Title: Runes of War

Pairing: Harry/Snape

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Post-HBP. The first anniversary of the death of Albus Dumbledore is fast approaching, and people are beginning to lose hope. The fate of the wizarding world rests in the hands of one young man and the strange power he holds.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything belonging to Harry Potter - that delight rest solely with JK Rowling.

Warnings: This story contains m/m relationships, minor death/violence and minor references to incest.

-

Chapter Nine: Slytherin Encounters

When Harry woke next he felt as if he had spent weeks in bed after being hit by the Knight Bus. Either that or suffering from Wizard's Flu. He opened his eyes slowly, and mewled slightly at the bright light. Immediately it darkened, and Harry struggled to his elbow to see who else was in the room with him.

Pansy walked forward, smiling slightly, a bowl of soup in her hand. 'I thought you might be hungry.'

Harry nodded awkwardly, and Pansy put down the bowl to help him sit up, propping him up with pillows. Harry didn't know what to do. Hermione and Ginny had been the only two girls he had been especially close to, but even then one had been his sort of girlfriend. Hermione had never really been one for hugs and mothering, more interested in the books she carried around with her. Harry didn't know whether she was different with Ron, and he had never thought to ask. His aunt had never given him any care while he was growing up, and it was at times like these when he felt the absence of what others had so readily got, and a sense of what he had missed.

Harry took the bowl and spoon the Slytherin girl handed him, and began slowly eating the hot soup, blowing slightly to cool it before putting it in his mouth.

'What happened?' He asked uncomfortably.

Pansy settled herself into the chair by his bed, smoothing down her skirt. 'You don't remember?'

'I do, some…' Harry trailed off, images coming to mind of what Snape had done, vague pictures of what had happened afterwards. He remembered the embarrassment and the fear he had felt, the feeling of being helpless, then the anger. So much anger and hurt. Suddenly not hungry anymore, he put the bowl on the bedside table, wrapping himself more firmly in the blanket.

'After I put you to bed Draco shouted at Professor Snape for a good five minutes, about all that you had done for him, and about how he should be more grateful to you. He's also ordered the Professor to apologise to you, with threat of serious harm if he does anything to upset you again.' She paused. 'I didn't know you and Draco had become such good friends.'

Harry shrugged. 'It was time. I need all the help I can get.'

'Yes, I suppose you do.' She commented, and Harry was too tired to try and work out the emotion in her voice. He glanced up at her face, but her expression gave nothing away.

Harry turned his attention to his nails, picking absently at the cuticles in his discomfort and awkwardness. He wasn't sure how long the two of them sat like that before the Slytherin girl spoke once more.

'You called me Hermione before…'

Harry froze, and looked at her. 'Yes?'

'You may not believe me, but I…I'm sorry. I know what it is like to lose a friend.'

His mouth was dry, and he found it hard to breathe properly. He just nodded in response, but the girl didn't seem offended by his lack of an answer. He looked around the room, mind searching for something to say which would dispel the sudden quiet of the room. 'Do you know what time it is?'

'Just after eleven. Draco asked a House-Elf – Dobby – to bring some blankets and pillows, and he set them up in the basilisk room. He said you wouldn't mind.'

Harry nodded, pushing aside the thought that his home, for lack of a better word, was being invaded by the Slytherins. After all, he had already opened the Chamber to Snape and Draco; what were a few more snakes? 'So you're all staying then?'

'It's after curfew and we'd have trouble getting back to our common room without you; Draco said to leave it.'

Harry sat back, nodding, contemplating whether or not he should allow the other Slytherins full access to the Chamber, as opposed to just Snape and Draco as it now stood..

'Besides, Blaise doesn't want to leave him.' She carried on, unaware of the turn of his thoughts.

Harry looked up in interest. 'How long have they been together?'

Pansy glanced at him, assessing him, he thought, but after a short pause, answered his question. 'The two have been together almost three years now. It wasn't serious to start with, but then suddenly, they found themselves in love.'

'But Draco took you to the Yule Ball in Fourth Year.' Harry pointed out.

'Could you imagine the scandal it would cause if Draco took Blaise? Anyway, that was before I started going out with Theo. Draco and I are just friends; we have been since we were children.'

