HP:The Phoenix Reborn

Chapter 6: The War in the Shadows

Word spread quickly.

By the next morning, the entire school knew what had happened.

Rosier and Mulciber were in the Hospital Wing, beaten and broken. Marlene McKinnon was safe, but shaken.

And Hadrian Peverell?

He was feared.

Not by Gryffindor. Not by the Marauders, who now truly understood who they had aligned themselves with.

But by Slytherin.

By the future Death Eaters.

Harry walked into the Great Hall like a king surveying his court. Conversations halted as he passed. Eyes followed him, whispering in hushed tones.

Lucius Malfoy watched him from the Slytherin table, his expression carefully blank. Bellatrix Black was grinning, her dark eyes gleaming with twisted delight.

And Tom Riddle?

Riddle was smiling.

Not in amusement.

Not in anger.

But in recognition.

Harry had made his move.

And Riddle had noticed.

The Headmaster's Warning

Harry barely made it through breakfast before a message arrived.

A small, unassuming note, folded with perfect precision, landed beside his goblet.

Mr. Peverell, my office. Immediately. – A.D.

Harry sighed. Well, that didn't take long.

The moment he entered Dumbledore's office, the old man's magic pressed against him, testing, assessing.

Harry didn't flinch.

Dumbledore was seated behind his desk, hands folded neatly, his piercing blue eyes burning with unspoken knowledge.

"I assume you know why you're here," Dumbledore said mildly.

Harry leaned against the chair, smirking. "Because two Death Eaters-in-training learned what happens when you corner a lion?"

Dumbledore's expression didn't change. "You were… excessive."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "They attacked a fifteen-year-old girl, Albus. Tell me, exactly how much mercy were they due?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I do not condone their actions. But neither do I condone yours."

Harry tilted his head. "Would you rather I let them go unpunished?"

"I would rather you did not escalate this war before it has begun."

Harry exhaled sharply. "That's where you're wrong. The war has already begun. You just don't want to admit it."

Dumbledore studied him. "You remind me of someone."

Harry smirked. "Let me guess—Grindelwald?"

Dumbledore's expression flickered.

"History has already shown us what happens when one wields great power without restraint," Dumbledore said carefully.

Harry leaned forward. "And history has also shown us what happens when good men do nothing."

Silence stretched between them.

Dumbledore's gaze softened, just slightly. "You are too young to carry such burdens."

Harry laughed. If only you knew.

"You don't trust me," Harry said plainly.

"I do not trust your methods," Dumbledore corrected.

Harry smiled coldly. "Then it's a good thing I don't need your approval."

Dumbledore sighed, rubbing his temples. "You are an anomaly, Mr. Peverell. A storm that has entered the past, disrupting its course. I do not know what you are trying to achieve, but I fear you may lose yourself along the way."

Harry stood. "I know exactly who I am."

Dumbledore watched him. "Then I hope, for all our sakes, that you remain that way."

Harry turned to leave, but paused at the doorway.

"Oh," he said, glancing back. "Tell your spy to stop following me."

Dumbledore blinked. "Spy?"

Harry smirked. "Severus Snape. He's about as subtle as a Bludger to the face."

Then he walked out, leaving Dumbledore staring after him.

———

That night, Harry sat in the Room of Requirement, mapping out his next move.

He had made his presence known.

Now, he had to decide whether to play defense or go on the offensive.

James, Sirius, and Remus had already pledged themselves to the cause, but they weren't enough. If he was going to challenge Riddle, he needed an army.

And he knew exactly where to start.

The Heir of Slytherin

The next morning, Harry didn't go to breakfast.

Instead, he went to the Chamber of Secrets.

Most wizards wouldn't even know where to look, but Harry had been here before. He had slain the Basilisk in another life, in another timeline.

And now?

Now, he needed its secrets.

The entrance opened easily beneath his touch, the magic recognizing him. He stepped inside, the cold air wrapping around him as he descended into the chamber's depths.

The massive stone statue of Salazar Slytherin loomed over him. Its ancient magic still lingered, waiting, watching.

Harry closed his eyes and let his own power unfurl.

Magic pulsed through the chamber, whispering in Parseltongue.

"Who enters the chamber of the Heir?"

Harry exhaled, his voice low. "A serpent who walks among lions."

The chamber shuddered.

The air thickened, and for a moment, Harry felt something shift.

And then—

A voice. Ancient. Waiting.

"You are not the Heir. But you are… different."

Harry smirked. "I am more than an Heir. I am something new."

Silence.

Then the chamber hummed with recognition.

And the stone doors unlocked

——-

What lay beyond the chamber was not what Harry expected.

It wasn't just another room.

It was a vault.

A hidden arsenal, buried beneath Hogwarts for centuries.

Scrolls lined the walls, containing ancient Slytherin magic long forgotten.

Weapons, artifacts, enchanted armor—things that had been sealed away, left untouched by time.

And at the center of it all?

A summoning circle.

Harry stepped closer, his heart pounding.

This was power.

This was knowledge.

And he was going to use it.

Author's Note:

Harry has just uncovered one of Hogwarts' greatest secrets. The war is escalating, and Riddle is watching his every move.

Should Harry use the ancient magic he has found? Should he build an army of his own?

Let me know what you think! More coming soon.