New chapter! First, I know all of you are concerned about Severus' decision to leave Sirius in Azkaban, have some patience the reason will be revealed in a later chapter. I promise. Second, to not give away any spoilers additional notes will be at the end of the chapter. Also this unbeta'd any and all mistakes are my own.

'text' = mentally speaking

"text" = regular dialogue

text = thoughts and emphasis words

Happy reading and enjoy!

Harry awoke the next morning feeling very excited. He cast the tempus and found that he was up an hour before everyone else including the teachers. Silently he got out of bed and padded his way to the bathroom. Harry was dressed and ready a half hour later, so he sat and read the Potions mastery book again.

Draco slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. The events the day before helped him remember where he was. He sat up and found his new friend dressed and reading. Harry was puzzle that would probably take all year to solve. Good thing he loves a challenge.

"How long have you been up?" He asked stretching his sleep stiff body.

Harry looked up from his book. "Almost an hour. By the time you finish getting ready it will be time to head to the Great Hall for breakfast."

"Alright. Give me twenty minutes."

"Take your time, Dray."

Draco nodded and took his stuff to the bathroom. Just as he said he was ready twenty minutes later. Both grabbed their bags and left the dungeons. They were one of the first there. The teachers' table had McGonagall, Sprout, Vector, the Headmaster, Hagrid and Snape. The Potions professor looked really tired and Harry was concerned about the man.

'Sev, you look terrible.'

'Thanks, love. I only got a few hours of sleep.'

'Love. I like that. Why didn't you get more sleep? I hope you weren't brewing potions.'

'No not this time. I was up researching and lost track of time.'

'Oh. Did you find anything?'

'I did but I'll tell you later. Eat your breakfast.'

'Yes, Sev.'

Harry tuned out Severus' thoughts to listen to Draco. When he filled up his plate he caught movement at the head table and subtly glanced that way. The Headmaster had a look of anticipation on his face.

'Sev, does that potion still work? Cause I don't like the look on Dumbledore's face.'

'Don't worry, love. The potion will work and I'm going to hand you another when I pass out the timetables. The new one is a modified version of the first and its stronger. Nothing will ever happen to you.'

Harry didn't miss the possessive tone in Sev's voice. He admits it does make him happy to hear it. He may only be eleven but that didn't mean he was naive to know what love was or to feel it. The love between them was true and pure and powerful. Harry would fight with everything he has to keep it that way.

'I will as well. I'm also glad to hear that you like the possessiveness because you are mine and nothing and no one will change that, or take you away from me.'

'They won't even get a chance to try.'

They each pulled out of their heads and joined the conversations around them. Every once in awhile Harry caught the confusion and angry looks on the Headmaster's face. It took everything he had not to laugh or smile smugly at the old man.

Just before breakfast ended, the head of each house went around to hand out the timetables. First years were last to get their's. Harry made sure to be surrounded by the others so Dumbledore couldn't see Severus hand him the vial. He took it quickly and put it in his pocket.

Severus walked away from his Slytherins and went to his classroom. During breakfast it had taken him everything not to show any emotions when he listened in on Dumbledore's thought. He wanted to curse the old bastard for drugging Harry's breakfast. He was going to talk to the house elves. Then he wanted to laugh when Dumbledore got angry when the potions didn't work. He needed to keep a closer eye on the Headmaster until he and Harry start the bonding process.

Albus was livid. None of the potions worked and he wanted to know why. He was going to have a long talk with Severus about this, after all those potions came from his supply closet. Not that the other man knew he took them and Dumbledore wasn't likely to tell him either. If potions weren't going to work then Albus was going to move onto spells and hexes. That damnable brat was going to be under his control.

Harry and Draco had every class together. Their schedule was also being shared with Gryffindor, except for Astronomy and History of Magic. Astronomy was with Ravenclaw and History with Hufflepuff.

Their first class was Transfirguration. They took one of the tables in the front. Weasley and Granger took the one next to them. He and Draco caught the glare the two sent their way.

The cat on the desk jumped off and turned into McGonagall. Weasley made an awed comment. Harry and Draco just rolled their eyes.

