Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter series or any of the characters. We're just borrowing them for play, we're not making any money off of this.

A Waking Dream of Life and Light

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Chapter 1: Like a Slytherin

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Harry Potter gave his award-winning smirk at the silence that followed the Hat's exclamation. Really, what were they all expecting? Not only was his last name supposedly 'Slythe', the first six letters in the name Slytherin, but he was tall and pale, with black hair and unearthly green eyes.

Did they really think he'd be sorted somewhere else?

Of course, the moment he got up from the stool, the Slytherin table erupted into applause. Naturally, they would be the only table to cheer, but he didn't mind.

Harry turned slightly to gauge Dumbledore's expression – after all, he had just gotten sorted into Slytherin after mysteriously appearing on the grounds – but was stunned to see calculating eyes twinkling madly at him. Harry gave a small smile and strolled casually over to his new table.

It felt strange to be sitting with the Slytherins instead of the Gryffindors, but it wasn't that bad. It probably would have been awkward dorming with the Marauders anyways – and not just because they were his family. He couldn't imagine having to live at such close quarters to a werewolf.

Fortunately for Harry, there was one seat remaining by the sixth years.

Unfortunately, that seat was next to an intimidating looking teenager with shoulder length black hair and keen black eyes.

Harry took the seat next to the teen, who turned a glare onto Harry. Completely untroubled, Harry responded with his best Slytherin smirk.

"Hey, I'm Harry Slythe," he said casually, quirking an eyebrow when Snape continued to glare.

After several minutes, Snape muttered, "Severus Snape," then turned his head away, giving the air of being uninterested.

Finally the sorting came to an end, and Dumbledore rose from his place at the Head Table.

"Well," he began, "I'm sure you've all had a marvellous summer, and are quite excited for the start of this term.

"I expect you all to give a warm welcome to our first years, and our newest sixth year, Harry Slythe." The Headmaster inclined his head slightly in his direction, giving him a slight smile as if the constant twinkling in his eyes wasn't enough. He then turned his attention back to the student body to continue with his speech.

"Mr. Filch has once again asked me to remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is off limits; a fact which some of you seem to have trouble remembering..." His gaze wandered along the faces peering up at him, his eyes lingering on some - the Marauders - more than others.

Coming back to what he was saying, he finished joyously, "And now just a few more words for you - Flabbergasted! Wiley! Beast! Thank you, enjoy the feast."

With an extravagant wave of his hand, Dumbledore sat down, and food appeared along the five tables in the Great Hall.

Harry filled his cup with pumpkin juice and took a sip. He'd wait until dessert to eat anything. It seemed that vampirism had given him quite a sweet tooth – everything but sugar tasted like ash to him now.

It was a small price to pay when you could live forever.

"Not going to eat?" a Slytherin asked from beside him. Harry turned to see a handsome male turned to him, one dark eyebrow quirked. He had short, black hair and dark brown eyes set in olive skin that was a stark contrast to Harry's own pallor. Due to the fit of his tailored clothes, Harry could see that he was well-toned.

"Well, of course I'm going to," Harry intoned, his voice slightly condescending. Was everyone going to watch to see what he ate? Really?

The Slytherin's eyebrow remained annoyingly quirked. He asked, absently wondering

why Harry wasn't eating right then, "But?"

"But I don't find this food so appetizing," Harry replied, his stunning green gaze challenging the male to say something against him.

"Whatever," the teen said haughtily. Several moments passed in silence, and just as Harry had started to turn back to his pumpkin juice, the Slytherin next to him said, "I'm Charlie Harper, by the way. Thought you'd like to know."

Harry let out a low chuckle, and mentally brought up everything he'd ever heard about Charlie Harper.

He was a bit of a ladies' man; never one to be in a commitment for too long, but also loyal to those he truly cared about.

And he was one of Sirius' main rivals during his Hogwarts years.

"Harry Slythe," Harry drawled. "But you already knew that."

Charlie smirked and returned to his food.

Harry took another sip of his pumpkin juice, and was slightly startled to find Snape looking at him – not glaring.

"Can I help you?" Harry asked casually.

"No."

Harry was just opening his mouth to reply when the main course disappeared, to be replaced with a table full of sugary goodness.

Harry could feel his mouth watering, his eyes opening a bit wider to take in the variety of desserts. Oh, how he had missed the food at Hogwarts.

