The Slytherin common room was warm, surprisingly.
A large room tinted green from the windows showing a glimpse of the lake they were beneath. Flickering orange illuminated part of the room, the crackling of a large fire mixing with quiet lapping of water to create a calm ambience. As soon as Harry stepped inside after saying the password, (Purity) he felt instantly at home, and some of the homesickness he had been wallowing in drifted away.
Everyone had apparently gone to bed, and only six students remained lounged on the leather couches and chairs. Draco and his little 'gang'; Harry smirked at the word. He could feel their eyes following him as he took a seat close to the fire and crossed his legs, sinking low into the chair and staring back at them.
They were a strange bunch Harry had to admit.
Draco watching him with his grey eyes, slightly uncertain, but feigning confidence, the fire light bouncing off his hair.
There were the two thuggish boys, Vincent and Greg if Harry remembered. There wasn't much going on behind their eyes, not many thoughts in their heads. He smiled slightly, thinking how predictable Draco was, having 'bodyguards'.
The girl, Pansy, stared at him with a cold smile. She would appear completely at ease if it wasn't for her foot bouncing anxiously up and down.
The Italian boy, Blaise, stared at Harry with humour in his dark eyes, he was the type of person to be constantly on the verge of laughter, you could see it in his mouth, in the corner of his eyes.
And the Nott boy, Theo, sat perched on the edge of his seat, looking like a bird ready to take flight the very second danger was sensed. Perhaps influenced by the boy's father.
A few more moments of silence passed before Harry spoke.
"My Father's name is Tom Riddle."
There was no reaction apart from confused faces and furrowed brows. Draco, of course, only smiled knowingly at Harry.
"You all know him as Lord Voldemort."
At once gasps filled the room. Pansy's grin didn't falter one bit, if anything it got wider. Theo was staring at Harry in horror.
"Why are you all looking so surprised, I told you in the carriage," Draco said, exasperated.
Blaise laughed nervously, "You, Draco Malfoy, are a dirty liar at the best of times."
Draco sneered at him, "You shut your mouth Zabini."
"You look like him."
Silence fell at the small voice. Theo was looking at Harry like he was a ghost, true fear in his eyes.
"What are you mumbling Theo?" Pansy snapped, "Speak up for Merlin's sake."
Theo cleared his throat, his eyes never leaving Harry's, "I said you look like him. Your faces are so similar."
"You've seen the Dark Lord?" Harry asked quietly.
Theo nodded, "Only a few times, when he came to see my father."
Harry nodded slowly, "It was a blood adoption."
A sharp intake of breath came from Draco, obviously not expecting Harry to be so honest.
"So you really are a Potter?" Pansy asked snarkily, "You aren't really his son at all are you?"
Harry stared at the confident girl for a moment, watching her expression morph from a superior sneer to unease.
"Draco," Harry said, "Hand me you wand."
Draco threw his wand without a thought, Harry catching it flawlessly. The dark haired boy twirled the wand in his fingers for a moment, the room eerily silent. After a moment, he gracefully rose from his seat and walked slowly to Pansy, his gait like a cat, or a snake.
The girl almost seemed to recede into her chair, terror glinting in her eyes.
"Miss Parkinson," Harry said smoothly, "I'm not quite sure you understand your position here." He stopped before Pansy, towering over her. "You see, my wand has had enchantments put on it ensuring I don't do any...harm. Draco's however..."
Pansy whimpered as Harry knelt down, his face level with her's.
"I am not a Potter. I renounced those people long ago and never against want to be associated with them. I do not need you," he spat, "slandering my name with your filthy mouth."
The tip of Draco's wand touched Pansy's neck, tipping her chin up slightly, "You would do well to keep your mouth shut Miss Parkinson. Do you understand?"
Pansy nodded desperately. Harry withdrew the wand, standing up and tossing the wand to Draco, who was looking at Harry in awe.
Sitting back down in his chair, Harry addressed the students once again, this time his words weighing more than what they had earlier. "I am trusting you with my secret. If anyone speaks a word of this to anyone I will kill you." Harry cocked his head, "No, I'll take you to my father and he will torture you until you bite your own tongue off."
The room was deathly quiet, only Pansy's quick breaths carried over the crackling of the fire.
"Shit Harry," Blaise said finally, "Remind me never to get on your bad side like Pans here."
A hysterical bout of laughter bounced around the room and Harry smiled thinly, his eyes glinting.
"I'm off before someone gets killed," Greg mumbled, heaving himself off the couch and trudging to the dormitory.
Eventually, the rest of them followed, Theo turning back for a split second, meeting Harry's eyes. It was only Draco and Harry left.
Harry's eyes slid to Draco's and he smirked, "Too much?"
Draco snorted, "If you were going for Dark Lord on the rampage then you were perfect."
"It was necessary. I need them to fear me so they don't talk."
