New name new game

Harry woke up and took a second to register where he was. He glanced over at Nott who had just woken on the bed next to him, and the boy murmured “morning, Harry.”

Oh yeah. Harry was friends with these people now. Well, at least on first name speaking terms. That was weird as fuck.

“Morning, Theo,” Harry responded.

“Oy! Vince! Did you take my towel?” Draco shouted from somewhere within the bathroom.

“No Draco,” Crabbe- well Vincent- replied back, sounding bored and like this happened a lot.

Harry didn’t think he’d ever heard that dunce speak before.

Blaise sighed and grabbed the towel off of Draco’s wardrobe, throwing it through the bathroom door, likely at Draco himself.

“Thanks Blaise,” Draco muttered.

“Do people know you were resorted? In other houses I mean,” Blaise asked, looking at Harry who was rummaging through the drawers of his wardrobe.

“Uh… I hadn’t thought about that. I didn’t see anyone, but Dean was with me,” Harry said, dreading the upcoming breakfast.

“Dean Thomas? I’ve always liked him,” Theo said thoughtfully. 

“You only like him because you’ve fancied him since 1st year potions,” Draco snickered, walking out of the bathroom.

“Shut the fuck up up Draco, I have not,” Theo said, glaring at the blonde.

There were a lot of shocking things going on at the moment so Harry made the executive decision to not think about them.

“Ready, Harry?” Draco called from next to the door after they had all gotten ready.

It was weird for the atmosphere between Harry and the others to change so much in one day, but with Draco it was just plain suspicious. It almost made Harry scared that somehow they had found out, somehow he knew Harry was his cousin. But no, it was impossible, no one knew.

Harry joined him by the door and walked next to Draco, with Theo and Blaise on his other side. Behind them walked Vincent and Gregory.

“Draco, no offense or anything, but why are you acting so fucking weird? I mean I hate you, you hate me,” Harry deadpanned, coming right out with it and giving no fucks at the moment.

“Yeah I hated you when you were Gryffindor, but obviously something about you is redeemable if the hat wanted you in Slytherin,” Draco smirked. 

“After all,” Blaise added, “the hat always says you find your true friends in Slytherin.”

Harry couldn’t argue against that logic as they made their way into the common room. 

“Did Pansy and Astoria leave us?” Theo gaped, looking around. “Those fake bitches,” he said, shaking his head. 

“I’m telling them you called them each a bitch,” Draco said.

“Then I’ll fucking tell Pansy you’re in love with her. Try me Draco,” Theo warned.

Harry just watched amused as they bickered and led him through the dungeons, but when Harry saw the doors to the Great Hall he hesitated.

“Come on mate, just get it over with,” Blaise said, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward the doors.

They entered the Great Hall and every single head currently seated swerved to stare at them. Harry looked around, and was relieved to see that there was no anger in Hermione or Ron’s faces. Hermione was sending him a small smile, but they both looked supportive and he nodded at them while he let his housemates lead him to the opposite side of the room. The wrong way, to the left instead of the right. The opposite way he had walked each day since that first welcome feast 1st year.

They sat down, but Harry didn’t see Parkinson or Greengrass.

They all talked while they ate as Harry ignored the stares around him. He was glad to have food that wasn’t from the Leaky Cauldron for once. He might be a snake now, but the food on each table was all the same, and it was incredible every time. 

“So, what electives did you sign up for, Harry?” Blaise asked.

“Uh…I guess divination and care of magical creatures,” Harry shrugged.

The other boys all laughed at that. “Harry, Snape won’t let you take those courses,” Theo said.

“Really? Thank Merlin,” Harry sighed. “I’ve heard horror stories about divination.”

“Yeah well don’t be too thankful yet, Snape will probably take advantage and give you the hardest electives, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, which these two dipshits somehow roped me into taking,” Theo said, glaring at Blaise and Draco.

“Hey it won’t….oh shit they look mad,” Draco said, looking towards the doors of the Great Hall where Pansy and Astoria were walking in, 30 minutes after them.

“You fucking dicks,” Greengrass yelled, pointing at them when Parkinson and her reached their seats.

“No confrontations outside the house,” Draco said, reminding her of the house rule with a grin.

“I don’t give a fuck. Why wouldn't you wake us up? I barely had any time to do my hair,” Greengrass complained, touching her hair as if it didn't look pristine.

“They’re already trying to sabotage us,” Pansy accused, narrowing her eyes at them.

