A New Beginning (DH -COMPLIANT)
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
82
Views:
77,468
Reviews:
905
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female › Snape/Hermione
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
82
Views:
77,468
Reviews:
905
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
A Conversation
Chapter 22 ~ A Conversation
”A friend?” Rod repeated, staring at the creature.
Voldemort nodded, becoming even stronger as Rod considered how awesome it would be to have a spirit for a friend. He had none after all, and was sure no one else had one like this, hideous though it was. It made him feel special. Tom could be his . . . secret. The boy’s joy loosened the specter’s voice further.
”I will . . . teach you to be strong,” he said to the wizard, “To . . . be the s-s-strongest. Just listen . . . to me.”
”To be strong? With magic?” Rod asked Tom excitedly.
”With magic . . . and more than magic,” the ghost lisped back at him.
”But . . . but I’m not very powerful,” Rod said, his eyes dulling a bit, “My teachers have all but given up on me. If it wasn’t for written work, I’d probably fail most of my classes, Tom. Even my wand is a hand-me-down. It didn’t choose me.”
Voldemort studied the boy. He was full of empathy, but also bitterness that he refused to release. That bitterness could fuel his power, strengthen his abilities. Where there was bitterness, there was rage as well. Rage and darkness. It only had to be drawn out.
”You have it in you. Believe me. I see it,” the specter lisped.
Rod met the creature’s red eyes. They looked excited and hungry. It wouldn’t look like that if it didn’t see something. Still Rod was doubtful.
”I’ve never been good at anything. You’d have to be a miracle-worker to help me,” the wizard said.
”I’ve done miracles, boy,” Voldemort said, “Amazing things.”
His skin was healed now, and he looked a bit . . . older. Larger.
”You’re . . . growing,” Rod said to him, “and your skin looks better.”
The spirit’s face was still deformed, but the boy was getting used to it
”Because of you. You like me,” Voldemort replied, “As long as we remain friends, you’ll keep me strong. In exchange, I will help you become stronger than you ever imagined. What is your name?”
”Rod,” the wizard said, then frowned slightly, “But everyone calls me Odd Rod.”
Voldemort chuckled a bit nastily.
”You do as I say, and they’ll find out just how “Odd” you can be, Rod. You will get respect,” the wizard lisped.
Suddenly a set of robes fuzzed in and settled on his body.
”Really?” Rod asked him, his eyes a bit dreamy.
It would be nice to be able to move about the castle and not be harassed, even spoken to in a friendly manner by others. Maybe, maybe he could make a few friends before he left the school.
Voldemort looked at Rod’s shabby robes.
”Are you poor, boy?” the ghost asked him.
Rod nodded.
”I’m an orphan. I work around the castle to earn my way. Everything I own belonged to someone else,” Rod said.
Voldemort looked at him soberly. He had his full voice now. Soft. Persuasive.
”I was an orphan too. The world isn’t kind to orphans. It gives us nothing but misery. The only way for us to make it in this world is to take what we want. Nothing is given to us. Nothing, Rod. That is the first thing you must learn,” the ghost said, “To go after what you want. Work toward what you want and when the time comes, seize it.”
”But I don’t want much. I could care less about my robes or anything like that. A decent wand would be nice though,” the boy said, “One from Ollivander’s. I could probably do better magic if I had that. But that costs money. I rarely have money.”
“There are other ways to get what you want, boy. Is that bas . . .”
Voldemort caught himself. He almost called Ollivander a bastard. He still hated the wizard. He wasn’t worth a damn to him when questioned about the Elder wand, only giving half-assed answers.
”Is Ollivander still running the shop?” Voldemort asked.
Rod shook his head.
”He died years ago. I think his daughter runs it now,” Rod replied, running his hand through his dirty blonde hair.
”Ah, a witch. Witches are usually very soft-hearted,” Voldemort lisped, “Perhaps you can play on her sympathies . . . offer to do her a service in exchange for a wand. Barter sometimes works. You are a poor orphan who has never had a wand. She’ll melt like butter. You must go to Ollivander’s as soon as possible and try to persuade her.”
Rod blinked at the specter.
