Just as Professor Sprout had predicted, the Gryffindor house took the news poorly when Ron was moved to a private room for extra protection the following morning. Many felt that the headmaster valued the new 'chosen one' more than their entire house, and despite their grievances, they begrudgingly accepted Dumbledore's decision.
Naturally, the news about Ron's relocation quickly spread beyond the Gryffindor common room, and by the end of breakfast, the entire school was aware. The Ravenclaws, as usual, showed little concern for such unacademic matters, but several felt that the headmaster's actions were misguided. The Hufflepuffs, on the other hand, were unified in their belief that Dumbledore shouldn't have singled Ron out in the first place. If not for some intervention from their head of house, they might have taken more action than merely expressing their discontent.
Meanwhile, Slytherin was divided in its reactions as well. One faction showed indifference, content in the knowledge that these events would reflect negatively on their house. The other half seized the opportunity to mock students in Gryffindor, calling them pawns or scapegoats to be disposed of at Dumbledore's discretion. This taunting led to more than one scuffle, ultimately costing Gryffindor house several points, as Professor Snape consistently arrived first at the scene of the altercations.
Hidden somewhere in the castle, Peter Pettigrew kept an ear to the ground and relished the unfolding drama regarding Dumbledore's decisions. Realizing that he remained unrecognized in his Animagus form, he felt satisfaction that Sirius Black was being blamed for the attack on the Fat Lady instead. This meant that Hogwarts' security would be further heightened, making it even more difficult for Black to infiltrate.
Knowing that Sirius was likely the only person within miles who could see through his rat disguise, Peter felt a bit safer. As things stood, he might manage to stay at Hogwarts a little longer, gathering information on Dumbledore and his red-haired protégé. He could always deal with the 'chosen ones' later, if necessary.
However, to be best positioned for eavesdropping on the headmaster and his favored student, he needed to return to "his owner." Patience would be key; he resolved to wait a couple of days, allowing for a plausible excuse for his sudden return, and then he could have Ron find him. Yes, this seemed like a solid plan to Peter. His stomach growled, reminding him of his hunger, so he scurried off toward the Hogwarts kitchens to pilfer some food.
~/ *** \ ~
By the end of the second week of December, the Defense Studies group held its final meeting for the semester. The class was captivated by Theodore Nott's lecture on defending against weaker, more common curses. Yet, for some attendees, thoughts strayed beyond their textbook studies.
Draconica was one such student. A certain green-eyed wizard seated across the table occupied a significant portion of her thoughts. Deciding it was time to mend their relationship, she subtly shifted her leg so that it brushed against his under the table, intentionally. She felt a surge of relief when he didn't pull away; perhaps Harry had moved past his childish anger towards her. Though she wouldn't push for anything physical just yet—especially after the fallout of their last encounter—she still held onto hope for future intimacy.
Harry, aware of her testing boundaries, allowed her to gauge his feelings. He was no longer angry with her—after all, it was his own choices that led to their previous conflict. Like many teenagers, he could be illogical at times.
As Theodore's lengthy lecture came to a close, aided by contributions from Tracey, Daphne, and Susan, darkness settled outside, and it was nearly six o'clock. Members of the Defense Studies group began to disperse from the library, preparing for dinner and the impending Astronomy lesson.
Harry often lingered behind, but today, his focus wasn't on extra reading. Unsurprisingly, Draconica stuck around as well. Soon enough, the corner of the library was left to just the two of them, providing a measure of privacy.
"Harry, are you still angry with me?" she asked, rising from her chair to approach him. He sighed, unsure of how to respond. Thankfully, Draconica seemed to read his silence.
"Thank you," she said quietly, placing her hand on his shoulder. For a moment, they stood in stillness before she walked away without another word.
"I'll never understand girls," Harry muttered to himself as he shook his head, gathered his belongings, and headed back to the Gryffindor common room.
~/ *** \ ~
The rest of the semester passed without major incidents, everyone busy with exams. Though Harry didn't study as rigorously as others, thanks to the memories he had absorbed from the horcrux within him, he found himself more observant of events around him. He noticed that after their library encounter, Draconica had resumed getting closer to him again.
Her advances weren't overtly inviting—she didn't push for anything physical—but she also didn't keep her distance like before. It was almost as if she were hesitating to take that next step back into their former closeness, a step that would restore their relationship to its prior state. Understanding why she'd be cautious, Harry didn't push her either way.
~/ *** \ ~
Choosing to depart from Hogwarts a couple of days earlier for Christmas, Harry found himself on the Hogwarts Express for the first time during winter. The snow-covered scenery outside created a breathtaking view, enhanced by the fresh snowfall. The journey would have been perfect if the train hadn't been halted for a search by the Aurors pursuing Sirius Black. Thankfully, no Dementors were allowed on board this time, which was a small relief for Harry.
The remainder of the trip proceeded smoothly, and after several hours, he disembarked onto Platform 9¾. Choosing to stay close to civilization during his holiday, he Apparated to his penthouse on Queenstown Road.
Although a bit dusty and lacking food, Harry had little trouble making the space livable again. After a simple cleaning spell and a quick trip to the nearest Muggle grocery store, his penthouse was ready for the holidays. While decorations could wait, he quickly ate dinner and called it a night.
