Chapter 86: Chapter 86: "End of the First Month"
Time flew by for Harry as he settled into his new routine at Hogwarts. His days were filled with classes during the morning, hanging out with friends in the evening, and then sneaking off to study at night in the Room of Requirements, with the help of the Ravenclaw diadem to boost his learning.
To make sure he wasn't caught on his late-night adventures, Harry decided to secure the Marauder's Map. He remembered one day using a slime bomb to distract some Slytherin bullies, which conveniently created a mess for Filch, the caretaker, to clean up. With Filch occupied, Harry sneaked into his office, rummaged through a cupboard labeled 'Dangerous Items', and swiftly located the old parchment he was looking for, along with a few prank items he thought might come in handy later.
Harry had heard many things about the Marauder's Map from Sirius, who had regaled him with stories from his school days. He was curious about how it was created, especially since the item was very useful, and even Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts did not have a similar item to monitor the castle.
Sirius mentioned they had help from a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at the time. The map utilized sophisticated magic, including the Homonculous Charm for tracking everyone's movement in the castle and another spell for real-time updates. Normally, such magic shouldn't work within the heavily warded castle, but it seemed their DADA teacher knew a way around it. Harry suspected that the teacher must have had a deep understanding of wards and perhaps exploited a loophole since it was the only way he could think of for the map to work.
To activate the Map, Harry knew he needed to tap it with his wand and declare, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." This revealed the map's detailed layout. After checking for any nearby people, Harry then used "Mischief managed" to blank the map again before leaving Filch's room, careful to erase any signs of his presence to avoid being tracked by Filch's cat.
Another clever trick Harry employed to avoid detection during his nocturnal studies outside of his dorm involved using magical two-way mirrors, similar to those Sirius gave the canon Harry in his fifth year. Harry didn't have the original magical mirrors with him, thinking they would be more useful to Susan when she started at Hogwarts. However, Harry remembered how the mirrors worked and decided to create a similar set himself. After dealing with Voldemort, Harry even thought of creating a magical version of a mobile phone using this technology.
With the new two-way mirrors in hand, by placing one mirror in a hidden spot within the Ravenclaw common room, Harry could check from the other mirror if the coast was clear before making his entrance unnoticed.
Thanks to these precautions, Harry managed to visit the Room of Requirements every night without alerting his dorm mates. He would quietly close his bed curtains, leaving the inside of his bed hidden, and then slip away into the night. This gave him several hours of peaceful study time, far from the eyes of his fellow Ravenclaws.
As Harry settled into his Hogwarts routine, he became familiar with the different teaching styles and subjects offered. In Transfiguration and Charms, the focus for first-years was largely on understanding the theory behind the magic rather than practicing spells. This meant a lot of reading and not as much wand-waving as Harry had expected.
Potions classes showed improvement after their rocky start. Snape began to share his own potion recipes on the blackboard, complete with detailed instructions that deviated from the standard textbook. These modified recipes resulted in better potions, and Harry found himself intrigued by Snape's knowledge and spent time analyzing the changes to understand their benefits. This deep dive into potion-making became an unexpected source of learning for Harry.
Harry found more use in Snape's class than in any other class he attended at Hogwarts.
Talking about the other classes, Astronomy, a core subject, was kind of dull. It dealt with the study of stars, planets, and other celestial phenomena. This class was a lot like how the non-magical people learn about space, but the wizarding world's way was a bit old-fashioned. They didn't know as much as Muggles did and still used old-style telescopes.
Even though learning Astronomy mainly helped with timing magical rituals correctly and was an important class at Hogwarts, it didn't seem very useful in everyday life, especially since the Ministry of Magic had bans against a lot of magical rituals.
Herbology was a better experience, with Professor Sprout leading engaging lessons on plant types, cultivation techniques, and their myriad uses. Her expertise and passion for the subject made these classes enjoyable and informative.
Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) was another class that Harry found troublesome. He wondered how Dumbledore always ended up choosing such unreliable teachers. The current teacher, Professor Fletcher, seemed even less interested in teaching than Snape was. All he ever did in class was pick a student to read from the textbook aloud to everyone else, while he just sat at his desk, fiddling with some odd trinkets. So far, they hadn't even practiced a single spell in his class.
Seeking to optimize his time, Harry approached Professor Flitwick to discuss his History of Magic classes. With OWLs in the subject already under his belt, Harry proposed skipping these lessons in favor of independent study, promising to sit for the final exams. Professor Flitwick, understanding Harry's unique situation, granted his request.
Originally, Harry planned to use the History of Magic class time for alternative learning, but his priorities changed with the help of the Ravenclaw diadem. With the diadem's power to enhance his understanding, he saw no point in staying in class and reading books the old-fashioned way.
Hogwarts also became a lot more interesting in the past month. In the wake of Harry's initial prank, the school witnessed a surge in pranking activities.
