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A heat wave during Labor Day weekend is either a recipe for disaster or delight. Disaster if you're stuck at home without air conditioning, and delight if you can escape to the lake for a few days. For Harry Potter, this weekend would be his last at the cabin. It was bought as a plot of land, and his father, James, and Charlus built it with their own hands. Unskilled hands, as the years began to show, but it lasted long enough to fill the family with memories. The location was chosen not only because it was in MACUSA, but primarily because it was anti-magic. A natural magical vacuum meant that any magical transport directed to this safe summer home ended in death, and wand magic was incredibly weakened.
After the death of his mother, Lily, his dad, James, quickly remarried. Since then, they had only visited the cabin once. It was too painful for James to be around places full of memories from times that would never return. After that visit, he withdrew, and the last two years had been tough, especially when he fell ill. Harry had the advantage of escaping to Hogwarts, but the respite was short-lived when his father was admitted to St. Mungo's Hospital.
The property was set to hit the market at the end of the month, to be demolished or rebuilt, depending on what the new owners deemed fit. It was his stepmother, Narcissa Malfoy's idea to spend one last weekend there. The weather forecast didn't dampen their enthusiasm for the hour-long broomstick ride to the mountains, and they packed swimsuits, towels, and three chests with ice, food, and water.
Everything should have been simple, except that his adopted sister, Tracey Davis, threw one of her tantrums. Narcissa, who had adopted Tracey after her husband's and son's deaths, agreed she could bring one friend, as with every holiday, but Tracey insisted on bringing one more.
"If Fleur comes, then Daphne has to as well. They're best friends, Narcissa!" Tracey rolled her eyes, debating this in the kitchen. "You know nothing, Jesus."
"You can't bring another friend?" Narcissa asked, frowning, looking toward the ice chests. "I packed only enough for five..."
Harry knew that since his father's death, money was tight. The lawyers were still disputing his will, which hadn't been updated since mom's death. Everything was entangled in legal battles, and his father's deathbed deal with the lawyer to ensure the widow was taken care of was still being contested.
"I still have money from my summer job at St. Mungo's," Harry offered. "We can stop at the store on the way out of town and stock up."
"That's sweet, dear, but you don't have to do that," Narcissa smiled at him, and he looked away, not wanting her to see how much her smile affected him. "We'll manage with what we have, and there's a market in that little town if I remember correctly. We can always drop by if we need anything."
"The Copper Hat Market," Harry said, smiling as he recalled pulling blocks of ice from the freezer and heading back to the cabin, along with the non-alcoholic ice pops from the vending machine that were a treat in the heat.
"You don't care about some stupid market," Tracey scoffed, filling a bottle with water. "You just want to make sure Daphne's there so you can stare at her gigantic jugs."
"Tracey, be nice," Narcissa said, not looking up from her paper, then taking a sip of her coffee.
Careful not to push his stepmother too far, Tracey opened the fridge door and turned to Harry, sticking out her tongue. When she closed it, holding a cold peach in her hand, she gave Narcissa a cheeky smile.
"I'll be as sweet as pudding if you let me bring my friends," her charming allure shouldn't have worked, but even Harry found himself smiling and shaking his head as she spun around, wearing an innocent look that had gotten her elected as student council president and head of the leaders' club.
"You can bring your friends," Narcissa raised a finger, stopping Tracey mid-jump of joy. "But only if you promise to behave all weekend."
"I always behave," Tracey lifted her chin, spun on her heel, and left the room with a triumphant expression.
"She'll be insufferable," Harry muttered.
He hadn't meant for the words to slip out, and a wave of relief washed over him when Narcissa chuckled lightly and set her paper down.
"Your sister will always be a handful, but her heart is in the right place." Harry wasn't sure he trusted that, but he didn't argue, sitting at the table with his coffee. "None of your friends from Hogwarts could make it?"
"Not on such short notice," Harry shrugged. "I'll manage with the jet ski."
"Right, that thing," she frowned with distaste. "Dangerous things. I'm glad you're getting rid of it along with the cabin." She raised an eyebrow at Harry, and he braced himself for the questions he knew were coming. "Have you decided on a major? Classes are already selected?"
"Pre-med," he nodded. "It's going to be expensive, but I'm applying for scholarships and grants."
"Psshh," she made a dismissive sound and waved the idea away. "You can't trust charity. Apply, but don't rely on it. You'll have the money you need."
Narcissa came from an aristocratic wizarding family and didn't trust governments much. Her icy beauty was more a curse than a blessing in her youth, forcing her family to abandon their estate and flee as refugees or let it be stolen into slavery. Those early years shaped the woman who kept everything tightly controlled. Her marriage to Harry's father was one of convenience, never love, and Harry feared nothing would ever break through her armored shell.
Her daughter, Tracey, was her opposite. She grew up in relative comfort, and her beauty was an asset in the wizarding world. The girl broke hearts in every class at Hogwarts. One couldn't feed someone that much attention and not expect a bit of spoiling, but Narcissa quickly put Tracey in her place after her adoption.
"Forget your worries," Narcissa said with a firm nod. "We'll have a relaxing weekend, you'll see."
"Are you finally going to try sunbathing?" Harry asked, unable to hide the teasing smile that crept onto his lips. Her mouth puckered in a grimace of disapproval, and she ignored the comment. Narcissa had many qualities, but a suggestive wardrobe was never one of them. She wasn't the type to show off her figure or more skin than absolutely necessary. She often wore shawls and scarves, as well as ankle-length dresses that masked her curves.
