Wed for Peace

When Harry woke it was to dark green curtains and the general alarm sounding through the dormroom.

It took him a moment to orient himself. Somehow he had still hoped that the last three months have been a fever induced dream. As it is, he was in the Slytherin dorm room, married to Tom fucking Riddle and not as confident as he felt last night. Wonderful. He needed to put his indifferent mask on ASAP before any of the other Slytherins noticed.

Harry took a quick shower to freshen up and then decided he could no longer prolong the inevitable.

Theo, Blaise and Draco had been waiting for him. As soon as Harry walked out of their dorm, Draco and Blaise flanked his sides while Theo stayed in the back. Harry didn't comment. Tom had explained how the guarding worked for the Slytherins. It was fascinating to experience. He wouldn't have to watch all of his open spots as three would take over for him. It was the most relaxed walk through Hogwarts Harry had ever experienced.

Well, at least until he walked towards the Great Hall.

"You traitor!", a voice he recognized instantly yelled at him.

For a moment, Harry closed his eyes and breathed through the nauseating hurt this conversation would bring him and then he turned around.

The blue eyes of his former best friend were blazing with fury at him.

Harry wanted to wince but only raised his eyebrow to prompt Ron to talk. This always seemed to work, no matter if it was Snape or any other person doing this. He should get lessons from the potions master, Harry mused.

"How can you be so comfortable with these Slytherins? They are evil!", Ron yelled and pointed to Draco.

"First of all no one is evil because of their house. Secondly I am a Slytherin as well so per your definition I would be evil, too. And lastly why do you care? I think we have established that you are no longer my friend when you crashed my wedding and attacked me during the celebratory feast."

All of the gathered students who hadn't been at the wedding looked towards Ron. Obviously no one knew that part and Harry wanted to scoff.

"Well, you obviously also like to be married to Voldemort of all people!", Ron shot back at him.

This time Harry sighed deeply.

"He does not use this name anymore. He was pardoned by the Minister of Magic himself and I'll be damned if I let myself feel guilty over being happy with him as my husband! Do not push your values onto my person.", Harry hissed back angrily.

Ron sneered at him while most students around them gaped. They had successfully managed to attract a crowd and Harry was already fed up with the interaction. Could he just have one dramafree year?

Taking a deep breath the teenager said: "Look, Ronald, if you are not here to apologise to me for your behaviour at my wedding then I suggest you move into the Great Hall for breakfast. I don't know about you but I don't want to be late on my first day to classes."

Ron gaped and someone behind him gasped. Harry supposed it was Hermione but as Ron continued to look like a fish without water, Harry decided he didn't have the time for this.

"I'll just get myself something to eat. Have a good day, Ronald."

"I was only your friend because you were Harry Potter! I never liked you, you deceiving fool of a traitor!", Ron yelled and Harry quickly slammed his mental shield - which he'd been building with Tom over the last few weeks - over the hurt. He left the rage open.

When Harry tured around, Ron went white. A truly malicious smile graced Harry's face and the Slytherin could feel his own magic crackling along his skin.

With an iron grip he kept his magic on the leash but he could tell from the frightened faces around him that they could feel the sinister magic. He was pretty sure his eyes had that unnatural magical sheen to them. Tom had told him before that his eyes tended to glow whenever his magic went out of control.

"I believe, Weasley, that you never were much of a friend. You were always jealous of my fame - which I never wanted by the way - as well as of my money. No matter what I did, I had to either involve you or the insufferable know-it-all corrected me of any mistakes I presumably made. Consider it a warning: I do not tolerate threats to my person and will retaliate in every legal way I can.", Harry hissed.

His magic surrounded him like a thick cloud. The onlookers all took a step back while he walked towards Ron who went even paler than before.

"And let me tell you, Weasley, you do not want me as an enemy."

With those words Harry turned and walked into the Great Hall.

A spell whizzed past him but he didn't even flinch. Ron wasn't good at aiming when he was mad. He just heard Snape give him detention for attacking Harry and the Slytherin smiled slightly, trust the man to be there even if no one had noticed him.

The tightening in his chest made it hard to breathe but Harry kept on walking with his head held high. Tom had told him again and again to never show how hurt or fazed you are by an action. They would use this weakness against you.

Harry wondered what happened to make his friends hate him for being happy with Tom. Wasn't this better than him being miserable? Would they be happy and supportive if Tom made his life a living hell like the Dursleys did before?

