Harry read patiently at the Hufflepuff table as everyone was handed their schedules. When McGonagall headed over she handed him a sheet of paper giving him a curious glance. Harry gave her a smile and read his schedule.
"What do you have?" The girl beside him asked.
"Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Charms."
"We'll have charms together." She smiled. "I'm Susan Bones by the way."
He gave a small smile and a nod being polite even if he wanted to glare at her.
.--.
He watched the potion master carefully as the man stalked between the rows of Slytherins and Gryffindors. He just glared at Harry anytime there eyes met. He seemed to have a grudge or something against him. Harry could not figure out why. He frowned down at his potion in thought as he cut up the slugs. A simple boil healing potion but one kid was already in the hospital wing. He sighed inaudibly and continued on to the last step. As he finally got the last ingredient in the potion turned the right color. He bottled it up, taking an extra sample and slipping it into his bag unnoticed. As Snape called them up he stepped up to the desk and set it down ignoring the kids clambering to do the same. Snape, behind his desk, met Harry's eyes. Harry felt a nudge at his shield as Snape slid into his mind. The man wouldn't get any farther though because of his magic shield that the hat had said weren't normal.
'Something you want professor?' he asked mentally.
Snape's eyes widened slightly but never broke their gaze on his own. Snape seemed to explore his shield a moment before trying to pull out. Harry quickly used his magic to hold the man's conscious in his mind.
'I have a question first professor.' Hew practically purred. 'Tell me why you hate me.'
He could see the man struggle against the magical hold as his real body sweated and shook just slightly with the effort. No one noticed. Snape then stopped struggling, giving up as he still gazed into Harry's eyes.
'Let me exit your mind.' He barked in Harry's mind.
'Do you have an answer to my question?'
Snape gave a sour expression, eye contact still never breaking as his body stood perfectly still. He was silent a moment.
'Fine.' He snapped. 'Your father.'
'You hate me because of my father?'
There was an affirmative gesture. Harry let Snape's conscious go. Snape stepped back as he returned to his body.
"Do not enter my mind again Professor." Harry said only loud enough for Snape to hear. "And remember, I never even knew my father, so how can I be like him?"
Harry walked back to his desk with the other students leaving a frowning Snape.
.--.
Harry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as he waited for class to empty. It his was second day at Hogwarts. He was once again in transfiguration. As the other students all exited he was left with the stern professor.
"Can I help you Mr. Potter?" she asked looking at him.
"I wish to see if I could take History of magic through correspondence."
She blinked in surprise.
"I haven't heard that request in years." She muttered looking at him. "How would you do this?"
"I'll study everything I need in the library during the free bloc and hand in any assignments assigned."
She frowned in thought.
"That would be acceptable. Don't shout this out though. I don't want everyone coming to me asking to do this."
"You could do it for the students with high grades." He suggested.
"Hmm, but what about the first years like yourself?"
"Check their grades from before they came here and their study habits."
She gave an absent nod as she sat at her desk and grabbed some parchment. For a moment there was nothing but silence and the scratch of a quill.
"I must check with Dumbledore but I believe this is possible. You would hand you assignments to me as Binns would never notice them. I believe the only assignments the first years do are a research paper and a notes. Then the few tests and the final exam."
Harry nodded. Then McGonagall stood.
"Very well. I'll go speak with Dumbledore and tell you later at diner."
"Thank you." He nodded to her.
She gave a smile.
.--.
Harry watched the DADA professor closely. He wasn't a genius for nothing. He could easily see the man's stutter was fake. He had a sly and cunning gleam in his eye. Harry watched him fake his way through the lessons and puzzled slightly over the man finding it more interesting to think about then useless lesson. He watched the man's energy also. He had two cores. One that belonged to him, and another that leeched off his own, slowly tainting his own core. He wondered if it was some kind of magical parasite. Finally he shrugged and returned to reading his DADA book.
.--.
Harry wrote with long, elegant, flowing letters. He wrote with a black pen and white paper instead of parchment and quills though. When the letter was finished he folded it up and stuck it in an envelope. He addressed it and whistled to Hedwig. She hopped to the edge of his desk and he stroked her. He smiled softly at her and tied the letter to her leg.
"Can you deliver this for me?"
She gave a hoot and nipped his bangs gently. He told her the address quietly.
"Thank you girl."
She gave another hoot and took off out the opened window. He gazed out after her till she was a speck in the sky.
