Harry woke up a little earlier than he usually did on the last Tuesday in May. After fumbling with his glasses and stretching a bit, he pulled the curtains slightly apart, letting the early sunlight trickle in. Somewhat awake now, he got out of bed, careful not to wake the others as he pulled out some clothes and made his way to the bathroom.
Done with his morning routine, he snuck down to the silent common room.
'About time,' Hermione grumbled, stiffly getting out of the comfy armchair. 'Got everything?'
Harry nodded while trying his best to look apologetic, though it was hard when he still felt annoyed as he didn't think they would need as long as Hermione insisted to get everything done.
Together they made their way down to the foyer and out onto the grounds, creeping along to their rock. Behind it, they put out a blanket, Harry transfiguring it to solid yellow with 'Happy Birthday Susan!' printed across the one end in a bubbly black font. Harry then piled several pebbles together and went through them, changing each to a much larger, coloured ball with a small handle. Blades of grass were then turned to string and attached to the balls. Hermione had spent a few days prior going through library books and charmed each ball with the featherweight charm she found, causing them to float in the gentle wind.
Both happy with the preparation, they anchored the balls down with a few more stones, so they wouldn't be visible from the other side of the rock. That done, they took ten or so minutes to relax and recover from the draining magic.
A bit of life was around when they returned to the castle. They were amongst the first in the hall, though a good amount of OWL and NEWT students were up with books propped up behind their meals. Harry munched on his usual toast with jam, a few pieces of bacon, a fried egg and a goblet of pumpkin juice, though he had recently added two pieces of fruit to his diet. Hermione always had a little less and preferred fruit to egg or bacon - something her parents had encouraged her from an early age she had said.
By the time they were finished, the hall was much closer to being full, Neville having plopped beside Harry. It was Hermione's job to keep an eye on Hannah and Susan, which was luckily quite easy when Susan entered wearing what Hermione could only politely describe as unique with the bright pink witch's hat standing out against the sea of black.
'They're leaving,' Hermione said. Harry and Neville nodded back, mirroring her when she got up. Together they left, letting Hannah take Susan up towards the library while they headed back towards the ambush site.
Back behind the rock, Hedwig arrived on time holding the small basket.
'Thank you Hedwig,' Hermione muttered while Harry handed over a strip of bacon. Once everything was removed, Hermione aimed her wand at the little items and said, 'Finite,' causing them to swell in size until the half-dozen packages were back to their normal shape. 'I really need to ask John what spell he used – the normal shrinking charm isn't countered by a finite,' she said to herself.
Hermione took one of them, pulling two bags of confetti out and handed one to Neville after he arranged the presents into a neat pile.
From the other side of the rock, they heard, 'Have we really only got a few more weeks left?'
Shushing Neville and Harry rather redundantly, as they were already silent, Hermione opened her bag of confetti and aimed her wand at it. Neville copied her as Harry held the make-shift balloons' strings in one hand, using the other to brush off the extra stones.
'Surprise!' All but Susan and Harry shouted when the pair of Hufflepuffs walked into view, the confetti soaring into the air with an added, 'Wingardium leviosa!'
The morning of the second Thursday in June started like any other for Harry. After breakfast, he and his four best friends wandered around the school grounds, keeping close to the castle so they didn't miss the bell for first lesson.
During morning break, they repeated their routine, enjoying the rare warmth that summer and sunshine gave. They did this again after lunch and after their last lessons of the day. The only difference from normal that Harry noticed was how Hannah seemed more withdrawn than normal. By the time dinner had begun, she hadn't spoken in the last quarter of an hour.
The sun was dipping to a bit above the trees when they returned outside. A breeze chilled them slightly, but it was nothing compared to the near-blizzard conditions of a few months prior. Meanwhile, Hannah hadn't said a word throughout nor since dinner.
'Are you okay?' Harry wrote, passing his notebook to her.
Hannah put on a smile, quietly saying, 'I'm fine.' She didn't even convince herself.
Harry slipped forwards, passing a note to the other three before handing Hannah one saying, 'I promised Hagrid I would see him before school was over. Did you want to come with me?'
'Sure,' she said, waving to others before about facing.
Hagrid's hat was about a third of the way around the castle from where they were, giving Harry ample time to write, 'What's wrong?'
'It's not important,' she muttered, handing the notebook back. He persisted though and eventually she gave in. 'You all forgot about my birthday. I got a nice new pair of shoes and a tasty cupcake from my parents this lunchtime. Before then, I thought you guys were going to do the same as Susan's and get my parents to send it to you so I would get them all together at a surprise party. I was really looking forward to it, but it's not happening, is it?'
