Chapter 2

Expelliarmus

"Come here, Daniel"

"No."

"You can't stay here, Daniel… come on, now…"

"No"

He did not want to leave his mother's side; he did not want to move anywhere. Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder was trembling. Then another voice said, "Daniel, come on."

A much smaller and warmer hand had enclosed his hand and was pulling him upwards. He obeyed its pressure without really thinking about it. Only as he walked blindly back through the broken door did he realise, from a trace of flowery scent on the air, that it was Emma who was leading him back into the kitchen. Rupert and Dumbledore followed after them. Everyone was quiet; not making a sound as they walked back through the deserted hallway and into the kitchen. Dumbledore flicked his wand once and all the lights in the kitchen turned on immediately. Emma took Daniel and seated him in a near by chair softly. "Daniel…I…"

But before Emma could finish, Dumbledore pushed everyone out the kitchen door and into the front yard. A black carriage was waited for them. Daniel looked curiously at the horse-type creatures that would be pulling the carriage. "Can you see them Daniel?" Dumbledore asked, staring at the creatures. "Huh? You mean…"

"Yes Daniel the Thestral's. They are visible if you have seen someone die."

"But sir… I didn't see my mother die"

"Yes, but you saw Zedric die when you were facing He-who-must-not-be-named."

Daniel nodded slowly and hopped into the carriage with Emma and Rupert. He looked out the window as Dumbledore climbed onto the front of the carriage and waved the reins up and down. Daniel could hear the loud noise of galloping and the slashing of wings cutting through the air like a sharp blade. "What is pulling this carriage?" asked Rupert looking at the window for a better look. "Thestral's" mumbled Daniel. "You can only see them if you have…seen… someone… die"

At that moment Daniel's eyes began to burn with tears. He dug his head in between his crossed arms and rested them easily on his legs. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He sat there crying and whimpering quietly trying to make sure Emma or Rupert wouldn't hear him. Emma and Rupert already knew what was wrong and tried to change the topic. "I wonder where Dumbledore is taking us" said Emma.

Rupert simply shrugged. He continued looking out the window to see who was pulling the carriage. A loud flick of the rein was heard and a few moments later the carriage was up off the ground and heading upwards. Rupert whimpered loudly and tried to find anything that he could grip his hand with. Emma closed her eyes and was mumbling quietly "Happy thoughts… happy thoughts…"

Daniel sat up straight and rubbed the tears from his eyes. He held on tight to the side of the window but relaxed when the ride smoothed out. Emma opened her eyes and twisted herself so that she faced Daniel. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Daniel didn't make eye contact but replied, "I feel a little sick, and my scar is burning"

Rupert breathed deeply, gulped and looked out the window. "Hey, this is the way to Hogwarts" He began. Daniel and Emma both looked out the same window. "Yes it is" said Dumbledore. "We are going to Hogwarts a little earlier than expected. I already told your parents and your books and supplies are already in your rooms."

"Well you can't have told my parents! They're DEAD!" shouted Daniel. From that Daniel suddenly burst into tears. He flicked off his glasses and wiped the tears away from his eyes, but just as he did so, more tears rolled down his face. "Now Daniel, we don't want to start that up again." shouted Dumbledore over the loud slashes of the wings cutting through the air.

"I cannot believe she is out of my life forever" replied Daniel.

"I know, but there is happiness even in the darkest of times."

Daniel, Emma and Rupert sat quietly not talking to each other for the rest of the journey. It was getting dark and it was only one o'clock in the afternoon. Emma bent down to the floor of the carriage and picked up the round glasses that Daniel had flicked off his face. She placed them next to him but didn't make eye contact. Hogwarts was now in sight. The Thestral's neighed loudly then dived down straight for the front gate. Rupert screamed and gripped onto the chair behind him. Emma closed her eyes and Daniel fell forward with his face pressed against the glass in front. As the Thestral's smoothed out and landed softly in the Hogwarts interior, the loud chimes of the castles grand clock rang loudly. Dumbledore dismounted his seat in front and opened the carriage door where Daniel was still pressed against the glass. "Everyone out now, we will wait in the great hall for everyone to arrive." announced Dumbledore, who was helping Daniel out of the carriage.

Everyone followed Dumbledore into the Great Hall. For once it was empty. No one was there, not even any teachers walking around. Daniel took his seat in the middle of the Gryffindor table. Emma and Rupert sat either side of him. "Sir, why did we need to come here so early?" Daniel asked, raising one of his eyebrows.

"Because m'boy, the dark mark has been placed over your house. Voldemort is looking for you Daniel. Your house is no longer safe. The ministry has already informed the other teachers. I shall announce it after the great feast to the other students. I warn you Daniel. Be careful."

Dumbledore left to the front of the Hall and took his place in the middle of the long rectangular table. Daniel rubbed his scar a little realizing that he could see a Dementor flying around the school grounds. He shouted over the Hall, "Sir! Is that…"

"A dementor" Dumbledore interrupted. "Yes. But not to worry, that is Hogwarts personal dementor it should not harm any of us."

