Chapter 5 - Slytherins and Potions Class

Harry, Draco and the other first years were having lively chats about their oncoming classes and what to expect from them according to all they knew about their teachers, when the puddings disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet. The Hall fell silent.

"Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Gryffindor table and a few of the older Slytherins gave snorts of disgust.

"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

A few people laughed, but almost no one at the Slytherin table did. Harry frowned, seeing the grave look in Dumbledore's eyes.

"Know what that's about, Gemma?" Harry asked.

"No," she said, looking worried, "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why a place is restricted. The Forbidden Forest is full of dangerous creatures, we all know that. But he hasn't even told us prefects what this is about."

Harry hummed and looked back to Dumbledore.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry saw the other teachers' smiles became rather fixed and Severus was scowling darkly again.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself snake-like into words.

Draco turned incredulous eyes to him, saying, "I absolutely refuse to–" while Dumbledore said, "Everyone pick their favourite tune–"

Gemma hurriedly said, "It won't finish until everyone has sung it! You've got to sing, okay!"

"–and off we go!"

The school bellowed the song and Harry and Draco miserably followed.

'Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty

Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our head could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.'

Everyone finished the song at different times. Though the Slytherins were all, more or less, together as they hurriedly sung the song to end their misery and were the first to finish. At last, only the red-headed twins from Gryffindor table were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand, and when they had finished, he was the one who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes, "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime! Off you trot!"

They stood up and Gemma collected all the first-years to lead them to the Slytherin Dungeon.

"He is absolutely barmy!" Draco said in dismay.

Harry snickered, "At least we'll have entertainment while we're here."

Slowly, Draco nodded, "That is true."

Down the stone steps they went, and deeper and deeper under the school. One passage to another passage, and finally, they stopped in front of a bare, damp stretch of wall.

"Merlin," Gemma said clearly and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open.

The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in carved chairs. There was a window that looked out into the Black Lake and it seemed the Giant Squid had been waiting for them to arrive as it waved one of its tentacles at them then swam away. It had a feel of a mysterious, underwater shipwreck but was altogether quite cosy.

As they entered, every Slytherin grew quiet and turned towards them.

"Right," Gemma turned sharply around and clapped her hands once, "Welcome, new Slytherins, and Congratulations on making into the most prestigious house of Hogwarts."

"This," she gestured around the common room, "is the snake pit."

That drew a few chuckles from the Slytherins. Harry and Draco grinned at each other.

"In fact, the whole dungeon is our territory. Now, there are a few things you should know about Slytherin – and a few you should forget.

"Firstly, let's dispel a few myths. You might have heard rumours about Slytherin house – that we're all into the Dark Arts, and will only talk to you if your great-grandfather was a famous wizard, and rubbish like that. Well, you don't want to believe everything you hear from competing houses. I'm not denying that we've produced our share of Dark wizards, but so have the other three houses – they just don't like admitting it. And yes, we have traditionally tended to take students who come from long lines of witches and wizards, but nowadays you'll find plenty of people in Slytherin house who have at least one Muggle parent.

"Here's a little-known fact that the other three houses don't bring up much: Merlin was a Slytherin. Yes, Merlin himself, the most famous wizard in history! He learned all he knew in this very house! Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Merlin? Or would you rather sit at the old desk of that illustrious ex-Hufflepuff, Eglantine Puffett, inventor of the Self-Soaping Dishcloth?

"I didn't think so. But that's enough about what we're not. Let's talk about what we are, which is the coolest and edgiest house in this school. We play to win, because we care about the honour and traditions of Slytherin. And, we take care of our own."

Gemma took a deep breath and looked at them seriously, "Out there, behind these walls, they don't trust us. Not one bit. We have a dark reputation and they are wary of it. Yes, it earns us respect. Tinged with fear, but respect, nonetheless. But it stands that they would do anything to see us Slytherins fall down from grace. So, all we have is one another. Slytherin is a family and we protect each other. And as far as we're concerned, once you've become a snake, you're one of ours – one of the elite."

