DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Harry Potter Series, that all belongs to JK Rowling. This story is inspired by the Sneaky Snakey Snape challenge (by Hopeless Wanderer) on Potions and Snitches, but will diverge within the story.
Notes: This story mostly follows canon plotline but will diverge near the end (for obvious reasons). More about the change in the relationship between Snape and Harry, enemies to friends/mentor and Snape gets Harry away from the Dursleys kinda stuff.
Author's Note:
Speech - " "
Thoughts - italics
parseltongue - ~ ~
June 19th, 1992:
Footsteps echoed along the hallway as Harry walked forlornly from the headmaster's office. He turned onto one of the deserted fifth-floor corridors and barely took in his surroundings as he watched as his shoes scuffed the floor under his feet. It had been three weeks since the Chamber of Secrets incident, and the entire school was rampant with rumours about what had happened between Harry, Ginny and Voldemort down in the legendary chamber. With this, the staff and students seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief now that the danger had passed. Most had returned to their relatively normal end of year schedule. However, this was not the case for Harry.
I can't go back; I can't deal with another two months at the Dursleys…
With the end of the school year came the return of the one thing he hated the most, which was having to live with the Dursleys over the summer. Despite his hinting at not wanting to go back there this year and last year, Harry's pleas had fallen on deaf ears when he had attempted to get the headmaster to see sense. With only a couple of hours until the train left for King's Cross, Harry was running out of ideas.
I can't believe that Dumbledore wants me to go back to the Dursley's again! Harry scowled to himself, trying and failing to push down the anger that was rising inside of him.
I asked if I could stay over at Hogwarts this year, as well as last year, and he still won't listen… why can't he just let someone else look after me?
He was sure that Ron and his parents would be happy to have him over, as Ron had hinted at very heavily over the Christmas break. Grumbling to himself, he slowed down and peeked around the corner, making sure that it was empty before proceeding into the next corridor.
He thought back to his encounter with Dumbledore not even an hour ago, and his repose to his asking about staying over again. Dumbledore had still insisted that it was for the best and that they would be able to keep him as safe as possible, which Harry personally disagreed with.
—Flashback—
"Do come in Harry, how can I help you?" called the headmaster, just as Harry was about to knock on the door to his office.
Harry jumped at the sound of his name. How does he do that? he wondered, He must have some sort of alert in his office or something unless he can somehow see through doors – how does that work?
Harry shook his head and pushed the door open.
The heavy wooden door creaked as he entered Dumbledore's office, and he gestured to the two armchairs sitting in front of his desk as he fiddled with the scattered array of parchments on his desk. "I'll be just a minute Harry, do take a seat while you wait,"
Harry perched on one of the colourful armchairs as Dumbledore hastily rearranged the parchment on his desk. He sat quietly gazed around the room, spotting Fawkes resting on his perch, and a large cabinet of spindly objects sitting behind him. As he turned back to face Dumbledore, he mentally prepared his argument hoping that this year he would finally listen to Harry regarding his relatives.
"Would you care for a lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered, holding out a colourful bowl full of the yellow lollies. Harry quickly took one, and then sat back down while muttering his thanks.
"What can I do for you, Harry?" he asked, once he had set the bowl back down on his desk.
"Please sir," Harry began, shifting in his seat. "Can I not go back to my relatives this year? I-I would really like to stay here over the summer," he glanced up at Dumbledore, who he found was gazing at him, his hands steepled on his desk.
"It's just… they don't really like me… or my magic… a-and I could just stay and even help around the castle… I just really really want to stay here over the summer please I won't bother anyone I can-" Harry rushed out; all internal planning forgotten.
Dumbledore held up a hand to forestall any further argument.
"Harry, we had this discussion last year, and I'm afraid my answer is still the same."
"But sir-"
"Harry, please listen to me," Dumbledore looked sternly at him.
Harry shut his mouth with a snap.
"Now, you know perfectly well why I can't move you from your family-"
"They aren't my family-" Harry muttered
Dumbledore fixed him with a hard stare, which Harry took as a warning to stop interrupting.
"-because of the danger that Voldemort poses," Dumbledore continued. "there are also numerous protections that are in place around your home that can only be renewed by blood relatives, which are the Dursleys. These protections ensure that no harm can befall you as long as you reside there, which you must do in order for them to remain active."
Harry glared at the desk ferociously, mentally ranting about the injustices of having to return to Privet Drive for another year.
"Are you sure there's absolutely no-one else who could take me? I'm sure the Ron-"
"Harry, stop."
Harry could see that Dumbledore had made his decision - which was the same one as it had been in his first year. It looked as if he was going to spend another summer in the care of his loving relatives.
