Plus, it would force both her year-mates and Ravenclaw House as a whole to acknowledge her, rather than treat her like a freak worthy of only mean-spirited pranks.
And if they didn't, and instead chose to target her more due to her academic success, out of petty jealousy, well, it would further drive her into his influence, into his arms.
---
This would be especially true if she believed that his tutorship and guidance were the reasons behind her success. Truthfully, he believed that she would have been just fine by herself, since she was both hardworking and motivated. He couldn't help but smile at his developing scheme; it was truly a win-win situation for him.
He would either earn more respect within Ravenclaw House and with his own Head of House by successfully tutoring her to success and helping her make some friends amongst her peers, or he would more than likely gain an unwavering and ridiculously loyal ally in the girl, who saw him as both her mentor and her only true friend within this 'big bad school,' assuming the gap between her and her childhood friend, Ginny Weasley, continued to widen.
Naturally, he was tempted to try and widen that gap a little further, just like he had done with Penny and Percy the previous year. But he chose not to, deciding to leave it up to the pair and fate, since the youngest Weasley had done nothing to earn his displeasure, unlike her older brother. Well, besides being a possible suspect in the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, and that likely wasn't even through her conscious choice.
He blamed Lord Malfoy more for that than anyone. Plus, if any hint of his involvement came to light in breaking them up, he would probably lose the first-year witch forever, causing all the time and energy he had spent on Luna to go down the proverbial drainpipe.
Then there was the fact, like Sirius had unintentionally advised, that witches held grudges extremely well. He'd rather not end up as a dashing toad, trying to steal a kiss from a fair maiden. He did have to rebuild the Potter family numbers after all.
"Harry, I've heard some interesting rumours that you're receiving private lessons from Professor Dumbledore," Daphne probed from her place next to Blaise, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
He decided to be honest with his few friends, since it would only increase his personal standing amongst his peers, especially as it was only a matter of time before the rumour fully spread throughout the school. "Yes, I am," he confirmed. "I'm pretty sure that Granger will be filled with crippling jealousy at the thought of my getting private lessons from him." Tracy's light smile turned into a full-blown grin at that.
"How did that happen?" Padma asked from beside him, beating Daphne to the question, her cute, bordering-on-beautiful features, in a few years' time, laced with the subtle signs of confusion. "I thought that you disliked the man."
He considered his answer carefully before answering, "It was one of the terms I demanded in exchange for agreeing to return to Potions lessons next year under Snape," he carefully explained to the group, as he turned his body to fully face Padma.
"I didn't lie to you when I said I personally dislike the Headmaster, I still do, very much so in fact, and I have several very good reasons for disliking him. But, however much I don't like to admit it, I'm forced to admit that he is one of the most powerful and knowledgeable wizards around.
So why shouldn't I try to learn from him when the opportunity presents itself? Why shouldn't I try to tap him for knowledge, for greater understanding?" he asked the group, playing the Slytherin-accepted angle of self-gain even when distasteful, as he noticed Daphne's eyes light up in understanding and respect.
"It's also why I now have limited access to the restricted section of the library, even if it's strictly monitored," he explained to the near-silent group.
"That was another of my demands for agreeing to return to Potions next year. Of course, I put terms and conditions in place governing Snape's conduct towards me. If he steps out of line even a bit, one insult, one biased mark, one bit of sabotage, I'm gone, free to continue my own self-study, but yet I still get to keep my access," he bragged, a sly, shark-like smile appearing on his lips.
Despite everything he had said and explained, it was the pass to the long-coveted restricted section that had gotten Padma's full attention. "You have access to the restricted section of the library and you didn't tell me?!" she accused, getting puffed up, and unintentionally doing a rather good impression of Miss Granger. But he wisely chose to keep that observation to himself, as Blaise suddenly grinned in amusement at the unfolding drama, before whispering something in Daphne's ear.
He took a deep breath before replying to her accusation, not liking her tone one bit, especially in this setting. "I didn't tell anyone," he countered to his Ravenclaw friend. "Do you recall what House we're in? I would be swarmed with requests for books; not even NEWT-level students have such ready access.
While I don't mind occasionally using my pass to withdraw books you might be interested in, I have absolutely no intention of playing the role of librarian to the whole of Ravenclaw House," the Slytherin trio cracked their own smiles at the thought of his discomfort.
"Unless I can profit from it." This caused Tracy to suddenly burst into laughter, whilst Daphne's own lips twitched in amusement, and something that looked almost like fondness, before it quickly disappeared.
"One could almost mistake you for a goblin, Harry," Tracy teased, as he grinned back, taking it as a compliment.
"So what is the Headmaster teaching you? Potions?" she asked eagerly.
He shook his head at this guess. "Of course not, we discuss whatever subject that strikes my fancy," he explained. "However, I'm focusing on Transfiguration at the moment, since he is a world-renowned master in that field and has amazing insights into it; after only a little bit of time talking with him, I'm already finding the subject far easier than before," he claimed.
"That means that you can help us with our own Transfiguration assignments and revision," Padma stated, giving him a stern look, almost daring him to challenge her.
He let the challenge pass for now, although he wasn't going to allow her to walk all over him with her assumptions and demands. They would be having a conversation later about this. "I already do, don't I?" he asked the room, part of him slightly amused at her forcefulness.
"And whilst we are on the topic of rumours, I've heard from the headmaster's office portraits that there is going to be a Valentine's Day celebration this year," he explained to the group, effortlessly changing the subject.
The news took a couple of seconds to register, before Tracy and Padma suddenly looked rather excited at the idea, whilst Blaise cast a longing look over to Daphne, who appeared to ignore the statement, especially as Blaise's arm wrapped around her waist protectively, pulling the heiress closer to him.
"Just wait until Parvati hears about this!" Padma exclaimed in excitement.
"Just don't mention my name," he answered seriously, giving Padma a stern look. After all, as soon as Padma's twin sister Parvati found out, her dear friend Lavender would quickly follow and then the whole school would know by the end of the day. "I'd rather not let the Headmaster know that I'm on good terms with some of the portraits in his office.
As a group, they are extremely attention-starved after so many years just hanging there, and just happen to have extremely loose tongues," he lied through his teeth, a shark-like smile appearing on his features, as he worked hard to protect the source of his information. He realized that there would rapidly come a point where he would need to let things happen as they will, even if he was forewarned of a plot or scheme against him.
Appearing to always be prepared for things or to always know more than he should would be an easy way to alert his foes that he had some undetected means to ferret out information. It wouldn't take long for them to grow suspicious, making it more and more likely his surveillance charms would be discovered.
"We need to get going," Daphne suddenly announced to the group, rising gracefully from her seat whilst untangling herself from Blaise's sudden embrace. "We have lessons starting in a couple of minutes and it wouldn't do for us to be late," reminding everyone of the time.
"Oh, by the way, Draco is scheming something again," Blaise suddenly announced, as the group walked past the swan door guardian. "He seems to have a score to settle with you."
He snorted in amusement at the idea, which the group easily caught. "I'll just have to get him to set his sights on Longbottom and Weasley instead; it shouldn't be too hard," a basic plan quickly forming in his mind.
"What are you planning?" Tracy asked, subtly leaning into him, as they walked down the secret passageway.
"A tasteless prank that only a Gryffindor would pull," he answered back to the brunette Slytherin, his mind stirring, as he schemed once again. "I apologise in advance if you three somehow get caught up in the crossfire."
"I'll overlook it this time," Tracy proclaimed magnanimously, sending him a mischievous smile. "However, I expect a Valentine's Day gift for my trouble," he noticed how Padma sent the Slytherin a seething look at this.
...
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