Chapter 1: The Sorting Hat, Slytherin, and The Snake

Harry and the rest of the kids followed McGonagall into the Hall. Minerva McGonagall was easily the prettiest woman Harry had ever seen. Her black hair was neatly tucked into a bun on her head. Her eyes, he had seen them every time she looked back to the group of children, were a lovely dark green.

Harry hadn't taken his eyes off her the whole time, believing it would be a lot easier to just focus on her instead of the Hall of people around him

"Calm down Harry, remember I told you about the sorting ceremony," Tom reminded him. Harry could practically feel the smile on Tom's face, even though he had never really seen him.

I can't help it. What if the hat says I don't belong. Harry thought, eyeing the grand table in the front of the hall.

McGonagall then stopped at the front of the hall and turned to face them. Harry noted how stern she looked. Then again his Aunt was also very stern, at first. She had warmed up to him in recent years, so he knew he could get past Professor McGonagall defences. There was something about her that made Harry want to please her.

Trying to find the cause for this interest in her, Harry turned his full attention to her. She had a light peach skin tone like she only spent a small amount of time in the sun. Her features were alluring and regal. When he saw her eyes again, it took his breath away.

They were the reason he wants to impress her. Her eyes looked just like his mothers. Aunt Petunia had shown him an old photo of her and his mother and he saw those same eyes now.

"Potter, Harry," McGonagall called from the front of the hall. Harry had completely lost himself in his thoughts. He looked around, Jack and Draco were already seated at Slytherin. He could feel how some eyes found him. He took a quick breath and walked up to the little stool in front of the Hall.

Harry sat down and McGonagall placed the Hat on his head and the last thing he saw were people craning to look at him.

'Hmm, difficult. Very difficult.' Said a small voice in his ear. 'Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goddess, yes - and a great desire to prove yourself, how interesting ... I know where you belong, in "SLYTHERIN!"

The whole hall turned deadly quiet but after a second Draco and Jack cheered loudly before the rest of the Slytherin table joined in with polite clapping. As Harry took off the Sorting Hat and passed it to McGonagall and smiled brightly at her.

"Off you go, Mr Potter." She said with a somewhat strained smile. Harry briefly wondered if he had done something wrong before he made his way to Draco and Jack.

As he was walking the rest of the hall applauded softly. It died down quickly only to be replaced with an excited buzz as people started talking about 'Harry Potter being placed in Slytherin.'

It seemed that everyone found it quite surprising. Once he sat down between Draco and Jack they both clapped him on his back.

"Knew you'd make it," Jack said his piercing blue eyes dancing with mischief. Harry smiled at Jack, he had dark chocolate brown hair and a pale almost white shine to his skin. Harry had been so sure that he was sick when he had met Jack on the train. "I'm surprised you didn't go to Gryffindor Potter. Guess miracles still happen." Draco said with an evil smile. Harry punched Draco on the shoulder for that.

"I'm just saying, Potter. Not a lot of people would have thought you would ever set foot in Slytherin." Draco stated. That would explain the look on Hagrid's face. Harry thought as he looked up at the High Table. He recognized Albus Dumbledore the man looked just like the picture he had seen on the chocolate frog. Harry also saw Professor Quirrell the nervous young man from The Leaky Cauldron.

After Harry, there were three more. One went to Ravenclaw, Ronald went to Gryffindor and lastly, there was another Slytherin. McGonagall Rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Dumbledore stood up and said a few words, literally a few words. When he was done food appears on every table in the great hall. With wide eyes, Harry starts piling food onto his plate. He looks to his left and sees Jack doing the same. To his right, Draco watches them with a slight appalled look on his face.

After the feast, Dumbledore informed them that the forest on schools ground was forbidden to enter. That the caretaker, Mr Filch, wanted to remind everyone that magic should not be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trails will start two weeks hence.

"Finally, I must tell you all that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death," Dumbledore said in a heavier than usual tone. "He must be kidding." Harry laughed being one of the few that did. "I'm not so sure." Said an older student sitting across from them.

