The Intelligent Potter

*** Present, with Harry and Hermione

Harry seemed to be completely calm as he walked away with Hermione from the library, but Hermione knew something was troubling her best friend.

As they turned the corner and were safely out of Daphne Greengrass' earshot, Harry whispered to Hermione, "Do you know what you just did!"

The bushy-haired girl looked mildly confused, "Huh?"

"Hermione, Daphne Greengrass was obviously gathering information on me." Harry said back.

"What makes it obvious?"

"She's a Greengrass, and there's no way she would have just given us the book and not at least tried to gain some information. Hell, the entire thing might have been staged from the start to make us come to her."

Hermione's mouth opened and closed wordlessly, "So what did I- The Invisibility cloak!" she caught on to it immediately.

"Exactly, the most dangerous thing about her is that we don't know whose side she's on. The Greengrasses are one of the most notoriously neutral families in the wars between the dark and the light but on a purely business level, this information could be very valuable for Voldemort." Harry hissed back.

"Have you tried legilimency?"

"I did, her shields are too good for me to probe without her at least finding me out, and most likely repelling the attack. I scanned the top of her mind a few times in our talk."

"While I was thinking strategy, you two were on a completely different plane…" Hermione mumbled.

"Yeah, and you need to get on it too Hermione." Harry said, "You need to be able to see under the surface or at least not blabber out important secrets like that! Especially to Greengrass, her entire family is the perfect embodiment of Slytherins!"

Hurt shone in Hermione's eyes briefly.

"Hermione, I trust you completely, but you need to be careful. My invisibility cloak is a surprise factor that we may have possibly lost but it isn't the end of the world, but the next thing you let slip might be, anyway we need to consult Arcturus on this, he'll know what to do." Harry spoke, his hard tone softening.

Hermione nodded shakily.

*** With Arcturus, later

"So Greengrass is spying on you…" Arcturus mused.

Harry nodded.

"With The Darkness on the rise, it is unlikely that the Greengrasses will be willing to tip the favor any more towards the dark side than it already is, but it would still be safest to make sure where their allegiances lie…" Arcturus mused.

"What does the rising of The Darkness have anything to do with the Greengrasses allegiance?" Harry asked curiously.

"The Greengrasses are a neutral family. That isn't just a political agenda, they work to make sure that balance is maintained in the world. They don't usually take sides as The Darkness is usually pushed back and there is equality in the world, but the power of their family would indeed be useful in the war which is to come." Arcturus said.

"So you want me to confront the Greengrass girl?" Harry asked.

Arcturus got up out of his chair, "No, I will handle Daphne Greengrass."

*** Later

Daphne entered the office of her defense professor warily, her hand gripping her wand.

Professor Black had summoned her to his room this evening on 'academic business' which he wanted to discuss with her.

'Bullshit' her mind told her.

And bullshit it was.

"You're here, Greengrass." Daphne heard a cold voice say.

The office chair which had been facing the other way spun around to reveal Arcturus Black sitting in it.

His gaze was unsettling like her father's could be but with the wisdom and weight of his age behind it as well.

The door behind her slammed shut and suddenly Black didn't seem as weak as she had deemed him.

Gone was the stern unyielding professor.

In his place, was a frighteningly strong General, radiating power off himself in waves.

"You have been spying on Harry Potter." He stated, "For how long?"

"3 weeks." She answered truthfully.

"You know a few things no doubt…" Arcturus said, his voice darkening.

Daphne paled, this was looking more and more like it would devolve into violence, and there was no way in hell she could hope to match the power radiating from the old man in front of her.

"Indeed."

"Your father is Iliad Greengrass, correct?" Arcturus said, seemingly off topic.

"Yes." Daphne replied carefully.

"He is a smart man. Tell him, The Darkness is rising." Arcturus said.

Daphne sighed an internal sigh of relief, it looked like there would be no fighting, thank the gods.

"He already knows." Daphne replied.

"So what does he intend to do."

"Wait, wait and see."

"The Greengrass way" Arcturus smiled wryly, "Let your father I will be dropping by on Saturday, he should be home."

With that, the door behind Daphne swung open, letting in a lot of light into the room which seemed to have darkened.

As quickly as she could without giving away her fear too obviously, Daphne got up and fled the room, getting as far away from the Defense Professor as possible.

When she was back in her dorm, she took out her mirror first thing.

"Iliad Greengrass."

The mirror showed her her father.

"Daphne, to what do I owe this surprise, you don't have a report due for almost a week." Iliad said cheerfully, more so than he usually was when he talked business.

"Arcturus Black spoke to me."

Immediately, Iliad was serious, like the cheer was a mirage, disappearing in a single second.

"What did he say." Iliad all but demanded of his daughter.

"He is coming to meet you on Saturday." Daphne said.

"Tomorrow…well it looks like it's time to get some answers." Iliad replied.

*** Next day, Greengrass Manor

The Lord Black strode up to the front door of Greengrass manor, known for its large sweeping fields of, what else, green grass.

He knocked smartly on the door of the large mansion, which, despite its size, was still not close to the size of Black Manor."

The door was opened by a house elf, "Who is it!" the house elf squeaked out.

"Tell Lord Greengrass that Arcturus Black is here to see him."

The elf nodded and returned within a second before beckoning to Arcturus, "Come." It spoke.

Arcturus simply nodded and followed it to the (or at least one of the) sitting rooms where Iliad was seated.

The Lord Greengrass rose to meet Arcturus.

The two men shook hands.

"Arcturus."

"Iliad."

*** End of Chapter