I'm very excited about this fic - it's the longest I've ever written (will reach at least 50,000 I think) and is quite different to what I've written before. I do apologise that the first chapter is a bit dry, as I'm just trying to set the scene a little, but the next will be more interesting, and around a decade later! I hope you enjoy reading it!
"The Dark Lord Harry Potter was born in the year of 1914, and is assumed to have origins in the north of Germany, where there are small communities of wizards with a range of magical cores, but we know he has a British parentage. He was orphaned around the age of one to three years, and it is often speculated that this was as a result of Grindelwald's early European movement, though in such a time of growing turmoil, there was little investigation into the deaths of his parents. As we know from several articles published in collaboration with Lord Potter, he was then passed on to distant muggle relatives back in Britain – now write this down, this is particularly important - though details of his upbringing are unclear, it is thought that he was badly abused there, which many consider to have an interesting impact on his political ideals towards muggles.
"He was educated in Durmstrang, one of the darkest wizarding schools in Europe, which is where his dark core flourished; remember your research on this school and use it, as I expect this will come up in the exam – education is often a big factor in the making of political figures such as Lord Potter. However, there was no concern about his dark magic turning to extremes as it did with Grindelwald; Lord Potter was tutored privately by one of the professors who had been particularly close to Grindelwald, and who particularly regretted the turn in his ex-pupil's direction. From this education and private tutoring, Lord Potter became incredibly aware of the goings on in Europe with Grindelwald, though of course he would already be interested due to his past. Once he left school, a staunch believer in the dark arts, he began working up a following of his own.
"Most scholars will agree that Lord Potter's greatest asset is his skill in rallying people, though in this instance he had particular skill in establishing the support of many strong European Dark families. These were Dark witches and wizards who were horrified by the representation of dark magic by Grindelwald. A core belief of these people was that muggles should be left well alone, but a lot of them were also very concerned by the political consequences they foresaw – Lois, please, listen to what I'm saying if you want to get at least an Average in your NEWT – the political consequences they foresaw from what would be the eventual defeat of Grindelwald. Fearing the Light taking the opportunity to increase their power in Europe once again, these Dark wizards grouped together to show a united Dark force that were also invested in protecting the magical population.
"Lord Potter then became in direct association with Albus Dumbledore, creating a rare Light-Dark alliance in order to defeat Grindelwald in 1943. From this point, Lord Potter and his following often now act as a protest group in Britain and Western Europe, a strong political presence to fight for the rights of dark creatures. Those on the Light, and many moderates, now fear in this time of peace that there will be a further growth of Dark influence in politics where they believe it is not welcome, so often this group is viewed with some hostility…"
Tom Riddle continued to scrawl away dutifully on his parchment, painstakingly drawing out the notes that he probably would not need. Professor Puddit truly managed to transform the simplest content into a complex web of maybes and useless speculation. Because, really, who needed to know that Lord Potter was perhaps abused as a child? Though, Tom supposed, it was his own fault for allowing the public to know such trivial information. If the Dark Lord was as idiotic as he appears to be from this lecture, then he would not be in the way of Tom's own rise to power at all. His concern had previously been how to assert his dominance over the character, as much of his own research seemed to suggest that Lord Potter was something of a force to be reckoned with, but it should only follow that somebody who was really like that wouldn't allow so many personal details to slip into the knowledge of others.
Still, it was a definite that more thought would need to go into Lord Potter. He supposed it was convenient for him, that these details were of public knowledge. It never did any harm to know these things, after all. And with analysing any and all of Lord Potter's mistakes – including that, naturally, of spilling one's past to the public – he would be able to make his rise swiftly, and take magical Britain entirely by surprise. Does he dare try to convert any of Lord Potter's followers? Surely, they cannot be totally loyal to such a person; they not even being marked as his. Tom's Knights of Walpurgis, as was natural, would be marked as soon as they could establish a powerbase in Britain. His followers may be useful, having far more experience than his own, largely school-boy following, but… They may not respect Tom. And Tom would demand the highest of respect. Age was no factor; he was the deadliest force in the world at this point, he was certain. Lord Potter's followers had little major influence in Britain, however. Perhaps not worth it. While Tom had the following of the Houses of Malfoy, Nott, Black, Lord Potter largely had European families behind him. This would give him an edge.
Of course, there would be no competing of policies. Lord Potter, for some reason, valued the lives of muggles and mudbloods, only going as far to say that muggles should be excluded from wizarding society. It was almost as if he didn't want to throw up at the sight of them. In addition to this, Lord Potter had not shown any inclination to political power, wishing only to put pressure on the current government. Now that was a difference. Tom dreamed of a dictatorship, only this would become a reality. A benevolent dictator, of course, only for the bettering of the wizarding people; save them from the sight of anything muggle, when they do not know how to do so themselves, increasingly showing an almost quaint fascination in the creatures. Lord Potter, for some absurd reason, appeared to trust the public. This was always the political figure's main downfall, in Tom's eyes – never, trust the public.
