Ascension: The Silver Spears

by Define Anachronistic

(AU) Harry Potter is different. No one is more aware of this than him. His relatives acknowledge his existence only when necessary and despite growing up surrounded by creature comforts, everything he has ever owned is either a hand me down, stolen, scavenged or lent to him out of pity. He has no one to rely on. He tells himself that he prefers it that way. But no man is an island.

12. Chapter 12

INTERLUDE IV

He had honestly expected a better result.

The only reason he had chosen Myrose to attack the boy, twice, was to establish a clear antagonistic threat he needed to overcome. He had thought it would have been as easy as breathing for the boy to seek revenge. But somehow, he had misjudged him.

Standing invisible in the corner of the hall, he watched as Slughorn approached the hesitating boy, encouraging him to do what was necessary. While the body he inhabited felt horrified at the sight of a student being brutalised, he felt nothing but disappointment when he saw Potter step back after only one attack. What was this? Pity? Empathy?

He had resolved himself to engineer a meeting between the two of them before term was over, so that he could discern what the issue was. It was only luck that had the boy seek him out of his own volition, that very same night.

It was only then that he realised. The boy's emotions were still out of his control, so even with him avoiding eye contact, he had a clearer look into his mind than ever before.

It was anger.

Or rather, a lack thereof. The boy had lived a lonely existence, yes, but he didn't have the rage that Tom had possessed at his age. His parents had been killed, but he only loved the idea of them, not able to miss what he could not remember. Even the attacks by Myrose weren't personal enough for him to feel any anger over. Concern, yes, but no anger.

After managing to convince the child to at least attend one more meeting, he began to plan, once more alone in his office.

He would ask Hawthorn to stay by Potter's side during the meetings. His admiration of her was obvious enough, and it should make him warmer towards the meetings themselves. Slughorn would have to keep his distance as the boy found his behaviour unsettling. But that still wouldn't be enough.

Instilling potent rage in the boy was not possible, not if he wanted accurate results. Instead, the boy had to see that the Dark Arts were a necessary tool, a force for good even. It would not be hard, and Tom would go out if his way to show him as much. Even if he had to hurt the boy in order to do it.

After all, a little suffering was good for the soul.