Dad put both of us in time-out, me for disobeying and letting Summer out of the crate and Summer for being a destructive chewing menace. His words, not mine. So while Summer whimpered in her crate, I stood in the corner for eight minutes, bored to death. I really hated standing still and just looking at the wall, thinking about how dumb I'd been and how I should listen to what my dad said next time. I tried to stand still, but always felt like I had to move, and rocked from foot to foot until Dad looked over and said, "Be still, or else I'll add another minute."

"Yes, sir," I muttered and froze. Time-out sucked. I'd rather have a smack than be put in time-out for ten minutes. That was like forever, ugh!

But finally Daddy said, "Time's up," and I could leave the corner. Dad came and gave me a hug, like he always did after he'd punished me, so I knew he wasn't mad any more. "Sorry, Daddy," I told him. "I just didn't like Summer crying. Can I let her out now?"

"Yes. But take her outside, just in case."

I took down her leash, it was purple, and opened the crate. She came to me, I put the leash on, and she licked me.  "C'mon, girl. Let's go outside."

She wagged her tail and followed me.

Once we were in the backyard, I took her to the place where she could go potty, and after she had done that, I let her off the leash so I could play with her. Summer liked to fetch things, I played with her with sticks and her ball, she always found the ball, no matter where it went and almost always brought it back.

Except when she decided to play keep away, and made me chase her.

But then she got tired and lay down in the grass. She was panting and I ‘membered Uncle Matt saying that when a puppy did that she was hot. So I went inside to get her some water. I was kind of hot and sweaty too and I wanted some lemonade.

When I came out with Summer's bowl and a glass of lemonade, I called, "Summer! Here's your water!"

But she wasn't on the lawn.

"Summer? Where are you?" I ran down the stairs, hoping she hadn't gotten out of the yard. But that was impossible, the gate was always closed.

Then I heard her bark, and I went towards the side of the backyard that had Dad's herb garden.

"Summer! No!" I gasped.

The puppy was digging in my father's garden, in fact she had already dug up several plants and dirt was all over her and in heaps on the ground. She looked like she was having a grand old time, but I knew Daddy was going to have a fit. His herbs are used in his potions, and sometimes I help him pick weeds, but otherwise I'm not allowed in the garden unless he says so.

"Stop!" I yelled, running forward to grab the crazy pup by the collar. "Bad dog, Summer! Dad's gonna skin you and use you for potion ingredients."

I dragged the pup away, she whined and struggled. "No! No digging!" I scolded, waving my finger at her.

Summer hung her head and I knew she was sorry.

I took her leash and tied it to the side of the porch, then I went over to the garden to try and put the plants back before Dad saw.

But some of the plants were broken and I couldn't remember where they all went, but I tried my best. Maybe he'd think some animal did it. I had just finished shoving the last plant in the dirt when I heard a weird gagging noise and turned around to see Summer all wound up in her leash, strangling herself.

"Summer!" I screamed, running over to her.

Her tongue was hanging out and I could tell she was choking, the leash was wrapped all the way round her neck. I tried to pull it off, but it was too tight, I couldn't get it loose. White foam dripped from her mouth and I started to cry.

Uncle Matt would be so mad if I killed his puppy, I thought, then I yelled, "Dad! Help! I need you! Dad!"

"Harry?" I heard Dad call, then he burst out the back door. "What's wrong?"

"It's Summer, she's choking, help!" I sobbed. "The leash is too tight."

Dad came down the steps immediately, saw what had happened, and spoke a word that undid the leash and her collar. She lay on the grass, coughing and gasping.  I was scared she was dying and I started bawling.

"I didn't mean it, Daddy! She's not gonna . . .die . . .is she?"

"Hush, son," Dad said softly, kneeling beside the puppy and stroking her throat. He murmured a spell and suddenly Summer stopped gasping and started to breathe normally. He stroked the little pup's head and summoned the bowl of water. When he stuck a hand with a little water in it under her nose, she licked it up. "There, better now? Drink, that's it." Summer started to drink the water. "Good girl."

