The Boy Who Lived Next Door
Darkness
May 13th, 1998
Present Day
As each day passed, he missed reading her words. Reading her words made him miss her. He wanted to read every word, every sentence but he knew with each word and with each sentence, he would get closer to finishing the journal. He was afraid of that. He was afraid of having nothing else of hers to read and to know. He was afraid that once he finished reading, his memories of her would disappear. He didn't want to forget. But he knew he had to read or else, the only thing he would have at night would be nightmares.
September 4th, 1992
Dear Journal,
I got a letter from Harry today. He said that he and his friend Ron missed their train so they had to drive to school. My God! That boy is crazy!
- Elle
January 6th, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry writes about every two weeks. He said that he was on that sports team again. He still didn't mention what sport. Harry said there was a rumor going around his school that he was something he wasn't. I could tell he was really annoyed by it. I hope things get better for him.
- Elle
June 9th, 1993
Dear Journal,
In his letters, Harry mentioned that the flu or something was going around his school. He said that his friend Hermione and Ron's sister, Ginny, were affected. But he said they were better now. He said he should be home soon. I can't wait.
- Elle
June 11th, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry is home! : )
- Elle
June 12th, 1993
Dear Journal,
I spent all of yesterday with Harry. Even though he's a bloody git who completely disappeared last summer, I still missed him.
"Hello Harry." I smiled and gave him a hug before we sat down on our swings, our place.
"Hello Elle." He smiled back at me, his green eyes shining brightly behind his glasses.
"So how was school?" I asked as we swung back and forth gently. "Did that thing with the rumor work out?"
"Yeah. Yeah it did." He said looking down. "It's all fine."
"I missed you Harry."
He smiled at me. "I missed you too."
I hate it when he leaves.
- Elle
July 31st, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry and I spent his birthday together. He said his friends from school sent him gifts. But I didn't know what to get him.
"Hey Birthday Boy." I called from where I was standing on my lawn.
Harry shot up; he had been lying underneath the flower bushes again, listening to the news.
Together, we walked to the park.
"Close your eyes and hold out your hands," I said once we were on our swings. He complied and I placed my gift in his hands.
Before he even opened his eyes, he smiled for he already knew what the gift was.
"You can open them." I said.
He chuckled as he opened his eyes and saw his popsicle. I didn't know what to get him and I had been thinking a lot about the day we met.
"Thank you." He said as we snacked. "You know, I'm glad I met you Elle. You make this place tolerable."
I smiled, looking down at my own melting popsicle. "Well, I'm glad you agreed to be my friend."
A comfortable silence filled the air, as the only sound between us was the gentle creaking of the swings.
"Have you heard about Sirius Black?" He asked.
"Yeah," I nodded. "He could be anywhere in Britain."
Soon, darkness descended and Harry wanted us to get home before the streetlights came on.
I left Harry to cross my lawn but he stopped me.
"Elle…" he called and I turned to face him, "Don't take any night strolls alone, alright? Come get me and I'll go with you…but I just…I don't want you out at night alone. Can you do that for me?"
"Yeah, Harry. I promise. I'll be careful."
"Thank you." He mumbled softly before going into his own house.
What does it mean? Why would Harry ask me to be careful? Maybe it's because…he cares? Maybe he likes me? What if Harry likes me? That'd be…I'd like that…if Harry were to like me because I think I…I think I like Harry. Oh god.
- Elle
August 2nd, 1993
Dear Journal,
If Harry likes me, he hasn't shown any other sign. But how could this have happened? How could I have a crush on him? I mean he's nice and smart and funny and well, kinda of awkward but…he's my best friend. But I like his smile and his green eyes. I like that I can talk to him and that he's protective. I like that when he smiles at me, it’s a different sort of smile that he doesn't use for anything else. I like that when he's gone, even for just a bit, I miss him.
How could I like Harry?
- Elle
August 10th, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry and I go for walks at night every now and then. I'm always the one who wakes him up to go. But it's because, when we walk, he holds my hand, as if he thinks that will protect me from whatever is hiding in the shadows on Privet Drive.
- Elle
August 22nd, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry has left again. At least I got to say goodbye this time.
I had heard shouting at the Dursleys' and I knew that Harry's Aunt Marge was over for dinner. When I heard the front door slam, I knew it was Harry.
