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The Prince of Slytherin CH.7
🕑 Added 2023-12-29 07:41:12 +0000 UTC4th September, 1991,
05:12 A.M.
The offices of The Daily Prophet in Diagon Alley were already buzzing with activity as the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows. Inside the printing press room, the air was filled with energy as enchanted quills scribbled furiously, the printing presses hummed, and the scent of freshly printed newspapers permeated every corner. Wizards and witches scurried about, each immersed in their roles, ensuring that the latest news reached the eager readers of the wizarding world.
Amidst the controlled chaos, stood Barnabus Cuffe, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet, overseeing the operation personally. The grizzled old reporter shouted instructions to the workers, ensuring that everything ran smoothly and that no one made a foolish mistake. His sharp blue eyes observed a team of skilled workers in the centre of the room, huddled around a conveyor belt where freshly printed copies of The Daily Prophet rolled off the presses. The headlines and articles were already visible, the ink still slightly damp to the touch.
Suddenly, Barnabus reached out and grabbed one of the freshly printed newspapers from the stack. With a sense of anticipation, he unfolded it and began scanning the front page. A smile gradually spread across his weathered face as he read the headline.
*HARRY POTTER: The New Lord Slytherin!*
The headline boldly proclaimed. The front page showcased a large, striking image of a young man—handsome, with lively green eyes and a tousle of black hair that seemed to have a mind of its own. The boy wore round glasses and had a small smile on a thin, aristocratic face.
Barnabas couldn't help but feel a sense of giddiness as he read the article he had written early this morning. He still couldn't believe he had beaten Rita Skeeter to the punch and was about to break such significant news. When his informant Griphook had waltzed into his office late last night, he had feared that the goblin had once again arrived empty-handed with no story. However, to his pleasant surprise, this time the ugly bastard actually had something for him. And what a sensational piece of scoop it was! A half-blood, muggle-raised boy recognized as the new Lord of the most noble and ancient house of Slytherin. Barnabus shuddered just imagining the uproar it would create among the staunch purebloods.
Excited like a child in a candy store, Barnabus set aside the newspaper and beckoned to one of his workers. "Summon the owls; it's time to start the deliveries," he instructed the sandy-haired boy.
*****
A few minutes later, hundreds of owls flew out of Diagon Alley, making their way across Great Britain. Each owl securely held a newspaper in its claws as it embarked on an hours-long journey to fulfil its daily duties.
With the sun illuminating the horizon, people across the British Isles awoke to find the Daily Prophet delivered to their doorsteps or windowsills. With a sense of anticipation, individuals unwrapped the bundled newspapers, eager to delve into the latest news and wizarding updates. They were all taken aback as they came across the front-page article.
In the Scottish Highlands, within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, breakfast was underway when the owls arrived with the morning delivery. At the staff table, Severus Snape nearly choked on his tea as he received his newspaper and saw the headline. Professor Flitwick, seated beside him, slapped him on the back.
"Are you alright, Severus?" the diminutive Professor asked his colleague with concern.
Severus, still recovering from the unexpected shock, cleared his throat, composing himself before responding to Professor Flitwick. "I-I'm fine, Filius. It's just that the headline caught me off guard."
Professor Flitwick looked at Severus in amusement and leaned in a bit closer. "Well, now you've piqued my curiosity, Severus. What on earth could be in that newspaper to shock you like that?" he asked the potion master.
In response, Severus handed the Daily Prophet to Professor Flitwick. The Charms Professor let out a surprised squeak as he unfurled the paper and noticed the front page headline.
"Merlin's Beard! I don't believe this!" Filius exclaimed in amazement as he skimmed the article before turning towards Headmaster Dumbledore at the centre of the table. "Albus! Albus, have you read this?!" he asked excitedly, waving the newspaper in the air.
Headmaster Dumbledore, seated at the centre of the table, looked up from his own reading with an amused twinkle in his eyes. "Indeed, I have, Filius. It appears that the Slytherin line is not as extinct as we thought."
Filius, still agitated with excitement, leaned in toward the headmaster. "But how could this be, Albus? I thought that after the Gaunts, You-know-who was the last descendant of Salazar Slytherin. So, how could Harry Potter be the new lord? Surely, the Potters weren't related to the Slytherin family, right?"
Dumbledore adjusted his half-moon glasses, deep in thought as he considered the answer to the question. Finally, he spoke, his voice tinged with uncertainty, meeting Flitwick's gaze, "Who knows, Filius? Perhaps the Potters were indeed connected to the Slytherin family, or maybe it was Lily who had ties to Salazar Slytherin."
At this point, Professor Sinistra cut into the conversation, "But wasn't Lily a Muggle-born, Headmaster? How could she be related to the Slytherin family then?"
Dumbledore considered Sinistra's question thoughtfully and then replied, "Ah, an astute observation, Aurora," he said, tipping his hat to her, "However, I believe that one of Lily's Muggle ancestors might have been a Squib, perhaps abandoned by the Slytherin family due to their non-magical lineage. Over generations, the connection could have been diluted, making Lily a distant relative, albeit through Muggle ancestry."
