Great, now someone's slipping Harry potions? This can only end well! SP

Wow first day back and already someone takes a shot at him, just because he wont do what they want. Like damn Flint, all this over a game. Answering a jinx with a reducto.......'might' be a little overkill but at least it is certainyl one way to get a message across lol. At least Flint will now be less likely to throw threats and ultimatums at or around Harry.

Jeez even Theo thinks Harry could have dialed it back a notch lol. Or at the very least waited for someone on his side to back him up, or just report Flint to Snape. Harry calling him out on whether if Theo were in a similar posistion, if he would respond the same way were it a gryffindor cornering him. This event isnt going to make Harry popular in some Slytherin circles but perhaps in others it will have earned him some respect if not a little bit of fear.

Aww poor Neville worrying that Harry wont want to be friends with him or might start hexing people after hearing what he heard. Rumors are a real bitch eh? At least Hermione and Ron are there to set him straight and ease his fears, even if they have different eways of wording it lol. Heart goes out to Harry, the universe wont cut him some slack and it would make things so much simpler for him if he had a house all his own, no labels or expectation, just his friends. *Whsitle* Harry's snapping at everyone and its still only morning.

Ah well that explains Harry's short fuse this chapter. Wonder who slipped him that potion. Harry not planning on being anyones puppet is certainly going to throw a wrench in quite a few peoples plans. Poor Snape is gonna have grey hairs before the end of term.

I'd got half way through chapter 18 and thought to myself, "This should have been called "No"" (and then I remembered that it was!). I have never wanted to punch Dumbledore more in my life! Loving nice(ish) Severus. And someone needs to smack Flint into the middle of next week! SP

Damn, cant even get through a full meal before Albus has to pull him away to try a new manipulation. At least Severus is sticking to his vow of looking after Harry and went with them to make sure albus didnt overstep and to catch any of the verbal traps the headmaster might set. So albus at least suspects that Harry was staying with Tarq but couldnt make a move and even if he did Nott could just have Harry moved before he got there.

Albus really isnt used to being told no is he? He is so used to people just believing his words and going along with his plans but Harry is putting his foot down and all Albus is doing is pushing the boy farther away. The Weasleys already have there fair share of enemies and no strangers to danger so i doubt they wouldnt mind taking Harry in since Molly already all but considers Harry a son if they were aksed. Pretty low of Albus to use Harry's concern for his loved ones totry and move him away from the suggestion of placing him with the Weasley's.

I am enjoying this new attitude of Harry's, at least in regards to how he is becoming less and less concerned with any labels people want to give him. Although it really isnt healthy too keep all those pent up feelings regarding his abuse inside. Eventually someone is gonna step on that perverbial landmine subject and he is gonna react 'poorly'.

Pretty big of Draco to admit, at least to himself that Harry is the better seeker. Harry s gonna have his work cut out for him between managing his circle of friends and having to deal with people getting pissy over him breaking there expectations of how they think he should be.

Just picked this up and read all 17 chapters. Liking the way you're building that everyone wants a piece of Harry; I'm wondering how he'll cope with being pulled in several different directions. Your Dumbledore is quite the asshole (yay!). And I'm loving confused Severus. SP

Snape is starting to realize that Harry works aastonishingly well when not under constant pressure from overly stern teachers or students who want to sabotage hm. Liking Harry's attitude of 'dealing with it as it comes' in regards to future school problems. Him being who he is, he is gonna have a lot of problems in the near future lol. So Harry has changed his stance on whether or not he will persue Quiditch on the Slytherin team and is actually considering it.

So Tarq has a year to get his affairs in order before Harry has to find a place to live. At first i thought he would try to get Harry the inheritance to Grimmauld Place or maybe his parents old home if he was unable to reacuire possession of the boy. Now i'm thinking his legal procedings have more to do with having his "alleged"(hah) past as a 'former'(double hah) Death Eater completely expunged so he can formerly adopt Harry. Or maybe he intends to somehow use Harry, the revelation of his Parselmouth status and the favor he owes him for something.