The next morning, bright and early, he found his morning post waiting for him. Along with his usual copy of the *Daily Prophet*, he received a letter from Violet, prompting him to read it first.
Within the letter, Violet explained that Madam Bones couldn't find any trial records for Sirius Black. It appeared there was no documentation of any charges against him, suggesting he had been sent straight to Azkaban against standard DMLE regulations. This raised alarms—someone wanted to keep Sirius quiet.
Thus, Violet wrote, Madam Bones had issued new orders for the Aurors to apprehend Black and bring him to the Ministry for questioning, rather than executing a Dementor's Kiss on the spot.
Though frustrated with the Ministry's past disregard for due process, Harry felt a sense of relief that he would eventually learn why Sirius had betrayed his parents to Voldemort.
With little else of note in the letter, Harry turned to the *Daily Prophet*. The paper was as biased as ever, burying the news about the changes in the 'Black hunt' towards the back pages, lavishing praise on the Ministry instead of shedding light on the reasons behind the new orders regarding Sirius Black.
After finishing his morning correspondence, Harry quickly had breakfast before heading to Diagon Alley and Gringotts. He planned to do some Christmas shopping—at the very least, he needed decorations for his penthouse.
~/ *** \ ~
This year, Christmas was relatively quiet for Harry. He celebrated alone, away from friends who chose to remain at Hogwarts. Despite the solitude, he received an abundance of gifts from all his friends, including thoughtful presents from his vixens.
He enjoyed wandering through London's bustling streets, joining in the festive atmosphere, even if the largest celebrations had taken place the day before. Overall, Harry had a joyous Christmas; however, he was still mindful of the pressing matters that awaited his attention.
Once Boxing Day had passed, Harry could be found buried among books and scrolls in his penthouse study or in public libraries. He was searching for anything that could assist him in facing Voldemort when the dark wizard eventually sought a new body. Unable to conceive a better idea than to seal Voldemort away, he researched ways to contain souls—though he realized most of this knowledge would fall under dark magic and thus be difficult to find readily. Any references, however, would still be welcome, providing he could find any at all. Unfortunately, luck seemed to have abandoned him.
After nearly a week of fruitless searching, Harry decided that something beyond his control was urging him to take a break, encouraging a little holiday relaxation away from academics. Reluctantly, he heeded that advice, and set aside his research in favor of enjoying some leisure time.
~/ *** \ ~
Returning to Hogwarts a couple of days early meant there wasn't a Hogwarts Express available, but Harry had no trouble Apparating to Hogsmeade. Of course, he faced scrutiny from the Auror patrols, as it wasn't typical for third-year students to know how to Apparate. Nonetheless, after his identity was verified, he was cleared to go.
As it turned out, Harry wasn't the only one returning early; many of his housemates had already arrived, especially members of the Quidditch team. As soon as he dropped off his belongings in the dormitory, Captain Oliver Wood announced a training session for the team the following day.
True to form, Wood was relentless. Training commenced just after breakfast, as the cold December sun began to rise. When lunchtime rolled around, the session came to an end, but it was evident that Wood was reluctant to let his team off the hook entirely.
Considering the chilly weather, everyone hurried back toward the warmth of the castle. The Weasley twins and even Oliver himself quickly changed into casual clothes and left the locker room, while Harry, lost in thought, lagged behind. This proved fortuitous for him, sparing him the teasing he would have surely faced.
As he was getting dressed post-shower, Harry heard someone enter the locker room, assuming it was just one of his teammates. That assumption was quickly shattered when a pair of arms wrapped around his neck, followed by a comfortable weight pressing against his back. He immediately recognized the familiar presence.
"Katie?" he asked, curious about her unexpected appearance. She rested her head on his shoulder, silent for a few moments.
"Harry, I… C-Can you forgive me?" she asked, surprising him. It was difficult for him to pinpoint the reason behind her apology, as he struggled to remember any wrongdoing on her part.
"Why?" he inquired.
"Harry, I did a lot of thinking over the holidays. Yes, you hurt me deeply, but I also hurt you just as much—if not more…" she confessed. "I should have protected you from Angi and 'Cia. I shouldn't have been spiteful afterwards... To be honest…" Her voice trembled, signaling the threat of tears. "To be honest, I realized I knew for the longest time that you would end up with her. But I also wanted to be with you, and when I got what I meant to achieve, I forgot… that I…"
Katie's voice broke, and sensing her distress, Harry turned to wrap his arms around her. He noticed, almost absently, that she wasn't wearing a shirt.
"Shh, it's alright, Katie," he whispered, hoping to soothe her. "I forgive you." She looked up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes.
"T-Thank you," she murmured, snuggling closer to him for comfort. They sat in silence for a few moments. Once Katie seemed somewhat calmer, she pulled back and looked into his eyes again. "Harry… Can we…?"
She faltered, struggling to find the right words. Harry patiently waited, allowing her to gather her thoughts. "Can we be friends again, like we used to be?" The young wizard nodded without hesitation, seeing no reason to refuse her.
"Thank you, Harry," she said, relief flooding her voice. She pulled away, grinning. "Now, let's go have lunch!" With a giggle, she disappeared into the girls' locker room, leaving Harry with a mixture of confusion and relief.