"We're not bad people. We're like our emblem, the snake: sleek, powerful, and frequently misunderstood. And you know why you have been sorted into this house? Because you have that one thing Salazar Slytherin valued the most: the potential to be great. All right, you might see a couple of people hanging around the common room whom you might not think are destined for anything special. Well, keep that to yourself. If the Sorting Hat put them in here, there's something great about them, and don't you forget it.

"A few more things you might need to know: our house ghost is the Bloody Baron. If you get on the right side of him he'll sometimes agree to frighten people for you. Just don't ask him how he got blood-stained, he doesn't like it. The password to the common room changes every fortnight. Keep an eye on the noticeboard. Never bring anyone from another house into our common room or tell them our password. No outsider has entered it for more than seven centuries.

"Now," she said, breathing a little harshly at the end of the whole speech, "any questions?"

The first-years just looked at her silently in amazement.

"Come on, don't be shy, little firsties!" A boy called from near the study table.

Blaise then asked, "How long did it take you to prepare that speech?"

And the ice was broken while the whole room burst out into laughter.

"Not long," Gemma grinned back at him, "I only copied most of it from my predecessors. That is our tradition."

"Anyway, off to bed, first-years! Girls, the door to the right. Boys, the door to the left. Tomorrow morning, you will be meeting our Head of House, Professor Snape. Of course, some of you already know him, don't you?" She grinned at Harry and Draco.

They scrambled through the door, down the steps and at the very end was a door with a plaque stating 'First-years'. The room was spacious with six ancient four-posters with green silk hangings, and bedspreads embroidered with silver thread. There was a small armoire and a study desk next to each bed, their trunks were already there at the foot of the beds. Medieval tapestries depicting the adventures of famous Slytherins covered the walls and a soft green glow was provided from the lanterns that hung from the ceiling. There was a large window in the room and the soothing sound of water lapping against it filled the room, making them sleepy.

They stumbled to the beds, Harry and Draco across from each other and nearest to the window, and pulled on their pyjamas, too tired to talk. It was quiet for some time while Harry and Draco laid in bed, their minds far away. Soft snores filled the room from the other boys and they finally tucked themselves deep in the blankets and went to sleep.

"G'night, Harry." Draco mumbled.

"Night, Draco." Harry breathed.

The next morning, they gathered around the fire in the common room with irritated scowls and sleepy yawns after a very rude and early awakening by the male fifth year prefect.

"Rise and shine, little firsties! Time to get up!" he had shouted, standing there in the doorway with a smirk while making wind blow through the room and throw away the covers off the unsuspecting first-years.

So there they were, waiting for their Potions Professor and Head of House at six bloody a.m. in the morning.

The door slid open and Severus came in in his usual furious strides, his robes billowing behind him.

He stood in front of them, watching them with an unreadable expression which made the other first-years fidget, and a small smirk grew on his mouth.

"Slytherins," he said coolly, "I hope you understand the expectations that I, and the rest of your house, have from you. I expect appropriate results and proper decorum outside the walls of your common room. While the school may think I favour you, if you are caught breaking any rule, remember that you will be suitably punished."

The Slytherins all heard the slight emphasis in 'caught' and smirked behind their hands.

"My office will always be open for you, though I hope you have the mind to come to me in the day and not the middle of the night. If you have any problems, you can go to any of the prefects and they will either bring you to me or help you themselves. You will be taken to and from your classes by two of the older students every day for the first two weeks to get you acquainted with the castle and the dungeons. You will get your timetable at breakfast, today. Any questions?" he asked.

They shook their heads silently.

"Very well. Miss Farley and Mr Higgs will take you to breakfast in an hour and half. I suggest you be ready by then. Harry, I shall meet you here in half an hour. That is all." He abruptly turned around and left.

The first-years exchanged startled glances while Harry and Draco contained their snickers. It was obvious that Professor Snape was going to be a lot different from Severus. Draco tugged Harry to their dorm.

"What do you think he wants?" he asked curiously.

"Dunno," Harry shrugged, "We'll see, I guess."

Harry made to the common room in record time, seeing Severus waiting for him.

He led him through the door and out into the dungeon corridors.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"To the headmaster." Severus said shortly.

Harry groaned, "Let me guess, he wants to know about the latest addition to my name."

Severus smirked, "Correct."

Harry rolled his eyes. They stopped in front of a large and extremely ugly gargoyle.

