"Headmaster, you wished to see me?" Rodrick questioned, a passive expression on his face. He had some idea of what the headmaster had wanted to talk about... That was an understatement, there were so many things to consider... It wasn't worth the effort to try and figure out which specific topic.

Dumbledore offered the bowl of lemon sherbets, amusement taking over as one of the only students in the castle willingly took the sweet. "Yes, I did, I was hoping you might have some insight regarding the current event's occurring,"

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at the words, there were hundreds of things going, the most recent was regarding the escaped Pettigrew, the event having happened a few days ago.

"I am gonna need you to be more specific," He quipped, "Although I don't see how I might know something you aren't already aware of."

Dumbledore chuckled at the words, the boy had known quite a bit before him, it was what intrigued him the most. "As it so happens your friendship with Malfoy certainly gives you some level of information I would have trouble acquiring,"

"I hadn't thought you approved of my friendship with the Malfoys"

Dumbledore appraised the boy in front of him, "Perhaps at the start, I was worried what kind of path Malfoy would try to lead you towards,"

"And you no longer have that worry?" Rodrick questioned.

Dumbledore proceeded to plop another sweet into his mouth before speaking, "While I am still worried about the sort of magic you seem to favour, the fact is you've managed to deal Voldemort quite a powerful blow,"

Rodrick blinked a few times, wondering if the headmaster had found out about his plot regarding Pettigrew, he didn't think Lucius was the type of person to willingly give that information, especially to Black. "I am afraid you've lost me there," He remarked, perhaps something else had happened.

Dumbledore was rather surprised the boy hadn't considered his actions to be all that important, it was thanks to him that the Horcrux in Harry Potter was no longer a problem, not to mention the Black Horcrux itself. Who knows how difficult it would've been to find it, considering it'd gone unnoticed for quite a while, completely under their noses. That was not even taking account of the boy's second year, while he may not have destroyed that Horcrux himself, his help in finding the chamber as well killing the Basilisk had indirectly led to the diary's destruction.

"It's rather remarkable for you to admit that, any other wizard your age would've boasted quite openly about what they'd managed,"

Rodrick shrugged to the headmaster's amusement, "Perhaps someone like Draco... Although I doubt Potter would've boasted about it,"

Dumbledore nodded at that, "Indeed, young Harry is unlikely to do such a thing.." That was another thing, the boy had managed to befriend both students from both houses and the surprising part was, neither side had begrudged him for it. He'd certainly heard less vulgar language coming from both sides, well at the very least from Slytherin.

"So, what events are you referring to?" Rodrick asked.

"For one thing, I am quite concerned regarding Lucius Malfoy sudden involvement with Azkaban, I was curious as to whether the man had another agenda,"

Rodrick nodded, "I wouldn't be surprised,"

A frown etched itself on Dumbledore's face, "I take it you don't know?"

Rodrick shook his head, "I do, although I wouldn't worry too much about it,"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at that, "Curious for you to say that, I am quite concerned as to what he could be planning with those death eaters, he's been seen requesting private audiences with most of them,"

Rodrick nodded once again, "Even then, I assure you, it's nothing to worry about," He could see the man was about to interject and so he added on, "Should it become a problem, I'll be sure to inform you,"

Dumbledore relaxed back into his seat at the words, "Very well," The fact he'd admitted to knowing about Lucius reasoning was more then he'd expected.

The two set into a small silence before the headmaster questioned him on another event that had occurred, "Do you have any idea as to what happened with Pettigrew?"

Rodrick was tempted to lie, instead, he simply shrugged. "Who knows?" it was true, he had no idea what had occurred... At Malfoy Manor in any case. "How did Black react?" Rodrick decided to give his own question.

"Surprisingly, the man was rather calm about the occurrence, stating the rat would eventually get caught and sentenced,"

Rodrick was surprised, he had expected much more of a lash out... Perhaps his small hour of freedom had calmed down a lot of the anger he'd had for the rat. "To give him some credit, the last time he chased Pettigrew, he wound up in Azkaban" Rodrick deadpanned.

Dumbledore shook his head wistfully at the words, "Indeed, perhaps he's decided his responsibility to his godson was more important," He was relieved, to say the least regarding the arrangement. The Black family home was secure, very secure in fact, he'd been surprised to see just how many wards the previous lords had deigned necessary, and Harry Potter seemed to have far more energy then he'd ever remembered. He idly wondered how Harry would've turned out had he truly grown up under Sirius Black's care... No doubt he would've been a troublemaker.

"Headmaster..." Rodrick started, a curious expression on his face.

