Chapter 12: Secrets in Hogwarts

Notes: Hello lovelies :) did you miss me last week? Cuz I missed you all :) yes a huge welcome to chapter 12! a week later~ hahah yeah sorry, but I was celebrating my birthday last Friday by having family coming down, and I wasn't able to hope on with everything that was planned, but yay I am back! There might be a couple more weeks where I will have to skip because of plans, but fear not I will always try to tell you in advance to I would not leave you hanging too long! As always a huge thanks goes to my lovely beta for reading through and try to catch the mistakes I have made! Well since I have prolonged you enough already on to the story! Leave comments below of what you think of it so far, and what you hope/speculation of what is to come. Enjoy~~ ;)

Draco and Harry made there was down to Snape's private chambers, of course Harry knew exactly where he was going, but this was Draco's first time seeing his Uncle's chambers.

Harry placed his hand upon the wall that Snape showed him the first time he came down here, and pushed on it lightly. It swung open with ease, revealing a cozy sitting room, with a fire roaring in the fire place and Levi lounging in front of it. Neit, who refused to be left behind, climbed out of Harry's pocket, and made her way to giant snake and curled up in his coils and fell asleep right on top of him.

Harry, you must do something about this beast and how she acts around me, Levi grumbled, looking at the little black furball that was purring away on top of him, as if there wasn't a giant snake that could eat her.

Harry just smiled at Levi, missing the conversation they had right before Hogwarts started. "There isn't much I can do Levi cats have a mind of their own." He said, walking into the living room and taking a seat on the couch.

"Come in Draco, he will be a few more minutes before he is down here, might as well get comfortable." Harry said to the blonde boy, who was awkwardly standing in the door way unsure of how to proceed. Draco knew his Uncle was a private man, and didn't really like to have his space invaded by anyone, yet here was Harry making himself at home, waltzing right in, letting his cat roam free, and talking to the snake.

Draco took a seat on the same couch Harry was occupying, listening to the silent hissing that came from his friend and the snake, as they carried on a conversation. Draco felt a little left out, not knowing what he could say or do. This boy was such a mystery to him, much like the day he had met him. So he sat their studying the young wizard they was he moved and talk, the way he reacted to everything around him. He had been doing this since the school year started and noticed a few things that were different here and there; for starters Harry never allowed anyone to touch him, if someone tried he would flinch away and mumble an apology. He would always have his eyes cast downward never looking anyone in the eye, the closest he had ever come to looking someone in the eye was his Uncle, and when Harry noticed what he was doing, quickly looked back down to the ground. Harry also never really talked to anyone save for a few words here or there, and that was only to the student, it seemed that Harry mostly talked to Draco, Theo, and the Girls' Prefect Gemma the most out of everyone. In class Harry never raised his hand, but always mumbled the corrected answer under his breath. Draco was puzzled, of course he respected his privacy, and didn't bring it up even though it bothered him deeply. He knew from what his mother told him and his father the night she came home after treating Harry that the young boy was not very trusting of people, and that he had a rough past, but she never said anything beyond that. Draco thought it would be better to let Harry talk to him when he was ready, rather than forcing it from him or someone else. Draco really wished he had a way to help his friend, but for now all he could do was sit and wait. Draco started to pull out his textbooks out of his school bag, setting a couple of books upon the small coffee table in the parlor area, ready to start the assigned reading; all the while stealing glance back at Harry.

The door that lead from the hallway to the private chambers swung open, and in stepped the Potions master. He was unsurprised to see the young dark haired wizard sitting upon his couch, but surprised to see his godson sitting right next to him. The young blonde wizard was studying the younger wizard as he spoke softly to the snake, something Severus had become use to in the week Harry and Levi had stayed with him, but Draco seemed to puzzled over the Parseltongue. Severus quickly cleared his throat as not to startle the young wizards with his presence, but sadly Harry still jumped when the sudden noise drew him from the conversation. He had begun working with the boy to reverse the damage that had been done by his muggle relatives, but the work had been slow going. The physiological damage had been done to a very deep extent, that Severus sometimes worry that Harry would never truly be able to live a care free life. There were rare moments when instead of seeing a broken young boy, he would see a curious child creeping out from the depths, that gave him hope that he did not come too late to save the boy. He was still mad that Albus would leave a child in such a home, but the headmaster didn't care, he had left Severus with his parents as well when he went for help and didn't even try to do anything for him. Severus was still a little upset with older wizard for what he has done to meddle in everyone's lives, but there was nothing he could do to change it but help the kids the best he knew how.

