The Refiner's Fire

Abraxan

Story Summary:
Complete. Prequel to "The Time of Destiny." In the summer before his sixth year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter learns to come to terms with the death of Sirius. As he heals and grows emotionally, he learns how to enjoy life again. But there's a war on, and Voldemort's primary objective is to kill Harry Potter, by any means necessary. As a result, Harry and his friends have a very adventurous sixth year at Hogwarts. Canon-based through OotP with some OC.

Chapter 04

Chapter Summary:
Harry and Casey discover the delights of water parks during a heat wave. The Ashers plan to take Harry someplace special for his birthday, but Vernon has other ideas.
Posted:
11/20/2004
Hits:
5,447
Author's Note:
Many thanks to my brilliant Brit-picker, Kelpie, and my betas, Blakevich, Starfox and Pilar! The "Reficio" charm Harry uses here is one I made up, and means "to restore." My Brit-picker tells me the UK doesn't have water parks or parades like we do in the US, but this is a *fantasy* after all, and I wanted them included (you'll soon see why). For the Americans among us, 35 degrees C = 95 degrees F, a rare temperature in England, which is usually cool. Thorpe Park is a real place in England.


Chapter 4 - Summer Fun and Birthdays

Great Britain was having one of the worst hot spells in the last fifty years, with temperatures hovering around 35 degrees Celsius. Harry and Casey were at a water park with huge slides leading into shallow swimming pools. Harry watched the fun in the pool as he and Casey stood in line waiting their turn. Boys were going down the slide first, then waiting at the bottom to try to catch their girlfriends. Very few of them succeeded in catching the girls and staying upright, but the resultant splashing added to the laughter of all involved. He glanced at Casey, who was also watching the action. "Do you want to do that?" he asked with a smile.

"Have you catch me? Yeah! It looks like great fun!" Casey agreed. They left their towels, shoes, Harry's white T-shirt and glasses and Casey's lacy cover-up by the staircase and began the climb to the top with the rest of the young people in line. The park was very crowded with people trying to find fun ways to survive the heat.

At the top of the slide, Harry gave Casey a quick kiss and said, "I'll be waiting for you at the bottom!" then put his legs into the slide tube and pushed off. He shouted with laughter as the tube spiralled and twisted, forcing his body to go way up the sides with the speed of his descent. It was almost as much fun as flying his Firebolt, although much slower. Sooner than he would've liked, the ride was over and he splashed into the pool. Standing in the waist-deep water, he turned to catch Casey when she arrived.

"WHEEEEEEEE!" he heard her squeal as she came down the chute. At the end of the slide, as she shot out of the tube, her arms flew up and she entered the water feet first - but not before giving everyone watching a spectacular view of her bare breasts, as the clip on her swimsuit top had picked exactly that moment to break.

Harry was torn between thinking "Bloody hell!" that everyone had seen her, and "WOW!" that he had seen her. He pulled her to him trying to shield her yet not touch anything he. . .erm. . .shouldn't, while the watching crowd cheered, whistled and applauded merrily.

"Harry, don't look!" Casey cried, her face scarlet.

"Erm. . too late," he replied with a laugh, blushing madly himself.

"Oh, what am I going to do?" she moaned.

Harry took a deep breath. Think, Potter, think! No, not about THAT!. . .Ah! He smiled at her. "Here's where it's a really good thing your hair is so long," he replied practically, grasping her waist-length hair, dividing it in half, and gently laying each half across her shoulders. "Now you look like a saltwater mermaid," he grinned, "covered up but not exactly covered up. . .and beautiful! You wouldn't want to look like a freshwater mermaid - they're scary."

Startled out of her embarrassment for a moment, Casey glanced up at him. "There are freshwater. . .huh?" She saw his smile and then nodded. "Oh, I get it. You're trying to distract me. Very clever, Harry, truly, as was the trick with my hair. Thanks for that, and for protecting me like this, too. But I. . .I need. . ."

Harry was doing his best to keep his eyes on her face, but wasn't being entirely successful. He shook his head quickly, scolding himself inwardly for his bad behaviour, then squinted around, missing his glasses as his Seeker's eyes searched for a different kind of small object. "Ah. I think that's your top over there. I'll go get it. Stay here," he said as he swam toward the top.

"No worries. I'm not moving!" she replied, wrapping her arms tightly around her hair to keep it covering her, then hunkering down in the water until only her head was exposed, trying to stay out of sight of the still-cheering crowd.

"Got it," Harry said as he returned, suddenly feeling awkward as he handed the tiny garment to her.

She looked at it and groaned. "Oh, no. The clip is broken. It won't stay on now. What will I do?"

"Hang on," Harry answered, then swam to the side of the pool and got his T-shirt, which he offered to her.

"Thanks!" She started to put it on, but then realized there was no modest way to do so. If she lifted her arms to put the shirt on, her hair would move and she'd be exposed. If she ducked under the water to put it on, she'd be exposed and possibly drown trying to fight her way into Harry's shirt underwater. She had a choice. Be modest in front of the whole crowd, or be modest in front of Harry. "I'm going to have to trust you, Harry," Casey said with a nervous smile. "Promise you won't look?"