Flitwick raised his eyebrows in surprise at this possibility, while Professor Sinistra nodded, absorbing the intriguing theory the Headmaster had proposed. Dumbledore continued, smiling, "Anyway, this is all wonderful news in the end, I think. It's good to see that one of our most ancient bloodlines is still alive. Hopefully, with Mr. Potter at the helm, the Slytherin name will no longer be associated with dark wizards and dangerous magic."
All the teachers at the staff table nodded in agreement with Dumbledore's words, recalling James and Lily Potter and expressing hope that their son was in a similar mould. Meanwhile, Severus scowled to himself as he listened to the conversation among his colleagues, wiping the front of his tea-stained robes with a napkin.
"Trust Potter's brat to ruin my morning," The Potion master thought to himself, grumbling under his breath as he finished cleaning himself up, no longer in the mood to have any more breakfast. Instead, he looked down at the four house tables and noticed a similarly loud conversation happening among the students. Most of them appeared surprised by the news, while a few Muggleborns even seemed frightened. Severus could understand their reactions. It was one thing to hear that there was a Parselmouth in the castle, and another to find out that he is the new Lord Slytherin.
Down, at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy and his cronies scowled at the image of Harry Potter on the front page of the newspaper. The pureblood purists were incensed by the fact that a Half-blood now held the lordship of the most ancient and noble house of Slytherin. Aside from Malfoy's group, there were a few individuals at the green table who were quite happy and intrigued by this latest development.
One of them, a Half-blood girl named Tracey Davies, could barely stop herself from grinning like a fool as she read the newspaper. Her best friend Daphne noticed the small smile sneaking up on her face and nudged her with an elbow. "Stop smiling, you idiot. You're going to give us away to everyone," she hissed in her ear.
In response, Tracey quickly composed herself and whispered in a soft voice, "Sorry, Daph." Both girls glanced at each other from the corners of their eyes and shared a quick nod in understanding.
Realizing that she had nearly made a foolish mistake, Tracey decided she was finished with the Daily Prophet. She folded up the newspaper and returned her focus to her breakfast. Taking a bite of her toast, Tracey recalled the first time she and Daphne had noticed Harry Potter.
It was minutes after the end of the opening feast. Potter had been cornered by Draco and other pureblood gits itching to teach him a lesson. Both Tracey and Daphne had felt sorry for the poor boy. After all, it could have easily been Tracey in his position if anyone at Slytherin knew about her status as a Half-blood. However, what Potter did in response to the unwarranted aggression took everyone by surprise. He didn't back down in the face of danger; instead, he challenged Malfoy back and then turned Flint's spell on himself, revealing his ability as a Parselmouth. Since that moment, Tracey knew she wanted Potter by her side. Having a Parselmouth in her corner could change her fortunes at Hogwarts. After all, the last one had nearly brought the entire country to its knees.
Tracey had shared her idea with Daphne that very first night. Her best friend was equally impressed by Potter's display in the common room and agreed to help. The two of them had been waiting to see if Potter was the real deal or not. All of their doubts were finally put to rest after today's breaking news.
'Lord Slytherin.' Tracey thought to herself, shaking her head in amazement. The amount of political power Potter had at his fingertips now, she felt lightheaded just thinking about it. As the Lord of one of the most ancient and noble houses, Potter possessed ten votes in the Wizengamot, not to mention the two votes that he acquired from the Potter seat. This, in turn, made him the individual with the highest number of votes on the wizarding council. Consequently, everyone, from the Dark faction led by Lucius Malfoy to the Light one led by Albus Dumbledore, would be bending over backwards to secure his votes for themselves.
Tracey shuddered as she imagined having all that power for herself. As a Half-blood living in Pureblood society, she had always needed to hide her origins, afraid that she would be shunned by other Pureblood kids if the truth about her muggle mother ever came out. However, if her plan succeeded, Tracey wouldn't have to do that anymore. She imagined herself taking Potter under her wings and teaching him about what it meant to be Lord Slytherin and the duties that came with the job. She could picture how grateful he would be for her and Daphne's assistance, undoubtedly overwhelmed by everything, the poor guy. Tracey could then make the fool fall in love with her, ensuring he would give her everything she wanted — such as protection from crazy, bigoted purebloods in the den of snakes — and perhaps if things worked out, maybe even marry him to become the next Lady Slytherin.
'Now, if only I could find him sometime soon.' Tracey thought to herself in slight irritation as she saw no sign of Potter anywhere in the Great Hall.
*****
4th September, 1991,
08:38 A.M.
While the entire school and Wizarding Britain were rocked by early morning news, Harry found himself confined to the Hospital Wing, forced to ingest a foul-tasting potion courtesy of Madam Pomfrey. He had awoken earlier that morning with a piercing headache and came to the Hospital wing looking for a cure. Madam Pomfrey had listened to his problem and done a quick check-up before giving him a headache reliever potion.
