Birth of a Nightmare Man

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Life at Hogwarts was never boring. Perhaps a tad annoying for the professors when the students kept doing things that were not approved of, but the Nightmare Lord had a blast. Sometimes he encouraged things along.

That, and the first Malfoy who left school after the completion of his education had most certainly told others in his family about the lord so they were quite friendly with him.

The fact he jokingly kept referring to them as Draco and Lucius was swept under the rug, which shocked many students who otherwise had to deal with the famous Malfoy temper. Somehow, this made the lord more accepted into the aristocratic society.

"I have followers," he told Salazar gleefully one day. "It's been ages since I had followers!"

"Right… didn't you kill the last ones you had?"

"Only the rude ones. Wait, when did I say that?"

"You mentioned it during supper a while ago," Salazar replied. "I believe Godric wondered about it."

"Oh. Really?"

"Already forgetting, old man?"

The lord made a face.

"Anyway, followers," he said. "At least I like the Malfoys. They're funny."

"Most wouldn't agree with you."

"Have you seen their faces when I purposely mispronounce their names?" the Nightmare Lord said. "Hilarious. I never get tired of it."

"Well, as long as you're not torturing them more than that I guess it's fine. Have they introduced you to other families?"

"One of them mentioned it. I'm not awfully good at social situations… you've seen me, I have literally no manners so I think I'll be… mysterious this time. I have been before, but it's not like people remember that."

At Hogwarts, the lord felt as if… as if he could relax and be someone he hadn't been for a very long time. A person George would recognize. Not that he seemed to have minded the lord's actions even at his worst, but right now the Nightmare Lord enjoyed a bit more who he was.

He even remembered things like love, and on a good day he could be persuaded to acknowledge he cared deeply for his servants. That he probably did even when he wanted them to shut up. They were company, and for a while, the only human company he had desired.

Still, things were never dull at Hogwarts. He came a few days later, guided to Helga's personal greenhouse by a few students and professors, where the other three founders had gathered to help her with some plants. The Dementor pawed at the lord's shoulders but waited outside until Helga said:

"Oh, alright, get in with you, you great old demon."

Then it screeched and attached itself to the Nightmare Lord's shoulders.

"What brings you out here?" Helga wondered. "You don't care much for plants."

"No, I was just wondering… about a student."

"Don't tell me anyone's been foolish enough to challenge you for a duel," Salazar moaned.

"Stop moving your hands, Salazar, you'll rip the roots."