Chapter 11
*as always, I do not own characters. Thanks to ArystaNyx for editing*
Harry finally found his chance to get to the Chamber on Halloween weekend. Draco begged him, believe it or not, to let him tag along. Harry didn't want him down there until he knew if what he had planned would work. While everyone was at the feast, Harry told his friends he would be back. He snuck his way to the girls bathroom where the entrance was.
He hoped he could still speak Parseltounge as he walked up to the sink. He opened his mouth to say 'Open' and was thrilled when he heard hissing sounds instead. He stood back as the sinks transformed. Once completely open, he made his way down. He found the Chamber door and again commander it to open.
When it swung open, Harry carefully walked through. He watched his surroundings for any sign of the Basilisk. He could see slight movement in front of him, in the opening of the large cave.
"Show yourself." He commanded, speaking Parseltounge.
Suddenly, a large snakelike creature come out of the cave. Who disturbs my slumber?
"I apologize for disturbing you. I'm here because I need to find out why have Muggleborns been dying or being petrified."
I have no control. There is a man who tells me what to do and I must obey. He is a descendant of my master.
Harry looked at the creature. "What is your name?"
Safrina.
"Safrina, why are you here?"
Salazar made this place for me so I could protect the school. He wasn't fond of the Muggleborn children, but he wasn't harming them. I was down here to protect it from anyone out side that wished harm on us or the school.
"Who has been controlling you now?"
A boy by the name of Tom Riddle. He tells me when and where to go.
Harry pulled the journal from his robes. "This is his. Could you help me destroy it? It may help you fight that control."
Safrina slythered closer to Harry's opened her mouth and took a fang and jabbed it into the book. A light shot out from the opening and a scream was heard vibrating from the walls.
I'm free. I can feel it. Thank you. I am forever in your debt. If you shall ever need me again, I'll be here. Before she fully submerged back into the cage, she turned her head. Send me a few rats now and then, will you?
Harry nodded and smiled. Another change in his future. Now to find the rest of the Horcruxes and Safrina could help him destroy them. He made his way back to the bathroom, only to be stopped by Professor Snape.
"What are you doing, Potter?"
Harry looked at the man and contemplated on whether or not to tell him the truth. "I needed to use the restroom and ran in here. It was the closest."
Snape gave Harry a disbelieving look. "Down under the sink, Potter?"
Harry shurgged his shoulders. "Well, I tried. Do you want the half truth or the whole truth? I mean, the whole truth would sound ridiculous to you and you would probably want to give me detention for lying."
Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Pray tell, what's the truth? Let me determine if I believe it or not."
Harry took a deep breath. He proceeded to tell Snape everything. From the Horcruxes down to how he was returning from the future to right all his wrongs and how he wanted to out Dumbledore as someone who wasn't looking out for the best for him. As he told his story, Snape's face never faltered. He knew the older man wouldn't believe him, but he found he couldn't lie to him.
"I'll take Vertiserum if you don't believe me."
"Follow me." Snape turned, his robes billowing out behind him. Harry followed him until they reached Snape's class.
Once in the room, Snape waved his wand, causing a Silencing Charm to guard them. "It's foolish what you're doing, Potter. Going at that alone. Down in the deepest chambers of the school."
"I wanted to go alone. I didn't know what to expect and I didn't want Draco down there and something happen."
Snape eyed the boy. He thought for a moment before he spoke. "The letter you gave me from your mother, she made me promise to watch over you whilst here. As much as I despised your father, I will keep a promise and make sure you survive. What we talk about will stay between us, right?" He gave Harry a warning look.
"Yes, sir."
"I loved your mother. She was the one person I had that accepted me. As we got older, she met your father and I hated her for that. I even used the worst term someone could call a Muggleborn. That's when she turned away from me. I regret that everyday."
Harry watched the man as his facial features changed talking about his mom. He was beginning to see another side of the Professor he didn't know before.
"When I found out what happened that night, I ran to the house. Her lying on the floor in your nursery, it was too much. I knew I hadn't done right by her. I watched you, reaching out for her. I could see her eyes in yours. I got up, cast a charm over you to calm you down and sent word to the Order. I kept you until Sirius came. When he arrived, I snuck out the back."
"Sir, if I may, how did you become a Death Eater?"
Snape sighed. "After school, I had nothing to lose. I turned to Voldemort because he was feeding these people all the promises of a better world. If I'd have known then, what I know now, I'd have made better ways to protect those lost. All I can do now is make sure the right side knows what is going on. In hopes they can stop it."
Harry nodded. "We can stop it. If you can help me destroy Volemort's remaining Horcruxes, we can change the course of everything. My mom's death wouldn't have been for nothing. She died protecting me."
Snape sighed. "Potter, know this. Do not trust Dumbledore. He's using you for his own selfish reasons. Raising you like a pig for slaughter."
"I know. I see that now. I couldn't before, but looking back, I can see it."
Snape nodded. "Well, Potter. I say we shall keep this between us. Whatever you need, come see me. I'm not only your Head of House, but I'm also someone who you can trust."
Harry nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm glad I told you what's going on. Before, we hated each other until the end, but I can see now that you're one of the only people that I can trust."
Snape nodded. "Now, off you go, Potter." He waved his wand and the charms disappeared.
Harry got up and turned to leave. "We're going to look for Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem in the next few weeks. I know it's in the Room of Requirement. There are seven, and now we have six more to destroy."
"What are they?"
"Tom Riddle's diary, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, the Gaunt family ring, Salazar Slytherin's locket, Helga Hufflepuff's Goblet, Nagini and me."
