Disclaimer: My name is not J. K. Rowling. I don't own Harry Potter and I never will. I don't own Naruto or Rebirth either.

"Parseltongue"

"Normal speech"

'Thought speech'

Flashback

"Parseltongue in Flashback"

AN: Happy New Year everyone! Sorry I haven't updated in so long. This is a New Years gift! As for my contest… So far, three people have close. Two have said two different but true descriptions. But one is slightly closer. Keep guessing and reading! And reviewing!

Chapter 10

An innocent ray of sunlight peeked through the crack in the loosely closed curtains. It alighted upon the angelic features of a lovely boy. Soft ebony hair; tangled wildly on the silken pillow. Dark and long eye lashes, framing eyes closed in sleep. Full red lips; perfect on an innocent face.

A face that was grimacing in discomfort. It was not the shaft of sunlight that was bothering the child. It wasn't the darkness that surrounded him. It was the darkness that was in his dreams. In his nightmares.

The darkness haunted his nights. Creeping into his heart, it had taken root. Unwilling to relinquish its victim, it retreated from the disgustingly happy day. Only when night fell, would it creep out to unfurl its feelers of wickedness into the poor child. The tentacles of fear, hatred, and agony seeped into his dreams, turning them into dark nightmares.

The unfortunate boy tossed and turned. Sweat soaked his sheets. Almost every night, his dreams were full of monsters; both human and not. The horror reached its crescendo at dawn. That was when the pure fear would wake him. This morning was no exception.

Just a few minutes after the beam of light had peeked through, the boy's eyes snapped open. He lurched into a sitting position, gasping. Terror was reflected clearly in his eyes.

After a while, he closed his eyes and fell back. Sprawled on the damp sheets, he breathed heavily. As he lay there, he tried to pull himself together. He tried not to remember the horrible feeling of the hands. He tried to think about how kind Tom and Neko was. Instead of thinking of the harsh words, he tried to think of how complimentary Boppy was.

Finally calming down, he reopened his eyes and climbed out of bed. He slowly trudged to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and stepped inside. The water was charmed to adjust to the perfect temperature instantly. Soon he was soaked; clothes clung to his slight frame. Leaning on the wall of the shower, he closed his eyes again, just trying to absorb as much heat as he could into his chilled body. Once he finally felt warm again, he striped off his clothes bit by bit. Soaping his body, he finally relaxed. The steady beat of the shower was soothing to him. After drying off and getting dressed, he brushed his teeth. Once he was finished, he left his room.

Heading to the dining room, he passed by Neko's room. She received this room two days ago after their trip to Diagon Alley. Just as he was passing by, the door opened. A groggy sleepy-eyed Neko looked at him. Her daze seemed to hover about her like a fog. She stretched and suddenly glomped Harry.

"Harry-chan!" She chirped. "Goooood Morning!"

"Morning." Harry smiled. No matter what, she always seemed to chase away all the lingering bad feelings. Not only that, she also seemed to sense when he was depressed. She then would proceed to bring a smile to his face.

"Let's go get breakfast! I want some tuna!" She laughed while dragging him to the room. Once there, they plunked into the chairs. Tom was already there with his regular vanilla-bean coffee and newspaper. Harry and Neko immediately chowed down on their meals of pancake and tuna. After the gorging slowed a bit, the sound of rustling paper being put down had them looking up.

"Harry, I know you have expressed an interest in learning. While I currently haven't any time today, we will start our lessons tomorrow at 9 o'clock sharp. As for today, I have arranged a tutor for you. I understand from your devouring of the textbooks I bought you that you had developed an interest in Potions. The man I have chosen is a Potion Master. I expect you to give him the proper respect of someone of his position." Tom said lightly. Harry's face had gone through several different emotions. First, disappointment and excitement, and then disappointment and excitement again.

"Will he teach me how to brew a Nutrient potion? Or a Glamour potion? After reading the whole textbook, I really want to learn how to properly brew a Glamour potion!" Harry said excitedly. He really wanted to try to learn something as fascinating as Potions.

"Slow down Harry! Get all the details first! When is the Potions Master supposed to arrive? Will you be here? How long are the lessons? Who is the Potions Master?" Neko said curiously. Tom just smirked.

"I will be summoning him at 7 o'clock. Afterwards, I must leave on an important business congregation. You will stay with Harry in your creature form. The lessons will be at least till 12 o' clock. If you still wish to continue and it is not a hindrance to him you may. As for who he is, he is Professor Severus Snape." When he finished he had a satisfied and wicked smirk on his face.

