Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and her affiliates. I own nothing.
Harry woke up with an odd feeling in his stomach. Today had been different to say the least. All the students returned from the Holiday Break, and classes were supposed to start today. Everyone already told their tales on what happened over break. For instance, Mary Shoemaker got a pack of colored pens. Mary, being a pureblood Ravenclaw, was so astonished by her gift, she bragged and told anyone who listened.
"In all of my five years of attending Hogwarts. I have never seen such a brilliant…thing! And to be created by muggles is quite extraordinary! Tell me, Sarah, how long have these been around?" Harry could hear her talk from across the Great Hall. Ron reckons she was talking extra loudly to show off; its not everyday a wizard gets something muggle made. He was right. Harry noticed as she talked about her pens, purebloods and some half-bloods would perk their heads up. Even some Slytherins were interested. He caught a glimpse of the pens when she came over to Fred and George, and he had to hold his laughter in. The pack of colored pens was cheaply made. Whoever got them for her probably stopped at the drug store and grabbed whatever was there before heading off to the train station.
That was yesterday though. Today, it didn't feel normal. It didn't feel like a serial killer was on the loose. It didn't feel like his name was Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. It felt like he was a normal wizard. It felt like his name was Harry Potter, Boy. He felt normal for once in his life. He looked around to see if anyone else felt it too.
Maybe we enter an alternate universe like the ones Dudley's shows talk about. Harry thought to himself. Maybe in this universe, despite being a wizard at a magic school, I am normal..
"Blimey, Harry! What are you looking at? You've been staring at that wall for ages now!" Seamus said in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh uh nothing. Just lost in thought…" Harry responded. Seamus chuckled and said, "Well you're gonna be late for breakfast. You better hurry."
"Alright, Hermione. Can I get dressed first," Harry said in-between laughter. Seamus busted into laughter.
"Imma tell her you said that. But seriously come on, now. Even Ron is up."
Harry made his way to the Great Hall, and the feeling still lingered. To make it worse, he was noticing house integration. Gryffindors walking along with Ravenclaws. Hufflepuffs joking with Slytherins. Perhaps something did happen. Perhaps he was in an alternate reality. Perhaps he was normal. Perhaps he was just Harry, just Harry. As he entered the Great Hall, he noticed Ron talking with Hermione. He had been attempting to flirt with her. She didn't realize it, of course. She didn't seem to be aware of what he was talking about at all. Her glaze seemed to be towards the Slytherin table. Though, Ron kept babbling on about Ron stuff. Harry wasn't really surprised. This has happened before. It's been happening quite a lot actually now that Harry thought of it. It's been happening a lot with many people. Neville has been flirting(however not really flirting more like shy conversation with slightly flirtatious things) with Lavender Brown, who showed zero interest. Pansy had been all over Draco, who similar to Lavender didn't show any interest. Theodore Nott and some other Slytherin girl. In fact, the more he looked around, it seemed everyone was either interested or the intersetee. Even Seamus and Dean seemed to be interested in one another. Everyone was finding a match. Except Harry. Harry didn't have any interest with anyone for that matter. He wanted to be with someone, but he didn't have any interest with sex. It just seemed….It just seemed like a lot of things. He couldn't really describe it. Sex wasn't his thing.
Even in an alterate universe, I am still not normal. Harry sighed as he sat next to Ron.
"Hey, Harry. Took ya long enough. I was beginning to wonder if you were even alive." Said Ron as he stuffed his mouth with bacon and toast. Harry didn't say anything back. Even in an alternate universe, Harry didn't want to be alive.
Hermione was about to say something when Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.
"That's weird, usually announcements aren't until dinner," retorted Hermione. She once glanced over at the Slytherin table and nodded her head, slightly. One wouldn't notice it if they weren't paying attention. Harry, however, was paying attention. Why would Hermione be talking to a Slytherin? It doesn't make sense.
Harry's thoughts were interrupted (which may have been for the best) by Dumbledore's loud voice,
"Students, it has come to my concern that a…creative wizard or witch has decided to place a snowing spell on the classrooms, " all eyes shifted to Fred and George at this time, "We don't know who did this, but that they are indeed a powerful wizard or witch. As of right now, 10 classrooms are overflowing with snow, and I didn't have the nerve to check the rest. To fix this, it'll take all the manpower we have to undo the spell, remove the snow, and fix the damages. On top of this, the weather also surprised us with snow. Lots of snow. More than we are used to, that is. Of course we can enchant objects to help students, and to make the outside pathways safe. But with the snow spell, it'll take hours for us to achieve all of this. Therefore, I have decided to cancel classes today-"
Students began to cheer and scream on their top of their lungs. Merlin's beard, it's louder in here than it was when we won my first Quidditch game.
"QUIET!" yelled Dumbledore in his infamous voice. "Now, lunch and dinner are the same time, unless notified otherwise. I also will like to make notice of the rules of today. If an witch or wizard decides to pull a prank or fight another wizard or witch, expect extreme punishment. If there is any house rivalry, expect punishment. If there is any rule broken, punishment will be fitting accordingly. I can hope you all see a pattern on what will happen if you decide to be rebellious today. Anyways, have fun and continue eating."
"Can you believe it, mate?" asked Ron eagerly. "Do you wanna go out on the field and race with your new broom, Harry?"