The Weasley twins, not ones to be outdone by a mysterious prankster, launched their own mischief the very next day, setting off beautiful fireworks in the Slytherin corridor. Although it caused quite the spectacle, no one was harmed. However, their antics didn't go unnoticed, and they quickly found themselves in Snape's detention.
This, however, didn't deter the pranking spirit at Hogwarts. Harry took it upon himself to investigate bullies across all houses, targeting them with a series of harmless pranks aimed at embarrassing them. The smarter bullies quickly understood the reasons behind these pranks and made efforts to change their behavior. Those who were slower to understand found themselves frequent targets of Harry's playful schemes. Busy dealing with the aftermath of the pranks, like changing their skin color back or regrowing their hair, these bullies had little time left to bother anyone else.
The Weasley twins, meanwhile, embarked on a pranking spree without a specific target in mind, simply seeking to spread chaos and laughter. Harry remained vigilant, careful not to fall prey to their unpredictable pranks. He was particularly impressed by their ingenuity in discovering secret passages to Hogsmeade and acquiring prank supplies in such a short time, all without the aid of the Marauder's Map.
As time progressed, pranking became a common pastime among students, fostering a more lighthearted atmosphere at Hogwarts. Professors generally turned a blind eye to these antics, so long as they didn't escalate too far or provoke complaints from the victims.
The pranks at Hogwarts led to some unexpected good outcomes. One of them was that Warrington didn't end up as the leader of the Slytherin first-years. After the first day's prank and several more embarrassing moments caused by Harry, Warrington lost his cool status and became somewhat of a joke in Slytherin.
Arabella and Elvinia, due to their association with Harry and students from other houses, also didn't emerge as the leaders. Instead, Adrian Pucey, who was one of the more well-behaved among the Slytherin first-years, became their leader. Harry was quite happy with this turn of events.
By the end of the month, everyone at Hogwarts had gotten used to the place. Getting lost in the corridors was a thing of the past. Harry began to shine among his classmates as the year's prodigy, earning recognition and even some special allowances from his professors.
Harry was far from reserved about showing his talent, bolstered by the strong backing of Arcturus Black, Sirius, and Amelia. This network of support made him feel untouchable.
As the days filled with assignments and classes flew by, Harry truly enjoyed his time at Hogwarts. Harry hoped nothing unusual would happen this year, but deep down, he wasn't too optimistic. After all, every year in the stories of Harry Potter, something big always seemed to happen.
Chapter 87: Chapter 87: "Hallow's Eve 1989"
As another month flew by at Hogwarts, the days unfolded smoothly, without any notable disturbances.
Harry's birthday came and went, marked by a small celebration in the gardens near the Great Lake. Harry did get some presents from his family, like clothes and supplies for pranks, which Sirius had sent. Harry had been writing to Sirius about all the prank wars going on at school, and Sirius was thrilled to hear Harry was keeping up the pranking tradition. Sirius was a proud godfather. Of course, Harry made sure to magically seal his letters well because he didn't want anyone snooping and finding out what was inside.
During this time, Harry's self-studies advanced at an astonishing speed. He was on the verge of completing the sixth-year coursework and was poised to embark on the seventh-year NEWT coursework soon. Harry was very confident in completing his Hogwarts coursework this year. Thanks to the Ravenclaw Diadem, his nightly study sessions were incredibly productive, showcasing the magical artifact's remarkable abilities.
The 31st of October rolled around, marking the occasion of Halloween—a day steeped in traditions and celebrated with fervor in both the non-magical and wizarding communities.
Hogwarts was adorned with festive decorations, though they were somewhat subdued compared to the grandeur of the opening feast. Nevertheless, the day wasn't without its share of mischief and pranks.
Students roamed the corridors, some with pumpkins jammed onto their heads, others smeared with pumpkin pie, and a few even shrieked in surprise as they navigated the dimly lit passageways and got scared out of their wits.
The evening promised a grand feast, similar to the lavish dinner that welcomed them at the start of the academic year. However, Harry had decided to sit this one out.
Years had passed since the tragedy that marred this date for the Potter family, and though he had found a way to live with the memories, celebrating Halloween with the same joy as his friends was beyond him.
The day was a stark reminder of the events that had irrevocably changed the course of his life. To respect those memories, he decided not to take part in any pranks that day and just wished for the day to go by fast. Harry also felt sad because he couldn't visit his grandparents' graves like he used to do every year, breaking a tradition he held dear.
The day's classes got over and Harry informed his dormmates that he wouldn't be attending the evening feast. They were shocked that Harry did not want to eat the lavish meal of the feast but when Harry explained the reason for his absence, they understood.
11-year-old children in the wizarding world had more emotional intelligence than normal and Harry did not need to explain in detail why food was not important for him this day.
Choosing not to join the grand feast yet not wanting to go without dinner, Harry decided it was the perfect opportunity to explore the Hogwarts kitchens for the very first time. So, after the rest of Hogwarts made their way to celebrate, Harry went down to the basement near the Hufflepuff common room to find the kitchens' hidden entrance.
