𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗲, harry potter

˗ˋ 05

CHAPTER FIVE
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-: fourth year :-

── IN WHICH SHE RETURNS HOME

. . .

The sun was just starting setting as Jane made her way away from the village, walking on the middle of the utterly still country lanes, every so often reaching and pulling the seeds off of the heads of wheat weeds.

A rather content smile sat on her face, the sound of the church bells clanging behind her - it was eight o'clock, and far later than Jane had expected to return home.

Her and Harry had continued to talk following their agreement to make sure they had fun that summer, but eventually he had decided that it was getting late and didn't want to risk missing dinner because of that.

"I'll bring you breakfast." Jane had suggested, head tilting as she looked over at the dark-haired boy. Not long after they had made plans for the entire summer, the map still open but discarded and balancing on the blades of grass, the pair had arranged to meet up the next morning to go on the first walk, meeting under that very tree.

Harry had denied her offer, but she knew she would bring it anyway. She just had to explain to Flora the situation, and Jane was somewhat sure that the woman who had fostered her would be more than happy to help provide that. Or get Angela to do it. Jane assumed the latter, feeling guilty for providing the woman with more work.

She began to climb up the small hill to the ivy-covered gates, slipping through the gap and up the drive to the area in front of the house, where Flora's car was parked, roof still down. 

The girl was about to step up onto the front porch, but had placed her foot on the first step and faltered, glancing to the side and seeing Flora sat on a bench in the front garden, surrounded by blue and white hydrangeas. 

"It's incredible how they managed to flower, even after the lack of care all these years." The woman mused, and Jane could've sworn that when Flora touched a petal of the plant nearest to her, it seemed to brighten up, fill and see more alive.

Flora had a glass of some sort of alcohol in her hand, thumb rubbing over the intricate designs that wove around the stem of the glass. "Come sit, darling." Flora patted the bench beside her, Jane continuing up the steps so she could go through the backway into the garden. "No - no, don't be silly. Just hop the bush. You might be a lady but you certainly aren't expected to act as one." 

Jane hesistated, before making her way over to the hedge, managing to get over it with somewhat ease, trying not to snag her dress. "There you go!" Florence cheered as Jane made it, picking up her bag from where she had placed her bag. 

The girl sat beside the older woman, crossing her ankles and looking up at her, the sun casting a rather appealling glow over the once abandoned mansion and the two inhabitants. "Angela's gone home for the day, but there's dinner in the oven, it just needs to be warmed up." Flora smiled. 

"I'm sorry, I really didn't expect to be back so late." Jane worried she was in trouble, and that there was somehow a way for Flora to be faking this current attitude.

"Oh don't worry about that, you silly sausage." Flora was more than a little tipsy it seemed, but it didn't show, other than her more flamboyant gestures and language. "It's good that you're out and about, you're still growing, and growing girls need fresh air. So, tell me about your day - it clear you've managed to find something fun in this dreary town that many haven't."

"Oh, well I went into town.. but then I used your map to go on some of walks and went by the river, and sat by a tree to eat my lunch." Jane began, eyes flickering over the grounds in front of her, wondering how she manged to get so lucky. "And then, when I was half way through my sandwiches a boy sat down at the bottom of the tree."

"A boy!" Flora seemed rather excited by this, sitting up in her seat. "Was he cute? I remember my friend from back in the day - Kate - she had all the cute boys running after her." Flora reminisced with a shake of her head. "Well, what was his name."

"Harry.. Harry Porter? Potter - I think it was Potter." The Everleigh girl found herself forgetting the last name of boy, and shrugging.

"Potter you say?" Flora seemed to sober up at this, for whatever reason, looking at Jane and shading her eyes from the sun, watching as the ginger-haired girl nodded, wondering why Flora had reacted that way. "I think another of my old friends - Arabella - lives on the same street as him." 

"I see..." Jane trailed off, trying to gather up the courage to ask for two lunches and breakfast the next day. And with a deep breath, she asked. "Flora.. would you mind asking Angela to make an extra portion of breakfast tomorrow morning? And another set of lunch stuff?"

"And why would that be?" Florence replied, rather absentmindedly running her finger along the side of the bench.

"Me and Harry.. we agreed to spend the summer with each other. I don't have any friends here and he goes off to boarding school - so I don't think he does either. And I don't think his aunt and uncle feed him very well." A frown appeared on Jane's lips, eyebrows furrowing.

"Don't do that darling, you'll get wrinkles." Flora smiled. "I would know, I had plenty to frown about back in those days. And of course I'll ask Angela, is there anything particular Harry likes? No? Well you can ask him if there is."

"Thank you." Jane beamed, watching as Flora stood up, swaying on her feet but straightening, before heading towards the bush and managing to jump over it without falling or spilling a single drop of her drink.

"Come on darling, lets get you some dinner." The old woman smiled back at the young girl, who nodded eagerly and followed her. "I'm glad you've managed to find a friend, Jane, it just wouldn't do for you to spend the summer all alone - it's supposed to be hot, you know - and this house can get awfully stuffy."

And as Jane followed her in the somewhat cool house for the evening, heading towards the kitchen so that Flora could heat up her dinner, she found that she was glad as well.

Glad to have a friend.

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