In the following days, the news spread quickly.

First, the Daily Prophet, someting Harry should think of subscribing if he wanted to keep up on news about wizarding world, announced the possible liberation of Sirius Black who was sentenced mistakenly and that Peter Pettigrew will go through a trial but most likely sentenced to Azkaban for life due to 1) being unregistered animagus and 2) putting the blame the death of twelve muggles and treason and death of the Potters seniors ont the former.

Second, because there was some incident on the second floor in the Gargoyle corridor that lead to the headmaster's tower, the access would be impossible for some time and the head had relocated to somewhere else, students started to come up with the conclusion that Peter Pettigrew introduced himself into the castle to go after Harry Potter, who defeated his master ten years ago to finish the job which lead to all the expert duelist among the professors to hunt the offender. Which, succeeded.

And third, Harry Potter was injured in the process as he didn't appeared for three whole days and no one of the staff would say anything when asked about it. And neither student Kevin Entwhistle, who was noted to always hang with the Harry Potter, knew anything. When someone went to look for him in the hospital wing, there was no trace of him and the matron would always chase them away if they had nothing, so he must have been send to St. Mungo, the wizard hospital, as special treatment. He was the savior of wizarding world after all.

By the fourth day, Harry Potter was back but no mention of what happened and where was he been.

He only grimaced a smile when one told him about Sirius Black, how he was disowned from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black because he was a blood traitor and how he was also Harry's godfather which was why his treason shocked everyone.

Harry almost broke into a hysterical laugh at that.

Kevin had to intervene, fearing that he would unleash his Obscurus due burst of nerves, and laughed nervously when all the pureblood looked at him.

"No one asked for you opinion, mudblood," Draco Malfoy sneered to cut the giggle up.

The group of Slytherin sniggered at that, but neither Kevin nor Harry reacted.

"My blood isn't made of mud," was Kevin's answer.

"It's not literally, you ignorant fool." Draco rolled his eyes at how clueless they were. "It's an insult of your blood status. You muggleborn are just heresy of the wizarding world."

Harry had to intervene. "How come? It's literally a miracle that a muggle could do magic, aren't they impressives instead? And they populated wizard community, you did say it's less than the muggles that were oppressing us."

"Only because they produce like rabbit, creating more morons to pollute the world. And their lack of manner, are they raise in the piggery?"

"How did Kevin even importune you, Draco? And you lot, too, I guess. He never went to you by himself, you're the one who verbally assaulted him whenever you see him, like a automatic reaction."

"It's the way he act, too unkept and generally have a dirty aura," Pansy answered with a huff.

To Harry's turn to roll his eyes, it will take time to change their vision since they were raised with these concepts. Seeing that, Blaise had to add his share too.

"It's true they're more and more each year, so many they're starting to invade us with their impure origins."

"Origin? How do you think the first wizard came to be? Look, I'm not trying to alter all your beliefs, but you can't just insult Kevin just because of his blood status. We're in a magic school, why not value him on his magical skill? You have to admit he's good in magic."

"Only because you give him tips."

"That's a nice thing to say but I'm gonna shock you on this one. I'm muggle raised too."

And several gasps got extracted from the group. Harry almost took them in pity and was about to shout 'kidding, gotcha!' but waited for them to recover.

"How is that possible? You know all the spells on the programme that we have yet to learn."

"Fast learner. And I can't even say it's because I'm the savior because Kevin did it too, and he only had a two days starters before starting school, like me, he's just really determined to learn. Hence Ravenclaw. But, look, it's not that bad, you said my mother was a muggleborn, right? Making me a half-blood, whatever, you're not that uptight with me."

"Because you're a Potter."

"Right, so it's the name. I got the gist that purebloods all know each other, heavily implying that you're almost all related somehow, meaning that's a lot of imbreeding, don't you think that's problematic?"

"It's the only way to keep the bloodline pure!"

"Yeah, well, look at the Black family, they all gone mad, didn't they?"

The satisfaction to see some of them considering that fact.

"And it's not like I'm telling you to frolic with the muggleborn of half-blood, you're free to go with whoever you want, or maybe not since it's really traditional and that you're going to arrange marriage, anyway, just saying that imbreeding is a terrible and irremediable thing and muggleborn aren't that bad. We have electricity in the muggle world!"

The change of subject passed quite easily and Harry even managed to get them interested in muggle discoveries. They did not suddenly become more polite with Kevin, but they did not keep their hostility whenever they saw him either, so that's a good start.

 

It was also worthy to note that since the incident of Peter Pettigrew being found in the castle's walls, professor Snape was less gloomy.

