September 1, 1991
Slytherin Common Room
Harry and his friends followed the rest of the Slytherins down to the dungeons. They waited in front of a portrait of a serpent until a prefect came to the front of the crowd and stood at the front of the crowd. The prefect stood in front of the rest of the Slytherins and announced in a loud voice, "The password to our common room will be "supremacy" for the next two weeks. The next password will be posted in the common room."
With that, the Slytherins filed into the common room. The upper years made their way to their dorms while the first years waited in the commons area.
A prefect stood and addressed the Slytherin first years.
"My name is Gemma Farley and I am a fifth year at Hogwarts. You have all been sorted into Slytherin for your cunning and ambition. Unfortunately, the rest of the school believe this is synonymous to evil. Because of this, we Slytherins will always present a united front. The odds are stacked against us so we must stick with each other."
She paused meaningfully before continuing, "Here in Slytherin there is a hierarchy and a system unique only to us. At the very top of our hierarchy are seven students."
With this, seven older students stepped in front of the crowd.
Gemma introduced them, "They are Hestia Carrow, Flora Carrow, Marcus Flint, Derrick Bole, Jameson Avery, Terrence Higgs, and Adrian Rookwood." They merely looked at the first years at the introduction.
Gemma continued, "These seven Slytherins make up our "ruling council", and are in charge of making decisions for our house as a whole. To be one of these "serpents", you must possess a great dealing of cunning and power. Each serpent can be challenged for their position. However, be warned. The Serpents are the finest Slytherin has to offer. If you were to lose a challenge, you will face whatever punishment the Serpent decides. You have been warned. As you can see by the common room layout, there are eight chairs in the center. Seven of those chairs belong to the Serpents. The last belongs to the heir of Slytherin. However, that chair has not been claimed in several decades. To sit in one of their chairs will result in dire consequences. This may all sound overly complicated and pretentious, but it is a tradition that has been in place since the founding of Hogwarts. Remember firsties, we as Slytherins have only each other. Rely on one another, but do not forget your place."
With that, the prefect stepped back and allowed Snape to step forward. Snape's robes billowed dramatically and he made an impressive entrance.
Snape looked over the new batch of Slytherins and began his monologue.
"I believe that Prefect Farley addressed many of the important points concerning the house. I am Severus Snape, the resident potions master, and your head of house. I will not have incompetent fools representing the noble house of Slytherin."
Snape paused and allowed his black eyes to stare into the eyes of every first year. Harry noticed how Snape's eyes seemed to linger on his longer than the others.
Snape continued, "You will all present yourselves to the school in an appropriate fashion. I remind you all once again, we will present a united front. If you have an issue with another student, you will handle it within the dorm or in the dueling area."
Snape dramatically waved his arm and a previously concealed area appeared.
Snape drawled on, "Duels will be officiated by one of the prefects or a Serpent. The rules are simple, do not maim beyond the healing capacity that I have. If anyone is permanently harmed, you will face my eternal displeasure. Now that we have gone over all these rules, I bid you all goodnight."
Snape's eyes lingered over the first years before he turned and went off to his room.
Gemma Farley stepped forward again. "Your rooms are on the right. Three people to a room. Boys are on the right; girls are on the left. Breakfast begins at seven o'clock tomorrow. I wish you all luck. If you are in need of assistance, find an older student for help. Good evening to you all."
With that the first years began chattering excitedly and began to split off into groups of three.
Harry nodded to Draco and Blaise, and they entered their room. Harry found a blank name plate on his bedpost. He looked at it carefully, then he wrote his name on it with his wand. His trunk then appeared next to his bed and he laid down on the bed satisfied.
"Hey Harry, which Serpent will you challenge for their seat?", asked Draco.
Harry thought carefully before responding, "I will likely challenge Terrence Higgs. He is undoubtedly the weakest out the seven. He also does not come from a powerful family, so the repercussions will likely be minimal. I believe that out of the seven the Carrow twins and Rookwood will be the strongest."
Blaise interjected, "Harry do you really think that you can take on Higgs? I mean he is a Serpent for a reason."
