A/N: So, here's Chapter 4. :P Enjoy.
Harry walked into Potions the next day and barely managed to make himself stop gaping. Neither Ron nor Hermione had waited at lunch to walk down to the dungeons with him, causing him to enter the Potions classroom alone.
Upon entering, he immediately saw that some people had changed seats. As the potions they made that year were more volatile and dangerous, they had been placed at tables of two instead of the old three. Harry and Ron had been at one table with Hermione and Neville Longbottom next to them and Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan on the other side.
Now, however, things had changed. Ron and Hermione were at Ron and Harry's table. Parvati Patil was with Neville at Neville and Hermione's table and the only spot left was with Draco Malfoy. He didn't mind being Draco's partner as they had become…not yet friends but school rivals instead of sworn enemies. Draco had made it clear he was on the side of the Light when he managed to get to the Ministry of Magic in June and saved both Harry's and Neville's lives.
Draco had been in the hospital wing with Harry and they had declared a truce. They were back to the friendly rivalry they had had back in first year except they got along. There was still the usual throwing of insults and pulling of pranks, but it was all just for fun now and not meant to hurt.
Shrugging, Harry walked to the front of the room and sat next to Draco, placing his bag on the floor beside the table.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "What's up, Potter? Friends ditch you?"
"Pretty much," Harry said and Draco glanced back at Ron and Hermione.
"They're dating, aren't they?" Draco assumed.
"Yep. Happened in Hogsmeade yesterday except they won't tell me they're dating for some reason despite the fact I told them to start dating before they went to the village." Harry nodded.
"Idiots," Draco muttered just as Snape swept into the room.
They saw Snape briefly raise his eyebrow at the new seating arrangements. "Today we will be beginning Veritaserum. It takes a week to brew and when done correctly will cause the drinker to only tell the truth for some time. We will be sampling these so get it right unless you'd rather be poisoned by your own creation. Work with your partner and brew one cauldron. Begin," Snape told the class in his usual cold voice and everyone scrambled to get started.
"Here. Start slicing four daisy roots," Draco said as he lit a fire under their cauldron and added two cups of water. He pulled the Valerian root close and began dicing it. "So, what's been going on? We haven't really talked for a couple weeks."
"Yeah, I've been busy. I have to work with your godfather," Harry said, putting his thin slice in the cauldron two at a time.
"Really?" Draco raised an eyebrow with a smirk.
"Shut up, Draco. He hates me. Us working together is hardly going to end well," Harry said, letting eight drops of mermaid blood drip into their cauldron. He had told Draco about not hating Professor Snape as much as he used to and, while Draco teased him mercilessly about it, he supported it and had threatened to force them together if Harry didn't do something.
"He does not hate you," Draco said, stirring the potion until it turned yellow as Harry measured out the powdered asphodel.
"Why do people keep saying that?" Harry said in exasperation as he sprinkled the asphodel on the surface of the potion.
"Who else has said it?" Draco asked.
"Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, McGonagall, Hagrid, Ivory." Harry listed those that continuously told him the Potions master didn't hate him.
"Ivory? As in Snape's familiar, Ivory?" Draco said, stirring a figure eight in their cauldron, both watching as it slowly changed colours.
"Are there many Ivorys at this school?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "Anyways, yeah. Snape's raven, Ivory. Why?"
"Well, I just thought it was strange. I mean, Ivory doesn't talk to many aside from Snape. She talks to Dumbledore, McGonagall, Pomfrey, and me. That's it. She won't even talk to my father or any of the other Slytherins," Draco said and dropped in two black rose petals.
Harry shrugged. "She told me she's been watching over me and protecting me because Snape protects me."
Harry missed Draco's wide eyes as he dropped in a crushed Basilisk scale. The potion bubbled and turned to required ocean blue. "Now it simmers for three days," Draco said and they both cast protective charms on the cauldron. "Now, what Ivory said."
"What about it?" Harry asked as they cleaned up.
"Were those the exact words she used?" Draco said.
Harry frowned. "Umm, yeah. I think so. Why?"
"No reason. Just curious." Draco shook his head.
Harry rolled his eyes. "You are an irritating person, Draco, you know that?"
Draco shrugged. "I try."
"I think it's natural," Harry said.
"You hurt me, Harry," Draco said, putting a hand over his heart.
Harry looked on in amusement and shook his head. "You need your ego deflated a bit anyways."
"Oh, the pain! How we ever became friends is beyond me," Draco said dramatically.
"Friends?" Harry repeated seriously.
"Yeah." Draco nodded.
"You consider us friends?" Harry asked.
"Well, yeah. You're my only friend really," Draco said, looking anywhere but at Harry.
"I just thought we were friendly rivals, like in first year. Well, without the trying to get the other expelled," Harry said.
"Well, that's what we started with when we called the truce. I've just kind of thought we'd made it to friends." Draco shrugged, clearly uncomfortable.
Harry smiled. "I've thought we're friends too but I never said anything. I didn't think you'd think the same."
