Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I make money from this story.
A/N: Hi guys, no one has asked about it as i'm writing this, but I imagine people are confused why there was no troll and what happened with Quirrell. I imagine that Quirrell would have been stopped by Dumbledore, as he says he realised where he should be mid flight, so he could have saved the stone.
Chapter 7: The Malfoys and Rita Skeeter
Harry looked at the door in front of him with disdain; he as back. Taking a deep breath, Harry walked into the building and approached the matron's office to tell her that he was back and would be staying until September, he couldn't tell her he would be leaving early with the Malfoys.
He knocked on the door and waited for Mrs. Smith telling him to enter. The look of despair when she saw him was quite amusing, to Harry at least.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Smith," Harry said, keeping a mature and polite air. The look of despair didn't even get close to leaving her face though, despite her obvious trying.
The look on her face didn't surprise Harry, she knew it was him that did things to the boys in the orphanage, but even if she did have proof she would to be to scared to do anything about it.
"Harry, I thought you would be returning from Hogwarts academy to the academically gifted tomorrow," she said, trying, and failing, to hide her fear behind a fake smile.
"Yes, I apologise for that, I accidentally got the date wrong, it was all a matter of miscommunication, I apologise for the inconvenience."
That was, mostly true. It had been Harry's fault it happened, but it was not an accident and he also didn't care if it gave the woman any inconvenience. Harry had been trying to keep his communication with the - muggles as far apart as he can, after all.
"My room is still the same since I left, isn't it?"
"Yes, of course," Mrs. Smith said, seemingly insulted. Harry forgot that despite the fact she basically hated all the children and couldn't care less about their happiness, she still pretended to do her job well.
"Well, in that case, I will go to my room. I will be staying here until September the first, and then I will go back to school until around the same time as it is now. I will be staying in my room for the rest of today, as I have already had a lot of food on the train. I hope I will not be to much trouble this summer."
Harry suddenly sped off, and by the time she looked up he had gone. Letting out a sigh, she pulled out some champagne and started drinking herself away from reality.
A few days after Harry's return to the orphanage, he had established a routine that would require him being in his room away from the muggles a majority of his time. He had very quickly gone shopping in diagon alley for food.
It still surprised Harry that wizards just had a cupboard with cooling charms on it instead of a fridge, it would keep foods ripe that stayed in a fridge, like apples and things like that, but it would also freeze foods to keep them cold, like yoghurts, ice-cream, and things like that.
Having those magical things during the summer was a blessing. It kept him distracting from the muggles, and it would keep him attached to the wizarding world. He needed things like this, it helped him keep sane and assured him he hadn't gone mad, even though he doubted he would have come to that conclusion anyway. Harry also liked to read his magical books, to draw himself further away from the muggles, as he wanted to wipe out their existence, though he knew it was impossible so he would be fine with isolating wizard kind from their kind.
Even though he couldn't do magic out of school, he still picked up sticks from the ground and traced wand movements with them for practise.
However that wasn't all he was dedicating his time to. Being both the boy who lived and a Slytherin was more time consuming than he had expected. On one hand, it wasn't that bad, he did like a challenge after all. On the other hand, the whole Slytherins are evil thing was getting on his nerves. Yes, he was evil, but the fact that they suspected him despite him leaving behind no evidence for anything started to get on his nerves. It was near to impossible to follow along with his plan.
What he planned on doing was risky, he knew that, and some consequences would be rather bothersome, but he knew if he did this, even if he got it right just a little bit, the advantages would be higher than the disadvantage. Of course, he couldn't guarantee it would work, but in life you have to take risks, he thought.
The day after Harry decided what he wanted to do, an opportunity came his way.
He was in his room at the orphanage, waiting for the matron to do her rounds and come his way, when he heard a soft tapping at his window. Curious, he turned to the window and saw an owl tapping on it, if he hadn't seen the letter it had on its leg he would have assumed that it was just an ordinary owl. Shaking his head and letting out a laugh, he got off his bed and walked over to the window. He still found it weird that wizards used owls to deliver their mail, though he did have to admit that they were effective and had a great sense of direction.