Harry stood, "Blaise, I do realize that we have only known each other for several hours. However, you should know better than to question the heir of Grindelwald."
Blaise stepped back defensively, "Hey, I was just making sure"
Harry sighed, "I will challenge him first thing tomorrow, you will not doubt me again."
Harry then changed into his nightwear and went to sleep.
September 2, 1991
Slytherin Dormitory (6:00 AM)
Harry awoke at to the sound of Draco snoring away next to him. He rolled his eyes and cast a tempus charm. He woke his dorm mates and got ready for the morning. The trio got ready for the day quickly and efficiently. Harry was amused by the amount of time that Draco and Blaise spent in front of the mirror getting ready. After they finished, they headed down to the common room and greeted their fellow first years.
"Good morning boys!", chirped Tracy energetically.
"What's up with her?", asked Draco warily.
Daphne laughed softly and replied, "Tracy is quite excited for the first day."
Blaise interjected, "Well things are about to get even more interesting. You see, Harry over here is going to challenge Higgs for his Serpent spot."
Both Daphne and Tracy made small noises of surprise.
"Harry! You can't possibly be serious.", exclaimed Tracy.
Harry scowled and replied, "I am very serious. I have been tutored extensively by a great wizard and I am quite confident in my abilities."
Daphne narrowed her eyes, "And who is this tutor?"
Harry smiled broadly, "All will be revealed in time."
At this, Terrence Higgs walked down into the common room with Flint and Bole.
Harry gestured to Blaise. Blaise walked forward and announced to the common room, "Slytherin! Harry Potter wishes to challenge Terrence Higgs for his spot as a Serpent."
The room fell silent, before exploding in jeers and laughter.
Higgs merely waved off Blaise and continued his discussion with Flint and Bole.
Harry stepped forward and the room fell silent. "Terrence Higgs, accept my challenge or forfeit your position."
Higgs frowned. "You can't be serious Potter. I don't make it a habit to send firsties to the hospital wing you know."
Harry persisted, "Accept my challenge or be branded a coward."
Higgs sneered. "Fine Potter. However, if you lose, you will pay me 5000 galleons in compensation."
The room erupted in whispers at the amount that Terrence Higgs demanded.
Harry smirked and said, "IF I lose."
A prefect stood and addressed the Slytherin first years.
Gemma Farley stood between them. "You two will be handling this in the dueling pit. I will be officiated."
The two nodded and quickly made their way to the dueling area.
Harry looked at his friends and smirked at their looks of doubt and worry.
Harry looked at his opponent and bowed. Higgs merely stared at him.
"At my signal!", announced Farley. Then a loud noise erupted from her wand.
"LACERO!", cried Higgs.
Everyone in the room looked at Harry shocked, when Harry raised his wand and stopped the curse mid-air.
Harry thought back to a spell that Grindelwald had showed him and casted "Fulgur Percutiens!"
Lightning erupted from the tip of his wand and struck Higgs. Terrence Higgs flew back shaking as electricity coursed through his body. Harry cast the spell repeatedly, and watched as Higgs shook in pain.
Farley watched as lightning continued to strike Higgs. Another cry of pain shook her out of the surprise of seeing a first-year cast lightning. "STOP!", she cried out. "Harry Potter is the victor! Does anyone contest this decision?"
All of Slytherin fell silent and merely stared at Harry Potter with reactions varying from fear to undisguised curiosity.
"Harry Potter is now a Serpent!"
~~
Severus Snape watched as the child of the only woman he loved tortured a 6th year student with no qualms. "How had a boy raised by muggles the majority of his life been able to produce such a display of magic?", he thought to himself. Snape then watched as Harry Potter became the youngest Serpent in history. "Something is not right about the boy." He thought to himself.
Snape then stepped into view of all the Slytherins. "I believe that this spectacle ends here. All of you should be in the Great Hall right now. Move now! Leave Higgs behind, I will deal with him. Potter, come with me."
The Slytherins headed down to Great Hall, leaving Harry Potter and Severus Snape with a moaning Higgs.
"Potter where did you learn such magic?"
