The Hogwarts Paradox // Harry Potter

025- The first crack in the glass

(Author's note: I'm going to write from Harry and Y/N's POV from now on to convey what was going on inside their heads a little better.)

Y/N's POV:

After the meeting with Dumbledore, I came back to my dorm room. I had already packed most of my stuff, but still checked in case I missed anything. The conversation with Dumbledore felt a little ominous, to be honest. I really didn't understand why, but call it a gut feeling. I knew he didn't mean any harm, but why did I feel something bad is about to happen very soon. I mean I'm at Hogwarts, so it's safe to say that something bad will definitely happen...

Well, I guess I'll have to play it by the ear.. whatever happens, happens.

I grabbed my bags and hurriedly went back to Dumbledore's office, where the portal was. There were no signs of Dumbledore when I went in. He probably left to do whatever he did in his 'free time'. I turned in the phoenix key into the closet in his office, and it shook a little before opening to reveal the perfect portal. The portal was like a black hole. It wouldn't suck you in, unless you walked into it but still it was very much like a black hole. I picked up my bags, put the phoenix key in my pocket, and walked into the closet, the door closing behind me. The next part always made me a little dizzy. It felt like the whole world was spinning, or maybe.. I was the one who was spinning..? I have never travelled through floo powder, but I suppose it would feel the same.

After a couple of seconds, the closet spat me back into what was my old bedroom. I staggered back on my feet, my head still a little dizzy. The room looked exactly how I had left it, except now a thick layer of dust covered the table and the bed and all other surfaces. Previously, when I was feeling homesick, I came back to meet my parents quite a few times. But each time, Dumbledore was with me. This was the first time I was back alone. The ominous feeling was still reeling at the back of my neck. I decided to chalk up the goosebumps to the chill that filled my bedroom.

The room was dark, except for the little light that was leaking from the corners of the door. It was around late afternoon when I entered the closet in Dumbledore's office, but now it looked like it's late evening. Time works in curious ways.

I wasn't expecting a welcome party, but there should've been something to welcome me back. Don't you think? My parents were nowhere to be found, shouldn't they be here to at least greet me?

I peeked at the calendar on my study table, and it was showing yesterday's date, which meant the portal had sent me 24 hours in the past. So it was obvious my parents weren't here to welcome me... They think I'm coming tomorrow!

I decided to go downstairs to surprise my folks. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I could hear these vague voices coming from the living room. The living room was at the end of the hallway, and the door leading to it was closed. There was a broom closet on the side of the living room door, so I decided to hide there and jump out to give mum and dad a fright.

The voices became more vivid as I reached the closet and hid in it. There were 2 male voices chatting furiously. One of them belonged to my father. The other sounded familiar but I wasn't sure who it belonged to.

"And when is she supposed to return?" asked the anonymous voice.

"Tomorrow afternoon." replied my dad.

"I think I clearly instructed you and your wife to tell me the moment she showed any signs of magic!" the anon voice was sounding more angry.