"I won't look," he agreed, extremely glad he'd had such a lovely view before.

She moved close to him, her back toward the crowd, and started to lift her arms to put on the shirt.

Harry could tell she still felt too exposed. "Here, let me do it for you," he offered. "Keep your arms down until you're covered." He lifted the thin white shirt and pulled it over her until her head was free. After some struggling inside the shirt, which was much too big for her, Casey managed to get her arms in the sleeves. She smiled as Harry gently pulled her hair out of the neckline and laid it on her back. "Better now?"

"Yes, much," she said gratefully. Trying to get things back to normal, she said, "Was it fun for you?"

"The ride? Or the show?" he teased.

Casey flushed scarlet again. "Harry!"

"I'm sorry," he laughed and pulled her close in apology. "Oh, erm, uh. . .oops. Sorry, I forgot," he spluttered, blushing brightly in turn and pushing back from her. Her body inside his T-shirt was soft and . . .squashy. . .and it . . .erm. . .moved. He kept his distance, offered his hand and led her to the pool steps. "Let's go. . .uh. . ."

"Yes, let's get out of here," she concluded for him. "Maybe we can figure out how to fix this top."

As they started up the steps out of the pool, Harry glanced at Casey. "Um. . .you'd better put your hair back in front."

"What? Why?"

He did his best to look at her face, not her chest. He was blushing so hard, he could feel the heat in his face. "Oh. . .please. . .just do it. You'll thank me later."

She looked down and saw why he thought she needed more cover. Blushing furiously again, she pulled her hair in front to cover herself.

A short time later, they found a quiet, shady spot in a small grove of trees at the edge of the park. A cool, moist breeze blew their way from the spray off one of the water rides. They spread their towels and sat down opposite each other. Harry took the swimsuit top from her hands and studied its attachment. "Can't tie it together, then?"

"No, there isn't enough material," she replied. "I cannot believe that happened! I've seen it happen a couple of times to other girls, but I never thought. . . . I'm so embarrassed. What people must think of me!"

"Casey," Harry replied, taking her hand in his, "nobody thought badly of you," he assured her. "It was an accident. Could've happened to anyone."


"But it happened to me!" She was blushing furiously again. "I'll never forget it."

Harry just couldn't help himself. He chuckled as he turned beet red. "Neither will I."

"Harry Potter! Shame on you!"

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong. Your swimsuit broke. It was an accident. I didn't do anything wrong by looking. My looking at just the perfect time could've been an accident - would've been if I hadn't been planning to catch you. I must say, though, it was one of the truly bright spots of my entire life." Harry was grinning widely now. "I never expected such a treat today! Too bad I didn't have my glasses on so I could see better. . ."

She put her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

"Oh, Casey, I'm sorry!" he said in consternation. "I didn't mean to make you cry!" He started to embrace her, thought better of it and just put an arm around her shoulders.

She looked up, her face flushed again, tears in her eyes. "You are such. . .so. . ." She was at a loss for words, but she was laughing, not crying.

He breathed a quick sigh of relief. "I'm a cad. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he offered, a huge grin splitting his face.

"You don't look sorry! And you're not a cad! You did your best to look after me. Thank you," she said, getting up on her knees and leaning over to give him a kiss. She lost her balance and fell against him. "Whoops!"

He wrapped his arms around her and protected her from the fall, an "Oof!" escaping him as he landed on his back with her lying full-length on top of him.

"I'm sorry!" Casey said, trying to stifle her giggles. "Are you all right?"

He had to think about that a moment. He had a beautiful girl in his arms who was soaking wet and only wearing a thin T-shirt on top, and he knew what was under that T-shirt. Whatever his condition, it felt really good.

"Harry?" Casey prompted.

"Hmm?" he answered, gazing hungrily into her eyes.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm. . .excellent," he murmured as he tightened his arms around her and kissed her.

A few moments later, Harry said, "Oy, that's. . .I'm. . .OK, we need to leave."

She chuckled, "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"I can't take any more of this. Let's go. I need to go jump in the pool - right now."

"Oh, Harry, just when it was getting good," she teased.

He looked scandalized. "Are you saying it wasn't good before? I'm shocked!" He rolled her over onto her back, gave her one big sloppy kiss and got to his feet, reaching down to offer her a hand up.

"It was good before, too," she agreed. "But this was. . . ." She kissed his shoulder and ran the tips of her fingers up and down his chest.

"Don't go there," he warned. "I might not be able to stop next time. No more serious stuff today, OK?"

"Hmmmm," she murmured.

Harry looked at her, unsure what she meant. Maybe she didn't know what she meant either. Whatever. He'd think about that later. Right now, he needed to cool off, quickly. He wrapped his towel around his waist, and she put hers over her shoulder as they walked.

"Wait," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"I think I may be able to repair your top. Let me see it." She handed it over. Harry had an idea. He didn't know if he could do this kind of spell without a wand, but thought it was worth a try. Taking the top in his hands, he turned away from her a bit to hide his actions and rubbed the clip between his fingers, thinking "Reficio." Suddenly, he felt the clip change in his hand, restored to its original shape and size. "Will this work?" he asked as he handed it to her.