Harry had paled, though it wasn't too noticeable given the reducing light. Hastily, he plucked a dandelion from the ground and held his wand to it, the yellow petals merging and extending upwards into a tall cup-like shape, shifting to a light violet colour. After handing it over, he penned, 'Dunno what your favourite flower is; that's a tulip though. It's not much, but happy birthday.'
'Thank you,' she said, rolling the stem between her fingers. Absent-mindedly, she sniffed it and frowned, 'What does a real tulip smell like?'
He shrugged, noting, 'My aunt's ones don't really smell.' Watching her read it, he thought she looked sad. It wasn't obvious, as far as he knew, but it was how he looked on his birthdays at the Dursleys when he would get a chocolate bar after reminding his aunt. The hut was approaching, so he wrote, 'I'll stand behind in case Fang knocks you over.'
She finished reading as he knocked and said, 'Okay.'
'Coming,' Hagrid said in his booming voice; Fang barked fiercely, pawing at the door.
When it opened, Hannah fell back with Fang pouncing and everyone inside screaming, 'Surprise!' at the top of their lungs, Hagrid's being fairly deafening. Harry struggled to keep her up and they ended up fall backwards onto the floor, much to Susan, Hermione and Neville's delight.
Back on her feet and inside the hut, Hannah tried her best not to cry. There were banners proclaiming her birthday, a pile of gifts on the table, a large rock cake with twelve candles, streamers and her best friends. 'You didn't forget,' she whispered before a tear ran, dripping onto the faux-tulip clutched in her hands.
The end of the third week of June was upon them all as they trundled into the hall. As tradition dictated, the massive hourglasses that represented the house points had been covered for the last week, meaning no one but the headmaster knew for sure which house had won.
It didn't take long for the hall to fill, everyone buzzing with anticipation. The excitement extended to the heads of the house, though Snape gave no sign apart from the way he kept eyeing the other three. Even Dumbledore seemed eager to start, keeping his eyes on the doorway with an enigmatic smile.
Once everyone was seated, he slowly rose. He resisted chuckling when thinking about how the room always silenced when he stood up. Taking a deep breath in, he prepared for the speech.
'Autumn, Spring and Winter have flown by as they always do for one as old as I. As with every year, I have been subjected to more paperwork than I care for; sending more letters home to parents than I care for;' everyone noticed his subtle look at the Weasley twins, 'reviewing more detentions than I care for; most importantly, I have been subjected to another glorious year with the children I care for.
'I have every faith that our outgoing students will remember their time here with fondness and that our incoming students in September will anticipate their time here with the infectious excitement we all had before our first year. However, we must remember that our time is precious, not to be squandered, so do not forget to enjoy these years that prepare you all for your bright futures.
'Summer represents a time of rest from schooling: a chance to recover from hard work and ensure that the next year is even more productive. Second years will make the important decision of what electives to take for their OWLs and fifth years what subjects they will continue to NEWT level, neither should be taken lightly.
'As with every year, the race for the House Cup has been closer. Between first and second place is a mere sixty-eight points and between first and last only two-hundred and forty-five. So it is that the time for revealing this years winner is now.
'In last place, with a strong two-thousand, one-hundred and fifty-three, Hufflepuff!'
A polite round of applause went around, with the table in question keeping their chins up despite the disappointment, Sprout mirroring them at the staff table.
'In third place, with a solid two-thousand, two-hundred and fifty-eight, Ravenclaw!'
They looked downbeat and Harry couldn't blame them as he worked out that if Cho had beaten him to the snitch and won the match then Ravenclaw would have won the House Cup as well as the Quidditch Cup.
'In second place, with an impressive two-thousand thee-hundred and thirty, Slytherin! Which makes Gryffindor our winners with two-thousand three-hundred and ninety-eight!'
The cheering burst through the hall, most Gryffindors clambering onto their chairs and tables and whooping, basking in the moment. Slytherin skulked unnoticed on the far side of the hall, Snape scowling but respectfully clapping weakly. McGonagall stood tall and proud, firmly holding the cup.
'Now, if we all settle down,' Dumbledore calmly said, his voice magically carried around the hall. A few students blushed with embarrassment as they climbed down and retook their seats. 'To Gryffindor!' he proclaimed, holding his goblet high. As the students reciprocated, plates clattered into existence on the tables, laden with food and the goblets with pumpkin juice. 'Enjoy,' he finished, sitting back down.
