With classes yet to commence, the library was mostly empty, housing only the most dedicated students and a few inquisitive first-years. Hermione was tucked away behind a towering stack of books, deeply engrossed in some light reading—which was so light that she was nearly invisible. Not wanting to disturb her focus, Harry opted for a different table and set off to the shelves, searching for volumes that might offer insights into dealing with his Dark Lord dilemma.
In about fifteen minutes, he gathered a small collection of books covering various magical subjects that might provide assistance. Satisfied for the moment, he returned to his chosen table for some personal reading.
For the next few hours, Harry pored over the tomes in search of anything that could aid him in confronting Voldemort. Despite the wealth of intriguing information, none of it seemed particularly useful for his specific issue. Yet, deep down, he questioned whether it was reasonable to expect a solution to destroying a dark lord with horcruxes to be found in anything but a restricted section. Still, he held out hope that some bit of information might spark an idea; after all, he hadn't exhausted his search just yet.
Another thought nagged at him: it was apparent that Tom wasn't the only one to stumble upon the Room of Lost Things. For the room to operate, it had to contain more than just students' and staff's forgotten items; it must have housed a multitude of objects long before any of them were misplaced. This realization led Harry to wonder about the room's capabilities. Surely, the house-elves at Hogwarts had insights to share, so he resolved to ask one when he encountered one; though, known for their discretion, house-elves weren't often seen...
For now, however, he pushed those thoughts aside. The unproductive search through the tomes hadn't deterred him; he believed he could still unearth an idea to defeat Voldemort. Yet as the clock approached two in the afternoon, he realized it was time for a (late) lunch. Even Hermione had made her exit from the library.
When they returned forty minutes later, Hermione excitedly shared her findings on dementors—her current reading topic. As their conversation flowed, she inquired about what Harry was looking for earlier, forcing him to choose between the truth or a fib. Knowing how perceptive Hermione was, he opted for a compromise, telling her he was just browsing for something interesting. Fortunately, she didn't press him further.
Once back in the library, Harry resumed his quest for anything that might aid him in tackling Voldemort. He selected another batch of books across various magical disciplines. Despite the fascinating information they contained, the tomes failed to provide anything applicable to his secret mission, a realization reinforced by the several hours he spent leafing through them…
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Later that evening, as Harry sat with his friends in the Gryffindor common room, a book on magical healing resting in his lap, he noticed a nervous-looking Katie Bell approaching. This was odd; he couldn't recall the last time he had seen her alone away from her usual companions. She paused beside his armchair, her blend of shyness and resolve apparent, and blushed deeper when he glanced up at her, silently prompting her to speak.
"Um…" she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. She took a deep breath before continuing, "C-Can I have a minute of your time, Harry?" Her cheeks flushed a lovely shade, revealing her discomfort. Something told Harry that Katie's bashfulness could lead to an awkward moment, but he had no intention of turning her down. He raised an eyebrow in inquiry, prompting her request further. "Not here… S-Someplace more private, please."
Intrigued, Harry nodded and stood, leaving his book on the seat to keep it from being occupied. He followed Katie as she navigated to a quieter corner of the common room, occasionally glancing back to ensure he was still with her, the blush on her face refusing to fade.
"Harry…" she began, her nervousness palpable. It appeared she was struggling to articulate her thoughts. Then, quite suddenly, she blurted out, "Do you... Do you want me, Harry?" It took a moment for the words to register, and when they did, she hurriedly added, "As your girlfriend," glancing away in embarrassment. The unexpected question caught Harry completely off guard, resulting in a rosy flush crossing his own cheeks. Having always seen Katie as a fellow tease, he blurted out, "Are you serious?"
Instead of answering verbally, Katie leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, stealing Harry's first kiss. While surprised, she hesitated, as she had leapt into the kiss, unsure if it was out of love or mere attraction. The kiss remained innocent; she didn't intensify it, but it was clear that she was genuinely serious. Harry could barely manage a "Wow" as time seemed to freeze around them. Katie silently agreed; although she had kissed before with her friends, this experience, where she took the lead, felt entirely different—more enthralling.
For what felt like an eternity, both teens stood in stunned silence, their faces aflame and eyes averted. Harry seemed trapped in a trance from the kiss, and when the silence stretched, Katie cautiously broke it, tilting her head slightly. "So?..." she inquired softly. "What do you say?" It seemed Harry was still lost in the afterglow of the kiss, as he could only nod in response. Satisfied, Katie moved in for another kiss, this time he felt bold enough to reciprocate.
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The next morning, as per usual, Harry woke up early and, knowing his new girlfriend would be asleep for a few more hours, decided to utilize the time productively. He ventured downstairs to the common room where he found the petition Hermione had prepared, gathering signatures for the lawsuit he was working on. Unsurprisingly, nearly everyone in Gryffindor, including their head of house, had signed.
Although he still needed to collect signatures from the other three houses before sending his letter to Violet later that day, he decided to begin drafting it right away. Thirty minutes later, with his work done, and most of his fellow Gryffindors still asleep—Hermione being the exception—he opted to join her for some earlier breakfast.
