Different

Ch. 10

Lessons

For those who have forgotten Harry is now known as Salazar.

…

Previous Chapter:

Harry's POV

Before I knew it I had been shoved over and another person was pointing their wand at Snape.

"Avada Kedavra."

Salazar's POV

Snape fell to the ground. He was motionless. I looked up and there still pointing their wand was none other than Draco. He was breathing deeply.

"I am not a coward." He simply said and walked away.

The curse was still in affect on Lucius. Dad had a determined look on his face. He stood still with his wand pointed at the head for another ten minutes until the screams had suddenly become silent. I looked at the man. He stopped moving and Father put up his wand. Lucius and Snape were dead.

I didn't know how to react. Part of me knew I should be happy but the other told me this was not right. My father would of been killed by the two, but we could have done something other than kill them. I would of been parentless once again, but I still had Hermione, maybe Ron, and in a way, Draco.

"You've failed your first chance, Salazar." He slapped me straight across the face. I held in the pain and followed him back to my room.

Hermione was looking at the books on the shelf while Ron had his hands crossed against his chest. They had been in another one of their usual fights. Father dismissed Ron from his station and they both left. It was only Hermione and me left in the room. She took her gaze from the shelf and smiled to me. I smiled back. When I turned to go sit down she saw the red hand on my face.

"Harry! What happened?"

"My name is Salazar."

"Who cares about your name. What happened to you?"

I told her it was nothing and brought her into an embrace. She relaxed in my arms and set her head on my chest. I told her everything was perfectly fine that things were settled and tomorrow was going to be a normal day. She looked up at me on the word normal.

"Normal? This is what you call normal?"

"Well now it is. There shouldn't be anymore innocents being killed now that the truth has been told."

"It still won't be the same. The prophecy is broken I know, but somehow I still think your father is going to kill innocent muggles. He needs to keep his ways or others are going to become suspicious. Why would the Dark Lord just stop killing so abruptly? It wouldn't make sense."

"Why don't you just go to bed now? We've had a terribly long day and we both will have lessons tomorrow." She gave me another hug and left the room. I gave out a long sigh once the door closed, changed into some satin pajamas, and got into my new bed. Once my head hit the pillow I fell into a dreamless sleep.

Hermione's POV

While walking back to my new room so many questions flooded my mind. Was Voldermort really going to stop? What was to happen now that I was joined with the Dark side? Would people try and kill me too? Was I still going to double cross Harry even though Voldermort only wanted his son back? Was I ever going to be able to return to Hogwarts? Most importantly, was I ever going to be able to return to my parents? So many questions still unanswered. But I was becoming too impatient to wait.

I opened the door and walked in the room. Instead of it being empty as it should have been Ron was there sitting on my bed.

"Umm, Ron, I don't really think this is your room."

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to say good-night." He smiled sweetly to me. I walked to my dresser and dug out a nightgown. When I turned around to ask Ron to leave I found him right up next to me. He walked close to me and I backed up. He kept walking closer even when the dresser blocked my backwards path. He leaned in to kiss me but I pushed his face away with my hand.

"Ron, I appreciate you as a friend, but nothing more right now. The timing isn't right anymore."

"So, we aren't dating anymore?"

"Were we ever dating, Ron? All I remember is you comforting me because of Harry. I would only account that as a really good friend at the moment. If you would excuse me I have to change. I need my sleep for my lessons."

Ron didn't hesitate. He quickly walked to the door but turned and looked at me with a disapproving look. Just a few days ago he felt like the right guy, but just at this moment I felt as if all he wanted was someone to snog.

I changed and got into bed falling asleep ten minutes afterward.

Salazar's POV

I woke up to Hermione's voice, "Wake up you bum. Your father is impatiently waiting in the training room. Your new clothes are on the chair."

I blinked my eyes open trying to get used to the light that came from Hermione's wand.

"What time is it?" She didn't answer and walked out of the room. I turned over and felt around on my bedside table for my wand. I picked it up and made light come out of the tip. The room had an eerie look to it when the only light source was my wand.

As Hermione had said my clothes were on one of the chairs. I had been given black pants made of pure cotton, a white turtleneck, black leather boots, and a green emerald on a chain. Before I slipped the emerald around my neck I looked at it. Somehow it looked strangely familiar. I decided on asking about it in lessons and slipped it on. In my closet I found many robes. I chose a death black one with silver edges.

Voldermort's POV

The boy was good at being late. Even though I never told him at what time to be in the training room he should have come close to the right time. He was just going to have to learn and the time was now.

When Salazar walked in I immediately saw the necklace. I hoped he had some memory of it. I threw the thought to the back of my head and went back to his training. He stood in front of me just blankly staring. I snapped my fingers and a sword appeared in both of our hands.