”You really think that could work?” he asked.
Voldemort nodded. He was about to say something else when the sound of voices approached.
”Quickly, turn the stone the other way!” Voldemort hissed at Rod.
The wizard quickly turned the stone just as the door opened and his three roommates entered. They were young wizards. Normally when a student moved up in grade, their accommodations were upgraded as well. If Rod had been paying tuition, he would have had only one other roommate and a semi-private room. But since he wasn’t, he roomed with first and second year students year after year, having to watch them move on while he stayed put.
Even they didn’t show him respect. Unther Coggins frowned at him.
”In here wanking off Rod?” he asked the wizard, who stood up and deposited the stone in his pocket.
Saying nothing, Rod opened his standing locker, took out a book for his next class, then walked out of the room as the boys laughed after him.
”What a loser,” he heard one of them say as he pulled the door closed behind him.
He walked silently through the Common Room, which was slowly filling up with students, his brow furrowed in thought. He bumped into a burly seventh year, who pushed him roughly.
”Watch where you’re going, Odd Rod,” he growled, scowling at the wizard.
”Sorry,” Rod muttered, exiting the Common Room and walking up the damp hallway that led to the dungeon corridor. He was thinking about Tom. He was a little scary, but sounded as if he knew what he was talking about and could do what he said he could.
Help him get respect.
Already the ghost or whatever he was had given him a good idea. Rod would have never thought of trying to barter for a wand on his own. If he had his own wand, he knew he’d do much better magically. If he had a good wand, maybe he wouldn’t take so much guff off of people. His wand didn’t hex well at all, so he didn’t confront anyone or defend himself. He’d get his ass kicked. Even first years could do stronger spells.
Yes, he really needed to go visit Ollivander’s shop.
Rod patted his pocket, feeling the reassuring hardness of the stone under the threadbare fabric.
The wizard smiled. Yes, he really felt that finally something could go his way. He had a bit of hope now.
And he had Tom to thank for that.
****************************
A/N: And the seduction begins. Ah the lust for power, the downfall of many great men. How can a mere boy who has nothing stand against that? Now, that that’s all set up, let’s see what’s going on with Hermione and Severus in the next chapter. Thanks for reading.
”A friend?” Rod repeated, staring at the creature.
Voldemort nodded, becoming even stronger as Rod considered how awesome it would be to have a spirit for a friend. He had none after all, and was sure no one else had one like this, hideous though it was. It made him feel special. Tom could be his . . . secret. The boy’s joy loosened the specter’s voice further.
”I will . . . teach you to be strong,” he said to the wizard, “To . . . be the s-s-strongest. Just listen . . . to me.”
”To be strong? With magic?” Rod asked Tom excitedly.
”With magic . . . and more than magic,” the ghost lisped back at him.
”But . . . but I’m not very powerful,” Rod said, his eyes dulling a bit, “My teachers have all but given up on me. If it wasn’t for written work, I’d probably fail most of my classes, Tom. Even my wand is a hand-me-down. It didn’t choose me.”
Voldemort studied the boy. He was full of empathy, but also bitterness that he refused to release. That bitterness could fuel his power, strengthen his abilities. Where there was bitterness, there was rage as well. Rage and darkness. It only had to be drawn out.
”You have it in you. Believe me. I see it,” the specter lisped.
Rod met the creature’s red eyes. They looked excited and hungry. It wouldn’t look like that if it didn’t see something. Still Rod was doubtful.
”I’ve never been good at anything. You’d have to be a miracle-worker to help me,” the wizard said.
”I’ve done miracles, boy,” Voldemort said, “Amazing things.”
His skin was healed now, and he looked a bit . . . older. Larger.
”You’re . . . growing,” Rod said to him, “and your skin looks better.”
The spirit’s face was still deformed, but the boy was getting used to it
”Because of you. You like me,” Voldemort replied, “As long as we remain friends, you’ll keep me strong. In exchange, I will help you become stronger than you ever imagined. What is your name?”
”Rod,” the wizard said, then frowned slightly, “But everyone calls me Odd Rod.”
Voldemort chuckled a bit nastily.
