Edited 20th February 2014 to remove review responses and superfluous author's notes.
2. Evil Incarnate
To say that it was not the best piece of news Harry Potter could have heard on his arrival back at school would have been gross understatement. He did not like the idea at all, and wanted as many people to know that as possible.
"It's madness!" he exclaimed when he was told. "After all that's happened, a Slytherin head boy? Isn't that the last thing we need, a Death Eater at Dumbledore's right hand!"
This little outburst was in the horseless coaches on the way to the castle. They were not horseless to Harry, nor to the object of his indignation, who rode quietly and inoffensively about four carriages back. Ron seemed of one mind with his friend, as in so many things, but Hermione and Neville exchanged nervous looks. This was not a good way for the year to start.
They did try to reason with him. Passing through the entrance hall and breezing past the almost-first years, Neville said, "Just cause he's a Slytherin doesn't mean he's a Death Eater, Harry."
A small voice made all four of them look round. "Excuse me." They turned to see a small, thin wisp of a boy in oversized robes, looking up at them with awe but also with confusion. Harry sighed. Yet another year of newcomers to gawp at him and to whisper in the corridors after him for the mandatory fortnight.
The boy shrank further, seeing the sixth years' gazes fall upon him, and stared at his shoes. Eventually, Neville said, "Yes?" kindly, but just a little impatiently. The boy was still more flustered by actually being spoken to by a friend of the great Harry Potter, but in the end managed to choke out words:
"Excuse me for butting in, but aren't all Slytherins evil?"
Harry's eyes widened slightly at this thought. It sounded silly and childish put to him, well, by this silly child, but it was, after all, what he had been implying. True, Tom Riddle had been in Slytherin - but then, Peter Pettigrew had been a Gryffindor. And he knew nothing whatever about the young man he had been so thoroughly lambasting. It wasn't fair, and it took a child to make him realise that.
He looked down himself to answer the boy, who looked on the verge of being completely overwhelmed by the whole thing. "No. No, they're not. I was just… overreacting. Gryffindors and Slytherins don't like each other. But that doesn't make allSlytherins evil." He saw Hermione looking slightly relieved and decided to tease her. "Just most of them." And then the four of them passed on into the Hall, and Harry refused to say another word on the matter.
The Sorting followed. Watching the tiny first years made Harry feel old. He was old, he supposed, older than his features and his years would allow. It was not every boy who had to tackle the living embodiment of evil on a regular basis, and though he seldom let it show, he felt it. It aged him inside. Loss ages people too, and the loss of his only 'parent' figure had hit him hard. Perhaps that was why he had given up complaining about the new Head Boy. Something to do with Sirius. Mind you, it could equally have been finding that no one else cared.
After the remains of the feast were cleared away, Dumbledore rose to make his welcome speech. "Welcome or welcome back, whatever the case may be," he said, his blue eyes gleaming benevolently. "First years should note that an ever increasing list of banned substances can be found pinned to the door of the caretaker's office. Mr Filch himself has asked me to stress that students caught out on the corridors after 11pm will be dealt with severely. He has not told me how severely; however it is my belief that I saw him recovering some large and nasty whips from the dungeons just the other day…" The twinkle in the eyes was still there, Harry noticed. "And the Forbidden Forest, is, well, forbidden. First years and troublemakers please note, this is no time for sneaking off to play pranks." There was definitely a grave note to his dry voice now.
"All that remains is for me to introduce our Head Boy and Girl to the rest of the school. Allow me to present…Kirsten Prentice"- Applause. A curly haired girl from the Ravenclaw table stood up and bowed rather embarrassedly - "and Daniel Fletcher." The tall, controversial Slytherin stood and inclined his head slightly as an acknowledgement of the muted applause. Harry looked across the hall and his eyes met Fletcher's. Those eyes were pale, icy blue, and Harry shuddered. He could feel an almost frightening level of power within the seventh year.
"Are you alright, Harry?" It was Seamus, sitting next to Harry, who had noticed his slight involuntary movement. His eyes followed his neighbour's gaze, and then he nodded slightly. "I agree with you. There's something not quite right about our new Head Boy."
Harry started. "What? How did you know what I was thinking?" he hissed.
"Elementary," drawled Seamus, though Harry had to decipher the word from the Irish boy's accent. "A Slytherin Head Boy during the first year of… You Know Who's new reign of terror?" Seamus looked shamefaced. He could never bring himself to say the Dark Lord's name. "I'm not sure it's a good idea. But, sure, Dumbledore will have his reasons."
Harry wished he shared that conviction. But perhaps his fears were truly unfounded. And anyway, how much power did the Head Boy really have? Surely, it wouldn't be enough...