Harry eagerly reached for the treacle tarts, but forgetting them completely when he spotted a strawberry cheesecake near his left elbow.

Charlie laughed at Harry's side as he stuffed a forkful of cheesecake into his mouth, both momentarily oblivious to the gaping students around them.

But who needed a good reputation, anyways? They were vastly overrated.

"Honestly," Harry heard what must have been Mulciber muttering to Snape, Rosier and Avery. "You'd think he'd have more restraint. Pastries are for Hufflepuffs."

Harry froze. He really didn't like Death Eaters – even if they technically weren't Death Eaters yet.

And that's when he realized that Snape was agreeing with the boy. He had completely forgotten that Snape had friends like them. That he, too, was a death eater.

Harry just barely stopped himself from hissing at Mulciber, making a silent vow to change things. If he was stuck here, then at least he could try to make things better, starting with Snape – and if that led to his parents staying alive and Voldemort never having the confidence that he was indestructible, then so be it.

Harry nodded to himself, fork still hanging from his mouth. He removed the utensil and proceeded to eat his dessert, although his heart was no longer in it. He was completely focused on his plans.

He'd make life better for Snape, even if that meant that he had to be nice to him, because then his life would be better too.

Especially since they were now dorm mates.

-~-

Finally, dinner was over and they were headed to the Slytherin dormitory. Harry inexplicably found himself walking beside Snape, who was glaring at him steadily.

That is, until the Marauders showed up.

"Well, well, if it isn't Snivellus," a haughty male voice drawled. "I see you've found yourself a new Death Eater friend."

Harry turned, having heard this voice once before – the one time he had viewed Snape's memories.

Sure enough, James Potter was standing there, a cocky grin plastered on his face, his wand raised.

On his right Sirius Black stood with his arms crossed, eyebrow quirked, and Peter Pettigrew stood to his left, a maniacal smile on his lips.

Remus Lupin stood behind them, looking unhappy. Well, at least one of them had the decency to look guilty about it.

Snape made a sound that, on anyone who wasn't Snape, would have been a snort. "You wish that were the case, so that you'd have an excuse for your unjust and childish pranking."

"Those are some big words for such a small mind, Snivellus," Sirius chimed in, uncrossing his arms and drawing his wand.

Harry sighed. He really didn't want to be involved in this. It could get messy.

So instead, he grabbed Snape's arm – perhaps a little violently, but he really didn't care – and dragged him back toward the dungeons.

"Coward!" James shouted at Harry's back, obviously trying to provoke him.

Harry didn't give him the satisfaction, and forcefully dragged Snape to the dungeons, ignoring the Marauders behind him.

Why did they have to be so immature?

-~-

When they finally reached the dungeons, Harry released Snape's arm.

"I expect you to be able to walk without my assistance," Harry said icily, already irritated at the schoolboy rivalry.

Snape angrily adjusted his robes and continued on through the maze of stone passages, leading Harry.

Turning another corner, the two adolescents were surprised to find an angry Prefect leaning against a wall, seemingly waiting for them.

"Shingleton," Snape acknowledged, electing to ignore the vampire beside him for the moment.

Harry mentally brought up all information he had of Gaspard Shingleton... which admittedly, wasn't much. The boy was a seventh year, Head Boy. He went on to invent the self-stirring cauldrons, if Harry recalled correctly.

He wasn't that outstanding, really. He had short brown hair, calculating brown eyes, and high cheekbones; overall average, but he was intelligent.

And he could hold a grudge.

"Snape," Shingleton nodded, "Slythe. So nice of you to finally join us." He raised one eyebrow and continued, "Did you get lost?"

Silence followed for several minutes, a staring - more like glaring - contest between Snape and Shingleton.

Finally, Shingleton looked away, turning to mutter to the stretch of wall behind him, "Thamnophis sirtalis."

A section of the wall slid aside, revealing the Slytherin Common Room, a very impatient Professor Slughorn standing amongst the entire Slytherin population.

"Excellent, excellent! You've finally joined us," Slughorn said while rocking back on his heels, anxious to begin his start of term duties as Head of House.

Harry had the decency to look sheepish, but inside he was reeling. He really didn't like this man, especially since he had been the one to help make Voldemort damn near indestructible. Not that he'd known that that would happen, of course, but he should really have been more responsible.

And what was wrong with him that he had to collect people, anyways?

