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Chapter 8: 18th of April 2004

William had not seen Mary after that incident at Flourish and Blotts. He tried to do his job at The Daily Prophet (he's an editor) office, just to keep himself busy, but occasionally he would glance at Flourish and Blotts from his office at the second floor, just to see if she was there.

Finally, one day, he was working on the Sports Column of the newspaper when he saw Mary coming out of Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions. For a moment, his hands stopped at the typewriter and he stared as Mary waited outside the shop. She looked as pretty as ever and for some reason, a little sad.

William was hesitating whether he wanted to go downstairs and talked to Mary when he saw another person coming out of the shop that made him went cold.

Aidoneus Malfoy.

He was carrying some sort of package in his hands and was talking to Mary. Mary smiled slightly and nodded. Aidoneus just put his arm around Mary's shoulders and they walked off together. Aidoneus even kissed Mary on the head as they went.

For a moment, William was upset at the sight, but then he shook his head firmly.

"Snap out of it, William Potter." he told himself. "Mary is a Lestrange, she's engaged to a Malfoy, so just give up on her… don't be like your father…"

But then when he continued to type, William found himself making more mistakes than before.


William sat on the swing and swung himself gently as he admired the evening sky above him. He stared at his father's diary. He flipped it to the back, then to the front page again. He was wondering if he should go on reading it. Okay, he found out that his mother had committed adultery and his father broke up with Ginny just to be with his mother. What could be worse?

Of course, there's another matter about his father killing someone. He had not found out who did his father kill yet.

"Maybe it is Julia." William muttered and sighed. "Oh well, might as well read on."

He opened the diary.


18th of April 2004

Diary,

I'm back to my old house again! Want to know why? I moved out of The Burrow, that's why.

All because that huge fight I have with Ronald Weasley. And over Hermione, in fact!

He has found out what's going on between me and Hermione. I guess Hermione and I didn't hide our relationship very well…


Today is Sunday. When I woke up in the morning, I found the house empty. So I went downstairs and out to the garden. Then I found Hermione on the bench, reading. Ron was working hard on the weeds.

Hermione smiled at me. "Good morning."

I smiled back. "Morning Hermione! Morning, Ron."

Ron grunted and continued to work. For a moment, I was hoping that Ron was out with the rest, so that I could have some privacy with Hermione.

I strolled to Hermione, sat beside her and asked her what she was reading. She was reading Shakespeare. Ron said that he was a boring author, so naturally, Hermione was annoyed, because I know that Shakespeare is her favourite playwright.

I calmed her down by telling her about my role in the play Romeo and Juliet. She was cheered up immediately and asked me who I was playing.

I was embarrassed, I just hoped that Dudley didn't fight with me to get the role of Romeo back in my school. So I laughed to cover my embarrassment and told her that I played one of the people in the party where Romeo met Juliet.

"Aw, too bad, you would make one gorgeous Romeo." said Hermione.

Being in a rather mushy mood, I leaned forward and whispered. "I'm Romeo. And you are my Juliet." Then I winked at her.

Hermione giggled.

Then Ron yelled at me to go and help him out. So I did. While we were working, Ron suddenly asked me what's going on between me and Hermione.

I panicked for a moment but I kept my cool and said, "What do you mean?"

"You two are hiding something." said Ron. "I could feel it."

"It's nothing. Just something stupid." I lied.

Ron didn't say anything after that.

For a while, we worked in the garden while Hermione read. The weather soon became hot. Ron and I were sweating like mad.

Hermione called to Ron to fetch her hat, but he refused, so I offered to go and get it.

I came back with the hat and handed it to Hermione. She smiled at me and then she blinked at me and frowned slightly. She took out her handkerchief and pressed it gently against my forehead, letting the handkerchief to absorb my sweat.

For a moment, I felt happy to have such a caring lover but then I remembered that Ron was with us. So unwillingly, I reached for her hand and pulled it down. "Thank you, Hermione, I can manage."

Then I glanced at Ron. Hermione caught my message and quickly, she made an excuse of getting back into the house to get a glass of orange juice. She asked Ron and me whether we wanted one, but Ron shook his head. I said yes and I went back to Ron while Hermione went to the house.

I picked up the basket of weeds, but Ron flung his grass shears aside.

"Ron, what…" I started.

Ron glared at me and stormed back into the house. Immediately, I heard Ron shouting and Hermione screaming. Alarm bells went through my head and I ran back into the house.

Once I got into the kitchen, I heard Ron calling Hermione a bitch. I found Hermione on the floor, rubbing her cheek in pain. Instantly, I knew that Ron had slapped her.

"Ron, don't you dare to call her bitch!" I shouted, anger was boiling in my blood.

"Stay out of this, Harry, stay out!" roared Ron while Hermione got up and dashed out of the kitchen. "Don't you turn your back at me, woman!" He yelled and chased after her to the Front Room.

Furious at Ron and concerned for Hermione, I went after them. Ron grabbed Hermione around the wrist and I told Ron to let go of Hermione.

Suddenly, Ron diverted his attention from Hermione to me. We argued for a moment, then things got out of control and Ron punched me across the face.

Of course, out of pride, I fought back and we ended up fighting in the Front Room. I think Hermione did ask us to stop, but I didn't pay attention to her.

Ron was taller than me, so he managed to pin me down to the floor and when he was about to raise his hand to hit me, Hermione rushed to him and pulled him away from me.

As Hermione helped me up, Ron asked me why I always get the better stuff, and that includes my fame, fortune, Quidditch talent and Hermione.

I tried to explain but Ron said that I was finding excuses to all my explanation and that's the last straw. I don't want to live in a house where a man treats his wife like a dog and I don't want to stick around and let Ron insults me.

So I went upstairs, packed my things and came back downstairs. I'm told by Ron that I'm not welcomed at The Burrow once I leave.

"And one more thing, you are not allowed to come anywhere near my wife again, you hear me! I have the right to sue you for that!" yelled Ron at me.

I scowled at him and I left.


What a bloody idiot! I have never, ever, wanted to compete with my best friend! Is my wish that my parents die early and leave me that pile of gold? I'm good in Quidditch, so what? And is my fault that Hermione and I fall for each other, huh? Why can't Ron just get it in his thick head! I don't want my parents to die early, I don't want to be famous and if I can, I don't even want to be with Hermione either, I can let her be a faithful wife to Ron, but I just can't, I love her!

After I left, I went to The Three Broomsticks for a drink. There, I bumped into Oliver Wood and Katie Bell. Wood took the chance and told me that we were going for a match in Ireland. I said okay to it straight away without thinking clearly, I must had drunk too much.

I wonder what crappy excuse that Ron gives to his family about my departure. He may not be very bright, but I know that he's smart enough not to tell his family the truth.

I'm leaving for Ireland next month (thanks to me and my big mouth, now I have to go to Ireland no matter what). And now that I have left The Burrow, it will be hard for me to see Hermione again. When can I tell her the news?

I miss her already.

Harry


It was dark when William closed that diary. Suddenly, he didn't blame his parents anymore. He didn't find their affair scandalous, in fact, he pitied them. It's obvious now that his mother was unhappy in her marriage and his father was there to help her. And then Ron Weasley chased (err, sort of) him out of the house. His mother had lost her only support in the house.

William leaned back on the swing and closed his eyes. For a moment, he was still. Then his eyes snapped open. A horrifying thought had come to him.

What if it was Ron Weasley that his father had killed?