Meeting the Headmaster

Their first lesson of the day found them sitting in the front row of the Transfiguration classroom with the other first years. Harry looked around at the large room, his eyes taking in everything as his mind reconciled it all with the descriptions he had read in his parents' journals.

The professor hadn't arrived yet, and the class was about to start. All they could see was a tabby cat sitting silently atop the table in front of them.

The class was full, divided among the four houses as students sat with their housemates. A loud commotion sounded right outside the door, and many turned to look at what was happening.

Harry saw the guy named Ron Weasley arguing with a brunette who was spitting mad. The two kept bickering as they entered the classroom before they looked around in surprise.

"It's a good thing that the professor isn't here. Try not to hold others back next time," the brunette hissed at the ginger, who scowled at her.

"I didn't ask you to stay back. If you can't bear not acting all good and responsible, at least spare me the lecture," Ron hissed before walking away without a backward glance.

Suddenly, the cat jumped off the table and transformed into Professor McGonagall mid-air, her stern gaze fixed on the two. Ron looked frozen while the brunette looked white as a sheet.

"P-professor…" the brunette began, only to be silenced by McGonagall's raised hand.

"Infringements like this will not be tolerated. 5 points from Gryffindor, each, for the first offence. Ensure this doesn't repeat."

Properly abashed and scowling, the pair took their seats as far apart as they could. Harry exchanged an amused look with Daphne before they turned to look at the professor.

"Welcome to your first Transfiguration lesson. It is my expectation and belief that all of you have ensured that you are ready to start practising the basic spells that a first year should know. For the first month, you all will practice all the spells you have read so far. The classroom shall be expanded and each of you will have enough room to practice. I would advise you to not be tardy and work diligently to get the basics down so that we could start the advanced curriculum."

McGonagall looked around the class with a keen eye and gave a short nod.

"I know many of you are already aware of it, but let me summarise it for you once again. You will be taking your Ordinary Wizarding Levels, or OWLs at the end of your third year, and your Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, or NEWTs at the end of your fifth year. Many students pursue their masteries for the remaining two years, while there are those who end their Hogwarts journey after their NEWTs are done. It is my suggestion to you all to pursue mastery in at least one subject after your NEWTs are done because it will open multiple doors for you further ahead in your lives."

Students looked contemplative for a moment before a few nodded while many shrugged.

"Now, I hope you have meticulously read the material provided to you. If you have any questions or need any input from my side, you can approach me. In the meantime, I will be walking around the classroom."

They looked on as McGonagall pressed her wand against the wall. The classroom vibrated before the walls extended in all directions as the expansion charm activated.

"You can work alone or with others. It is up to you. All the materials you might need can be found under your desk. You can start now."

Harry turned to look at Daphne with a smile.

"Let's begin then," he smiled. Daphne nodded as they brought out everything they might need to practice on, from needles to boxes. "Wanna play a game?"

Daphne cocked her head to the side as she looked at him. "What do you have in mind?"

Harry grinned.

"Let's see who manages to get the best results."

Daphne looked at him and smirked.

"What are the stakes?"

"A personal favour would work, won't you say?"

Daphne shrugged. "Works for me. Get ready to lose then."

Harry smirked.

"Don't cry later, princess," he taunted, relishing in her glare as he finished putting everything needed on the desk. "Oh, I forgot," he said with a smirk, "silent casting will give bonus points. I'm sure you'd have no problem with that."

Daphne narrowed her eyes at him before pulling out her wand. With a final nod, they started transfiguring the materials without a sound.

XXXXX

The class had gone fairly smoothly so far. She had a reputation for being a hard taskmistress, and it paid off since every student was working diligently. She saw a few who were significantly behind their peers and sighed.

Every year, there were a few students who showed that they had not taken their studies seriously at all. They believed that they had all the time to learn when they got to Hogwarts, and they had to either work extremely hard or remain trailing.