Shingleton entered behind Snape and Harry as the stone wall fell back into place, forcing them into the crowd of students so that Slughorn could begin his speech.

"Now," he began, scoping the room for future potions prodigies, "I know many of you have heard this before, but it always helps to refresh your young minds."

Pause.

"Anyways," he said quickly, sensing the tension and awkwardness in the air, "this is your home now. Look to your left, and then to your right. These people are your family now, and you would do well to remember that. Slytherins have always been the outcasts, but also the most ambitious. So help each other, stand strong, and-"

A few of the first years snickered as a drop of water fell from the ceiling and landed on Slughorn's face. He shuffled two paces to the left and continued, "-and remember to be proud of who you are. Don't disgrace each other. Oh! And remember to keep your uniform in check." He eyed several of the first years, who were now playing with their ties.

Suddenly Harry was glad that he had gone to Diagon Alley the night before to get his supplies for school – and, of course, uniform – despite the fact that Dumbledore had said he didn't need to. What did the old wizard know anyway? The last time he'd had to worry about getting school supplies for himself had to have been at least a century ago.

"Now," the Professor continued, oblivious to Harry's musings, "everyone except for the first years is excused."

There was a pause as everyone started to shuffle to their dorm rooms. Harry took the time to examine his new home.

Really, it was pretty much the same as he remembered it being in his second year. The room resembled a dungeon; long, with a low ceiling held by dank stone walls, and round, green lamps hanging from chains stretching upward. Black couches and high-backed chairs were scattered around, seemingly arranged around the fireplace with an ornately carved mantle-piece.

And of course, the ceiling leaked.

Harry followed Snape to their dorm, eyeing a skull he walked by with disdain. He had never liked skulls. They reminded him of Death Eaters.

The dorm itself was slightly more welcoming. There were five four-poster beds in the room, each with silver curtains and green bedspreads. The walls were stone, like in the common room, but the floor was covered in a plush green carpet. Another green lamp hung low in the center of the dorm, casting an eerie glow about the room.

Harry took the bed closest to the door on the left, next to Charlie's, as it was the only one remaining. He sat on his bed gracefully, finding it incredibly comfortable – something he hadn't expected, based on the general darkness of the place.

That was when he noticed that everyone was getting ready for bed.

Snape, Harry noticed, was well built despite his stringy appearance. His skin wasn't that pale, especially when compared to Harry's own, and his hair was-

Harry stopped and shuddered. What was he doing, looking at his teacher like that? Even if technically this boy was not his teacher yet... it was still weird.

Fighting to keep his eyes from widening in horror, Harry glanced to his left and saw Charlie was also shirtless now and just as well muscled as Harry had thought he would be.

When Charlie turned away from him, Harry noticed that there was a Hungarian Horntail tattooed across his back.

Harry quirked an eyebrow at Charlie when he had turned back to face him, and the other boy shrugged a shoulder. "I've always been interested in dragons," he stated matter-of-factly.

Huh, sounded like another Charlie that Harry knew. Maybe it was the name.

-~-

It was 2 am now, everyone was sleeping, and Harry was bored.

During the war, his vampire-induced insomnia had been a good thing; he'd always been on alert, never surprised.

But now he was stuck in a room full of sleeping adolescent boys with nothing to do.

Harry sighed. Once again, he'd regretted not listening to Hermione's advice.

"Well," Harry muttered to no one in particular, "when in doubt..."

He slipped out of bed, his feet silently landing on the plush carpet, and went to the trunk Dumbledore had supplied him with. Opening it silently, he rummaged through the messy trunk and pulled out the first textbook he found.

Harry groaned. It was his potions textbook.

He ambled silently to the door of the dorm room and opened it, slipping out and into the common room.

Walking stealthily over to an armchair, Harry curled up and started reading.

It was going to be a long year.

Vicki's Note: Alright, so that's another chapter done. We'll hopefully get a few more out before Christmas Break, but since someone (Dray) is leaving for Christmas, no guarantees on updates for a while. So we'll see how much we can get out around my busy schedule in the next week. On another note, I hope everyone liked Charlie. I wasn't originally going to create him, but there's a surprising lack of canon characters for the Marauders' Era, so there's going to be quite a few OC's to fill the gaps. We'll try not to confuse you. Until next time~

Author's Note: Well, sor-rey that I'm going to Florida. Anywho, reviews=love, so let us know how you liked this chapter!