Okay boys and girls, here is chapter ten.
Things are spinning up so much faster than I could ever have anticipated. Many of you have touched my heart with your kind and loving words. I honestly love you all as though you were my own children. And I am so glad that I can create something that you enjoy.
I would like to offer a very heartfelt thank you to the following people for their over the top support and encouragement as I labor on this story.
Allison James; you are my muse, my love and my rock. When I feel as if I'm being crushed under the pressure, you take the fear away and give me a renewed love for life. You help me to twist this story into an instrument of manipulation and darkness, and a beacon of misery. You will forever be my little succubus.
Cassandra Zane; you are the wisdom and calming hand that soothes my rage and stokes the flames of my seething hatred. You guide my wrath and focus my hatred, you forge the raw materials I provide into weapons that I can wield. I pray to Hecate that you will forever be my beloved wraith.
Katherine Sunder; where do I even begin? For years you are the only one who stood at my side. Before my rise to my current station, it was your embrace that soothed the pain I felt. It was you who helped ensure that I learned to temper my hatred of humankind and, you are the one who showed that my hatred was of my parents and not of all humanity. You will always be my fallen angel.
Please enjoy chapter ten of Master of Darkness.
Your lord and master,
Andros
The stars of the night sky shone into the headmaster's office to reveal an elder man wearing violet robes patterned with crescent moons, and a younger man wearing oily black robes.
"I'm telling you Albus, it was magic the likes of which I've never seen." Severus Snape was pacing back and forth across the persian rug laying upon the office of Albus Dumbledore. For the first time in years, the pale man seemed out of character as he wrung his hands time and again.
"Severus, please calm yourself. I'm sure it was nothing more than a harmless display for his house mates. Isn't that how you Slytherins work? Showing off to one another?" Though he didn't realize it, Dumbledore had just hit the sensitive spot of the head of Slytherin.
"How's that any different from the constant boasting of Gryffindors? At least Slytherins have the cunning and talent to back up what we claim."
The conversation had shifted from Harry Potter, to a comparison of the various houses. What neither man knew though, was deep in the dungeons of the castle, in the quarters of the Heir of Slytherin, something was happening. Hogwarts, would soon know her first murder in fifty years.
The temperature of the Slytherin common room had dropped rapidly. The stone floor had become colder than ice, and for two terrified girls, the cold reminded them they weren't safe yet.
Hestia and Flora Carrow huddled close together as they crossed the common room in nothing but their baby blue silk nightgowns. They'd long known that they had angered many males in their house since their first year, they also knew, the display towards the newly re-discovered Harry Potter had likely served only to increase the anger. But, after the display in the common room, they'd never expected someone would be so stupid.
"H-h-here." Shaking with pure terror and disgust, Hestia placed her palm on the stretch of wall that concealed the Heir's quarters. She pleaded with the magic of the castle, pushing all her emotion into the stretch of wall. As she finally felt a shift beneath her hand, she also felt Flora trying to shrink into her.
"Please..." As she whispered her plea, the wall slid away to reveal the hidden door. As she reached for the handle, Hestia let out a shaky breath when the door swung open. As soon as the opening was large enough, she ducked in and pulled Flora along. Shaking terribly, both girls let out a breath of relief when the door slammed shut.
"What is the meaning of this?" Propped up on the pillows of his massive bed, Harry's emerald eyes glowed with a vibrant light as he observed the two girls.
"S-s-sorry. We didn't know where else to go. P-p-please, don't make us go." Flora's voice was shaking with abject terror, a feeling the emerald eyed youth remembered from long ago. Visions of a cupboard flashed before him. Growling coldly, the young man shook his head and beckoned to the girls with one of his badly damaged hands.
"Come, tell me why you are afraid of your own shadows." The girls moved quickly, huddling together as they climbed onto the massive bed to sit beside the curious young lord.
"Flint. H-he somehow got into our dorm. He... he..." Hestia fell into sobs and buried her face in her sister's neck. Harry needed no more information, he was smart enough to fill in the blanks.
"I see. Where is he now?" Without realizing it, Harry reached out and stroked Hestia's back with one of his claw-like hands. He also sent out a mental command, calling for his familiars to awaken.
"Still in our dormitory. Hestia was quick, she used the charm Daddy gave us. It doesn't have much magic in it though. It'll fall soon." Flora's red eyes were dark and frightened as she spoke. Harry found his anger bubbling up from his stomach. He would tolerate many things, attempted rape wasn't one of them.
"I'm gonna put an end to this once and for all." Growling darkly, Harry slid out of bed and allowed his serpents to slither up to coil around his arms and neck. With a visible aura of dark purple energy, the young lord waved his hand and tore the door from its hinges.
"All of you get down here!" Amplifying his voice with a modified form of the Sith technique of Force Scream, Harry waited. He didn't wait long. Terrified students flooded the common room, and finally, the subject of his rage descended from the girl's dormitories.
As Harry's eyes fell upon the visage of Marcus Flint something snapped. The look in the boy's eyes as he stared at the Carrow girls, was sickening.
"Enough!" The violet energy began swirling with even greater strength around the emerald eyed teen. Looking back he'd realize it was pure Dark Side power. As the energy reached a crescendo, it began to alter his visage. His skin took on the texture of paper and grew transparent, every vein showing in detail, his hair turned pure white with silvery streaks, and lastly, his eyes turned completely red; pupil, iris, and white, all of it, the color of blood.
The students shrank away in revulsion, all save Flint. The fool clearly thought it just an illusion, but then, the creature spoke. When the words poured into the room, it was clear... this was no longer Harry Potter. It was someone else alltogether.
"They call me a monster, but my thoughts were never as yours. My heart is as stone, but at least it is complete. Yet you, you are shattered." Advancing towards Flint, the creature glowed with red and violet smoke like swirls of energy. Flint, for his part, had finally realized this was real.
"L-l-look Potter, I'll leave them alone. Just stop..." Where before there had stood Marcus Flint the would-be rapist, now stood Marcus Flint the pitiful worm.
"How pitiful that you do not recognize the Lord so long revered in the annals of the Sith. I am Darth Nox, heir of Kallig and Tulak Horde and master of the dead!" As it spoke, the creature advanced even closer, stopping a mere step away from the whimpering fool.
"Scream weakling! I want to hear your suffering!" Raising a hand, the creature let a jet of pure red lightning strike the weakling before him. As Flint screamed louder with each bolt, the creature smiled broader and broader.
"Yes! Suffer! Scream! Beg for mercy and know that none will come!" Laughing coldly, the creature raised both hands and unleashed a fresh torrent of the red lightning. This wave was strong enough that Flint's pajamas ignited. The flames served to accentuate the pain, and the screams grew louder still.
"What's that? You all want to see him suffer even more?" Grinning coldly at his terrified audience, the creature held his hands outwards from his chest and let the lightning swirl around him. Building a Force Storm.
"You will never cultivate the will of the Sith! Now bear witness to the Dark Side's limitless power!" Laughing all the while, the creature thrust his hands forward and unleashed torrent after torrent of the lightning upon the screaming and writhing Flint. Flesh ignited, muscle melted, bones charred, the body of the victim began to disintegrate. With each scream, the dark entity laughed harder. But then, all energy flowing from the beast stopped.
