Magic? || Years 1-5

Lily The Baker: Year 2/Summer

"Why're you staring at the hedge," The fat boy switched his attention to Harry's transfixed gaze.

"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," Harry shrugged, as if what he just said wasn't utter nonsense.

They were banned from using magic over the summer.

"You c-can't -- Dad told me you're not to do m-magic -- he said he'll chuck you out of the house -- and you haven't got anywhere else to go -- you haven't got any friends to take you --" Dudley stammered, stumbling over his words the same way stumbled away from Harry.

"Jiggery pokery! Hocus pocus! Squiggly wiggly!" Harry spat, taking slow, menacing steps toward the shivering boy.

Amisty was rolling around in the bushes with laughter, impressed with her friend's impressive acting skills.

"MUUUUUUUM! MUUUUM! He's doing you know what!" Dudley yelled, racing back into the house fearfully.

"You can come out now," Harry chuckled, watching the dreaded boy trip over his feet as he ran wailing for his mother.

She fell out of the bushes, choking on her laughter as she walked back over to him.

"That was amazing!" She exclaimed, dropping back down on the bench next to him with a thump.

"Thanks, though it was hard to keep a straight face with your antics," He replied good-naturedly.

"Can you blame me? He believed that rubbish!" She doubled over with laughter again, the memory of his terror stricken face floating across her thoughts.

"Oh... I'm going to pay for that, it'll be worth it though," He got up, looking slightly discouraged. "I'll talk to you later, Amisty. Better get my punishment over with sooner than later."

"Alright, don't let them push you around too much," She replied, getting to her feet and making her way over to her camp.

-=+=-

Harry was right. He was being punished.

He cleaned the windows, washed the car, mowed the lawn, trimmed the flowerbeds, pruned and watered the roses, and repainted the garden bench while all Amisty could do was watch.

She had thought of helping out before putting the thought in the back of her mind. The risk of them sending her to the orphanage was too great.

So instead, she sat in the shade of her camp, munching on a fruit tart. She had set aside several treats, planning on giving them to him the second he was done working.

Echo had returned from Hermione's and was perched in her cage, still without a single hint of a letter.

The sun slowly sank below the horizon, and Harry was still working away.

Orange and red bled across the sky like watercolors, sending the blue away.

Quickly, before the sun disappeared completely, Amisty scampered over, sweets in hand.

"Here, before you go inside," She whispered, pressing the bag into his hand with a smile, "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," He grinned back, exhaustion dimming his brilliant green eyes.

She nodded, racing back to her camp before they could spot her.

After a few more hours dragged by, Harry finally disappeared inside the house. Moments later, a fancy car pulled into the driveway and two smartly dressed figures walked out.

Amisty wandered further into her camp, doing some last minute tidying up before finding the makeshift bed she had made.

Now she had a thin blanket made of spare fabric she had found to keep her warm, though it was unnecessary for the warm season.