Harry Potter, Lord of All

by MandooftheValrindi

Summary:

What if Voldemort bound his followers with a modified Leige Lord Oath? What if the modification meant that Harry took over ALL the Houses by Right of Conquest? Most importantly, what if Harry was a Hard Working Hufflepuff, who set his sights on remaking the Ministry?

Check Series description.

Chapter 1: I'm a What?

Harry's day didn't get really weird until the bank.

 

Don't get him wrong, being chased by hyper specific addressed letter across the country was weird, as was a giant (I'm only half giant, Harry) busting in as the clock struck twelve to whisk him away to a magical school.

 

But Harry was beginning to think those events downright normal compared to this. It all started when Hagrid led him up to the teller in Gringotts Bank, and revealed he had the key to Harry's vault, left to him by his parents.

 

While grateful the key had not been left with his Aunt Petunia, for he would surely be broke long ago if that was the case, it seemed odd that Hagrid should have it. Didn't the man work for the school? Should it not have been with a social worker or some other person of authority over orphaned wizards?

 

So Harry coughed just enough to grab the goblin (GOBLIN!) tellers attention, and asked, "who has been in charge of this money all this time? I didn't know it existed."

 

The teller had frowned, and suddenly Harry was being whisked into an office, despite Hagrids protest that 'he just needs to make a withdrawal!', and the goblins insistence that this conversation was for Harry and his legal gaurdians ears only, please wait outside sir.

---

"Hello Mr. Potter, it has been brought to my attention that you are lacking some information about your presence in the magical world. Before we begin, would you like your family solicitor called in?" The goblin behind the desk seemed to be a level headed creature, projecting calm to counter Harry's nervousness.

 

"But he-" Harry gestured to the teller who brought him back to the office he was seated in, "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name, sir."

 

The goblin quirked a brow. "I am Teller Hagglefang, young Lord, and this is Account Manager Bloodclaw."

 

Harry scrunched his face in confusion. "I'll circle back to the Lord thing, but Hagglefang said only me and my gaurdians could hear this?"

 

"That was mostly true, you do also have the right to legal counsel in the absence of your gaurdian. But the man who brought you in was neither."

 

"Oh, then yes."

 

"Very well." Bloodclaw sent Hagglefang out, and a few minutes later a kind faced man entered the office.

 

"Hello Harry, my name is Ted Tonks, I'm the Potter family solicitor on retainer. Are your gaurdians not here today?"

 

"No sir, they're muggles, you see, and they believe magic makes you- well they didn't want to come."

 

The man's face pinched briefly, but he just nodded. "Well, why don't we get down to business, shall we? Manager Bloodclaw, why are we here?"

 

"We are here because Mr. Potter needs to claim his Houses to take over the accounts, and we have a lot to cover since it has been 10 years since some of his accounts were last touched."

 

"Some? Who was accessing Potter accounts when I didn't know I was a wizard or anything about accounts before today?" Harry lurched forward in his chair, temper flaring at the thought someone might be stealing from him.

 

Bloodclaw held up a hand. "Not Potter accounts. We need to first perform the blood test to confirm which Houses you inherited, and then we will get to that." He pulled a piece of thick paper out and held out his hands to Harry. 

 

"I need a drop of your blood."

 

Harry glanced at Ted, who nodded. "Be careful who gets a hold your blood, but this is safe."

 

"Why do I need to be careful?" Harry asked as Bloodclaw used one sharp claw to poke his palm.

 

Ted sighed. "It can be used in rituals to harm you. I'm going to write up a list of books for you when you go shopping, although I would like to accompany you if your gaurdians aren't here."

 

"I came with Hagrid."

 

Ted would have done a perfect spit take if he had only been drinking. "Hagrid. They sent- Well then I'll definitely come along."

 

Bloodclaw cleared his throat. "The spell is complete."

 

Harry turned back to the desk. While he had been focused on Ted, the single drop of blood from his hand had dripped onto the paper, soaked in, and turned to ink. Spidery writing in red listed out Harry's family and Houses.

