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Chapter 15 — Summer Flashbacks
"Is that Ghostbusters?"
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[Hogwarts - Year 1 - End of School Year]
"Okay so what's with the weird face Harry? It's like you're dreading something." Y/n asked as she sat on Harry's bed, waiting for him to finish packing his belongings. She swung her legs in boredom, but as she looked at the boy, she couldn't help but notice the expression on his face.
"It's-"
"Nothing? It's definitely something if you were going to say that. Now what is it?"
Harry sighed as he looked up from his belongings, messily placed in his trunk. "I've got to go back to the Dursleys this summer. They are very against all things magical and they hate me."
Y/n hummed in response, continuing to swing her legs. She made no further comment so Harry returned to stuff his remaining things into the trunk.
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[Summer of July 30th]
The doorbell rang to the Dursleys house at 4 Privet Drive. Dudley, who was about to go up the stairs, changed direction to open the door, expecting that one of his friends had come over to play. Perhaps pick on Harry again.
Instead, the plump boy was met with a (hair colored) girl, stopping at her (shoulders, hips, neck, your hair length). (Coloured eyes) stared into his own, a friendly smile planted on her face as she rocked back and forth gently on her shoes from nervousness.
"Hello there, is Harry home?"
Slightly taken aback from the beautiful girl in front of him, he dumbly nodded and invited her inside. Her grandparents, exiting their beautiful Volkswagen T2, came and followed their grandchild and met Dudley.
"Why hello there young man." Y/n's grandfather greeted him. The boy nodded before going inside and calling his parents. Petunia, the only one home at the moment (since Vernon was at work) came to her son's call, seeing the young girl and her grandparents.
"Dudley, is this one of your friends and their family? You should have told me they were coming! I would have prepared lunch!"
"No, no it's alright. I've brought some blueberry muffins from the cafe downtown. They are delicious, I'm sure you'll enjoy them." Y/n's grandma spoke, placing the boxed muffins on the table as Petunia became even more flustered.
Seeing the tv on with one of Dudley's channels playing, Y/n's smile grew. "Is that Ghostbusters?" Dudley nodded quickly, going over to the sofa, sitting down and patting the spot beside him. "Watch with me?"
Y/n joined him, watching the show as Petunia and Y/n's grandparents introduced themselves and had a lovely conversation about Y/n's grandma's company, Y/n's grandpa's hilarious stories, and about the children.
Harry stayed upstairs, hearing the voices he assumed it was one of Dudley's friends and family. He needed to stay put and quiet. Make no noise and pretend he didn't exist. Otherwise he would surely get even worse of a punishment.
Vernon had returned home later that afternoon and joined the conversation, not thinking once that this family might be magical. They acted so normal and muggle-like it was as if they weren't aware of the magical world surrounding them.
Y/n and Dudley were now playing a game with one of his many toys. Laughter came from the living room as the adults talked at the table. When the hour came to leave however, Y/n's grandparents finally brought up the topic of why they were there.
"Where's Harry anyways? I haven't seen him since I was at the station a few months back." Y/n's grandpa asked after catching his breath from a funny story Vernon had told.
The Dursley couple froze, doubts coming back. "Harry? Who's that?" Vernon asked gruffly.
"Your nephew? We're here to get him out of your hands for a week. If you'd let us of course." Y/n's grandma said gently.
The thought of not having Harry in their hands for a week appealed to them, and they were also influenced by the liking they had taken on the L/n family. Now they could tell that this was a magical family, something they didn't do, hated, disliked. But this family was so muggle-like. A normal van, didn't do anything magical, knew everything muggle, were up with muggle politics.
They had decided that this family would be the exception. Besides, they could tell Dudley had taken a liking to Y/n, they couldn't exactly take that away from them. And perhaps the family could help if Harry were to do something magical to their family.
For the first time in years, Harry heard his name being called from downstairs, and so, he rushed down as fast as he could. He saw Y/n standing next to Dudley with a cheeky smile on her face. In one of her hands was one of Dudley's action figures. They must have been playing together.
It was then Harry was met with a wonderful surprise.
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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-" Y/n's "uuu"'s continued until Y/n's grandma whacked her gently on the head, amused but annoyed.
They were sitting at the large dining table, a cake with the number 12 on it. Harry sat in front of the cake, slightly overwhelmed but very happy at this change of events. He was told to pack his bags for a week with the L/n's and so far, he was enjoying it very much.
He received presents from the family, and Y/n showed him a tour around the manor. Actually, they flew around the halls on brooms as Y/n shouted what the rooms were as they passed.
He asked why he hadn't been receiving letters from anyone and Y/n shrugged, a bit confused.
"I've been sending letters, but when you didn't respond I decided to just come pick you up. It turned out to be even more of a surprise anyways so I'm kind of glad you didn't get my letters, you should have seen your face when I turned up! As for the others..." Y/n thought about it then remembered, "I think they've been sending you letters too. Maybe something is interfering with the owls. That happens sometimes."
