Hey everyone,
This challenge is awesome and while the one who posted this challenge was a little hesitant with how I was planning this, did they agree that – if I felt I could do it – I could give it a try. That said, do I want you all to know that I am skipping one of the rules completely as I feel that this starting in 5th is just a little overdone.
Anyway, on with it,

Venquine1990

Challenge # 28
Dark By Name Alone

Harry's POV

"He lived about a thousand years ago, Harry. For all we know, you could be." Hermione says only minutes after I found out that I spoke a whole new language and while I am not too happy with my friend doubting my words like that, do I suddenly remember something I never really liked, but that still happened.
Just last year the whole of Hogwarts was with me or at least neutral to me until my friends Hermione and Neville and I myself lost a 150 points together and after that they were all against us, so much even that they believed the rumor mill over anything we tried to say and that we were almost cursed for trying to explain.
To make matters worse, did none of the teachers do anything to help us and while I look at the only two people who seem loyal enough to me to face their fear of my strange language, do I think: "I've been called all kinds of things for years. Should I really accept to be called the same title as the man that killed my parents?"

And while I sincerely wonder and doubt these thoughts, do I keep silent, deciding that, instead of thinking like this, I should focus on getting to Justin Finch-Fletchley and helping him understand what I said as the boy had been only glaring at me to back off when I wanted to explain the events behind the point loss last year.
Yet it seems as if fate is just not on my side, which makes the same thoughts as before strengthen inside my head and makes it harder for me to ignore them as it seems that the fiasco at the Dueling Club made the teachers decide that classes should be cancelled, something I find highly retarded of those people, but I keep quiet.
Instead of that, do I follow Hermione's advice to seek Justin out myself, using my Invisibility cloak to keep out of the sight of the teachers and Prefects trying to keep their students inside their common rooms – which I find even more retarded – and when I arrive in the library do I get evidence that I am not the only thinking that.
Several Second Year Hufflepuffs are all together here, yet they are not doing their homework or gathering any reference material from the books around them. Instead of that, as I move a little closer to see if Justin is amongst them, do I hear them say all kinds of things about me that make the thoughts from before even stronger.

Feeling furious that the supposedly kindest house can have members who are willing to call a one year old a Dark Wizard, do I feel no interest in getting back at them at the time and while using my cloak to evade Mss. Pince, who quickly approaches the darkly gossiping group of Hufflepuffs, do I move back to my own House Common room.
Once here, do I softly tap both Ron and Hermione on their shoulders while still under my cloak, the two of them sharing a glance with each other before they swiftly, yet silently move up to the Second Year Boy's Dorm room and while I follow them on a slower pace to make sure I don't bump into anyone while invisible.

Yet while I do so, do I suddenly hear a familiar voice hissing: "Why on earth aren't you both out there looking for Harry? After how you treated him last year, how can you still sit here and pretend as if you're bloody noses are bleeding? Need I remind you it was your younger brother that proved his loyalty yet again?"
And when I look at where the voice is coming from, do I see Lee Jordan glaring at the Weasley twins, who had indeed been treating me and Hermione pretty bad last year, pranking her whenever they heard that she had answered a teacher's question and making Quidditch Practice almost like a battle ground for me every time.
The two are now looking away from their friend and each other stubbornly, yet Lee keeps glaring at them and while I move on, do I decide to keep Lee in mind as a potential friend and ally – if nothing else. Yet, while passing a few more groups, do I suddenly notice how, in every group, there is at least one person supporting me.

Gazing at each group that I pass that I hear arguing about what happened yesterday and memorizing how those that support me look, do I often hear them using last year as an argument to prove that not everything is what it seems, making me smirk as many of those they argue with had to take back hurtful comments last year.
I then pass from the Common room into the stairway leading up to the dormitories and while moving up to the second one, do I think: "Ron's really good with tactics, Hermione has a photographic memory, Lee really knows how to speak to people, Lavender really knows what people like and dislike these days."
And while these thoughts go through my mind, does only a small part of me wonder why I am assessing all these potential allies and partners as if I am building some kind of army. Yet, just when I get to the door of the Second Year's Boy Dormitory, do I realize what that part of me was thinking and with a smirk, do I think:
"Yeah, a Neutral Army of those that fight whoever stands in their way. That'll definitely make people think we're Dark, but – as long as we use Spells that aren't based, considered or believed to be Dark, they have nothing to hold against us. Nothing but their own little rumors, so to say, rumors we'll only too happily stomp to smithereens."