He's still a sod, mostly toward those 'incompetants airheads that couldn't brew to save their life' but otherwise he would be almost supportable during lesson.

Especially during double potion with Hufflepuffs on this fourth week of school.

Usually, he would stare dagger at Harry, preying on the moment he mess up to chew him off, or purposefully surrounding to stress him and make him mess up. The latter more than the first after the first lesson, because Harry wanted to learn and not even mister cranky could fail him, except it's not like he could really stop him to dock points for whatever reason, now, could he.

For this lesson, the third time Harry attended due to missing it during third week having to go through some tests, which the head of Slytherin was present too, professor Snape was almost human and taught the class with more patience. He would still sigh heavily when someone mess up the steps or ask a question he deemed stupid because they could just read their book, but it's like he walking on eggs around Harry.

Harry didn't mind, even less if it's because he've been victim during his outburst. He was even tempted to shout around that he was an Obscurial just for the pleasure to see what kind of face the man would pull. You reap what you sow, you see, but Harry was also more eager to learn how to brew just for the sake of learning and he could only do it in potion class because he didn't have any ingredients. He could ask some from professor Sprout he guess, but then he didn't really want to explain his every actions.

He'll make sure to buy some during breaks, hopefully with Kevin so they could choose what potions to favour.

But Harry asked to talk to the man after class. About his parents.

After telling his upbringing to the Slytherins, they told him more about the Potter family. First, one branch of Potter had Black blood according to Draco who was also descendant of this ancient family, second, him coming from muggle world wasn't that surprised in hindsight as his great-grandfather Henry Potter was pro-muggle during his time in the Wizengamot and finally, his parents were schooling around the same time of the Longbottoms and professor Snape himself.

For some reason, he was advised against asking any questions about the Longbottoms to Neville and since it was Draco himself who told him that, as he rarely care about people's feelings, Harry chose to listen his advice for now and settle for the next option.

Of course, he could probably asked the other much older professors, who most certainy taught his parents but their view must be quite biased and fault if they easily believed that his supposedly godfather would betray his parents instead of the other way around. Nevermind that the other pass for death, don't wizards have some obituary to check on that? Seriously, it's like magic was useless.

"Your father was an arrogant prick who bullied the Slytherins house just for a laugh. He was also the seeker of Gryffindor house, which I notice is the same for you, Potter, albeit in different house, and would strut around with a snitch just to show off."

Harry hid his start quite smoothly, considering how distracted he was while being the one who asked for informations.

"I believe he must be talented if he was chosen to be a titular player."

Professor Snape squinted at him but did not pick on him, which was a miracle in itself as he could have easily dock points for his cheekiness.

"Sirius Black was an insurgent. After being sorted in Gryffindor, breaking the tradition of every Black in Slytherin, he acted and speak in all ways contrary to what was expected of him out of spite. He was also the worst kind of bully a boarding school could have. I do not remember much of Peter Pettigrew, with him being always in the shadow of your father and Black, must be why he chose to betray them."

"So a freudien excuse, though not enough to excuse what he did. Or maybe he was a good actor and never actually considered them as friends, only spying on them."

Pr. Snape stayed silent and Harry believed he just tuned Harry out, not interested in his game of supposition.

"Your mother was a talented witch, good in charms and potions. She was also known as the greatest during her schoolyear, especially because she was a muggleborn."

"Mustn't be easy the prejudice against muggleborn at this time. The raise of the dark wizard, was it?"

For some reason, the professor tensed. Harry pursed his lips, ready to hear how much tens of points being docked. But the potion master remained silent for a long moment.

"It was a difficult time for her, I reckon. Especially having an intolerant muggle sister back at home. I heard that you've been placed under her responsability, how is she treating you?"

Harry didn't release the tension of his lips and even gnawed on the inside.

"I thought we went through those questions during the tests."

The tests being those three whole days of checking and checking again his body to look for mistreatment like corporal punishment. There were none, aunt Petunia wasn't that ruthless, though it couldn't put it past uncle Vernon who used his stick he kept back from Smelting. Harry always managed to dodge, though. But aunt Petunia, and the Dursleys on the whole really, were using verbal and psychological punishment to oppressed his magic heritage. He was normal, if he wanted to live he's normal, he's not a freak like his parents or else. Harry would usually think he would end in the street if he even dared prove them wrong.

Because how dare he being a freak when they're treating him so nicely?

"You were surrounded by pairs of eyes, you may not want to share it with so many ears."

"And you thought I would with you?"

