𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 42

CHAPTER FORTY TWO
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH JANE 
CONTEMPLATES

. . .

Harry had left after breakfast the morning to find a change of clothes at the Dursleys, complete some chores that he hadn't done for a good few days and also write responses to letters, also deciding to extend the information to Hermione - Ron had mentioned that he had asked her about the adoption part of the Statute of Secrecy, and after reading the thirrd envelope that Flora had given him, Harry felt a little bad for not telling her.

And whilst Harry was detailing the events of the night before, Jane was stood besides Angela in the kitchen of the Adley Manor. She was dressed in a lavender patterned skirt with a white button up t-shirt hanging open over the top of bikini - her and Harry had promised to meet up in the afternoon and going swimming in the river.

It was forecasted to be sunnier and warmer on that day then the rest of the summer, and they had decided to take advantage of it. 

Barefooted and humming along to the song playing on the radio, Jane reached down to adjusted the plaited thread around her ankles, an idea sparking and reaching for her notepad, scribbling something down. 

"What's that about?" Angela asked, pausing in her task and looking upwards. She was watching over Jane in the cool of the kitchen - supervising as the Everleigh girl made lunch for when she met up with Harry. 

"It's his birthday soon." Jane replied, washing her hands and drying them before reaching for the flour, scattering some on the surface. "He said not to do anything.. but I get the feeling he's never had much. He goes to boarding school and lives with family who hates him - plus it lands right in the middle of the summer holidays. I want to do something for him."

Something not too big either - which is why she was spreading it over a couple of days. That day, she was making their picnic herself and bigger and better than usual. They had plenty of leftovers from the night before, plus she was handmaking scones, sausage rolls and spanish omelette - it was a lot to make in a morning, but Angela was helping her with the omelette and sausage rolls. 

"What's this?" Flora came through the garden door into the kitchen, sandals echoing against the terractoa tiles. She was dressed in a summer dress and one of the biggest floppy hats that Jane had ever seen.

The Everleigh girl visibly stiffened but forced herself to loosen up seconds later, adjusting her notepad over a peak of a white envelope. Flora and Angela noticed, meeting each others eyes as Jane busied herself with kneading the dough for the scones. 

"It's Harry's birthday soon." Angela replied for her. "Jane wants to do something for him, but he doesn't want anything big."

"Oh really - and when is it?" Flora looked over at Jane, who didn't answer right away. 

"31st." Even her reply was brief, not looking up from the dough and continuing to knead it, reaching for the cutter and beginning to lay the circle shapes out on the tray beside her. 

"Here, let me do that." Angela interrupted the silence that fallen after Jane's answer, moving away from where she was organising the sausage rolls into a box. Flora was looking thoughtful, as if planning something and didn't seem to notice Angela taking the tray and sliding it into the oven. "I'll just quickly go to the bathroom, alright Jane."

"But the-" Jane looked panicked as Angela scurried away, swallowing back any nerves and heading towards the sausage rolls and finishing the job. 

Flora, who seemed to have only just realised what Angela was doing broke out of her focus, instead eyeing the notepad, before taking a couple of strides and leaning on the counter besides Jane. 

"I understand if you don't want me to adopt you, dear." The girl dropped a sausage roll and swore under her breath, ducking down to get it before Clementine could. "However, you should be aware that eventually, it is my intention to. It has been a rather short time than you arrived, but I was under the impression that you would allow me to. The circumstances in the process are a little different with me - knowing Mr Winter and all. You have all the time in the world to think about it."

"I've.. enjoyed being here." Jane spoke quietly and calculated, as if doing anything else would reveal her true feelings. "But it's odd to know that.. I would be.." 

She didn't finish her sentence, but Flora quite clearly knew what final word would be there. "I'm sorry if I scared you, but I decided it would be better too let you know of my hopes now rather than later."

"It's fine, I'm not scared." Jane swallowed, counting out several miniature treacle tarts to put into a box, adding a few more than her original number before putting the lid on and slipping it into the bag she had prepared. "Just.. surprised." 

"That's okay." Flora smiled, watching as Jane took a sealed bottle of pink lemonade from the fridge and several of the plastic glasses, wrapping them in a dish cloth before placing them in the bag. "Just.. enjoy your day with Harry and let me know if there's anything you need - for today or his birthday." 

"I will.. thank you." Jane smiled. She knew that she wanted to stay with Flora, but the idea just scared her. She would get used to the idea though, and perhaps talk with Harry about it. 

That would help. 

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