C13 Harry's Change of Plans

# # #

Apparating into the parlor at Potter Manor, Harry dropped his glamour and bellowed, "Sirius!"

Pixie popped in alongside him, and said, "Hello Master Harry, Sir!"

"Hello, Pixie," he said courteously to the house elf. "Where's my so-called godfather?"

Sirius came walking in from the kitchen, munching on a sandwich. "Hey, Harry," he said.

Rounding on him, Harry snarled, "That wasn't bloody nice!"

Grinning impudently back, Sirius said, "Well, you had me tied to a bloody bed in the insane asylum. That could not go unpunished."

"I did not!" shot back Harry. "The bloody wizard doctors ordered that because you were ranting so bloody much!"

"Well," replied Sirius with a grin. "Oops!"

"Oops?" grouched Harry. "Do you know how long I was face down on the floor in your room with a wand to the back of my head?"

"Well, given that you're here now..." began Sirius, clearly trying to figure it out.

"That was a rhetorical bloody question!" snapped Harry.

"Okay," said Sirius, raising his hands in surrender, but still smiling. "I still think it was funny."

"Now," he continued, holding his arms out wide, "Come over here and give your godfather a hug."

Harry slumped his shoulders but went over and dutifully gave him a hug.

"It's finally good to meet you in person, godfather," Harry said.

"And you, after all these years, godson," said his godfather.

Harry sighed and said, "You need to talk to Amelia to let her know you're safe."

He walked over and tossed a bit of floo powder into the fireplace and called Amelia in her office. As promised, the floo was working.

"Madam Bones?" asked Harry. "It's me, as promised."

Sighing, Amelia said, "Put him on."

"Godfather?" asked Harry, stepping aside.

Sirius walked over and said, "Madam Bones, I'm sorry for what happened. I didn't mean to panic anyone."

Amelia sighed again and said, "Next time, leave a note. My aurors thought you'd been taken."

"Yes, Ma'am," said a contrite Sirius.

"Well, get out of here now," she said. "Get to know your godson. He's got a lot to tell you."

Sirius cut the connection and, turning to Harry said, "Now, I'm dying to know how you managed to prank the muggle Queen of England. Tell me everything."

"First," Harry said seriously. "I don't like the muggle word. I believe it to be a derogatory term. Please use either non-magical or mundane. And second, Her Majesty is no mundane. She has magicked of her own, they're just not the wand waving kind."

"Okay, Pup," said Sirius a bit sheepishly. "You're like your mother that way. She didn't appreciate the term muggle either. For her and for you, I won't use it."

"Thank you," said Harry sincerely. "And, just so you know, I don't like the terms muggle-born, or mud blood, either. Use mundane-born."

"I can do that," said Sirius.

Harry nodded and said, "Now, you need to know what's going on."

He walked over and settled onto a couch, waiting for Sirius to do the same. He began by saying, "Besides Her Majesty and some of her people, there are only seven other people who know the full story of what I'm about to tell you..."

Harry went through the background of his life and how it would have otherwise turned out. Then he went through how Myrddin had pulled him out of normal reality and trained him. And how he managed to get in to see the Queen.

Pixie brought them both snacks while Harry was talking, and Harry had a pot of tea.

"Hang on," said Sirius. "You claimed Privilege of Peerage. What in Merlin's name is that?"

"That is when one of Her peers has the right to demand of Her, her time, to discuss matters of importance," explained Harry.

"Her peers?" asked Sirius, quite confused. "How could you do that?"

Harry sighed and instead asked, "What do you know of what happened on the night my parents died?"

"That night is burned into my memory," replied Sirius with a sad scowl. "I'll never forget it."

Harry nodded and said, "Did you know that Voldemort was the last remaining heir of Salazar Slytherin?"

"No," replied Sirius. "I mean, I know he claimed to be. But we didn't believe him."

"Well, I've got news for you," said Harry. "He was."

"Really?" asked Sirius, surprised.

"Really," responded Harry. "And when Mum defeated and killed him with her magics with the spells and wards, she placed upon me, she not only defeated Voldemort, but she also effectively defeated the entire House of Slytherin."

"But... that would mean..." spluttered Sirius.

"That she took over the House of Slytherin," finished Harry.

"However," he went on, "She defeated him posthumously. So, it immediately passed to me."

"So, you took over House Slytherin?" asked a shocked Sirius.

"More than that," replied Harry, holding forth his right hand and showing the ring of Slytherin. "I'm the Earl of Slytherin; Lord Slytherin."

"Damn, Pup!" said a very shocked Sirius, staring at the ring. "Damn! That would have to be the greatest prank of all time!"

"Now," Harry went on, ignoring the comment. "The reason I could claim Privilege of Peerage, is because the Earl of Slytherin is recognized in the peerage of the realm. The entire realm; mundane and magical. Which means I have a position waiting for me in the House of Lords under hereditary peerage when I'm not going to be so busy elsewhere."

Sirius sat back in stunned silence and Harry waited for him to gather his thoughts.

"But wasn't she upset you did that? I mean, you basically forced Her to give you audience," asked Sirius once he'd collected himself.

"She was, until I gave her the names of the other three Heirs," said Harry calmly.

"You what?" exclaimed Sirius, shooting up straight in his chair and staring back in surprise.

"You heard me," replied Harry. "I gave her the names of the other three Heirs. Then she ordered they all be collected and brought before Her.

"In the course of everything that happened, I, and then the other three, were ordered by Her to take up out titles. Her magic overrode the magics of not being able to take up our Heads of House positions. The magic did the only thing it could do. It recognized Her Majesty's authority and immediately emancipated us.

"Because we were emancipated, we were then put in a position to take the rings of the Heads of Houses of our own Houses. And Her Majesty sealed it by ordering us to take those rings, as well. So, I'm now Lord Slytherin and Lord Potter," said Harry again showing his Head of House Potter ring.

"So, who are the others?" asked Sirius, still in a bit of shock.

