Tommy's eye colors:

Light green - defensiveness/shock/guarded

Columbia blue - humor

Fern green - intense and dangerously protective

Sage - aggression/coldly dangerous, calculating

CHAPTER 19 - THE TALK

"This whole building is shielded so as to keep our enemies from being able to eavesdrop on us," Tommy explained as he led the way into his rooms. "But I added stronger shields to our rooms for personal privacy. Powers enhance all senses. Would you care for a drink?"

"Allow me," Snape said. With a wave of his wand, a pot of tea and three cups appeared on the table. Once everyone was sitting, Snape asked, "Would I be correct in assuming you will have no interest in moving away from here to the Wizardry World?"

"We won't leave the Power Rangers," Harry answered for them both.

Tommy said, "Tell us about this school, and where we might find out about the other schools your words suggest. We've been aware that we're mage born - that's the term used throughout the 'verse for any born to Power. While we have been training our Power, no one could name precisely what type of Power it was, therefore our training has been more trial and error than anything."

Severus Snape leaned back, thinking. "There are few other schools of magic. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic is in France, I can't see either one of you attending there. They require more years study to cover less material than Hogwarts, and they are not very strong in Defense. The German school, Durmstrang Institute, only accepts pure bloods. Mr. Potter's mother, Lily, was muggleborn, that is born to non-Magical parents, therefore they would not accept him. I am unsure of your situation, Mr. …"

"I'm going by Tommy Oliver here. Or Dragon, if you ask anyone in this building," Tommy added wryly.

Only Snape's years as a spy kept him from showing a reaction as Tommy's eyes shaded from the light green he'd first seen to Columbia blue.

"Mr. Oliver," Snape continued. "Durmstrang would assume if you don't know your magical history, you don't belong there. Here in the Americas there are a few small schools. The largest is Salem Witches' Institute. I couldn't tell you anything of them."

"Where is Hogwarts located?" Harry asked.

"Hogwarts Castle in the highlands of Scotland. Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest wizards and witches of all time," Snape said. Tommy could tell by the slight change in tone that Snape truly loved this school. "Before Hogwarts, magical children were either taught by their parents or apprenticed out to a master of a field. The times had grown dangerous, the muggles - non-magicals had grown to fear us, our people suffered from great persecution. The four wished to create a safe place for our young to train, in studies covering as many fields as possible. So Hogwarts Castle was build in a secluded area of Scotland, far from the muggles. They added the protection of muggle repellant charms, notice me nots, along with many others. Quite like you have done here," Snape added. "I suspect you could teach us something on protection charms though I am just as sure there are many more you could learn in Hogwarts."

Tommy responded to the question in Snape's tone. "We've been studying the different magicks known throughout the 'verse. I just wove together aspects of the protections used by those different branches, adjusting here and there to fit our innate abilities better."

Just? Like doing that is nothing. Snape kept this thought to himself though and continued, "The four founders each set up their own House within the school, choosing their students by their personal belief on who should be trained. This system worked for years before their differences caused conflict, ending in one of the founders leaving. The House system is still in existence, each House named for a founder. Each House has a Head among the staff.

Snape took a drink. "Hufflepuff is the most overlooked House. It was founded by Helga Hufflepuff who believed in diversity. This ended up with her taking in many students the other Houses refused, giving the impression she took the 'leftovers'. She required her students to be loyal and hardworking. Helga was most known for her charms, especially her food related charms. Many of our greatest Charms Masters have come from her House. Professor Pomona Sprout is Head of Hufflepuff. She teaches Herbology."

"I assume that's working with plants?" Harry said, halfway between question and statement. "Though I've come across enough phrases in other magic studies that sounded like they connected to one thing when they were something altogether different."

"Herbology is the study of magical plants and fungi, their care, magical properties and uses. I touch on the subject in Potions. Mostly though, Pomona and I set our class schedules so that she covers the plants first."

"So you're a professor," Tommy said. "Why were you the one looking for Harry then?"

"I am a half blood, my father was muggle. Most our world doesn't know how to interact with the muggle world," Snape responded, quickly returning to his explanation. "Rowena Ravenclaw chose her students for their high intellect, wit and learning. Unfortunately, that often is only book smarts, lacking any real world intelligence. Their Head is Professor Filius Flitwick, the Charms Professor. Charms are spells that enchant an object to behave in a way that isn't normal for that object. Many general spells are also taught in Charms now. Godric Gryffindor's House is the most annoying one in existence."

Tommy laughed. "Obviously not your own House."

"No," Snape spat, finding the mere idea distasteful. "Gryffindor House claims to choose its students for their courage. In my experience, this is less 'courage' and more arrogance and impulsiveness. They do tend to get into situations where people describe them as brave but that is more from a lack of thought before they act and an overrated belief in their own skills. Though some, I do have to admit, have been truly courageous. The current Head of Gryffindor is a truly courageous woman named Minerva McGonagall. Don't tell her I said that."

Harry grinned at this.

"She teaches Transfiguration, the magic of changing one object into another. It is one of the most complex and dangerous magicks done with a wand. Not as complex and dangerous as Potions but as far as wand work goes …" Snape drifted off, taking another sip of tea. "Finally, I am head of Slytherin House. Salazar Slytherin has probably the worst reputation of all the founders. He's seen as a Dark Wizard, partly because he was wary of allowing all muggleborns into the school. As I said, Hogwarts was founded in part to be a sanctuary for our people from the fears and condemnations of the muggles. Salazar believed that it was foolish to take the children of those that threatened us into that sanctuary, teach them all our ways, then send them back to their parents each year."

"Sounds like common sense there."

"Indeed, Mr. Potter. Slytherin House is the place for the cunning, intelligent and resourceful. We think before we act and those actions are often in the background, perhaps hidden perhaps simply unnoticed by the majority. We do not give our trust overly easy but once given, we are loyal to those we trust. We keep to ourselves, only sharing our true selves with those we trust." Snape paused. Then, meeting Harry's eyes, he said, "Salazar Slytherin was known for the bloodline gift of being a parselmouth. A parselmouth is someone that can speak parseltongue, the language of snakes. From what you said earlier, Mr. Potter, I assume you are a parselmouth?"

Harry didn't answer. Instead, he looked over to Tommy, whose eyes had shaded to fern green. Seeing the intensely protective look in his eyes, Harry shook his head. "I don't know where you got that idea."

"Perhaps when you said you wouldn't start talking to it 'just because there's a serpent on the battlefield'."

To Snape's great shock, Tommy hissed in annoyance. His now sage green eyes met Snape's and he demanded, "I will have your oath, by Power, Honor, and Life, that you will not speak those words outside this room. - Lord Zedd is the Dragon Lord, one of the Powers of his Line is the ability to speak the tongue of the Serpent Lord, what you call parselmouth. My ability to do so is part of the reason he's obsessing over me. He does not need to learn of Harry's ability to do the same."

Snape just stared at him in shock for a long moment, finding it hard to take in that both these boys were parselmouths, and apparently this alien lord was one as well. "Explain what you mean by swearing by power, honor, and life."

"Basically, swear with your magic an oath that breaking it would cost you your honor and your life."

Snape didn't like the idea of it, but looking in Tommy's eyes he doubted he'd get out of the room alive if he didn't swear the oath. So he swore an unbreakable oath to never mention the subject outside the current room or another protected by Tommy's magic, unless and until the knowledge became known to all.

888

Continued - Let me know what you think. Review