Harry nodded, swinging his legs off the side of the bed.

Pansy stood up as well. 'Should I tell the Professor you're awake?'

Harry sighed and frowned slightly, pausing in pulling a black t-shirt out of the chest of draws on the other side of the room. It held spare clothes that he kept here, as after battles he usually retreated here to recover.

'Might as well.'

Pansy nodded and turned to leave the room, when Harry called her name once more. She looked over her shoulder, waiting patiently.

'Before, in the Chamber with Snape, and now…why?'

The girl managed to keep the amusement out of her tone and expression, but Harry could see the small glint of it in her eyes. 'What would you have had us do, Potter? It's not every day you follow Harry Potter down into the Chamber of Secrets itself, only to find both the Professor and Draco willingly staying there also. And then afterwards, to hear Draco's defence of you…well. We're Slytherins, Potter, and it would be an insult to our House to have done anything less.'

With that, she left the room, Harry remaining behind with only his confused thoughts to keep him company.

Harry muttered a quick cleaning charm and felt his skin tingle as the magick brushed over him. He put on the t-shirt quickly and buckled on his belt, making sure that his wand, potion vials and portkey were still in place. He was resting his foot up on the chair, tying the laces of his knee-high boots, when Snape walked in.

-oOo-

Severus stood in the doorway, hiding his faint unease with a practised scowl, his arms crossed over his chest. He had spent the better part of the evening alone in the Chamber, thinking, and reflecting on what he had done, and on what Draco had said.

Four days ago in the dungeons, Potter's little lapse had given him the reason why the boy had been avoiding him. Out of all the reasons that Severus had thought of, attraction had not been one of them. Finding out that Dumbledore's protégé was hiding such a sordid secret like being attracted to his ex-Potions Teacher had shaken his view of the boy more than anything else that had happened since the meeting in Lestrange Manor. If it was just the revelation of Potter being gay and wanting Snape that was disturbing, Severus could have lived with it. What was more disturbing was his own reaction to Potter's flushed cheeks and soft skin:

Severus had wanted more. And Severus was not used to wanting more of anything.

Harry Potter had been an annoyance in his life in one form or another ever since he had been born. While only a distant cause of some of Severus' misfortunes, such as the prophecy and subsequent defeat of Lord Voldemort - over which he had had little power - since Potter's coming to Hogwarts, he had been an arrogant, wilful rule-breaker. He had been the epitome of Gryffindor, and had been set to follow every single one of his father's past transgressions to perfection. He had been allowed to do as he wished, putting not only his own life, but his friends', and every other person's in danger. There had been no one to stop him, or teach him that he could not go through life as if there were no consequences to his actions. If Severus had not hated the boy because of his father, or his role as a Death Eater spy, he would have belittled him anyway, if only to make sure he knew his place; if only to change his attitude.

However, Potter hadn't changed. He had gone through his years as conceited as he was on the first day, leaving a path of destruction in his wake. Ginny Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Sirius Black, the others he had taken to the Department of Mysteries - all had been hurt or died because of his carelessness and pride. This was the saviour of the Wizarding World: a boy ignorant of his full powers, and lacking the maturity that would keep him alive. And so Snape had done his best to watch over him, to teach him, for the sake of the life debt he owed to James Potter, and for the sake of those that Potter would have to save. It had come to very little, when faced with Potter's stubbornness and refusal to believe he could be wrong.

Ever since the fateful meeting in Lestrange Manor, he had seen a new side to the boy, one that he had never seen before. Gone was the pride, the hatred, the anger. Instead he was faced with a powerful, mature and very Slytherin-like Leader. It was unnerving.

Then Potter had to develop a crush.

Looking at the dark-haired Gryffindor now, Severus could see the appeal. He was young, lean, strong, with striking features and eyes that burned the colour of the third Unforgivable. His power radiated off him, and Severus had always been attracted to power.

Like a moth to a flame, he thought with disgust.

Severus knew what he was. He knew what he looked like. No one had ever wanted him, unless it was to use him to further their own ends, or if they were desperate. He had accepted it, and had learnt to live with it. Why should he have thought that Potter was any different? It had angered him, and he had responded in kind; he had wanted to teach the boy that Severus was not to be played with, especially not by him. He had been a fool.