Dumbledores attention was quickly brought back to the boy in front of him, he found him with one of his hands around the hourglass necklace. "Yes?" Dumbledore remarked, curious.

Rodrick wasn't sure how to go about his question, he wanted to find out why he was suddenly seeing all those different chords coming out of everyone, he'd been especially surprised to see his potion professors and more importantly his defence one... He was shocked, to say the least. the man's core was completely surrounded by cursed magic. He idly wondered how his own would look, he knew his curse while smaller was more than likely far more destructive. "You see... Ever since I'd started wearing this necklace... I've been seeing strange... well chords coming out of different wizards..."

Dumbledore appraised the boy in front of him, slowly processing the words before he chuckled. "That would certainly explain a lot of things," the man remarked.

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at that, wondering what the man could mean.

"Being able to see such things is an inherent ability called mage sight, few wizards are born with it but thanks to it they can see magic itself, it is especially useful when it comes to potions and perhaps runes, I suppose the hollow around your neck must've unlocked that ability for you,"

Before Rodrick could respond, the headmaster decided to add on.

"It is also possibly why you are even capable of casting Magical Extraction in the first place, being able to see what your extracting certainly makes it far easier,"

Rodrick nodded numbly at that, "Why did I only receive it after putting on the hollow?"

Dumbledore took a few moments to think over the question... Slowly he came to a conclusion he wasn't entirely sure of but with nothing else... "Perhaps it's due to the mind shield instilled into your eyes, both pieces of magic require your eyes to function, perhaps the hollow surrounding your neck allowed you to use both?"

Rodrick frowned at the words, "Does that mean I am draining more of my energy?"

"Perhaps..." The headmaster answered unsurely, "Only time will tell,"

Rodrick almost scoffed at the words, he'd wanted to ask about his professors but felt it wouldn't be his place too. Besides he had plenty on his plate as it was.

"Is that all?" Rodrick questioned, he still had plenty of things he needed to get done to start off the war, Malfoy was currently outside waiting for him. Getting more irritated by the minute no doubt.

Dumbledore nodded his head towards the boy but raised a hand, "Although I was hoping you could show me the book where you'd learnt the spell,"

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at that, "Which one, Magical extraction or the other one," there was a tone of disgust to the second part.

Dumbledore blinked at the words, realising he'd learnt the destructive magic from a cursed book... Exactly what kind of other spells where there? "Magical Extraction. I do hope you'll keep the other one secured well enough though..." He doubted he could convince the boy to avoid it altogether.

Rodrick nodded amiably before he reached into his bag and retrieved the potions book.

He took a notice of the kind of potion's available before he frowned, having recognised none of them. He did note though that all of them almost heavily relied on the user been capable of performing magical extraction, whatever these potions were made to do, it was no doubt powerful if at the very least the user had to be capable of performing magical extraction. Staring at the boy in front of him, the only one currently capable of performing the piece of magic, he felt glad he wasn't on the wrong side. Even then, as he read over some pages... The way it was written...

Rodrick quickly prompted the headmaster to the start of the book, "The first hundred or so pages are on Magical extraction."

Dumbledore nodded slightly at that, surprised at the extensive amount of knowledge, as he swept through each page, he found more and more clusters of information... It was then it clicked to him. "This isn't explaining how to perform the magic. This is explaining the magic itself and how it works..."

Rodrick shrugged at the words, "What's the difference..."

Dumbledore hummed along thinking of an explanation, "For starters, Imagine I gave you some ingredients and told you to make a potion, then I told you what that potion did to different subjects... Without actually telling the correct actions required to make the potions itself."

Rodrick blinked at the words, confused. "I see... I mean it wasn't really difficult to understand... Just took a long time."

"It's remarkable you were able to make sense out of this for your age, I know potions masters who wouldn't have understood the meaning..."

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at that, "I don't understand."

Dumbledore sighed, "There is nothing here that suggests that Magical extraction is possible, this is all theory. Whoever wrote this didn't actually prove that they work,"

Rodrick expression didn't budge, "I don't understand, when I was going through it, it seemed relatively straightforward. It just took a lot of time, the incantation was even written in,"

Dumbledore nodded, "Even still, this is all explaining how the magic is supposed to work, you are likely the first person to actually attempt it and succeed for that matter..."

Rodrick nodded slowly, "I doubt a lot of people have tried it... Considering what my grandfathers did to the book and all his other 'possessions'"

"The curses surrounding this one apply to other items?" Dumbledore questioned.

Rodrick knew he was asking about the Horcrux itself, "I wouldn't call the charms on that book curses... You should see some of the other items... Especially this one," he remarked pointing to the necklace, "This one is downright screwed up..."