Harry and Neko's eyes widened at the time. It was currently 6:49 and they were only half done with breakfast. Harry hurriedly gulped down everything and washed it down with his large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Boppy insisted on making a big breakfast for him everyday. He thanked her every time. He was really happy that she was so nice to him.

Harry ran out and upstairs back to his room. He hastily flipped through the few robes Tom had transfigured for him. He chose the emerald green robe with black trim. He liked the color and both Tom and Neko said it brought out the color of his eyes nicely. He really wanted to make a good impression on the Potions Master.

Running down the stairs, he sprinted toward the Floo room. When he got there, Neko was already a normal cat. Tom was standing with Nagini dozing in his arms. Harry slid to a stop in front of them and took a moment to catch his breath.

"Ready Harry? You may reveal your true name to him. He will not harm you." Tom said. Once Harry nodded, Tom drew his wand and traced in the air,

Severus Snape

"Now what?" Neko hissed a bit impatiently.

"Now we wait."

Severus Snape's room

Severus had been scowling in sleep when he felt it. An incredible burning on his left arm. Hissing, he sat straight up in bed. Nearly ripping off his sheets, he had only glance at the brand on his arm to understand.

The tattoo was pitch-black. The sinister skull with the snake sliding out of the skull's mouth was dancing on his skin. The burning sensation slowly tapered off to almost gentle tingle.

He immediately got out of bed and strode into the bathroom. After only a minute, he was out again, completely refreshed and alert.

He spelled on a set of clean black robes. He wrote out a short note to Dumbledore saying he was to be visiting his manor. After setting the note on his desk, he began gathering his things.

He shank and placed in his pockets a beginner's textbook; Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, two cauldrons, and a complete set of the most mundane and non-reactive potions ingredients for the most basic potions. He finally slipped on a silver ring. He had prepared it earlier as a portkey to his home. He had very subtle masking charms to disguise the true nature of the ring.

He took a deep breath and threw a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace. When the small flickers turned into roaring green flames, he stepped in. He clenched his right hand over the dark mark on his arm and concentrated on it. With a near-silent pop, he vanished.

Slytherin Manor – Floo room

Floosh!

Harry nearly started when the flames in the fireplace turned green and burned fiercely. A second later a soft pop was heard. With the sound, a tall intimidating man stepped out of the fire.

He was tall and thin. A hook nose adorned his shallow faced skin. Dark shoulder-length hair hung to the sides of his face. Light reflected off the hair, making it seem extremely greasy. Two black fathomless eyes seemed to pierce everything he saw.

Those two eyes swept across the room, pausing only at the occupants. Harry shivered slightly when they paused at him. They felt like they were trying to look into his soul. He ducked his head, shy all of a sudden.

Finally they rested upon Tom. Severus bowed his head to Tom. Tom nodded in return and began to introduce them.

"Severus, this is Harry Potter and Neko. Harry and Neko this is Professor Severus Snape." They all gave a bow in greeting except Neko who meowed and acted like a normal cat. Sorta.

"Pfft!" Neko suddenly jumped on a strand that was dragging on Severus' robes. Harry stifled his giggle when Severus gave a start. Tom just smirked before continuing.

"Severus here will be teaching you the delicate arts of potion making.

Harry gave Severus a tentative smile. "I've already read the Beginner's Guide to Potions already. I really want to try to brew some potions." This made Severus start a bit. He didn't think Potter's spawn would ever be interested in Potions.

'Then again, Lily enjoyed Potions.' Severus remembered with a jolt of pain. He gave Harry an almost curious look before turning to Tom.

"We will start with some simple potions. Later, if you show aptitude we may try to brew an intermediate level potion.

Harry nodded and ran out the door. A few seconds later, he ran back in and gave Tom a hug before darting away again with Neko at his heels. All the while, Severus had nearly had a heart-attack watching Harry's action. He was dazedly about to follow Harry when he a whisper in his ear.

"Remember, Severus." The sentence was almost like a hiss. "Do not disappoint me." Severus shivered before almost fleeing after Harry.

Upon entering the potions lab, Severus found everything already set up and ready for any general potion brewing. Sweeping his eyes across the room, Severus found Harry sitting on a stool absorbed in a tattered copy of Potions for Dummies. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Neko curled up on a cushion on the side worktable. Silently stalking to Harry, Severus leaned over his shoulder and observed Harry's concentration.

'He really is like Lily.' Severus thought with a pang of regret. 'He even has the same expression on his face as she did when she was thinking.'

"You are interested in potions?" The soft statement made Harry jump. He hadn't noticed the potions master come up behind him. It took him a minute to realize what had been asked.