"Then why tell them in the first place?" Draco asked.
"I need allies."
Draco opened his mouth to speak, but Harry cut him off.
"You're not enough Draco," he said, "I need followers. Plural."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Following in your father's footsteps?"
Harry stopped. Was he aiming to be like his father? In some ways, certainly. But that wasn't his goal at Hogwarts, he didn't need an education, he needed to get home. Home to his father and Bella and his fucking mask goddamn it. He felt out of place and uncomfortable in this place, with James, Lily and Dumbledore breathing down his neck making sure he doesn't kill anybody.
"I miss killing people Draco," Harry groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I want to kill something."
Draco stood up, "Come on then."
"What?"
"There's plenty of animals in the Forbidden Forest. You can go nuts. It's better than releasing all of that onto Pansy."
Harry grinned, "Lead the way."
~~~~~~~~~~
The air was still and cold outside the grounds, Harry could feel the strength of the wards from where he stood outside the large door that had unlocked after a few tries and a few extremely strong charms.
Draco closed the door behind him, hurrying to catch up with Harry as the two boys lit their wands and walked quickly to the thick trees lining the edge of the castle.
"I've never been in here before," Draco said quietly.
Harry glared at him, "I thought you knew where you were going."
"It's only the woods, how dangerous could it be?"
Harry sighed as he stepped into the tree line, "Draco it's called the Forbidden Forest for a reason."
After a few minutes, Harry stopped.
"Hand me your wand," he murmered, grabbing hold of Draco's wand as it was handed to him.
Harry closed his eyes, only having to wait a moment before a large deer ran into the clearing. Harry stared at it, a smile on his face. He lifted his wand and was about to cast when thundering hooves shook the ground.
Turning around, the two boys saw three large centaurs galloping towards them. Harry grinned gleefully, happy to have a challenge.
The centaurs stopped two meters before the boys, furious expressions on their faces.
"How dare you humans come into our forest and attempt to kill," one of them said, crossing his arms and glaring down at them. "You will pay with your own life."
Harry turned to Draco, "Step back if you don't want to get hurt."
Draco scurried back as another centaur laughed, "You think you can match us human? Your stick is no match for the power of a centaur."
Harry lowered himself into a familiar fighting stance, gripping his wand tightly, "I disagree," he said, before hissing, "Crucio."
The centaur who had first spoken collapsed in a scream of pain. Harry grinned as he felt the dark magic snaking its way up his arm and into his body, warming it from the inside out. He stopped the spell as the two other centaurs came bounding towards him.
"Diffindo!" Harry yelled, slashing his wand in the air as large gashes appeared in on of the centaurs, causing him to fall, his deep wounds leaking blood onto the dirt.
"You'll die for that human," the last centaur said.
"Expulso," Harry said almost lazily, watching as the centaur flew through the air, hitting a tree with a sickening 'crack!'
Harry stalked over to the centaur he had hit with the cruciatus, the creature struggling to get up. He stopped once he saw Harry, putting his hands up in surrender.
"Please," he whispered, "Please have merc-"
"Avada Kedavra," Harry hissed, and the man fell silent instantly.
Harry rolled his neck, flexing his hands and feeling the power coursing through his body.
"You can come out Draco," he called, "They're all dead."
Rustling could be heard behind Harry, followed by a shout.
"Shit!" Harry heard Draco yell.
"What is it?"
"A fucking snake!"
Rolling his eyes, Harry ran over to Draco, who was backing away from a black snake about the length of Harry's arm.
"Stupid humans," the snake hissed, "Disturbing my hunting and driving the mice away."
"Harry do something!" Draco yelled.
Harry sighed, "Stop," he hissed in parseltongue.
The snake immediately turned to Harry, "A speaker?" it said, awe evident in its voice.
"Yes, I speak," Harry said, "What is your name?"
"Kaa," the snake replied.
"My name is Harry."
"Harry," the snake hissed, "A strange name."
Harry chuckled, "Please leave my friend alone, he's scared of you."
The snake curled up Harry's leg and onto his shoulders, "Your friend almost stepped on me."
Harry laughed, "He's sorry, I promise."
"Harry?" Draco said, watching the conversation in awe, "What are you talking about?"
"How you're a coward," Harry replied.
Draco frowned, "Tell the snake to fuck off."
Harry turned to the snake on his shoulder, "Would you like to come back to the castle with me?"
The snake turned its head curiously, "Are there mice?"
"Yes there are mice, and a tasty cat you can eat as well."
The snake wrapped itself tighter around Harry's shoulders, "All right then."
Harry turned to Draco, "Let's go."
Draco gaped at him, "You're not taking the snake are you?"
Harry smirked, "Why Draco, scared?"
Notes:
Omg guys two chapters in a row???
This one was pretty long (for me anyway) and I hope you enjoyed. It can't be dark Harry without some threatening, killing and snakes.