Title: Corrupted Pawn
Chapter One: Wizards With Muggle Devices
A/Ns:
Our crazy idea collaboration. Best not to ask too many questions about where these ideas come from. But me (Lau) and Han8661, have somehow decided to write a darkHarry fic. Don't like, don't read, will contain slash in future. Warnings are for individual chapters only: they say what this chapter contains. (Lau)
Ooooh I get to write an A/N too? Yes yes! Hi peoples! Malory has been bugging me to edit this for a few weeks now. And at her house on a Wednesday morning I feel compelled too…. Like she said, best not to ask where the ideas came from; trying to figure out our minds isn't the easiest of things. (Han)

Update: As of August/September 2012, we are fixing this story a little and attempting to return to it.

Harry sighed and glanced around the room. The long tables looked emptier than usual. Many people had been withdrawn, the threat of Voldemort too much.

Personally, he didn't see what all the fuss was about. Dumbledore had done bad things too; not that everyone else knew that. But Harry had been researching Dumbledore's past as well as Voldemort's. At the staff table Dumbledore stood, looking out at the assembled students.

"Welcome to another year of learning at Hogwarts. It saddens me to begin with such grimness" Dumbledore began.

"Grimness? He's the f-ing dark lord!" Ron whispered. Hermione tutted, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"But as you all know the wizard known as Lord Voldemort has returned. We must stand united against the greatest foe wizarding kind has every faced." The Slytherins and the Gryffindors gave each other distrustful looks across the room.

"A special project has been created here at Hogwarts to strengthen bonds and house unity. Each of you will receive a wizarding version of the Muggle device known as a laptop, to help with studies and to aid us in uniting to a common goal. A special chat feature has been built into it so you can talk to your classmates in a private chat or group chat room. Several default chat rooms have been created, including one for each house and year, and an open to all chat room. One chat room will conceal your chose user name so you will not know who you are talking to. I also wish to mention that I will be filling the post for Defence against the Dark Arts, as no other teacher could be found. I wish you the best of luck, now enjoy the feast!"

The hall erupted with talk and laughter as people piled up there plates.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.

"'Ot?" Ron mumbled through a mouthful of potatoes, chicken and peas. His plate was mounded with everything within reach and gravy dripped down his chin into his lap. Hermione shook her head and pulled out the grade 6 transfiguration book, propping it against the gravy jug and pointedly ignoring Ron (nearly on seconds already). Harry groaned internally: less than 1 hour in to Hogwarts proper and they were already arguing. He watched detachedly as they started squabbling. It seemed more childish than last year, and he could clearly see Hermione was right. He wondered why Ron even bothered winding her up; he was never going to get with her that way. She deserved a more intelligent partner, really. He glanced up at the staff table, and caught Snape's eye. The man was looking with open curiosity, instead of the usual loathing especially reserved for 'Potter'. He looked away quickly, shuddering mentally. Everything seemed to be mental, internal, mind not body now. The time with the Dursley's over the summer had forced him to push emotion even further down.

"Harry?" Ginny's quiet voice came from his right. He jumped.

"Oh, hi Ginny." Smile, act normal, smile, shut the bad thoughts away... his mind berated him for letting down his guard.

"I heard you'd been made quidditch captain... have you decided on a date for try outs yet?" She looked part curious, part excited... and very slightly worried for some reason.

"Umm... this Saturday? Then training can start earlier in the year, get ahead, you know." He plucked a random date from the air, hoping it'd be too short notice for any people just wanting to see him to tag along.

"Cool. I'll see you then, I'm trying for chaser."

"Nice. Any ideas who else might try out?" He glanced around, shocked to realise that people were leaving, sleepy looking older years and awestruck midgets. He waved to Ginny as they joined the tide of people and were swept towards the stairs.

*The next day*

The Gryffindor 6th year boys were sitting in their dorm, various expressions of confusion and irritation written clearly on their faces.

"How the fuck do you work this bloody thing?" Ron swore.

"No idea." Harry muttered, poking a few keys gingerly.

"You were raised by muggles!" Dean exclaimed.

"Yeah, but they weren't exactly the type to give me a laptop, really. And you can't talk Mr Muggleborn football fan." Hermione walked in, took one look at the chaotic scene, the boy's dirty underwear haphazardly thrown everywhere, and walked round turning laptops on. Just as she started to leave a last minute thought made her turn and wave her wand, causing the dirty washing to fly into the basket.

"No wonder all the house elves hate coming in here except Dobby" She muttered as she exited the room.

Ron watched her retreating back

"How'd she get in here anyway?"

*5 Minutes later*

Hermione stuck her head round the door with a look of disbelief as she took in the image of hell in the form of 5 teenage boys. She took a deep breath.

"Why is yours turned off, yours locked, yours covered in error messages, and why, Ronald is your hair on fire with the laptop balanced on top?" She pointed at the offending person as she spoke. Seamus squeaked and flinched at his turn.

"I'm a spontaneous kind of guy." Ron shrugged.

"Yes, and you'll spontaneously combust if you don't sort that out right now."

Irishn'proud: hello?

Bookworm_101: Oh good, you've got it working... is Ron ok?

Dean: yes, but he refuses to touch the computer as much as he touches 'lav-lav' *sniggers*

Irishn'proud: not very original, are you 'dean'?

Bookworm_101: WHAT?

I 3 herbology: umm, he's kind of... well, go into the common room and you'll see.

Harry glanced over the top of his laptop again. And yes, Ron and Lavender were still glued together. He hastily returned his attention to the screen:

SETUP CHAT PROFILE:

NAME: Harry James Potter

AGE: 16

YEAR: 6th

SCREEN NAME: the-boy-who-survived-mouldy-shorts

PASSWORD: *******

REPEAT PASWORD: *******

OKAY

He clicked okay and drummed his fingers lightly on the keyboard, waiting for it to load and trying not to look up. Really, it was nauseating. He risked a glance at the top of the stairs, just as Hermione emerged, laptop tucked under her arm, looking curiously around. Everyone in the room was either intent on their new machines, or gawping inappropriately at the sight in the centre of the room. Hermione's gaze swept around, coming to rest on the happy couple. She went red, and then white and her hand flew to her mouth. She fled out of the entrance, robes flapping. No-one else seemed to have noticed as he scanned the room, but then he caught Ginny's eye. She jerked her head towards the portrait hall and headed towards it, pushing people out of the way. Together they ran down the empty corridors, following the sound of footsteps and tears.