I Am the Half Blood Prince

I Am the Half Blood Prince

The Boy Who Lived. The boy. Nothing more.

I am the man among men. The prince.

His heroism, though touching, is meaningless. His place in this battle is an accident. It is my destiny.

They tell me he thinks he has a part in this war. I know the truth. Everything that happened to him, all the people killed because of him, all the pain he has endured, it means nothing. His place in this battle is an accident.

They tell me he thinks he is important. They tolerate him, humor him. Let him think he is important. Let him in on trivial secrets. Focus the media attention on him and away from me.

The one true weapon; the one true savior.

He enjoys the attention from the media, from Them. No matter how he denies it, I can tell. I can always tell. He wouldn't be able to live if he were to sink into obscurity. He has grown so used to guarding his every move. Such a shame. He need not bother. Evil's battle is not with him.

I pity Potter, I really do.

I can imagine him tossing and turning at night at the thought of what he thinks to be his destiny. Stupid boy. He has no destiny. He is worthless.

I know why they haven't bothered to tell him the truth. It would kill him, learning that his parents, godfather, classmate, and so many others died for him, yet their deaths were in vain.

For only I and Them know the truth.

It is better for him this way. This "tragic hero" is his entire being. He would be nothing - no, less than nothing - if the truth came out.

Sometimes I wonder what he will do when he finds out.

As he will eventually. When my destiny is fulfilled, when Evil is vanquished through no deed of his own, he will find out.

They say he has a temper. They say he has powers. I merely laugh.

The boy, have powers that outshine the man's?

Never. I am the man among men.

I am the Half Blood Prince.

* * *

They like him better. The boy, that is.

Father told me. He said They think the boy is polite. Polite! As if "polite" will achieve anything. Gryffindor to the core, their "hero" is. Chivarly ... Is he so polite that he refuses to slay his enemy?

I can see it now. Potter, on the verge of fufilling what he believes to be his destiny, backing down at the last second for fear of motally offending his opponant. As if he were at some sort of tea party! Polite ...

Father says we will have to play along a little longer. Let Them think we are working with them, with the ministry.

We are not against Them, we are against Voldemort. As any self-respecting wizard should be. And Father and I are most certainly self-respecting.

But what They don't understand is that we have to destroy Voldemort on our own. How, that is not for me to relate. Anywhere. Those incredibly innane plans They concoct - those will never work. Much like their faith in that boy that he can be any help at all in this war, even if not as a savior.

That little boy, Potter! Oh, he makes me laugh, makes me scream and cry with mirth. He has absolutely no discipline - trying to use an Unforgivable against that White Queen, Bella Lestrange, out of anger! Stupid, stupid boy.

And yet They like him better.

He is polite.

Father says I will have to learn to be more civil towards Them. Destinies can be changed, he said. I told him that made no sense. Destiny is set in stone and thus cannot change. I will defeat Evil, with all my Slytherin charm. Which, I pointed out, does not include politeness.

But he insisted. So, starting at the very next meeting we have with Them, I will have to act civil.

Just be like Potter, Father told me.

Like Potter! Like that irresponsible, hotheaded, ill tempered - boy! Never. I will not act the younger. I am a man.

I am the Half Blood Prince.