A Snake Named Voldemort

Chapter 6

Harry wrinkled his nose as he pulled out some newt's eyes from the main stores and dropped them into his smaller vial, taking them back to his desk. Taking a peek at his outwardly new but inwardly heavily-used potions textbook, he read the handwritten notes from the Half-Blood Prince one more time. With a smirk, Harry placed four of the newt eyes into his smoking cauldron, one less than what was stated in the true potion's text. The liquid inside turned a neon orange, signalling that Harry had successfully brewed the required potion for today's lesson.

:You know, Potter, wouldn't you say that's cheating?:

Harry sniffed haughtily. :I have no idea what you are talking about.:

Voldemort issued a hissy chuckle, which was actually a rather pleasing sound to Harry's ears. Unfortunately, Voldemort's rare amusement was interrupted.

"Ah, Harry m'boy, lovely work, as always," cheered a ruddy-cheeked Professor Slughorn as he leaned over Harry's cauldron. Harry, a stiff smile on his face, tried to unobtrusively move away from the crowding Professor.

"Er, thanks, Sir."

"Now, hurry and bottle it up. Go on, go on."

Slughorn placed a pudgy hand on Harry's shoulder in encouragement, accidentally brushing against Voldemort's cool scales. The snake instantly reacted, raising up from Harry's shoulder and spitting out a hiss. Professor Slughorn stumbled back in surprise.

:Do not touch me!: Voldemort snarled.

Rolling his eyes, Harry stroked Voldemort down his spine. As usual, this action calmed the Dark Lord enough that Harry could shove him back under his robes. Warily, Harry glanced up at his potion's professor to see his reaction. As expected, Slughorn was slightly pale-faced and wide-eyed.

"Sorry, sir, he's a little, um, protective of me."

Right, that was a huge lie. Voldemort only protected himself from the dangerous cooties other people might contaminate him with. Nevertheless, Slughorn didn't know that. The professor had been extremely wary of Harry and his new addition. Perhaps the only thing that kept the man from keeping any sort of distance from Harry was his status as the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry, in no small terms of the notion, was too much of a valuable addition to Slughorn's "collecting" habits. Harry begrudgingly allowed the attention, too polite to tell the man to bugger off.

"Ah...that's alright, m'boy. Hmm, I think I see young Longbottom about to pour merfolk tears into his cauldron."

Harry winced. Poor Neville; that would throw his whole potion to waste.

:I have to say that I have come to realise something,: Voldemort told Harry after Slughorn had turned his attention away.

:Oh yeah? What's that?: Harry asked as he ladled some of his potion into his vial.

:I made the wrong choice when I came after you that night.:

Harry froze his movements. Wait, what? Was this Voldemort...apologising?

:Oh?:

:Yes; it should have been the Longbottom boy I "marked" as the prophecy child. Somehow I doubt I would have had much trouble getting rid of him as I do you.:

Harry processed what Voldemort said before he scowled darkly, placing his vial of potion down on the table a tad bit too hard, making some of the students turn and look at him. From the Slytherin side of the room, Malfoy (still with slightly pink and yellow tinted hair) kept giving Harry sidelong glances without being obvious that was what he was doing. Harry caught his eye and deepened his scowl, causing the Malfoy heir to look quickly away. Harry, in his sudden foul mood, felt rather satisfied with by that.