Harry walked behind Snape, his legs were tired from keeping up with him during the walks to and from the dungeon, not that he needed to now but he wasn't about to tell Severus that.
"What kind of meals are served during the summer?" Harry asked as they turned in to the corridor the Great Hall was in.
"The teachers have been given plates that are spelled to give us what we have asked for at that meal." Snape explained just as they entered the hall.
Harry walked into the hall and saw that there was a medium sized round table in the middle of the room under the illusioned sky, professors McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick, and Dumbledore were already seated and waiting for stragglers to arrive.
"Come sit Severus, Harry we were just waiting for you before we began dinner."
"Sorry you had to wait, I got rather caught up in a book that was fascinating me greatly." Harry gave his excuse, "Please feel free to eat even if I'm not here."
The professors smiled at Harry as he sat down next to the Headmaster, "It's quite alright Harry, we don't mind. During this time we usually talk about things in life and families." McGonagall explained as the plates appeared.
"Now all you have to do is tell the plate what it is you would like and it will do the rest for you." Flitwick explained and was surprised when Harry's meal appeared when he hadn't said anything.
Harry blushed at the look, "Dobby knows that I am here and has taken the liberty to see that I am attended to." He explained.
The professors laughed quietly as they asked for their dinners and dug in, talking about anything and everything they could, especially with Harry being present at the table.
"Do you not have a place for us dear brother, a long way we have travelled and I am quite hungry." Came a voice much like Dumbledores, who had 5 wands pointed at him before he and his companions could blink.
A sword, an axe and arrow were pointed back at them in return.
Dumbledore stood, "Please lower your wands, they mean us no harm, they are here upon invitation to the school." He explained.
"Lower your weapons, no one is to be harmed here."
"Is this the company you were talking about Headmaster?" Severus asked lowering his wand and re-seating, sneer firmly in place.
"Come now Severus, no need to be like that, we are all friends here." Dumbledore spoke up as he indicated seats for the guests to sit in.
"If your brother is anything like you then I may just go and jump off of the Astronomy Tower and end it all right now." Snape explained and started on his dinner again.
"I second that motion." Harry added still looking at their company with suspicion and wand still in his hand, even as he sat down.
"No need to be suspicious Harry, no harm will come to you here from these people, they are friends to us and will be helping train you."
Harry let his head slam into the table with a thunk, jolting all of the plates and goblets.
"If you wish to give yourself brain damage I'll be more than happy to do it for you." Snape said when Harry raised his head and rubbed it.
Harry blew a raspberry at his 'keeper' and laid his head down again and took several deep breaths, "What am I going to be taught?" he grumbled into the wood.
"Weapons handling, hand to hand combat, stealth, just round about things that Muggles teach."
"Perhaps introductions are in order Albus."
"Of course Gandalf, how silly of me an important thing and I forget." Dumbledore chuckled, "My children and teachers here at Hogwarts Minerva McGonagall, Fillius Flitwick and Pomena Sprout, hunting in the forest is the grounds keeper Rubeus Hagrid."
"And the young one?" The short guy with red hair asked.
Dumbledores eyes twinkled with pride, "This is Harry Potter, a student here."
"Then where are the rest of them?"
"It is the summer holidays and they are at home with their families, where they belong." Minerva explained primly.
"And why is Mister Potter not at home with his family."
"I don't have any." Harry replied stifly, "My mother and father murdered and my family drove themselves into a lorry and died instantly."
"What is a lorry?" the blonde man asked.
"Where the fuck are you lot from." Snape asked, "Even I know what a lorry is and I'm not a Muggle."
"What is a Muggle?" one of the little ones asked.
Harry looked toward Snape, "Wanna go and work on those potions?" he asked with wide eyes.
Snape returned the look, "Yes I believe I do, shall we." He said standing.
"Yes lets." Harry said and took off out of the hall with Snape behind him, only to have both of them slam back into their chairs and sit ramrod straight.
"Now Severus, Harry that is not polite I expected better from the pair of you." Dumbledore said.
"Yes Headmaster." They chorused blushes along the bridge of their cheeks.
"This gentleman here is my elder brother Gandalf, but his companions I do not know."
"These gentlemen I travelled with on a great but dangerous adventure in which we travelled across our lands to accomplish our goal. To my right is Aragorn, King of Gondor, to his right is Prince Legolas Greenleaf of the Woodland elves, the stout red head is Gimli son of Gloin, a dwarf and the two little ones are Hobbits, Merry and Pippin."
"A pleasure to meet you all, would you like something to eat?"
"Yes please." Merry and Pippin piped up with bright smiles.
McGonagall and Sprout laughed quietly and more plates appeared on the table much to the amusement and surprise of the hobbits.
"What manner of sorcery is this?" Gimli cried out stumbling back from the table axe at the ready.
"It's magic." Harry responded with rolled eyes and ate his dinner.
"Are you wizards as well?" Legolas asked Harry.
"I'm still learning to utilise my magic, I'm just a student learning control."
Gimli snorted, "Children learning magic, preposterous."
Harrys green eyes flashed brightly, "Do you want a demonstration?" he snarled.
"Harry calm down, your magic is unpredictable the week before your birthday." Dumbledore soothed.
Harry leant back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, "Then he should show more respect to my home." He grumbled.
"Are you alright Harry?" Fillius asked, "You seem to be going through a rather large mood swing, more so then your usual mood swings."
Harry furrowed his brow in thought, "You maybe right Professor, I do seem more moody than usual, ever since our guests arrived it seemed to hit." He looked at Dumbledore, "Could it have something to do with my inheritance?" he asked.
Dumbledore brushed his fingers through his beard, "I do believe that it is quite possible."
"Will it be like this until my birthday?"
"It is quite possible Harry."
Harry let out a groan and put his fork down again, "Why does all of this stuff have to happen to me?"
"Because you are the brat of the Wizarding world." Snape supplied.
Harry was about to reply when he was hit with a sudden wave of nausea that made him cover his mouth quickly.
"Harry are you alright?" Sprout asked concerned.
They watched Harry swallow, "Yeah, I'm alright, I think." He said and dry heaved again, "On second thought… no."
"Are you going to be sick?" Merry asked.
Harry's eyes widened and he turned to the side and started to wretch, making the others flinch at the sounds.
Snape reached over and rubbed a hand over Harry's back to help him bring what ever it was he needed to bring up. Harry finally let out a large wretch, fluid hit the bricks and Harry let out a sigh of relief.
"Are you alright Harry?" McGonagall asked worriedly.
Harry took a few deep breaths before he could reply, "Yes Professor, I'm fine now. Except for the fact that I just threw up a bloody snake, a living breathing snake." He replied sitting upright in his chair and placed the snake on the table.
Repulsion evident on all of the faces seated around the table and plates were pushed away from them. The snake wasn't large, but then it wasn't small either and was slithering around the table looking at the people looking at it.
Being satisfied with its observations the snake turned back to Harry and its scales started to shimmer and the body of the snake started to distort and grow, everybody watched in fascination as the snake became human, wands and weapons drawn.
Green eyes stared into identical green eyes, "Harry Potter." He purred, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Who are you?" Harry asked, his wand in a firm grip.
"You know who I am Harry, I told you that I would see you soon."
Harrys eyes widened, "Salazar Slytherin." He whispered in disbelief.
