Harry's expression was slowly darkening as Draco talked.
Draco saw the anger on Harry's features, but plowed on figuring that Harry should know it all up front. "The first night is the only night by tradition that they're spared any sort of pain. After that they have a week to get up decent protections and then it's a free for all. The only rule is that no one is to permanently damage anyone. That's why females especially come in knowing some protection wards. Though… they're usually safe until 3rd year from anything... serious."
As Harry realized what Draco was truly saying, his expression went blank and he bowed his head slowly. Draco instinctively jolted as Harry's eyes flared bright green and Harry began to shake with rage at the idea. "And the professors just let this go on, they don't do anything?"
"It's tradition… and while Snape and the Headmaster might punish someone from time to time, when it's reported… it's the reporting that's the issue. The last time someone reported they ended up in the hospital wing for six weeks and a permanent limp. It's so much worse to go against the house." Draco summed it all up, as he watched Harry cautiously. "This house meets the definition of its name. It's a true viper's nest." Harry trembled as he once more fought a battle to control his magic as it flared higher than it had even at the world cup. His entire body vibrated for nearly thirty seconds before he gained control of his emotions. Harry idly realized that he was getting better at holding the volatility down. But at the moment it was a very close thing. Harry had rarely felt himself as angry as he was in that moment.
Finally, he looked up at Draco, and though his eyes had stopped flaring with unreleased energy, they stilled gleamed with emerald luminescence.
Harry's voice was soft, and flat. He repeated the words of the sorting hat from earlier. "Well, now there's a basilisk loose in the viper's nest and things are going to change. And they're going to change starting tonight." Instead of speaking he just swallowed at the tone of Harry's voice. At that moment, Harry was as scary as anything he'd ever seen from the Dark Lord. There was something decidedly deadly in Harry's voice. More than that, Draco could feel the magic that Harry was suddenly radiating. It wasn't visible, but Draco could absolutely feel it as it seemed to fill the room with menace. It filled the air and seemed to surround Draco . For just a moment Draco felt that the magic might consume him.
Draco opened his mouth to say something and then shut it. Harry's expression and voice told him all he needed to know. This wasn't negotiable. And Draco didn't even find himself disagreeing. He knew that Harry was going to do something, and Draco wondered exactly what that would be. Harry's own mind was racing. He had initially formed a tentative plan of keeping his head down while he waited and saw how the house worked. He wasn't even sure that he wanted the responsibility of wholesale changes. It was just more responsibility heaped on him, when he had one objective and one responsibility already and felt that that was more than enough.
But given everything that he had seen thus far, and the environment both inside and outside the house, Harry was not going to sit back and bide his time. If Harry did that, he would be allowing the cycle to continue. Harry was now beginning to understand what the hat had asked him to do. He briefly wondered how the professors had allowed a culture like this to exist, before dismissing that thought. He didn't know how the professors worked in this world. But he remembered the impotence of the professors in his own world. Harry wasn't sure how he would go about changing a whole house, especially if it was as toxic as the sorting hat and Malfoy both intimated.
"No wonder death eaters are the way they are. They're practically bred by the environment in here." Harry realized. There was no question in Harry's mind that he wasn't going to allow behavior to continue. The question was just how to go about it. One option involved declaring immediate and open war against the culture and the people who supported it. Harry was sorely tempted, but decided against it. There were other ways to start. Harry knew it would come to a head eventually, but he hoped this way that at least some people in the house didn't get caught in the crossfire.
Draco already saw the wheels turning in Harry's head. For a moment Draco wondered whether or not there would be fatalities during the night, or a common room left standing in the morning. Draco wasn't sure what Harry was planning, and had to stop himself from asking for the plan. Instead Draco found himself asking "What would you like me to do to help?"
Harry's gleaming eyes locked on Draco's grey ones for just a moment before Harry shook his head. "Nothing. Get some rest."
Draco frowned, wondering if Harry was already cutting him out, "Are you sure? I can…"
Harry shook his head again. "I'm sure. If I do something, whatever I decide to do we're more likely to trip over one another's feet because I know nothing about your capabilities, and vice versa." Harry smirked a little bit as he met Draco's eyes, a plan forming in his mind. "Trust me." Draco frowned, "You're.. not… er… going to kill them are you?" Draco was surprised at just how much that idea didn't really bother him.
Harry frowned and thought that over for several moments before finally deciding. He shook his head, "Not this time. I'm merely going to… teach them a lesson."
Draco frowned a bit at the implications, "Some of them may be slow or reluctant learners."
Harry shrugged unconcerned, his voice ice cold in reply. "While I am here, I'm not going to tolerate that sort of thing. If the professors can't or won't act. Then I will, and I'll make sure that the lessons stick."
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