Chapter 8

September 1985

While the landscape rushed quickly past him, Charlie Weasley was sitting in the Hogwarts Express and was trying not to be too much excited that today his first year at Hogwarts would begin. Apart from him there was his two years older brother Bill with him in the compartment who had fallen asleep however a short time ago.

Sighing Charlie leaned back into the soft seat. He was relieved that the summer was over. Sadly he remembered the terrible day he had heard that his grandparents had been killed by Death Eaters.

In the following time they had tried to cope with the misery and while his mother had been often all tears, Bill and he had had to look after their younger siblings. Especially his four year old sister hadn't understood what had happened and Charlie had had much effort to distract her.

Charlie gripped his wand and thought back to his vow. He had vowed to become an Auror as soon as he would be finished with the school and that he would fight against the Dark Lord some day just as his parents who were members of the Order of the Phoenix. In the magic world the Order had already become a legend and was the last great hope in the fight against the Dark Lord and his supporters. He would also join the Order in distant future, he decided and looking at his wand, he thought back how difficult it had been to buy his school supplies.

Due to the danger some members of the Order had accompanied him, Bill and his father. How proud he had been when he had got his first wand, handed over by Ollivander's daughter who continued the wand shop since the murder of her father. She had been so nice and glancing out of the window, Charlie yawned and snuggled against the seat.

When the sunrays began to wander through the room, Harry blinked sleepily, laid an arm across his eyes and finally pulled the blanket over his head. He was still so tired but since he didn't succeed to fall asleep anymore, he finally sat up and stared over at the window. Last night he had had one of his terrible nightmares again.

As always Nell had immediately come to him and had comforted him. Sometimes Harry wished that his father and Bella would hug him too but they never did.

Since he had bought his wand he often dreamed from the old friendly man and the green blinding light. Meanwhile he knew that it had been the Killing Course. Bella hadn't taught him this yet but he had read it himself. He frequently leafed through the books much further then he actually should. A while later when Harry had dressed and had eaten breakfast, he stepped to the door and opened it. Last month he had finally managed to find the right spell in one of the books Bella had given him and since then he was able to open his door alone and wasn't dependent on Nell's help anymore. Apart from this it was great fun to perform magic. Seeing that the corridor was deserted he silently padded out. Nell followed him. Ever since he had found Diamond he had often sneaked around the castle.

There was so much to discover and when he would get tired of exploring the castle he went to the enormous library of the castle, took one of the countless books and made it himself comfortable under the table most of the time. So he had often managed it to stay undiscovered, when someone had unexpectedly entered the library and thus hadn't been caught yet by any of his forays. Because Bella had told him yesterday that she would be unable to come and wouldn't therefore teach him today, Harry knew that he could take so much time as he wanted and hadn't have to pay attention to return back to his room in time.

In a great mood he climbed up one of the stairs which led to one of the towers. In a dusty, little room he discovered all kinds of old junk and behind a broken chest of drawers he found a broom. Happily about his finding he took the broom, after removing some spider's webs, to a bigger room and tried to fly.

He knew it immediately. Flying was easy and he could it. But in the room wasn't exactly much space so that he landed shortly afterwards and pondered whereto he could go. His first thought was to go to the Great Hall; there however the danger was of course great that someone could spot him. Looking at Nell he asked the little house-elf, if she didn't know a suitable place for flying.

After a moment of consideration Nell suggested the park. Harry hesitated for an instant. He had never been in the park before but since the day he had seen into the, at that time, snow-covered park he had wished to go out one day. So far he hadn't done it however, out of fear he would run into someone. In the castle were many hiding places which he could use in an emergency but he didn't know if he would find so good possibilities in the park as well.

Finally his curiosity and his desire to really try out his broom won and he let Nell to show him the way. They had hardly entered the park when Nell led him along one of the narrow pathways while Harry was looking amazed at the tress which struck him so much taller now as he had seen them out of his window. A little while later he was flying in the warm sun. A never known feeling of freedom seemed to fill him while flying higher and higher.

Nell, who was sitting behind him, held desperately onto his waist in the meantime. Harry laughed. Flying was just great. Soon he became more daring and even tried out a nosedive which caused Nell to cry out loudly. After a while as it began to get dark he flew to the ground and sauntered, still beaming with joy, slowly back to the castle. He knew that he would hardly be able to wait for the next day. His mood darkened as he remembered that he would have time only in the afternoon to sneak in the park and to fly. Hopefully Bella wouldn't give him so much homework.

Loud voices startled him. Nell had heard them, too. Frightened her eyes widened. Harry's eyes darted around and just in time he managed to hide with Nell behind two bushes so that the black figures who went past didn't notice them. Relieved Harry who had held his breath let it slowly escape. He straightened up and saw how the supporters of his father walked to the castle. Looking around he made sure that no one else was nearby. Then he picked up his broom from the ground and whispered to Nell who had put her hands before her eyes that they could go now and started to move. He grasped Nell's hand and ran across the lawn.

Reaching his rooms out of breath, Harry sank exhausted on his bed, glad that his excursion in the park had stayed undiscovered.Why on earth had his father forbidden him to leave his chambers? He didn't understand it.