"You're asking me questions."

Wow, and he even raised a brow as if Harry was the one not making sense. Right.

"My aunt treated me alright, sir."

There was a beat of silence and Harry thought that was the extent he would be learning from his parents and was ready to step out, when the man spoke up again.

"You bear a strong physical resemblance to your father, but you have your mother's eyes."

Surprised, Harry took in the informations and could now understand why some adults looked at him with some watering look as if seeing someone else. And since the magnificent description of his father, Snape must really appreciate James Potter.

"I am not my parents, sir."

"I can see that." Curiously, the answer came more surly.

Professor Snape returned to his papers and Harry understood the moment was gone.

As he got out of the donjon, he couldn't help but shudder and promised to learn the warming spell for the upcoming drop of temperature. He just hoped that the time would pass quickly so he could finally play his first Quidditch match.

 

But first, he had to attend the Hallowe'en feast.

Those of celtic descendance called the period Samain, those just party goers only cared about the feast and there were those who celebrated the defeat of the Dark wizard that trembled UK with his ruthless killing. Having no memories of either the murder of his parents nor said parents, Harry just reminisced of those times where he would knock on the neighbours' door to ask for sweets with Dudley and had to eventually give his share to his merry band of stupid friends because thye were numerous while he was not. Stupid boys. At least he wasn't the one ending with cavities.

The feast was deep into the evening and would have gone longer because the houses elves surpassed themselves for this one meal where everyone could celebrated instead of going for the holidays, when the door got slammed open by professor Quirrel who warned them of the presence of a troll in the donjon.

Harry glanced while still eating merrily at professor Snape since it was sort of his quarter, having the Slytherin's common room and the potion classrooms and reserve of potions of valuable ingredients. The beast's going to cause wreckage.

Then he widened his eyes at the headmaster's order to lead evryone to their common room and lock themselves in.

"Wasn't Slytherin common room in the donjon where the troll is?" Kevin asked him while pulling on his robe.

"Sure is, the old man really is senile."

"He is over one hundred years old. Come on, do something."

"Alright. Sonorus. Everyone calm down! What are you fearing? We have our headmaster, order of Merlin, I don't know, I don't know, chief Warlock and whatnot with us! He defeated and was equal of two dark wizards! And me, the savior of wizard world, do you really think that a mere troll could do anything?!"

"Weren't you taken down by Peter Pettigrew?" A voice shot up from somewhere.

Since Harry couldn't pinpoint the ridiculous claim, he waved a hand, wand still pointing at his throat.

"Details. I suggest the heads of house just do a headcount to see if we're all here and let our great headmaster deal with the troll."

As soon as he said that and got down on his place, his eyes fell on Ron and horror realization settled on them both. It was missing Hermione Granger.

Earlier that day, during the double charm with Gryffindor, Hermione Granger went on Ron's nerves by correcting the way of prononcing the levitation charm and showing off to everyone how advanced she was (thanks to her year of pratice if Harry may add) and Ron critisized how she was a nightmare and she had then seek refuge in the first-floor girls' toilets. If they believe professor Quirrel's words, and they have no reason to distrust it, she was quite far of the mountain troll, but the headmaster better hurry and retrieve her or the bigotry of muggleborn won't be going down any time soon.

He raised his wand to use the amplifying charm again to tell them that again when Pr. MacGonagall used her own voice to shout this. Wow, so that's what it was to be a head of the most noisy house. Headmaster went into a run as soon as the Weasley twins added that the troll mountain was also there, strangely enough.

Anyway, after waiting in tense silence with everyone checking on Harry every seconds as if waiting for him to do a miracle (something Harry couldn't understand why, the old man was a glorified wizard wasn't he?), the duo came back with the assurance the troll was taken care. And the evening resumed. Only for few more minutes though, because everyone was too shaken to swallow anything more. 

Such a waste, Harry had to say. He hoped it won't throw out, or at least given to those needing it.

Should he look into a spell to send things somewhere of one to preserve food, he thought and exchanged with Kevin as they climbed the stairs for Ravenclaw common room along their fellow house mates.

 

Surprise didn't stop there for Harry.

The next day, as he left flight class with the Hufflepuff, his head of house requested a word with him. But not actually with him. Professor Flitwick told him that it was rare but the headmaster could allow student to see outsiders for exceptional occasion and Harry met them, even though he had no one to see.

But the still living members of House of Black had something to tell him.

Whereas he wanted to or not.

Funny how was his life now.

Wish he could release his Obscurus just to show them if they could order him around.

Well, nothing's actually stopping him, was there?