~37~ SCHEME

*Harry's POV *

"Good morning Harry. Returned from your jogging?"

"Yes, Neville. I know you feel uncomfortable however, I suggest we should run together in the morning at least."

"I want to run as well but I'm clumsy and fall easily and don't want to embarrass myself, therefore, you should keep running by yourself. Thanks for the invitation nevertheless."

"I'm going to use the bathroom before descending stairs, what about you?"

"I'll be waiting for you in the common room and read the book about herbology I found from our library. After convincing grandma, she allowed me to read it and return without a scratch. "

"Then I'll meet you in ten minutes. I envy Hermione and Ravenclaws. They have their room with bathroom unlike us who has to share public bathroom and room of six whom we have to stay with seven years."

"I can't refuse that one. Hurry up and let's have breakfast before it's too late for classes."

I had a shower and met Neville downstairs. He was sitting in front of the fireplace. I saw the youngest member of the Weasley family talking to her fellow first years. She was trying to talk to me last night but I didn't give her a chance because I can read her mind and know her agenda.

She is a little girl who is after my wealth and reputation as the last known member of the Potter family. She assumes that I will fall in love with her just because she thinks she is pretty and I don't have family love. The one in the shadows is her mother. Engaging her daughter to me and swallowing everything belongs to me as an adult in charge of me and my mother in law. It seems that they think I am an idiot or naive to fall into their scheme. 'Not everybody is Hermione, I guess' *sigh*

"Hey, Neville. What do you think house-elves prepared for breakfast? I miss their meals. I ate in Australia and France but their meals are just so yummy. Do you think they put something in to make us addicted to their cooking?" I smile as we walk.

"I don't think so. It's about ingredients I suppose. The meat and veggies are from wizard gardens or forest full of magic and no muggle could rival it. " Neville laughed when he heard my theory. House-elves couldn't do something to injure us.

We ate our breakfast and took our schedules from Professor McGonagall. The first class was DADA and I knew the new professor whose fame and stories were fabricated. Hermione was against to buy his books as well and in case she needed it, she would borrow mine. she tried to convince me to not buy his books but I didn't care about him so I just bought even if I had to pay a hefty sum for it and I could lend Hermione when she needed.

Professor Gilderoy Lockhart entered the classroom from the door on the stairs and stood there while smiling and giving poses but all I could see was a ridiculous show. Then he arrogantly introduced himself.

"Me, Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award — but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

Why do we have to learn from people like them? Firstly, it was a shaming coward and now a narcissist. What will be like next year? I shouldn't have expected anything from a cursed course, my bad.

"Ah, Harry Potter. Here you are. Please come to the stage to help me for playing the role of my rival and enemies to show these youngsters what it is to be a celebrity, would you?"

"I'm sorry, professor. I don't like spotlights even if it hurts me to lose house points but I may suggest better options to play your might if my fellow mates accept it. I think Ron is better than me as your partner." While sending him death glares daring him to choose me or even punish with detention, I suggest Ron as he is comparing himself with me in every chance he would accept if the professor chose him and would brag in front of me the whole time which I wouldn't care in either case.

"Ahahaha. You are funny, Mr Potter. I wouldn't force you to be my partner. It was just an offer. What about you Mr Weasley. Would you like to come and join me?" I could feel his anxiety behind his fake smile. Unfortunately for Ron, he became scapegoat but it's not my problem if he's an idiot.

"Hey, Harry. When do you think we will be released from this suffering? All he does is addressing his adventures which I doubt to be true. Isn't it a course to teach us how to defend ourselves? Why did it become his biography? And look at those girls, they will kill us if we try to complain."

"As you said Neville, it's a lost course in my opinion because of its curse. We should self-study instead of relying on those teacher wannabes. "

Finally, we left the classroom when the bell rang and went to the Great Hall. I ate my lunch and returned to my exploration of the castle. Last year the third floor was partly forbidden hence it's my first stop to explore. The grand staircases were moving around so it was unpredictable what it'll lead me in the end. When the last stair stopped moving, I could land on the third floor. I roamed and stepped into the abandoned classes and rooms. Some were hidden behind portraits while some doors were fake and wouldn't budge an inch. I took a nap before waking up to the sounds and when I realized the sounds were leading to the room I was in. Hurriedly, I wore my invisibility cloak and wished for the sound to go away. Unfortunately, the door was opened and the couple arguing in front of me were Ron and Ginerva Weasleys whom I was avoiding.

When I heard their plans, I got angry but didn't move and show myself until they left the room. now they had done it and should bear the consequences of their deeds. I waited for a little while before leaving and saw a figure leaving after the duo causing me to smile. Maybe it wasn't so bad at all. I put on my cloak and left for my next class waiting for the dinner impatiently.