If one day you told Finley that she was going to finally meet her mother's sister, she would've been ecstatic to meet her right sway. She wouldn't worn her best dress and shoes, she would've bothered fixing her hair and maybe wearing a bit of make up to put colour on her pale cheeks. But now after learning what kind of life Harry had with her aunt and her family, she wanted nothing to do with them at all.
Here she was in her room in Mirelle's flat in London, holding the letter that Harry had sent her through Hedwig. She wanted nothing more than to floo over to the Dursley's and take Harry to come live with her and Mirelle. Mirelle wouldn't mind, in fact she also had voiced the ideas of asking Harry to come live with them, denied of course by Dumbledore claiming it was for Harry's safety. But what safety was he thinking about when her brother was being abused in their Aunt Petunia's home?
"Finney, Your Beauxbatons letter is here," she heard Mirelle call from outside her room. She knows that it was arriving today, she had a couple of weeks before she went to France and that included the week of the quidditch cup.
She stood up from her desk where she read Harry's letter, she opened the door but as soon as her eyes met the outside there stood a boy at least her age. Black hair and dark brown eyes, she swears that they change to forest green. "Oh, Hello there!" He greeted her.
Finley's widened at the sight of a boy in the flat expectedly, she completely forgot that Mirelle's youngest brother was coming to visit Mirelle this week too. "Hi," Finley managed to greet sheepishly.
If only she was more presentable than planned, she didn't thing wearing a pair of sweatpants and a muggle band shirt should suffice as a first impression.
"Sorry for not looking presentable," Finley apologises giving the visitor a shy smile, she really forgot that he was arriving today. She blames her worrying for Harry at the Dursley's.
The boy smiled back, a dimple accompanying his cheeks, Finley admits that this boy was attractive alright. "I'm Sebastian," he introduces himself to her. This was certainly a refreshing greeting seeing as Finley's track record of boys introducing themselves to here where not so great.
'No, Henry Bennet of Ravenclaw was worst. Your brother and friends don't count.' She told herself. She laid out her hand for Sebastian to shake with a large polite smile on her face. "I'm Finley."
"So you're from Beauxbatons?" Sebastian asked as they sat down in the living area. Finley shook her head, she truly wished she wasn't going there anyway but what use was it to disobey the man who kicked you out his home?
"I was attending Hogwarts, I'm transferring to Beauxbatons," she says.
"Did you get expelled?" Sebastian mused, if only that was reason though, but it was far depressing and boring than that.
"Always find myself getting killed there with my brother," she sheepishly says truthfully. Well it was true, her and Harry always find themselves in a do or die situation almost everyday in the three years they attended Hogwarts.
Sebastian stared at her amused for what she had just said, it was certainly a good conversation starter that by the time he asked Finley something about Hogwarts, Finley almost revealed things she shouldn't. Both didn't even realise that Mirelle already left for work for the day as they were too engrossed in their conversation.Talking to Sebastian was refreshing all together, a month in her summer break she already felt the loneliness. Blaise went to Italy with his mum and his step-dad's children, the letters she receives from him were always attached with an Oleander flower inside the envelope. Theo on the other hand was stuck with his family while visiting his mother's mother in America, his letters come every other day.
"So where do you go to school?" Finley asked as she munched on a treacle tart that Mirelle laid for them.
"Durmstrang," Sebastian says, puffing out his chest slightly with pride.
"Isn't it cold there?" Finley asks, because from what she heard their school was located in a snowy mountain. Much like Hogwarts, it was surrounded by trees too but she doubts that there was a town near it like Hogsmeade.
Sebastian shrugged, "You get used to it," he says as he finished his tea.
With the conversation still going on, unfortunately they were interrupted by a tap from a window. It startled the both of them, it was Sebastian who went to look at what it was. "Do you know this owl?" He asked Finley.
Narrowing her eyes in confusion, she looked out the window and was amused to learn which owl it was.
"Pig? Why are you here," her brows furrowed as she let the clumsy owl in, placing him on the owl perch where Tina usually sits. Why was Ron's clumsy owl here? Was something wrong with Harry? Hopeful that nothing was wrong with Harry at the moment when she just received his letter from Hedwig and that she just sent a reply back.
Truly she hasn't called Harry yet using the telephone number he gave her, even with the multiple scolding he got from giving away the Dursley's house number it didn't stop him from giving it to her. Finley took the letter from the owl, "Is he yours?" Sebastian asked as he started stroking the owl's head.
"Don't —"
"Ow!"
"Touch him, he bites," Finley says, placing the letter on the table and checked Sebastian's finger if it was bleeding or not. Cursing the rule of not using magic during the break for minors, a good Episkey spell would've been handy.
