Harry Potter felt like his stomach was full of lead. His first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had come to an end and now he would have to return to his horrible relatives, the Dursleys, for the summer.

Maybe it won't be so bad, he thought as he prepared to board the train, they don't know I can't use magic-like Hagrid said-and maybe....well, maybe they've changed.

The moment he thought it, he snorted in contempt. The only way the Dursleys had changed was probably to become even more mean and nasty than they were before...and that would be saying a lot. They had treated him like dirt for ten years, and that was before he was a wizard! Now, they were going to be ten times worse...he was sure of it.

Then tell Dumbledore that, a small part of him said.

Yeah right, he argued with himself, I'm supposed to be the Boy-Who-Lived. I can take on the worst wizard in history...twice!...but I can't handle my mean muggle relatives. C'mon.

Steeling himself for the inevitable, he reached up to boost himself onto the train when his scar suddenly flared with pain. This usually was a warning of danger, as he'd learned all too well this past year, but what danger could there be in broad daylight and at a crowded trains station.

"Harry!" his friend Hermione, who'd just stepped up on the train ahead of him, cried out in alarm. "Behind you!"

Harry turned and his emerald green eyes widened as a streak of red magic sliced through the air right toward him!

What could he do? If he moved, the curse or whatever it was would hit Hermione. He couldn't let that happen.

The curse hit him full force in the chest, knocking him backwards into Hermione and Ron. His two friends fell on top of each other inside he train. He, however, stumbled and rolled.

"Harry, mate," Ron's voice called to him.

Opening his eyes, he blinked as he gazed up to find several scared looking people staring at him. "W-What happened?" he asked, oddly hearing an echo to his question.

Why would there be an echo? They were outside.

Sitting up, his own eyes widened as he came face to face with...himself!

Or rather...someone like looked incredibly like him, except for his eyes.

Harry knew his eyes were the same color as his mother's, but the boy he was staring at had sapphire-blue eyes-a lot like his father's, James, had.

"W-Who are you?" he stammered out, standing up. The group circling the two of them back up, giving them room.

The other boy blinked looking at himself. "I'm you," he said, standing also, "at least, I think I am."

"H-How is this possible?" Harry asked, still gaping in surprise.

The other Harry shrugged. "I have no idea," he admitted. "One minute I-uh, we-were getting on the train and the next my scar..." He had reached up to feel his famous lightening bolt scar...only it wasn't there!

Harry noticed for the first time that his double, while also having different colored eyes, didn't have the lightening bolt scar on his forehead. He reached up to his own, finding his scar just as it had been.

"This is so weird," they both said together.

"You lot," the voice of Hagrid, the half-giant gameskeeper of Hogwarts, was clearly heard as he waded his way through the crowd surrounding them, "let me through now. What all this ruckus? Harry, lad, what...well, I'll be Fanged! I'm seein' double!" He stared back and forth between the two Harrys trying to decide who was who.

"You're not the only one," the two nearly identical boys said at the same time.

Hagrid looked perplexed. "I reckon we'd best head on up to the castle," he said, then looked at the rest of the students. "The rest of you lot, GET ON THE TRAIN!" At his bellow, kids scattered like leaves on the wind and hurried onto the train. Those already on the train, and had been peeking out the windows, ducked inside and closed them with a snap.

"C'mon, lads," he said, placing his large hands on the two boys backs. "Professor Dumbledore'll know what to do."

Harry and his double looked at each other. They had the same thought. Let's hope so.

Once at the castle school, the two boys and Hagrid were met by two teachers-Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.

Great, the two Harrys thought, he's just gonna love this!

"Hagrid," Professor McGongall said, "what appears to be...MY WORD!" She had finally looked down and saw who the half-giant was escorting.

Professor Snape showed no emotion on his face and merely raised an eyebrow in question. "What on Earth have you done now, Mr. Potter?" he asked.

The two boys glared at Harry's-their?-most disliked teacher.

"Nothing," they answered simultaneously. "Something hit me."

"Hagrid," McGonagall stammered, her eyes wide and her face pale, "y-you and Severus take them to Pomfrey. I'll get Albus immediately." She then and hurried up the stairs to fetch the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.

"C'mon, lad," Hagrid said, once more placing a hand on both boys shoulder. "Let's getcha to the infirmary." He ushered them toward the stairs.

Professor Snape followed behind them, his black robes billowing out behind him and his hands behind his back. His ever present frown plastered on his face just like always.

Madame Pomfrey, the school's nurse, took one-uh, that is two glances at them and very nearly fainted.

"Really, Pomfrey," Professor Snape sneered at the woman. "You're a trained mediwitch, for Merlin's sake!"

Never let it be said that Madame Pomfrey was ever cowed by anyone, least of all Severus Tobias Snape.

"Just you wait, Severus," she warned him, pointing a finger in her face, "one of these days you'll be back under my hands and then you'll regret those words. Mark my words!"

"Consider them marked," Snape sneered at her. "Now, if you would be so kind as to run a couple of diagnostic spells on these two that would ever so nice of you."

Harry looked at his double and they both had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing at the outraged look on the nurse's face. They had to admit, Snape did have a way of prodding people into action.