"Are you suspecting me to sword fight?" I nodded. He shook his head. "There's no way you're getting me to kill myself. This thing weighs a ton!"

"Swords or Cruciatus, it's your decision."

"Who's up for a bit of sword fighting?" I smiled in approval. Even though I couldn't threaten the child with death I could threaten him with pain.

By the end of the hour he could easily pick up the sword and do some of the basic techniques fairly well. I felt proud for a first day, but I had expected more.

Once we healed a few of the deep cuts to scars and got him a new robe we went to the library for more of Salazar's studies.

Hermione was already sitting at a table with a very tall stack of books next to her. She was flipping through one of them.

"Aren't you overloading yourself, Princess?" Hermione didn't look up or answer.

"Father, don't bother her when she's studying. She'll get very angry with you if you do." Salazar told me. I figured he was probably right. I walked around getting used to being in the library again. I hadn't stepped inside for a very long time. Salazar followed but departed to go to the fireplace.

"What'd you find?" His head was tilted sideways looking at one of the chairs that circled the area.

"I don't know. This book, this chair, they both seem so familiar. So does my necklace." He took it off his neck and held it in his hand.

I walked over to him and slowly took the necklace from his hand. "This necklace, it's been yours ever since you were born. You've had it once before, but they took it away from you. I got it back though for when I got you back."

"Why couldn't I keep it? Why can't I remember any of this?"

I sighed and sat down in one of the other chairs. Salazar sat down on the floor. "Hermione, do you want to hear a story?" For once she looked up and walked over to us. Sitting on the ground by Salazar she looked up at me.

I told them both of getting Salazar back when he was five, but then losing him again when he was eight. I talked about how everyday we read a chapter of the book on the chair and how I always sat on that chair while he sat on the floor in front of me. Even when we finished the book Salazar would plead me to start over again. How every Saturday we had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until we finally switched to something else with peanut butter because we both got sick of the jelly. I told them of all our good times and bad times. Finally I ended it when how I found out they had obliviated Salazar's mind and filled it with lies.

Hermione's head was on Salazar's shoulder her hand in his. I knew I had made the right decision. They looked like the perfect two to take my place as Slytherin's descendents.

"What about my school years? How come you tried to kill me then?"

"Har- Salazar, they could of obliviated your mind and filled it with even more lies." Hermione had picked up her head. Salazar's face changed from normal to a face of hatred. He let go of Hermione's hand and fiercely stood up.

"Why didn't you name me in those three years I was with you? I know I would have remembered that."

"I didn't because I felt you would have remembered. Somehow I knew they would have found us and I didn't want you to get confused or for them to hurt you."

"Confused? I would rather want to know my true name then not become confused."

With those final words Salazar ran out of the library hitting the chair and knocking off the book. I stood and picked it up dusting off the cover. I hadn't let any of my house elves touch the chair or the book ever since my son was taken. The familiar title Taken was printed on the cover. I opened up the book to the page that was marked. We had only one more chapter left.

"May I go back to my books, My Lord?"

"Father, call me Father. But yes, you can. I'll need to see you and Salazar in the training room in an hour though. Make sure he's on time." Hermione smiled, nodded, and left me alone. I walked out of the library with the book in my hand.

Ron's POV

I had just finished my guard shift and was going back to my room - I now shared with Draco – when someone ran down the hall almost toppling me over.

"Hey, watch where you're going. You'll hurt someone or yourself."

"Leave me alone, Ron." I don't need your advice."

I followed the guy into Harry's room. He went to a corner and slid to the floor his head to his knees.

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?" The boy had looked up, his tear streaked face and hazel eyes looking straight at me. He wiped his face with his robe and stood up, still looking straight at me. I finally remember that he was Harry.

"Harry, you know I'm here when you need me. Just tell me what happened and maybe I can help."

"You help me? All you're good at is chess and help serve the Dark Lord. You can't help with any of my personal problems." he snapped at me.

"Fine, I'll just go and see what your father has for me to do." I turned and walked towards the door.

"Weasley," I turned around and Harry pointed to the ground, "you've forgotten something."

I gave him a sloppy bow and walked out of the room. I lost him completely. I might be losing Hermione now too. I shook my head in disbelief and walked to the dining room for breakfast.

Hermione's POV

I had gotten Salazar from his room and we made it to the training room exactly on time. I could tell that Voldermort was pleased. Salazar still wouldn't properly talk to his father. He would also avoid eye contact as best as possible. I was surprised that Voldermort let it pass. Ever since Salazar found out he was Voldermort's son Voldermort has acted slightly different.