The owls swooped inside the moment the window was opened, and landed on Harry's bed, before extending his leg.
Taking the letter, Harry looked closely at the owl, he could've sworn he'd seen it before.
"Well, considering the fact that you are still here, am I to presume your master wants an answer to their letter?" Harry asked, watching the owl carefully. When it hooted and turned its head to his desk, Harry shook his head; owls couldn't possibly be this clever normally, could they?
He opened the letter, and read.
Dear Harry,
We spoke about this during the train ride, but would you please come round my house for the rest of the summer? It will be fun, and if you play a game of quidditch with me, I will let you take as many books as you want from my library back to Hogwarts. We can try to invite some of the others round as well, but I will not do that unless you decide to come. Please send your reply back with Ares. If all goes well, we will be meeting you at the Leaky cauldron at 11 AM tomorrow.
Yours, Draco Malfoy
A small smile escaped Harry's face as he read the letter. Staying away from the orphanage, and earlier than he expected? He didn't need to think twice about it. Besides, he could see if the Malfoy library was as good as Draco boasted. He wrote a short, affirmative reply and gave it to Ares, the bird took flight and Harry shut the window as it immediately flew out. Harry sat on his bed, and started to read a book. Now he just had to wait for the perfect moment to tell the matron, and he would be able to leave the day after.
Half an hour later, Harry heard a sharp knocking on his door.
"Come in," Harry called, lifting his head up from his book. Just as he expected, the door opened and Mrs. Smith came walking through it.
"Hello Mrs. Smith."
"H-Hello Harry, l-lights out in - in an hour," She said, almost automatically at this point as she said it night after night.
He nodded, though before she could reach his door he called her. She froze. Harry never spoke to anyone at the orphanage, and he always liked to be left alone.
"Yes?" she asked, not even trying to keep the fear out of his eyes. Harr
y found it weird she was afraid of him, she couldn't actually prove anything was him, and the only evidence is that they upset him earlier in life, not that it means anything.
"I will be leaving tomorrow."
"W-What?" the fear in her eyes vanished, instead it got replaced my confusion.
"I said that I will be leaving this place tomorrow."
"I did hear what you said Harry, but I will not let you leave. You are my responsibility, and I will not be getting in trouble because of you
Harry withheld a sigh, his patience with the woman was running out. He had hoped she would just let him go considering she feared him so much. If it was a different situation he would have held a little respect to her, but in this case he was just annoyed.
"Mrs Smith, let's be honest. I don't like being here, and you don't want me here. With this into consideration, wouldn't you agree it's far better this way, as a friend from school invited me to come round and spend the holidays. Wouldn't it be better for you, and everyone else, to simply let me go?"
Multiple emotions flashed across Mrs Smith's face. She couldn't decide what mattered more, her desire to see him leave. Ultimately, as Harry knew she would, she picked her own desires, like most humans, and let him leave.
"Very well, will they be picking you up from here?" Mrs Smith asked, failing to hide her relief that he would be leaving early.
"No, I will be meeting them at the place I stayed last summer near the shops selling our school supplies, I will see you next year."
The matron nodded. After she left the room, Harry found it impossible to conceal a smile. He was finally free of the pathetic muggles. He packed his stuff, having no intention to stay the next morning.
The following morning Harry woke quite early, leaving to the Leaky Cauldron, he decided to have breakfast when he got there.
Harry had less trouble getting to the Leaky Cauldron than last year, not needing to ask the muggles about certain streets. Although it was only a little before half past seven, the pub was quite full and loud. He wasn't sure how many more times he would be pleased the general public didn't know what Harry Potter would look like. He couldn't possibly imagine how he would get to relax while he ate his meal.
Not wanting to stay upon those thoughts any longer, he made his way through the dingy pub to the bar.
"Good morning Mr Tom," Harry had to near enough shout to be heard above all the noise in the pub.
"Good morning lad, how may I help ya?" The old barmen asked, leaning over the counter in order to see and hear Harry better.
"May I please have some breakfast while I wait for my friend to arrive, hopefully it isn't too much trouble."
