AN: For my and your convenience... Here's a list of the more important students and their ages, birth dates and blood status.
EDIT: Thank you, KoriYukiYao. I cannot believe that I forgot Hagrid
Current Date 1938 September 1
Canon Characters: (Birth Dates mostly not Confirmed, most Years Confirmed)
Tom Riddle - Age Eleven (1926 December 31) First Year - HB
Wulburga Black - Age Thirteen (1925 May 4) Third Year - PB
Orion Black - Age Ten (1929 September 13) Pre-Hogwarts - PB
Dorea Black - Age Seventeen (1920 November 8) Seventh Year - PB
Alphard Black - Age Eleven (1927 January 9) First Year - PB
Lucretia Black - Age Twelve (1925 October 23) Second Year - PB
Abraxas Malfoy - Age Eleven (1927 February 24) First Year - PB
Charlus Potter - Age Seventeen (1920 September 22) Seventh Year - PB
Septimus Weasley - Age Seventeen (1921 January 12) Seventh Year - PB
Ignatius Prewett - Age Fourteen (1924 March 18) Fourth Year - PB
Antonin Dolohov - Age Twelve (1926 June 26) Second Year - HB
Igor Karkaroff - Age Nine (1929 March 30) Pre-Hogwarts - HB
Algie Longbottom - Age Sixteen (1922 August 16) Sixth Year - PB
Eileen Prince - Age Eleven (1927 November 17) First Year - PB
Lyall Lupin - Age Nine (1929 October 10) Pre-Hogwarts - HB
Myrtle Portland - Age Nine (1929 April 18) Pre-Hogwarts - MB
Olive Hornby - Age Ten (1928 August 31) Pre-Hogwarts - HB
Fenrir Greyback - Age Seven (1931 May 21) Pre-Hogwarts - HB
Rubeus Hagrid - Age Nine (1928 December 6) Pre-Hogwarts - HB
Original Characters:
Nero Jugson - Age Fifteen (1924 November 25) Fifth Year - PB
Nathaniel Parkinson - Age Thirteen (1925 April 2) Third Year - PB
Cassius Lestrange - Age Eleven (1927 January 8) First Year - PB
Eleanor Selwyn - Age Nineteen (1919 September 1) Post-Hogwarts - PB
Glenwood Selwyn - Age Fifteen (1923 February 10) Fifth Year - PB
Nara Nott - Age Sixteen (1921 September 27) Sixth Year - PB
Romulus Nott - Age Eleven (1927 June 17) First Year - PB
Settia Umbridge - Age Eleven (1927 July 1) First Year - PB
William Pettigrew - Age Twelve (1926 June 30) Second Year - HB
Lupa Rookwood - Age Eleven (1927 March 12) First Year - PB
Silas Rookwood - Age Fourteen (1924 May 11) Fourth Year - PB
Lycoris Rowle - Age Nine (1930 October 14) Pre-Hogwarts - PB
Celandine Brown - Age Thirteen (1925 February 3) Third Year - PB
Polaris Yaxley - Age Fourteen (1924 June 20) Fourth Year - PB
Samuel Greengrass - Age Thirteen (1925 May 31) Third Year - PB
Pericles Avery - Age Twelve (1925 November 7) Second Year - PB
Katherine Turner - Age Eleven (1927 March 28) First Year - MB
Luke Thompson - Age Eleven (1927 August 13) First Year - MB
Valerius Bulstrode - Age Sixteen (1922 July 16) Sixth Year - PB
Caesar Carrow - Age Seventeen (1922 February 25) Seventh Year - PB
Thane Rosier - Age Eleven (1927 April 10) First Year - PB
Aftonio Mulciber - Age Eleven (1926 September 20) - PB
Harry watched the fabric of his robes ripple as he smoothed his hand down them, pausing at the bump that was Nagini sleeping and wrapped tightly around his waist.
The robes had cost quite a lot and he was lucky that he had spent so much time in the Chamber of Secrets previously. Enough time to find the instructions on how to access the Slytherin vault. That was the only reason he was able to afford the robes. While the price had barely put a dent in his fortune of this life, he had less in the Slytherin family vault than he did in the Potter one in his previous life. Quite a significant amount less, in fact. Really, he wouldn't even have bothered with the high class robes if he didn't have to, but considering who he was and what he was going to do in this life, he needed them, if only to flaunt his wealth and lineage.
His gait was smooth, confident and graceful as he walked across the Platform from the apparation area. Tom was naturally graceful, the elegance ingrained in the very nature of his body. And Harry was rather glad for that. He didn't think he could pull off such a walk with his old body.
