Secrets To Keep

Secret #2

I was left standing in place, frozen, for what felt like hours. (Although it was only a few minutes.)
I felt rage building inside of me. I walked into the living room and up to my father.
"Dad?"
My Dad looked up from his book, 'Muggle Contraptions' took one look at me, stood up, and led me to the backyard. It's where he takes everyone when they're angry and want to hit something. We Weasleys are destructive.

Once we stopped walking, he asked me, "Bill, what happened?"

I paced, blasting trees, rocks, and anything I could find, with my wand.

   "It's. Not. Fair! He has such a terrible life! He. Doesn't. Deserve. This! Why...why can't his life be easy? Dad, why can't his life be easy? Tell me!" I cried, begging my father, protector, provider, and hero, to answer my unanswerable question.

He shook his head sadly.   "What happened, Son?"

I shook my head, tired now.
"I promised I wouldn't say.  But, he'll tell everyone else when he's ready. I do know it's so, so much worse than he lets on. I need to see him. Dad? You know where he's at?"

Dad smiled.
"Give him some time alone. He needs space.  If you go to him to soon, he may get angry with you. Go home to Fleur and come back after lunch. Talk to him then."

I nodded, then apparated away.

•••••••••••••••After Lunch•••••••••••••••

Harry was sat in the attic he shared with Hermione and Ron, reading a book. Not one about Quidditch, but about Hogwarts a History, the original version. He'd found it in his Gringotts Vault. He didn't hear Bill coming up the stairs because he had a Muggle device called an MP3 Player plugged in his ears. When he looked up and saw the door opening, he closed the page and slipped the book under his bed.

"Hey, Harry. What've you been doing up here?" Bill asked.

"Er--nothing much. Just-" he was going to lie, but figured, 'Hey, I'm already telling him all my other secrets, might as well be truthful.

  "Just reading. It's the original copy of Hogwarts A History." He handed him the book.

"So...you ready for the next paper?"
Harry asked Bill.

Bill looked surprised.
"You know that's not the reason I'm here, right Harry? I'm here because I care.  Just talk to me. What was it like in the cupboard?"

Harry's eyes widened slightly.
"I-I try not to think about it..."

Bill felt bad for bringing it up, especially because Harry looked like he was going to hyperventilate soon.

"Okay, you don't need to talk about it. But are you sure you want to give me notes? I don't mind if you tell me."

   "Okay," Harry said taking a deep breath. "I'll read off the paper."

He pulled out a second paper, this one pink.

He cleared his throat and said quietly, "I used to cook and clean everything at the Dursleys. And if I didn't do it right, I got punished."
He looked ashamed.

"Harry, that's horrible! Why would they do that to you? Did you ever get burnt?"

He nodded. "One time Dudley shoved me and my face was hit into the frying pan. I got in trouble." He shrugged as though it was nothing.

I nodded. "Floo me if you need to talk Harry. I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

He smiled. And I asked, "Going down for dinner?"

He shook his head.
"I throw it up after my  nightmares anyway. I'll just eat something when I wake up. See you tomorrow."

I nodded sadly and helped him into his bed. I then left.