Potter didn't turn around as Severus stepped further inside the room, taking a deep breath to utter the words he had already prepared. He was cut short, however, when the boy spoke.

'I know Draco told you to apologise. I'm telling you to save it, unless it's something you're willing to do by yourself. I don't want anything from you that you're just going to hold me accountable for later.' His voice was frosty as he finished with his boots.

Snape was stunned, but hid it well. He had never thought that the boy could be so astute, but then wondered why he should be so surprised now, after all that had happened before.

'Mr. Potter -'

'Don't call me that.'

The voice he used had only the barest hints of calm, and Severus suddenly grew wary. He could still feel the sharp ache in his chest where he had been hit by Potter's magick, and he wasn't wiling to risk angering him again.

'Then what do you want me to call you?'

'Everyone else manages fine with Harry. I'm sure it won't kill you to use it too.' He chuckled humourlessly.

Severus stayed silent after his words, thinking furiously. 'Very well. Harry.' He said the name not without a hint of hesitation. 'Despite what Draco may or may not have said - or threatened,' He added as an afterthought, 'I am aware that my behaviour towards you was...less than exemplary. I have been reminded of exactly how much I owe to you, and to repay your kindness in that manner was decidedly reprehensible. For that I give you my apology, whether you choose to accept it or not.' He paused. 'I shall leave you now.'

Severus was about to leave when he heard the sibilant hiss of Parseltongue, and he heard the door behind him slam shut, the lock snapping closed. He stiffened minutely, and his hand crept towards the pocket with Slytherin's wand, preparing to defend himself if Potter…Harry attacked.

'You still haven't told me why you did it.' Harry said, a hard edge to his voice.

'Pot -'

'Don't call me that!' The Gryffindor spat, whirling to face his ex-professor. 'Stop calling me Potter!' The fire in the grate sparked in response to his anger.

Severus took an involuntary step back from him, tendrils of fear rising in the face of his anger and obvious power. He didn't want to know what happened when the strenuous control Harry had on his power finally broke.

'Answer me!'

Severus straightened and looked steadily at Harry, deciding that honesty was his best option. 'I did it because I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. I wanted to teach you a lesson, and to force you to get over whatever kind of attraction you felt for me.'

'You thought it was a prank.'

Severus sneered. 'What else was I to think? I am the last person anyone should be harbouring these feelings for - let alone the Boy-Who-Lived! I am thirty-seven years old, a Death Eater, a murderer, and despised by most of the wizarding world. Why on earth would you want me?'

'Why shouldn't I?' Harry argued hotly. 'It's alright for everyone else to fancy someone, but oh no, it's suddenly different for the famous Harry Potter?!'

'It's always different for you, and if you haven't noticed by now, then I would be sincerely worried. The world looks to you to save them, and as their Saviour, different rules are applied to you.' Severus interjected bluntly. 'You are not supposed to want someone like me.'

'So what am I supposed to do? Pretend to be something I'm not just to please the hordes and let them keep their image of Gryffindor's Golden Boy?!' Harry flung out an arm as if to point out the multitude of witches and wizards watching and awaiting his every move with glee. He wasn't far from the truth.

'Yes if need be!' Severus snapped. 'It is them - the so-called hordes - who will in the end prove to be your means to rise or fall. They are fickle, and if you do something like this - start something with me - you will be reviled and torn to pieces! Could you live with that?'

Harry stayed silent, and Severus knew he saw the truth in his words. The whole of the wizarding world looked to him to save them, and he had seen in the past how quickly his fame could vanish, and those that lauded him became the first to deride him.

'It's not fair.' Harry murmured, his shoulders slumping, the anger leaving him just as abruptly as it had come. Such had always been his way; shifting from one extreme to another in the space of a heartbeat. Severus secretly wondered how on earth the boy had survived till now. Feelings so consuming should have surely burned him out a long time ago.

Severus sighed and relaxed his grip on his wand. 'Life never is.'

'What if I decide I don't care?' He asked softly, eyes turned away from the Potions Master.

'Then you will be cast out, like so many others before you. No matter what you may do for them, there will always be those who think it's not enough; who think you owe them more.' Severus' black eyes were hard, and he knew that he spoke of himself as well as others.

