House Unity is Good, Right? (Harry Potter - FGO Reincarnation Chapter 2)

It has been quite the year for young Harry. Dumbledore thought.

It was the end of the year, and the Headmaster of Hogwarts along with the Heads of Houses were sitting in his office, discussing the events with the Philosopher Stone went (and anything else noteworthy), before heading to eat with the children in the end of the year feast.

Harry Potter and his friends, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger, had went to great lengths to try and recover Stone while he was gone in fear of Snape, thinking he was working for Voldemort, was trying to get it. An amusing thought, considering the real dark wizard working for Voldemort, Quirinus Quirrell, had vanish after Halloween mysteriously.

It had been right after Harry's first Quidditch match, between Gryffindor and Slytherin, when Quirrell cursed Harry's broom to try and knock him off.

A day later and Quirrell disappeared, leaving behind some silly made-up excuse. Not that the threat of a hag sex cult wouldn't be real, but surely a follow of Voldemort wouldn't fall for that sort of owl mail scam.

Maybe Quirrell thought he overplayed his hand, and now Albus would bring his attention and anger upon him for trying to endangering a student?

Still, it at least left the rest of the year in a quiet peace. Not that Harry and his friends felt so, they didn't know the danger had passed. They kept trying to find what Hagrid's three-headed dog, Fluffy was guarding, figuring that out, and panicking once the Headmaster left to the minister on an errand.

Rather than try and face Fluffy, unexpectantly, Hermione brought Harry and Ronald to Ritsuka Fujimaru to ask him for help. Ritsuka in turn went and brought Michael Chaser, who it appears was an excellent guitar player.

Oh yes, those group of children were a pleasant surprise. Dumbledore thought in joyful pride educators could understand. It's not unheard of for friendships to blossom and continue across Hogwarts Houses. But for them to persist and keep going strong? That was rare and a very welcome thing to witness.

Naturally Michael agreed to help, much to the suspicion of Ronald and Harry, but with a guitar in hand, Michael set the great three-headed dog to a drowsy mood, while Ritsuka won Fluffy's companionship with hugs and pettings. Later on, Sprout's adopted child, Mash arrived to also pet fluffy and protect Michael and Ritsuka if needed. Seeing those kids working together warmed the old wizard's heart. Especially since none of them resorted to any Dark means. They are very likely, hopefully, to grow up to be good wizards and witches.

Harry and his friends went on to complete the puzzles left by Dumbledore and the professors, with Harry reaching the end where the Mirror of Erised laid. It was a trap meant for Quirrell. One, where the Mirror's enhancement, would keep him there, focused on it, trapped by his own desire till Dumbledore arrived to capture him.

Except, of course, Quirrell wasn't there.

And neither was the Philosopher's Stone.

That had caused a panic.

But for the rest of the year, nothing bad happened. So while the Stone was gone, Voldemort hadn't come back. He wouldn't have been quiet if he had, after all. Tom was predictable like that.

So while the Stone being gone was bad-and Dumbledore of course would put in some effort to look for it, since it's effect would be obvious after some time, if someone used it-it seemed that nothing malicious was happening for now. And Quirrell and Voldemort were gone for a while, a win was still a win. Although, it also meant more work to protect the wizarding world in its own way.

"So, before heading down to the feast, is there anything that needs to be brought to attention?" Dumbledore asked while having the crystal ball in his office, shined and showed the Great Hall with the students starting to gather to their House tables.

"I don't have any issues. My lions have been doing well this year, in fact, the First Years this time are a much better crop that you could ever imagine." Deputy Headmistress, Transfiguration Professor and Head of Gryffindor, Minerva McGonagall with a smile, that show no small amount of pride.

"Nothing from me either, my badgers were all splendid this year. Oh, how I'm so glad how they all work together." Head of Hufflepuff and Herebology Professor, and guardian to one Mash Kyrielight, Pomona Sprout said with giddy joy.

"Oooh! I should tell you, my First Year eagles are something else. Hmm, funny that. Students starting this year seem like a really good patch. Lucky that." Head of Ravenclaw and Charms Professor, Filius Flitwick said with a smile, while having a thoughtful look. "What about you, Severus? How well did your First Years preform this year."

"They did very well." Head of Slytherin and Potion Professor, Severus Snape said with his usual cold annoyed voice. The other teachers were used to the Potions Professor, so they knew he wasn't upset, than he usually was, or angry, just intense as usual. "Although I do find it suspect how well, all First Years did in my class."

"Come on now, Severus. Are you seriously insinuating that all First Years did something to not earn their Os?" Sprout said in that motherly disapproval tone, although it barely affected Snape.

"I'm simply pointing how unlikely such a thing was to occur."

"Hmm," Dumbledore made a sound, and the others looked toward what drew his attention.

