Chapter 2
The soft glow of morning light filtered through the windows of the Gryffindor dormitory, casting a warm golden hue over the room.
Harry dragged himself into a sitting position, pushing the covers off. The light, as gentle as it was, made his head split in pain. A hangover. He hadn’t had one of those in a while.
He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the desperate want to go back to sleep.
“Maybe she won’t notice us not going. She might even appreciate the chance to study.” Ron grumbled from his bed; he still hadn’t opened his eyes.
“You know she would find a way in here and drag us both down to class.” Harry smiled as his friend complained into his pillow. It was their own fault for drinking so much.
He shut the bathroom door behind him, seeing no reason to lock it. The others had already gone to breakfast and Ron was not going to be moving for a while yet.
After freshening up, very slowly, he began to sift through the heap of clothes that had been bundled into the corner in a drunk attempt at cleanliness.
“Mione will kill you if you don’t get up.” Harry threw what was hopefully Ron’s tie at him.
“Let her. Then I won’t have to study.”
“I second that.” He laughed, shaking his head. “Shame you’ll never be able to eat food again though, or fly, play quidditch, sleep or-“
“Alright, alright. Getting up.” Ron swung his legs over the bed, standing up. “See.”
Harry rolled his eyes, “I’ll see you there, Hermione’s probably five seconds away from coming to find us, so might as well calm her down.”
“I don’t get why she’s so fussed about us and what we do. Just leave us to it and if we fail, we fail.”
“That’s rich coming from you. Were you not the one trying to get me into Malfoy’s business?” Ron gave a half-hearted shrug before closing the door. The water from the shower turned on, it would be a miracle if Ron made it to their first class on time.
The halls seemed empty as Harry walked towards the Great Hall. He preferred it this way. No stares or whispers. Just him alone with his thoughts, which were surprisingly positive. He blamed it on the hangover, not his problems being miraculously solved. The peace would not last long, so it’d be best to enjoy it whilst he has it.
“Potter.” A sharp voice rang in his ears, reminding him of ice cracking under foot. There was a hint of urgency layered in the mounds of disgust in the tone.
Only one person spoke to him like that.
“Malfoy.” He turned around to face the blonde, only to be startled into stepping back. When had he gotten so close?
“Away with the werewolves were you?” Harry rolled his eyes. It wasn’t funny the first time, it’s certainly not funny now.
“Shove off Malfoy.”
“A word of warning Potter.” A flash of concern crossed the Slytherin’s face, Harry almost thought he imagined it. “Watch your back. You have more enemies in these halls then you think you do.”
A moment of intense silence passed between them.
“Just-“ Malfoy sighed. “Don’t let your guard down, pay attention. I got this close to you when I was calling your name. If someone had remained silent, they could have got to you.”
He gave Harry a meaningful look before stalking off towards the large doors.
There goes any hope of continuing the positivity.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Hermione began to pile his plate up, not that he would eat anything. “Eat up, we’ve got a busy day ahead of us. Talking of, where’s Ron?”
Harry frowned and muttered some excuse about Ron and showers. Hermione simply rolled her eyes before turning to memorise her schedule.
Charms seemed to be the first class, with the Hufflepuffs. Herbology, being Gryffindor only. Two free periods and then Defence against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins.
“I wonder what DADA will be like with Snape teaching it.” Hermione wondered aloud.
“We’ll never know, thankfully. I might ask to drop potions just to avoid him.” Hary scoffed slightly.
“Harry, he’s our new defence professor.” Ron sat next to Harry, eyeing him curiously.
“Very funny Ron.”
“Harry, he’s serious. Snape is teaching defence.”
His blood ran cold. Not only would he have to face the man who made it his life’s goal to make Harry utterly miserable, but he would have to look in the eyes of someone who tortured muggles and called it fun.
“No.” He shook his head. “No. Not happening. Absolutely not.”
His friends exchanged a glance before finishing their food and making their way to their first class.
Professor Flitwick was waiting outside his room, a line forming behind him. He seemed to have been talking to a young Slytherin girl. Perhaps third or fourth year. A fairly quiet and smart girl.
Their voices didn’t reach the end of the hallway but the girl seemed distressed and constantly pointed to her face, which was out of view.
“What do you think happened?” Ron asked, only partly interested.
“A jinx was thrown her way, backfired and now she’s suffering the consequences. It’ll be gone by tomorrow, but it must sting for her.”
“Why’d she get jinxed?” Harry peered again at the girl and professor. She seemed to have calmed down; her gestures were not as wild as they had been.
“Harry, all the Slytherins who aren’t followers of him are being targeted. Especially, those who are actively speaking out against him.” Hermione lowered her voice, looking around them.
“It’s the second day, there can’t have been that many attacks for you to notice a pattern.” That earned him a disapproving look from his friend.
“A few happened on the train, near where we were. The message left on that poor second year spoke volumes about the intentions.” Much to Harry’s disappointment, she didn’t seem keen to share the details.
“I bet it was Malfoy and his people.” Ron scoffed, then smiled slightly. “Means you were right Harry, he’s been up to something.”
“Last year you two thought I was insane, now you are pinning everything on him when there’s little proof!” He didn’t know why he felt so defensive, it was Malfoy after all. Perhaps defending him, even in private, felt like he was repaying the favour. If Malfoy hadn’t given him a harsh reminder of the possibilities, Harry would have likely stayed in his little happy bubble, ignoring the rest of the world and its problems. His problems.
After a while, the Slytherin left, and Charms began. It was a review lesson to see how much everyone had retained over the holidays.
The main focus for the Hufflepuffs seemed to be the silencing charm whilst Gryffindors focused on the Confundus charm.
Harry was mindlessly waving his wand about, the professor was either too preoccupied with other students to notice, or just let him get away with it. Benefits of being the saviour of the Wizarding World.
Well. Not yet.
He tried to keep his thoughts away from the future war, but Malfoy’s warning rang through his head once again.
What if he missed things? Such as the Slytherins being targeted, Malfoy sneaking up on him, his supposed enemies within the school, Snape becoming the defence professor. Who knows what else he’s missed. That was only in two days of being back.
Harry placed his wand down on the desk, with a bit more force than necessary, before running a hand down his face, slightly displacing his glasses.
Sometimes he, selfishly, wished Voldemort had gone after Neville instead. Killed his parents, killed his mentors, ruined his life. A single day decided the fate of an entire family and his entire future. A single day and a single madman.
Although it was partially Harry’s fault too. He shouldn’t have been born on that day, if at all.
Life for his parents would actually exist. Sirius would have been free and alive. Remus wouldn’t have had to suffer alone. Peter wouldn’t have betrayed his closest friends.
Harry could go on for years explaining the life that could have been for so many if he just wasn’t born.
Then again, fate has a funny way of working. Everything probably would have happened, just in a different way.
Same result, different path.
He hated divination.