"STOP THIS INSTANT!" The dark being levitated from the ground as torrents of raw energy poured back into its body, features returned to their normal forms, and Harry Potter fell to the ground.
Shaking with effort, Harry forced himself to his feet and looked at the pitiful form on the ground. Flint was trying to crawl away with melted muscles and charred bones.
"I will spare you this once. But, know this, if any of you..." Here he paused and looked around the room before continuing. "If any of you, should reveal what you just witnessed to anyone, I will do worse to you, and to your loved ones." Growling coldly, Harry reached down and sent a burst of pure energy into the destroyed body.
"Heal..." The raw magic obeyed the command given to it and began rebuilding Flint's damaged body.
"Why are you sparing that thing? It should die! Such a disgrace! No True Sith would spare a rapist!" Harry's eyes narrowed as he noted that his serpents had vanished back into his chambers at the sounding of the voice within his mind.
"Because mentor, I may have use for him." With that, Harry shut his mind off from that of the Dark Lord.
"Know this Flint, I spare you for one reason, to make you my minion. From this moment forth, you exist only to serve my whim." Growling darkly, Harry beckoned to Daphne, Pansy, and Blaise. A brief flash of hurt flickered across the face of the Davis girl. After a moment's consideration, he beckoned her over too.
"Should anyone, lay hand or, attempt to lay hand, upon any of these girls, or the Carrow girls, without their permission, I will let you experience the strength of my full power. That little display, was just a party trick.." With those parting words, Harry motioned to the Carrows and the other girls he had gathered, and guided them into his private chambers. With a flick of his hand, the door repaired itself and was sealed against any intruder.
"Anubis, you and the others guard the door. Just in case some idiot tries to get in. Girls, all of you, that blue bottle on the nightstand has a calming draft in it. Drink and then sleep. We still have six hours until breakfast." Speaking calmly, and not even flustered by the sheer amount of female energy, Harry slid under the covers of the massive bed and within moments had returned to his sleep.
The girls muttered among themselves for a little while before they did as they were told. The only problem that emerged was the slight bickering about who got to cuddle right against the only male in the room. Though that too was solved simply. As the girls settled into bed, they each felt a small smile worm its way onto their mouths as their wands appeared on the table across the room.
A steady pulsing of energy filled the Slytherin common room. It seemed to spread its inky influence over everything that presented itself long enough. The source of this power, this raw energy, was a meditating Harry Potter.
Sitting in a full lotus position upon a simple black rug, the raven haired teen pulsed with pure dark energy as he steadily focused his will.
Many students descended from the dormitories and made their way out of the common room as fast as they could, fearing the penalties for lingering. One student however, merely walked over to the heir's quarters, knocked twice, and then walked over to the meditating youth.
Draco Malfoy walked with his usual pompous swagger as he approached his lord and knelt down. Withinn moments, Harry's eyes shot open and he stood up to address his subordinate.
"Draco, go to my quarters and wake the girls. I will await you outside." Standing and brandishing one hand, Harry smirked as his attire shifted into a deep blue robe with a wine colored cloak, his standard boots, and a pale grey sash around his waist. As soon as he summoned the last piece of his clothing, Harry turned and made his way out of the common room as Draco strutted towards the Heir's quarters to gather what he was deciding to call the "Black Harem."
Breakfast in the great hall was normally a fairly calm affair. Mail came, people enjoyed a veritable feast, and socialization ran rampant. This particular breakfast though, was a very somber affair. The assembled Slytherin table all had a look of terror upon their faces, and their was an empty stretch in the center. This odd behavior, had the effect of spooking the three other houses. The somber atmosphere eventually was broken when every person jumped in fear.
BANG!
The massive doors were thrown open by a gust of wind which carried the rich scents of cedar and vanilla into the hall. Standing in the entryway, stood a visage straight from nightmare.
Harry Potter stood there, dressed in a rich blue robe, a wine colored cloak, boots of dragon hide, gloves made from the flesh of an unborn thestral, and in his right hand, he held his demonic looking trident glowing with a sickly green energy. In his left, he held a black book with a cover that looked as if it were crafted from dyed human flesh.
Though the sight of Potter himself was frightening, it was his entourage that truly scared people. Each wore silver robes with a black overcloak, the girls all had their hair piled in an elegant mess atop their heads, and Draco had his slicked back to the point of it being stiff. Though nobody said it, everyone was thinking it, the attire worn by those students, was that of a Death Eater. It was then that Severus Snape remembered what his father had once told him long ago.
"Darkness, will always find a way."
Moving as one, the new arrivals made their way to the empty space at the Slytherin table and took their spots. Harry in the center, Draco to his immediate right, Daphne to his immediate left, and the remainder fell in place as they willed. Severus found himself experiencing a flashback to the days of the war.
The Dark Lord sitting upon his throne of ebony stone, to his right stood his most trusted lieutenant, Bellatrix Lestrange, and to his left, stood Xavien Rosier. The one who spoke for the Dark Lord when he was absent.
Shaking himself out of his memories, Severus paid close attention to the man beside him. Quirrell was seething with envy and his eyes seemed to burn with a hatred seemingly out of place for the timid man. As he shifted his eyes back to the Slytherin table, Severus watched as Potter ate from a plate clearly provided by a private elf. As he observed, the Potions Master noticed everyone around the emerald eyed youth seemed timid and fearful of speaking too loudly.
Breakfast continued along this same vein for a few minutes more. Then, the mail arrived. Hundreds of owls swooping into the great hall carrying parsels. Two owls stood out though, a pure white snowy owl, and a jet black screech owl. Both landed in front of Harry Potter who quickly took their parsels, gave each a pat, and then unfurled the first piece of mail. The one from the black owl. As he observed the owls depart, Severus noticed that the young lord seemed to have banished his staff and the book he'd entered with, for they appeared absent from his person.
Harry's eyes darkened as he read through a letter from the Goblin High Council. It was exactly what he'd been waiting to hear.
My Moste Esteemed King,
The plans you discussed with me in our last meeting, are at last ready to be put into motion. The many seperate nations of goblins are, for the first time in four centuries, gathering into one body. I do not need to tell you how important this moment is, there has not been a true goblin kingdom since Father Gringott himself.
I must admit, the prospect of ushering you into the eyes of the assembly, my blood runs hot and I find my teeth drip with anticipation. For far too long, our glorious people have scraped and scrounged as little more than keepers of wealth. Under your guidance, we will at last be able to honor our legacy. We are warriors, leaders, teachers, crafters, and purifiers; the world of man will be unprepared when you unveil your allies in goblinkind.
The rebellions throughout history have taught mankind to fear the goblin horde, but, with you leading us, they shall come to cower before the might of the goblin lance. And how fitting, that the descendant of Father Gringott himself, should be the tip of the spear.
Once I have established an official time for the gathering, I will notify you within a week's time. I will also make preparations before, should you have any issue you wish to address with your established servants.
Humbly Yours,
Gazyen
Counciler of Diplomacy
1st Wife to Garnuk, Counciler of Justice
Smiling coldly to himself, Harry tossed the parchment into the air and watched with a cold sneer as it burnt to dust within seconds.
"Show off." Draco's snide voice resonated throughout the silent atmosphere of the Slytherin table, and most expected to see him be executed on the spot. Several students visibly flinched when Harry raised his hand as if to deliver a punishment. Instead, the young lord merely smacked the blonde boy across the face.