Harry looked at his head of house carefully before responding. "I read it in a book."
Snape knelt down to Higgs and began to heal his burns.
"Potter, I do not appreciate students lying to my face.", snarled Snape.
Harry look unbothered by this. "With all due respect sir, I do not find it necessary to inform you of every piece of magic I have learned in my life."
Snape finished healing Higgs and sneered at Potter. "I have no idea how you managed to get sorted into Slytherin. However, I will tell you now, your fame will not elevate you here. I can tell already that you are just as arrogant as your father, Potter. However, unlike your father you seem to have learned the dark arts. We are not finished with this discussion. But for now, go to the Great Hall, we will discuss this further later."
Harry left the common room without looking back.
Severus watched the raven-haired boy saunter out of the room. It still disturbed him that a first year was capable of producing such magic. There was something that he could not see and he was going to get to the bottom of it. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud groan from Terrence Higgs.
"Idiot boy.", growled Snape aloud.
7:05 AM
Great Hall
Harry walked into the Great Hall and made his way over to his fellow Slytherins.
As soon as he sat down, he was bombarded with questions from his fellow first-years.
Harry merely continued to eat until the cacophony of noise died down.
Finally, there was quiet and questions were asked one at a time.
Tracy asked the first question, "Harry, where did you learn how to cast lightning?"
Harry finished chewing before responding, "Someone taught me."
The two girls groaned. "Come on Harry, tell us who your mysterious teacher is.", begged Tracy.
"It is not my place to reveal my teacher's name before they wish to be known publicly.", replied Harry.
Daphne looked at him carefully, then asked, "If we guess who it is, will you tell us who it is?"
Harry shook his head and continued his breakfast.
Draco then asked another question. "What did Snape want?"
Harry replied, "He wanted to know the same things that you guys wanted to. I obviously did not tell him. It is obvious however, that he seriously dislikes me."
Blaise raised an eyebrow at this, "First day and you are already making enemies with our head of house, I believe your plan is going absolutely wonderful."
Harry scowled good-naturedly, "Enough of your wit Blaise. You don't even know my plan in its entirety."
Daphne quickly picked up on this, "What's this plan you speak of Harry?"
Harry then replied for the second time that day, "All will be revealed in time."
Then Severus Snape walked over to their table and handed them their schedules.
Draco looked through his first. "Transfiguration, charms, and DADA. Not bad."
Harry yawned. "I have no doubt that it will be quite easy."
"Really Harry? I bet that you can't finish every spell we learn today first.", challenged Blaise.
"Your lack of faith disturbs me Blaise. My patience wears thin at your constant challenges.", said Harry as his eyes flashed.
Blaise looked at him bored, "We are in an alliance. I am not subjugated to you in any way."
Harry whispered back viciously, "Do not forget your place Blaise. I have not forced you to take an oath or a vow of servitude, but that does not mean I cannot make you. I have chosen to allow you to make that decision on your own. Do not make me regret that decision. You and I both know who holds the power in this alliance."
Blaise merely inclined his head. "As you wish, Harry."
Daphne watched the exchange with curiosity. Obviously, Harry's "mentor" was far more powerful than she had anticipated, if it gave him leverage over the heir of the Zabini clan.
Draco broke the tension and asked, "So what class do you think you'll be best at?"
The table then broke into civil discussion, and soon after, breakfast ended and the group of Slytherins headed over to transfiguration.
~~
Harry was true in what he said. They had headed into transfiguration, and to the surprise of everyone but Draco, Harry completed the spell first try. As everyone else struggled to transform their matches into a needle, Harry's match lay on his desk perfectly shiny and pointy.
"This is the best needle I have ever seen in my decades of teaching!", exclaimed Professor McGonagall as she walked past the group of Slytherins. "It is obvious that you have inherited your father's prodigious transfiguration skill!"
Harry smiled humbly, and replied, "I try to be like my parents every day professor. I wish to honor the sacrifice they made for me by being the best wizard that I can possibly be."
Professor McGonagall gave a rare smile to Harry and replied, "I know that you are making James and Lily proud everyday Mr. Potter!"
