AN: I haven't really answered any reviews in awhile, so I'll try to do that before the next chapter at least.
I hit on a little snag on this chapter, the story wasn't going in the direction I wanted it to go and I had to rewrite the whole thing over and over again. It still isn't really what I wanted but I'm too tired to keep trying. So behold…
Chapter 11. Dark days ahead
Severus noted that Harry had again received a strange owl at the breakfast table. Every once in awhile Harry would receive a letter from someone that he'd quickly hide and refuse to speak of. It usually co-incited with the shrinking of Harry's fennsey companion. The companion would disappear completely when Harry had accepted every gift and ability from the dragon, Spot. This and more Severus had found out by secretly reading about fennseys in the Hogwarts Library's Myth and Legend section. Fennseys were still regarded mostly as fairy tales, not reality. Most fennseys in fact enforced that misconception. It was as if no one really knew anything of these magical beings.
Harry's status had remained a closely guarded secret. While Severus and Harry never really spoke of the issue they knew that Voldemort's conquest of the magical world played a huge role in Harry's fennsey duty. This matter lay mostly as an unspoken matter between the two. While both knew that they loved one'n'other, they also never really spoke of the future. This would later be one of the greatest misunderstandings in their relationship. But now they were living the high light of their lives. Their love was unbeatable, nothing could separate them.
Harry's friendships with the Huffelpuffs and Ravenclaws remained mostly unchanged by the passing of time and the hostilities towards Slytherins. Some broke under the strain of peer pressure from their houses or the prejudice from the others, but most remained fast friends with the friendly Slytherin. Severus' status as Harry's boyfriend even endeared him to some of the bolder Ravenclaws. Evan Rosier, an outspoken Ravenclaw, even managed to impress Severus with his potions talents. The purebloods wide knowledge of Dark Arts may have also encouraged Severus to return Evans friendship offers. The two stroke an unlikely friendship. Severus even grudgingly admitted later to Harry that he was glad to have another friend.
In Slytherin Severus and Harry's friendships was a muddy affair. It wasn't politically or socially wise to agonize too many of the powerful purebloods. In the Slytherin common room Lucius Malfoy and his like ruled with an iron fist. No one could really oppose these bigots. Harry remained uncomfortable around them, but made an effort to correct some of their views of muggleborns and muggles. He was greatly ostracized for this, but he kept trying and could sometimes change the outcome of some prejudices. But even Harry couldn't work miracles and could do nothing for the despair for those graduating in to the war torn world, where Slytherins were viewed mostly as Death Eaters.
There were few job offers and apprentice programs for Slytherins. They really had no choice either support Voldemort and his ideals or starve to death. The situation was also worsened by the fact that many of the oldest pureblood families expected their heirs and offspring to follow Voldemort. Not many were brave enough to go against both their families and You-Know-Who. Even if they chose to stand in the Light, they were never really accepted by the Ministry or the common public. "It's a trick, he's a spy for sure." were the whispers going around any who defied tradition and stepped forward as a traitor to Voldemorts cause.
Severus had been approached by an agent of the Dark Lord, as had many of the older Slytherins and some Ravenclaws. He hadn't really known what to answer. Voldemort seemed to stand for everything he despised, but the offer did sound very tempting to the Slytherin in him. Luckily his acceptance in the apprentice program here at Hogwarts had removed him from the more active recruitment. After his Mastery it was anyone's guess what would happen. He tried not to think about it too much.
Harry had also been approached, fortunately thanks to the spell dampening the knowledge of his fennsey status; he wasn't very high on the recruitment list. Severus had also noticed that when Harry thought someone from the Dark Lord was looking, Harry tended to botch things up. Spells that he knew by heart were suddenly lost or mispronounced. He was clumsy in public and tended to act rather absent minded. Not at all like him. Severus could only conclude that Harry wanted nothing to do with the Dark Lords plans or ideals.
Some students had lost family to the frequent attacks. A Gryffindor first year William Weasley had lost two uncles in suspicious circumstances. Some had lost even more. Lily Evans parents and grandparents on her mother's side had been targeted and killed early on her fourth year of school. There rarely went by a weekend that the staff didn't have to escort a muggleborn to a loved ones funeral. Hogsmeade trips had been cancelled for two years now. The fifth years and lower had never ventured out of the castle farther than the train station.
Security was tight in the castle and the only real reason the Marauders pranks were tolerated was because of their effect on the morale. Laughter was hard to come by when deaths were a daily occurrence. Even the racism of the Marauders targeting was never really corrected as the pranks brought something bright in the grim lives of the students and staff. Not many noticed that the pranks were extremely malicious toward the Slytherins and mostly pushed the Slytherin house in to voluntary exile and right in to You-Know-Who's arms.
The Headmaster had too many problems leading a loosing war to truly lead the school. His indulgence of his so called light Gryffindors made many things worse than they would have ever went with his interferenceor even hisnon-action. This seemed to re-enforce the concept that harassing the Slytherins was accepted behaviour. The Slytherins literally had noplace to turn to for help, but Voldemort.
TBC…