SO sorry about the skipping of a week but I had those other stories I wanted to read and this bitch just didn't want to be written.

Anyway, here you go.

Update 1/16/2017 : I was informed that a two fingered salute was like flipping someone off across the pond so I took out the 'two fingered' part. It really isn't feesible to think that other teachers would have noticed that and not punished Harri, no matter who she was. Nothing big. Carry on!

Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Harriet sat back in one of the high back leather chairs that occupied Salazar's study with her hands folded loosely in her lap, staring blankly at the carpet. Nearby Samarra was coaching the Marauders on hunting in their snake forms, bragging to the three males about her own escapades. Salazar watched the current Lady of his house as she sat brooding as she had since they arrived earlier.

The Marauders had started by talking about yesterday's game and bragging about Harriet performance and win. Harriet hadn't said anything, just sat and stroked Samarra until the snake had begun the Marauders lesson. Then she just sat still in the chair, zoned out completely, her face drawn in contemplation.

"Harriet." Salazar called, the girl didn't answer so Salazar called again. Finally, after the third call, she looked up at him with her head tilted curiously. "If you talk to me maybe I can help. That's the whole point of having living portraits, so you can talk and seek advice from your ancestors."

Harri gave him a soft smile, "Sorry Salazar." She shifted, tucking her legs under her and focusing her gaze on him. "I do have a bit of a dilemma." He gave her a nod, "The current Slytherin Head of House, Severus Snape, has an extreme dislike for me because of issues between him and the Marauders, my father in particular. He takes his hatred of my father out on me despite that fact that he was friends with my mother. After bullying on the first day and him attempting to breech my mind I made a subtle threat which he seems to have been ignored. Yesterday when I warned him of what would happen at the game we had a small confrontation before and after, the latter being in front of my mates and brother. I need to make good on or expand the threat so he takes me seriously however I can't simply harm him as that would cause suspicion. I don't want to reveal myself as Lady Slytherin quite yet either so I can't revoke his professor privileges and I'd much rather have him on side as he is an asset since he could spy on the Order as well as the Death Eaters, is the youngest Potions Master in history, and has sworn to protect me."

Salazar steepled his fingers together and hummed, "That is a bit of a problem." He gave her a considering look, "He is dark?"

"Very."

"And yourself?"

The room tensed as the Marauders turned to focus in the conversation, Harri raised an eyebrow at them before looking back to Salazar. "I am gray, at the very center of the spectrum."

Salazar gave her a considering look, "A true gray? You don't lean in a direction at all?"

"Yes, a true gray. I stopped leaning one way or the other after my fourth year." Harriet informed him.

"So young." Salazar said faintly, "Being a true gray is rare, most everyone leans on way or the other or is true light or true dark. Did you discover this on your own or did you have someone read your aura?"

"Both." Harri admitted, "After second year when everyone called me dark simply because I was a parselmouth I looked up the spell that would show me my current aura. I became rather fascinated by the push and pull of light and dark in the results so I cast the spell periodically after that. It stopped at the end of my fourth year and I read it as the center of the spectrum. Later I spoke with Sorcerer Supreme Stephan Strange and he also read it as dead center. He told me that it was most likely because I saw magic as a whole rather than split and there for could cast from both ends of the spectrum without difficulty."

Salazar gave a short nod, "Do you know how to release your aura?" Harriet nodded again, "Can it stagger a man?"

Immediately Harriet's eyebrows shot up, "You want me to go the Dark Lord approach?"

"I'm suggesting the Dark Lord approach." Salazar said flatly, "He won't believe you a true danger unless he feels for himself. Words won't work, he's too set in his ways. If you were light or light inclined it wouldn't have worked because he was think you were trying to smother him. However, since you are gray he will be more likely to accept your power over him." He crossed his arms over his chest, "So can your aura stagger a man?" Harriet sighed and nodded, "Then that is what I suggest. You can do it in his classroom or you can bring him down her and have Samarra help. Basilisks are excellent threats." Samarra drew herself up proudly and Harri gave her a fond eye roll.