Lord Harry Potter was met outside the grand gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He could not believe that in all his years working in Britain, he had not once had the opportunity to visit the famous school; astounded that he had not until now wished to come to speak here. Just from seeing the castle upon the hill, however, almost glowing in the winter sun, it was outliving any expectations Harry had had. It was magnificent. Headmaster Dippet personally escorted him to the building, excitedly and proudly talking about his school.
"When I woke up the first time after finding out I was accepted for the post of Headmaster, I had never felt warmer!" the elderly man exclaimed. "And I have felt warm ever since. There's a special type of magic, built into the walls of Hogwarts, we all think, that whoever steps inside the castle feels immediately at home. We never have a shortage of Professors at the school, every student dreams of returning – I know that I always did."
Harry smiled and nodded, in response, but was happy merely to listen to the jolly man, and take in every sight that was appearing to him. He could see a small gamekeeper's hut by an immense forest, a sparkling lake, a Quidditch Pitch with students clearly training. Inside the halls, their steps echoed, and the paintings were keen to peek at the visitor, to then run off again, presumably to find a use for that new piece of gossip.
"They say," Headmaster Dippet continued, "that a man can walk these halls his whole life, and never discover every secret that Hogwarts has to offer. It's a very personal castle; everybody sees it the same, yet everybody will have such a different experience with it."
When they arrived at the Headmaster's office, Professor Dumbledore was there, waiting to greet them. The circular room was the most fascinatingly cluttered office; every wall lined with books, and even some more piled up on the desk. There were many stone carvings on each windowsill, and on the desk, was a modest silver service tea-set.
"Good morning, Albus!" Dippet exclaimed. "Lovely to see you, and I'm sure you're thrilled to see Lord Potter again. Would you please serve us all some tea?" he added with a wink.
"Good morning, Professor," Harry greeted, a familiar smile on his lips. "It has been too long since we've spoken."
When the man handed Harry a tea, they shook hands warmly, and Dumbledore gave a convincing smile in return.
"It has indeed" he responded; civil, but minutely disgruntled by Harry's presence all the same.
Probably concerned that I'm going to be shoving dark propaganda down the throats of his students, he thought to himself. Still, there are more exciting things in this castle than his own speech.
"Forgive me for asking, Headmaster," he started as he turned to Dippet, a sly grin on his face. "But I've always been curious; do guests have the opportunity to try the famous Sorting Hat, on their first visit?"
Dippet chuckled, and shook his head. "Usually, no, Lord Potter. Though that's perhaps because most of our visitors here were students in their younger years. But for you, as a special case, I think we can make an exception.
"You are most kind," Harry thanked the headmaster, having always wanted to know where he would be placed.
When the hat was put on his head, Harry was not sure exactly what to expect, but it certainly was not a voice inside of his head sounded just as confused as he felt.
What time of year do we call this? It cannot be September already; I feel as if I have barely sorted the last lot! No, no, this is not a child at all, but a man! How peculiar… Well alright then, I suppose I can sort you if that's what is required… Let me see… Ah! A strange case, this one, though maybe your age has something to do with that. A very loyal, trusting mind, buried under experience, quite a Hufflepuff trait that one… but no, too stubborn for Hufflepuff. Perhaps more Gryffindor then…? But with the precise analytical mind of a Ravenclaw… Hmm, and of course some ambition in there, quite Slytherin… Oh sod it, this is far too hard for me, I can't stand sorting adults.
And then aloud, it grumbled: "Gryffindor or Slytherin – find your own way there!"
The headmaster chuckled again, and returned the hat to its home. "I don't think it appreciated being woken during the year; he's an old thing, probably very much enjoys his sleep. Fascinating answer, though, he is usually very certain in his decision, do you not find so, Albus?"
"That does usually tend to be the case, yes" agreed the deputy.
"And an interesting mix of houses, too! Gryffindor and Slytherin have always had a fierce rivalry."
"That was certainly a strange experience," conceded Harry. "I am very grateful for it though. Hogwarts truly is a unique school."
"Thank you, thank you, we do try!" the headmaster smiled. "I heard, too, Lord Potter, that you are a particular fan of our introducing the Politics NEWT, am I right in saying?"
"I am indeed, Headmaster, I had been meaning to congratulate you on the act. It is, of course, what I wish to speak about today, in fact. Politics is a most important subject for the younger generations."
"That it is, Lord Potter. Allow me to lead you to the Great Hall; the students will be congregating there to hear you speak."