"The new Earl of Gryffindor is Neville Longbottom, son of Frank and Alice Longbottom and grandson of Madam Augusta Longbottom. The new Countess of Hufflepuff is Susan Bones, the niece and ward of Madam Amelia Bones. And the new Countess of Ravenclaw is a supposed mundane born which named Hermione Granger. We are all starting our first year at Hogwarts this year," replied Harry.

"You're all eleven?" asked Sirius.

"Well, we'll all still be eleven on the 1st of September. Hermione turns twelve about two weeks later."

"What are the odds of that?" wondered Sirius.

"None, actually," stated Harry. "All four of us are the Children of Prophecy."

Harry went on to tell Sirius the prophecy and what they were tasked to do. He explained about the cubes, showing him the box, and what they were giving the other three Heirs. And he went on to tell him about what he had been up to since he'd been back.

He then told him about the mirrors and withdrawing it from his satchel, offered Sirius mirror #11 together with the list of who had what mirror, and showed him how to use it.

"Please, take this serious, Sirius," he said and snorted. Sirius rolled his eyes. "And don't contact Sir Anthony, Sir David or Her Majesty. Those three are purely for emergencies only. Not even to prank them!"

"Okay, Pup," said Sirius. "I understand. I promise, I won't."

"Good," Harry nodded.

"Now comes the bad crap," said Harry continuing. "Voldemort's return and the horcruxes."

Harry explained how Voldemort was supposed to return and when. What the horcruxes were, and where they were. And what he needed Sirius to do.

"So, that's why you want me to kick Bellatrix out of the family. I get the heirloom contents of her vault and, with it, Hufflepuff's cup," said Sirius. "And Regulus found the locket a decade ago and put it in Grimmauld Place."

"Yes," said Harry. "I've already collected the ring. I can get Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, tiara, once I'm at Hogwarts. And I can kill Quirrell at any time. But I need to do it in such a way that old Voldy's spirit doesn't escape. The soul leech that was in my scar has already been removed by Myrddin, so that just leaves the diary.

"Getting the diary off Malfoy, if all goes to plan, will occur when he slips it to Ginny Weasley, Arthur and Molly Weasley's youngest, when she goes to Flourish and Blotts to pick up her textbooks with her family shortly before the 1st of September next year. And I can take it off her then.

"The final horcrux, within Nagini, won't be made until the final piece of his soul is put into and possesses that baby. However, I think that possession is actually the same spirit that escapes when Quirrell is killed. So, none of that should happen. If I destroy the other horcruxes before he tries that, there will be no existing soul anchors. His spirit will, instead, 'pass on'. Final death. No monster baby; no monster snake.

"To meet the requirements of the prophecy, all that has to happen is the one who destroys the last horcrux has to be me. By my hand. It says he has to die by my hand, not that I have to kill him. It doesn't sound like they differ, but they can by the method I've covered.

"You've got this all worked out, don't you?" asked Sirius with wonder.

"Myrddin and I have been working on this for almost fifteen years," replied Harry. "Plus, we've got backup plans out the whazoo for as many contingencies as possible.

"The other bit of a shock is that, as Earls," Harry went on, "We four outrank every other so-called Noble on the Wizengamot. And they can't deny it of us. There are four identical seats currently hidden below the Chairperson's seat that will rise when we formally present ourselves as Lords at a Wizengamot meeting of our choice. A fifth is also there, for the Her Majesty's representative."

"You four are going to turn wizarding Britain on its head!" exclaimed Sirius.

"That's the idea," replied Harry. "We four are going to drag the wizarding world into the late twentieth century, whether it likes it or not. And we will have the full backing of the Crown while we do it.

"If the Wizengamot tries to physically stop us, Her Majesty's forces will, using the floo at the Palace, come through to the Ministry and take over by force."

"It sounds almost too much," said Sirius. "And all four of you are only eleven!"

"Well, we're only eleven now," replied Harry. "But I've got nineteen years of life under my belt. And all four of us will have knowledge way beyond anything any other wizard has had since, pretty much, the days of Merlin."

"In the process of saving magical Britain from itself, I'm going to destroy both the leader of the dark and the so-called leader of the light."

"Damn, Pup!" said Sirius, more than little awed. "With that much ambition, you really are a Slytherin!"

"You know," mused Harry, "I thought you'd have a hard time accepting I won't be a Gryffindor."

"I did, at first, I guess," admitted Sirius with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "But you have your father's bravery and your mother's smarts. The two together, I guess, would best suit Slytherin. No matter how much I hate the idea."

"Slytherin House is not supposed to be the House of dark magic and purity it is today. Slytherin was misunderstood. And history is written by the victor," replied Harry. "Slytherin was worried, and justifiably so, that non-magicals would fear wizards and witches. The burnings and drownings, the horrors of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries especially, were proof enough of that.

"However, part of the permission both Kings of Scotland and England gave for the creation of Hogwarts, and the reason all four Houses are Earldoms, is because the four founders promised to use their trained witches and wizards in the defense of both realms. Now that it's all one realm, we still owe that debt."

Harry shook his head, "There's so much that's gone wrong over the years - and so much lost - and four kids, that haven't even reached their teen years, are going to lead the drive to fix it. It's a crazy world."

Sirius snorted. "A bit full of yourself, aren't you?"

Harry chuckled, "And that's what I need you to be for me. The slave in the chariot who constantly whispers in the ear of the triumphant Roman general, 'You are not a God, you are only a man'."

"I'm a slave?" asked Sirius with a frown.

"No, it's an analogy," laughed Harry. "You're the voice of conscience. The one who reminds me I'm only a man."

"Oh, that I can do," said Sirius with enthusiasm.

Harry snorted and looked at his watch, then said, "The time's getting late. Pixie!"

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

"Pixie, it looks like we'll both be here for dinner tonight. Can you whip something up for the both of us?" asked Harry.

"Yes, Master Harry, Sir," the little elf replied. "Pixie already cooking!"

"Thank you, Pixie," said Harry with a smile.

When it was ready, Harry and Sirius talked about other matters while eating. One of which was Remus Lupin.