As much as Harriet wanted to make good on her threat quickly it simply wasn't a good idea with the first half of the year drawing to a close. So she planned for her eventual talk with the potions master and kept sending him mocking looks when he tried to intimidate her. She would spring her trap right after the Express had left with the students that were returning home for the Holidays. Samarra was very excited to be participating in it, she had been bragging to the Marauders about it since she had discovered that they were being kept out of it after the initial capture.

The final weeks before the break passed relatively quickly. The twins had taken to Harri's StarkPhone quickly and were constantly borrowing it to text Tony and Jarvis questions about muggle technology and sciences that they could incorporate into their pranks. Harri was happy that the three were getting along so well. All of their free time was spent in the Room of Requirement in the replica of their workshop preparing for their holiday pranks, the twins still tried to get Harriet to tell them her plan but she held strong. The Marauders had helped her with it, they kept trying to get her to set it off early.

Finally, the Christmas Feast arrived, the one that took place the day before the students left for the Holidays, and it was time to set things off. Harriet was sitting in between her mates as usual, the three snakes wrapped around her in various positions to snatch food when offered. Harri glanced around to check that everyone was finishing their main course which would signal the changeover to desert. She nudged her mates the second desert replaced dinner and pulled out her phone to set it in her lap, "Its time." She said solemnly as the twins leaned into her.

"It's time?" they echoed.

*It's time!* Sirius cheered.

Harriet opened her phone and turned on an app Tony had helped make for this, it was a just a big red button with a Christmas tree on it in the center of the screen but it would set everything in motion. "You guys want to do the honors?" the twins grinned at her before reaching down and hitting the button together. On the screen the tree exploded.

The doors of the great hall slammed open causing the entire hall to quiet and look that way just in time for Christmas music to start playing from somewhere in the enchanted ceiling. Four wispy white figures ran into the room; the first, a wolf, ran down the Slytherin table; the second, a stag, ran down the Ravenclaw table; the third, a grim ran down the Gryffindor table; and the fourth, an ocelot, ran down the Hufflepuff table. They all four jumped from the end of their respective tables to land together at the head of the hall before turning to the students. 'Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Marauders!' appeared in looping black letters over the four animal's heads, then there was a loud pop in the middle of the music and Christmas crackers, candy canes, small packages, and tons of tinsel rained down on everyone from above. The four animals bowed and disappeared with a flash even as the words faded out slowly.

The music played on as the hall exploded in chaos. Some trying to get the clingy tinsel out of their hair and food, others opening the crackers only to end up with antlers, a red nose, or Santa hat. Some opened the presents to find cookies and other small trinkets, while others tried the candy canes and found themselves with red and white striped hair. There is laughing and chattering and screaming, Harriet grinned, *Perfect!*

*That was awesome!* James exclaimed, *It went off without a hitch!*

*We have returned!* Sirius cackled, Remus simply gave a snakey snort.

The twins are laughing uproariously as they each broke open a cracker and ended up with glowing red noses. Harri took a candy cane and slipped it in her mouth without hesitation, across the table Lee had opened one of the small gifts and was munching on snickerdoodles. "Is that Trans-Siberian Orchestra playing?" he questioned innocently, looking at Harriet pointedly.

She laughed, "Yep. Wizards in Winter, I believe. Very appropriate." Lee chuckled and offered her a fist bump over the table.

Oliver had candy cane hair already and was playing with a small glass ball that had a Nimbus 2000 model in it, "What's that?"

"Muggle music." Harri said nonchalantly.

Oliver looked up at her before cocking his head to the side to try and listen to the music over the halls noise, Harri turned it up from her phone under the table. Oliver grinned, "Not too bad."

Harriet nodded before glancing up at the teachers table to see how they were taking it. Flitwick had antlers and was happily munching on fudge, Quirrell was trying to get the tinsel out of his turban without taking it off, Dumbledore was sporting a candy cane beard and his usual pointy hat was a Santa hat now, and McGonangall was trying to look stern while discreetly stroking a kitten plushy. In fact, all of the Professors seemed to be enjoying the pranks expect one. Snape was glaring at her, absolutely covered in tinsel (not that she rigged it so that more tinsel fell over his usual seat, not at all).

Harri grinned at him and gave him a cocky salute.

She couldn't wait for tomorrow.