From next to him Jack whispered to him. "We are so finding out what is in that corridor." Harry smiled at the excitement in his voice but he was a little worried. The whole hall burst into song the next second, catching Harry and Jack completely off guard. Harry noted that everyone was singing the song at their own pace and on completely different pitches. He found it strangely freeing as he tried to sing along.

At last, it was only two redheads, twins by their appearances, that was left singing alone to a very slow funeral march. Harry and Jack were fighting hard to keep their laughter in and even Draco had a slight smile on his face. They finally ended the song and with a trot, Dumbledore dismissed the hall.

A girl with sleek black hair stood at the end of the table. "All first years to me." She said her voice easily carried to the end. Harry, Draco, and Jack walked up to her. As they got closer Harry saw that she had a fair skin tone, that clashed with her black hair. Her eyes were a light brown, that almost looked red to Harry. After a minute of waiting, Harry looked around. There were a few of them, thirteen altogether.

"Right I'll show you to the Slytherin common room. Follow me, keep quiet and keep up." She said before turning around and heading out of the Great Hall. She walked straight across the foyer and towards a doorway. It opened on its own accord and had stone steps leading down. Harry was surprised that no one was actually talking or even whispering. When they reached the bottom of the stairs she took the first left. The hallways were speckled with paintings and a few torches that gave them light.

She suddenly stopped at a bare stretch of stone wall and turned to face them. "This is the entrance to our common room. Now before we go in there are a few things you will need to know." She said sternly and Harry could swear that her eyes gave off a slight red glow. "But first let me interduce myself." She quickly said with a smile.

"My name is Nagini Black." Next, to him, Draco gasped. "Some of you might know of my family name and it's shaded history but I would advise you not to share it ... if you value your life." She said the last bit looking directly at Draco.

"First and foremost, the people gather around you now, will become your family as will everyone in the common room. If there is something that you want, you only need to ask and you will be helped. Some of them will ask for payment but this is to be expected, after all, nothing in this world is free, so be sure it's not something that you can do on your own or seek out people that think the same way you do, you are in Slytherin after all."

"Next you'll need to know that the other houses will not take pity on you nor will they help you out the goodness of there hearts." She smiled cruelly as she spoke. "We are after all Dark Wizards." The torches seemed to dim as she said this. "So that being said if you take issue with what someone from your house has said. You put it away and come and settle it here, in the common room. We will always show a united front."

"Any in house fighting outside of the common room will be severely punished. Its also should tell you that we colour inside the lines. We do not get caught breaking rules. If you are caught the punishment will be..." She tilted her head, a sadistic smile briefly flashed on her face. "... Creative." Harry knew he wasn't the only one that had a shiver go down his spine at her words.

"When upperclassmen ask you to do something, you have the option of refusing but remember we value loyalty and cunningness the most. There is a reason why they came to you and not someone else. Lastly what you see in the common room stays in the common room, this is our haven, do not betray it. Do you understand?" She asked eyeing everyone.

There were a few murmurs but mostly they just nodded not trusting their voices. She smiled then, a warm one this time.

"Good now before we go in, you need to choose two representatives for your year. Don't take this position lightly whoever gets chosen is responsible for your year. Everything that you do will come back to them. If someone breaks the rules and gets caught, you will be punished along with them."

"True sight." She said as a passage appeared in the barren wall that they were standing at. "Once you are done here you may enter." She said and left them as she headed down the stone steps.

"So who is going to be my second?" Asked a girl with platinum blond hair and crystal blue eyes. "I'll be Representative but you're mistaken if you think I'll be your second," Draco said with a cocky smile.

Harry watched the two face off and he immediately knew that this was bad. Whoever this girl is, she had the same posture as Draco. Straight back, square shoulders and elegance that seem to flow from them.

"I think we found the female version of Draco," Harry said to Jack. Jack seemed to groan at this. "Great two of them, well at least they will keep us entertained," Jack said rubbing at his face.

