𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 46

CHAPTER FORTY SIX
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY 
RETURN TO THE MANOR

. . .

Harry had already tried twice again by the time it was lunch time, the two of them deciding to retire from the heat of the world outside and make their way to the cool kitchen of the Adley Manor to be supplied of food, their plans for that afternoon to be made over a buffet-style lunch of a couple freshly-made items and leftovers from the previous few days. 

"Mind your arm." Jane advised, Harry leaning to the side as she placed down the long wooden cutting board of baguette, the olive oil spread in a small white ramekin besides it. 

"This all looks incredible Angela." Harry had the appreciative smile on his face as he watched Jane moved around the table to sit in front of him, both Flora and Angela seating themselves as well.

"It's just a few things I put together." The blonde cook shrugged. "Tuck in, please, help yourselves."

Minutes later and the kitchen was silent, save for the sound of clinking cutlery and the occasional crunch of a particularily crusty bit of bread. What Harry had said was true, and the dishes that Angela had presented in front of their faces when Jane asked if it would be okay for them to eat there looked amazing, and with the four surrounding the table and some of the workers currently working on fixing up the old greenhouse attached the West Wing of the house popping in and out, the food was gone in no time.

Jane and Harry had long been prevented from going in the West Wing after they spent a short afternoon in there, attempting to clear out one of the rooms filled with cardboard boxes when part of the ceiling had fallen down, which was when Flora deemed it as officially unsafe. 

"So, what are your plans for this afternoon?" Flora asked, reaching for the jug of cherry infused drink - Angela really seemed to like experimenting with what she could make - and poured herself a glass, tipping the last few dregs into Jane's glass.

"Well I thought we could try and find the old railway bridge." The Everleigh girl took her last mouthful of muushroom flavoured cous-cous, neatly arranging her fork on the side of her plate. "I overheard some people talking about it the other day, and it sounds like it was quite pretty and nice."

"As long as your safe." Flora smiled. "And I wish you luck on your search."

"You know I had a really lucky week once." Angela mused, sitting back in her seat. "It wasn't too long ago actually - when I got the call that you were back, Flo. I'd just quit my job - crappy boss - and I got the letter when I arrived home. And you'll never guess what I found on my kitchen table... a four-leafed clover."

"No way!" Jane's eyes sparked with amusement as she looked across at Harry, who was biting the tip of his tongue to keep from laughing. "Perhaps Harry'll need some of that luck." 

Harry choked back a laugh, hand reaching to cover his mouth and turning the noise into a cough. 

Flora and Angela gave him some considerably strange looks, and with the last of the food and drink finished, the two teens helped tidy up the mess before leaving the Manor once more, bags hoisted up onto their backs and hands intertwined. 

"I though Florence was the eccentric one." Harry commented as they walked through the gates at the end of the driveway. "But Angela seems to be as well."

"You haven't heard the half of it." Jane shook her head as she laughed at memories, her fingers brushing back the curls of hair that framed her face. "One time I walked in on her telling Flora all about this thing with unicorns and these hippo-griffin crossover teachers. Apparently it was a dream she had when she was younger." 

Harry could bet several Galleons that Jane had walked in on a discussion between the two women of the Adley Manor that she was definitely not supposed to hear. 

"Sounds like I've heard one of the.. tamer stories." Harry chuckled. There was a glint in Jane's eye as she caught his, nodding her confirmation. The tiny little spark disappeared when she saw the Potter boy's expression. 

"What's wrong?" She asked softly. "Did you see something on my list earlier and didn't like it.. or has Angela's weird habit of getting food absolutely perfect failed her and you ate something funny or.."

"No, no it's not that." Harry knew what it was like, to see someone's demeanour change for no apparent reason. Perhaps he had become too expressive, or perhaps Jane had become too skilled at reading his expressions like an open book. "No - really it isn't."

The boy swallowed, wondering if it sounded stupid. He watched as Jane's gaze slowly dragged from him and the path. "I was just wondering if it's stupid of me to think it's strange that they mentioned four-leafed clovers." Harry bit back the nerves it gave him.

"Oh, I couldn't believe it!" Jane turned him with a smile and once again, Harry couldn't believe he had actually been worried about saying it. "It's clearly a coincedence because I haven't gone anywhere near mentioning it, but it caught me so off-guard!"

"Right." Harry laughed, feeling a wash of relief flood over him. He supposed he just hated how many people tended to talk about him at school especially since his name came out of the Goblet of Fire, or had come to worry due to the articles of the Daily Prophet which slandered his name.

He hadn't renewed his subscription after the year before - despite Rita Skeeter having been locked in a jar by Hermione, she didn't seemed to have stopped her tirade against the poor Potter boy - but that didn't mean Florence nor Angela had.

In fact, he had spotted the both of them sliding editions out of his view on multiple occasions. Harry was just glad he never decided to be nosy about this, just once. 

But now was no time to be thinking about Rita Skeeter, and Harry shook away the thoughts, following Jane as she climbed over a stile and into a field.

If they had Angela's luck, they would be finding the old train tracks sometime soon.

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a/n
only one more
update this week
after today! <3