Welcome to the Jungle

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or Glee. All recognisable characters, content, or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Part One: Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen: We Are Young

The last football game of the season comes and goes, assessment deadlines do the same, and Harry an Quinn make their relationship 'official' after dinner and a movie the following Saturday.

Before Harry knows it, it's Halloween, and he and his friends have gathered at Cedric Diggory's for what is set to be a truly epic party. They're clustered on the outdoor furniture on the back porch, Harry, Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Mike, Matt, Puck, and Finn. His other friends are around too, dancing, or playing beer pong in the dining room, and they're having a good time. None of them are truly plastered yet, content to hang out and shoot the breeze, but then, the night is still young.

"All right, all right," Santana clicks her fingers to get their attention, and then produces a bottle of vodka, "Let's play, fuckers. Never Have I Ever. Anyone opposed?"

Harry rolls his eyes. As freshman, he's truly skeptical that any of them - with the possible exception of Santana and Puck - will have enough sexual experience to warrant a game like this, and thus he offers up another suggestion. "How about Truth or Dare instead?"

"That's no fun," Brittany pouts.

"Sure it is, Brit," Harry assures, "We'll just have to take a shot every time we choose 'truth', okay?"

None of them protest, and Puck produces a collection of disposable shot glasses from literally nowhere. They use one of Puck's empty beer bottles as a spinner, and Santana volunteers herself to spin first.

It lands on Harry. He pours himself a shot, opts for truth, and resigns himself to a complete invasion of his privacy. "All right, hit me."

Santana smirks. "How far have you been with a girl?"

"Oral," Harry answers concisely, "Given and received."

"Really?" Santana is impressed. "Who?"

"Nope, one question per turn," Harry denies, "Besides, it's none of your beeswax."

The game proceeds with invasive questions and ridiculous dares, and Harry learns more about Santana and Puck's sex lives than he ever really wanted to. Brittany, Mike and Matt have their own contributions, too, and he's actually glad when Quinn gets bored and tugs him away to dance. No doubt, they'll have to talk about their respective answers later, but for now, he simply enjoys the party, and more importantly, the company.

It's as they're dancing, Quinn's hands in his, that Cedric Diggory approaches. Harry can count on one hand the amount of times he's spoken to the junior, but Diggory's a cool dude, laid-back and affable, and also a shoe-in for the soccer captaincy next year.

At present, he's got his diminutive girlfriend, Cho, tucked under one arm, and he greets Harry with a clap to his shoulder, a grin, and a shouted enquiry as to how Harry's enjoying the party.

Over the thumping bass, Harry hardly hears him.

"It's awesome, dude!" Harry answers, gives him a grin and a thumb's up for effect, and Quinn does the same.

A pleased Cedric wanders off with Cho, and Harry and Quinn continue to dance. She kisses him there, in the living room turned dance floor, and there's nowhere else he'd rather be.

-!- -#-

He wakes late the next morning. He's at Puck's, sprawled out on the couch, and the dude's little sister, Abigail - Abby, or Bébé, depending on whom you ask - is in front of the TV, 'Hannah Montana' turned down low. She's seven years old and a pint-sized badass, and she utterly idolises her older brother.

Puck himself is still in bed, presumably, but Harry can hear Mike and Matt in quiet conversation in the kitchen, and the low tones of Ms Puckerman as she hums along to something on the radio.

Harry yawns, stretches, and ruffles Abby's hair as he passes her. He leaves the room, makes a brief detour in order to use the facilities, and then joins his friends in the kitchen. They both nurse drinks, content to chat between themselves as Ms Puckerman prepares breakfast. She's fairly tall and rather thin, with dark hair and a sun kissed complexion, and she's completely, utterly fierce.

According to Puck, his parents have been divorced since Puck was 12. They'd lived in Marseille before then, his father's birthplace, but afterwards, Ms P had returned to her hometown with Noah and Abigail in tow. There's an arrangement that sees Puck and Abby in France every summer, and Mr Dubois - Puck's dad - in Lima every Hanukkah, but beyond that, Puck hasn't shared much.

Then again, Harry hasn't asked.

"Morning, Ms P," Harry greets her. He drops into a seat across from Mike, pours himself a glass of the available orange juice, and belatedly enquires, "Did you want any help?"

"That's all right, honey," Ms P answers, "Just make yourself comfortable. I'm almost done. Where's Noah?"

"Probably still comatose," Mike answers, "Dude sleeps like a rock."

Puck's mom laughs. "Don't I know it."

Matt, Mike, and Harry chat idly, about their plans that day, about recent movie releases, about the party the night before. He's switched his shift at the Steam House, so he's got the afternoon shift rather than the morning one, but in conferencing the time, Harry finds he's only got a few hours until he has to be there.

He says as much, and Ms Puckerman offers him use of their shower. Puck's already said Harry could use his, but he thanks the woman regardless, and retreats upstairs to properly ready himself for the day.

Puck's awake by the time he returns to the kitchen, and there's a plate of pancakes, a couple of croissants, and turkey bacon set aside for Harry. After thanking his host, Harry demolishes them with enthusiasm, and all the while, Abigail exults under the attention of her brothers friends. They indulge her, Puck as well, and the minutes drift by.

"How are you getting to work?" Ms Puckerman asks him.

"Mum," Harry answers, "She's got some paperwork to do, so she said she'd pick me up on her way in."

"It's a great place," Ms Puckerman compliments.

Harry smiles. "She'll be pleased to hear you think so."

It's a little weird, but the parental units have developed some sort of network, phone tree thing, and although Harry wouldn't necessarily go so far as to call them all friends, there's certainly some degree of familiarity there. It's a little inconvenient, because slipping things passed them is markedly more difficult, but it's not as though he can tell his parents who they can and can't talk to. Moreover, it also makes crashing at friends' places easier, because there isn't the unknown about whom, exactly, his parents are putting their trust in, and subsequently, there are significantly less questions to endure. It's not something he dwells on, in any case.

He receives a text from his mother with word that he needs to be ready in 10 minutes, and then proceeds to gather up his things. As he does, Mike and Matt let Abby win a race in Mario Kart, and Puck strums idly, almost disinterestedly, at an old, battered guitar. Harry himself was unaware his friend played, or had any interest in music, actually, but Mike and Matt are unsurprised, and it's easy to forget that he's only known them for a few months.

It seems a lot longer.

Author's Note: Mostly a filler, but Harry learns Puck plays guitar, and we also meet a few more characters. Some more back story and plot development in the next few chapters, unless my muse changes its mind. Until next time, -t.