"How'd you do that?" she asked as she looked up in astonishment from the repaired clip.

He grinned impishly at her and winked. "Magic."


"You are too funny. Well, however you did it, it looks fine! Hang on a minute and I'll put it on." She pulled her arms back inside his T-shirt, pulling the swimsuit top inside the shirt as well. A few moments of wrestling under the T-shirt later, her face was wreathed in smiles. "Perfect! Thank you, Harry!" She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

"You're welcome. I'm glad it worked."

"I'd sure like to know how you did it, though," she said in amazement as she handed him his T-shirt.

"I told you already!" he said with a laugh. He buried his nose in his t-shirt. "Mmm, it smells like you - and like chlorine. I may never wash this shirt again," he said, looking at her with a tender smile.

Casey took Harry's arm and rubbed her cheek tenderly on his shoulder as they walked back to one of the swimming pools. "You're so sweet."

He blushed and smiled down at her, then got a wicked gleam in his eye. "Last one in's a rotten egg!" he cried as he whipped the towel off his waist and jumped in, creating a huge splash. He turned around and held his arms open for her to jump to him.

"Oh no, you don't!" Casey warned. "You're not tempting me to jump feet-first into water again!"

"Ah well, it was worth a try, wasn't it?" he chuckled, his face full of mischief.


They splashed and messed about like little children. Harry watched how the other couples were playing in the water - this was nearly his first time at a swimming pool, after all, as well as his very first time at a pool with his girlfriend. He didn't want to miss any opportunity for fun. As he and Casey bobbed in the water he got a rascally grin on his face and dove underwater. He swam away, leaving Casey turning in place looking for him.

"Harry? Where are you?" She kept turning around to look for him, but the glare of the sun on the water made it difficult to see above or below water.

He snuck up behind her and grabbed her around the waist, standing up and lifting her out of the water. "Got ya!" he laughed.

Casey squealed, then squealed again as he tossed her lightly from him and ducked down to play "shark attack" on her again. She sank under the water and looked around for him.

Harry wasn't far away. When she ducked below the water, her hair formed a vast silken cloud around her, sparkling in many shades of gold as rays of sunlight passed through the rippling water. He nearly gasped at the sight. He swam rapidly to her and embraced her, kissing her deeply as they stayed underwater. Eventually they had to come up for air. He pushed the hair tenderly out of her face. "You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you," he murmured breathlessly.

She kissed the sunburned tip of his nose. "I thought we weren't going to be serious any more today," she teased gently.

"Oh. Yeah. That's right," he agreed, his blood pounding. He forced himself to back off, then smiled. "I just couldn't help myself. Sorry!"

They played dolphin, they chased each other and when they were getting tired of that, Harry tried another shark attack. While he was swimming toward her underwater, his scar exploded in pain. No! Not now! he thought as he caught an echo of Voldemort's emotions. The pain pounded inside his scar and he gasped, gulping down water. He tried to fight his way to the surface, but the light was growing dim somehow. His lungs were on fire. He was sinking. Darkness engulfed him.

Casey noticed he was gone too long. "Harry? Harry, where are you?" she called, thinking he was getting far too good at holding his breath. "Harry?" She saw his black hair moving in the water near the bottom of the pool, his pale body much too still. She swam down and grabbed his lifeless body. "Help! Somebody help me!" she shrieked as she pulled him above the water. The lifeguard jumped in and helped bring Harry to the side of the pool, pushing him up onto the deck.

"He's not breathing," the guard said. "Stand back." But before he could begin mouth-to-mouth, Harry coughed and a gush of water came out of his mouth. He coughed until he thought his lungs would rupture, but he finally got his breath back.

"What happened?" Casey cried. "Did you hit your head?"

He was still dazed. "Scar. . ." was all he managed to say before he started coughing again.


"Somebody call the squad," the lifeguard said. "This bloke needs attention."

"No! No, I'm fine," Harry insisted. "I just swallowed some water. I'm fine now. Thank you."

"Are you sure?" the guard asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Honestly. Thank you. I'm sorry to have been a bother."


"No bother, mate, that's my job. Be more careful out there, OK? You've probably had enough for today, anyway," the guard said, studying Harry's face. "And you need more sunscreen. You're starting to burn."

"I'll get some right away. Thanks," Harry assured him. He sat up and coughed a little more, fighting to get his breath back, thinking he should just carry gillyweed with him when he went swimming in the future. What had happened? Oh yes, his scar. It had erupted in blinding pain. Voldemort was happy, very happy. He'd heard some news that excited him. Yes, that was it. But what was the news? Try as he might, Harry could not capture that thought. Whatever it was, it unnerved him. He'd send a quick Adfero message to Dumbledore and Remus as soon as he could. He stood up shakily, leaning on Casey, and they walked to their things. They found a nice shady place to sit, and she started rubbing sunscreen on his shoulders and back.

"All right there, Harry?" she asked.

"I'm fine. I'm sorry I scared you. Good thing you rescued me."

"How did you know it was me?"