 

Harrison James Potter, son of James Charlus Potter and Lily Marie Potter

 

Godson of Sirius Orion Black and Alice Guinevere Longbottom

 

House Potter

 

House Gryffindor 

 

House Peverell

 

House Slytherin 

 

House Hufflepuff

 

House Ravenclaw

 

House Malfoy

 

House Nott

 

House Avery

 

House Crabbe

 

House Lestrange

 

House Goyle

 

House Dolohov

 

House Snape

 

House Prince 

 

House Crouch

 

House Rookwood

 

House McNair

 

House Karkaroff

 

House Yaxley

 

House Rowle

 

House Carrow

 

House Thicknesse

 

House Rosier

 

House Gibbon

 

House Black

 

House Gaunt

 

House Riddle

 

 

 

"What!?" Ted's voice echoed as he voiced his shock. "I was expecting the first three, how did the others happen?"

 

"It would seem-" Bloodclaw folded his hands, resting his elbows on the desk with a smirk. "That the Dark Lord Voldemort, had his followers give a variation on an old Leige Lord vow. Thus turning over control of their Houses, assets, and Wizengamot votes over to him. Since he was more a man of physical action than political, he never bothered to mention it. But upon his 'vanquishing' in 1981, Mr. Potter became holder of all his assets, votes, etc., by Right of Conquest."

 

"So what you're saying," Harry spoke up in the stunned silence that followed, "is that I'm in charge of all these Houses and their political influence and money?"

 

"Along with properties, businesses, investments, house elves, and other employees."

 

"I'm gonna need a tutor. Can we get one for the last month before Hogwarts? Can we find one this short notice?" Harry looked to Ted, who was already scribbling notes in a spiral bound book.

 

"Not just a tutor. You're going to need more security, and new clothes befitting your new status. I recommend you don't mention this to anyone until I can check a few things. The names on that list are not going to be happy answering to an eleven year old, let alone you."

 

"Me? Why me, specifically? " How much more to this could there be, he was just Harry? Why did this keep getting bigger?

 

"You don't even know who you are to wizard kind?! Okay, let's get through the rest of this with Bloodclaw, then we can talk about that over lunch, okay?"

 

"As long as we do talk about it eventually. I don't like being kept in the dark." Harry ground out.

 

---

 

The rest of the meeting was a 'brief' overview of just how rich he now was, and reviewing current investments. With Ted's help, Harry canceled the few that seemed to be discriminatory or were just doing poorly. They left the bank, collecting a rather frantic Hagrid from the door with apologies for abandoning him, intentional or not. And then they headed for lunch at a Cafe off of Horizont Alley and Ted, with some input from Hagrid, told Harry who he was to the wizards of Britain.

 

Then Ted brought up something that made Harry want to shout for joy.

 

"Harry, I don't think you can stay with your current gaurdians anymore."

 

He obviously misread Harry's startled expression because he continued, "muggles won't be able to protect you like you need anymore, I'm sure we can work it out so you can see them as often as you like-"

 

"No! I mean..." Harry straightened his spine. "They are not very nice to me. Aunt Petunia said my magic made me a freak, although she didn't tell me it was magic... anyway, I would much rather go to my Godparents if it means not living with the Dursleys anymore, even though I've not really met either of them."

 

"Right your godparents..." Ted pulled the parchment (that's what the thick paper was called) With his blood test results on it out of the bag they carried from the bank. 'Charmed to hold all Account info, check books, and other banking necessities'. 

 

"Sirius Black! and Alice Longbottom. Well Harry, when we are done here I'm going to need to do some digging, because Sirius is currently in prison for giving the Dark Lord your family's location, leading to the death of your parents. However, magical Godparents cannot put their God child at risk. Meaning he is innocent. I will get that fixed immediately. In the meantime, I'm afraid Lady Longbottom is a permanent resident of the wizard hospital, St. Mungo's, due to spell damage received during the war. The next closest relative alive would be my wife, actually, Andromeda Tonks nee Black."

 

"So I could stay with you until something gets worked out?" Harry asked, picking at the skin on the side of his thumb.

 

"We would love to have you, Harry. Andi would be a good tutor as well, the Blacks raised their children with high standards. "

 

Hagrid snorted at that. "So will ye still need help with yer shopping, or do you think you have it handled then?"