"You can trust him, Harry," said Sirius. "One of the reasons I managed to stay sane in that hell hole was the letters I'd receive from him."

"As far as I know, he never came looking for me, Sirius," replied Harry sadly.

"Oh, yes he did!" said Sirius emphatically. "He was constantly travelling right across the country trying to find you. Dumbledore refused to tell him where you were, but that didn't stop him looking."

Sirius sighed, "It's been hard for him. He had to keep going over to the continent to work in the magical community, because he couldn't find work here. Any work he did find here was in the muggle... err, mundane... world. As soon as he'd saved enough money, he'd be right back here searching again."

Harry said, "Well, Pixie tells me he sometimes comes past here, every now and then. If he comes again, the first thing he needs to know is NOT to contact Dumbledore and tell him where I am. Hell, don't tell anyone where I am."

"I think I can convince him of that, without a problem," replied Sirius. "He's really not happy with Dumbledore for not letting him see you, or even giving news about you."

Harry nodded and said, "Okay, I can accept that."

Looking at his watch he said, "It's time for me to go visit the other Heirs with their next cubes. I want to be earlier tonight in case they have any questions.

"Take one of the guest rooms and I'll see you tomorrow. I still need to return to the palace, tonight. If only to pick up my trunk, books and papers. Otherwise, I'll probably be moving here semi-permanently tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," said Sirius.

"Pixie!" called Harry.

*Pop* "Yes, Master Harry, Sir?"

"Excellent meal, Pixie," said Harry. "Especially, since you didn't know you'd have two to serve tonight."

"Thank you, Master Harry, Sir!"

"I'll also probably be moving in and staying here for a while as of tomorrow, okay?"

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!"

Turning to Sirius, Harry said, "Oh, and Sirius?"

"Pup?"

"I have one more thing to show you," said Harry with a grin picking up his satchel.

"Oh?" asked Sirius with a quizzical look.

Still grinning, Harry crouched and leapt into the air, shifting to his earth phoenix Animagus. He hovered there and watched Sirius's look of gobsmacked shock a few seconds before flashing to outside, redonning his glamour and apparating to the Longbottom Manor.

# # #

This cube was Magical Medicine, Potions & Herbology, He knew Neville, at least, would like it.

A quick run through the homes of the first two and he was at the Grangers. Dan sat him down in the lounge room.

"Lad," he began, "I used that cube last night."

Harry nodded and asked, "And I take it you've been reviewing it through your mind today?"

"Yes. And I'm quite disturbed by it," replied Dan. "I understood those Death Eater folks are bad people. But that cube shows they truly are terrorists. The Crucio Curse, while painful, is survivable. And I can understand the Avada Kedavra killing curse. In war, people die. But that Imperious Curse is just disgusting.

"But I noticed there are a number of others that, while they don't say they're in the Unforgivable set, are just as deadly. The Confringo Blasting Hex, the Entrail-Expelling Curse, the Reductor Curse, and a few more just to name a few."

Harry nodded and said, "Yeah, I know. I think I even killed Riddle in the original timeline with a well-aimed piercing curse, right between the eyes. But it's like anything else in the mundane world. A hammer can be used to bang nails into a board, or save someone's head in. The Unforgivables, though, they're only good for one thing, really."

"Yeah, I get that" said Dan. "But there are just so many ways to kill people with magic."

"Nowhere near as many as non-magical ways," replied Harry with a shrug.

Dan sighed, "Stopping their Avada Kedavra spell, though..."

"Dan, most of their spells will be stopped by three important factors," said Harry. "One, it takes a few seconds to cast and they don't travel all that fast; so, you can duck and cover. Two, the Unforgivables cannot travel through solid objects; so, use something as cover. And three, ALL spells have to be cast within the range of the spell caster; and that's usually about no more than thirty feet away, so don't let them get into that range.

"You have weaponry that kills well outside that range, you can hide behind barricades, and you've each got an emergency portkey that you should be carrying on your person at all times. And the trace that'll be left will only show a scrambled destination. And, even if they know where you went, the wards I've now put-on Potter Manor will redirect their butts about a mile out to sea off the south coast and about fifty feet in the air. They better know how to swim."

Dan snorted. "Yeah, and now that the MI5 security systems are operational, I'll know they're coming well before they can come in and get to us. So, they won't be catching us by surprise."

"That's right," replied Harry.

Dan thought about that for a while, then shook himself out of his... melancholy mood.

"Anyway," he said. "The other matter I wanted to discuss with you is your fitness levels."

"Errr... why?" asked Harry warily.

"If you're going to be doing a lot of jumping around to avoid being hit, and your magical stamina is linked quite a bit to your physical stamina, you're going to need to be fit to protect my daughter," said Dan.

'Oh, God,' thought Harry. 'I know where this is going.'

"So, now that the three heirs are all going great guns with the cubes without problems, you've got time to do something about your fitness levels," said Dan.

"Dan, I'm fine," said Harry a bit defensively.

"Fine and warrior fit are not the same thing," argued Dan. "So, starting tomorrow morning, you're going to be physically training with me... Future son-in-law."

Harry sighed. He knew what was coming.

"Now, I don't expect you to do the same level of exercise as me. But I expect you to begin training with, say, twenty push-ups, twenty sit-ups, and a one mile run, to start," said Dan, warming into his subject. "Then we can see what we can do to get you a sidearm and teach you to shoot it left-handed. Not a 45, mind; something more like a 25 calibre ACP round in a Baby Browning, will do for now. At least, until you can get strength built up in your wrist and shoulder.

"The Baby Browning is a small, lightweight weapon that doesn't have a lot of stopping power over any range. But we're talking close range if you need to use it, anyway. Plus, it'll give you experience with a handgun before we move you up to a 32 calibre piece. Okay?"

Harry thought about it and could see Dan's logic. Wizards know little about mundane weaponry and have no idea how fast and lethal they could be in the right hands. Protego or solid object shield, or not, a good automatic can cause a lot of damage and get more shells down range than spells can be cast. Firing left-handed also had the bonus of leaving his 'spell hand' free to still be casting.

