Dark Union

Voldemort awoke after another odd dream about the Potter boy, he wonders if Potter can feel it to. Anyway, the dream contained images of a nine-year-old Potter standing over a dead cat with the same impassive face the boy always seemed to have plastered on. The background was blurred together so he couldn’t tell where the boy was, but Voldemort was certain it was nowhere nice. Sighing he got up to subdue his ruffled near-black hair. He was starting to like his new body compared to the old snake-like one, for one he could go out in public without scaring people. It was nice, he took a trip to Knockturn alley the other day and he did not even get a glance. When he finished getting ready, he apparated to the Malfoy dining room.

It had been four days since Voldemort had sent the letter out to Potter before he had gotten a reply. He was casually sitting down at breakfast with the Malfoy’s when a white snowy owl had swooped down with a letter tide to its leg. Voldemort smirked at the irony; it looks exactly like Malfoys black owl other than its white. He ponders if the boy did that on purpose, shaking his head he grabbed the letter.

“Dear Professor Quirrell,
I must admit I was extremely surprised to receive a letter from you, especially with the return address of the Malfoy Manor. I am glad you are okay, but you made an idiotic choice to write me. Not only have you jeopardized you, but you have risked the Malfoy family as well. I could have easily given this to the headmaster and had you caught. Although you also gave yourself an early grave because you went against the Dark Lords orders. I may not be a supporter, nor can I imagine myself ever becoming a death eater, but I find it quite traitorous of you. (I do not plan to defeat the Dark Lord either, I am neutral. I may share some of the political opinions with the man, but I do not serve.) I will not stop you from writing me, but I will not take accountability if you are murdered.
My best regards,
Harry Potter.
P.S I do recommend telling the Lord Voldemort though. Bring up the fact I do not plan to kill him (Not that I believe I am capable of such strength, I am twelve after all.), his hatred for me is probably put on that assumption.”

Voldemort clutched the letter, anger and pride seething in his skin. He felt oddly prideful that Potter wouldn’t lower himself to something such as degrading as following someone. The boy was better than that. Although another part of him was conflicted on it, he wanted- no, NEEDED the boy to serve him. It was clear he would not serve, but he will not have an equal. No, he’ll just be a high-ranking servant, perhaps the boy will except obvious favoritism. After a few minutes of silence Voldemort burned the letter wandlessly causing an already confused Lucius and Narcissa to look even more perplexed.

After a few awkward minutes Lucius asked, “My Lord, I wasn’t aware that we were rallying death eaters already. Is there anything I could do to be of assistants?”
Voldemort tutted and stated, “Oh Lucius one of my most faithful followers, always attempting to get my attention like a lost puppy.” He smirked when Lucius turned a shade of red. Suppressing a groan Voldemort said, “I am going to be in my room, and in the training room. Do not bother me unless it is important.” And at those words he stalked off to his room to write a response letter. Sitting down he quickly grabbed parchment paper and a quill, smirking he wrote, “

“Dear Mr. Potter,
Thank you for your response, I was not expecting one if I may be honest. You are correct my actions are brash and Gryffindor-like, which is quite different than I as usually. I am a proud Ravenclaw after all. (Voldemort is a Slytherin, he’s just pretending to be Quirrell) I am curious however why did the sorting hat put you in Slytherin? Usually, it would tell you more than your just cunning and useful. Anyway, I can assure you serving the Dark Lord is one of the most honorable things an individual can do. I truly doubt he would let such a talented wizard like you be low or middle ranking. Due to your age, you are incapacitated to serve, but it would be a good time to train for when the time comes. Going on training have you been practicing the dark arts at all? If you are stuck on any spell, or theory be free to send me a letter. I won’t be able to reply immediately, but you will get one, nonetheless.

Do well in school,
Professor Quirrell.”

Quickly walking up the owlery he gave the same black owl the letter, smiling evilly he watched it fly away. The same thrill of excitement flowing through his veins. After he watched the beautiful black owl leave, he swiftly walked to the training room to practice his spells.

----

Harry had just finished his food and was about to head to the library when Professor Snape pulled him aside. The man seemed angry and was scowling at Harry, he could tell that the Professor wanted to strangle him.

