The Intelligent Potter

*** Dumbledore's office

McGonagall stood in front of the Headmaster's desk, cheeks flushed with anger and bitter retorts coming up in her mouth.

"I'm telling you Albus, that boy isn't right there, he may have turned out okay, but there's no way that those stupid muggles could ever have been great parents for the boy but this is just insane, their behaviour could be classified as downright abuse!" McGonagall ranted.

Dumbledore stared at her gravely from across the desk, "It seems that I need to take a trip to the Dursleys before the next summer."

McGonagall shook her head, "You haven't seen them, Albus, there's no way they'll change their ways."

She hesitated at the twinkle in Albus' eye, "You will not use magic on muggles" she said, narrowing her eyes.

"It's where he's safest, Minerva, I can't trust any other protections to keep Harry safe, especially now that Voldemort has been proven to be alive."

"There's got to be another way, you could keep him at Hogwarts, you do know that he spent half the summer with Ms. Granger anyway, right?"

Dumbledore's face took on an expression of surprise, "He was with Hermione Granger?"

"Indeed."

"In a house with NO WARDS!?" he asked/shrieked.

*** Lockhart's class

The class that Harry was looking forward to least just happened to be the one that he had first.

Hermione was virtually in love with Lockhart until Harry shot her down, not only pointing out the inconsistencies in the fraud's books but also the fact that half his magical solutions weren't even exactly the right thing.

After learning that his books were fake, Hermione held the man in even greater disregard than Harry himself, Harry had to hold the indignant girl from tearing Lockhart a new one for "Lying… IN A BOOK!"

"Okay class, I understand that you are supposed to read the textbooks before you come to class, so I shall hold a pop quiz on the most important aspects of Defence against the Dark Arts, at a second year standard of course."

Lockhart smiled his award-winning smile at the students he was supposed to be teaching and handed out a test about his personal likes and dislikes.

"Is there any way to get rid off this goddamn idiot?!" Harry thought as he wrote down random answers for the first test in Hogwarts that he had no doubt he would fail.

"Doesn't there have to be some standardised course material for the exams?" Harry wondered.

*** Later, Hogwarts Library

"Hogwarts has historically held two board exams for their students, the European Standard, N.E. and the O.W.L exam accredited by Hogwarts itself. Students from 1st year to 4th year were previously taught as per the wishes of the teacher, however the charter of 1693 (A.D) instated the Pre-OWL curriculum to be followed by the instructors in charge of the subject."

Harry was reading the latest copy of Hogwarts, A History and a plan began to form in the back of his mind.

A plan to get rid of one GIlderoy Lockhart.

*** Lockhart's class again

"I'm afraid that very few of you scored well on the diagnostic test, I guess I'll have to whip you guys into shape then, Professor Dumbledore did say that most of you were slightly behind."

He opened his Werewolf book, "Ah! Let's get Harry up here to play the Wagga Wagga werewolf.

Harry raised his hand, "Unfortunately sir, calling me up alone may violate the 13th charter of 1208, so may I suggest transfiguring and animating one of the dummies in the corner, as a man of your skill obviously can?" Harry said, sweetly.

Lockhart paled slightly, "Ah, of course not Harry, I forgot about the 13th charter of 1208, so many from that year, you know? I don't think its necessary to transfigure and animate the dummy, it is quite advanced magic. I don't want to spend all my energy."

"Oh, no problem, sir, your… energy is very important." Harry said, sounding somewhat earnest and waving his wand at the dummy, turning it the distinctive grey of werewolf fur and transfiguring a snout and turning the legs into the heavy-set werewolf kind, putting bright red eyes as a finishing touch, leaving a convincing approximation of a werewolf.

Lockhart jumped back with a yelp and pulled out his wand. Once he recovered, he took a deep breath and smiled weakly.

Harry smiled, barely hiding the glee behind his smile, "Would you like me to help by animating it too?" Harry asked.

"NO!" Lockhart cried, he hastened to add, "No dark magic in this class."

"But it isn't dark magic, its just Hogwarts second year magic."

Harry flicked his wand and the Werewolf started lugubriously doing a swaying tap-dance in the direction of Lockhart.

Lockhart gave a look of terror and flung his wand at the animated doll.

Harry gritted his teeth with the heavy expense of magic at animating the huge figure but continued pushing his magic into the spell.

Lockhart ran into his storeroom and locked the door.

Harry let the animation fail, beads of sweat coming down his forehead as the dummy fell to the ground.

Hermione was smirking, "Serves him right, he deserves worse!"

Harry shuddered at the viciousness in Hermione's voice and vowed to never get on his best friend's bad side.

Harry smiled widely, this hadn't been part of his plan, but it would certainly hurt Lockhart's credibility.

Their class left early after it was made clear that there was no chance that Lockhart was coming out of his office.

*** Elsewhere

Somewhere else in the castle, a student, possessed by Tom Marvolo Riddle stumbled into the second floor girls bathroom.

~Open…~ the student hissed in the language of snakes.

And the bathroom sink moved aside to reveal an ominous passage.

The student descended down the chute, almost comically fast.

The Student reached the bottom and spoke once more.

~Speak to me, Slytherin of the Greatest Four…~

*** End of Chapter