Never

Ch. 4 - Confrontations Suck. But at Least We Have a Friend?

"Potter." Malfoy's voice had turned cold, nothing like that playful teasing voice he had just that morning.

Harrison just entered the dormitory. The first thing he noticed were the two ugly looking golems sat on either side of Malfoy.  The statues blinked dumbly, which was when he figured out that they were in reality Crabbe and Goyle. All his roommates eyes were turned to him; staring steadily. He blinked at them questioningly, before realizing. "Oh, come on. I leave you to go to the loo once, and you all turn on me."

"This isn't a joke! You made a serious mistake today; protecting with the Gryffindor Golden Boy. We ought to curse you for that betrayal," Malfoy snapped, "It's time to talk about this, Potter."

"If you wanted to talk, you should've done it earlier when I wasn't so tired from classes."

"In-house conflicts are resolved in private, house rules. Unless, you consider yourself above them? Or you don't consider yourself a part of this house at all?"

"I'm a Slytherin, Malfoy. There's no doubt about that, the sorting hat placed me here," Harrison said simply

"Are you? How do we know you didn't somehow trick the sorting hat? You grew up with the Potters and Dumbledore, who know's what kind of light magic they taught you! We have no idea whether or not you are truly loyal to the great Slytherin house!"

"Ha! Loyal?! Slytherin knows no loyalty, I look out for myself, Malfoy, no one else. And you better keep whatever thoughts you have for me to yourself, or I swear you'll regret the day you met me for the rest of your life," with each word he stepped closer to Malfoy, backing him all the way up to the wall. Though Harrison was much shorter than him, his eyes were blazing with anger and power that Malfoy looked absolutely terrified of him. For a moment as he stared up into his eyes, he saw nothing in them: nothing but hatred and fear in that moment.

"Then why?"

Harrison spun to face Nott, "Why what?" he spat

"If you only look out for yourself like you claim, then why did you speak for Jayson Potter at potions? Why did you defend him? He has nothing for you, he has no power, he's a weak boy who survived by chance," Theodore rebutted

"First of all," Harrison stalled, "I also survived by chance that night, so you call him a weakling, you call me a weakling, and I promise I am everything but. Second: Second of all I...My parents. Lily and James Potter told me to look out for him, I can't exactly disobey can I? They're on my heels enough already for being in Slytherin, I don't want another slip up. Besides, I made a mistake today. After knowing Snape and your reactions, it's not worth it to get detention and threatened in my own room for them." Harrison finished, throwing a small touch of disgust into his voice

They all looked towards him suspiciously. There was a silence floating through the room, and a tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. They all stared skeptically at him and Harrison stared back firmly. 

It was Malfoy who finally spoke, obviously he was appointed leader of this little intervention, "We're watching you, Potter. We won't forget this, and neither will the other Slytherins. We may present an open front outside the common room, but everyone among the Slytherins will know, until you prove yourself, you are an outsider."

"Great, that was fun. How many times did you practice your little speech before I got here?" Harrison said casually as he flopped onto his bed

"Know your place," he said coldly, "You will never be one of us until you learn how to be a proper Slytherin. If you ever need reminding of how little you belong, take a look at your own name."

Harrison quieted, the name Potter was the only thing he felt he had left of his brother and parents anymore. He knew he hadn't been getting any letters from his father or mother despite whatever promises they made, but Jayson clearly had been receiving many gifts and letters from them just that morning. He would need to abandon all of his past to form a new foundation here. Or maybe... "I know my place, Malfoy. But it is you who should learn yours," he sneered, letting his magic flow around the room, hoping that his slightly more powerful than average magic would be enough to intimidate them. After all, they were all only eleven - any magic that was a somewhat significant amount more than their own would cause them to submit like small pups. And Harrison only intended to slightly scare, he didn't need much more power for that. Malfoy stiffened slightly as did the others, showing Harrison that it indeed did have the intended effect.

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Potter's eyes glowed with power, he didn't even seem to realize it - the pure magic in the room was nearly suffocating though. Blaise could feel it though, that pure magic that wrapped around each of the, pulling them into something. What that something was, Blaise didn't quite know. But he could feel his own magic being tugged on, magnetized by the field of power surrounding Potter.

"Potter," Malfoy croaked, his voice cracked slightly, "Whatever you're trying to do...I...we still outnumber you, 6 to 1. You can't possibly think...The entire house will stand against you, no matter what tricks Dumbledore taught you." The veil of magic dropped. Malfoy stood a little straighter, arrogance returned. "You are nothing."

Blaise stood, "You really are an idiot Malfoy. That was pure magic, not any tricks Dumbledore could've taught. Unless...unless you think Dumbledore has found a way to siphon more magic to a specific person. Something no one, not even the most powerful lords have found a way to do."

Draco bristled at Blaise's implication, "Surely you aren't saying that this half-blood, a Potter, could be naturally more powerful than those of us who are pure?"

"Well, I'm not saying he isn't, am I? He's for sure more powerful than you, Malfoy. You're nothing but a little spoiled brat compared to his magic," Blaise sneered, "I don't care that he's a half-blood. When any of you decide you would dare touch him, I would be at his side."

"You would side with a filthy half-blood over your own kind?!" Draco roared. Crabbe and Goyle grunted in agreement and they too stood to stand over Malfoy. 

"I'm a Slytherin, aren't I? And it's very clear to me who among us has the most power. I will stand with Potter against you if it comes to it. I'm no idiot, I'm very sure that the two of us could wipe you out in battle."

"And the entire house as well? And Snape? And my father? And the Dark Lord? You think yourself powerful enough to wipe them out as well?"

"Careful there, Malfoy," Potter said slyly, "What do you think your father would say about you invoking the Dark Lord's name? And in front of a Potter too. Those are some rather dangerous things you're insinuating, Draco."

"Not only that, you've also just claimed that the entire house of Slytherin, including the head of house - our own professor, and your father, a Ministry official, would all willingly attack a couple of helpless eleven year olds over something as trivial as showing courtesy to a Gryffindor," Blaise added helpfully

"Exactly." Potter looked over at Blaise with an eyebrow raised in question. Blaise shrugged, he'd meant what he'd said. Potter was the most powerful in the room, perhaps not the whole house but then he really doubted that the older years cared much about what they did.

"Fine. That's fine then," Malfoy scowled, "If the two of you want to play blood traitor, that's fine by me, play all you want. But when you meet your less than sorry end, don't say I didn't warn you. Especially you, Zabini, I thought you were pure but I guess not. I suppose I should've expected it."

"Okay," Blaise said, "Just leave us alone then."

"We will."

"Then do," Harry said, "And preferably get your cronies out of our dorm."