He ignored the stares and turned heads that followed him as he walked, knowing that the aura he had built around him would command attention and respect despite his small stature. While he usually hated attention and learned how to not draw attention to himself, this time he would need to draw attention to himself. Even as he kept his eyes straight ahead, he could see the people turning to look at him with awe, jealousy, admiration and lust, from women and men alike.
His face was a mask of indifference with the slightest bits of interest and curiosity as he regarded the red stream engine he was approaching. In reality though, he was thrumming with anticipation, his mind a mess from the nostalgia and longing and pain that came with seeing the Hogwarts Express. And even though these emotions were dulled and distant, he still took a moment to organize his thoughts before stepping onto the train.
Quickly finding an empty compartment, Harry settled himself inside, next to the window. He took out a book as he got comfortable, slinging one leg over the other, resting his elbow against the windowsill as he propped up his chin with the palm of his hand. He took out a shrunk book inside his pocket and, with a wandless, wordless spell, unshrunk it and began to read.
Or, at least, he pretended to begin to read. His long lashes hid his careful examination of the people on the platform as he watched more and more people was rather glad that arrived early, actually. Then he wouldn't be among the suffocating crowd of people. The people he didn't truly belong with. He wouldn't feel more alone than he already did.
Harry knew that he wasn't a part of their lovely group and knew he would never be. He had always been different. He had never belonged. He wasn't the same as those that had tearful farewells and hugged their families goodbye. He wasn't the same as the high classed children that exchanged dignified adieus with their parents, promising to write in that nonchalant way that hid so many emotions. He wasn't like the boisterous kids that happily laughed as they went off with their friends, glad to get away from their parents. He wasn't even like the wide eyed orphans and muggleborns, that were too filled with awe to be nervous, already separated from their families.
He hid a grimace at the thought. But, however unpleasant it was, it was true.
In his first life, even after he joined the magic world, he was different. He was signaled out by Voldemort and later became the Master of Death. And wasn't that a horrible thing to be. He thought that he could, at least, die a normal death like everyone else, but no. He was Harry bloody Potter and he wasn't anything if not abnormal.
Harry banished the thoughts behind a mental wall and continued people watching, or, more specifically, he continued to search for possible allies. He could the dear Malfoy heir with his parents. The boy was staring at him, apparently having seen him walk through before. He was exchanging farewells with his parents and all three were glancing at him. They weren't too far away from him, but far enough so that only the people nearest to them could see where they were glancing at. They were standing with some others who looked like... Blacks.
Harry almost gave himself away, unprepared for the wave of emotion that hit him. There was... One boy that looked awfully like Sirius. It was Sirius, just much, much younger. The boy looked around ten, but not old enough to be going to Hogwarts just yet. Orion Black. And beside him stood Walburga Black in all her young glory. She was really pretty and Harry wondered what turned her into the vulture she had been in Grimmuald Place.
He looked up fully and made eye contact with the Malfoy heir. He stiffened, eyes betraying his apprehension and Harry knew that the boy had snitched. He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head up, a slight sneer of disdain on his face. The Malfoy tensed further. Harry appraised him further before dismissing him as unimportant. His eyes travelled over each Black purposefully before moving to the rest of the platform.
Then he returned his eyes to his book, actually reading this time, as he turned a page of Secret of the Bloodline Traits, but staying well aware of his surroundings, too. It was carefully disguised as a Transfiguration textbook, detailing subjects that should be well above his understanding.
Abraxas was feeling a lot of emotions in that one moment. Annoyance was the most prominent though, anxiety a close second, partially from being dismissed so easily by Riddle and partially because no one believed him when he told them about a parselmouth. Even now, his friend, Alphard Black, was still sniggering.
"You really are an idiot, 'Braxas. A parselmouth? It isn't possible. Think, 'Brax. When's the last time someone with that trait appeared before? Not in a century."
"Alphard, maintain some decorum!" Walburga scolded from next to her parents, making her brother roll his eyes. "Anyways, I wouldn't dismiss the possibility so easily, dear brother. Who knows? Plus," she made a pair of gooey eyes at the sky. "He was handsome and so great looking... He's probably the perfect pureblood heir..."
Orion, Abraxas and Alphard all made a face at that, though Lucretia and Dorea giggled slightly. "Yes, he sure was graceful, like a veela," Lucretia added, "He walked so confidently and had that aura if power around him."
"If only I were a bit younger and not in love with dear Charlus I would go after him, definitely," Lucretia commented.
"And if he really was a parselmouth, that would just make it all the better..." Walburga continued. "He was so dreamy... Did you see him look out of the window at us with that cool, calculated gaze?" The three girls giggled. "Although..." Walburga raised an eyebrow at Abraxas, "what did you do? He looked at you as if you were scum."
