With deliberate care, I placed the mandrake into the soil, my protective earmuffs clamped over my head. Professor Sprout looked on approvingly. 'See class? Draco is demonstrating perfect technique in potting this mandrake, all of you make sure to watch and learn'. I glowed smugly as the class watched on, jealous of my superior herbology skills.

As we walked out of the greenhouse, Neville walked next to me. I eyed him suspiciously. Ever since I had become interested in the art of herbology, I had ceased to see him as a mere weakling, but saw him for what he really was: an enemy. Infuriatingly, I was still below him in terms of number of demonstrations we gave. Our herbology lessons had become a warzone in which we both attempted to outdo one another. I was still reeling after last week, in which Neville had managed to grow a beautiful vociferous maximus which had put mine to shame. So it was with some apprehension that I spied him coming next to me. 'Hello, Steve', I said. I had learned his name weeks ago now, when I had begun to recognise him as a threat, but continued to assert dominance by pretending I had no idea what his name was. Rule 1 of taking power: never show weakness.

'Listen, Draco', said Neville as we walked to the castle. 'You know the group project we're meant to get teams for? Do you know who you're going with?'

'Probably some of my Ravenclaw minions, maybe Janet and Helen'.

Neville frowned. 'Do you mean Lorena and Angela?' I scowled at him. He continued hurriedly. 'Anyway, if nothing's set in stone do you want to go with me and Harry?'

I blinked, surprised. 'Isn't Harry going with Ron? And I've noticed he's been getting pretty friendly with that girl as well – the one with curly hair'.

'Yes, but Ron's been banned from any group work after he duelled everyone on his last team because he thought they spread a rumour about how the Weasley's can communicate telepathically –'

'No they didn't', I said.

Neville blinked. 'Pardon?'

' I spread that rumour. Please continue.'

Neville looked slightly taken aback. 'Anyway, he's been banned and Hermione is doing the entire thing herself to prove that she can. So, do you want to partner up with us?'

I smiled at him. 'Nothing would delight me more, Nicholas'.

Charlotte scowled at me as we ate breakfast in the dining hall the next day. 'You promised to partner up with me and Felix. Now who are we going to go with?'

I tutted at her. She was not behaving as a proper minion should: the downfall, I supposed, of having Ravenclaw minions – critical thinking. 'Listen', I said, falling back on my old excuse. 'This is a chance to get closer to Harry Potter, the love of my life'.

She stared at me with narrowed eyes for a minute. 'Are you sure? I'll be honest, I sense absolutely 0 chemistry coming from either of you'.

'I'm shy'.

Charlotte continued to look mutinous. 'Sometimes I think you're lying to us'.

….

I gazed at Gilderoy as I handed him back my fully completed test. Staring straight into his eyes, I saw the calculated gaze of a genius look back at me: I realised his plan. To teach Defence Against the Dark Arts so appallingly that, in his long term plan, once he had risen to power in 10 years a majority of young witches and wizards would be unable to properly challenge him with their shoddy spell work, thus allowing his career as Dark Lord to being. It was flawless: despite my determination to prevent him, I couldn't help but feel impressed. As he smiled innocently back at me, I measured him up. Probably about 6 foot in height, medium build. I was about 5'5, slim in build so might not be able to kill him the old fashioned way, and I knew that Dumbledore now had McGonnagle acting as his detective following any teacher deaths in the school from Avada Kadavra, following one of my stunts when I was a student in the 50s.

So. I would have to think of other ways. Just as I began to daydream about shoving Gilderoy in front of the Whomping Willow, Ron poked me in the ribs. 'I think he's letting those pixie things out!' I watched as Lockhart unleashed a number of highly dangerous Cornish pixies upon a class of 12 year olds. Evidently his plot to kill not only Harry Potter but the entire generation of young students who might rise up against him was not as subtle as I thought: one pixie on its own was a nuisance, but banded together? They could cause serious ham. As I had expected, Lockhart feigned incompetence, thus leaving us to our own devices. Of course, one issue this posed for me was, if the students survived, this was an excellent learning experience for them in defensive magic, something I couldn't have as I needed no competition when I rose to power. I whispered Avada Kadavra in my head, each time directing the spell at another pixie. Screams filled the air.

'It's so sad', I said when Lockhart returned. 'They must have all had simultaneous heart attacks'.

As Nicole, Alex and I began to walk to the Great Hall for breakfast, I paused for a second. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ginny Weasley, her face as white as a sheet walking was a tense, almost pained expression on her face. For a moment I was about to go after her to see if she was alright, but then recalled that that would be showing empathy, which was not what I wanted. 'Draco? Are you coming?', asked Alex. I looked at them as they gestured to me to join as Nicole turned to continue walking. I joined them, not bothering to look at Ginny again. After all, it wasn't my business.

As I tucked into some bacon and eggs, Alex helped themself to a toasted bagel, looking at the entrance to the Great Hall, which Ginny had just walked through. 'There's something weird going on with that girl', they said. Nicole nodded in agreement, squeezing an unholy amount of golden treacle on her porridge.

I sighed. I knew where this was going: at around age 12 the hormones started bubbling up. 'Alex', I said. 'I know this might be a time of change and you might be experiencing some … feelings, but Ginny Weasley is not a suitable candidate for your affections. As my minion I feel it is my duty to warn you'.

Alex looked affronted. 'For fuck's sake Draco, I don't have a crush on her, I've just noticed she looks genuinely really unwell. I'm surprised the school haven't noticed yet'.

I raised an eyebrow at them. Children and their excuses.

…

We gathered in a large group around the cat, dripping blood. I looked around: surprise surprise, no Ginny Weasley.

Well, shit.

…..

During breaktime I accioed and then levitated Ginny's diary out of the window to her dormitory someone had left open. I opened it.

Listen you little bastard, I wrote. Stop trying to possess Ginny Weasley.

What are you going to do about it? The diary replied. I rolled my eyes. If I recalled correctly, I was around 15 years old when I had created this horcrux and evidently the part of soul inside it was still in its snarky teenager phase.

Look, I scribbled. My handwriting was messy because of the fury with which I was writing, making me press into the paper harder than normal, but I didn't care. The diary was fucking things up for my rise to power. Let it struggle to read what I was saying. You must realise by now that the Weasley girl is deeply connected to Harry Potter through her brother. He's unobservant, but even he is bound to notice at some point she's getting possessed, he'll tell Dumbledore and the jig is up.

Whatevs, the diary responded after a pause. You sound like an old man lol.

I flushed the diary down the toilet. It would end up in Ginny's hands anyway – she was too determined for me to be able to hide it from her – so I thought I could at least get my vengeance some way.

Does Charlotte, the Ravenclaw with critical thinking skills represent a change in society and Draco/Voldemort's evil ways finally being put to an end? Stay tuned for the next chapter to find out :-)