12 Years of Secrets

The summer holiday was usually my favourite time of the year purely because I could frequent Zonko's joke shop as often as I pleased without the usual hustle and bustle of at least thirty other kids, all fighting to get a glimpse of the latest Zonko's product. This summer however had not been my favourite since my darling mother had forbidden me to wander round the village alone or after dark when usually, I was allowed to stay out until eleven because everybody in the village knew me. Mother said this was because of some prisoner escaping Azkaban. I didn't see what that had to do with me though. Azkaban was miles away from Hogsmeade and why of all the places would he want to come here?

I stared at the menacing face that screamed silently back at me on the cover of 'The Daily Prophet'. The man, Sirius Black had wild, black hair much like my own, except mine fell into weird wavy ringlets. I scowled down at the newspaper, this man had ruined my summer holiday and in all honesty, I found him quite selfish but that didn't mean I wasn't a little bit scared, not that I'd ever tell anyone that of course. Harry, Ron and Hermione might have been understanding but if I told Fred and George, they'd laugh and I didn't want them thinking for one minute that I was losing my nerve. It took a whole school year for them to warm up to me and let me hang around with them and I wasn't going to do anything to jeopardise that. I loved pranking people and getting up to mischief so Fred and George Weasley were the two best people to learn from.

I heard the front door open and click closed and my mother called out to me, "Ezra? I'm home, sorry I'm late! You know what Professor McGonagall can be like."
"I'm in the kitchen!" I yelled back.

My mum appeared in the kitchen looking stressed. She looked stressed a lot recently but every time I questioned her, she'd brush me off and tell me the time wasn't right. Whatever the time wasn't right for, I definitely wanted to know.

"Are you hungry, Ez? I could whip something up for you before I go to bed? I'm really tired with sorting out all these back to school lesson plans and meetings." she asked, stifling a yawn behind her hand.
"No, it's okay. I ate at the Hogs Head, washed it all down with a Firewhiskey." I grinned.
"Ezra.." my mother warned.
"I'm kidding, mum. I went to the Three Broomsticks and Madam Rosmerta fed me and didn't allow me to consume anything stronger than a butterbeer." I assured her.
"She's a God send that woman, but in that case I'm going to have an early night and I suggest you do too. Don't forget, we're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow for your school things."
"I know, mum!" I said exasperated. I'd been counting down for this day all summer because it meant freedom to do almost anything I pleased and I'd be with The Weasley's, Harry and Hermione again.

****

"Are you ready, Ezra? We're leaving in five minutes!" my mother shouted up to me.
"Just a minute, mam!" I yelled back.

In reality, I'd put my packing off until the last minute and was running around my room throwing anything I could find into my trunk. With one last sweeping glance to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything, I forced the lid of my trunk down and shut it closed. I'd ask Mrs Weasley to charm everything inside to fold itself neatly when I arrived at The Leaky Cauldron later. She was amazing at household spells.

I shoved my wand into my belt loop on my jeans and with a groan I pulled my trunk downstairs with my owl, Nyx under my arm in her cage hooting angrily from the rough ride.
I fell into a pile at the bottom of the stairs and looked up to see my mum staring down at me bemused.

"Ezra Paul, in pain and reporting for duty!" I saluted from the floor.
"Get up, Ez. We'll be late otherwise."
"Merlin forbid!" I muttered under my breath as I stood and dusted myself off.
"Watch it missy, or no Hogsmeade for you. You're going into third year now!" My mum reminded me.
"I'd be a lot more effected by that if the novelty of Hogsmeade hadn't worn off when I was like seven, mum."
"Fine, I'll have McGonagall take back your permission slip then if it's so boring." she laughed.
"Now, let's not be haste mother darling. Living in Hogsmeade and visiting Hogsmeade of a weekend when you spend like a million days trapped inside a castle is very different." I reasoned.
"Exactly, now let's go before Diagon Alley is too busy."

My mother waved her wand over my school trunk and Nyx's cage and they disappeared. She had sent them to my room at the Leaky Cauldron where I'd be staying for the next few days before school started.
I linked my arm through my mothers and with an extreme feeling of toothpaste being squeezed through a tube, we apparated into the middle of Diagon Alley.

I trailed behind my mother as she read through the list of things I'd need for my school year. With good reason I was exceedingly bored as I stood outside Eyelop's Emporium whilst my mum bought treats for Nyx.

"Ezra!" A familiar voice called out.

I turned and spotted Harry, who was eating a large ice cream, making his way through a throng of people.

"Hi, Harry!" I grinned and gave him a tight hug. "What're you doing here by yourself?" I asked.
"I've been here a few days now, there was a problem with the muggles." Harry explained.
"They didn't hurt you, did they?" I asked scanning Harry's body for any signs of injury. The muggles he lived with weren't the nicest.
Harry nodded, "I'm fine, it was an accident after all and I really didn't mean it to happen, I just lost control and-"
"So what did you do?" I asked, cutting Harry off mid speech.
"I kind of blew up my uncles sister.. Like a balloon." he said fixing his hair nervously.
"Harry James Potter, you are brilliant! It's a good job you are who you are otherwise you'd have been expelled!" I laughed loudly.
"I'm surprised I'm not in Azkaban to be honest with you, Ez." laughed Harry.