This is a repost as I really didn't like the way it read before. Friendships and responsibilities are so bothersome heehee.

Those that believed Slytherin's reaction to Hermione had been overkill had obviously never been present immediately after a Slytherin Quidditch team lost to Hufflepuff, and lost their top spot in the school league as a result.

Heri had often marvelled at how sport could create mass hysteria in a way that nothing else could. In the past he'd found it a passing curiosity, even once attending a Super Bowl in order to soak up the mass amount of human energy overflowing throughout the stadium. However he'd never before been the focus of that hysteria.

Flint was now under more pressure than ever to re-join the team and Heri was being harassed to make that happen. As though he had anything to do with the situation…

Slytherins he'd never spoken to before were approaching him and even his friends were on his case. Daphne had pointed out, with a sly smile, how it might be interesting to nurture the fine ruthlessness Flint showed on the pitch. Heri had noticed that the girl was quickly learning how to manipulate him to action. He supposed it was what made her such a good socialite. When Hermione accused him of purposefully sabotaging their house, he felt like he'd stepped into some twilight zone and excused himself, fleeing to the privacy of the forest to meditate.

"He's been spending quite a lot of time alone lately." Daphne observed as the rest of them settled down to lunch.

"He's working on something." Draco said dismissively, as he watched Flint enter the great hall and make his way over to his own section of the table.

"Something to do with shadows." Hermione added before turning to cross reference her Herbology notes with Neville's.

"Can't you do something about it?" Nott asked Draco, earning nods of agreement from many other first years. Draco leaned back and quietly watched Flint for a moment more before standing. He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, but bolstered by the others be threw on a fake confidence and strode up to the older boys.

"Flint, how's it going?" He began in a voice that belied any nervousness he felt. Flint and his friends turned to acknowledge the Malfoy heir. Nobody knew exactly what had happened to Flint, not even his closest friends and family, but everyone suspected enough to know to give Heri's little band a modicum of respect. 'Better safe than sorry' was the opinion of most. Never mind that Draco had his own growing reputation after the troll incident.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Montague asked on behalf of his friend but, before he could respond, the twins came over and shoved him aside.

"Whatever he's about to say…"

"Ignore it!"

"You want to trust us on this, Marcus."

"He's up to no good!" One of the twins finished as Draco got back to the table, managing to push his way between the two.

"Get lost, losers." He growled, earning a dramatic show of offence taken and Fred mimicked his heart being cut out and George began a fake cry.

He ignored them both.

"We've been thinking," he began, no clue as to what he was about to say but sounding like he owned the place. "And we think it might be best for you to take up your old position on the team." Flint let out a groan, well used to this topic of conversation by now. Before he had the chance to brush Draco off however, he continued, his face and tone hardening as he gathered his magic to himself, ready for any reaction from these older, violent boys. "You don't seem to understand. You're going to re-join the team. If you like I will assist in your managerial duties," at that Blaise and Ron, who joined him at some point gave a loud groan, knowing Draco had just invited himself to be co-captain in all but name. There would be no living with him now.

"You can't deny the contribution you made to the team." Daphne added. It really was a bizarre thing to see as she and Hermione stepped up to join the others: as soon as Draco made his move, the rest of them had been ready to back him up, even the Gryffindors were there in case the older boys lashed out as they were known to do. Nobody would believe a Malfoy being supported by Weasleys and muggleborns if it wasn't such a regular occurrence nowadays.

"I'm not talking about this again. I'm not into it anymore and I'm not playing again." Flint's voice was strong but he froze when Hermione finally joined in.

"I think that's probably a lie, no?" Flint's posture became so painfully stiff with tension at her accusation of lying that Pucey stood from across the table to intervene, but before he could say what was no doubt going to be some terribly rude rebuke to the muggleborn, Flint forced himself to speak up.

"I, I didn't." He started shakily. He would never forget learning how Herido Addams felt about being lied to, and though Hermione hadn't been there for that particular lesson, she had participated and seen him utterly broken and he couldn't help but associate her voice with her more violent friend. He held the table with an iron grip, determined to stay strong. "I swear, I just,"

"I think it would be best for you to re-join the team." Draco repeated and the steel in his eyes left no doubt with anybody present that this was a genuine suggest, no, this was a command. Flint looked up at the mixed group looking down on him expectantly and finally sent a resigned sigh in Draco's direction.

"Ok, I suppose I could see how it goes." He really didn't see any other way to answer.

As they calmly walked back to their own seats, Draco grinned like he'd been given the keys to the kingdom. Hopefully he wouldn't be moaning for a while.

