VIRULENCE | H.S |

~ 33 • H ~

Chapter Thirty Three - Harry's POV

A/N: Sorry in advance.......

There's no fear left in my bones as I venture out of the auditorium after the ceremony. I needed to get out of there. Fast.

But, it wasn't due to fear...it was due to anger.

These games are getting old--quite quickly.

Reminiscing back to a few moments ago, the unease and questions that were filtering through the room play back in my mind on repeat.

The message on the screen was a mystery to the students in the assembly.

From the moment the lights had gone out, questions filtered through the proximity of the room. There were countless whispers and copious questions that were filling the room as people digested the mundane message placed along the screen on stage.

It was confusing for most, as at Dunnet University, pranks didn't often occur. Willingness to perform pranks meant a willingness to get suspended, and students didn't often skate along the line of risking the rest of their life for a short laugh from those that didn't matter.

But, nonetheless, a prank was all the students classified this as.

No one, besides those who sat in the row beside me, understood the reality that this wasn't a prank, but a threat.

And, how could they?

After all, prior to Elton's passing, this University had been considered safe--- for the most part.

Sure, there were precautions placed on campus to walk in groups at night, be mindful of one's surroundings, don't mix drugs and alcohol, (As if any college student would follow that last one) ...but those were the same situations placed on any college campus as precautionary measures.

And, even with Elton's death, it was considered to be a suicide. No one knew the real cause of his downfall, and as long as everyone stayed quiet, no one ever would, either.

To the masses, there was no foul play to the normal eye, so for people to even begin to comprehend this message in all its seriousness, would be as successful as attempting to capture a polar bear with a plastic bag.

It's insane.

In full truth, many didn't understand it. They never would.

And that may be for the better.

Little did they know, though...

But, who could blame them for their naive tendencies?

Those students have never known danger. Growing up with their trust funds, and countless security, their private planes, and elite outings. The most danger they'd most likely know is having to go to the grocery store or wearing a hand-me down from their rich aunt or uncle.

And, call me hypocritical if you must. Because, sure, I'd been able to take advantage of all those things, too.

But, there was a price for the blood money my parents have used to raise my family. There's a price that gets paid and made known to me every day, and I've come to know danger like it's my middle name.

I've grown up with it, and I've enforced it. It's been imposed on me forever, and therefore, I've learned, and I'll continue to learn the ropes of it until it's second nature. And, I'll continue to follow that path for the rest of my life.

Whether I want to, or not.

So, no—I won't blame those students for their jokes or their confusion. I won't blame them for their riddance of shaking it off and hypothesizing that it was just someone fucking with them---let them think that. Let them feel safe, even when our campus clearly isn't.