They saw a group of students from other houses, gathering at the Gryffindor table. Coincidentally Harry, Ronald and Hermione were nearby as Hermione was sitting next to Gudako Fujimaru, with Harry and Ronald on the other side.

Snape frowned at see one of his snakes casually sit at the Gryffindor table.

"What is it, Severus?" McGonagall asked, not in a smug tone, she was above that, but the question implied the tone all the same. "Unorthodox behavior, but some house unity is never a bad thing."

"He doesn't have a problem fitting in, does he?" Sprout asked in concern.

"Quite," Snape didn't roll his eyes, but his slow voice implied his desire to. "And no," He addressed Professor Sprout. "Chaser is a Slytherin through and through. However he does not have a... friend," he said the word as if it was distasteful thing. "Within the house, and that could be a problem for him in the years to come."

"I have a feeling it would be fine." McGonagall said dismissively. "Even as a Slytherin, I find him pretty amicable with how straightforward he is." She said, to which the other House Heads made noises of agreement.

"Alright!" The crystal ball transmitted the conversation in the Great Hall once it zoomed on the group of Six and Three that gathered at the Gryffindor Table. "Time to reveal the results! Who's feeling confident?" Gudako announced loudly.

"What is they doing here?" Ronald asked, while specifically pointing at two specific students. The only Slytherin and the only Malfoy in the group. Michael's 'S'up!' was his greeting to Weasley. Altais Lucretia didn't acknowledge him beyond a nod.

"Quiet," Hermione shushed Ron.

"Oh yeah, I have this in the bag." Michael grinned.

"Feeling confident, are you?" Altais Lucretia said with an uncharacteristic amused smile.

"Win or lose, it was all fun." Ritsuka said with a friendly smile.

The group went quiet and looked at him skeptically.

"Really?" Hakuno asked in smug amusement.

"Yeah, okay, we're totally gonna win." Ritsuka grinned at the challenge in a way that reminded others, that he was related to Gudako.

"No hard feelings everyone." Mash said in good cheer.

"What is happening?" Harry asked looking at the multi-house Six in confusion.

"Oh, is this about the Bet?" Fred or George who was passing by asked.

"Bet?" Ron responded.

"Yeah, we had a bet about which First Years from which house will have the most Os in all their subjects." Gudako abridged the explanation.

"Blimey, so that's why you hanged out with Hermione." Ron commented. Hermione glared at the redhead but it didn't have it's usual heat.

"Alright, here it is." Gudako slammed some papers on the table.

"Are those the student report cards!" McGonagall cried out in shock. Her surprised was mirrored by the other House Heads.

"Seems to be copies." Dumbledore said calmly as he nodded to himself.

"Thirty one out of thirty six got Os in everything. 86%! Beat that!" Gudako smirked.

"Not bad, not bad." Michael nodded. "How did you manage it?"

"We helped all the First Years study obviously. I tutored a group and Gudako tutored another." Hermione said, her head held high.

"Wait, is that why you kept having us memorize those questions and answers?" Ron asked Gudako.

"Yeah, yeah." Gudako let out a large sigh. "I would have scored way, way, way higher, like near perfect if it wasn't for Ron, Harry, Longbottom and Finnigan." She gave them a mock glare. "Thanks for bringing the curve down guys."

"We didn't know you had a bet." Harry felt slightly bad, but he was just glad to get mostly Os and Es in his grades.

"What do you even win?" Ron asked.

"A hundred Galleons, one favor from each of us, and bragging rights for a year." Michael explained.

One of the Weasley Twins whistled.

"Wait, wait, wait." Hermione interjected. "What do you mean by 'you had them memorize'? It's not like you knew what questions the tests had." She asked Gudako.

"Don't tell me," George or Fred asked with wide eyes in excitement and respect. "You broke into McGonagall's office?"

"Of course Gudako wouldn't do something that delinquent-"

"Yeah, obviously." Gudako nodded without hesitation.

"Wha...?" Hermione looked back at the Japanese redhead in horror.

"What?!" McGonagall cried out in the Headmaster's office.

Snape looked on in smugness.

"First step was of course information gathering. Naturally I didn't do that toward the end of the year because the old cat would have tighter security, might have gotten suspicious or noticed, or changed the test on a whim in worry. So I did it toward the beginning of the year, where it's not expected." Gudako explained.

"But then how did you get the test answers?" The other Weasley Twin asked.

"I didn't."

McGonagall sighed in relief.

"I looked up the exams from all the older students I could find that still had them. Then all the older exams the past decade, and McGonagall's notes. Cross-referenced them to see the pattern she had for making exam questions, and which topics she tends to focus on depending on year and mood, and complied a list of the most likely she would ask in the finals." Gudako explained. "I was ninety something percent right on those questions by the way."

"...Bloody hell." Ron said. Harry thought that was kinda neat.

"Of course I did the same thing for all the other professors, to look at their exams and notes, since the bet was about all subjects."

