This fanfiction was born of my inability to face the older parts of my fanfiction Dark Angel and my conflicting promise to finish it. This is a rewrite of Dark Angel, however it may maintain only the basic skeleton of the original when I'm finished with it.

As with Dark Angel, this is not slash. I have made this decision not because I have anything against slash (it's really quite the opposite) but because I can't write romance. This means that there will probably be minimal romance throughout the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

-Parseltongue-

Chapter One: Awakening

The last thing that Salazar Slytherin saw before he died was the shocked golden eyes of his once-best friend.

The cell was pitch black and almost claustrophobically small. It smelled strongly of mildew and human waste, interlaced with the stench of rotting meat. The sound of someone sobbing echoed eerily from a distance. Everything was absolutely still.

Suddenly there was light from a torch and a grating screech as the cell door was thrown open. Two figures stumbled in and the door was slammed shut. There was silence as the guard walked away, the torchlight growing fainter and fainter through the bars of the cell with each step. Then came the slam of a heavy door and the guard was out of earshot.

The taller figure turned sharply towards the shorter figure,

"You idiot!"

Draco frowned,

"Hey, I–"

"If you had just kept your mouth shut, you wouldn't be here right now!"

"I couldn't just let them–"

"Did you think it would have made any difference if you argued for me? Do you think it matters to the Dark Lord that he has one more person to execute? One more 'traitor'?" Snape turned and began to explore the cell cautiously, unable to see more than vague shapes in the darkness. Starting from a corner, he could walk almost two paces in either direction before hitting a wall. The walls were made entirely of stone, except the one they had come in through which was made of bars. Snape's fingers burned as he touched each wall, warning him that each cell was individually warded.

"My father–"

"Do you think your parents will applaud this foolishness? If you survive the week, I'll be surprised if Lucius does not disown your outright!"

Draco flinched, then continued to argue,

"You're my head of house! He were going to–"

"Kill me, yes. I've been prepared for this day since before you were born. You, however, would be in no such position if you had merely kept your mouth shut!"

Draco sniffed sulkily and was about to demand that Snape stopped interrupting when a voice behind him made him freeze.

"Hm…" Mused a voice from outside the cell, "I don't suppose either of you can tell me where I am?"

They both turned quickly to see a shadowy figure through the bars and a pair of emerald eyes glowing catlike out of the darkness.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Just get in the damn…" The noises of a scuffle could be heard through the wall. There was a screech followed by swearing, "Stupid bird!" A door opened and closed.

"Ron!" Hermione's voice exclaimed, "What are you doing?!"

"Hermione! Quick, grab that…Damn it!"

"Ron, you're bleeding!" Hermione's voice was concerned, "And what exactly are you doing to Hedwig?"

"Harry's not supposed to send any letters, so Dumbledore said I should make sure he can't before I start training."

"Training?"

"Yeah! We're going to get special training from the Order so we can protect Harry! We even have these special passes from the ministry so we can use magic outside of school!" Ron's voice was eager. Ginny rolled her eyes and flipped the page of the book she was reading.

"But what about Harry? Isn't he the one who needs training the most?"

"Hermione," Ron said patiently, "Harry would probably do something stupid. Imagine if he got it into his head that he could save someone and went running off! Besides, we're getting training so Harry doesn't need to! We just need to stay close to him all the time."

'Brilliant plan,' Ginny thought sarcastically and gave up reading; the noise from the other room (presumably Ron chasing Hedwig around) was too distracting.

"We'll probably know more magic than all the students in Hogwarts by the end of the summer," Ron wheedled, "Just help me catch the owl."

"But that cage is way too small!" Hermione protested shrilly, "Anyways, Harry knows we're not supposed to be sending anybody letters." Ginny left her room and crept down the hall, stopping in front of Ron's room. She had meant to join her mother in the kitchen but the arrogance that her brother was displaying was bothering her.

"Oh come one! When has Harry ever listened to the rules? He'd probably try and owl Neville or someone and get them both in trouble. And us too." There was a loud thud. Hermione sighed.

"At least let me get her a bigger cage," she compromised.

"You can't! This is the only cage we have that's reinforced magically. Dumbledore said that there are signs that Hedwig is Harry's familiar; there's no telling what she can do! Harry's supposed to be a really powerful wizard, you know." Ginny opened the door a crack and peeked inside just in time to see her brother lunge for Hedwig, who was sitting on top of the wardrobe. The owl gave a disgruntled hoot and fluttered to perch on top of a tall bookshelf. There was another loud thud as Ron landed hard, followed by more swearing.