"No trouble at all, there is a table over in the corner over there," Tom pointed to a small corner in the room. "Just look at the menu, tap the food you want, and I will be there with it around ten minutes after that."
Harry, putting on the biggest smile he could manage, turned to Tom and said "thank you sir, I really appreciate it."
Harry went over to the table Tom had told him to go to, and ordered his food, he decided he would get a lot since he still had around two hours and twenty minutes until Draco arrived.
Just as Harry was finishing his chicken, bacon, and eggs, the fireplace behind the counter burst in green flames, and a blonde boy came out. Harry was sure that if he hadn't read about the floo network, he would've jumped. Instead, he just glanced over and quickly finished the last bit of his breakfast. Draco Malfoy ran over to Harry, ignoring all the looks he got, and all the people pointing at him. Before Harry knew what was going to happen, Draco ran at him with a huge hug, he quickly stopped though.
"Harry! I'm so glad to see you, we have to go with dad to knockturn alley, then we'll get our books while we are here, then we can go to the manor," Draco yelled excitedly, leading Harry over to his father. "My dad is trustworthy, but if I were you I'd keep your mask up for now."
When lucious looked at Harry, even his mask failed and he gaped. 'The child, his eyes are like the avada kedavra, his hair, it was black, but not like his father's, his hair was black like the darkest of spells,' he thought
"Hello Lord Malfoy, pleasure to meet you," Harry said, observing him closely.
"Please, call me Lucius, now, I'm sure Draco's told you what we will be doing, so if you don't mind we will be going now," Lucius said, leading the boys into Knockturn Alley.
"Well, we are here. Draco, usually I would take you in with me, but I have to sell a lot of stuff with all these raids the ministry is doing. Both of you, stay right here."
The boys nodded, and Lucius went inside the shop. Harry and Draco turned around, and saw two men, and a woman coming towards them, wearing only black, with dark grins on their faces.
"My,my,my these ones look… pretty, don't they Agatha?" one of the men said, turning to the woman.
"Yes, you two boys have the blonde one, I hear you killed the other bitch you had, I want that other boy."
Draco moved in front of Harry, and drew his wand. The adults laughed and all whipped theirs out as well.
"Do you little babies think you can take on us?" Agatha shouted, lunging at Draco.
Harry shoved Draco out of the way, and tapped the Woman's shoulder.
"You really thought it would be that easy? Draco, shall we play with them for a bit?" Harry asked, and Draco nodded with a grin on his face.
"My word!" Lucius gasped, looking through the window of the shop. He had used a listening spell on the boys, so he could hear everything from the inside.
Harry crushed his hand into his chest, and Agatha dropped onto the floor, she was dead. The sadistic smile on Harry's face grew, and one appeared on Draco as well.
"My lord, can I have that one?" Draco asked, motioning to the youngest of the two men.
"Why yes you can Draco, use the cruciatus curse, I'm sure that will be fun."
"Why, thank you my lord. Crucio!" Draco yelled, pointing his wand at the man he motioned at earlier.
The man screamed in pain, and Draco held the spell for a few minutes, before the man's eyes went blank, his soul being worthless. "Avada Kedavra!" The man was dead.
"Well, I gather that you were the ringleader of this group, yes? Now, tell me, will anyone notice if you were to… disappear?" The man shook his head, and turned around to run. "Draco, get behind me and cast a shield around yourself, it won't stop the effects but it will keep you sane if I focus on the man."
Draco did as instructed, and Lucius decided even though he was in the shop to do it as well.
"So, no one will notice you're gone. You were born as nothing. You have lived as nothing. You will die as nothing."
Harry released his magic, and forced it at the man. "Kneel," he instructed, and the man's legs shook and knocked him onto the ground. Lucius also couldn't keep a strong shield up and knelt, and Draco's legs quivered but Harry directed all his magic away from Draco, so he stayed up.
"Please stop! I will do anything!"
"Anything?" Harry asked, and Draco smiled, more sadistic than ever. Harry clenched his hand tighter, and laughed as the man's eyes went blank, and he started singing to himself.
