The Potter Timeline
Chapter 36 - Astonishing Changes and Christmas Cheer
The following morning, after breakfast, Harry and Hermione left the castle for Hagrid's hut. Due to the numerous well-wishers stopping by the High Table to visit Hagrid the previous evening, the pair were only able to briefly congratulate him. So, they decided to visit the giant privately, curious about his new situation as well as what classes he might attend.
It was a cold, blustery day with snow flurries falling occasionally beneath a cloudy sky. The pair had bundled up for the trek from the castle to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and were eager to get inside Hagrid's home where they hoped to sit by his warm fire and partake of some hot, musty tea. But as they approached the circular wooden building, they were surprised to find the windows darkened and no smoke rising from the chimney.
Harry walked up the steps and knocked.
No answer.
The pair threw puzzled looks at one another. Harry knocked again.
Still no answer, and no barking from Fang, as usual. Harry tried a couple more times with no response from the giant.
Stumped, they headed back to the castle.
"I wonder where he went off to?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Hermione replied, "perhaps Dumbledore has some important task for him already."
"Perhaps. I guess we'll try again later," Harry said.
After returning to Gryffindor Tower, they entered the common room to find Harry's dorm mates, along with the Patil twins, staring at something on the study table. The five looked up wide-eyed as Harry and Hermione approached.
"I think you two might want to see this," Dean said with a disturbed look.
They walked to the table and saw what the Gryffindors were looking at: the latest edition of The Daily Prophet. And the headline of the first story stood out like a flashing sign.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS REAL!
HOGWARTS UNDER THREAT!
Harry read the beginning of the article out loud.
"After a half-century of silence, Albus Dumbledore, esteemed - though that's now questionable - headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has finally acknowledged the truth: the legendary Chamber of Secrets is real. In an effort to stem the tide of suspicion directed at him, the professor has confessed to the existence of the Chamber and the danger that lurks within. The Ministry of Magic, in an attempt to get to the bottom of this debacle, dispatched its finest Aurors to confirm the whereabouts of the mysterious, hidden chamber. Researchers and investigators have also sought interviews from both the headmaster and his deputy and have requested permission from the Ministry to enter Hogwarts in order to uncover this dirty skeleton in Dumbledore's closet. No response has been received from any of the parties as yet..."
Harry and Hermione's faces soured at this. Then the headline below caught their attention.
Conspiracy at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
Dumbledore forces Wizengamot acquittal of Rubeus Hagrid!
Was there a plan to replace Argus Filch all along?
"WHAT?!" Harry exclaimed with incredulity. He then read part of this one.
"With the death of long-time caretaker at Hogwarts, Mr. Argus Filch - which has now been attributed to the opening of the Chamber of Secrets - and the questionable exoneration of former student Rubeus Hagrid - and his sudden rise to the honorable caretaker position - what secret machinations lie behind this bizarre series of events? What role did Dumbledore play in them and what mysterious 'evidence' supposedly convinced the Wizengamot of Hagrid's innocence? This reporter intends to find out..."
He glanced at Hermione and the others with an angry look. Everyone frowned.
"That's not all, Harry," Seamus said hesitantly, "look at the bottom."
Harry glanced down and his eyes grew wide in shock.
Harry Potter attacks muggleborn during Hogwarts Quidditch match!
What does the Boy Who Lived know about the Chamber of Secrets?
Is he the one responsible for its opening and the death of Filch?
Harry couldn't believe it.
"After our glowing report of young Harry Potter's heroics during the final match at Hogwarts, last term, the Prophet has learned of the strange happenings at last week's match which now throw the famous boy's behavior into suspicion. As has been revealed, the one who opens the Chamber of Secrets is said to target muggleborns - following his ancestor Salazar Slytherin, who reportedly wanted to rid Hogwarts of all non-pureblood witches and wizards. Is that why young Potter leapt from his broom to attack a second-year guilty of nothing more than being born to non-magical parents? And is that also why young Potter spared a student from Slytherin, a House purportedly to be against him? Find the answers in Part 1 of this reporter's new series, Mysteries and Misdeeds at Hogwarts, appearing next edition..."