"Shut up." Glaring darkly at the blonde youth, Harry turned to the second parcel and unrolled it. A soft smile did slide upon his face though, when the Carrow twins giggled girlishly at his actions.
"Oh how lovely. Already I make the front page." Indeed, the entire front page of the Daily Prophet was covered in a story about the return of the savior of wizard kind.
"If only they knew." The sly voice of Anubis hissed from the breast pocket of Harry's robes and he found himself nodding as he let his eyes slide across the article.
BOY WHO LIVED RETURNS!
Glorious Savior or Rising Dark Lord?
By: Rita Skeeter
You read it right folks! After a decade, our beloved Harry Potter has at last returned to the wizarding world. Sorted into Slytherin house upon his arrival at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizadry, this writer found herself in need of information.
Before we address the concerns about our supposed savior being sorted into the so called "den of snakes," let us ask, "what do we really know about Harry Potter?"
After much digging, I discovered that Mr. Potter had in fact been back in the wizarding world for nearly two entire months prior to start of Hogwarts term! What was he doing? Where was he going? Who was he speaking with? And most important of all, where was he hiding for the past decade?
Speaking to numerous individuals who claimed to have interacted with the young Mr. Potter, I finally encountered three families who had not only genuinely spoken with the person in question, but, were also willing to comment on their interaction with Mr. Potter. Though, I should inform readers, Lord Lucius Malfoy, corrected me quickly on that point. Mr. Potter is not a suitable form of address for the individual who brought about the end of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, no, Lord Malfoy informed me, that Lord Slytherin was the one who brought about the end of You-Know-Who!
I know readers, you're going to say, "but He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named always claimed to be the rightful Heir of Slytherin!" Yes, I too was under this assumption. However, investigating Lord Malfoy's claims, I recieved pensieve evidence from Lord David Greengrass, and his wife, Lady Danielle Greengrass, that the claims were in fact true. The supposed Lord Slytherin, used the title to swear a magically binding oath in Diagon Alley.
I can practically hear you screaming at me, "but what were his interactions with these two families?" Well my loyal readers, below you will find not only the testimonies of three respected families, but, also this author's ruminations on what the consequences of our supposed savior being sorted into the house of You-Know-Who himself.
My interview with Lucius Malfoy was fairly interesting, below you will find an excerpt from the exact transcription as written by a dicta-quill. Please remember, the words of the person conduction the interview will be in bold text, and the words of the one being interviewed, will be underlined.
Interview between Rita Skeeter and Lord Lucius Malfoy
So, Lord Malfoy, what can you tell me about Mr. Harry Potter? Rumor has it that you have interacted extensively with him.
Madame Skeeter, first of all, let me correct you on one front. The name of the individual is Lord Slytherin.
What do you mean Lord Malfoy? How could he possibly be Lord Slytherin? Wasn't that title claimed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named during the last war? Isn't that part of why so many chose to follow him?
Madame Skeeter, there is a difference between making a claim, and proving one. I can assure you, I have seen goblin evidence to prove and verify, Harry Potter is the rightful Lord Slytherin.
Interesting. Could you please tell me how you first met Lord Slytherin?
Of course. My son Draco, and my lovely wife Narcissa, had met Lord Slytherin in Diagon Alley. Draco eventually arranged a lunch outing between several families and the newly discovered Lord Slytherin.
And could you tell us how that lunch went?
It was... interesting. I'm sure you understand, I wasn't expecting a child to be able to do justice to the name of Lord Slytherin... yet, after watching what I've seen from the one who bears that title, I can safely say, I was terribly mistaken. This so called child, is older and far wiser than many of the baboons I have to suffer in my duties as Lord Malfoy.
Wow! Can you believe that? The testimonies given by Lords Greengrass and Parkinson were similarly eye opening. For the full transcriptions of each interview, please turn to page seventeen. In the meantime, let me express my thoughts on our current situation.
Mr. Potter, who, I will NOT be addressing as Lord Slytherin, simply because he is still a child, was sorted into the house of the very wizard who tried to slay him as an infant. What could this mean?
I'll tell you what it means dear readers, it means that our savior was targeted by the Dark Lord for only one reason. Somehow, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, discovered that Mr. Potter was destined to walk the path of darkness. The only logical course of action for You-Know-Who was to eliminate the competition before it could gain power. While nobody really knows for certain how, Mr. Potter somehow defeated You-Know-Who as a mere infant.
This reporter's belief is that, the darkness of the child must have been too great for You-Know-Who to overcome, resulting in the downfall of the feared wizard. But really, are we better off? We traded one oppressor for another.
For full ruminations on what implications Harry Potter's return could have, please turn to page fifteen.
Flora and Hestia stared over their shared paper and watched for the reaction of the young man they'd become infatuated with.
"Perhaps they do know." The words were barely a whisper, but Harry noticed that Draco seemed to perk up in curiosity. Harry however, had no patience for his servant's stupidity. No, Harry felt he had to make an example, and he decided he would.
"Hedwig!" The cold voice echoed throughout the entire hall, and for a split second, there was total silence before...
SCREE!
The same snowy owl from earlier soared through the open roof and landed upon the outstretched hand of her master.
There was a moment of contemplation between bird and master and then, with another screech, the bird took flight. Though, many would swear there was a look of abject rage upon the bird's face.
"If you'll excuse me." Standing, Harry angrily stalked away from the table and swept from the hall. As soon as the dark youth had exited, the doors slammed shut behind him with a loud bang.
The muttering began immediately, until, a scarred and horribly deformed Marcus Flint sent cold glares to anyone speaking too loudly. Sadly, the many people who consumed the Daily Prophet as though it were some sort of religious text refused to be cowed. Their mutterings continued all throughout breakfast. It was only when the students were dismissed to their classes that silence once more descended upon the hall.
When the last living person had left the hall, two individuals stepped from the shadows. The spirits of Godric Gryffindro and Salazar Slytherin smirked cruelly to each other before fading away once again.
Only one living person knew that two of the four founders had overheard and overseen everything, and he also knew, they would tell him exactly what people would be his staunchest opponents.
When the doors to the first class of the day for Slytherin and Hufflepuff first years opened, many were surprised to see Harry Potter already inside the room. His dark looking tome opened upon his desk and his quill furiously scratching out notes. Slythyerin's students filed in and took their seats with an air of slight apprehension. Though, given the past two displays from their Lord, it was understandable.
Three minutes after the last student had settle into his seat, Harry looked up and observed his surroundings. Hufflepuff and Slytherin were sharing Transfiguration for their first period. A dark smile spread across his lips as he went back to his reading. "More slaves to choose from."
"Good morning class. Welcome to your first day of Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall's sharp and edgy voice washed through the room as she moved up to take her place beside the black board. Hawk like eyes swept across the room and settled briefly on the raven haired youth who was still engrossed in his reading.
"Mr. Potter, please pay attention." Flicking her wand, McGonagall fully expected to see the book whizzing through the air to her hand. A look of shock slipped across her face when nothing happened.
"Sorry Professor. You can't summon a family grimoire you know. Only the Lord of the line can command such an artifact." Smiling in a not so friendly manner, Harry closed the book with his notes inside, shrunk it down, and pocketed it.
"Of course Mr. Potter. While I understand your family business may be important, education is equally so. Please pay attention. Understood?" Ever the valiant woman, McGonagall fully expected a simple reply of agreement, which was not what she recieved.