The questions never left his mind but he wouldn't get answers. He refused to be this vulnerable in front of people that wanted to hurt him.

"You know you could just denounce them by telling the papers about their bullying. I mean, Weasley crashed your wedding.", Blaise commented idly.

Harry rolled his eyes.

"I would like for them to just leave me alone right now. But I'll keep that in mind.", Harry answered.

Draco hummed thoughtfully next to him and Harry looked at him.

"Don't you dare, Draco.", Harry warned.

The teenager just gave him an innocent look.

"I mean it. If I read something about their treatment in the Prophet or any other Wizarding Magazine I'll talk to Tom.", Harry threatened.

That made Draco blanch enough to nod.

"But I will tell you when you can launch an article."

Draco smiled then. Harry sighed. He was too tired for this Slytherin garbage and they hadn't even had a class yet.

A movement out of the corner of his eye drew his attention. Snape had made his way towards them with a stack of parchments.

"Mr. Potter, your timetable.", the man said and Harry inclined his head in thanks while taking the scroll of parchment.

Snape gave Theo, Blaise and Draco their timetable as well and then moved further along the table.

Harry chanced a look at his class schedule and smirked darkly. Blaise and Draco shrank back slightly.

"We have Defense first thing in the morning.", Harry sing-songed happily.

All three of his friends blanched at that.

Draco looked at his parchment and groaned.

"And with the Gryffindors as well.", he said dismayed.

Blaise and Theo groaned while Harry's grin just broadened. This day couldn't start any better. He would finally be able to let all of his frustrations loose.

Breakfast was a quiet affair after Harry had traumatized his fellow classmates. When it was time to get to their first class, Harry was again flanked by all three of his friends.

He wanted to roll his eyes but refrained. It wouldn't change their behaviour.

Most students left them alone. Only the Gryffindors were brave enough to throw insults. Harry just ignored them. It was nothing considering he had to do a Death Tournament in Fourth Year while practically the whole school hated him. Or Fifth Year with Umbridge, the Blood Quill and basically everyone calling him a liar. A few petty insults would never again raise his hackles. He had better control over his emotions now.

They entered the classroom, suprised that it was already open. Harry guessed that if no pricy potion ingredients could be stolen, the classroom may be open before the teacher arrived.

Harry sat down next to Draco who smirked at the other two. Harry rolled his eyes at the blond's antics. It wasn't because he truly favoured Draco. It was merely because he didn't know the others as well as the blond.

The Gryffindors trickled in slowly, arriving just before the bell rang. It had never occurred to Harry how disrespectful it was to only sit down after the bell had already rang. Ron and him had always done it this way. The Slytherin scowled. Of course Snape would hate him with this kind of attitude. Harry was just glad that he had been able to change the man's mind.

After everyone had sat down, Snape swept into the classroom with his usual batlike appearance. During the holidays Harry had noticed that the man had been dressed more casually than in his teaching robes. Even though they looked slightly different from his brewing robes. But the robes he wore now looked even more different.

"I have another year to teach you dunderheads all about defending yourself.", the man began in his usual dry voice. Harry suppressed a snort. Snape continued: "Can anyone tell me what has changed about my usual attire?"

The whole class was taken aback for a moment. Harry concentrated more on Snape's robes. They did not only look different from the brewing ones but they also had a different material. When Snape moved slightly Harry's mind clicked into place.

He raised his arm.

"Mr. Potter?"

Harry smiled at the non-venomous call of his name. He could get used to this kind of treatment in class.

"They are duelling robes. Not only are they not as tight as brewing robes, they also enable the duelist to move in fluid and precise ways. The material is usually something that repels certain spells or generally reduces damage during a fight.", Harry explained.

Tom had shown him his own duelling robes. They were of a finer material than Snape's were but the cut was the same. And Harry had practically salivated over the man in these robes. Tom was already good looking but the robes had shown his figure in the best ways.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. Five points to Slytherin."

An uproar started on Gryffindor's side. Harry snorted then. Of course Snape would give him points for answering correctly this time around.

"Quiet.", Snape hissed and immediately the room silenced. Apparently even brave Gryffindors wouldn't incure Snape's wrath.

"As Mr. Potter explained, duelling robes are supposed to help the duelist. As fluid movement is important the robes are shorter and softer in material. Speaking of duelling, do you know the proper protocol of an official duel?"