"I was aware enough to feel your hair all around me - at first, I thought I was in a cloud. Then I thought an angel had come for me, but then I realized it was you," he said with a tender smile, before starting another coughing fit. When he caught his breath, he saw tears in Casey's eyes.

"I was so scared! You looked as if. . ." Casey broke off, trembling, not wanting to continue.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "But I'm fine now. Thank you for saving me. Now I owe you a life debt. That's serious stuff."

"A life debt, huh? How do you plan to pay it off?" she teased, trying to recapture the playful mood of the afternoon.

"I'll think of something. . .if it takes the rest of my life," he assured her, kissing her tenderly.

* * * * *

Harry's message to Remus and Dumbledore that evening brought a swift response. Moments after he'd sent off his Adfero to them, Dumbledore replied, telling him to go to Mrs. Figg's house and floo to Grimmauld Place as soon as possible. Harry snuck out of his aunt and uncle's house under his invisibility cloak and hurried to Mrs. Figg's. She opened the door on his first knock.

"Come in quickly," she said, and shut the door behind him as soon as she felt him pass.

He pulled off the cloak and turned to her. "Do you know what's going on?"

"No, Harry, but they want to see you right away. Go ahead and use the fireplace," she urged.

"Thanks," he replied as he grabbed the blue canister with the white kittens on it sitting on the mantle, where she kept her Floo powder. A few dizzying moments later, Harry stepped out of the fireplace into the kitchen at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore and Remus sat at the table. "What's up?"

"Come sit down, Harry," Dumbledore invited kindly. "Tell us what happened today." He pushed a plate of biscuits toward Harry and raised his eyebrows as he lifted the teapot.

Harry nodded his acceptance of tea, then started telling them about his scar hurting while he was swimming.

"And you lost consciousness?" Remus asked, greatly concerned. "You could have drowned!"

"I think that's why I was losing consciousness, actually. I don't think the scar hurting caused that," Harry replied. "What's he up to? I didn't have time to see what was going on. I just felt a huge rush of happiness from him."

"We aren't sure what's going on, Harry," Dumbledore replied with concern. "We have people working on it. I want you to be very careful. Will you promise me that?"

"What do you mean? Do I have to stay in the Dursleys' house, or here? What?" Harry asked anxiously. He'd been having the best possible summer and didn't want to be locked up away from his lunches with Casey, his job, his dates with Casey, his friends, Casey. . . .

"I'm putting extra wards around you, Harry, and I will add more instruments to keep track of you."

"What? No privacy?" Harry was blushing, but angry.

"My dear boy, the instruments are dark detectors. They are trained on you and let us know when there are Dark forces near you. I put these in place after what happened at the Ministry last year. If we'd known sooner. . . ."

"OK, I understand," Harry replied, hanging his head. If they'd been better able to keep track of him last year, Sirius might still be alive.

"You will still have privacy, Harry. You deserve that. I don't want to pry into your life. I just want to protect you."

Harry was humbled by the intensity of the old wizard's concern. "Thank you, Professor."

"Do let us know if you have any more flashes of what Voldemort's doing."

"I will."

* * * * *

"Your birthday's coming up soon," Casey said as she set the lunch things out while waiting for Harry to join her. He had just washed his hands after grouting a new mosaic. He dropped the paper towel into the bin, walked over to Casey and sat down across from her, the lunch spread between them.


"Yes, it is - and so is yours!" Harry smiled at her. "I'll be a year older than you for a whole ten days!"

"What shall we do for our birthdays?" she asked, handing him his drink.

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I was thinking. . .I'll bet you've never been to an amusement park," Casey said with a twinkle in her eyes. Boys always seemed to be strongly attracted to amusement parks, with the big roller coasters and other scary rides - she was sure Harry would love the idea.

His face lit up. "That would be brilliant! You're right, I've never been."

"My parents thought it would be fun for all of us if we all went to Thorpe Park. They have kiddy rides for Patricia, and lots of other things you and I will enjoy - roller coasters, a huge flume ride − they guarantee we'll get wet! − things like that. My dad said it will be our treat, Harry, for your birthday. You're only sixteen once, after all!" She laughed at the delight on her boyfriend's face. He looked as excited as a small child at the idea of going to the amusement park.

"Thanks!" he said, happiness bubbling up inside him. The Dursleys had never even taken Dudley to Thorpe Park. He'd heard great things about it all his life, never dreaming he might actually get to go there someday. "I can't wait! When are we going?"

"Since your birthday's on a Wednesday and you go to visit your godfather on Sundays, we thought we'd do it the Saturday before your birthday. Is that OK with you?"

"Brilliant!"

* * * * *

Saturday July 27th began as a beautiful day. Harry bounded out of bed early, raced downstairs and wolfed down a piece of toast with marmalade, and a glass of juice as his breakfast. The Dursleys were barely stirring. Harry washed his glass, plate and the knife he'd used for marmalade, dried them, and hurried to put his dishes away. As he reached for the cabinet door, his arm brushed against a pan hanging on the corner of the suspended saucepan rack, making the pans clang madly against each other.

"Oh no," he groaned, cringing as he waited for the coming explosion.