And with that, a wide smirk on my face and my heart singing in excitement over the plans that it and my mind are coming up with, do I enter the dorm room and say: "Seems like Hufflepuff isn't as friendly and go-lucky as we thought. Also, there are a lot of arguments going on downstairs about whether or not I turned dark."
My two friends look at me and while I tilt my head a little lower to make my smirk stand out just that little bit more, do I say: "I think we should reward those that support us, you guys, by making them help us take down whoever thinks they can just cause smear campaigns on whoever they want without getting all the facts."
Ron and Hermione look at each other and I say: "Let's face it, you guys. Last year, we were practically called the Slytherins of Gryffindor. We were called Traitors to our own House and what for? For losing points, something every bloody Gryffindor should be able to do. They put the pressure of winning on 3 11 year olds."

At this my two friends look disgruntled and I say: "Then I end up in the Hospital for 3 days and what do those naysayers do? They spread out into Hogsmeade and buy me candy. They don't even have the courage their House is known for to publicly apologize and I don't recall hearing any regret in their voices when I left that Hospital Wing.
And now, a good five months later, we're right back where we started, only this time – they're not calling me a traitor to my own House – they're calling me a Murderer of my Mother's Blood kind. They're practically accusing me of attacking Hermione, for crying out loud. What's next? Calling me a liar on how my parents died?"
The two cringe and I say: "Look, we can do 2 things here. Either we waste our time trying to find a mythical guy and monster – or we get ready, help those that are willing to help us and grow and develop powers and abilities that will help us beat this idiotic Heir of Salazar Slytherin when he decides to actually show his ugly mug.

What say you?" I ask the two and they look at each other, their eyes proving me that they're shocked that I thought such a plan out – which is probably because I only left to find Justin not 20 minutes ago – and then they both smile at me and Ron seals my, his and Hermione's fate as he asks: "Who supports our cause again?"
And while I have no doubt that the lad will be pretty upset about his twin brothers not being on the list, do I say: "Our own speaker, Lee Jordan, our Fascionista Lavender Brown, some Seventh year called Steven, our own Keeper Oliver and a couple of third years named Sandra, Micheal and Cornwall, if I'm not mistaken."
"What about Percy and the twins?" Hermione asks and I answer: "I didn't see Percy while walking up here and Lee was actually trying to convince the twins that they should support us. Sorry Ron, but I'm not waiting on those two fair-weather fans to realize that they're wrong again. I'm going to prove that they're wrong."

And instantly Ron proves me his loyalty lies with me and not his family as he angrily growls: "Me too. I've been wanting to step out of their stupid shadows and prove them I'm more than Fickle Ronniekins and if I have to go against everything mum taught us about Light and Darkness to let them see that, then so be it.
I'm done being their little brother and Prank Product test subject anyway." I nod at the lad, knowing he hasn't had a single kind word said to him by the twins since we actually came here as first years – bar the few congratulations we got for flying the Ford Anglia at the start of the year – and Hermione nods in agreement as well.
Yet right after she does, does another voice suddenly interrupt our thought process as it wheezes: "Perhaps I can help you?" And when we turn to where the voice is coming from, do we see a mid-aged wizard with very pale looking hair, who is slightly chubby and who has a happy, yet slightly evil smirk on his face.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Ron asks in shock and the man answers: "I am Peter Pettigrew, but you three probably know me as Scabbers the rat.""YOU'RE SCABBERS?" The three of us scream and I mutter: "No wonder he turned eleven when looking so pale and sick-like." The man shrugs and says:
"I have a few fears that I don't like facing that make it hard for me to stay healthy. Plus they tend to make me get sleepy quicker than I would like, so that's why I sleep so much. Sure felt good to put my teeth into that idiot's finger, though." And Ron laughs as we both remember how he bit Goyle's finger hard last year.
"So, why are you hiding as a rat? And why with the Weasleys?" Hermione asks and the man answers: "I have my reasons, same as to why I decided to show myself. I never thought I would, though, but what you have been discussing and deciding – let's just say it intrigues me. And trust me, I know what it feels like being mocked."