"Stir two times to the left, Salazar, not right!"

Before Salazar could change what he was doing the potion blew up in his face. A cloud of smoke covered us and we all broke into coughs. Voldermort spoke a fog-removing spell and the cloud disappeared.

"Stop this stupidity, Son. Otherwise I will remove you from the Slytherin family. Your name will be what your adopted parents named you and you will return to my clutches but as a prisoner. Would you enjoy that?"

"No, sir."

Voldermort put his fingers under Salazar's chin and raised it. He told him to say it again but looking straight into his eyes.

"No, sir."

Voldermort took his hand away but was careful enough to leave gash marks made from his sharp nails.

"What was that for?" Salazar yelled. He quickly put his hand up to his chin so blood wouldn't drip. The blood seeped through the cracks in between his fingers and fell to the floor. I didn't want him to get in any more trouble so I moved his hand and fixed his cuts with a simple spell. He thanked me, but Voldermort told me that Salazar should have done it himself.

"Father, why do you do these things to your own son? Why are you so hard on him? Can't you give him some lenience?" I asked him.

He just laughed. "Lenience? Why would I give my son, descendent of Slytherin, leniency? He needs this training for his future, if he wants it that is." I nodded in agreement though I didn't think it should go this far. I still didn't understand the Dark side. It had different rules, different traditions, and different ways of taking things.

Salazar glared at me as if trying to tell me to bug off. I looked back at my potion. It had changed from blue to purple. I had ruined it. I made it disappear and started doing it over again. Salazar started over as well. Voldermort was shaking his head at the both of us.

Salazar's POV

Once we finished our lessons for the day I quickly left Father alone. I didn't want to spend another second with his dreadful self. I thought it would have been different but it still was like living with the Dursleys only worse. I still had hopes of it becoming better just not soon.

When one of the house elves called me to dinner I hexed him. I felt like letting some of my anger out and it seemed like a perfect opportunity. I changed into a new robe and headed down to our dining room. Father hadn't arrived yet and neither had Hermione. Food was already on the table waiting to be eaten. I sat down at my seat and took some food.

Father came about a half and hour later. Out of about nineteen places to choose he chose right next to me. I looked at him in disgust while eating some pudding.

"You know this pain I've given you is for your own good. It'll make you stronger." He told me.

I didn't answer him. I just kept eating, keeping my head down now.

"I expect you to look at me when I talk. Just because you rule the Dark side doesn't mean you don't have to listen to your father."

"Yes, Father." I looked up to him in defeat.

"Now, I think we need to talk out these things."

"What things? You've never named me even though you had time; you physically punish me for a simple potion mess up. Am I going to be let out of the castle? Will I be able to have my own mission?"

"I told you the reason for not naming you and you have to learn things the hard way to become the true ruler. You will be let out of the castle soon enough and I will give you a mission when the time is right."

"Yes, Father. Where is Hermione?" I said, trying to leave the previous subject.

"She decided to eat with the Death Eaters, get to know them better. I actually think it's a good idea if she's to help you rule."

"I don't need no help." I mumbled. I finished my pudding and sat back in my chair, looking at my father.

"Yes, I think you will. It's hard enough for me to do it alone. When I finish eating I would like you to follow me to my office. You need to learn the book."

He was referring to the book I couldn't translate. I watched him eat. Occasionally he would ask me a question from what I had learned that morning and always I would answer correctly. I could tell he was proud of himself.

When he finally had finished we left to his office. There the black book still laid on his desk. Father picked it up and opened it to the inside cover. He waved his hand over it and showed it to me.

It read, Property of Salazar Slytherin Voldermort Riddle – Future Dark Lord

I smirked. I took the book from his hands and flipped through it. I still couldn't read it.

"It's parslytounge. You automatically know how to speak it, but you need to learn how to read it. It should be easy to learn though."

He sat down, I followed and handed him the book.

"There are many spells, potion formulas, and locations of magic items and ingredients. They will help you in your training for taking my place. But first you need to learn the language."

"Why can you speak it whenever you want when I can only speak it to snakes?"

"You still have no control under it. It took me many years just to accomplish that, but I learned by myself. You have me to help you now. Take the book and look over it. See if you can make out any of it."

Father stood and ruffled my hair. He left me alone in the room. I figured before I left I could have a look around. I went around to his desk drawers and opened up the top one. He had many reports from death eaters. So did the second one. The third one held objects though. The book that he read to me was in it, so was another necklace similar to mine. There also were many bottles full of potions. They were all labeled in parslytounge. I closed the drawer and left the room to go to my bedroom. I wasn't prepared for what was happening by my door.

…

It will be a mystery until three weeks from now. Do you think you can wait?