This is my first fic, so please bare with me.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!


Under the Mask

Lady Highschoolnerd

Chapter One: Musing and Planning

He watched his friends bicker over some charms assignment with a blank expression. His thoughts were clearly somewhere else as he pretended to struggle with his potions essay.

At a young age, he learned to hide his talents. His good grades, his bright mind, his cunningness had brought him no good with the Dursleys. And he knew it would not bring him much good in the magical world either. It was always better to be underestimated.

Though there were some unexpected occurrences throughout his past school years, he always planned ahead and took each step with a purpose. Even though the fact that the whole public would turn on him was a tad surprising, he was again in everybody's good graces. He was the Gryffindor Golden Boy, recklessly brave and fatuous, and it seemed that luck had followed him everywhere to save him. Nobody thought of him as anything else. Not even that grand, old manipulative goat who just happened to be headmaster.

He had not been so surprised when he first learned he had magic. Strange things had happened to him throughout his childhood, and he knew there had to be a reason behind his aunt and uncle's abnormal hate towards anything freaky and unnatural.

When Ron first described to him a rather biased view of the Houses, he knew immediately that he would be in Slytherin. But since itwould only attract unwanted attention if he got in, he managed to fool the hat into putting him in Gryffindor.

At the end of first year, he had not intended to be discovered by Dumbledore when he with Professor Quirrel. He had been talking to Voldemort, curious about his parents, when he had sensed Dumbledore close by and started to act. Unfortunately, the stone was gone now.

Second year, everything was fine until his best friend, Draco, had conjured the snake to tease him, since Draco knew his particular talent in the area. He himself had accidentally spoken in parselmouth when he saw the snake and everything went downhill from there. Of course, the Chambers of Secret story was a bit fabricated just for Dumbledore, since there were no other witnesses. Quite different from what really happened.

Third year, there was Sirius. He had already known that his godfather was innocent, but he couldn't forgive the bully for all the misery he had caused to other people. It reminded him too much of Dudley.

Fourth Year, oh yes, the Goblet of Fire and the Triwizard Tournament. He had liked Cedric a lot, but if Voldemort had placed a memory charm instead of killing him, there was a chance Dumbledore could have broken through that. Ron had also showed what a great friend he was. He knew that Ron was jealous and impulsive, that's why he had Draco instead. But of course, the public would be in uproar if they found out he was best buddies with a Deatheater's kid.

Fifth year was torture with all the Daily Prophet articles, but it was useful. He was able to sort through all his friends and see who was truly worth it. Hermione was the usual know-it-all, that would have been fine, but her main problem was the fact that she could never refuse anyone of authority. In the end, he had also gotten that Umbridge toad, so he was happy.

And now, here he was- sixth year. He still tried to stay friend with Hermione and Ron, but sometimes, they were insufferable. But then, they completed the look of the perfect Gryffindor, being best friends with a lightsided pureblood and a muggleborn.

But after learning the full extent of Dumbledore's manipulative nature, he wouldn't be surprised if they reported his every move back to the old coot.

He was brought back into the present as Hermione waved her hand in front of his face.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "you seem a tad bit tired."

"Well, yeah, after I finish Snape's essay, I'll head up," he answered as he pulled up his "exhausted" face.

Both of his friend took it immediately. Well there actually are some good things about having Gryffindor friends, he thought.

As he slowly completed his Potions essay, he went back to his train of thought. He was tired of being the world's whipping boy and martyr. It had to end soon, or he would explode someday. But he still wanted to die a hero... So how was how was he going to die? And use it to his fullest benefit?


Please, please review! Any feedback is appreciated!

I'll try to update soon... but I have school to put up with first!


edited 3/24