Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here - their JK Rowlings'. But Slytherin's past winding in with the plot was my idea...

Chapter Eight With or Without You

Harry glanced down at the Gryffindor table. It was the Halloween Feast. Jack-o-Lanterns decorated the Great Halls enchanted ceiling; candles dotted amongst them flickering and moving eerie shadows across the hall.

Ron was sitting next to him, filling his fists with all sorts of goodies. "Bith if weally goood…" Harry felt himself laugh as he turned to his other best friend Hermione who had a mountain of books and was frantically trying to read through them. "Not now Harry don't you want to get your NEWTs…"

Harry shrugged and piled delicious foods onto his plate smelling the wonderful flavours from the Hogwarts kitchen. He never ate this well at the Dursleys.

The festivity in the Great Hall however was not to last… the ground began to quake, gently at first but gradually it crescendo of violence. The pumpkins fell from the ceiling, students and teachers ran for cover as Hogwarts came crumbling down like an old stale biscuit….

"Get up boy…!"

"Whaaat," Harry murmured stupidly, opening his eyes a crack to let in a small stream of light. "Where am I?" He asked with a yawn, he blinked and rubbed his eyes and looked up to the man who had shaken him awake. "Oh…" He was not at Hogwarts and the ceiling wasn't falling on his head - although apart of him wished it was.

"Woord Slythwin…" Harry murmured blinking again, reaching out for his glasses.

Slytherin had said very few words to him after Helga Hufflepuff had left the pervious evening. But Harry had known the founder had been watching him closely most of the night.

"Come, get up boy," Slytherin commanded lightly, tapping his foot on the floor, indicating he was impatient.
"But it isn't yet dawn," Harry grumbled as he swung his legs over the side of the small bed that had become his.
"Yes and the day is calling," Slytherin retorted handing Harry a thick wizard cloak about his own size, "And I have much to teach you today."

Harry pulled on the cloak and a pair of long soft doe skin boots and Slytherin wrapped his own travelling cloak around his shoulders. Slytherin allowed a very small amount of time where Harry took the opportunity to splash water on his face to wake himself up, which was effective as it was bitterly cold.

"Come, Harry…" Slytherin went to his front door and opened it gesturing for Harry to exit the house. Harry slid past the founder as if he would magically grow fangs and bite him and stopped his question before it reached his lips.

Slytherin locked his door magically and started past Harry. Harry trudged behind Slytherin his boots sinking the snow. Finally he could no longer contain his question. "Where are we going, Lord?"

Slytherin glanced over his shoulder. "Far enough away from my abode that you will not destroy it by mistake…"
"Eh…but why would that happen…?"
"All teachers take their apprentices to safe places of their first few times…I only hope you grasp the concepts quickly – it's so cold out here!"

Harry was about to ask what concepts Slytherin was referring to but before he did Slytherin said slowly and deliberately, "Look, Harry… about yesterday."
"I didn't mean…" Harry started quickly, afraid that he was going to become the target of Slytherin's wrath again.
"Listen to me boy," Slytherin hissed, he found what he was about to say humiliating enough without the boy apologising every two seconds, "I was angry and I should have expected you would have stumbled on something unsavoury in my mind… my reaction was unfair."
"Oh…" Harry was lost for words but added cautiously, "We're all guilty of that at some stage."

Because Slytherin was not facing him, Harry could not see the genuine smile that touched the founder's lips. Like Saxtyn, Harry was ever noble when he was on the right side of an argument.

The smile soon faded and Slytherin asked almost harshly, "Do you hate me boy?"

"Oh…" Harry was put of guard, "I thought I would… but no…there are many things I don't understand… but now I am not so sure."

Slytherin couldn't help but feel lightened by Harry's response…at least one wizard in the future will have not hated him. Harry didn't need to like him; just not hate and abhor his name.

"What don't you understand?"
Harry wasn't sure he should answer, but Slytherin had stopped to turn and wait for an answer. "Why is it you hate muggle borns so much?"