"POTTER!" his Uncle Vernon roared, stomping down the stairs.

Harry's shoulders drooped. "Yes, Uncle Vernon," he said in a dull voice.

"What's all that racket?"

"I was just washing up after breakfast," he began, "and bumped the saucepan rack. I'm sorry for waking you."

"And where do you think you're going dressed like that?" Vernon demanded as he stormed into the kitchen.

Harry looked down at his attire. He was neatly dressed in jeans and a new polo shirt, his trainers shining white, having been cleaned the night before. Even his hair was a bit less untidy than usual. "What's wrong with how I'm dressed?"

"You aren't going to work like that," Vernon growled.

"No, I'm not going to work today. It's Saturday, my day off. . ."

"Yes. Saturday. Your day off. You have chores to do here, since you're not off to that ruddy tile shop," Vernon said with sadistic pleasure.

"What chores? I've done all the yard work for the week. The dishes are all clean, the house is clean, the laundry's done and put away. What else do you want?"

"You can wash and wax my car," Vernon said with an evil look in his eye. "Get every bug speck off of the grill. Clean the upholstery. Wax the hubcaps and tires."

Harry thought quickly. The Ashers were picking him up soon. He didn't have time to wash the car now. "Uncle Vernon, I have plans for today. I'll wash and wax your car tomorrow evening, all right?" he said in as mild a voice as he could manage.

"You'll do it when I SAY to do it and I SAY to do it NOW!" Vernon roared. "'Plans,' indeed. What possible 'plans' could you have," he said scornfully.

"The Ashers are taking me out for the day for my birthday," he answered desperately, instantly regretting having said anything.

"I don't recall them asking me if they could take you anywhere."

His temper was rising, but he did try his best to reply calmly. "Uncle Vernon, I'll be sixteen in a few days. . . ." Uncle Vernon sneered with even more disgust, as if his nephew had no right to have a birthday. Harry had had enough. "Not that you've ever remembered my birthday. You can't require people to ask permission to take me places. I'm too old for that!" When he saw the purple color rising in his uncle's face, he knew he'd gone too far.

"Too old, are you? We'll see about that!" cried his uncle triumphantly, gleeful to once again have found sufficient reason to punish his nephew. He grabbed Harry by the ear - he had to reach up quite a way to do so now - and dragged him forcefully to the cupboard under the stairs, jerking hard on Harry's ear with every stride. He released the boy and commanded, "Stand right there," then opened the cupboard and removed Harry's trunk. "Don't want to leave you any of your freakish things to play with, since you're being punished. Get in there!"

"Uncle Vernon, no!" Harry pleaded. "I'll wash your car. I'm sorry I was rude. I can't . . ."

"GET IN THERE!" Vernon screamed.

Harry ducked down and crawled resentfully into the tiny cupboard, turning around and drawing his knees up to his chin. He had lived in here the first eleven years of his life. Now it was a storage area and mostly full. There wasn't room for him to even sit completely upright. He hunched over and hugged his legs miserably. "How long do I have to stay in here?"

"Until I want to see you again. Which, by the way, is NEVER!" Vernon replied with sadistic glee as he slammed the door, then not only slid the bolt home, but added a padlock he found in a kitchen drawer.

Harry's long legs were cramping, his neck and back aching as he stayed in the only position possible in the cupboard for what seemed an interminable length of time. How long will it be before he's satisfied I've been punished enough? he wondered miserably. He'd worked so hard to keep the peace in the Dursley house this summer. Vernon had tried repeatedly to find something to get angry about, but Harry had been able to avoid actual punishment up to now. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "Uncle Vernon! Please let me out!" he called. The more cramped he became, the more frantic his cries. "Let me out! Let me out!" He tried to move his legs enough to kick at the door, but there just wasn't enough space. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!" His mind raced back in time - he remembered all too well being a small, abused, frightened child locked in a dark cupboard for no real reason. The frantic feelings of the past swooped over him again. He forced them back. He was nearly an adult. He could take anything the Dursleys could dish out. He would not do illegal magic, he WOULD NOT!

Dudley came stomping down the stairs, jumping up and down on the step he knew would be right over Harry's head. "Back where you belong, eh, Potter?" he said, laughter in his voice.

As dust, cobwebs and spiders rained down on Harry, he felt despair rising up in him. He'd tried to get along with them. He had made every effort. He'd done every chore before they even asked for it, trying to make sure they had no reason to forbid him to work at the tile shop, or keep him from going out with Casey. He'd worked hard to look nice today, and here he was, his hair and clothes getting filthy, stuck in the same bloody cupboard he'd grown up in. He would not cry, but he couldn't help getting angrier by the moment. "LET ME OUT!"

Dudley laughed aloud when he heard Harry's voice.

The doorbell rang. Vernon went to answer it. Dudley was still on the stairs, having stopped jumping on the step long enough to see who was at the door.

"Hello, Mr. Dursley," Casey said with the best smile she could muster for this man who had tormented Harry all his life. "We've come to pick up Harry."

"Harry won't be going with you today. He's. . .indisposed," Vernon said with a oily sneer.

