Harry Potter: Instant Kill

It didn't take long for Grace to follow through with Daphne's suggestion when breakfast ended, she headed over to the tired-looking boy and started up a conversation, "Are you alright Colin? You seem pretty tired and under the weather." 

Pausing slightly to focus on the person who was talking to him, he finally responded with a small smile, "I am fine, I have just had quite a few late nights with how many new exciting subjects." Even though he gave a standard reply trying to deflect some worry, her speaking to him seemed to lessen his mental torment which was reflected in some colour coming back to his skin and his eyes sharpening.

Colin turned and left after saying his response, leaving Grace standing and looking at his back while still slightly worried but greatly reduced by his assurance. She took a breath before turning and moving towards her brother's direction, "Brother, You got a moment?" She asked while trying to separate him from the group of boys he was surrounded by.

"Sure," He responded before moving away with her and telling the group that he would catch up since they were heading to the Quidditch Pitch. "Harry, would you be able to keep an eye on Colin for me? He is looking washed out and ill recently and I am starting to get worried for him. I mean if we think about the extroverted young boy who asked you for a photo on the first day, the change is a bit dramatic."

"I can indeed, I didn't notice since I was busy with Quidditch recently but if he is having trouble my friends and I can look after him. Of course, if he is having trouble with classwork or homework then it might be better for Hermione to help since she is at the top of Gryffindor house in terms of grades." Harry said while thinking back on all the times he had seen Colin in between activities.

POV Harry Potter: After his Quidditch Practice.

I walked through the portrait hole while keeping an eye out for Colin as the common room came into view. Sitting on a table alone in a darkened corner like some stereotypical bad guy in a movie Mum took us to during the summer. I approached while making noise during my movement so that I would not startle him, however, it seems it didn't help due to him being deep in thought.

"Colin?" I asked from a little distance away to not pressure the kid who clearly looked to be dead on his feet from lack of sleep. His head snapped towards me so fast that it caused me to jump slightly and the grin that stretched across his face sent a small shiver down my spine.

"Harry! Did you need something from me? Can I be useful?" Colin asked in a frenzied tone as if he was a man who had found an oasis in the middle of a desert. I took a moment to compose myself before speaking, "I just came to check in with you, it looks like you haven't been sleeping well and I wanted to know if anything was bothering you. If there was I would be happy to help." 

Colin's smile somehow got even wider at my concern before he responded, "Oh, there is no need to worry Harry. I will be getting some sleep tonight, just had some urgent homework to complete." His second response however went unheard by me as he had muttered it under his breath.

"Ok, make sure you rest well and remember if you need help please come and ask. I would much rather be asked than for you to suffer in silence, especially when it is something I could help with." Colin practically vibrated with happiness at my words before he said, "I will, in fact, I shall go rest right now. Thank you, Harry."

Omni POV: Colin's Room.

Colin was alone in his shared dorm as it was still early in the night and Gryffindors chose to socialise more over sleep. However, Colin wasn't here to sleep himself at least not yet, he had his diary to update.

He pulled out the Horcrux which had originally been Voldemort's however, it had changed a lot since Colin's acquisition of it. It now had its outside was covered in pictures of Harry, some where he had posed for Colin to take them and others more candid, taken when he wasn't aware.

In the centre of the front cover was the first photo someone had taken for Colin, one where he and Harry were standing side by side however it had been edited to make it seem like they were hugging rather than just standing.

The inside of the book was filled with pages of scrawling writing and 'mementos' that Colin had collected since he had started his obsession on Halloween night. He didn't remember exactly what happened but when he came to his senses and returned to his room, he couldn't get Harry out of his head. It felt that he would go insane if he didn't look at him or photograph him.

His Obsession deepened during the first duelling club meeting when Colin found out that just like his idol, he could speak with snakes too, that night his brain shifted into overdrive as it produced encounter after encounter to try and befriend Harry but something at the back of his mind told him that something was off. That part had been beaten into silence that night but Colin's desire had only grown, to be Friends with Harry Potter, maybe even his only friend.

"How would he accomplish this?" Is the thought that had kept him up countless nights until he had settled on an answer, to just be the most useful to him. Colin had decided to prove his worth by becoming someone had could find use in, so he started watching Harry closer, making lists of those that he fought with and those that he found useful.

He then put his plan into action, he instinctively knew that if he used the thing in the chamber, he could rid the school of Harry's enemies becoming Harry's number 1. Becoming the only one Harry would need. Becoming the only thing Harry would want.