“Sit down, Pans,” Theo said, grabbing her arm and sitting her between Harry and him.

“What are you laughing at Potter?” Pansy asked with a scowl as she saw Harry smile.

“It’s Harry now,” Blaise told her.

“He is not calling me Pansy,” Parkinson said, folding her arms and glaring back.

“Agreed, you can call me Greengrass,” Greengrass added. 

“Harry, call them Pansy and Astoria. We’re all friends here,” Theo said with a grin at Astoria as she drew her fork along her neck in a threat to him.

“Miss Greengrass please refrain from threatening Mr. Nott,” Snape said from where he was approaching along the table holding parchments that were likely their schedules.

He handed them each a schedule, not even commenting on the apparent change in Harry’s classes. Harry wasn't complaining though, the core classes remained the same and the only difference was now he was taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy instead of Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. After comparing schedules he found out that he had every single class with Blaise, Theo, Draco, Astoria, and Pansy. Vincent and Gregory had pretty different schedules, but they had chosen different electives. If Harry was unsure about becoming friends with these people before, he knew he had to now. He would quite literally be spending every minute of his year with them.

“Oh, and Mr. Potter,” Snape called from a few people away. “I expect you to try for seeker on the Quidditch team,” the man said, turning back to hand a 5th year their schedule. Everyone knew Snape wanted the house cup.

The others grinned at him. Malfoy was a chaser, as well as Blaise, he knew that. Harry also thought he remembered Pansy and Theo being two beaters last year, but his memory was foggy and he doubted they were all on the team second year.

“So, will you try out?” Draco asked.

Harry thought about it. He felt bad playing for a team that wasn't Gryffindor, but he loved Quidditch. He couldn't lose that, not when he had lost everything over the past month.

“Why not?” Harry casually said, turning back to the food on his plate. He barely caught the triumphant looks on the other Slytherins faces, because it was gone in a second while they returned to normal conversation. That’s the thing about Slytherins that Harry always had observed. They always looked reserved in public, in control of their feelings and actions. Gryffindor students were famous for their outbursts and wild shows of emotion. Slytherin was more discreet, you could almost miss it if you didn't know how to read someone well. They all looked formal and reserved, even Harry looked like that- even more with the necklace off he was sure, but now Harry saw them all up close. How Pansy rolled her eyes whenever Draco and Theo argued, and how Blaise shook his head in awe whenever Astoria spurt out some genius knowledge that could rival even Hermione. Harry had always been like that, growing up at the Dursleys. He knew when to show his emotions. Maybe he was more similar to his new acquaintances than he originally thought.

As breakfast finished up, Harry looked to the parchment to see that they had herbology with the Ravenclaws. 

Harry barely had time to even look in the direction of Ron and Hermione before he was being dragged away to Greenhouse 3 with the other Slytherins. He barely talked to the other students all through Herbology, even though they were working together on the same puffapod batch. This was largely because he came to the realization after breakfast that Severus Snape was his godfather, and consequently wanted to kill himself. At least he had like 30 of them though, so by logic Snape was pretty much just a random dude somewhat related to him.

 “How’s Slytherin so far, Harry?” Blaise asked as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail. 

“Fine I guess,” Harry muttered, you know, besides the fact that his head of house was his godfather who had made his life a living hell for two years. 

“At least you don’t have to see Weasley and Granger every second now,” Draco said.

“What the fuck do you mean by that?” Harry asked. Draco wasn’t going to insult Harry’s best friends. Not a fucking chance.

“I just mean that your standards for friendship have certainly improved,” Draco said with a shrug.

“Shut the fuck up Draco,” Harry half-yelled, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor. 

“Careful, Potter, careful!” cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

“You’re not a Gryffindor anymore, Harry, you just need to accept that and move on,” Draco said.

“I’d choose Gryffindor over Slytherin any day,” Harry said with a glare. “At least I know my friends are loyal. It’s clear you make and end friendships with a drop of a fucking hat,” Harry said, deciding he was done with this group and going over to join Luna Lovegood, who he saw working alone and had been a friend of his last year in History.

“Hello Harry,” Luna dreamily said, focusing on a puffapod. 

Harry reached over to help. “Hi Luna, I haven’t seen you since before the summer,” he said.

“It’s okay, I understand. You’ve been busy,” Luna said.

“You have no idea,” Harry responded.

“Are you alright?” Luna asked.

Harry could talk to Luna about anything, she always seemed to understand. So, he decided to just let it all out.