 

Ted smiled at the giant. "You are welcome to tag along of course, but we won't keep you if you have other things to do."

 

Hagrid nodded. "I do have a few things to do before school starts actually, if that's okay with you Harry."

 

"Certainly. I can't thank you enough for coming to get me, Hagrid, Aunt Petunia would never have brought me here. "

 

With a bright blush, the half giant headed off to run his other errands, and Ted and Harry got down to shopping. 

 

---

 

 

School shopping was not something Harry was familiar with, his Aunt had always just dropped him outside the school with a brown paper sack with a broken pencil, a mildewed notebook Dudley had left out in the rain, and sometimes an overripe banana for lunch.

 

So one might call him unprepared for the events that followed. Having spent the morning in the bank, Ted decided to drop Harry at Ollivanders while he fetched a truck, scales, and cauldron.

 

The shop was a little creepy, dim lights and dusty shelves. A single wand rested in the window on a pillow, and Harry felt drawn to it, like the wand was singing a lullaby to his soul. He had reached out his hand, almost without noticing, when he was startled from his trance by a cough.

 

"Mr. Potter. I was wondering when I would see you, I've looked forward to your wand matching for many years. Come, come, come." An old man with Albert Einstein hair waved the boy over by the counter, silver eyes glowing in the dimness of the shop. Ollivander. "Which hand is your wand hand?"

 

Harry considered. "Well, I'm right handed, so would it be better to learn to cast with my left, so my right is free for other things?"

 

"Quite, my boy, though very few wizards are smart enough to reach that particular conclusion. But I can see you will be a special case indeed. Try this one, Holly and phoenix feather." 

 

While he was speaking, a measuring tape had begun flitting around Harry, and continued even as he took the wand and gave it a flick. A flare of light flew from the tip, crashing into the back wall and punching a hole in the plaster.

 

"Sorry-" Harry began, but Ollivander waved him off. "Nonsense, it's part of the process. Give this one a go, birch and unicorn hair."

 

The second wand cause a tornado like wind to swirl around the shop, kicking up dust and causing the pair of wizards to fall into sneezing fits, even as Ollivander waved a wand and stopped the wind. "Well not that one..." the old man mused with a twinkle in his eye.

 

"Please, sir." Harry interrupted as Ollivander reached behind the counter. "May I try the one in the window? It's only that it seems to be singing to me."

 

"Singing? Why didn't you say something at the start?! Must be a bit of mage sense, from your father I bet. Here you are Fir and Dragon Heartstring, 7 and 3/4 inches, reasonably pliant."

 

He swept the wand off the pillow and into Harry's hand. 

 

Harry startled, for unlike the other two wands, this one felt warm in his hand, and the warmth spread up his arm until his whole body glowed faintly.

 

"Now there's a perfect match. You don't see many anymore, not with these purebloods full of ideas that they know what wood or core they need. Skews the whole selection process, it does, just cause they think a wood will go well with their eyes or some such rot.

 

"But a perfect match, a true match will stay with you for life. Such wands have been known to repair themselves if broken, in order to stay with their wizard.

 

"Fir is a wood that requires strength of purpose in its match, and is suited for transfiguration. It is also known as the Survivor's Wand wood. Interesting indeed. Well Mr. Potter, will you be needing a holster as well today?"

 

Harry started, having been staring at his new wand. "Er, yes, I suppose. And whatever is needed to care for it."

 

"Perfect; wand, care kit, holster... that will be seventeen galleons and four Sickles. Another interesting thing about that wand, it was made by my great grandfather, before the Ministry instituted the Trace. I'm sure you'll figure out what to do with that information." The wandmaker said with a wink.

 

Harry really wasn't sure, as he had no clue what the Trace is, but he nodded anyway and handed over the money.

 

 

 

Heading outside, he met up with Ted and they continued shopping. At the Apothecary, Ted showed him how to check ingredients for quality, which seemed a lot like picking the ripe foods at the supermarket. He just needed to learn a whole new set of smells and colors to check for.