Harry looked back to Draco, finding him in a battle of wills with the crystal-eyed girl. Harry noticed that they had the same hair colour they were roughly the same hight. Draco's grey eyes clashed with her blue.

"Okay that's great we have our two leaders unless anyone else wants to throw their name into the pot? No, great can we please head in now, I'm already asleep here." Harry said.

The girl was the first one to break eye contact and look at Harry. She looked around and seem to notice that most of the others were just as tired. "Fine, we will sort this out later then Draco." She said dismissively.

"But of course Lady Elsa," Draco said. With a sigh of relief, the kids walked down the stone steps of the hidden passage.

The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece set in the corner, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in carved chairs. On the wall to the Right was a full-length window that glowed with the same eerie green that the lamps were.

As they walked in, monsters large fish swam by, Harry and Jack rushed to it to see what else they might spot, their fatigue all but forgotten.

"Do be careful and whatever you do don't tap on the window." Warned a bored voice. Jack turned to see who was talking and saw a guy with sand brown-blond hair and strange coral-green eyes. He was wearing muggle clothes. A white button shirt, a green and silver tie hung loosely around his neck. He had black trousers that hung loosely on him, even with his dishevelled look he had an aura of power about him. "I'm Lucifer Wyrm please don't cause me any extra work."

"Sorry, we were just -" Before Jack could finish his sentence Harry interrupted him.

"What's that?" Harry asked pointing at the growing speckle of red and gold coming towards the window. Jack saw it too and started to make his way back to Harry but before he could take more than a step, the guy with sandy brown-blond hair stepped in front of him, his wand drawn.

Nagini had reappeared and was holding the rest of the first years back, mostly Draco, her wand also drawn.

Harry in the meantime had taken a step closer to the window. The speckle was close enough now that Harry could see it was a type of snake. Naturally, he thought it would hit the glass any second but as the second ticked pass it kept on growing. To late Harry realized that it wasn't a normal snake.

"That's a Basilisk, Harry, and it's coming to kill you," Tom's voice calmly whispered in his head.

'What?' Harry screamed in his mind.

"Quickly cast Depulso!" Tom said and Harry quickly raised his hand casting the banishing charm as he did. The Basilisk hit his spell and the magical feedback was enormous. He skidded a few feet back, but the spell had stopped the Basilisks charge, if only momentarily.

"Use your wand Harry and remember to use your emotions. Cast the spell once more with feeling." Tom advised Harry.

Harry summoned his wand and drew on his desire to live and focused it on his intent to push the Basilisk away as he screamed. "Depulso!" The Basilisk hung there for a second a silent roar escaping its mouth. It wasn't being pushed back and Harry could feel his magic threating to drive him back.

"This is a battle of wills Harry, I can not help you here," Tom said making Harry grit his teeth.

He could feel this magic pushing him back as the Basilisk advanced, desperately trying to keep the two apart. Harry was holding his wand with both hands and he knew he needed to do something or he would be killed.

Gritting his teeth he took a step forward while simultaneously drawing his arms back before he swung his wand like a baseball bat, putting everything he had into the spell. The Basilisk gave a final silent roar before it was flung away, once again becoming a speckle before disappearing.

Harry dropped to one knee, darkness creeping at the edges of his vision, threatening to consume him completely. He had never felt this tired from using magic, then again he's never tried to banish something that big either.

He then felt a hand grab his shoulder and when he turned he saw Draco and Jack standing behind him. He could see them talking but all he heard was dull and muffled noise.

"I'm fine guys really," Harry said with a smile before he promptly collapsed on his face.

Draco and Jack panicked at this while Elsa quickly walked over and rolled Harry onto his back, placing his head on her legs. She quickly went through the sequence of checks her mother had taught her.

He still had a pulse, he did have a slight fever but its probably nothing to worry over and his eyes had reacted to her Luminous spell. He had probably just passed out due to magical exhaustion. The other first years had walked over and they were either watching Elsa or talking about what Harry had just done.

