Slytherin Pt. 1

1st September. Hogwarts.

"HUFFLE-"

"No."

With a wandless cutting curse on his fingertips, Ares was carefully holding the hat on his head.

"Slytherin..."

"Bit of a cliché, isn't it? I mean, I am the Lord Slytherin. Oh well, I'm not the talking hat with the weird voice."

Before the hat could cry out against the injustice, Ares took it off and made his way to the Slytherin table.

Tracey, Pansy and Draco greeted him with smiles and congratulations, while Daphne merely nodded.

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Dumbledore had to admit he was a little disappointed; he had been expecting the newest member of the Hogwarts family to be in Ravenclaw. However, the greater good would prevail. This was no big failure as he would just meet the young man privately under the pretext of helping him settle in and begin to influence him there.

Yes, Ares II would make a fine addition to the people Dumbledore was building around Harry.

When Voldemort returned, the wizarding world would need brave people to kill the Dark Lord after Harry sacrificed himself.

Eyes twinkling, he watched the young boy integrate himself into what was, in Dumbledore's opinion, the most dangerous house at Hogwarts.

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Minerva McGonagall had her full attention on the latest addition to the house of snakes. He reminded her far too much of Sirius Black, and she was incredibly suspicious now that the man had escaped.

She knew about ageing amulets and wouldn't put it past the death eater to infiltrate the school, although the hat hadn't seemed to mind.

So, if he wasn't Sirius in disguise, was he related? All Pureblood families tended to be related in some fashion.

She would have to wait and see.

After all, it would not do to make assumptions before she had proof, she was a respectable figure and respectable figures didn't make unnecessary accusations, although she might mention it to Albus in passing.

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Ares was talking with Tracey about the benefits of Chess when Dumbledore began his start-of-term speech.

"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts.

Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast.

First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin, who's kindly consented to fill the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher post.

Good luck, professor. Of course.

Our Care of Magical Creatures instructor has decided to retire to spend more time with his remaining limbs.

Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce that his place will be taken by none other than Rubeus Hagrid.

Finally, on a more disquieting note, at the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors of Azkaban until such a time as Sirius Black is captured.

The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds.

Now, whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution.

Dementors are vicious creatures. They'll not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way.

Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. It is not like a dementor to be forgiving.

But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light.

Now let us all enjoy this wonderful feast!"

Ares could see that Malfoy wanted to shout something at Harry, but a quick glare from him was enough to stop him.

Dumbledore was going to be looking for Sirius this year, which gave Ares a chance to make a power base at Hogwarts before the manipulative old man focused on him too much.

Turning to look down the table, he struck up a conversation with Felix Rosier, a rather average wizard who was the third child of his family.

He was a good conversationalist and seemed amicable enough, with no real feelings about blood purity, wanting only to spend time with Anastasia Avery.

Anastasia, however, was very keen on power; she had no love for pureblood or muggleborns, only those who had power and influence, and since most people with power and influence were purebloods...

She was the niece of the ruling lord of the Avery house and was with Felix because he was pureblood, and there was a chance he would outlive his older brother.

Felix was a large boy, bigger than Ares at least, with a rugged look about him, and a warm personality, at least with Anastasia.

Anastasia was a shoulder-length brunette with brown eyes and lips who loved to laugh, although not always in an amicable way.

She was rather petite, around 5"2, whereas Felix was more like 5"9.

They would make good followers; all Ares had to do was convince Anastasia, and Felix would fall in line.

So he preached to the choir, speaking of the power that could be gained by working for him, and how he would only accept the most ingenious and cunning.

He flattered and beseeched her, destroying her defences and bringing her around to the way he wanted her to think, urging her to view this as the opportunity of a lifetime.

She might have been dangerous to the average fourteen-year-old, but Ares was not fourteen, and he was certainly not average.

It took him fifteen minutes to convince her he was her God.

Soon afterwards, they were led back to their dormitories, with the password being "Wizard Supremacy",

'Creative', Ares thought.

The wall opened to reveal the Slytherin common room, a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them. It had a soothing look, with the sound of the water in the Black lake reverberating off the walls. Snape stood up to give his speech which would no doubt be ridiculous, so Ares merely walked off, not caring to dally around wasting time.

He went into the boy's corridor and found a room he liked. But, walking in, he discovered that someone had already claimed it.

"Oi fuck off, mate, we were already here!" The unknown boy shouted.

Ares didn't appreciate being talked to like that.

"Yeah, listen to Cassius! Then, bloody, get out of our room." Graham Montague encouraged.

Had Cassius Warrington and Graham Montague known who they were attempting strong arm against, they may have decided against it, alas, they did not, and so the following events occurred.

Ares cast three spells, at each of them in rapid succession, before they had even noticed he had drawn his wand.

"Furnunculus. Densaugeo. Rictumsempra."

The two boys were soon on the floor, covered in boils, teeth abnormally large and laughing their hearts out.

A final swish and flick of his wand intoning "Wingardium Leviosa!" and they were sent flying out of the room with their belongings.

Satisfied, Ares unshrank his trunk and began unpacking.

Banishing the other bed and designing the room again, turning the remaining bed a dark green and creating Slytherin and Peverell crests around the room to ensure it was apparent whose room it was. Next, he made several cupboards that he filled with quills, ink, paper and textbooks.

He created silver snakes wrapped around the posts on the King-sized bed and then warded them to warn him of anyone nearby while he was sleeping. When done, he unshrank his personal desk from his study back home and silk green drapes for the windows that looked out into the lake. Then with a few flicks of his wand, he organised all the books he had brought on the bookshelves provided.

Finally, he conjured a sofa and a day bed to recline on when he was reading.

Happy with the room's look, he began warding the door and the entrances.

He cast several protective charms on the wood and the handle and then a spell that hid the door from people who were not intentionally looking for it.

Lastly, he placed a warning spell in case someone tried to break or sneak in.

Finished, he returned to the common room where Professor Snape had finished his speech, and everyone was just relaxing.

Walking towards Felix and Anastasia, he heard them muttering about what had happened to Warrington and Montague an hour ago.

Stopping at a standstill in front of Anastasia, he handed her the magical contract they had discussed. He would give her a well-paying job straight out of Hogwarts for at least ten years so long as she remained loyal to him and did everything (within reason) she was told.

There would be no orders that consisted of self-harm or sexual favours; Felix had made sure of that. He offered the same contract to Felix, who agreed to sign once Anastasia had.

With a few scratchings of the blood quill, the contract was made, and Ares felt a new bond attached to his magical core, recognising that they both were loyal to him now.

Sitting down opposite them, he decided to spend the rest of the evening chatting with them.