The Prices of Family
Harry woke to someone picking him up. He opened his eyes to see Professor Snape, his father.
"Hey Harry, we're at Hogwarts." Snape carried him out of the bus and before them stood the huge gates of Hogwarts. Snape touched them and they opened.
"The gates are bewitched to open to the touch of any teacher who has been here for more than five years." he said as a way of explanation.
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As they entered the entrance hall, Dumbledore came towards them.
"Harry, I need to apologi- holy merlin!"
"Albus." Snape said, so coldly that even Harry shivered at the tone.
"Severus, Poppy is not here. She went to-"
"Take care of her brother in Wales, I forgot." he sighed.
"Yes, but you are more than qualified." Harry smiled.
"What?" Snape asked.
"I don't have to deal with the biggest fussbucket in the school." he said. Snape laughed.
"Fussbucket?" Dumbledore asked, perplexed.
"Muggle saying." both Snape and Harry said.
"How did you know that?" Harry asked.
"Two reasons," Snape said as he walked toward the dungeons. "One, I'm halfblood, my mother was a Muggleborn witch. And Two, I'm a fully qualified healer in both the Muggle and Magical worlds. I spent years there, training."
"Cool, so if we ever go to London, it won't be like going with Hagrid or Mr. Weasley where they ask about the simplest things." Snape chuckled softly.
"Yes, I'm sure that gets on your nerves."
"To no end. The first summer I stayed with the Weasleys, Mr. Weasley asked me, and I quote, 'What exactly is the function of a rubber duck.'" Snape just stared at him for a moment then burst out in laughter that bounced around the dark passages of the dungeons.
"You're kidding right? Oh Merlin Arthur, that was intellegent. That is the mentalist thing he's ever said.
"He also told my aunt and uncle that he collects batteries and plugs."
"Oh that's a way to make friend with muggles."
"I mean, I love the Weaselys and all but that is just annoying. That and everyone knowing more about me than I do."
"I'm sure. Its a good thing I wasn't the one who first gave you your letter or I would have torn the apart. Or maybe I should have when Albus asked me..." he trailed off. The rest of the journey was spent in silence until they came to a portrait of sharp lokking man with a snake winding about his arm.
"Hello Salazar."
"Ah, my many greats nephew, and who is this?"
"My son."
"Ah welcome, heir to my house." Harry's eyes widened. He'd wait till they got inside.
"Salazar Slytherin?"
"Yes, ah you've aquired it too I see." Harry looked puzzled.
"Harry, you're speaking parsletongue." Snape said.
"Shit, I never realize when I do that."
"What do you mean?" Snape said as the portrait opened.
"Well the first time I spoke to a snake, I set in on Dudley in a zoo. I never realized it was a different language until after the Dueling Club in second year."
"Well that explains alot."
"Wait, we're related to Salazar Slytherin?"
"Yes, I am decended from Slytherin's line, and your mother was decended from Ravenclaw's."
"Then why am I in Gryf..oh."
"What?"
"Well the hat wanted me in Slytherin but I told it not to because of what I heard."
"Slytherins get a bnad wrap. And not all dark wizards were Slytherins."
"Peter Petiegrew." Harry spat. "Gryffindor."
"Yes, and how he became a Gryffindor, I'll never know. The twit was a coward and a rat, literally."
"I know, he was Ron's rat, Scabbers."
"I knew there was a reason I hated that rat. Harry, think. Has any Slytherin ever lied to you? Ever?"
"No, not even Voldemort."
"We are not liars, we twist the truth but never outright lie. We are loyal to our house as we get enough ridicule from the other three. You'll notice your Gryffindors will turn their backs on you the second something goes wrong. With the exeption of the Weasleys and Miss Granger."
"Well Ron, he turned on me during the Tournament last year. He believed I put my name in and got jealous."
"That's still different. Jealousy is different from turning your back for the reasons they do. Mr. Longbottom is another exeption to the rule."
"Why are you alway worse to him than even me?" Harry asked.
"I'm sure you've heard of his parent? What happend?" Harry nodded.
"That night, Bellatrix put a memory charm on him to make him forget who and what exactly happend. That's why his memory is so bad. By treating him the way I do, I hope to break it without using force to break into his mind. Its safer. I think I'm starting to get through, he has improved." Harry thought back. He's right, Neville has improve quite a bit.
Suddenly his head felt like it been split in half, it hurt so bad. Vaguely, as if it was from another time, he heard his father's voice but it was shoved back as he was thrown into a vision.
VISION
A circle of Deatheaters sit infront of their master.
"Lucius, report!" he barked.
"The giants have been persuaded my lord. The old man had sent Hagrid and Maxime but there was a battle and the new gurg wasn't fond of them."
"Have they been disposed of?"
"McNair was unable to find them my lord."
"That is unacceptable. MCNAIR, FOREWARD!"
"My Lord-"
"I have no tolerance for excuses, cruico." McNair writhed on the ground.
"Anymore news, Lucius?"
"Yes my Lord. Severus Snape has not been loyal to you. I saw him take the Potter boy from his relative to the Knight Bus. I spied on him and Potter. It seems he is the boy's father, not James."
"Really Lucius. I will not tolerate a traitor. Let's call him in for some fun." Voldemort touched the Dark Mark on Lucius' arm.
Pain engulfed everything.
END VISION
"Harry, Harry, wake up." he opened his eyes. Snape stood over him, in obvious pain as well.
"Don't. go. back. he. knows."
"What?"
"Lucius Malfoy. Followed us. Heard everything." he was still trying to breathe. "Hurts, don't it?"
"Yes, he's calling."
"Please don't, he'll kill you."
"I wasn't. I decied you are more important. I'm through with spying."
"Good, let me see." he said, nodding to the Mark. Snape was surprised but held out his arm. Harry put his hand over it and closed his eyes. The pain vanished. Snape looked down. The Mark was still there but it felt normal.
"How...?"
"Don't know. After the tornament, I found I could do this and a few other things."
"Other things?"
"I'll tell you later, I'm tired."
"Ok, I'll let you sleep and when you wake, we'll see what's wrong, ok?"
"Yea." Harry's voice slurred with exhaustion. Snape picked him up and went into a room off to the side of the room they were just in. Harry hadn't even registered they had been on the couch that whole time. He lay Harry on the bed, removed his glasses, and pulled the covers up.
"Rest." he whisper in Harry's ear as he smoothed back his son's hair from his face.