Expecting the Unexpected
In which Fate changed her mind, and the gender of one of the greatest heroes of the wizarding world. See the impact it has on one of the greatest stories ever told; the story of Harry Potter.
I stood on the wet stone steps to my favourite place in the whole world. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This year was going to better. I could feel it in my whole body, a sort of tingling sensation. It helped that there was one more adult in the world who liked me not because of the scar on my forehead but because I was who I was. Harry Potter. Well, my friends call me Harry but my full name is Stephanie Elizabeth-Henriette Potter. Stephanie after my father's grandmother and then Elizabeth after my mother's favourite aunt. Apparently, I was a very cute baby, so says Sirius. Chubby but with dark ringlet, startling green eyes and a gurgling laugh.
Anyway I'm getting away from the point, what I'm trying to say is that I thought this year was somehow going to be spectacularly different than my three others and in some ways I was right but in others I couldn't have been further from the truth, because some things never change. So anyway, back on to the radical event that will change our whole fourth year experience (according to Ron).
We were seated in the Great Hall, as usual and we'd just started tucking into our delicious meal. Hermione and I exchanged looks while Ron stuffed his face like the ravenous little piggy that he is. For some reason, Diggory, the dishy, older Hufflepuff kept looking at me strangely.
"Hermione, is it my imagination or is one of the Hufflepuffs looking at us." I went red as I asked this because I knew that he was, I just needed some solid confirmation.
"Merlin's beard Harry, he's looking at you! Frequently. Goodness gracious." Ron half-swallowed a mouth full of boiling hot mash potato.
"'irty git. 'e's way too old for you 'arry." Hermione paled, then snapped back,
"Don't talk with your mouth full Ronald." Blushing deeply I tried a small smile back at Dishy Diggory. To my infinite surprise he smiled and winked back.
"Wow," I breathed. Before this summer, I had never attracted boys that much before but I think over the holidays I must have done some serious developing. I'd actually gained some curves on my skinny boyish frame although it helps that I don't have to follow the Dursley's ridiculous diet anymore.
"I think you're, as they say, 'in' there Harry." Hermione giggled. I turned another beetroot shade of red. So dinner was all eaten and before we knew it we'd stuffed ourselves with pudding as well. I felt ready to burst, thinking I'd eaten more that night than my whole time at the Dursley's house put together. Fit to bursting we stopped short mid-convo as Dumbledore delicately tapped his crystal goblet with the golden fork in his left hand. As he began to talk we slowly lowered our jaws until we were all sat there looking as though we were trying to catch flies. The Triwizard Tournament. An event of utmost prestige that was going to be held at our school! We were excited to say the least. As we stumbled back upstairs to the common room, sleepy and full from the huge amounts of food, conversation started to flow.
Ron yawned and plonked himself into a cushy armchair saying sleepily, "If only, eh?"
"Hmm?" Hermione responded, looking a bit dazed.
"You know, if only we could enter. Imagine what that prize money could do!" We exchanged a look and we both were picturing the same thing, broomsticks. Yeah I had a Firebolt but I sure would like to get one for Ron.
"Yes, but none of us are old enough so there's not really much point in day dreaming is there?" retorted Hermione snippily. Somehow, Ron and her managed to argue about anything and everything. It's mental, they can blow up over who gets the last piece of toast at breakfast! Definitely has something to do with the unresolved sexual tension there. Before it turned into a full-scale shouting match, I slid out of the portrait hole to Hermione saying heatedly, "Well I hardly think Fred and George could outwit Dumbledore's magic, one of the greatest wizards of ALL TIME!"
They will never learn. There was still some blood-red September sun's rays slanting in through the castle windows and I regretted not having brought my invisibility cloak. Though it was only a little past curfew time, I didn't feel the buzz of being out after hours like I usually did. On a spur of the moment decision, I started off towards the Owlery. I was sure Sirius would want to hear about the Triwizard Tournament. I giggled quietly; he's be nearly as excited as we were. For a second I felt immensely sad for all the precious years Sirius and I had lost. That time could never be regained but at least we could make the most of what we did have. If only we'd caught that bastard Wormtail last year. I was so deep in melancholy reverie that I didn't notice the footsteps behind me until an ice cold hand was placed firmly on my shoulder. With a terrified intake of breath I spun round, wand pointed at my attacker.
Professor Severus Snape stared down at me with cold, disdainful eyes.
"Potter," he hissed malevolently. "Breaking the rules already are we? This will be a week's worth of detention." His grip on my shoulder tightened uncomfortably and I shuddered. "Always the rebels, the Potters. Just like your good-for-nothing father. Look where disobedience landed him Potter. Like father, like daughter, eh?"
Hot, angry tears streamed down my face and I really can't justify what I did next apart from that I wasn't thinking clearly at the time, being so tired and angry. With all the strength my feeble arms could muster, I punched Professor Snape in the arm. I think it surprised more than hurt him; he obviously hadn't expected me to react so emotionally. I'd had worse taunts that this in my previous three years but I just couldn't stand it. Blame it on the hormones; after all, I am now fourteen. If I didn't know my sadistic potions master better I'd have said there was the tiniest little bit of regret in his eyes when he said, "Make that week's detention a month Miss Potter. See you tomorrow night, six o'clock. My office."
With a sweep of his black robe, he turned on his heels and disappeared into the now-dark corridors. My face still hot and wet, I turned to go back to the common room. A month's detention with Snape! No doubt, he'd have me doing the absolute worse jobs he could think of that fall just short of torture. Hate is not strong enough for what I feel for that man. Yet…when he was holding my shoulder I still had the feeling that I get when any guy touches me. I think it must come from never being hugged growing up. Hagrid doesn't really count, those are more bone squeezes.
The Fat Lady was a bit miffed that I woke her up from her evening nap but I apologized profusely and turned on the sympathy by telling her what that son of a bitch had given me. A whole month! The common room looked cosily untidy, much more like home and definitely much more Gryffindor. Looked like Fred and George had been setting off some of their lovely indoor fireworks. The stairs up to the girls common room always do feel longer when you're tired. Not to mention depressed.
As I climbed into the soft quilts of my red bed and closed the drapes I mulled over what may have been one of the best and worst first nights ever at Hogwarts. If I tried really hard I could still muster some sense of excitement for the Tournament, it was sure to be amazing. Though Snape's detentions were like a two-tonne weight, crushing all the happiness out of my other thoughts.
And so that was how I fell asleep that first night back in Gryffindor tower, dreading the following evening with all my body. Sleep would have been impossible were it not for the dreamy recollection of how that Dishy Diggory had winked at me over the tables.