I Have a Plan. It's a Cunning One

Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I'm I doing wrong (to correct it).

"Really, Potter? Publicly affiliating with you would be the end of my status! I admit the idea of a multiple Houses study group is appealing, but do you actually expect me to risk my standing in Slytherin by joining your study group?"

"No, Miss Greengrass, I expect you to shoot the idea down, very publicly and very harshly." Harry answered, with complete calm. Hermione looked at him, furrowing her brow, while the others gasped.

"What? Then why did you even bother to.. invite.. me..?" Daphne's words trailed off. She closed her mouth, looking at a smiling Harry. "Oh, I see." She smiled back at him.

"Wait, what?" Parvati asked.

Daphne straightened up. "Your fellow Gryffindor has a very interesting mind. He could have been a Slytherin had he had more ideas like this one." Harry abstained on commenting exactly which had been the first option the Sorting Hat had offered him. He reserved that shot for a better time.

Padma slapped her tigh, laughing openly. "I see! Harry wants Greengrass to blast the study group in public, so she can join privately without risking her position in Slytherin House."

"Ten points to Ravenclaw, Miss Patil." Harry smiled, and turned towards Daphne. "What do you say, Miss Greengrass? Would you like to score some points for yourself in the House of Snakes by slamming down the Boy-Who-Lived?"

Daphne looked around, before settling on looking back at Harry. "When and where? And keep in mind I can be really sharp-tongued when I want. I will go at you with everything I have."

"The sharper the better. I say the perfect chance will present itself quite soon. Our mutual friend, Mr. Draco Malfoy, likes to come unannounced to whichever compartment I share with my friends, and do a big production about how I am a disgrace to the Wizarding World, how I am so much lower in the social pecking order, assorted threats and insinuations, and so on. Actually... he's kinda late this time." Mockingly, Harry mimed looking at his inexistent watch.

"Sarcasm and irony from the Golden Prince of Griffyndor. I like that, but tell me, why are you looking at your wrist, Potter?"

"Oh, sorry, muggle thing. I was pretending to look at my wristwatch, I guess I should have pretended to look at my pocket watch." He shrugged. "Now, this is what I thought you could say, but I'm open to suggestions."

Daphne leaned closer, as Harry explained his plan, a smile lit her face, while Hermione bit her lower lip.

They kept talking for a few minutes more, refining the plan while Malfoy and his two neanderthalian bookends arrived.

Remus Lupin stirred for a moment, all the students kept silent, fearing they had awoken their new teacher. But Lupin simply turned his head, with the mouth slightly open, and kept on snoring softly, to everybody's relief.

Once the man settled down again, the students resumed their talk, at a more discrete volume, until they had a working plan.

Afterwards, the talk drifted into more general territory. Namely, Hogsmeade.

"Nope, sorry. I won't be going this year. I have no desire to paint an even bigger target on my back."

Padma nodded. "It will be boring to stay at Hogwarts, Harry, but at least you will be safe in case Sirius Black manages to get close to the school."

It irked Harry to be unable to defend his godfather's name, but he kept his mouth closed.

Hermione agreed immediately with Padma. "And the Headmaster can protect you better in the castle."

'Oh, yeah. Her adoration of authority figures...' Harry thought. 'I'll have to help her to break that particular habit. Especially regarding Dumbledore. I'll have to think of something..." He shrugged, "Actually, I'm planning on using the time to do some self-study. I don't want to fail Potions, even with Snape breathing down my neck. Just bring me some chocolate from Honeydukes. I saved some money during the summer." And he had also kept some chocolate bought by Dobby, safely hidden in his jacket pockets. He was glad it was magical chocolate, otherwise, his body heat would have melted it in his pockets, making a big mess.

"Professor Snape, Harry." Hermione corrected.

"Sorry, Hermione, but although he is a Potion Master, he is no teacher. He should be anywhere else but close to children. The man has absolutely no vocation for teaching." He turned towards Daphne. "Sorry if I offend you, Miss. Greengrass, I know he is your Head of House, but his behaviour is terribly unprofessional." Neville seemed to have swallowed a lemon at the mention of the greasy bat of the Dungeons. It was no secret that he dreaded every Potions class.

Daphne waved a hand in the air. "None taken, Potter." She didn't confirm nor deny Harry's opinion.

Neville breathed deeply, it looked like he had reached a decision. "M-maybe I'll stay too. Could I join you and review the p-potions we have done?"