"Of course Professor. In fact, I'll be more than happy to help anyone who needs it. After all, the goblins fully explained Transfiguration to me. In the grand scheme of things, Transfiguration doesn't even scratch the surface of what can be accomplished though. The goblins consider Transfiguration a branch, in the magical tree called Alteration you know." Smiling in a manner that brought to mind honey laced with cyanide, the young man reclined in his seat as the Scottish professor began her lecture.
"Yes, thank you for that kind offer Mr. Potter. But I'm quite sure I can handle showing the students how to do things. Now then, transfiguration is a complex brand of magic that can do incredible things, but, can also do irrepairable harm. Any foolishness in my class, and I will see you expelled within an hour. So, what exactly is transfiguration? Well, since Mr. Potter has spoken of his knowledge of the subject, why don't we let him come up and explain? Yes, Mr. Potter, front and center." Smiling smugly, McGonagall fully intended to enjoy watching the youth make a baboon out of himself. Her smile only grew as he strutted towards the front of the room.
"She thinks that she'll get one over on me. But, I shall have the last laugh." Smiling as he reached the front of the room and looked upon the assembled students, Harry took a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking.
"Transfiguration is at its core, the manipulation of matter from one configuration into another. Transfiguration is a much smaller school of discipline than its big brother, Alteration. Transfiguration when compared to Alteration, is extremely limited. Transfiguration is strictly, point a, to point b. This can be done, that can't be done. Alteration by comparison, is bound only by the limits of your imagination, and your magical strength. Alteration, because it involves all five forms of matter, has limitless potential and uses, whereas Transfiguration has innumerable uses, but very limited potential because it deals with only one form of matter." Listening to the thoughts of all those around him, Harry smiled softly to himself before listening to McGonagall continue her speech with a bit of fluster.
"Thank you Mr. Potter. You and I will speak some time in the future about this Alteration business, but for now, you will each be given a match, and you must transfigure it into a needle. Full instructions on the concept and theory, can be found on page twelve of A Beginner's Guide To Transfiguration. The incantation is acus and the wand movement is a simple wave. Off you go." As she finished speaking, McGonagall waved her wand and sent four boxes floating through the class and watched as a match leapt outwards towards evert student.
Within minutes, the class was full of waving wands and muttered words, but no one had any success. McGonagall watched as Harry Potter merely looked at the match and shrugged. He seemed fully disinterested.
"Five points from Slytherin for not attempting the lesson Mr. Potter." McGonagall's sharp voice cut through the air, but, her remark was met with a blank stare.
"Why would I attempt, what I can accomplish?" Smirking to himself, the young man flicked his wrist and let a wand slide into his hand. Appearing to be made of pure diamond, with a black vein through the center, the wand put off a strange aura.
"Watch professor." With a slight flick and a muttered acus, the match in front of Harry shifted into a perfect needle. Smiling smugly to himself, Harry cocked his head at an angle.
"Now, can I assist the others ma'am?" Giving a sugary smile, Harry waited until the stern Scottish woman nodded.
"Yes you may Mr. Potter. And take fifteen points for Slytherin. Five to replace those I took, and ten for a perfect cast on the first try. You seem to have your father's talent." Smiling, Minerva proceeded to go admonish Draco for holding his wand too tightly.
Grinning to himself at the second way to interpret the scolding Draco was recieving, Harry stood and walked throughout the room. His looming presence made several nervous, but others, seemed to relish in the dark aura he emenated. Finally, one table caught his eye.
Three Hufflepuffs sat together, a quick scan of their minds revealed their names. Susan Bones, a cute redhead whose posture showed she was obviously already hardened into a fighter. Hannah Abbot, a dainty little blonde who clearly had a streak of vanity longer than a goblin's streak of greed. Ernie MacMillon, a sandy haired boy who seemed to come with a permanent sneer on his face.
It was clear the three were making little progress, so, Harry stopped and leaned on the desk before speaking.
"What is giving you trouble my friends?" The loving gentleness was completely fabricated of course, Harry honestly could care less about these imbeciles, but, he needed slaves.
"We need nor want nothing from evil people like you Mr. Big Mouth." Hannah Abbot's voice was like a fingernail down a chalkboard, squeaky and unpleasant.
"Oh really? Then I suppose you can already perform the spell flawlessly Miss Abbot?" The patience and tenderness in his voice was even thicker than before, his smile even gentler, and his eyes twinkled lovingly. Before Hannah or Ernie could speak though, the only person he wasn't repulsed by at the table, spoke up.
"Don't mind those idiots Harry. I would be grateful for any help. My aunt taught me a good bit of magic, but, I'm complete bollocks at things like this. Why not just conjure a needle if you need a needle?" Susan's soft brown eyes held a rich warmth to them, and her lower lip was pushed out in a slight pout.
Harry's smile shifted slightly, from fake to true. Moving around the desk, he took her wand hand gently in his and shook his head.
"Loosen your grip a little. It's a wand, not a knife. You don't want to choke it, you want to carress it. Relax your grip, and don't move the wand, move with it. You want the wand to be an extension of yourself." Smiling pervesly at the scent of watermelon coming from the red head's shampoo, Harry gently helped her adjust her grip and nodded for her to try the spell again.
There was a slight shimmer to the match, but nothing more. It was then that Harry decided to try something different. Leaning down, he lowered his lips to her ear and whispered softly to her as he took her hand once again in his own.
"Close your eyes. Think about a match, think how it feels, how it looks, everything you know of it. Envision it within your mind. Now, think about a needle, what it's made of, what it feels like, what it looks like. Very good, now, I want you to picture yourself. Reach within yourself and feel the fire of your magic." Several of the class had turned to watch what was occuring. Strangely enough, Harry's entire body was glowing with a pale blue energy as his gentle words and warm breathe washed over Susan.
"Very good Susan. Now, I want you to imagine a spark of that fire traveling from your core, through your body, down your arm, and into your wand. Once within your wand, ignite it, fan that spark, make it a flame. Just like that, now, see that fire spill out of your wand when you cast the spell, let it wrap around the match and replace it with the needle. Do it now Suzie." Using a pet name for her, Harry grinned when he looked down and noticed that Susan had cast the spell successfully and, wordlessly to boot.
"Look at your work Susan." A soft gasp slipped from the red head's throat when her eyes opened and she spotted the perfect needle laying upon her desk.
"Remarkable Mr. Potter. Clearly you were being honest when you said you would be able to help the students. May I ask just how you did that? How did you get through to her?" McGonagall's eyes seemed to glow with a childish glee that looked slightly out of place.
Smiling to himself, Harry walked towards the door and turned to face his professor.
"The talents of a Mind Mage are many. I trust the rest of you baboons can manage without me." With those parting words, Harry slipped out of the room and let the door slam behind him.
The day proceeded in much the same way until dinner. Classes would be attended, Harry would prove he could accomplish the lesson assigned with little effort, he would mentor one student, and he would leave. The reactions of the professors varied greatly.
Flitwick thought it was wise and awarded points for a decisive exit.
McGonagall thought it was mildly rude, but couldn't bring herself to take points after his talent for her subject was displayed.
Sprout thought it was a great offense and took thirty points for behavior unbecoming a student of Hogwarts.