Tom settled down at the end of the Slytherin table, blocked from the common students in celebrity-like style by his Knights. He supposed he was lucky to be in the room; speeches from Lord Potter were well sought after, as they tended to be both inspiring, and at times controversial. He would usually speak before the educated elite, as part of a formal debate of some sort, so that the knowledgeable could ponder over the topics brought up, but eventually dismiss them once again. Or rather, they thought that they were dismissing the ideas. What was actually happening, was that Lord Potter was placing the idea in their heads, so that once his speech disappeared from their memory, they would only be left with the idea itself; the feelings of shock at any controversy would have dissipated, and the idea would remain to them as now common sense. Known as Socio-Crypto Amnesia as he had read in a muggle psychology text. A work of genius, as loath as Tom was to admit it. Sly, Slytherin style propaganda. Regardless, he doubted this speech would be of such kind, at least not to the same extent. It was generally frowned upon to attempt to manipulate the minds of the young, and Tom couldn't imagine Dumbledore allowing such an idea to even reach Headmaster Dippet.
Lord Potter arrived at the headmaster's podium to avid applause. He appeared almost regal, and exuded a sense of power and control, for there was no talk, only claps. The man stood tall and proud as a lion, waiting patiently for the applause to end. His raven hair was tousled and wild, which Tom thought was a little informal for the occasion, but his robes were smart, clearly expensive. Tom thought at first that he had very aristocratic features; this, however, turned out to be an illusion. Piercing eyes distracted entirely from the fact that despite Lord Potter's powerful stance, his face was soft, and almost kind looking. The green eyes had been powerful enough to divert even Tom's attention away from this momentarily, and he was minutely shocked at his own folly.
As the students' applause died down, Lord Potter began to speak in a firm, but kind voice.
"Good afternoon, Hogwarts students," he started, surveying the room. "I cannot express the extent of my gratitude for the opportunity I have been given today. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a school of highest prestige around the world. In my own education, at Durmstrang, we were all aware of it, and never-ending rumours circulated about the castle, the professors, and the students. Allow me to admit that the reality has outdone every expectation and hope that I had before my visit today. Most importantly, however, I am honoured to be speaking directly to you. A lot of adults will talk about how important the children are, how they bare the weight of the futures on their shoulders, but few will use this understanding to change how they treat you as people. I hope that I do not fall into that category.
"Though I am most well-known for my campaigning for the rights of Dark wizards and creatures, I have a passion for education. If not for education, I would not be here. I am eternally grateful for the education I have been able to receive. However, I believe that there is, too, much to improve in the area. It's a difficult thing to get right, but when successful, education is the opener of all opportunity.
"There are basics involved in education. You learn to fend for yourself, you learn to protect yourself from the dangers of the outside world, and you allow yourself to grow and to set yourself aside from others as an individual, with individual strengths. Before me now are many, many individuals, and education should reflect that. During your education, you learn who you are, and the path you were destined to take. For all my years in Durmstrang, the most important thing that I learnt was my future. There, I discovered my desperation to make political change, to fight for my people. You all are making these discoveries for yourself; be it a need to care for others, a desire to fight, a passion for the economy, or something else entirely. We go into schools as a group of malleable children, and we come out as unique adults. On top of these things, vitally, I believe, is the fact that we leave school with an understanding of politics. Unfortunately, this is something that a lot of schools have yet to establish, but I am very pleased to be congratulating Headmaster Dippet, today, on his successful introduction of the NEWT level Politics class."
Lord Potter began to clap, and the rest of the hall followed. Tom recognised the subtle glint in the man's eyes at the reaction. To most, the act of getting others to clap was of relative insignificance. But to those with a hunger for power, it was a small pleasure; knowing that you are able to influence the behaviour of a large crowd so simply, and without them even realising, was part of the world's gift to people like Tom. And, as it would seem, people like Lord Potter.
"Politics in the modern world," the man continued, his measured voice cutting off the applause, "covers a wealth of topics, and any one of you would have no problems finding an element of it that interests you, as politics is essentially what rules our society as a whole. What I'd like to make aware to you today are the things politics covers that are closest to my heart.
"Politics is protecting and furthering the rights of magical creatures. There are many magical creatures that are part of us. They participate in our society and they contribute to our progress. Take werewolves, for example. Recently, we have passed a law that allows werewolves to be employed in the public sector, in the Ministry of Magic. Now, this doesn't mean that they will be, but it's an obstacle we've overcome in their rights. Werewolves, you see, if you weren't sure, are human beings. They're people. They're one of us. They were brought up in our world, and suffered a terrible attack to make them how they are now. And yet we treat them as monsters. The reality is that they're not, by any stretch of the imagination. A werewolf without access to Wolfbane is at worst, a danger only once a month, where they can easily remove themselves from society to have their transformation. With access to Wolfbane, they are no danger to anybody. All these wives' tales about werewolves biting children when they're not transformed are damaging their lives, and our society. And that's why politics is important in this aspect, as politics instigates the change we need to progress.