She noted the names of students who would require special attention before she turned to look at the boy whom she had last seen when he was slightly over a year old.

Her eyes were slightly wide as she observed him and his partner. They were more advanced than others, and it was apparent to see. There were a few who had managed to make quick work out of the basics that they should've gotten down, but even they had struggled here and there. Reading up on the material and obtaining an understanding of it was all well and good, but it was of no use if one could not apply the knowledge.

She watched as the two went about their way, covering the entire OWL curriculum with not even a hint of doubt. Their wands moved fluidly; their faces curved into identical smirks as they taunted one another with every spell. She marvelled at the fact that two first-year students were so proficient in silent casting already.

She mentally noted to have a talk with the pair after the class and started to walk away.

'Potter and Greengrass. Those two are as efficient as their fathers were.'

With a small smile, she turned around when a girl called for her attention and nodded at her.

XXXXX

"You're much better than I expected," Harry admitted as he tapped his wand on a metal box, transfiguring it silently into an arrow, a sword, a rock and finally a cushion and threw it at her. Daphne silently banished it right on his face with a smirk.

"You're no pushover either, I'll admit that," she conceded as Harry levitated the cushion right before it hit him in the face back to the table, "but don't think for a moment that you're winning."

Harry snorted, but before he could reply, a chime sounded and they looked up from their work. The room reverted to normal as McGonagall took her place at the front.

"You have done well. Keep at it and we would be starting with the first-year classes in less than a month. Potter, Greengrass, stay behind."

Harry looked at Daphne in surprise, silently asking what it could be. The blonde simply shrugged in response.

Once the class filed out of the room, they walked over to where McGonagall was sitting at her table.

"Take a seat, you two," she instructed in a clipped tone.

"Is something wrong, Professor?" Harry asked in a measured tone. McGonagall looked at the boy with a small smile.

"No, Mr Potter. I want to discuss something with the two of you. I observed you two having a little game during the class, and safe to say, you are very far ahead of your peers."

Harry and Daphne looked at her with slight surprise, unsure of what to say.

"I have seen students performing magic beyond what a regular first-year should be capable of. Given the way our curriculum is structured, it is not surprising that some students read ahead while a few even manage to get some practice done at home. However, I have never seen first-year students performing OWL-level transfiguration silently on the very first day."

"Professor," Daphne began, "I have studied the journals over the years, and once I got my wand, I practised all the spells I could. Silent casting was mentioned in both of my parents' journals, and it intrigued me, so I read up on it as well. I cannot cast all the spells silently though."

Harry nodded. "Even I."

McGonagall looked at them with a keen eye before she nodded.

"And what about other subjects? Is it the same?"

They nodded.

"All right then. Since you are already this proficient, I want you to do something for me. If you are casting a spell that is not new to you, I want you to only cast it silently from now on. Learn new spells normally, but you will not say them out loud if you are familiar with them. This applies to all your subjects. You fail? Good. Fail again. But I don't want verbal spellcasting from you from now on."

Harry and Daphne looked at McGonagall with wide eyes.

"Don't look at me like that. Hogwarts is not here to hold you back. If you have mastered something, move ahead and master another thing. You struggle? Work hard and get over it."

Harry exchanged a look with Daphne and nodded.

"Tell me Mr Potter, Miss Greengrass, how many journals have you read up already?"

Harry smiled.

"You can say that we're almost done with all of them, Professor."

McGonagall's eyes widened.

"All of them!? All the way to the NEWTs?"

They nodded with a smile. "Almost. We'll be totally finished by Halloween, at least that's the expectation right now."

"And what about actually casting the spells?"

"OWL level."

McGonagall nodded.

"My previous instruction holds then. Even if you are practising on your own, try to maintain silent casting."

The pair nodded in understanding.

"That will be all for now. Give this note to Professor Flitwick when you get to his class next. I shall be having a talk with all your teachers this evening, so expect higher demands from everyone. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Professor," Harry nodded with a smile. At her nod, they stood up and slowly walked out of the classroom.