The next day found Harriet and the Marauders lying in wait for the Professor just as the train was leaving to take students home for the holidays. The potions master was going over the rules with the few Slytherins that were staying over for the Holiday so they were waiting in an abandon hallway on the way from the Slytherin dorms for the professor to pass by. Harri already had Hogwarts create a slide down to the Chamber in the hallway and she had placed a cushioning charm at the bottom for when she threw the git down the hole, Sirius was waiting in his Padfoot form behind a suit of armor near the hall entrance. Remus and James were waiting by the slide in their snake forms to cast the parseltongue tripping and incarcerous charms on him when he was backed to the entrance. Below Samarra was curled bodily around where the Professor would land, ready to moved him out of the way so the rest could come down.

Harri gave a light laugh when she saw Snape stepping from the Slytherin common room on the map, she closed it up without a second glance. "Here he comes." She pocketed the map and started to hum, she heard his footsteps slow when he came to the hallway, "Professor Snape." She greeted sweetly as he stepped into the entrance of the hallway, "How nice of you to come."

"What are you doing down here Potter?" Snape asked in a dangerously low tone.

"Nothing Professor." She said in an innocent tone, "You wanted me to show you some respect but I find that hard to do when I know nothing about you. So I've been watching." She let some of her power fill her eyes to make them glow.

Snape drew himself and stepped far enough in for Padfoot to slip out behind him, "Don't think you'll be able to intimidate me silly girl. I have seen far scarier than a little child playing at power."

Harriet chuckled low and crossed her arms over her chest, "And I've seen scarier than old dungeon bats trying to show up his betters." She stepped forward and to the side just as Padfoot gave a loud growl making Snape jump and spin around to keep them both in sight, unfortunately for him that put his back to the slide. Harri gave him a pitying look, "Afraid of dogs professor?" she asked sweetly, "Oh no wait, that's wolves." Padfoot bared his teeth and gave another loud growl as he moved forward.

Snape whipped out his wand and leveled it at Harriet's chest even as he took a step back, "I'll have you expelled for this Potter!"

Harri cast a wandless disarming charm and caught Snape's wand easily, "I think not Professor." She tapped his wand against her palm as she looked him over, "I do think it's time we had a chat though." Padfoot lunged forward to snap his jaws at the potions master. Snape stumbled backward to avoid the grim's teeth and James and Remus cast their spells in unison making the professor tumble into the slide head first just as ropes encased him. "Good job boys." Harri said patting Padfoot on the head, he barked and picked up her bag as James and Remus slithered into it. Padfoot jumped down the slide, howling all the way down. Harri rolled her eyes and followed, ordering Hogwarts to close tunnel behind her, completely unaware that her redheaded shadows were rushing to the wall and inspecting the smooth stone she left behind.

Fred and George Weasley, infamous pranksters of the highest caliber, were sitting in the library pouring over dusty books filled with description of bonds. With all the time they spent with Harriet herself and working on their pranks outside of their school work they hadn't really had the time to start looking up the bond they had with her, the furthest they'd gotten was searching through the library catalogue to find the titles of the books that may hold information. Now, during the break, they wanted to spend some time actually looking for what this was, especially after George's extreme reaction to her being in danger at the game.

"I thought this was going to be easier." Fred grumbled as he leafed through the pages of his book. "Half of these start with being drawn to the other person from the moment they meet each other."

George sighed from where he was sitting curled up next to his twin, "She wouldn't have wanted it to be too easy for us." His eyes never leaving his own book, "We have to earn those names.

Fred gave a put upon sigh, "Maybe we can con the names out of her at Christmas."

George elbowed him, "Don't even think about it." He could feel his brother's curiosity about the bond and the names of their idols but he knew that Fred's mind was currently more focused on their latest idea for pranking candies. It had woken him up last night, several ideas inspired by Harriet's wonderful holiday prank. "We do have til the end of the year. If we can't find what this bond is then we can discuss conning the names out of her after we know about the bond." He smirked, "Maybe we could prank them out of her."

"Yeah yeah." Fred grumbled, he stopped and leaned forward when he found another description of the bond, "Hey, have you had any desire to kneel at her feet?"

George frowned and looked over at his brother's book, "Not yet, no." he read the title of the entry and rolled his eyes, "I doubt she's a rising Dark Lady and we're her first followers."