“I don’t know,” Harry honestly replied. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

“It's okay to trust people, Harry. To give them a second chance. Even if you're afraid, even if they have done something to lose your trust. You never know, they might surprise you,” Luna said.

“I think it’s a little impossible in this scenario, with these particular people,” Harry sighed.

”Family can be difficult,” Luna agreed.

“Yeah but does it really count as family if you don’t know them?” Harry answered.

“I haven’t known my mom for a long time, but I would love to have her back,” Luna thoughtfully said.

“Wait a second- Luna? How did you know I was talking about family?” Harry asked.

“The nargles really like you this year,” was all Luna said in response.

Harry loved Luna Lovegood, but she was so fucking weird.

“Alright! Please put your finished trays over on the third shelf!” Professor Sprout called from across the Greenhouse.

Luna and Harry did just that and they started walking back to the castle in comfortable silence. Harry didn’t ever have to talk to Luna for her to make him feel at peace.

Harry kicked a rock as they walked up the hill. He rather missed football.

“Harry!” He heard Theo call from behind him.

“Come on,” Harry said, grabbing Luna’s hand as they ran concealed by the hill and toward the courtyard.

Luna laughed as they stopped in the courtyard. “Sometimes I wonder about you, Damian. They are just trying to help you, don't push them away,” she said.

“Luna…how do you know about Damian?” Harry asked, his voice turning serious.

“The same way I know about you, Harry. Who you have always been, who you are, and who you will continue to be,” Luna said. 

Harry had no idea what the fuck any words of that sentence meant, so instead he turned to containing the spread of Damian Riddle Black.

“Luna, please don't tell anyone,” Harry pleaded.

“I won’t need to. They’ll find out, one day soon,” Luna said just as the other Slytherins rounded the corner before Harry could ask what she meant.

“Harry, you’re not supposed to walk the castle alone. It’s a house rule,” Blaise said, eyeing Luna warily.

“He’s not alone,” Luna said, turning around with a smile and walking off.

Harry loved his friend Luna.

“That girl has always creeped me out,” Astoria commented.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Let’s just go to transfiguration,” he said.

Transfiguration, DADA, and potions were his only three classes with Gryffindor, and Harry planned on making the most of it. Harry walked into McGonagall's classroom and immediately spotted Ron and Dean sitting at a three person table, promptly sitting between them while Hermione was in the row in front of him with Parvati Patil and Kellah Laslett.

The rest of Slytherin looked a little annoyed at Harry’s blatant decision to leave them, but he didn’t give a fuck.

“Dude,” Ron said.

“Dude,” Harry confirmed.

“Every time I think your life is getting a little normal, some insane shit jumps in,” Ron said.

“I know,” Harry groaned, putting his head in his hands.

“It’ll be okay, Harry. The hat put you in there for a reason,” Dean said, trying to make him feel better.

“Are the other Slytherins completely awful?” Ron asked.

“They think I’m their best friend actually,” Harry said.

“You can’t be serious,” Dean gaped.

“Malfoy calls me Harry,” he laughed.

“No fucking way. After hating you for two years? Are you sure he isn't planning on becoming friends with you so he can set his cousin Sirius Black loose on you?” Ron asked.

Harry’s head shot up at that. “Draco and Sirius are cousins?” He asked in disbelief.

“Yes Harry, Sirius Black is Narcissa Malfoy’s cousin,” Hermione confirmed. “And since when is he Draco?”

Harry ignored Hermione’s question. So Harry’s biological mother’s cousin was his godfather, biological mother’s sister was his godmother, and biological mother’s sister’s husband was his godfather.

This was all way too confusing for Harry.

“Well whatever, there’s apparently some weird slytherin pact where they all pretend to be friends,” Harry said, changing the topic.

Hermione looked like she wanted to reply, but Professor McGonagall walked in and started instruction, and everyone knew not to interrupt her.

After transfiguring an absurd number of buttons into pocket watches, class ended and Harry looked up to see the other Slytherins all waiting for him by the door. How lovely.

“Harry, you have to be nice and actually talk to them,” Dean whispered to him.

“I’m always nice,” Harry defended.

Dean just shot back a deadpan expression, as they both knew Harry could be a little mean sometimes, but it was usually just some extreme sarcasm. Harry was never overly mean.

“Good luck mate,” Ron said, walking closer to him and Dean and clapping him on the back. 

Harry walked over to the Slytherins and Astoria gave him an unimpressed look.

“What?” Harry asked.