The amusing thing to Harry though, was the fact that all these idiots thought he gave a flying fuck about house points. If the points could be traded in for obediant slaves, then they would be of value to him. But, as they couldn't, he had little use for them.
As Hogwarts prepared for dinner, many noticed Harry Potter sitting with a ghost on his right hand side. More specifically, the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw. The two appeared deep in conversation at the Slytherin table before she faded away with a smile on her face. Though few realized it, they had actually finished their true conversation long ago and were merely making small talk for the sake of mutual amusement.
Harry smiled darkly as his forming inner circle settled around him for the evening meal. The New Death Eaters, as they'd been dubbed by the resident idiot of Gryffindor house; Ronald Weasley, slid into place in a slightly different pattern.
Hestia and Flora took seats right across from Harry, Draco and Millie sat to his right, and to his left sat Daphne and Blaise. Tracey had claimed a spot on Hestia's left, and Pansy had claimed the seat to Flora's right. All in all, the image was quite impressive. A small smile played across Harry's lips when he looked around and observed how many servants he'd already amassed.
"Welcome my friends." Harry's eyes twinkled with a dark humor as Hestia and Flora nuzzled against each other and watched him with burning red eyes.
"Master." Their voices were in perfect harmony and Harry had to smile at the scoff he heard from Daphne.
"Is there a problem Miss Greengrass?" Harry's cheerful tone belayed the danger that lurked within the question.
"No Milord. I'm merely amused." Though her voice shook, Harry was mildly impressed that she succeeded in defending herself with believable words, even if the delivery was lacking.
Dinner was a simple affair, Harry once again enjoyed a very rare, almost bloody steak and a roast potato. About ten minutes into the meal, he felt two soft feet running along his leg.
'Amazing. Even through the material of my trousers, I can still tell their skin is like silk.' Much to the amusement of several people at the Slytherin table, the Carrow girls continued to play footsie with the young lord until a loud knock sounded outside the doors to the great hall.
"Enter." Dumbldore's voice rang out softly through the hall. Almost immediately after the last syllable faded, the large doors opened to admit a rather unexpected scene.
An amazingly beautiful woman led a team of goblins who were dragging someone along in chains. Harry smirked darkly when he recognized the woman at the front. It was his Eleena dressed in a pale violet dress.
'So that's what this is about.' Smiling darkly to himself, Harry watched as the goblins pulled their chains taunt and forced the prisoner to her knees. Harry's keen eyes quickly noted the broken shoe still dangling by a thin strip of leather from one of the prisoner's feet. 'Clearly female.'
"What is the meaning of this?" Standing and smiling darkly as he proceeded down the length of the table, Harry reached out and called his staff once more to his hand as he came to a stop right in front of Eleena.
"Forgive me Lord Slytherin. A little birdie told me of the slander comitted against your good name, and, when I brought the matter before the goblins, they insisted that they be the ones to collect the perpetrator." Ever the smooth actress, Eleena let a small amount of her hecatian aura filter through the air to make everyone more willing to accept her story. Smiling softly with a twinkle in her eye, she walked over and removed the burlap sack from the prisoner's head. With a soft giggle she backhanded the now revealed woman before she backed away to allow her master access to the convict.
Many gasps ran out through the hall as the blonde woman with dull brown eyes was revealed. The pursed lips, pinched cheeks, sunken nose, and bleached eyebrows of Rita Skeeter were known to all, and hated by many.
"What's going on? I did nothing to deserve this kind of treatment, and when I get out, I'm going to make sure that whoever you are, that you're never able to go near a civilized town again." Harry found himself resisting the urge to order the goblin team to draw and quarter the woman. Her voice was revulting, and her personality, more so.
"Madame Rita Skeet I presume." Harry's voice drawled in much the same way as one would do when speaking of a slug or other unpleasant and worthless life form. The spark in the woman's eyes almost made him like her tenacity. Almost.
"It's Skeeter! Rita Skeeter! You pompous windbag of hot air! Now who are you and what in the name of Morgana's bloomers am I doing back in Hogwarts? And just what do you think you are doing, a little child like you, organizing an assault on an upstanding-" Harry cut her off by raising his left hand in a curled fashion, almost as if he were trying to choke air. The amusing thing to him though, was watching the woman's eyes widen in fear as her airway constricted.
"I find your lack of manners... disturbing." Harry's cruel voice carried with it a sugary sweetness that seemed oddly suiting. Almost as if a man were merely admonishing his daughter about wearing wet clothes, instead of a boy strangling a full grown woman without even touching her.
"Now then, what to do about you? I think I have the perfect punishment. You there, goblin!" Releasing his psychic hold on Skeeter's throat, Harry let his attention fall upon one of the goblins.
"Yes milord?" The goblin was clearly hoping to be told "Off with her head" if the way he was fingering his sword was any indication. Goblins as it turned out, had a score of their own to settle with Rita.
"See to it that this woman is stripped of all her monies, all her belongings, everything, House Potter claims it as compensation for the slander. In addition, she is to be forced to serve in a janitorial capacity at whatever job she gets in the future, never to be permitted to rise above such station. She is also, to be forevermore banned from ever speaking, or in any form or fashion, transmitting her ideas or opinions to the public. I also expect for the Daily Prophet to be given an ultimatum: tell them to dispose of this piece of filth, and issue a public apology, or else, they will be shut down... forever. If they refuse, use my ownership of the paper to shut them down and then liquidate all their remaining assets. The liquidated assets are to then be given to charity." The loving way Harry whispered the word charity, brought to several people's minds, the sound a cat would make when savoring a particularly plump mouse. A mixture of a hiss, and a purr.
"Of course my lord. It will be my pleasure." Smiling coldly, the goblins quickly proceeded to drag a screaming Skeeter out of the hall. Harry's eyes no longer were following them though, instead, he was focusing on his Eleena.
"Master." Eleena purred softly as Harry reached up and stroked her hair. A smile wormed itself onto her lips as she nuzzled into the hand of her lord.
"You have done well my dear." The praise carried with it an undertone that most failed to indentify. Though, one person nervously shifted in his seat.
Severus Snape's eyes widened in fear as he observed yet another similarity between Harry Potter and the Dark Lord. When Lord Voldemort was pleased with his right hand, he would stroke her head and praise her in the same manner. The sense of dread was crushed as soon as it blossomed, but still, Severus found himself nervous for the future.
"Eleena, your services shall be rewarded. We shall celebrate after the reformation, and then, you shall have your reward." A cruel smile slipped onto Harry's face and his voice shifted to a much deeper tone and gained an oily edge as he added the final part. "Your eternal reward."
"Master honors this worthless creature." Eleena's voice was broken and quivering with anticipation of her impending fate. She knew exactly what he meant, he was planning to prepare her for the greatest honor he could grant. Her body was pracitcally vibrating in excitement as she nuzzled his hand.
"Indeed my pet." Smiling in a manner most unpleasant, Harry pressed his palm against Eleena's bare cheek and brushed his thumb across her lips. The girl whimpered in need at the touch, she was leaning into the affection being shown by her lord.
"Go now Eleena. Return to your duties. I will call to you when the time is right." Smiling coldly, Harry removed his hands from the girl and stepped away. Though her reluctance was obvious, Eleena slipped out of the great hall and vanished from sight.
"What are you lot staring at?" Narrowing his eyes, Harry returned to the Slytherin table and proceeded to resume his conversations.
