A/N for those of you that are curious this wont be a Draco/Harry slash I like the idea of them being brothers too much, but it will be slash between Severus and Lucius but extremely non-graphic.

So now that that is cleared up here we go oh and thanks to all reviews you are the best.

Chapter five

Into the snake's lair

The month after Harry's birthday was the most exhausting yet most fulfilling Harry had ever had. He trained daily with his family, and family they definitely were. There first brotherly spat had ended with drawn swords and they soon were enjoying themselves to much to care what had started the impromptu duel. He settled back at night in the sitting room curled up next to his father on the couch, while listening to the two former death eaters tell stories of their Hogwarts days.

Harry and Draco couldn't believe the amount of improvement they had made over the summer, they had enough stamina to duel all day with only minimal breaks. Both Draco and Harry had mastered their Empathic gifts and could freely feed emotions to each other and those around them, Harry under the strict but comforting tutelage of his father had now mastered the elements, Severus had correctly predicted his dominants he could control the elements Fire and Air without much thought the other two took some concentration but he could control them equally as well.

Draco and Harry's duels got more and more violent sometimes forcing them to stop to tend to injuries, but so far nothing serious had happened. As for their Dark Arts training both boys had done remarkably well and had no qualms about the oath they had taken. The curses and hexes they were learning were ugly and usually very painful, but if they needed to they now knew what that death eaters had to use against them.

The week before the start of term found the small family dueling, Harry had improved so much after finally letting his power soar that one opponent wasn't challenging at all. At first he dueled one of the former death eaters at a time, they had used all the tricks they knew so as to give the boys a real show of what it was like to go against a death eater. When neither one of them could beat Harry anymore, they both dueled him at once, and he rose to the challenge and beat them again. The closet Harry had come to losing a match was when all three of his family gained up on him, he almost lost that one when three spells came at him at once and he couldn't move in any direction, except for one. He shifted the Air around him and lifted himself above the spells, while he was up there he sent three stunners down that just went gracefully over top of their shields stunning all three of his opponents at one time. When the little family wasn't busy sending spells at each other Severus and Harry shut themselves into the potions lab for some serious experimenting leaving Lucius and Draco to have some time to themselves.

Then it came time for Severus to spend time with Draco and Lucius to spend some time with Harry. Sometimes Harry would duel with sword or staff with Lucius, other times he got into deep debates with the man on some philosophical or political point. Harry not even realizing was receiving a pure-blood education for the first time through these debates. The effects showed when Harry started acting more and more a pure-blooded Slytherin. Which in some ways made his Dad burst with pride but when he irritated this new Harry he wondered if it was the best of ideas, in fact on one occasion he had plenty of time to ponder that because he had made a comment about one spell being weaker then the other. Which had lead to his predicament of being hung upside down from the ceiling eves wondering when someone would find him. When he got to supper that night after a shocked house elf had unstuck him Lucius had asked what charm he had criticized. Severus checks turned pink and whatever he said the first time wasn't fully audible. He finally grumbled out two words, "Sticking Charms."

That caused everyone at the table to have a good laugh at Severus' expense. Luckily he didn't stay too mad for very long no one had been hurt and it really was harmless fun that got Harry's point across. Harry's point being you don't want to criticize a cranky extremely powerful teenage wizard. What Severus was unaware of that made Draco go into gales of laughter when his brother told him, was that he was severely lucky he didn't end up as a bat but Harry knew if he even tried that he would get grounded until he graduated.

The two brothers got to spend time together during their lessons on Occlumency, Animagus, and Empathy. Draco soon was holding his own in Occlumency, easily blocking his dad or his father, unfortunately he still couldn't keep his brother out. He had also managed the Animagus transformation, but they were keeping his forms a secret for now. Harry however had complete control over his Empathic gifts, except for when he felt extreme emotions. It took the boys a great deal of time for Harry to have complete control but he managed it.

The feeling of family just kept growing between the four of them until they could barely comprehend existence without each other, unfortunately all good things must end and for Harry and Draco it ended all too soon. They had to go back to Hogwarts the next day and neither one of them felt like sleeping so they sat up talking.

"Hey Harry, I have a question for you. How exactly did you figure out Severus was your dad most of us would have thrown off those little things as coincidences?" Draco asked.

"You're forgetting something Draco, the way I was brought up. I always notice the so called little things they were what warned me that my relatives were up to something. When these things kept pointing in the same direction, that there was a bond in place between Severus and I in place, I looked back through his story of his wife and child. I wondered why it took several days to kill the child if that was the intention. I put that information together with what I knew about blood adoptions. I made the potion off of all these things put together." Harry explained.

