"That's a stupid system," Harry's objection was met with silence. The Hufflepuffs were seated in the eerily black common room, as their head of house had been explaining the house rules. The point system had seemed rather foolish to Harry, so he voiced his opinion. Why not? It was a free country, after all.

"Would you care to explain your thinking, Potter?" Asked Professor Sprout with a condescending expression. She doubted that the boy could fight for what he believed in. Alas, even she had fallen into the stereotype that Hufflepuffs were all wishy washy.

But Harry was determined to change that.

"The point system is awarded to people with the best participation in class, Yes? That gives advantage to Ravenclaws,"

Harry didn't believe in that one bit, but it sounded true enough, so most of the Hufflepuffs bought it. Though, their year's Zacharias Smith gave him a knowing look.

"And isn't it just encouraging teachers to play favorites? Clearly, they'd award more points to the students they prefer..." Harry trailed off, leaving the seeds of doubt growing in the minds of his fellow Hufflepuffs.

"Yeah," chimed in an older Hufflepuff, one with brown hair and sharp blue eyes, "It's not like the winners get anything anyway. Just a stupid cup."

"And losing points usually results in all your housemates hating you. What do the Muggles call it again? Peer pressure,"

The common room erupted with excited chatter, each jab at the house system more vicious. But those who supported the house system retorted with their own reasoning. Soon, the noise was so loud, with the arguments on top of arguments, that Professor Sprout had to use the amplifying charm to get them to hear her.

"Silence!"

They settled at her command, but their eyes still shone with the newfound challenge presented to them by the least likely candidate. They had all expected Harry to just keep his head down and go with the flow once he was sorted into Hufflepuff. But it looked like he was about to turn the tide. That was, if he could win this argument with their head of house.

"Would you care to explain how exactly you plan on destroying one of the most sacred traditions of Hogwarts?" Professor Sprout asked, skeptically. Harry decided that the best route was to turn his head of house's own words against her.

"I wouldn't call this destruction, Professor. Merely change," Harry let the word hang in the air for a moment. Everyone just loved change. "And everyone knows that most traditions are outdated and not suited to schools." Seeing that his words hadn't quite convinced them, he added, "I mean, could you imagine if we hadn't changed the tradition of corporal punishment?"

That shook them.

"And to answer your question, it wouldn't be all that hard. Just make the Professors have to deduct so many points that they get tired of it, and stop. But we'd have to get the other houses to be in on it as well...I could try talking to my brother to get Gryffindor on our side, I have enough friends in Slytherin, though Ravenclaw would be tough..."

"I have a sibling in Ravenclaw,"

"My boyfriend's in Ravenclaw,"

Before the chatter could get out of hand, Zacharias Smith cut in.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we're basically going to be breaking the school rules,"

"Oh please. Gryffindors get to break rules all the time,"

said a dark haired prefect.

"And they somehow end up winning the house cup almost every year. Another reason why this needs to end,"

"Silence!" Shouted Professor Sprout once again.

"I'm willing to let you get away with your little anarchy, but only if you do it together. So make up your minds,"

"Okay! Let's have a vote. Those of you who are against it, raise your hands,"

Reluctantly, a few hands went up. Harry wasn't surprised, on the contrary, he'd expected it.

"Well. That's it. Now off to bed, all of you. Prefects, show the first years to their dorms," Professor Sprout said, with a wave.

Harry, Zacharias Smith, and three other boys were led to their room. It was surprisingly dark and gloomy, with most shades of black, grey and even the yellow managed to look creepy.

"This is not what I signed up for as a Hufflepuff," muttered a wide eyed brunette. Harry had a feeling he wasn't just talking about their dorm room's color scheme.

A handsome boy with the slytherin badge on his robes, stood solemnly under a hemlock tree. Harry was vaguely aware of the cold, and rubbed his bare arms. It was winter, judging by the snow that coated the empty field. Yes. It was barren, except for Harry, the boy and the hemlock tree.

"You're not from this time, are you?" The boy asked, his startlingly red eyes clashing with Harry's green.

"What time?" Harry asked, "I thought this was just a dream."

The boy closed in the distance between them, the night sky dark against the snow that crunched under his boots.

"What is your name?" Up close, the red eyed boy gave off a menacing vibe. Harry felt obligated to answer, "Harry Potter. What's yours?"

The boy let out a bitter laugh. It somehow looked right on his sharp features.

"Harry, you know me best as Lord Voldemort."

No. Harry closed his eyes.

"This is just a dream. Just a dream,"

He said, backing away.

But Voldemort caught him by the wrists. His smooth slender fingers wrapped around Harry's calloused ones.

"Just a dream. I was hoping to make more of an impression,"

The dark lord pulled him closer, his mouth skimming Harry's ear, "I'm a nightmare, and don't you forget it."

Harry rolled his eyes. He pulled away from the man who claimed to be Voldemort, looking up at the slytherin. Dream or nightmare, he had just confirmed that this wasn't real. Empowered by that knowledge, he felt brave enough to ask, "Have you ever listened to blank space?"