"Harry, wait!" I called as I ran out my front door while pulling on a jacket.
He didn’t stop.
"Harry!" I called again but he continued down the street. I watched as he made his way, pulling his trunk behind him, to the park. Sitting down on the curb, he rested his hands on his arms.
"Harry!" I called again. This time, he jumped up startled and thrust out a thin piece of wood threateningly in front of him.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Nothing…just a…stick." He muttered as he placed it in the back pocket of his jeans. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be out-"
"Stop trying to be a hero, Harry. Are you running away?"
"No. I'm…" He sighed and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Anyway, I'm not being a hero! Elle, is it so bad for me to be worried about you?"
We both jumped at the creaking of the swing set.
"Elle," he muttered, "Go home." He shiftly glanced at the darkness surrounding us.
"Harry-"
"Go home, Isabelle." He said darkly.
I looked away from him. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I was not going to cry.
"Fine. Goodbye Harry." I said stiffly.
I heard him sigh. "Elle, wait." He sighed again. "I'm…I'm just worried. Okay? There's a murderer on the loose. He could be anywhere and I…I don't want you to get hurt."
"I know." I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. "I'm going to go home now. But if you need anything…you know where I live." I said before giving him a hug and walking toward my home.
But once I was sure he couldn't see me, I hid and watched to see what he was going to do. If he could be worried about me, I could be worried about him.
He stood on the curb before something in the darkness scared him. He fell back and landed on the ground with that stick outstretched. Moments later, a bus appeared, almost out of nowhere.
In an instant, I had blinked and the bus and Harry were gone. I ran out onto the street and looked both ways but there was nothing in sight.
I heard a growl from the playground and turned around. There, a black, scruffy dog was standing, staring at me.
I shared the gaze for a moment. The dog looked forgotten and neglected. It looked alone, as if it had no family in the world.
"You're just like Harry," I whispered, "Aren't you?" The dog barked twice, as if it understood and then scampered off into the darkness.
I'm positive that bus was there. But maybe I was just tired. Maybe it was just the darkness playing tricks on me. I'll ask Harry about it, when he writes.
- Elle
Present Day
As each day passed, he missed reading her words. Reading her words made him miss her. He wanted to read every word, every sentence but he knew with each word and with each sentence, he would get closer to finishing the journal. He was afraid of that. He was afraid of having nothing else of hers to read and to know. He was afraid that once he finished reading, his memories of her would disappear. He didn't want to forget. But he knew he had to read or else, the only thing he would have at night would be nightmares.
September 4th, 1992
Dear Journal,
I got a letter from Harry today. He said that he and his friend Ron missed their train so they had to drive to school. My God! That boy is crazy!
- Elle
January 6th, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry writes about every two weeks. He said that he was on that sports team again. He still didn't mention what sport. Harry said there was a rumor going around his school that he was something he wasn't. I could tell he was really annoyed by it. I hope things get better for him.
- Elle
June 9th, 1993
Dear Journal,
In his letters, Harry mentioned that the flu or something was going around his school. He said that his friend Hermione and Ron's sister, Ginny, were affected. But he said they were better now. He said he should be home soon. I can't wait.
- Elle
June 11th, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry is home! : )
- Elle
June 12th, 1993
Dear Journal,
I spent all of yesterday with Harry. Even though he's a bloody git who completely disappeared last summer, I still missed him.
"Hello Harry." I smiled and gave him a hug before we sat down on our swings, our place.
"Hello Elle." He smiled back at me, his green eyes shining brightly behind his glasses.
"So how was school?" I asked as we swung back and forth gently. "Did that thing with the rumor work out?"
"Yeah. Yeah it did." He said looking down. "It's all fine."
"I missed you Harry."
He smiled at me. "I missed you too."
I hate it when he leaves.
- Elle
July 31st, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry and I spent his birthday together. He said his friends from school sent him gifts. But I didn't know what to get him.
"Hey Birthday Boy." I called from where I was standing on my lawn.
Harry shot up; he had been lying underneath the flower bushes again, listening to the news.
Together, we walked to the park.
"Close your eyes and hold out your hands," I said once we were on our swings. He complied and I placed my gift in his hands.
Before he even opened his eyes, he smiled for he already knew what the gift was.
