The morning mist still lingered in the corridors of Hogwarts, like a cold embrace from the Black Lake, seeping into the ancient stones of the castle. That day, the start of the school year seemed already distant, and yet every minute was filled with promises—or threats.
Marius Rosier, sitting on an oak bench in a less frequented wing of the castle, stared without really looking at the wall in front of him. The apparent calm did not reflect the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. Since he had set foot in this school, every moment spent here fueled his design. He never stopped learning, observing, and especially planning.
He was no longer that misunderstood little boy, the only son of a pure-blood family more concerned with their social appearance than with him. Marius had silenced that mute pain and taken possession of this new body, elegant and refined, with jet-black hair and dark eyes that seemed to probe the souls of those who dared to meet his gaze. A face worthy of a prince, certainly, but beauty was just a lure. Beneath this perfect surface burned the relentless will of a reincarnated Dark Lord.
He had revealed to no one the truth of his origin. Why would he? His greatest asset was manipulation, the art of making others believe what he wanted them to believe, of pulling the strings in the shadows. Patience and discretion would be his allies in this new life.
First Steps in the Shadows
That morning, Marius had received a discreet visit in the shadows of the kitchens. A Slytherin student, Branek, had slipped up to him. Branek was a mysterious boy, always a bit disheveled, but with a rare mastery of dark magic. His talents in this area were more advanced than those of most students his age.
Marius welcomed him with a cold smile and a calculating look.
"Do you know why I asked you to come, Branek?" he asked in a calm voice, but charged with innate authority.
Branek nodded, a bit breathless. He had heard the rumors about the young Rosier: a magical genius, capable of casting spells without a wand, and above all, a mysterious power that no other student seemed to possess.
"I am ready to learn everything you want to teach me," he replied.
Marius placed a finger on Branek's forehead, almost as if to probe his thoughts. He sensed in him a rare potential, a dangerous ambition, and a hunger for power that could serve him.
"Very well. What I propose to you goes beyond the simple magic course. It is a commitment. A path that will take you away from the rules and limits imposed by this school and the Ministry. Are you ready to pay the price?"
Branek did not hesitate. He was ready to do anything to become stronger, and the promise of forbidden power made his eyes shine.
Marius then spoke, detailing in a low and hypnotic voice the principles of an ancient, forgotten magic that was not found in any textbook. He spoke of primordial energies, secret rites, and prohibited incantations.
"Dark magic is not just the magic of darkness," he explained. "It is the magic of will, domination, absolute control. It forges alliances, corrupts the weak, and transforms those who know how to wield it into lords of this world."
Branek listened, fascinated. To him, Marius was not just a simple classmate, but a mentor, a guide to unsuspected heights.
Tensions Between Gryffindor and Slytherin
Meanwhile, in the classes and corridors of the castle, the classic rivalries between Gryffindor and Slytherin were only intensifying. James Potter, with his ardor and charisma, was the spearhead of a group of students ready to defend their house against what they perceived as the dark maneuvers of the Slytherins.
But Marius knew James. The boy was not just a simple troublemaker; he was intelligent, brave, and had a keen sense of justice. However, James did not know how much he was playing in a game of chess whose rules he did not understand.
Marius observed from a distance, noting every behavior, every alliance, every discord. He knew that to advance his plan, he had to sow controlled discord—not too strong to avoid alerting Dumbledore, but enough to divide the opposing forces.
An Inspiring Class
That day, in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the professor presented to the students a complex protection spell. Marius, sitting at the back of the room, intently watched the demonstration. Every movement, every word spoken, he analyzed, looking for weaknesses to exploit, ways to divert these protections.
"The best defense is the knowledge of its weaknesses," he murmured to himself.
He did not just learn what was taught; he experimented in secret, mixing spells, modifying incantations, seeking to create new magics that no one had yet imagined.
That evening, in the solitude of his room, he worked on a personal spell, combining dark magic and ancient magic that came from fragmented memories of another life. Slowly, he felt the dark energy pulsate within him, ready to burst forth.
Games of Shadows and Light
But Marius's mind was not limited to magic. He also played with emotions. He understood the power of hatred, jealousy, but above all, that of fear. The latter was a formidable weapon, invisible but omnipresent.
He also knew that some students, despite their apparent courage, were vulnerable to his manipulations. He had already begun to sow doubts in some minds, to stoke hidden grudges.
Sometimes, he cast a glance or a sweet word to a classmate, calculated to arouse jealousy in the heart of another. Or he sowed a light lie, enough to shake the trust between two friends.
His talent for manipulating emotions was unparalleled. He was both master and puppeteer of an invisible theater whose strings he controlled.
A Night Full of Promises
As the days went by, visits from Branek and other more discreet students became more frequent. Marius taught them the basics of what he called "the path of enlightened darkness." They were few, but each had an invaluable worth.
In the silence of the night, he enjoyed imagining his future Mordor, that secret island where he would recreate his army, in the image of the ancient orc legions of Middle-earth. But this dream remained for now a distant glimmer. He first had to master this new world and its rules.
He also remembered the humiliating defeat at the hands of those insignificant hobbits. This memory burned his heart and soul, fueling a cold, methodical rage.
"I will rise again," he thought, "more powerful than ever."
The sun finally set on Hogwarts, tinging the towers a dark, almost blood-red. In the shadows, Marius Rosier was preparing to write a new page in the history of the magical world—a page where darkness would slowly extend its grip.