His palms resting on the table, his face pale, Harry gazed slack-jawed at the paper, his mind reeling in shock. While he never desired attention due to his famous survival of the killing curse and the supposed vanquishing of its user, Harry would never have imagined himself the target of slander...to the entire Wizarding world! This was a nightmare! No wonder several students eyed him suspiciously at breakfast that morning!
But if Harry was stunned, Hermione was fuming mad.
"WHO WROTE ALL THIS RUBBISH?!" she uttered angrily, causing the others to jump.
Dean looked down at the paper.
"Their 'star' reporter...Rita Skeeter," he muttered with a gulp.
The girl grabbed the Prophet off the table. She then flipped through several pages in a fury, ripping out the comics section and shoving it at Seamus, who took it and fell back with a stunned look on his face. Hermione then crumpled the rest of the paper up, marched to the fireplace, and hurled it into the fire with a vengeance. She turned and gazed at her fellow House mates with a severe look. Neville's face went pale, as though noting to himself to never make Hermione this angry. The girl then marched back to the table, grabbed Harry's shoulders and spun him around to face her.
"Harry, look at me!" she exclaimed, holding each of his shoulders with her hands, "don't you pay attention to a single lie that woman wrote! You understand?!"
Still in shock, the boy looked into her eyes and grimaced, giving her a nod. She went on.
"None of us believes a word that witch put in the Prophet! We believe in you, Harry, all of us! Isn't that right?!"
She threw a fierce, sweeping gaze at the others and they nodded vigorously with wide eyes.
"Yeah, Harry, we know none of it's true," Padma answered, placing her hand on his arm.
"Rita Skeeter is the worst sort," Parvati added, "she writes rubbish like that all the time."
"Yeah, Harry, don't let it bother you," Dean chimed in, "you know Seamus and I read the Prophet a lot. You should see some of the ridiculous things that woman says."
"And everybody knows it, too," Seamus said.
The whole group nodded at Harry whose face seemed to regain its color. He smiled at his friends, feeling grateful.
"Thanks guys. I appreciate it," he muttered, "reading that felt like a terrific punch in gut. It's just hard to fathom why someone would want to cast Dumbledore, Hagrid, or...me as some sort of horrible villain...to the entire world!"
Hermione, teary-eyed herself, took both of Harry's hands and stepped closer to him, close enough he could feel her breath on his face.
"We understand, Harry. And we're with you," she said softly.
Harry gleamed at the girl, and she smiled back. Harry didn't think he had ever noticed her so pretty before this moment and it amazed him. Her hair glowed in the light of the room as did those beautiful, tear-filled eyes. He squeezed her hands gently and she reciprocated.
"Thank you, Hermione. And all of you," he uttered with emotion.
The Patil twins wiped a few tears from their cheeks, and Harry's dorm mates each gave the boy a reassuring pat on the shoulder and a smile.
To cheer him up, the seven House mates played a game of Knights & Dragons together on the common room floor, this time with Neville winning. They then sat around the common room, laughing over Skeeter's outlandish articles. Harry found himself laughing so hard his sides hurt. This lifted the boy's spirits and he felt much better.
After, they all had lunch together in the Great Hall, then Harry and Hermione took a walk around the school grounds, enjoying the fresh air despite its tinge of icy cold. A few hours studying together in the library, a brief stint in the Spellroom, and then off to bed - the day ended nicely. But as Harry lay inside his four-poster, waiting for sleep to come, The Daily Prophet articles kept haunting him, giving him a hint of worry.
But his eyelids grew heavy, and the disturbing words of Rita Skeeter were replaced by a deep, peaceful sleep.
~HP~
After breakfast on Sunday morning, Harry and Hermione again went out to Hagrid's hut to see if he was home. But like the morning before, the windows were darkened, no smoke rose from the chimney, and they now noticed that Hagrid's enormous crossbow and boots were missing from their places by the side of the hut. This was mystifying. What happened to him?
When they returned to the castle, most of the student population was up and about. And Harry received glares and looks from several. No doubt word about the Prophet articles had spread. But he tried to ignore the glares, reminding himself of the reassuring words of his friends. Hermione, however, threw a glare at any who looked even slightly askew at her friend. Harry continued to be grateful for her.