"How do you feel, Mr. Potter? Is it better now?" the matron asked Harry in a gentle voice as he downed the contents of the vial, closely observing him.
Harry grimaced as the bitter potion went down his throat. Nevertheless, he nodded in response as the ringing in his ears subsided.
"Hmm. Excellent," Madam Pomfrey said, making a note on her clipboard. She then gently touched his forehead. "So, no more headaches or blurred vision?" she asked, massaging his temples.
Harry shook his head in reply. "No, ma'am."
Madam Pomfrey nodded in satisfaction. She retrieved two identical vials of the potion from a nearby cabinet and handed them to Harry. "Take these with you, Mr. Potter. If you happen to experience another headache, drink one of these vials, and it should provide relief. However, if the symptoms persist, come back immediately, and we'll see what else can be done."
Harry accepted the vials with a nod of gratitude. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."
The matron smiled reassuringly. "You're welcome, dear. Now, make sure to get plenty of rest. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to return."
With that, Harry left the Hospital Wing, eager to grab something to eat at the Great Hall. He was on his way there when he felt a slight buzzing inside his head, similar to the sensation he felt upon waking up in the morning but much less severe. Harry paused, wondering if the headache had returned so soon. However, after a minute or two, he relaxed as he realized there was no pain accompanying it. Instead, it felt like something inside his brain was urging him to do something.
With a growing sense of curiosity, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated. He sank deeper into his mind and followed the mysterious urge, attempting to discover what it wanted him to go. A few moments later, Harry's eyes snapped open in shock as he found the answer. "Go to the dungeons. Find the heart, master. Find me," a sibilant voice whispered inside his head.
Heart pounding in a mixture of fear and excitement, Harry hesitated for a moment, wondering if he was going mad. However, when the mysterious voice didn't vanish and kept repeating the same command to him, he decided it must be real.
In the end, Harry's curiosity won out over fear as he decided to see where it would lead. He quickly made his way down to the dungeons, passing the Slytherin common room and the Potions classroom—the areas most frequented by Slytherins. The air grew colder as Harry ventured deeper into the dungeons, navigating dimly lit passageways that appeared as though they hadn't been visited by a living soul in a long time. As he hurried past, Harry noticed cobwebs clinging to the corners, undisturbed for years. The occasional drip of water echoed in the silence, creating an eerie atmosphere.
Finally, Harry turned around a corner and found himself standing before a nondescript wooden door. He hesitated for a moment, thinking, "Surely, this can't be it." For the last ten minutes, Harry had been thinking that the mysterious voice was going to lead him to something amazing, something that had eluded everyone else in the castle for a very long time. However, it seemed like he was wrong as all his instincts were pointing him towards that door.
Sighing in disappointment, Harry reached out to open the door; however, as he turned the handle, the door wouldn't budge. Frustrated, Harry let out a growl and slapped his palm against the frame. As he did that, suddenly, the silver ring on his index finger heated up, and the door finally slid open.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise as he entered a large, cavernous room. The vast expanse stretched out before him, seemingly extending for miles. Harry's attention, however, was captured by a large stone embedded in the earth in the centre of the room. It radiated a brilliant glow, pulsing white-blue from time to time almost like a heartbeat and casting an ethereal light that danced across the cavern's features. In the back of his mind, Harry noticed towering pillars, seemingly supporting the weight of the earth above, surrounding the mesmerizing stone.
Harry soon found himself drawn to the magical stone, much like a moth to a flame. As he got closer to it, he sensed an ancient power resonating from the mysterious artefact. Mesmerized by the sight before him, Harry couldn't help himself. He extended his hand before him and gently touched the top of the stone.
Immediately, as Harry's hand came into contact with the smooth surface of the stone, his mouth fell open in shock, as an otherworldly energy surged through him. All of a sudden, his magical senses heightened to an absurd degree and he found himself connected to the wards around Hogwarts Castle and the encompassing Black Forest. Harry shuddered as he discovered he was able to sense all the magical beings inside the castle and the surrounding area. All the students, teachers, not to mention the ghosts and the House-elves, he could perceive them all. It was all so overwhelming that it took all mental energy Harry had to not pass out from the experience.
Finally, after a few minutes, Harry released a shaky breath as he returned to himself. He gently withdrew his hand from the stone's surface and gazed down at the Hogwarts ward stone in wonder. Suddenly, Harry let out a surprised sound as, without warning, a bright tendril of magical energy extended from the stone, plunging directly into his chest and into his heart. For a moment Harry panicked, wondering what the hell was that. However, when nothing terrible happened to him, he relaxed.
Once he had calmed down, Harry realized something important. He had no idea how it had happened, but he was certain that the Hogwarts wards were now under his control. Looking down at the wardstone, Harry could see that its otherworldly, magical light was pulsing in rhythm with his own heartbeat.
Finally, Harry was snapped out of his daze by a familiar voice from behind.
"My master, you're here," whispered a seductive voice, causing Harry to turn around in surprise.
Comments
Freelook786
Good guess. But not her.
Rix
Basilisk? My my even better