But of course, Draco Malfoy could moan for England and it turned out that in addition to being a quick study in the kitchen, Ron was a brilliant chess player and when a Malfoy continuously lost to a Weasley, they got whiny, but it was ok, because in this instance he also got bitchy and Ron was even more easy to provoke nowadays. Physical fights were not uncommon, but Draco was good enough to hold his own against the cursed boy. It was especially funny to be around when Hermione would catch them fighting instead of studying – last time she nearly decapitated the two of them with a quill.

Voldemort had noticed a shift in the student population since the start of term. The power and respect demanded by Herido and his friends was becoming more obvious with each passing week and the student population as a whole seemed all too happy to mind them. It was subtle and rather tenuous, but it was there. On top of that the apparent defection of Ronald Weasley had disturbed a great many. The child was as indoctrinated in the ideology of the Light as they came, but since his sickness he only ever really sought the company of Addams' little circle. Nobody could quite put their finger on what had changed in him – he seemed the same as always in many ways, but there was just something; perhaps a lack of concern for how he was perceived that was such an obvious insecurity to him before. Even Dumbledore was unnerved that the next generation of such a loyal family had been lost to the dark, while he could only sit back and watch.

As Gomez and Morticia listened to Herido's update, they could help but be a little impressed at his/his friends' progress. Ok, so they were mostly impressed that their son had kept these children around for so long without breaking them in one way or another, but Morticia especially also appreciated how they'd all changed. She knew the dark forces were aligning in the UK and was proud at the possibility that her son was contributing to it – whatever 'it' would turn out to be.

She listened with a knowing smile as he moaned about Hermione's high standard when it came to sacrificial magic.

"But you set her on this path by allowing her to find her own balance. You must be patient, my little baby bat." She said, indulgence heavy on her voice, but completely missed by Herido, who just sulked at how difficult it was to humour his friends. Hermione would only sacrifice people whom she decided were deserving of death. She had no problem killing such people, but relied on Heri to find and hunt them down, when he was happy to simply sacrifice anyone he happened to come across. And then there was Neville, would refused to participate in any sacrificial magic at all, though he didn't object to the others partaking and enthusiastically embraced defensive and healing dark arts. Ron was only just getting used to going off campus alone or with his brothers to hunt and he'd had to take an entire week out of school to take Daphne to Milan as he'd promised. He'd made his own fun of course, but suspected 'earthquakes' aside, the week had been torture and he was beginning to question whether having friends was really worth it. It was the first time in years that he'd had to remind himself to welcome hardship and sorrow.

"How are things going with your professors?" Gomez pressed in an attempt to both distract Heri from the responsibility of his (newly discovered), friendships and to ensure his son was being treated well enough.

"Oh yes, darling, how about the nervous servant and the one with the handsome pallor and the long black, black hair." Gomez looked to his wife as though betrayed by her impressed tone. She took his face in her hand. "Querido." She reassured as she stroked his cheek. "I've been your since that first day you carved my name in your leg." The children merely rolled their eyes, but Heri was put at ease by the familiar display.

While his parents were otherwise engaged, he shared with the others his concerns about Snape.

"Boil him!" Grandmamma cried. "I'm sure he has enough in his system to make an interesting ingredient." She punctuated this with mad cackling, while uncle Fester suggested which potions might be most interesting to try out.

Wednesday advised he should confront the man immediately, before someone noticed something was going on between them. When Pugsley joined in with suggestions, Heri realised they were just trying to make him do something bad enough to get expelled. Pfft! Like he'd get caught.

In the end it only took another week of avoidance for him to decide to confront Snape.

He stayed back after potions class with a sigh. Might as well get it over with, he thought.

"You were dismissed Mr. Addams." The man said immediately after noticing Heri was still there, looking at him expectantly.

"I go where I like." He returned with a shrug.

Snape had had enough of the brat already.

"This is my classroom. Get out!" Heri was waiting for a hostile response, so no sooner had the words left the professor's lips that every table, bench and chair in the room was violently smashed and ripped apart behind him. To his credit, Snape recovered quickly, lowered his shield and rounded on Heri, looming over him threateningly. Heri merely folded his arms and raised an eyebrow in challenge. Snape couldn't understand how nobody had killed the annoying brat yet.

"Detention!" He declared with a scowl that ill-concealed his murderous intent. "All week!" Heri looked bored and Snape stepped back in a preventative measure. Perfected though his self-control was, he wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself if he just lifted his hand to the boy's neck and… "Starting tonight. You will return here and return everything to its prior condition." A second later he realised he didn't want the boy here at all.

