#udlttom excerpt

[jlhynde-insanitybrilliance]

Excerpt from UDLTTOM Ch. 14 (currently working on)

Professor Slughorn nodded, “Alright, Henry. As I was saying, I wanted to ask how you’ve been settling in here at Hogwarts?”

“It’s been fine,” Harry told him.

The professor arched a thick blond brow, frowning. “Really?” Clearly he wasn’t buying that after the incident that day.

“Well, it’s an adjustment,” Harry amended, “but I’m handling it.”

“And you’re managing to get on in your classes?” The professor asked him and Harry nodded.

“Like I said, it's an adjustment, but I can handle it,” the auror told him.

“That’s good. I’ve been hearing some worrying tales about you the last few days,” the man told him. “Tom Riddle expressed some concern for you, said you were skipping meals…”

Harry paused, fighting a sudden urge to scowl. “He did?”

“Yes,” the professor nodded. “He told me, he was worried that you were avoiding eating in the Great Hall because you might’ve felt uncomfortable with your peers…” Harry did frown then; hoping that it looked more thoughtful than annoyed, but he knew it was the later rather than the former. “I only brought this up because after today—well— I can see why he was worried.”

“I’m fine, professor,” Harry said. “The incident today won’t be repeated—”

Professor Slughorn cut him off. “I should hope not, Henry. But that’s not what I’m getting at. I’m aware that Slytherin house can be a difficult place for some kinds of wizards. I am aware that there is a nepotistic hierarchy present that for the most part doesn’t exist within the other three houses and that can make it difficult for those like yourself who haven’t had the same familial connections. Believe it or not you’re hardly the first person to be targeted because of your—” the man paused, seemingly unsure how to properly phrase what he was trying to say. Harry knew what he was trying to say anyways.

“You think I’m being singled out because I’m a muggleborn,” Harry said.

Professor Slughorn sighed. “Unfortunately, yes that is what I’m concerned with and what Mister Riddle is also concerned with I think. Because he knows what it’s like to be in the position you currently find yourself in. You know, you remind me a bit of him. He didn't get on with his peers much at first either.”

Harry surely scowled then; a facial tick he could hardly avoid at the professor’s words. If he had a galleon for every time someone had pointed out that horrid little comparison, he’d be able to open a second vault at Gringotts. It had been years since anyone had dared to compare the two, at least no one had said much of anything to Harry’s face in a long time. He knew it was still whispered about in private—the Dark Lord’s equal—Sometimes Harry got the sense that the general wizarding public was waiting for him to follow in Voldemort’s footsteps, as if any of a hundred everyday inconveniences were going to push him over a line he couldn’t come back from which never happened.

Slughorn, of course, misinterpreted Harry displeasure as confusion and continued his train of thought. “A bit hard to believe, I know, considering where he stands now… But Tom made an effort to compromise, to meet them halfway, he made an effort to get to know them beyond family politics…”

“What are you saying exactly, sir?” Harry set his tea aside to give the man his full attention.

“Merely, that Slytherins by nature are rather distrusting of strangers. We don’t like to get to know new people unless it's worth our while and you may see that as opportunistic—It can be at times— However, I would say that the nature of Slytherins is more in line with symbiosis. They will not invest in you unless you invest in them. I think you’re a bright boy with a promising future ahead of you working with the Unspeakables; and with your background I know you’re used to being on your own and remaining unattached from your peers, but if you want to make the most of your time here my advice is to make friends with your housemates. This hostility between yourself and your peers will not diminish if you continue to keep your distance, Henry. Mister Black made a valid point earlier this evening when he said you didn’t participate in any extracurricular activities. Perhaps if you joined a club or found a group of peers who shared your common interests you’d feel more comfortable. Do you have any hobbies?”

I never said I was uncomfortable...

Harry didn’t speak that thought aloud. He wanted to argue. To say that he was just fine being by himself, it was what he wanted. He didn’t need this distraction of slytherin house politics. But he also didn’t need people poking their nose into his business like Riddle seemed uncontrollably bound to do. Not to mention he didn’t have time for hobbies. It had been years since he had played an official match of Quidditch that wasn’t some pick-up game with his work colleagues or passing a quaffle around with James and Teddy. And there was something about the way Professor Slughorn was speaking to him, the not-so-subtle talking down as if Harry was a unruly child being told to play nice and make friends, that had his temper flaring. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to keep from snapping at the wizard.

“Yes, but I thought I was banned from extracurriculars, sir,” he pointed out.

“Well, technically,” Slughorn hummed, “But I think in yours and Mister Rowle’s case an argument could be made that it would be more beneficial for both of you to be more involved with the school. Less time to find yourselves in trouble—”

Damnit.

“And I think between myself and Professor Trelawney, we’d be able to convince the Headmaster to make an exception if you found a club you were interested in. Merrythought tells me you’ve been doing exceptionally well in her class and Tom is always looking for new talent to join the dueling club,” Slughorn offered, trying to be helpful.

Oh—He would rather die. Fuck that.

…

*Slughorn trying to be helpful & give good advice*

Harry:

[jlhynde-insanitybrilliance]

chapter 14 WHEN

Oct. 12, 1944 to Oct. 19, 1944

I know this isn’t what you’re asking, but I’m currently still working on it. Looks like it’ll be a long chapter with events taking place over a week. It’ll probably be around the length of Tom’s first pov chapter of being 18 pages with is close to 10,000 words. I’m currently 3483 words in. I have posted a brief excerpt though, which you can find under the UDLTTOM tag on my blog.