“Your clothing style is just…interesting,” she responded, leading the way out of the door.

“We are quite literally wearing the same thing,” Harry said.

Astoria looked back at his loose tie and untucked shirt.

“Stop bothering him, Astoria,” Blaise said.

“I’m simply observing,” she shrugged, flashing a smile at him.

“I don’t want to go to arithmancy,” Theo sighed, switching the topic.

Harry was actually not dreading arithmancy. He’d always been good at it in muggle school, so he figured not much would change. 

Theo and Draco bickered about Theo dropping the course until they got to Professor Septima Vector’s room, where a scrawny brunette woman was sitting behind a desk in the front of the room. Harry knew Hermione would be getting to the room soon, so he decided to delay sitting down. Just because the Slytherins wanted him to walk with him in the halls didn’t mean he had to sit with them in class.

Harry smiled at Hermione when she walked through the door, and they sat in the fifth row back on the left-hand side, while most of the Slytherins sat on the right hand side of the third row.

“Did you know that none of the purebloods ever took maths before Hogwarts? Only the muggleborns who went to normal school have some knowledge,” Hermione commented.

“So then are we starting with like…addition?” Harry asked.

“I’m not sure,” Hermione honestly replied.

“Hello students, welcome to arithmancy year one. You may have seen me around the castle, I am Professor Septima Vector, but you may call me Professor Septima. This class is largely self-paced because I know your individual knowledge of arithmancy varies. Therefore, today we will be taking an assessment to place you at a mathematical level,” The professor announced, standing up.

“A test on the first day?” Harry groaned. It’s not that Harry had a problem with maths, he really liked it in primary school and when he borrowed texts from the library. Harry just hated tests.

“Try your best Harry,” Hermione sincerely said, knowing Harry avoided tests at all costs.

“Try my best not to shoot myself,” Harry muttered under his breath, reaching into his bag for a quill.

The first 15 questions were actually the easiest shit Harry has ever done in his life. It went from simple addition to multiplication, and the test continued increasing in difficulty. Eventually, Harry was on question 37 and it had been 10 minutes. The questions were on geometry now, but Harry had basically read the whole muggle curriculum for that class from the books at his muggle school when he was hiding from Dudley and his friends at recess, so it was a piece of cake.

Eventually, Harry had fun on question 53 with calculus problems starting to appear. They were rather simple integration problems by question 75, but Harry hadn’t touched calculus in a long time so he was happy nonetheless.

Professor Septima announced the test was over just as Harry was getting to question 83. The test seemed infinite, like it would just keep going as Harry turned over the parchment.

“What question did you end on?” Hermione asked. “I couldn’t figure out 47, did you get to it?”

“Uh yeah I think so,” Harry said. He didn't want to make it clear that the test had been easy for him, because that just wasn't possible. She was Hermione. She was the top of their year.

“Well anyway, I hope this really is self-paced. I saw a lot of the other students struggling and, while I want them to learn, I don’t want to all be learning division for the next month.

“Yeah,” Harry agreed, grabbing his bag and piling his things inside.

“I still can’t believe you’re a slytherin,” Hermione said, staring at Harry’s tie. “It’s surreal. You being in the house of Salazar Slytherin,” she said in awe.

“You have no idea,” Harry mumbled, thinking about the fact that he was literally the heir to Slytherin.

Thank fucking Merlin it was the last class of the day. Harry wanted to go back to his room and hide behind the curtains of his bed. Of course, nothing ever worked out how it was supposed to.

Even with a few hours until dinner, Theo demanded that someone played Wizards chess with him. Well, demanded that Harry played Wizards chess with him.

Harry was unsure of his ability to beat Theo because of his record with Ron, but it turned out that Ron was just a 13-year-old Chess prodigy. 

“Dude, how the fuck are you so good at chess?” Theo asked after having to reset the game for the 8th time in an hour.

“It’s a big thing in Gryffindor,” Harry answered, moving his black pawn forward two spaces after Theo played.

“I didn’t know Gryffindors had brains,” Blaise commented from where he was sprawled across the dorm sofa, reading some book.

Harry made eye contact with Blaise, and then pointedly looked at where Vincent and Gregory were sitting eating jelly beans.

Blaise followed Harry’s line of sight and laughed. “Those two are unusual I promise,” he said.

“Still in Slytherin,” Harry muttered.

“You know everyone says you’re so nice but you’re really a twat,” Theo said, also following the conversation.

“And you suck at chess, to each their own,” Harry said.