"I'm busy." Heri informed him as though it were a trifling matter. The man's wand was drawn before Heri could finish the next sentence. "Now, I actually came to discuss how you've been ignoring…" Heri just managed to dodge a nasty hex, but was quietly impressed that Snape would attack him in the middle of school. A curse would have been more interesting, but it was a start. He quickly raised his own wand and shot out a curse, hoping the man would get the message and up the ante. To his disappointment though, Snape blocked it and but didn't parry. Time to change tact then.

"How dare you…" Snape started, but paused when Heri summoned a broken piece of metal, alert now for any physical attack.

"I'm sure you've seen this spell before?" Heri's stance was combat ready, but he spoke casually. "It rips limbs off larger objects with such force that the kinetic energy rebounds and snaps any larger pieces in two. It's more amusing as a form of execution, of course." Snape's scowl deepened with something between disgust and respect as he waited for Addams to get to the point. "My baby sister thinks it's a little too quick though, so I've been planning to experiment with it: see if I can slow the process down or even isolate it to fingers et cetera."

Snape stepped back up.

"I won't be threatened by a little boy!"

"Of course not." Heri conceded as he ran a finger along the mangled edge of metal. "Besides, you're a traitor," Snape was a little taken aback by the candour. "I'm sure you have a world of pain in your future. But there are billions of other people in the world. Your godson, for example." He continued with a sly smile. "Perhaps he would allow me to practise on him. I know how fond you are of him."

Snape was out and out appalled now. He didn't know what this thing in front of him was, but it wasn't a Potter. He could see that now. If anything it was more like a juvenile Voldemort. Terrifying.

"He thinks you're his friend!" He grasped to find some decency left in the boy.

"I am his friend." Heri defended, and he meant it completely. "This is why I'm sure he'll let me. Oh, I'm sure there would be begging involved," He batted the words away with a hand as though they were inconsequential. "But in the end he'd forgive me." Snape really was horrified now. The boy was a devil. He didn't know what had gotten into Addams today but he had to put a stop to it now. Then he remembered what the boy had said earlier; what had started all of this.

"You will report to the grounds keeper at 7pm and respectfully assist him until dismissed." He spoke in carefully measured sounds. Glaring down and continued: "You think I've been ignoring you? Well, boohoo." He sneered in derision. "If you are so very desperate for attention join the Quidditch team." Snape scoffed but also stopped talking in as natural a way as he could as his lungs became heavy. He didn't want the boy to know how constricting the air had become as dark magic pulsed from him, when it was so obvious that the child was trying to control his anger. Though he also couldn't help but feel a little curious as to how powerful this child's magic would be if completely released.

Both student and teacher stared at each other, both thinking that trying to reach the other was a pointless task. Herido's desire to hurt this man was rising, but he knew his own personality faults well enough and had promised himself he'd try to stop drawing his family into his fights – something that would no doubt happen if he was to fight in earnest with an accomplished wizard out in the open like this.

"I would appreciate it if you could stop drawing attention to the fact you might know something about me." He finally got out, realising that he hadn't actually achieved anything in this meeting. He had first thought that provoking the man would make him talk, to explain what on earth was going on in the man's head. It worked on most people, but it seemed Snape had an instinct for keeping things close to the chest. That was somewhat reassuring.

"I would appreciate you leaving my classroom." And the stare down continued.

"Hey, Uncle Sever…" Draco trailed off, only halfway through the door when he felt the cold tension in the room. "Erm…" He faltered, before forcing himself to straighten up. "Herido, you're still here?"

"He's all yours, Draco." Heri's eyes never left the professor's while he spoke and then finally turned and left.

His mood was soured and he just wanted to get out of the castle before he did something he might regret. By the time he had left the school, video called Wednesday, and sent his portrait of aunt Vendetta to Pugsley so he could join the call, he had calmed down somewhat, but Wednesday still noticed his dark eyes straight away.

"Did someone take your stuffed crocodile again?" She teased in the way that only siblings can.

"That was one time! I was a kid!" He grouched. "And Caligula was my favourite toy!" When they had all finished laughing at his expense, Heri told them of what had happened with Snape. His threat to Draco had been a bluff, but it was worth it to see the look of horror on his professor's face. He wouldn't try out untested experiments on his friends. That would be wrong, not to mention that not-randomly-killing-you was a perk of friendship, right? Maybe when he'd refined the spell a little…

"You over think, Herido." Pugsley offered as he ate something that looked suspiciously like tar. "If he annoyed you that much, just make him disappear." He always came up with most simple, yet efficient solutions. "Otherwise I'm sure he got the message."