"Okay, I can see your arguments," replied Harry. "Plus, even if I don't hit them, the sound of the damned thing going off should cause them to break concentration for a second or two and allow me time to get a spell of at them."

"But" he went on, "what about the law regarding civilians carrying weaponry, especially concealed weaponry and handguns?"

Dan grinned and said, "I checked. There's an old law that states, as an earl, you're entitled to develop a military force in the name of Her Majesty. There's no minimal requirement for how many people that is. You can be a force of one."

"You've got your heart set on this, don't you?" asked Harry a bit sullenly.

"Yep!" replied Dan with great cheer. "So, tomorrow morning we'll start. You'll need to be here at about 8.00am. I'll then use your training as my cooling down phase from my morning workout. Sound good?"

"No," replied Harry. "But far be it for me to disappoint the father of Countess Ravenclaw. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Good lad!" said a grinning Dan.

# # #

Next morning, Michael came in to see him and Harry told him he'd be moving out that day.

"Do you need me to start packing your effects now, My Lord," he asked.

"No, a light breakfast first," replied Harry. "And then I have to disappear for about two hours. Major Granger is insisting I begin a physical fitness regime under his tutelage and I'm hoping it's not going to take longer than that. So, I should be back here directly after that to move everything to Potter Manor."

"Yes, My Lord," said Michael. "It has been a pleasure to aid you this past week, Sir."

"No, Michael, the thanks are all mine," replied Harry seriously. "You've been a godsend. Her Majesty was right. Staying in a hotel would not have been the best idea."

"Thank you, My Lord, for your kind words," he replied with a small bow and left the room.

Harry enjoyed a breakfast of a small bowl of bran cereal with a dollop of fresh fruit, a small orange juice, a cup of tea and a couple slices of fresh toast. Then headed off to the Grangers for a couple of hours of what he would soon come to believe was Hell.

# # #

When he returned two hours later, he looked quite bedraggled. Michael was waiting for him.

"Michael?" he asked.

"Yes, My Lord?"

"I believe the Major is trying to kill me and humiliate me at the same time."

"Oh?" the butler asked.

"He had me run, Michael. Lots," said Harry with a bit of moan.

"Running is good for you, My Lord," said Michael.

"But he wouldn't let up! He kept pushing me and pushing me," whined Harry.

"That would get the heart pumping, My Lord."

"I tried to get him to include Hermione, his daughter, in our future training," said Harry. "But he wouldn't hear of it."

"Oh?" asked the butler. "And why is that My Lord?"

"He said, quite unctuously mind, that 'Countesses do not run'."

"That would seem to be a valid point, My Lord," said Michael, his voice beginning to sound a little strained.

"Yeah, maybe," sulked Harry. "But he didn't have to do it while running backwards in front of me! And, not even appearing to be out of breath while I was wheezing away like a leaky set of bellows!"

All Harry heard was a slight choking sound coming from his butler's direction.

"Michael? Are you laughing at me?" demanded Harry.

"No, Sir," choked the butler with a face that was beginning to flush.

"Well," Harry grumbled, a bit suspicious of his butler of this past week. "When I suggested maybe there was someone else, he could recommend helping me train, he mentioned someone he called 'Sar 'Major'. He also seemed to think that was funny. Do you think that sounds funny?"

"Excuse me, Sir," said the butler with a very strained rapid voice, leaving the room quite rapidly for the bedroom. "I need to get a change of clothes out for you!"

Harry had the impression the man had actually fled!

# # #

After showering and getting changed, Harry took all his belongings and headed for Potter Manor. There, he found out from Pixie that 'Master Sirius' was still asleep.

"Best leave him, then," said Harry to the elf.

Indicating his bags, he said, "Can you please put the trunk in the master bedroom? The duffel is for the office."

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!" chirped the elf.

She grabbed the trunk and popped with it out of the room, returning a few seconds later and popping out with the duffel.

Walking up stairs and entering the master bedroom, Harry called Pixie and asked, "What did you do with my parent's effects?"

"Pixie put them in a trunk up in the attic, Master Harry," she replied. "Did Pixie do good?"

"That's fine," said Harry nodding. "Does Master Sirius have any clothes to wear?"

"Oh, yes, Master Harry Sir!" said the elf excitedly. "Master Sirius used to live here before Master James and Missy Lily went away! He has clothes!"

Harry nodded again and said, "Good. But if he doesn't have enough, tell him he can have Master James's clothes."

"O-Kay, Master Harry, Sir!" chirped the elf.

Harry went down to the study and pulled out all his book purchases. He cleared some of his parent's books off one of the bookshelves in the room and placed his purchases there.

Then he set up his typewriter and typing paper onto the desk, and used the two, now dead, message cubes as paperweights to hold down the typing paper. One for the blank sheets, and one for the sheets he'd already typed up for his book. He'd also come up with a better title for it, 'Harry Potter: In His Own Words'. It went straight to the truth.

He'd thought of starting to type where he'd left off but changed his mind.

He grabbed about a half dozen of the still blank sheets and a pen. And he began to write. He needed to know what teachers he'd need in the school when they were ready to restructure the entire curriculum.

He thought about how many classes for students to attend, and when. It was important to recognize that idle hands will lead to mischief. He needed to teach the mundane-raised about the wizarding world and the magical-raised about the mundane world. He needed to instill within them, the students, a strong sense of ethics and morality right from the start.

He thought about making the classes closer together with distances between classrooms arranged in a more logical and sensible fashion. He thought about separating the subjects where the students needed to use their wands, so their magical cores weren't exhausted.

After an hour he had the subjects down, and what sort of teachers he'd need for each. He had started with what he knew was already there and built upon that. Some classes would be removed or moved to an elective. Some classes would need completely restructuring. But extra classes would definitely be added.