"Politics is debating the rights of muggleborns in our world, and muggle artefacts. It's about deciding how much is too much, and how little is discriminatory. The muggle world has been a controversial topic in our politics for centuries, and as we allow them to be more and more integrated in our society, the debate becomes increasingly relevant. Many will argue that muggles are human, muggles are equal to us, and therefore should be treated as such, and allowed into our world with their magical children, their culture with them. Plenty dislike this movement, believing that though the culture is not in itself damaging, it can be much like a weed that may at first seem beautiful, yet goes on to strangle the garden's native plants. Some, like myself, argue that there should be limits on muggle integration; the world wars that have taken place in their communities have proven to us that they are just as dangerous, if not more so, than when we last interacted with them, and their response then was to attempt to burn us, to hang us, to drown us. While we are becoming more lenient, the muggle world is becoming more intolerant, and that is why we should take caution.
"Politics is the rights of Dark and Light magic users. Does Dark magic alone need legal restrictions, or does Light magic also pose a danger to society? Is either one inherently morally wrong, or do we need a balance for the magical community to function?
"These debates are my personal role in politics, and they could be yours too. But it leads us simply onto an element of politics that affects us all; democracy. Democracy is a valued part of the new age of wizarding politics. Magical people crave it, as a desert craves water. We all want a say, and this is something that we must fight for. But by introducing education in politics, we are one step further to a democratic society. Currently, we may only vote for who governs us in special circumstances. But you students, are the embodiment of this movement; you are the future of democracy. And education is essential to effective democracy.
"I urge you to consider these things, and I urge you to excel in your studies for the sake of your community. Thank you for listening."
As Lord Potter stepped back from the podium, he stood tall and proud in the powerful applause. The candles intensified his burning eyes, and almost as if the very flame were being absorbed by his presence, the candle closest to him reached its end and died. The candles at Hogwarts were always aflame, but the Dark Lord's energy seemed to be draining them, as many were much shorter than they would usually become.
Once the students began murmuring to each other, and filing out of the hall, Malfoy muttered:
"Pathetic excuse of a Dark Lord if you ask me."
And yet, Tom thought, not one to be underestimated.
The sun lit up a cool blue sky the following morning, and Harry was being treated with a tour of the castle before he returned to his followers. Headmaster Dippet was very enthusiastic about Harry's speech the day before, and was keen to invite him back whenever he fancied it.
"Everybody is welcome at Hogwarts, of course," the man rambled on, with as much energy as he had the previous day. "And you are certainly no exception to this. The building has a warm soul, and it seems to like you here; rather a fan of strong magical cores, I should think. The founders were incredibly gifted, and had a great amount of strength, so its preference no doubt derives from there."
Harry had been shown the grounds, been told a short history of the forest and the lake. He had gotten a view of the admittedly impressive Quidditch grounds. They had explored the dungeons, and struggled through the overbearing enthusiasm of the potions master, Professor Slughorn. Not long before lunch, they were heading towards the more central classrooms.
"So why, exactly," Harry interrupted one of Dippet's digressions, "do the stairs move? It's a wonderful part of the school, but doesn't it make getting to lessons rather confusing for the students?"
"Why yes!" Dippet chuckled happily. "It does indeed; it is terribly good fun watching the First Years get their heads round it in the first few weeks. We all get used to it though, it's merely one of the delightful quirks of Hogwarts."
A momentary silence fell as they approached one of the classroom doors. It was opened ajar, and in it, the two men could see Professor Dumbledore wandering around the room instructing individual Seventh Year students on the transfiguration of a pig into a donkey. The desks had been pushed to line the walls, as it was understandably an incredibly space-consuming task. The Professor was too involved to notice the visitors, so Dippet explained.
"This is a NEWT level Transfiguration class, as I'm sure you can see. They've been working incredibly hard; it's a tough year for the students. Oh! And we have our resident prodigy in this very room. Tom Marvolo Riddle, you see over there, lazily turning that poor animal back and forth into a donkey and a pig." The man chuckled again. "Cocky lad at times, but never without justification. He's set to get Outstanding in all of his subjects. Possibly the best student we've ever had!"
Harry could see why the Headmaster was so enthusiastic, but the man obviously had no affinity for magical auras. Tom Riddle was powerful, that much was true, but it was being carefully controlled. Everything about the boy seemed to be controlled, to Harry, but despite this, there was still a very subtle indication of who he really was. The model student in appearance, Harry was sure, but he could sense a sickly Dark undertone to his magic. Masterfully hidden though. It was very possible that the only teacher in the whole school who may have sensed what Harry could now sense, was Professor Dumbledore; and he had certainly sensed it, if the occasional suspicious glances were anything to go by. A powerful, powerful boy. Harry wondered if he'd be able to recruit him into his followers when he left Hogwarts.