"This sure seems like an Excited bunch. Couldn't you have brought more docile kids?" Lucifer asked scratching his head.

"You make it sound like I picked them," Nagini said accusingly her eyes never leaving Harry.

"Uhg, I'm never going to have a peaceful moment again, am I," He said walking over to the group of first years. With a wave of his wand, he conjured a stretcher under Harry and levitated him off the ground.

"Alright calm down, he's just magically exhausted. He'll be fine after a good nights rest." Nagini said.

"Okay boys follow me, no pushing and keep it quiet," Lucifer said as he walked down the passage on the far side of the room. Harry floated behind him and the rest of the boys soon followed. Jack was the only one to turn back, flash a bright smile at them before nodding as he disappeared into the corridor.

"Okay girls please follow me and I'll show you to your room," Nagini said as she made her way to the closest passage. Once inside the girls noticed that the wall on there left was a glass panel showing the lake. There was a lot of small fish swimming around, there were also various treasures littering the floor.

"What was that that attacked Harry?" Elsa asked Nagini.

"You would be?" She asked not looking back as they kept on walking. "I apologize I'm Elsa Arendelle."

"That was a Basilisk Lady Elsa," Nagini said drawing a few shocked gasps from the six girls.

"Pansy Parkinson. I thought that Basilisk can kill people just by looking at them?" She had shoulder length, dark brown hair and deep green eyes.

"Normally it would, but the glass," Nagini said tapping it as they walked. "Stops any negative effects coming in from the outside. After all, we can't have the sirens song lure you to your deaths, can we?" She said smiling over her shoulder.

"Daphne Greengrass, does this happen often?" Asked a blond girl with soft brown eyes.

"No, it doesn't. There have only been three cases in total." Nagini said stopping at the third corridor they had passed. "Now this will be your dorm room over the next seven years, what you do in here, to make it yours, is up to you. There will be an inspection of your room every fortnight." She directly looked at Elsa.

"Now, showers are also down there one for each of you. Boys can't enter unless invited. Down this hall," Nagini pointed over her shoulder. ", and to the right is our main study hall, complete with our own private library and potion section."

"If you need anything or find something lacking in the potions department, our head of house is Professor Snape. Don't be shy he's not as bad as they make him out to be, but don't speak unless asked and be respectful. If you brush up on your potions beforehand that would be advantageous."

"Lastly, welcome to Slytherin girls, be proud and stay cunning," Nagini said before she turned to leave.

Elsa walked up to the corridor and saw stone steps descending in a spiral. Taking the torch next to the staircase Elsa led the others down, it was a short descent before the floor levelled out again.

Oddly enough Elsa could smell fresh air and considering that they are way underground it seemed unlikely. She then noticed the lip on both sides of the stairwell.

"How are we supposed to see down here?" Pansy asked. Elsa simply lifted the torch touching the flame to the lip. The fire quickly spread along the wall. Revealing a low roof room, black and grey stone walls and floor, six four-post beds with thick curtains hanging by the corners.

At the foot end of each bed rested a trunk, they each had a bedside table on the left and a vanity table to the right. All of this was carved out of dark brown wood, with elaborate snake designs. Elsa walked slowly to the centre of the room, there standing in all its Autumn glory was a Weeping Willow. Elsa walked towards the tree and the central plaza, behind her Lily Moon, followed.

Lily had sandy brown hair cut in a pixie style. Her turquoise eyes were speckled with bits of silver. She was an inch shorter than Elsa and also a little thinner. She wore an expression of pure wonder and awe as she looked at the tree.

As Elsa stepped onto the grass she felt a soft breeze against her face. The ceiling above the tree was domed and appeared to be enchanted just like the Great Halls. She saw the could covered sky, the breeze was new but she liked it, it made the room appear a lot less like a dungeon.

"Wow this must have taken a lot of magical power," Lily said as she reached for the branches. Her fingers lightly danced over the leaves before she hugged her stomach again.