"Good morning!" the high-pitched voice of Luna hit them.
The blond, with that perpetual dreamy look of hers was walking with Ginny Weasley toward the Great Hall.
"Good morning, Luna," the pair replied.
"Good morning, Ginny," Harry said pleasantly to the redhead.
She looked up at him, blushed, and actually threw back a smile - the first time since her ordeal with Tom Riddle. Harry and Hermione exchanged amused looks. This was a good sign.
The pair then split up as Harry had Quidditch practice for at least an hour. As he headed to his dorm room to retrieve his Nimbus and flying gloves, Hermione set off for the library to meet Mandy Brocklehurst where they were to compare notes on what they found in Gilderoy Lockhart's books, looking for more 'evidence', as they described it.
After an exhausting training session where Wood had the team go back over their outmaneuvering strategy - and change it up a bit, as the other three teams now knew what they were up to - Harry headed back inside and rejoined Hermione for lunch in the Great Hall.
But before either could take a sip of their steaming, chicken noodle soup, Hedwig appeared and dropped a letter between them. The bird stepped toward Harry who smiled at her, gave her a pet on the head, and tore off a piece of his French bread for her as a snack. As the owl flew off, Harry saw Hermione's eyes grow large at the handwriting on the envelope face.
"Harry, look!" she said excitedly.
He glanced at the envelope.
Harry and Hermoney
They realized who the letter was from. Hermione tore it open.
Come visit me in my new office, when you get a chance.
Hagrid
P.S. That's Filch's old office, by the way.
The second-years grinned at one another. They finished their meal and headed for the ground floor.
~HP~
Harry knocked on the door to Filch's former "lair". He remembered entering it for his detention a year prior. In fact, he couldn't forget. The worn-out furniture, file drawers with parchments sticking out of them, jars of liquid containing odd, magical creatures, Mrs. Norris' ragged bed, the manacles on the wall, and worst of all, the smell. Formaldehyde, rotting fish, and cat hair made a pungent, disagreeable combination - an unforgettable one, in fact. If Hagrid had taken over the man's office, Harry sure hoped it would at least smell better.
They heard the clomping of boots and the door swung open.
"Harry! Hermione! Come on in!" Hagrid boomed at them with a cheery look.
But the second-years stood frozen, gazing up at the big man in shock.
They couldn't believe their eyes!
The first thing they noticed was the beard. That wild tuft of bushy hair Hagrid always wore to below his collar line was now trimmed up nice and neat around his face, goatee-style. His hair on top, just as wild as the beard and usually fanning out in every direction, had been cut shorter too, and its new length was held back in a short...ponytail of all things! While the shorter beard and hair made the giant look more sophisticated, the ponytail made him look fierce - like a viking or a samurai warrior.
Then, they noticed his clothes. In place of the dirty, worn leather jacket or vest he usually wore, Hagrid sported an enormous, black wool turtleneck with the colorful emblem of Hogwarts sewn into the sweater on his left side. Rounding out this surprising change, the giant wore a pair of nice khaki pants and tall black boots, shined and spotless.
To say he looked different was an understatement. He looked very smart, intimidating, and...official!
"Hagrid!" Harry uttered wide-eyed, nearly speechless at the sight.
"You look...GREAT!" Hermione exclaimed, finishing Harry's thought and staring at the man just as awestruck.
The new Hogwarts Caretaker blushed, somewhat unsure of himself.
"Thanks!" he muttered, looking down at his attire with uncertainty, "yeh really think so?"
They both nodded.
"It feels weird, teh be honest. But since I'm taking up such an important post, I figured I needed teh look the part, at least."
"Wow!" Harry muttered, "you do! Definitely! Far better than Filch did, that's for sure!"
The giant beamed at him.
"Where did you get all that done?" Hermione asked.
"Professor Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday, an' I went teh Diagon. Madam Malkin was kind enough teh set me up with these fancy new duds - stitched the emblem herself. An' I went teh Madam Primpernelle's salon up above her shop. Course, I couldn't fit in one of their chairs, so they had me sit on the floor where she an' her girls fixed me new 'do'."