...

"Took you long enough," Rodrick heard someone say. He knew it was Malfoy, there was no else around.

"Don't start," Rodrick remarked as he made his way away from the gargoyle guarded door.

"So what'd he want?" Malfoy asked curiously.

"Not much really," Rodrick answered absentmindedly, his thoughts elsewhere.

Malfoy twitched slightly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment, quickly handing it over to a bemused Grindelwald.

"What's this?" Rodrick questioned.

"A workable plan" Malfoy shrugged.

Rodrick blinked before he read over what was written, his eyes widened slightly. "Warrington? the fifth year?" He questioned curiously.

Malfoy shook his head amused, "He's in the sixth year but yes, he's most likely your biggest problem"

Rodrick sighed, "I had thought he wouldn't be one, I am aware he has a relatively large amount of influence... I am not sure why. Still, he was quite cooperative with the whole Black vote incident,"

Malfoy sneered at the words. "Very very different from starting a war... The black vote had no way of actually effecting Slytherin. As to how, well let's just say his father's an irritating Half blood..."

"How does a Half-blood have that much influence?" Rodrick questioned curiously.

"Say's the orphan," scoffed Malfoy.

Rodrick ignored the barb, "So, how?"

"His father's a high ranking Auror... There are some rumours saying Warrington sicced the man onto any families whose children caused him problems, reporting any cursed items and the like, people stopped going against him after that," he remarked. The blonde had a bemused expression on his face as he watched the other slowly take in the information. The expression on his face showed a touch of fear. 'I doubt he's afraid of him...' He doubted Grindelwald even knew the meaning of the word.

"I had no idea it was illegal to have cursed items..." Rodrick remarked mostly to himself... "The ministry definitely can't see my vault..." There was a haunted look on the boy's face.

...

Daphne had been speaking with her sister and Tracey at the Slytherin dungeons, they were currently sat in the middle, taking up both couches. Nott and Blaise ahead of them on the other couch. She noticed most of the house currently around the common room, they'd only just heard from Nott. Apparently, Malfoy had asked them all there, which meant Rodrick was about to pull off a stunt.

The only non-Slytherin who knew what was going on was Lovegood.

The only Slytherin not about to find out was their head of year.

Her attention quickly snapped towards the door as she watched it open revealing Rodrick and Malfoy. She was about to get up before she saw Rodrick shake his head. Instead she, and everyone else whose attention the orphan suddenly took, watched as the two walked up towards them, Malfoy decided to simply take a seat beside Blaise, his two goons suddenly appeared out of nowhere behind him, almost like a wall. Rodrick on the other hand, walked ahead towards their side, she had been expecting him to sit.

Rodrick walked towards Daphne before quickly lowering his head to kiss her forehead, quickly turning her red in front of everyone else. A grin left on his face.

"Malfoy what'd you tell him to do?" She heard Nott remark barely suppressing his laughter at the look on the girl's face.

Rodrick chuckled before pulling himself up and continuing on. It was Malfoy's idea. he had no problems with it.

"I said no such thing," Malfoy of course lied. He'd told him to annoy her... Not what he'd had in mind.

Tracey couldn't face her best friend, she knew she'd start laughing immediately.

Astoria didn't even notice.

The small group's attention however quickly switched over towards Rodrick, they watched as he walked into the literal centre of the room and whistled off to grab everyone's attention.

Cassius Warrington frowned as he watched the Slytherin orphan call for everyone's attention. "What does he want now..." He muttered to himself, he wasn't sure what to feel regarding the third year, he certainly helped the house... The last time he wanted everyone's attention was for the black vote which as things stood clearly didn't pay off.

"Don't like him much?" Farley commented amused.

Cassius sneered at the girl before turning his attention back to the third year, 'Prefects... always irritating to deal with,'

"Loosen up will you," Farley huffed as she towards Rodrick, "He'll take wonderful care of the house once we're gone,"

"I still have a year left unlike you," Cassius remarked dangerously, and god was he glad to have her out of his way. She was one of the few whose family he couldn't just threaten... There was nothing to threaten with. "I don't see what the big deal is anyway,"

"He's cute," she answered to irritate him. She remembered him fancying her at some point. She had nothing against him... Other than the fact he'd called Aurors to one of her friend's places, a move that had ended up with her friend's father losing a promotion.

Cassius growled before focusing on what the brat was demanding, his anger flared...

...

"You want to start a bloody war with everyone?" One voice growled out from the back, Rodrick turned his attention, surprise evident on his face. When his eyes landed on Cassius he let out a sigh.

