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"Someone will catch him eventually!"
"But we probably won't get expelled! Fred and George are still here!"
"What do you know about magical paint?" All three Gryffindors turned to stare at Harry. Harry grinned and shrugged. "It's just a thought I'd had. No one would get hurt. But we'd need to research paint and maybe ink. I'd like it to be something that can't be spelled or washed off but still fade and disappear after awhile. You know no harm, no foul."
Ron looked ecstatic. Neville looked frightened and unsure but oddly hopeful. Hermione looked deeply and thoroughly disapproving. Harry smiled. It was just like old times. If there was no real danger to draw his friends together then Harry was going to have to make something up. And if pranks worked for the marauders, then pranks could work for Harry. He would just have to be very very careful that no one got hurt.
All of the time that had originally been spent wondering about the mysterious package from Gringotts was filled with researching charms to breakdown paint, make it fade quickly, make it resistant to removal, invisibility, and slowly fading notice-me-not charms.
It was by a lucky coincidence while he was researching for their first joint prank that Harry finally found that charm Moody used on him fifth year to sneak him out of the Dursleys' and into London. Of course, Harry immediately set to work learning it. It was complex and he melted three practice dummies in the Room of Requirement before he felt confident enough to try it on himself. To Harry's immense relief he did not melt himself. He also blended into his environment.
Other things were also different. Harry got care packages from Draco's mother and he wrote to her every week (although he kept copies of the letters that he sent to her with the letters that she sent to him, just in case). Sometimes Harry studied potions with Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini. Parkinson and Zabini deeply and openly disapproved of his presence at any Slytherin event – including study groups. Studying with Crabbe and Goyle turned out to be a lot more like tutoring them and a lot less like studying.
And of course, since Harry spent so many late hours or very early morning hours conducting his private research and practice, Harry ended up frequently raiding the Hogwarts kitchen.
When Harry's new broom arrived and Draco confronted him about it, Harry grinned.
"I made Gryffindor's quidditch team" he interrupted. "Want to try it out with the rest of us after I finish meeting with the team captain tonight?"
Draco hesitated, his expression twisting between anger and envy and longing. "What kind is it?"
"Nimbus Two Thousand."
Longing won out. "I suppose" Draco agreed grudgingly.
Ron's open horror went a long way towards mollifying Draco. He even half-smiled at Harry.
Harry grinned. "You should pass the word to Theo and the others. Just in case they want to come too."
Draco nodded and promised to pass the invitation along. But that envious little spark still gleamed in his eyes. Harry, who knew Draco Malfoy better than Malfoy knew himself at this point, worried about that spark. Draco tended to do stupid things when he was acting on his emotions.
Between writing essays for his classes during breakfast (much to Hermione's rather vocal displeasure), practicing his wordless casting, quidditch practice, manners club, his own research and practice, detentions with Professor Snape, and spending time with his friends, Harry was desperately busy but just as desperately happy.
Eventually Harry, Ron, Neville, and a grudgingly involved Hermione had a basic potions recipe for the sort of ink that they wanted to create. It was then time to find a safe place to brew so that they could test and tweak their formula. After some careful thought, Harry explored the collapsed tunnel behind the mirror on the fourth floor. The tunnel went far enough back before the collapsed part that Harry felt it was probably a safe place to brew. Assuming that the twins never went back there, of course.
Harry did most of the actual brewing while Ron and Neville prepared ingredients for him. Hermione helpfully stood by and hissed out corrections and criticisms in equal parts.
"No no no!" Hermione exclaimed one night. Her hand shot out to catch Neville's hand before he could add the goldfish scales. "You're doing it wrong!" Neville cringed. Hermione rattled on, oblivious to the effect that her words had on poor Neville. "You add the crushed lacewings first. Here, let me do it!"
And that was how Hermione ended up being a fully committed member of the brewing and testing team. She was still pretty sure that they were going to get expelled if they were caught.
As Halloween drew nearer, Snape grew harsher both during class time and during detentions. Harry tried to be more understanding of Professor Snape's mood than he was the first time around – he really did – but it was hard. They were his parents but he did not know enough to mourn them properly. Professor Snape, however, seemed determined to be miserable enough for the both of them. And even thinking that made Harry feel guilty. Harry also started keeping a sharp look out for the troll.
Four days before Halloween, an owl that did not belong to his solicitor or Mrs. Malfoy dropped a thick letter on his plate. His hands shaking, Harry immediately recognized the letter for what it was – his O.W.L. results.
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Want to know what happens next? 100+ advanced chapters await you on Patreon! Be the first to read what others will have to wait for. Join the community and read ahead today!
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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