"It is true I value pure blooded wizards, young Harry, but I have my reasons… What you must understand is our world in this time is in great peril. Muggles persecute us at every turn. But the danger with the school…within my Hogwarts…the danger to our apprentices comes from within."

Slytherin found he wanted to tell the youngster from the future everything that had happened, everything that had angered him, everything that had given their kind grief. He felt certain that the boy must know of the dangers, must be aware of the hate and malice that lived within their own kind…

"Is muggle persecution of magical folk is as bad as history says that it is…?"
Slytherin looked sadly at Harry for a moment. "You remember the memories you saw yesterday?"
"Yes."

Slytherin swallowed before he could reply - memories flooded into his mind like a movie strip (except movies haven't been invented yet) "The village that was burning was my sister's home. Many magical folk had grouped their safety. But someone betrayed them and the muggles attacked in the dead of the night. First news I got of the attack was from my sister Salome, she had awaken me in sleep screaming at me to save her baby. I apparated straight to her home, to find myself engulfed in flames. Darcy her husband was dead on the threshold of their home… and the baby… the muggles had left little Saxtyn, not a year old, to die in his cot. I took my nephew and fled the house…Many died that night, Harry Potter. I found my sister's body the next morning."

Slytherin was surprised to see Harry hanging onto every word, his emerald eyes glinting in sympathy. "And what of the baby…what of Saxtyn?" There was an earnest edge to Harry's voice, one so filled with concern and compassion.

Slytherin smiled indulgently. "I raised my nephew as if he was my own son."
"Sounds like my own story, except it was a wizard that killed my parents and I was brought up with muggle relatives that hated me."

"Hmmm…" Slytherin did not like what he had seen of the Dursleys. They were one of the worst muggles, in fact he was surprised they hadn't tried to burn Harry at the stake yet! (Of course he didn't know that muggles didn't burn wizards and witches at the stake in Harry's time.)

Upon seeing a solitary bridge Slytherin grimaced and stopped. "We are at a safe distance now…we'll talk more later..."

Slytherin swished his cloak about his frame dramatically and gestured lightly to a stone on the ground. Immediately it sprung into his hand.

"There are two forms of 'wandless' magics I could teach you. The first you just witness – the manipulations of objects around you… I will not be teaching you that." Slytherin watched Harry half frown of disappointment with bemusement. "…after I teach you the second the first should come naturally after a little bit of work."
"So what is the second form, Lord?"
Slytherin grinned at Harry almost knowingly. "You've experienced it boy! The manipulation of force…"

Harry thought of the first day when he had unwisely insulted the Slytherin founder. He remembered the bodily force that had slapped his cheek toppling him into the snow.

Seeing that Harry understood to what he referred to Slytherin continued, "It can be devastating when used against a wizard who does not know how to protect himself…and it is much harder to teach and learn."
"Voldemort wouldn't know…" Harry's eyes glinted in hope...

Slytherin eyes flashed at the name of his 'heir'. "He may know Harry…I have seen evidence that points to he knows more than the average dark lord in your time… but he will not have learned it first hand from what I have deduced from your memories."

Slytherin masked his true concerns for the boy's future and that of his world. He felt somehow personally responsible for the future he would never know. He cast a spell over himself then over Harry, that left them simmering with a thin layer of grey like air. "This will protect myself and you if you loose control… we'll start with only small manipulations of force, such as a breeze…now access your power…"

Slytherin watched for Harry non verbal communication to tell him that he was ready for the next instruction.

"Now release it slightly…" Slytherin said softly only to yell, "SLIGHTLY…!" when Harry released too much and lost his hold on his power. It slipped through Harry's hold and Harry tried to regain his access by madly clawing and chasing after it…

"No, no, no, NO!" Slytherin rebuked shaking his head, "Never chase after your power if you have lost it… all you need to do at this stage is to let the power simmer down and die (which it did for itself) and start the process again…"
Harry looked doubtfully at his mentor.