The Great Hall was filled with students, but it appeared that this day would be as leisurely as the previous one…or so he thought. Just ten minutes later, Oliver Wood, partially dressed in his Quidditch gear, entered along with the Weasley twins, who looked groggy as if they had just rolled out of bed.
"You're already up, Potter?" the Gryffindor Captain stated, grabbing a seat near Harry. "Good, we can't kick off our first training session of the season without our Seeker. We'll start in forty minutes." His next words were directed at the Weasley twins, who still hadn't fully woken. "You lot better have your heads in the game."
Soon, Alicia and Angelina arrived, and Katie took her seat beside Harry, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek that made the twins hoot with humor, congratulating Harry on landing such a great girl—though they still preferred to conserve their energy for the grueling training session Oliver would inevitably put them through.
"You're with Katie now, right, Potter?" Angelina asked, placing her hands on Harry's shoulders firmly. He nodded. "Break her heart, and we'll break your head," she threatened, though Oliver shouted in response, insisting his star Seeker should remain unharmed until their team won the cup.
Breakfast for Harry proceeded without any further incidents, and as relief washed over him, he was grateful for the peacefulness of the meal.
Surprisingly, Wood ended practice after just three and a half hours, right before lunch began, leaving the team free to do as they pleased for the rest of the day. His strict coaching style usually meant they'd have to endure a much longer session.
Lunch was significantly livelier than breakfast, the hall bursting with noise as the entire school filled the tables. Katie and Harry sat together, holding hands beneath the table from time to time. Hermione and Neville were seated across from them, seamlessly welcoming Katie into their circle of friends. Despite the age gap, having her integrate with their group was effortless, as she usually hung with the Quidditch team.
The lunch passed without incident, but as they exited the Great Hall, they were confronted by Daphne, Astoria, and Tracey—Draconica noticeably absent. If Harry had seen her during lunch, he might have understood why she was not present.
"Here's the list of signatures from Slytherin," Daphne said, handing a folded parchment to Harry. "Ms. Bones will give you the rest during dinner." Nodding appreciatively, he unfolded the paper, noting the support from the majority of Slytherin. It was surprising to see Snape's signature; Harry had assumed the Potions master would never align with a Potter, but he realized that someone like Daphne could have persuaded him otherwise.
"Thank you." Folding the parchment back up, he pocketed it, nodding at Daphne and her friends as they resumed their route back to the tower.
Later that afternoon, as Harry pondered exploring the Room of Lost Things, he decided to first inquire about it with the house-elves in the kitchens—where he was sure to find someone willing to provide insight.
Upon entering the bustling kitchens, he was met by dozens of house-elves preparing dinner. One approached him, eyeing him with earnest curiosity.
"What can I help you with, young master?" the elf asked.
"Um..." Harry hesitated, feeling slightly uneasy under the elf's attentive gaze. "What can you tell me about the Room of Lost Things?"
"You mean the Come and Go Room?" the elf replied, its eyes brightening. "It be a wonderful room, helping those who need it. It's always there, waiting, for when one is in need. You just walk thrice where it is while thinking about what you need, and the room will appear."
Harry mulled over this revelation, astonished by the potential of such magic. Thanking the elf for its wisdom, he headed to the seventh floor, eager to see this extraordinary room for himself.
As he approached the corridor leading to the Room, he encountered Professor Sibyll Trelawney, her appearance as eccentric as ever. She spoke in a slurred voice, clearly intoxicated, as she stumbled against the wall, announcing, "Ah, how lovely to meet you in the physical world—I foresaw this!"
Bemused, Harry asked, "And what did you see?"
For several long moments, she stared vacantly, finally uttering, "The Fates have not disclosed why." After a brief pause, her demeanor shifted, and her voice took on an eerily different tone. "Soon... it shall happen. Before the third moon, as day once again overpowers night... The shackled servant shall break his chains... and return to his master... Greater than ever before... It will happen soon..."
Just as suddenly as it began, she fell against the wall. When she regained her balance, she returned to her previous demeanor, inquiring, "Is everything alright, my dear?"
Feeling an inexplicable urge to distance himself from the Divination professor, Harry quickly shook his head and hurried back toward the Gryffindor common room. His exploration of the Come and Go Room would need to wait.
Though he suspected he had just heard a true prophecy—one laden with significance—he managed to suppress the thought, especially as Katie helped distract him from it.
During dinner, just as Daphne had informed him, Susan Bones presented him with the signature lists from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, finally allowing him to send his intended package to Violet. He almost dispatched it that very night, buoyed by the presence of Hedwig in the common room, but a thought struck him. The potential impact of his message could extend beyond just the lawsuit that was likely to remain undisclosed. With a wicked smile, he added a postscript telling Violet to anonymously send a copy of the draft lawsuit, along with the signatures, to the 'Daily Prophet.' Yes, this would be a worthy act of revenge against the Ministry for the sham trial they subjected him to…