Elsa had made her way over to the trunk of the tree. Standing so close she saw multiple engravings, most of them just initials others had carved their full names into the bark along with their crush or lovers name.

A small smile played over her lips as her fingers ghosted two initials. "Come on Lily lets get ready for bed."

Elsa said as she headed to her Royal purple trunk.

... Five minutes earlier...

Nagini didn't head to her room, instead, she headed out of the Slytherin common room and headed towards Professor Snape's quarters. She stopped at a dark wooden door and knocked, she only waited a second before the door swung open. Inside the door stood Severus Snape. His dark eyes seemed to stare straight into the depth of her soul before he gave her a small nod as he stepped aside to let her in.

She quickly entered and saw that Lucifer was already there. She gave him a small smile and nod before she took her spot on the right side of Snape's desk. She waited until Snape had taken a seat at his desk before she spoke.

"I take it Mr Wyrm has informed you of what happened with the Potter boy," Nagini stated looking between the two men.

Snape nodded and leaned back into his chair before he asked. "What have you told the girls?"

"I told them that it was a Basilisk that attacked him and that was enough to keep them occupied and not ask more questions," Nagini said a serious expression crossing her face. "But they are an inquisitive lot and I dought they will stay satisfied for long."

"The boys didn't even need that much they just wanted to know if Harry was okay, two of them anyway," Lucifer said in a bored tone.

"I'm assuming the two were Mr Malfoy and Mr Frost?" Snape asked. Getting a nod from him. 'The others must be conflicted over what their fathers were.'

"I want you two to keep an eye on Mr Potter. The Basilisk attacking him is very disconcerting." Snape said a scowl on his brow.

"Sir that's not the only thing. Harry used wandless and silent magic." Nagini said. Snaped truly looked shocked at this and looked back to Lucifer. "Why didn't you tell me this?" He asked his eyes consuming Lucifer.

"I wasn't sure sir. I don't have the sense for magic as Nagini does." He said actually looking impressed. Snape sat back and pondered over the new information. 'How can it be that Lily's son is the Heir to Slytherin. Where does it come from? Surely not from the Potters. They are as Gryffindor as it comes.' Snape thought as he dragged his hand through his hair. 'He could be an imposter, for all we know the Dark Lord could be living in the Potter boy, biding his time.'

"Thank you, Lucifer, that will be all," Snape said neither he or Nagini missed how he only dismissed him. With a nod Lucifer left the room, leaving Snape and Nagini alone in his office.

Snape waited until Mr Wyrm had left before he turned to Nagini. "I want you to watch him closely, see if you can find out if he is using any other spells non-verbally and without a wand."

Nagini nodded and quietly and quickly left his office.

'Great after tonight he'll be watched like a hawk.' Nagini thought. 'I'll have to make my move tonight. Before Snape becomes too invested.'

Later that night

Nagini stood over the sleeping body of Harry Potter. Her wand raised ready to kill him. She had been standing like this for the last half hour, unable to cast the killing curse.

Something about him had made her hesitate or maybe it was the thought that Voldemort himself could not kill him with the Killing curse that stopped her. Unsure as to why she just couldn't kill him with the cursed spell. Slowly she lowered her wand returning it to her pocket. Her eyes still locked onto the sleeping boy.

She leaned down, her silky black hair falling across her face as she came within inches of Harry's. She brushed the loose strands of hair behind her ear, her finger lingering there for a second before she opened her mouth.

Her jaw stretched open wider than humanly possible as her canine-teeth elongated into fangs, her eyes turned yellow and the skin of her neck, jaw and around her eyes turned scally and dark green.

She readied herself to strike, all her focus on his neck and as she did Harry's hand shot up and closed around her throat. Shocked that an eleven-year-old boy could stop her with only his bare hands she looked to his face. His eyes were still closed but the smirk on his face was unsettling. As Harry pushed himself up, she clawed at his arm, finding that she did almost no damage to him. Once he was fully leaning on his arm he opened his eyes and two scarlet globes, in pools of black, found her golden ones.

