Chapter 4
I could give you a variety of reasons why this chapter wasn't done within the 'standard' (if you can call three in a row a standard) 30 days. But I'm not. I'm a little bit under the weather and I've got a bit of time to write, ergo, here's chapter 4. Truth be told, I'm still not sure how this chapter came to be.
I'll forewarn you, there are a few places that may seem disjointed at their best. Tell me where they are and I'll see about adding that to my revision to-do list. Not that I plan on revising this any time soon, lol. Also, for those looking forward to the next chapters of my other three stories, err, they're postponed until I can actually look them over and see if I still want to do them. My reason is simple, I'm not really sure I like how they are, though FOUO is by far my other favorite- the muse just isn't visiting it.
Anyway, I'm slightly surprised at the number of people who enjoy this. I'll try not to disappoint.
Onward!
Harry Potter-Adkins, Southern Bred Hospitality
by: Trey Miller
Chapter 4
August 28, 1991
"Gah-CHOO!"
Remus looked over the newspaper at the boy sitting nearby. His eyes wandered over to Andy who grinned and turned back to the show. Remus' eyes drifted back to the object of the loud sneeze.
Harry Potter-Adkins, or as he preferred, Harry Adkins, sat wrapped in several blankets, jackets, and the like. He was turning a rather interesting shade of blue, and the flaming mucus he was sneezing made things quite…lively.
But it wasn't even this scene that had his attention.
It was the portion of the scene that made his cub's predicament all that more humorous.
To Harry's right (but out of the range of fire) sat the muggleborn witch Hermione Granger, and the pureblood wizard Neville Longbottom. To Harry's left (also out of the blast range) sat an amused pair of the rather aloof Blaise Zabini and Susan Bones.
The four children were watching their friend of two weeks as he suffered the consequences of adding mercury to a potion that was supposed to cure boils.
Hermione sighed and handed an open book to Neville who held it so that Harry could look. "Now, one last time, before you succeed in bringing around the next ice age single handedly. The book states quite clearly that 'Mercury, while being a metal, is of the element of water and thusly should not be added to magnesium which is of the element of fire.'"
Blaise smirked, "I doubt our American friend is going to do something quite so foolish next time, Hermione."
Harry nodded and said though clattering teeth, "That's right. Next time I'll just make thermite and toast marshmallows."
Neville's head thudded against the table before them. Susan sighed and planted her face in her hand. Blaise snorted and shook his head. Hermione's eye twitched.
She looked straight at Harry and said, "You don't know how to make thermite."
"Of course I do. My dad taught Jase and Jase taught me."
Hermione's eye twitched again, and this time Neville started easing his chair back, out of the firing range. Suddenly, Hermione slammed a notebook and pen down in front of Harry and bowed her head, "Please teach me!"
Neville's chair tipped over backwards and he crashed. Andy spat his butterbeer all over the table and Remus' newspaper, Dan Granger pounded Andy on the back, while Blaise's look said quite plainly, 'Why me?' Susan just sighed again.
Remus shook his head and stood, heading downstairs to get a refill of hot chocolate for Harry. It had been two weeks since Harry had met and roped the other four into the insanity he called life.
Roped was an apt word for their meetings.
First it had been Susan in Gringotts. Harry had walked up to her, tapped her on the shoulder, and asked her if she could help him with everything, what with him being an American who had never met a goblin of Gringotts before. He had coincidentally forgotten to mention that he had never met a British goblin.
This had led to the two children, along with Amelia Bones, and Andy to go on a rollercoaster ride through the caverns. From there, the group had headed to Madam Malkin's where Harry had invited Susan to join him the next day at the Leaky Cauldron to do some studying before they reached Hogwarts. Susan and her 'Auntie Amelia' had agreed to the meeting
Harry had then stepped out and ran into the blonde haired spoilt-brat, Draco Malfoy, as he harassed two girls and a guy just for the color of their skin. Harry would later-that is, after 'tripping and smashing his flailing fist into the small of Draco's back, thereby forcing the young Malfoy to leave and change clothes-meet Padma and Parvati Patil, twin Indian girls who were first generation Brits, and the Italian-descended Blaise Zabini.
