Of Monsters, Of Men

Chapter 26

As the crowd dispersed around them, Tom's eyes hardened. Harry scrunched his eyebrows and drew the cloak closer around them as Abraxas Malfoy walked past, his eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of a job well-done. Walburga Black caught up to him with long strides, tapping him on his shoulder.

"Shall we discuss the upcoming agenda?" she asked, her voice pleasant and warm, completely opposite to the vicious tone in her speech.

Tom tightened his grip on his wand.

Malfoy dipped his head. "Of course. Follow me."

As they walked away, Tom leveled an icy glare at them.

I despise them.

After a few minutes, the Queen finished reverting the common room to its original form. She surveyed the room with a satisfied expression on her face. When she walked over to the door and opened it, Harry and Tom hurried out behind her. She turned left while they turned right, beginning their walk to the Room.

They walked silently to the seventh floor.

In the seventh floor hallway, Tom broke the silence. "I want the common room."

Harry tilted his head and nodded uncertainly. After walking back and forth thrice, the door appeared. Tom opened the door to reveal an exact copy of the common room—the centerpiece was a full body portrait of Salazar Slytherin, hanging at least eight feet tall above the fireplace.

As they stepped into the room, Tom strode to the portrait of his ancestor, tilting his face upward to inspect the haughty glare that had ruled so much of his life.

He was my beginning.

Tom pressed his lips together.

"Tom?" came Harry's uncertain voice.

He tightened his grip on his wand.

"Incendio."

A spark lit from Salazar Slytherin's chest, the fire quickly spreading outward from the center. As the flames grew, satisfaction licked at his insides, and Tom couldn't help but smile.

Finally.

"Why?" Harry's voice was almost inaudible.

Tom clenched his jaw, tearing his eyes from the fiery destruction of the portrait to gaze coldly at Harry.

"You know why."

Harry remained rooted in place, apparently too shocked to move.

Stepping closer to Harry, his wand clenched in his hand, Tom hissed, "My ancestor is nothing more than a liability."

Harry stepped back cautiously, edging towards the door.

Tom narrowed his eyes, pointing his wand at the incinerated portrait. "This weakness will not be tolerated anymore."

"What will you do?" Harry asked cautiously.

"I'll become the epitome of what they hate. I'll champion the muggleborn cause."

"They'll try even harder to hurt you—"

"Like they haven't always wanted to anyways," Tom interrupted, pivoting towards Harry. Stepping closer, anger overwhelmed him, spilling through the cracks in his skin until it was all he felt and saw. "The Slytherins already hate me. Well, in the future, they'll have someone to despise," Tom snarled, his wand clenched so tightly his knuckles were white.

Harry clenched his jaw.

"They couldn't stop me if they tried. I'll be infamous." Tom smiled nastily, spreading his arms out widely. "The majority of Hogwarts will love me because of it. What sells better than a Dark non-pureblood renouncing his blood purist ancestor and Slytherin house to join the Liberal Party?"