The past Slytherins:

Tom Riddle (obviously). His intentions are unclear, he looks like you would imagine Riddle to look from JK's descriptions. He is unpredictable and does the strangest things, sometimes against his future self, for no clear reason. Brilliant, cunning, dark…as JK described.

Zevi Prince: A relation of Snape's, his mother's father. Harry's biggest ally in with the snakes and against Tom - though he is definitely loyal to Tom. Smart.

Cygnus Lestrange: The father of Rodolphus, Rabastan…whatever other Lestrange's JK mentioned. Hates Harry with a vengeance, for 'taking Tom away.' Has a deal, as of yet unknown in contents, with Dumbledore.

Abraxas Malfoy: Draco's Grandfather. Likes Harry well enough, a mixture between Lucius and Draco.

Alphard Black: Sirius' uncle. The one who in the books gave Sirius his fortune. A lot like a Slytherin Sirius.

Chapter 18:

'Sirius!'

His Dogfather looked up, crossing the space between them and holding him tight. He smelt of leather, of safety and, though he felt guilty towards James Potter for thinking it, something like a father.

'Harry,' he murmured. 'You okay, kiddo?'

'Am I okay?' he asked disbelievingly. 'You're the one that had a run in with the corpsicles!'

A low, bark like laugh at the name, then Sirius drew back a little to look at him, his gaze turning serious.

'Harry…that friend of yours,' he began.

'Tom?'

'Tom,' Sirius agreed carefully. 'I -'

'-Don't tell me to stop being around him,' he growled, feeling annoyed. Sirius rested his hands on Harry's shoulders.

'I won't,' he promised. 'Just be careful, okay? Don't make…promises that you aren't willing to keep.'

He looked at his godfather, his gaze sharpening. He knew. He knew who Tom was.

'I will,' he said quietly - even as he inwardly concluded that he would do what ever it took to keep his loved ones safe.

'I'm serious, I…I don't want to lose you.'

He looked away, not able to take the familiar stare. He knew Harry wasn'tplanning on keeping away; keeping safe. His godfather sighed.

'Call me on the mirrors if you ever need me.'

He knew…yet he wasn't running away in disgust? Calling him a traitor to the Potters? Harry felt a small, warm feeling bubble in the pit of his abdomen, followed by confusion. Mirrors? OH! The package that Sirius gave him before term. Feeling guilty, he made a mental note to open it immediately.

'Okay,' he said. They paused for a moment, watching each other in mutual understanding.

'OUT! Mr Potter you are in here enough already! Out! My patient needs rest!'

He smiled tentatively.

'Cya Padfoot,'

___

Feeling nervous, wondering at how the status quo may have changed, he sat down at the Slytherin table for breakfast the next morning. He felt the snake come alive as soon as he got near to Tom. He couldn't help but shiver slightly, garnering a small smirk from the Slytherin heir in question.

'What?' he demanded, moodily grabbing himself a cup pf coffee.

'You really should eat more than that,' Tom said lightly. There was a pause, then he raised a brow.

'Haven't we already have this conversation?' he returned tiredly.

'Yes, but you're not listening to me, have some toast.'

He began to argue, when his left hand started tingling. His fingers clenched under the table as the feeling grew…it was getting uncomfortable. On a hunch, he took a piece of toast. His suspicions were confirmed when the tingling went away. He scowled at Tom's smug expression. Bastard.

He let the toast lay defiantly untouched on his plate.

'Did you know that the new defence teacher is arriving today?' Zevi asked, swallowing his cereal. He looked up, but didn't say anything, still pointedly ignoring the offensive piece of bread on his plate. He was never hungry this early in the morning, and with the Dursleys he could go quite easily with only coffee for breakfast, no lunch and then a meal for dinner.

'Oh?' Alphard perked up with interest.

'Down boy,' Abraxas smirked. 'She's a woman called Alecto Carrow -'

'-Alecto Carrow?' he repeated. Wasn't she? he was pretty sure she was one of the death eaters that had never been convicted.

'-Yeah,' Abraxas' eyes turned to him. 'You know her?'

He set his jaw. Well, at least the corpse cruncher knew her dark arts to defend again.

Fantastic. Just freaking fantastic.

Tom smirked, taking a sip of orange juice.

'Personally, I can't wait to meet her.'

Huh.

___

'Students!' Dumbledore boomed, his voice effectively silencing the hall. 'The ministry have found us a replacement Defence professor…I hope you will all make her feel welcome.' He looked like he'd had a slightly too sour sherbet lemon. Harry didn't blame him. Were the ministry really that stupid? actually, stupid question - of course they were.

Alecto Carrow stood up to silence. He felt like clawing something…quite possibly Tom. His first impression of his new teacher was that of a Fury, she was dark haired with a horrible bony face and an insane tint to her eyes. After a moment, there was some forced, hesitant clapping. Everyone who was anyone in the Wizarding world knew exactly what side Alecto Carrow was really on.

He stiffened slightly, he could feel every snake in the hall staring at him. A death eater and the Boy-who-lived-to-have-a-ridiculously-hypened-name-and-why-did-they-even-do-that(?) was a chemical reaction destined to an explosive finish. Like Neville in potions class.

'Thank you, headmaster,' she smirked. 'I'm sure the students are in for an interesting…informative year.'

A small wicked grin.

Harry wondered if the teacher's would let him opt out and do a personal study instead. The air was thick with adrenaline. He doubted it. Clenching his fists - why couldn't he EVER have a normal year?! - he carefully put his coffee down before he chucked it over someone…namely Tom and his scheming, smug, oh so blank and innocent expression.

'Oh,' Carrow stood up again, as if she'd forgotten something. 'Mr Potter, Evans, whatever your name is: don't even bother turning up to my class on Halloween. I really don't want to deal with the copious paperwork and near death experiences that follow you on that day,' she said pleasantly.

Absolute silence.

'She does have a point.'

It would be Tom.

AN: Damn, I'm on a block again. So many ideas…so bad writing skills on FF. Oh well, I'm sorry that this update is so short. Thank you so much for all the reviews - what do you guys think of the new professor?