There would be:

Years Subjects

1 Ethics and Morality (new class)

1 Studies and Traditions of the Mundane World (class for magically raised students only)

1 Studies and Traditions of the Wizarding World (class for mundane raised students only)

1-5 Transfiguration (unchanged)

1-5 Charms (unchanged)

1 Chemistry (new class)

2 Chemistry and Potions (new double class)

3-5 Potions (restructured double class)

3 Mathematics (new class)

3-4 Physics (new class)

1-5 Defense (restructured)

1-2 Mathematics and Accounting (New class)

1-2 History of Magic (restructured and updated)

1-4 Astronomy (restructured to use the ability of the magical sky in the Great Hall)

2 Law

2-5 Herbology (restructured)

3-4 Meditation and Occlumency (new class - elective)

3-5 Care of Magical Creatures (restructured)

3-5 Technology & Technomancy (new class - elective)

3-5 Divination (restructured - elective - conditional)

4-5 Ancient Runes & Ley Lines (restructured and updated - elective)

4-5 Arithmancy (unchanged - elective)

5 Wandless, Druidic, Other Forms of Magic (new class - elective)

5 Supervised Self Study and Research (new class - elective)

6-7 Advanced Transfiguration (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Charms (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Herbology (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Potions 1

6-7 Advanced Potions 2

6-7 Advanced Defense

6-7 Advanced Care of Magical Creatures (restructured)

6-7 Advanced Ancient Runes & Ley Lines (restructured and updated)

6-7 Advanced Arithmancy (unchanged)

6-7 Advanced Technomancy (new class)

6-7 Politics and Diplomacy (new class)

6-7 Business Principles (new class)

6-7 Curse Breaking (new class)

6-7 First Aid

That was a hell of a lot more classes added than he'd originally expected. Of course, some professors would cover multiple classes. But Harry knew he needed to bring in more teachers to fill all the slots. A lot more teachers. Many of them would need to be mundane-born, or at least raised and more-or-less living in the mundane world now.

He needed Sir David's help, or he'd have to advertise. That was now a given. And he'd pay for the extra teaching staff out of his own funds, for now. Once the four heirs brought the school up to a decent standard, he could offer international students' access. They could pay extra. But he was also going to get rid of the twenty-five percent discount offered pure bloods. That, of course, would happen anyway when the laws were changed. But he could bring it in to the school early.

He made a list of what sorts of mundane-knowledgeable teachers he'd need:

Ethics and Morality

Studies and Traditions of the Mundane World (Professor Babbage just didn't get it)

Chemistry

Mathematics

Accounting

Physics

Law (a foot in both camps?)

Politics and Diplomacy

Business Principles

And he made a list of magical knowledgeable teachers he'd need:

Studies and Traditions of the Wizarding World

Chemistry and Potions (someone with a foot in both camps?)

Defense (replace Quirrell)

History of Magic (replace Binns)

Meditation and Occlumency

Technology & Technomancy (overseas?)

Curse Breaking

First Aid and Basic Healing (Madam Pomfrey doubles?)

Wandless, Druidic, Other Forms of Magic

For those put-on detention, a specific staff member for that with knowledge in:

Manners and Proper Behavior

Equality and Respect

There would be no more useless detentions of cauldron scrubbing or the like. Detentions would be meaningful and suitable for the 'crime' committed.

Next, he set about rewriting the student's rulebook. He wanted ten rules that covered most major infractions. He'd ensure a copy was delivered to each student and their guardians.

1. Your wand is considered a deadly weapon. If you point it at someone, and that person has not given you prior permission to do so, it can be construed as an attempt to cause lethal harm. You may be treated accordingly by staff. Magical paintball within the paintball arena is not construed as an attempt to cause harm.

2. The derogatory terms 'muggle', 'muggle-born', 'squib', 'mudblood' and 'blood traitor' are banned anywhere on the grounds of Hogwarts, within the town of Hogsmeade, aboard the Hogwarts Express or Kings Cross Station. Use of those terms from this moment forth will cause you the immediate loss of five points minimum. You may use the terms non-magical or mundane, or mundane born.

3. Each student will receive a set number of points at the beginning of each year. If your points drop to half, your guardians will be notified. If your points drop to ten percent remaining, your guardians will again be notified. If your points drop to zero you can, and probably will, be expelled. Point deductions may be appealed in the first instance to your House Counsellor. If you're unsatisfied with the decision, you may appeal to your Head of House. The Head of House's decision is final.

4. Points may be earned back through academic reward or through working for the school in specified tasks. Points allocated will be fair.

5. Having fun is allowed. Having fun at the expense of harm to another is not. Exception: Within the rules of the game of any recognized sport including on the Quidditch pitch.

6. Criminal activity will be reported to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (DMLE). If the DMLE find you guilty of committing a crime, you may be expelled irrespective of the number of points you hold.

7. Any student expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will have their name submitted to the DMLE as no longer attending the school. If you do not attend a school, you may quickly find your wand snapped and your magic bound.

8. The Heirs want you to be safe during your stay at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you discover a situation within the school or grounds you do not consider safe, report it to the nearest Professor, your Counsellor or one of the four Heirs immediately. A quick and accurate report may see you earn points.

9. The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hogwarts Castle and the grounds, are the property of the four Heirs. It is they, and they alone, who make the final decision on all matters relating to the school, the castle, the grounds and the students.

10. Irrespective of the decision of the Sorting Hat, in extenuating circumstances you may be resorted into another House by the Heads of the Houses. Their decision is final.

Once he'd done that, Harry sat back and sighed.

From the side he heard Sirius, "What're you doing, Pup?"

Harry was startled. He didn't realize Sirius was even out of bed yet. A quick check of the time showed he'd been working almost nonstop for three hours.

Sighing, Harry replied, "Making a start on completely rewriting the school curriculum."

"Now, that's a lofty goal," said Sirius. "Why would you want to?"

"Because that's where the attitudes of magical Britain are first formed in the minds of the country's witches and wizards," replied Harry. "Their time at Hogwarts are their formative years. And it's there they learn the vast majority of life in the magical community. If I can shape the curriculum, I can shape their minds.

"I need to shape how the graduating students think about their place in the world in order to get them to stop being unknowingly seditious. Once I've got that sorted, I'm most of the way to enacting major change across the whole community."