"It's kind of difficult to think anything else now." Draco grinned and Harry chuckled.
"Clean your area and then get out," Snape said. "The potion must simmer for three days. Leave."
"I'm going down to the Chamber. Want to come?" Harry asked Draco as they left the classroom, having already cleaned up.
"No, I've got Quidditch practice. The match against Ravenclaw is coming. I'll see you later," Draco said and they split in the Entrance Hall.
"See you," Harry said and headed to the girls' bathroom on the second floor.
For about a year and a half, nearly two years, Harry had been returning to the Chamber of Secrets. He had managed to get the Chamber completely clean…well, as clean as the Chamber could get. He had harvested everything possible from the dead Basilisk. He made sure everything stayed preserved so that it could always be used. He had also explored all of the tunnels, eventually finding one that led to a set of rooms. It was clear that Salazar Slytherin had created quarters in the Chamber so he could stay down there sometimes.
He was still discovering things in the quarters but he had found much already. The quarters consisted of a bedroom, a bathroom, a study, a library, a kitchen, and a sitting room complete with a fireplace. Harry had discovered the fireplace was connected to the Hogwarts Floo Network so Harry usually Flooed to and from the Chamber.
There were many books written by Slytherin in the library and even more written by Merlin himself. There were quite a few written by the other Founders as well. In the study, Harry had uncovered several personal journals of Slytherin's. However, they were mostly in Parseltongue so Harry was slowly working on translating the texts to English.
Hissing the password, Harry waited for the sinks to stop moving and the entrance to appear. Finally everything was still and Harry jumped down the hole. He had charmed the end so you slowed down and carefully landed on the floor, unlike the rough landing back in second year. He had cleaned away all the small animal bones that had been in the entrance chamber.
He walked down the tunnel, having also cleared away the rubble from the cave-in in his second year. Once again hissing at the opening to the main chamber where he had fought the Basilisk, Harry climbed down the ladder and began to casually walk across the stone floor. The walls and ceiling were still damp but Harry had charmed them so no water dripped onto the floor, keeping it dry. The dozen statues of snakes lining the floor were once again clean and dry, just like the large stone face of Salazar Slytherin from which the Basilisk had emerged.
Changing the water to fresh stuff from the Black Lake, the place was almost habitable. He had moved a few chairs and a table into the open area where Ginny Weasley had once lay fighting for her life. He had brought his friends into the Chamber many times but he usually preferred to go alone. The Chamber had almost become a place of solace and usually loathed sharing it.
Dropping his bag onto one of the chairs as he passed, Harry continued on into the tunnels, heading for Slytherin's secret quarters. He eventually stopped at a black and white portrait of a large cobra, a lion, a raven, and a badger. At first, Harry had been surprised to see all the school mascots in one portrait but had soon come around when he learned it had been Slytherin's way of keeping his friends close.
'Hello, Cecelia,' Harry hissed at the snake. The cobra dipped its head in greeting and returned to sleeping.
"Onyx," he said to the raven.
"Shadow." He smiled at the badger.
"Hello, Benji," he said to the lion. "Unity," and the portrait swung open. He knew he probably didn't need a password but he wasn't taking any chances.
Waving his wand, Harry lit the fire and collapsed onto the deep green sofa, propping his now-only-clad-in-socks feet up on the mahogany coffee table. He noticed there was a journal open next to a piece of parchment and realized he had had to leave early the other day and was unable to finish translating. Picking up the journal, parchment, quill, and ink, Harry proceeded to finish reading and translating the pages.
Harry cursed for the tenth time as he ran through the dungeons. He had lost track of time down in the Chamber and was now late for his first lesson with Snape.
And it has to be Occlumency of all things, Harry thought bitterly. He slid to a stop outside the portrait of Salazar Slytherin.
"You're late," Salazar said.
"I know, Salazar. I was preoccupied. Is Snape here?" Harry said, catching his breath.
"Get in here, Potter!" Snape yelled from inside making Harry groan.
"Why do I even try to hope?" Harry said to Salazar.
"Merlin only knows, Mr. Potter. You'd better go in before he comes out here." Salazar shook his head, smirking and eyes glittering in amusement.
"Good idea." Harry nodded. "See you later, Salazar," he said as he entered the quarters.
"Good luck, Mr. Potter," he heard Salazar say as the portrait swung shut.
Harry glared at the door. "Mocker," he muttered.
"I'm thrilled you finally decided to grace me with your insufferable presence," a familiar voice drawled, dripping with scorn and sarcasm.
Harry turned to face Snape, glowering. "Sorry, sir, but I—"
"I am in no mood for useless explanations or apologies," Snape snapped and Harry's glare deepened. "Now, am I to assume that the headmaster was correct and you know nothing about Occlumency?"
"Yes, sir," Harry said monotonously.
"Then why did you never say anything last year?" Snape said loudly.
"How could I with you attacking me every three seconds? Even if I had tried, you wouldn't have listened or believed me!" Harry shouted. "You cannot put full blame on me! You're as much to blame as I am!"
