Next Time Around

Friends?!?!

'I severely dislike,' Elias gritted out, 'discussing things about the boy when he's not there to participate in the discussion. The boy is eleven for Merlin's sake! A teen is not a weapon!'

'And when did you yourself decide on becoming an assassin?' Voldemort questioned.

Elias stared at the Lord seriously. 'It was the only choice I had. I adapted- didn't get killed immediately- but I will never purposely put Potter in that position.'

'But you do have connections with the boy.' Voldemort pointed out, 'Or at least, that's what I've heard from multiple sources. And Potter was obviously at least mildly knowledgeable about the Wizarding World before he came to Hogwarts.'

Elias was thinking as fast as he could. Forming and rejecting possible answers within milliseconds, he eventually came with an answer to the thinly veiled question.

'If you would have found Boy Wonder on the streets of London, I'm sure you too would have informed him of the Wizarding World. It would be a waste not to.'

'And if course you could influence him easily.' Voldemort said.

Elias didn't comment. After a short silence, he shifted in his chair a bit and drew up a tempus. 'I think I must be going now. If that was everything?'

Voldemort narrowed his eyes in irritation, but could hardly demand Elias to stay for no reason. 'Yes. Have a good journey.'

Elias smirked and slid off of his chair. Walking out of the room, he couldn't resist coming a bit too close for comfort to Lucius and whisper a goodbye in his ear.

With only Voldemort's snort following him, Harry made his way back to Hogwarts. It was late, and Harry was hungry.

Back at school, he slid into a seat next to Theo with ease. Indulging the boy with some small-talk, he took liberal amounts of food from the stacks in the middle of the table.

Throughout the meal, he noticed Draco and the rest of his friends glancing at him in what they might think was an inconspicuous manner, but Harry spotted easily. He decided to ignored it though, and merely made a mental note to speak to the kids later in the evening.

Dinner was a relatively quick affair, and soon thereafter the young Slytherins could be found lounging in their common room. It was then that Harry grew tired of all the stares he was receiving. He took his snake from his robes and, holding it in front of his face, stared at it intently, until Draco couldn't retain his curiosity.

'Hades?' He asked with a little apprehension, 'what are you doing?'

'I,' said Harry, 'am checking if my snake likes the attention I'm giving him, as much as I like the attention you all are bestowing on me.' Harry's snake attempted to wriggle out of his grip. 'Ah! It seems he hates it as much as I do.' Harry sighed and looked at the rest of his group, who were giving him slightly guilty looks. 'Now, would you please spit it out already?'

After glancing around at the rest, Daphne coughed lightly. 'Well... frankly we're a little worried. You just disappear during the day at random times, and come back worse for wear. Slytherin has a rather bad reputation in the rest of the school, and people like Granger and Weasley are constantly breathing down your neck.'

Harry raised his eyebrows and sat back in quiet contemplation for a minute. He had no idea that the young Slytherins seemed to actually care about him. Touching as it was, he was mildly worried that others had noticed as well.

'Yes Hades,' Draco added, his eyes seeming glowing in the flickering light of the fireplace, 'that time you came back with cruciatus aftereffects after having been gone for an entire night? We checked. No Slytherin did that to you.'