"Is she gonna be okay?" I asked, still crying.

"Yes. Though he throat might be a bit sore for awhile." He looked at me. "Harry, why was she tied up like that?"

I looked away, because I didn't want to tell him about the garden. ""Cause."

"Because why, son? Look at me."

I stared at the ground instead. If I looked at him, I'd spill my guts. Daddy has this way of looking at you that can make you tell the truth, even if you don't want to and know you'll be in trouble. He calls it his truthteller stare and it always works on me. I can't ever really lie to him, and if I ever do I'll get three swats and a fifteen minute time-out. Dad can't stand being lied to, ‘specially by his own kid.

"Harry? I asked you a question. Why was Summer tied to the porch?"

"So she wouldn't get in trouble," I muttered. "I never knew she could choke herself!" I sniffled, feeling absolutely terrible. "I didn't mean to hurt her!"

"I know, son." Dad said, hugging me. "But you can't tie up a puppy on a leash and leave her like that. They get too excited and can get tangled up in the lead like Summer did." He examined Summer again and this time he asked about why she was so dirty. "That dog looks like she's been digging in the dirt."

"Ummm . . .yeah."

Dad frowned. "Harry, tell me the truth. Was she digging in my garden?"

Reluctantly, I nodded. "Yes, sir. I . . .tried to fix it."

"Bloody hell!" Dad swore and stood up.

"Dad, she didn't mean it," I said.

But Dad was already walking over to the herb garden, his face mad and stern. He drew his wand and most of the plants stood up and the dirt fixed itself in neat hills once more. "Damn dogs that like to dig!" he swore, then he cast a spell so Summer couldn't get into the garden. "Should have done that before," I heard him say to himself.

Then he came back over to us and frowned down at Summer, who looked like a very dirty stray dog. "You are nothing but trouble, puppy," he said.

Summer looked up and barked happily, her tail wagging.

"She needs a bath, Harry."

I nodded. "I can give her one, Dad."

He looked at me then. "You both need a bath."

When he turned around to pick up Summer, he found she had run over to the big hydrangea bush and started digging under it. Dirt was flying from under her paws. "Stop that, you wretched dog!" Dad yelled, striding over to where Summer was digging, ignoring him. All I could see was her back end. "Nothing wrong with you now, is there?" he growled, then reached down and picked up the golden puppy. "No digging! Bad dog!"

Summer was covered in dirt and looked more like a black retriever than a golden one. Dad shook his head, pointed his wand and the dirt was put back under the bush where it belonged.  "Silly mutt!" He walked back over to where I waited. "Here, Harry. Take the little troublemaker."

He handed me Summer, she licked my face, and I brought her inside.

We headed into the bathroom, where Dad ran the water for a bath and got the dog shampoo.   "Okay, Harry, let's put her in. She shouldn't mind it too much, she's a golden retriever and they love water." He made sure the water wasn't too hot, then he put Summer into the bathtub.

She gave a sort of bark, then started drinking the water and trying to swim in the tub. I laughed at her, she looked so silly, splashing. "Stay still, you fool puppy," Dad said, for her paws were splashing up so much water she was getting him soaked and me too.

"Sit!" he ordered, and Summer sat, recognizing that he meant business.

Then Dad got the puppy shampoo and showed me how to put some on her a little bit at a time and rub it into her fur. "Don't use a lot, because then it'll take forever to rinse her off," Dad told me. "Go on, you try."

I took the shampoo and rubbed some on her back, lathering it into her fur till she was all nice and sudsy. Summer shook her head, and bubbles flew off and hit me in the face. "Hey! Take it easy!"

Just then, Dad felt his mirror vibrate. "Harry, it's my office calling. I need to go talk to them about a test result. Can you handle things in here for ten minutes?"

"Sure, Dad. I like giving Summer a bath," I said, waving him off.

He left and I continued to scrub all the dirt off Summer, who kept trying to lick the soap off her nose. Silly dog!

Five minutes later, Summer was looking like a poodle and then I decided it was time to rinse her. So I turned on the shower.