 

At Flourish and Blotts they got his school required books, as well as;

 

Chopping, Cutting, and Stirring: a Young Potioneer's Guide to Proper Ingredient Prep, by Porticus Skant

 

Muggleborns Guides to the Wizarding World: a Series, by Hamish Watson

 

And

 

A Young Heirs Success: Etiquette, Finance, the Wizengamot, and More! by Gerant Greengrass.

 

 

 

Ted assured him they could always come back before school started, and picked up owl order catalogs from each store they stopped in.

 

Equipment sorted, all that was left was robes. Ted insisted that he would need more than the advised 3 work robes, and brought him to Twilfitt and Tattings robe shop.

 

A bell tinkled gently as they pushed open the door, and a young woman with blonde hair and violet eyes, barely in her twenties Harry would guess, greeted them.

 

"How can I help you?"

 

"Well," Ted took over the talking, for which Harry was grateful. "This young man just had his Gringotts test, and needs new robes for day wear and Hogwarts besides, I have the list of colors in order of importance." He handed over a scrap of parchment to the woman who raised her eyebrows, but didn't comment on the number of House colors she recognized.

 

"He will need the Lord's cut for everything, as well as underlying and shoes. A good pair of Hebredian Black hide boots, and a set of dueling robes as well."

 

"Certainly." The witch set a tape measure to fluttering. "Would the young Lord like to wear a set of robes out today?"

 

"Yes please." Harry nodded eagerly. New clothes! He could throw out Dudleys old things if he wanted.

 

"Which color?"

 

"Erm..."

 

Ted answered for him again. "The plum, House Potter colors." He added the last for Harry's benefit.

 

"Right."

 

The woman waved her wand, and bolts of fabric jumped off the walls, scissors cutting a needles threaded themselves. Soon enough he had put on the plum robes, and was reassured that his new wardrobe would be owled to him that evening.

 

 

 

"Well, that's everything on your list except an animal. Would you like to stop in the pet store? Even if you don't get a pet, per say, you will be needing an owl for your mail." Ted guided them through the crowd towards Magical Menagerie.

 

"I think an owl will be enough to be starting with, I'll have to much work before school to give much attention to a pet." Harry rubbed his lip in thought.

 

"Sound reasoning, Harry. Let's have a look at what they've got."

 

It was clear there was some sort of silencing spell on the building, because as soon as they walked in Harry was blasted with barks, meows, hoots, and other animal sounds.

 

Sticking to his plan, Harry headed for the corner with the owls. There were so many different types! All sorts of colors, shapes, sizes, and temperaments. He spent a few moments speaking to each one, but most ignored him, turning to sleep.

 

He ended up with an exceptionally fluffy Northern Hawk Owl which he named Spooks because of his wide eyes. After paying for the bird and his supplies, Ted led Harry back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

 

"We're going to floo home. Now the Floo is a wizarding mode of transportation using the natural magic generated by fire to create a wormhole tunnel between fireplaces connected to the system. It's very complicated, but suffice to say, you step in the fireplace here, call out the floo destination marker of where you are going, and it deposits you there. I will go with you this first time, but it will be rather cramped and you will want to go on your own next time."

 

Harry nodded his understanding, and only hesitated a moment before stepping into the weird green flames. Ted threw drown some green powder, and said, "Tonks Tower", and then he was spinning, spinning, spinning, until suddenly he stopped, and the view out of the fireplace had changed. 

 

"Wicked."

 

"Quite. Right through that left door is the kitchen, I'll fetch Andi, and my daughter Nymphadora if she's home, and we'll do introductions."

---

 

Ted's wife Adromeda was a lovely woman, warm and inviting, but whip smart and he could tell she was not a person to test. She readily agreed to tutor Harry in his role as Lord of so many Houses, though she warned the only family magic she could teach was the Blacks. "The official story is that I was disowned for marrying Teddy, but the truth was, my parents did not have the power to do so. But my great uncle Arcturus, the Head of House until he died this past spring, he and I let them think it."

 

She was overjoyed to hear that Sirius was Harry's magical godfather, as that would be proof submit-able in court of his innocence. Ted promised that would be his first too when he got to the Ministry the next day to file his temporary custody of Harry due to Muggle Incompetence.