"Well, looks like we've got our work cut out for us," Daphne chuckled. Harry grinned.

"We were going to do it anyway once we mastered all the spells."

"True. Charms is next. Let's go. It's about to start."

XXXXX

The rest of their classes for the first day went by without much happening. If one did not count the dirty looks Malfoy was sending to a certain Weasley male and a raven, that is. Throughout the day, Harry had been subjected to hateful looks from the blonde ponce, and he bristled silently whenever the cunt looked wrongly at Daphne. He had to hold himself back from confronting him. Fortunately, Daphne's calming presence at his side and his budding Occlumency helped him a lot.

They made a new friend during their Charms lesson. Tracey Davis was a beautiful brunette with chocolate-brown eyes. Slightly shorter than Daphne, she was a witty young lady. They hit off almost immediately, the girls in particular.

She told them that she was a half-blood. Her father was a muggleborn and her mother was a half-blood. Both were former Ravenclaws. Her room was the one right next to Daphne's, something they hadn't noticed so far.

They were having lunch together at the Ravenclaw table when Daphne nudged him.

"What?" He asked. Daphne gestured with her head as Tracey looked on, confused. They turned to look at where Daphne pointed.

They saw Malfoy walk over to Snape as the two discussed something in hushed tones. On the other side, Ron Weasley was doing the same with McGonagall, who didn't look happy, at all. They looked on as Malfoy turned to smirk at Weasley, who glared before walking away towards the Gryffindor table. Malfoy turned to look at Harry and smirked, before quickly averting his eyes away when Harry glared at him with utter loathing. Tracey snorted.

"Do you want him to piss his pants in front of everyone, Harry?" She asked mirthfully, and Harry looked at her amusedly.

"Won't that be a sight?" Daphne chuckled.

"They must have told Snape and McGonagall what happened on the train. Weasley challenged Malfoy to a duel," Harry added when he saw the questioning look on their faces.

"On the train itself? Merlin, the school hadn't even started and these two became enemies already?" Tracey asked rhetorically.

"Can't say either helped the situation one bit. Well, it's not as if this affects us. Might as well see what comes out of it," Harry grinned. Daphne shook her head.

"And when Malfoy challenges you next?"

Harry turned to look at her and gave her a wicked smile.

"I hope he does."

Tracey looked at him with a grin.

"Now I want to see what you're gonna do if it happens."

"Me too," he grinned. Daphne simply shook her head with a chuckle. Even she was looking forward to what Harry would do to the ponce.

XXXXX

It was quarter to five when Harry said his goodbye to Daphne and Tracey near the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room and turned to walk towards the Headmaster's office. The map told him it was on the seventh floor, and he walked up the stairs once he reached them.

Coming to a stop in front of a statue of a gargoyle, he looked up. The statue immediately allowed him entry, and he stepped on the stairs. Once the statue came to a stop, he walked away and saw a massive door in front of him. He knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter.

He didn't have to wait for long.

"Come in," an aged voice sounded out as the door unlocked. Harry pushed it open and entered before closing the door behind him. He walked forward into the office proper and couldn't help but look around.

It was a large office with a brown desk on a raised dais. A pair of chairs were placed right in front of a large rug. On the sides were massive racks of books and various trinkets with a few cupboards in between. A bird stand stood on the corner right beside a rack where the Sorting Hat was placed. The moment the Hat saw him, its proverbial lips quirked into a snarl. Harry sweatdropped.

"Good evening, Headmaster."

"Take a seat," Dumbledore smiled, and Harry nodded as he sat down on the chair.

"I am sure you must be wondering why I have called you here on the first day of the school year."

Harry nodded.

"You mentioned things I need to know, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore smiled.

"That is correct. If you are not aware, apart from being the headmaster of this school, I am also the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and as such, I am responsible for conducting Wizengamot meetings. I hope you are aware of the Wizengamot?"