"-The decision is final, they may not love you, but I'm sure that they will do their best to ensure-"
Harry went to interrupt with the fact that actually hated him with a burning passion and most likely wished him dead, but was silenced by a glare from Dumbledore who continued;
"-that nothing would happen to you-"
Harry snorted. Nothing indeed, they would make sure he did nothing except stare at the four walls of his prison of a bedroom, and honestly, if given the chance they would probably sell him out to Voldemort the moment the opportunity arose.
"-but there is much worse that could happen should the protections fall due to your absence this summer."
Harry gave up trying to convince the Headmaster, realising that he would never understand the sheer hatred that the Dursleys had for him and that was returning to that dreaded house year for another year was going to be truly awful.
"Alright, sir… I understand," he said dejectedly, watching Dumbledore's reaction as he readied to leave the office.
Dumbledore smiled at him, the twinkle returning to his eyes now that he believed he had won the debate against Harry. He raised his hand and waved him towards the door.
"I knew you'd understand my boy, now run along, you have the rest of today left until you must return home," he picked up a pen and returned to the many official-looking pieces of parchment present on the desk. Harry turned and made his way out the door, gently shutting it behind him as he stepped down onto the staircase.
—End Flashback—
They don't keep me safe at all! unless you call being chased by Dudley and being severely punished for even the slightest infraction 'keeping me safe' which it isn't.
He continued to walk aimlessly along the fifth floor until he was struck by a thought.
Could there be any place that he could hide that was inaccessible? Surely there must be somewhere in the entire castle that no-one knew about. How could Dumbledore make him go back if he couldn't reach Harry in the first place?
Thinking of places around the school that would be out of reach, Harry quickly drew a blank. There were many dusty and unused classrooms dotted around, but attempting to hide in one of those would prove futile against any sort of basic locking or location spell. His thoughts then turned to the dungeons.
Surely he could hide there? It was a veritable maze, and one that he could get quite lost in very quickly.
After pondering the idea, he decided that he wished to go somewhere that truly no-one could access, and the dungeons would mean that he would probably be found out by any of the Slytherins who knew the area, including Snape.
Harry shuddered at the thought of coming across Snape alone in the dungeons. Sure, he certainly wasn't even close to the top of Harry's worst people he had ever met list, but would still take great pleasure in assigning detention and sending him to Dumbledore if he found him after the train had left. Certainly, something that he hoped to avoid as he would undoubtedly be watched to and from the Dursleys until he got back to King's Cross the next year. Definitely not what he wanted. After considering some other possible hiding places, all having the same issue as the first, he thought of another untouchable spot.
The Chamber of Secrets! Even after the events that had happened almost three weeks before, no-one has actually bothered to ask me about the chamber and its whereabouts. Harry had remained purposefully vague when relaying that part of his story to Dumbledore, hoping that he would ignore the fact that he now knew where it was.
Harry turned around and went back down the corridor he had just been walking up. He needed to reach the abandoned girl's bathroom as fast as possible, and there was three flights of stairs and many corridors between him and his destination. Also, avoiding running into teachers or students who were getting ready to leave that afternoon. Raising suspicion about the fact he was trying to hide at Hogwarts would be bad. He continued to grumble about the unfairness of having to be in this situation in the first place as he walked, but quickly backtracked when he heard the sounds of student's voices echoing up the passage ahead. Reaching a dead end surrounded by unused classrooms, he quickly thought about what he was hoping to achieve.
Let's think about this logically; If I want to make sure I can stay here over the summer without being dragged back to the Dursleys, I need to make sure I don't need to leave the chamber often. That means that I need all my stuff in the chamber, and a way to get to the kitchens without raising suspicion. How is that supposed to work?
Harry thought back over everything he had learned about the magical world over the last two years. Surely there is a way for me to get all of this done… hang on, what about Dobby? He could help me if I asked him!
He thought of all of the things that Dobby had hinted at him being able to do over the year. Surely he would be able to get his stuff into the chamber? How am I supposed to call him? Do I just say his name or something?
He quietly checked the opening of the corridor he had stopped in was clear, before ducking into the nearest classroom. He was greeted by tables and chairs covered in layers of dust, and the entire thing had an air of neglect about it. Harry figured that the classrooms hadn't been used for around fifty years.
he quietly called out to his friend, wondering if this was the best way to call house-elves.
"Dobby? Can you hear me? Well, if you can I have a question for y-"
"Great Master Harry Potter is calling Dobby! What can Dobby be's doing for yous sir?
