Little 11-year old Fred Weasley II had anticipated the start of his magical education at the school his mother and father had told him stories about, stories that consisted of the cool sensation of flying a broomstick and playing for the Quidditch Cup, setting off Filibuster Fireworks in the dead of night, pelting dung bombs at Mrs. Norris the cat, and – more importantly – learning all kinds of spells and charms to fight off boredom.
When the carrier owl swooped through the window and dropped Fred's Hogwarts acceptance letter into his bowl of cereal, he couldn't help but burst into joy, rampaging through the hallways and up the stairs, yelling "I'm going to Hogwarts!" as he held the soggy parchment tightly in his hands.
And that wasn't the last of his excitement. It was the day George and Angelina decided to take Fred to Diagon Alley to purchase the supplies he needed for his first year when the parents realized how excited their son was for Hogwarts. The second they appeared in Diagon Alley through the Floo Network Fred raced down the packed streets, eyeing each store with obsession. George eventually found him in Magical Menagerie, where Fred was trying to smuggle a cat underneath his coat.
When they got home with Fred's things, he bolted straight for his room and skimmed through the Standard Book of Spells, searching for a spell he could easily conjure up with his 11-inch, pine, and phoenix feather-core wand. How Fred managed to singe most of his eyebrows off George and Angelina didn't know, but they were happy to see him so eager to delve into the world of magic.
That was why on the day right after Fred left for Hogwarts, George was surprised to see his son's new barn owl perched on the windowsill with a letter in its beak. He quickly seized the letter and read it with worrisome eyes:
Dear Dad,
Please tell me you're okay! Please tell me you didn't die! Dad, you're alright, aren't you? Write back as soon as possible! Mum, if you got this first, then write if Dad's still okay. I can't focus here at Hogwarts without knowing what happened to Dad.
Love,
Fred
George couldn't believe what he read. What was Fred so worried about? Did George look as if he were dying? No, he didn't look pale or malnourished the last time he looked into a mirror. George was normal and in no means was he sick with a cold. He dived for fresh parchment and a quill to write his reply to his son:
Dear Fred,
Calm down, calm down! What's the matter? I'm fine here, and Mum's fine as well. We're all okay. Nothing has happened. Did something bad happen at Hogwarts? You didn't even bother telling us what House you got into! Everything's alright, Fred. Don't worry!
Love,
Dad
George's letter was sent, and the next day, Fred's owl returned with another letter lodged in its beak. George hastily grabbed the letter, rushing to know what worried Fred so much the other day. It read:
Dear Dad,
Thank god you're alright. Well, you told me all about the ghosts that haunted Hogwarts, and I was prepared to expect translucent people floating around the corridors, but I couldn't help be scared when I met a ghost that looked exactly like you during the feast. I thought you died, and I'm sorry for worrying you so much. Oh yeah, and I'm in Gryffindor, by the way.
Love,
Fred