He leaned in toward them with a sour look.
"The ponytail was their idea, mind yeh. I still ain't sure about it, but they claim it makes me look respectable an'...somethin' fierce too. I don't know 'bout that, but if it helps in dealing with the students, all the better, I say."
The pair chuckled.
"But anyway, come on in an' take a look at what Professor McGonagall an' me have done teh the place!"
He turned and went inside, Harry and Hermione following him. Both were amazed.
The room was brighter. The single oil lamp Filch used to barely light the chamber was gone and a small candelabra hung in its place. An enormous, furry rug covered most of the floor and a new desk with a leather chair sat up against the wall. Two smaller chairs sat before the desk and Harry amusingly imagined students sitting in them before the half-giant, receiving details for their detention. Filch's old file drawers sat near the desk but were clean and closed. Two sets of coat hangers were set in the wall opposite the drawers with Hagrid's old trenchcoat hanging from one of them while the boots he used to keep outside his hut sat beneath. But above and behind the desk, Filch's old torture chamber manacles still hung, and beside these was Hagrid's enormous crossbow.
But Harry also noticed that the room smelled...clean, with a light scent of lemon.
"Have a seat!" he told them while walking around his desk and plopping down into his new chair which sunk down several inches due to the man's weight. The two sat in the small chairs, still blown away at the giant's appearance. Hagrid's face then became severe, and he leaned forward on the desk and gazed hard at them. The second-years gulped in surprise.
"Now, we're here teh discuss yer detention fer bein' so bad!" he uttered seriously, before breaking into a chuckle.
Harry and Hermione, now getting it, laughed.
"How was that, do yeh think?" he asked with an uncertain expression.
"That was perfect!" Hermione replied in amusement.
"Yeah, especially with Filch's old manacles and your crossbow hanging up above you," Harry added.
The giant turned and looked up at them.
"I thought I'd keep those. Part fer the memory of the old man, an' part teh help put the fear of Merlin into any students who enter this chamber."
The second-years chuckled. Hagrid's face lit up.
"Now, let me show you two somethin' special."
He reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a long, thin box, placing it on the desktop. The man then opened it and turned it around to show the pair. Inside was a purple velvet cloth and on top of the cloth sat a nice new, dark brown wand!
"Wow!" Harry uttered, "you got a new wand too?"
"Yep. I decided teh start new again, an' visited ol' Ollivander while I was at Diagon."
He pulled the wand out and held it like it was a delicate, easily breakable object. The stick was thicker than either Harry or Hermione's wands, no doubt needed due to the man's enormous hands. Its base was shaped almost like a sword handle, its length to the tip was semi-straight, and its surface seemed only slightly gnarled.
"That's great, Hagrid!" Hermione uttered, "what's it made of?"
"This here is Chestnut with a Dragon Heartstring core, Hermione. Ollivander himself picked it out fer me, though I told him I liked the idea of a core with somethin' dragon in it, as I still hold a soft spot fer the great beasts."
The two chuckled, remembering the man's crazy experiences with Norbert.
"But I've been so busy movin' an' gettin' things straightened out, I haven't had a chance teh even use the thing proper, though I hope teh soon. Professor McGonagall an' Professor Flitwick both offered teh teach me a few spells teh help get me started with me new job."
He smiled at these words, but then his eyes softened, and tears came to his big brown eyes as he gazed at his wand.
"I can't begin teh tell you two what this means teh ol' Hagrid. Bein' a legit wizard once more, havin' a brand-new wand, an' bein' given this important job by Professor Dumbledore. An' it's all owin' teh you, Harry. If it weren't fer you findin' out what Tom Riddle did all those years ago, I'd still be out there in me old hut, freezin' me bum off, and doin' nothin' more than roundin' up creatures - though I still plan teh do that too, mind yeh. But fer everythin' that's happened, Harry, I thank yeh! I thank yeh, a lot!"
Harry and Hermione beamed at the man.
"You're welcome, Hagrid," he said, "I'm glad I've been of service, especially for everything you've done for me. I'm glad to help my friend."
Strong emotion came over the three of them momentarily. But then, Hermione was curious.
"So, if you're not staying in the hut by the forest now, where do you sleep?" she inquired.
