A/N: Hi again, I'm still (physically) alive. Sorry for the long author's note and long wait. Let me just say, before you dive into the chapter, this is not a Slytherin Harry fic. Yes, he was sorted into Slytherin, No, that is not the plot of the fic. He is not best friends with Millie & Blaise. He and Hagrid don't go for tea every Friday. He won't, later on, befriend Hermione and Neville. If you are looking for those fics, I am happy to give recommendations. As usual, here is the recap; Sign up sheet for staying over the break was put up, one issue; was it was in the common rooms. Harry went down to the dungeons, guess what dorm had a password change? Slytherin. Theodore and Blaise saw Harry down there, nasty names flew around, Harry got "the stuffing beat out of him" as uncle Vernon would say, Harry got so goddamn angry that he blew up the dungeons, causing him to be unconscious for five days, he wakes up in the infirmary and guess who died? Theodore Nott! Please enjoy the chapter and leave constructive criticism (both are optional ofc). Oh, look! Something new! A thank you note that isn't handwritten but you can pretend it is:

Thank you for all the favorites and follows and especially the positive reviews on Goetic. I was a ball of happy tears last night (in relation to when I wrote this letter) because of all of you wonderful people. Thousands of ffn users have given this fic a chance and I couldn't be happier. I know this is a weird thing for an author to leave in their fic but I wanted to thank each and every one of you for joining Harry on his path to insanity.

Lots of love,

Random Ravenclaw Writer

Tw: mentions of childhood trauma & cuts along forearms & Mentions of drugs (
Harry doesn't smoke or anything like that, this isn't atyd) & Christmas/boxing day & Harry doing dumb shit & mentions of death (no character dies in this chapter, sadly) & non-relationship angst.

"Hey, look who's back!" Terry announced when he saw Harry enter the common room.

The common room was nearly empty. The only people in the common room were Terry, Cho & three other older Ravenclaws that Harry didn't know.

"Where is everyone?" Harry asked.

"Home for the holidays."

Of course, they all left, they would want to spend Christmas with their families.

"Speaking of which," He gestured towards a small pile of presents, "Those are yours. Christmas day was yesterday."

"Oh, thanks," Harry couldn't take his eyes off of the pile of presents.

Who sent him presents? How did they know where he quartered? He actually got presents?

"I'll leave you to it then," Terry sat down on an armchair and opened a book.

The awkward mood stayed in the air.

Harry sat down in front of his presents. He stared at them in disbelief.

He reached from the smallest one and read the note.

Merry Christmas

Vernon & Petunia Dursley

This was perhaps the most unexpected gift of all. He hadn't thought that the Dursley's might get him a gift.

He opened the small package. A free keychain from the local hardware store.

The next gift was chocolate frogs from Padma. He made a mental note to give her a gift when she returned.

He got a Christmas card from Cho, a wand box from Anthony, and a new quill from Parvati.

He stopped opening presents.

He was shocked, while they weren't big, four friends got him presents. That's at least four people who feel something besides hatred towards him. Things have definitely changed since July. Back in July, everyone either hated Harry or had no clue who he was. Dudley made sure of that.

He looked around. The only thing Dudley influenced in Hogwarts was Harry's childhood trauma and awkward questions about weird scars along his forearms.

He grabbed his final present. He read the card. It was a note on a flashcard that read;

Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time I return it to you, use it well.

A very merry Christmas to you.

Harry searched both sides of the card. No name. It was an anonymous gift. He prepared for the worst. It could be chocolate or candy. It could also be a dark lethal curse. He placed the large pouch in his lap. It was a nice purple velvet. He lifted it and gave it a small shake. It sounded and felt like it was empty. He opened the pouch. He was right. There was nothing in it.

Perhaps the pouch was magical. He tore off a small corner of his spare parchment and dropped it into the pouch. It danced as it fell into the pouch slowly and gracefully. It didn't touch the bottom of the pouch, it was suspended in midair.

He did the dumbest thing he could have possibly done in this situation, he put his hand in the pouch. He felt something that wasn't there. It felt like silk yet it was invisible. He picked up the invisible substance.

He wrapped it around himself. It took him a moment to realize that it was a cloak. He fixed the position and fastened it.

He almost verbally exclaimed in shock. His body disappeared.

"Hey, Terry," He looked to Terry, who put a bookmark in and shut his book, "Could you come here one second?"

Terry stared at him in disbelief.

"No way," He put his book down, "An invisibility cloak."

"Yeah," Harry took off the cloak, "Anyways, do you know if there are any spells to help you see into the cloak, so let's say I'm walking out past curfew and Snape is nearby. Is there any way he can see me?"

"Not really, he would have to take it off you himself," Terry said.

"Cool," Harry threw the hood over his head and completely vanished.

