---
Harry figured this had to be the most miserable winter yet.
It all started that morning when Aunt Petunia insisted he wear an old hand-me-down jumper. It was a horrible, brown thing covered in little fuzz-balls that she must have found in a dusty box somewhere.
When she tried to pull it over Harry's head, the sweater suddenly shrank. It ended up fitting more like a doll's outfit. Luckily, she didn't blame Harry, just decided it must have shrunk in the wash.
Dudley, however, didn't agree. He and his friend Piers chased Harry all over the yard, forcing him to hide behind a bush outside.
Harry wasn't really afraid of Dudley's gang, since they could rarely catch him. But it was so cold out that he had to keep an eye on them while rubbing his hands together to try and stay warm.
"What are you doing over here?"
A small hand suddenly rested on his shoulder, and a voice came from behind him, making him jump.
Harry spun around to see a boy about his age, with a girl holding a cup of hot cocoa standing beside him.
"Hello..."
Before Harry could finish his sentence, Dudley's gang spotted them. Not caring who his cousin's new friends were, they came stomping over, furious and ready for a fight.
Harry instinctively tried to pull the boy away to run in the other direction, but the boy's arm didn't budge.
The boy turned to Harry with a gentle smile, and a wand shot out from his sleeve. He pointed it at Dudley's group and muttered a spell.
"Wingardium Leviosa."
Suddenly, Dudley and his friends were hoisted into the air as if a great force had grabbed their clothes. They hung from a tree like Christmas ornaments, shrieking in terror.
The boy didn't show them any mercy. A few clumps of snow from the ground floated up and plopped onto their heads. He then flicked his wand again, and a handful of colorful candies floated into their hands. He raised a finger to his lips, shushing them.
Just as Dudley was about to burst into tears, the candy in his hand turned into a vine that clamped over his mouth, holding it shut. The others, seeing this, shrank back and didn't dare to move.
It was only then that the boy spoke his first full sentence. "I'm not one to hold a grudge, and I'm happy to make friends, so..."
The boys in the tree nodded frantically, stuffing the candies into their mouths and flashing stiff, friendly smiles.
"That's unbelievable!" Harry whispered in awe. But he noticed that the boy was barely paying attention to them.
While talking to the boys in the tree, he was still fidgeting with a small badge in his hand, glancing toward the corner of the street as if he were waiting for someone.
After a little while, the boy finally turned back to Harry, extending his hand. "Hello, I'm Adam," he said kindly.
"I... I'm Harry. It's really nice to meet you!"
Harry was so excited he didn't know what to do. He eagerly shook Adam's hand, but suddenly felt a sharp sting in his palm.
A small vial fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, and a few drops of blood dripped into the broken glass.
"I'm so sorry!" Harry quickly bent down to pick up the shards, but Adam stopped him.
"It's alright. I can just make another one."
Adam pulled a new vial from a small bag. A bright blue flame flickered inside, swaying gently like a bluebell. He then pressed a green leaf to Harry's wound. The pain vanished instantly, and the bleeding stopped.
This time, Harry carefully held the vial. A warm sensation spread from his palm, chasing away the cold. He couldn't even feel the chilly air that was constantly seeping through the holes in Dudley's old clothes.
Harry stared at the blue flame in the vial, a look of confusion on his face. "What is this?" he asked.
He waited for a reply, but when he looked up, he saw that the broken vial had repaired itself. Adam was holding it up to the sun, muttering to himself about whether this was the kind of power even Voldemort had to be wary of.
Harry's expression grew even more bewildered. Just as he was about to ask, Adam interrupted him, explaining, "That's a bluebell flame. You can carry it with you to stay warm. When I was making this vial, I based it on ancient Goblin fire. It should burn steadily for a very long time."
Harry didn't understand the magic behind it, but when he heard the words "Goblin fire," he figured it must be something precious. He became flustered and tried to give it back to Adam.
But Adam was faster. A heavy bag of Lemon Sherbets landed in Harry's hand. "It's a little late," Adam said with a smile, "but Merry Christmas."
"Oh... thank you... Merry Christmas..."
Harry couldn't describe how he felt. His voice even wavered a little because this was the first time he had ever received a gift.
Whether it was for his birthday or Christmas, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia always somehow managed to forget about him. He had never really cared before, but now that he had a gift, he felt a warm glow inside, just like the blue flame in the vial.
Just as he came to his senses and was about to thank Adam properly, Adam patted him on the shoulder, signaling that no words were needed.
Harry watched as Adam tossed a potion at the boys in the tree. The liquid landed on their faces, and their heads instantly drooped.
"The dose in that potion is very small, so it will only erase a few of their memories," Adam explained. "But it should be enough to ensure they don't bother you again."
"Are you leaving? Maybe I could show you..."
Harry heard the hint of departure in his voice and couldn't help but try to persuade them to stay. But he couldn't think of anywhere to take his new friends; he lived in a spider-filled cupboard under the stairs himself. His voice trailed off.
"It's alright. You will eventually leave this place and become a great man," Adam's voice drifted from a distance. "But before then, take good care of yourself."
When Harry looked up again, both of them were gone. Only the heavy bag of candies and the warm little vial in his hands remained, reminding him that it wasn't a dream.
Suddenly, Aunt Petunia's shriek echoed from a distance. Uncle Vernon saw Harry and bellowed at him.
"What have you done, boy?!"
He stormed over, ready to grab Harry's collar, but the flame in the vial suddenly flared up.
The fire took the form of a ferocious badger, which roared at him. A message appeared above its head in fiery letters.
"Treat my friend well. If I return and find he has not been... "
---
Watching the scene from a distance, Shirley poked Adam's cheek. Noticing Adam's gaze on her cup of hot cocoa, she quickly covered it.
"I have a feeling you broke that vial on purpose."
"Nonsense," Adam quietly retorted. "I just wanted to test the badge and help him out a little."
He was thinking to himself how he could use that blood to create an alchemical bomb against Voldemort. He wasn't sure if the protective charm he put on Harry would still be effective after he left, but as Nicolas had said, it's the process of exploration, not the result, that matters most.
"Fancy some afternoon tea? I know a great dessert shop near the magic shop."
"But it's still morning..."
"They have the best chocolate cake in all of Britain!"
"...Let's go now. We might not make it in time for the Hogwarts Express."
Shirley looked serious as she grabbed Adam by the sleeve and pulled him toward the distance.