"I'm proud of you, Harry, and I know your father would be too." Her lips tightened in a sad smile. "I don't tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you've done for me... for us, over the last few months."
"Of course," Harry said, his voice trailing off as she reached out, her trembling fingers entwining with his. Harry looked up, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up as her fingertips brushed the back of his hand, and he looked into eyes so blue he could drown in them. Usually icy blue, now they were warm, and the tip of her tongue slid over her upper lip before she spoke. He thought she caught herself on the last "darling" and changed what she wanted to say.
"Will you remind me to fill up the car before we leave town?"
The tension, if there ever was any, broke as she sat back, pulling her hand away from Harry and returning to her newspaper. He agreed and finished his coffee, feeling awkward in the frosty silence that followed.
When Harry placed his mug in the sink and bent down for a new bottle of dish soap, he noticed her reflection in the bottle and almost jumped but held himself back, standing up slowly. In the reflection, she bit her lower lip and stared at his butt, but when he glanced over his shoulder, she was reading her paper, and he chalked it up to his overactive imagination.
Harry packed his last few items, ensuring he added his phone charger and favorite sunglasses to his backpack before carrying everything downstairs. Her luggage had been lined up since early morning, leather suitcases stuffed with more clothes than she would need for a two-week trip. In contrast, Tracey's small suitcase didn't look large enough for a long weekend, but she'd mostly be in a bikini anyway.
As Harry stuffed their bags into the back of her large SUV, Fleur and Daphne arrived. Their red convertible wasn't fancy, but the girls had adorned it with various decorations, like a pink steering wheel cover and colorful beads. They and Harry were well-known in Hogsmeade, not just for driving with the top down on the main streets, but also for showing up at parties and events.
Fleur hopped out and started unloading their sleeping bags and suitcases while Daphne closed the roof. Though they weren't friends, their closeness was evident. Fleur, with her bright hair and flirtatious personality, and Daphne, blonde and more reserved, were inseparable.
"I'll take that," Harry said, pointing at the luggage.
Fleur smiled at him and grabbed their sleeping bags and backpacks while he lifted the suitcases.
"Good morning, Harry. How's life at Hogwarts?"
"Exams were tough, but I made it," he smiled, noticing Fleur's eyes lingering on his shoulders and abs as he loaded the bags into the SUV.
Daphne frowned at Harry, handing him her backpack. "And don't rummage through it."
Fleur rolled her eyes at her sister and shrugged apologetically.
"Daphne is upset because we're not going to Celestina Warbeck's concert this weekend."
"Why not?" Harry frowned, knowing that she and his sister had been looking forward to the summer concert for months.
"Our parents are out of town and think we'll throw a party," she scoffed at the idea. "As if we want a bunch of stupid jocks rummaging through our stuff."
"Tracey didn't say why she wasn't going?" Harry shrugged.
"She was the happiest of us three not to go," Daphne frowned, looking at the house where Tracey's voice could be heard greeting Fleur. "She said the lake would be more fun." The girl smiled mischievously at Harry and turned one heel back, giving him a good view of her slender leg. "You'll let us borrow your broom, right?"
Harry rolled his eyes and laughed to himself. Tracey was always pushing him for a broom ride, and it seemed she had enlisted her charming, flirtatious friend to ensure it happened this summer. Before he could tell the girl it wasn't happening, Narcissa called from the house.
"Harry, could you check if I turned everything off?"
Tracey and Fleur whispered conspiratorially as Harry passed them in the hallway, catching sight of a pink fabric being stuffed into his sister's bag before she hid it behind her back. The pair's flushed cheeks made him wonder what they were up to as he walked through the kitchen and house, ensuring everything was shut off.
"I get so anxious every time I leave this place," Narcissa said, closing her handbag and slinging it over her shoulder. "Did you check everything thoroughly?"
"I did," he assured her, placing a hand on her elbow and leading her out of the house, locking the door behind them. "We'll have a great time, remember?"
"I know," she replied with a smile. "I picked a few podcasts to keep us entertained during the drive. You like crime stories, right?"
Harry, despite being a wizard, used Muggle technology such as cell phones and social media to better understand and connect with the Muggle world. It was also practical in daily life, especially when he was away from Hogwarts. The girls were engrossed in their phones until they lost reception, then their laughter and gossip pulled his attention away from the podcast.
The girls were obsessed with how many likes their latest social media post got, who didn't like it, and what that might say about jealousy or envy. Once they discovered Muggle technology and solutions, it captured their hearts, opening up a whole new world and giving them attention from not just a few thousand magical boys but hundreds of thousands. Boys weren't treated any better, and the girls giggled over every minor flaw of each one. Harry felt sorry for the boys at their school, hearing what the girls said about them behind their backs.
When he glanced at Narcissa, her expression was tense, and a wrinkle appeared on her lips. Noticing him watching, she rolled her eyes towards the back seat, making him chuckle in amusement.
"Where did I go wrong, Harry?" she spoke quietly enough that the laughing girls couldn't hear and placed her hand on his, sending chills up his spine again. "Her priorities are all wrong."
"They're young," he shrugged. "I see it all the time at school. Girls are obsessed with finding social media stars or celebrities. I'm sure they'll grow out of it. Besides, there's nothing to be done about it, such behaviors existed even before Hogwarts was connected to the internet. I remember my friend Ron and his fascination with Krum."
"Hmm," she responded noncommittally, glancing back at the girls who were now exchanging Fleur's phone, staring at an Instagram model. "I'm not sure they will."
Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are already available at Pat re on.
If you want to support me, read the next chapters of the story and more, I invite you to my
Patreo n .com(slash)BoobsHunter (Remove spaces)