Harry smiled. Flying did seem nice. Plus, even though Ron was his best friend, he loved beating him at flying. "Yeah, sure. How about you, 'Mione? Wanna keep score?"
Harry knew the answer. It is 'no'. He just wanted Hermione to be brought back to earth. Or at least the Gryffindor table. His plan worked. Her gaze broke away from the Slytherin table, and she promptly said,
"No, sorry. I'm going to go the library, and go ahead to do my homework and studies."
"Figures. Why don't you ever have fun, 'Mione," asked Ron with food once again in his mouth.
Hermione glared at him. Harry laughed and prepared for what Ron was about to get. Honestly, this was some of his favorite memories; Ron saying something, not realizing the effect it will have on Hermione, and then Hermione getting mad. It never really gets old.
"I have fun, Ronald. I just don't find-" She was got off by Neville offering to keep score. He wanted to witness Harry and Ron run into each other's brooms anyways.
Thus, 30 minutes after, Harry and Ron were racing near Hagrid's hut. Ron had surprisingly won 2 rounds out of the 8 they've had so far. Harry still thought today had been thrown into an alternate universe. After all, someone successfully pranked the Hogwarts staff and canceled classes for the day. Someone did the impossible, and Harry would thank him until the day he died.
Harry made his way to the starting point, so do did Ron. The boys both agreed it would be insane to fly long distances considering what Dumbledore said, so they both agreed on the pathway, roughly 3 yards out from Hagrid's hut, should be the starting point. They also agreed the end of Hagrid's garden should be the ending point. Harry looked at Ron who nodded in a way of saying that he was ready, and then he looked to Neville who did the same.
Harry took off. He felt exhilarated. He always did when he was flying. The wind blowing in his face and hair. The smells of nature infiltrated his senses. He felt free. He felt alive. Although, it was short-lived when he made it to the finish mark. He turned around, and saw Ron arrive not too long after.
"Neville, so what's the score this time?" Harry yelled to his friend.
"Oh sorry, I didn't pay attention. Who won?" Neville replied.
Ron chuckled and said, "Harry did. But I don't know why you think you are going to beat me. I'll take you down if I have to."
"Yeah, okay. Sure Ron. Neville, why weren't you paying attention?"
"Well, just look over there. That's not something you see everyday."
Harry looked over to what Neville pointed at, and he was right. That isn't something you see every day. A sea of students were throwing snowballs at each other. That wasn't unique. What was unique was the fact that kids of all different houses and ages were having fun with one another. There wasn't any hatred.
Harry landed to see who was playing, and to his shock, Hermione was throwing a snowball at Draco Malfoy. She was laughing, and Harry hadn't seen her face glow like that. Like she truly had been happy. It was the same with Malfoy. Harry wondered if Hermione was looking at Draco earlier. It was like she read his mind since she looked over and threw a snowball right at Harry's head. She threw her head back in laughter.
"Oh, you're gonna get it," Harry said as he compiled a huge snowball and aimed it for Hermione. Except he missed and the snowball hit Malfoy. Harry was for sure Malfoy would make a scene. Malfoy instead threw a snowball back at Harry, and taunted, "Is that all you got, Potter? Even Granger has a better aim then you do!"
Harry looked at Hermione with confused look. She must of known because she said,
"Library was closed. I came down here to find you guys. Then I decided to show our Slytherin mates that I can not only beat them in Charms but also in a friendly snowball fight."
Malfoy said something to Hermione. Harry couldn't hear what he said, but then saw him crush a snowball on Hermione's head. Harry knew it wasn't a threat, considering they both were laughing. He also knew that there had been more going on there and that Hermione would tell him when she was ready. He wasn't upset. He would be if he didn't see her smile like that.
Harry took this opportunity to intervene, and he threw a larger snowball at Malfoy's face; then Crabbe threw one at Ron. After that, Harry didn't pay attention whose side he was on. He was merely just throwing snowballs at his classmates. It didn't matter that they were his 'arch-enemies' since his first year. It didn't matter what they said to each other a day before. For once, they were kids. Stupid, idiotic kids. It had come to Harry that well, it didn't matter that he wasn't normal, because neither was anyone else.
As he looked around, he took people for who they really were. Ron Weasley, tall and lanky, the Boy who Cared More About His Rat than Himself. Hermione Granger, bushy hair, and large front teeth, the Girl who Went Against the Odds. Draco Malfoy, blond and cunning, the Boy who was More Slytherin than Salazer. Neville Longbottom, chubby and round, the Boy who Always There for Friend. They were just as normal as he was. And that is okay.
Because in reality, they might fight each other in 5 years in some bloody war. In 5 years they might be dead. In 5 years, they might be friends. In 5 years they all might be astronauts trying to figure out how they ended up in this alternate universe. Harry couldn't tell you where they would be in 5 years (Try asking Professor Trelawney, she might be able to give you an answer if you want to know) But that wasn't today. Today they aren't in some bloody war. Today they are alive. Today they are friend and foe alike. Today they are teenagers. They are bright-eyed and niave; all they want to do is change the world. Today they are normal.
Harry looked at Ron, and smiled. For once in his life, he knew, despite what crazy thing was going on, life isn't half bad, and it will all be okay in the end.
This story kinda sucks, I know. It is my first story, so please leave constructive criticism, so I can get better at writing. Uhh yea. 10% off if you use my promo code. Link in bio.