"I want to start a war with Gryffindor... The others will have to join of their own accord of course,"

Some chuckled at the words. Cassius wasn't amused.

"No," he simply remarked. "You're not starting a war. we have the lead, I don't intend to just let you throw it!" The teen snapped. The calm expression on the boy's face only aggravated him more.

"Do the rest of you feel the same way?" Rodrick questioned as he turned his eyes away towards the others. He found most of them in hushed conversations, no doubt trying to figure out which way to go. He did notice some of them were uncomfortable, their eyes travelling back and forth between Cassius. Rodrick inwardly chuckled. He silently hoped Malfoy knew what he was doing...

Eventually, most the Slytherin's gave their thoughts, most agreed it would be too risky to openly start a war, especially with the lead they had. Rodrick had nodded to each answer content.

"Doesn't matter, I already told you, I ain't letting you start a war," Cassius' voice rumbled through the halls, gaining everyone's attention again.

"Oh? So you speak for everyone else then?" Rodrick questioned amused.

Cassius didn't react, instead, he watched as Rodrick simply asked most of the room whether they had to obey Cassius or not.

"Say I was for the war and dear old Cassius was against, don't take house points into account..." He started with a smirk. He knew he wouldn't get the boy to agree with him. Malfoy made that clear enough. "Who would you lot follow?"

He waited, waited for most of the people to make their choices.

Silence, there were some wanderers who chose him and those who chose Cassius, Rodrick's friends didn't budge. The majority of the room, however, remained silent.

'They won't follow Cassius... but they won't openly admit to following me,' Rodrick thought.

Cassius Warrington wasn't amused.

"Very well," Rodrick remarked, smiling. "Say that you're the voice of the people," he started off, his hands held firmly behind his back. His black hair, falling freely, covering his left eye.

"What?" Cassius remarked bemused.

"Is your only complaint regarding the house points? is that the ONLY reason you're against this war?" Putting emphasis on the word.

Cassius slowly turned around, glancing at everyone around the room... He could feel an intense amount of pressure coming from the boy... It couldn't be his magic... There was no way... He felt cold seep into his spine when he remembered the fact the boy had killed a Basilisk... Slowly, however, he shook his head. 'Rumours... They just have to be...It's not possible for a 12-year-old...'

"Yes," Cassius answered promptly, in all honesty, he'd almost forgotten the question.

"I see," Rodrick smiled, a cold smirk lining his face as he practically stared through Warrington. "Malfoy... If you'll please..." he remarked chuckling.

Cassius could feel something slowly sink upon him as he turned towards Malfoy, the boy slowly rose up. That was one of the only brats he wouldn't dare cross, the father had connections that could leave his family on the streets...

"Well it's a good thing you already bought the house cup, isn't it Rodrick?" Malfoy remarked, a smirk on his face as he crossed his arms, daring. Simply daring Warrington to call him out on it.

"That Black vote..." Cassius remarked to himself completely lost...

"That settles it. We have a war to start," Rodrick concluded as he let off a mock bow towards Warrington.

Cassius felt his veins turn cold at the action... 'He dares mock me!?' he could slowly hear the laughter in the room swell up.

With one last glare towards Rodrick, he promptly turned and walked away.' Just you wait...'

Rodrick shrugged off the strange sudden chill before he went back towards his friends. He took a seat beside Greengrass and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Feeling better?" Rodrick questioned the girl, an amused smile on his face.

Daphne rolled her eyes before whispering something in his ear.

"You wouldn't!" Rodrick suddenly exclaimed. Feeling more and more worried as he watched the girl simply smile in response...

"What'd she say?" he heard Tracey suddenly ask. The girl had, for some reason decided to take a seat on the other couch, beside Nott. He noticed Blaise in her old seat, Astoria between him and Daphne.

'Nott said something stupid again...' Was the only thing Rodrick could think off.

"She threatened to sell off his potions book to the best buyer," Astoria answered, her attention still on a textbook.

"That, you heard?" Rodrick scoffed.

"I agree with her," Blaise suddenly added on, thinking it was a worthwhile idea.

"That's why you keep getting History book's Blaise," Rodrick fired back.

"At least he gets something" Nott whispered. He'd almost cursed himself thinking someone had heard him. Turning he found Tracey staring at him, a bemused expression on her face.

"You know saying things like that is-" Tracey started.

"Shush!" Nott promptly called out, "Before these idiots call me a Hufflepuff!" he managed to utter without shouting.

Tracey blinked before chuckling, "Hufflepuffs are cute,"

Nott wondered how many brain cells the girl was missing.

"When's your birthday?" Tracey decided to question.

Nott buried his head in his hands.