Hagrid's face lit up as he wiped his eyes.
"Let me show yeh!"
He rose from the desk and stepped over to the coat hangers against the wall, pocketing his new wand in a holster attached to his giant belt. The two second-years rose with him. Hagrid reached up and tugged on the empty coat hanger next to the one with his trenchcoat. The sound of stone grating against stone was heard and the next thing Harry and Hermione knew, a secret doorway opened up in the very wall at the back of the small chamber. They were blown away.
Then, the sound of a single dog bark erupted from behind the doorway, and into Hagrid's office bolted his great boarhound.
"Fang!" Harry said with a smile.
The big dog immediately headed for Hermione, of course, and the girl, with her own smile, leaned down to pet him with both hands.
"Hello, there!" she told Fang as the dog licked his lips.
"In here!" Hagrid said, leaning over and walking behind the doorway of stone. Harry, Hermione, and Fang went in after.
This chamber, a bit larger than the office itself, was cozy. Hagrid's big bed, with its patchwork quilt blanket, sat off to one side. A chest of drawers sat next to it and the dirty rug he used in his hut straddled the floor space between these and a fireplace which had a nice, crackling fire within. Fang's bed sat near the fireplace, and on either side of the hearth were two windows with a view of the distant mountains behind the school grounds. Harry then noticed Hagrid's old pink umbrella lying against the wall by his bed. And finally, at the foot of the bed, was a pair of oak doors, side by side, that were arched at their top and looked quite ancient.
"Turns out," Hagrid said, "Filch was right paranoid. He was always goin' on 'bout students gettin' revenge on him fer the harsh detentions he meted out, an' was so hung up 'bout it, he had this room sealed off secretly, afraid someone might off him in his sleep. It took a bit of cleanin' an' tidyin', just like his office, but now it feels like home."
"It's very nice!" Hermione mentioned while walking around the space.
"Well, I don' have teh freeze me toes off in the winter no more, nor sweat like a hog in the summer as I did sometimes in me old hut," the man said with a look of wonder, "though I might miss bein' out there sometimes, I'm sure."
"What do those doors lead to?" Harry asked.
"One of 'em's personal quarters, Harry, and the other...well...let me show yeh!" Hagrid said with some excitement.
He went over and opened the door farthest from the bed. Behind lay complete darkness.
"Now, don' say a word 'bout this teh no one, got it?" he said.
They nodded at him. The giant walked through, and they came in after. With the dim light from Hagrid's bedroom, all they could make out was a circular room with a spiral staircase that lead down and also continued upward into more darkness.
Out of instinct, Harry and Hermione pulled their wands to light the space.
"Hang on, you two!" Hagrid muttered wide-eyed to stop them, "I nearly forgot I had it."
He reached into the holster on the side of his khakis and pulled out his own, brand-new wand, raising it up.
"Lumos!" he uttered, and the wand tip lit a bright bluish-white, illuminating the space better. Tears came to the giant wizard's eyes again.
"I haven't uttered that spell in over fifty years!"
The two kids chuckled, thrilled to see the man use his wand for the first time. Hagrid then swung it around and they perceived the spiral staircase better. It seemed to go both up and down forever.
"What does this go to?" Harry asked while peering upward.
"Ever wondered how Filch was able teh get teh any floor in the castle so fast?"
They nodded.
"Well, this stairwell sits at the heart o' the old structure. It goes all the way teh the top of the Astronomy Tower, an' all the way down teh the lowest dungeons, where there's a secret doorway out of the castle, by the way. An' each floor has a secret doorway these stairs open onto. If ever I need teh get somewhere quick, I can use these steps to do it."
"Wow!" Hermione uttered.
"And are those...water pipes?" Harry asked.
Hagrid moved to the stairwell and held his lit wand out beyond it, revealing several pairs of metal pipes of various sizes that stretched up and down along with the staircase into the darkness above and below. Some of the pipes looked large enough for a person to fit inside.
"Yeah, Harry. This is where the main pipes were put in decades ago fer the plumbin'. Each of these goes teh the restrooms an' dorm rooms on each floor. Now, speakin' o' the old structure, there's somethin' else I want teh show yeh."