Snape stood and walked to the boy. "You?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. When he tried to kill me as a baby, a piece of his soul transferred and made it's way in me."
"I'll help work on the others. I know where the goblet is. Have Draco ask Narcissa to get into her sister's vault. The ring, that's already in the works. You and Draco retrieve the diadem. I may know where the snake is. And the locket."
Harry nodded. "I'll keep you informed, sir."
Snape nodded and waved the boy out of his class.
"Do you have the map?" Draco asked as the two snuck through the halls after curfew.
Harry held it up. "I somely swear I'm up to no good." He whispered and touched his wand to the map. The map began showing where everyone was.
"Alright, we're good. No one is around the Room of Requirement. Remember, we need to think about what we want from it. Shouldn't be hard to find."
The boys made their way down the hall. After a few passes, the doors appeared. Once inside, they split up, looking at all the different piles of things.
"Oi! Potter!" Draco called from across the room. Harry came running over. "This it?" Draco head out a silver diadem with sapphire jewels.
Harry nodded. "It is. Now, we just need to get the goblet from your mom and we can take them both with us to Safrina."
Draco nodded in response. Before they left the room, they checked the map for anyone roaming the halls. When the coast was clear, they rushed back to the dungeon, the diadem tucked away safely.
It was three days before Christmas break and Hermione and Draco were packing to leave for home.
"Harry, you haven't even packed. We've only got three days before we leave." Hermione said, her voice stern.
"I'm staying here. It's either go home to my retched aunt and uncle or stay here where I can get some peace and quiet. I choose here." He responded.
The three continued to talk until the common room door opened, in walking Professor Snape.
"Draco, you're Mother is here to see you. You too, Potter. Come with me to the Headmaster's office."
The boys exchanged looks, looked to Hermione and followed Snape. Running to keep up, they almost stumbled into him when he stopped abruptly. He gave the password and they went up the stairs.
Inside Dumbledore's office, sat Narcissa, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore. The women gave them smiles.
"Hello, Mother." Draco said, hugging her.
"Hello, my dragon. Hello, Harry." She responded, hugging him as well.
"Hello, Cissy."
"Well, I'm sure you two are wondering why you're here. I'm wondering that myself. I'll turn it over to professor McGonagall." Dumbldore spoke.
"Well, actually, I'll let Narcissa take over on this one. She has some news for you, Harry." McGonagall couldn't keep the smile from her face.
"Right. Well, Harry, Draco. After much consideration and discussing it over with Lucius, I have decided that I had to take action when I was told of Harry's living situation. So, once the two of you were back here, I went to the Ministry and had formal papers drawn up, and now, Harry, I and Lucius are your legal gaurdians."
Harry's eyes went wide and his mouth fell open. "What? You mean, I don't have to go back to the Dursely's anymore?"
Before narcissa could speak, Dumbledore interrupted. "Of course you do. That is where you were placed after your parents died. That's where you must reside. Without their consent you cannot just make yourself legal gaurdians." He had stood and was beginning to raise his voice.
"Now, see here, Albus. I personally went with Narcissa to see Petunia and Vernon. They were more than willing to turn over gaurdianship. You and I both know that wasn't the place for him, I even told you they were bad people. You insisted." McGonagall said, her voice raising higher as she spoke.
"He needs to be with his family. It's the only way!" Dumbledore yelled.
Harry grew frustrated. After his experience in the past, he could see just how much the Headmaster didn't actually care for him. "What way? A way for me to be mistreated? For them to lock me in the house and barely give me food? Why would you want that to go on even more?" His chest was heaving with anger. "No more. I'll be going to the Malfoy's from now on."
Dumbledore had an angry glint in his eyes. He swiftly turned and went up his stairs to his upper loft. Harry watched as he left. He then turned back to the two women behind him.
"Thank you. Both of you. For doing this for me." He hugged them both.
"Of course, Potter. I knew from the beginning that wasn't where you belonged. You will do well with the Malfoy's. Don't worry about Albus, I'll handle him. Now, I suggest you go pack your belongings for break." McGonagall gave him a smile.
"Before I go, may I have a word with the boys, please?" Narcissa asked. When McGonagall have the okay, she pulled the boys to the corner. "I have what you asked for. It didn't take much to get to, since Bella is in Azkaban. I'll work on the other soon."
She passed them a wrapped package from the inside of her robe. Draco took this one and slipped it inside his robes.
"Thank you, Mother."
Narcissa smiled. "Well, my boys, I will see you in a few days. Be safe until then."
Harry and Draco, along with professor Snape, made their way back into the Chamber. Harry introduced the other two to Safrina, telling her they were trustworthy. Safrina disposed of the two items, Harry instantly feeling a release upon him.
Harry thanked the basilisk and as a thank you gift, he opened a cage with some rats for her to feast on. Safrina thanking him with a loud hiss.
"That's three down, only four more." Harry said as they climbed back into the bathroom.
"We'll get them. I have an idea for yours, but I want to look into it more before I say anything more." Draco replied back.
"You better be off back to the dorm. You leave tomorrow for home. I'm sure I will see you there." Snape said, walking towards his office, away from the two boys.
Harry and Draco made their way back to the Slytherin dorm. Both making haste to pack before laying down for the night. Harry laid awake for awhile, just thinking how much his life has drastically changed from before. This time he was doing things right, and it was all working out just fine.
A/N: Hello my lovelies! Sorry it's been so long! I have been writing, I just realized that I hadn't posted a new chapter since finishing another. Hope y'all enjoy!