“What can I do for you Professor?” Harry asked breaking the uncomfortable silence between the two.

Professor Snape’s scowl deepened as he sneered, “You weren’t at my office last night. Are you so stupid to not accept help even when it is blatantly given to you?”

Harry stared at his professor in confusion for a second before realizing what he means. He had accidentally healed himself in the middle of class because he was hurting particularly bad that day and he somehow managed to do it. It had just slipped his mind to inform Professor Snape of his situation. He finally said, “I’m sorry sir. I had forgotten to tell you this, but yesterday my magic somehow healed me.”

The older man sneered as he growled, “Why didn’t you heal yourself before then? Potter always going around attention seeking. Your just like your pathetic father, he too used to strut around the school showing off as well.”

Harry managed to keep his face impassive before asking, “Yes sir. What shall be my punishment then?”

“Detention tomorrow after school, do not be late.” Snape said as he stormed away in anger.

Sighing Harry walked to the library to join his friends. He was doing more research on magical creatures and the Slytherin family line, but so far, he got to the Gaunt family, and it all seemed to stop from there. Tom Marvolo Riddle, that was the last person on the family tree. However, it says no more information other than his birth date, 1926. He also started to watch Ginny Weasley more often, something is incredibly off with her. She is always clutching or is around what appears to be a pure black diary. He wonders if the diary has something to do with it, but it just seems too odd for a book to do that to somebody. Sighing he did his best to immerse himself in his book on Charms. He was excited to start dueling club which will be five days until the club starts and he is already doing his best to prepare.

Class went on as usual. Other than potions where he managed to melt the cauldron due to the fact he was partnered up with Neville, who remained the worst at potions in the school. Harry forgave his friend who was apologizing like he just killed someone. Yes, Neville was exceedingly strong with raw power, he just had a hard time focusing now that he has a proper wand. He was best at herbology, and charms. Harry ponders if he would be good at the dark arts, after all his wand is literally made for dark wizards.

After school had been proven to be something different. The first petrification of a student. A muggleborn Hufflepuff named Justin Finley. Harry was walking with Theo and Draco when they came across it. All of them stood there in complete shock, unable to move or speak. Harry felt the blood running from his face, he could not be blamed for this! His thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Filch who said scowling,

“I assure you that this is enough proof of the boy’s innocence, Albus. He’s even dragged his followers with him” Harry noted that Professor Snape seemed to have scowled at the mention of followers. All the teachers were there, and a good number of students as well. He hated the attention on him, he did such a good job with it from him last year.

Headmaster Dumbledore’s frowned deepened and the annoying twinkle in his eyes dimmed as he said, “I’m sure that the boy was here at the wrong time, no child is capable of this.”

Draco, Theo, and Harry nodded frantically. Professor Dumbledore gave a shy smile before dismissing everyone, but he did motion Harry to follow him. Which he did but admittedly he was hesitant, he did not really like the headmaster even though they limited interaction. It weirded him out that the beginning of the year he asked him how he was adjusting to the school, even if he was doing fine.

-Dumbledore pov-

When Albus and the boy arrived at his office he kindly offered the boy a seat, which Harry took politely. Grabbing his favorite candy, Lemon Drop, he asked the boy, “Would you like one?”

“No sir.” The boy said coldly, Albus frowned. He knew very well that the boy is no descendant from Slytherin, but he could still talk to snakes, nonetheless. He prayed to Merlin that the boy does not have the capacity to do that, after all he only second year and it took Tom Riddle four years to find it.

Albus gave a small sad smile then he said, “Harry I just want to ask you something, and you have to be honest. Okay?”

Harry stiffened slightly causing his small smile to fade slightly, but the boy nodded anyway.

“Harry did you open the chamber of secrets?” Albus asked the boy who seemed to be completely stunned by his question. Albus prepared for the worst when the boy suddenly just laughed hysterically. It was dark and echoes on insanity piercing through it, Albus paled. He knew the boy had some Black blood in him, even though it just a sliver of it though his great grandmother, Dorea Potter, who was once a Black. However now that he observed the boy, he certainly does have some of the Black common features, pale skin, dark hair, and an alarmingly insane sounding laugh.

