𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 26

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH FLORA
MEETS THE DURSLEYS

. . .

"What are you doing here?" Jane's voice was slightly muffled by the sound of the bus driving away, Harry following behind her with her bags. 

Flora had been leant against the bonnet of her convertible, incredibly large and ornate sunglasses perched on her nose and a wide-brimmed straw hat with flowers around the brim on her head. Like Jane, she was wearing a long dress, but instead of it being bright, it was beige and canvas, perfectly ironed and made absolutely her by the multicoloured belt securing her waist.

"I, darling, have come to pick you up." Florence was smiling as she pushed herself upwards onto her feet, sunglasses being pulled gracefully off of her nose. "Hello Harry - Jane, you seemed to have forgotten to get something?" 

"What.. oh, yes!" Jane whirled around and skipped back over to where Harry was walking. "Sorry about that." She smiled up at him, any hint of distaste from the previous conversation. He just grinned and shook his head, rubbing the marks that the bag handles had left and propping up his glasses as they both returned to Flora. 

"How did you know we were getting off at this stop?" Harry had a feeling he already knew, confirmed by Flora tapping the side of her nose and winking as she leaned forward to take the bags out of Jane's arms and place them in the boot of her car. 

"Magic." She was saying it in a joking manner and Jane reacted as such, pretty smile gleaming in the sun. "Not really, of course, just intuition. Actually, I'm hear to see one of my old friends from when I lived in this village - Arabella Figg. And seeing as you live on the same street Harry, I thought I would go with Jane when you got back. And I thought I might interest myself in introducing myself to your guardians, seeing as you are coming to the garden party I am hosting."

"What? You're meeting my uncle and aunt? I can think of a million reasons why that is a bad idea." Harry couldn't help the outburst, eyes wide behind the glass. It was quite practically the worst idea he had ever heard - every single witch and wizard that had ever met Petunia and Vernon Dursley had ended up going down in their bad books. 

"Harry, it'll be fine I'm sure." Jane seemed taken aback by his reaction. "Won't it?" She turned to Flora, who nodded slowly. 

"Unless Harry really doesn't want me to go, then I won't. I just believe that as guardians they should know where their nephew is going to be." She was speaking softly and wasn't pushing it, just gently suggesting it. "Can I, Harry?" Florence asked. 

Harry swallowed before nodding. "My cousin Dudley might have seen me and Jane on the bus this morning.. so they might be a bit upset when I go in." He told her, watching as Jane began towards Privet Drive. Hurrying to stand beside Florence, he quickly told them about the Dursleys' history with people like them.

"It'll be no worries, dear." Flora smiled down at him. "I can act completely muggle-like when I need to. Now go with Jane and I can handle Vernon and Petunia Dursley."

Harry hesitated before nodding and moving to join Jane, who slowed her pace when she saw him approach. "It'll be okay." She encouraged, but instead of saying anything else, Harry reached for her hand. 

The Everleigh girl, despite all her confidence, was blushing, heart thudding in her chest as Harry lead her towards Number 4 Privet Drive, and when they reached the neat front lawn and the curtains twitched. 

The Potter boy agreed to go in first, Florence stood closely behind her and Jane was distracted by the cat that had appeared in one of his Aunt Petunia's prized flowerbeds. 

As soon as he pushed open the door the woman was there, bony hands clasped around the material of the apron she always wore to cook. "You - good - your Uncle is expecting a meal when he gets back and.." Her voice died in her throat, seeing Florence stood in the doorway. 

The apron was promptly dropped as the woman stepped forward. "Petunia Dursley." She introduced herself, not even attempting to hide her distaste at the woman's outfit. 

"Florence Adley, a pleasure." Flora shook the offered hand. "It won't be long, I'm here just to introduce myself as-"

"That's her Mum!" A shout came from upstairs and a thunderous banging could be heard as Dudley stormed down the stairs. "That's her, the girl who I saw him with on the bus."

"Dudders - there's some ice cream in the freezer." Petunia looked slightly mortified by her son's shouting in front of Florence Adley - everyone knew her as the owner of the manor on the hill, the heiress to her family's money, someone who was the picture of elegance and refinery. 

"My Jane?" Flora looked shocked as Dudley shoved Harry out of the way to get to the kitchen. The Adley woman reached forward and gently pulled Harry behind her. "Well that's impossible. Jane and Harry were helping me in the garden at the manor all day - which leads me on to my next point." 

"Of course they were." Petunia sniffed in her usual snooty manor, but considering her lack of knowledge on who Flora truly was, it didn't have that I'm-above-everyone-else manner to it. 

"I'm holding a garden party - housewarming really." Flora began. Petunia was grasping at the ideas of an invitation, only to have them dragged away. "I believe it would be a  good idea for both Jane and him for Harry to attend."

"Oh. Yes, of course." Harry was enjoying watching the confusion across his aunt's face. Petunia would never be able to understand how he, their disgrace of a nephew who they tried to hide away as much as possible, had managed to get himself into this. 

"I'll send him home with an actual invitation tomorrow - but for now, here's my phone number in case you need to contact me. I believe that it might end up being a sleepover." Flora finished, producing a sleek business card out of her pocket and handing it to Petunia. 

"Thank you." Petunia was the type of person to spit in the face of people who she considered below her, but completely suck up to anyone else. Harry had seen it when his Uncle Vernon's rich builder came around for a dinner party with his wife. 

"Harry, go and say goodbye to Jane for the day?" Flora offered. "Whilst I'm just finishing talking to your wonderful aunt." Harry could sense the sarcasm. Petunia couldn't. 

But Harry took it, darting past Flora and out to the end of the street, where Jane was leaning against the sign reading the street name. "Did Flora actually give her a phone number?" He asked, positioning himself beside her.

"I'm inclined to think not. Maybe the phone in the garage? It's on a different line to the others." Jane smiled, shaking her head and tucking the ginger curls that strayed into her vision out of the way. "Shall we meet up at our usual spot tomorrow? We haven't gone walking in ages." 

Harry just nodded, smiling as the sun glowed down over the street that he had been forced to call his home. 

All of a sudden, like anywhere Jane went, it seemed a little brighter.

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