Casey could hear a banging somewhere in the house, and Harry's muffled voice crying, "LET ME OUT!"

"Where is Harry?" she demanded. "I need to see him."

"You can't," Vernon snapped, as he started to close the door.

She darted under his arm and raced into the house, calling, "Harry! Harry, where are you?"

"CASEY! I'm under the stairs!" Harry answered.

She ran to the door of the cupboard, saw the padlock and said to Vernon, "Unlock this door right now, or I'm calling the police!"

"You'll do no such thing! I can do what I want in my own home!" Vernon roared. He grabbed Casey roughly by the arm, causing her to shriek in pain. "Now get out, and mind your own business!"

"Let me go! Let me go! You're hurting me!"

Harry heard Casey's cries and lost all control. A huge "BOOM" later, the door of the cupboard lay in splinters in front of him and he crawled stiffly out. "Get away from her, Uncle Vernon," he said in a dangerous voice. Footsteps were pounding on the sidewalk at the same time. Casey's dad had heard the noise of the door shattering and the yelling and had come to find out what was going on. Harry crossed the hall in two long strides and pried Vernon's fingers off of Casey's arm, releasing Casey and pushing her toward the door, where she ran into her dad's arms.

"Never. Touch. Her. Again." Harry warned in a low growl as he tossed away Vernon's hand as if it were covered in filth. "And if you ever try to lock me up again, I will do to the entire house what I just did to that door. That is a promise."

Doug had entered a scene of mayhem. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were on the stairs, aghast at the scene before them, Petunia wailing at the destruction in her home, Dudley with his mouth hanging open stupidly. Vernon was such a bright shade of purple, he looked as if he would explode any minute. Casey had bright red finger marks on her arm from Vernon's hand. And Harry. . .Harry suddenly seemed to be a mountain of a man in a towering rage, menace radiating from every pore.

"What's going on here?" Doug demanded as he held his daughter tightly.

Vernon, suddenly realizing an adult from the 'outside world' was witnessing these events, tried to put a good face on the situation. "Harry and I had. . .a minor disagreement," he said with a simpering smile, patting his fingertips together nervously. "It's all cleared up now."

Casey pushed away from her father and pointed a shaking finger at Vernon. "Dad, that man had Harry locked in that tiny cupboard with a PADLOCK on the door! And he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away when I went to try to open it. Harry was calling from inside, asking to be let out," she said breathlessly.

"Are you hurt?" Doug asked, looking at Casey's proffered arm.

"It's sore, but it's OK," she replied.

Doug rounded on Vernon. "You touched my daughter? You locked up that boy? With a padlock? What if there had been a fire? Would you have even bothered to let him out?"

Vernon quailed under Doug's wrath, which didn't hold a candle to Harry's. Harry was still in a blazing rage, but was trying to control it before any accidental magic happened.

"Eh. . .young people these days," he began, "you know how they are. No discipline, no sense of responsibility. . . . He had chores to do. . ."

"I DID all my chores for this week," Harry interrupted. "You just added washing and waxing your car to keep me from going anywhere today! You can't stand to have me around, but you can't stand for me to have any fun, either! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"

"Er. . .heehee. . ." Vernon tittered nervously. He was clearly at a loss for words, glancing fearfully between Doug and Harry, two obviously enraged men much bigger than Vernon, both of whom were also obviously much stronger than him.

Doug took several deep breaths, doing his best to calm himself. "Casey, are you sure you aren't hurt?"

"My arm hurts. It's going to bruise," she said, tears of pain in her eyes as she looked unhappily at the big red marks bright against her fair skin. "But I don't think he's done me any lasting damage. But Harry. . .Dad, he was locked up, I can't believe they did that to him!"

"It's not the first time," Harry muttered, fury still apparent in his every move. "But it will be the last."

"Harry?" Casey said hesitantly. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

Harry glanced at Casey and replied, disgust in his voice, "One ear is probably longer than the other - that's how he drags me around, you know, by the hair or the ear." He glared at Vernon. "That's not going to happen again, is it, Uncle Vernon? I will not allow it."

"You will not allow. . .?" blustered Vernon.

"Mr. Dursley, unless you want to spend time in jail for assault, I suggest you leave this boy alone. You will be facing charges for attacking my daughter. If Harry wants to add to the charges, he's welcome to do so," Doug said sternly.

Vernon blanched. "Ch-ch-ch-charges?"

"Long overdue, I'm sure," Doug replied. He glared at each Dursley in turn, amazed that three human beings could be so heartless and cruel to another. He was so disgusted by them, he didn't know what to do next.


By now, tears were streaming down Casey's face. Harry glanced at her again, and realized she was crying. He moved to her and put his hands on her shoulders, leaning down to look her in the eye. "Casey, what's wrong? Are you OK?"

"I always thought. . .I didn't really believe. . .I'm so sorry, Harry!" she cried as she fell into his arms.

He was dumbfounded. "Sorry for what?"

"For not really believing your situation was as bad as you said it was. It's worse!"