Dinner once again proceeded along a vein with some semblance of normal, that is, until the Grey Lady bent down and whispered into Harry's ear before she vanished.
"If you'll excuse me." Once again rising to his feet, Harry raised his hood and marched out of the hall, letting the doors shut with a silent thud behind him.
One person plotted to get on the good side of this rising Dark Lord. Theodore Nott couldn't help but scheme to earn the acceptance of the new Lord Slytherin... and he knew just how to do it.
"What do you think?" Helena Ravenclaw, also knows as the Grey Lady, and more informaly known as the ghost of Ravenclaw tower, was lazily drifiting through the rafters of a large and very empty room. Below her, wearing an expression that looked like it'd been stolen from a bust of Plato, stood Harry Potter. His vibrant green eyes took in the surroundings before he nodded.
"It'll do. But, where exactly are we again? And, what exactly did you mean when you claimed this would serve my needs perfectly?" At those words, Helena descended from the rafters and straightened her dress before waving a hand towards the empty room.
"Last question answered first. Simply put, this room is one of only three of its kind in existance. Mother and father designed them. One was designed to serve as the private quarters for the Lord or Lady Hogwarts, the second was designed as a sort of emergency control room in the event Hogwarts was ever attacked." Harry's eyes were drawn to the slight swell of Helena's bosom as her fingers fiddled with a ghostly locket which bore an engraving of a raven and serpent. Noticing where exactly his gaze had shifted, Helena giggled softly before continuing.
"The third, was made so that everyone could stumble upon it. It was designed to serve as a retreat for those few able to find it. The room we stand in now, is called the Sanctum. The room designed to act as an emergency station is designated as the Combat Control Center, and the final room, the one open to all, is called the Room of Requirement." Helena had begun drifting back upwards and she gave a small squeak when she felt Harry's magic wrap around her and yank her back to the ground.
"I see. Room of Requirement, so, would I be correct in assuming that all three rooms share the feature of providing whatever the user requires?" Harry wasn't sure if Helena would take the bait, but, he thought it was worth a try.
"Yes you dolt. Are you sure your time with the muggles didn't addle your brain?" As it turned out, Helena was as hot tempered as her godfather. A trait which Harry was pleased to discover.
"Now is that any way to speak to family dear Helena?" Smirking darkly, Harry watched as the ghost drifted towards him before she completely surprised him by reaching into his chest and gripping his beating heart in her icy hand. The shudder that Harry felt was only barely supressed by his will.
'I really hate that. It makes your blood run colder than ice.'
"When they make a complete fool of themselves... yes." Giggling like a school girl, Helena removed her hand and drifted up towards the rafters again. Acting like she'd done nothing wrong, the ghost hummed to herself.
"You're a right bitch, you know that?" Harry's cold eyes were glowing with power as he reached out and once more snatched the ghost in a web of magic long enough to yank her back down to earth before letting her go.
"Mmm. I've been told. Now then, to answer your other questions, the room we are currently in, the Sanctum, is located inside the central rear tower. So far as everybody knows, this tower is nothing more than a structural support. There are only two ways into this room, that one shortcut I showed you, or, the statue of the angel on the sixth floor. To access the CCC, you need only descend from this room, now, would you like to see how the "requirement" aspect works?" Helena was drifting in circles around her much younger family member.
"By all means." Grinning softly, Harry watched as Helena giggled and waved a hand towards a corner of the room. Almost instantly, an iron maiden appeared with a slight shimmering of magical energy.
The remainder of the evening proceeded with Harry adjusting his new study to his liking. He found the ability to expand the inner size of the room quite useful and made very extensive use of that feature. Finally satisfied, Harry slipped down to the Slytherin common room, addressed his growing court, and went to bed with the same group of girls joining him from the previous night.
Things had gone smoothly throughout the week. The Daily Prophet had shut down while they attempted to find the perfect person to scribe their public apology, Theodore Nott had wormed his way into the inner circle of the Slytherin King, the Sanctum's innards were being properly pillaged and rearranged, the missive from the Goblin High Council had come, and lastly, Flint was becoming more and more an obediant servant with each passing day. His mind slowly degenerating into that of a brutish warrior bound to serve one master.
Yes, things had gone quite well throughout the week, that was, until Friday came about. Normally, Harry was merely meloncholy because he found the gloom to be comforting. Today though, today was different. There was a heaviness to the air, and the beginning appeared just as Harry and his circle sat down for breakfast.
"You know I meant to ask earlier, why do you always seem to have something that isn't even on the table?" Theodore's eyes flicked from Harry's emerald orbs, and then down to the plate loaded with nearly raw meat.
"Remember, I basically lived with goblins for several months. Their food is incredible... especially this particular dish. So, I merely instructed my house elf to sneak my food in while hidden, and then one of the kitchen elves is more than happy to send it up to me." As he spoke Harry slowly sliced a piece of the still very bloody, and very strange looking meat away from the main hunk and offered it to the brown eyed boy.
"Um... what is it?" Reaching out, Theodore took the offered meat and gave it a sniff before popping it into his mouth and giving a thoughtful hum as he chewed.
"Ask no questions, and hear no evil." While the statement was lost on most of the individuals, Theodore understood it clearly, as indicated by the fact his face was turning a lovely shade of green.
"I pray you're joking. If you're not though..." Swallowing with some force, the poor boy quickly downed his still full goblet of orange juice and then flicked his tongue several times in an effort to clear the feeling from it.
"I don't get it." Draco, as per usual, was the mouthpiece that voiced the common thoughts of the others. While Theodore shook his head in a "you don't wanna know" manner, Harry merely sliced off another piece of his breakfast and chewed it thoughtfully. Though he did notice how Theodore's eyes nearly bugged out of his head.
"Oh for heaven's sake. The statement I told Theodore, "Ask no questions, hear no evil," the reason I said that statement is because this meal is the traditional breakfast of the people who invented the statement. People Theodore's family trades with. The cannibal tribes in New Guinea." Smiling brightly the emerald eyed youth cut a larger piece of meat and chewed it thoughtfully as the eyes of his table-mates went from his mouth, to his plate, to his eyes, and back to his mouth.
"That's... sick." Once again, Draco displayed his innate gift for stating what everyone else was thinking. Though, at this point, Harry wasn't paying attention anymore. Instead he was chewing on a large chunk of... someone, and watching as a pure white owl flew down towards him with flashing saphire eyes.
"Get over it." Smiling darkly to himself, Harry held his hand out and smiled when Eleena landed on his arm and let the bundle of letters in her beak fall onto the table. With a soft hoot, she gave a wink, snatched a bite of meat from his plate, and flew off again.
"I swear, there's something off about that owl." Even as he spoke Draco regretted it. Almost as if it was rehearsed, Harry's hand came up behind the blonde and swatted the back of his head.
"That's enough out of you." Taking another large bite of his breakfast, Harry opened the first of his letters. The coat of arms was a peacock standing atop a skull, the Malfoy crest.
Harry,
There has been an important development between our two families. The Moste Ancient and Noble House of Black, at one time provided a significant boon to the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy.
Normally, such a thing wouldn't warrant your attention. However, this isn't the usual circumstances. The boon was paid to the Malfoy "nam domini est," in other words, the second born sibling of the title-bearer of "lord."