"I don't know. She can get Snape to do things for her and we do follow her around. More than we do Lee or anyone else." Fred said, "Maybe she has to want us to bow for the bond to make us." He stopped, "No, it said it would be like an instinct."

George nodded, "And I don't necessarily feel like following her and I've never felt it from your end. It's more like….."

"Like we want to be around her all the time, following her or not." Fred nodded, "Add it to the list."

"It won't do much good. That's a symptom for all the bonds." George sighed.

Fred groaned, "She made it sound so easy."

George grinned and brought his book up higher, "You've got to admit it's a great prank." Fred chuckled in agreement.

They finished their first books and had nothing finite to show for it which made Fred give another sigh, "Maybe we should ask her for another hint. Just saying it's a bond and going off our first reactions only narrows things down a little."

"She did say a hint or two." George mused, he glanced down at the parchment full of notes they had on what they had read so far. "Maybe we can ask for one specific one. Like how long it lasts or if it can be broken or if its complete. Any one of those would narrow it down considerably."

Fred nodded and retrieved their copy of the map, "We should ask if it can be broken. If it can't that breaks it down the furthest. Since most can be broken in one way or another." He activated the map and began to search for Harriet, relieved that almost all the students who were leaving had already cleared out, making the process easier. He frowned when he found her, "She's in the dungeons."

George leaned over the map with him and mimicked his frown, "That hallway is never used, it's a dead end and its where that portrait of the cursing pirate hangs. Everyone avoids it."

Fred shrugged, "Maybe she's planning something for the Slytherins."

George's frown turned into a grin, "Then maybe she needs some of our expertise!" they packed up their things and made their way downward, passing by the Great Hall where Christmas music was still playing. "I wonder how long Harriet is going to let music play."

"Long enough for it to get annoying." Fred chuckled, "It's the Marauder way!" they heard the train whistle blow faintly in the distance just as they made their way down into the start of the dungeons, "Looks like everyone's gone, I hope this prank is for when the snakes come back."

They continued downward until they were on the level that lead to the Slytherin common room, they turned into the hallway that lead to the dead end and instantly pressed against the wall when they saw Snape. They watched warily as the professor slowed, cocking his head slightly before stepping into the hallway Harriet was supposed to be in.

"Professor Snape. How nice of you to come." Came Harriet's voice.

The twins crept forward, "A prank on Snape?" George questioned.

"Bold." Fred said, admiration in his tone. They made it to the entrance of the abandon hallway just in time to see Snape backed against a wall by Harriet and a large black dog who was growling at the man. They watched with wide eyes as Harriet disarmed the man with a simple wave of her hand before the dog snapped at him, sending him backward where he tripped and fell into a hole with ropes around him. The dog picked up Harriet's bag that had two of her snakes in it before jumping into the hole followed closely by Harriet.

The twins rushed to the hole but came to a stop when it covered up with smooth stone, "What the hell." They spoke in unison.

Fred looked to George, "Did Harriet just wandlessly cast the disarming charm, tripping jinx, and incarcerous spell?"

George frowned, "Actually, I think Raion and Toshi cast the last two."

Fred looked back to the blemish free stone in front of them, "That rising Dark Lady thing doesn't seem like it's too far off now that she kidnapped a professor, even if it is the dungeon bat."

The brothers shared a look and their connection pulled, "We'll stick with her no matter what." They said together.

George gave his brother a smile, "I don't think I would be able to let her go."

Fred rubbed at his chest, "Yeah, I wouldn't be able to either. Even if she turns into another you-know-who."

George looked at the wall, "I have a feeling we could stop her from going down that path."

Fred nodded slowly, "Unless we agreed with her reasoning to do it of course."

"Of course."

"So do we wait for her here or…" Fred started but they both spun when they heard harsh whispers and footsteps. They both crept over to the hallways entrance again just in time to see Ron and Hermione pass by, looking around the hall for something.

"She has to be here!" Hermione whispered, "Dumbledore said she was down in the dungeons."

"Well he said she was on the seventh floor before but his tracking charms seem to keep failing." Ron snapped.

