A/N: I really wasn't planning on finishing this chapter today but whatever. Snape wrote himself and Blaise and Theo just kinda slithered their way in, damn Slytherins. So I know I kinda screwed up the timeline by a month but it seems I'm the only one who noticed so I'm leaving it like that and next school year will go back to the original timeline. So I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: Again see chapter 1.

Edit misspelled name 5/11/16

Chapter 4

August 1 1991

The train ride was peaceful with only the occasional comment from Nidhogg. When he got the signal that it was time to change into his robes, he laid down a few rules for his soon to be familiar. If he wanted to travel around the castle without Harry, he needed to keep himself hidden from view unless Harry stated otherwise and Nidhogg was not to bite anyone unless Harry allowed it or to protect Harry.

Before Harry left his compartment he cast a subtle repelling charm on himself; everyone could see him but if anyone came close enough to him it would seem as if he were just not important enough to speak to. He made sure to keep himself to the rear of the group and when ushered into a boat and then carriage, he stuck with people he only recognized and had no significant memories of.

The sight of the castle all lit up at night was an awe inspiring sight that memory just could not match neither was the feeling of her Magic wrapping around him in welcome. Harry brushed his fingertips along the stone wall in greeting and was surprised when her Magic added a slight pressure around him like a hug. It seemed like Hogwarts was much more sentient than he had previously thought and that was a good thing.

Harry had been so lost in thought that he had missed McGonagall's entrance and speech, when he finally snapped out of it she was already leading the first years through the doors into the Great Hall. Harry made sure to stay at the very back and dispel the charm with a quick wave of his hand.

…

Severus Snape sat at the head table waiting, impatiently, for Minerva to lead in the first years so that they could get the opening feast over and done with. He was not looking forward to this year or the ones to come after simply for the fact that James Potter's son was due to be sorted this very night. The Headmaster took great pride informing the staff at their last meeting and Severus had wished he could curse his existence or at least resign, but that was not to be.

If he had been less of a Slytherin he would have sighed dejectedly when Minerva finally entered the Great Hall followed by the first years. His eyes scanned the crowd of children and wanted to sneer at the sniveling brats. Severus listened to the Sorting Hat's song with half an ear as his gaze swept past one student in the very back and then quickly back not sure if he was seeing who he thought he was.

The boy was standing in the very back giving the impression he was shy but that didn't match his body language or the look on his face. He stood tall, proud but not arrogantly and he was small even by first year standards; his face was completely black there was no boredom, curiosity or anything for that matter. His face was just blank; his hair was done neatly, bangs that were long enough to cover his forehead were short enough not to get in his eyes and Severus couldn't tell exactly how long his hair was but it was long enough that it looked to be tied back. The small square silver framed glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose gave the boy an aristocratic look, he almost reminded him of Lucius only darker coloring.

Severus hadn't realized he had been holding his breath until the boy bright green eyes met his own, only one person he had ever known had eyes like those and now he had confirmation on who exactly the boy was, Harry Potter. Severus let out a controlled breath and forced his expression to remain blank no matter how surprised he was at the child.

Harry and Severus didn't break eye contact at all. Severus took pride in the fact that he was a very skilled Legilimens and with that skill came the ability to tell when someone was lying to him and being able to read people very well, but right then he found he couldn't get a read off of Potter at all. He wasn't fidgeting nervously or looking around curiously like the rest of his year mates; He was just staring back blankly and it almost felt like a dare, but that wasn't possible. The boy wouldn't know what Legilimency was, he wouldn't know who Severus was or that he was skilled in it.

But Severus Snape was, in the end, a Slytherin who loved a good riddle and that is just what Potter was shaping up to be so he figured it couldn't hurt just to sneak a look. Unfortunately it seemed that the boy had some hidden talent because just as he slithered his way into Potter's mind he was caught in something like a net and when a single sentence was projected into his own mind, his eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

It's rude to enter a person's mind without asking first Professor Snape.

Severus' eyes narrowed in thought when he was gently pushed from the boy's mind. He wished he could keep his preconceived notions about the Potter boy but he had come in here and shattered almost every one of them without even speaking a word. He finally turned away as his name was called and Severus caught a glimpse of long black hair loosely braided, hanging just below his shoulder blades. Whispers and exclamations broke out and Potter paid no attention to any of it just calmly made his way to the stool and sat without prompting.