Sirius snorted, "This was Merlin's idea?"

"Both of us, actually," replied Harry. "I think it was the idea we both came to when we were trying to figure out where to start. I remember saying, 'We need to start at the beginning, of course. Where else would we start?' and that led us to realizing what an opportunity Hogwarts, as the only serious magical school in the United Kingdom, offered us."

"Not the Ministry?" asked Sirius, quite curious.

"Oh, we'll be working that end, too, of course," replied Harry. "Her Majesty is really quite displeased with Her Minister and the Ministry for Magic. So, I know we have to make a start on that as soon as possible. I think she'll be... testy... if we don't."

Sirius snorted and shook his head. "Your father would be soooo proud of you, Harry," he said. "Here's you, about to pull the ultimate prank of all time, and you're just so calm and relaxed about it all."

"There's a non-magical saying, 'Prior preparation and planning prevents poor performance'," said Harry. "And there was one Hell of a lot of planning that went into this. Sure, I've hit a few bumps where things didn't go as expected, but they weren't anywhere near enough to rattle me or completely derail the plans."

"So, what's next in your grand plans?" asked Sirius.

"Getting you down to Gringotts, and then to Ollivander's," replied Harry. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Yeah, while you were in here writing up a storm," said his godfather.

"Well," said Harry, rising from his chair. "There's no time like the present. And I don't like the target that's currently on your back while you haven't taken your ring."

"Actually, before we do that," said Sirius a bit carefully, "Do you want to tell me what all that was about last night?"

"Ah!" said Harry, understanding. "You mean my Animagus form."

"So, you are an Animagus, just like your father and me," he said. "What was it? And how did you disapparate while in the form?"

Harry smiled and said a bit proudly, "I'm an earth phoenix. And I didn't disapparate. I used the inherent ability of the phoenix to... flash... out of here."

Sirius was gobsmacked. "You're a phoenix?"

Nodding and chuckling, Harry said, "Yeah."

"I didn't know someone could have a magical creature as an Animagus," said Sirius with wonder.

"Why not?" asked Harry. "You're halfway between an Irish wolfhound and grimm."

"A grimm?" asked Sirius.

"Yeah, didn't you know?" asked Harry back.

"No, it never occurred to me," replied Sirius with a smile.

"Well," said Harry, changing the subject, "The Animagus Mutual Admiration Society is going to need to adjourn, for now. We need to get you to Gringotts and Ollivanders."

Sirius nodded, and led the way back into the parlor and the fireplace. "Let's get it over with," he sighed.

# # #

Coming out in the public fireplace in Diagon Alley, Sirius immediately headed for the bank. At all times he kept a wary eye out for anyone who might have had any intent to accost them. There were a lot of people quite upset he was no longer in Azkaban, and still thought him guilty. It didn't matter if the Veritaserum, and Dumbledore's confession, cleared him of all charges. They didn't want to be wrong in their original assumption, because it would make them look like idiots.

They made it to the bank without trouble and Sirius was soon on his way to see his Account Manager. Harry used the opportunity to speak with Blockrig.

In a private room and pleasantries out of the way, Harry asked, "What did you find out about the ownership of the Daily Prophet?"

"It's owned in shares by a number of members on the Wizengamot and other wealthy people and, in large part, by the Ministry, My Lord," replied Blockrig. "However, the Ministry share, while substantial, is still under twenty-five per cent. I have begun to make enquiries of the shareholders, or their representatives, to purchase their shares. Would you like me to go ahead with that?"

Harry didn't hesitate. "Yes, and see how much of the share owned by the Ministry you can also acquire. I'm not against using bribes to garner those shares, either. Do it quietly and, if necessary, do it slowly. I don't want my hand tipped. I also don't want the Daily Prophet, if it can be at all avoided, knowing who the real purchaser is, just yet."

"Very good, My Lord," said Blockrig. "You want to be the majority shareholder but remain silent, until you're ready."

"Precisely," replied Harry.

"If I may ask, My Lord," said Blockrig, cautiously, "Is this part of your... destruction of Albus Dumbledore's reputation?"

Nodding, Harry said, "That forms part of it. But it also deals with my reputation, for when I come out of hiding. He who holds the attention of the masses, controls the conversation."

"I see," said the old goblin nodding. "And if you control the conversation, you control what is talked about, and what is not."

"Exactly," said Harry firmly. "Sometimes the quill truly is mightier than the sword. Especially, when you're the one holding the quill... and you know how to use it."

After concluding his business, Harry waited for Sirius to meet him on the main floor of the bank. He had to wait a while, though. When Sirius finally walked onto the main floor, Harry could see him staring at the Head of House ring on his finger.

As Sirius walked up to him, Harry said, "Good. It looks good on you, Lord Black."

Startled, Sirius replied, "This is going to take some getting used to."

"You were born for the role," replied Harry. "Now, shall we head for Ollivanders?"

Looking up, Sirius replied, "Yes, I think that would be for the best. I think it's going to feel good finally having a wand in my hand again after all these years."

Leaving the bank, there was still no sign of anyone who might recognize them. And they made their way down to Ollivander's. Sirius also told him he'd kicked out Bellatrix, Narcissa and Draco from the family. And reclaimed the family heirlooms, including the Hufflepuff cup, from Bellatrix's vault. That was now safely in Sirius's vault.

"At least, once it becomes known, you're going to be safe from Malfoy trying to get you bumped off," said Harry. "Malfoy might try and argue the matter before the Wizengamot but kicking them out of the family is not something so odd as to warrant attention."

Inside Ollivander's, there was no one else present. Sirius walked straight up to the counter and rang the little silver tabletop bell. Ollivander came sliding along the wall on a library shelf wheeled ladder and hopped off.

Looking at Sirius, he said, "Ah, Sirius Black. I've been wondering when you'd be coming into my store. Ten and a quarter inch, oak, with a unicorn hair core."

Suddenly staring right at Harry, he said. "And you, Mister Potter. Are you here to purchase your first?"