"You can open them." I said.
He chuckled as he opened his eyes and saw his popsicle. I didn't know what to get him and I had been thinking a lot about the day we met.
"Thank you." He said as we snacked. "You know, I'm glad I met you Elle. You make this place tolerable."
I smiled, looking down at my own melting popsicle. "Well, I'm glad you agreed to be my friend."
A comfortable silence filled the air, as the only sound between us was the gentle creaking of the swings.
"Have you heard about Sirius Black?" He asked.
"Yeah," I nodded. "He could be anywhere in Britain."
Soon, darkness descended and Harry wanted us to get home before the streetlights came on.
I left Harry to cross my lawn but he stopped me.
"Elle…" he called and I turned to face him, "Don't take any night strolls alone, alright? Come get me and I'll go with you…but I just…I don't want you out at night alone. Can you do that for me?"
"Yeah, Harry. I promise. I'll be careful."
"Thank you." He mumbled softly before going into his own house.
What does it mean? Why would Harry ask me to be careful? Maybe it's because…he cares? Maybe he likes me? What if Harry likes me? That'd be…I'd like that…if Harry were to like me because I think I…I think I like Harry. Oh god.
- Elle
August 2nd, 1993
Dear Journal,
If Harry likes me, he hasn't shown any other sign. But how could this have happened? How could I have a crush on him? I mean he's nice and smart and funny and well, kinda of awkward but…he's my best friend. But I like his smile and his green eyes. I like that I can talk to him and that he's protective. I like that when he smiles at me, it’s a different sort of smile that he doesn't use for anything else. I like that when he's gone, even for just a bit, I miss him.
How could I like Harry?
- Elle
August 10th, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry and I go for walks at night every now and then. I'm always the one who wakes him up to go. But it's because, when we walk, he holds my hand, as if he thinks that will protect me from whatever is hiding in the shadows on Privet Drive.
- Elle
August 22nd, 1993
Dear Journal,
Harry has left again. At least I got to say goodbye this time.
I had heard shouting at the Dursleys' and I knew that Harry's Aunt Marge was over for dinner. When I heard the front door slam, I knew it was Harry.
"Harry, wait!" I called as I ran out my front door while pulling on a jacket.
He didn’t stop.
"Harry!" I called again but he continued down the street. I watched as he made his way, pulling his trunk behind him, to the park. Sitting down on the curb, he rested his hands on his arms.
"Harry!" I called again. This time, he jumped up startled and thrust out a thin piece of wood threateningly in front of him.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Nothing…just a…stick." He muttered as he placed it in the back pocket of his jeans. "What are you doing? You shouldn't be out-"
"Stop trying to be a hero, Harry. Are you running away?"
"No. I'm…" He sighed and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Anyway, I'm not being a hero! Elle, is it so bad for me to be worried about you?"
We both jumped at the creaking of the swing set.
"Elle," he muttered, "Go home." He shiftly glanced at the darkness surrounding us.
"Harry-"
"Go home, Isabelle." He said darkly.
I looked away from him. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I was not going to cry.
"Fine. Goodbye Harry." I said stiffly.
I heard him sigh. "Elle, wait." He sighed again. "I'm…I'm just worried. Okay? There's a murderer on the loose. He could be anywhere and I…I don't want you to get hurt."
"I know." I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. "I'm going to go home now. But if you need anything…you know where I live." I said before giving him a hug and walking toward my home.
But once I was sure he couldn't see me, I hid and watched to see what he was going to do. If he could be worried about me, I could be worried about him.
He stood on the curb before something in the darkness scared him. He fell back and landed on the ground with that stick outstretched. Moments later, a bus appeared, almost out of nowhere.
In an instant, I had blinked and the bus and Harry were gone. I ran out onto the street and looked both ways but there was nothing in sight.
I heard a growl from the playground and turned around. There, a black, scruffy dog was standing, staring at me.
I shared the gaze for a moment. The dog looked forgotten and neglected. It looked alone, as if it had no family in the world.
"You're just like Harry," I whispered, "Aren't you?" The dog barked twice, as if it understood and then scampered off into the darkness.
I'm positive that bus was there. But maybe I was just tired. Maybe it was just the darkness playing tricks on me. I'll ask Harry about it, when he writes.
- Elle