I know that Chapter 21 came really late and I'm very sorry, now that mid-term finals are over with and Christmas holiday has finally come, I can start working on this and on my other story as well. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews, I appreciate it SO much!

Chapter 22

Harry was an early riser the next morning. He had been in the Great Hall for what seemed like hours before others started to come in slowly. It was one of those Saturdays…the Saturdays when everyone is too sleepy and groggy to even think about getting out of bed. But, Harry was in a good mood, despite the fact that he wasn't a morning person. Just one of those mornings, he said to himself smiling.

Pansy Parkinson walked in just then and seated herself not far from Harry.

"Good morning, Parkinson!" He said with a cheerful smile. She looked at him as if he had grown another head.

"And why are you so cheerful this morning, My Lord?" she let a small smile pass this once.

He shrugged, "I don't know. Just couldn't get back to sleep this morning and decided to come upstairs and watch the sky, I guess…"

Parkinson placed her elbow on the table and supported her chin in her hand, "I'd usually be pretty ticked off if that happened to me," she smiled a little, "So, is there a reason?"

Harry thought for a moment, then shook his head, "Nope, just one of those mornings, I guess."

"Yep, I'll agree with you there," Pansy said sleepily. Several other Slytherin girls joined them.

"Good morning, M'lord." The Riley twins said in unison. They sat down with one next to Harry and the other by Pansy.

"'Morning." Harry greeted.

"What's going on?" Kati asked.

"Anything interesting?" Kelli eyed Pansy.

"We were just talking…" Pansy answered. Just then, Draco and Zabini entered the room and Harry excused himself from the girls and walked over to the two where they sat.

"'Morning!" he greeted, sitting across from them.

"Good morning!" the two responded. Draco was a little dull with still being tired, but Zabini, on the other hand, seemed to be in one of his cheery moods, just as Harry.

"One of those days, Master?" Harry nodded with a laugh as he stuffed his face with buttered toast almost disgustingly, "I don't suppose you've ever been taught proper table manners, either."

Harry just shrugged and ate on, noticing that every once in a while the blond next to him would glance down the table where Parkinson and the Riley twins sat.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHH!" a high-pitched scream erupted suddenly from the hallway outside the Great Hall. Harry, Draco and Zabini looked at one another before running outside to see who it was and what happened. But when they got there, there was already a crowd.

"Someone get Madam Pomfrey, quick!" said someone from the inner mob of students. A Ravenclaw had run out of the crowd and down the hall, and it wasn't long before everyone parted letting Professor Snape by. But, it wasn't Professor Snape that needed to see Madam Pomfrey; it was the motionless girl in his hands. She was a second year Slytherin.

The young heir recognized her as Selly. Mandy Selly. A loner that stayed to herself whenever possible. She didn't have any friends…she didn't want any, but then again, no one even tried for her friendship.

Flint later said that he and Snape were the only ones that saw Selly suddenly scream and fall just as they turned the right corridor that lead to the dungeons. They were talking about practicing this evening for Quidditch when suddenly they heard a piercing scream then looked up just as they saw the black-haired girl crumble to the ground.

"And then Professor Snape took her to the infirmary…" Flint finished. Everyone turned back to his and her breakfast wondering what exactly happened.

"Does anyone know what happened to her?" some asked around the table. No one knew.

"Hey, Scar head!" It was the Weasel from the Gryffindor table, "After a decade, did she finally look in a mirror?" There were yelps from the Gryffindor's table, but the rest of the tables stayed quiet.

"I choose to ignore him." Harry said. "He's not worth my time. Besides, I don't want to spoil my good mood."

After breakfast that morning, Harry, Draco and Zabini left to the dungeons to see what they could do on a Saturday morning since all of their homework was finished.

They were just rounding a corner on their way to the dungeons when they bumped into Snape, literally.

"Watch where you're going, Potter," he snarled.

"Yes, Professor." Harry nodded as he stood up from where he had been bumped to the ground, "We were just on our way to the dungeons."

