The Life He Deserved

Chapter 30

It's been a week since they first called the death eaters. Within those few days, they rid themselves of the unreliable and background checked the loyal. Many quiet murmurs spread around the Slytherin and some Ravenclaw students as letters were dropped. Harry observed the reactions calculatedly while he sipped his goblet. Many pureblood masks cracked as they read the parchments, emotions of shock, worry, and fear seeping across their features. Harry carefully glanced at his friends. Daphne and Blaise seemed confused as expected, but by Theo, Pansy, Vincent, and Greg's reaction, they were informed. The two brutes miraculously stopped eating as the words took a second to sink in, while all color left Theo's face. Pansy seemed ready to pass out, her bottom lip quivering. After a bit of chatting, he and Tom decided that informing the future heirs would be a good idea. So, they gave their followers permission to tell their close family, as long as a secrecy spell was casted. Harry smiled. Their followers. Harry certainly never thought he'd be a leader alongside Voldemort, but hey, his life was never predictable in the first place.

"Draco, you didn't get one?" Theo asked the blonde shakingly. Draco paused.

"Um, I already knew. Inner circle and stuff," Draco replied awkwardly. Theo looked away stiffly.

"You knew?!" Pansy gasped in horror. "Did you meet him then?"

Draco gave a small nod. "You don't have to worry too much, things are different this time," Draco told them. The two didn't seem convinced.

"What are you guys talking about?" Daphne asked confusedly. Harry waved a hand and casted a silencing charm. He had to tell his friends someday or another.

"They're talking about Voldemort returning," Harry said nonchalantly as he bit into a piece of toast. Blaise stopped mid bite and put his fork back on the table.

"What did you say?" Blaise's voice was deathly cold. Harry stared back calmly.

"I said, Voldemort returned," he repeated. Daphne gasped in horror while Blaise stiffened visibly.

"Wait, how do you know that?!" Theo exclaimed. Draco snorted while Harry remained expressionless.

"What would you say if I told you I allied myself with Voldemort?" His friends all went completely silent, not a word uttered.

"You, you follow that monster?" Daphne whispered, her face showing betrayal. Harry wasn't surprised by the reaction. Tom had mentioned that the neutrals on his side only allied out of blackmail or threat.

"He's different than before. This time it'll be done without bloodshed," he said slowly. Blaise suddenly slammed his hands on the table.

"Like hell he will! How could you believe such bullshit?! Voldemort, being peaceful?! Are you crazy?! I thought you were smarter than that!" Blaise spat in pure fury. Harry gazed at his friend warily. Blaise usually was the calmest one out of the group, always aloof over everything. He didn't expect him out of all his friends to react this way.

"I know it's hard to believe, but he's sane now." Daphne scoffed and crossed her arms.

"It's probably just an act. He's a psycho," she snapped. Harry felt his patience thinning as he took a breath. He knew they'd have a hard time with this, but he didn't like them talking about Tom that way.

"It's true guys. Tom is a nice guy," Draco chimed in. Theo and Pansy gaped.

"Tom? Did you seriously call the dark lord Tom?" Pansy muttered in disbelief. Harry chuckled at Draco's bluntness.

"His actual name is Tom. You can call him that." A loud thud was heard. The group turned their heads to see Blaise storm out with clenched fists. Many Slytherins and even other houses blinked when they saw the usually expressionless boy leaving etched with fury. Harry internally groaned. He knew it wouldn't be easy to convince them Tom's sane.