"The Rise of the Potter Heir"
After the etiquette classes, where they continued learning the art of walking and formal conversation, everyone had a break to chat quietly.
Harry took advantage of the moment to go to the bathroom, while Daphne was planning some mischief. Hermione remained alone in her seat, waiting for her friends to return.
That's when a couple of six-year-old girls, the same age as her, approached, accompanied by some boys who watched with interest to see what would happen.
"Look what we have here… a mudblood. I can't believe Mrs. Higberta's etiquette school accepted someone like that," said a girl with short hair, a long nose, and small eyes. Her face showed an intense disdain for a child, as if she had learned it from watching her parents all the time.
Behind her, the girls accompanying her snickered quietly, while the boys smiled from around.
"I'm calm. Don't bother me," said Hermione, frowning with slight anger, though she also felt a bit scared being surrounded while the others laughed at her.
"Why do you keep coming, mudblood? Do you want to try to be like one of us? I'm sorry to tell you that you'll never stop being a mudblood," the girl said, laughing cruelly.
At that moment, a blond boy entered the classroom. When the girl saw him, her eyes lit up for a moment… until she remembered something, and her expression turned arrogant again, even in front of him.
"Don't you think so, Draco? Mudbloods shouldn't come near our world," the girl said, looking at the newcomer, who just watched her silently and then turned his gaze to Hermione.
"Pansy, we're learning etiquette. Why are you bothering others?" Draco said softly.
"Hmph. Like our parents said. Now that your father is gone, you're being raised by your mother. The Malfoy family is in decline," said a slightly chubby boy, accompanied by another almost identical one.
Draco, hearing them, looked sadly at those who had once been his best friends. They had always been with him, following him everywhere. But since his father disappeared and the Malfoy family stopped leading the dark side, they barely kept any respect for him. When his mother joined the neutral side, those same friends began despising and insulting him. Now, he was alone.
"The only thing left is for the Malfoy family to become blood traitors, like the disgusting Potter and Greengrass families," Pansy said angrily. She was upset that the boy she had always liked rejected the nobility of purebloods.
"What did you say?" a furious voice was heard near the window. It was Daphne, entering the classroom with an angry look.
She jumped inside the classroom just as Harry politely asked permission to pass by Draco, with a serious expression on his little face.
Pansy trembled slightly seeing Greengrass and Potter arrive, but noticing who accompanied them behind, she grew bold again.
However, all the children from neutral families quickly approached and positioned themselves behind Daphne.
"Apologize," ordered Daphne, looking angrily at Pansy.
"Why should I?" Pansy replied, though somewhat nervous. She couldn't show fear; her family had taught her not to. The Parkinsons considered themselves superior, even if they were only a minor pureblood family.
Meanwhile, Harry didn't speak. He just looked around the classroom as if searching for something. His gaze stopped at a corner of the room, and he frowned with slight anger.
The person hiding there was surprised to feel Harry's gaze before making their appearance.
"Well, children, it seems the break is over. You better get back to your seats," said Mrs. Higberta, entering the classroom. But Harry kept staring at her intently.
"Mrs. Higberta, Parkinson disrespected my friend. She has to apologize," said Daphne firmly, seeing the teacher appear.
"That's not true," Parkinson replied quickly.
"Alright, sit down. A noble family must never apologize in vain. They have to maintain their honor. As the honorable heir of the Greengrass family, you must remember that," said Higberta quickly. "Now, sit down and let's continue the class."
Daphne was furious, while Harry continued watching the teacher, who avoided his gaze. Not only because the boy confronted her confidently, but because she noticed he could see through the invisibility spell.
Finally, Harry stopped looking at her and approached Hermione.
"Don't worry, Hermione. Sirius said something like this could happen. When it does, we'll tell our moms to deal with the family that insulted you," Harry said loudly, so everyone in the classroom could hear.
For the first time, Pansy began to feel afraid. Some children shut their mouths and stopped mocking.
There was a rule their parents imposed regarding the Potters: Never confront them. With Sirius Black's release from Azkaban, regaining his status as heir, and with his Malfoy cousin involved in his liberation, it was clear they were connected. Also, Harry's mother had a vote in the Wizengamot and was close friends with the Greengrass. Although the Potters no longer had their old power, they were allied with three equally influential families.
"Ahem. Mr. Potter, sometimes problems between children don't require adult intervention. A young noble must learn to be respectable, honorable, and proud. Involving parents over a simple disagreement is childish," said Higberta seriously.
"A teacher who watches insults against a student from a corner with a smile is the one being childish. My mother taught me to always protect my friends. And if there's something I can't solve because I'm small, I have to tell her. She'll destroy anything that tries to hurt us," replied Harry with a serious look that contrasted with his small six-year-old body.