"Of course! Nothing can be Harry Potter's fault! Being the Boy Who Lived exempts you from any and all fault!" Snape yelled back.
"That's not what I said!" Harry yelled. "You are such a bastard! I don't understand why Dumbledore thinks this can work! You hate me too much!"
"As if you don't hate me, Potter!"
"Right now I'm finding it hard not to!"
"As long as the feeling's mutual, Potter. Now, sit down. This is not going to be a practical lesson," Snape said, his voice going back to normal but Harry could still hear the overwhelming anger hidden in the words.
Harry glared at him but sat in the same chair he had before. He watched as Snape pulled a thick tome from a shelf and dropped it onto Harry's lap. "Read the first two chapters. Try to finish in the allotted time, despite how difficult that might be," Snape told him and Harry glowered. He opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it and stayed silent.
Snape gave him a look that said 'it's best to shut up' before walking away to his desk to mark essays. Harry sighed and opened the book on Occlumency and Legilimency.
"Um, Professor?" Harry said before he began reading. Snape looked at him. "Will you be teaching me Legilimency?"
"It would be beneficial," Snape said, nodding.
Harry gave a nod of his own before turning back to the book, beginning the first chapter. A strained silence fell on the room, disturbed by the clock ticking, the scratching of Snape's quill, and the pages of the book being turned. Harry was stiff and tense as he sat there reading. He tried to relax but he couldn't. He was in a room with Snape. How was he supposed to relax?
The minutes passed slowly, despite the fact he was completely engrossed in the book. It was oddly interesting and he finally understood Occlumency. Now, whether he could transfer that understanding to a practical lesson was a different matter, but he had a feeling Occlumency lessons would be better this time around.
Eventually the painful two hours came to an end just as Harry was getting halfway through the second chapter. He vaguely registered Snape moving but his attention and focus was on the words before him.
"Well, Potter," Snape sneered and Harry looked up at him angrily. "It seems that when your little friends are not around to distract you and you actually use what little intelligence you may possess, you are capable of completing even the simplest of tasks."
Harry glared but once again said nothing. "Has anything you've read stuck in that thick skull of yours?"
"Yes," Harry bit out. "I understand it better now."
"Good. You will finish reading the next time we have an Occlumency lesson and then we will see if you understand as well as you think you do. Get out," Snape said, snatching the book from Harry.
Grumbling under his breath, Harry grabbed his bag and stalked out of the quarters, ignoring Salazar's calls for him to come back.
Harry didn't stop walking but made his way further up the school, finally arriving at the Astronomy Tower without any acknowledgement of where his feet had led him. He dropped his bag to the floor with a sigh and walked over to the railings. Bracing his forearms on the metal and lacing his fingers together, he leaned forward and stared out at the darkening scenery. Night was quickly falling, casting everything into the shadows. As he gazed across the land, he spotted a spot of darkness that was denser than the rest and was seemingly moving. It didn't take him long to recognize the moving dark as Ivory who eventually settled on the railing next to him.
"Hey, Ivory," Harry greeted quietly.
"Hello, Harry Potter." Ivory dipped her head and Harry gave a small smile at her usual use of his full name. "How was your first lesson, dear?"
Harry shook his head lightly. "We yelled. I read and he marked. We argued. He kicked me out. I came up here," he summarized bitterly.
"So not well?"
"Well, this time didn't end with me having a jar thrown at my head or bodily thrown into the corridor, so I think it's an improvement from last year," Harry said with a hint of sarcasm despite it being true. Their last Occlumency lesson the previous year had not ended well. It had also been the Pensieve incident so it wasn't that surprising it had been a worse ending to a lesson than usual. Snape had thrown a jar of cockroaches at his head (but missed, thankfully) and had then proceeded to throw Harry from the room and into the hallway.
"From what I know, last year is not something that you should compare anything to," Ivory said and Harry snorted.
"Last year was a complete disaster." Harry sighed, trying to keep his thoughts off the disastrous fifth year.
"Yes, I have heard." Ivory nodded. They were silent for a bit before Ivory spoke again. "It will get better, dear. You two will make it and will have to fight for what you want."
Harry looked at her. "Why did that sound like a hint about the future?" He raised an eyebrow.
"The Ancient French Lines have Seer blood and are able to see the future of their Protected and those connected to their Protected," Ivory told him.
"This is ridiculous. That's not in any of the books I read and I'm not connected to Snape. He'd rather endure the Cruciatus Curse everyday for the rest of his life before he became my friend or anything else besides what we are now…whatever the hell that is," Harry said.
"As I said, you will make it and will have to fight," Ivory said ominously.
Harry narrowed his eyes at her. "What exactly am I to be fighting for, besides the obvious?"
"A new life," Ivory said, her head cocked to the side and Harry knew she'd be smiling if she could. He didn't get a chance to say anything before Ivory took off and disappeared into the night.
A/N: Hope you all enjoyed Chapter 4. As I have told some people in my replies to their reviews, Ivory will be very important later on in the story but, for now, she will simply just be popping up. :P