“Headmaster, no offense but I didn’t even know the chamber of secrets were real until Mr. Filch’s cat was petrified! I also have no interest in ridding the wizarding world of muggleborns and halfbloods, I am a halfblood after all!” Harry laughed again, although this time it was a lot colder and more collected. His crazed face immediately switched to cold and impassive, it was as if he never even seemed happy. The sudden behavior change unnerved him greatly, but he did not say anything.

Albus frowned as he said, “Okay Mr. Potter, I understand. If you have any information though, tell me.” And at those words they said a quick goodbye and Harry left the room. When he did Albus pored himself a large class of firewhiskey and took a few deep breathes. He desperately wanted to show the boy what love, happiness, and what friendship is. Show him that the light is just as beautiful, or even more beautiful than the dark. He lived on both sides of the spectrum after all, when he was young and ignorant, he too believed that the darkness was the key to his answers. So therefore, he started a relationship with Gellert Grindelwald. He admits he loved what the man was once, not what he became. Nonetheless he gave up too much in the pursuit of darkness and power, it was a miracle he found the light.

Albus never intended to cause such destruction and pain in the boy’s life, no, he thought his aunt and uncle would have been strict but love him regardless of his magic. He never anticipated that the boy would have ended up in an orphanage, that would be one of his greatest regrets he had ever done. Albus considered moving the boy with a light family like the Weasley’s, or with Remus Lupin and his wife, but he decided against it. It would simply make Harry even more bitter towards the world, the boy would take it was away the comfort of being independent from him.

He eventually decided to let the problem go for now. After all, petrifications are happening and he needs to deal with the immediate problem first.

-Time skip of four days-

Harry was sitting at the breakfast eating his pancakes when he received another letter, from the exact same black owl. ‘Quirrell’ Harry thought immediately, he noticed Draco and Theo look suspicious.

Theo spoke up and said, “Harry this is the second owl you’ve received in two weeks, you never got owls last year. You have to be talking to somebody!”

Luna giggled but said nothing, Theo gave her a mock scowl. Harry just shrugged his shoulders and said, “It is just a friend I met over the summer, he is a muggle I doubt you’ll be interested.”

Draco got an offended look as he exclaimed, “Harry even YOU hate muggles! That is the only thing separating you from a filthy blo-“ He quickly cut himself off, ever since the incident in the common room Draco was quieter about his beliefs. With the few and minor times Harry explained to Draco why he doesn’t hate muggleborns, he started to bully people a lot less. Most people would say he’s becoming more mature, Harry agrees.

“I do. We aren’t friends; he just believes we are. The muggle world is quite similar to Hogwarts Slytherin hierarchy, you have to be cunning and powerful to get to the top. My ‘friend’ here is at the top of the ladder where I live, and I want to take his place.” Another smooth lie, Draco seemed to have believed it and started to ramble off on how he will be the Slytherin king next year. He knows that isn’t true, after all Draco serves him, even if it is subconscious. Harry firmly believes Marcus Flint will remain the Slytherin king, after all he is the Quidditch captain, and the best chaser that Slytherin had for 20 years ago. Not only that but Flint is begrudgingly quite powerful, not only in politics but magical power. Yes, it is mainly due to the fact he has had private tutors since he was three years old (According to Flint) but he is also naturally talented.

After breakfast Harry headed to defense against the dark arts, it had become his least favorite class. After an hour of dealing with Professor Lockhart, class was over, and it was time for charms. Which went normally, like the rest of the classes. Heck even Potions went decent, they had done a quiz and Harry was confident that he would get a good grade. That is of course disregarding the deathly glares he is getting by the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindor.

After class harry was exploring around the castle, he was hoping to find a room where he could practice magic. Harry might have read on a lot of Dark magic, but he was never safe to practice it, he just hopes he still could master spells as quickly as he used to. Halfway through an abandon corridor he saw a bright blue light shoot at him, quickly dodging it he grabbed his wand and turned around to confront his attacker. Only to find no one there, almost immediately he heard someone behind him yell, “STUPEFY” which unfortunately hit him in the back. He flung across the hall and hit a wall hard, he was soon grabbed by a fourth year Hufflepuff and slammed against the wall.

Too dazed to make a rational decision Harry yelled, “expelliarmus” at the older boy as he jammed his want in the boy’s torso. The boy flung back with a splash of blood spraying from the body as the blood hit him, before he could react one boy grabbed his hair and the other pointed his wand at him and said, “Incarcerous” and he felt his entire body being tied up by thick black ropes. He couldn’t move. He proceeded to get one of the worst beatings he had ever received. After a few minutes the older boy removed the spell and forced Harry’s shirt off of him.

The sixth year Gryffindor, Jaydon Tailor, laughed and said, “You wanna be a freak and attack muggleborns for no reason? Perhaps we should give you a reminder of what you are! Daniel, do the curse!” Harry felt anxiety and bile rise in his throat as he felt a sharp piercing cut in his chest. Harry tried to urge his magic to attack them, but he was panicked, he couldn’t focus, and his vision was burry. He could see black dots appear in his eyesight threatening unconsciousness.

He refused to pass out and started focusing on keeping himself awake, he realized that he wouldn’t be able to get his magic to work so he might as well do his best to not pass out. Finally, after five minutes he heard a loud, “HEY! LEAVE HIM ALONE!” The voice was faint, but he could just barely make out who it was, Professor McGonagall.

---

Minerva McGonagall was walking through the corridors heading to Albus’s office to discuss the expulsion of a Gryffindor student who was caught sexually abusing a fellow student. She did however take a wrong turn and ended up getting lost in the endless halls. She was annoyed until she heard a loud scream and a laugh, she quickly ran to the halls as she saw the horrid sight. Minerva was disturbed to see Potter all bruised and bloodied, and nonetheless it was done by a student in her own house!

Quickly stunning the two boys she put her attention on Potter and started to assess his wounds and situation. The boy was covered in bruises and blood, but the most horrifying part of it was the fact that “FREAK” was written on the younger boy’s chest. He also seemed to be barley conscious. Turning over she also saw a Hufflepuff unconscious on the floor with blood pooling out of his stomach. Quickly levitating Potter and the boy, she quickly started searching for the hospital wing. Minerva mentally cursed the anti-apparition wards. Fortunately, it only took her five minutes to find the Hospital wing. When she entered, she was swarmed by Poppy who frantically but Potter down on a bed.

After ten minutes it seemed all the teachers and students were informed of the viscous attack on Mr. Potter. What sickened her the most was the fact that some of the students seemed to be cheering the attackers on for what they did. Luckily, she had seen the culprits and immediately sent them to Albus when Potter was finally safe. When she returned to the hospital wing she witnessed a very angry Severus, and a very worried Poppy.

“Poppy how is he?” Minerva asked as she walked over to her.

Severus scowled and snapped at her, “How do you think he’s doing? He has just been attacked by a fourth year Hufflepuff and two six-year Gryffindors!”

Minerva scowled at Severus; she was offended that he had the audacity to be angry. She knew Severus did not care at all for the boy, and even goes out of his way to inconvenience him. She growled, “It's not like you even cared about Potter, Severus. If anything, you’ve done nothing but bully him!”

This seemed to have taken Severus aback as she watched pure anger and hatred light up in his eyes before he said scowling, “Perhaps I would like the Potter brat more if he wasn’t an arrogant brat who thi…”

They were interrupted by Albus who said angrily, “Enough this instant, I refuse to allow my employees to argue like children! Now both calm down right now.”

Minerva and Severus quickly shut their mouths; they both knew it would be wise to not anger the headmaster even more. Sighing Minerva turned to a very pale Poppy and asked, “Why does the boy still have the word freak carved on his chest? Shouldn’t magic heal it?”

Poppy frowned and said, “No, what was done to Potter is dark magic. Sadly, this curse was specifically made to leave a mark, no matter how much you heal it.”

Minerva and Albus paled, while Severus only scoffed. Minerva found a new hatred for the potions master; she couldn’t fathom why he hated Potter so much. Suppressing a scowl, she said a quick goodbye and left in writhing anger. She hated being this angry.