Chapter 3
The Culprit: Harry Potter
A few days lapsed and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all trying to catch out what Professor Reuben was up to. In his Defence Against the Dark Arts classes he wore long flowing dark emerald coloured robes and would give Harry and Ron odd looks whenever they answered his questions. In the hallways, Harry was being stared up and down by people. It had turned out that Neville spilled to some people about Harry apparently killing his toad, and now they begin to wonder why they thought he was so famous in the first place. They might have been the strangest of the days, but one morning following Transfiguration with the Slytherins, as the class was pouring out into the halls, Draco Malfoy stepped in between Ron and Harry. Draco was the rich kid of Slytherin and the most detestable. He would always pick on Harry, after every class if he did anything close to something to be harassed about.
'So Potty, you're still studying first year spells!' He sniggered, his friends Crabbe and Goyle just laughed with him,
'Huh?' Harry frowned,
'What, don't you remember? On the 31st of July, my dad saw you in Flourish and Blotts buying another Standard Book Of Spells, Grade 1. Oh and a Beginners Guide To Transfiguration! Did you forget them all Potty? ' He sneered back,
'I never bought any first year books.' Harry replied, 'Mine are still at home.'
'Well my dad saw you looking at all of the first year books. He saw you go up to the counter with every beginners book and run out again. Did you get them for a bit of light reading?' Malfoy smiled at him,
'But I didn't buy first year books, I was too busy carrying my second years!' Harry said showing Malfoy the Transfiguration, Grade 2 book he had in his arms.
Malfoy just sniggered and Crabbe and Goyle followed.
'Do you think my dad is stupid do you? He said he saw you, in your robes and all! No mistake it was you Potter!'
'I think your dad is stupid Malfoy if he was standing around in Flourish and Blotts for that long' Ron vigilantly replied, and Malfoy lunged at him stopping after Professor McGonagall strolled out of the classroom to discover them.
'Well, what are you all doing here? Get to your classes!' She spat,
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle and walked away with smirks on their faces,
'Don't forget to change your diaper Potty!' He laughed down the stairs,
Harry started walking to Potions with Ron and Hermione. Harry was astounded. He knew that he was never buying first year books.
'That is weird,' Ron began, 'I mean, we were with you when we all bought our books, and you didn't buy any of those! Plus you weren't wearing your robes!'
'I was wearing normal clothes! You saw me right?' Harry exclaimed,
'Sure we did Harry! Maybe his father saw someone that looked like you, I mean is there anyone in the school who looks like you?' Hermione said, the two of them shrugged.
Harry was beginning to get a bit intimidated by people that recall he did things he hasn't.
~~~~
The following class was Potions and this was the worst class of all. It was held down in the dungeons of the school and worst of all their teacher was none other than Professor Snape.
When Harry would try to mix his potions, Snape would creep up behind him and tell him that he's doing it completely wrong and start him on it again. Worst of all, Malfoy was in the class, and whenever he answered one of Snape's questions or do something that he likes, Snape would give Slytherin points. He always favoured Slytherin, and the rest of the houses hated him.
But during this lesson, Ron had just put his Flobberworms into the cauldron, when Filch the caretaker came bursting into the dungeon. Argus Filch was the most hated person in the school, but had a cat which he named Mrs Norris. Everybody in the school wanted to kill this cat, because she was like a taddle-tale little girl. If Mrs Norris saw any student doing anything bad, she would rush out right away and get Filch. No doubt about it, Filch and Mrs Norris were hated.
'WHERE IS HARRY POTTER!' He screamed, running up to the front of the class,
'Is there something wrong Filch?' Snape asked as Filch scanned the room and caught Harry's eye,
'YOU! YOU!' He cried pointing at Harry, 'PROFESSOR SNAPE, THAT LITTLE ROTTEN BOY KICKED MY POOR MRS.. NORRIS!!'
Everyone in the class gasped. People may have pondered of kicking that darn cat, but they didn't dare do it.
'WHAT!?' Harry yelled, Filch continued
'I SAW YOU! I SAW YOU JUST TEN MINUTES AGO!'