She knew those eyes, she could never forget her master's. The next thing she knew she was pushed across the floor his hand still on her neck. Black energy had gathered around his lower body and he was using it to fly, dragging her along until she hit the wall of the room. Her neck started to grow uncomfortably warm were his had was a slight stinging also present.

His cruel smile never leaving his face, and as he lifted his free hand, wand at the ready. She knew he would kill her if she didn't act quickly.

"Lord Voldemort it's me, Nagini!" She hissed in Parseltongue

To her relief, Voldemort stopped and his grip on her throat loosened but only slightly. Those were the only reactions she got from her statement before he spoke to her in Parseltongue.

"My dear Nagini, I'm not strong enough to possess this body for long." As he spoke she noticed steam rising from him. "It still fights me. Look after the boy, know that I am grooming him. I will take over his body when this accursed protection dies, he is the key to my return."

Harry slash Voldemort leaned in and kissed Nagini on her lips. It was a brief kiss, to Voldemort it was nothing more than a means to pass on some of his intent. To Nagini, it was something entirely different.

Harry's body went limp in front of her, the black energy dissipated and Harry fell to the into Nagini's arms. The burning sensation on her throat had disappeared as his hand came free from her skin. She looked at the passed out boy in her arms, he was peaceful asleep again no trace of the Dark Lord on his features anymore. She carried Harry over to his bed and place him carefully in his bed before she made her way out of the room.

She met no one on her way out of the boy's quarters or on her way to her private room. Once inside she crashed against the stone, seeking the coolness of the stone against her burning skin. A moan escaped her lips as the stone soothed her irritated skin. She turned her head to the side her fingers drifted up to her lips.

Through the kiss she had shared with Voldemort, she had learned that over the last four year he had slowly been merging his soul and powers with that of young Harry's. The Protection his mother had given him by sacrificing herself, is preventing Voldemort from out right possessing the boy.

The blood wards his mother had placed on him had even burned her when she had touched Harry. It must be the taint of Voldemort's soul that had reacted to the blood wards. She had consumed his power in much the same way he was now trying to do to Harry.

Her fingers traced over her lips again. The kiss was unexpected and unnecessary, Voldemort could have relayed his message a hundred other ways. He would neither show her the tenderness that she had felt.

The only possibility she could think of was that somehow Harry had done it and Voldemort must have capitalized on this action. It left her with one looming question. Of how much was Harry aware.

Next Morning

Harry shot up out of bed, breathing heavy and looking around frantically. He had a vivid dream, that made him worried and had him at a disadvantage. Laying back down Harry tried to go back to sleep but it was useless his heart was beating so fast it threatened to jump out of his chest. Leaning over to his bedside table he felt around for his glass, finding them easily.

Once he had his glasses on he looked at the clock and saw it was five in the morning. Shrugging he jumps out of bed and heads for his trunk. He got his bathroom stuff out and headed up the stairs to the boy's bathroom.

Unlike the rest of the living quarters, the bathroom had forest green tiles from floor to ceiling. On the left were a row of sinks with one long mirror above them. On the other side were toilet cubicles, also painted forest green.

At the far end of the bathroom was the shower. It was a huge open space, with ten shower heads, five aside and evenly space at two-meter intervals.

Harry was still unsure of how he felt about sharing a shower with nine other boys. Then again it can't be as bad as when his aunt had washed him after the harsh beatings he had gotten from Vernon. That was another thing he had to deal with tomorrow but he saw no way to avoid it.

Harry placed his toiletry bag on the sink before he washed his face. He was bruising his teeth when his thoughts returned to his dream. He briefly touched his lips a smile spreading on his face. It had been the first time he had dreamt of a girl, as he smiled stupidly as he recalled the dream.

He hoped that kissing a girl would be as nice as it had been in his dream. As he was daydreaming of Nagini's soft lips a frightening idea struck him.

How will he be able to look at Nagini without blushing madly?