Harry nodded with a smile.

"Yes, Headmaster. Daphne, Daphne Greengrass explained a lot of things to me, and the Wizengamot and how it works was a part of it."

Dumbledore smiled.

"Did your friend tell you of the position House Potter holds in our society?"

Harry nodded. Daphne had explained to him everything that she knew about his house, and how they had a permanent seat of the Wizengamot since they were an Ancient and Noble House. His father's journals also proved very helpful since they contained his thoughts when he was the heir.

"That would make things easier for me then. Here," Dumbledore intoned, passing him a golden box with the engraving of a gryphon on it.

"This box contains the Potter family ring made for the heir of the house. Only the head of the house and his heir can open this box. I took the liberty of getting it here from the Wizengamot offices. Go ahead."

Harry nodded and slowly pulled the box open, marvelling at the gold ring with a ruby as its gemstone. An engraving of a gryphon snarling in warning was visible on the jewel as Harry took it out.

"You can take up the lordship of your house once you pass your NEWTs. Until then, you would be officially referred to as Heir Potter."

Harry nodded and put the ring on. He didn't know what he was expecting to happen, because nothing happened. He simply had a slight weight on his finger.

"I hope you have kept abreast of the finances of your house?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded.

"The annual statements arrived at home on time, and Uncle Stuart and Aunt Rosie managed it well. They explained it all to me a few weeks ago."

Dumbledore nodded.

"They did as good a job as I expected them to do, then."

Harry smiled. His aunt had told him how Dumbledore and McGonagall had arrived at night all those years ago and brought him with them after his parents had been murdered.

"They certainly did. I couldn't have asked for better people to raise me, to be honest. I never felt I didn't have my parents."

Dumbledore smiled softly.

"And what about your wizarding knowledge, Heir Potter? I had an interesting discussion with Professor McGonagall this afternoon."

Harry smiled.

"I have been reading my parents' journals since I was 8, and I've always admired them. Living up to their expectations and the standards they set is the least I could do."

Dumbledore smiled approvingly.

"I am glad you believe that. We only have one small matter to discuss now, and I'm afraid, it is not a pleasant one."

Harry frowned when Dumbledore slid another box in front of him. It was a silver one, with an engraving of a skull under which a wand was raised. Three ravens stood below, and Harry opened the box. Another gold ring with an emerald as the jewel awaited him inside, and he saw Dumbledore smile.

"That is the heir ring for the Blacks."

"As in Sirius Black? He is mentioned a lot in the journals. My dad and he were best friends, and I often wondered why he never came to meet me. Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew too."

Dumbledore sighed.

"Remus Lupin has not been in Britain for 15 years now. Peter Pettigrew is dead. Sirius Black is in Azkaban."

Harry's eyes widened.

"What?"

Dumbledore looked at him with a frown.

"Your parents were targeted in the war. Fearing for their lives and yours, they chose to hide in their cottage in Godric's Hollow under a Fidelius Charm. A Fidelius Charm is a very obscure magic that combines warding, charm work and soul magic into one, creating a protection seemingly unbreachable. It masks the presence of a place, hiding it from the plane of existence, and even the souls inside such a place remain hidden. However, it has one major flaw. A Fidelius Charm cannot be cast without a Secret Keeper. This Secret Keeper holds the key, and any person not in on the secret can know only if the Secret Keeper voluntarily reveals it."

Harry was listening with rapt attention, a frown visible on his face as he sat straight. Dumbledore continued.

"Your parents chose Sirius Black as their Secret Keeper, ignorant that he had switched sides and was spying for Voldemort. When the Fidelius Charm was cast, he revealed the secret to Voldemort. That is how he managed to find you. A few days later, Peter Pettigrew confronted Sirius Black, who blew him up by exploding a gas pipeline. The only thing they could find of Pettigrew was his finger. Sirius Black was captured on the spot and was carted off to Azkaban, where he lives even today."

