Story name: Headmaster Potter
Genre:
Rating: K+/T (I think.)
Category: Harry Potter
Harry settled in his bed in the Gryffindor dorm room. He was warm, full from the feast and really tired. He yawned and closed his eyes, easily slipping to sleep.
"Hello, my little one."
Harry snapped his eyes open and looked at the lady in front of him. She looked to be somewhere in her late fifties but looked good for her age. "Who are you?"
The lady smiled gently down at him and reached over to ruffle his hair. "I am the human embodiment of Hogwarts, little one. I am the castle you now live in."
Harry blinked up at her in awe. "Why are you speaking to me?" he didn't think he was worth speaking to.
She smiled. "I have chosen you as Dumbledore's successor."
Harry's eyes popped out of his head. "What?"
The lady sat down on the edge of the bed. "You see, when I was newly built, the headmasters and headmistresses were the four founders. I was too young at the time, but when they all passed on they had chosen a new head. When he retired he had chosen his successor. Throughout time each head has selected their deputy and the deputy became the head when the previous one retired. That system has worked until now but the magical world is in dire need of change. I objected to Dumbledore being elected as Head because he was not what this castle needed."
Harry tipped his head. "What do you mean? Is he evil?"
"No, little one. He is not evil. He just can't see anything beyond his plans. He sees the world as he wants too. He cannot change what needs to be done. That is why I have chosen you. I have been looking since Albus was announced head for someone to take his place. The Sorting Hat and I are of the same mind. While he looks at the students I decide whether or not they are what this world needs. You are exactly what the school needs."
Harry looked down. "So... what do I do?"
Hogwarts smiled. "Simply learn and grow. I will teach you at night what you need to know about Hogwarts history, the rules and rites, everything you need to know. I will guide you during the day so you will never get lost. I will help you in any way I can, but do not tell anyone about this. There are people who would use you for their own gain."
Harry nodded. "So... when Dumbledore retires, I'll be the headmaster?"
"Exactly. Now, our first lesson, I will tell you about my layout and how to get to your classes so you won't get lost."
Harry nodded and paid close attention as his new teacher mapped out the school for him. They spoke all night but in the morning when he got out of bed he felt like he had had the best night sleep of his life. He woke up Ron and the other boys (He ended up having to push Ron out of bed to wake him up) and they all got ready for the day. They went downstairs and waited for the girls. Two of them came down not long after and they told them the third, Hermione, had already left.
Harry led them on a direct route to the great hall instead of the around about walk they did to get to the dorm last night. No one questioned how he knew, he was Harry Potter, he was supposed to know everything.
They sat down at the table and joined Hermione. Harry looked around the group. "So, I know all our names were called out at the feast but why don't we introduce ourselves properly? Well be spending the next seven years living together after all."
The others nodded hesitantly. One of the boys spoke up. "Why don't you start then, not that we don't all know who you are?"
Harry nodded. "Okay, my name is Harry Potter. Forget everything you've read about me because it's not true. I've read those books." He shook his head. "I live in suburban Surry with my muggle Aunt, Uncle and cousin, not a flying castle slaying dragons and fighting evil." He sighed. "I'm just a slightly abnormal eleven year old who didn't know about the magical world until I got my Hogwarts letter."
Ron nodded, although he looked a little put out. "I'm Ron Weasley. I'm a pure-blood. I live in St. Catchpole with my mum, dad, younger sister and three of my older brothers. The oldest two, Bill and Charlie have already moved out. Fred and George are over there and Percy is the snobby prefect over there. My sister Ginny will start next year." He pointed his brothers out.
The bushy haired girl, Hermione, spoke up next. "My name is Hermione Granger. I'm a muggle-born. I live with my parents, they're both dentists." Harry gave her a quick look and she closed her mouth, getting his non-verbal queue.
Neville spoke up next. "I'm Neville Longbottom. I'm a pure-blood. I um… I live with my Gran and my great uncle Algie."
One of the other two girls spoke up then. "I'm Lavender Brown. I'm a pure-blood. I live with my mum and dad. I don't know where our house is in the country since its unplotable but the area is very nice." She nodded to professor McGonagall as she handed them all their timetables.
The other girl twirled a bit of her hair in a finger. "My name is Parvati Patil. I am a half-blood. My father comes from an Indian pure-blood family but my mother is a British muggle-born. I live with my parents and my twin sister, Padma. We live in oxford."
One of the remaining boys spoke next. "I'm Dean Thomas. I live with my mum, step-dad, half-sister and two half-brothers. I think I'm muggle-born but I could be a half-blood. My dad never said anything to mum and I haven't seen him since I was little."
