A/N: Thanks to my reviewers! I really appreciate you guys a lot, you know. I hope you keep reviewing. Sorry it took so long, but this chapter wasn't working for me, and my sister had my OOtP in her locker at school. I kind of needed it to check up on a few facts before I went anywhere with this.
A big thank you to these 8 people who have put me on their favorite
authors list!
Wicked Kiwi, LadyJavert, Klee-babe, The Vampire Story Hunter, KarenDetroit,
Samayn, ResQgal, and Fanfic Fan11. I truly appreciate it.
Some review responses deal with a review of Chapters Nine and Ten. I'm sorry I didn't get to all of you before I uploaded Ten.
ress - Thanks. I appreciate it. And I didn't intend the whole
LOTR reference. It just kind of, happened. *laughs* Thanks, tho!
candledot - Thank you! Here's more.
hermionegreen - Thanks. I kinda really like Malfoy in that too.
allison lightning - Thank you on both reviews.
Temporal - nope, sorry! Good guess, tho. Thanks for reading.
Samantha - Thank you muchly!
AlL rOaDs LeAd To HeLl - Half points for you! I would give you
full points, but you didn't get it completely correct. Still, you're the
only one who was close!
Zaira-Draco - Thank you very much. Nope, no gift. But
there is a snake in this chapter!
lillinfields - I'm glad you did! Keep reviewing! : )
athenakitty - Malfoy has met the New Harry. But he didn't know
it was Harry. Yeah, Snape being nosy. Go figure! *wry smile* Here's more
for you! Enjoy.
TeamExtremeGurl - Here you go!
Charma1219 - Here it is! Nice to read from you again!
Calani - Thanks. Hope you enjoy!
HexWa - Yeah, he's one of mine, too! The other, sadly, is dead
now. Thank you.
kiskool - I know, I love Malfoy. But I'm trying to keep the
characters as close to canon as I can, with the exception of the parts
of the story that deal with Severitus' Challenge.
Eizoku - Here's the reaction! Maybe not what you might expect,
but it's there none the less. Thanks for the review!
Katmint - Here's the information on the pendant. As much as
I was willing to give away in one chapter, at least. Very observant, and
I really appreciate your thoughtful review. You've given me much to think
about, such as what to call the pendant. Which I did, finally. *grins*
KarenDetroit - *laughs* Yes, Gollum! Read on!
ResQgal - That's why it was worth 20 points. It was, I hope,
totally unexpected. I'm glad you liked!
Amaya - Thanks for reading and staying with it! Your points
have been awarded.
MarsMoonStar - Thanks!
samayn - Thank you. I'm glad you've stuck with it.
Shadow Adams - Thank you. I didn't want to rush it, because
I thought that if they bond, they have much to overcome first. They have
a lot to deal with. But I think they've started, at least, in their own
minds.
Anna L. Black - Yup! I think you're the only Ravenclaw at the
moment.
Vikki - Thanks! I liked that part, too.
fairygirl131129 - Thank you. I still need to know what house
you're in, as you got points before.
Mikee - Great guess, but unfortunately not the right one. I'm
happy that you like my story and I hope you'll keep reading and reviewing.
LadyJavert - *laughs* I'm a lurker, too. I've finally started
reviewing the stories I've been following, when I realized what the reviews
do for the authors. Here's the next installment.
'these' are thoughts
**this** is parseltongue
*~*~*~*~*~*~ is a new perspective or scene
In the book, This is Harry, This is Hermione, This is Ron.
Chapter Eleven: Answers
Severus and Remus were sitting at the only table in the Great Hall. They had been the first there for dinner, and Severus was explaining to Remus what he had read in the book. He had figured out who was who easily enough, and had followed their conversation eagerly. Especially where it concerned him.
"Then Weasley told him that I hate him, and he hates me... but the fascinating part was when Harry answered. He said he didn't hate me, he just hated how I treat him. And did you know he got an E on his Potions O.W.L.?"
Remus nodded, quite amused with the change that had come over his old rival. "I did. I know all of his scores. Did you know that he wants to be an Auror?"
Severus' lips quirked. "I found out." he replied, lifting the book again. That was when he noticed both Harry and Hermione standing in the entrance, Hermione staring at him in shock, and Harry with a look of mingled horror and fury.
"Shit!" he swore.