"Ahhh... No," replied Harry. "I'll be back at the end of the month for that. Today is just for Lord Black."

"Of course," said the old wand maker, looking back at Sirius. "Let me see what I can do."

The old wand maker disappeared into his stacks before coming back with an old box. It was covered on top with a layer dust.

"Now that you've grown some," said Ollivander, "Perhaps a slightly longer wand, this time."

Opening the box and offering its contents to Sirius, Sirius removed the wand from the box and, holding it, he and Harry could both sense the power emanating from the match.

"Oak from the same tree, hair from the same unicorn. This time at ten- and three-quarter inches," said the old crafter. "Repeat customers are almost always much easier." Turning to Harry he asked, "Are you sure I can't fit you for a wand now, Mister Potter?"

"I'm sure. Thank you," said Harry.

After paying for the wand, Sirius was followed out of the store by Harry, who looked back wondering how the hell the old man had seen through his glamour.

"Now, Sirius," said Harry, shaking off the feeling. "How about some decent clothes? Madam Malkin's or Twilfitt and Tattings?"

Sirius nodded and said, "Definitely not Twilfitts. I'll pick up a couple of outfits at Malkin's, but I'm happy enough wearing your father's clothes. We were very close to being the same size."

"Sirius, you're a Lord. You need to both dress the part and be seen to be dressing the part," said Harry. "Otherwise, other folks won't take you serious."

"Oh. Ha Ha," said Sirius with a straight face.

Grinning, Harry said, "Madam Malkin's, it is."

After buying some decent wizard wear and including two top quality sets from Twilfitt and Tattings much to Sirius's disgust, Harry and Sirius went back to Potter Manor, The Pottery.

# # #

Once more back at The Pottery, and with lunch under their belts, Harry said to Sirius, "I had a long think about what you said last night about Remus."

"Yes, and?" prompted Sirius.

"I think you're right. We need to have, at least, a sit-down conversation with the man," said Harry.

"Good," replied Sirius.

"But I think you're going to need to be proactive in your search for him," explained Harry. "I think you're going to need to take out an advertisement in, at least, the Daily Prophet; and probably similar newspapers over on the continent. Just in case he's still over there."

Sirius nodded and said, "Yeah, that'd work. Where should he contact me?"

Thinking about it, Harry said, "Owls don't need to know where someone is to get mail through to them, right?"

"Right," replied Sirius. "So, just tell them to owl me at Grimmauld Place, and the owl will come here, anyway?"

"That's what I think will happen," replied Harry. "Unless, of course, you want to move back into Grimmauld Place. After all, it's your home."

"No, no, no," said Sirius waving his hands in a warding off gesture. "That may be the home of the Black family, but it's definitely not my home."

Hesitating, Sirius then asked, "Unless you're throwing me out, Pup?"

"Definitely not!" said Harry emphatically. "If this is where you want to live, then this is your home. I know Dad wanted that, at least."

"Thanks, Harry," the older man said gratefully.

"But," said Harry, "I need to know I can trust Remus before he finds out I'm no longer stuffed away somewhere. So, when he does contact you, tell him to meet you at the Leaky Cauldron, or someplace similar. I'll wear my glamour and be a friend of yours, we can figure out what to do then."

"Not a bad idea, Pup," mused Sirius.

Nodding, Harry said, "Okay, we'll do that, then."

# # #

Later in the day Harry said, "I'm still very uncomfortable with Dobby portraying me in the Dursley house. I'm thinking of pulling him out early."

"Won't that put a crimp in what you want to do?" asked Sirius.

Still thinking, Harry replied, "No, I don't think so. You see, my biggest problem is going to be switching with Dobby during the early morning of Saturday, the twenty-fourth of this month, that could set Dumbledork's monitors off he has on the wards. Plus, it's that night the other Heirs are supposed to receive their final cube. I can get their guardians to actually activate the last one, but I really wanted to be there for it.

"Then, I either have to stay there for the next eleven days until the whole drama of Hagrid collecting me from the Hut-on-the-Rock at midnight, the morning of my birthday, and then spend the whole day with him doing all the buying of my school supplies. That would put me out of circulation for twelve days, and I really don't want to go through the whole charade of that.

"Then I have to switch back with Dobby for the month of August, before switching back for the final time on the morning of the 1st of September when Uncle Vernon drops me off at Kings Cross Station."

Sighing, Harry went on to say, "That's stupid. I want Dumbledore to be rattled and off his game, so let's really throw him off his game. I'll send Pixie to Dobby to tell him, as soon as he receives the Hogwarts letter on the 24th, he's to walk out the front door to the street, run away and elf-apparate straight here with it. If there's any tracking charms anywhere on Dobby or his... my... belongings, I'll remove the damned things right away.

"Dumbledork's alarms will go off, but so what? When he goes to the Dursleys to try and find out what happened to me, the only thing they'll be able to tell him is that they sent me to fetch the mail, and I just walked out the door and away. Dumbles will then be frantic trying to work out what happened to me."

Sirius said, "Well, that'll save the elf from further abuse, but what then?"

Thinking a bit more, Harry said, "We'll set it up that I'll turn up a while later at Diagon Alley as Harry Potter. Say... about four to five hours later. I'll go to Gringotts - because that's where someone said I should go first - and then I'll come out and start buying my school supplies. I won't keep it a secret who I am; after all, I have no idea I'm supposed to be famous. Dumblebutt should, by then, have the Alley watched.

"He'll soon receive word from an informant Harry Potter's turned up in the Alley and will leg-it straight there to grab me. I'll scream bloody murder about 'the dirty old man who wants to drag me away and touch me in naughty places'. That will bring folks from everywhere to find out what's going on. Someone is sure to contact the aurors."

"You're currently looking for me and you... just happen... to also be in the Alley looking for information about me, when Dumblebum finds me. You run up to him and, not recognizing me, you'll demand of him, 'Where's my godson, old man; where's Harry Potter?'."