The other boy clapped him on the shoulder. "Sorry mate." He looked back at the group. "I'm Seamus Finnegan. I'm a half-blood. Just me, mam and da. Me dad's a muggle, mam's a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out. We live in northern Ireland."
Harry nodded. "I could tell by the accent. So what's everyone looking forward to at school? And Hermione, please don't say 'everything'."
They spent the rest of breakfast talking about themselves and getting to know one another. They talked about the subjects and which ones looked easy, which ones looked harder, which ones they thought they would be good in or interested in, that kind of thing. As soon as harry said he was looking forward to potions Ron shook his head.
"You won't like potions, mate. The teacher's a right git! He hates everyone, especially Gryffindors. Fred and George say he makes students drink their potion if they don't do it right."
Harry frowned at him. "Are these the same brothers who told you we would have to wrestle a troll for the sorting? I don't think he would be quite that bad. Anyway, we don't have potions until Friday. We should head off soon, we have transfiguration first today and Professor McGonagall is the teacher and our head of house. We don't want to upset her of all teachers."
The others nodded and they all finished breakfast and went back to the dorms to get their schoolbags and head down to the transfiguration classroom. Harry asked a passing ghost for directions. They all arrived early enough and Harry sat at the front with Hermione since none of the other's seemed to want to. They all got their books out and sat, procrastinating until class started.
Dean blushed slightly when Lavender looked over his shoulder and complemented his drawing of an owl. Once class started Harry immediately noticed Hermione was a huge know-it-all. He would have to talk to her about that. She was a bit domineering and bossy while she tried to tell Harry he was doing it wrong despite the fact that she hadn't done it yet.
Harry rolled his eyes and blinked when Hogwarts spoke to him, 'visualise, you just have to picture a needle. You don't have to picture the match turning into one. Take your time.'
Harry took a deep breath and nodded visualising a sewing needle and cast the spell. He grinned when his match instantly changed. Hermione glared at him so he muttered to her to just focus on a needle, not the match changing into one. She cast the spell first time and they both turned around to help Neville and Ron.
McGonagall glared at them both. "Mr Potter, Miss Granger! Stop talking to your class mates and focus on your work!"
Hermione almost burst into tears so Harry gently gripped her shoulder. "We already turned our matches into needles Professor. We were just offering help to Ron and Neville."
McGonagall narrowed her eyes and walked over, inspecting their needles. She indicated them to do the spell and Harry and Hermione both turned their needle back into a match. She nodded. "Excellent work you two. Ten points each for successfully casting the spell so quickly." She looked with pride at Harry and nodded at Hermione before moving back to the rest of the class.
Hermione sighed. "Why did she look proud of you but not me?"
Harry shrugged. "Both my parents were magical. Maybe one of them was good at transfiguration. She's old enough to have taught them."
Hermione tilted her head. "Don't you know if one of them was good or not?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know anything about them." he shook his head. "Can we not talk about this?" he turned back to Neville and helped him with the charm. He quickly noticed he was struggling but the wand movements were fine and the incantation was alright. He hummed for a moment. "You got your wand from Olivander right?"
Neville shook his head. "No, this is my dad's wand."
Ran leant over. "I'm using my brother Charlie's old wand."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why isn't he using it?"
Ron shrugged. "He bought his own wand not long after he left school. He works with dragons in Romania so he earns a lot. He got this wand from an old box we have full of old family wands. It was the one best suited to me."
Harry frowned. "The wand chooses the wizard. If your magic doesn't match the wand then you won't be able to cast spells properly."
Neville and Ron sighed. Neville shook his head. "What can we do though?"
"Buy a new wand."
Ron huffed. "As if I could afford one."
Neville nodded. "My family has a lot of money but my gran won't let me touch any of it until I'm twenty one."
Harry tilted his head. "Then I'll buy them for you. My parents left me some money."
Ron raised an eyebrow and Neville jerked back slightly. "Harry, we can't let you do that."
Harry shook his head. "It's fine. A wand is important. You can't do magic without one. I don't mind, really. I don't want for much and my parent's left me a fair bit. I don't think I'll ever spend it all on myself." Harry moved over to held Dean and Seamus while Hermione helped Parvati and Lavender. He waved off all of Ron and Neville's protests. By the end of the lesson the only Gryffindors who didn't turn their match into a needle were Neville and Ron.
'Ask the professor if a teacher will escort you three to diagon alley. Explain why.'
When the class was let out he held Ron and Neville back and approached professor McGonagall. "Professor? I was wondering if a member of staff could escort the three of us to Diagon Alley as soon as possible. Ron and Neville are using wands that don't suit them and it's affecting their spell casting and performance in class."
McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Any why do you need to go, Mr Potter?"
"I'm paying."
Neville shook his head. "Harry, really, you don't have to."
Harr looked at him. "Do you want a wand that works? Then let me pay." He turned back to McGonagall.
She looked them over and sighed quietly. "Meet me in the entrance hall after classes today." She sat behind her desk and picked up some papers.
Harry nodded to her. "Thank you professor." He, Ron and Neville left the room and hurried to their next class. He waved Ron and Neville off every time they tried to bring it up so they gave up after a while. Throughout the day Harry could barely keep the smile off his face. He was at a school for magic and he had friends.
After their last class Harry, Neville and Ron headed to the entrance hall and found McGonagall waiting for them. "Come along now."
...
...
(Raw version to be expanded on up there)
He was glad she had told him the layout of the school and some of the passages and shortcuts to his classes so he was never late. Harry was ecstatic when he was elected for the Quidditch team after catching Neville's rememberal. Other than that the year passed quietly until Professor Quirrel had an emotional break down and tried to kill Professor Snape in the great hall with a sun spell and a clove of garlic. The man was in a permanent room at St Mungo's now.
His second year passed. Very quietly. Lockhart was an idiot and was sent to Azkaban when Snape walked in on him raping a third year girl. When questioned it became apparent that he had been doing it all year and obliviating them afterword. The girls stuck very close together after that.
That summer was nice as Harry had taken in a stray dog so when Marge came around he asked her all kinds of questions about what breed it was (Wolf/Husky cross), health care tips (keep the claws trimmed and check his teeth regularly), best brands of dog food (Ebony preferred beef and chicken to store brands, most likely his wolf heritage) and by the end of her stay Marge had actually warmed up to Harry and Ebony. He promised to call her if he had any problems.
His third year was fun. He had stayed at Privet Drive the entire holiday, being allowed to contact Ron, Hermione and Neville with Hedwig so he met his friends for the first time on the train. Ebony growled at Ron a lot and woke up the teacher they were sharing a compartment with. He freaked out at Ebony but freaked out more when he saw Scabbers. It turned out he was an animagus. (Harry already knew who Ebony was, it was difficult to ignore you pet dog suddenly turning into a fully grown man.) Pettigrew was easily detained and was kissed by a dementor who snuck onto the train. His third year then passed rather quietly and he was glad. Sirius' name was cleared and he spent the year co-teaching with Remus.
Harry's fourth year brought on the tri-wizard tournament. Harry thought it was incredibly exiting but was glad he didn't have to compete. He was happier when Remus announced he and Sirius were expecting but was sad they would be taking the next school year off.
Harry despised the new defence teacher. She was a crazy psychotic bitch. He didn't know what had set the minister off but for some reason he was adamant that Dumbledore was after his position in the ministry. And was trying to overtake him. He sent Umbridge to intervene.
...
Harry makes DA like before but without the focus on Voldemort.
Umbridge discovers them.
Dumbledore leaves like before. Castle instates Harry as headmaster. Harry gives Snape the defence position for the rest of the year and brings Slughorn to take over potions for the rest of the year.
Snape thinks Harry's firing him. Harry waits until Snape is about to leave the castle to confront him Snape finally realises Harry is giving him the defence position.
Harry builds student council to help tell him what the students need. Two students from each year group on each house council, two students from each house council to the student council.
Harry adds new subjects and brings in teachers for them, upgrades Hogwarts' curriculum to be harder on students, giving them less time to mess around and have to work harder. British standards for education way behind ICW standards.
Harry buys new equipment for school. New brooms for flying class, two full Quidditch team brooms to be used by the Quidditch teams during games and practices. New equipment for the potions classroom. New books for all teachers and new supplies for their classrooms. Buys everything with his own money.
Dumbledore comes back to school and passively demands Harry give him back the position as headmaster while Harry is in an interview with some reporters from different papers. Harry refuses. Papers report Dumbledore being selfish and after the position of headmaster whereas Harry is looking out for Britain as a whole. Make Dumbledore look bad.
Dumbledore confronts Harry while in Diagon alley. Huge duel, Harry wins Dumbles wand. Goes to Gringotts and gets emancipated. Is given Potter Family Lordship Ring. Resurrection stone.
Death visits Harry that night, explains about family curse. Harry is first member of the family to have all three items. Potter's descended from Ignotus Pevrell and Death who had a son together. Harry would live until he had a son and gave him all three items.
Harry becomes first immortal headmaster of Hogwarts.