'I was lining up in Potions! I wasn't anywhere near her!' Harry replied harshly,
Harry knew that 10 minutes ago, they had just reached the dungeons, so Snape would believe Filch as long as Harry had no evidence.
'Harry Potter! I should have known you'd be up to something this year,' Snape walked up to him, 'For your cruel behaviour, I take 15 points from Gryffindor, and a walk to Professor McGonagall as well'
He grabbed Harry by his arm and pulled him outside,
'I swear, I didn't do anything!' Harry yelled again,
'Well explain that to Professor McGonagall!' Snape sneered back.
Professor Snape led him upstairs to McGonagall's office, dragged him inside and sat him down in a chair.
'You wait here Potter, and don't you even try any of your tricks!' Snape left the office,
Harry was concerned about being suspended, or even expelled. But the one thought that was on his mind was the unusual incidents that have been happening. Everyone is blaming things on him, but he absolutely knows he is guilty, and never would do such things. Unfortunately no one but Ron and Hermione believed him. This was now getting a bit out of hand. Who is doing this to him?
Professor Snape returned with McGonagall and she didn't look too pleased.
'Harry, what you have done is serious. I am quite busy now, so, it seems that taking points from Gryffindor is punishment enough. 5 more points will be taken. That's 20 in all. Now, get back to class and don't let any teachers catch any foolishness again. Understand?' McGonagall told Harry as he nodded and left the room,
Snape went ahead of him, grinning away. Harry felt really bad. It was only at least 4 days into the year and he already lost Gryffindor twenty points. He was just glad there was no expulsion.
When he arrived back at class, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were laughing and making jokes at him. Surprisingly, Snape didn't take points from Slytherin for them making noise, but did to the others. They were saying things like,
'Hey Harry would you like to play Cattitch?' while sniggering and laughing behind his back.
After Potions and more jokes from Malfoy, Harry, Ron and Hermione had a break and sat in front of the fire in the Gryffindor Common room.
'Who is doing this? What do they want from me?' Harry was saying,
'Perhaps this person doesn't want anything from you and doesn't even know what's going on himself' Hermione added,
'It would be a him right?' Ron asked,
'Of course it would because everyone's saying that they saw me as me, and not anyone else. I swear to death that I did none of this!' Harry got up,
'We believe you Harry, and as a matter of fact we should have stood up for you back there, because we knew you were with us the entire time' Hermione looked up at him,
'Snape wouldn't have believed you anyway' He replied, Hermione nodded,
'As I said before, it could have something to do with Professor Reuben'
'But how do you know? He could have just been talking to Snape' Ron said,
'Well we could always go and look for who ever this is, remember they said it looked like me' Harry suggested, and they agreed, so they left the portrait hole.
While walking along a hallway, Malfoy came striding along the other side carrying a pile of books in his arms. He stopped in front of Harry.
'Hey Potter, look what I found down on the second floor! Are you still having trouble on the Levitation charm?' Malfoy chuckled and slammed the books down on the stone floor, then just walked on past with Crabbe and Goyle chuckling along with him.
Harry glanced at Ron, and they all stared at the pile of books. Harry bent down and picked up the one on top. It was very dusty, so he had to wipe off the dust exposing the title Standard Book Of Spells: Grade One printed in gold lettering. He dropped that one and picked up the next, wiping it off to reveal A Beginners Guide To Transfiguration. The front of this one was all torn and tattered. Harry opened it to the first page, and inside the cover were the words:
To Harry, Have A Happy Birthday!! From Harry
'Look at this!' Harry showed Ron and Hermione,
'How can there be another person in the castle called Harry' Hermione curiously asked,
They cleaned off the other books and found a book called Flying with the Cannons.
'I got the same book from Ron last year,' Harry told her opening the book, '- and look!'
Inside the cover was written in Ron's handwriting:
Dear Harry! Have A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!! From Your Best Pal Ron Weasley!
'But I left all mine at home!' Harry exclaimed,
'Guys, this is getting really creepy' Hermione told them, when Ron nearly stumbled backward,
'Not as weird as this!' He showed it to them.
The dust had been wiped completely from the cover of the book of spells, and at the bottom was:
Harry Potter
Written in Harry's exact signature on a small white sticker.