"He does know that this is transfiguration, right?" Harry whispered to Draco.

"Obviously not. Animagus is mentioned in the book." Draco whispered back.

"Today you'll be turning a match into a needle. Your grade is based on the sharpness, flexibility and if its burnished. Read the first chapter in your books thoroughly until you understand it. I will answer any questions you have. You may begin." McGonagall told her class. She wanted to see if they could read the text, understand it and get the practical done right without her doing a demonstration first.

She watched the class open their books and start reading. Draco didn't need to read the book, having to already done so days before school started. Harry had the book open but wasn't reading it. He already done this one and learned a few things.

"Dray, think of a color before saying the spell." Harry whispered to his friend.

Draco nodded and at the same time he and Harry casted the spell turning their match into a needle. His was green and Harry's was purple. Neither one could stop the laughter that escaped.

"What is funny Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall asked with a stern face.

"Our needles, Professor." Harry answered. He and Draco showed the woman what they had done.

McGonagall had to blink several times. Never in all her years had a student transfigured a colorized needle. She took them and inspected them. They were done correctly, and despite the color the needles did shine.

"Very well. You and Mr. Malfoy will receive an O for today's lesson. Now transfigure it back."

The boys nodded and turned it back to a match. McGonagall gave them a stiff nod and walked away. Harry and Draco smiled at each other.

Minerva couldn't believe that the two Slytherin boys got it before her Gryffindors. She wasn't prejudice but she did hold her house to high expectations. If she was honest with herself she could say she wasn't surprised that they did very well. James and Narcissa had been her top students.

Ron and Hermione glared at the Slytherins boys when McGonagall walked away. Hermione was extremely upset that two Slytherins managed to get it before her and get the top grade. Ron was livid that a Malfoy took his rightful place as Harry Potter's best friend. His mother was displeased as well when he wrote home and told her everything.

Harry and Draco were watching Weasley and Granger. The two Gryffindor had jealousy and anger on their faces. Harry had heard their thoughts and found it funny. He watch them finally transfigure the match, they weren't as good as some of the others he had seen.

"Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger are you finished?" She asked the pair. They were the only ones left to transfigure the match.

"Yes, Professor."

McGonagall inspected the needles. "Mr. Weasley, your's doesn't have a point and it doesn't gleam in the light. Not to mention its too breakable." She demonstrated by snapping it in half. "Ms. Granger, your's maybe be strong, the end needs to be a little more sharper and like Mr. Weasley's it don't have a glint. Mr. Weasley I have no choice but to give you a T and Ms. Granger you'll be getting an A."

She walked away before the two could protest. Harry and Draco smiled at them when they were given more glares.

Minerva stood in front of her class. The first class of the day did better than she expected, except for Mr. Weasley. She suspected that he didn't even try.

"Now class for homework, I want a foot and half of parchment on the correct way to transfigure an object. For those of you who missed something in today's lesson be sure to add how you would get it right and where you went wrong. Class dismissed."

The Slytherin duo quickly made their way to Potions. Again they grabbed the table in the front. Snape came in five minutes later looking irritable and tired. Harry didn't like seeing him this way.

Severus couldn't say that he was surprise that his first class, third years, couldn't make a simple Blimish Blitzer. No what surprised him the most was the fact that a third year manage to blow their cauldron up. Nobody got hurt and the classroom was easy to clean, though he couldn't say the same to the cauldron's owner. The boy was head to toe purple.

He made his way to the front and started his speech for first years. He was pleased to see his mate and godson sitting in the front. The glares behind them also got his eye. That question will have to wait.

The class got started. Severus walked around to make sure everyone was working. Halfway through he found that Harry and Draco were almost done. The rest of the class minus the Weasley boy were halfway through. He barely turned his head to look at Thomas when he caught Weasley throwing ingredients towards Harry's cauldron, when his mate turned to get his next ingredient. He watch it bounce off an invisible shield and land on the floor. Harry caught his eye, there was a smug look on his face.

'Harry, could you stay after class for a bit?'

'Sure, Sev.'