The party in Gryffindor tower lasted until late into the night. Hermione retired at her usual time, but Harry and Neville stayed up, enjoying the smuggled food and drink along with various games, chants, music and dancing, though neither took to the floor preferring to admire the various attempts of the rhythmically talented and challenged.
Eventually Neville headed up as well, leaving Harry peacefully thinking about his summer plans. A few people would stop by every now and then, mainly from the quidditch team. After John sat for a couple of minutes, he left saying, 'Wish me luck.' Harry crossed his fingers for him, giving him a wave as he made his way to the other side of the room. He saw John again on his way up to bed, but John shook his head.
It took Harry a long time to fall asleep as he kept thinking of all the things he was going to miss about Hogwarts, though he couldn't help think it was more a case of who than what. One thing he was looking forward to over the summer was going through the book of photographs Hagrid had been assembling for him, though he would have to wait for Neville's party to get it. Until then, he didn't know how he would pass the time.
Their last meal of the school year was quiet at the Gryffindor table, most half-asleep and the rest rushing through a late breakfast so they had time to pack. Thanks to Hermione's insistence, Harry was in the former category, slowly munching. If he had the energy to, he would have probably been laughing at Ron's frantic pace as he didn't appear to even chew his food, stopping occasionally to unclog his throat with a gallon of juice.
Something was a bit off though. He looked around and thought it may have been that the seventh years, of all houses, were talking amongst each other, with Gryffindors talking to Hufflepuffs who talked to Ravenclaws who talked to Slytherins. As one-off as it was, he guessed it was due to them leaving the school for good and the house rivalries being unimportant for the rest of their lives.
However, Harry quickly forgot all about that when John walked into the hall. After a few steps, whispering began, growing in volume. Barely seconds passed before the first Slytherin seventh year shouted an insult at him. Others followed, spreading from Slytherin to Ravenclaw then to a few Hufflepuffs. What really hurt Harry was when a couple of Gryffindors joined in.
The staff table had stood up and bellowed their own outrage at the students, but it fell on deaf ears as the hatred continued, growing in number to the lower years and increasing in harshness.
Something inside Harry cracked when he heard, 'Freak!' Anger and hurt thundered against his defences, demanding he scream his disapproval of them all. He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as he tried to push it back.
'Freak!' he picked out again. It felt like he had run a mile when his eyes burst open, watching the hall fall into silence. They still opened their mouths, but no sound escaped and those closest to him stared at him, wide-eyed, with others slowly joining them.
Harry looked down at his hands, pinpricks of blood from where his nails had dug in and a weak crimson glow encircling him, ebbing and flowing with his breathing. It scared him as he knew that it was his magic pouring out, wanting to be released.
He jumped when Hermione gently put her hand on his arm, his magic instinctively pooling at the connection before spreading back out, slowly thinning into nothingness. When he looked back up, the sea of faces held fear and he couldn't take it.
Scrambling from his seat, he ran from the hall, taking the stairs two at a time without slowing until he was in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. Playing the recording of Hermione caused it to swing open and he jumped inside, getting upstairs to his trunk and pulling out his cloak.
Hidden from the world, he slunk through the school, glad that no one was using the obscure route he was. Making it to the foyer, he slipped around the emerging crowds, desperately ignoring their heated conversations. Once outside, he headed to their rock, carefully climbing up it so he sat on the still-cool stone, though the early sun gave it a bit of warmth.
He was confused. Their faces had matched those of the children Dudley had bullied and it hurt him to know he caused them, but he hadn't done anything. A thought occurred though: he had killed Quirrel. He was wondering if they knew but had doubted it until now. Only his friends and Dumbledore knew the truth, but a glimmer of the past reminded him what Dumbledore thought of hiding the truth.
Still, nothing he knew for sure, only thought he knew. Harry was familiar with that feeling, like when he thought he knew his parents were worthless drunks after being told that brutally and repeatedly for as long as he could remember, amongst many other truths the Dursleys had forced upon him.
That was why he was confused. He didn't know the truth and had no way of knowing it. More importantly, he knew he was afraid to find out.
'If he's not here then where else could he be?' Harry heard Susan ask.
Turning around, his friends were wandering over. Hermione answered with, 'Well, Hagrid's hut and there's an awful lot of rooms he could be hiding in.' She momentarily pouted, adding, 'It could be that he was where we checked, but we couldn't see him.'
