Harry Does Different CCCII

Ravenclaw Sorting

Harry began working hard as soon as he could speak. It continued as he started school. There was one fundamental difference in that learning was something Harry enjoyed doing. Art and music, well…hadn't found a niche that first month. He could outrun anyone in gym class. Reading, the lad leapt on. It was math that the teacher watched him just devour. Then it happened, the first test that went home to the parents. DUDLEY DURSLEY – 64 HARRY POTTER – 98

"Alright there Duddikins." Mummy comforted her precious son.

It was left to the man of the house to deal with the miscreant "I expect you cheated, boy."

"I just like math, Uncle Vernon. And I'm good at it." Harry had hours to work out a response the massive man would appreciate "Mrs. Lavelle pointed out my mistakes and I won't make them again. So if Dudley doesn't get it in class I can help him at home. Respectfully, sir, I have a use. My good grades will help Dudley."

The heavier boy fought with the concept "Do you mean, the better you do the better I do?"

"Exactly." Harry clapped his shoulder "Course, a minor condition for me. Y'know, nothing major, no more cupboard. No more just scraps off the table. And you and Piers stop picking on me in school."

Vernon snarled "We'll not be blackmailed boy!"

"64 don't get the best job, sir." Harry pointed out, sounding braver than the stain in his pants "Be a shame I get a job at your company and Dudley don't. Huh?"

Vernon considered that dose of logic from a six-year-old and concluded it was sound, rounded on his son "Right! Effective immediately, the little nerd here is in charge of homework. And you! I'd best see some improvement if you know what's good for you."

"He could just flash me the answers." Suggested Dudley greedily.

Harry rolled his eyes "Didn't you pay attention to that Star Trek episode last week? The one where the Pakleds wanted the photon torpedo? Right. Dud, I might not always be around to GIVE you the answer. School teaches you how to figure out the answer. If you can great. If not, I'll work out a way to teach you that you DO get. See?" Harry hid a smile, he had a victory.

"Still be easier!" Dudley groused, slapping a meaty fist on the kitchen table.

Some five years later Minerva McGonagall received a response with an interesting turn of phrase.

PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL HOGWARTS CASTLE

I find the notion of attending a school that actually teaches something that violates all the known laws of physics and causality quite intriguing. The method of correspondence [owl] is fascinating. I hope to use that to continue my non-magical studies through contact with my cousin.

Thank you for the offer, though I have concerns about paying tuition

Harry Potter

"Have either of you seen a toad?" a girl with bushy brown hair pushed the door open and addressed them perfunctorily "A boy named Neville lost one."

Both boys shook their heads, thinking her rather bossy. Ron seemed to want her to leave, Harry wanted to help "Do you happen to know the name of his pet?"

"Trevor" she answered.

Harry spoke authoritatively "You could certainly summon a lost pet, but that could be bad if it got caught somewhere. The spell wouldn't know any different and you'd end up bringing in half of it. I prefer a locator." He put his wand on his open palm and chanted "invenio Trevor" His wand glowed for a few seconds, then reoriented itself. He explained "Fifty feet, about three compartments, back that way."

"Thank you" Hermione acknowledged as she was leaving. A few minutes later, she returned curiosity written all over her face "Where did you find that spell?"

Harry grinned at her "I like books. Went back to Diagon a couple times after my official visit and just browsed. Made a few notes; weren't really schoolbooks."

Ron yawned as the subject drifted to books, but later he pulled it to "What Houses you wanting?"

"Gryffindor for me." answered Hermione "Headmaster Dumbledore's House. Though I imagine Ravenclaw would fit me too."

Ron declared while chewing on a chocolate frog "No self-respectin Weasley would be anythin else but a Gryff. How bout you Arry?"

"Well I read about them all." Harry opened up "Hagrid told me both my parents were Gryffindors, but I wouldn't be surprised if I landed in Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff? Not so sure."

Ron gave a frown "Not a witch or wizard who went bad wasn't in Slytherin."

"Just wait and see." Harry was dismissive, flipping through the Charms text.

Abcij

Harry considered his first week at Hogwarts an unqualified success. The class he was actually most looking forward to as probably near easiest in the Wizarding World, like Herbology, from his life at the Dursleys, Potions would be both easy and enjoyable. Like cooking. He was wrong.

"Harry Potter…our new celebrity…what would I get if added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" the Potion Professor snapped as he glared among the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.

Harry blinked "I don't know sir."

"And where would you look if I asked you to locate me a beazoar?" he pressed.

Further shellshocked the boy only shook his head.

"Clearly fame isn't everything." Snape sneered.

Harry countered in a lecturing tone "Fame, sir, does not include pre-knowledge of a subject that I have just matriculated into. And, while I admit I do not have an eidetic memory, I do not recall any of the three ingredients you mention in the Potions text. For reference, what page are they on, sir?

"For your information, Potter," he sat himself menacingly across from the pupil "powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood will produce a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as Living Death. A beazoar will save you should an enemy, which someone like yourself may have any number of, might slip into your drink." He swept back to his desk "On the board is a simple boil cure, you have until the end of the class. And Ravenclaws note, five points will be taken for your classmate's cheek."

Harry had his quill to paper "Again, beg pardon sir, what pages can I find these items on?"

"It is not my responsibility, Potter" the Potions Professor stalked away back to his desk "to address your deficiencies. The clock is ticking."

Abcij

The part-goblin Head of Ravenclaw listened attentively to the tale one of his newest students related and promised "As this involves another Head of House, I will have to involve the Headmaster. But I entirely agree with your evaluation."

Abcij

"Mr. Potter was one hundred percent correct when he pointed out the deficiency in Professor Snape's discipline." Professor Flitwick stood at the main podium in The Great Hall the next day "The Draught of Living Death is not taught until the end of Sixth Year and the description of a beazoar is first offered at the end of the fourth chapter of your Third Year textbook. Since Headmaster Dumbledore generally supports actions by professors, I therefore, under these circumstances, award Mr. Potter SIX points for …ahhh…. Coming to breakfast with his tie straight. Plus 25 points for the report he provided regarding this matter. It was well written and researched."

This announcement was highly polarizing.