Wow these kids have some pretty card carrying bad people as parents. Blaise is already being somewhat influenced by Harry that he is starting to chafe and shift away from his mothers warped interests and world view, and she seems to be close to catching on to that. Someone at his age shouldnt have to experience that kind of stuff or have to put on a poker face and play junior politics with his parent.

Given that he is from an abusive household its only natural that Harry would be so protective of Blaise. And its sweet that he doesnt seem to think any ess of him for his mothers crimes and is even willing to mount a rescue in the future if necasarry. You can take the boy out of grffyndor, but ya cant always take the Grffyndor out of the boy. If you manage to become his friend you have ine hell of a loyal protector.Theos gonna be in for a ride once he sees just how reckless Harry can be when he gets it in his head to save someone lol.

"Theo spends a moment pondering why he feels better when Harry’s smiling than when he’s not. He shrugs and follows him up the stairs in the end without an answer, though. He doesn’t understand enough of the changes that are happening in him, in Harry, and all around them to say anything about that yet."

 The reactions of some Slytherins is both cute and sad in how they dont exactly know how to respond to some of Harry's actions. True friendship without strings attached friendship is so foreign to them that they keep getting surprised when Harry does things outside of what they have come to expect.

Harry starting to make small steps in bridging the divide, at least between his Slytherin and Gryffindor friends. And then making the ultimate sacrifice.....talking schoolwork with Hermione lol.

Show time indeed. Wonder what kind of reception Harry will get now that the whole wchool will see him in slytherin for the whole year and how his old friends in gryffindor react. And also wonder how Harry will react to certain antics and politics in Slytherin that he doesnt agree with  and how well behaved Blaise, Theo and Draco will be around Harry's friends besides Hermione and Ron. Then theres albus to worry about and Sirius Black soon.

Also wonder what secret trick Tarquinias has that has kept free.

-Happy to see that the trio will be reuniting  and oh yes, Ron's parents probably wouldnt be too happy that he was going to the house of a 'suspected' Death Eater. Hell they probably would have either ran off to what they assumed would be to save Harry or alerted the Order and mobalized lol.

-My god these Slytherins and there theatrical entrances and need to impress lol. At least Theo now gets too see what a real uncompromising frienship looks like curtousy of Harry and his friends. Be a good learning experience and help give him better insight as how to endear himself to Harry further. I love seeing Harry so happy and wanting everyone to get along.

-Love Harry not really caring for labels and sticking to his guns and not other peoples perception. Dumbledore may have screwed up in regards to his treatment of Harry but the one truth he told him is that its the choices people make in life that define them, not there house colors. Kid just weants to have a normal life with normal kid problems but the world just wont let him. He doesnt care for politics or being some great hero or villain, he just wants blissful normalcy.

-Gotta give points to Theor for trying to play nice even after that dig from Ron and the lack of any real apology. Although its understandable to see where Ron's coming from. Harry's gonna probably have to play mediator between his Gryffindor friends and his slowly growing circle of Slytherins friends for some time. Harry is already a positive influence on Theo, getting him to mind his words.

-Wow the stones on Hermione. Walking right up to who she knows full well is a death eater with an ideology that views her as dirt and has probaby killed/tortured his fair share of people like her and questioning him. Granted Tarq wouldnt try anything with Harry nearby but guts alone should earn her some of his respect. Wonder what 'legal arrangements' he is in the process of doing and even though he still inwardly calls her a mudblood it at least seems like she left a decent impression.

-Amazing that Harry takes in stride what other peope would be freaking out about in regards to living with a death eater. I'll chalk it up to his age and that he still knows very little about the group other than what he has been told. Yep Albus should really have just let him stay with the Weasleys, Harry  would have been with a family that cares for him, that is loyal to the Order and he might still have had the boys loyalty.

-Hermione spotting the thread and addressing the Elephant in the room that is the durlseys murder. Everyones making decent and understandable points, murder IS wrong, but it is also wrong to expect an abused child to go back to his abusers and its not like Harry asked Tarq to kill them. Poor kid about to have an anxiety attack at the thought of losing his two closest friends over this.