Harry and Hermione followed Hagrid down the stairs. After a few minutes walking, the air had grown colder, and an old wooden bridge appeared. Hagrid walked out onto it, and they followed. The wooden structure creaked and groaned with every step Hagrid took and the second-years were concerned the thing might suddenly collapse and they'd all plummet into what seemed an abyss of deep darkness below. But it never did, and the giant finally stopped.
"You two can light yer own wands now, if yeh'd like. We might need more teh see this."
They did, and the three of them held their wands over the wooden bridge and down below it. From out of the darkness, the top of a long, stone wall appeared, its form worn and covered in green mold. As they swung their wands back and forth, more of these stone walls appeared, revealing the ruins of a very old structure beneath the bridge.
"What is this?" Hermione asked.
"That, young miss, is part o' the old Medieval castle the Hogwarts Founders built theirs over top of."
The girl's eyes lit up.
"I read about that in Hogwarts, A History!"
"Yep. Accordin' teh Professor Dumbledore, the Founders used this old castle owned by the lord of these lands over a thousand years ago an' then built the rest of it themselves. Some o' the dungeons servin' as classrooms today are part o' that old building. But most o' the ruins are buried, as yeh can see."
He leaned in closer to the pair.
"Filch told a tale 'bout it once, claimin' there's treasure buried in a secret chamber down there somewhere, an' supposedly an old spook haunts the place, tryin' teh keep intruders out. But I don' know 'bout that. When Filch had enough whiskey in 'em, he'd say the craziest things."
They stared at the ruins a couple minutes more, before Harry and Hagrid noticed Hermione was trembling from the cold air. He led them back up and into his bedroom where the two sat down on the rug by the warm fire while Hagrid sat on the side of his bed. The three talked a while longer about his new job and Hagrid's desire to continue learning magic.
"So, fer now, I don't plan on tryin' teh resume me old schoolin', just learn enough teh help with me job and anythin' else I find interestin'. Maybe someday, though, Professor Dumbledore will let me sit in classes like regular."
"That's great, Hagrid," Hermione said with a smile, "Harry and I also practice spellwork outside of classes in a room on the fourth floor. You're welcome to join us any time you have a chance."
Harry nodded in agreement. Hagrid beamed at them.
"Well, thanks, you two! I might jus' do that from time teh time. Especially, if yer teaching, Hermione. I'd be learnin' from a real expert, no doubt."
Harry chuckled and Hermione's cheeks went pink.
"So, you're keeping your old wand too?" Harry asked with a look at the pink umbrella. The giant gazed at it as well, a bit of emotion coming over him at the sight.
"Oh yeah, Harry. I want to hang on teh the old one as a reminder of where I came from, where I've been, and where I'm off to now. It's got some sentimental value fer me, as yeh can imagine."
The second-years nodded in understanding. Hagrid went on.
"Well now, I'm glad you two came by teh see me, but I better be off. Professor Dumbledore wants to chat some more about me job and show me a few more things 'round the castle."
The two got up from the rug as Hagrid stood and reopened the secret doorway back into his office. Before exiting the room, Harry turned to look at the man.
"It's great to see things are working out for you, Hagrid. We're all very happy for you."
The giant's cheeks went pink as Hermione nodded in agreement.
"And you look great too. I think you'll fit the part well," she added.
"Well, thanks again, you two. I appreciate that. An' now that I'm so close by, feel free to come by an' visit ol' Hagrid any time."
"We will. See you later," Harry said. The giant waved at the pair as they stepped out of the office back into the ground-floor corridor.
On the way back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Hermione talked about all the changes in their big friend's life. They were both amazed and elated - especially with his new appearance. Hagrid had stepped up to his situation with much enthusiasm. The big giant who always came across rather gruff and rough looking had truly turned over a new leaf.
~HP~
November gave way to December and with it, the cold Scottish winter set in. The halls of Hogwarts grew quite chilly and Professor Dumbledore tasked Hagrid with keeping the fireplaces running almost around the clock. Students were bundling up even while studying and on short-session Fridays the enormous fireplace inside the Great Hall roared to everyone's delight.