Remus glanced up and saw the two teenagers as well. He smiled at them and calmly gestured them to join the table. Hermione came forward and sat across from Remus, while Harry still stood in the doorway. Now, though, his face was pale, and his gaze kept flicking back and forth between his father and the book. He drew his wand with a steady hand and called, "Accio book!" The book flew from Severus' hands into Harry's, and he turned and fled the room.
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When Harry finally made it back to Gryffindor Tower, he was out of breath. He had ran the whole way, except for when the staircase had moved on him. But that made his journey even longer, because he had to go around, down another set of stairs, down a long corridor, and up yet more stairs before he was back on track. He stormed up the stairs to his room and banged the door open. The whole while he had been grumbling to himself, trying to remember if he had said anything incriminating to Ron. 'No, the worst I said was that I hated how he treated me. He can't get mad at that, can he?'
Whether he was willing to admit it or not, he truly did want a relationship with his father. But he was so angry about what he considered Snape's snooping into his private business. He stalked to his bed, only then noticing what was laying on it. There, gleaming atop the crimson bedcover, was...
"My Firebolt!" he shrieked, grabbing it and racing out of the room. He loved to fly. He flew to clear his head, he flew to think, and he flew for the sheer exhilaration of flying. He tore through the castle and out the great oak front doors, not even noticing that all of the professors and Hermione had seen him and came to see what he was running from. He ran to the Quidditch pitch and mounted his broom, pushing off and soaring into the sky. He never saw the group of people watching him as he did stunts that should have killed him, never saw when most returned to the school. Never saw his best friend sit in the stands to wait for him, or the man in black blend into the shadows of those same stands to watch him. What he noticed was the briskness of the air as he cut through it. The wind pushing his hair back from his face and licking at his exposed skin. He noticed the vivid colors of the earth and sky and he became a part of both, made of the Earth and sailing the Sky. The green of the grass far below, the crimson, orange, and gold of the sunset. The deep violet across the sky where the darkness of night was already descending.
He thought about many things in the hour he flew before it was too dark. He thought of how Snape had not been so... evil to him lately. Since they had found out. He never asked how his father knew, he only asked if he knew. He thought of how nice it would be to have a father, not just some relatives who thought you were a freak. He thought about Hermione and how much she had been there for him these last days, and indeed, these last five years. When he finally came back down to earth, he was at peace with himself, for the most part, and wanted nothing more than to try to talk to his father. Maybe he would even give him the other book, the one that was sitting on his bed where he had dropped it earlier. Maybe. If he felt the man deserved that much trust from him.
It was then that he saw Hermione waiting for him, having made her way down from the stands.
"'Lo 'Mione." he said.
"Well. That was... interesting. Kindly tell me next time before you decide to see how suicidal you can get and still live. Now, let's go work on our homework."
Harry gasped in mock surprise. "You haven't finished it already? I think you're slipping!"
"Of course I have! I just want to add a few things to my Transfigurations essay. Now that we've got the whole library open to us..."
He groaned at this. "Mine is finished, and I'm not adding anything to it." He brightened up a little, though. "Would you read through it for me and tell me what you think?"
Hermione had looked shocked when he said he'd finished all his, but she nodded none the less.
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Severus watched his son and Miss Granger leave, talking about their summer assignments. He followed them into the castle and was about to head down to the dungeons when he heard something that stopped him.
"So, do you think you'll be able to get into N.E.W.T. level Potions?"
They had stopped and were sitting on the stairs talking.
"I don't know, but I've been studying loads just in case. I'm almost turning into another you."
Hermione smacked his arm, but asked, "Really? What are you reading?"
"McGonagall told me what books he was having his N.E.W.T. class get, so I got that, as well as a couple others that I thought might help."
"How far have you gotten?"
"I've read most of the N.E.W.T. book, but I found one of the others really interesting, so I'm reading that one right now. There are a couple potions in there that I want to try. They look fairly easy, so I was planning on doing at least one tonight."
"Where? Which potion? Can I help?"
Harry laughed. "In the common room, the Amaflamare Potion, and no, but you can make your own. I kind of overfilled my potions supplies with a bit of everything, because I didn't know what I'd need if I got into his class, so I have what you'll need to make yours."
Severus inhaled deeply. He knew that potion. Had wanted to brew it himself on numerous occasions, but never had one of the most important ingredient. Phoenix tears, fresh, willingly given. And it was dangerous. What if the boy screwed it up? No, there was no way that he, Severus Snape, was going to allow a child, his son, to attempt this potion.