Okay, Harry was impressed a little. She broke into Snape's office and was never caught!

The Weasley Twins gave nods of respect.

"She did what!?" Snape shouted back in Dumbledore's office.

Now McGonagall looked amused, although Sprout and Flitwick were disappointed and intrigued by this respectfully.

"That was the easy part of course, the hard part was getting everyone in our year to learn this stuff. Hermione took half of the load, although I asked her to focus on certain topics than others, and I focused on the people that didn't care for studying and just had them memorize." Gudako crossed her arms, a pride smug look on her face, as she faced the other Six of her group. "And now 86% of Gryffindor First Years have Os in all subjects."

"Damn." Fred said. It wasn't a prank, but that was still dedication.

"Wait, all subjects?" Asked George. "Show me Ron's report card." He asked in disbelief, which Gudako provided, while Ron protested. While this was happening in the background, Gudako continued.

"So, who goes next?" Gudako asked.

"I supposed I shall submit our results." Olga Marie said, and Hakuno nodded.

More people were now listening in on this conversation.

Olga set down her stack of papers.

"92% result from our year. Ravenclaws are meant for this type of battle." Olga Marie smirked. Gudako clicked her tongue while looking the Ravenclaw report card.

Back in the Headmaster's office, Flitwick decided to just take this event in pride, since there wasn't technically any harm or active cheating done.

"Method?" Michael asked.

"Subliminal messaging and psychological nudging." Hakuno spoke up.

"Excuse me?" Fred or George asked.

"After the information gather of, of course breaking into the professors offices, cross-referencing their notes and past exams, etc. etc." Olga Marie began.

"What? You too!?" Hermione cried out.

"Hakuno convinced the Eagle Knocker for our common room entrance to change it's series of questions to be about the school subjects." Olga Marie continued her explanation.

"Doesn't it already do that?" One of the Weasley Twins asked.

"Suspicious that you know that, but moving along." Olga Marie said, to which the Weasley Twins chuckled. "The questions the Eagle Knocker asked, were changed to be about one specific subject, for recent parts of that subjects for five days, before changing to another subject for five days, and then keep repeating that. DADA, Potions, Charms, Herbology, History, Transfiguration, Astronomy, and then repeat. Same questions once repeated so the questions and answers stick in their minds, and then whenever I talked to the other Ravenclaws on homework I'd mentions something specific about one passage or another, and that lingers in the back of their mind."

"So come the exams and it's everything they expect." Hakuno finished the explanation with a nod.

Silence greeted the two Ravenclaw girls.

That was a bit more diabolical than expected. Other Ravenclaws listening began to think back to all their interactions with Olga Marie and their common room entrance riddle, with horrified realization.

"Harry," Ron whispered as he tugged on his friend's sleeve. "She's the Eviler Malfoy."

Olga seemed to have heard what Ron said, turned to him and slowly smiled widely, showing teeth.

Ron jumped out of his seat, stumbled, fell down, got up and hide behind his laughing older twins.

"What about you, Michael?" Mash asked.

"Well~." Michael said smugly, as he put down his papers. "Read them and weep. 94% success rate."

""What!?"" Gudako and Olga Marie cried out together.

"How?" Olga demanded. "When did you break into the professor's offices? Did you just get the exam sheets and sold them to everyone in Slytherin?"

Many students were now invested in this conversation. And the professors in the Headmaster's office.

"Pfft, of course not." Michael snorted. "I broke into their offices in the middle of the year, for better notes, but that's not enough for them to have started making their exams, and besides I had already start my plan at the beginning of the year.

"That. Is. Just... Wrong!" Hermione felt like ripping her own hair out. Then Gudako gently took her hand away from her head, and Granger realized she was almost about to do that.

"Also, Ha! No. God I wish it was that easy. If I tried to just tried to sell the exam questions and answers, someone right away would have told Snape to get me in trouble, and to score some teacher pet's points or something. No, I needed the kids in my year to actively seek out the information." Michael leaned in and grinned. "So I started a political information war in my house."

"What?" Olga blinked at that. The others stared wide-eyed while listening in too.

"So in Slytherin house, as you know naturally different groups, generally two main ones, and a collection of ones wanting to stay neutral, all wanting influence and, or power in their own way." Michael began.

"Did not know that but okay." Ritsuka nodded.

"I didn't know that." Ron muttered.

"So, I approached one group and gave them the question and answers to History of Magic and Astronomy. They used this information to rise themselves to power and use it to make deals and favors with the other Slytherin. What they didn't know is that I went to the other groups, one I gave the info on Herbology and Potions to, and the other DADA, Charms and Transfiguration.