Blaise agreed to meet the next day for a round of 'Clue the ignorant American newly-discovered wizard." Unfortunately, the Patil twins had to decline due to family commitments.
With Neville Longbottom, it had been a matter of Harry walking up and catching a cauldron as it was falling in the Apothecary for the two to hit it off good. From there, Harry had met the acting matriarch Augusta Longbottom, and had apparently made a good enough impression during the trip to get Harry a British Ministry approved wand, for Neville to get his own wand, too.
Honestly, all it took him was to ask why he had to go get a brand new wand when his parents wands were sitting in his vault (they weren't, but a little fib couldn't hurt things). Neville and his grandmother had agreed to meet the group Harry was putting together, also.
As for the last member of the group, Hermione, Harry had run into her in the book store. Honestly, a girl who isn't even five foot tall should not be carrying around a stack of books her own height.
Much less adding to it!
An hour spent helping Hermione pick out books, and purchase them without her even realizing that Harry had paid, and Harry had another person for the next day.
Remus thanked Tom for the refill and headed back upstairs, his thoughts returning to the first meeting of 'the Group' as Harry called it.
Other than everyone other than Harry being shy, the only interesting thing about the Group's introduction was Hermione walking up to Harry, poking him in the chest and demanding to know just why he had purchased those books for her.
Harry had shrugged and stated that the Group should have an official librarian, and he'd let her see his own collection he had brought from America for her to organize and make a list of for them to use. One enormous hug later Hermione was happily sitting with everyone as Harry talked about why he had arranged the group as it was.
Well, that is to say, he pulled out a stack of index cards and began to read notes off of them to the group. "Each of you I spoke with yesterday and invited to join me and help learn from each other because I saw things in each of you that I know we're all going to need in our life." Harry had said, looking between them all, "I'm being completely serious here. I'm in a strange land, surrounded by perfect strangers. I'm not about to bash them over the heads with blunt sticks and ask them to join me for dinner. What I mean is…"
Harry sighed, "It's like this, I'm from America. From what I've been told, the British community does things far differently than America. I don't want to break any laws, perhaps bend but not break, so I realized I needed to meet some people who could clue me in on the happenings."
He had then gone on to explain to each of them (using said note cards to get his facts 'straight') why he had picked them over someone 'better'. Hermione for the fact that she knew the muggle world. Susan because she had mentioned her aunt's position in law enforcement. With Blaise, it was because he figured if anyone knew a language other than English it would be them. Neville because he seemed to understand how the magical world actually worked.
After seeing their confused faces, Harry had turned to Remus threw the cards at him and said, "Well, I tried it your way, now lemme try it mine." He stuck out his tongue childishly and then turned back to the others.
He grinned, "Hi, I'm Harry Adkins. I'm new around here. Y'all wouldn't happen to mind all that much if we studied together and kept me from breaking any laws I don't know about, would'ja?"
And thus, the Group was born.
Remus walked back in, and handed Harry the fresh hot chocolate and sat back down with Dan and Andy. After the first day of meet'n'greet, everyone's parents had agreed to let their children come up on their own during the rest of their get-togethers.
Dan Granger watched his daughter and her new friends interacting at the table before them as he and Andy traded war stories. Irony of ironies, he remembered working with Andy back in the motor pool, and the two had hit it off. This had, of course, helped alleviate his wife's hesitancy at letting her daughter spend days on end with the other children.
It had not alleviated her fear enough to allow Hermione to take the bus into London to visit. But Dan was more than willing to go along with Hermione as she met Harry and the others and did everything from reading and researching to visiting some of the local sights. The fact that Remus was a fully trained wizard who lived in the muggle world (he would never get used to having a title placed on his world) made getting the other parents to agree to the outings just a matter of telling when and where and how long.