The doorway to the kitchens was cleverly disguised in a corridor filled with paintings of various foods. The secret to gaining entry to the kitchen was simple: you had to tickle a pear depicted in a painting of a fruit bowl.
When Harry tickled the pear, it giggled delightfully before transforming into a large green door handle right before his eyes. With a pull on the handle, the door swung open, granting him access to the kitchens beyond.
Inside, Harry was met with a vast expanse that was spotlessly clean, its stone floors, walls, and ceilings shining under the lantern light.
The kitchen housed four long tables at its center, arranged to mirror the layout of the House tables in the Great Hall above. Along one wall, stoves stretched out in a continuous line, while preparation tables were scattered throughout the room. Gigantic ovens were embedded into another wall, and the opposite side was lined with an extensive array of cooking utensils and tools.
A corner of the room was dedicated to a massive sink system where water flowed, and brushes and rags moved of their own accord, ensuring everything was cleaned, dried, and put away properly.
Many house elves bustled about the place, diligently preparing meals and managing the feast's demands. Already, dishes from the ongoing feast were being returned for washing, indicating the dinner upstairs was in full swing.
Noticing Harry, one of the house elves cheerfully approached him, eager to know if the young wizard needed anything.
Harry explained his situation calmly, sharing that he had decided to skip the feast but still wished to have dinner, and he wondered if it would be alright to eat there in the kitchens.
The elf was more than willing to assist, quickly providing Harry with the meal he requested.
As Harry ate his food, he observed the house elves working tirelessly around him. Despite their workload, there was a sense of joy and satisfaction among them as they went about their duties, a testament to their kind-hearted nature.
Harry was touched by the elves' dedication and the warmth they showed him, making his meal all the more enjoyable amidst the company of these hardworking magical beings.
As Harry enjoyed his meal in the kitchen, he also kept an eye on the Marauder's Map, scanning the castle's various floors for any sign of mischief. Given the history of troubles that tended to find Harry, especially on this day, he felt it best to stay one step ahead.
As Harry browsed through the Marauder's map, he quickly noticed a challenge with the map: with everyone gathered in the Great Hall for the feast, it struggled to display all the names. The map flickered through the attendees, making it hard for Harry to spot if anyone was notably absent.
Giving up and sweeping his gaze across the map to the staff table, Harry saw it was just as packed. Even Madam Pince, who typically preferred the quiet comfort of her library for meals, was there among the crowd.
However, as Harry reviewed the list of professors, he realized one name was missing – Professor Fletcher, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
This absence set off alarms in Harry's mind, confirming his suspicion that trouble might be brewing. It seemed almost a tradition for the DADA professor to be at the heart of any disturbances at Hogwarts, and Harry braced himself for what might come next.
Setting aside his plate, Harry focused on the map, searching the castle for any trace of Fletcher. It didn't take long before he spotted his name in the school library, likely up to no good.
Harry considered the situation but decided against intervening. The library held little danger, and Fletcher's presence there probably meant he was searching for something specific. Madam Pince's usual presence in the library had probably stopped him from going there until now.
Harry couldn't help but draw parallels between Fletcher and the notorious thief Mundungus Fletcher from the Harry Potter books. The same family name and the shared penchant for pilfering, left Harry puzzled over Dumbledore's decision to employ such a character. Surely, Dumbledore should be aware of Fletcher's notorious reputation.
Deciding that any potential problems were for the professors to handle, Harry returned to his meal. His life at Hogwarts wasn't about policing the faculty or jumping into every possible fray. Curiosity tugged at him, but not enough to abandon his dinner and investigate.
Surrounded by the bustling yet content house elves, Harry continued to eat. While he was enjoying his peaceful meal in the kitchen, Harry noticed that the house elves became less busy as the evening progressed.
Seeing that they could free themselves from some work now and intrigued by their unique roles within the castle, Harry struck up a conversation with Inky, the elf who had kindly served his dinner.
Harry was curious about everything – from whom the elves were bonded to, to their responsibilities beyond cooking, and even the hierarchy of who they answered to.
Inky was more than willing to share. She explained that she and the other elves were bonded directly to Hogwarts itself. They took their orders first from the castle, then the headmaster, followed by the professors, and finally, the students.
Harry found it fascinating, and a bit surprising, that the elves claimed to receive instructions from the castle itself, hinting at some form of sentience within the ancient walls of Hogwarts. However, when Harry pressed for more details, the elves couldn't offer much beyond somehow knowing it when someone needed their help or Hogwarts wanted them to do something, suggesting a mysterious connection between the castle and its caretakers.
Inky went on to detail the elves' other duties, which included taking care of the castle. Cleaning dormitories when the students were in class, managing the hallways during curfew, and assisting with various tasks to support the professors and the upkeep of the school's facilities, like the greenhouses.
As Harry's conversation with Inky unfolded, providing him with new insights into the life of Hogwarts' unseen helpers, the castle suddenly trembled, shaking as though caught in an unexpected earthquake.
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