New Alliances
The stone corridors of Hogwarts echoed with Harry's footsteps as he made his way deeper into the dungeons. After his confrontation with Ron and Hermione in the Great Hall, whispers had already begun to spread. The entire school knew something had shifted, and Harry's departure had left a cold weight hanging over Gryffindor Tower.
But Harry didn't care. He wasn't returning to Gryffindor—not yet. He had something else to do.
As he descended into the dimly lit halls beneath the castle, Harry's thoughts churned. The magical world was fractured, just like the houses of Hogwarts. Each clung to its old ways, unable to see what was coming. But Harry's vision—his plan—would change all of that. What he needed now was support.
He didn't expect it to come from the dungeons. Yet here he was.
At the base of the stairs, a figure waited in the shadows. The green and silver of his Slytherin robes gleamed faintly in the torchlight.
"Potter," said Draco Malfoy, his voice devoid of the usual malice that had once accompanied his every word. His pale face was unreadable, but his eyes flickered with something Harry hadn't seen before. Respect. "You've caused quite a stir upstairs. Word travels fast."
Harry straightened, meeting Malfoy's gaze head-on. "I didn't come here for gossip, Malfoy. I came because things are going to change. And whether you like it or not, I need people who understand that."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. The enmity between Slytherin and Gryffindor had been legendary, and Harry still wasn't sure if Malfoy would take this seriously. But then Malfoy stepped forward, a smirk curling his lips.
"Funny thing, Potter," Malfoy drawled, "I've always thought the world needed someone to fix it. Just never thought you'd be the one to do it."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "You think I can't?"
Malfoy shrugged. "No, I think you can. You just need people who are willing to stand with you. People who know how the world really works." He glanced over his shoulder, and out of the shadows, several other Slytherins appeared. Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott. Each of them wore expressions of quiet determination, a far cry from the sneering superiority they used to display.
Harry was surprised, but he didn't show it. This was unexpected—but exactly what he needed. Slytherin, the house of ambition and cunning, was extending a hand. For the first time, Harry saw that maybe their values could be useful. Maybe they weren't his enemies after all.
"What's in it for you?" Harry asked cautiously.
Malfoy smiled faintly. "A chance to finally get out from under the Ministry's thumb. A chance to build something better than the mess they've made of things. We Slytherins know how to play the game, Potter. And we know that when the winds change, it's best to be on the right side of history."
Harry didn't need more convincing. He could feel the power of this alliance forming, solidifying his vision. "Then we'll work together," Harry said, his voice firm. "But understand this, Malfoy—I'm not playing games anymore. This isn't about school rivalries or old grudges. We're going to reshape the world."
Malfoy's smirk widened, and he inclined his head. "Of course, Potter. Lead the way."
Later that evening, Harry stood in the Ravenclaw common room. It was quieter here, the atmosphere heavy with thought rather than emotion. The room was filled with students whose sharp minds had earned them their place, and it showed in their calculating gazes as Harry addressed them.
"I don't need to explain to you what's wrong with the world," Harry said, pacing slowly in front of them. "You've seen it. You're smart enough to know that things can't keep going like this. But intelligence alone won't fix anything."
There was a murmur of agreement among the group, led by a serious-faced Michael Corner. Beside him, Cho Chang watched Harry with narrowed eyes, her expression unreadable.
"Tell us, then," Michael said, crossing his arms. "What's your plan, Potter?"
Harry stopped and looked around the room, his voice low and powerful. "My plan is to bring order. Real order. Not the broken system the Ministry clings to, but something better. It won't be easy, and it won't be pretty. But if we don't act now, the world will tear itself apart. I'm asking you to be part of something bigger than anything we've known."
For a moment, the room was silent. Then, slowly, heads began to nod. The Ravenclaws understood the weight of Harry's words. They saw the logic, the necessity. They had always prided themselves on knowledge, and now they could see the path forward with startling clarity.
"It makes sense," Cho finally said, her voice soft but firm. "We can't keep relying on the same systems that failed us. The world needs someone strong enough to lead."
Michael met Harry's gaze, a new respect in his eyes. "We're with you, Potter."
The next day, Harry stood before the Hufflepuffs. He had expected this to be the hardest group to sway. Hufflepuffs valued loyalty and fairness above all, and Harry's vision of order was far from gentle. But as he spoke, he saw something in their eyes that surprised him.
They were tired, too. Tired of the endless divisions. Tired of watching people they cared about suffer for the mistakes of those in power.
"People always think we're the soft ones," said Hannah Abbott, standing at the front of the group. "But that doesn't mean we don't want change. We've seen how the Ministry fails to protect the people who need it most. If you're really going to fix that, Harry, we'll follow you."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, and Harry felt a surge of satisfaction. He had expected resistance, but the Hufflepuffs were practical. They saw that what Harry was offering wasn't about cruelty or tyranny—it was about making things right.
But the real test came that evening, back in the Gryffindor common room.
Harry stood in the center, facing the house that had been his home for years. This was different. This wasn't the calculated logic of Ravenclaw or the pragmatic ambition of Slytherin. Gryffindor was all heart, and that meant Harry was walking into a divided room.
On one side, Ron and Hermione stood, surrounded by half of the house, their faces drawn with a mix of concern and determination. They hadn't said much since the confrontation in the Great Hall, but Harry knew they were rallying support against him.
On the other side, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and several other Gryffindors stood with Harry. They had heard his arguments, seen his conviction, and decided that the world needed the kind of change Harry was promising—no matter the cost.
"You're splitting us in two, Harry," Hermione said, her voice filled with both hurt and anger. "Gryffindor isn't supposed to be divided like this. We stand together, or not at all."
Harry's jaw clenched. "Then stand with me."
Ron shook his head, stepping forward. "This isn't you, Harry. You're talking like—you're talking like some dictator. This isn't what we fought for!"
"I'm not talking about a dictatorship, Ron," Harry replied, his voice cold. "I'm talking about real leadership. The kind the world needs right now. The kind that will stop the chaos."
"You're trying to fix things with more control, more power," Hermione shot back, her voice trembling with frustration. "That's not freedom, Harry."
"Freedom?" Harry echoed, his eyes narrowing. "What good is freedom when the world is burning down around you?"
Seamus stepped forward from Harry's side. "He's right. We've been doing it your way for long enough, and look where it's gotten us."
Ron looked between Harry and the others, disbelief spreading across his face. "You can't be serious."
But they were. Half of Gryffindor, those who had seen the scars of the war and knew that something had to change, stood firm with Harry. The other half, led by Ron and Hermione, clung to the ideals they had fought for, unable—or unwilling—to see that the world had already left those ideals behind.
"I'm going to do what needs to be done," Harry said, his voice final. "And if you can't accept that, then you're part of the problem."
He turned and left the common room, the Gryffindors who supported him following in his wake.
The house was divided. Hogwarts was divided. But Harry knew one thing for certain: the future was his, and he would have it, no matter the cost.