Harry smiled bitterly, an expression that Severus was unused to seeing on his face. 'But that would happen anyway. They'll always find something to blame me for.'

'That may be, but do not make it any worse than you have to.'

'Is that your final decision, then?'

Severus scowled at him. 'What else do you want me to say? I have given you your reasons to stay away, and if they aren't enough, I assure you, my list is very nearly endless.'

Harry took a step forward, towards the former Death Eater. 'Forget about me for a minute. If you had the choice, would you want me?'

Severus felt a stab of what felt suspiciously like hope, and quickly smothered it.

'That is beside the point -' His voice rose in alarm.

'No, that's exactly the point. I'm giving you the choice. If I said I didn't care, and asked you do you want me, what would you say?'

Severus took a step back, glaring at him. He didn't know why Harry was doing this, whether it really was a game. Besides, could he really be that dense, that naïve? Whether Severus wanted him or not was irrelevant. He was certainly not averse to starting something between them, but anything between them was beyond inappropriate. Severus was twenty years older than him, a murderer, a Death Eater. They had hated each other for years. Severus was selfish, biased, Dark, and everything that Harry was not.

Nevertheless, a little voice whispered in his ear. Harry would have been sorted into Slytherin if he had not asked. He had killed and he would again, and he knew that life was not all sunshine and roses. He understood. And that was rare, especially now.

'Please.'

Severus heard the pleading in his tone, looked at the beseeching green eyes, and he gave in at last. If he was what Harry wanted, for whatever reason, and for however long, then why should he not let it happen? Why should he not enjoy it for as long as it would last? Severus sighed and his shoulders drooped, his eyes closing in something akin to defeat. 'Yes. I would say yes.'

Harry's body relaxed, and Severus could see a small element of contentment entering his green eyes, and curling around his mouth. 'Then I say I don't care.'

'You don't know what you're doing.' His words were full of resignation.

Harry smiled softly, and walked towards Severus. He watched as the boy raised a hand and put it on the man's chest, unconsciously mirroring the exact spot where he had hit him with his magick earlier. Severus sighed and looked down at him.

'Probably not. But then again, when have I ever?'

Snape snorted weakly.

'Thank you.' Harry said, lifting the hand on his chest to graze his cheek gently. He felt a brush of fingertips over his thin lips and couldn't help but breathe in sharply. Then they dropped away and Harry walked around him to the door. He heard a hissed command and the door sprang open.

'Are you coming? I'd like to talk to the others.'

Severus sighed and straightened his back. He had made his choice, and he now had to live with it, just like every other choice he had ever made. He turned around, mouth twitching into something resembling a smile, and nodded slightly, before following Harry from the room like a silent ghost.

-oOo-

When Harry and Snape left Salazar's bedroom, they found the group of students in the basilisk's nest, sitting in a small circle, sprawled over large green cushions, blankets and bedrolls. Draco sat with Blaise, the dark-skinned boy's arms wrapped firmly around the smaller boy's waist, as if he would never let go. Crabbe and Goyle sat next to each other, sharing a bag of what looked like Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Pansy and Nott sat together as well, the boy lying stretched out on the floor, his head in her lap with her fingers running absently through his hair. They seemed to be having a quiet discussion, but looked up as soon as they approached. Draco scrutinised Harry, probably with the intention of seeing whether he would have to carry out his threat to the teacher. Harry smiled and shook his head slightly, and Draco flushed, knowing that he had been caught.

The group shuffled to make room for them and Harry dropped down next to Pansy and Nott, curling his feet beneath him. Snape took one look at the floor and promptly summoned a high-backed armchair from Slytherin's room. He sat down, flicking his robes out of the way. Harry leant one shoulder against it, ignoring Snape's raised eyebrows.

'So I suppose this means that you two are on speaking terms again?' Draco drawled.

Harry and Snape shared glances.

'You could say that.' Harry answered. Snape just made a non-committal sound.

'Good!' Draco grinned.

'You probably want to talk now, don't you?' Pansy asked shrewdly.

Harry nodded. 'I need to know what all of you are planning to do. Your parents are all involved in some way with Voldemort, but I know from Draco -' He nodded at the blonde, 'that really means fuck all.'

The Slytherins raised eyebrows while Snape sneered.