"I'll say, 'I'm Harry Potter!' By then the aurors will either be there or very close. You know you're my magical guardian as you read the Potter Will before my parents died so, if Dumbles tries to take me away - which he will - you'll scream 'kidnapping'. I'll just happen to have a copy of the Will as the goblins gave it to me. I just won't say when they gave it to me.

"I'm sure I can coach Amelia to snatch the Will out of my hand as soon as I brandish it, thereby stopping old Dumbles from doing it first, and we can go from there."

Sirius snorted and then laughed. "Dumbledore won't know what hit him!" he said.

"Besides," said Harry, "if Remus hasn't read the advertisement in any of the papers, by then; then the articles of how Harry Potter suddenly turned up in Diagon Alley out of the blue will certainly grab his attention."

"Definitely!" said Sirius.

Sitting back and thinking a bit more, Harry then said, "Yeah, this will work much better. Once I'm supposedly under your care, as far as Dumbles knows, you can then... supposedly... take me back to Gringotts to accept my ring as Lord Potter. Because, after all, it would be my parent's wishes as the last remaining member of the Potter line.

"That would then allow an investigation of the Potter accounts... led, of course... by the goblins and Madam Bones. That will get Dumbles well and truly hopping. And will mean I no longer have the issue of Neville or Susan allowing their Head of Houses rings to become public."

"That was a neat trick of convincing the goblins to do that, by the way," said Sirius.

Suddenly sitting up, Harry exclaimed, "Arabella Figg!"

"Pardon?" asked Sirius, surprised.

"Arabella Figg," said Harry. "She's a non-magical born to magical parents. What you used to call a 'squib'. Dumbles has her watching the Dursley residence to keep an eye on me; and I suspect he's paying her from my trust fund to get her to stay there in a house just around the street from the Dursleys. I'll have Dobby not even bother to walk out into the street. He can come straight here very early on the morning of the 24th and I'll swap with him, clothes and all. The mail will arrive early enough.

"As soon as I have the letter, I'll run into the street and over to Arabella Figg's place. I'll be ranting and raving. And force her to tell me what the letter was all about. I won't give her a chance to think or to contact Dumbles until I get the information out of her. Then I'll say how 'Number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging is not my home!' and do as big a burst of accidental magical energy as I can and use it to cover my blowing the monitoring charms, I'm sure Dumbles has placed on the clothes of 'Harry'. That should trigger the wards. I'll then run out of the house and flee down the street. As soon as she can no longer see me I apparate the Hell out of there.

"She, the dutiful spy she is, will immediately try to contact Dumbledore and let him know what's happened. As school is not in session, I think she's going to have a hard time doing that. When he finally gets word, he'll come looking for me and won't find me, of course. Then I turn up four to five hours later, as planned."

Laughing, Sirius said, "Damn, Pup! I think you've got yourself a grand prank."

"Okay," said Harry and looked at his watch. "It's Friday today, so I'll tell the other three Heirs and their families, tonight, I want to get everyone together tomorrow here. Hell, it'll give us an opportunity to test the emergency portkeys I made for the Grangers, while we're at it. I can apparate back here while they portkey here, straight after my training session with Dan."

"Then I'll lay out the new plan to everyone at once," continued Harry. "We can brainstorm it a bit more, together. I don't want the others to keep thinking I'm the only one who gets to make the plans. They've got skin in this game, and it's as much their decision as it is mine.

"Besides, it's about time The Grangers, Neville and Susan also got to meet you. They need to know who else is part of this little 'Save the World from Dark Lords' group we've got going."

"Yeah, I get that" said Sirius. "I'd like to meet them, too."

"Then, I'll let them know tonight," said Harry.

For the rest of the day Harry and Sirius talked a bit while Harry also spent time writing his book. Now that he had, what he felt was, a better plan for getting Dobby out of the Dursley house, he was able to relax and really concentrate on writing.

He may not now need the book as soon as he thought he would, but getting it written was an important step in letting the wizarding world know what sort of home life Dumbledore had dumped him into at the Dursleys. And also show the wizarding world he didn't live the life as a spoiled brat.

Enjoying another excellent dinner with his godfather, the two of them designed the advertisement they'd put into the wizarding papers home and abroad.

At the usual time, and after packing up all the school textbooks to take with him, Harry left for Longbottom Manor.

# # #

Walking in through the door, Harry greeted Augusta and said, "I'm not comfortable with leaving Dobby in the Dursley house any longer than necessary, so I want to pull him out early. Would you and Neville be able to floo to The Pottery, Potter Manor, at about 1.00pm tomorrow?"

Surprised, Augusta said, "Of course, My Lord. You've developed a new plan, I take it?"

"Yes," said Harry. "But I want everyone together to hash over it to see if they can find any holes in it. The Heirs should be a part of what we decide."

Nodding, Augusta said, "That would be wise. And I think it's the right thing to do, allowing the others to help plan."

A few more pleasantries and Harry activated the cube containing mundane medicine. The Heirs might not realize it, yet. But they'd have more than enough knowledge to sit the final year's medical exams for a university degree in the subject by tomorrow morning.

Harry then departed for The Ossuary and invited them to the same meeting.

Leaving Susan with her cube of the same subject, he left for the Grangers.

At the Grangers he sat with the three and made the same invitation. He also gave the stack of school textbooks to Hermione.

Speaking to her, he said, "These are the current textbooks for all seven years at Hogwarts. I've already read them. Have a read through them, yourself... you can speed read now, of course... I'll pick them up tomorrow night or the next and then hand them off to Neville and Susan after that."

Turning to Dan and Emma he said, "Use the emergency portkeys to come to The Pottery, Potter Manor. It'll be an excellent practical test of the system. I'll bring you back after the meeting and reset them for you, so they're good to go again."

"A system test", said Dan. "Good idea, lad."

"Just, please be aware," said Harry, "the feeling of portkeying can be disconcerting. When you're not used to it, you can wind up on the floor at the arrival point sitting on your butt. You will, eventually, get used to it."

After a bit more talk about other matters, Harry gave Hermione her mundane medicine cube and headed back to The Pottery. Tomorrow was going to be... interesting.

# # #