CH 79: Night Tour in Gryffindor
The envelope was pristine, and Harry passed it to Hagrid across the table. Unexpectedly, Hagrid opened the letter immediately upon receiving it. Then, for some reason, he kept his gaze fixed on Harry.
"Harry, let me share this with you," Hagrid finally couldn't contain his excitement.
Harry felt a twinge of confusion as he saw Hagrid hand over a gray photograph. The picture depicted a man bearing a striking resemblance to him: tall, slender, bespectacled, with unruly hair and a tuft at the back standing defiantly.
Harry was taken aback. He used to have a similar tuft of hair when he neglected to smooth it down.
Moreover, in the photo, the man and a woman were embracing, their dark hair and gray eyes indistinguishable from each other.
But Harry immediately recognized that the woman's eyes should be green.
Just like his own.
"This is..."
"These are pictures of your parents," Hagrid said jubilantly.
Harry froze in place, simply holding up the photograph. Compared to him, the two individuals in the picture seemed far more animated. Their glances and smiles were etched deeply in his mind.
"Can... can I have this?" Harry looked up at Hagrid.
"Of course! It was meant for you all along," Hagrid chuckled, ruffling Harry's hair. In that moment, he caught sight of the little furry creature once again.
Lately, he had only seen Harry's more mature side, which was commendable, and James and Lily would have been immensely proud.
However, Hagrid felt that since he was only eleven years old, Harry should still exhibit some childishness. It wouldn't be healthy to mature too quickly.
And Harry's reaction just now brought a spontaneous smile to Hagrid's face.
"Thank you, Hagrid." Harry solemnly tucked the photograph into the lining of his clothes. "Thank you."
"No need for thanks, Harry. We don't need formalities," Hagrid said, patting him on the back. "Alright, you should head back and rest. Wouldn't want you getting caught by Filch later."
"Okay," Harry nodded, then suddenly turned back. "Oh, and Hagrid, please don't feed Norbert!!"
Hagrid's gentle expression froze, and eventually, he could only nod. "Alright, I understand."
Once Harry had left, Hagrid retrieved a large book from the top of the cabinet. What an ordinary person would consider a hefty tome looked like a mere pamphlet in his massive hands.
Flipping through the pages, one could see that each page was adorned with photographs of James and Lily.
Hagrid shook the envelope, extracting two more photos, then turned to the blank pages at the back, carefully affixing the photos onto them.
This was a meticulously prepared gift from Hagrid to Harry. He had sent an owl to contact James and Lily's old classmates, hoping to acquire an entire book filled with their photographs, which he planned to compile and present to Harry.
Initially, he had hoped to have the gift ready by Christmas, but unfortunately, progress had been slower than expected. And just now, he couldn't resist giving one of the photos to Harry in advance.
Well, it was his own fault for succumbing to the urge to share, but after all, Harry was right there in front of him...
On his way back, Harry couldn't tear his eyes away from the photo. It was his first time seeing them. The images of his parents lingered in his mind, keeping him restless through the night.
The next day, at noon.
"Hermione, I need your help with something," Harry said to her earnestly.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, surprised. Harry rarely sought help with such seriousness.
"I want to visit the Gryffindor common room," Harry declared.
Hermione paused for a moment, her expression blank as she nodded. "Okay, but... what's your plan?"
"I don't really have a plan, Hermione," Harry replied. "I just want to take a look. I've been avoiding this for a while now, but I think it's time I faced it. I want to see where they lived, where they left their mark."
"Alright," Hermione nodded, her expression serious.
"But how do you plan to get there? Gryffindor... you know," she said, concern evident in her voice.
Harry understood her worry. The tension between Gryffindor and Slytherin was palpable, and sneaking into their common room could invite trouble.
"Simple, I'll go at night when they're all asleep," Harry explained confidently.
"But won't you get caught by Filch?" Hermione interjected.
"Don't worry, Hermione. Remember my Christmas present?" Harry's confidence didn't waver. He was certain Filch wouldn't be a problem.
Hermione sighed in relief at the reminder of the gift—an invisibility cloak with a note that read:
"Your father left this to me before he died. It should now be returned to you and put to good use. I sincerely wish you a Merry Christmas."
Harry had assumed it was from Dumbledore. Though not particularly interested in invisibility cloaks, he realized its potential now.
"Alright, meet me there at midnight. The common room will be empty by then. The password is 'big stone statue'," Harry instructed.
That night, after Draco and the others had retired, Harry donned the invisibility cloak and slipped out of the Slytherin common room. The castle was eerily quiet, with only faint echoes of distant sounds.
He moved silently, careful not to attract attention.
Approaching the Fat Lady's portrait on the eighth floor, he whispered the password.
"Big stone statue."
The Fat Lady appeared puzzled but still swung forward, revealing a circular opening.
Stepping into the passage, Harry felt like he was traversing a cave. As he entered, the warm glow of the Gryffindor common room enveloped him, a stark contrast to the ambiance of Slytherin.
The room was cozy, filled with plush armchairs and tables. A Gryffindor lion banner adorned the wall, surrounded by gold and red accents.
Hermione was alone, engrossed in writing Professor McGonagall's thesis. Despite having written extensively, she remained focused.
Harry approached her silently, glancing at her paper which discussed transforming inanimate objects into living ones. However, the ideas didn't align with his own practical approach, shaped under Felix's guidance.
"I think…" Harry began, but before he could continue, Hermione let out a soft scream, startling both of them.