"I think he didn't want me telling anyone that he was a parselmouth."
Orion suddenly frowned, remembering something. "Wait a moment. Didn't you say his name was Riddle?"
A sudden sneer came across Walburga's face. "A mudblood? Urg. Never mind what I just said. That's disgusting. You must be an idiot to think that... That... Thing could speak to snakes!"
Lucretia frowned. "And you say he talked down to you?"
"We should teach that mudblood a lesson about respecting his betters."
Abraxas suddenly felt a lot more secure. He had people to back him up, and Riddle? He had no one. Despite Riddle's display of magical prowess before, there was no way he could hold up to their pure blood circle of people.
"Children," Irma Black spoke up from the 'Adult Group'. "It's time to get on the train. Wait any longer and it'll leave without you."
There was a chorus of "Bye, mother,"s and "Bye, father,"s before children walked off as a group to board the train, Orion the only one left behind, pouting.
By the time the train had left the station, Abraxas was in his own little cliche with children his own age. Meaning, a group of second and first years which included Abraxas, Alphard Black, Cassius Lestrange, Aftonio Rosier, Rylan Mulciber, Romulus Nott, Antonin Dolohov, and Pericles Avery. The talk about Riddle had also spread among them and none of them were even close to feeling any positive feeling towards the young boy. In fact, they had come up with schemes to torment him.
Abraxas had left their compartment with Cassius, Pericles and Alphard to see if they could find another empty compartment. Having just one was a bit too much of a tight fit. While walking through the Slytherin section of the train, Abraxas caught sight of a very familiar head of black curls.
Riddle was there, lounging alone in his compartment and reading an advanced transfiguration book. He didn't notice he had paused until Alphard spoke. "'Braxas, what did you see?" The other four approached and looked into the compartment window."Now, how did we miss this? Riddle sitting there with a compartment all to himself."
Abraxas suddenly had a very bad feeling and something told him that the only reason he had noticed the compartment while the others had missed it was because of Riddle. He banished the thought as soon as it formed. That was impossible.
"So that's Riddle?" Cassius asked, "I have to say he honestly does look like a pureblood. With a pretty face, too."
"So... Are we going in and kicking him out or what? He can't have that compartment all to himself," Pericles interrupted.
"Right," Abraxas agreed, steeling himself. He would get Riddle back for humiliating him.
Stepping forwards, he threw the door open and sneered. Riddle looked up, eyes traveling over the four intruders, before putting down his book and smirking lazily. "Why, Hello there, Bad Faith. I was wondering when you'd come over and you even, unexpectedly, brought friends. I am flattered indeed."
Abraxas scowled at what he had been called. Cassius stepped forwards, sneering. "Shut it mudblood. We shou-"
"'We should really teach you a lesson about how to speak to your betters' was what you were going to say, right?" Riddle interrupted, an eyebrow raised.
Cassius blinked in shock, flinching back. "How-?"
"- did I know what you were going to say?" Riddle interrupted once more, examining his nails in a bored manner. "You all really are very predictable, especially to someone like me that has Intuitive Aptitude." Abraxas frowned in confusion and an exasperated sigh came from the only seated member of the compartment. "Intuitive Aptitude is a blood trait that allows the user to easily gain an understanding of something complex without further study or education. It usually only appears in the descendents of Rowena Ravenclaw, but I'm a special case," the boy explained. "Of course, the ability itself is so broad that it's impossible for a single person to possess the full potential of it lest their brain is overloaded by information and they become a vegetable."
For a while, the four purebloods were struck speechless. None of them had heard of anything like that before.
"Th-that's bullshit," Pericles eventually stuttered out.
Riddle raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" He lifted his book up and the cover rippled, morphing from Advanced Transfiguration to an old, battered book called Secret of the Bloodline Traits. "The only reason most people don't know about Bloodline Traits is because most Bloodline Traits are unnoticeable, most are sub-sections of the Intuitive Aptitude abilities and most are very, very weak. The only Bloodline Trait that is well know is Parseltongue. If Slytherin had one, then it would make sense that the other founders had their own, no?" Riddle asked rhetorically. "I thought you were all purebloods, but, look here; you were beaten by this so called mudblood when it came to knowledge about your own abilities and culture."