"Mr. Potter!" he snapped. Harry's head shot up from where he was discussing the Amaflamare potion with Hermione.
"Sir?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow. 'I am NOT ready to see him yet.' he thought. "You'll have to excuse me, as I have pressing matters to attend to."
Harry stood up, grabbed his broom, and ran up the staircase. He didn't stop running until three floors separated he and his father.
Severus sighed and turned his attention on Hermione, who was still watching the stairs with a kind of dazed expression.
"Miss Granger." Still she watched the stairs. "Miss Granger." Nothing. "Miss GRANGER!" he roared. She whirled, red faced and stuttering.
"S-sir?"
"That potion. He will not be doing it. You will see to that."
"You know something about it, sir, don't you." She asked timidly, although her question was more of a statement. She had listened to Harry talking about it, but still she wasn't sure what it did. "What does it do?"
"It is the Soul Flame potion. It literally burns the soul from the body. I am not sure what he intends with it, but without the proper ingredients it can, and will, go horribly wrong." he sighed.
"Oh! That explains what he was saying, then!" Hermione nodded and began to walk away, up the stairs towards the common room. She was mumbling to herself, lost in thought. She didn't notice that Severus was behind her, and that he followed until they were in the common room. He stood perfectly still, just inside the portrait hole, staring in shock at the scene before them. Harry was there, his cauldron set up and the ingredients surrounding him, seemingly unaware of the two people who had just entered. But what amazed Severus the most was not Harry, but the bird. The Headmaster's phoenix was there, trilling softly.
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Harry was adding the final ingredient to the potion before he would need the 'Six Fresh Tears of a Phoenix, willingly given'. He had been working on this potion for three hours now, listening to Fawkes singing to him. Hermione had come in, he knew, and was watching him intently. He was reading from one of the books he had owl-ordered from Knockturn Alley, Shimmering Cauldrons by Bruce Quigly*. He had to wait twenty minutes for the mixture to simmer before adding the last ingredient. As he waited, he flipped a page and smiled when he saw what was the next potion.
"'Mione." he grinned. "Look. Polyjuice Potion. Listen to this." He read,
'Polyjuice Potion is one of the most difficult to make. And one of the longest as it requires twenty-one days to be stewed.'
Harry laughed and glanced at Hermione, who was trying not to look too guilty, as she had finally realized that Professor Snape was there.
"C'mon 'Mione. You have to admit it's funny. I mean, you brewed it correctly in Second Year, and you were only twelve!" He watched his potion for a moment, then checked the time. It was time to collect the last bit. Severus had jerked a little when he was reminded of the missing ingredients from his own personal stores, but his thoughts were cut off by Harry's voice.
"Alright, Fawkes. If you're ready, it's time. Will you cry for me and
let me use your tears?" he murmured softly, stroking the red and gold plumage
of the phoenix.
Severus watched, transfixed, as the bird proceeded to do just that.
Thick, pearly tears dripped from his eyes.
"Just two more, Fawkes. Then you can sit back and watch the results."
Finally, Harry had collected all six of the tears into a vial and carefully, very carefully, he let the liquid roll from the vial and into his simmering potion. It hissed and bubbled, then calmed. The color, which before had been a greenish-blue, was now almost like exactly as he had seen in the opal on one of his aunt's rings. It was white, opaque, but with just about every color in the rainbow shifting through it. If he looked this way, there were shots of blue, green, and violet. But if he turned his head another way, he could see the fire of red, gold, orange. It was calming and invigorating at the same time. After another five minutes of stirring this way then that, Harry took it from the heat and floated his cauldron over to another table, where it would cool. He had previously set this table up with cooling charms, but they were set so the liquid would gradually cool, though about twice as fast as it would if it were left to cool without help. That finished, Harry cleaned up his supplies and any mess he made, and stuffed everything back into his bag. Without even looking around the room, he settled onto a sofa, his eyes closed. The strain of watching his cauldron and timing everything to perfection had finally taken it's toll. Fawkes flew from his perch on a chair back where he had been watching Harry and settled on his shoulder. Harry reached one hand up to softly stroke the birds head, softly speaking to him.
"I'm going to have to do it, aren't I, Fawkes. I mean, according to the prophesy, I am the one who could kill him. I am the one who has to, before he kills me." He sighed deeply and the phoenix trilled a soft, quavering note which sent warmth and hope into all three who heard it.