"Don't worry about it. It's OK now. I only have to live here one more summer and I'll be Dursley-free." Harry comforted her, glad in a way that she needed it, since it gave him a distraction that helped him curb his temper. He couldn't be angry and comforting at the same time, not very easily anyway. He gently rubbed her tears away with his thumbs, then held her close until she calmed down.

After a few moments, Casey looked up at Harry. "And they spoiled our birthday outing. That's so unfair."

He took in a deep breath and blew it out. He'd been watching Doug, who was staring Vernon down and appeared to be weighing his options. Harry came to a decision. "Mr. Asher?"

"Yes?"

"I was so looking forward to our day at Thorpe Park, and I know Casey and Patricia were too. Would you mind awfully if we let all this go for now and went on to enjoy our day?"

Doug looked at Harry in disbelief. "You want to let this go?"

"For now," Harry assured him. "Uncle Vernon will still be here when we get back. You can decide what to do then. I don't think he'll ever bother Casey again, and if he does," Harry stopped for a moment, glared again at his uncle, and said very deliberately, "I will take care of him myself." He stared at Vernon for a few moments. "Got that, Uncle Vernon?"

Doug looked uncertain. "Harry, he should be punished for what he's done."

"You can press charges later if you want," Harry assured him. "I'll even be a witness for you."


Doug sighed. The boy was right. It wasn't as if Vernon was a "normal" criminal who might run away and hide. Heck, if Vernon did take off, it would be a blessing to everyone he left behind. "OK, Harry. Let's go."

"Erm. . .would you mind if I got cleaned up first?" said Harry. He pulled back from Casey and brushed cobwebs out of her hair that had come off his clothes.

"Sure, lad, go ahead. I'll wait for you right here. And the Dursleys won't move a muscle, will you? Not any of you. You'll let that boy have the chance to get cleaned up without bothering him. Right?" The Dursleys all just nodded, eyes wide. Doug turned to Casey as Harry headed up the stairs. "Sweetheart, go tell your mother there's been a slight delay, but Harry and I will be there soon. Don't go into detail or Patricia will get upset. We can fill your mother in later, OK?"

"Yes, Dad," Casey said, then went out to the car where her mother and sister sat waiting.

"Dursley," Doug said to Vernon. "Young Harry just kept you from being hauled into jail this morning. I will leave it up to him what to do next, but if he agrees to my pressing charges, I will certainly do so. You'd all do well to start treating Harry like the good-hearted, responsible young man he is. If I hear that you've mistreated Harry or Casey again, his wrath isn't the only thing you'll face."

Dudley cowered against the wall as Harry came bounding down the stairs a few minutes later, rubbing his hands over his hair to see if he'd missed any dust or cobwebs. "I'm ready," he said, still grim-faced from the confrontation.

"OK, lad, go on out to the car," Doug said, then stopped him, put his hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled at him. "You look very nice today," he said fondly.

Having been through trying to tame his hair and put on a coordinated outfit twice in one morning, Harry felt warmed by Doug's compliment. "Thanks." He went out and got in the car with the rest of Doug's family.

"Mr. Dursley, I suggest you get a broom and dustpan and clean up your hallway," Doug said, pointing to the remains of the cupboard door. "And if I hear you've replaced that door. . . . I think that should be an open cupboard, don't you? And it's not made for storing young men." Doug scowled at the Dursleys again, then turned on his heel and left.

On the way to Thorpe Park, Harry sat in the back seat with his head resting against the back of the seat, his eyes closed. Casey held his hand and watched him, at a loss for what to say or do. Eventually, he sighed and straightened up, glancing at her. When he saw the uncertain look on her face, he put his arm around her and pulled her head onto his shoulder. "It's OK," he murmured. "I'm fine." He tilted her chin up so she was looking in his eyes. "Thank you for rescuing me."

Tears sprang into Casey's eyes. "I wish you hadn't needed it," she whispered, glad her parents were being distracted by Patricia's excited young voice. "I'm just glad we got there when we did. How long were you in there?"

"Let's see now, ten years and I don't know how many hours," Harry said, trying to joke and failing.

Casey's face fell. "That was where you lived growing up? In that cupboard?"

"It wasn't full of stuff then, not like it is now. They only stored a few boxes in there, and my cot. They didn't want me to have too much at hand to play with." Harry said it in a matter-of-fact voice, but that simple statement cut Casey to the heart.

She swallowed, determined to be as strong as Harry was being. "How long today?"

"I dunno." Harry looked at his watch. "An hour or so, I guess. Far too long, as big as I am now. I don't fit in there anymore. My legs are still cramped." He gazed down into her golden-green eyes. "Don't worry about it. It's over. Let's have a nice day, shall we?" He kissed her forehead and tightened his arm around her shoulders in a soft hug.

"OK, if you say so."

"That's my girl," he replied, leaning his head against hers and relaxing in his seat at last.

* * * * *

Thorpe Park was wonderful. Harry was thrilled with the scariest rides, which whipped him around like riding the Firebolt in a storm with high winds. The best part was, Casey was nervous enough about some of them to cling tightly to him.

That afternoon, Harry and Casey met her parents and sister on the main thoroughfare of the park. "There's a parade in a few minutes," Margaret said, reading from the tourist guide.

