Harry's potion was not actually as terrible as Snape had claimed. When Big Dummy Goyle bottled his potion, it splashed everywhere and even set his school robes on fire.
And he still got ten points, while Harry, whose cauldron stood empty, got zero.
After class, Harry was the first to arrive at the Great Hall. He looked up at the ceiling with a miserable expression.
The sky outside was even darker and gloomier than it had been that morning. Raindrops the size of beans pattered against the high windows.
In a sense, Snape was actually fair to every Gryffindor student.
Harry was the exception, of course.
From the moment he had stepped into Hogwarts, Snape's hostility toward him had been deeply rooted and impossible to erase.
There was one other exception, but he was no longer at school.
"Ha ha ha—I, Peeves, have returned!" Peeves's huge head suddenly poked through the dark, gloomy ceiling.
He held a freshly filled water balloon and hurled it at Harry with all his might.
"Mischief Be Gone!" Hermione drew her wand, traced a clockwise circle, and gave it a light flick toward Harry.
The falling water balloon struck a soft, pearlescent membrane and bounced off with a duang, exploding against Peeves's huge face.
Soaked in icy rainwater, Peeves cursed as he turned and floated away.
"Damn you, Granger! Just you wait, I'll be back!"
Hermione watched his retreating figure thoughtfully until he passed through a wall and vanished.
"Harry, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, I guess." Harry forced out a smile. "Five years. It's been five years already. I'm used to it."
Hermione wanted to say something to comfort him. She opened her mouth, but in the end only said, "Everything will be all right."
"Thanks." Harry knew she was not good at