The redhead raised her hand, earning a scowl. "Put your hand down you dunderhead and tell me, what is the primary ingredient we will be using first."
Amy bit her lip but didn't answer and Snape's gaze remained focused despite the snapping of an arm upright to answer from a certain curly-haired bookworm. "I... don't know."
"No? Then perhaps your sister can answer." Said sister immediately nodded, but whatever she was prepared to say was cut off by the professor's voice, "How many stirs are needed in the final step of the boil removal potion?"
Harry frowned as the other Potter failed at answering this new question as well. It was similar to his own year, only this time she seemed intent on embarrassing his entire family by any means possible.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor for poor preparation." Snape called out, before shifting her eyes once more. This time they landed on Harry himself, and he returned the look with as much confidence as possible. He had done a bit of studying prior to classes beginning, just to see if the curriculum had changed from what he remembered.
He was ready for anything, save for an incredible ridiculous question, that she could throw at him.
"Miss Malfoy, the two answers please."
Said blonde looked eager to prove herself, "Crushed snake fangs professor, and the number of times is three, counterclockwise of course."
"Of course, thirty points to Slytherin. Now prepare your cauldrons and tools. We will have ingredient collection in a moment."
****
"Harry, could you wait a second?" The boy turned to look at his dark-haired sister. She was waiting in the hall, book held in front of her torso, pressed back against the wall as if trying to hide. She reminded him of Hermione, or what he felt like his own first year.
Scared, confused, alone.
He took a few steps towards her but stopped when he was well outside of her comfort zone, not wanting to make his own 'sibling' uncomfortable. "Hello Harriet, how are you?"
"Uhm, okay, I mean good I guess." He nodded, waiting to see what she had wanted to talk to him about. Moments later she seemed to understand, blushed a bit, and continued. "Did mom an… I mean James and Lily, did they talk to you about school and the professors?"
Sympathy flooded him for a moment, he didn't want to make the two girls uncomfortable talking about their own parents, regardless of what happened to his versions. "You can just call them 'mom and dad' Harriet, it's okay, but no not really. Other than shopping we didn't talk much."
She nodded, "Lil- I mean mom, she told us to be careful around Professor Snape."
He blinked in surprise. It wasn't as if he expected a warning about Riddle, but he certainly wasn't expecting a condemnation of Snape. Is this what it would have been like in his own world if his parents had survived?
But that raised another question. "Did she say why?" In his own timeline Snape had called his mother a 'Mudblood' which had destroyed their friendship. In this world such a thing wouldn't be seen as insulting, or even used in such a way.
So, what had happened?
Harriet shook her head, "No, but she wanted us to be careful, especially you. Dad looked uncomfortable too, so maybe it involved him?"
It definitely did, if his own world was any indication. The Marauders had been one of, if not the major, catalyst for the destruction of that friendship.
"You could ask them?" she softly suggested, bringing his attention back to her and out of his own past.
"Not sure if that is something I want to put in a letter."
"I mean when they come in for visitation. Did they not have that in your world?" A second after she asked her eyes widened in horror and she began to stutter out apologies, only for Harry to interrupt.
"Harriet, it's fine I understand what you meant. We didn't have anything like that though, which is odd. Family never visited Hogwarts although students went home over winter and spring breaks."
She seemed to relax a bit and they continued towards their next classes, talking easily as if they always had been siblings.
****
Ron was pouting, Neville looked as if he had been saved from a horrifying death, Crabbe and Goyle looked… well like Crabbe and Goyle always looked, and as for Harry himself? He wasn't quite sure how to feel.
Quidditch is restricted to women only unless approved by both the student's parents and Head of House.
Quidditch had been a major part of his life at Hogwarts, had been a source of freedom, a stress relief, and just a way to rub it in Malfoy's face how he could trounce him. Now said activity was just out of reach, or at least it seemed to be. Sure, he could write to James and Lily requesting permission, but he also frowned a bit at the thought of speaking to his Head of House regarding it.
Dumbledore could probably override, but Harry held back on the idea. Even with just a few interactions It hadn't missed his attention how much his redheaded sister loved the sport. If he pursued the same path as in his life, would it mean he would be flying against her? Was it fair to even consider doing such a thing? He had years of experience as an advantage, it likely wouldn't be difficult to beat her if they both became Seekers.
But what if she became discouraged? What if she began to hate the sport? What if she began to distance herself from him? Would Harriet be forced to take sides? Would James and Lily as well?
It wasn't worth the risk, and it wasn't as if he didn't have other things he could focus on. He could take school more seriously, change the classes he took his third year and after, find his own path.
There was no evil lurking around the corner, no greater good that needed to take priority over everything else, and no Slytherin arseholes who needed to be…
"Looks like the Potters can't fly worth a bollocks either, what a surprise."
Well, maybe he had thought too soon. Sure, enough it was Malfoy, because who else would it be, running her mouth just like Draco would have done and just like the first time around it was a Potter who stood up to her.
___________________
Read 30 Advance Chapters on-
[30% OFF ON MAY MONTH. JOIN NOW]
patreon.com/rary01