"You managed to put all this together in less then a day?" Draco asked in amazement.

"It was a puzzle that needed solving, I mean Dad has waited for 15 years. I wanted a family so bad it hurt and now we finally have one. Our parents love each other and I have brother, who would have believed that?"

"I see what you mean." Was all Draco said, as the two sat in a comfortable silence for a moment. Then Harry spoke.

"Draco," Harry started out hesitantly. "What happened to your mother?"

Draco sighed then looked back up at Harry. "You know the moment Severus bonded with Dad that Narcissa and Dad's marriage was dissolved. Well the reason that was true is that there marriage was arranged by the dark lord himself. They were bonded through the Dark Mark just like you did with Dad and Father. When you removed Dad's Mark you severed the bond between them. My mother is no longer a Malfoy the vaults won't open to her and the house elves won't listen to her. Don't be sad about it Dad and I couldn't be happier she made us slaves to her whim basically now we are free." Draco explained.

"So now to other things how do we go about telling the Slytherins tomorrow?" Harry asked.

"They are going to be shocked after the resorting and the sooner you tell your story the better, it is definitely a good thing that we are going back on a Friday night we will have all day Saturday and Sunday to go through this. I think we should wait until Saturday to be announcing anything, except I would like to tell my friends on Friday if you don't mind." Draco said.

""I don't mind if they are your friends they deserve to know first." Harry said. "Should we tell them about our Animagus forms?"

"Oh definitely, if the Slytherins knew you are a Cobra it will just make it easier for them to accept. Come Monday you are going to be so firmly integrated into Slytherin that you will be protected from the other houses." Draco said.

"Could you tell me some about your friends?" Harry asked. "You know how they really are not how they act and yes I know there acting."

"Alright, first thing is Vince and Greg are not as stupid as they make themselves out. They are actually very intelligent the teachers know this because of homework and tests. Pansy is very ambitious but when in our common room she is actually kind and helps out with the younger years that have similar problems to you. Blaise and Theo are best friends and some of our best defenders the younger years know this and go to them or me when they are in trouble."

Harry looked to be puzzling over something finally he spoke, "Draco would the upper level Slytherins and maybe the younger ones be interested in learning to duel we could teach them. That way they could all defend themselves and if Blaise and Theo are good enough they could help us teach and we could bring them up to our level. Would something like that work?"

"I think you would have every single Slytherin interested, would you want to open this up to other houses?" Draco asked.

"No, if they turned there backs on me then they can learn on t heir own, with a few exceptions."

"Who would be the exceptions?"

"Ginny, Fred, and George Weasley, they are the only ones in Gryffindor that stood by me. I also want to ask if you could lay off Neville. I found out a few things about him and he would be an excellent wizard with a little confidence." Harry added Neville's name hesitantly.

"If they prove to the Slytherin's that they are loyal to you and not Dumbledore then I think they will be fine with it. Do you want us to teach Neville too it doesn't have to be in front of the other Slytherins but I know what happened to his parents I would be willing to help him."

"If he agrees to be taught then I will gladly teach him." Harry said.

Their conversation was interrupted by Lucius coming into the room. "Why aren't you to in bed it's nearly midnight and we have to be off early tomorrow."

"We couldn't sleep so we talked about a few things like how we would tell the Slytherins about us." And he outlined their conversation and their plans on starting a dueling club.

"Sounds like it would work I will talk it over with Severus tonight, now you two bed." Lucius then strode out of the room heading towards his and Severus' room.

"See you tomorrow Draco," Harry said snuggling into his blankets.

"Why don't I stay in here they wont know we are still talking." And Draco conjured another bed next to Harry's and climbed in.

The boys talked quietly for the next hour about Quidditch and other miscellaneous things until both their eyes were dropping and they fell asleep. For once they had an uneventful sleep. So when Severus came in to wake Harry he found both boys in the middle of a very serious pillow fight.

They managed to untangle themselves from their covers and got up to get ready. Breakfast was a happy affair with everyone trying not to think about the coming months. Then they set off for kings cross and platform 9 ¾. All four off them had on long black cloaks with their hoods up shadowing their faces so once on the platform they cut an imposing path through the other witches and wizards. Lucius and Severus had gone out and gotten their school supplies the week before and set up an appointment at Grinngotts to discuss the vaults.

When their trunks were safely stored in their compartments the two boys went to say goodbye to their father's. Draco hugged his dad while Harry hugged his, then they switched to hug their fathers.

"Be good you two I have a feeling this is going to be one wild year. Harry you will have to sit at the Gryffindor table until the resort which I will get them to do first. I will check the hat for tampering then you can sit with the Slytherins. I will see you at Hogwarts now onto the train." Severus said then the two older wizards apparated away.