Pettigrew then spats out the last word as if it's some kind of curse, making me wonder what he could have gone through before he decided to be the Weasley's pet and while part of me is screaming that this man is purely bad news, do I decide to leave my judgment on him on the backburner for now as I instead ask:
"You said you believed you could help us. How exactly do you plan to do that? You're obviously hiding from something, so I doubt you'll be showing this form outside the dorm room." The man nods and says: "That is true, however, in my rat form, I can move throughout the entire castle and see who else is supportive of you.
That and I know a lot of secret passageways that only two others currently in this school know of. I can easily use those to whisper the right kind of words into the right kind of ears, if you get what I'm saying?" These thoughts intrigue me and I ask: "So you think you can persuade others into joining our new side of Neutral Darkness?"

The man nods and says: "As long as you three can make sure that, when I do so, these other two do not use their means of exploring the school. If they do, they might spot me and I – I would rather stay here where my services are – appreciated." This is something that both makes me wary and understanding and I ask:
"Who exactly are these two you're talking about? And how do they go exploring the school?" The man smiles and then hits my interest right where it matters as he says: "They are Fred and George Weasley, young Potter, and they are using what was once an item – belonging to your dear father, James Potter."

Wow, what a shocker,
So Pettigrew has revealed himself, Harry is planning to make an army – or at least a strong group – of people who are willing to stand up to the public naysayers and fair-weather fans and the twins are about to lose something they're probably not planning on letting go off for quite some time – at least not Cannon-wise.
Now I just want to let you guys know that, when it comes to this Challenge, the actual creator of it meant for this to take place in Fifth year or the summer before that. However, I discussed it with them and they told me that if I could make it work, I could make this challenge start in Second year, which I figured I could.
And voila,

Venquine1990

Challenge Rules:

The Dark by Name Alone challenge

Dark Lords can be born; their souls twisted since birth. Dark Lords can be made; their lives leading down that road. And then there's Harry James Potter; he wasn't born dark, he wasn't made dark... actually he's not dark at all, so why the hell is everyone calling him a Dark Lord?

Requirements:

- While Harry is being called a Dark Lord, and has accepted the title, he must remain a mostly Light and Good Wizard.

- Whatever the origin of Harry's 'Dark Lord' title - be it the Ministry, the Daily Prophet, or even Voldemort himself - the Ministry cannot be allowed to arrest Harry or his minions. You can decide why.

- Begins before/at the beginning of Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, when everyone has turned on him for claiming Voldemort's returned.

- Harry accidentally/purposely builds up a group of Minions that flock together under his imaginary banner.

- Harry's Minions - or whatever they're called - can be any alignment (Light/Grey/Dark) you want. As long as their morality is either Good or Neutral, and not Evil.

- The pairing, should you choose to have one, must be a student, but cannot be a member of Draco's 'Mini Death Eaters' group. (Slytherins like Tracey, Daphne, Blaise etc. are still allowed)

Recommended:

- Lawful Good or Chaotic Good Harry.

- Harry unlocks some kind of "dark" power, leading to his Dark Lord title.

- Crossovers.

- Harry – while still remaining Good/Light – leads a revolution against Umbridge and the Ministry.

Forbidden:

- Dark or Evil Harry.

- Dumbledore's Man Harry.

- Harry joining Voldemort.

- Instant Boss Harry. He takes time to build up his power and change his personality.

- Harry allowing Umbridge's torture.

Also

Just to clarify some things written above. Alignment is a reference to what type of magic they use, whether it's Light Magic, Grey Magic or Dark Magic. While mortality refers to whether they're Good, Neutral or Evil.