If they hadn't been struck speechless at the display of wandless magic, Abraxas was certain that this explanation would have done it. He was already beginning to regret coming in here and confronting Riddle. It seemed that he would be safer on Riddle's side of the playing board instead of his own side. Despite being faced with four trained and hostile wizards, Riddle seemed utterly relaxed and confident that he could handle anything thrown his way. And, if that display of wandless magic was any indication, he could. Beside him, he saw Cassius narrow his eyes, a calculating look in them and Abraxas knew that they had come to the same conclusion: Riddle was not one to be trifled with.
Unfortunately for Pericles (Alphard was always too laid back and accepting for showing violence or superiority to others), he wasn't so smart. Growling in outrage, the boy drew his wand and shot out a Bombarda. What was he thinking? A spell like that in a place like this? But with a wave of Riddle's hand, a shield materialized and absorbed the destructive attack. Pericles was stunned and Alphard let out a choked laugh of shock. The other two had already though that something this might happen and didn't react except for the slight widening of eyes.
"Is that all you got? That's pathetic..." And before they knew what was happening, Pericles was throw from the compartment by an invisible hand, crumpling in an unconscious heap in the hallway. The three remaining looked back at the relaxed and utterly unfazed boy in disbelief. They hadn't even seen him move. "Anyways, is there anything else you wanted? No? Well then, get out. I want a word with Bad Faith. Alone preferably." And with that, the same invisible force shoved Alphard and Cassius outside and slammed the door shut, pulling down the blinds.
Abraxas swallowed nervously as Riddle's gaze focused on him and he tensed unconsciously. He didn't understand how this one mudblood could be so powerful... But wait. What if he wasn't a mudblood? There was evidence contrary after all. Didn't he have a conversation with that snake, Nagini? What if... What if this boy really was the descendent of Salazar Slytherin? That would make sense as to why he was so powerful...
"You know," Abraxas was jolted back into the present by the melodic voice of the Slytherin descendent. "I was going teach you a lesson about not snitching..." Abraxas tensed further. "But... You've just brought me some amusement. So, instead, I'll reward you." Apprehensive, Abraxas looked into the dark eyes of the other boy and only barely caught the book that was thrown towards him. "Careful," Riddle cautioned, sounding amused, "I took that book from Salazar's personal vault. It's very, very rare and probably one of the last copies that still exists. You may borrow it, but don't damage it, lose it or give it to anyone else." Abraxas looked at the cover and saw that it was the very book Riddle had just been reading. The cover rippled to become Advanced Transfiguration again, but the contents of the book stayed the same. "I will know... I expect you to return it in the same condition I gave it to you or else... Well, let's just say that Nagini gets hungry... A lot."
The Malfoy heir wasn't sure what to feel at that moment. He had just escaped what seemed to be a horrible fate and was instead given a book so rare it was virtually unheard of. He could detect no lie coming from Riddle. So, if what the other said was true, Riddle was the heir of Slytherin and the book the young Malfoy currently held in his hands came from Salazar Slytherin's personal vault. Not family vault, personal vault. He was feeling giddy and fearful all at once because, truth to be told, he was fucking terrified of what the other could do to him. But... Abraxas closed his eyes slightly as he felt for the magic crackling in the air, the magic that had poured out of the young boy in front of him as soon as they were alone.
It was so powerful, so oppressing, that Abraxas felt like groveling at the boy's feet. He felt a sudden high at being singled out by the boy's magic. It was him in Riddle's presence and not anyone else. Riddle was a... He would become a... Dark Lord. Yes, Abraxas could feel it as clear as day and he would prove that his name didn't define him by becoming Riddle's most faithful.
"Do you understand, Abraxas?" The voice asked softly. And, almost unconsciously, Abraxas gave his reply.
"Yes, My Lord..."
If Harry had to be honest, it completely unnerved him when the Malfoy heir had replied to his question. The boy's eyes became unfocused and hazy as if experiencing extreme pleasure and he had shuddered before answering with utmost devotion, fear, respect and admiration in his voice. Harry had know that his magic had some sort of effect on other people, but he never realized how strong the effects would've been at full power. The children at the orphanage had been affected at a much lesser degree, able to sense the power around him. But, while the elder ones cowered or grew jealous, the younger ones could do nothing but look up to him.
He had long become desensitized to the guilt he would feel at his actions. After fighting so many wars, killing so many people, you begin to understand on a subconscious level that there were no real rules in the world of the living and that the rules people made couldn't truly be enforced. It was, in reality, a dog eat dog world and no matter how good he might be, he would have to break the fragile rules in order to protect who he wanted to.
He shuddered again. If Voldemort could relish in looks like that, then the Dark Lord really was crazy or maybe just very, very narcissistic.
Anyhow, he guessed that he had better get used to it if he were really going to go through with this whole thing. The becoming a Dark Lord plan was actually working wuite well. He already had his first follower.