"Okay, I think we've studied for enough today," said Harry. The effects of the botched potion had worn off mostly and he was down to just wearing the long sleeved clothes. The others began putting their books up and standing to stretch.
Neville looked around and grinned, "Hey, we've only got three more days and then we're heading to Hogwarts! You know what that means?"
The five looked around and grinned before saying in unison, "Party!"
Susan asked the most appropriate question, "So when and where?"
"Howsabout at Hermione's house?" suggested Harry after a moment of thinking.
Hermione nodded, "That would work. None of you have been to my neighborhood." She glanced over at her father and asked, "Is that alright?"
Dan shrugged, "Sure. We could have it in the back yard."
Harry nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Okay, now the question is, when?"
"Well, unless the muggle way is different than the wizard's way, parties are best at night," said Blaise.
Neville nodded, "And since we leave on Sunday, how does Saturday sound?"
So the first annual 'the Group' cookout was set up, and the fun didn't end until almost midnight that night.
September 1, 1991
The patrons of the Leaky Cauldron were roused at 6 o'clock local time by the blood curdling scream of "I'm late!" followed by an extremely heavy thud which shook dust from the magically cleaned ceiling jousts.
The common patrons who had resided there during the stay of one Harry Adkins merely groaned and went back to what they were doing. Those who had not met the chaotic force that was the younger Adkins wondered what kind of fearsome beast could cause that kind of noise.
Twenty minutes later, three doors slammed, one after another, followed by a "Gangway!" followed by 'Bam! BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAM-THUD!' This of course, was due to the eleven year old Harry Adkins riding his trunk down the stairs like a surf board. Behind him, his father, Andy and Remus walked downstairs at a much more sedate pace, yawning and glaring at the boy at the bottom of the stairs.
Remus pulled out his wand and sent a spray of water down on Harry, leaving him soaked. Harry stood there, dripping wet as Remus and his dad walked by, his mouth hanging open. He shook himself and sighed, "Okay, maybe I deserved that."
Harry looked at his sopping wet clothes and sighed, "Well, guess I've gotta go change. Back in a moment."
"Hold it, bub, you're not going anywhere," said Andy with a smirk on his face.
Harry's head slumped onto his chest in defeat, "I know I deserved that." He walked, well, sloshed, his way over to the table and sat down.
Remus and Andy laughed at him, as they ate breakfast. Harry was still pouting once they left. Fortunately, Andy had never said anything about Harry using his rings to dry himself, so by the time they exited the tavern, he was mostly dry.
They loaded up in a taxi and with Remus giving telling the driver "Kings Cross Station, thanks," they were off.
Once there, Harry looked at the ticket and bit back the urge to groan. He glared at the two men, "You know, if one of y'all had've just told me I didn't have to be here until 11 o'clock, I wouldn't have rushed us."
Andy looked at Harry and laughed. Remus chuckled. "I have a feeling that you would have made your grand entrance a bit more extravagant, had you had the time to plan."
Harry nodded, "Perhaps, but I would have spared myself the second bath." He shrugged and looked at the ticket. "So, Platform 9 and three-quarters, eh? Guess I'll find Platform 9 and wing it."
Andy and Remus watched as Harry loaded his trunk onto a dolly and rolled it through the no-so-busy 7 o'clock traffic. They watched as Harry came up to one of the pillars and maneuvered his cart next to it before sitting down on the other end and rolling it back and forth a bit.
Then suddenly, Harry pushed back and he and the cart disappeared through the portal.
Remus looked at Andy in amazement who laughed. "God blessed me with two extremely smart boys. Though neither one will admit it."
They walked through the portal, too, and Remus stopped and looked back at the wall and then at Andy. Andy looked at him curiously, "What's wrong, Remus?"