Severus grimaced in displeasure and said, "Chocolate Frog."

This was obviously a password as the gargoyle suddenly sprang aside and the wall behind it split in two. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase, which was moving smoothly upwards like a muggle escalator. They rose upwards in circles, higher and higher, until finally they reached the gleaming oak door with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.

Severus knocked on the door with his fist, ignoring the knocker and a voice said, "Enter."

The Headmaster's office was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmaster and headmistresses who had been talking to and above each other but fell silent upon their entrance.

Dumbledore was sitting behind an enormous, claw-footed desk.

"Ah, Severus!" Dumbledore beamed, "I was waiting for you."

Then he spotted Harry, "And young Harry, too! Come, come, sit." he gestured to the chairs across him.

They sat and Severus said in an emotionless tone, "I believe you wanted to see me, Headmaster?"

"Yes, yes. I was, I must admit, very curious about this new development. I thought Harry had been staying with his Uncle and Aunt? I confess that I never imagined that it was James Potter's son that you had recently adopted." Dumbledore asked. Harry knew the mention of his father for what it was and seethed a little. The old codger was trying to make Severus have second doubts!

"He was Lily Evan's son, too, as you must know." Severus said with an unreadable expression.

"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore said indulgently. Harry saw Severus twitch irritably, "but we are getting off topic here. How exactly did Harry become your ward, if you don't mind me asking?"

Severus' expression screamed that he did mind but Dumbledore ignored it and just looked at him expectantly. Harry, who did not like being ignored like that, took over, choosing his words carefully. He remembered Severus' advice that they should not inform Dumbledore more that they could not avoid.

"Sir," Harry started in a carefully respectful tone, "The Dursleys were a magic hating family and they did not want me to live with them, which they proved everyday. Severus saw how they treated me and immediately got custody of me."

Dumbledore looked grave, "I see. But Harry, I think there is something you must know. I believe you know how you survived the killing curse that fateful night, when your mother sacrificed herself for you?"

Harry nodded stiffly while Severus tensed beside him.

"Yes, well. While you live with your Aunt, who shares your mother's blood, the sacrifice of your mother will still protect you. If you no longer call her house your home, you will no longer have the safety of the protective magic. So you can see, why it may be beneficial for you to stay with your relatives."

Harry smiled grimly, "I think that it does not matter anymore, sir. I no longer think of the place as home. I never have, and I never could."

"Harry, they are your only living family." Dumbledore chided.

"I have a family, but it is not them." Harry said fiercely, "My family has Severus, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco. People who actually care about me and will not starve and neglect me. People who would never bully me or deny me proper clothing, and who will protect me."

Severus squeezed his shoulder lightly, both a warning to calm himself, and for comfort. Dumbledore's eyes followed the movement but both the guardian and child ignored it.

"Harry, I understand that you are upset, and rightly so, but you must remember that as long as you remain under their roof, you will be safe and under the protection of your mother's sacrifice. I will talk to the Dursleys and personally explain your situation to them. I am sure that they will treat you fairly after that."

"You are too late for that, Headmaster." Severus hissed, "Weren't you the one who had assured us time and time again that Harry was living happily and was practically spoiled at his relatives. You told me that you had explained everything to them and were checking up on him regularly. Then how, if you would care to explain, did I find my best friend's son living in a cupboard under the stairs, bullied by that whale that was his cousin, extremely malnourished and dressed in rags?"

"Severus," the old Headmaster started but Severus cut him off.

"He is going to live with me, where he is loved, cherished and protected, not constantly beaten down and belittled. I swore a vow that I will protect him and I will not go back on my word. He is perfectly safe in the summers in my home, and you constantly assure us that there is no safer place than Hogwarts, so I don't see what the problem is. Unless," Severus looked at him with fury in his eyes, "you want him to be meek and emotionally and even, to some extent, physically abused?"

"Of course not!" Dumbledore said, his expression one of pure shock.

"Then we are in agreement that Harry will not be going back, not that you had any choice in the matter since Harry is my child now and I have full legal custody of him. This discussion is therefore over. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about, Headmaster?"

"No, Severus," Dumbledore sighed heavily, "I can see that I cannot change your mind. You may go."