None to soon class was over. He instructed them to bottle and label the vial then put them on his desk. One by one the students filed out. The first years made the third years look bad. He heard Harry tell Draco to go ahead.

Harry closed, locked and silenced the room before walking up to Sev's desk. He conjured a chair and sat down.

"You wanted to see me."

"Yes. Tell me why the Weasley boy was trying to sabotage your potion?"

"Draco and I made him and Granger angry in Transfigurations. We both received an O. Weasley is still miffed about the train and sorting, he wasn't giving it his all in class and got a T. Granger on the other hand was livid because Draco and I got it on the first try and got the highest grade. She casted the spell while she angry, her results weren't too bad but McGonagall gave her an A."

"I see. Be honest, love, do you think they will continue to cause problems?"

"I do. I also think that there is nothing you can do to help. Dumbledore will let them get away with it and tell them to keep doing it, until I get fed up and ask him to re-sort me into Gryffindor just to get them to stop. So you will do nothing or say anything. I won't give in or have you out yourself and, in your words, give the old bastard the satisfaction. I'm a Slytherin and its going to stay that way."

Severus was so proud of his mate. "Well I'll just level the playing field. You and the other Slytherins will get away with any payback or pranks where Weasley is concern, if he continues with this behavior. Be sure to tell your fellow Slytherins that it is just Weasley, no other Gryffindor is included unless they are helping him. Understood?"

Harry smiled at him. "Yes, Severus."

"Good. Now get going before you're late."

Harry nodded and dropped the charms. He opened the door but closed it again. He turned and looked at Severus. "Sev, how are you feeling? The look on your face earlier wasn't a good one and I was worried."

"I'm fine, Harry. Just tired and a student in my first class managed to explode his cauldron."

"In that case, you and I will meet here for lunch. We'll talk about the bonding. After dinner and when you're done grading, I want you to be in bed early tonight. No brewing, reading or night cap's, as Aunt Petunia calls them, go straight to bed."

Severus couldn't help but smile at his little mate. It was too soon to tell if he likes the bossiness. Maybe he can live with it since Harry likes his possessive behavior.

"Is my little mate ordering me around?"

"Yes I am. If it concerns your health, well-being and state of mind, you can bet that I'll be ordering you around. I suggest you get use to it."

"And if I don't?"

Harry smirked, "I have ways thanks to your teaching. So save us both and just do as I ask. Please."

"Very well. Just know this, brat, there is only so much that I will let you get away with. Clear?"

"Crystal. See you later for lunch." He left without a replied and ran to his next class.

Severus shook his head as he watched his mate leave. The brat was going to drive him crazy but oddly enough he didn't seem to mind. He sighed and looked at the vials. Harry and Draco's were perfect. Everyone else except for Longbottom and Weasley's was acceptable. Longbottom's was close but not close enough. Weasley's on the other hand was terrible, another Troll for the boy.

If this continues he was going to talk to Minerva. There was no way he was going to let the boy stay in his class if he chooses to not do the work. For now on Severus will make sure that Weasley and Granger are on opposite sides of the room from Harry and Draco. He finished marking the potions and waited for his seventh years to come in.

History of Magic was extremely boring. Instead of listening to the ghost, he and Draco did their transfiguration homework. Which didn't take long to finish. So for the remainder of class Harry taught Draco poker, something Mrs. Figgs and Aunt Petunia taught him when they played with two of the neighbors.

By the end of the lesson Draco turned out to be pretty good. Zabini and Nott had joined them and turned it into a decent game when they caught on. The four of them weren't the only ones not paying attention. Harry had seen a few Hufflepuffs doing other things.

The class was slower than the other two and as soon as Binn finished assigning homework, everyone quickly left the room.

"Finally. Come on lets head to the Great Hall."

"Sorry, I can't. I promised Professor Snape I meet him after History of Magic." He hated lying but knew he had to until Severus has a chance to tell Draco. Harry just hopes Draco won't hate him.

"But you talked to him after class. Why are you going back?"

"We didn't get a chance. The next class was coming. Besides he wants to talk about why Weasley was trying to sabotage my potion."

"Alright. So I'll meet you in the library afterward?"

