The Intelligent Potter

*** Hogwarts, Present

The news of Lockhart's cowardly escape spread through the castle like wildfire, girls who were previously besotted with the blonde defence professor were now shooting betrayed expressions at him.

Harry's plan would work flawlessly with the population of Hogwarts already willing to believe that Lockhart was now the bane of all existence.

*** Hogwarts Library, later

Harry was in the traditions section of the library, searching where one would find histories on the oldest pureblood families.

Harry opened one of the biggest tomes in the section titled, "Ye Olde Families" and searched under the letter P, surprised at the number of families under the list that had died out.

Pewter

Pelven

Provit

Peverell

Prewett

Potter

…

POTTER!

Harry flicked through the pages excitedly, finally coming to the substantial section on the Potters.

"The Potters are one of the oldest Pureblood families, tracing their bloodline in England all the way back to the Pre-Merlin eras. In recent times, the family has come under more liberal leadership, starting with 17thcentury rebel Pureblood Thomas Potter who used the significant weight of the family to pass the first of many muggle-rights laws and amendments passed by the Potter family in the most recent centuries. The Potter was, at one point, the ric.h.e.s.t family in magical Britain but in recent years their fortune has dwindled, losing millions of galleons in the wars against Dark Lord Grindelwald and Dark Lord Voldemort, under the leadership of Charles and later James Potter. However, the family still retains a large amount of their wealth, including their mansion, hailed to be the grandest building in Europe in the 18th Century, the peak of the Potters."

He had a mansion?

Harry's mind went reeling.

He knew the Potters were a pureblood family, but he expected that he would know if he owned a mansion.

British laws did not allow use of the family vault until one became of age, but the mansion was traditionally handed to the oldest family member as soon as the previous family member died, so Harry would technically have owned the place, and it's house-elves since he was one year old.

He would have to write a letter to Gringotts, Dumbledore as his magical guardian should technically have told him about the mansion when he joined the wizarding world at 11 years of age, but McGonagall mentioned that Dumbledore didn't want him to know all about his family yet.

Harry assumed that this was because Dumbledore didn't want him getting drunk on his power and buying into the pureblood nonsense, and while Harry still believed that Dumbledore has stuck his nose where it didn't belong once again, he grudgingly agreed that Dumbledore's reasons were probably for his good.

*** Next day, Gringotts

Dear Teller Griphook,

May your enemies blood taste the ground,

It has come to my attention that the Potter family has a mansion and that by standard british law, I am now in possession of it. Since all Potter holdings are managed by Gringotts, I was wondering whether I could get the location and the list of wards on the Potter manor,

May the gold of your enemies fill your vaults,

Your customer, Heir Potter.

Griphook read the letter approvingly, not only was the Potter heir courteous, he was also intelligent.

*** Next morning, Hogwarts

Harry opened the letter addressed to him, hoping for an answer.

To ,

The Potter manor is protected by a Tutela Fidelius, a variation on the fidelius charm which is anchored to the house itself, the knowledge can only be transferred to those whose names are written in the ward book.

The Potter Manor is located at itself.

May your enemies' gold fill your vaults,

Senior Teller Griphook.

A wave of old memories of a grand house flooded into Harry's head, memories of a grand renaissance style house returning to his head.

Within a moment, Harry knew what his next plan was.

He had to get to Potter manor.

*** Lockhart's class

Lockhart was putting more bravado into his latest class than he had before, trying to make up for his lost reputation, he didn't seem to blame it on Harry, which was perfect for Harry's plan.

"Sir, a lot of students want to learn how to duel… do you think you could handle a duelling club, maybe that will let people know that you truly know your stuff." Harry suggested innocently.

Lockhart seemed to brighten at an idea to regain his reputation.

"Great idea, Harry! I think that a duelling club would be a great idea."

"And sir, maybe after the first class, we could hold a duelling competition, separated by grade level of course, and the winner would challenge you."

Lockhart looked like he couldn't keep up with Harry's train of thought so Harry elaborated.

"Like the first through third years duel and the fourth-fifth years duel and the sixth and seventh years duel, then the three winners can challenge you to see how they stack up against real talent, of course, that would be you, sir." Harry said, making sure that there was no way for Lockhart to back out of the competition without seeming weak.

"Of-Course." Lockhart stuttered out, "We can hold the first meeting tomorrow!" he said, smiling weakly.

*** Next evening, Hogwarts

The Possessed student walked down the hall to the first floor girls bathroom.

Down the chute went the student.

The basilisk was waiting as instructed.

The serpentine voice of Voldemort spoke in parseltongue.

~Today, we shall hunt!~

*** End of Chapter.