"Does he normally do that?" Sebastian winced as Finley dabbed a tissue on the small bleeding wound. "His beak is sharp."
"Most of the time," Finley explains throwing him an apologetic look. Leaving him for a bit to get the first aid in the bathroom, coming back to mend Sebastian's finger.
"So who's the letter from?" Sebastian asked as soon as Finley placed a band aid on his finger. Finley now turning to the letter that was sent by the her Weasley friends, she opened the letter, heard the chair move meaning Sebastian was intrigued, she didn't mind.
Finley,
My dad decided to connect the floo network to the Dursley's fire place so we can get him for the week before the World Cup. I was wondering if it's alright with you if you could have him get his things ready? He'll be staying with us until we take the train to Hogwarts.
PS: Sorry about Pig, I would've sent Errol but you know how clumsy that old thing is. Hope he didn't bite you. See you at Harry's.
Ron (And Ginny and the twins say hi)
Finley sighed, she knows that it would be a mistake to connect the floo network to a muggle fireplace. And hearing from Harry what the Dursley's were like it was going to be a disaster, hoping that the Weasley's wouldn't be there until she does, she stands up from her chair taking the first aid kit with her.
"Where are you going?" Sebastian ask, starting to stand up too.
"I'm going to go see my brother at our Aunt's," she says, she technically needs to hurry up or else Harry was going to he in for a surprise when Ron and the Weasleys arrive.
"I'll come with, I can drive," Sebastian offers as he walks towards the bowl where Mirelle's car keys were.
"You don't have to, I can take the knight bus," she insists, but no, Sebastian Thorns wasn't one to be persuaded at something he insists on doing, that she now learns.
"It's alright, I'd like to see what England is like anyway," he says. Finley puffed her cheeks, the boy was really insistent, that and she doesn't know how Harry would react if he sees her with an unknown boy. It was bad enough that she was somewhat friends with his arch nemesis, what would he react to Sebastian?
"Alright then, let me just change into something more presentable," she mumbled as she walked in her room now searching for a very muggle style clothing.
Privet Drive 4 in Surrey was as expected the most mediocre kind of house in the neighbourhood, almost all the houses were the same. But this particular house was the home of Finley's mother's sister, Petunia Evans now Dursley where her younger brother Harry lived for the past 14 years of his life. She didn't expect herself to be here to see what kind of life her brother was living in, but it wasn't hard to learn that they treated Harry like he was never there.
To Finley it was embarrassing to have Sebastian drive her to this very boring side of England. But to his insisting he sounded like he really didn't mind at all. She stood in front of the driveway wearing her most mundane muggle clothes that for sure will be caught on fire in presence of Missus Zabini. Thank Merlin the woman was in Italy and not here or she will have an earful of dressing like a proper lady.
"You there's this thing called door bell," she heard Sebastian comment from behind her as he was leaning on the car.
"I know alright? It's just that this is the first time I would be seeing my mum's sister," she huffed as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. "And she hates wizards, and the way she treats my brother is just terrible."
"Well, we are here to rescue him," Sebastian says as he stood up straight and went towards the house's door bell and pressed it himself. "Sebastian—"
"Who are you?" A fat boy asked eyeing them both from head to toe, she mentally cringed as she realised that this must be their long lost biological cousin Dudley.
Sebastian nudged her slightly, widening his eyes at her motioning her to speak. She cleared her throat and let out a smile, masking her distaste for the boy who somewhat reminded her of Peter Pettigrew. "Is Harry Potter home?"
"Harry? That four eyed freak?"
She frowns, she didn't like how this fat boy was describing her brother at all, if this fat git was describing Harry as a freak she would call him a bulbous hedge-pig.
"Yes Harry Potter, I heard that he lives here," she continues politely trying her best to bite her tongue from doing wandless latin hexes on the fat boy.
Before the boy could speak there came out a woman with blonde hair, completely mediocre as possible, wearing a pink dress and a white apron. This was her mother's sister Petunia and she didn't like her already.
"Who is this my sweet Dudders," she inwardly cringed at the woman's tone. She looked like an overly doting mother to a spoiled brat. She bit her tongue and gave her all from not rolling her eyes at them at all. At least Draco came out nicely with Narcissa Malfoy's doting, not that Draco was nice at all, he was still her prat.
"She's looking for the freak," he said. The woman's face went blank and looked at her in disgust, now her demeanour was fully hostile towards her.
"Oh, so your from that god awful school," she wanted to hex her now too. But she couldn't afford to cause trouble, she needed to lie now.
"School? I'm sorry what are you talking about? I'm an old friend of Harry's in kindergarten. I just moved back from America a few weeks ago, I just wanted to say hi to Harry," she lied through her teeth. The woman's face brightened and waved her hands as if she was waving away the nonsense she spoke of.