"I'll be there." He confirmed. Without another word the two parted ways.

Harry walked quickly back to the dungeons not wanting to get caught by Filch. Marcus told them all about him and advise them to avoid the man at all cost. He knocked on the classroom door. Seconds later heard the sharp 'enter', he walked in and warded the door the way Severus taught him.

"Let's talk in my office." Severus suggested as soon as he saw the wards go up. He didn't want to waste any time and they had a lot to discuss.

Harry followed and sat down on the black leather couch. Severus locked and warded the door before settling down next to the boy. They sat in silence for several long minutes eating the food Severus a house elf bring. When they were done Snape cleared his throat and summoned the books.

"I found three. You can do them separately but as we further our relationship the bond will change. Basically its one type in three different stages."

"Okay. What's the first stage?"

"Blood bonding." Severus answered looking at his little mate for any kind of reaction. He was slightly disappointed when he didn't get one.

"I thought blood magic was for familial only. Like mum did or when a couple wants to adopt a child. You also said that goblins use it seal vaults, wills and reveal family lines."

"That's all true. But remember there are many different rituals when using blood. The books are old and there are no other copies. Blood bonding goes back as far as the Founders, maybe even further."

"I understand. So what will we need to do?"

"There's a potions, when its done the last ingredient is our blood. We'll drink it at the same time while the bonding words are spoken. This where it gets a little complicated. Two of the ingredients aren't easily found and the words are in gooblygook."

"Define not easily found."

"The locations are known. Its finding them that's going to be hard."

"Where are they?"

"One is deep in the Amazons and the other is somewhere on a mountain in Switzerland."

"I see. Is there magic in any of those place?"

"Switzerland, yes. The Amazons, I have no clue. There aren't any recordings."

"Why not just ask the goblins? I mean if the ritual is in gooblygook, then they would have the ingredients or know the precise location."

Severus looked at the boy. That actually made sense. He probably would have made the connection if he wasn't so tired. Then again he was more focused on the second and third stage and what Harry's thoughts were about those.

"You're right. The goblins would probably know. We'll ask them during Christmas break."

"Great. Now what the second and third?"

Severus sighed heavily. "The second is magic bonding. Our magic will bind together and become one. The third is soul bonding. We would have to get married to complete the bond fully."

"You didn't say how the magic bonding is done. Severus, don't keep anything from me."

He closed his eyes and collected his thoughts. "Magic bonding is done intimately. Please keep it at that until you are older, I'll explain it fully then."

"Alright Sev. What comes from the blood bond?"

"The blood bond is like a courtship. It recognizes our relationship and provides us with three things. We will be able to sense when the other is in danger. We'll know where they are in a directional sense, this will strengthen after the magic bond completes which will allow us to know the location. The third is truth sense. We won't be able to lie to each other.

"The magic bond recognizes us as already married, the Ministry will also acknowledge it as a marriage. Anyways, the bond will allow us to share magic, know each other's location and we'll be able to share dreams. The soul bond ties it all together. It will enhance everything. Our magic will be stronger, when one is in danger we'll be apparated straight to the other with no warning."

Harry thought about everything Severus said. Deep down he wanted to do this but isn't wasn't just him that had to make this a final decision.

"Sev, be completely honest with me. Is this something you want to do? You don't have to do this just because our magic is compatible, and you're already providing me protection against Dumbledore."

"Yes, Harry, this is something I want. Now lunch is almost over. What's your next class?"

"Draco and I have a half hour free before a double Charms. I'm going to meet him in the library."

"Very well. I'll see you in the Great Hall for dinner."

"Alright. Oh I was wondering when you were going to tell Draco. I hate lying to him."

"I'll tell him during the holidays. Might as well tell Lucius and Narcissa too. Do you mind?"

"No." Harry didn't mind at all. He didn't want Draco to hide anything from his parents.

Severus nodded in return and then reminded the boy that Draco was waiting. Harry gave him a heart stopping smile before grabbing his bag and leaving. He dropped his head to the back of the couch and groaned after the boy left.