"Thank you, Fawkes. For your help. I couldn't have made that without you. I'll need it, you know." He continued to talk to the phoenix, ignoring Hermione and Severus. Yes, he knew Severus was there now, had known the whole time if he had just let himself realize. But he didn't, and he was thankful for that. He figured that the main reason he did so poorly in Potions was because of his bat-like professor. His bat-like father. He stifled a giggle and when Hermione glanced at him, he shook his head and resumed speaking, although now, while he was talking to Fawkes, he was speaking loud enough to be heard by all.
He talked to Fawkes about a great many things that evening. First he talked about how grateful he was to the phoenix during second year, when Fawkes had blinded the basilisk and healed him before the poison could take effect, and flew himself, Ron, Ginny and that great prat Lockhart from the Chamber of Secrets. He thanked him again for healing him after the Third Task in fourth year. And he told him how amazed he was when Fawkes had taken Dumbledore from the Headmaster's office last term. He was feeling quite weary when suddenly he felt a strange warmth from the vicinity of his chest and Fawkes let out a note of alarm. The phoenix pecked at his robes until he had a chain in his mouth. He pulled it forward until the pendant on the bottom dangled and fell onto Harry's chest. Harry reached his other hand out and grasped the pendant and again he studied it. Two serpents, intertwined from their tails up until they were facing each other, a brilliant blue diamond suspended between their mouths. But what he hadn't noticed before were the eyes. One serpent had an emerald for it's eye, while the other had a ruby. Green and red. He started with surprise, and Fawkes again trilled a note, this one calming. Harry gasped and stood, Fawkes flying from his shoulder at the sudden movement.
"That's it!" he shouted. "Green and red. Emerald and ruby. Two snakes, two Parselmouths." he muttered, fingering the delicate silver chain and the silver pendant. "It called to me. It would have called to Him too, had he been there. Hermione! The shop in Diagon Alley. Did you see it?"
"N-no Harry. What's going on?"
"Professor!" he finally turned to the man who had been watching him brew this extremely complicate potion as easily as if he had been making tea for the past few hours.
"Yes, Potter?"
"The pendant. Remember the pendant that Voldemort wants? The one from my vision?"
Snape nodded. He remembered quite well what had been said.
"This is it! This" he held up the pendant, "is what he's been after!"
**That isss correct, Young Ssspeaker.**
Harry jumped and looked to where the words had come from. There, sitting coiled around itself, was a beautiful green and silver snake. Coiled as is was, Harry couldn't tell how long it was, but it looked to be pretty big. He spoke back, not seeing the jumps or shocked reactions of the other two. They stood staring between the snake and Harry.
**Can you tell me why, Sssir Sssnake?** He knew it was a boy by the voice, but that was all.
**Yesss. The other one, the Old Ssspeaker, wantsss our power. It wasss thought to be a legend among usss, but now it hasss been given life. It hasss been passssed down through our generationsss that one who ssseeksss our power will come. But there will be another, one who wantsss not our power but our help, and he will have the Pendant of Power. That isss what you wear. That isss what the Old Ssspeaker wants.**
**Who are you? And how did you get to be here?**
**I am the voice of the Ssserpents. I came when I wasss called.**
**Who called you?**
**The pendant, Young Ssspeaker. When you were ready, the pendant called.**
**What should I call you? I cannot go on calling you Sssir Sssnake.**
**You may call me... Sssalazar. Yesss. He was the First Ssspeaker.
The one who created the pendant. He wasss the one who told of you and the
Old Ssspeaker. I am Sssalazar. I am your guide to using the Pendant of
Power, and to teach you how to call the ssserpentsss to you.**
This had shocked Harry senseless, but he could see why the snake wanted
to be called Salazar. After all, even his scales were the house colors
of Slytherin. He quirked a wry smile and nodded.
**Sssalazar it isss then. I mussst tell the Headmassster about thisss. He will need to know, after all.**
**You have a head massster? I wasss given to underssstand that the Old and Young Ssspeakers were the massstersss.**
Harry laughed aloud at this.
**No, Sssalazar. You misssunderssstand. The Headmassster is the massster of the sschool. He isss not my massster. That isss merely what he isss called.**
Salazar gave a good impression of nodding and uncoiled himself. He was at least five feet long. He slithered over to Harry and worked his way up the boy's leg and around his torso, draping himself as a belt might. Harry, shocked at first, thought the warm weight felt... natural. Like something he had never known he was missing until it found him.