Harry knew she was thinking out loud and what she hinted at. Despite his despair, he had to resist chuckling at her insight. A part of him wondered if she knew he was there and it was all a ploy to get him to "give himself up" in a way.
'How could we have missed him? I mean, you and Nev checked the tower, me and Han checked the library. It's not exactly easy to hide there, ya know?'
Hannah put her own thoughts out, saying, 'He must be scared.'
'Why'd y-you say that?' Neville asked.
Harry couldn't help but feel he was doing something stupid as he climbed down a bit to hear Hannah's soft voice better while the others took up positions sitting by the lake. 'Wouldn't you be if half the school stared at you like you just grew wings and farted on the headmaster's dinner?'
'Hannah!' Hermione scolded, but it was weak with the other two laughing at the image. After a "humph" and crossing her arms, she said, 'I still don't know what the big deal is. So he glowed.'
'It wasn't that,' Susan replied, rolling her eyes. 'He silenced the entire hall - even Dumbledore for Merlin's sake! After that, he still has enough left over to put on an aura and run off like he didn't do any tiring magic.'
The look of surprise on Hermione's face was accompanied by her saying, 'Over two-hundred silencing spells?'
Susan shrugged. 'It was probably more of a giant silencing spell. Accidental magic's usually stronger than normal, but that would be impressive even if he was a grown-up.'
'But... When we tested, he was really weak,' Hermione murmured.
Again Susan shrugged and asked, 'Well, how bright is your wordless lumos? I know his is nearly as bright as mine now and Aunty said wordless casting really weakens spells; that's why they only teach it in sixth year, so even the weaker wizards can at least cast.'
'He's really good at transfiguring,' Hannah added, idly looking at patches of dandelions. 'Especially when there isn't an incantation.'
Hermione had drifted out of the conversation, instead holding her wand and willing it to light. Even if she hadn't tried before, all the books she had found for Harry had been read by her beforehand to ensure she didn't have him read the same information twice. However, nothing really twigged and her wand-tip gave no sign of lighting.
'D-does it matter?' Neville asked. 'He's s-still Harry and he needs us now.'
Susan jumped up, brushing off bits of grass. 'Neville's right! Come on, let's go find him and tell him off for running off and hiding like that!'
Breaking her attempt, Hermione suggested, 'Why don't we split up? I'll stay here in case he comes.'
'Good idea,' Susan said. 'Hannah can check Hagrid's, I'll go check the library and Neville can check his dorm and common room again. If he doesn't turn up, well, we don't have much of a chance of finding him, but we'll have to try.'
'He'll be on the train if not,' Hermione added as they departed. After waiting for them to get far away enough, she circled back around the rock, obscuring herself from their view. 'I know you're there, Harry, you can come out now.'
Begrudgingly, he climbed down the rock, taking a seat next to Hermione before slowly removing the cloak.
'Thank Merlin it worked this time. I tried that same thing in the common room, your dorm and the library,' she muttered, twisting slightly to get a better look at him. 'So, I take it you listened in to our conversation?' He nodded. 'Feel better?' He nodded again. 'Good. Now, this time I want a cat.'
Suppressing the urge to glare, Harry took out his notebook and wrote, 'Wasn't stupid.'
She clipped his ear, saying, 'It was very stupid! You completely missed the look of horror on Snape's face and, for once in his life, Dumbledore looked completely confused.'
Harry gave a half-hearted smile, his mind still elsewhere. 'John?' he scribbled.
Looking away, Hermione said, 'I think he left when the name-calling started. Probably ran to Hogsmeade and apparated away.' Copying a move she had seen before, she placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. 'It'll all be okay.'
He didn't respond, but hoped she was right.
Harry wasn't sure if it was an uncomfortable silence or one from having nothing more to talk about. The train had departed from the station moments prior, but no one had said a word yet. If he was honest, Harry didn't really mind as he was looking for any holes in his summer plan. He had the letter for the Dursleys already written and he just needed to wait to get to London to send Hedwig out with it.
In the meantime, a few attempts were made at conversation, but they died soon after. The lady with the snack cart stopped by in the early afternoon, but otherwise it was simply quiet and uneventful. Eventually, they started to drop off, startling awake after half an hour or so.
It was when only Harry and Hermione were awake that she leant over and whispered, 'Are you sure you're going to be okay back at the Dursleys?'