Harry stared at the headmaster, his mind reeling at the revelation. Sirius Black, Padfoot, the one responsible for his parents' deaths. He grit his teeth in rage as he stared at the ring in front of him.

"Why am I the heir to his house then?"

Dumbledore frowned.

"Sirius Black was banished from his house by his mother Walburga for being a blood traitor, and he hated her. So, he made you his heir to spite her even more. I was present when it happened. Since he was banished, the heirship was in name only since he was not due to inherit anything. However, when news of his betrayal spread far and wide, his mother realized he was the truest one to their cause, and she reinstated him as the incumbent lord of House Black. However, as she did so, the fact that you were made the heir was recognized by the magic of the family, which accepted your blood because of your grandmother's ties to that family. Therefore, you are the heir and are eligible to take up the lordship of House Black along with House Potter once you take your NEWTs."

Harry sat back in silence, his mind processing the massive revelations of the evening. It was too hard to comprehend how all that unfolded, and it took him a few minutes to find his words again.

"And if I don't want the heirship of the Blacks?"

Dumbledore smiled serenely.

"Then your right to House Black shall stand forfeit, and the next male in line shall become the heir. There is only one male other than you who shares ties with the House of Black – Draco Malfoy."

Harry's eyes widened.

'No way I'm gonna give that cunt even more clout.'

"I see," he muttered and put the ring on. The same thing happened, which was nothing apart from a little weight settling on his finger.

"I would suggest you to contact Gringotts and get a knowledge of House Black's finances. Although I do not believe there would be any, I would also suggest you to enquire for any betrothal contracts that might still be in existence. No new contracts have been filed with the Wizengamot in the past 200 years, but it is safe to be sure."

Harry sighed. He had already had so many revelations that nothing fazed him anymore. All he wanted was to have an early night of sleep. He didn't even feel like eating anything.

"I will do that, thank you Headmaster."

"You are welcome, Heir Potter-Black," Dumbledore smiled benignly. Harry cringed.

"Please call me by my name, sir, and Heir Potter if we are in an official setting. I'm not comfortable with having my name associated with the Blacks yet."

Dumbledore smiled in understanding.

"I might call you in the future if I need to discuss something with you. For now, our work is finished. Have a good evening, Harry."

Harry nodded.

"Have a good evening too, Professor," he smiled slightly and walked out of the office.

XXXXX

"Fucking hell," he groaned as he lay in his bed, his mind still reeling from the revelations made in Dumbledore's office. His eyes fell on the emerald stone of the ring and he grimaced.

'To think my father's brother in all but blood… no… they shared blood as well… he is the reason why my parents are dead!'

Anger swelled inside him at the thought.

'They were not killed in battle. They were murdered, murdered by betrayal and treachery. Cowards, the lot of them!'

Harry sighed and laid down properly on his bed, pulling the covers up under his chin and looking at the ceiling. His meeting with Dumbledore had lasted about an hour, and ever since, he had been holed up inside his room. He had avoided the crowd and didn't even go for dinner.

'I wonder what Daphne's doing right now… Probably having dinner with Tracey.'

A sharp knock against his door jolted him out of his thoughts, and he looked as another knock sounded out. The knocks kept coming and Harry hastily got up to give whoever it was a piece of his mind.

"What the hell is wro- "

He was cut off when an irate blonde pushed him inside his room and closed the door behind her. She grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her before she made him sit on his bed and stood in front of him.

"What time is it?"

Harry looked at his wrist. "It's 8."

"And what have you been doing since then? I have been waiting for you in the Great Hall for dinner, but you never showed up."

Her face showed concern as she looked at him.

"What happened, Harry? What did Dumbledore say?"

Harry sighed and looked down, not seeing the frown on Daphne's face. She cupped his face and turned his head upwards to make him look at her.

"You know you can trust me, right? You can tell me anything. I'm here for you, Harry. What did the headmaster say?"