"Oh yes! I think it's really neat what potions can do!" Harry chirped, inwardly nervous. He had noticed that this was the same man as before in Diagon Alley. The man hadn't done anything to him but was intimidating all the same.

Watching Harry, Severus was slightly startled by the way the child looked at him. While his face was calm, his eyes had a wild glimmer in them; almost like an animal that had been hurt and was now wary of everything.

Now suspicious of what might have put that in Lily's son's eyes, Severus decided to continue with the pretense of teaching Harry potions.

"Alright Harry, why don't we start on what you already know. Do you know the basic components of most potions?" Severus started questioning Harry on all the basic principles and components of potions. Once he was satisfied with the range of knowledge Harry knew, he ordered the child to gather the necessary ingredients for a simple Hair Color Changing potion.

"…twelve porcupine quills, six ounces of armadillo bile, where is that ground bihorn…" Faint murmurings were all that could be heard as Harry scurried around, looking for potions ingredients. When everything was set in place, Harry looked up quietly at Severus.

"Start by stirring six separate ounces of armadillo bile into your cauldron. Make sure it is a low flame." Severus quietly watched as Harry did as he was told. "After the last ounce is added, begin stirring counterclockwise slowly. Add a porcupine quill after every third revolution."

Watching Harry stirring for a moment, Severus reached out to correct Harry's movements. "No, you have to stir slower than…"

As Severus' hand reached around Harry's head, Harry flinched away almost unnoticeably. Severus had to force himself to ignore the flinch and continue on to correct Harry. Gently covering the small hand in his own, Severus gripped the pewter stirring rod and steadied the shaky stirring. After a few stirs and a porcupine quill, Severus let go and continued with the instructions.

Nothing else occurred until the end. Harry was listening to Severus' instructions of adding a pinch of bihorn powder for every second clockwise stir and third counterclockwise stir when Severus leaned forward to check the color of the potion.

Harry, who hadn't noticed what Severus was doing, finished stirring in the last of the bihorn powder required and turned around to find the potions master almost face to face. Harry started back with a gasp and nearly would have stumbled into the cauldron if Severus hadn't quickly grabbed him. The moment Severus' hand closed around Harry's arm, Harry yelped and automatically tried to curl into a ball.

Severus could only stare in shock as the little boy in his grip became a quivering mass of whimpers.

"Please… Do-n't…" The whimper was barely intelligible but caused Severus to feel a crack in the ice he had surrounded his heart with. What had happened to make Lily's son was so scared?

"Harry?" Severus slowly crouched down while keeping a firm grip to prevent Harry from escaping. "Harry…" Severus could only crouch there, helpless in what to do to help.

Fear. Harry was so terrified.

He was back at the Dursleys.

Now Uncle Vernon had him again. He was going to get it so bad. Everything must have just been a dream.

A really nice dream.

Now he must have overslept and Uncle Vernon was going to let him have it.

"Please… Do-n't…" He whimpered, knowing it wouldn't make a difference anyway but unable to stop himself.

All he could do was wait for the first blow for his "impertinence."

"Harry?" The soft hesitant murmur was not what Harry was expecting.

"Harry…" The second whisper of his name made Harry uncurl slightly, just slightly. The grip on his arm loosened and left. Harry was going to try to escape but then he felt a gentle caress against his hair.

"Mrow?" Harry felt a flutter of hope as he heard the quiet rumble of feline purring and a soft furry head butting against his hand. Cautiously raising his head Harry watched with wide eyes as soft little pads gently batted at his fingers. Two little jewels of eyes gave him a gentle look of reassurance.

"Neko…" The moment the name left his lips, he relaxed. Everything was coming back to him. He flushed with embarrassment and jerked his head up when he remembered Severus' presence. He didn't expect what he saw.

Crouched down, Severus appeared as a huge mass of black velvety robes. The only color was his two hands lots in the folds of fabric and his pale face. That was not startling.

What was startling was the expression on his face.

Sparse thin eyebrows were drawn back on his shallow skinned forehead. The arch of the long hook nose was wrinkled. Thin lips were twisted in a helpless grimace.

A glimmer of something in the black depths of Severus' eyes.

Harry swallowed with difficulty and looked down. He didn't know what that glimmer was but he felt really vulnerable.

"Harry…" Severus paused, unsure of how exactly to phase it, and finally decided to take the direct approach. "Harry, who hurt you?"

When Harry only bit his lip and shook his head in denial, Severus hesitantly raised the second question that had been plaguing since that first flinch.