”You do as I say, and they’ll find out just how “Odd” you can be, Rod. You will get respect,” the wizard lisped.
Suddenly a set of robes fuzzed in and settled on his body.
”Really?” Rod asked him, his eyes a bit dreamy.
It would be nice to be able to move about the castle and not be harassed, even spoken to in a friendly manner by others. Maybe, maybe he could make a few friends before he left the school.
Voldemort looked at Rod’s shabby robes.
”Are you poor, boy?” the ghost asked him.
Rod nodded.
”I’m an orphan. I work around the castle to earn my way. Everything I own belonged to someone else,” Rod said.
Voldemort looked at him soberly. He had his full voice now. Soft. Persuasive.
”I was an orphan too. The world isn’t kind to orphans. It gives us nothing but misery. The only way for us to make it in this world is to take what we want. Nothing is given to us. Nothing, Rod. That is the first thing you must learn,” the ghost said, “To go after what you want. Work toward what you want and when the time comes, seize it.”
”But I don’t want much. I could care less about my robes or anything like that. A decent wand would be nice though,” the boy said, “One from Ollivander’s. I could probably do better magic if I had that. But that costs money. I rarely have money.”
“There are other ways to get what you want, boy. Is that bas . . .”
Voldemort caught himself. He almost called Ollivander a bastard. He still hated the wizard. He wasn’t worth a damn to him when questioned about the Elder wand, only giving half-assed answers.
”Is Ollivander still running the shop?” Voldemort asked.
Rod shook his head.
”He died years ago. I think his daughter runs it now,” Rod replied, running his hand through his dirty blonde hair.
”Ah, a witch. Witches are usually very soft-hearted,” Voldemort lisped, “Perhaps you can play on her sympathies . . . offer to do her a service in exchange for a wand. Barter sometimes works. You are a poor orphan who has never had a wand. She’ll melt like butter. You must go to Ollivander’s as soon as possible and try to persuade her.”
Rod blinked at the specter.
”You really think that could work?” he asked.
Voldemort nodded. He was about to say something else when the sound of voices approached.
”Quickly, turn the stone the other way!” Voldemort hissed at Rod.
The wizard quickly turned the stone just as the door opened and his three roommates entered. They were young wizards. Normally when a student moved up in grade, their accommodations were upgraded as well. If Rod had been paying tuition, he would have had only one other roommate and a semi-private room. But since he wasn’t, he roomed with first and second year students year after year, having to watch them move on while he stayed put.
Even they didn’t show him respect. Unther Coggins frowned at him.
”In here wanking off Rod?” he asked the wizard, who stood up and deposited the stone in his pocket.
Saying nothing, Rod opened his standing locker, took out a book for his next class, then walked out of the room as the boys laughed after him.
”What a loser,” he heard one of them say as he pulled the door closed behind him.
He walked silently through the Common Room, which was slowly filling up with students, his brow furrowed in thought. He bumped into a burly seventh year, who pushed him roughly.
”Watch where you’re going, Odd Rod,” he growled, scowling at the wizard.
”Sorry,” Rod muttered, exiting the Common Room and walking up the damp hallway that led to the dungeon corridor. He was thinking about Tom. He was a little scary, but sounded as if he knew what he was talking about and could do what he said he could.
Help him get respect.
Already the ghost or whatever he was had given him a good idea. Rod would have never thought of trying to barter for a wand on his own. If he had his own wand, he knew he’d do much better magically. If he had a good wand, maybe he wouldn’t take so much guff off of people. His wand didn’t hex well at all, so he didn’t confront anyone or defend himself. He’d get his ass kicked. Even first years could do stronger spells.
Yes, he really needed to go visit Ollivander’s shop.
Rod patted his pocket, feeling the reassuring hardness of the stone under the threadbare fabric.
The wizard smiled. Yes, he really felt that finally something could go his way. He had a bit of hope now.
And he had Tom to thank for that.
****************************
A/N: And the seduction begins. Ah the lust for power, the downfall of many great men. How can a mere boy who has nothing stand against that? Now, that that’s all set up, let’s see what’s going on with Hermione and Severus in the next chapter. Thanks for reading.