They descended the stairs in silence and were halfway to the dungeons when Harry broke the silence.

"That went well," he commented lightly.

Severus snorted.

"Harry!" Draco exclaimed when Harry entered their dorm, "So, what did Severus want?"

"Dumbledore," Harry sneered the name, "wanted me to go back to my magic-hating muggle relatives."

"Merlin," Draco breathed, "I bet Severus had a fit about that."

"He looked ready to burst," Harry admitted.

"Why would Dumbledore want you to go back to those muggles?" Theo frowned.

Harry shrugged, "Guess he doesn't like the fact that their precious Boy-Who-Lived is living with an ex-Death Eater."

Blaise smirked, "No, he wouldn't be happy about that fact, would he?"

They picked up their bags and went to the common room where the girls and the fifth year prefects were waiting for them. Gemma and Terence led them through the twisting corridors of the dungeons, up the stairs, and to the Great Hall where they proceeded to the Slytherin table amidst the stares and whispers of 3/4th of the school, trying to get a good look at Harry. Harry heard some comments and they did not seem too welcoming of a Slytherin Savior.

"Ignore them," Draco whispered, squeezing his hand.

They settled down into their places and filled their plates up to the fullest. Before Harry could start eating, two potions appeared next to his plate and he grimaced in disgust, shooting a disgruntled look at his guardian who only gave him a stern look. He had thought that once he got to Hogwarts he would be off those vile tasting things, but apparently not! Grumbling, he downed the contents of the vials in one go, gagging a little for dramatics.

"What are those for?" Pansy asked him curiously with an amused smile.

Draco was giggling away at his side and Harry shot him a betrayed look.

"Nutrient potions," Harry muttered sullenly. Harry had already grown a lot and had put on some weight because of the potions and a steady diet. Even his vision had improved because of the vision-correcting potion he took once a week, but he still didn't like the taste! His only relief was that after three more weeks, he'd only have to take one potion everyday until Severus deemed him recovered, as his prescription for the vision-correction potion was nearly over.

Pansy made a little 'oh' sound and looked at him sympathetically while the others nodded in understanding.

Once they had finished their breakfast, Severus came by to give them their timetables.

"Potions first thing with Gryffindors!" Draco said happily, "We'll get to watch Severus slander them to dust."

Harry shook his head at him, amused.

The Mail arrived and hundreds of owls circled the tables, delivering letters to their owners. Harry spotted Lucius's owl, which headed for them with a large package.

They freed the owl and offered him a bit of bacon while he waited for their reply. Setting aside the package, they opened the letter first.

Draco, Harry,

We hope you have settled well. Narcissa and I are well.

Write us back and inform us all about your new school. Which House did you get sorted into? I ask that only as a formality as I am absolutely sure you are both in your preferred house.

The package contains sweets that Narcissa insisted on sending. Do not give yourself a sugar rush this early into the term, I do not think Severus or your other Professors will appreciate it.

Take care and stay out of trouble.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy

They tore open the package and gave matching ecstatic grins at the sweets inside. Something to satisfy their sweet tooth!

Attaching their reply to the owl, they watched it take off while munching on the special brownies the house elves made for them.

Both Harry and Draco were very possessive, as Harry had already demonstrated at the Welcoming Feast the day before, and even more so when their sweets were concerned. So when Goyle's hand reached into their basket, he was treated to a strong and discrete tickling hex from under the table, which left him in painful bursts of laughter for a long time. No one except Severus suspected them, as they had not even begun classes yet, let alone know second year material.

The Potions classroom was colder than the entire dungeons and was evidently designed to scare students into submission, what with the creepy ingredients and animal parts floating around in jars on the shelves.

Severus strode into the room with the robe billowing behind him, the door closing shut behind him, as if on its own. Having instilled the necessary mysteriousness and fear in the atmosphere, he started the class by taking register and looked up at them with cold and empty eyes that Harry had only seen once in his life, when he had seen Severus for the first time at the Dursleys. It made a shiver go down his spine.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke softly and in barely a whisper but his voice carried through the silent room as easily as wind. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of the liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Even after a month of being taught by Severus, his passion for the discipline awed Harry. Of course, Harry and Draco still muffled their appropriate snickers at the last sentence while every one else stayed silence, most likely feeling stunned. Hermione Granger, the girl they had met on the train, was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

Harry saw the red-head boy, Ronald Weasley, snort quietly at something the sandy-haired boy sitting next to him said and felt just a little pity for him while Draco openly smirked in glee.

