noticed ⇀ fred weasley

prologue ii

A few months had passed since my letter had arrived, and I was still ecstatic to attend Hogwarts. I had secretly visited Diagon Alley on my own, accompanied by one of my future professors. She had arrived at my window in the middle of the night and helped sneak me to the Alley to shop, and she provided me with wizard money as I had nothing to my name.

As scary as it had seemed, it was confirmation that the letter hadn't been fake, and I had become overwhelmingly excited for the approaching school year. After a while, my mysterious friend revealed that her name was McGonagall. I was beyond grateful for her help, and felt that I was indebted to her.

She had tried her best to teach me what I needed to know about wizardry before my first day, but it was all so overwhelming that I felt as if it had gone in one ear and out the other.

Despite our painful lessons, I was hoping I would see her at school so that I could properly thank her. Once she had helped me hide my stuff in my room, she disappeared, just like that. If I did end up having her for one of my classes, I knew she would be my favorite professor.

The day eventually arrived for me to sneak over to the train station. I had a whole plan set up that I had spent many nights scheming, and I was praying that it would be successful. That morning, my dad usually spent his time reading the daily paper in either his room or in the kitchen. If I played my cards right, I would be able to get far away by bus before he would even come up to my room to wake me.

The only real challenge was getting by his room without waking him, but I believed that I could do it.

I glanced at the clock, 4:00 am. I knew my father would be getting up soon, so I decided to leave before he awoke. I gathered all my belongings and crept down the hallway, flinching each time a board would creak. I slipped past my father's door as quietly as possible, making sure to hold my breath. I then crept down the stairs with the utter silence of a predator sneaking from its prey. It felt near impossible carrying such heavy bags down the stairs, but after a few painstakingly long minutes, I had succeeded.

Panting, I dragged the bags to the front door. With the secretiveness of a ninja, I quietly unlocked the door and dragged my luggage outside - a feat that turned out to be not so quiet. I silently cheered as I closed the door, and picked up my bags to carry to the bus stop. I had to pack relatively light, as there was no way I could take all of my belongings or else I would've run out of strength.

I breathed in the crisp morning air, delighted to be free. It was still dark outside, but I didn't care. It felt like I had just escaped from prison, like I was a convict on the run. I knew that my father would be furious that I left, but I also didn't care; Because I needed to get away from him, and this was my chance at a new life - at freedom.

"Alright," I mumbled to myself, "just got to get these to the bus and I'll be set." I knew it was going to be a long walk, but I was willing to take it if it meant I got to go to wizarding school. I mean, who wouldn't?

-

As I stepped onto the bus, I collapsed onto a row of seats. The second that I'd sat, I felt the lull of sleep pulling on my eyelids. I decided to give in for a few minutes and let the jerk of the bus wake me eventually. Closing my eyes, I relaxed onto the seats and smiled. Even though I was relaxed on a bus of all places, it was the most at home I'd felt in years. I didn't even mind the bumpiness of the road, I was just grateful to be sleeping in somewhere other than my house.

When I opened my eyes again, I noticed it was almost my stop. My heart dropped in my chest out of nervousness and excitement, and I got up to grab my luggage. The bus slowly came to a stop and I hopped out at King's Cross Station. My eyes widened in awe as I observed the hustle and bustle around me. The air was crisp and smelled of smoke, and I smiled as I felt the cool wind on my face.