Pansy Parkinson tried not to stare while Draco, Daphne, and the mudblood followed Potter to class like sheep and their shepherd, Crabbe and Goyle trailing behind them like lost puppies. She didn't know what the half-blood was, but it was… unsettling, what he had done to her friends.

If they were ever really her friends.

If they are even themselves anymore, or just an extension of the creepy green eyes.

She shuddered internally at the memories and forced herself to look away.

Forced herself to smile.

Could she go to anyone? Could she tell someone, anyone, about what Potter was?

She couldn't tell the headmaster. Potter was his golden child, the poster boy for the Light even if he definitely wasn't.

She just knew that Potter would find out somehow.

She couldn't, not yet. Just the idea of going against him put a knot in her stomach. Draco and Daphne had dug their own graves.

She studiously ignored the small part of her that was envious, as they slid gracefully over the grounds with their heads held high.

…

"A moment, please, Severus."

Severus controlled himself so that he did not wince when the headmaster paused next to him in the Entrance Hall after lunch. Any tell or tick that could give away the game and endanger his Lord was unacceptable. The Vow would not allow it.

He could feel the emerald collar around his neck and his soul.

He turned to smile at Dumbledore. Harry did request that he smile more.

Albus smiled back. So ready to accept and expect the best in people. The fool.

"I just wanted to check in about Mr Potter. The reports from the other teachers have been absolutely glowing; apparently, he is something of a prodigy?"

The potions master couldn't say that the demon child had left the grounds over Christmas, killed again, and now possessed another dark object of terrible power. He couldn't say that James' spawn was planning to ritually sacrifice anyone who was convenient in order to drain the ring of its eyes. The Vow wouldn't even let him consider it.

Instead, Snape tried to find the right words that would both venerate and protect his Lord.

"I suppose you could say that. He's a very bright child. He excels at anything he puts his mind to, and he has an excellent attitude while he does. He even managed to get Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger to settle their differences, despite the… difficulties… of Mr Malfoy's upbringing."

Albus smiled wider at that.

"I'm happy to hear that he has been settling in nicely. I was worried, after the mishandling of his childhood, but it's lovely to see that he is doing so well."

Severus nodded. "Absolutely, Albus. I'm optimistic that he will be an excellent asset to Slytherin, especially as he grows into more responsibilities. Slytherin needs people of strong character, like Harry."

The headmaster nodded back, and Severus excused himself to the dungeons.

Just another day in his chains.

…

Daphne smiled at the letter from her mother.

Apparently, her father had never come home from his business trip over the holidays. The Aurors were looking into his disappearance, but her mother was getting stonewalled when she tried to get updates on the investigation.

Green flames engulfed the parchment while she laughed.

Thank you, my generous Lord.

…

Poke poke poke.

Harry played a metaphysical approximation of wack-a-mole with the eyes in the ring.

"Tell me, little shard, what is Tom? What are the eyes? Why do they match mine? Why why WHY?"

The soul within the ring ring screamed but didn't answer.

"What am I, Tom?"

The soul didn't answer.

"WHY AM I EMPTY, TOM?"

The screaming soul just smiled.

In the room of Hidden things.

…

Hermione looked around the Slytherin common room, still unsure.

It felt strange, being here without Harry. She still didn't quite know how she fit into her Lord's puzzle.

"They aren't going to bite, Granger. And even if they do, our teeth are far sharper."

Hermione looked over at Daphne Greengrass.

She didn't want to admit that the blond girl scared her, just a bit. She shouldn't have been scared, not when they were both Harry's. Not when she could just open her eyes.

But the tall girl with the knives gave off a small amount of the same terrible danger that Harry did. There was something… inhuman, about how her eyes stared.

Hermione knew that something had changed, over the winter holidays.

"Our teeth? Would you really bite them, for me, Greengrass? You don't even know me, really."

Her Lord's Blade tossed her knife again. A glowing green chain pulled it back to her hand with a solid smack. She had been practicing.

"You are His, and that's all that I need to know. He takes care of what's his, so I will too."

Hermione shivered. It was strange, and oddly comforting, how devoted Daphne was.

"What… you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but… why… why do you love him?"

Daphne cocked her head sideways, considering Hermione with piercing blue eyes.

She had picked up the habit from Harry.

"We all have our reasons, for loving the emerald chains. My father… my father was not a kind man. Or a good man. Or even a smart man, really. There was no pleasing him. I was never enough, for him. And when I wasn't enough, he would hurt me."

Hermione stiffened, her eyes locked in the frozen gaze of the Blade.

"He would tell me I should be thankful, that he was helping me be better. That he only hurt me because he cared. That I was saving my little sister from the same pain, since I was taking the responsibility."

Hermione tried not to let her horror or pity show. She didn't think that Daphne wanted either one.

"I was always helpless, before. But over Christmas, my father tried to play his games again."

Her smile grew feral, and her eyes glowed with dim emerald light.

"He lost, this time. This time, I had our Lord and his eyes. Harry stood with me while I cut out my father's eyes and held me after I slit his worthless throat."

Hermione knew she shouldn't be smiling. Shouldn't be enjoying the triumphant story of so much pain and death.

"My sister will never know that pain, because of him. I am free, because of him. I know it's… I know… I will always be His."

Hermione nodded. She wasn't as sure of herself as Daphne, her own feelings conflicted.

But there was indeed comfort, in being His.

…

"A moment of your time, little Dragon."

Draco looked up from his homework and briefly fell into the emerald ocean.

He never knew what was going on behind those eyes.

"Of course, Harry. You don't have to ask."

"It's polite, and you've earned the courtesy."

His Lord lounged on the arm of Draco's leather chair, in the alcove far from the fires.

"What are your thoughts about… Lucius?"

Draco swallowed. He had a lot of conflicting feelings about his father.

The politician.

The noble.

The murderer.

The Death Eater.

Draco couldn't judge him, didn't want to. He himself was three of those things, or wanted to be. And the last… he also had his Lord.

He both followed in his father's footsteps, and boldly struck free of the path.

But it put him in a difficult position now.

"My father… could be an asset to our cause. But… he has already sworn to another Lord."

Harry hummed thoughtfully.

"Voldemort… yes… what to do about Voldemort…"

Draco thought that he knew the answer, but he asked anyway.

"The Dark Lord… he isn't dead, is he?"

Harry considered for a moment.

"Yes and no… he died, but isn't dead. Nor is he alive. Voldemort simply… is."

Draco didn't know what to make of that.

"My father will… my father will not forsake his Lord. For better or worse."

Harry hummed some more, his eyes bearing down on Draco as he ran his fingers delicately through the blond's silky hair.

It felt nice. Draco shivered.

"What about you, Draco? What is your path?"

Draco closed his eyes and enjoyed the fiery trails left by Harry's fingertips as they ran over his skin.

"I will not forsake my Lord."

The emerald chains grew taught and the teeth in the dark smiled.

"Thank you, my Dragon."

…

Harry was surprised when his pet looked into his eyes from across the courtyard.

Normally Snape ignored him in public.

He felt his pet's mind knock knock knocking on his chamber door.

Strange.

He opened the door. Snape's mind screamed for a moment as it came in contact with...Him.

"Quirrell will make his bid for the stone today, within the hour. Dumbledore was just called to the ministry, and the floo network has gone down. He has instructed Minerva to guard the corridor and let no one in or out."

Harry's smile widened.

"Thank you, Severus. Please alert me if Albus returns ahead of schedule."

"Of course, my Lord."

Showtime!

He was so excited.

…