"Tracking charms?" George questioned softly, Fred narrowed his eyes at the two and quickly cast powerful notice-me-nots over himself and his twin before they followed Ron and Hermione.

"Can't we go?" Ron whined, "She's not here."

"No Ronald." Hermione said flatly, "We need to find her and insinuate ourselves into her life. Become her friends. You should take this more seriously."

"I am!" Ron protested, "But if I'm her friend I have to deal with those disgusting snakes!"

"You'll have to pretend to like those things if you want her to actually take an interest in you." Hermione chided, "She's not going to consider dating someone who hates her precious pets."

"That's what the love potion is for." Ron snorted, the twins shared an alarmed look, "But I have six more years for that. Maybe I can cause an accident and get those snakes out of the way and then be her shoulder to cry on!" Ron exclaimed, "It's brilliant!"

"Shh!" Hermione hissed, "If she hears you it will be all over. Besides, she guards those things too closely for that to happen. You'll have to get used to them."

Ron pouted, "I shouldn't have to. Isn't there another way to do all this without me having to marry a parselmouth?" he sneered disgustedly.

"Marry?" Fred growled, neither of them liked the thought of Harriet with their brother.

"I mean we're already getting money from her." Ron continued.

"That will stop once she comes of age unless you marry her." Hermione said, "And I can't get at her family books until that happens either." She stopped and sighed, throwing her hands up, "I give up. She's not down here. Headmaster Dumbledore's tracker must have slipped off again."

"Unless she took them off." Ron muttered darkly.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "She has no reason to check for them so she wouldn't know to take them off. Let's go. We'll have time to talk to her over break." They trudged back toward the dungeons entrance, passing by the twins' hiding spot.

When they were gone Fred removed the charms and watched after them, "Something big is going on."

George nodded, "Ron has always hated that we were poor but it sounds like he's trying to get Harriet for her money. With love potion no less."

"Do you think it's just those two?" Fred asked, "They did mention Dumbledore."

"Why would he want Harriet to marry Ron?" George questioned, "What would anyone else get out of it?"

Fred shrugged, "Do you think Harriet knows? She does avoid those two all she can."

"Because they're stalking her and won't leave her alone. I don't think she knows about this stuff." George said, "Should we tell her?"

Fred frowned, "After we know more. Until then we won't let her be alone with those two."

"It's going to be hard. Hermione is in her dorm and all the other first year girls left for the holiday." George reminded his brother.

"We'll find a way."

"For Harriet's safety."

They both nodded and Fred rubbed his chest again, frowning, "I didn't like the thought of her with Ron."

"Me either." George agreed, "But was it because of what he said or this bond thing?"

"I'm not sure."

"Me either."

Below the drama unfolding in the dungeons Harriet was having fun. She may have decided against the full Dark Lord approach but the bits she did have had its benefits. When she had landed she had arrived to the sight of a terrified potions master trying to escape a taunting Samarra by inching away like a worm in his bindings. Nearby Padfoot and the snakes were watching the scene with amusement. She ordered them to go to Salazar's study before grabbing Snape by his robes and dragging him to the center of the outer chamber before casting a secrecy ward over them.

"Release me at once Potter!" Snape snarled, "Do you even know what that…." He was cut off when Harriet cast a silencing charm on him.

"Welcome, Severus Snape, to the Chamber of Secrets!" Harri said dramatically to the hogtied Professor that was on his back at her feet. Samarra towered behind her and hissed harshly at the man, intimidating despite the black blinder that kept her from killing the man. "I see you've met Samarra." The basilisk dropped and flicked her huge tongue over his face making him flinch violently. "Isn't she gorgeous?"

*Thank you hatchling!* Samarra hissed, doing an odd snake form of preening.

*You're welcome dearest.* Harriet answered knowing the parseltongue would be so much more unnerving for Snape when the snake she was communing with was a two ton basilisk. She crouched down over the tied up man, "Now Professor. You didn't think I was bluffing did you? That I wouldn't follow through? I warned you I wouldn't stand for such treatment and yet you continued it. I tried to be civil, I really did. But then you went and spat those vicious things in front of my brother and my soulmates." Snape's eyes widened and she chuckled, "Of yes, they're my soulmates." She leant down and pressed a hand on his chest, "Let's put them on the 'protected' list, shall we?"