While he had preferred not telling her at school (due to the headmaster seemingly being aware of everything apart from a ghost-like form of Voldemort possessing their defence against the dark arts teacher) he had no reason not to now.
Thinking it the best way forward, he wrote, 'Wizard tents.'
Hermione, being the faux-Ravenclaw she was, throttled the answer. 'Susan mentioned those, didn't she? Can be magically expanded to have bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, but always with muggle-repelling warding as well as muggle notice-me-not charms so witches and wizards can go camping without giving up luxuries or risk the Statute of Secrecy being broken by using magic in a public area.'
Harry, noticing she was looking at him expectantly, nodded.
'Dumbledore said you had to stay because of wards on the house,' she said, pausing for a minute of thought before continuing, 'The wards probably stretch to the entire property and maybe a bit further, so you should, in theory, be fine camping in the garden. Magic keeps your relatives,' she bathed the last word in sarcasm, 'away. Since you can cook, food wouldn't be a problem. Erm, it would have, err, lavatory facilities, wouldn't it?' she delicately asked.
'Not cheap ones and I'm not getting a cheap one,' Harry jotted.
'Okay, so there would be no need for you to even go into the house and everyone's happy.'
Smirking, Harry nodded. 'If the wards are just for the house, then I'll camp in my room.'
She read it, a gentle smile beginning. 'I'm glad you're gonna be fine. I was starting to get worried.' Harry snorted and she barely resisted swatting him. 'Okay, I was already very worried.'
'How about I stop by when you get back from Spain?' he wrote.
'Are you sure that's a good idea?' she asked, hastily adding, 'Not that I don't want you to come, but I don't want you to get in trouble with Dumbledore either.'
He shrugged and noted, 'I was allowed out during the day before. What can he do anyway?'
'Well, as the headmaster, he could expel you, but that would be a bit extreme, especially if it was just the one time... Still, be careful – I don't want to be the one who has to explain to Susan you got killed crossing the road to come see me; I doubt I'd get away alive.'
If it weren't for the slight curves at the corner of her mouth, Harry would've thought she meant it. 'I'll look both ways, promise,' he scrawled, chuckling.
'Road safety is no laughing matter, Mr Potter,' Hermione quietly stated in a tone that was identical to McGonagall's, albeit higher pitched.
In reply, Harry wrote, 'Yes ma'am!' and saluted her when she looked up, breaking her down to giggles while he smirked.
The trip idly continued, little changing from before. Towards the end, Harry slipped out of the compartment to go to the bathroom. 'Potter,' a voice hissed, before it repeated, more calmly, 'Harry. Follow me.' Looking behind, Harry found Zabini who held his hands up showing no wand. 'No trick, I swear.'
Reluctantly, Harry nodded, though his own wand slipping into hand from his robe's pocket. They walked down a few doors before entering an empty room, Zabini patiently waiting while Harry double-checked there wasn't an ambush awaiting.
When Harry finally sat, Zabini started talking in something barely above a whisper. 'I know you told Snape not to worry, but I'm a Slytherin and I don't like unpaid debts. Malfoy has been pissed off the entire year by you, but now he's scared. He's nothing; his dad's another story. If Lucius Malfoy decides to make your life difficult, it will be, even with your fame. Watch your back and if you see him then treat him like the bloody King of England, all Slytherins like compliments. If I hear a plan, I'll let you know, but I won't risk myself for you. Understand all that?'
Wearily, Harry nodded, but when Zabini went to leave, he held up his hand. 'Do you share Malfoy's "views" on muggle-borns etc.?' he wrote, handing the notebook over.
After quickly reading, Zabini took a deep breath and said, 'I'll be honest. Most of them I do, but not what he wants to do with the, err, non-purebloods. Myself, I'd let them be aurors and shop clerks and all those other unimportant, dead-end jobs so the rest of us can focus on the better stuff. My mother always taught me "live and let serve" and it makes sense. Anything else?'
Harry shook his head. Without looking back, Zabini skulked out the room, swiftly moving down the corridor. Slowly, Harry returned to his compartment, taking up his seat between Hermione and Neville. They were all still asleep.
However, it wasn't long when the door slammed open and the Weasley twins leapt in. Harry wasn't sure what had happened, but the sudden loud noise and much thinner than a moment ago Fred and George suggested some kind of pranking practice. The other occupants jumped out of sleep, completely startled.
'Sorry to burst in like this,' Fred said.
'I thought we were popping in?' George asked.
'Well, one or the other.'
'Either way.'
'We're here!'