A few days lapsed and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all trying to catch out what Professor Reuben was up to. In his Defence Against the Dark Arts classes he wore long flowing dark emerald coloured robes and would give Harry and Ron odd looks whenever they answered his questions. In the hallways, Harry was being stared up and down by people. It had turned out that Neville spilled to some people about Harry apparently killing his toad, and now they begin to wonder why they thought he was so famous in the first place. They might have been the strangest of the days, but one morning following Transfiguration with the Slytherins, as the class was pouring out into the halls, Draco Malfoy stepped in between Ron and Harry. Draco was the rich kid of Slytherin and the most detestable. He would always pick on Harry, after every class if he did anything close to something to be harassed about.
'So Potty, you're still studying first year spells!' He sniggered, his friends Crabbe and Goyle just laughed with him,
'Huh?' Harry frowned,
'What, don't you remember? On the 31st of July, my dad saw you in Flourish and Blotts buying another Standard Book Of Spells, Grade 1. Oh and a Beginners Guide To Transfiguration! Did you forget them all Potty? ' He sneered back,
'I never bought any first year books.' Harry replied, 'Mine are still at home.'
'Well my dad saw you looking at all of the first year books. He saw you go up to the counter with every beginners book and run out again. Did you get them for a bit of light reading?' Malfoy smiled at him,
'But I didn't buy first year books, I was too busy carrying my second years!' Harry said showing Malfoy the Transfiguration, Grade 2 book he had in his arms.
Malfoy just sniggered and Crabbe and Goyle followed.
'Do you think my dad is stupid do you? He said he saw you, in your robes and all! No mistake it was you Potter!'
'I think your dad is stupid Malfoy if he was standing around in Flourish and Blotts for that long' Ron vigilantly replied, and Malfoy lunged at him stopping after Professor McGonagall strolled out of the classroom to discover them.
'Well, what are you all doing here? Get to your classes!' She spat,
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle and walked away with smirks on their faces,
'Don't forget to change your diaper Potty!' He laughed down the stairs,
Harry started walking to Potions with Ron and Hermione. Harry was astounded. He knew that he was never buying first year books.
'That is weird,' Ron began, 'I mean, we were with you when we all bought our books, and you didn't buy any of those! Plus you weren't wearing your robes!'
'I was wearing normal clothes! You saw me right?' Harry exclaimed,
'Sure we did Harry! Maybe his father saw someone that looked like you, I mean is there anyone in the school who looks like you?' Hermione said, the two of them shrugged.
Harry was beginning to get a bit intimidated by people that recall he did things he hasn't.
~~~~
The following class was Potions and this was the worst class of all. It was held down in the dungeons of the school and worst of all their teacher was none other than Professor Snape.
When Harry would try to mix his potions, Snape would creep up behind him and tell him that he's doing it completely wrong and start him on it again. Worst of all, Malfoy was in the class, and whenever he answered one of Snape's questions or do something that he likes, Snape would give Slytherin points. He always favoured Slytherin, and the rest of the houses hated him.
But during this lesson, Ron had just put his Flobberworms into the cauldron, when Filch the caretaker came bursting into the dungeon. Argus Filch was the most hated person in the school, but had a cat which he named Mrs Norris. Everybody in the school wanted to kill this cat, because she was like a taddle-tale little girl. If Mrs Norris saw any student doing anything bad, she would rush out right away and get Filch. No doubt about it, Filch and Mrs Norris were hated.
'WHERE IS HARRY POTTER!' He screamed, running up to the front of the class,
'Is there something wrong Filch?' Snape asked as Filch scanned the room and caught Harry's eye,
'YOU! YOU!' He cried pointing at Harry, 'PROFESSOR SNAPE, THAT LITTLE ROTTEN BOY KICKED MY POOR MRS.. NORRIS!!'
Everyone in the class gasped. People may have pondered of kicking that darn cat, but they didn't dare do it.
'WHAT!?' Harry yelled, Filch continued
'I SAW YOU! I SAW YOU JUST TEN MINUTES AGO!'