“Touche,” Theo retorted, moving his knight.

“Check,” Harry announced after six more moves, and “checkmate” he finished after four more.

“I’m done with this shit,” Theo sighed, “come on let’s go fly.”

“What? Right now?” Harry asked, dumbfounded.

“Why not, no one’s at the pitch,” Theo shrugged.

“Wake up Draconis,” Theo sing-songed to where Draco was asleep in his bed.

25 minutes later Harry found himself at the pitch with Theo, Draco, Blaise, and Pansy who they dragged along. 

This was the first time Harry had flown since 2nd year, and he loved it. Oliver Wood might kill him when he found out Harry wanted to play for Slytherin, and Harry really didn't want to either, but Harry couldn't miss this.

It didn't matter that Harry was flying next to Draco Malfoy, his cousin and enemy since the day they met in Madam Malkin’s. It didn't matter that Theo, the son of his godfather, was flying on his other side, or that Blaise, the son of his godmother was flying with Pansy on the other side of the pitch.

That was Harry’s secret, and his alone.

All that mattered right now was the wind flushing past his ears and cooling his cheeks, the thrill he felt when he dived toward the ground, and the chill that ran down his spine just before he pulled up. His target was the golden snitch that soared around the pitch. That was the only thing on Harry’s mind. Nothing else could affect him in that moment. 

And so, Harry got through the next couple of weeks care-free. He saw his friends in Gryffindor regularly, even if he wished he slept in Dean and Ron and Seamus’ dorm, and even if he wished he could sit next to the Gryffindor common room fire with Hermione late at night while she tried to teach him the history of Goblins.

Harry even, albeit regretfully, became closer with the boys in his dorm, especially Theo and Blaise. He was doing really well in all of his classes, with Snape targeting him less, and had taken a liking to Professor Lupin.

Today he had quidditch tryouts, and he had been practicing with Theo a lot in the past few days. It turned out, though, that Harry didn't even need to try out. Harry was the only one going for seeker. Apparently everyone wanted him as seeker after his plays on Gryffindor, and so Harry sat down in the stands with the others to watch the players compete. 

Harry had a lot of weird things happen to him lately, but something he did not expect was Snape to sit down next to him on the stands.

“Mr. Potter,” Snape addressed, still with a layer of dislike in his tone.

“Sir,” Harry replied, still staring at the players.

“Your arithmancy professor, Professor Septima Vector, asked me to speak with you,” his Head of House said.

“I didn’t do anything sir, I swear,” Harry defended with confusion.

“I did not state that you had done anything,” Professor Snape said.

Harry couldn't argue with that, so he just stayed silent.

“As I was saying, miraculously she has seen some talent in you and would like me to encourage you to pursue further arithmancy texts. Professor Septima says that she has spoken to you about it, but you have claimed to be too occupied with other activities. Furthermore, she would like me to send a letter to your guardians requesting further arithmetic studies in the muggle world over the summer, perhaps with a university,” his professor said.

“Sir…I will speak to her about the texts but really you don’t need to send a letter to my aunt and uncle,” Harry insisted, still slightly shocked that Snape was being forced to almost compliment him.

“I believe that is my decision, Mr. Potter,” Snape started. “Besides, I am sure you get into troublesome activities over the summer that may be avoided with arithmetic classes. You may find an actually productive use of your time,” Snape said with a sneer.

Harry knew he couldn't argue with the man, so he just went back to watching the tryouts and wanting to kill himself. How would his aunt and uncle react to a letter from an owl? From a magical person? Especially implying that Harry had any redeeming qualities to him, any brains at all. It would probably be a sin to them.

These thoughts brought in even more worry. Harry hadn't seen his aunt and uncle since he blew up Aunt Marge. They were going to kill him. 

He internally laughed at the fact that he actually had an alternative to the Dursleys. He could tell Snape right now. ‘Hello sir, I am your godson, please tell my father who wants to kill me that he has to take me in for the summer because my other relatives want to kill me.’

His life was so fucked. Maybe he could stay at the Burrow for the summer. There was no use thinking about it right now, though. It was still September.

-

Later that night, after Draco and Blaise became two chasers and Pansy and Theo became beaters, Harry lay in his bed and stared out to the window leading into the lake.

He saw a dark shadow float by, probably the Giant Squid. Harry would kill to be the Giant Squid. He could live at Hogwarts, not do any actual work, float around all day, and not have to deal with secret family or legal guardians.

How was Harry going to pull this off?