Harry was mature for his age. Only with his mother could he be a happy child. He had lived too long with his uncles, learning not to ask for love and to fend for himself. Being a child was a luxury that was left behind… until Wanda rescued him and gave him back something he should never have lost. She taught him values he still held. She protected him, and he wanted to protect those he loved too.
Mrs. Higberta, upon hearing this, sweat slightly. It wasn't fear of Wanda… she felt contempt for that witch who appeared out of nowhere with the Potter heir. But Wanda's allies made her nervous. Still, she knew many pureblood families backed her as a class and etiquette teacher, so she quickly recovered with an arrogant smile.
"I see, Mr. Potter. Then I'll wait for your mother to discuss this," she said calmly. "Now, let's continue with the class," she added before resuming the lessons on walking and greeting properly.
Meanwhile, she made things harder for Harry and Hermione. She didn't fear them, not at all. Higberta thought the Potter family was in decline. From day one, she wanted to expel Hermione, but since she came recommended by the Greengrass, she allowed it. However, if that caused discomfort among the other students, perhaps distancing from the Greengrass was the wisest choice. After all, they were just one family. Not like the other twelve she taught.
…
"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am…"
"Maximoff," Wanda said calmly, standing in front of her son's teacher and student.
As soon as they left class, Harry told her what had happened, and Wanda, being an adult, understood the teacher's attitude. Maybe she wanted Hermione to feel uncomfortable and not want to return, or perhaps she just wanted to observe how a little girl was treated for not being pureblood.
"It seems your son reported what happened. To avoid further complications, I will invite Mrs. Maximoff to withdraw her boy from my classes, as well as Miss Granger. They don't seem to fit the standards of manners expected in the noble high society," Higberta said, looking at Wanda with some disdain.
"Hmmm… I don't think they will continue in this class," Wanda replied calmly, nodding.
Meanwhile, Higberta smiled with satisfaction, believing Wanda lacked real power and depended on the Greengrass and Black families. But then she heard what Wanda said next.
"But maybe no one will be able to continue taking this class… if there's no school," Wanda said, softly clapping her hands.
Then, the mansion that served as the school began to tremble slightly, and little by little its parts started to separate and rise.
The rooms, the furniture, everything seemed to float slowly, while walls and ceiling moved aside, revealing the entire interior at a single glance. Only the floor and the seats where the two stood remained in place, as Higberta watched in surprise how the mansion expanded and moved in the town's sky.
The neighbors came out of their houses to see how the largest mansion in the area rose and unfolded. From every point in the town, they could see the walls separating and the furniture shifting.
Some families who had come to pick up their children, waiting outside to mock the Potter heir, opened their eyes in amazement.
Then Wanda gently brought her hands together, and the parts of the mansion quickly gathered, joining again until disappearing into a compact shape that settled behind Higberta like a huge pile of rubble, raising a small cloud of dust.
"There is more in this world than just political power and money. I have it, my son will have it too, just like the other two. But meanwhile, I am here to protect them. No one will harm my son or my student without consequences. I hope that is clear," Wanda said serenely before standing up and walking off the grounds, which now had only two seats, a desk, and that compact shape.
Some wizards and witches watching from outside the gates, surprised, saw Wanda leave. They quickly took their children and left, disappearing in a small flash, realizing that Wanda, acting head of the Potter family, did not depend on the Blacks or the Greengrass; she was far more powerful than both families combined.
At least those families acted on commercial grounds, but this woman had made it clear she could act with a different authority, without needing a wand, just with movements of her hands.
Mr. Parkinson, who had been waiting to see how they would expel the "mudblood" his daughter had spoken of, now thought maybe she herself could endanger their home.
When he arrived home, he found a pile of rubble where his mansion had once stood. Despite all the magical defenses, the damage had been considerable. Only a reduced structure remained, similar to Higberta's mansion.
"Paul, what happened to our mansion?" Mrs. Parkinson asked as she entered with shopping bags, followed by the house-elf barely managing to keep his balance while carrying everything. "Call the Aurors, quickly," she said worriedly.
"No, leave it like this. Calling the Aurors would only complicate things. This was a warning," Paul replied with some fear. If they wanted to do something to Wanda, even if she allowed it, they would have to face the Greengrass family. And the Black family, more powerful than them, had already been defeated. It wasn't worth the risk.
"Send Pansy to a school with stricter manners," Paul added quickly.
He couldn't blame his daughter, but he also knew it was partly his fault. "Let her learn real manners, not just noble manners," he said, while his wife looked at him like he was crazy.