"However, the same can not be said about you Mr. Weasley!", admonished McGonagall as she suddenly turned on the Gryffindor.
A similar scene played out in charms where Harry successfully casted the wand-lighting charm without any problems. Professor Flitwick heaped praise on him as well.
Harry watched amused as he watched his friends attempt to do the charm successfully when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"How did you that?", asked a girl he had not talked to before.
"And you are?", asked Harry.
"Hermione Granger. I want to know how you managed to the charm first try. I also saw how you transformed the match in transfiguration. How did you do that? Did you practice magic before coming to Hogwarts? I think that's so unfa-."
Harry cut her off with a silencing charm. "Granger, you talk too much. As for how I did the charm, I merely channeled my intent into the spell. Now if that is all, go back to your fellow Gryffindors over there."
Draco interjected, "Harry why are you talking to this mud- muggleborn?"
Harry looked at Draco, "She wishes to know why I am superior to her."
Hermione looked furious at the statement. She then stormed back over to her desk and began practicing the charm with an increased fervor.
"Well you're obviously a very charming fellow.", laughed Tracy.
"Muggleborn.", spat out Draco disgustedly. "They shouldn't be allowed into Hogwarts."
"Draco. We have been over this.", said Harry exasperatedly. "Muggleborn need to be assimilated into the wizarding world. They don't understand how our world works and to them they see us as medieval. This needs to be amended. If we could get all muggleborn to renounce their muggle lineage, our culture could be advance a tenfold. I don't believe in blood supremacy, but rather wizarding supremacy."
Blaise spoke, "I agree with Harry. I believe it was the deceased dark lord Grindelwald who said "blood matters but power matters more.""
Harry responded, "I couldn't agree more Blaise, power definitely matters more."
The two boys glared at each other until Flitwick dismissed the class.
~~
Daphne Greengrass walked with her fellow first years Slytherins into the DADA classroom. As she sat down, she thought about the anomaly that was Harry Potter. Going into Hogwarts, she definitely did not expect Harry Potter to be a player in the mess known as Slytherin politics. Her goal had been to support Draco, a childhood friend, and use him as a puppet of sorts to get through Hogwarts without any problems. This plan was ruined when she entered Draco's compartment and found Harry Potter in complete control over Draco. It was a mystery to her, on how Potter had managed to establish "control" over both Draco and Zabini.
She had watched as Blaise continually challenged Harry and tried to usurp his authority. She was truly surprised again earlier when Harry demonstrated a prowess of magic, that did not reflect his muggle upbringing. His mysterious "teacher" was also someone that she intended to unmask.
Her thoughts were interrupted, when Professor Quirrell stood in front of the class and spoke to the class without stuttering. "Good morning class. I am your defense against the dark arts teacher. Today's lesson is very simple."
Quirrell pulled out his wand and tapped the blackboard. Words began to appear. "Who was more dangerous Lord Voldemort or Lord Grindelwald."
Quirrell verbalized the writing. "Who was more powerful and/or more dangerous? That is the topic of our discussion today."
Quirrell paced around the room, and maintained the attention of the entire class. "Well? Will anyone be answering my question?"
Hermione raised her hand. "Sir, I believe that Grindelwald was more dangerous per say then he-who-must-not-be-named. I read in my book The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, that Grindelwald had an army and would have conquered the world if it weren't for Professor Dumbledore. You-know-who was just a terrorist with more magical prowess than the average wizard."
Quirrell looked at her carefully before responding. "You are a muggleborn am I correct?"
Hermione nodded.
Quirrell continued, "Then it is obvious why you could call the Dark Lord a mere terrorist. I do not blame you. You were not there when he unleashed fiendfyre on Diagon Alley. You were not there when he ended the line of the McKinnon family. You did not see him command legions of Death Eaters as they slaughtered aurors. You made valid points in regard to Grindelwald, but do not diminish the horror that was Voldemort."
Most of the class shuddered.
Quirrell noticed the movement. "See! His mere name still strikes fear into the hearts of every wizard. This alone should show you how impactful the Dark Lord was."