"Oh never mind that dear, it's just he went to a school for the troubled teens that is," she said faking her sadness. She felt disgusted at her that she wanted to scream, yet she kept her facade.
"May we see him please? We'll just be around the neighbourhood talking," Sebastian asks, observing how Finley was starting to lose her cool towards the woman.
"Of course dear," her eyes looked delighted but then. "Someone wants to see you boy!" The woman yelled inside making Finley jump in surprise.
And when Harry did come out the boy and her aunt went back inside probably had plans to eavesdrop before they would leave.
"Harry!" She tackled the boy in glasses in a bone crushing hug.
"Finley!" Harry exclaims hugging her as well in delight and spinning her around the drive way, she was glad to see him truly. She didn't see or hear the tone of detest from him at all. "Merlin I am I glad to see you!" Harry says nit letting her go from the embrace.
"You have no idea how many times I wanted to come and see you," Finely replied giving the boy a much tighter embrace.
"A thank you would've sufficed," Sebastian coughed catching the two siblings' attention, Finley giving him a sheepish look. She was too caught up with the fact that she got to see Harry again.
"And you are?" Harry asked. A smile played on Sebastian's lips making his dimple show, adorable was what Finley could describe it.
"Sebastian Thorns, Mirelle's brother."
"Nice to meet you, mate." Harry shook his hand in respect.
The short reunion went on that they walked around the neighbourhood, catching up and just being very sibling of each other. Sebastian insisted that he stayed in the car until it was time for him and Finley to go back to London.
The siblings sat in the park by the swings and talked some more, "So you're really going to France this year?" Harry asked in disdain.
Finley merely nodded, she had this conversation with Blaise and Theo before and their pesters for allowing them to move schools too, and knowing missus Zabini she didn't want her only biological son to go to a French based school. Theo on the other hand got a scolding from his mother and a month's worth of teasing from his brothers, in the end both boys didn't get what they wanted.
Hermione was okay with it after a negotiation of writing to her at least twice a week.
The Weasleys were another story. Ron was alright with letters and occasional sweets at least once every other week, Ginny wanted a letter every now and then. The twins didn't speak to her until she promised them to send french pranking items to twist up their mischief, other than that they were okay.
"I guess you'll be the first to leave for school this year," Harry said sadly to her.
"I don't want to leave either Harry, but what could I do? I'm still underaged."
"But you're my sister, it should be illegal to keep us apart," he argued. Finley wished that it was the case too, but the laws in the wizarding world was even more ridiculous than the muggle government.
"Look at the bright side, I won't be using mum's last name anymore," she smiles making Harry smile as well. She fought Snape to let her use her given name and not the name he gave her, of course it was her mum's name but she wished to use her father's name too.
"Really?"
She nodded enthusiastically, "From this day forward I'm taking the name Potter," she winks at him. Both of them have wide grins on their faces.
"Is he going to France too?" Harry asks as he eyed Sebastian who was inside the car listening to the radio, slightly head banging. It was amusing to the two of them, the boy didn't really look like he was into a lot of music.
"He's from Durmstrang, so no. He's not going to France with me," Finley says.
"He seems to like you," Harry comments, it certainly caught Finley off guard. Her and Sebastian only met today, he can't possibly like her that quickly, especially walking out of her room wearing a muggle band shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She hasn't even brushed her hair that morning.
"We only met today, and not in the most ideal way possible," Finley says hiding her reddening cheeks.
She can't deny that Sebastian was attractive, he didn't have the tacky French or even Scandinavian accent. He spoke with the english accent fluently and naturally like Ms Thorns did. "You like him too don't you?"
"Shut up, don't think I didn't know about Cho did you?"
It was Harry's turn to go red, how did she know really? Before they could tease each other again it struck her to why she was there in the first place, she snaps her fingers, "Harry we need to go," she says pulling him up. Dragging him to the car where Sebastian was still head banging in the car.
"What? why?" He asked again as he let her shove him inside the car.
"We are going to watch the world cup aren't we?" She grins then asking Sebastian to drive back to the Dursley's.
"What was that thing that made his tongue big?" Sebastian laughed in amusement as the two of them got in the flat. They just witnessed the Weasley's jump out the electrical fireplace at the Dursley's and it was hilarious at how the Dursley's reacted.
"A great pranking invention by the Weasley twins," she answered as she took off her jacket and placing it on the counter. Dewy was there already prepping for dinner, Mirelle was not home just yet.
"Do you think they'll sell me one of those?" Sebastian asked as he sat on the chair at the kitchen counter.
"We might get prototypes, but that's if you're going to the world cup with us this weekend," she points out.
"You're kidding? Ireland for the win!" He grins. And it was settled really, Sebastian was going with them to the cup.