“No,” Hermione finally says, reluctantly. “I—there are some things I thought were true about Dumbledore, and now Mr. Nott says they’re not. I’ll have to look them up and see if they are, but I think it’s important to support you.” She sighs. “I’ll leave it alone and do what I can to support you, okay?”

-I said it once and i will say it again, Ride.Or.Die. these two rwally have Harry's back through thick and thin and if knowing that Harry is living with a killer and is okay with that doesnt turn them away, nothing will. Wonder whether or not Tarquinius will be okay with them knowing though. He has a fairly beneficial deal with Harry but aside from there loyalty to Harry he has nothing to hold Hermione and Ron to secrecy and with Dumbldore being able to read minds, it would be very problematic for him if they unkowingly let some secrets slip. But he cant really do anything drastic or blackmail them without alienating Harry in the process.

I kept waiting to see if Mr. Nott had one of his pets hiding in his sleeves lol. I'm glad he didn't.

Lol I seriously find it amusing how the Death Eater dad and his son just do not know how to take Harry. He's just being his normal self which is to adjust to whatever situation he finds himself... and they keep reacting like he's got Slytherin plots. Needed to study up on kindness and honesty to figure Harry out :)

I can see why Severus is thrown by Harry not reacting much to the death of his relatives. I guess he would see the rescuing thing to proof of how much Harry must care about other people but I think the way you show Harry makes a lot more sense. Harry didn't actually learn empathy from his relatives and there isn't any bond there at all. It's like have a half sibling that you have never met... you don't necessarily want anything bad to happen to them but it's rather hard to see them as your actual brother or sister.

That's why Hermione and Ron are so important... they actually care about Harry and willingly accept him. Of course  he would give them his loyalty back.

I have to say I'm really enjoying this story. I started to read it, then walked away, but decided to pick it back up. Some of your stories do that to me, I'll lose interest but if I pick it back up quick enough I can enjoy the whole thing. I'm looking forward to seeing this story to its end, whatever it may be!

Wow so Tarquinius just went and put it all out there in regards to Blaise's mom eh? Wonder if he is trying to drive a wedge between Harry and anyone who might be able to influence him other than himself. Curious if this will impact Harry's relation ship with Blaise further down the line. His 2 somewhat alomost friends in Slytherin both have parents who have no problem with murder, thats gotta weigh on his mind and morality somewhat.

Aw, Harry instantly answering that Snape would take him in if he ever decided to leave Tarq's. At least with Severus he would be with someone who woldnt try and manipulate him or call in any debts and actually look out for his well being woth hidden motives. Snape would be the best option aside from the Weasleys. Kudos to Harry for being able to disarm Mr. Nott even if it was a mock duel.Cute how Blaise is happy to recieve a letter from Harry and perhaps Bernard should pay more attention to rumors since his current wife is more than likely planning his premature end. Also smart of Harry to remind Nott that his actions dont just get him a second debt.

Severus has certainly thrown his full weight behind Harry if he is willing to cross Alkbus to such lengths despoite his debt to the headmaster. Wonder how this new and growing bond between the two will survive Harry finding out that it was Snape who told his master about the prophecy. All he knows now is that Snape was friends with Lily, all the good things. He doeant know the part he played in her death or the 'mudblood incident' during their school years. Both curious and a little scared at how far Harry will be willing to go to make sure that Dumbledore doesnt find Dudley. Gonna assume Dudley is at his aunts.

Draco already showing doubts in his fathers hope for the dark lords return and is starting to rethink his approach to Harry now being a permanent resident in his School House.

Beleivable and to a point justified reactions from Harry's friends about his new residence and caretaker but at least they have more loyalty to Harry than any of the adults in there lives  and the worry they have is born of there concern for him. Wonder if they do get to visit him how their interactions with the Notts will go.

