Unleashed Shadows : Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters. Though I'm going to whine about owning 'delusional harry' for the rest of my days.

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A dark green snake slid across the mirrored floor with practiced ease. The golden marking trailed from its tail in swirls, all the way up to its upper body. More swirls circled its eyes, which were a brilliant emerald green, and made it sort of look like the snake had glasses.

Of course, it actually wasn't correct to call this mysterious creature a snake. Called a Treskiyn, it was a magical creature whose magical abilities weren't entirely known. But then, it would be also fair to say that this really wasn't a Treskiyn, it was actually a black-haired, emerald-eyed, glasses-wearing boy by the name of Harry Potter. A boy who has just completed, in full, his Animagus transformation.

"Wicked." Harry said, adopting his best friend's language as he transformed back into his natural form, a wizard.

"Easy for you to say Harry." The redhead in the corner looked visibly shaken, though it wasn't Harry's transformation that had done it. "I'm a spi…spi…"

"Spider, Ron."

"Yeah."

The portrait of Merlin swung on its hinges and Hermione stepped in. Holding yet another book. She had been at the library for at least the two hours Harry had used to complete the final part of his transformation. Hermione herself, though, had finished two days ago, mainly due to the fact she had started a week ahead.

"Hey," Hermione looked impressed, by what though, Harry had still to find out…

"Guess what I found!" …Sooner or later.

Not waiting for a reply, Hermione sat herself down next to Ron, Harry joined them. She flipped open the book on a page with a peculiar drawing on it. A square of sorts, but on each corner was an animal. A snake, a fox, a spider and a cat. Well at least, creatures that looked like them.

"They're all magical," Hermione said, just as Harry was about to ask, "And they are the animals in prophecies. They've been used in history as symbols of light and dark for ages. The four Founders were these animals in their Animagi forms. It's supposed to mean Bringers of Change, of some sort."

"And they're supposed to be us?"

"I don't know. Could be a coincidence."

"Hermione." Harry looked at her, "since when do coincidences happen here, with us, anymore."

"Exactly. That's why I thought it was strange."

"Does that mean your fox and Ron's spider are magical as well?"

"It's not my SPIDER! I don't want anything to do with the blasted thing!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione and Harry ignored him.

"I guess my creature could be magical. But I've never even heard of a magical fox before."

"Oh. Okay then, who's the cat?"

There was sort of a collective shrug among the three of them, and Ron shuddered.

"I'd rather it not be true. No way am I ever, EVER, turning myself into a spider again."

*

"Potter."

"Yes, Professor."

"I'd like a word with you after class."

Although Harry knew he wasn't in any sort of trouble, any word with Professor Snape was dread. Especially now, when he that tiny voice inside his head kept reminding him he was Snape's son.

"Yes, Professor."

The lesson finished up quickly, and only one cauldron had spilled, by accident. Though with Neville Longbottom, anything was an accident.

"Sorry Ron." Harry could hear him mutter as Ron stepped slowly onto his chair. The orange goo ran across the floor slowly, and Hermione only had to wave her wand once before it disappeared. Snape appeared instantly. Eyeing her with a death glare, he didn't say anything before returning to his desk. "Thanks, Hermione," Harry could hear Neville again.

When the lesson did end though, Harry waved Ron and Hermione off to lunch while he approached Snape's desk. The man looked up and surveyed Harry.

"Has no one told you that you look different?"

"Er.." Harry was surprised at such an abrupt beginning to a conversation.

"No, Professor."

Snape glared.

"Well, once, but that was Ron."

"Amazing how blind some people can be to the truth," Harry heard Snape mutter as the man pulled out his wand. "I'm casting a spell on you, and it will wear off when the transformation is complete."

"Trans… transformation?" Harry knew he couldn't have been talking about their Animagi sessions but he had never expected this. "You mean… I'm…looking….like…you?"

"Yes, Harry," Snape used his first name, reluctant to say 'Potter,' but he said it with the usual amount of disgust anyway. "Surely you didn't believe that could've been your real image if you weren't Potter's son."

"Err.. No Professor."

A quick wave of his wand and an incantation Harry couldn't keep up with, and Harry couldn't help but touch the bridge of his nose. Snape coughed. Harry discovered it was back to its natural size.

"Is that all Professor?"

Snape did a sort of short nod before resuming his marking at his desk. Harry nodded back and turned to leave…

"The Mark." He suddenly said, and his whole body seemed to be made of stone.

Snape's head snapped up and looked at the boy with full intensity. He made to stand up…

"The Mark, He has the Mark."

"What?" Snape hissed, "Sit down and shut up, Harry," Snape knew Harry and perhaps Weasley and Granger, were the only students who knew he was s spy for Dumbledore.

"Not the Dark Mark," Harry replied, as if he knew what the man was thinking. His voice was monotone and eerie, and it echoed though the room did not.

"Grindelward's Mark."

Snape's eyes narrowed.

"He sees you… He can see you… Voldermort can see you…"

Harry broke from his trance, but this time he did not collapse, nor did he faint, or even become disorientated. Harry stood steady, eyes betraying thoughts a child should never have to think. But he was no ordinary child, he was Harry Potter.

"I'm getting used to it," Harry said, his normal self again, though on his face was a look of subdued sadness. "He can see you, Professor. And Grindelward's Mark has something to do with it, Hermione researched it for me some time ago. He can see you, Professor. He knows what you're doing, he sees what you see. He sees me telling you this. He knows you are a spy."

The last words sent Snape's mind spiraling down into abysses he had never known he had at such a level of conscience. But he saw that the boy in front of him was scared. Not child-like fear, but real fear. Fear unknown to so many.

"What are you afraid of, Harry?" Malice gone, just a whisper, a whisper that showed Harry for the first time that Snape might not have always been like how he is now.

"That he will attack, Severus. Because he will." Not even Harry could take out the quavering notes that existed in his words.

With that, the image of James Potter's son turned around and left the room. "You have to tell Dumbledore."

As Harry rushed out, his mind was a blank, but if he ever looked back at this conversation he would've seen that something had changed in him that moment. He had seen, heard of things some would've never have to face in their entire lives. In that single moment, consisting of only a few seconds, Harry saw everything as it might be. Everything in destruction. Harry saw history repeat itself, the Dark Ages reborn…

At that moment, Harry Potter became someone different. It was if a fire had been ignited in him, then turned ice cold. Sure, the boy that sat at dinner and laughed at jokes was still the same Harry, but inside, his mind, had opened up to a world he had never knew. And he still had yet to discover. It was at that moment, that Harry Potter became Harry Snape.

***

Okay, since I've scrapped my idea of not continuing, thanks to a number of you, I've got to say thanks to everyone:

Jeanne, azntgr01, teen prodigy, Romm, Toria, Lilith, Redtaillia, Phoenix Flight, Ian, silver-girl, Calani, Lirael, Iniysa, t.a.g, Fallen Dragon, Lady Lightning, firefox, asellus, Kitala, LaMuerta, kat, izean, Smart Ash, WhiteLion, setsuri, Jester, JayJay, Rickman's Girl, Chrisie, the angelic vampire, The Kuro no Tenshi, Wormtail's worst enemy, shinigami5218, AtieJen, S, Mel, an anonymous person and anyone else I might have missed. THANK YOU SO MUCH!