The Rise of a Dark Lord

Chapter 7 - Slytherin Court

Harry was already sitting at the Slytherin table when the students that had returned from the Yule break started entering the Great Hall. Though he rather enjoyed the holidays he was happy to see Theo again, which surprised him, he never thought that he would miss someone. Besides, he may still use a mask with Theo but it was the closest to his true self. Who knew, maybe he would be able to be himself with Theo if things continued the way they were. At least he liked him, which was good, considering how much he generally didn't like people.

"Hey Harry."

Theo's voice brought him out of his thoughts and a little smile appeared on his face.

"Hello Theo," Harry greeted him, "How were your holidays?"

"They were good, nothing too exciting, spent it with family in France, and yours?"

"They were... enlightening."

Theo smiled and shook his head, he didn't know why he was expecting a different answer. From what he knew of Harry, he didn't think that he would have some fun during the break or relax. He would bet that Harry had spent all his time in the library, though for Harry that probably counted as having fun.

He was taken out of his thoughts when he saw Jugson enter the Great Hall. Almost instinctively Jugson's eyes landed on the Slytherin table, his eyes found Harry almost immediately and he started walking in their direction. Theo was astonished when he noticed how little that surprised him, though he didn't understand it.

Marcus Jugson was a pureblood supremacist that considered all those that weren't, at least, a fifth generation pureblood as dirt, scum, and other less flattering things. However, Harry was a half-blood and Jugson practically worshiped him.

Theo knew that it had nothing to do with Harry being the Boy-Who-Lived. At the beginning of the year Theo had seen the looks of disdain and disgust that Jugson gave Harry, occasionally Theo even had some fear that Jugson would attack Harry in some way. However, after the first month of school that had changed.

The night that Jugson and four of his friends ended up in the Infirmary was when everything changed. He still didn't know what had happened but he knew that Harry had been involved, he didn't know how but Harry had defined the Slytherin hierarchy, at least until someone challenged him for the top.

However, if he was being honest with himself, he couldn't say that it surprised him, from what he knew about Harry he was certain that Harry would never tolerate not being the best at something, not being at the top. Aside from that he didn't think that Harry would ever stand it if someone did or said anything that implied that he was beneath them. He had noticed how Harry looked at some of people that he caught talking about blood purity, the sentence 'if looks could kill...' came to mind. So, though he didn't know what happened, he knew that Jugson and his friends had tried something and he was certain that Harry had dealt with it. What he wouldn't give to have been able to see it.

Harry may hide it behind that angelic face and innocent smile but sometimes the real Harry appeared. Evil genius was what came to his mind when he thought about Harry. Every time he saw those malicious and sadistic smiles he had some difficulty containing his laughter, he would bet all that was left of the Nott estate that the Boy-Who-Lived was nothing like they had imagined. Not that Theo was unhappy with the situation, it was the complete opposite.

Occasionally he couldn't help but think about what his father would say if he knew that he was friends with Harry Potter. He liked to believe that his father would approve, after all his father had also sworn loyalty to a Dark Lord. He knew that, technically, Harry wasn't a Dark Lord, but he didn't honestly think that those that believed that Harry was the next Dark Lord were far from the truth, Harry certainly seemed to have the potential.