Prologue
1:00 am
1st November 1981
Seven-year-old Lemily awoke from her slumber quite suddenly as if someone had been shaking her into rousing. Pulling back the covers from her delicate little body she looked around her room to find the source of her waking, but only her teddies and dolls stared back at her, equally bewildered.
Stepping down from her bed she started to move gradually as if being led towards her bedroom door by an invisible companion who was silently encouraging her out into the open.
She wiped her tired eyes with a closed fist, confused by her own actions but naturally curious as to where she was going and stumbling in the dark Lemily made her way out onto the landing. From here she could hear her parents breathing in the next room, rolling about in their sleep, undisturbed and peaceful. Words appeared, unlike her own, across her mind, there is no need to wake them.
Conquering the stairs herself, Lemily wandered down through the house, unafraid and almost comforted by this feeling she was being drawn towards, like a moth to the flame she could feel the warmth of the attraction, but could not see the danger ahead of her.
The kitchen, as Lemily entered, illuminated in a ghostly haze by the moon, was noticeably colder than the rest of the house. Lemily soon felt the bitter sting of the wind when it invaded her nightdress and probed her with it's icy fingers, though it couldn't keep her attention for long as the sound of the door creaking open on it's hinges distracted her completely.
Does someone want to come in the house? She thought, blinking to adjust her vision in the dim-light, the constant sound of the door swinging sounded to her like a light consistent knocking, something that was deliberately seeking her attention, beckoning her to enter the garden and to join it.
"Hello?" her timid voice sounded almost loud to her in this stillness and approaching the door with eyes wide she called out into the garden, "anyone there? Are you cold outside?" Yet no answer came.
Impatient now, small Lemily stepped out into the garden. Her bare toes curled into the moist grass, squinting she continued onward till she reached the centre. From here Lemily could see the whole garden and started to look for her invisible friend.
The wind here was more ferocious, but that was not the cause of her shivering. Looking up to the sky, Lemily could feel an electricity in the air, an indescribable buzz she did not understand, pricking at her skin and hair. From not so far off she could hear cheering in the streets, the sound of happy people active, despite the lateness, hooting and laughter.
With a bang sky was suddenly lit up with fireworks and firecrackers, their howls and screams deafening and causing Lemily to fall back into the flowerbeds, shaken.
For a brief moment she felt as if she was not the only one in the garden, sharing this odd and bewildering moment and that there was another, the one who had compelled her to wake and witness this, who too was watching the sky celebration, yet with a sense of distaste, fury and was it . . . Fearing?
"What are they cheering?" she questioned, not only to herself but to the invisible entity that she could feel surrounding her. There still came no answer, yet she knew it was there beside her.
After a moment's silence, the fireworks once again erupted, flaring in the darkness and with another surge of cold she felt the presence sweep past her within the breeze and leave her feeling quite alone.
Of course, Lemily didn't realise that this celebration was not only for her to see on this night, but for the world to witness. Lemily was unaware that many people, adults and children alike, were in their gardens, setting off fireworks and partying the night away, making toasts to long healthy lives and hugging and kissing, drinking and laughing.
Little Lemily did not know just yet that the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, had been defeated and that this celebration was the expression of joy and relief of all witches and wizards everywhere, though Lemily would soon find out in the morning, upon waking in the lawn, to see the smiles on her parents faces and to tell her they were free. Free from fear and darkness and that they'd hug and kiss her until she giggled for them to stop.