Inside the cloak, he could see his whole body again. He looked at Terry, who was staring right where he vanished.

He was going to have so much fun with this.

(A/N he's not attacking Terry for anyone confused.)

xXxXxXx

That night, Harry threw the cloak on and went to walk around the castle. It was different at night. It was eerie yet beautiful.

Moonlight seeped through the windows. Every footstep echoed in the empty corridors. Most portraits were sleeping. He heard soft howles in the distance, most likely coming from the forest.

He walked with no destination, no purpose, just walking.

He went out to the courtyard in front of the quidditch pitch. On his left was Hagrid's hut. He remembered how Hagrid interacted with him.

He was gentle. He was kind.

What happened?

"Slytherin!"

He remembered the sorting hat.

If only he could take it all back, he thought about what life would be like if he hadn't been so fucking determined to fit in. If he didn't accept that handshake. If he used his brain.

He imagined himself as a Gryffindor with a sense of longing. Would they accept him? He wasn't a powerful kind-hearted hero. He was a boy. A boy who grew up thinking in order to not be attacked, you have to be the attacker. He grew up scared and alone.

He dismissed the thought.

You won't do well in the future if you are stuck in the past.

He walked towards Hagrid's hut. He saw a soft yellow glow emitting from his only window. The size of the hut was depressing, especially considering the size of the person in it.

Harry threw off the hood of his cloak, revealing his head to anyone who may look in his direction. He was about to knock, his hand was just centimeters away from the large wooden door. He thought better of it.

I'll talk to him tomorrow.

He walked away from the hut, throwing his hood back over his head as he walked back into the castle.

xXxXxXx

He managed four hours of sleep that night. All four hours were spent in the flames of the dark room with nothing but a podium holding the strange red stone.

He woke up after the sun rose.

He shoved his glasses on. He looked at the clock; 7:36 am. Harry groaned. Breakfast would be over at eight. He forced himself to sit up.

He walked down to the great hall slowly. He stifled multiple yawns. The portraits stared at him as he passed.

He sat down and served himself bacon and toast. He saw Terry sitting with Cho over at the Ravenclaw table. Their friend group was shrunken greatly over break.

As he ate, he thought about the previous night.

He had walked the corridors of Hogwarts, guided by moonlight. He heard snores of portraits and wolves in the distance. He went out to one of the many courtyards. He remembered the Quidditch pitch and-

Hagrid's Hut!

He sat up straighter and ate slightly faster. Harry felt more awake than he had moments ago. He wanted to visit Hagrid. He glanced up at the staff table. Hagrid was missing. He could be in one of three places:

His Hut

The forest

In mortal peril/dead

The first two options were the most likely.

Once he finished his breakfast, he abandoned the great hall and walked outside. The light temporarily blinded him, it didn't help that the light was also bouncing off the thin layer of snow on the ground. He shielded his eyes.

He turned left.

Knock knock knock.

"Who's 'ere?" Hagrid asked.

So he was home.

"Er… it's me," Harry looked up, to the top of the huge door that reached the roof, "Harry."

Hagrid mumbled something.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nuffink!" Hagrid boomed, "Go 'way. Yer kin' aren' wel'ome 'ere!"

What the fuck has gotten into him?

"What the hell do you mean 'my kind'?" He was defensive and he had a right to be.

"Yer knows wha' I means."

"No, actually, I don't."

"Yer and yer nas'y, evil, friends!"

"My what?" Harry thought out loud, the Ravenclaws were nice. Well, Anthony and Terry would do quite a bit for a few laughs, and most Ravenclaws knew Marrinetta was a big mouth that couldn't keep a secret but none of them were nasty or evil.

What the fuck is Hagrid on?

"Look, I have no fucking clue what you're talking about, Hagrid!" Harry practically yelled.

Great, now his throat was sore.

"Yer a Slythe'in."

"Oh!" He couldn't take it anymore, he burst into hysterical laughter, "That's it?! I am either really goddamn ambitious or really cunning therefore I'm some evil, rotten, cruel kid now?"

"Yer a'acked a good chunk o' yer peer's."

Well, a reasonable part of Harry started, he's not wrong.

But, a defensive side countered, he isn't right either.

Harry didn't respond to Hagrid, instead he listened to the battle rage inside his head.

"Yer pa'en's (I know it's hard to tell but it's parents) woul' be 'issapon'ed."

Clearly, Hagrid was also disappointed.

"My parents are dead, in case you haven't noticed. Even if they were alive, compared to you, how would I look? How did you get banned from using magic, again? Right, breaking the law."

He felt like he might explode from anger and rage as he stormed away from the hut. The Hagrid that gave a shit about what happened to Harry was long gone. Did everyone he know hate him?

He thought about it. There was Draco, most of his other housemates, and Hagrid. That was about it. He sighed as he reentered the castle.