Harry and Draco turned around.
"Oh wait, I forgot. You will die as nothing." Harry added, almost as a second thought, before the man dropped dead.
Lucius would never admit that he was impressed with a twelve year olds power, but he could barely stop himself from going out and pledging his allegiance.
"Mr Malfoy, who is that boy?" The owner of Borgin and Burkes asked, he too had been watching through the large window in front of the shop.
He wasn't going to reply, but then lucius remembered what Draco had told him during the Christmas holidays about someone defining the Slytherin Hierarchy in two minutes. He then remembered that his son had also told him that there was a new Slytherin court, and that he was in it.
"He is the King of Slytherin."
"B - But he's so young!"
"You have just seen a minor part of his power, and you are surprised that he's a king?"
" Well, no -"
"Exactly. Now, what have you seen here today?"
"N-Nothing, I have seen nothing. I don't pick a side Lucius, you know that. I just follow the winning one."
Lucius nodded, and left the shop.
"Boys, didn't I tell you to wait over here?"
"Sorry lor- Lucius. We were just looking around, we didn't go to far."
Lucius nodded. If he hadn't seen what happened, he would have believed the boy.
"Well, Let's go to Flourish And Blotts, then we won't need to come here again, until next year that is."
In Flourish and Blotts, Gilderoy Lockhart was signing books.
"Ahh, Mr Potter, have a free copy of my books and then take a photo with me," Gilderoy suggested, and a cameraman shoved him forwards.
"No thank you."
"But why? I am amazing after all."
"Well, I just don't want to, but I do sincerely apologise, if you want I'll pay for the books as I didn't have a photo."
Lockhart, wanting to keep up appearances, said "No, it's fine, tale the books."
Harry nodded, and turned around only for Ronald Weasley to step in front of him with his sister.
"Well, well, well, Potter, can't even go to a bookshop without being famous, I bet you have been buying dark stuff in Knockturn Alley."
"Weasel, and someone else who seems to be with you, I'm guessing… pet?"
The girl blushed, and Ron pushed her out the way and his dad came along.
"Lucius," Arthur growled, and Lucius was about to start a fight, but the look Harry was giving Ron made him change his mind, and he grabbed the boys and pulled them out of the shop. The last thing he did was slip a certain diary in Ginny Weasley's bag.
The floo powder that sent them home made Harry fall head first into the sofa. When he got taken to his room, he was impressed. There was a green bed, a black sofa, and a few books on a desk next to the bed.
"I hope it's ok my lord."
"Draco, it's just as good as my room at Hogwarts."
"Harry, Draco, I am going to Gringotts, are you coming? You can get some extra books at the bookshop, we only had time to get the school books last week."
Harry looked over at Draco, and muttered "Is the meeting with Skita for today?"
Draco nodded, and Harry turned to Lucius.
"Yes sir, we will come."
"Draco, when your father gets back if I'm not here tell him I went to the Leaky Cauldron to go to the toilet. If I am not out of the meeting then tell him you will look for me and meet in the private room."
Draco nodded, and sped to the bookshop.
"Sir, I have booked the back room under H.J.P, has miss Rita Skita came yet?"
Tom looked surprised that a child would use the room, but he sent him through after checking the list.
"Ahhh Mr Potter, can I call you Harry?"
"No, you will call me Lord Potter Miss Skeeter."
"Very well, to start of with -"
"Stop." It was a command, and she obeyed after feeling his magic.
"No quick quotes quill, put it away."
"Fine, now just tell me exactly what to write."
"Ok, so this article will be about…"
Harry left the room, and Draco rushed in.
"My Lord, how did it go?"
"It went well Draco, she knows her place…"
"Good my lord, father has already gone through the fireplace, we will meet him there."
Harry nodded, and they had a meal at the Leaky Cauldron before leaving.
"My lord, we should be going, my father will be worried."
A/N: I really appreciate the support on this story, it has taken up 27 pages on google docs so far, and it has 1700 views, give or take a few. As usual, please leave reviews and if you like this then favourite and/or follow.