When people mention Voldemort, the first things that come to mind are the powerful and cruel dark spells he wielded, and the highly symbolic and creative Dark Mark.
At its core, the Dark Mark is an advanced variant of the Protean Charm. However, due to its unique nature, its usage, and the fact that it was cast upon wizards, it was classified as dark magic after the war.
Even though it doesn't possess any offensive power, it earned this classification because those marked with it were all part of Voldemort's inner circle...
Normally, the Dark Mark appears as a vivid red tattoo, but once activated, it turns pitch black.
If it were just an ordinary tattoo, it wouldn't be a concern. But the truth is, the Mark is far more than a simple color change—it's not some fringe cultural expression either.
Beyond identifying its bearers, the spell itself is closely tied to Voldemort's condition.
The stronger Voldemort became, the darker the Mark would grow. If his power waned, the Mark would fade accordingly. This was why, after his defeat in the First Wizarding War, most Death Eaters managed to evade capture.
This open secret was exactly why Draco wanted Pansy and the others to keep an eye on their elders.
He wanted to confirm whether the person Harry Potter had spoken of had truly reappeared.
If it was real, then the Dark Mark would undoubtedly begin to change...
...
With the final exams over, the semester was finally coming to a close.
And tonight marked Draco's first End-of-Term Feast at Hogwarts.
The Great Hall, normally used for meals, had been carefully decorated and transformed into the venue for the school's closing celebration.
During the feast, the winner of this year's House Cup would be announced. As for the Quidditch Cup, it had already been awarded a few days ago, right after the last match, in front of all the students—presented to the Slytherin team led by Draco.
That day had been Slytherin's wildest celebration. After all, it was the first championship trophy they had won fair and square. It carried a special significance.
After that day, no one could claim they had cheated their way to victory.
It's worth noting that Harry Potter missed the match due to injury, which led to his team's crushing defeat...
"Looks like it's Slytherin again."
"How many times has it been now?"
"Counting this one... I think that makes seven in a row. And now with that Malfoy kid, our chances look pretty slim."
"Is there anyone who can even stop them?"
As soon as they stepped into the Great Hall, whispers spread among the students from every house. Naturally, the focus was on the likely winners of the night.
They had braced themselves for it, but when they saw the reality before them, the disappointment was hard to avoid...
Green and silver filled the entire hall—the colors of Slytherin. A massive banner bearing the Slytherin crest hung behind the staff table.
By then, it was clear to everyone who had won the House Cup. Unless something unexpected happened, Slytherin—already the winner for six consecutive years—was about to take its seventh.
'Seven… that's a terrible number.'
That was Draco's first thought as he walked in.
His arrival brought the previously buzzing hall to sudden silence. All the Slytherin students stood up in unison.
It was a scene that made everyone recall the Sorting Ceremony—but this time, the meaning was entirely different. Back then, the first-years may have stood out of reluctant respect for the Prefects and Draco's name. Now, their eyes were filled with awe and admiration...
The Prince of Slytherin. The captain of the Quidditch team.
Top of his year.
With his looks, skill, and status, Draco had won over even the proud Slytherins with his charisma in just a year.
'Thinking about it now, Draco really has accomplished a lot this year.'
As she looked at Draco's back, Pansy's cheeks took on a faint blush, her eyes full of admiration.
Following closely behind him, Pansy straightened her petite frame—already starting to show the curves of adolescence—and that cool, regal aura she carried seemed to declare to every witch and wizard in the room: only she, Pansy Parkinson, had the right to stand at Draco's side...
...
Of course, not every young wizard was thrilled to see Draco basking in the spotlight—especially not Gryffindor, who had always had a love-hate rivalry with Slytherin, and certainly not Ron Weasley, who'd never hidden his hostility toward Draco.
"What a show-off. If it weren't for me and Harry protecting the Philosopher's Stone and driving off You-Know-Who, he wouldn't have anything to brag about. Harry, why won't Headmaster Dumbledore let us tell everyone what really happened?"
"Maybe... maybe Headmaster Dumbledore was worried it would cause panic?"
Harry, who had been distracted, finally tore his gaze away from the cool and aloof-looking witch standing next to Draco and answered Ron without much thought.
"Could you two keep it down? And Harry, I think it's time you started thinking for yourself instead of—"
"Oh, give it a rest, Hermione. You've said that a dozen times already. I don't even get why you keep saying this to Harry. That's the greatest wizard in the wizarding world you're talking about. Are you saying you're smarter than Dumbledore?"
Ron cut Hermione off, clearly annoyed. Ever since that day, she had been going on about the same strange ideas, always circling back to the same topic.
Already in a sour mood because of a certain someone, Hermione didn't bother replying after Ron's outburst.
Deep down, she didn't want to believe the professors had deliberately lured Harry into the whole Philosopher's Stone affair...
...
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
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