"And if not, I'll come visit you and have a little chat with him." Wednesday offered enthusiastically.

"Or you could tell father that the man's a liability and let him deal with the situation." Wednesday didn't appreciate her eldest brother taking her fun away (even if it was only theoretical), and Heri was glad for Pugsley's sake that magic couldn't be sent through phones somehow.

Snape had gotten the message, though it wasn't the message Heri meant to send. Once he had calmed down he restored the classroom with a simple spell and started brewing – an activity that always helped him think. Addams' concern or arrogance or offence fell by the wayside in favour of focusing on one throw away comment the boy had made: that he was a traitor and would have to face up to that one of these days. He had to concentrate on not allowing his paranoia to consume him at the implications behind that statement, for example, that the boy somehow knew his former master was still around to claim his life, but instead thought about his current position in the upcoming war.

Maybe it was time to find out what was really going on with Quirrell.

Herido's detention with Hagrid didn't end up being bothersome in the least. The half giant had an innocence about him that was almost painful to see in a man his age, but at the same time, somewhat refreshing. More importantly than that however was the man's love for the more interesting creatures of the world. They chatted easily about the various beasts they had come across while they worked. Hagrid would bring the most wonderful cakes to snack on and Heri in turn provided a unique beverage to refresh them.

Eventually though, Hagrid changed the subject. He spoke of how so many of the students seemed to move to Herido's moods. Heri didn't see that at all.

"They just hear scary stories and react." He said dismissively. He wasn't sure if this was curiosity was coming from the man or from Dumbledore. Hagrid made no secret of his admiration and loyalty to the headmaster.

"I 'eard what ya friends have been up to, ganging up on others… Why'd ya do it?" Heri opened his mouth to answer, but the huge man continued. "Not that I'm judging mind, though tha' don't seem right t'me," again Heri tried to speak but was cut off. Instead of annoying him though, Heri smiled at the fool. "'Cause schools are strange places and ya never really know what's going on between the students." He waited a beat to make sure the man had finished.

"May I answer now?" He asked cheekily. "Me and my friends haven't done anything. Really!" Sometimes he wondered whether it might have been better to have killed his upperclassman instead. He'd certainly been a nuisance this year. "They made a suggestion to Flint (and a few others), and he agreed with them. I don't know how I can be held responsible for, Draco say, voicing an opinion. I'm a first year student, not a dictator." Hagrid nodded earnestly as he considered this.

"Can I trust you, Herido?" Heri raised an eyebrow. Trust? They'd only known each other three days.

"That's a rather open question isn't it? Can you trust me with your pets, say? Yes, absolutely. Can you trust me not to steal these divine rock cakes?" He punctuated the question by summoning a cake with a smirk. "Probably not."

Hagrid let out a hearty laugh and nodded.

"Aye. You seem like a decent sort though." Herido drew a blank as he tried to imagine how the man had reached that conclusion. "Anyone who likes animals is ok in my book." Oh, Heri thought, well… no, he still couldn't comprehend the man's thinking. Still, whatever crazy reasoning the man used, Heri was rather fond of him, and was instantly interested when he mentioned winning a dragon egg.

Wednesday was gonna be so jealous.

"He can't keep a dragon at school!" Draco proclaimed after he'd shared the good news with everyone that evening.

"Who's got a dragon?" Asked Ron, who'd been ignoring everyone in favour of trying to sleep at the table until he'd heard the word 'dragon'.

"Nobody! Read those potions notes!" Hermione answered right away, leaving no room for argument. Ron sent her a scowl but flipped the notebook open anyway.

"Hey, he's a grown man. He knows the laws in Britain and has decided to ignore them. It's his choice. I can't wait to have a dragon on campus!" Heri was truly looking forward to this. Since they were able to talk, all the Addams children had been begging their parents for a pet dragon, but Gomez and Morticia had been adamant in their refusal. Something about living in a muggle neighbourhood or some such flimsy excuse. Heri however suspected that the real reason was more common place: he'd once heard his parents telling uncle Fester that they didn't want their children to be spoilt. At least now at school he could have what his folks had so callously deprived him of at home.

"If you know it's against the law, surely you know that it'll be taken away as soon as it's discovered?" Hermione was a puzzled at how Heri thought this dragon could become a permanent resident at the school, while Draco carried on stressing how dangerous it could be.