 

Evidently, in the case of a wizard child raised by Muggles, if the muggles proved to be a danger or incapable of treating the child well once they knew of magic, then the Ministry could assign new gaurdians and have the muggles obliviated.

 

Harry was just glad he would never have to see the Dursleys again.

 

As for Ted and Adromedas daughter, Nymphadora, she was insane. That was the only word Harry had for such pure chaos. And some of it wasn't her fault, her apparent clumsiness was due to her metamorphing, which she tended to use to make herself visually loud and colorful, but she was also loud vocally, and opinionated, although Harry did not know enough about Quidditch or Dumbledore to comment. She also was a prankster, which had Harry on edge for a while until he realized she didn't mean to be mean with her pranks.

 

After the first week, he could even sleep through her crashing down the hall past his new room on her way to Auror training early each morning.

 

And wasn't that amazing, Harry got his own room! It was not very big, but Harry wasn't sure he could have handled big anyway after so long in the cupboard. But it was his. Andromeda helped him pick out a nice plush silver carpet, with a plum bedspread and curtains to accent the soft grey of the walls. He had a desk to do his reading at, as well as the written assignment for his Lordship training, and a shelf to keep his books on. There was even a tray he was allowed the have snacks and a drink on while he worked!

 

He almost didn't want this month to end, but it soon did, and school was upon him.

 

 

---

 

 

Ted took the day off to go with them to Kings Cross Station, and Harry gripped his trunk tight as he stepped into the floo. On the other side, Andi spelled away the soot and straightened his collar with pride. 

 

Harry was once again in the Potter colors, his hair laying neat for once and braided out of his eyes, although he let the fringe cover his scar. He wanted to make friends based on himself, not the boy who lived nonsense. He had gone with Dora (Nymphadora is too ridiculous!) To Diagon and saw a hairdresser and Optiwizard. Getting his riotous curls lengthened had tamed some of the chaos, and he now had square framed glasses that suited his face better, he thought. Wizards could apparently correct eyesight problems, but not until your magical growth settled around 17.

 

"Right, you have your trunk, here is Spooks. Behave yourself alright, and I will owl as soon as we know anything about Sirius."

 

"Yes, Andi."

 

It seemed the Ministry of Magic was dragging their feet in getting Sirius a proper trial, not wanting to admit they made a mistake, but Ted was pushing, and had got Sirius moved to a holding cell at the DMLE where Andi could tend to him as a family Healer while he awaited his court date.

 

"We love you, Harry. Have a good time, and make loads of friends. I expect to hear all about them in your letters, alright?" Ted clapped Harry on the shoulder, and he was proud to say he didn't even flinch. Scrubbing at his suddenly itchy eyes, Harry nodded.

 

"Yes, Ted. By Dora, tell me all about Auror training and when I get back-"

 

"Oh quick, Harry the trains leaving!" Andi herded him on board and waved elegantly from the platform. Dora waved as well, and Ted had to grab her arm to keep her from falling off the platform in her enthusiasm. 

 

Just as the clock was striking 11, and the conductor moved to close the doors to the train cars, a large number of redheads came flying through the barrier to the muggle side of the station.

 

"Hurry boys!" The mother shouted, waving her wand to levitate trunks on while the children hustled on board. The train pulled away then, leaving Harry in the hall with a gaggle of redheaded children.

 

"Well, Ron you best find a compartment, I don't know where he was, but I'm sure he's here somewhere." The eldest of the 4 directed, shoving the youngest down the carriage. "You two..." He turned to the pair of twins who were grinning, hands behind their backs and what Harry was sure was supposed to be an innocent look on their faces.

 

The eldest just sighed and turned around, heading for the front of the train.

 

Harry snickered, which drew the twins attention. 

 

"And who might you be-"

 

"Ickle firsty?"

 

Harry was quick to note that the left twin had a large freckle under his left eye that the other did not, and chose to ignore the question for now, instead asking one of his own. "Tell me correctly which one of you is which now, and then it will be up to me to tell you apart, yes?"

 

The pair shared a glance and grinned. "Fine, but each time you get it wrong-" freckle began

 

"We can ask a small favor of you." No freckle completed.

 

"Nothing serious of course-"

 

"Just an alibi here-"

 

"A delivery there."

