Harry walked into the Slytherin common room nervously. "Sev, are they nice?"
"In their own ways. Despite popular belief Slytherins are loyal to their own." Severus turned his head to address on of the younger students. "Mr. Malfoy, please round up your other year mates and bring them down." The blond nodded and headed up a set of stairs. "That was Draco Malfoy. He is one of the wealthiest pure blood wizards. His father is a school governor."
Draco came back downstairs followed by a small group of students.
Severus waited for them to settle before introducing himself. "I am your Head of House, Professor Snape. You were put into a house that is known for it's cunning and ambition. However, Slytherins are not a favored house in this school. You will be taunted, teased." Severus looked at them all. "I expect you all to help one another should you find a fellow Slytherin in need. Feel free to see me in my office should you have any problems, my door is always open. Any questions?"
"Who is that?" Draco Malfoy asked pointing to Harry.
"This is Harry Potter." There was a collective gasp.
"What is he doing in here?" Blaise Zabini asked viciously.
"Why else would he be in here Mr. Zabini? Certainly not for his health. He was sorted into Slytherin." Another round of gasps. "I expect you all to treat him accordingly. He was put here for a reason." The wide-eyed Slytherins all nodded their heads. "Anymore questions? Good. You may all go back to what you were doing."
The first years scattered but Draco stayed near by.
"Uncle Sev, why don't they want me here?" Harry's eyes were wide in fear of being rejected.
"Because of your scar."
Harry's hand automatically went to touch the slightly raised skin. "What have they got to do with my scar?" Harry asked as his eyes narrowed.
"Some of them follow the man that gave you the scar."
"Do you?"
Severus was a little taken aback by the question. "Now is not the time for that conversation. For now go and make some friends. I will always be available should you need me. During class I may be different. I may say some things in there that will be upsetting to you but you must know I mean none of it. Understood?"
Harry nodded. "I don't want to sleep here," he said looking around.
"There is nothing I can do about that. Go to bed. You will have a busy day tomorrow." Severus turned around and left.
Harry looked around nervously. Some of the other kids were giving him strange looks. He straightened his shoulders and walked over to the stairs that he was sure would lead to the dorms.
Draco Malfoy was confused. Why would the boy who lived be in Slytherin? He followed the boy up the stairs. He was going to find out.
"Hey! Potter!"
Harry turned around at the voice. Malfoy. "Yeah?"
"I want to talk to you."
"No that's okay, thanks." Harry entered the first year dorms and went to the bed that had his trunk and owl by it. There were about four beds as there were only four Slytherin first year boys.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to ask you something." Draco moved over to Harry's bed, which was near his. He sat on his bed facing Harry.
"Do you follow him?" Harry asked coldly.
"Who?"
"The bastard that gave me this scar!"
Draco kept his face neutral. He was wondering that very same thing himself. "I follow myself." He said carefully.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Nice answer," he said sarcastically.
"I think you have spent too much time around Uncle Sev," the blonde muttered.
"What did you call him?" He surprised himself with the jealousy he felt.
"Severus is my godfather." Draco said making Harry flinch. How deep was Severus in this whole mess? "How do you know him so well?"
Harry looked at the blond who had his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "He was made to pick me up on Dumbledore's orders because I had not answered the owl that sent me my Hogwarts letter," he lied easily.
"Right. Well, I am Draco Malfoy."
"Harry Potter as you already know."
"So, Potter, how is it you ended up in the Snakes lair?" Draco asked picking at his bed sheet. He was sure his father would want to know all of this.
"I asked the hat."
Draco's jaw dropped. "You asked… But that's never happened before! The hat doesn't let you have a choice!"
"Well I didn't really ask it. I just told it to put me here. It wanted to put me in Gryffindor!" Harry laughed.
Draco knew that the look he had on his face was very much un-Malfoy. "You chose Slytherin?"
Harry nodded. "It was worth it when I saw the look on Dumbledore's face!"
"Wait. You're telling me that you wanted to give the old man a heart attack?"
"He deserves it." All humor had drained from Harry's face replaced with a cold heartless look.
What did he do to get his best weapon to hate him? Draco wondered. "I take it you dislike him."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Hm, and here I thought I was being subtle," he said sarcastically. "He doesn't know it yet. I'll let him think he has me under his thumb, as I'm sure he does."
Draco looked at the green-eyed boy before him. "You are most definitely a force to be reckoned with, Potter."
"No, not now I'm not, but when I get my magic under control and I learn how to use it…" Harry didn't need to finish that sentence. Never again would he let himself get walked all over and hurt. Never.
Draco had noticed the change in Harry's demeanor. "Who?" was all he had to ask.
Harry flinched. "My uncle," he whispered.
The blond nodded. "My father."
The two looked at each other, a deep understanding that no child should know of flowed between them. Harry stood up and, in an unusual display of affection, hugged the boy tight to his chest. He knew they would never hurt each other; they could never hurt each other.
Malfoy was stiff as Harry's arms wrapped around him. Severus had only ever hugged him before. His father, his mother, no one else, had ever hugged him. Draco relaxed and returned the gesture knowing Harry obviously needed it back. It was then that the two wounded boys formed a friendship that would – no doubt – carry them through the tough times that would inevitably come in the future.