Chapter 297 - Trust (1/2)

Ronald Weasley's room was on top of the Burrow, just under the attic. Inside the room, everything seemed to be a violent shade of orange: the bedspread, the walls, even the ceiling. Nearly every inch of the shabby wallpaper with posters of the same seven witches and wizards of the Quidditch team, Chudley Cannons, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, and waving energetically. The room was absolutely silent.

In a corner of the room, pulling her knees to her chest, burying her face on her knees, curling up into a ball Chris was shaking violently. Her eyes were red, tears were flowing down her cheeks silently.

Someone knocked on the room's door.

”Chris, are you in there?” came Ginny's voice.

Chris didn't move or answered.

”Mr Norton is okay now,” Ginny continued. ”He will be conscious in a bit. Aurelia asked you to come down.”

No reply.

”Come down in half an hour if you feel like it,” Ginny said with a sigh.

No answer.

”It's not your fault, Chris. People lost control over their magic, many times. Especially, the underage wizards and witches like us,” Ginny said angrily. ”No one is going to blame you.”

Chris still didn't answer so Ginny angrily stomped downstairs.

Chris pulled her knees more to herself, her hands around her knees tightened. More tears started to come out but she didn't make any noise. She didn't cry in a long time, this made crying more difficult and even though the tears were coming out nothing eased inside her. The pain only increased.

Chris didn't notice but more than half an hour passed. In between Hermione and Aurelia had tried to get her out but Chris was motionless. When it was almost an hour someone else knocked on the door and then came Harry's voice. As expected, Chris didn't answer or made any noise but after a moment Harry unlocked the door and came inside. Chris was surprised because she thought she locked the door from inside, she didn't look up at him. Harry closed the door and silently sat beside her. For a long time, he said nothing or interrupted Chris. Then he spoke,

”Just in case you are wondering, how do I know to unlock the door from outside, Ron had shown me the trick a long time ago when I started to live here with him.”

Harry's voice was too calm that Chris felt that it was almost disturbing.

”No one else knows the trick, except Mrs Weasley, I guess,” said Harry. ”You know, I still remember the day, it was before my second year. Because I wasn't replying to Ron or Hermione's letters Ron, Fred and George flew Mr Weasley's flying car and get me out of the Dursley house. They didn't know that I didn't reply because I didn't get any letter because of Dobby. He was stealing them. Anyway, that was the first time I came to Burrow. I felt brilliant. Even Mrs Weasley's angry scolding felt nice. It felt like home.”

Chris wiped her wet cheeks and slightly looked up at Harry.

”I want to be alone,” she whispered.

”I was alone that summer before I came here. All summer I was isolated, I was locked in my room,” said Harry casually. ”It wasn't nice, you know.”

”I'm sorry,” Chris said automatically. Then buried her face on her knees again. ”But I want to be alone, right now. My magic is — you know, my magic —”

And that was it, her voice shook and she started to cry loudly. Harry didn't look surprised at all, he calmly put a silencing charm on the door and scoot closer to Chris. As he put an arm around her, Chris buried her face in his shoulder and cried her eyes out.

”I — I attacked my Dad. I hurt —” Chris sobbed and her voice came in a muffled way.

Harry patted her lightly on her back.

”You didn't do it intentionally,” Harry said softly. ”It was reflective magic. Everyone has that. Remember, when I blew up my Aunt.”

”You know it's different. My magic is different,” she pointed out.

”I do know and maybe I also know why that thing happened today,” said Harry.

Chris choked suddenly, Harry pounded at her back lightly and she coughed then looked up at him.

”What do you mean?”

Harry looked into her eyes and sighed, ”You were trying to hold off your anger this entire time, weren't you after the thing happened at the Ministry?”

Chris looked down.

”You were keeping your emotions inside and you were pushing your magic too much,” he continued. ”It was bound to burst out of you. Dumbledore warned me, he told me that the more you will suppress yourself and your feelings it will get out like this.”

”Dumbledore told you and you didn't tell me?” Chris looked up at him surprised.