 

Harry nodded firmly. "I agree to your terms. Now your names?"

 

"I'm George." Said freckle.

 

"Which makes me Fred." Said the other.

 

"And you are?" They asked together.

 

Harry giggled. "Call me Harry."

 

Their eyes grew large. "Not Harry Potter!" Fred gasped dramatically.

 

"We met him first!" Cackled George.

 

"Is that important?" Harry asked.

 

Fred shrugged. "Seems old Headmaster Dumbledore thought you might need help getting through the barrier at the Station-"

 

"So he asked Mum to keep an eye out-"

 

"Ron, that the younger one who left earlier-"

 

"Was convinced that he would be the first to befriend the Great Harry Potter!"

 

"Yes, yes, the Boy Who Lived!"

 

And then pair finally collapsed against each other in hysterics.

 

Harry snorted. "Well tell him I have no interest in being friends with fame seekers. You two however..." he shrugged. 

 

The twins shared another look, and each took one of Harry's arms, leading him down the train to what they insisted was their cabin, and he was welcome to join then so long as he told no one what he saw...

Chapter 2: Sorting and Revelations

The train ride with the Weasley twins (as he learned), and their friend Lee Jordan, was a riot of conversation and prank planning. Harry even found he was adding to the plans, and the other boys seemed to value his contribution.

"No matter where I'm Sorted, I'd like to remain friends."

"Course we will-" George slung an arm over Harry's should as they were getting off the train.

"Gotta lord it over Ronnikins that we befriended Potter first." Fred added, as the pair deposited him by Hagrid, who was currently shouting for the first years to come this way.

They slipped away, and when it seemed all the first years were there, Hagrid led them down to a fleet of boats sitting on an eerily still lake, his reflection distorted in the dark water.

They glided across the water, up and around the peninsula they climbed in the boats on, and there it was.

Hogwarts.

A great looming castle, lit by what must have been thousands of candles in hundreds of windows. 

Harry wondered to himself who lit them, and did they really need light in all those rooms right now, or was it a show for the first years?

He broke from his musings when the boats landed in a covered cove, and as one the group headed up the stairs. They were met by a stern looking witch, who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, Head of House Gryffindor. She explained that they were going to enter the Great Hall, be sorted into their Hogwarts house, and then there would be the Presentation of the Heirs.

As their first public appearance since turning eleven (apparently school shopping didn't count), all Heirs to wizarding Houses were presented to their peers, so they could begin forming political alliances. The pinched look on her face said everything McGonagall thought about politicking as children.

Harry began to panic. This is as far as he could go pretending he didn't control near half of the wizengamot seats in existence. 1/4 was Ministry appointed heads of departments, 1/4 were elected by the wizarding population, and the other 1/2 were family controlled. With his new Lordships and all their Vassal houses...

His panic was interrupted by the other children gasping. Looking around to see what caused the gasps, he looked upward. A pack (fleet, gaggle, flock?) of ghosts had flown through the wall and startled them. A brief conversation with them was interrupted by McGonagalls return.

---

They organized themselves into a line in pairs and shambled into the Great Hall. The line didn't end up making much sense as they were crowded up near the front just a step below the staff table. A dirty old hat was produced, and to Harry's surprise it sang a song about the four houses and their traits.

Then they were being called up in alphabetical order to be sorted. 

Soon it was Harry's turn. He marched up to the stool, the hat was placed on his head, and a voice echoed in his brain. 'Your occlumency shields are impressive for a child your age.'

'Thank you? I need them for protection, so I worked real hard this month to learn.'

'I can see that. Rest assured, your safety is my priority, as it is to the house heads and headmaster. As such your sorting will be difficult. I see plenty of courage here, and a loyalty to your new found family. A thirst for knowledge that will take you far, and a resourcefulness driven by self preservation. Now normally I don't explain myself to much, as it takes too long and the wizards get antsy. But you deserve it. You would do well in Slytherin ideals wise, however you new control over many in the house will lead to tension. Gryffindor will be too constricting, they all have too many preconceptions about you to let you be yourself. So it's down to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

What are your thoughts, young man?'

