HP is still not mine sigh

Chapter 2

Harry strode into the Great Hall, unknowingly imitating the feared potions master in the way his robes billowed as he moved.

The Hall was decorated around the walls with mighty Christmas trees attempting to bring some joy to the nearly empty room, save for the single table where Harry would be forced to dine with the remaining professors at Hogwarts. Some professors had stayed such as Dumbledore and Snape. Professor Sprout had also remained to tend the greenhouses throughout the bitter cold and Trelawny was bundled away in her tower rarely coming down to dine with the others. Professor McGonagall had also remained, seeing as only a student from her house had remained over the Christmas period.

Finally the diminutive Charms Professor, Flitwick, had remained in order to attempt to restore his classroom to a semblance of order. This was due to an over-zealous first year's attempt at a temporary duplicating charm in the last lesson. Where he sprayed a large section of the classroom in a rainbow of colours as a result of mispronouncing plura (many) for pluvial (rainbow). The colours turned out to impossible to remove with Filches' standard magical cleaners and had in turn told the little professor that he could clean it himself and stormed of muttering about bringing back thumbscrews for unruly students.

Harry sat down at the small table in a swirl of robes and waited for the Professors to make an appearance. He wanted to get away as soon as possible from this meal what with the close scrutiny that would come to pass during these meals from Snape and Dumbledore. He could feel the shirt beneath his robes slowly becoming worryingly tight, this was a bad sign his glamories were wearing away from the ambient magic present at Hogwarts, and the fact that he had not taken off the charms since the beginning of term, meant they were coming apart at the seams, as would his shirt if he didn't get out any time soon. Luckily his robes hid the changes and only the most observant would notice he was an inch or two taller than usual and somewhat wider about the shoulder.

He breathed a sigh of relief as the Professors entered the hall in a group discussing something or someone. Harry briefly picked up his name with his heightened hearing before Dumbledore noticed Harry's presence and went silent as did the others present.

They all took seats, Headmaster Dumbledore at the head of the table, while McGonagall sat next to Harry, looking most places but him. Finally Snape seated himself as far away from Harry has possible and glared at him in a manner that said he would prefer to be dead and cremated than sitting at the same table as Potter, before looking away. Finally Dumbledore rose again smiling jovially, with his customary twinkle in his eyes, though it seemed slightly dimmer than last year.

"Since Hogwarts is so quiet this holidays I felt that the remaining student should not feel ignored. Since most of us know him well I felt it fitting that he join us at this table and not be left out of our conversations. Welcome Harry, we hope you can provide is with some interesting conversations this holiday!" With that Dumbledore clapped his hands twice and the plates on the table filled with food for those present.

Snape's scowl grew more pronounced at this as he turned back to Potter and noticed with his sharp eyes that he appeared slightly broader than usual, he was not Dumbledore's only spy amongst the Dark Lord's forces for nothing!

'Damn, Dumbledore!' pondered Harry 'Spouting off reasons for keeping his twinkly eyes on me, I'll have to be more careful than I thought this holiday.'

Yet Dumbledore was not the one Harry should have been watching at that moment as he tucked into his meal. One highly observant ex-Death Eater was watching him with a shrewd gaze, attempting to work out how Potter had changed in the few hours since he last saw him in the corridors.

Surprisingly the meal carried on without incident, though the silence seemed slightly eerie. No one seemed willing to broach a subject with a student present since none of the amusing anecdotes of the past term could be discussed with him there.

Near the end of the meal Harry was starting to get uncomfortable, the glamorie was wearing away more quickly than he had thought it would. It appeared that once it started to fade it caused a cascade effect that only made it go at an exponentially faster rate. He could feel his feet getting tight in his trainers and his shirt become tighter still as his torso broadened.

Only Professor Snape, who was mystified by what was happening to the Potter brat, witnessed this. Watching Potter's expression showed that he was not letting on about him knowing about his altering physique. He could see if he looked carefully that the boys height appeared to have jumped by about an inch since he sat down, yet none of his associated had noticed (none were his friends, for he did not see the point in them).

Finally finishing and appearing calm to those present, apart from the suspicious potions master, Harry rose before the others had finished. Allowing a small smile to grace his features but not reach his eyes, he said

"Thank you for allowing me to attend your meal, but if you will excuse me I have homework that needs to be started so I can enjoy this holiday properly."

Dumbledore smiled at Harry, nodded his head and returned his attention to a particularly succulent lemon tart he was demolishing. Harry knowing that he was dismissed turned and left the Great Hall, with the eyes of Snape burning into his back. Severus watched Potter's gait as he left, eyes narrowing as he saw the tiny limp that accompanied every step, indicating too small footwear. Now utterly intrigued by the mystery surrounding the cursed Gryffindor, he waited a suitable amount of time before standing and with a slight nod to Albus striding from the room in the direction of the Entrance Hall where the brat had headed.