Quirrell looked over the class again. "Does anyone else have an opinion on who was more powerful?"
Harry raised his hand. Quirrell nodded at him, "Go on Mr. Potter."
Harry answered, "I agree with most of what Granger said. Grindelwald was far more charismatic and influential than Voldemort. There is an argument that Voldemort was more powerful magically, but Grindelwald was superior in the fact that he was able to rally large masses of people and take over multiple countries."
Quirrell looked carefully at Harry. "Then I pose you a different question, Mr. Potter. Hypothetically, if you were a dark wizard, who do you think could offer you more, the Dark Lord, or Grindelwald?"
Harry stared into Quirrell's eyes. Something about the man was unnerving him. "In this hypothetical situation, I would hardly join the man who killed my parents."
Quirrell raised his arms apologetically. "Forgive me Mr. Potter if I brought up any bad memories."
Harry merely nodded.
Quirrell addressed the class as a whole. "Children, you were all far too young to understand the power that either Dark Lords wielded. Your homework for today is to think like a dark wizard. Which wizard do you believe had more to offer? Think carefully about their ideals and actions. Class dismissed."
The class gathered their things and began to file out of the class, chattering idly. Harry was about to gather his things when Professor Quirrell called out, "Mr. Potter, if you will stay after please."
Draco looked at Harry and told him, "We'll take your things and wait for you in the common room."
Harry nodded to Draco and the rest of his friends. They walked out of the class leaving Harry alone with Professor Quirrell.
"What is it you wanted Professor?", asked Harry.
Quirrell looked at Harry then spoke in parseltongue, "Hello Harry."
Harry looked at Quirrell in shock, "TOM?"
Savannah, Georgia
September 2, 1991
Seraphina Picquery sat on her porch reminiscing her life. She had been a powerful witch all her life. As the president of MACUSA in the 1900s, she had changed much of magical America. Later on, when she became Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, she had been able to do much more. However, all that took a toll and she was glad that she had retired when she did.
She took a sip of her firewhisky and looked on as the sun began to set. She sighed as she thought of her greatest regret. If only she had been able to save Percival before Grindelwald had killed him. She still vividly remembered the day when she found out that Grindelwald had been masquerading as Percival Graves the head of MACUSA Law Enforcement.
"Should've killed him when I got the chance.", she thought.
"Well here's your chance, Madam President.", said Grindelwald as he stepped in front of her.
She pulled out her wand quickly.
"YOU!", she yelled. "You're supposed to be dead."
Grindelwald sneered at her. "I am sorry to disappoint. However, I am here because I am in need of two things. Information and revenge."
Seraphina looked around her porch, looking for her security team.
"Ah don't bother. I already killed them.", whispered Grindelwald maliciously.
"You're a monster!", yelled Seraphina.
"Yes, yes, I know. However, I still need to know the exact location of Azkaban."
"Why the hell would I know that?", asked Seraphina indignantly.
"Don't play stupid, it doesn't suit you. I know that you were the one who renewed the deal with the Dementors back in 1965."
Seraphina spat in his face. "I don't know what you are planning, but I will never tell you."
Grindelwald's mismatched eyes glinted. "Good. I was hoping you would say that. The cruciatus curse will loosen your tongue."
"Give me your best shot.", said the former Supreme Mugwump defiantly.
After several hours she broke and Grindelwald received all the information he had needed.
Her body would be found days later by her grandchildren.
~~
Azkaban
Late that night
A loud bang and loud voices woke Sirius from his sleep. He looked through the bars of the cell and saw the aurors furiously casting spells at somebody. He rubbed his eyes and tried to get a better look.
He was distracted when his cell mate Bellatrix cried out, "It must be my Lord. He has returned!" She began cackling.
"Shut up you hag." Said Sirius as he watched the mysterious figure attack the guards and the dementors.
The man laughed when the final guard collapsed motionless. He looked around the prison, seemingly looking for someone.
Sirius found himself very surprised when the man began walking towards him.
The man's shockingly white hair glowed in the moonlight. He waved his wand and the cell bars disappeared and his chains vanished.
"Hello Sirius. I have great things planned for you."