Harry and Draco were left to get back into their compartment and wait until Draco's friends came on board. It wasn't long before the compartment door opened and the five Slytherins in question walked in.

"Draco who is this?" Pansy asked when she spotted Harry who still had his hood up.

"Well Pansy that is for him to tell you but you're in for a bit of a shock." Draco said as Pansy looked between Harry and Draco suspiciously.

"Hello Pansy," Harry said as he removed his hood.

"Potter!" She nearly yelled.

"Well not exactly, you will find out about that later. And Draco we might as well tell them now we have just enough time." Harry told them.

"Fine Harry, it's your story to tell." Draco said.

Harry then with occasional help from Draco told the story glossing over some parts like about Dumbledore and the Dursleys. They only stopped when the witch with the lunch cart came through.

When darkness had descended and they could feel the train slowing Harry finished his story and said. "There is more but those parts I only want to tell once so we will have to wait until this weekend."

"Wow Harry, Draco you two are brothers now that's going to get interesting. Are you absolutely positive you will be in Slytherin?" Pansy said.

"It is pretty much guaranteed I fought the Hat once I don't think I will this time but I can do it again, I absolutely refuse to go back to Gryffindor." Harry said with all the venom he can muster.

"Yep he will be in Slytherin." Blaise commented Dryly.

"We need to get changed before getting to the school." Said Theodore Nott or Theo as he preferred to be called.

They all changed into their uniforms then Harry making sure his arms stayed covered he wasn't ready for them to see his scars yet. They all glared including Harry at the Gryffindor colors he wore.

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The Great Hall was cheery and full of chattering students. Harry took his seat between Ginny and Neville and quietly told them he would be resorted. The two had appeared stunned when they first caught sight of Harry his robes covered his physic but it didn't stop them from seeing his added height.

The hall quieted as Dumbledore stood. "This year we have a request that a student be resorted we will take care of that before the first years." At this McGonagall brought out the Sorting Hat and a three legged stool.

"Harry Potter please come forward." She called out.

The hall broke out in frantic whispers as Harry moved up to the stool. The students took in his new height and the slight aura of power that he let show through. He stalked up to the Hat mimicking his dad and put it on his head.

"Welcome Mr. Potter or is it Snape? Well any way its finally time to correct the mistake that was made. Are you ready?" The Sorting Hat whispered into his mind.

"When ever you are," Harry replied to the hat.

"Slytherin" was called out so the entire hall could hear.

Harry took the Hat off to face the stunned great Hall. He looked over to his former house all but four students looked murderous, and then he shifted his gaze to his new house. Every face with the exception of those in the compartment of the Hogwarts Express bore an expression of shock. He noted the fact that as soon as the Hat called out Slytherin his uniform switched to those colors.

He walked quickly to the table to sit between Draco and Pansy, across from Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. "Well done Brother," was all Draco said.

Then McGonagall came back in with a long line of first years and the actual sorting began distracting the other houses from Harry. The feast proceeded mostly uneventfully with Draco and Harry getting pelted with questions that they refused to answer until later.

Much later when everyone was full Draco led the way to the Slytherin common room. It was the same as when Harry visited in his second year. Accept this time instead of appearing harsh and cold now it felt secluded quiet and most of all safe, Harry allowed himself to relax a little which Draco was quick to notice. "I see you can relax here do you like it?"

"Its perfect Draco its not noisy or overbearing like Gryffindor tower usually is. I am really going to like it here." He answered honestly.

"I am glad, now ill show you to the dorms." Draco said leading him to a staircase that went lower into the dungeons, they came to a door that said fifth year boys and went inside.

The room held six beds arranged in a semi circle. Harry noticed his bed was closest to the door and went to the trunk that was already there. He got the stuff he needed for his nightly routine and got ready for bed. He waited until the other five boys were in the bathroom getting ready to remove his shirt.

He didn't notice Blaise come back into the room before he could get his shirt back on. "Merlin Harry what happened to you?" He asked looking at the scars that covered his bare back and chest.

Harry hurriedly pulled a shirt on and said. "That's part of what I didn't tell you on the Express I promise you will get the full story tomorrow just don't make me say it twice."

"Alright Harry but you better tell everything." He said. The other boys started filtering in Blaise didn't say a word about what he saw, that made Harry very grateful if he had been in Gryffindor it would be all over the tower in five minutes and the school by breakfast.

The boys fell exhausted into bed and Harry managed to get through his first night without waking up screaming. The last night he had a nightmare but it didn't involve Avada Kedavra. The only one to know that Harry had a nightmare was Draco who managed to get him calmed down quickly and back into his own bed before anyone else noticed.