The contract states that the boon must be repaid not by the Malfoy family, but, by the Malfoy nam domini est. Currently, that would be my younger brother, Xander Malfoy.
Xander is a disgusting individual. About as twisted a man as ever lived, and a complete imbecile in the political realm. However, he has become aware of the debt he owes, and he desires me to arrange a meeting between the current Lord Black, and himself to settle it.
I'm almost certain he plans to attempt to repay the debt by giving you his daughter as a concubine. I'll be honest here, while Alexis Malfoy is a beautiful girl, I wouldn't be surprised if my creep of a brother rents her out.
I'm certain that with your intelligance, you'll be able to bend this situation to the greatest benefit for both of us. The ideal situation would be killing my brother, and sending Alexis to live with distant relatives whom I trust completely.
However, I leave the final decision, in your capable hands. And, rest assured, I have the original Black-Malfoy contract that is the cause of this mess, for you to read over at your leisure.
One final warning for when you come to negotiate with Xander, he is close friends with the "Ministry toad." Dolores Umbridge is a despicable woman, I would advise you excercise caution if she tags along, which, I can gurantee, she will. The woman can't help but stick her stubby fingers into everyone else's pie.
Your Faithful Ally,
Lord Lucius Abraxes Malfoy
PS: When I arrived for the Board of Governers meeting, the mark darkened significantly, moreso than it should have given Severus is the only other marked person that was present. I believe this to mean that You-Know-Who has installed a truly faithful servant in Hogwarts, or worse, he himself is present in some form.
PPS: Watch yourself around Zabini. There's a reason her mother is called "black widow."
"Hmm... interesting." Speaking to nobody in particular, Harry withdrew his diamond wand from his robes and ignited the letter. Once the ashes were vanished with a flick, another flick produced a roll of parchment, a small roll of wax, a stamper, and a self inking quill. Placing his wand back into his robes, Harry looked up to spot Daphne's eyes watching him.
"Can I help you?" For a split second, Harry thought he saw a tear forming in the girl's eye before she blinked and shook her head.
"I was just wondering if... never mind." The blonde girl buried her face in her copy of 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi in an effort to avoid his intense gaze.
"Seems the widdle liddle girl doesn't know how to get what she wants." Hestia's mocking baby speak only served to make Daphne bury her face even deeper into her book.
"Mmm. Yes dear sister. Perhaps we should help her to... loosen up." Flora's eyes were twinkling with a dark hunger, at least until her twin pinched her pert little ass.
"Dear Flora, perhaps our lord enjoys her being so tightly wound." Matching demented giggles echoed through the hall as Daphne's face blushed redder than a beet behind her book.
"If you keep it up, I'll turn you over my knee right here in the great hall." Harry's cold gaze bore into the Carrow girls with a burning intensity, though, his words had the opposite effect of getting them to behave.
"Ooh! That sounds fun. Would you make us turn our skirts up first?" Hestia's voice was bubbling with barely contained glee, and Flora wasn't making things much better given she was making small whimpering noises accented with occasional gasps.
"Miss Carrow! Please behave yourself!" McGonagall's shrill voice cut through the hall and almost immediately, both Carrow girls fell silent.
With a low chuckle Harry proceeded to read through the rest of his mail before polishing off the remainder of his human steak.
"If you lot will excuse me, I've no desire to be late for potions." Standing and calling his staff into his hand, Harry strode out of the hall with just the slightest bounce in his step.
Whispers were heard outside the door to the potions classroom as Gryffindor and Slytherin first years assembled. The subject of the whispers was one Harry Potter. Or, as he'd taken to calling himself, Harold Slytherin.
"I bet he's just pretending to be evil. You know, infiltrate the enemy ranks and kill them from within." Ronald Weasley's voice cut through the air in a manner not unlike fingernails down a wet chalkboard.
"Perhaps you should stop worrying so much. I'm sure he'll come around in time." Seamus Finnegan's annoyingly thick accent left an almost greasy trail through the air. In fact several Slytherins found themselves planning to shower as soon as class let out.
"I think we should get silent. The professor's coming." A soft and timid voice was barely heard over the roudiness of the other Gryffindors. But, as soon as it was registered, the annoying little redheaded brat bit off the head of the speaker.
"Shove off Longbottom. Nobody asked you." Almost as soon as the words were out of the redhead's large mouth, the air seemed to grow heavy and a cold drawling voice slipped from the shadows as Severus Snape emerged from a hidden door and walked towards the assembled students.
"Mr. Weasel, I mean Weasley, I think that will be twenty points from Gryffindor. Five for talking in the hallways, five for disrespecting another student, five for not having your tie properly tied, and five for breathing with your mouth open. Now all of you, get in!" The great bat of Hogwarts had begun this year's round of his favorite hobby: making life miserable on those who make him miserable.
With not a word spoken amongst them, largely because the Weasel's mouth was being held shut by Dean, the assembled students filed into the classroom. Though the majority of students had only just arrived, there was already one station fully set up and ready for use. Sitting at said station, busily scribbling onto several sheets of parchment with a very sharp black quill, was Harry Potter.
As he walked past the station where the son of his childhood friend was working, Severus let his eyes glance over the parchments. Though he only caught a glimpse, it was enough for him to recognize the work as being daemon magic. Rather than comment though, he merely walked up to his desk and watched as the students settled. A small smirk did worm onto his face as he noted the rising Slytherin king shut his notes into a book and watch him with a cold expression.
"Welcome to potions first years. There shall be no foolish wand waving, nor shall there be any silly incantations in this class. Many of you may therefore not think of this as magic, but, I assure you, potions are perhaps the most valuable field of magic." The adoration in his voice was clearly genuine, and the entire class save for a few hung tightly onto every word. Severus Snape was clearly a man who was passionate about his subject, and who wanted nothing more than for everyone else to be the same.
"I'm certain that many of you are still hung up on the fact you will not require your wands. As such, I do not expect many will appreciate the subtle sciences and exat arts of potion making. However, for the select few..." His voice trailed off and he locked eyes with Harry. Black searched green for a brief moment before he continued his lecture.
"Who possess, the predisposition; I can teach you how to bewitch the mind, and ensare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." His voice trailed off with the slightest shudder, an almost reverent undertone in his words as he spoke of his beloved potions. Roll call proceeded smoothly and then Severus paced the length of his teaching platform.
"Let us see how much you know. Weasely! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodal to an infusion of wormwood?" An oily presence seemed to filter through the air as the redhead looked up and was met with the laser-like glare of two beady black eyes.
"How should I know?" There was a collective gasp as the redhead merely shrugged and continued picking at a scorch mark in his desk.
"Tut tut, that will be twenty points from Gryffindor Mr. Weasel, I mean Weasley. Ten for not being prepared for class, and ten for disrespecting a Hogwarts professor." Snape gave a loving smile as he turned towards Harry.
"Mr. Potter, perhaps you could answer the question?" For the briefest of moments the air grew heavy with tension as green eyes met black and both seemed to shine brighter.
"Of course Professor. Powdered root of asphodal is a very powerful sedative and paralytic agent. When properly combined with an infusion of wormwood, which has remarkable preservative properties, you are rewarded with a sleeping draught so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. Interestingly enough, if you add a pinch of powdered bezoar and a few sprigs of peppermint to the brew, it will make a potion known as the Draught of Healing Death." Harry's answer was rewarded with the sound of many quills scratching out notes. Severus however, was most interested in the last piece of the answer.
"Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what a Draught of Healing Death is Mr. Potter? I am afraid I've never heard of such a potion." Two beady black eyes were sparkling in something akin to anticipation as the Hogwarts bat waited for an answer.
"Indeed you've not. I haven't yet released my findings to the community at large. Though, I have here a copy of my notes. Just so you know, everything is sketched on copyright leaflets. So if anyone should try and steal my ideas from me, they will lose their very life." Smiling almost joyfully at the prospect of someone trying to steal his ideas, Harry reached into his pocket and withdraw a black journal which he quickly tapped with his wand and then pocketed again.
"One moment please." Seemingly at home with the world, the young lord tapped his wand against a blank piece of parchment and watched as his notes copied themselves. Smiling in satisfaction, he rolled the parchment up and tossed it to the waiting hand of Severus Snape.
"Thank you Mr. Potter. Take thirty points for Slytherin. Ten for being prepared, ten for sharing your discoveries with us, and ten for being prepared against thieves." As he pocketed the parchment, Snape turned his eyes back to the Gryffindors.
"Now then, Weasely! Since Mr. Potter mentioned them, where would you look if I asked you to bring me a bezoar?" Once again, that same oily heaviness hung in the air.
"I don't know. Perhaps in the bloody cupboard? Or maybe an apothocary? This is the first bloody class! We've not learned anything yet!" Harry idly noted that annoying bucktooth and bushy haired girl raising her hand and practically leaning out of her seat. He found himself imagining what it would feel like to tear the flesh from her body with his bare hands.
"Wrong answer Weasel. I mean Weasely. I think you've cost Gryffindor another thirty points. Ten for once again being disrespectful, ten for thinking you could succeed in class without any prior preparation, and ten for your language. Mr. Potter, perhaps you can once again enlighten this miserable talking baboon?" Before Harry could speak however, Ron Weasely once again proved why he was the best candidate for moron of the year.
"Now hold on you great greasy bat!" Silence descended as Dean slapped his hand across the redhead's mouth, but it was too late. There was blood in the water and Severus decided to pounce.
"Mr. Weasel, that will be two hundred points from Gryffindor. Fifty for speaking out of turn and disturbing my class, fifty for daring to insult me in such a manner, fifty for not controlling your temper, and fifty for slobbering over Mr. Thomas's hand." The entire Slytherin section was giggling in glee at what had just happened. Ronald Weasely, in the span of less than one hour, had cost his house 270 points. And the best part was, the class was still young!
"Mr. Potter?" Smiling a smirk that brought to mind a spider watching a very fat fly, Severus nodded his assent to his already favorite pupil.
"Yes professor. A bezoar is a stone taken generally from the stomach of a goat that will save you from most poisons. Though, it can be obtained in other ways. Would you like a brief explanation on how they are formed?" At the nod from the professor, Harry cleared his throat and began a small lecture.
"The natural bezoars, and the most powerful, come from goats of at least one year's age, who have mated at least once. The mating process brings about a permanent change in the creature's hormone and metabolic systems, thus resulting in a far different manner of digestion. The acid of a goat's stomach is incredibly potent, strong enough to nullify any toxin save a select few, into a thick sludge with the properties of the acid that created it. Strangely though, this sludge never passes through the body." Pausing for a split second, Harry looked around and smiled when he noticed the envious look on the bushy haired girl's face.
"The evolution of the goat has mandated that the sludge find some practical purpose. So, the body renders it down into a stone. Very similar to how humans can develop tonsil stones in fact. The goat's body combines the sludge with large amounts of calcium to help harden it, and then muscles in the gut lining fracture it into stones that serve a purpose in the stomach to help break down food. Throughout its life, a goat is constantly growing more and more stones. Which is why bezoar farming is so simple. A stasis charm, a quick cutting hex, remove the stones, heal the beast up, and let more grow." Pausing long enough to wink at the red faced Weasel and smile at the hate filled look of the bushy haired girl, Harry took a deep breath before continuing.
"To answer the question many of you are asking, bezoars work because of what is known as "retentive magic." The stones themselves hold an energy that knows its purpose is to protect whatever animal it is contained in, against toxins. Which is why a bezoar can purge nearly any poison from any body. Even if the toxin is already in the blood." Looking to the professor, Harry smiled when assent was given for him to continue.
"The second form of bezoar is more commonly used as a preventive measure. While it can be used to purge toxins, it is more useful in neutralizing them before they are even ingested. However, this second form has a fatal drawback in that it can only protect against specific toxins. To create this second form of bezoar, a talented potion master must combine powdered calcium carbonate with ten toxins and their perfectly brewed antidotes. The mixture is then rendered down into a paste, and baked in a white hot oven for three hours. Thus you have the second form of bezoar, which is most often crushed into food or drink to neutralize toxins." Pausing long enough to take a deep breath, Harry gave a mock salute towards the bushy haired girl before he finished.
"Finally, there's the third form. Useless in terms of poison or toxin defense, in fact, completely useless save for neutralizing acids and corrosives. To create one of these virtually useless bezoars, you merely boil a dragon gallstone in a mixture of calcium carbonate, amonia, and sodium bicarbonate." Smiling softly, Harry watched as Snape's eyes beamed with a demented joy.
"Wonderful Mr. Potter. Take one hundred points for Slytherin for a flawless answer that was not quoted word for word from a textbook." Smirking to himself at the last part, Severus turned once more to Weasely.
"Now then Mr. Weasel, I'm gonna give you one more chance. What is the difference between monkswood and wolfsbane?" The Slytherin students waited hungrily for the loss of more Gryffindor points. This time though, it wasn't the fault of the Weasel, instead, it was the bushy haired girl. Jumping up from her seat and speaking rapidly she earned the ire of the Hogwarts bat.
"There's no difference professor. It's the exact same plant, piece for piece, stem for stem, leaf for leaf, it's the exact same plant, and it also goes by the name of aconite." Beaming brightly at herself, the bushy haired girl was quickly quelled when Severus swept over her and leaned over her with a cold hatred burning in his eyes.
"That will be three hundred points from Gryffindor Miss... Granger. One hundred for speaking out of turn and disrupting my class, one hundred for failing to present your answer in a palpable manner, and one hundred for being wrong. They are in fact, the same family of plants, but each is unique in its own way. Potter, explain." With a small smirk on his face, Harry proceeded to take a deep breath before he began.
"Aconite is a form that only grows on barren rocks, it's essentially a form of the plant that has the root system of a moss. Monkswood is a form of the plant that grows naturally and everywhere. In fact, it is classified as a weed by many herbologists. Wolfsbane is a form of the plant that is grown only by man, think of it as a domesticated form." Smiling darkly to himself, Harry reclined in his chair and watched with undisguised amusement as the girl with the bushy hair openly glared at him.
The class proceeded among a similar vein to all others. Harry completed his task, helped once person, and left with no further word. Though no one said anything aloud, everyone's eyes had widened when Severus Snape scrawled an Outstanding on Harry's score sheet.
Later that night, as Harry lay in bed with the Carrow girls curled against him, his mind spun with what had to be accomplished in the immediate future. Smiling darkly to himself, he listened for the sounds of any of the other girls running to his chambers, when none came, he allowed himself to slip into the realm of sleep.
'The shadow of my will shall eclipse all life.'