"I don't give a rat's arse where you three were headed, just stay out of my way." And, that said, Snape swept past him.

They watched until the man was out of earshot till they turned back around, "What got to him this morning?" Harry asked.

"He's always like that," Draco answered, "You just have to learn to deal with it."

"As your godfather, that would probably be me, too." Zabini smirked and Harry laughed as he pictured in his head Zabini babying a little Draco.

"I'm not that bad. Yes, I admit that I can be a spoilt little brat sometimes, but I didn't run him over the edge." Draco whined.

"You even pout." Harry laughed even harder, "This is perfect." He gasped hysterically and Zabini wasn't far behind. The laughter became contagious and Draco chortled lightly.

The three were still laughing as they entered the common room. Zabini sighed as he flopped heavily onto the dark green sofa, "Anyone up for a game of Wizard's Chess?"

"Sure!" Draco chimed as he pulled up the chess table and a chair, "Which colour do you prefer?"

"I don't mind…either or."

"I'll be green then," Draco answered as they set the board, and after they finished, Zabini made the first move, as he had the white pieces.

This was a perfect moment, Harry thought, "I'll be back later." Harry told the two just as Zabini made the first move.

"Okay, but you're playing the winner!" Draco called out, "That will be me, if I might add."

"Dream on!" Zabini smirked.

Harry left the common room through the portrait hole and glided hastily towards his uncle's quarters. He approached the portrait of Sir Serpens Cygnus and the painted man in armor came to attention.

"Halt, Good Sir," Cygnus started, "but I must ask you for your business here and your name."

"Just tell Professor Riddle that Harry's here, please." Said Harry.

"Yes, sir," he saluted and disappeared, walking off the scene of the background.

Several of the pictures whispered to each other and with the silence throughout the near corridors, the whispers practically pounded against the walls. He could hardly make out what they were saying, but he was positive that they were talking about him as soon as he heard his name whispered and Salazar Slytherin's.

The whispering pounded on the ash-gray brick walls and on the brick floor. His head began to hurt…a burn, as Harry identified it as such. The whispers were soon flooding into his head and his breathing became harsh and torn, as if he had been running forever, and the pain in his head became defined more in the front of his scalp surrounding his scar.

And suddenly, it stopped.

"Harry?" Harry opened his eyes and found Tom staring at him with concern etched in his eyes, "Are you alright?"

Harry simply nodded, "Yeah, why?"

Tom shook his head took a good look at him for a bit more before answering, "Is your scar normally that red? I've never noticed it." Harry's uncle moved aside and let him in. Harry didn't answered but only brought his hand up to his scar and traced it with his index finger. It stung as he touched it and it throbbed when he didn't.

"But, anyway, is there something you need, Harry?" Tom asked.

Harry sat down on his uncle's plush, dark green sofa and cleared his throat, "Uncle Tom…what do you expect from me? What do you expect me to become?"

"I beg your pardon?" Tom lifted an eyebrow.

"I don't want to let down the rest of the Slytherins by not becoming what they expect to become, so I need a teacher. I know that I don't show it most of the time, but I want to know everything there is to know about magic. Can you help me?"

Tom smiled down to Harry tenderly and sat down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder gently, "I knew it was in you somewhere…" said Tom, "Just between you and me, I personally favour the Dark Arts." He whispered.

"You can help me then?" Harry asked.

Tom chuckled, "My dearest Harry…" he sighed, "If the Dark Arts is what you seek, then you've come to the right place, but…" Tom held out a finger, "the catch is that you cannot just tell anyone…only your most trusted followers. But I think that you can figure that out."

End of Chapter 22

Maoi: Evil Harry...finally! He awakens! And yes, I'll consider killing someone, especially the mudbloods, if not all of them. Gosh, I'm evil, *slaps hand* bad Maoi! And I've decided not to do all of his years in different books, but don't be discouraged. I'm considering putting them all into this story. What do you think? Yes or No?

Well, thanks again, and keep up those thick, healthy reviews to fuel my stamina.