Concern growing within the hearts of thee
The winter holidays were fast approaching, and Hogwarts was filled with the usual flurry of activity as students eagerly packed their bags. But one student, Harry Potter, was preparing to return home—though no one knew where that home was. He had signed the forms to go back, but every time a teacher tried to ask him more details about his guardian or his living situation, Harry would remain tight-lipped, offering only vague responses.
The staff, especially Dumbledore, could only guess at the situation. While they knew that Harry had been kidnapped from the Dursleys, his aunt’s frantic call to the police when Harry had run away, they had never been able to trace what had happened to him after that. Harry’s memories of his early years were hazy at best, but now he was headed back to his guardian—whoever that was—and the professors were deeply unsettled.
The staff gathered in the staff room, the conversation quickly turning to Harry’s plans for the holidays.
“I don’t like this,” Professor McGonagall said sharply, frowning over her teacup. “We don’t know where he’s going, and that worries me. He’s been so closed off about his past. I understand the boy is understandably reticent, but this is... strange.”
Dumbledore, sitting with his hands steepled in front of him, nodded slowly. “Indeed, Minerva. We know he was taken from the Dursleys when he was just a baby, but Harry has never been forthcoming about his life after that. We can only assume he’s returned to a place he’s familiar with. However, there is no clear indication of where ‘home’ is for him.”
“I have my doubts about this guardian of his,” Severus Snape muttered, his dark eyes narrowed. “What kind of person would leave him to be raised in such conditions? What kind of upbringing has he had? The boy is already distant, withdrawn. It’s not normal.”
McGonagall’s eyes were dark with concern. “It’s unsettling. I understand the boy’s reluctance to talk about his life, but we know so little about him. If something happened during the time he was missing...”
“You think he’s hiding something?” Professor Flitwick asked, peering over his glasses.
“I don’t know,” McGonagall replied, shaking her head. “But there’s something off about him. He signed the forms to return home without any hesitation. He’s never mentioned family or any friends. Just a guardian—who, for all we know, could be anyone.”
“Perhaps we should send a letter to this guardian?” Dumbledore suggested, his voice gentle but tinged with concern. “It would be prudent to ensure that Harry’s safety is assured.”
Meanwhile, Harry was in his common room, reading through one of his books about magical creatures. He hadn’t told the teachers anything about where he would be going for the holidays, nor had he told anyone about his guardian. He didn’t feel the need to.
The monster was all he needed.
Harry wasn’t sure exactly when he’d started thinking of the creature as a guardian, but it felt right. The monster had always been there, watching over him, offering protection in ways that no one else could. Harry hadn’t asked for it, but it had always been there. And when the winter holidays came, he knew that the monster would still be there—waiting for him to return to the forest.
In some ways, it was easier that way. He didn’t have to explain anything to anyone. The staff could ask all they wanted, but Harry wasn’t going to tell them. He wasn’t going to tell them about the strange, powerful creature that had raised him. He wasn’t going to tell them about the time spent in the forest, the rules he followed, or the way the monster had taught him to survive.
Harry had learned to trust the monster, even if it was something the rest of the world would never understand.
After their meeting, the staff was still on edge. Dumbledore wasn’t sure what to do. He had always tried to give Harry space, to respect his privacy, but now he couldn’t help but feel concerned.
“We must ensure his safety,” Dumbledore said softly. “But we cannot force him to share what he isn’t ready to reveal.”
“I can’t help but feel like we’re missing something,” McGonagall said, rubbing her temples. “We have no idea where he’s going, who his guardian is. This doesn’t sit well with me.”
“Perhaps it’s best we keep an eye on him,” Flitwick offered, though he was clearly troubled. “He’s a bright boy, but there’s something... strange about the way he carries himself.”
Snape, ever the skeptic, scowled. “I don’t like it. If he’s hiding something, we need to know what it is before it becomes a problem.”
Dumbledore nodded, his gaze distant. “We’ll continue to monitor him. I suspect that Harry is hiding something, but what that is, I do not know.”
The day before the holiday break, Harry packed his things quietly in his dormitory, ready to return to the place that had always been his sanctuary. He didn’t expect anyone to ask too many questions about it. The monster would be waiting for him, and that was enough.
He signed the paperwork to leave the school without hesitation, already looking forward to being back in the quiet of the woods. Hogwarts was nice, but it was too loud, too crowded. The monster had taught him to appreciate solitude, and that was exactly what Harry needed.
As he handed in his forms, at her office, Professor McGonagall gave him a long, searching look, but said nothing. Harry just smiled back, a small, secretive smile, before heading out of the office and back toward his dorm.