"Honestly, Ron, you're never going to get her if all you do is jump at her. Stupefy!" The youngest Weasley watched as Hedwig crumpled to the ground from her perch. Suddenly Ginny couldn't see. There was some huge pressure on her brain, on her entire body. She couldn't think; everything was made up of anger and that terrible pressure and…Ginny thought she heard someone shout her name before the world suddenly righted itself. She was sitting on the floor with her hands over her ears, still lightheaded.

"Brilliant, Hermione," Ron exclaimed, relieved and completely oblivious to the enormous pressure, "I didn't even think about using magic! Put her in here before she wakes up, will you?"

There was a short pause as Hermione looked from Ron to the owl,

"You're going to take care of her, right? Get her a bigger cage if you can," Hermione hesitated once more, "And I get training, too, right?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure Dumbledore also said something about special access to a library." Apparently this was enough to win Hermione over and she stuffed the owl gently into the small cage. Ginny, appalled, continued her journey to the kitchen. Glancing over her shoulder one last time, she was surprised to see a flash of emerald but when she looked again it was gone.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Screams filled the hall. Death Eaters stood in a ring around Voldemort and the screaming figure, watching silently. Some Death Eaters shifted nervously, while others appeared delighted or watched without expression. Finally, after an eternity, Voldemort lifted his wand and the screaming stopped.

"Please, Master, I did not know! I am loyal!"

"Obviously your son was not as ready for the honor as you thought, Lucius," Voldemort hissed, ignoring Lucius's pleas, "Did you mean to make a fool of me?"

"I'm sorry, my Lord, he had always been loyal before. I did not know!" Lucius said as composedly as was possible while he was still lying, twitching, on the ground.

"You did not know?" Voldemort drawled, "Is he not your son, Lucius?"

"Snape's hold on those of Slytherin House is strong, my Lord. I did not seek to restrain it, as Snape was at Hogwarts under your instruction." Lucius flinched slightly as Voldemort raised his wand again.

"You have nothing to say in defense of your son?" Voldemort's voice was amused, his expression cold.

"No, my lord. For him to act in such a way is inexcusable."

"Very well. This is your last warning, Lucius. The execution will be tomorrow; I trust that you will be able to carry it out yourself. Oh, and Lucius?"

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Crucio!"

Screams once again filled the hall. From her place in the circle, Bellatrix crackled as the shadows on the wall behind her stirred.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Luna drifted. She closed her eyes and the sound of voices washed over her in waves. The people around her were laughing, talking. Then their voices grew tense and they started arguing. Uneasy, she opened her eyes. There was nobody there. Luna stood up and walked to the window, glancing outside. There was no one in sight. She turned away from the window and was unsurprised to see Harry Potter standing in the doorway.

"Hello, Harry. What an interesting dream."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Salazar finished jotting down a few equations in his journal and cast a quick spell to dry the ink. Done with this small task, he shoved his few belongings into his suitcase and left the room. He didn't pause on the way out of the inn (he had paid for the room the previous night) and walked out into the street, where there was a busy market in progress.

He had to leave, quickly. The Slytherin wasn't sure what had caused this sudden sense of urgency but he had been having dreams lately about being chased and dreamcasting lately filled him with a horrible sense of dread. Perhaps it was because Salazar had spent his whole life hiding and running. His short stay at Hogwarts had made him feel comfortable, maybe too comfortable, and his nerves were making up for lost time. He wished he could return to a safe place; Hogwarts or Slytherin Manor. Unfortunately, Hogwarts was out of the question and that also eliminated Slytherin Manor as an option. When he was still at the Hogwarts, he hadn't thought twice about linking Slytherin Manor to the school but he was more than regretting it now.

Salazar shivered. Suddenly the crowds, which had always welcomed as camouflage, were making him feel claustrophobic. There was something nearby; something familiar and sinister and…He couldn't tell. There was too much noise, too many people. He thought he heard someone say his name and glanced around wildly. He was about to move on when he tensed, turning, looking again. Something (a color, a texture, a shape...something) he had seen seemed heart-achingly familiar, something seen for just a second. What had it been?

He told himself over and over again it was just his nerves, that there was nobody there, even as he continued to scan the crowd in front of him. Which is why he was completely surprised to feel the knife slide through his back, even as his eyes met the golden eyes of Godric Gryffindor not ten feet away.

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Sorry for the delay! I'll try to have the next chapter up within a week.

As ever, reviews are appreciated.