As Harry's small birthday party ended, the rest of the week was filled with fun. Y/n introduced Harry to Zooky, their house elf. Harry found Zooky to be very friendly and polite and treated Zooky the way Y/n did (sneaking her some liquorice wands-- she wouldn't take them willingly).
They went to Diagon Alley and went shopping a bit. They looked at new brooms, cleaning supplies, got ice cream, sweets, etc. Then they swam in the pool in Y/n's backyard. At least, that's what Y/n called it. Harry saw it as a full on waterpark. He still couldn't get over the fact that she was rich and grew up like this, but not grow up spoiled. It wasn't like she was trying to flaunt her riches to Harry, she was just trying to have fun, so Harry let go and jumped into the pool with a splash.
On the last day, the day that Harry was dreading to return back to the Dursleys, who would for sure lock him into his room with no social interaction with any of his magical friends. But the L/n's had one more surprise left for him. Taking hold of Y/n's grandpa's arm, which he had grown accustomed to call Lolo as he insisted. "It's like I have another grandkid." He said, smiling as he patted Harry, "Maybe in the future you'll actually join our family."
Knowing exactly what he implied, Harry coughed and turned his head away. Wasn't he way too young to think of marriage anyways!? Y/n grabbed her Lolo's other arm, excitement clear on her face. With that, they apparated to the L/n's first creature reserve. Harry, recovering from his first time side-apparating, was guided to a couch inside the large cottage they were apparated to.
Y/n waited patiently for him to recover, and once he did, she took his hand and dragged him outside. Y/n excitedly explained that they were on their creature reserve, filled with all types of creatures who need to recover, a place to live, or were just staying there until they could return them to their natural habitat.
They kept silent as they approached a tree. A tree filled with Bowtruckles. As they saw the girl approaching, they excitedly cheeped and Harry stayed back as she went to the tree, Bowtruckles climbing onto her.
"You see him?" She spoke to the creatures, "That's my best friend Harry. He wants to be friends too!"
The Bowtruckles looked at Harry, and one wearily reached out to him. Y/n placed the smaller Bowtruckle on Harry's shoulder and Harry let it crawl around on him, before settling down and understanding that Harry was a friend. The Bowtruckle went on Harry's hand, booped his nose, then settled itself in Harry's messy, jet black hair.
Y/n laughed as Harry smiled, "I think he likes me." Y/n nodded, "You're right, it's a male. Do you want to give him a name? That one's a new one, I can tell."
Harry looked up the best he could at the Bowtruckle. "What would you like your name to be?" The Bowtruckle only snuggled more deeply into Harry's hair. Harry shrugged his shoulders and looked at Y/n for a suggestion.
"How about Frizz?"
"Frizz?"
"Yeah, he's turned your hair all frizzy."
"Do you like that name? Frizz?" The newly named baby Bowtruckle, Frizz, nodded, happily frizzing up Harry's hair even more, taking a small nap.
Harry met all types of creatures he hadn't seen before. Most from a distance, and sometimes they were able to approach them. Bowing to a Hippogriff after Y/n taught him to, Harry petted it's feathers as a baby Hippogriff snuggled into Y/n, making her laugh.
The day ended way too quickly for Harry, as they were now back inside the Volkswagen T2, driving back to 4 Privet Drive. Y/n could tell and she gave a sympathetic smile to Harry. "I'll see you in a few months."
"Yeah..."
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[Summer of July 30th - End of Year 2]
"Petunia, Vernon, lovely to see you! Oh, and Dudley, you've grown so much, here, a pie."
Hearing the familiar voice of Y/n's Lola in the house brought Harry downstairs automatically. "Ah, Harry, there you are. I called your aunt in advance. Sadly, Y/n's not here to pick you up right now, dentist appointment with Hermione's parents, lovely girl she is."
It was this week he had been looking forward to, after discussing it with Y/n right before school ended. He looked forward to his birthday, being taken away for a week from the family that hated him to a family that treated him as their own. It was like being with the Weasleys, except there was less bustle and laughter considering the L/n's was a small family.
But it all came to an end after the fire at the L/n's second manor in Gotham, killing both Y/n's Lola and Lolo. In a way, Harry felt as if he lost his grandparents as well. His last memory with them, his 3rd time being taken away for his birthday. He didn't see them at the station since Y/n went with the Weasley's for that week.
He was no longer taken for a week when it neared his birthday. He regretfully told the Dursleys the news when they asked, and Dudley automatically called the girl who was grieving. Placing it on speaker as Petunia asked him to, they listened as the girl cried and gave their condolences, offering her to visit whenever she wanted.
She respectfully thanked them and told them of her situation. A family had adopted her, and she was still struggling to adjust. Harry realized his aunt, uncle, and cousin cared for the girl even though she was a witch. This must have been the only magical family they tolerated. They definitely didn't tolerate the Weasleys or any other magical person.
It was then week escapes stopped, week escapes to look forward to, week escapes to have fun, and laugh, and smile. The week escapes stopped, but Harry held on to the one thing that wasn't lost in the fire.
Y/n L/n.
Well that was emotional (not really but like-) Did you cry? I couldn't because I was in the middle of class writing this.
Signed,
Skyalent