Holy shit! Another update this week? Sure, why not? Thank you to the 2 people who followed this story. Big motivation booster right there. I appreciate reviews. I'm in the military so I have moderately thick skin. I say this as Taylor Swift starts playing on my iPod. Smh. Anyway, enjoy. Love you bitches.
Thomas' second year was more eventful than his first. With students getting petrified, half-bloods being threatened, and all the talk of this "Heir of Slytherin," his house was feared throughout Hogwarts. Personally, Thomas thought it was a despicable abuse of power. Half of Slytherin House didn't even know the history of their founder and even less understood the significance of the the Chamber of Secrets. Yet they milked the circumstance for all it was worth, continuing to bully and threaten the other houses.
Thomas paid it no mind. He had faith in the Professor's abilities to contain the situation. After all, none of the students had been killed, only petrified. While this was a serious condition, it was also extremely treatable with the right potion. And when news of the latest victim, Hermione Granger, had reached him, it had admittedly brought a smile to his face. And the fact that the joke of a groundskeeper and Hogwarts dropout Hagrid was the leading suspect and had been arrested by the Ministry just made the situation that much more delightful for Thomas.
As he sat in the library pondering these thoughts with a small grin on his face and staring absent mindly into a book he didn't notice a certain dark haired, blue eyed adolescent had joined him. It wasn't until he finished reading and was preparing to grab another that he looked up and noticed Trudy sitting across from him, nervously fidgeting. When they made eye contact she gave him a small, flat smile. Thomas didn't know Trudy very well, but he could tell something was bothering her.
"Can I help you?" He asked, unsure as to why, after almost a year of no interaction, Trudy decided to come talk to him. For almost a full minute he got no response besides her opening and closing her mouth, seemingly unsure of what to say. "Did you forget your words again, or in a weird turn of events am I actually the heir of Slytherin and you're just petrified?"
Trudy furrowed her eye brows. "You shouldn't joke about that. People are hurt. And the last time this happened a girl died. I figured with you being a Slytherin you would already know that, seeing as you all seem to be loving the massacre your pet is on."
Thomas didn't respond at first. Did she seriously just put him in the same category as the rest of his house? Again? Yes, he is a Slytherin. A proud Slytherin at that. It was his ambition and potential that earned him a spot in his house. But that was where the relation to his housemates ended. He was not a bully or power hungry, he was ambitious. The dark arts did not appeal to him like it did to others in his house. He did not hate half bloods. He was not a Dark Wizard initiate. He was a Slytherin. Too often people considered them to be one and the same and every time it happened it only angered Thomas.
"Trudy, I'm going to say this very calmly, and I will only say it once. You have successfully pissed me off. In an effort to discourage me from doing something we will both regret, I can only suggest one course of action. Leave. Now." He struggled to keep his voice flat and in control. After he issued his warning he slammed shut the book he was reading and started walking to the shelf he took it from to return it.
"I'm sorry Thomas, I-… I didn't meant it. I'm sorry. I'm just scared…" Trudy's voice dropped to a whisper, "So scared…" After clearing her throat in an effort to find her voice again she continued, "and I don't know what to do." Trudy followed Thomas to the book shelves. "It got Hermione, the smartest witch in Hogwarts and it's like the professors aren't doing anything. Harry Potter seems to be the only one taking action but he's so secretive and not moving fast enough." Thomas shoved the book back into place with more force than necessary at the mention of Potter. Trudy was too busy rambling to notice this aggressive act. "And the warnings say it's hunting those who aren't pure-bloods and that's me! What am I going to do!? I mean do you think the Heir knows I'm a mud-blood or-"
Thomas turned on Trudy, a fire smoldering in his dark eyes. "Don't you dare call yourself that foul word." His words were unsteady and only barely louder than a breath of air but they carried weight and came out rather menacingly. The intesity held in the air around him made Trudy go rigid. Thomas was raised by Hufflepuffs. Although he scoffed at a few of his parents' teachings, he whole heartily embraced the doctrine that deemed blood status irrelevant. He hated the slanderous comments that were casually tossed around the Slytherin common room. He would not tolerate an innocent girl like Trudy stooping to their level. "Your blood is not tainted. You are not inhibited by your heritage. Being Muggle born does not affect your magical capability, as Hermione Granger is all too ready to demonstrate, and you are twice the witch she is. The only difference between you and her is you are scared and she's arrogant. So piss off with the mud-blood nonsense and how about you have some confidence in the professors in doing their jobs instead of placing your faith in some rebel who wears a scar like a crown."
With that he gathered his things and left the library, too angry to look back.
That night Thomas considered leaving the Slytherin dormitories in the dungeons of Hogwarts and hunting down the Heir himself. This could be his moment. It could be a perfect opportunity to prove himself to the school and Trudy. Why he cared so much about what Trudy thought about him was beyond him, or that's what he told himself as he fell asleep.
Of course the great Harry Potter had saved the day once again. That night he found the Chamber of Secrets and by breaking the rules, assaulting a professor (a bugger awful professor but a professor none the less), and risking other's lives the heroic Harry Potter had supposedly killed the beast petrifying all the students, a Basilisk. Of course Dumbledore had pardoned the Gryffindors for their disregard for the rules. He even brushed off the fact that it was a Gryffindor acting on behalf of the true heir. Thomas found he was growing quite tired of the headmaster's blatant favoritism for the school's rebellious house.
Thomas decided to take a seat at the front of the Hogwarts Express instead of claiming a compartment on the ride home. He preferred to be left to his own company and sort through his growing tempest of thoughts. He loved being a wizard. He was a damn good one too. He looked forward to learning how to duel that year. Unfortunately Professor Lockhart was a dimwitted idiot and the whole "Heir of Slytherin" bull shit prevented any extracurricular activities to take place. Thomas was growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of opportunity to show what he had to offer and prove he could contribute a substantial amount to the world.
He wondered if it was Hogwarts that was the problem. You didn't hear about loose Basilisks or possessed Professors at the other wizarding schools. Maybe Thomas could try his luck at another school. Unfortunately the closest school other than Hogwarts was Beauxbatons Academy in France, and Thomas couldn't speak a lick of French. He doubted his ability to learn an entire language in one summer. Well, shit. Thomas thought to himself. In all honesty he wasn't too upset with his fate at staying at Hogwarts. Hogwarts could give him something the other schools couldn't. His title as a Slytherin.
As they pulled into Kings Cross station Thomas caught sight of Trudy. When they made eye contact Trudy began politely excusing herself through the crowd in an effort to get to Thomas. Having not forgiven her for her comments earlier that year and unwilling to start a conversation with anybody Thomas grabbed his trunk and quickly disembarked. He made his way to the exit of the station, ignoring Trudy's calls as she searched for him in all the wrong places.