After that the plan went off without a hitch. Hermione, in all her brilliance, fought Riddle for the spot of top student in their year, keeping him wholly disinterested in his new academic rival’s Hufflepuff brother. Harry was careful to keep his grades average, something he perfected living at the Dursleys’ in order to best keep unnoticed. While Riddle wasn’t watching, Harry made a wealth of friends; character witnesses for later, Hermione had joked. He managed to befriend students from every house, and even tutored some of the less prejudiced Slytherins