"SHOULD not harm" said Emma with a concerned look upon her face.

"Don't worry Ms Watson. I and the other staff members will make sure that the Dementor is under control."

Daniel nodded then turned to look at the great oak doors. "Ah, they are here already" mumbled Dumbledore using his wand to open the doors.

Thousands of witches and wizards burst through the doors and ran around their house tables. Draco Malfoy walked smoothly down the hall followed by his stalkers Crabbe and Goyle. He passed Daniel and hit him across the head with the edge of his elbow. "Had a nice summer Radcliffe? Heard your mother died poor thing. I knew she didn't have the strength to withstand the dark lord." "Shut up, just SHUT UP!"

Daniel drew his wand immediately aiming it directly at Malfoy's face. Wind blew in from outside and everyone had their eyes on Daniel and Malfoy. "So you want to play Radcliffe? Alright, but do me one thing… don't go crying for your mummy after this. Oh I forgot you don't have a mother now!"

Daniel's face burned with fury. He raised his wand and shouted the incantation, "Expelliarmus!"

A lightning bolt shape appeared from the end of the wand and headed straight for Malfoy. Malfoy turned white then quickly shouted, "Protego!"

A large circular shield appeared from the wand in front of Malfoy. The jinx that Daniel had fired simply bounced off. Malfoy laughed for a few shorts moments then held his wand up high. Daniel held his up close ready for any incantation that Malfoy might pull. Everyone in the great hall gasped as Malfoy displayed a non-verbal curse that hit Daniel unexpectedly. Daniel shook his head and stood up to face Malfoy. His eyes burning with Fury. A few moments later Harry felt weak and his head was spinning. He fell backwards almost immediately. Hagrid had appeared behind him and caught him just before he hit the floor.

Serverus Snape walked along the thin strip that split the tables. "My, my… Malfoy, you shall serve detention with Radcliffe after the great feast is over. Hagrid, do me a favor and remind Radcliffe when he wakes up."

Malfoy leered Daniel has Hagrid took him to the hospital wing. Emma and Rupert watched Daniel go by and gave Malfoy a dirty look.

Dumbledore stood up and walked over to the stand in which to make a speech. He spoke as if nothing had happened. "Welcome back, to yet another year at Hogwarts and for all you new comers… welcome! Now enough chit-chat let the feast BEGIN!"

Everyone looked towards the table. The new comers were surprised as plates among plates appeared in front of their eyes, all filled with delicious looking food. Immediately everyone dived into their plates and was swallowing masses of chicken, beef, duck and pork.

Emma ate her food slowly watching as Rupert almost choked on a chicken bone. "Too bad Daniel has to miss the feast. I wish I could just punch that Malfoy in the face as hard as possible. How dare he put a curse on Daniel"

Rupert kept eating but nodded, pretending he cared. Emma got up and walked down the hall to Professor Dumbledore. "Sir, may I please see Daniel?"

Dumbledore nodded and went back to talking to Professor McGonagall. Emma and Rupert went together to the hospital wing hoping to find Daniel. The stairs were deserted as everyone was in the great hall enjoying their feasts. Most of the paintings on the wall were either sleeping or chatting to one another quietly. "I really hope Daniel is alright" whispered Emma. Rupert gulped and nodded. "Yeah, this place is starting to freak me out. Can we go a little faster?"

Emma grunted and ran up the rest of the steps. They reached the Hospital wing and slowly creaked open the door. There lying on the end bed was Daniel, shaking sweating and murmuring something that was too hard to hear from a distance. Hagrid looked to them and frowned. "Hagrid…" Emma began. "Is Daniel okay?"

"Well, the nurse says he is going to be fine, but he will not wake up. He looks to be getting a little worse."

Emma ran to Daniels side and looked upon his face. She used her fingers to pull back Daniel's eye lids. White… nothing but white… "Whoa! His pupils have gone!" Rupert gasped.

Emma thought for a moment and looked back and forth from the ground to Daniel's eyes. "No Rupert. His pupils are just moving to fast to see with the naked eye. His pupils must be running up and down his eye so fast, that all we can see is white. I think how remember how to cure this. We need really cold water, but no ice."

Hagrid walked over to the fridge that was stuck in the corner and pulled out a jug of iced water. He handed it to Emma who carefully took off Daniel's glasses. "I am sorry Daniel" she said.

Emma quickly titled the jug over Daniel and freezing cold water landed on his face. He immediately woke up shivering and wiping the water from his eyes. "Thanks… for the wake up… call" Daniel said coughing as he spoke. Emma and Rupert grinned, happy to see that Daniel was okay. Daniel lowered his head and closed his eyes for a few short moments. He mumbled the same words that he mumbled before, this time more loudly and more clearly. "Detention… detention… detention…"