'Unfortunately,' Susan grumbled, tightly gripping her wand. Hermione and Hannah followed her lead, while Neville was still quite spooked and seemingly happy not to be under attack. To avoid being potentially attacked, Harry looked solely at the twins, holding back any and all signs of the threatening laughter.
George scowled at Susan, though his good-natured face left it more a look of intense concentration. 'No need to be snide little Susie.'
'Unless you are Snape's secret apprentice that is.'
'But we digress.'
'Indeed we do.'
'A certain matter of a summer requests is why we are here.'
'Though Percy wanted to be here in our place.'
'We decided we'd rather be here.'
'Which is why we are here!'
Through their chirping the girls had grown more disgruntled. With the break in speech, Hermione interjected, 'Take Harry and go,' and the two others voiced agreement.
'It seems our pranking apprentice has lost his way with the ladies.'
'Such as shame as he certainly bagged the most beautiful girls of the firsties.' The girls in question and Harry blushed profusely at this flattering claim.
'Not including Malfoy of course.'
'But our Harry isn't into that sort, is he?'
'No, not at all.'
'But again we digress.'
'Indeed we do.'
'We have come to take down requests.'
'At our own mother's request.'
'So we request you share your requests.'
'If we may so request.'
Harry thought about requesting something for the forming headache, but knew better than to ask the twins for anything edible. 'I guess you could take my trunk. Can't use my broom and stuff, so no point lugging it home.'
'Is that all you ask of us?'
'Not even a prank upon a Slytherin?'
'Or a secret Weasley-twin potion recipe?'
'Or a comb?'
The last had the others laughing while Harry glared around before shaking his head.
'Very well young one.'
'Take what you need from it and we shall take the rest.'
After he packed his wand, invisibility cloak (bundled amongst a few shirts) and a couple of books into a backpack as well as letting Hedwig out of her cage and adding it to the trunk, the twins shrunk it with a combined cry of, 'Reducio!' making it no bigger than a wad of paper. Half-bowing, in unison, the twins said, 'Cheerio,' before exiting the compartment.
'Was it really a good idea to leave your trunk in their hands?' Hermione asked.
Harry shrugged, writing, 'Only important thing is my broom and they wouldn't mess with it.'
'Just make sure you test it safely first before flying, okay?' she added.
He rolled his eyes nodding while Susan said, 'At least we're nearly there. Must be entering London,' and pointed out the window where the greenery gave way to towering concrete.
Deciding it a good time, Harry pulled out the letter simply addressed to "Dursleys" before attaching it to Hedwig. Opening the window gave Hedwig enough room to slip out, quickly spreading her wings and gaining a little height. As fast as she was, the train had a bit of an edge and she slowly fell further back.
No one questioned him, having informed them of his plan after his chat with Hermione. Not long after changing out of their robes, the magically enhanced brakes came on and the locomotive slowed to a standstill at platform 9¾ announcing the start of the summer holidays.
Busy chapter, with surprise birthday parties (Susan 26th May / Hannah 11th June if you don't want to check calendars), feasting and friendly warnings/advice. A little more about Harry's relative magic level too. Though I don't intend to make this a super-Harry fic, it does play into later plans that he has a large core which he can't efficiently use with wordless casting. That said, I do think it's reasonable as he's training his magic with a severe power handicap. John will most likely not make another appearance. While it is somewhat implied homosexuality, I didn't state as the important part is Harry's reaction to the bigotry and while homophobia isn't on quite an extreme level in the real Britain as it is at Hogwarts (at least now - not sure about '92 as I wasn't born yet), it is a school of children as well as a school of people from the somewhat outdated magical world.
Momentary rant, the point system. Given ~70 students per house and ~200 school days, the points totals I've used are very small compared to if I use the very low estimate of each student earning 1 point per day / 5 points per school week = 1 correctly answered question per week. However, 50 points penalties are apparently a huge deal in the books. Honestly, I could put the effort in to try and scale everything, but in the end the numbers are only useful for pointing out plot holes and I don't think people really care about them that much.
Unstorily, stuck with flu, sorry for delay. I probably won't manage an update tomorrow, but hopefully Thursday else Friday. Hoping to make the Saturday update on time, otherwise it should be on Sunday. As a passing thought, for people leaving a review, is there anything that actually adds to the story in author notes and, if so, what sort of stuff? I do enjoy rambling, but I honestly have no idea as I often skip them in the few stories that do.
Until next time, accidental magic produces unknown results, so don't play with matches.