"Mr Weasley, you find my class amusing, do you? I suppose, then, that you must be capable of answering a few simple questions. Tell me, what would I get if I added a powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry and Draco straightened up, knowing the answer. Hermione's hand shot straight into the air and they shared an impressed glance despite themselves.

Ronald looked bewildered.

"I don't know, sir." Ronald said, his eyes impossibly wide.

"Hm." Severus sneered, "Let's try again, Weasley. Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"I-I don't know, sir." The poor boy stuttered out.

Harry felt little pity for the boy, he had brought it on himself. Draco was shaking with suppressed laughter. Hermione's hand went as far as it could go without her leaving the seat, and looking at her felt a little annoying. Severus was infamous for these question and answer rounds and once he had picked a victim he would not stop until he was either answered efficiently or had slandered them to complete dirt. There was really no use of waving their hands about as if asking for help.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming here, hmm? One more chance, Weasley. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't know, sir." He answered quietly before replying bravely, "I think Hermione does, though. Why don't you ask her?"

Harry looked at him in disbelief before he shook his head. He was either utterly stupid or wanted to lose his house points in the first class of the year. A few people laughed but were cowed by Severus' glare that could freeze the sun and Ronald's false bravado disappeared easily.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione, "Harry, Draco, answer the questions."

They exchanged small smirks and Harry spoke first, "Yes, sir. Asphodel and wormwood combine to make a very powerful potion named the Draught of Living Death."

"A bezoar is a stone that can be found in the stomach of a goat. It can save you from most poisons," Draco continued.

"Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same plant, also known as aconite." Harry finished.

The class looked suitably impressed and Hermione looked disappointed.

"Well? Why aren't you copying that down?"

While the students rummaged hurriedly for quills and parchment, Severus took away a point from Gryffindor.

Things didn't improve for Gryffindor in the lesson and Harry was relieved that the Hat had put him in Slytherin, though he didn't think Severus would have done that to him, but still. He put them all in pairs and set them to mixing up a potion to cure boils. He criticized everyone except Harry and Draco, who knew they were making a perfect potion due to their carefulness and caution. It wouldn't do to make a mistake here, after all. When Neville actually added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire, Severus rounded on Ronald and his partner, and Gryffindor lost a total of two points just in one class.

Harry knew that if Severus would have allowed himself, he would have been rubbing his temples now. When the bell finally rang, the Gryffindors hightailed out of the room while the Slytherins stood up more leisurely, they had to wait for the two seventh year students to come escort them, after all. Harry and Draco went up to the Potions Master.

"Okay, Sev?" Harry asked quietly with a grin.

"Quiet, brat." Severus muttered.

They had Herbology with Ravenclaws, which was taught by a dumpy little witch called Professor Pomona Sprout, where they learnt how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi and found what they were used for.

The Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick, was a little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his register. Like Severus, at the start of the class, he took the register. He stopped at Harry's name though and gave an excited squeak, toppling out of sight. It made Harry slouch down in his seat as the Slytherins around him gave him amused looks.

Their Transfiguration teacher was quite stern and Harry had been right to think that she wasn't a witch to cross. She gave them a strict lecture as soon as they sat down.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." She gave them a stern look and made them write notes until their fingers cramped. After that, she gave them each a match and told them to try and turn it into a needle.

Harry and Draco already knew how to do it but they waited for a few minutes, pretending to try and turn the match. After they deemed that it was enough time, as one, they turned their matches into perfect pointy needles. They earned five points each for Slytherin and were greeted with a rare smile that few students and even fewer Slytherins had seen. At the end, Theo and Tracey had also been able to turn their matches into needles and Blaise, Pansy, Millicent and Daphne managed a partial transformation. Crabbe and Goyle, unfortunately, could not do anything to theirs.

History of Magic turned out to be the most boring class in the entire history, taught by the most boring, monotonous ghost they had every met. Professor Binns droned on and on while they scribbled notes and soon enough, went to sleep.