"What'd you do to the Hufflepuff?" Malfoy questioned amused.

"When are we starting the war?" Blaise questioned.

"When are we going to get food?" Astoria decided to join in.

"When will you idiot's shut up?" Rodrick felt inclined.

"When you stop doing stupid things," Daphne answered him with a smile.

There was a small moment of silence.

"So never?" Nott remarked, breaking the said silence, lifting his head from his hands. He held back a twitch as he'd realised everyone else had already gotten up to leave.

"Come on then," he heard Tracey call out to him from behind the couch.

'I need better friends...' he thought to himself before facepalming. 'That's why- For the love of god Nott, focus!' he shook his head as he followed the red-haired witch.

...

A couple days later...

The small group of Slytherin third years, all but Rodrick, walked on towards the intended meeting spot. Daphne was the first to notice him ahead. They couldn't waste too much time... They had Potions to worry about.

"Is that-" Daphne started, Rodrick was currently talking to two very familiar twins.

"What's he planning?" Malfoy questioned with furrowed brows and, naturally, a sneer.

"Hmm...Well, he wants a war... Figures he'd talk to them..." Nott decided to answer.

"How does that even..." Blaise remarked before he shook his head, "There the people that aren't supposed to know, unless you're suggesting they'd- Oh my god he's gonna make them start the war isn't he?"

"Sounds about right," Nott shrugged.

"Sounds like him alright," Daphne remarked.

"You'd know wouldn't you Greengrass," Malfoy remarked, a smirk and glint in his eye.

"Shove off Malfoy," Daphne remarked, sticking her nose up as she walked past him. Tracey chuckling behind her.

"Why do we put up with them again?" Malfoy asked the two remaining boys.

Blaise raised an eyebrow at the blonde, "You do realise they're close friends compared to you, right?" he remarked causing the boy to scoff.

"I thought it was because of Rodrick..." The start of the sentence almost sent Malfoy into a fit of laughter. "Almost everything's his fault," Nott finished, on surprisingly stable grounds he'd realised.

"What's Potter doing here!?" Malfoy suddenly exclaimed, turned towards the opposite direction, he'd spotted the three Gryffindors walking towards them.

"I imagine their going to get food..." Blaise added on calmly. "You do realise the way to the hall is through here? Don't you?"

Malfoy didn't hear him, already cursing the approaching Gryffindor's, It took three spells before the boy was quickly silenced by Granger.

"You know, we should leave Malfoy to his own element's, he's more than capable of instigating an apocalypse," Nott remarked with an amused expression.

"You're really creepy you know that?" Blaise replied.

...

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at the right twin, "So what do you say? Think you can help?" he questioned.

George shared a glance with his brother before turning back to the Slytherin Poltergeist. "So let me get this straight, you want us to put, this?" he remarked pointing towards the potion in the boy's hand. "Into the Ravenclaw's food? because-"

"-You want to start a war with them?" left twin finished.

"Pretty much, think you can do it?" Rodrick questioned.

"Why Ravenclaw?" Fred had to ask. They were definitely doing it, and definitely making sure he didn't follow them to the kitchen but he wanted to know his excuse.

"Do I need a reason?" Rodrick shrugged.

The two shared a glance at the words before shaking their heads.

"Other than two idiots annoying me anyway... The less reason I have the less likely I'll get caught"

The words earned raised eyebrows before a small smile took over the twin's faces.

"As good a reason as any," George remarked amused.

"What about your Ravenclaw friend?" Fred decided to ask.

"She'll be sitting with us" Rodrick chuckled before handing over the potion. "Good luck," he remarked.

The two twins grinned before giving a mock bow and leaving, idly grabbing Potter from his friends on the way.

"What do you two want? And what did Rodrick ask?" Harry asked. They'd been momentarily stopped by Malfoy before he'd been hexed to oblivion, ironically the git's friends seemed much calmer around them. Harry Potter for the hundredth just couldn't understand how Rodrick could be friends with the blonde git.

"Nothing," both twins answered in unison, "And we need the map,"

...

Rodrick was idly listening to Daphne, his eyes, however, were stealing glances curiously at the twins who were slowly walking away with Potter, he raised an eyebrow when he saw Harry pull out parchment before all three had disappeared behind a corner.

"Oh just go," Daphne remarked shaking her head, before turning her attention to an amused Tracy

With a blithe smile, he put on a disillusionment charm, he idly stopped by his three friends before transfiguring Nott to look like him, to their friends surprise. He then proceeded to whisper a warning to the boy.

"Trick Daphne in any way and I'll have you in Hufflepuff by the end of the week," before he swept past two confused students and one mildly pale Nott.