She dropped so she sat cross legged next to the Professor as Samarra coiled her body around the two in a sort of wall, "You know the sad thing is, is that if you hadn't taken your anger at my father out on me we could have been friends from the start." Her eyes narrowed at the man, "But I only give what I get professor. You treated me as an enemy so I shall treat you in kind. It will remain so until you change your attitude." She gave him a considering look as Samarra lowered her head towards her so Harriet could stroke her.

"Of course you won't change just because of this. You're as stubborn as I am." Harri said, "Let me give you some things to think about and then I'll give you a bit of incentive. Then Samarra here will take you back to your rooms in the most terrifying way possible as the remainder of your punishment. Once your punishment is over we'll start fresh. Sound fair? No? Too bad."

Harriet leaned back against Samarra's thick body with an exaggerated sigh, "All of those memories I showed you the first day were true. Of course they were bits and pieces of my life. I'm sure at this point Dumbledore has told you I'm spoiled by my family, yet how can that be true when I am beaten half to death over every little offence and starved if I don't complete the massive list of chores they set out for me to do. You can check all that, by the way, from Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley's minds, I'm sure you have time over the hols, I'll even give you the address. Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. But you know already Petunia and her hatred of all things magic don't you? After all you met her when you were still friends with my mum. Ah yes, my mum. Do you know Petunia told me she died in a car crash? She never talks about her and when she does it's to belittle her and sneer." Harriet leaned forward to see Severus' face, "What would my mum think of you treating me like this?" Snape's eyes widened, "All that hatred toward my dad I get after how he treated you here but you seem to forget that I am half Lilly and I always will be."

Harri sighed and sat back again, "I am aware currently of many things. I am aware that you gave an unbreakable vow to protect me to the best of your ability. I am aware that Dumbledore has been playing upon your hatred of my father to get you to see me as only him. I am aware that Dumbledore's plans for me are not in any way innocent. There are things you aren't aware of. Things you should be questioning as a proper Slytherin and yet you sit and allow yourself to be used as some sort of twisted penance for delivering the piece of the prophecy that sent Voldemort after my family ending in mum's death." Harriet focused on Snape, seeing that he was looking right at her now, "Your vow already takes care of that. You should not be here. Should not be wasting your talent teaching kids. I've read my mum's diaries and journals; I know you're the youngest person to get his mastery. You are brilliant yet you let your grief and this constant need to make up for her death keep you in a place you obviously hate. I'm sure you know what she would say."

Harriet brought her knees up to her chest and met Snape's gaze steadily, unafraid, "We could be great friends. I won't claim to be what I am not so let's get that out of the way. I'm not a prodigy but I can brew anything with the right instructions, am excellent at battle magics, and have a certain flare for runes and enchantments. I'm not always right but I'm passionate about the subjects I do know and will research to make my own conclusion on what I don't." she gave him a small smile, "I am a bit violent at times and I have a 'saving people thing' that can sometimes get me in trouble but I am also able to relax and enjoy the quiet. I don't like my fame. It is only a tool I'm using to get myself and those I care for out from under Dumbledore wrinkled thumb."

She heaved a huge sigh and stood, "I would rather have you on my side than being used by Dumbledore. I won't ask you to be who you're not or give me any preferential treatment, heck you won't have to do anything. Just stay out of my way and leave the people on my 'protected' list alone." She hauled him to his feet, released the silencing charm, and tightened the ropes, before patting his shoulders, "Everything is up to you. How involved you are depends on what you decide. Just know that if you decide to stay enemies, this time will look tame to what happens next time because believe me, Samarra, my snakes, and Salazar wanted me to go a much different route." She gave him feral grin, "Now I wouldn't squirm to much if I were you."

"Potter what…." He cut off with a scream as Samarra took him in her mouth.

Harriet chuckled at the choked screams and heavy breathing coming from the professor, "Don't worry Professor. I milked her dry this morning!" she said sunnily, "But you know a dry bite from a basilisk is still going to hurt like hell." She watched as Samarra slithered over to a tunnel Hogwarts had created for this purpose, "Have a nice time Professor!" she answered with muffled curses and she giggled, "That went well."