," Harry asked, and Sirius nodded. "He had the good sense to ask our Hermione to the Yule Ball. She had a delightful time until Ron was a prat. I would have had a fun time if I didn't need to babysit said Weasley. Neville, though, closed the ballroom. He's quite the dancer, and he went with Ginny, and they had a wonderful time as well. Susan, I can't remember if you were there or who you went with."

"It's okay that you forgot," Susan said. "I wish I could. Unfortunately, I went with Wayne Hopkins from Hufflepuff."

"Wayne Hopkins? Is he in our year?" Neville asked.

"Yes, he's the guy with the really tight curly hair that he pulls onto the top of his head, so it looks like he has spirals cascading down, like ribbons on a Christmas package," Hannah said, and the other three nodded, remembering now.

"Oh, didn't know his name is Wayne," Harry said.

"Well, his hair is the ONLY interesting thing about him. He only knew how to do the box step, and we kept stepping on people. It was not a good night."

"We feel your pain, Susan," Remus said. "Sometime I will tell you about when James and I went doubles with the Snyder twins for Hogsmeade weekend."

The conversation turned to other things, but Sirius was planning how to give Harry a birthday present/event he'd never forget and plan a suburb birthday bash weekend for the five he knew of. He'd see if Neville or Hermione had any ideas about anyone else to invite that didn't have the last name of Weasley. Harry was still sore about how Ron had treated him, and after having a parent/child session with Dr Phillip, Harry wasn't going to be forgiving Ron anytime soon, if ever. He was also leery of Ginny, as she'd repeatedly confessed her love for Harry without actually knowing anything about him.

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In the end, Hannah, and Seamus Finnegan were invited along to celebrate the boys' birthday. Seamus, Harry, and Neville were given the master bedroom, and three twin beds were transfigured for the weekend. Hannah, Susan and Hermione shared the large loft area.

"Where's Weasley and Dean?" Seamus asked Harry and Neville as they left the 'cottage' if you could call a six-bedroom row house just across the road from the beach a cottage.

"Dean's away with his mum, travelling through Egypt, Turkey, and somewhere else I can't remember," Neville said. "As for Ron, he's...he and Harry aren't as close as they were in our younger years."

"You make it sound like we're old, Nev," Harry interjected. "Look, I just decided that my friendship with Ron takes a lot of work on my part, and I don't get much back in return. My therapist and I are working on making sure I'm happy in my own life, and Ron often makes me anything but happy."

"I understand," Seamus said. "The guy eats like a pig and copies everyone's revising. Open a book and read it for yourself, Weasley!" Harry and Neville nodded, and the trio dropped the missing Gryffindor. Seamus wondered what Harry would do if he knew the Weasley girl had a mural of him stuck to the wall near her bed?

The six students played an abysmal game of beach volleyball, made worse by the only person having ever played before being Hermione – who couldn't explain the rules that well – and only Harry having any athletic ability. Becky Abbott did come along on the trip; although she was driving her car back and forth each day, Sirius and Remus materialized shortly before lunchtime and took the friends to get pizza for lunch and then to the Brighton Toy and Model Museum.

Dinner that night was a celebration in grand measures. Nicola, the chef, prepared a starter of assorted canapes, including Neville's new-found favourite of prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe melon. Second course, a lightly poached whitefish – caught only miles off the shore from where they sat – with a delicate melange of vegetables was then followed by the third of roasted Cornish game hens with tiny potatoes Harry had helped grow to a size they could be used and celeriac root. The three-tiered cake was made of a delicate strawberry sponge with Italian buttercream icing filled with fresh strawberries and raspberries, which were grown on the estate in Marlborough. The outside was done in an Italian meringue with more berries, and a beautiful tree motif adorned one side, the branches coming to the top, across it and then down half of the other side. No one had seen anything like it. It tasted just as good as it looked. The sponge was so light it simply melted when the fork entered the mouth.

"While I take credit for the dinner," Nicola said when Sirius insisted that she come up to receive his praise as well as everyone else's, "the cake was baked and decorated by my assistant, Alexander."

"Please, send him up," Neville said, "I want to thank him for his painstaking work. This cake is a work of art." Nicola nodded with a smile; a few minutes later the pair were in the dining room.

"Are you the gent who made my cake?" Neville asked, and Alexander nodded. "You have real talent. Why have you spent the last few years serving an empty house?" Alexander looked uncomfortable with the attention, so he looked to Nicola, who tipped her head at him and then put a hand on his forearm to show her support of telling them his story.

"Master Arcturus took me in when my cousins asked him to during the first war," Alexander said. "You know my one cousin, and I bet you've heard stories of her twin siblings, as they were fierce fighters against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

The adults had a good look at the man with his dark red hair and friendly smile, and it came to Sirius first, although only by a breadth of a second. "Are you cousins to Molly, Gideon and Fabian?"

"I am," Alexander said. "I'm Tessie Prewett's eldest. Being born without magic in the Prewett family is a disgrace; at least the family doesn't kill their Squibs. I'm a bit older than Molly and the boys, and Mum was thrilled when she had my sister, and she was a witch. I went to school and culinary training. I was working as a pastry chef when the first war broke out.

"Bellatrix Lestrange was on a mission to root out non-magical children within old, pureblood families. We were abominations. She and her husband found me at work in a little shop in York. All the customers and the two cashiers were killed. The owner and I hid in the freezer. The door was so thick they couldn't curse their way in. Aurors must have shown up quicker than expected because we were let out a half-hour later. I didn't return to my job, but I couldn't stay at home and risk everyone there. Master Arcturus took me in that night, gave me a job, allowed me to try new things, and was always happy to see the desserts I created. He never ate more than a small serving, and then he ordered that the rest be shared with the staff or, if it was large, to take it to the elder day community so they could enjoy it."

"But, with Voldemort gone, you could have obtained a job nearly anywhere," Sirius said.

"But I wanted to stay here and repay the kindness I was shown. It's how we all feel," Alexander replied. "I was treated more like a son by Master Arcturus than I ever was by my own parents. When my cousins were murdered, Master Arcturus paid for their burial since my father had passed by then and Mum didn't have much. She still doesn't know who her benefactor is."

"It is an extraordinary cake," Neville said, "and I have never had something like this in my life. Thank you for your hard work."

"Your joy is the best reward. Now, please, have another slice if you want; I have another birthday cake to complete," Alexander said, and he left the room.

"I can only imagine what yours is going to be like, Harry," Neville said, taking another large slice.