The next morning Harry got into the bathroom first and changed quickly to not be noticed. He waited for the other boys before heading up to breakfast. The group of seven Slytherins were met with whispers the entire way, making Greg and Vince scowl and Blaise and Theo look around warily hands not far from their wands. Harry long used to this just strode down the halls letting a bit more of his power around the shields. No one wanted to mess with that, well with two minor exceptions.

Ron Weasley yelled out when they entered the Great Hall. "See Potter I always knew you would be dark." Hermione glared at Harry but Ron was backhanded by Ginny.

"How can you say that Ron he was the best friend you ever had." Ginny yelled at him.

"No friend of mine will be a Slytherin." Ron said pompously.

"Oh grow up Ronald." She said then stalked gracefully down to the other end of the table from him and sat next to Neville across from Fred and George who were also glaring daggers at Ron.

Over at the Slytherin table most had watched the altercation between the Gryffindors with well concealed interest. Draco leaned over closer to Harry and whispered, "I see what you mean about Ginny, I don't think you will have much problem keeping the Slytherins from harming her and the twins."

Harry nodded his agreement and turned his attention to breakfast. They kept the conversation light knowing Harry would need a lot of strength to get out the full story. When all the plates were cleared Harry spelled a note to appear in front of his dad telling him to come down to the common room later when Harry had finished his tale.

Draco managed to get everyone settled into the common room and their attention on Harry. Draco spoke first, "You have all been asking questions about why Harry is here well we are going to tell you now. Keep this information to yourselves and remember we take care of our own. Go on Harry it's your story."

Harry sat next to Draco and started talking. "First off this is a long story and difficult for me to tell please don't interrupt until I am finished." He then spent the next few hours telling them the entire story from his days at the Dursleys to his first for years of Hogwarts. The Slytherins were a good audience true to their word they didn't interrupt but you could hear the occasional gasp or growl at a particularly bad part. Harry could feel the weight of his past lifting off his shoulders as he sat telling his most private experiences to almost perfect strangers when he wouldn't have dreamed about telling the Gryffindors. He knew he was safe with these people he used his Empathy to read them and all he got was a growing sense of protectiveness mixed with anger and rage at his tormentors. Everyone was shocked silent when Harry got to the part about removing the Marks and the adoption potion. He explained that Severus was his biological father and Draco was now his brother in every thing but blood. He ended his tale with telling them what Draco and his talents were. "Alright if you have any questions now would be the time to ask them."

There was silence for a few minutes then the questions started coming. "If Professor Snape is your dad why do you look like James Potter," one of the older Slytherins asked.

"I was adopted by the Potters through a blood adoption. It gave me the features of them rather then my real parents. We are going to reverse the effects of the potion when the time is right." He explained.

"After every thing he has done to you and your family, are you still fighting with Dumbledore?" a harsh looking seventh year asked.

All the Slytherins were surprised to see the depth of hatred and pain that came across Harry's face he hissed out between clenched teeth. "I will never fight along side that man, I won't join Voldemort but I won't join Dumbledore either. Both have poisoned my life each one has taken a family away from me, Voldemort has killed and tortured innocence that I have to watch and experience in my dreams. Dumbledore has manipulated me and made me go through just as much torture he planned on making the perfect weapon well the plan worked. I am a weapon only now I follow myself. I am giving you a choice and either way it won't effect how I see you. You can follow either of them or you can follow me. Just know that if you follow me I will make sure you are taken care of but I do still have problems thanks to my uncle and Dumbledore. I will not let Dumbledore do to another what was done to me, if you want to join him fine just know you will manipulated, and if you follow Voldemort you will face pain."

"Just how badly did this muggle hurt you? You weren't very clear on that part, I want to know at what lengths Dumbledore would go to keep you in line." One of the sixth year girls asked.

Harry looked at Draco who nodded, Harry took off his outer robe and pulled off his shirt. There was another shocked silence as they saw the burns, punctures, stab wounds, and lash marks. When they could finally speak again there was a small voice in the back belonging to a second year, "There is more isn't their," he said quietly "I saw someone else with scars though not as much but there was other things wrong when he was found."

Harry was shocked for a moment then answered. "Yes there was more I was starved and worked as a slave. It took me a month after Dad and Father rescued me before I could eat a full meal. There are also some other more psychological side effects. I don't like loud noises and I usually detest touch, I warn all off you now don't ever come up behind me and touch or yell at me I could panic and hurt you I don't want to do that."

There was another silence as everyone carefully considered what they had just been told. Then someone tentatively asked, "What can we do to help you?"