Remus shook his head in confusion, "Muggles aren't supposed to be able to walk through there. I had completely forgotten about that."
Andy shrugged, "Around my sons, I've learned to throw all perceptions of what can and can't happen out the window. They'll break the laws of physics one of these days just out of sheer tenacity."
Remus nodded. Here was proof that Andy's youngest son, while adopted, was already breaking the laws of situated magic-or at least the people around him were. He filed it away for later contemplation.
Preferably after he had downed several shots of fire whiskey.
After an hour talking with Harry and making sure he hadn't forgotten anything, Remus and Andy left him on the train after getting a hug and a handshake each.
Harry sighed and pulled his notebook and began writing.
'Hey bro,
Dude, you'll never believe what Britain's like…'
The train had been moving for a few minutes when Harry looked up from his writing as someone knocked on the compartment door. He looked up and grinned as the rest of the Group entered. After helping everyone get their trunks filed away properly, Harry went back to writing as the others settled down for the journey to their home for the next eight months.
"Ah, Harry? How long have you been here?" asked Neville curiously.
"Hmm? I think I got on here about two hours ago," said Harry distractedly. Jason was going to get the proverbial ear-full when he read the letter.
Hermione and Susan traded exasperated looks at the behavior their friend was showing.
Blaise simply snorted. "When did you wake up?"
"Oh, six this morning."
Neville sighed, "I'm going to regret this, but, how much a scene did you make?"
Oh, this was the good part. Harry put down the pen, straightened up the pages of the letter and tucked them away, while keeping everyone in suspense. After almost a minute, Hermione finally said, "Well?"
Harry smiled and put his hands behind his head as he looked around. "I just trunk surfed down the stairs."
Dead silence.
Blaise's lip twitched as he tried to hold in his laughter. Neville didn't even try, he just burst out laughing. Susan giggled and Hermione just smiled and shook her head
After everyone quieted down, Susan asked the next question, "So what did you dad and Mr. Remus do?"
Harry's smile faded and his face turned red with embarrassment and he muttered something.
Susan smiled, "Sorry, what was that?"
Harry groaned, "I said, Remus soaked me to the bone, and dad wouldn't let me go change clothes." He pulled off a sneaker and turned it upside down, and water splashed on the ground.
After another round of laughter, things quieted down as the others pulled out books to read while Harry cast a drying spell on his shoes that Susan was kind enough to teach him.
Outside of a visit by a scruffy red-head looking for a place to sit, and the young Draco Malfoy who merely glared at the American through the locked door, the ride was quiet. When they got closer to Hogwarts, Hermione announced she was going to change into her uniform and she and Susan left and let the boys change.
Other than a few comments about wanting to get some American tailored uniforms during the next year, nothing was said about Harry's designer clothing.
As the train pulled up to the station, Harry stopped everyone. He looked at them one by one before smiling. "Listen guys, we all know about the ideas of the different houses and everything. Heck we all know which ones most fit our personalities. But before we go, I wanna say this." He paused and placed his hand out, palm down in the middle of the group.
"No matter what house we're in. No matter what anyone tells us. We're friends, and we're gonna stay friends until we're all older than Merlin himself!"
Hermione smiled, "As the Three Musketeers say, 'All for one, and one for all!'" She placed her hand on top of Harry's.
Neville looked at them and nodded, "You all have helped me a lot since we met. I'm with you no matter what." He placed his on top of Hermione's.
Susan nodded, "You guys are my best friends and I'm not going to lose you to something as silly as the houses." She too placed her hand in.
Everyone looked at Blaise who shrugged and smiled wryly at Harry. "Someone's got to keep you from teaching Hermione every trick you know, you bloody redneck." He put his hand on top, even as Hermione stuck her tongue out at Blaise.
Harry nodded, "As they say back where I come from, 'Let's get this here party started, y'all!"
The Group laughed as they filed off the train. No matter what happened, they wouldn't let it change their friendship.