Guess the water or something scared her, cause she started to cry and then she jumped right out of the bathtub!

"Summer, get back here! You're all over soap!"

She shook herself and I went to grab her, but she was too fast.

I had forgot to shut the door after Dad left and she ran away down the hall, trailing soap and water all over the rug!

"Aww, Merlin!" I groaned and ran after her.

She ran right into the kitchen and I raced right after her, trying to grab her.

But the water she was shaking and leaving all over the floor made me trip.

One minute I was running, the next thing I knew I was sliding right across the kitchen floor.

It would have been kind of fun, except I couldn't stop, and I crashed into Summer and then we both hit the wall with the shelf of really pretty glass bowls and a vase that Dad had gotten when he went to Italy on his honeymoon with my mum.

We hit the wall so hard that a vase and a bowl fell off the shelf and smashed all over the floor.

SMASH! CRASH!

Next thing I knew, broken glass was everywhere, in all the colors of the rainbow. Summer yelped and I grabbed her so she wouldn't get cut by it. She shook all over me and I got soap in my eyes and went to rub it out. I couldn't hold her and she jumped over most of the glass and ran to the other end of the kitchen to hide under a chair, still dripping wet and soapy.

"Summer!" I cried, went to go after her, and forgot about the glass. Glass got stuck in my knee. "Oww!" I yelled, went to stand up and my wet sneaker slipped and I fell on my bum.

"Oww!" I screeched, since I had fallen on . . .another piece of glass.

Dad came storming into the kitchen, the mirror in his hand, shouting, "Harry, what the bloody blue blazes is going on in-Merlin's Goddamn shorts!" He stopped dead upon seeing the disaster in the kitchen and me holding my knee and crying. "Excuse me, I'll have to finish this later, Marian. My son just cut himself and there's glass all over my kitchen floor."

"No problem, Healer Snape. Call me when you can." Said the voice of Dad's emergency partner, the one he has when Uncle Matt gets sick or goes on a holiday, to help him with his patients.

Dad stuck the mirror in his pocket and waved his wand, chanting a repairing charm.

The glass was cleaned up and the bowl was repaired and Dad put it back. The vase was missing a few pieces, since they were in me. Dad came over to me, knelt down, and said softly, "Harry, stay still. You've got a glass shard in your knee."

"And another in my bum, Daddy!" I cried.

"Ahh . . .all right. Relax." He carefully picked me up, helping me stand. "What on earth happened? I left you in the bathroom and now I find you in the kitchen, all over glass and blood and water."

"Summer jumped out of the bathtub," I managed to say.

Dad glared at the puppy. "You're more trouble than you're worth,' he scolded. Summer was shivering under the chair. He spoke a charm to dry her and levitated her into her crate. "There! That's one problem solved. Now, let's get you fixed up, scamp."

I had a feeling I wasn't going to like this at all.

I was right.

Having glass removed from your bum is not fun. Or your knee either. Dad made me drink a funny potion that sort of made me fuzzy and sleepy at the same time. He took me into his lab to remove the glass, since the lab table could be . . . sterilized is the word he uses . . .He put a great white sheet on it, chanted some charm to make it really clean, and then he took off my trousers and underwear. Then he had me lie on my side, and first he took out the glass in my knee.

That part didn't really hurt, he got the piece out all at once, but the stuff he cleaned it out with stung something awful. I yelled my head off. "OWWW!"

"Sorry, son. But if I don't do this, your leg could become badly infected." Dad said, then he mended the cut with a word and tap of his wand. "All right. Now for the next one." Before I could say anything, he flipped me over on my stomach.

He numbed my bottom a little with a spell, then said, "Be still, Harry."

I whimpered, but I couldn't feel it when he took the glass out. It was the awful burning stuff he cleaned the cut out with that made me cry and tell him, "OWWW! I hate you, Dad! That really hurts!"

"I know, child, but it would hurt worse if I didn't do that." Dad said, patting my back. "Almost done." Then he chanted the spell that healed cuts and my bum was fixed. He picked me up and held me then, I was still crying a bit, and said, "Hush, it's over. You're all right now."