Every Thursday at midnight, they had Astronomy class. They studied the night skies through their telescopes and learnt the names of different stars and movement of planets.

The class everyone had been looking forward to, Defense Against the Dark Arts, finally arrived on Wednesday and turned out to be a huge joke. Professor Quirrell's classroom smelled strongly of garlic, about which there were rumors that it was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania. They didn't believe his story about getting the ghastly turban he wore from an African prince as a thank you for getting rid of a zombie, as he was too cowardly to do that. For one, when Theo had eagerly asked him how he had fought it off, he had turned pink and started talking about weather. For another, it was just too hard to believe that with the horrible stutter the man had. It was a pain to take notes in his class!

The most curious thing, though, that happened in the class was when Quirrell had turned to write on the blackboard with a shaky hand. His back had been to the students and Harry had looked up and the exact moment he looked at the turban, a searing pain went through his forehead. The only thing that stopped him from clapping a hand to his forehead was the mask Draco and he had been practicing and perfecting over the summer.

That one fact disturbed him a lot and he answered Draco's questioning gaze, who had seen through the mask of course, with a look of his own, promising to talk later. As soon as their last period was over, Harry assured the sixth years that they could find their way on their own and dragged Draco down to the dungeons, through several twisting passages, carefully remembering the way Severus had shown him, and they ended up in front of a blank portrait deep inside the castle.

"Lirio." Harry said quietly and the portrait swung forward at once.

"Harry?" Draco asked impatiently.

"We're in Severus' quarters, Draco." Harry answered.

The room was a lot similar to the common room with the color scheme mostly various shades of green, silver and black. A large fireplace was crackling with fire and filled the room with warmth. The place was neat and tidy and they immediately felt at home. Some of the tension from Harry's shoulder faded.

"I am in the study." Severus called. Harry led Draco through one of the three doors and saw Severus sitting behind a large desk.

"How did you–?" Draco was asking, but Severus pointed his finger at a mirror directly in front of the desk that showed the corridor in front of the blank portrait.

"Wicked." He breathed.

"I'm glad you think so." Severus said, putting down his quill, "Now, Harry, tell me, what is worrying you?"

"Yes, I would like to know that, as well." Draco said, dragging Harry forward and plopping down on the chair in front of the desk. Harry sat down reluctantly and took a deep breath.

"My… scar hurt." Harry said quietly. Severus inhaled sharply.

"When?"

"In Quirrell's class," said Harry, relieved that Severus was taking him seriously though he didn't know why he'd doubted him in the first place. Severus always took him seriously; he wasn't like the other adults. "He was writing something on the boards and suddenly it just hurt for a moment."

"I was looking at his turban." He added, not wanting to leave any detail.

Severus frowned, "Has your scar every hurt before this?"

"Only when I have the nightmare about the night my parents die." Harry admitted.

"Anytime else? It has never hurt randomly?" he asked intently.

"No. This was the first time."

Draco looked a little scared, "Uncle Sev?"

"I will look into the matter." He said, his brows furrowed, "If anything happens again, bring it to my attention at once, is that understood?"

They nodded.

"Good. Do not worry. I will keep an eye on Quirrell, just in case." He reassured and they relaxed a little, secure in their knowledge that Severus will figure it out.

"Would you like to stay here tonight?" Severus asked.

Harry sighed, relieved and nodded gratefully.

"I will call a house-elf to bring our dinner here. You may go change, I believe you have some clothes here, Harry?"

Harry had indeed brought a few extra set of clothes and had kept them inside his room in Severus' quarters. He gave a pair of pajamas to Draco and changed himself. During dinner, Harry and Draco debated on what had been inside the vault in Gringotts that had been broken into on his birthday while Severus merely observed them.

They went to bed quietly that night, both on opposite side of Harry's bed and contemplated the latest mystery before falling to sleep.

They would wake up cuddling like cute little kittens in the morning and Severus will get the blackmail material of a lifetime for when they got older.

A/N :

I know! I'm cruel! But I finally posted this chapter after a lot of deliberation! This one took a long time to write, but I finally did it!
Please tell me how you like it. I love your lovely reviews. :D

Kay