Chapter 90: "Time-skip and Holidays"

Life at Hogwarts for Harry Potter found its usual pace once more after the meeting with the Professors in the Headmaster's office. Harry wasn't sure if Dumbledore ever identified who was responsible for the library's mess. It seemed straightforward to figure out, given that Professor Fletcher, like Harry, wasn't present at the feast. Yet, with Fletcher still teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry was left puzzled. Perhaps Dumbledore had a strategy in mind; otherwise, he surely would have involved the Aurors to detain Fletcher.

Harry wasn't too bothered about what Dumbledore was up to. Perhaps Dumbledore was letting Fletcher go on with his plans, planning to step in later, or maybe he just didn't want the hassle of finding a new DADA teacher halfway through the year.

Harry decided he'd only get involved if it turned out Voldemort was behind any mischief. As for thieves and the like, Harry didn't have the time to worry about them. So, his days went on as usual, filled with classes and homework, just like any other student at Hogwarts.

There was a noticeable shift, however, in how Professors McGonagall and Snape interacted with him during classes. Professor McGonagall began to pay more attention to him in class, frequently asking if he had understood the lesson and offering suggestions on what he should focus on next, acknowledging his strong performance in class exercises.

Snape's behavior also showed a visible change. Instead of the extra layer of disdain he had previously reserved for Harry, likely due to Harry's connections to James Potter and Sirius Black, Snape began treating Harry like how he would any other student from Ravenclaw. This was a significant change, although it didn't mean Snape had become suddenly friendly or less strict.

Harry pondered over Snape's changed attitude and realized it might be because Dumbledore shared details of Harry's challenging life with the Dursleys. Snape, having had a difficult home life himself, could perhaps empathize with Harry's struggles, prompting a shift in his behavior. Despite his feelings, Snape couldn't bring himself to treat the son of his rival any better, so he settled for treating him the same as any other student.

This new development, however, put Harry in a bit of a dilemma. He had previously considered using Snape's bullying behavior as a reason to justify playing pranks on him. But with Snape showing a more neutral stance, initiating pranks against him didn't feel right anymore. It would make Harry seem like the bully instead.

Harry wasn't entirely sure if Snape was the one who let Voldemort know about the prophecy in this different alternate world he was in. There was a slim chance that the events did not play out the same way they did in the books. It could be that another Death Eater was the one who spilled the beans here.

And even if it was Snape who shared the prophecy, Harry wasn't convinced that blaming him was fair before knowing the whole truth. Harry needed to investigate to see if the events leading up to the prophecy's revelation were part of a larger plan orchestrated by Dumbledore to set things in motion sooner.

Caught in this moral dilemma, Harry secretly hoped Snape would give him a valid reason for the pranks, like being unfair in class or mistreating his friends. That would allow Harry to retaliate without feeling guilty about it.

Aside from these considerations, life at Hogwarts proceeded as usual. Despite Harry's efforts, a few bullies remained unreformed, so he continued employing pranks to keep them in check. Harry also kept up with his work, now delving into the curriculum meant for seventh-year students after having finished the courses for sixth-year year students.

He also occasionally kept tabs on Professor Fletcher, who, for the time being, had not caused any notable trouble.

The Quidditch season had begun, and while it brought excitement all over Hogwarts, Harry quickly discovered that watching the games wasn't as thrilling for him as playing. Although he loved to play Quidditch and enjoyed the sensation of flying, sitting in the stands just didn't capture the excitement in the same way. The true action took place far above, and from the stands, it simply wasn't as engaging.

After attending the first game, Harry decided it wasn't for him and chose not to go to any more matches, even though he kept up with how the teams were doing through his friends who loved Quidditch. It seemed like Gryffindor was having a strong season, showcasing impressive skills in their games, whereas Slytherin relied more on a rough and aggressive style, often pushing the boundaries of the rules to secure wins. Harry guessed that Gryffindor might be the team to take home the Quidditch Cup this year.

As the Christmas break approached, Harry found himself missing the Black Castle with its sandy beaches and the calmness of the surrounding island. The rugged landscape around Hogwarts, which he had gotten used to during the term, made him long for the peaceful environment back home. He eagerly put his name down on the list of students planning to return home for the holidays.

Despite being away, Harry had stayed in touch with his family and friends through letters, with Hedwig reliably delivering his messages without any sign of complaint.

The excitement of going home was matched at the train station where Sirius, along with his family, was waiting for Harry. Susan's eagerness was clear as she looked forward to hearing all about Hogwarts directly from Harry. This trip also gave Harry the chance to meet the parents of his new friends, and he was relieved to see that they were ordinary, approachable people. There were no pretentious or unfriendly attitudes among them, and none of them seemed like they had any connections to former Death Eaters, which eased Harry's mind about the friendships he had formed at Hogwarts.

To Harry's surprise, it wasn't just Susan who was incredibly excited to see him; Sirius was even more eager, particularly keen to hear about the pranks Harry had been part of at Hogwarts. Driven by Sirius's enthusiasm, Harry shared all the details, and they even planned more pranks for the upcoming months. The school bullies were definitely in for some surprises.

The holiday season went by in a blink. Christmas was filled with the joy of giving and receiving gifts. Harry sent presents to all his Hogwarts friends and opened the ones he received from them. Most of Harry's gifts were sweets and toys, which he gladly passed on to Susan, who was delighted with the unexpected treasure trove.

Right before Harry was set to return to Hogwarts, Sirius handed him a mysterious box. He explained it was his special gift to the school and provided Harry with very specific instructions on how to use it. Based on Sirius's emphasis on placing the box in front of the Great Hall and then swiftly making an exit, Harry deduced it was likely one of Sirius's pranks.

Despite this, Harry was more than willing to play his part. After all, pulling pranks and spreading joy were traits Harry admired in Sirius. Over the years, Sirius's opportunities for such mischief had been limited due to his responsibilities, so Harry saw this as a perfect chance for Sirius to reconnect with his more playful side.