'I was lining up in Potions! I wasn't anywhere near her!' Harry replied harshly,
Harry knew that 10 minutes ago, they had just reached the dungeons, so Snape would believe Filch as long as Harry had no evidence.
'Harry Potter! I should have known you'd be up to something this year,' Snape walked up to him, 'For your cruel behaviour, I take 15 points from Gryffindor, and a walk to Professor McGonagall as well'
He grabbed Harry by his arm and pulled him outside,
'I swear, I didn't do anything!' Harry yelled again,
'Well explain that to Professor McGonagall!' Snape sneered back.
Professor Snape led him upstairs to McGonagall's office, dragged him inside and sat him down in a chair.
'You wait here Potter, and don't you even try any of your tricks!' Snape left the office,
Harry was concerned about being suspended, or even expelled. But the one thought that was on his mind was the unusual incidents that have been happening. Everyone is blaming things on him, but he absolutely knows he is guilty, and never would do such things. Unfortunately no one but Ron and Hermione believed him. This was now getting a bit out of hand. Who is doing this to him?
Professor Snape returned with McGonagall and she didn't look too pleased.
'Harry, what you have done is serious. I am quite busy now, so, it seems that taking points from Gryffindor is punishment enough. 5 more points will be taken. That's 20 in all. Now, get back to class and don't let any teachers catch any foolishness again. Understand?' McGonagall told Harry as he nodded and left the room,
Snape went ahead of him, grinning away. Harry felt really bad. It was only at least 4 days into the year and he already lost Gryffindor twenty points. He was just glad there was no expulsion.
When he arrived back at class, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were laughing and making jokes at him. Surprisingly, Snape didn't take points from Slytherin for them making noise, but did to the others. They were saying things like,
'Hey Harry would you like to play Cattitch?' while sniggering and laughing behind his back.
After Potions and more jokes from Malfoy, Harry, Ron and Hermione had a break and sat in front of the fire in the Gryffindor Common room.
'Who is doing this? What do they want from me?' Harry was saying,
'Perhaps this person doesn't want anything from you and doesn't even know what's going on himself' Hermione added,
'It would be a him right?' Ron asked,
'Of course it would because everyone's saying that they saw me as me, and not anyone else. I swear to death that I did none of this!' Harry got up,
'We believe you Harry, and as a matter of fact we should have stood up for you back there, because we knew you were with us the entire time' Hermione looked up at him,
'Snape wouldn't have believed you anyway' He replied, Hermione nodded,
'As I said before, it could have something to do with Professor Reuben'
'But how do you know? He could have just been talking to Snape' Ron said,
'Well we could always go and look for who ever this is, remember they said it looked like me' Harry suggested, and they agreed, so they left the portrait hole.
While walking along a hallway, Malfoy came striding along the other side carrying a pile of books in his arms. He stopped in front of Harry.
'Hey Potter, look what I found down on the second floor! Are you still having trouble on the Levitation charm?' Malfoy chuckled and slammed the books down on the stone floor, then just walked on past with Crabbe and Goyle chuckling along with him.
Harry glanced at Ron, and they all stared at the pile of books. Harry bent down and picked up the one on top. It was very dusty, so he had to wipe off the dust exposing the title Standard Book Of Spells: Grade One printed in gold lettering. He dropped that one and picked up the next, wiping it off to reveal A Beginners Guide To Transfiguration. The front of this one was all torn and tattered. Harry opened it to the first page, and inside the cover were the words:
To Harry, Have A Happy Birthday!! From Harry
'Look at this!' Harry showed Ron and Hermione,
'How can there be another person in the castle called Harry' Hermione curiously asked,
They cleaned off the other books and found a book called Flying with the Cannons.
'I got the same book from Ron last year,' Harry told her opening the book, '- and look!'
Inside the cover was written in Ron's handwriting:
Dear Harry! Have A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!! From Your Best Pal Ron Weasley!
'But I left all mine at home!' Harry exclaimed,
'Guys, this is getting really creepy' Hermione told them, when Ron nearly stumbled backward,
'Not as weird as this!' He showed it to them.
The dust had been wiped completely from the cover of the book of spells, and at the bottom was:
Harry Potter
Written in Harry's exact signature on a small white sticker.