"Good evening Harry, Draco. I did not expect to see you two here this night," Severus said. Draco looked over the back of the couch wide eyed, as if he had his hand stuck in a cookie jar, Harry, on the other hand, went ridged for a second all the hissing sounds stopped before Harry took a deep breath and slowly released it. Harry turned around his bright green eyes, so much like Lily's, haunted still of past experience turned to look up at Snape, before giving a small smile.

"I am sorry sir, I wanted to come see Levi and talk to him for a bit, I hope you do not mind that I brought Draco along." Harry said in a tiny voice, unsure if he had done something wrong, something that Snape might not approve of.

"Everything is fine, Harry you have done nothing wrong, but next time I would like a little warning of when you do come down, so I can be ready myself." Severus said to calm the young dark haired wizard down, before he worked himself into a panic attack.

"Yes sir, sorry sir." Harry said his eyes down cast, Levi hissed something to the young wizard to convey a firm message to the boy. Draco's lips twitched at the sight of the smaller wizard getting scolded by the large snake, happy that someone was there to tell Harry stuff when he wouldn't listen to anyone else.

Severus just smirked as Harry's face turned a shade of red, "Alright you two, get your homework done and I will make everyone some tea to pass the time." Severus said before exiting to head to the small kitchen and leaving the boys right in front of the blazing fire, opening their books and taking out some parchment.

It was an hour later before both boys closed their books, there parchment brimming with information waiting to be turned in. Levi and Neit had fallen to sleep as soon as the boys started on their work. Severus had brought out a recently published potions journal and was reading it keeping an eye on both boys to make sure that they did their work, and not goof off.

Harry leaned back resting his head on the couch, his legs stretched out underneath the coffee table. Draco was smiling happily, leaning back into the couch cushion, closing his eyes happy that he no longer had to worry about the assignments and due dates. Severus noticed that the boys where done set aside his book.

This was the chance Harry has been waiting for all night, but was unsure of how to ask Severus the question. He was biting his lower lip, staring off into the fire, mind filled with many different ways of how to ask a single question.

"S-Severus," Harry said, chewing at his bottom lip, "I-I was wondering about an article in the paper… I-I was wondering if it had to do with what happened at Gringotts with Hagrid." Harry explained softly, not looking at the professor at all when speaking. Needless to say, Severus was a little concerned, how could this boy quickly deduce that what happened at the bank had to be something the headmaster put up? A test to see what Harry would do for the "greater good", but then again he was in his house, so all in all it wasn't that much of a surprise.

"It might be," Severus said, not going to go right out and say that it was, "but that is something you do not have to concern yourself with young one. Just keep to yourself and everything will be alright." Harry finally looked up at Snape with his huge green eyes boring into him to see the truth. Severus did not want Harry to go looking for any sort of trouble what so ever.

"Alright professor, I will," Was the reply that he got. With a quick goodbye to the two younger wizards, Severus started on a plan to make sure that the crazy old headmaster would not ruin the first year of school for young Harry.

Harry and Draco where almost at the entrance to when Draco pulled on Harry's sleeve, "Harry what was that about, back in Professor Snape's quarters?"

Harry bit his lip, having known that Draco would ask the question, questions that Harry could not answer himself. He looked everywhere for an answer himself, but he always found none. Just like he was back in the Dursley's, Harry was once again left in the dark unsure of what he is supposed to do, or what the correct answer was.

"I-I can't answer this Draco, because I am unsure myself. That is why I was asking Professor Snape, there is something going on in the school and it looks like a giant game. A game to test me." Harry explained, still biting his lip, hoping that his answer made sense to Draco, so that he would not ask him any hard questions.

Draco gave his friend's shoulder a small squeeze, upset with himself for putting Harry in such an uncomfortable positions.

"It's okay Harry I understand." Draco promised and gave his friend a smile when his green eyes met his own grey eyes, "If there is something going on, I will help you. So don't worry, you aren't alone in anything. I am also sure that the other Slytherins are willing to help as well." Harry felt his own lips tug upwards, is this what a friend was for? Someone to stick by your side when you feel lost, a person to help you in a time of need? If so Harry loved it, it made this lonely world not so lonely anymore.