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Christmas at Hogwarts / Christmas at Hogwarts and a Draconian Solution / Christmas, Confrontations, and a Cunning Plan
Professor Snape continues to regularly attempt to access Harry's mind during lessons, though Harry is able to keep him out. Harry does, however, use the ongoing conflict as an opportunity to start poking back, at one point gaining glimpses of Snape having been paid by someone, possibly Lucius Malfoy, to spy on him. Hermione also suffers Snape's ire, which she cannot defend her mind against, but which does solidify her loss of respect for him. Harry nudges her toward discovering the existence of Legilimency, in hopes that he can teach his friends to defend their minds without Professor Snape being able to accuse him of anything. He also confronts Professor Dumbledore about it, startling the headmaster by implying that he might leave Britain if things don't improve.
At Christmas, Harry receives the Invisibility Cloak, although with a slightly different note, and a Weasley jumper, just as in the original timeline, which reassures him that his friendship with Ginny has not made Mrs Weasley unduly suspicious of him. He also receives a hand-knitted scarf from Ginny herself, and exchanges more presents with his other friends. However, the Dursleys do not send him even a mockery of a gift this time. Hermione and Neville, when they return to school, mention having made use of their burgeoning self-defence skills when attacked by other students on the train.
Harry begins making use of the Invisibility Cloak to raid the Restricted Section of the library, seeking books about time travel (though he doesn't learn much) and helping Hermione to research wandless magic so she can independently discover Legilimency. Progress is slow, but his efforts do lead to all four of them scoring high marks in their classes. He also easily arranges for Hagrid's baby dragon to be collected without incident.
- Figure It Out Yourself: When Hermione talks about what kind of magic Snape might have been using on Harry without a wand, to give him headaches, Harry could tell her all about Legilimency. But he doesn't want Snape to read her memories and discover that Harry told her. So, Harry instead lets Hermione do her own research on wandless magic, in hopes that she'll work out the answer without implicating him — thus giving Snape no room to accuse anyone of anything.
- I'd Tell You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You: This is Harry's reply when Seamus asks where he's been (after he sent Norbert the dragon away with Charlie). Seamus is alarmed, but muggle-born Dean Thomas just laughs and explains the joke.
- Meaningful Gift: Harry's Christmas gifts are all very significant to him; even the absence of a gift from the Dursleys, differing from the original timeline, sends its own message. He's especially touched by receiving a jumper from Mrs Weasley, which tells him that he hasn't messed up his friendship with their family, and a scarf from Ginny, showing how much closer they've become this time.