'Well, I understand why not those two, and as for the others, well... I want to do what Andi and Ted said and make some good friends. I'll need them soon I think.'

Harry grimaced at his life to come, and those outside the hats bubble whispered.

'Loyal friends you say, well then, it better be HUFFLEPUFF!" 

There was a stunned silence for a moment, and then the yellow table erupted in cheers. Over the applause, the Weasley twins could be heard chanting, "the Puffs got Potter! The Puffs got Potter!"

Harry handed back the hat and headed for his new housemates. There was Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Wayne Hopkins, Megan Jones, and Ernie MacMillan. After brief greetings interspersed by applause for the remaining sorts, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood to give announcements. 

There were warning against the Forest and the Third Floor corridor, reminders of banned objects, and then when it was expected that the First Years be presented, Dumbledore skipped over it and summoned the food.

The man seemed oblivious to the stares he was receiving, instead helping himself to a plate of roast beef, and eventually the murmurs were mixed with the clatter of tongs on platters and the clink of silverware too roughly handled.

"He must intend to do it after food?" Susan commented.

"This is odd," a third year added from up the table. "It's always been done before food, since my dad was here at least. Cedric Diggory." He introduced himself.

Everyone kept an eye on the head table throughout the meal, and near the end it seemed there was an argument going on before Dumbledore stood and all the plates cleared themselves. 

"It was brought to my attention that in my fever of hunger, I have forgotten something. "

There were several snickers around the room, and even a whispered, "senile!" From the Slytherin table. 

"The Presentation." Dumbledore continued as if nothing happened. "Per tradition, those with the largest number of titles go first. "

Harry almost groaned, as another Professor, a tiny little man who was sitting upon a stack of books to even eat at the table, stood up with a roll of parchment. 

"Ehem. Mr. Potter, please stand. 

"Lord Harrison James Potter is hereby recognized and to henceforth be acknowledged as the Head of House for House Potter, House Black,  House Gryffindor, House Peverell, House Slytherin, House Hufflepuff, House Ravenclaw, House Malfoy, House Nott, House Avery, House Crabbe, House Lestrange, House Goyle, House Dolohov, House Snape, House Prince, House Crouch, House Rookwood, House McNair, House Karkaroff, House Yaxley, House Rowle, House Carrow, House Thicknesse, House Rosier, House Gibbon, House Gaunt, and House Riddle." 

The Hall grew louder and louder with each name read, beginning at Gryffindor with excited whispers, which was added to outraged shouts as they got into the know list of Death Eaters. Members of the named Houses hollered insults and denials, one Draco Malfoy had actually fainted upon learning he was not Heir.

At House Riddle, Dumbledore himself lurched from his seat. "Silence!" A non verbal sonorus cast his booming shout over the Hall.

"Lord Potter, perhaps you have an explanation for this nonsense? "

"Well, Dumbledore," Harry's newly announced status put him well above the headmaster in rank.  "It would seem that one Tom Marvolo Riddle, a halfblood son of a muggle, fancied himself a bit of power."

The room was hushed as Harry stood as straight as he could, refusing to shrink under their gaze. He was glad Ted came up with this speech before it came time to give it. "He took the letters of his name, and rearranged them. "

The tiny Professor wrote out the name in letters of prior light in the air,  and waved his wand at it. They shuffled around several times, a few half formed words wildly inappropriate before shuffling some more, and as they finally formed the sentence, Harry read it out loud. 

"I. Am. Lord. Voldemort. "

The room erupted into shouting once more. 

"He's a filthy half blood?!"

"How did no one know this? "

"This doesn't explain-"

A concussion blast boomed, and silence fell once again. 

Harry merely tilted his head and continued. 

"Now Mr. Riddle, gathered followers in his search for power. These followers he made to take an oath and a brand. It is that which cause their downfall, for the oath was a modification."

He paused to let that sink in, as the older students began to whisper to the younger. You DONT modify oaths, bad things can happen.

"It was a modification of a leige Lord oath, that gave all control to the master. 

"ALL control."

Dumbledore put his face in his hand with a sigh. 

"Right of Conquest?"

"Right of Conquest." Harry confirmed. "When I stopped Riddle in 1981, all his power over the Houses passed to me."