Nearly all were as stunned as Harry and Hermione at Hagrid's transformation from the wild and woolly-looking gamekeeper to a very respectable-looking caretaker, even if he was twice as large as your average wizard. He seemed flustered at first concerning all his duties, but with a couple of weeks under his belt, the giant got the hang of it. In contrast to Filch, cleaning and moving tasks weren't near as arduous for Hagrid, especially as he learned the Scourgify, Evanesco, and levitation spells under the tutelage of McGonagall and Flitwick.
But seeing Hagrid walk the halls of Hogwarts in a similar fashion to Filch took getting used to. A fearsome-looking, half giant with that wicked ponytail who carried a rather intimidating wand cut quite a different figure from thin, scraggly Filch and seemed an automatic deterrent to errant behavior, even if Hagrid maintained his natural friendliness. Fred and George decided to lay low for a while - at least until they could figure out how to execute their shenanigans under Hagrid's nose without getting caught.
The Daily Prophet articles concerning the Chamber of Secrets continued unabated. While Harry and his House mates kept an eye on what was said, for the most part Skeeter's articles contained more innuendo than actual facts. It seemed she was attempting to paint the headmaster, caretaker, and Harry in an unsavory light more to sell papers than to get to the truth.
However, during the first weeks of December, an occasional, very specific detail about Harry would pop up in an article or two which had the boy puzzled. How did Skeeter know about the presentation on Fanged Geraniums he and Hermione gave together during one herbology class, or the absence of Finch-Fletchley and several of his fellow Hufflepuffs from the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, which Gryffindor won handily? Harry did recall seeing a small black beetle show up in the common room or even his dorm room around that same period of time. This was puzzling as the Scottish winter ordinarily made the chilly halls of Hogwarts too cool for insects. But he thought nothing more of it.
But neither he nor his fellow pupils put much stock into the reporter's assertions, especially since the entrance to the Chamber had been sealed off and no further incidents occurred. And neither the Hufflepuffs nor others seemed concerned about the previous attacks as every student found themselves buried under loads of classwork leading up to the end-of-term holidays.
Harry did what Dumbledore requested and kept an eye out for any strange occurrences. But nothing ever happened, and the boy wondered if the business with Tom Riddle was truly at an end. In fact, Harry personally felt better than he had in a long time. So much so, he found an amazing clarity of mind and seemingly improved memory when it came to his schoolwork.
"Who can tell me the active compound in Grommel roots and what it's commonly used for?" Snape asked his class during one chilly afternoon.
As soon as Harry heard the word "Grommel", he instantly knew the answer. His hand rose faster than Hermione's and the girl shot him a stunned look. Snape seemed equally stunned and while he normally held Harry in disdain, was quite curious as to what the boy might say.
"Yes...Potter?" the greasy-haired man asked with a furrowed brow. Everyone threw an intense gaze at the twelve-year-old.
"Grommel roots contain the compound Salinium Acetate, which is one of the critical ingredients needed to make Veritaserum."
Nearly every jaw dropped at this, including a very stunned Professor Snape. As Harry wasn't generally known for his potions knowledge, this answer was most impressive.
"Correct...Mr. Potter..." the teacher muttered with a very suspicious gaze at the boy, clearly mystified. But Harry didn't care, he threw a huge grin at Hermione who seemed blown away. Harry then went on to answer several more questions the potions master posed to him about the creation of Veritaserum, something that wasn't usually taught until sixth year. But Snape quietly listened, nevertheless. As Harry couldn't have known the man was going to ask these questions ahead of time, it seemed impossible for the boy to have cheated.
When the class ended, Harry and Hermione headed for Flitwick's class. Hermione leaned toward him.
"How did you know all that about Veritaserum?" she asked extremely puzzled. Harry looked down in thought and shrugged.
"I don't know," he answered, "but it must have been when we were studying for that exam on chemicals and their magical properties last week. I don't think I've ever tried to cram so much potions information into my brain before. I must have seen it somewhere along the way."
Hermione nodded but didn't seem entirely convinced. But she said nothing further about it.
