Next Time Around

A Forced Hand

Though I suppose you know a bit about alternative branches of magic from your associate Elias Riddle, I would gladly take it upon myself to further your understanding and proficiency in those magics. For obvious reasons though, I shall not be able to meet you for a while yet. Therefore I suggest continuing an exchange of letters as a main form of communication.

I completely understand the apprehension you are most probably feeling at the moment, though I assure you it's unwarranted. As a sign of my good will to you I hope you accept the book I enclosed, shrunk in the wax used to close this letter. I'd like to emphasize I do not ask for anything in return for my knowledge, and will not do so in the future. I merely wish to preserve the knowledge I obtained throughout the years.

Greetings,
Lord Voldemort,
Lord of the Most Nobel and Ancient House of Slytherin
Lord of the Nobel House of Gaunt

After reading the letter, Harry leaned back a bit more and exhaled slowly. He paused for a moment, closing his eyes with his head tilted upwards yet buried in his hands.

What to do, what to do now...

Harry lowered his head, eyes clamped shut. He let his hands fall onto his matras, grasping onto his bedsheets like they were the only thing keeping him grounded.

He pinched his lips together. He had an idea to stop this, but it was not something he'd like to do.

Now focused on a concrete plan, he let himself relax minutely. Shaking his head, Harry huffed. Voldemort was not an easy man to mislead in the best of times, and Harry being who he was, was a prime target for Voldemort's manipulations.

Of course it seemed like a simple manipulation -easily evadable, blatantly obvious- when glanced at for a second, but there was so much more to the subtle art of trickery than it seemed like there was.

Voldemort was definitely not going for an easy way of talking to Harry. Sure, it'd be nice, but Harry'd wager Voldemort wanted to know the way he would say no. Because if he simply said "no, not interested", Voldemort would accept that and find another way. No, Voldemort wanted to know just how close Harry and Elias were.

A missive from Voldemort was not a little matter, and any self-respecting guardian would ensure that if it was not appreciated, no followup messages would be sent. Something Elias would be forced to reinforce, to ensure Voldemort would lay off.

Harry snorted again. It was a nice move by Voldemort. It seemed that he'd have to give some more definite answers to the question of his close Harry and Elias were.

He grabbed a quill and began writing, scribbling the words on the paper quickly.

Lord Voldemort,

As I've said before, Hadrian Potter is under my protection. Thereby, I mean that I will not have him involved with either side of this war until his seventeenth birthday. Please keep in mind that I have both the incentive and power to encourage him to take after Dumbledore, and will not hesitate to do so if you continue to message the boy. Hadrian and I have talked about your letter, and we have agreed to put a non-permanent memory barrier in his head to separate this memory from his psyche until his seventeenth year. I say again, please do not make advances to Hadrian until he is capable of making such a choice.

Greetings,
Elias Riddle

Quill discarded next to him, Harry took a closer look at his draft. He wondered if it was acceptable to send such a bold statement to Voldemort. Deciding there was nothing to lose, he shrugged and went to grab an envelope.

'Why were you so uptight about that letter, Hades?' Pansy asked later in the common room.

'What,' Harry scoffed, 'like you don't know who's bird that is.'

Pansy shifted and averted her eyes, sharing a quick glance with the rest of their friend group. 'Well,' she said softly, 'we do actually like being your friends, Hades. We do care, up to a certain point. Just because we're Slytherins...'

Harry started a bit. He hadn't expected such an abrupt show of caring on the Slytherin's side. 'No, no I know that. It's just something I have to deal with on my own. I don't want- can't share this.'

'Hades,' Draco said, 'I overheard my parents talking about you. As in, in that way. Are you sure everything is alright?'

Harry tried to give a reassuring smile. He didn't smile very often, so he supposed it probably looked more like a grimace, but he tried. 'I'm Hadrian James Potter, Draco. Nothing is ever completely fine. But it's ok. You'll have to trust me on this one.'

Theo sighed. 'But Hades,' he said, 'don't you understand the predicament you're in? You publicly refused being a Family Friend. If I'm honest, you're in some deep crap.'

Harry nodded. 'I know that. But it's fine. I can manage.' And I'm actually in my thirties, I've had way worse than this.

Grudgingly, the first year Slytherins nodded. 'Just... of you need help, we're here ok?' Blaise said.

Harry smiled and gave a small nod. 'I know.'

And we're done. My friend dared me to put a vine in my story and we die like men over here. So, you know...

"I WaNnA Be A CoWbOy, BabY!"

And with that we're done. I hope you enjoyed it, and please consider voting or something...

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