Harry sighed and looked at her concerned face. Words flowed out of his mouth with no restraint as he poured everything out in front of her. Daphne was looking at him with wide eyes before her gaze dropped to his fingers and her breath hitched.

"Oh Harry," she murmured and wrapped her arms around his head, bringing him closer to her belly. The side of his face pressed against her as she stroked his hair gently.

"I can't even imagine how you must be feeling right now. It's… it's just so fucked up. But you cannot just skip your dinner like this. Come on," she pulled back slightly so that he could look at her face, "let's ask the elves for something to eat. We can do it here."

Harry looked at her before nodding with a sigh. Daphne smiled.

"Can a Hogwarts elf come here please…"

A soft pop sounded from the corner as they turned to look at the elf that materialised out of thin air.

"How can Flippy be helping young miss and young master?"

"Hello Flippy, I am Daphne and this is Harry. We cannot attend dinner, so is it possible to get our dinner here tonight?"

"Flippy be bringing young miss and young master's dinner to young miss and young master," The elf cried out before popping away. Before they could even say anything, their dinner appeared over his bed. Harry scooted over slightly to make room for her, and she sat down with a smile.

He opened his mouth but she shushed him.

"No talking while having dinner," she admonished softly and smiled. Harry shook his head and started eating.

Minutes passed in companionable silence as they finished the dinner. The plates vanished right after they were done and Harry looked at her.

Harry opened his mouth to say something but Daphne cut him off.

"Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?" She asked shyly. Harry's eyes widened.

"W-what!? Seriously?"

Daphne nodded.

"I can see you're very upset, and I don't want to leave you alone right now. My room will be locked so no one would enter and I can go back before anyone gets up. That way, no one would know. So, can I?"

Harry stared at her in surprise.

"Didn't you say you couldn't wake up before 6?"

Daphne frowned.

"Didn't you tell me to try for a few days and it will become normal thereafter?"

Harry sighed. He didn't have the heart to deny her, and he didn't want to either. He knew it was going a bit too fast, but right now, he didn't care. He needed her presence so much.

"Alright. Go get changed and come back. I'll be done by then."

Daphne nodded shyly and walked out of his room. Harry stared at the spot she had just vacated. He still could not believe she said that. Slowly, he pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of joggers and changed into them. He had just finished setting his bed properly when Daphne entered and quickly shut the door behind her.

"Don't worry, nobody saw me."

Harry nodded and looked at the bed, before looking at her. She sighed before taking one side and laying down, leaving half the bed empty for him. He sighed and lay down beside her before he dimmed the lights until only a very faint glow remained.

Through the dim light, he saw Daphne turn towards him. He looked on as she reached out and brushed his hair out of his face before caressing his cheek softly. His heart was hammering inside his chest as he stared at her barely visible face.

"As I said, I can't even imagine what you must be feeling right now. I can't do anything about it. No one can. But I can do one thing."

Harry stared at her as Daphne took a deep breath.

"I promise you, Harry, I'll always be there for you. Talk to me, whatever it is that vexes you, doesn't matter. Just talk to me and don't bottle things up inside you. It will hurt you and those you care about. Talk, and I'll listen. And if you ever find yourself wondering about Sirius Black and what he did, just know that he has suffered a fate worse than death for his treachery. If you find yourself hating the fact that you are the heir to his house, know that you can do anything you want with that power. They were the biggest pureblood supremacists. Use their house for things they would've hated. That would be your revenge."

She stared at his face for a moment, her eyes locked with his as they gazed deep into the irises, despite the minimum visibility.

"You are my best friend, Harry, and I'm here for you. Always."

She smiled softly and leaned close, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her head against his chest. The sigh of contentment that escaped her lips when he slowly wrapped his arms around her was a testament to how right their situation was.

"Thank you, Daphne."

Daphne smiled softly.

"Always, Harry."

To be continued…

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