Harry waited, he was pretty sure that Hermione knew them. She had studied duelling in Second Year while pining for Lockhart. Harry had never understood her fascination with the pretty faced fraud. Hermione should have been more intelligent than to believe Lockhart's books; but then - Hermione had always believed the written word more than the spoken.

And promptly her hand was raised. Harry smirked. He raised his hand as well.

Snape called on him.

"Both duellers will enter the provided platform, bow to one another, turn around and walk three steps before turning towards each other again. Then the duel begins.", Harry explained.

Hermione huffed.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. Another five points."

Harry grinned while Hermione let out an annoyed noise. Snape was doing it on purpose.

"How about you perform a duel, Mr. Potter? To show the class how it's done.", Snape suggested idly.

Harry almost laughed in excitement.

"Of course, Professor.", Harry replied and stood to walk towards the front of the room.

"Now, is there someone willing to duel Mr. Potter?", Snape asked the class.

It didn't take three seconds for Ron to shout: "I will!"

Harry had to stop himself from grinning. This was going just as he had hoped. Snape had told him beforehand what he'd planned for this year's Defense class. And now Harry was able to pay back Ron for crashing his wedding and throwing insults and spells at him this morning. Oh how he loved Karma.

"Very well.", said Snape and waved his wand.

A massive platform appeared. Ron and Harry climbed up on opposite sides, walked until they stood almost in the middle and bowed. In sync they turned around, walked three steps and turned back towards each other.

Harry waited. He wasn't disappointed as Ron send a loudly proclaimed Expelliarmus his way which Harry sidestepped easily. Really, after duelling with Tom and Lucius, Ron was kind of boring. Harry sidestepped three other spells before he even lifted his wand and sent his own spell. But unlike Ron he did it wordlessly and more quickly.

The spell fizzed a millimeter past the redhead's face. Without waiting, Harry sent spell after spell, advancing towards Ron slowly, pushing him to the end of the platform until the Gryffindor couldn't move without falling off. Smirking he spoke a clear Expelliarmus and caught Ron's wand, keeping his own pointed at the redhead's neck. Ron stared at him in Horror and Harry only kept looking at his former friend calmly.

Applause broke their staring contest and Harry handed the wand back before he moved to leave the platform.

"Very well. Mr. Potter has shown a good tactic for duelling. Wait until the opponent starts throwing spells, either dodging or blocking them, to wait for an opening.", Snape complimented him.

Harry inclined his head in thanks and threw a curious look over the classroom. The Slytherins were all smirking while most Gryffindors scowled. And then he looked at Hermione. Her face was sour and she seemed miffed.The bushy haired girl opened her mouth and Harry wanted to sigh in exhasparation.

"Harry cheated! There is no way he is this good at duelling!", she exclaimed.

Snape wanted to answer but Harry raised his hand. The potions master kept silent, shocking the whole room.

"I think you forgot, Granger, whom I've spent my holidays with. Of course my husband would show me how to duel properly and train me in case someone decided to attack me. He isn't really well-liked at the moment. But improving during the holidays has nothing to do with cheating.", Harry explained in a voice reserved for idiotic children.

Hermione's mouth clamped shut. Her eyes, however, were blazing in fury.

"Get back into your seats. There is still a lecture about duelling waiting for all of you.", Snape snapped.

Harry smiled at the man and moved quickly to his own seat, prepared to let the lecture wash over him.

The day kept on going on in the same manner. Whenever they had a class with the Gryffindors, Hermione would accuse him of cheating while Harry kept on gently, chidingly reminding her that he just had a very educational honeymoon with his husband.

Most students looked a little green at the thought while Hermione and Ron only got angrier.

All of the professors reprimanded both Ron and Hermione for accusing Harry left and right until the both of them just retreated into a corner, fuming silently while glaring holes into Harry's back.

The Slytherin supposed it was better this way than being accosted in the halls. Theo, Blaise and Draco kept an eye out for him in the halls and finally dinner arrived and Harry was allowed to retreat back into the Slytherin common room after this hell of a day. He was done dealing with idiots and their expectations of him.

Just as he was finishing his dinner, owls flooded the room and dropped the Evening Prophet onto their tables. Harry took one look at the front page and headline before promptly exploding his cup of water. All Slytherin students looked his way and with a lazy wave of his hand he vanished the mess and healed his hand.

"Excuse me. I need to talk to my husband.", he said darkly.

The Prophet was thrown onto the table. The headline glaring at the ceiling:

FORMER UNDERSECRETARY UMBRIDGE BACK IN OFFICE!