Hearing the students come into the classroom, Severus rubbed his eyes and pushed off the couch. He only had to get through this class. The day had gone by quickly and he knew it wasn't going to be like this as the year advances.

Lets get this over with. He mentally told himself as he walked into the classroom.

Harry hated how the rest of the day flew by. He was having lots of fun in Charms. Professor Flitwick spent the first hour talking about the subject and how essential it is. The second half he taught them the levitating charm. This made Harry's day.

Granger and Weasley were sitting across from him and Draco. When Flitwick finished explaining and told them to give it a try. Harry who had cast the charm wordlessly before the professor finished explaining, he just mouthed the words and moved his wand.

"Very good, Mr. Potter."

Harry smiled at the teacher and turned his attention to the two in front of him. Their faces were red. If looks could kill Granger's glare would have sent him six feet under. Weasley's was more of jealousy than anger. The boy then tried to prove himself.

It took everything Harry had to not laugh when the feather blew up in the redhead's face. Draco on the other hand was holding his sides as he laughed. The blonde laughed so hard he fell out of his seat. That broke Harry's resolve, and he too burst out laughing. The other Slytherins and some Gryffindors joined in.

When he couldn't get them to settle down, Flitwick dismissed the class. As the last student left he threw up the silence charm and burst out laughing. Never in all his years had a student ever exploded a feather. Filius knew it was wrong to laugh but he just couldn't help it. Another round of laughter came out as he remembered the how the Malfoy boy fell out of his chair. His last class ended his day perfectly.

Dinner was a loud affair as all the students talked about the first day back. Harry and Severus didn't get a chance to talk to each other. McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey kept Severus in a lengthy conversation. Draco, Marcus, Theo and Blaise had Harry's attention by planning a poker game before bed. Harry agreed and answered all their questions about the game and the different ones that can be played.

After dinner the boys quickly left the Great Hall in anticipation. Harry had just a few seconds to tell Severus good night and remind him of his promise, as he allowed Draco to drag him out of the hall. The game was in their room.

Marcus had conjured a table and chairs. They had discussed beforehand that they weren't going to use money until everyone knew how to play well enough to bet. They all wrote down the amount of Galleons they had on hand before Harry transfigured each stack into poker chips and explained what each color amounted.

The first two rounds were slow as the others learned how to bet. By the third, the game went quicker. If it wasn't for Harry's tempus alarm they would have been up past curfew. After turning everything back, they bid each other good night.

Harry laid in bed and thought about his first day. He was happy to be here, happy to have made friends quickly and happy to be in Slytherin. The only thing he wasn't happy about was not being able to sit with Aunt Petunia at the day and exchange stories about their day. Harry got out of bed to get parchment and a pen. He wrote a note quickly and sent it off with Hedwig. Only then was he able to lay in bed and fall asleep.

Draco silently watched his friend as he got out of bed and wrote a note then sent it off. He knew Harry missed his aunt. The other boy had talked about her when they were in library. Draco couldn't blame him, he himself missed his mother and sent a note off during lunch. When he hear Harry's breathing even out, he rolled over and went to sleep.

After dinner Severus finished grading the potions. It seemed that the third years were the only ones to have a cauldron blow up. He banished the vials to his office and went to the bedroom. His mind replayed his discussion with Harry. The boy took everything explained maturely and talked it through like an adult. He couldn't have been prouder.

Severus finished getting ready for bed and climbed in between the sheets. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was sound asleep. He dreamed about his future with Harry.

Dumbledore couldn't believe the reports he heard about the Potter boy. Harry shouldn't have been able to do everything so easily, not when Albus himself had blocked the majority of the boy's magic. He made sure that Harry would be able to do accidental magic when he left him on the doorstep.

Albus knew that Petunia hated her sister Lily and therefore wanted her to hate her nephew. He never would have believed that the woman would change her ways. That too had him furious. He needed to revise his plans.

Okay I know Harry is eleven and therefor shouldn't know what possessive means or sounds like. But this is my Harry and I like to think that he learned about it by reading. After all I learned a lot at twelve when I discovered romance novels. Also I know Seamus was the one that caused the feather to explode but I wanted Ron to do it since his character is getting bashed.