With a nod to the diminutive Professor, Harry sat back down. His face made it clear he would answer no more questions, and the rest of those presenting that year were announced. 

Harry remembered none of it, his mind a haze until Cedric gently guided him up from the bench with a whispered,  "let's get you to bed. House announcements can wait until morning I think." and they moved as a group with the other Hufflepuffs to the stairs. 

---

The Hufflepuff dorms were randomized. Gender didn't matter, nor did age. In fact the rooms were arranged so each first year room had a sixth year on one side and a third year on the other. Mixed ages to help each other out. When the seventh years left, their rooms went to the next year's firsties.

Harry found Cedric had placed him in the room beside Cedric's, with a Clara Smith on his other side.

His room was painted a warm yellow, with black furniture and a cushy rug. There was an attached private bathroom with its own shower, and Harry spent a good thirty minutes under the hot water to warm up his mind.

Today would set the standard for how the school would view and treat him, and there would be no room for failure.

Shoulders back, head up, he headed for the common room.

The common room was also done in yellow paint, but the wood of the furnishings was a honey oak. Plants of all kinds sat on shelves, end tables, there was even one large and leafy plant just sat in the middle of the floor with a name tag that read, 'Herbert'. The central sofa was covered by the biggest blanket he'd ever seen.
Some squares were knit, some crochet, some patched quilting. It was clearly well loved, and big enough to fit all the seventh years under at the same time.

"Helga's Hope." Cedric voice appeared from just behind him. "When Hogwarts was first founded, Hufflepuff had a lot of homesick children with no idea what to expect of their time here. So Lady Helga sat them all down in the evening, and had each child work on a square.

"It gave them a task to focus on, a way to busy their hands... now each Hufflepuff that passes through contributes, the only rule is you can't use magic to make your square, and the blanket is great for house cuddle time when it snows."

Harry let out a soft hum as he stroked the blanket with a fingertip, wool, cashmere, and cotton blending to give comfort form.

"Oh good, you're up." A new person entered the common room. "I'm Gabriel Truman, 5th year Prefect. I was just about to wake the Den for the House meeting."

The boy headed for the fireplace which had a small brass gong on the mantle. He took the stick resting beneath it and gave it a tap, but no sound was heard. At Harry's confused face, Gabriel explained. "It rings an alarm in each person's room. Just enough to wake them, but not be annoying. The sound changes depending on the occupant."

Soon other Puffs began emerging from the dorm hall. Some wide eyed as if they had already been awake, some still rubbing sleep from their eyes. 

When it seemed everyone had arrived, Gabriel stood on a stool and cleared his throat.

"Welcome back, returning Badgers, and a warm welcome to our firsties. My name is Gabriel Truman, fifth year Prefect.

"It is my job to review House rules with you all this morning. Rule one, always encourage. You may hear some mean things about our house, or even some nasty things about the other houses. There is enough prejudice filtered through this school to fill the Black Lake. Don't contribute to it, but lift others up. If you see someone struggling, help if you can, and if you can't, offer to find someone who can. Never feel afraid to go to a Professor, yes, even Snape. He may seem grumpy, but his job here is to help prepare us for life outside castle wards."

A round, pleasant looking Witch nodded, standing up beside Gabriel. "Well said Dearie. Now, I know the Presentation caused a fair bit of stir last night, but I want you all to continue to treat each other as equals, and no gawking and staring, if you please. Mr. Potter may hold a few more titles than expected, but he still deserves the same Badger welcome given to each here in the Den since Helga herself is not here to offer it."

There was a murmur of consent, and then they were released to breakfast, each student receiving their schedule on the way out.

---

Draco Malfoy, formerly believed to be the heir to his name, was seething. Not only was he not presented the Black heirship like they had presumed, but a half blood upstart dared try to take away his birthright? Surely his father would have this misconception righted immediately, but Draco had been looking forward to the Presentation as a demonstration of his status above his school mates. Now he would just have an announcement of retraction along with several other heirs.

His father would hear about this.

Notes:

The idea of the hufflepuff blanket came from Sleepingobsidian on tumblr

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Harry Potter Plots for Poking the Inspiration Gremlin