"Well begin…" Slytherin said, gesturing and showing his impatience.
"How do I know how much to release?"

Slytherin tilted his head to one side his dark eyes regarding Harry in amusement and he gave the same instruction he had given Earven all those years back. "It's a learning curve boy, something you need to learn yourself until it becomes instinct."

Harry sighed and returned to accessing his power…

It had been a disappointing day for Harry. He didn't seem to be making any progress with the 'wandless' art at all. Slytherin was no help – he sat on a stump and watched his only comment was 'try again'.

Harry was relieved when Slytherin had announced it was time to all it a day. He had not even once found out how much power to release…he hadn't done any magic. It had been a terrible waste of the day.

Slytherin on the other hand was quite pleased. Apart from having more patience than he did, the boy had made some improvements. Very minute improvements, so that the boy did not see them – but they were there nonetheless. None of his apprentices had been able to manipulate power within a day… He had not been joking when he said it was a difficult magic to learn. However he felt that Harry would benefit greatly if he had learned to control force.

"The skill takes time Harry…and a great deal of patience from master and student."
Slytherin heard Harry grumble something about 'never be able to…'

To Harry's amazement he heard Slytherin chuckle. "I remember when my father tried to teach me…! It took me a whole fortnight to get it right and then…well he wasn't ready and he copped it!"
"What happened?" Harry inquired feeling a little better now that he knew even Slytherin had trouble when learning.
"I let a great wind storm loose in the kitchen…and mother was not impressed!"

Harry snickered trying to imagine Aunt Petunia's reaction if he let a storm loose in her perfect and orderly home…

Another three days past with the same results as the first… but on the fourth Harry found his equilibrium and exerted a small soft breeze from nowhere. He glanced to Slytherin who nodded simply and said, "That will be enough for today."
"But shouldn't I try again?"
"There will always be tomorrow Harry."

Harry watched as Slytherin started to take the familiar track home. 'Why hadn't he given him a second chance…?'

"Come on boy…it's cold out here…"

Harry sighed heavily and trudged after Slytherin. "Why did we stop?"
"Because I'm cold, hungry and bored that's why."
"Oh…I could have stayed myself…"
"And leave you to go exploring and gallivanting about one of the villages Harry? I think not!" Slytherin looked sternly down at his apprentice.
"I wouldn't do that!"

Slytherin's gaze only became more penetrable.

'Okay,' Harry admitted mentally, 'I probably would if I got bored…'

Slytherin rubbed his hands together and glanced back at Harry. "If think teaching you is the only thing the medieval world has to offer you Harry then you are sadly mistaken."
"What else is there?"
"Godric Gryffindor is a powerful mage, Harry Potter."
"I know… but what does that…"
"He specialises in protective magics…something that I cannot provide you with…"

Harry felt a thrill of excitement about meeting Godric Gryffindor in person – won't Hermoine be jealous if he had meet all of the founders of the school. It would be better than reading 'Hogwarts, A History.'

"…something he will not wish to provide you with…"
Harry felt his heart sink. "Why would he not help us?"
"Because there are certain risks…and knowing Gryffindor, whom I know very well, he will not accept the responsibility of casting such dangerous spells on one so young…and never on one of his own…"
"Could we fool him into doing it?"
Slytherin glanced back at Harry in surprise… "It could be quite an adventure Harry Potter… but I have another one in mind for you…"

"Will this protection keep me safe against Voldemort?"
"Protective magics are no guarantee Harry… but it will give you a certain edge…that's for sure…" Slytherin stopped and turned and added almost sadly, "Whatever your future holds for you Harry, remember this the world will go on with or without you… But you are the key to the future of our world…"

If you are wandering why there would have been many deaths at the village of Salazar's sister here's your answer... Muggles attacked in force in the dead of the night, when the village was asleep. Imagining waking up to find your house on fire, or your family's throats cut... the muggles had an advantage and used it. Cowardly yes... but the magical folk didn't have much of a chance to fight back...
Make sense... I hope so...