"Oh boy!" Patricia squealed, jumping up and down. "A parade! A parade!"

As the crowd gathered along the paths, the Ashers and Harry got pushed back away from the thoroughfare until Patricia couldn't see a thing. Harry had lifted Casey onto his shoulders so she could see.


"I want to see!" Patricia cried as the music of the parade approached. "Harry, lift me up!"

"I've got you, poppet," Doug said, reaching down to pick her up.

"No! I want Harry!" the child squealed.

Casey tugged gently on Harry's hair, getting him to look up at her. "I can see from the ground. I think Patricia needs a turn," she told him.


"OK," Harry agreed with a grin, setting Casey down carefully, then squatting in front of Patricia. "You want a lift?" he asked her.


"YES!" she said excitedly, holding up her chubby little arms. Harry picked her up gently, turning her around so she was sitting on his shoulders as Casey had just been.

"You OK up there?" he asked the little girl.


"Super! This is perfect!" Patricia replied.

Doug turned to Margaret. "I didn't think I'd be replaced by a young man in Patricia's heart quite so soon," he said with a bemused smile.

Margaret smiled at the picture of Harry with Patricia on his shoulders, with Casey holding on to his arm so she could stand on tiptoe to see the parade. "I'm just glad she has such good taste in men. Now if she can find one closer to her own age. . ." she said with a chuckle.

* * * * *

Sunday at Grimmauld Place was terrific. The Weasleys joined Remus and Harry in a party. Harry received owls with cards and presents from Hagrid, who'd had to stay at Hogwarts, and Hermione, who was out of the country on holiday with her parents.

Stuffing his face with chocolate cake, Ron said, "You made quite a haul this year!"

"Yeah," Harry answered with a delighted grin. "But the best thing is this party!"

"I'll remember that next year and not buy you a present, then!" Ron teased.

Harry threw a chocolate frog at Ron's head, and Fred and George joined them in a spirited but brief food fight before Molly put an end to it.

Harry looked at the row of cards along the kitchen mantle, and the pile of opened presents lying untidily on the floor by his chair. Ron had given him a new book on Quidditch tactics, absolutely certain Harry was going to be team captain next term. The Weasleys had provided the food for the party, and given him a windbreaker on which Molly had embroidered the Gryffindor lion. Hermione had sent Harry a cargo net that would attach to his broom. Ginny had given him a hand-made card that sang "For Harry's A Jolly Good Fellow" when it was opened, and a new poster for the Chudley Cannons. Hagrid had sent a box of his rock cakes and treacle fudge, as well as a new book on flying creatures.

"Wonder if that's what we're studying in Care of Magical Creatures this year?" Ron said as Harry opened the package.

"Dunno," said Harry. "At least this book doesn't bite!" Both boys laughed.

Remus had given Harry the best possible gift: a box of his parents' things, and photos of them and Harry that Remus and Sirius had put away years ago, and Remus had just found in the final cleanup of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. "I thought you'd like to have these," he said as he offered Harry the package. "It's not much, but. . . ." Remus had made a new photo album for Harry with the pictures he'd found. Some showed Lily, James, Sirius, Remus and Peter in their school days, others showed them as adults. There was a photo of Harry toddling along, holding his mother's finger, a big grin on his face showing just a few teeth, some of Sirius and Remus tossing baby Harry up in the air and catching him, of James playing "horse" and piggyback with little Harry, of Lily dancing with her baby, and many others as well, stopping abruptly when he was just over a year old. So many happy memories. Harry was touched to see how much Remus and Sirius had loved him when he was a baby.

"I think it's brilliant," Harry told Remus, his eyes shining. "Thanks!"

To top things off, he and Ron got their O.W.L. results that day. Both of them were pleased to have received a decent number of O.W.L.s - Harry had earned 8 and Ron had earned 7. Both did miserably in their History of Magic exam (Harry getting any points at all was remarkable, since he missed half the exam period due to his scar hurting), barely passed their Divination exams, did reasonably well in Astronomy (despite the fact that exam was interrupted by Umbridge attacking Hagrid and Professor McGonagall), quite well in Charms and Transfiguration (both of them earning extra O.W.L. credit in each exam, Harry for the speed and accuracy of his work, Ron for his originality - his results weren't exactly what the professors had asked for, but they were within the range of acceptability and rather amusing, so he got marks for making the examiners laugh), and exceptionally well in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry got extra marks for his Patronus, which put him one O.W.L. over Ron, whose Patronus was wishy-washy at best. The biggest surprise was both of them passing Potions, Harry with extra credit points for the quality of his work. "Wow, without Snape around, we're actually not bad at this stuff!" he told Ron.

"Yeah, now if we could just figure out how to have class without him," Ron agreed as he stuffed the last piece of Harry's birthday cake in his mouth.

That night, as he lay smiling in his bed remembering two whole days of celebration, Harry Potter decided sixteenth birthdays had to be the best of all.


Author notes: Thanks so much for the reviews so far! I think this was one of the most fun chapters for me to write (and all 40 are written, so I know what I'm talking about). I could just see Harry enjoying the experiences I gave him here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please review!