"Is peroxide particularly flammable?" Heri couldn't help but ask, but only got blank looks from the blonde in response and could only let out a surprised 'oh' at the shocking revelation that that was Draco's natural hair colour. "Well, never mind." Hermione and Daphne broke down in laughter at that, causing Draco to scowl.

"What are you laughing at?" He demanded.

That night, seven Slytherins and four Gryffindors all piled into Hagrid's hut. The host was at first rightfully shocked to have so many guests, but was easily reassured that all present where trustworthy and soon was delighted to chat away with the lively students. It had been a long time since his home had been so full of life.

It was a long night waiting for the dragon to hatch, but conversation flowed free and easy. At some point the subject of Harry Potter came up. Heri was surprised it hadn't been raised sooner, so didn't react at all.

"We were supposed to go to school with him, you know?" Ron informed the others eagerly. "Mum told me. He would have been in our year and obviously in my House." Heri just smiled and quietly listened.

"Good riddance, I say." Said Draco confidently, which instantly sparked heated debate.

"'Ey, 'ey, now." Hagrid tried to calm the room. "Good or bad, 'e were just a baby, ya know?" The disapproving look he was giving the Slytherins told them how good he thought that baby was.

"Bah!" Draco returned.

"It's true!" Hagrid looked away sadly. "I saw 'im, ya know? 'Arry. The night he defeated you-know-who." He spoke quietly, almost reverently. He'd stolen everyone's attention though, including Heri's. So this man knew him, did he? "'E was so small."

"A lot of people don't even think he was real." Goyle challenged while trying to chew through a cake. "They say he was made up to cover Dumbledore's war crimes." Heri wanted to laugh, but stayed quiet.

"It is awfully convenient how he died and all." Draco joined in, hoping to discredit Harry Potter and Dumbledore.

"Tha's a lie, that is! I'm telling you, I held 'im in my arms. Took him to 'is new home. Poor littl' tyke." Herido was finally moved by that information.

"You took him to his aunt's?" His question was harsh, but he didn't care. Hagrid didn't notice that Heri had knowledge he shouldn't, but did pick up the hostile tone and even he could see the sudden ice in his eyes and it chilled him to the core in a way he couldn't explain.

"Well, yeh. Dumbledore trusted me, ya see, to bring him…"

"To the place he died." Heri finished without mercy, even as Hagrid's face dropped at the accusation. "And I suppose if your precious leader had told you to dispose of the child you would have done that too?" Hagrid looked confused, knowing he was being accused of something bad, but not sure what it could be.

Heri stood and walked to the fire, staring into the flames as he thought. They seemed to grow under his gaze.

"Well, what do you plan to do once the dragon is too big to stay indoors?" Hermione tried to change the subject unhelpfully.

"Even the Iceman was protective of children, and he used to have rats eat people alive." Heri muttered, before turning a glare over his shoulder and pinning Hagrid. "Do you get many rats round here?" Hermione signed and started to think of how they were supposed to dispose of a man this size.

The others weren't sure what had set off Herido, but Daphne decided it was best to try again where the other girl had failed.

"Draco, you have the room, why don't you take the dragon?" She knew the Malfoys well enough to know they would never keep a dragon, but the absurd suggestion did its job in provoking the boy.

"Are you mad? Of course not!" He shuddered. "Malfoys do not share their home with beasts thank you very much."

While they others settled into a strained back and forth, Hermione made what she thought was a subtle move to Heri.

"There's no issue there." She said quietly whilst crouching down to inspect the egg, refusing to look up even as she felt those sharp black eyes piecing her. "The man has no guile. I'm sure he was doing what he believed was best." He still didn't respond and she still daren't look up, feeling more uneasy and regretting her intervention the longer she talked. "Ok, maybe he is guilty of ignorance, but really, what can you expect from a follower of Dumbledore?" She tried to joke.

The silence between the two stretched on as Herido tried to kill his rising ire.

"I'm fine, 'Mione." Heri finally broke his silence. He'd been prepared to meet people from his distant past whilst in Scotland, but didn't like being blindsided like that and not being able to react. He knew it wasn't fair to think that way, that if he'd known of Hagrid's involvement before he would have accepted it already, but he'd come to like this strange, big, friendly giant and felt a little betrayed. Maybe if he had some sort of punishment, Heri could feel placated.

"They wouldn't object, by the way." She looked up to him with a wry smile, relieved now that he'd responded. "If you took the big guy out now? They wouldn't object." He smiled.

Before he could respond, the egg cracked, and he was too selfish to deny himself such a rare experience as seeing a newly hatched dragon and buried his resentment for the time being.

Thank you to all who read and review. Adore you all xx