'You're right. None of us are Death Eaters yet, but our parents have plans for that to change after we graduate.' Nott said. The others nodded in agreement.

Blaise continued. 'We don't have much of a choice really, unless something is done before then.'

'You mean unless I kill Voldemort?' Harry said ironically.

Blaise smiled slightly in apology, but they all knew that it was the truth.

'You're telling me that you don't want to follow him, you and Nott and Crabbe -'

'I think, Harry,' Draco interrupted, 'that you can call us by our first names, and we shall give you the same courtesy.'

'Alright. You don't want to follow him; can you tell me why?'

Pansy raised an eyebrow. 'We're not what you think we are, just like Draco is not what you saw him to be. We all have our parts to play, parts of good little pure-blood children.'

'But we don't want that.' Vince said quietly.

Harry turned to him in surprise. He'd always assumed that the two boys followed Draco without a thought, but with a touch of clarity he understood what Pansy meant. Vince and Greg had cultivated the image of what the rest of the school saw them as, and though parts of the image - most of it - was true, it wasn't everything. They would have had to have been at least somewhat clever to be sorted into Slytherin. Besides, knowing Draco as he did now, he doubted that the boy would have been able to be friends with them for so long if they were as stupid as they pretended to be.

'We've seen what our fathers do, gladly, and we have no wish to grovel at the feet of a mad-man proclaiming to be something he's not.' Theo added. 'It's pathetic, and we want no part in it.'

Pansy shrugged gracefully. 'And after seeing what he did to Draco…' She trailed off.

Grim expressions crossed each face, and they shifted slightly in their seats, murmuring angry comments under their breaths.

'Besides,' Blaise said, 'there's nothing to prove that being pure-blood makes a witch or wizard any better or more powerful. You yourself are an example of that, and so is the Professor.'

Harry looked at each of them in turn, his face showing a small smile, while inwardly his heart glowed. This was what he had always wanted to hear, what he had always wanted others to think. He understood the pride that came from belonging to an old family, and that they were the ones most likely to carry on the old traditions, but in terms of power or knowledge, blood meant nothing. Hermione had been the cleverest witch he knew, and she had been Muggle-born.

'So you'll help me?'

There were nods from the Slytherins.

'It would mean going against your parents and family.' He cautioned.

'We don't care.' Greg said vehemently. 'It's better than what would happen if the Dark Lord took over.'

Harry nodded again, and sat back in satisfaction.

'Speaking of pure-bloods and Muggle-borns,' came Snape's silky voice, 'I remember Harry, you telling me about an interesting story about the real reason Salazar hated them.'

Harry grinned widely, while the others perked up in interest.

'You want me to tell you?'

'If you would.' Snape said.

Harry settled himself into a more comfortable position before starting.

'Well, it all started when the founders first decided to build Hogwarts. They came together, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff and Godric Gryffindor. They were each powerful, and they wanted to pass on their knowledge to future generations. From the moment they met, Salazar and Godric hated each other. Godric saw Salazar as too proud and aloof, while Salazar saw the other as hot-headed, young and stupid.' Harry saw the Slytherins exchange small smiles. He himself had seen the similarities between them and the founders.

'Anyway, their fighting started immediately. If Godric wanted something, then Salazar wanted the opposite. If Salazar did something, Godric would undo it. It went on endlessly. Of course it was Rowena and Helga, who were distant cousins if I remember correctly and very close, who bore the brunt of their arguments. As you can imagine, building a school was very difficult if two members were continuously disagreeing with each other. One day, after about two months and next to nothing having been agreed on, Rowena and Helga had had enough. They marched the two wizards into a field next to the site where they were supposed to be building, took their wands and told them to fight it out, and not to return until they could get along.

'The two wizards looked at each other, standing there in the middle of this field, as the witches wandered off, and then they did what they had been told to do. After all, it is what they had wanted to do since their first meeting: beat some sense into the other. Without wands all that was left to do was fight physically, and they commenced with great enthusiasm. I think they were fighting for about an hour before they noticed something was wrong. But by the time they had untangled themselves from each other, they'd already been picked up and hurled into the lake. It turned out that the Giant Squid had had enough of their shouting; they were disturbing its sleep.' Harry finished seriously.