…

As soon as he entered Harry's gaze was drawn right to Dumbledore. I was a shame that the old man was blinded by his beliefs, it really was getting more and more difficult to differentiate between himself and the memories he held because all he felt when he looked upon the old man was disappointment. Dumbledore had, once upon a time, been like a grandfather to him but he didn't have Harry's best interests in mind nor was he doing the Wizarding World any good. It was a shame that he was going to have to end this Wizarding version of a civil war before any real progress could be made; Harry's gaze skimmed over the rest of the teaching staff to be caught by fathomless onyx eyes.

Severus Snape the first person he would need to lure to his side and if he weren't his father's son it would be easy but he needed to convince Snape he was not James Potter and would never be, before he could start earning the man's trust. Harry would have to say he had a good head start, he'd give the mad a week because he really did need his help; the Professor wasn't sneering at him or looking at him with barely disguised disgust. He actually looked intrigued and that made the man appear more approachable.

Goose bumps prickled all over Harry's body as he felt Snape enter his mind. It was almost like Nidhogg slithering over his bare skin only much more intimate. Harry suppressed a shudder and couldn't stop himself from messing with Snape just a little, it probably wasn't a good idea but Snape's reaction was well worth it; he really had to force himself not to smile or laugh at the look on the Professor's face and was glad to hear his name called so he could look away.

…

Well, well. What do we have here? This is certainly interesting. Oh dear. Well I can see you will not be arguing with me this time and I must agree with myself, you are certainly suited for Slytherin; even more so now. You would however do well elsewhere as well.

Harry stared blankly at the doors exiting the Great Hall and instead of speaking aloud like he had once done, he projected what he wanted to say to the hat.

Place me where I should be. You won't be telling anyone anything you've seen?

No, there is a charm placed on me to prevent me from saying anything at all. Very well. Better be…

"Slytherin!" The hat shouted sending the Great Hall reeling and a ringing silence followed Harry as he made his way to his house's table. It seemed as if the table was arranged by years with the seventh year students sitting closest to the exit and the first years seated closest to the head table. Harry spotted Draco with Crabbe and Goyle flanking him and Nott next to those three furthest away from the second years, Parkinson, Bulstrode and Greengrass across from them with Davis on the very end. Harry sat next to Nott and slightly apart.

Harry knew where the entrance to the Slytherin common room was and what it looked like, but he had no idea how the dorms were set up or what their hierarchy was like so he figured he'd just observe for the time being. He waited for the final first years to be sorted, Zabini and some girl with the last name of smith, and listened to Dumbledore's opening speech with half an ear mentally snorting in derision at the warning to stay away from the third floor corridor.

It was so easy now to see the subtle manipulations, though Harry wondered what would happen if any student other than himself and whoever was with him, decided to go exploring. His counterpart was right hindsight is always 20/20. Harry ate quickly but neatly and followed the Prefect that introduced herself as Gemma Farley, down into the Dungeons where she informed them of the password; Purity, Harry wanted to roll his eye at the predictability.

Harry listened to Farley's welcoming speech, which was surprising long-winded and was pleased to see what Slytherins were like behind closed doors. He could sense Snape's presence at his back,, probably observing from the shadows, but ignored him in favor of appreciating the common room which was hauntingly beautiful and he wondered if he could speak with the stone snake that was mounted above the fireplace.

As the Prefect finally wound down she stepped aside and Snape finally his appearance, startling a few of the first years. "As you all should know, I am Professor Severus Snape; Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House. The most important thing to remember is that no matter what issue you have with another member of this house, once you enter the castle proper you will stand united. Next, if you get caught doing anything against school rules the punishment you have to endure from me will be twice as bad as any other teacher and lastly if you need help of any kind my door is always open. If you cannot find me in my office and it is an emergency alert a Prefect and they will fetch me from my quarters."

Harry admired Snape as he left the common room with a snap of his cape. He always could make a dramatic entrance and exit. Farley directed the first year girls to their dorm and the boys to theirs. Down a hall there were two doors, one on each side. Next to the door on the left side was a silver plate with D. Malfoy, G. Goyle and V. Crabbe engraved on it and the same on the other side except with Nott, Potter and Zabini.