Harry was startled by the loud crack that echoed around the room, followed by Dobby's familiar introduction in his high voice. Harry was surprised by the drastic changes that the elf seemed to have undertaken over the past couple of weeks. Gone was the tea towel that was the mark of his link with the Malfoys, and instead he had a tea cosy perched on his head and also had on an overlarge jumper and shorts. His outfit was completed with a pair of mismatched socks on his feet, one being the one Harry gave to Lucius Malfoy to free him. Harry thought that he looked like a colourful explosion of fabric. Harry crouched down so that he was at eye level with Dobby.
"Hi Dobby, I was wondering if you would be able to answer a question for me?" He asked tentatively, hoping that Dobby's enthusiastic response wouldn't draw the attention of anyone passing by.
"Of course Great Master Harry Potter, I would be's happy to answer questions that yous has!" He squeaked in excitement, and Harry quickly attempted to quieten him down.
"Shhhh Dobby, I don't want everyone to hear us, they mustn't know that I am here."
"Dobby will make's sure he be's quiet, what does Great Master Harry Potter want to ask's Dobby?"
"I was just wondering… what sort of things are house-elves able to do? There is something that I need help with,"
"House-elves be able to do great many things, Great Master Harry Potter sir. We's be in charge of looking after houses, cooking, and all sorts of odd jobs that be's needs doing for our masters."
"That's great Dobby, would you be able to help me with my problem then?"
"What problem would that be's Great Master Harry Potter sir?"
Harry grimaced at the title that Dobby seemed to have given him. "Dobby, you don't need to keep calling me great master Harry Potter, just Harry is fine."
"But Great Master Harry Potter, how's be's everyone knowing how good yous is if I's not using the greatest title for yous? Yous helped make Dobby a free elf!"
"Yes, I know that Dobby, but it would just be easier if you just called me Harry, there's no need for the other titles."
Harry could see that Dobby was unsure about the arrangement, and he continued to watch as Dobby seemed to come to a decision regarding his name.
"I's just be's calling yous Master Harry then-", he stated "-but I's still be's calling yous Great Master Harry Potter with the other Hogwarts house-elves!"
Realising that was the closest he would get to Dobby calling him Harry, he decided to just let it slide.
"Alright, that's good enough…Now Dobby, now would you be able to help me?"
"What be's you need help with Master Harry sir?" Dobby blinked up at him.
"I don't want to go back to my relatives this summer, I need a way to stay at Hogwarts for the next few months,"
Dobby's eyes widened at this. "Yous best wanting to stays here sir? whys you needs to do's that?"
"My relatives don't really like me all that much-" Harry began, only to stop when he ended up with an armful of small elf, followed by a low wail.
"Why would they's not be liking yous Master Harry sir? Yous be the nicest wizard Dobby's ever be meeting!" With this, he continued to wail. Harry hugged him back and continued to placate him in the hope that he would stop crying.
"Hey…hey, it alright… Dobby, please listen to me… it's not that bad, I just really don't want to stay with them again, and I hoped that you might be able to help me make sure that Dumbledore won't be able to send me back."
Dobby stopped and looked up at Harry. "Why would Headmaster Dumblys be wanting to send yous back Master Harry sir?"
"He believes that they can protect me from Voldemort-" he felt Dobby flinch at the use of the dark wizard's name "-but he doesn't really know what goes on when I'm at the Dursleys, and he doesn't want to listen to me."
Dobby stared at up at him for a long time, his big eyes seeming to pierce straight into Harry's soul. Harry began to wonder what he was doing when Dobby spoke,
"I's be happy to helps you Master Harry sir, what do yous want me's to do for yous?"
Harry grinned at the elf and went to stand from where he had been crouched at Dobby's height.
"Are you able to come into the chamber of secrets with me? I was hoping I would be able to stay there,"
"I'm sorrys Master Harry sir, but Dobby's not be able to apparate into there, there is special wizard magic that prevents us…"
"You mean like a ward or something?"
"…Yes! Thats exactly whats be's there!"
Harry thought about it for a minute. Just because Dobby can't apparate in, doesn't mean he can't ride down with me into the chamber! He looked down at Dobby.
"where exactly can you get into then?"
Dobby seemed to still for a moment, trying to figure out where he could apparate to within Hogwarts. "Dobby's be able to get into the girl's bathroom sir, but beyond that, I is not able to get in,"
"That's alright, I guess you will just have to ride down with me,"
Dobby looked up in excitement "I's be able to ride down with yous?"
"Of course!" Harry said, and watched as Dobby started to jump around with enthusiasm.
"Dobby please calm down, listen, here is what I need you to do…"
TBC...
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