Draco burst into laughter. 'You're making this up!' He accused.

Harry widened his eyes innocently. 'Would I do that? No, I swear, this is the absolute truth about what happened.'

Pansy shook her head. 'Just carry on. I want to know what happens.'

'Well, after the two of them had managed to swim to shore and drag themselves out of the lake, they looked far from the elegant and majestic wizards they were supposed to be. Soaking wet, dripping in mud and covered in weeds did quite a bit to stain their reputation. Not to mention the multitude of cuts and bruises they had from the fighting. But, something good did come out of it. After taking one look at the other, they realised just how silly they looked and how stupid their fighting was. They became friends after that, and very shortly, Salazar and Godric were lovers, with Hogwarts well underway.'

Theo sat up. 'Are you serious?! Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were lovers?'

Harry nodded.

'I take it that it didn't last.' Blaise drawled.

'Correct. It was about five years after Hogwarts had been built, when it was doing quite well. Salazar and Godric were travelling by horse from one of the major wizarding family's estate back to Hogwarts, when they came across a village who were about to burn a witch at the stake. Of course, noble and heroic as he was -' Harry rolled his eyes. ' - Godric saved her, and the pair took her back to Hogwarts with them. She was the first Muggle-born to be a student at Hogwarts. Before they had only taken on those from the old wizarding families: pure-bloods. After the witch had learnt about magick, she became a teacher at the school, and was the first one to introduce the idea of taking on other Muggle-borns and Half-bloods. The four founders agreed and so the school grew.

'Then, it happened. Godric fell in love with the Muggle-born witch, and left Salazar to marry her and start a family. Salazar was devastated, and took his anger out on the Muggle-borns. Slytherin House no longer accepted them, and they were taught that those that weren't pure were inferior to them. Salazar built the Chamber then, and in it he put all his works, and he made it his own. He watched as Godric became a father, and his heart filled with bitterness and hate. Then one night, when it grew too much, Salazar went to Godric's home and killed the witch who had stolen his love from him.

'While Godric wept, he returned to Hogwarts and sealed up the Chamber of Secrets, placing a basilisk inside to guard what was his, and he left. Without Salazar, Godric had no one to avenge his wife's murder on, so he swore vengeance on Slytherin House, vowing that there would forever be hatred between the two Houses. And so began the persecution of the Muggle-borns, and the rivalry that lasted for over a thousand years.'

The groups looked at him after he had finished, amazement on their faces.

'Merlin.' Draco breathed. 'So all this came about because Gryffindor went off with a Muggle-born.'

Harry nodded.

'But what happened to Salazar?' Pansy asked.

'I assume he went off elsewhere and married himself. He had to have done, since his descendant is currently trying to take over the wizarding world.' Harry answered, shrugging.

'Where did you get this?' Snape whispered.

'From Salazar's diary, of course. He kept memoirs of his life and work; they're all in the library. The last entry was dated the night he left Hogwarts, but everything else is accurate.'

'Do you think I might see the diary?'

Harry smirked. 'You can look at it, but it won't do you much good.'

Snape frowned. 'And why not?'

'Because it's written in Parseltongue.'

'Parseltongue!' Blaise cried.

'I didn't even know there was a written form.' Theo said.

'Of course there is. It's called Parselscript. It's more like hieroglyphs than actual writing, but it still exists. I've been practising writing in it, and I've gotten pretty good at it.'

'If I may, I'd still like to look at them.' Snape said tentatively.

'Of course, but under the condition that you tell no one about them and nothing you heard here is repeated, until I say so; that goes for everyone.'

Around him the other Slytherins nodded, and Harry sighed with relief. He had read all about Salazar Slytherin's life, and he felt pity for the serpent founder and his anguish over his lover's loss. It was private, and while he didn't mind sharing what he had learnt with his friends, he did not want the founder's innermost secrets revealed to the entire wizarding populace, just for their amusement. Having his own secrets revealed to them was bad enough.

-

Tbc

Words: 5,200 - 12.07.06 (revised: 11.02.07)

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A/N: I'm going to be away for the next week, and I won't have any access to the internet, which is why I'm posting this now, rather than waiting until after I get back. I'll answer any reviews, etc, when I get back. Bye!