A year in the life of Harry Potter

Chapter 18: August, 14

Right after breakfast Severus went to the reception and got the keys to four bikes. As Harry had already noticed Holland was the country of cyclists, and often he saw roads made only for bicycles. Quentin had planned that they would follow a country path until they'd reach a windmill* at about lunch time. In the last fifteen years they had always gone to that windmill, and the owner was quite happy to show them around and explain everything to them. So, after the guided tour - or before if they were really hungry - they'd have lunch outside the windmill, and then they'd cycle back to the hotel. Depending on how long the journey back took they'd either go swimming in the north sea before dinner or they'd go to the swimming pool in the hotel.

After they got their bikes they started upon their journey, Quentin leading them. Harry had some trouble keeping his balance as he had only once before sat on a bike, but sooner or later he got used to it.

To Harry Quentin seemed somehow both excited and nervous. Was she excited to meet someone but nervous because of her parents?

The weather wasn't too hot but also not too cold. The wind was blowing lightly, making the sun shining down on the four cyclists more berable. The country path was lined with flowers and other plants. Harry could see some trees in the distance, and he was sure that, by the amount he could make out, there was some kind of forest.

Just like Quentin had said they arrived at the windmill shortly before lunch time. Outside was a teenage boy, maybe sixteen years of age, cutting wood with an axe. He was tall for his age, had a sharp nose and slim face, bare chested with sweat running down his body.

"Hey," he called, stopping what he was doing. "Already wondered where you are."

"That's Tony," Quentin muttered into Harry's ear as they got off the bikes. "The son of the owner of the windmill. Oh, and by the way, he's a wizard too."

"Who's that little fellow?" Tony asked, roughing Harry's hair. Harry grunted in reply, , pressing the hair back down on his head. He didn't even like the looks of that Tony.

"The newest member of the family," Lucy said. "Harry."

"Harry Potter," Harry muttered.

Tony's eyes grew big in interest. "So, so. The famous Harry Potter."

Harry looked irritated at Severus who cleared his throat.

"I'm deeply sorry for not telling you," he said. "In the magical world you're... famous. For defeating the Dark Lord."

Harry nodded, understanding.

Tony gasped. "How can you not know?" he cried. "You did not only defeat Him-Who-Cannot-Be-Named but you are also the only one to survive the killing curse!"

"Tony, where's Abe?" Severus questioned. He didn't want to start talking about Harry's past at the moment, especially not when Harry knew so little.

"He's inside, but -"

"Thank you, that is quite enough," Severus cut him off, icily. He started walking towards the entrance of the mill.

"And Quentin," Tony called. She went over to him and he whispered something into her ear, and she nodded in agreement, looking relieved.

"I wonder what they're talking about," Lucy muttered.

"Can't be anything good," her husband replied.

"Ah, Severus!" an elderly man said as they stepped into the mill. "I haven't seen you in ages! Tony welcomed you, did he not?"

"You could say that," Severus said. "Abe, this is Harry."

Abe's eyesbrows rose. "Harry Potter?" he whispered disbelievingly. "Am I really standing in front of Harry Potter?"

"Yes. Harry Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived. Can we continnue now?"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Abe said, clapping his hands.

"Tony will be going to Hogwarts with us," Quentin whispered, stepping up behind Harry. "He'll be in his sixth year, Ravenclaw."

"Raven-what?"

"Oh, yeah, I haven't told you yet. There are four houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin. Hufflepuff is for cowards, Ravenclaw for the itelligent, Gryffindor for the bravest, and Slytherin is for the evil ones, though it's not actually true because Audrey is there. I myself am in Ravenclaw as well, and I'll be in my third year."

"How do you... you know... get sorted?"

Quentin laughed. "No first graders are told that," she said. "But I tell you one thing: it's easier than you think."

The tour through the windmill was interesting. Harry learned and saw a lot of new things. They ate lunch together with Abe and Tony, and what he noticed was that Tony and Quentin exchanged glances, many glances. He wondered why.

* I never was in a windmill, so I didn't go into details in the description