"But instead, Harry looks up and says, “Good.” *Imperial March plays in the background*

But in all seriousness i am stoked to see Harry's inner thoughts of when this bombshell is dropped on him.Wonder how or if this will effect his willingness to learn anything from Mr Nott or if he will just be more on guard now knowing a little of what the man is capable of. So since the Dursely's are dead, there really isnt any reason for Harry to stay with the Notts no? He was pretty hyped earlier at the thought of living with the Weasley's and now with no abusive relatives hanging over his head that Dumbedore could send him too, would that be back on the table? His big fear is gone and what else can Albus do since the people he wanted to send Harry to are now gone. Although I dont see Nott relinquishing his hold over Harry so easily.

Interesting look at Harry's magical potential and at least Harry has the sense of mind to still be weary of Tarquinius despite his help even before the big reveal.

Well at least this is something both Severus and Harry can use if necasarry to keep Tarquinius from overstepping his bounds.

"Harry goes on, and faces Severus as if he has forgotten that such a person as Tarquinius Nott exists. Severus finds that satisfying for a number of reasons. He doesn’t try to untangle all of them now." Face it Snape, the kid has latched on to the small warmth lingering in that old heart.

Easy to see how Theo came to be the kind of person he is.

I wonder how Tarquinius would take Harry wanting to either visit or be visited by Hermione and Ron. A Muggleborn and a Blood Traitor. He couldnt really deny the boy especially if he wants to gain an alliance with him. Would be interesting to see how he handles being around Hermione in particular, given his world view and the group he ran with.
 

Haha! I love it! Harry seems to be waking a fine line between evil and dark, I wonder if he'll manage to not fall. This is a very intriguing story, I can't wait for more

Is it stares? or starts? That word breaks the otherwise wonderful flow. in the latest chapter.

I'm assuming its stares based on context since that's not something he's going to use often.

Hah at Severus actually having to take a few moments to find his zen before thinking of his next move lol. Welp Albus has no one to blame but himself, now that Snape wont even go to him unless it is absolutely necasarry since he will probably cause more harm than help. Wonder how Severus will be able to salvage this clusterfuck of a situation.

“Severus. To what do I owe the interference?” Wow charming right off the bat there eh mister Nott? And that name,Tarquinius, as in one of the legendary kings of Rome? Clever and very pure blood sounding.

Hopefully Severus will go through with just grabbing Harry and making a break for it when he gets the chance during the visit. Leaving the boy with someone who actually went to school with Tom Riddle and was one of his earliest followers cant exactly be justified no matter how he spins it. I take it leaving him with ron and his family is a no go? One would think that after this Albus wouldnt be able to deny the boy anything he wants so long as he doesnt go running off with bad people. I wonder how Hermione in particular will take Harry being indebted to a man with the belief that people like her are better off dead or gone from the wizarding world. I mean sure she loves Harry like a brother and is loyal to him but would this put a strain on there bond?

And i know i have said it before but I love it when Snape gets all protective and very subtly lets it be known that he will END you if you hurt someone under his protection. Pity it took Harry being forced into his house to spur this kind of protectiveness. Had he always treated Harry like this, he might have gotten the boy to be more loyal to him than he is to Dumbledore.

Hmm, ya know if Harry wants a little extra leverage in whatever deal Mr. Nott tries to make with him, he could mentally file away that the man essentially admitted or implied to having served Voldemort previously of his own will and maybe pass that particular confession via pensieve on to Snape when he sees him as a backup blackmail that he could send to the Ministry in case the man crosses a line or tries to betray him.

"But things are looking better now. And he doesn’t think he’s going to regret this."

*Scene transition*

“The Dursleys, Number Four Privet Drive,” he says. “Kill them.”

Well.....that escalated. Harry hates them and they deserve punishment, and i would be down for them getting painfully 86'd by some vengful magical creature, but will Harry? Wouldnt take long for him to put two and two togethor and realize that the Dursleys death couldnt be a coincidence. I suppose on the bright side if they are dead then there is nothing preventing Albus from stopping the Weaselys from adopting Harry sin ce the blood protection excuse will be void.