**Ssso Young Ssspeaker. We will go to sssee your Headmassster now.**
**Yesss, Sssalazar. And call me Harry. It isss much sssimpler than Young Ssspeaker, and it isss my name.**
**Harry. I like that.**
Harry grinned and turned to face Hermione and Snape. He gestured to the snake draped around his waist, which had coiled twice around him and was now resting his head on his own body.
"This is Salazar, he's my guide." His face broke out in a grin at the astonished looks on his best friend's and his father's faces. "Yes, he is named after... what did he call him? Oh yes, the First Speaker. Salazar Slytherin."
"You do realize, Mr. Potter, that you are now wearing Slytherin House colors?" Snape asked, a wry glint in his coal black eyes. Harry sighed, too tired to fight with the man now.
"I do, sir." he grinned at Hermione and batted his lashes. "Does he match my eyes?" he asked coyly before turning and pushing through the portrait hole and into the hallway beyond. "Are you coming?" he called back over his shoulder. He snickered as he heard the sounds of a mad dash to get through and follow him before he disappeared.
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They arrived at the the gargoyle and Snape snarled out the password. "Fainting Fancies"
Harry and Hermione exchanged a grin behind his back as the gargoyle sprung aside and stepped up onto the moving staircase. It carried them up to the top, to the huge oak door with the griffin knocker. Snape knocked briskly and pushed the door open after they had been given an "Enter!" from inside. Sitting there, talking with the aged Headmaster was Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall.
"Ahhh, Severus! And young Mr. Potter and Miss Granger as well. What brings you three to my office at this time of night?" Albus Dumbledore asked, eyeing them over the top of his half-moon spectacles.
"Mr. Potter has something he wishes to tell you, Headmaster."
"Well, sit down then. Lemon drop?" he asked.
Shaking their heads, Harry, Hermione and Severus all sat, Harry by Lupin and Hermione by McGonagall. Severus sat directly between the two teachers.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir, I assume that Professor Lupin has told you about my vision?" At a nod from Albus Harry continued. "Well, the pendant he was looking for has come into my possession." Remus sat forward as did the Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"Where is it?" asked the kindly old man.
"Here." Harry withdrew the pendant from inside his robes, where he had tucked it, and showed it to the professors and Hermione, who hadn't got a look at it before.
"Wow Harry. That's really beautiful." Hermione said.
He flashed a smile at her and continued. "This is Salazar." Again he gestured to the snake wrapped around his waist. "He was sent to me by the pendant to be my guide, and to teach me."
"Teach you what, Harry?" asked Remus.
"How to call on the snakes for help. He says that it was a legend among the serpents that was passed down from Salazar Slytherin himself." He proceeded to tell them everything Salazar had said to him, inciting a general chuckle over Voldemort being called Old Speaker, and another when he had explained about the Headmaster. Fawkes had already returned to Dumbledore's office before they had arrived. When Harry was finished speaking, Fawkes again flew and settled on his shoulder. He trilled a note and, surprisingly, Salazar hissed back. Since he didn't have a clue as to what Fawkes was saying, he felt rather like he was listening to one end of a telephone call.
"Salazar said that he was the guardian, the guide, and the teacher. I don't know what Fawkes said first." Harry said.
They listened for a while as Harry translated for Salazar. Still they didn't know what Fawkes was saying, but Dumbledore had an increased twinkle in his eyes.
**Sssilly phoenix!** Salazar hissed when Fawkes finally flew back to his perch. **He isss the Old One'sss protector. He ssshould recognize that I am yoursss.**
Harry laughed at this, and repeated what Salazar had said when he received questioning looks. Dumbledore chuckled at being referred to as the Old One, and even McGonagall had a smile on her face.
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Finally, Harry fell into bed exhausted, Salazar with him. He was no longer around Harry's waist. Instead, he was coiled on Harry's pillow, most of it at least. Harry ran his finger down over Salazar's head at the snake hissed in what was a serpentine purr. Harry drifted off to sleep for many hours, for once having no dreams without the aid of a potion.
A/N: So, tell me what you think! Please review!
House Points stand as thus:
Gryffindor: 30
Slytherin: 20
Hufflepuff: 15
Ravenclaw: 5
House Points Question:
Who does Harry get an owl from? (15 points) Please add your house name
to your review if you have an answer.
*Bruce Quigly... I liked the fact that if you twist it just a bit, it could turn into Brews Quickly.