"Not much really but we do have an idea of sorts to help the rest of you." Harry said. "We want to start something like a dueling club we could teach you both magical and physical defense. I got a look at the new defense teacher, she is ministry appointed and looks like a toad. I have to admit I used Legilimency on her she is here to make sure Dumbledore isn't training his own army she is only going to teach us theory nothing practical. So what do you say do you want this dueling club?"

Everyone in the common room agreed immediately. Then they all started to filter out of the common room and to the great hall for a late lunch. Draco and Harry weren't feeling hungry so the other five of their group stayed in the common room with them.

"Harry I never thought Dumbledore would do that to you of all people. You would think he would want you happy not suppressed." Theo mused.

"That is just the problem Theo, Dumbledore doesn't think of me as a person to him I am a tool or a weapon. I proved him right in a way I am now the perfect weapon he hoped for. Only now I can use my power to help those who really need it. Those innocents that get caught in a battle we shouldn't be fighting in the first place. If it was just blood lines we were fighting over this would have been over long ago but now its more for pride and hatred then anything else. I agreed with Voldemort's original plan of keeping the worlds separate while Dumbledore wanted to combine them. If they had just stuck to their original plans I am almost positive Voldemort would have won but he was corrupted with his power, and now that's all this war is to him power. Dumbledore is also in it to stop Voldemort from gaining power."

"So what do you believe in?" Vincent Crabbe asked.

"I think we need to keep the worlds separate but we also need the muggleborns too. The pureblood lines are just that they are too pure. The lines are crossing too much while it is true that two people with strong magic will produce a strong child it's the opposite when you inbred. The muggleborns are a source of fresh blood it doesn't matter whether it is old or new magic as long as both parents have it their will be little chance for a squib. Have you noticed as each generation passes there are more squibs, well it is too many mixes with plain muggles and too much inbreeding on the purebloods. In order to do this we need to make the war back to what it started as about the blood lines. The Light and the Dark are corrupted hopefully the Grey will stay pure, Is this making sense?" Harry answered.

"Yes it is, thanks for explaining." Vince answered.

Pansy had sat through everything that had happened with a calculating look on her face she finally spoke now. "Harry just how powerful are you?"

"Actual power or just the level I can use the magic?" He asked.

"Both," She explained.

"Alright," Then Harry took all the restraints off his magic and let his aura respond. His aura was pure gold and extremely bright. "That is my power level, as for what level I am at I am at roughly seventh year in charms and transfiguration, mastery level in potions, and in defense I haven't lost a duel since I reached my full power and let myself use it."

"Who have you been dueling other then Draco?" She asked. That was another part Harry had glossed over.

"I dueled three on one with my fathers and my brother." Harry answered quietly it was all well and good that he could stop holding back in front off his family. This wasn't his family anymore.

Draco immediately picked up on Harry's distress. "Harry, Brother calm down remember what we discussed over the summer no one hear will get jealous or hurt you if you do better then them stop worrying about it. If I catch you holding back one time this year are next duel won't be pleasant." As he finished he touched Harry's shoulder and fed him reassurance and comfort.

"Holding back, why on earth would you do that?" She asked.

Harry let out a sigh before answering, "I always have at the Dursleys I would be punished and here Ron would be jealous and Hermione would get angry." He explained quietly. "I should have let the Hat put me here in the first place it would have made things a lot easier."

"Yeah it probably would, and don't forget father will be down later to tell the first years and you more about how we act." Draco said.

The others realizing Harry needed a change of topic. Started just chatting about anything until the others came back with Severus following them.

"All right settle down, I am Professor Severus Snape and your head of house. As Slytherins most of you will be ridiculed by the other houses. We combat this by taking care of each other, if any of you see a Slytherin in need help them. For the younger years there are some very good defenders in this house if something major happens get a hold of them. Would anyone good at dueling stand up so the others know who to look for." As he spoke Harry, Draco, Blaise, Theo, and a few others stood. "Remember these faces they will help you. While you are in this common room you will help each other with whatever you need. You are safe here and no one will ridicule you for taking off your every day masks. Now ill leave you to yourselves take care of each other, if there is anything major don't hesitate to come to me." And with that he left the common room his black robes billowing.

"When do you think the first meeting will be of the dueling club," A fourth year asked Harry.

"Tomorrow we will have to keep it secret though, and I know the perfect place lets all meet here after breakfast ill bring you there then." Harry looked around and he saw everyone nod in agreement.

After that the Slytherins went back to their own conversations leaving a group of seven Slytherins to plan a way to get all off them safely to the Room of Requirement without notice.