.--.
Harry ate silently at the Slytherin table. He had been moving around for the past week between tables. He found the best ones were the Slytherin table and the Hufflepuff table. The Hufflepuff table because they could be understanding while the Slytherin table didn't invade other's privacy. The Ravenclaw table just questioned him non-stop, some even taking notes. The Gryffindor table just wanted him to brag, or expected something of him. He scowled at the thoughts and returned to his breakfast.
A moment later the air lit with owl cries as owls flooded in to the rafting carrying the morning post. Harry looked up and spotted Hedwig. She swooped down to him and landed on his outstretched arm. He cut the letter from her leg and handed her some bacon. A moment late a huge eagle landed beside him also setting a large square package in front of him. He saw a few curious gazes but most did it discreetly. The eagle snatched some food before it took off again. He flipped Hedwig's letter open.
Harry Potter,
I was happy to hear from you. We did indeed have him still as no one else wished to buy him and he would let no one buy him. He agreed to be yours. Take good care of him. There should be a book about his species with him. He may be a bit flight sick. Give him something to eat as he arrived, preferably meat, but he can tell you that.
D
P.S. Hedwig is a lovely owl and you have taken great care of her.
Harry smiled.
"You may wish to return to my rooms while I open it." He warned his owl.
She gave him an affectionate nip and took off.
"What's in the package?" Blaise Zabini asked.
The kid was quite open for a Slytherin. Harry was actually surprised the kid was in Slytherin. Gryffindor would suit him well. But maybe that's why he fit so well with the Slytherins. Harry just sent him a glance and moved to the box. He pried it open from one of the air holes and smiled inside.
:Hello Ne.: He hissed softly so no one would notice.
:Harry? I'm here then? No more flying?:
:No more flying.:
:Thank all that'sss sssacred.:
Harry gave a soft laughed and stuck his arm. Now people were sending him second glances. He felt the large deep Maroon/black snake constrict around his arm. He pulled it out smiling.
:I need sssome meat.: It hissed.
Harry gave another laugh. He heard a scream from Pansy Parkinson as he pulled Ne all the way from the box.
:Yesss. I ssshall get you sssome meat.: He hissed disguising the hiss as a laugh.
:We ssshould bond firssst.: the snake said glancing at the teachers heading towards them as they heard the kids yelling and stumbling away from Harry.
Harry noted the whole hall was watching now and all the Slytherins had hurried a good distance from him and the now four foot long snake.
:How do we bond?: He hissed.
:Let me drink sssome of your blood.:
Harry gave a smirk and held his arm out. The snake bit him. It was nice enough as Ne made sure not to hurt him. And he had felt worse before. The kids around him were screaming again. Dumbledore had drawn his wand as he, McGonagall, and Snape came sprinting over.
:You wouldn't happen to be poisssonousss would you?: Harry asked.
:Actually, I'm one of the mossst poissssonousss sssnakes around.: Ne replied pulling his fangs from Harry's arm.
Harry gave a nod.
:Don't worry though, I did not inject my poissson.:
The teachers had arrived wands pointed at the snake.
"H-Harry don't make a-any unnecessary moves." McGonagall stuttered looking quite worried.
"It's fine professors." Harry said.
"You were just bitten by a Colradna Bellus." Snape hissed. "They are the deadly. If we don't give you the antidote you'll be dead in three minutes."
"He did not poison me." Harry said lifting his arm so Ne could wrap around his shoulders and neck.
Students were watching with fear and horrified awe.
"He bonded with me."
Dumbledore slowly lowered his wand the two professors following.
"Who gave him to you Harry?" The headmaster asked.
"A pet store owner I saw once. I wanted to get Ne then, but my relatives would not allow it." Harry said easily.
Dumbledore frowned thoughtfully.
"He can inject poison only when he wishes?" He asked.
Harry nodded.
"And he's bonded to you?"
Harry nodded again.
"He will listen to you?"
The snake and Harry both nodded. Dumbledore's eyebrows rose.
"He can understand English."
The snake nodded and seemed to give a smirk.
"Well Hogwarts rules do state a student is allowed to have their bonded familiar come to school with them, no mater what it is." Dumbledore said.
Harry smiled softly and turned back to breakfast as the teachers slowly headed back to the head table. Needles to say most students avoided him for quite a while.
.--.
End Of Chapter 5.