Naturally, you can't find something that doesn't exist. So even by the time classes began the next day, Andrew hadn't run into that Hufflepuff who was fixated on the Black Lake.
That day passed by relatively uneventfully for Andrew.
But just like life always throws in some twists, an unexpected event occurred right after the first class on the second day.
Over the weekend, although no fights broke out, the time was just long enough for the first-years to put some of their mischievous ideas into action.
The unity forged in their group battles, combined with the chaos from their varied backgrounds, fermented into something rather impressive over time.
The Gryffindor students managed to secretly buy some convenient, non-escalating magical gear during the break—namely, boxing gloves smuggled from the Muggle world and delivered by owl.
They quietly stuffed them into their bags, and after class, the burliest of them pulled them out to ambush the Slytherins.
——
How did it come to this?Looking at the eager faces around him, Harry was a bit confused.
He'd basically been pushed into the role of group leader—it wasn't a bad feeling, but he hadn't expected things to escalate like this.
Had he been older or better read, he'd understand that this was a case of the right seed sprouting at the right time. Call it "heroes made by circumstance" if you want to be poetic.
Fame bred trust. Neville's plea had sparked motivation. Their past success built confidence. And the general consensus? If something happens, Harry Potter will take care of it.
When that cycle repeated, and pressure from the rival house came back, Harry naturally became the person Gryffindors trusted most.
"This time we're getting Malfoy…"Ron was practically vibrating with excitement. Every Gryffindor loved a dramatic scene, and Ron was no exception—especially after two strong showings that earned him praise. Ignored most of his life by his more rambunctious brothers, he was now riding a wave of battle-lust.
As for house points? Nobody really cared anymore. The nearly empty hourglasses and upperclassmen's approval had made most first-years bold.
They're not going to write home about it anyway, so what's there to be afraid of?
Well, quite a bit actually—but a few upper-year students were already smirking, ready to teach these first-years a more advanced lesson that wasn't on the school schedule.
One particularly sharp student saw the trouble coming—but with her own mood soured from recently losing points, she wasn't about to stop the hotheaded crowd.
"Remember: no headshots. Surround them. Hit and run!"
Harry gave careful instructions and assigned lookouts. Once he figured Slytherins were coming down the corridor, he led the charge.
To be fair, the plan started out perfectly. The boxing gloves didn't do serious damage, but they worked well enough to baffle the Slytherins.
They quickly overwhelmed the surprised group—but only for a moment.
Other Slytherins, just out of class, rushed in to help. While Harry and his group were up close and personal, the Slytherins drew their wands.
"Potter, you damn Scarhead!"
"Shoes, bite him!"
Seven or eight—maybe more—first-year Slytherins shouted what sounded like a coordinated spell.
In an instant, Harry felt like something clamped down hard on his big toe. The sudden pain nearly knocked him over.
Though a few Gryffindors kept fighting, their limited mobility and the vicious nature of the curse quickly turned the tide. After downing a few Slytherins, they too were taken out.
Upper-year students, who had been trailing behind to keep things from getting too out of hand, found they couldn't undo the curse. They had no choice but to call in help and drag the unlucky first-years to the infirmary.
Thus, the First-Year War ended in Gryffindor's defeat.
——
"So that's how it went. I heard they not only lost the last bit of their house points, but Harry Potter and the best fighters all got detention…"
At the lunch table, Hal vividly recounted the entire battle like he'd been there himself.
"They actually got someone to buy Muggle fighting tools. Wild imagination… Though I guess older Gryffindors probably tried this before and got shut down."
"Not quite…"
Hal wagged a finger mysteriously. "Word is this was the first time anyone tried this. See, by mid-first-year, most students already know some dark curses. Gryffindor's loss this time had to do with one person."
"That professor?"
"You're no fun, Andrew…"
Hal sighed. "Yeah, it was Snape. His favoritism toward Slytherin is insane. Over the weekend, he summoned the non-detained Slytherins to his office for 'extra lessons,' and they practiced all afternoon in their common room."
"I even heard a rumor—unconfirmed—that he taught them a completely unheard-of curse just to ensure success."
Honestly, that wasn't too far-fetched.
Not just Andrew—everyone in the dorm agreed on that possibility.
——
"No matter what, you're a hero—Snape hasn't been this furious in ages."
The twins' comment made Harry feel better, though he wished they'd stop laughing at how both his feet were magically suspended in the air.
"We lost…"
Harry tried to make himself more comfortable, but the corner of his mouth still curled up in a reluctant grin.
"I don't think we should keep fighting all the time. We came to Hogwarts to study…" He struggled to find the right words—he'd never had to talk about this kind of thing before. Most of his life had been spent figuring out how to avoid Dudley and his gang.
"But I just couldn't take it. Neville didn't do anything, and Snape bullies him just because he doesn't like him. Then the Slytherins follow Snape's lead… and the fights just keep happening. We win, then we lose, then people give advice… and it just gets more frustrating."
He closed his eyes, thinking of the Dumbledore stories he'd read. "But now that we've lost, no one's rushing anymore. Slytherins have dark curses, we don't. I think… we need some too."
???
The twins looked shocked as Harry spoke faster and faster.
"They learned from their professor, and we have upper-years too. McGonagall won't help, but the older students can. We're always going to face the Slytherins… So it's time to study—at least learn how to handle them…"
"A small loss doesn't matter, Fred, George. Let's go study now. Once we master magic, we'll be back."
Harry opened his eyes. They gleamed.He didn't say it out loud, but in his heart, the words were clear:
"Don't underestimate the poor while they're young."
T/N: For twenty chapters ahead on all my fics become a P@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle