198AN: *Gasps* I'm not dead! While I know many of you are probably disappointed that I have yet to update Golden Boy No More, I just had to get this out of my system. I'm not sure if I mentioned it here or if I only said so on ao3, but the reason as to why Golden Boy No More is on Hiatus is because I lost my motivation for it. It's not discontinued, but I had to take a break from it. I mean, after losing over four chapters of completed work on my old laptop that died, I lost a lot of my energy for the series. I will continue it one day. For now, I plan on writing things that I have motivation for.
Summary: After his seventeenth birthday, Harry decides to take matters into his own hands. All he wants to do is complete his education at Hogwarts and stay out of a war that people keep trying to force him into. Why can't Dumbledore leave him alone?
Rating: T-M
Warnings/other: This will have a powerful and intelligent Harry Potter. Will contain some oocness. Also, mentions and flashbacks of child neglect and abuse. I'll be sure to put a warning for the flashback scenes for those who might find the subject to be triggering. Will also contain Slash, meaning male on male relationships. If it bothers you, don't read this story.
Pairings: ? To be decided. Might end up as Snarry, Harrymort, or one other that will debut in the next chapter.
Everyone had a limit of what they could take, and when that limit was finally reached, explosive responses were to follow.
The same went for Harry Potter, who singlehandedly barged through Riddle Manor, not even breaking a sweat as he sent the Death Eaters to their knees with a flick of his wrist.
"Potter!" Meeting the crimson eyes of the enraged Dark Lord, the now seventeen-year-old cocked his head to the side.
"Hello, Tom. I'll be with you in a moment." Emerald eyes scanned the inner circle, stopping when he found a pair of wide obsidian eyes. "Professor, I need to talk to you." It was amusing to see those obsidian eyes flash with many different emotions until they finally settled on frustration.
"Avada-" Without taking his eyes off Snape, Harry caught Voldemort's wand, causing an eruption of gasps throughout the room. He blinked, turning to face the speechless wizard.
"I said I would be with you in a moment." With Voldemort's wand in his hand, the younger Wizard finally turned back to Snape, but before he could begin, there was an outraged cry.
"Filthy half-blood! You dare address my lord that way?" Bellatrix's eyes were wild and deranged, raising her wand to send a spell. Harry rose an eyebrow and before anyone could blink, the insane witch was on her knees, clutching her hand in pain.
"That's my one, and final warning to everyone." No one moved a muscle and Harry carried on. "As I was saying," He heaved a small sigh. "When Hogwarts starts up again, I request that you keep Dumbledore away from me at all costs." The silence that followed after amused Harry to no end.
After all, why not make a scene for everyone to hear? It would save him all the trouble in the future.
Green eyes met crimson, and the Dark Lord hummed, evaluating the man in front of him. After a few tense moments of silence and staring each other down, he spoke up.
"I admit to being impressed, Potter." Voldemort held out his hand expectantly. "My wand, if you will."
"Now I'm impressed. You're not demanding me to do something. And-" Harry held back a smirk at the glower and tossed the wand to the older wizard. "You look normal. No snake-face." Voldemort resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"I presume you have another reason as to why you've come here." The younger wizard truly smirked this time. "Such as joining me?" Voldemort suggested, lacing his fingers together.
"Close, but not quite." The younger admitted. "Although, it does involve me not fighting against your side anymore," Voldemort smirked at this and Harry could tell the man was intrigued. "I wish to remain neutral, for the most part."
"For the most part?" Voldemort pressed and Harry shrugged.
"If your side attacks me or my friends, I make no promises that I won't retaliate. I'm tired of all this fighting and I don't want to be part of it anymore."
"And what of you being the supposed 'savior' for the light side?" The older wizard watched in surprise as Harry's demeanor changed, his entire face darkening.
:Tell me, Tom. How would you feel if you were in my shoes and never given a choice? What would you have done?: The death eaters all shivered when they heard the hissy words, even if they hadn't come from their dark lord.
:I suspect I would be doing the same thing I'm doing now.: He hissed slowly, watching Harry keenly. :There are many things I would try to do, but one would be to rebel.: Tom admitted, still watching the younger wizard closely.
:And that is entirely what I'm starting to do. Now that I'm seventeen, Dumbledore and his Order can no longer tell me what to do. By all of the Wizarding laws, I am considered an adult now.: Tom practically chuckled at that, smirking even more.
:How very Slytherin of you, Potter.: Tom spoke up, still thinking of where this left them now.
:I like to believe so myself.: Harry smirked back.
:I understand that you wish to remain neutral, but would you be willing to fight the Order?: There was a pause and Harry frowned to himself, thinking of the people he would have to potentially fight.
:It depends. My main priority is myself now. I've never been given the opportunity to be free until now, but things may change in the future. I only have issues with Dumbledore, the Aurors, and the Weasley women.: Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. :I know I am powerful; I just don't feel like fighting anymore. I want to get my education and learn all the magic I can, without Dumbledore trying to force me to fight you.:
:I see.: Voldemort began with a small frown, taking in everything the once savior of the light was saying. :And how do I know that you aren't planning to eventually take me down?:
:Tom, I had your wand in my hand earlier. If I were planning to defeat you, wouldn't I have done it then?: Voldemort opens his mouth but soon closes it, hating to admit the brat was right.
:How did you master wandless magic at your age?: Tom leans closer, resting his chin on his hands as he waits for an answer. To his surprise, Harry's eyes harden and darken, before they quickly change back into indifference.
:You do what you need to in order to survive.: The seventeen-year-old responds, making the dark lord hum, trying to hide his obvious interest. :Dumbledore has no idea about the wandless magic, anyway. Or how I mastered occlumency on my own. I let him see what he desires to see, and that's it.:
:How long have you been scheming against Dumbledore?: The Dark Lord decided to ask instead, starting to understand a little more about the younger wizard in front of him.
:I've always found it hard to trust him, especially when he continuously sent me to live with my relatives that hate magic. It only became worse when I learned more about the wizarding world, and how there would have been many families that would have taken me in. His only excuse was the blood wards, but honestly? What would have stopped you from apparting out of range and killing me while I was at the nearby park? He's kept too many things from me, and I can't trust him.: Harry stopped, wishing he hadn't admitted so much, but from the look on Tom's face, it seemed that it had at least satisfied him.
:The old fool keeps too many secrets, stringing people along until their usefulness ends. You cut the strings yourself before he could strangle you with them.: Voldemort stops there, thinking over his words. :I understand that you wish to explore your newfound freedom, but if you ever change your mind about joining me, something can be arranged.: Harry quirked an eyebrow and held back a laugh.
:I didn't think you were the type to give someone a second chance to join you.: Voldemort held back a smirk, sitting up straighter.
:I suppose I can make an exception for you, Potter. After all, I now know where your opinion lay. What do you plan on doing next? The Order has surely noticed that their supposed 'savior' is missing?:
:Oh, I bet they're pissed.: Harry actually laughed, enjoying the thought of Dumbledore sending the Order members everywhere to look for him. :Not like they can do anything though. Even if they didn't know where I was staying, they can't force me to follow them any longer. I bet they're going to be patrolling Diagon Alley again today. Hopefully, they won't spot me.: At Voldemort's questioning look, Harry shrugged. :I need to go to Gringotts to get some legal matters settled before anything else.:
:I see.: Tom sighed turning back to his loyal death eaters, who were all watching intently. His gaze landed on one of his most loyal. :You could take Severus with you. It would serve as a way to placate the Order. Make them believe he has been keeping an eye on you but couldn't say anything because of my other spies.:
Severus met the man's crimson eyes and held back a sigh. He doubted he was going to like where this was going, especially when emerald eyes met his as well.
:I'll let him decide. He's also not a fan of being told what to do constantly, and he has to work with Dumbledore.: Harry nearly grimaced, shaking his head. :He also doesn't like me very much. I think he's already dreading the school year anyway.: He laughed softly, unaware of the potions master watching them. Tom nodded and got up, going to look at all his followers, who were still watching their conversation, despite not being able to understand what was being said.
"We are to leave Harry Potter out of this war from now on. If he wishes to join us one day, he shall do so on his own. If anyone tries to attack him, I think you're all well aware of how powerful he is. If I discover anyone is planning to attack him, you will have to deal with me instead." At the chorus of 'Yes my Lord.' The Dark Lord seemed satisfied.
"Well, I think that's my cue to leave," Harry spoke up, his green eyes lighting up at the prospect of no longer having the Death Eaters against him. It was one last thing he had to worry about. "Pleasure doing business with you, Tom." The younger teased, going out the way he had come in.
Like before, he hadn't noticed a pair of obsidian eyes watching him.
Harry had only managed to walk to the apparition point when he was joined by Severus Snape.
"Sir?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow, a little surprised to see his potions master joining his side.
"I'll be joining you, Potter. The headmaster has the Order on high alert around Diagon Alley today. It would be wise for me to join you." Harry held back a snort, hands in his pockets.
"Did Tom order you to accompany me?" To the younger, it sounded like he had.
"No. He surprisingly gave me an option." The professor had narrowed his eyes, watching as the younger Wizard smirked.
"Huh. It looks like a Dark Lord can take advice." Harry didn't look up as the professor hummed, still watching him.
"You don't seem suspicious of me, Potter. For all you know, my true loyalties could lie with Dumbledore." This time, Harry did snort.
"Unlikely. With all due respect, sir, if I were to figure out how deceiving Dumbledore is, what would stop you from discovering too?" He didn't see the way those eyebrows quirked in amusement, holding back a small smirk. " Besides, you would have tried to subdue me by now to bring back to him and the Order." Harry sighed, stealing a glance at the other man. "I think at one point you might have believed in Dumbledore, but I could be wrong," Harry admitted.
"What made you lose your trust in him?"
"Who's to say I ever truly trusted him? I listened to him when I needed to in order to get by. Imagine, you're eleven and all your life, you were taught that magic wasn't real. Then suddenly, out of the blue, you're told you're a wizard. You're flung into a universe that you know nothing about." He sighed looking at the ground. "Sir, even the muggleborns knew more of this world than I did." Severus stops and really looks at the wizard beside of him, taking in everything he had said.
"Another one of Albus' lies then. He had informed everyone in the Order that you were well taken care of and that you had regular visits from a tutor in the magical community." The green-eyed wizard laughed humorlessly.
"And you all bought it." He sighs, looking ahead. "What else did Dumbledore tell you of my relatives?" Surprised by the sudden question, Snape narrowed his eyes more.
"That they pampered you all they could, that they gave you a normal childhood."
"Is it normal to live in a cupboard?" Harry actually sneered but frowned when Snape stopped him, his dark eyes full of an emotion the younger had never seen. "Uh-"
"Repeat that." Snape was actually seething. Well, this was interesting. It looked like this was another thing Dumbledore had kept from everyone.
"I lived in a cupboard under the stairs most of my life. They allowed me to live in Dudley's second bedroom on good days. On days that I had accidentally burnt breakfast, or not done the chores fast enough, they would lock me in the cupboard. It's some of the reason I learned how to master wandless magic so easily. So," Harry met Snape's eyes, raising an eyebrow. "I take it Dumbledore never told you the real reason I would always ask to stay at Hogwarts during the summers. Or how I begged him to let me live in Grimmauld Place?"
Severus Snape felt like an utter idiot.
"Although, I think I did a good job of hiding the abuse. You didn't suspect a thing during our occlumency lessons." Harry had a pleased smirk on his face, well aware of the surprise radiating off of his professor. "Before you even ask; I had already mastered occlumency with Hermione with the help of Fred and George. I purposefully made you think I was unteachable that way Dumbledore wouldn't expect a thing."
"Why weren't you sorted into Slytherin?" Even if it was rhetorical, Harry answered.
"The sorting hat wanted to put me into Slytherin, but I had a bad run-in with Malfoy. If there's anything I hate, it's a bully. When I met him, he was an instant reminder of my cousin, just minus the obese part." Harry shook his head. "At some points, I do regret not being sorted into Slytherin, but then I remember I have friends like Hermione and some of the Weasleys."
"Some?" Severus rose an eyebrow, secretly amused.
"Fred and George are my favorites. I've met Bill once, and Charlie isn't too bad. Mr. Weasley is okay when he's not following Molly's every command." Severus let out a dry chuckle, shocking the younger wizard.
"The Weasley matriarch is overbearing," Snape says unkindly, the only thing giving away his discomfort with her was a twitch of his lips.
"Tell me about it. Molly and Ginny are horrible. She actually thinks I'm going to marry her daughter." There was a snort of disdain, the green in his eyes hardening like steel. "Even Dumbledore keeps suggesting it. Trying to guilt trip me by saying that what my parents would have wanted. Like Hell it is." Snape would have admonished him for the use of language, but not only was Potter seventeen, the mere fact that Dumbledore was trying to use Lily Evans as a manipulation tactic made him sick.
"I was best friends with your mother. She would have wanted you to be happy above all else. I have no doubt Albus would be dead by now if she were still alive." The words make Harry give a soft chuckle, the thought of his mother hexing his headmaster would be something to see.
"That's why I'm about to do this." Intrigued, Snape raised his chin.
"What is going through your head, Potter?" Harry gave a cheeky smile, chuckling.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just going to make a point to Dumbledore by utterly humiliating him and the Order." A glint formed in Snape's eyes that didn't go unnoticed by Harry. "Gringotts will be the first step to achieving that. After all, I need to claim my Lordships now, and," Smile turning darker, Harry spoke in a cold tone. "Take back Grimmauld place."
Well how was that for a first chapter? I'm not entirely pleased with it, but hopefully the next chapter will be better than this one. I am proud of the length of it. I was going to write more, but I figured where I ended it would be the best segway into the upcoming chapter.
I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I'm just going to enjoy writing it for now. This is what I miss. The ability to sit down and smile as I write dialogues between the characters.
Anyway, R&R please. Tell me how you feel about the story and where you think it might be heading.