The Summer of 2013

                                    

                                          

The Summer of 2013 
"I'm convinced your school is a cult, my guy," Elena said. Harry had finished telling her the story of his second year, only without the magic part. 
"It's crazy how much of your castle school isn't renovated yet. I mean, a whole chamber that nobody knew about! I bet there are millions of secret passageways." 
"Yeah!" Harry was just glad they bounced back after they left things in a mess last summer. "No but they are soooo old school! They make us use quills and everything!" 
"What?! That's so weird! But also cool. Cooler than weird." 
"It gets old quick. You should have seen me like three months ago, covered in ink, trying to finish an essay." 
"I'd pay to see that!" 
Harry grinned, leaning forward, "Pay up then." 
"Show me first." 
"...Never mind then." 
"Will I ever meet your friends?" 
"For your sanity, my dear Elena, I hope not." 
It wasn't a lie. In the least. 
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They were out for ice cream again, but Harry wished he were anywhere but here. Elena and Dudley were making moony eyes at each other every time they thought the other wasn't looking. If this went on for the whole summer, Harry would end up locking them in a closet-- with magic. 
"Any movies you guys wanna watch?" he asked. If they went, he'd be sure to sit between them. The pining was killing him.
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Harry frowned when he heard retching from the loo. He went to check, and Dudley exited the bathroom, wiping his mouth. 
He smiled awkwardly at Harry, "I guess I ate too much." 
Harry's frown deepened. At meal times, Dudley had only been picking at his food for Merlin knew how long. It really wasn't good, so what did he eat? 
"Yeah," Harry said slowly, "You okay? Should I get Aunt Petun--" 
"NO!" Dudley said, turning his head sharply to glare at Harry, "Just...it was one time. It won't happen again so like...just forget about this, yeah?" 
"'Kay." 
It was not one time. 
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"So he just upped and left?" Elena asked incredulously. 
"Look, Harry had a good reason, okay?" Dudley said, "My aunt Marge is a bitch and was spewing rubbish about Harry's mum and dad. I think it's good that he got out of the hellhole early." 
Her jaw set. "Right, but he couldn't, I dunno, tell me first? This has happened three years in a row now, Jesus Christ. His cult has too much of a hold on him."