"Did… Tom do something?" To this Harry's eyes widened and he violently shook his head in response.

"No! Tom would never hurt me! He would never do something like how Uncle-" Harry suddenly fell silent, realizing what had spilled out.

"Uncle…?" Severus breathed out, stunned. "You mean your uncle hurt you?" When Harry stayed silent unwilling to speak, Severus tried to appeal to him.

"Harry, please tell me. Did your uncle hurt you? Did any of your family hurt you? If they did, I will do everything in my power to keep you from every going back to them. But I need to know, did he hurt you?" Severus spoke to Harry as if he was a frightened wild animal.

Harry's resolve to keep silent wavered. He never wanted to go back, never. But could he really tell this man he barely met? In the end, he didn't need to decide.

Neko gave a small phft and padded up to Severus. Delicately weaving through the voluminous black robes reached one of the pale hands. She touched her cold wet nose to one of his long spindly fingers and sniffed. He gave an almost imperceptible twitch but held still.

She gave his hand a few more sniffs before giving him a delicate lick and a meow. Then she began her soothing little rumble of a purr.

"Neko?" Harry murmured. He looked shyly at Severus.

"Please Harry." The note of pleading finally convinced Harry. "Did he hurt you?"

Harry hesitated but finally gave a small nod. Severus' breath hitched but he kept going. "Did any of your other relatives hurt you?"

Another small nod. The ice surrounding Severus' heart cracked further at the sight of the frail child in front of him.

Lily's son, no Harry had been hurt by his own family. His relatives, his own blood and flesh. The ones Dumbledore had left Harry with. How could he have done that?!

"Don't worry, Harry. I'll do everything in my power to keep you from ever returning to them." Severus promised, knowing that it was completely true.

He held out a hand that was tentatively taken and pulled them both up. He seethed inwardly when he felt how bony Harry's hand was and how light he was.

"Please clean up your workspace." Severus quietly said. Harry only nodded and scurried around and gathered all the leftover ingredients he had taken in excess. As he cleaned, Severus watched silently in thought.

Neither noticed Neko slip out of the potions lab.

When Harry was finished, he turned around to see Severus inspecting the potion.

"The potion's consistency and color are almost perfect." Severus quietly said. "Very good."

Harry flushed with pride. A potions master had complemented his potion!

"Umm. Will you be back?" Harry hesitantly asked. He looked down. "I like potions. I- umm- well, I want to try to brew some more potions Professor Snape." He peeked out from behind his bangs and quickly looked down again. There was an unreadable look in those dark eyes.

"Please call me Severus." There he paused and looked at the ring on his finger. He fiddled with the silver ring for a moment before continuing. "Do you like it here? Would you rather be somewhere else instead of with… Tom?"

"I like it here! Tom is really nice to me!" Harry protested. Severus nodded and gave a small bow.

"Very well. I will now take my leave. You may, of course, present your potion later. It should be consume in two ounce portions." With that, Severus swept out of the lab. He had almost reached the Floo room when he was jerked into a dark room on the side.

He was swiftly disarmed. He stiffened when he was met with two glowing red eyes.

"Ssseverusss…" He felt sweat begin to form on his brow. It was never a good sign when the Dark Lord fell back into a more serpentine speech. Not quite parseltongue but not completely English.

"Harry is mine. I took him from those despicable muggles who beat him and starved him. The filthy muggles that your Dumbledore sent Harry to. Harry was starved of all care. I will not hurt him. I will protect all that is mine." The Dark Lord's eyes were ablaze with possessiveness. "And Harry is MINE! You will not harm him nor take him away from me."

Severus bit his lip to prevent any emotions from escaping.

"You loved your Lily with all of your soul, didn't you? Now you have pledged your life to protect her son. To keep him happy." The Dark Lord paused and then continued. "He is happy here. With me."

"Will you tear him away from his happiness? Wrench him away and send him to the so-called light side? Or will you stay and protect him on the side in which you were born to? The side that's powers still run through your veins?"

Severus closed his eyes and his whole figure sagged. It was undeniable. There wasn't any reason for him to stay with the light side if Harry was here.

"I pledge my life to protecting Harry. I pledge to serve you as long as your interests serve to protect Harry. As long as this true, I am at your service."

As Severus kneeled, Tom's eyes glowed with triumph.

"Yesss."

To be continued...

AN: Hi! I managed to update on January 1st, 2009. (My contest is still not done!) Hope you all liked it! I'll try to update again soon but I'll make no promises so I don't break any.

Mr. Bunny wishes you all good luck on Aki's contest! And Happy New Year!

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