He could deal with that, from what he remembered was Nott was fairly quiet and so was Zabini but they were both very observant and obviously cunning and he had the perfect way to keep his secrets quiet and contained and gain himself a couple of allies within the house as well.

The room was bigger than what he thought it might be, three large beds lined each wall and bracketed by end stands, with their trunks already situated at the bottom of the beds. A door, harry assumed to a bathroom they would share, was on the right wall far enough away from the bed on that side, that anyone sleeping on the bed would not be disturbed by it being opened or closed.

The beds were elegant with their green silk curtains but comfortable, there were no pictures but along the far wall to either side of the bed, there were two windows looking into the murky depths of Black Lake. Between the windows and the hanging lanterns, the room was awash in green.

Harry located his trunk at the end of the bed on the right side of the room; Zabini was next to Harry against the far wall and Nott on the other side of the room. He sat on the top of his trunk and waited for Nott and Zabini to get settled, it didn't take long they almost immediately followed his lead. He held one finger to his lips and pointed another at the ceiling, whispering a spell he created, well his older self, in Parseltongue the room was coated in a mix of blue and green for a second.

Then he did something that made their Slytherin masks fall, he dropped the charm hiding Nidhogg. "What I just did was ward this room with a combination privacy and secrecy spell created. If anyone tries to listen through the door all they will hear is inane chatter and that will adjust to whoever is in the room at the time unless it's empty or a single person, than all anyone will hear is silence." He unwound Nidhogg from his neck while he spoke and placed him on the floor so that he could get acquainted with his surroundings.

"The secrecy part of the spell makes it so that anything we see or hear in this room cannot be spoken about outside of it. Even if you brought someone in here you would not be able to say anything unless the person you want to speak about gives you permission. The ward will stay until I take it down and I will not do that until the last day before summer, hopefully by then I will be able to trust you two or I will be asking for a vow to keep my secrets just that."

Harry watched Blaise get stiffer as Nidhogg slithered his way closer to him. "That is Nidhogg, my familiar or he will be once I find an appropriate bonding ritual. Just put your hand down so that he can get your scent. He won't bite unless to protect me or I say otherwise."

Blaise put his hand down slowly and held still while the snake's tongue flicked against his fingertips. $That's Blaise Zabini and the other boy is Theodore Nott, my roommates. You may appear to them if you would like.$

Both looked at him wide eyed and slightly fearful. "Don't look at me like that; I have no reason to harm either of you. I was just telling him who you are and letting him know he is allowed to appear to you if he wishes. He is a magical snake so he is unusually smart and can understand everything you say even if you cannot understand him."

"You're a Parselmouth." Nott breathed out as Nidhogg scented the boy.

Harry rolled his eye. "Obviously," He replied drolly.

"Well I get the need for secrecy, you are not what we expected but how are we to trust that the secrecy applies to you as well. I mean you may not be what we were expecting but you are still The-Boy-Who-Lived, the one who vanquished You-Know-Who." Zabini said smirking.

Harry flicked his right hand, getting his wand from the holster on his wrist and placed the wand on the palm of his left hand. "I Harrison James Potter do hereby vow that I will never reveal anything I see or hear from or about Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott unless they state otherwise. So I will it, so mote it be." There was a flash of blue binding him to his vow and he replaced his wand back in the holster.

What I would really appreciate from the two of you is whatever you've heard or read about me forget it all. I am not the light's golden boy and I never will be nor am I the next Dark Lord and I have no plans on standing in his way."

"Then you believe-"

"That he's still out there?" He finished for Nott. "Yes I do."

"You sound so certain." Nott replied leaning forward anxiously.

Harry smirked at him but hummed nonsensically, giving him a non-answer and turned to his trunk to unlock it and pull out his night clothes. It was obvious to his roommates that they would get no more from him that night so followed his lead all three of them climbing into bed within minutes of each other. Harry stayed awake long enough to listen to the other boys slow quiet breathing and feel Nidhogg curled up on his chest; Harry was comfortable and content for the moment it was only a matter of time before all hell would break loose and things would probably get worse before they got better but he was hopeful.