"Now there are three factions in this info wars, each vining for the information on the other subjects the other faction has. There were spies, alliances were being made, betrayals revealed, and so one and so forth, and bit by bit each student learning and memorizing all the material. However there was of course some doubt about the validity about the source of the info, so naturally I had my Liar Reveal moment that I told multiple people different subjects info, because Draco kept suspecting me of having made everything up. Except it ended up seeming like we were friends and he stabbed me in the back. And now I became the source of exam information for all subjects, that I gathered under Draco's order, which just restored my validity."

"WHAT?" Draco shouted from several tables away, as some of the older Slytherin students were using spells so the rest could listen in on the conversation.

"THANKS DRACO!" Michael shouted back, raising a thumbs up in the air. "And since we were all operating on M.A.D. rules, no one went to Snape with all of this, since that person would have been ganged up on by literally everyone at that point. Honestly, keeping Snape in the dark was the most difficult part about all of this."

"Merlin, you are mad." Ron said with wide-eyes. Harry found himself nodding, feeling weirded out yet fascinated.

"Not 'mad'. M.A.D. As in 'Mutually Assured Destruction'." Hermione explained while messaging her head. "You turned the Slytherin House into a reenactment of the American-Russion Cold War!" She shouted.

"Yep!" Michael grinned with pride. He leaned back and crossed his arms. "And that's why I got 94% of year to have Os in all subjects. Ravenclaw might be the house of wit, but ambition is what takes you far." He told Olga who along with Hakuno pouted. "I'd like the money and promises now." Michael cheekly extended his hand out.

"We still haven't shown our results." Ritsuka said. The students listening in rolled their eyes at the Hufflepuff house doing any better. The others in the Six tensed at Ritsuka's and Mash's carefree smiles.

"I suppose it's only fair." Gudako tried to play it cool.

"You didn't break in the teacher's offices, did you?" Hakuno asked with narrowed eyes.

"No, I would have felt bad if I did that to Ms. Pomo-I mean, Professor Sprout." Mash said.

Back in Dumbledore's office Sprout puffed up her chest, while smiling in pride.

"...What's your results?" Olga asked in trepidation.

Ritsuka put down their papers.

"97%" Said the male Fujimaru.

""How?"" Michael and Gudako demanded.

"Simple. We gathered up everyone in Hufflepuff." Ritsuka said with a devious grin.

"Then I told them about the Bet and asked them to help us win." Mash beamed. "So since we only had one person who didn't get Os in everything, I guess we win."

The Hufflepuffs who were quiet till now erupted in cheers.

"You used cuteness, that's bloody unfair!" Gudako threw her hands in the air.

"That's cheating!" Michael cried out.

Hakuno was pouting heavily.

"Dammit, we should have taken that into account, and added a rule against weaponized cuteness." Olga closed her eyes, and rubbed her temples.

"I can't believe I was so focused on making my team win, I didn't think about sabotaging my opponents. Damn, I wasn't Slytherin enough." Michael sighed in self-disappointment. Some of the older Slytherins were considering taking the firstie under their wings.

"WHAT CHEATING!? THEY ARE LITERALLY THE ONLY ONES THAT DIDN'T CHEAT!" Hermione lost her cool, as she jumped into standing.

And so Team Hufflepuff won the Bet.

Back in Dumbledore's office, the four Head of Houses and Headmaster had their own reaction to this event.

Snape was furious at having not caught Michael's shenanigans. A group of First Years slipped by him and he wouldn't have knowns if they didn't literally talk about it in the Great Hall. Although he felt a modicum of pride in how his house conducted themselves a little.

Flitwick was enthralled by the whole Bet, if slightly worried by the methods Altais Lucretia Olga Marie and Hakuno used.

McGonagall was going back and forth between irritation and pride before landing on irritation. Since her First Years literally only did well because they were spoon feed the answer, more than the others.

Sprout was completely smug as she was in on all of this from the beginning.

Dumbledore was amused and fascinated by the Six Hexes, and wondered if their game should be implemented into the school curriculum in someway. He feared that the House Cup might have been overshadowed by the Bet. How fun.

Back with the students, Hermione was calmed down and convinced not to go to McGonagall to tell her about all this, since confronting the teachers and forcing them to save face, by having every First Year do the exams again, along with giving more work for the teachers would make the poor girl, the most hated girl in the history of the school.

Later on Michael made a winning on his back-up bet, where he bet that Harry Potter would be the reason why Gryffindor wins the House Cup, breaking Slytherin's streak, and collected the money from a lot of angry and annoyed Slytherins.

And thus the first year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the Chaldeans came to an end.


"So... The Philosopher's Stone. Eternal life, endless riches... Anyone wants the rock?"

"Nope."

"Not it."

"Nuh uh."

"No thanks."

"No."

"No for me as well. So what do we do with it? Any suggestions?"

"Throw it to the moon?"

"Why not just destroy it?"

"...Throw it to the moon to make it habitable with an atmosphere?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Fuck it. That's our project for next year then."