"Sure, Neville, I'd really appreciate some help with Herbology." Neville nodded, relieved. Harry had an inkling of a plan to boost Neville's confidence, and it involved making him try to cast a spell with a different wand. His father's wand was completely wrong for Neville.

Parvati took the talk back into danger territory. "So, what about Black? Are you scared?"

Harry took a moment to think, he fidgeted a bit with the sleeve of his oversized shirt. "I'd be a fool if I wasn't scared. The man's reputation is awful, and just being able to escape from Azkaban shows that he is cunning and resourceful. And nobody knows how he did it, to top that!" Harry shook his head, while thinking, 'Well, nobody knows apart from Sirius himself, Shinji, and me. But neither of us will reveal that.' He continued, "I'd like to know why he turned against my parents..." Harry decided this was a good moment to plant a little seed, one that would not only help him and Sirius, but also hinder the freedom of action for Fudge, Crouch, and with a little luck, Dumbledore. "But I have no idea if I could read the transcripts of the trial. I don't know who to ask, and how."

Susan Bones chirped, happy to help. "I'll ask my aunt, she's the DMLE head. Maybe she could tell us..." she shook her head quickly, "I mean, she could tell you who to ask, and what you have to do."

"Great, Miss Bones! I'd really appreciate your help." Harry smiled at her. "Could you help me write her a letter?"

"Wait, wait, wait." Daphne interrupted him, waving her hands. "You don't know how to write an introductory letter? I find that hard to believe, Potter. You are the Heir of one of the oldest and most important Houses in England!"

"As I said, my education in that area is terribly lacking."

"Your Magical Guardian should have taught you that! Among many other things!"

"I have not even been told who my Magical Guardian is!" Harry protested, fully knowing that this particular tidbit of Juicy Information would make the rounds in the rumor mill. And it would eventually reach the ears of the parents of the students.

Daphne breathed in and out a couple of times. "That kind of negligence is beyond the pale, Potter. Completely unacceptable. I guess you weren't instructed in basic etiquette either."

"Not even a bit." Harry lowered his eyes to one side.

Daphne looked at Hermione. "What about you, Granger? I have seen you commit one faux-pas after another. Are you being deliberately insulting?"

Hermione gasped, "No! Why would I do that?"

Greengrass looked around, a each one of the other students, finding silent agreement. "Unacceptable. Very well." She exhaled. "I think you two have to get a fast course on basic etiquette, Ladies? Longbottom? Are we in agreement?"

All the other students nodded quickly. It was Neville who spoke, "We can teach you two. It is very boring, but it is important that you know how to behave in society."

"Um... are you sure?" Harry pretended to resist a little.

"We are, let's say it is our little project for this year." Daphne leaned towards Harry. "But..." she examined her perfectly manicured hand, "this won't be for free. I want something."

"Uh..." Harry dreaded to ask. "What do you want?"

Hermione tightened her lips.

"Well... I'd like for you to satisfy my..." she looked around again, "...curiosity."

Harry loosened his collar with a finger. "A-a-about what?" An old, barely known instinct warned Harry of something. 'Oh, Merlin! What do I do now?'

"I've heard the muggles have some interesting...music." She concluded. "Can you get me some?"

Hermione sighed in relief, the same instinct tried to call Harry's attention to that, but he had no idea of what that meant. Hermione came to his rescue. "Greengrass, I think I could get you some records, anything you'd like?"

Daphne leaned back on her seat, tapped her chin a couple of times, "I don't know, but as long as it doesn't sound anything like Celestina Warbeck, I'd like to listen."

Before another word could be said, there was a sound at the door, it sounded as if somebody was trying to slide it open, and finding some resistance.

'Saved by the bell!' Harry thought, "That must be Malfoy." He looked at Daphne, "Ready?"

She smoothed her robes, checked her hair quickly, and nodded. "Go ahead." She whispered.

Harry removed the charm that kept the door locked, and it slid open suddenly, almost knocking down Draco Malfoy in the process, who barely kept his balance and yelped undignifiedly.

Author Notes:

To Guest, Comments on Chapter 25

Ron is too lazy to even consider examining his prejudices, much less change them.

About Lupin's sense of smell, that will come into play later.

Harry is terribly inexperienced at this point, and Shinji was not much better. Or he would have realized Asuka was trying to flirt with him. (Granted, her tsundere approach would have been confusing even to a more experienced kid, but for Shinji, it was even worse.)