I hugged him, sniffling, and whispered, "M'sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean I really hated you."

"I know, scamp. Sometimes you say things you don't mean when you're scared or hurt. How do you feel now?"

"Better."

"Come, let's get you in a bath."

After cleaning the tub with a spell to banish the dog shampoo and the hair, Dad ran me a nice warm bath with lots of green bubbles and let me play in there as long as I wanted, with all my bath toys.

Then I got dressed and Dad took me into the den and put me on his lap so he could talk to me. "Harry, I want you to tell me when Summer does something wrong, and don't try and hide it from me or cover it up, all right?"

"But . . .I don't want you to get mad." I said, not looking right at him. "I don't like when you yell at her."

"Harry, I only yell at her if she deserves it. Like I do you." Dad explained. "If I don't correct her, she'll never learn proper behavior. And by you trying to fix things yourself, you end up getting hurt or in trouble. Look at what happened today outside. And in the kitchen. Next time the puppy runs away or does something she shouldn't, I want you to promise you'll come and tell me. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." I agreed.  Then I said, "But Dad, I promised Uncle Matt I'd look after Summer. She's . . .uh . . .my responsibility."

Dad sighed and ruffled my hair. "Harry, no one expects you to look after Summer all by yourself. You're only five, son. Taking care of a puppy is a full time job for me, never mind you."

"You think I can't do it, right?" I cried, upset that he thought I was too little to take care of a puppy myself. "I'm sorry I let her jump out of the bathtub and break all your bowls and stuff."

"Harry, that's not the point. Listen to me. I want you to come to me and ask me for help. There's nothing wrong with it, son. And that way maybe you'll avoid sitting on glass next time, hmmm?"

I thought about it. Dad was right, Summer was a lot of work. "Okay." I said. "I guess I could use your help, a little."

"Good. Now, how about you take a short nap? I'm sure you're tired after this afternoon."

I yawned. I was tired, but I wanted to see Summer before I went to sleep.

I went over to her crate and found her asleep. Guess all that running and digging must have worn her out too. I reached in with a hand and petted her, her fur was soft like a velvet cape my mum once had.

She slept all stretched out and I stayed there looking at her for a little while, until I felt my eyes growing sleepy. Then I went to sit down back on the couch and Daddy covered me with a blanket and I fell asleep with my head on his shoulder.

When I woke up, I found Summer in the kitchen with my dad, and he was feeding her bits of bacon. She was looking at him with her brown eyes all dreamy, like she loved him. Dad was petting her. "Sometimes you're a good dog, but other times you're nothing but a bundle of trouble, huh?"

Summer leaned into his hand, sighing happily, and he scratched her in the spot behind her ear. I smiled, since it looked like Dad was starting to like her. Maybe by the end of the week, he'd say yes to getting a dog of my own.

Least I hoped so.

"Hi, Dad. Hey, Summer!"

Summer wagged her tail and Dad stood up fast, like he didn't want me to see him petting Summer. "Oh good, you're awake." He said, dusting off his hands on a dishcloth. "Now you can look after this begging nuisance for me while I finish making supper. How does grilled cheese and bacon sound?"

"Great!" That was one of my favorite meals.

Summer barked, guess it was her favorite too. I hugged her and took her outside before she had another accident on the floor like last night.

"Maybe one day I'll have a puppy like you, Summer. Then you could play with him. You'd like that, wouldn't you, girl?"

Summer stood up and licked my hand. It was as if she were saying yes.

"Come on, girl! Race you back to the porch!" I cried, and dropped her leash on the ground and started to run.

I'm pretty fast, but Summer still beat me.

"Darn!" I said, grinning at the golden dog.

Summer just smiled at me, in that funny way dogs have.

Then Dad was calling us in for supper, and I hurried inside to wash my hands and eat my grilled cheese with bacon. Summer was lucky she was a dog, since all she had to do was go and eat her dog food, though Dad had given her some bacon and cheese crumbled on top of it. I think that he secretly likes her, even if she is a troublemaker.