The Halls of the Blind
Chapter Three
A Different Train of Thought
A/N: The short supply of reviews on the last chapter make me wonder what everyone is doing... Thank you to those that did review... Also, thank you for letting me know about the format... I didn't notice that when I had put it up, but it's fixed :). Newho, thank you, Agnei, for your offer, I might take you up on that... will you beta anything besides my Harry Potter stories? I'm slightly disappointed in this chapter, I might completely redo it... let me know if you think anything should be changed... To those of you who keep asking about how Harry got to the school... have patience...
***
Startled, he looked toward where the door to the living room should be. Had he just heard the portrait open? Standing still, he listens for any sound of movement. There it was, someone was moving around out there. Following the wall around to the doorway, he said, "Hello."
"Potter," came Snape's voice, cold like the winter winds yet gentle as a spring breeze. "Your trunk and your owl are over by the entrance... on the left."
There was a flap of wings as Hedwig came over to Harry, perching itself on his shoulder, she nips his ear affectionately. Harry nods. "You went to the Dursley's, Professor?"
"And it's a good thing I did. Those bloody muggles were trying to start a fire to burn your things with."
He gave a snort of belief, amazement, and amusement. Snape had sounded, of all things, indignant, like it was his belongings and not Harry's the Dursley's were going to burn. "That sounds like them."
There was a brief silence before Snape bluntly asked, "What happened to your eyes, Potter?"
Harry tensed a little. "What did they say?"
There was silence from Snape for a second, then he answered. "They said something about a 'Dudley' and hot coffee."
Harry raised his eyebrow. "What did you do to them?"
"Just pulled out my wand," Snape muttered under his breath.
Harry snickered and leaned against the door jamb, absently stroking Hedwig.
"Was it really hot coffee?"
Harry nodded. "Yes."
"Which one of them?" Was the softly asked question.
"If you want to get down to technicalities, they are all at fault but Dudley was the one who threw the coffee."
"'Technicalities'?"
Harry shrugged. "The small stuff. The little things."
"This summer wasn't the first, was it?"
Harry shook his head, and turned around, walking back into the bedroom, working on it's layout. Though the reason as to why Snape, of all people, would care, continued to escape his mind's grasp.
He was running his hand over the wall and it hit the frame to a portrait. Whatever was in it hissed at him. "Hey! Little boy-"
He hissed back. "Shut up. It was an accident."
"Well, next time watch where you're going."
"Wish I could."
"Ah, is there a blind little man-snake within our lair?"
"Your lair?"
"Our lair... and now your lair."
"Thanks, I think."
"Who are you talking to, Potter?"
Harry looks toward the sound of Snape's voice. "One of the portraits."
Harry starts moving again and his leg brushed against something a little lower than mid-thigh. Dropping his hands he feels around it. Moving around what he's guessed to be the night stand he brushed against the bed. Feeling the sheets, he frowns slightly, "Are these... satin?"
"Yes."
Shaking his head slightly he tries to go around the bed, thinking it would only be a twin. His legs hit the bed again and he asked, "Why so big a bed for one person?"
Snape doesn't answer so Harry just continues to walk around the room. Finding his starting point he sits down on the ground for a second, Hedwig having gone to the top of the dresser. Getting back up, he tries to walk back over to the portrait. Hitting his thigh on the night stand he sits on the bed, rubbing at his thigh absentmindedly.
Hearing the hissing laughter of the snake in the portrait, he raises his head, "Oh, shut up you. I'd like to see you try this sometime."
"No thanks, little man-snake, it's much more amusing watching you."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. Is Snape in the room?"
"Who?"
"The other man."
"Yes, and no."
"What?"
"He is in the room, and he isn't."
"He's in the doorway?"
"Yes."
"That's in the room."
"Have it your way, little man-snake. The other man is in the room."
He pulls a face and stands up. Walking toward the doorway, he stops, knowing Snape had not moved. Hearing the swish of a cloak moving away from him and the door, Harry moved into the doorway. "Do all of the portraits in here hold snakes, Professor?"
"Yes."
Harry nods. "At least I won't be alone," muttered Harry to himself.
***
Snape looked at Harry. The boy standing before him was nothing like the one in his head. That was just a mask, that the boy would put up, that or it was what he had wanted to see. The one standing before him was the real Harry. Not the 'Boy Who Lived', not Hogwarts' golden boy, but Harry James Potter. He was nothing like James when he was in school, other than his looks and that he is, was, on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
That was one thing the boy would never do again. He would never play Quidditch again. He'd be lucky if he ever flew again.
'At least I won't be alone.' That was an odd thing for him to say. Dumbledore will obviously inform the other two where the third person in their trio is. Why would he be alone once they showed up? Miss Granger is good enough at transfiguration that she would be able to make beds here for her and Weasley...
But only if they accept Harry now. With him being blind, and now probably thinking about being resorted... who knows what the other two would do, or the rest of Gryffindor for that matter. They'd never had a blind student in their house. Neither has Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw has had only one. Slytherin though... they tend to get them more. Something about the way being blind will make you. Something about how the Head of House will know how to deal with those problems better than any other.
Harry would be the first blind student Snape has had to take care of. He was in school the last time Slytherin house has had a blind student, he left Hogwarts the top in his class. Snape now has no idea how to really approach the situation. Unless...
If what Harry had said earlier, about the sorting hat wanting to put him in Slytherin his first year, then by the time he'd come to Hogwarts he'd already been abused by the Dursley's for some time, making him a perfect candidate for the house. Those muggle fools. Treating a wizard like that. He'd have to remember to visit them again, soon.
Harry was speaking again, but not to him. No, he was speaking to the portrait nearest him. In Parsel tongue. It was a soothing sound, something that should be used for calming. It rolled over and through you, writhing like the snake from which it came. Harry's was a gentle caress compared to Voldemort's poisonous strike. It would seem that the man made the snake, and not as he had believed.
Interrupting Harry, he said, "There's a few books on your trunk that can teach you to read braille, Potter. Good day."
Turning, he left before Harry had a chance to respond. He needed to speak to Albus.
A/N: Long enough? Did I make Snape way too out of character? I know, this is pretty much a filler chapter, but, hey, it's something right? Anyway, next chapter as soon as I can get it out. (Blame Qraisi for the coffee... that was one of her suggestions that came from her mindless ramblings...) Oh, as a side note... OotP did not, I repeat, DID NOT happen in this story... there maybe a few things that I will have from it, but there's only one I can think of... for those of you who have not read the book, I will not break your hearts with what that one thing is (yet)... Enjoy :)