𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH HE ARRIVES AT THE MANOR

. . .

The next morning, Harry woke up earlier. He had returned last night at a good time, despite it having taken him and Jane a little longer to find their way back and made sure to do everything that the Dursleys asked for him.

They were yet to question where he was disappearing to, and the Potter boy aimed to keep it that way. First, he had no idea what he would tell them if they did ask - how could you ever explain someone like Jane to people who truly believed that Harry was one of the most pathetic people to ever appear in their presence. And second, Harry was somewhat convinced that if he did one thing the slightest bit wrong then he would be kept within the walls of the house and not able to meet up with Jane anymore.

If they did end up doing that.. well he had the threat of Sirius to push forward. Letting them know that his dad's best friend - who happened to be a convicted mass-murderer who had escaped from wizard prison - was ready to take him in just like that, tended to make them forget whatever they were trying to restrict him from doing. 

And so Harry had gotten into the habit of making sure that everything that was necessary for him to do when he came back from his outings or before them. And that morning was no different. 

He woke up earlier, washed and changed and packed his bag for the day. He had no idea what his time at this Florence woman's home would entail, and so Harry needed options. Like everyday, he had his wand tucked into the waistband of his jeans, and usually his bag was empty. But that day it held one of his school books with a cover of a muggle book pulled over it, and a notepad and pen was tucked in there as well. He might as well get something done there, not that he didn't trust Jane and her promise of making sure the day was fun even if they weren't going there.

By the time it was late enough for the Dursleys to get up, Harry had already put all the dirty clothes in the washing machine, dusted the mantelpiece and washed up any mess from the night before. And when his Aunt Petunia, the one who was usually first to rise from the family, came downstairs, she sniffed around as Harry made her breakfast, but couldn't find any fault.

"What's all this then?" Petunia asked stiffly, as the floorboards above them creaked hinting at Uncle Vernon or Dudley getting up. Although it did seem rather early for either of them to wake up.

"Pardon?" Harry had stopped himself from only acknowledging her question with a hum, deciding that would cause even more harm. 

"Why is there so much done?" Petunia pressed, adjusting the skirt of her summer dress that caused a bitter hum in Harry's heart as he thought back to the day before, which had made a summer dress so pretty - but now it just looked awful. 

"I.." Harry's mouth went dry as he pushed the bacon around in the pan. "I decided that it would make life easier if I just got on with things." He added quietly, trying to not let the lie bruise his ego too much. Aunt Petunia just let out a discontent humph before calling up the stairs for her ickle 'Duddykins' to get up.

Harry was rushing out of the house within forty five minutes, hoping he didn't smell too much like bacon. He hurried down to the rusting green bridge, crossing it and running down the trodden path to the tree, leaning down when he saw a note pinned to it.

Pulling it away from the bark, Harry brushed over the note, it telling him that he could and a pencil-drawn copy of that area on the map, pointing him to the house. And within a short while, Harry passed through the ivy-woven gates and up the driveway, jaw dropping as he came into view of what would have once been an incredibly stately home. 

But he had a feeling that it would've seemed cold, and it seemed much more alive so overgrown with ivy and other plants, giving it a much more homely feel. He approached the front door, taking note of the two cars in the driveway as he did so. Harry raised his hand, fingers twisting with the metal of the shaped knocker - which seemed to have a bird engraved into the silver that oddly resembled a phoenix.

He had only banged it against the door once when it opened, almost dragging him inside with it. "Woah - be careful there." A hand steadied his shoulder, and pushing his glasses up, Harry was met with the rather bizarre sight of Florence Adley.

She seemed to both fit what Harry had heard from Jane and didn't. Flora did seem to have that eccentric millionaire look, elegant yet somehow messy and strange at the same time, bright colours jumping out from everywhere yet a string of pearls around her neck. "You must Harry Potter." Her voice was soft, and when Harry looked a little closer at the buttons of her cardigans, there was a rather odd symbol - yet another bird that seemed like a phoenix and two thin sticks crossing above it.

"Jane has told me all about you. I must say, I am rather intrigued to hear all about the boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and how he ended up spending a summer with my new foster daughter." Flora looked kindly down at him, almost as if she was pitying, moving out of the way. "I suppose you'd better come in."

And with just the slightest bit of suspicion settling in, Harry stepped through the doorway.

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