Chapter 74

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Chapter 74: A Year of Normalcy

For the first time in what felt like forever, Harry Potter lived the life of a normal student at Hogwarts.

With no Voldemort lurking in the shadows and no secret plots threatening his safety, Harry found himself truly enjoying his time at school. He attended classes without constantly looking over his shoulder, spent time goofing around with Rose, Ron, and Hermione, and even made new friends within Slytherin.

Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis, both sharp-witted and perceptive, had quickly warmed up to him after realizing he wasn't the arrogant, golden boy-who--lived that many students in Slytherin had assumed Harry Potter would be. Daphne, cool and composed, had a sharp sense of humor that reminded Harry a bit of an ice queen when dealing with others—but with him, she was surprisingly fun to talk to. Tracey, on the other hand, was full of energy, witty comebacks, and had a mischievous streak that rivaled the Weasley twins.

Harry got used to the routine of school life.

There was no Chamber of Secrets nonsense, no possessed students, no basilisks lurking in the pipes—just classes, Quidditch, and late-night study sessions in the common room. For the first time, he truly felt like he was living at Hogwarts rather than just surviving.

Of course, no school year would be complete without some excitement.

Harry's friendship with the Weasley twins took an unexpected turn when Fred and George declared war on him—prank war, that is.

It started when Harry charmed their robes to flash bright pink and announce "Weasley Twins: The Cutest Mischief Makers in Hogwarts!" whenever they walked past someone.

Fred and George retaliated by sneaking powdered Doxy wings into Harry's shampoo, causing his hair to glow neon green for an entire day.

Harry countered by transfiguring their shoes to quack like ducks with every step.

From there, it escalated—suddenly, the entire castle was caught in the crossfire.

McGonagall found her desk filled with rubber ducks that quacked in perfect harmony when disturbed. Snape's robes briefly turned Gryffindor red and gold, leading to a week's worth of detentions for everyone. Dumbledore, to everyone's horror, was discovered wearing bright yellow socks that flashed "Prank War Winner 1993" in blinking letters.

Rose, Hermione, and even Daphne often rolled their eyes at their antics, though Tracey found it hilarious and sometimes even helped Harry come up with ideas.

"Honestly," Hermione sighed one evening in the common room, shaking her head as Harry and Tracey plotted their next move. "You're supposed to be setting a good example."

"I am setting a good example," Harry grinned. "A good example of why you shouldn't challenge me to a prank war."

Even Snape had to intervene at one point after the twins managed to replace Harry's tie with a fake one that shot out bright pink bubbles whenever he cast a spell. Harry got his revenge by charming their food to scream whenever they took a bite.

By the time April rolled around, an unspoken truce had been reached. No one quite declared a winner, but Harry considered it a victory when the twins admitted, "Alright, mate, you're devious enough to join our ranks."

Aside from the prank war, Harry spent his days attending classes, studying, and practicing magic.

Transfiguration remained one of his favorite subjects, and under McGonagall's strict but fair teaching, even with his experience he made some progress in his understanding of the subject. Charms was another class he excelled in, and he found himself truly enjoying the intricacies of spellwork.

Potions was, as expected, still a nightmare whenever it was Snape's class, but the professor seemed to have eased up slightly on his usual vendetta. He still sneered, still took points unfairly, and still favored the Slytherins, but the outright hostility had dimmed a lot after Voldemort's demise.

Defense Against the Dark Arts, with his uncle Remus being the given the position permanently, remained one of his strongest subjects. He often practiced spells on his own, refining techniques far beyond what the curriculum required.

He also spent a fair bit of time in the library, something that greatly amused Hermione.

"Two years ago, you wouldn't have voluntarily stepped foot in the library unless you had to," she pointed out as they studied for exams.

"Yeah, well," Harry smirked, flipping a page. "I've been known to grow as a person."

Rose snorted. "Or you're just preparing for another duel to the death."

Harry rolled his eyes but didn't respond.

He got along well enough with his house mates, though he found it amusing that many in Slytherin still weren't sure what to make of him.

His bond with Daphne and Tracey grew stronger over the months. The three often spent time together in the common room, playing wizard chess, discussing politics, or just mocking their classmates.

Tracey, in particular, was always ready with a sharp quip.

"If I have to listen to Pansy Parkinson swoon over Draco one more time," she groaned one evening, "I might just hex myself unconscious to escape it."

Harry chuckled. "I could arrange for a distraction."

Daphne smirked. "I assume it'll involve pranks?"

"Would you expect anything less?"

Despite being sorted into Slytherin, Harry still spent plenty of time with Ron and Hermione. His sister Rose was always around as well, balancing her friendships between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

And for once, Hogwarts actually felt like home.

As May approached, the excitement of the upcoming summer break filled the air.

The final feast was a grand affair, with the Great Hall filled with laughter, food, and a sea of floating candles casting a warm glow over the students. Gryffindor took the House Cup this year, much to Slytherin's disappointment, but even the loss wasn't enough to dampen Harry's mood.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled away from the station, Harry sat by the window with Rose, Ron, Hermione, and the twins. He could hear Tracey and Daphne a few compartments down, arguing over something trivial, and for once, he allowed himself to relax completely.

There was no looming danger, no dark plots, no impending battles.

For the first time in his life, Harry Potter could simply be a normal student.

And he wasn't going to take that for granted.