Harry is Back!

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Harry laid back, staring up at the ceiling as Madam Pomfrey bustled away, mumbling to herself about students and their complete lack of regard for their own health. He knew better than to try and argue with her, so he stayed put, letting the potion work its magic. The throbbing in his head dulled a bit, though the bitter aftertaste lingered.

Just as he was beginning to get comfortable, he heard the door creak open. From the corner of his eye, he saw Daphne, Tracey, Astoria, and Pansy slip into the room, moving quietly toward his bed. They looked relieved to see him awake, though Tracey's expression was a blend of concern and exasperation.

She shook her head, giving Harry a pointed look. "What have you done this time?" Tracey poked his shoulder, testing if he would flinch, but Harry just smirked, unfazed.

"Probably just a typical day for you, huh?" Pansy chimed in, crossing her arms. She glanced around the infirmary like she was trying to find the catch, half-expecting Madam Pomfrey to swoop in and shoo them away.

"Well, I could use a break now and then, but you know me—never a dull moment," Harry replied, trying to sound casual.

Daphne's eyes narrowed a bit as she studied him. "Madam Pomfrey said you looked pretty bad when they brought you in. You've got to stop taking risks that land you here." She was trying to sound stern, but her worry showed through, making it clear she was annoyed at his recklessness.

Harry chuckled, ruffling Astoria's hair playfully. She was looking a bit skittish, but his gesture got a quiet giggle out of her. "It was an old Hogwarts relic that bested me," he admitted. "Those ancient wizards really had a knack for nasty tricks. Just don't mention this to Fred and George. Last thing I need is them getting ideas."

Astoria giggled again, while Daphne rolled her eyes. "Sure, sure. So what happened?" she asked, crossing her arms with an amused smirk.

"Found a Pensieve buried in some hidden room," Harry replied, keeping his tone casual. "Curiosity got the better of me, so I took a look. Ended up with about a million memories fighting for space in my head. Fun, really."

Tracey raised an eyebrow. "You're joking, right? You know those things are enchanted for a reason."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Harry replied, waving off her concern. "It wasn't my brightest moment. But hey, I survived."

Pansy huffed, looking like she wasn't entirely convinced. "You're going to give Madame Pomfrey a stroke at this rate."

"She's tougher than she looks," Harry shot back, grinning. "Besides, she probably appreciates a little excitement now and then."

Daphne's expression softened a bit, though she was still giving him a pointed look. "Next time, just leave the ancient magical artifacts alone. Not every mystery needs solving."

Harry shrugged, his grin fading slightly. "I know, but you all would've been just as curious. It's not like I went looking for trouble—it found me."

"Not a surprise," Tracey muttered. "Trouble does seem to like you."

Astoria nudged him, a shy smile on her face. "Well, I'm glad you're okay, Harry. But next time, maybe let someone else handle the dangerous stuff?"

"Deal," he said, though the glint in his eye hinted that he was already plotting his next adventure.

They stayed for a while, filling Harry in on what he'd missed around the castle. It was mostly the usual gossip—Snape catching another first year in another failed potion experiment, Peeves terrorizing the students, and some nonsense about Trelawney predicting another disaster. It was exactly the kind of mundane chatter he needed, grounding him back into the everyday chaos of Hogwarts.

Eventually, Madam Pomfrey came by, giving the girls a stern look. "Alright, visiting hours are over. Out with you lot. Mr. Potter needs his rest," she said, hands on her hips.

Daphne rolled her eyes but gave Harry a small wave. "Take it easy, alright? Try not to get yourself killed before the weekend."

Harry chuckled. "No promises, but I'll try."

As the girls left, Harry leaned back against the pillows, closing his eyes. Sleep took him quickly, pulling him under before he could think too much about the day. When he woke up the next morning, Madam Pomfrey was already bustling about. She didn't give him much choice but to rest up, though, and by midday, she finally discharged him.

As he slipped into the Slytherin common room, he spotted Draco, Theodore, and Blaise chatting by the fire. They looked up as he entered, both raising eyebrows in silent inquiry. Blaise nodded, smirking a little, but Draco just leaned back, studying him with that ever-analytical look.

"Thought you'd be out for longer," Draco said, crossing his arms. "Pomfrey let you off easy this time, or did you sneak out?"

Harry rolled his eyes, plopping down on the couch across from them. "She gave me the usual lecture, but yeah, I'm free. No sneaking involved. Figured I would come here and avoid any more annoying questions for now."

Blaise chuckled. "Good luck with that. Pansy's been going on about it since she saw you yesterday. She's probably waiting in the Great Hall to ambush you."

Harry chuckled, "I always found her attempts to hide worries with that cold façade kind of cute." He smirked at Blaise.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "That's an understatement. She was going on about you collapsing like the sky was falling. You would think she was talking about herself with how worked up she got."

Harry made a move towards the door, throwing a smirk at the others. "Now, gentlemen, I enjoy a bit of gossip as much as the next guy, but I'm starving. Let's go before the girls clear out the entire Great Hall," he said, already halfway out.

As soon as Harry stepped into the Great Hall, Hermione, Susan, and Hannah were already on their feet, heading toward him. They'd missed him when they visited in the hospital wing, finding him fast asleep, so this was their first chance to check in. He barely had time to process the three simultaneous hugs before they pulled back, all talking over each other.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Hermione asked, concern written all over her face.

"Madame Pomfrey wouldn't tell us anything," Susan added, crossing her arms like she was ready to march back to the hospital wing and demand answers.

"You look alright now, though," Hannah said, giving him a once-over with a small smile, as if relieved he wasn't as fragile as they feared.

Harry shrugged casually, as if collapsing in a hidden chamber was nothing unusual. "Just overdid it with some old Hogwarts relics. Nothing new."

Around them, the rest of his friends looked relieved. He noticed the group had formed around the Slytherin table—where they usually gathered lately, though they sometimes rotated to other tables. Daphne and Tracey were chatting quietly, but they both waved him over. Astoria gave him a quick smile from her seat, looking relieved to see him up and about.

Harry took his usual spot, slipping into the conversation. Pansy leaned over, her eyebrows raised. "Well, if it isn't the drama king himself. Thought you'd be laid up for a week with that performance."

Harry rolled his eyes, smirking. "Sorry to disappoint, Pansy. I didn't want to miss all the excitement."

Fred and George popped over from the Gryffindor table, grinning as they sat down on either side of him. "We heard you caused quite a stir, mate," Fred said, nudging Harry with his elbow.

"Yeah, seems we missed the fun," George added, winking. "Next time, give us a heads-up before you do something spectacular."

Ginny joined them, taking a seat across from Harry. "You're not off the hook yet. Hermione's already scheming about all the ways you need to 'slow down' or whatever," she teased, shooting Hermione a mock-serious look.

Hermione frowned, looking as if she wanted to object, but she let it slide. "I'm just saying, Harry, you don't need to take all these risks. We're all here if you need help."

Harry nodded, not really in the mood to argue. He knew Hermione was right, but he'd been around enough to understand that some things were better handled alone. He didn't feel the need to explain that, though, so he just flashed her a quick grin.

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