A Darker Form of Magic, book one: Dark Affinity

Chapter Two

The incident with the boa constrictor was something that Harry knew that Uncle Vernon wouldn't just overlook, not with him believing that Dudley had been put into danger by the younger boy. So Harry wasn't surprised in the least that the next time that he was allowed outside of his cupboard it was already well into the summer holidays.

But with the holidays came Dudley's friends coming to the Dursleys each day, looking for another ten year old to beat senseless. More often than not, thay honor fell to Harry, so the boy was always quick to finish his chores for the day and escape to the field where he knew, hoped, that Jude would soon come.

The sun was beating down with an unforgiving heat by the time that Harry got to the field that day, his too large clothes hanging on the boy's much too small frame like an extra weight as he walked. Harry could see the top of brown hair that gleamed almost red in the midday light. He moved and met the boy in the tall grass, sitting down beside the older boy. Harry could already feel Jude's eyes on him before the other even turned his body to look at Harry fully.

Jude reached out and cupped Harry's face, turning it to meet his own. Harry could feel the slight sting there as the older boy ran a thumb over the cut on his brow. He could see the undeniable anger that always seemed to linger behind those eyes of his when Harry showed up in such a state, but the anger never burned him. Jude never let it.

"I think that Dudley's aim is getting better," Harry joked snarkily, something that Jude did not seem to appreciate if the harsh way that the other boy shoved Harry's face away was anything to go by.

Harry could see the older boy gritting his teeth as he attempted to calm himself. Each of them had a temper on them, one that they both knew would hurt the other if they didn't take the time to try and control it.

"You know, if you would just learn to duck..." Jude started, but his voice trailed off the way that it always did when this topic came up over the past year that the boys had known one another.

"Then it would be twice as bad when he finally does get his hit in," Harry reminded the other anyways. "Making it easier for him to get it all out from the start is the best form of self preservation that I have," the ten year old finished as he pulled himself to his feet, Jude following closely behind Harry.

"I know," the other boy said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans as the pair set off for the woods at the edge of the field. "I still fucking hate it," the boy cursed.

You're not the only one, Harry thought but he didn't have to voice it for the other to know.

The pair walked through the woods, relishing in the shade that it provided. The trees were thick and the foliage full enough to block out the majority of the heat and the pair moved through them, tracing their fingers across the same bark that they'd climbed a hundred times before over the past year. If Harry were to think about it all long enough, he could almost feel that force within him longing to reach out to the woods as well. Harry didn't give in though, not with Jude around to see and leave him for being a freak too.

"Stonewall High will be better," Jude said suddenly as the boys sat on the tallest branches that they could without breaking them, the leaves pricking at each of their skin.

"No shit," Harry cursed, kicking the other boy's trainer with his own as they faced one another from opposite branches, their feet dangling in the open air.

For the first time in ten years that Harry had lived with the Dursleys, next school year would be the first time that he got to go to a school without Dudley and even some of his goons. What was even better, Stonewall High was the same school that the boys from the group home went to as well. Next year would be the beginning of five years spent at the other boy's side. And five years without having to see Dudley for twenty - four hours a day.