The second week into the final month of the year, Harry sat for his detention with Gilderoy Lockhart. Four hours of helping the wizard address envelopes to respond to mountains of fan mail was grueling, to say the least. After exiting Lockhart's study near midnight, the exhausted boy couldn't decide which was worse: his aching fingers or having to listen to Lockhart drone on about how famous he was or the myriad of tips he gave to help Harry with his own celebrity status. Why couldn't the man just have used an automatic quill to do all that addressing? Whatever the case, Harry was glad his detention was finally over.
~HP~
A week before end of term, Hogwarts students were excited. Banners inside and outside the castle had changed to red and green. Christmas trees began appearing on every floor and inside House common rooms. Harry, Hermione, and their fellow House mates came across Hagrid levitating an enormous fir to be used as a Christmas tree inside the Great Hall. The giant, holding up the tree with his wand, seemed both pleased and relieved he didn't have to haul it inside the chamber by hand as he had done for many years.
With the festive decorations appearing and the final week of class having completed, everyone looked forward to the holiday break. But this year, there were some significant changes to who would remain at the school and who would not - changes both pleasant and otherwise.
Due to the frightening experience of Ginny Weasley under the influence of Tom Riddle near the beginning of term, Arthur and Molly insisted the entire Weasley clan spend Christmas together with their oldest, Bill, in Egypt. Fred and George weren't happy about this and Percy even less so. But the redheaded matriarch was determined the family be together away from Hogwarts and threatened the three with severe consequences if they didn't obey her and Arthur. As such, Harry realized Gryffindor Tower would be much quieter this year than last - he'd miss the presence of Fred and George, no doubt. But this unfortunate news was replaced by better news.
Hermione asked her parents if she could remain at Hogwarts for the two weeks of break and they agreed. Harry was thrilled. The Grangers themselves would visit the school for the grand Christmas Day dinner, spending time with their daughter and touring the old castle. But the remainder of the break would give the two second-years a lot of free time together to study, practice their spells, explore the snow-covered grounds, or just plain relax. They were looking forward to it. The only sour news was that Draco Malfoy and several of his fellow Slytherins were also staying through the break. This put a dent into what otherwise would have been a peaceful break. But Harry and Hermione determined to avoid the snakes if they possibly could - especially when her parents visited.
Dumbledore granted the one-day visit to Hogsmeade for all students so everyone could buy their Christmas gifts. Scouring Dervish and Banges, Harry found the perfect gift for Hermione: a magically expandable satchel that could hold at least a dozen large textbooks inside and weighed no more than a few pounds when carried. It was quite expensive, but Harry didn't mind - his friend meant that much to him.
So, when the end-of-term banquet had completed and the school emptied of nearly all but fifty students the next day, near silence filled the halls of the old castle. The Christmas Day feast was as hearty as the previous year and Hermione's parents seemed blown away at all the magic infusing the place. The remaining staff were introduced to the Grangers and Hagrid praised Hermione to the skies, though his enthusiasm may have been owing to numerous goblets of rum-laden eggnog the great man had consumed. After the Slytherin students retreated to their dorm, the remaining ones stayed and played several rounds of Exploding Snap with one another. There was another snowball fight outside followed by dinner that Christmas evening.
Once the Grangers departed, Harry and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room. They sat on the floor next to the Christmas tree and exchanged their own gifts. Hermione was of course thrilled and amazed at the satchel Harry gave her. But she was even more thrilled when Harry opened her presents: a beautiful, eagle feather quill and a brass cauldron with his initials, 'HP', engraved on the side. They then enjoyed several sweets given them as gifts by their dorm mates.
Sitting in their pajamas on the sofa, they gazed into the fire, talked about the crazy and scary experiences of first term, and laughed once more at Hermione's bunny rabbit slippers, one of which now sported a singed ear from the fire in her dorm.
Hermione then laid her head on Harry's shoulder, and he laid his head on hers.
"Happy Christmas, Harry," she told the boy quietly.
"Happy Christmas, Hermione," he replied.
They stayed there by the fireplace for a while as the snow fell thickly outside the castle and settled on the sills of the common room windows. It was a fine way to end their first term and the year. And while they enjoyed the peace and solitude, the pair wondered what new experiences awaited them next term, hoping it would be a pleasant one.