Harry Potter and the Soul of the Serpent
Chapter 6
New Beginnings
Standard Disclaimers Apply
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Snape slowly stirred the Wolfsbane, counting methodically. It was nearly done and he could finish this tedious routine and move on to the next cursed task. He mused on his meeting with Potter. The boy had been…different. Well, of course he was, but there was something inexplicable about the way he now carried himself; with determination, but deep sorrow.
He knew he had to talk to him sooner or later. Snape himself had gone through a time when he had lost faith in what he was doing. He knew the one thing that had kept him going during those times and he fought to protect it. He fought to protect what was rightfully his, and what no man should go without. Men are built for many things, but loneliness is not one of them.
Severus Snape fought, because he had not always been alone.
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"Severus, as you are the only teacher here for the next few weeks, I must stress the importance of you keeping an eye on Harry," Dumbledore said.
"I'm well aware of my duties as a teacher, Albus. The boy will be perfectly fine."
Dumbledore nodded calmly.
"I accept your judgment Severus, however I feel that some company would be beneficial."
Snape stared at Dumbledore.
"Not you of course," said Dumbledore. "You are not a babysitter but…"
"Absolutely not! I will not have that boy associating with my-"
"I dare say they will meet each other eventually, if they are both living in the castle, Severus. You can't stop it."
"I can and I will, Dumbledore. The boy is a danger. Who knows if he's right in the head anymore?"
"He spoke to me perfectly rationally this afternoon, Severus."
"And he to me, but he'd changed Dumbledore."
Dumbledore bowed his head in regret.
"Yes. He has."
A third voice entered the conversation and the two men looked to the fireplace, where a head sat in the flames.
"Albus!"
"Good evening, Molly."
"Albus, is Harry all right?" Her face was pale. "When can we come and see him?"
Dumbledore looked sad.
"Molly, I think it is best if Harry is left alone for the time being. He is fine, but it is in his best interests if he is left to sort things out for himself. Maybe in a few weeks…"
"Of course, Albus," said Molly, disappointed. "Give him our best."
And with that he was gone.
"You lied to her. Or to me," Snape said.
"It had to be done. Harry is not ready to face the people who left him."
Snape looked at Dumbledore, incredulity clouding his features.
You left him. We all left him.
"Harry needs company, but I think he needs to find it as he wishes, and in whom he wishes."
Snape reluctantly nodded his agreement.
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Harry traipsed down to the entrance hall for the second time that day and wondered where to go. Abruptly he turned right and started walking. Indecisiveness was not good. He would need to overcome that particular weakness. With a start he realised where he was. Without thinking, he entered the girl's bathroom and stood in front of the sink that didn't work.
He had dreamt about this place so many times over the past year that he knew it would be permanently etched into his memories for years to come. The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was so inconspicuous he was surprised they had ever managed to find it. He wished he never had found it, never had that experience. But then Ginny wouldn't be alive today.
"Open," he hissed. The black hole gaped in front of him again. He wasn't quite sure why he was doing this. Curiosity maybe. Surely Salazar Slytherin had built the Chamber for something more than housing a Basilisk. Harry slowly climbed into the pipe, preparing for what he was about to do. It was a stupid idea really, but what else was he to do? He needed something to occupy his time.
He took a deep breath and let himself go. At the bottom of the black tube, Harry looked around and swore. It was pitch black. He swore again. He had no wand. He swore again when he remembered how they had gotten out last time. Harry decided not to move from where he was. After a few minutes he decided he'd made a stupid mistake and resolutely determined to think logically.
No one knew where he was. As far as he knew the only ones in the castle were Snape and Dumbledore. Harry felt a shiver run through him. He could have sworn he felt a breeze. Not wind- but something disturbed the air down here. There was a sense of power in the air, and Harry stifled the urge to panic. A thought came to Harry. The entrance through the girl's bathroom couldn't be the only entrance to the Chamber. After all, what great wizard would want to slide down a filthy pipe? Somewhat reassured, Harry turned his thoughts to the more immediate problem. Light.
Surely there must be a light source down here. But if there wasn't… Harry reached out his hand to find the wall, and its solid strength gave him some comfort.
"Lights!" He hissed. Nothing happened. His heart skipped a beat as he realised he had still spoken in Parseltongue. He clamped his mouth shut and determined not to say anything more.
Harry was getting desperate. He held out his left hand and concentrated on where he thought it might be. Desperately he wished for light, and focussed all his energy on producing it. He had managed magic before without a wand, when he had needed it desperately. Surely he could do it again now. Nothing happened. Frustrated, Harry punched the wall. It hurt. Anger swelled up inside him, and suddenly light flared on his hand. It was so bright he could barely look at it, but it lit up the whole room.
Harry looked around slowly, remembering that he must be beneath the lake. Water dripped slowly down the slime covered walls. He began down the tunnel. His footsteps echoed loudly of the circular walls until he came to the rock fall that had occurred nearly four, no, five years ago. He climbed over it, wincing as a particularly large boulder gave way under his feet and crashed to the floor, coming to rest some distance from the base of the rock fall.
He continued on his way and came to the flat stone wall decorated with snakes.
"Open," he hissed.
It slid eerily away into a gap in the wall.
The chamber was revealed to him again, just as he remembered it. The pillars, decorated with twisting, jewel-eyed snakes loomed up in the darkness, and he wondered again why he had come here. It was a foolish idea, but he felt compelled to go on, drawn to the statue at the far end of the chamber. He stood at the base of it, in the same place Ginny Weasley had lain unconscious, wondering if it was a likeness of Salazar Slytherin. His stone robes brushed the floor and a pendant hung around his neck.
He remembered Tom Riddle's words and repeated them.
"Speak to me, Salazar Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!"
The air was oppressingly still. A loud, echoing voice permeated the quiet.
"Only those who have the blood of Slytherin running in their veins may speak to me. Only they may enter the chamber. You have proven yourself worthy."
High above Harry's head, the pendant loosened from the statues neck and fell to the floor with a resounding ring. Harry picked it up and saw that it was not stone, like the statue, but a dull, tarnished metal. He polished it one-handed on his robes and it glinted in the light. Emerald eyes glinted up from a silver serpent, twisted into an ornate design.
He realised with a start that this was something that Tom Riddle had not found- it had lain unmoved, Harry assumed, since Salazar Slytherin himself had put it there.
Only those who have the blood of Slytherin running in their veins may speak to me.
Was his ability to speak Parseltongue because Voldemort had marked him, or was Salazar Slytherin really one of his ancestors?
Harry put the thought from his mind. He didn't want to be related to Voldemort or Slytherin.
You would have done well in Slytherin.
The Sorting Hat's words flashed in his mind. Maybe he would have. Maybe he should have.
Harry shook his head and turned. Surveying the large room, Harry wondered what secrets the chamber held, what secrets it had been named for. He turned around again, looking for any clues. Finding none, he walked right around the chamber until he returned to the statue. The statue was the only thing in the chamber. There must be something. Harry studied the statue, following the long beard down to the floor. And there he saw it. Cleverly hidden in the carved etchings on the beard, Harry saw a familiar indent. The pendant fit perfectly. The moment he slotted it into the indent, the floor in front of him dissolved. Looking down, he saw a flight of steps leading down into darkness. He removed the pendant from the stone and descended the steps.
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A/N: Hey! My chapters are getting a bit longer. I enjoyed writing this one so I hope you enjoyed reading it. Reviews are appreciated :)
Chapter 7: The Serpent's Lair