"How odd," Pomfrey said, after having the boys sit on a couple of beds and running diagnostic spells. "There's nothing wrong with them."

"Are you blind?" Snape sneered. "Look at them!"

"I am looking, Severus," she told him, "and I agree that something isn't right, but as far as their health is concerned they are a pair of perfectly healthy eleven year olds."

"Great," Harry said, "except..."

"There's only supposed to be one healthy eleven year old," his double finished for him.

Snape rolled his eyes at him-uh, them. "We're well of that, Mr. Potter," he said. "Now, close your mouths and let the adults handle things."

"Like you've been doing a bang up job so far," Harry muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes at his double-who returned the gesture.

"What was that?" Snape asked, sharply. There was a dark expression on his face that didn't bode well.

"Uh," Harry said, "nothing, sir."

Snape just sneered, but then turned to look as Professor McGonagall entered with Professor Dumbledore.

"Merlin's Beard," Dumbledore exclaimed, upon setting eyes upon the two Harrys. "How are you feeling, my boy?"

The two boys shrugged simultaneously. "Fine, Sir," they said at the same time.

Dumbledore nodded, and then examined both of them carefully. "My word," he said, looking over Harry's blue-eyed double, "but you are the spitting image of James."

"Wonderful," Snape muttered, earning a glare from Pomfrey and McGonagall.

Dumbledore ignored his potions professor and reached up to examine blue-eye's forehead. "No scar," he muttered. "I wonder..." he trailed off, lost in thought.

"Wonder what, Headmaster?!" Snape asked, impatient. Again, this earned him a glare from the two witches present.

"Minerva," Dumbledore spoke at last, "would you be so kind as to fetch me the Sorting Hat, please."

Professor McGonagall looked perplexed by his request, as did the rest of them, but she nodded anyway. "Right away, Albus," she said, and then once more scurried out of the room.

Dumbledore turned to Hagrid. "Be so kind, Hagrid," he told the gentle giant, "and go tell the conductor he may depart. No sense worrying the children's parents any longer."

"W-Wha' about 'Arry, Headmaster?" Hagrid asked, nodding toward Harry and his double.

"He shall be well taken care of, I assure you," Dumbledore told him. "Please, go tell the train to depart."

Hagrid nodded, and turned to leave.

"Hagrid," Harry called after him, echoed a second later by his double.

Hagrid looked at him-uh, them. "Yeah, 'Arry?" he asked, curious.

"Tell Ron and Hermione to write me," He told him, his double nodding in agreement with him, "and tell them I said goodbye. Please?"

Hagrid smiled brightly. "I sure will, "Arry," he told him. "Don'tcha worry none." With that, he turned and headed out the door.

No sooner had he left, but McGonagall returned and she was carrying the school's Sorting Hat with her. The Hat was responsible for placing the first year students in one of the four Houses of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw at the beginning of each school year.

"Ah," Dumbledore said, taking the hat from her, "thank you, my dear." McGonagall nodded, and then stepped back to see just what the Headmaster had planned.

Going over to the blue-eyed Harry, he asked, "May I?"

Harry's double nodded. "I guess so, Sir," he said, shrugging.

Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you, my boy," he said, and then placed the Sorting hat onto his head. He then stepped back and waited.

"Gryffindor," the hat exclaimed a few seconds later.

"I believe we already know what house he's in, Headmaster," Snape said, impatiently. "What exactly is the point of this?"

"You will see, Severus," Dumbledore said, stepping over to the original green-eyed Harry. "May I?"

Harry nodded. "Of course, Sir," he said, grinning.

Dumbledore placed the hat on his head and then stepped back to wait.

"Slytherin," the hat exclaimed, shocking everyone except Dumbledore-who walked over to remove the hat.

Snape, especially, had gone considerably paler. "T-That's impossible," he exclaimed.

"Nothing is ever truly impossible, Severus," Dumbledore told him, removing the hat from Harry's head, "but I believe now I have a better understanding of what is going on."

"Mind sharing with rest of us?" Snape growled at him, forgetting himself due to his shock.

"Of course," Dumbledore said, "but first I'd like a word in private. Minverva, will you please send an owl to the Dursleys to say that Harry will not be returning there this summer..."

"He won't?" McGonagall asked, surprised.

"I won't?" both Harry's asked at the same time.

"No," Dumbledore said, smiling at the two of them, "I don't believe you will. You two sit tight while I have a word with Professor Snape. Severus?" He started for the door of the infirmary while McGonagall headed to attend to the errand he'd requested.

"Coming, Headmaster," Snape replied, following behind the older wizard.

Outside, Dumbledore placed a silencing charm on the door so that they would not be over heard. "There is only one curse I no of that could have done this," he told the black robed wizard.

Snape nodded. "I know," he said, "and I know of only one person who knows it."

"Malfoy?" Dumbledore guessed.

Snape nodded. "Yes," he confirmed, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"Lucius couldn't have done this," Dumbldeore said. "He'd have been spotted."

"I know," Snape said, "so that leaves only Draco."

"Surely, a mere eleven year old boy couldn't..."

"Maybe not on purpose," Snape told him, "but Draco has been jealous of Potter since the moment he met him and he'd have used a curse if he thought it would humiliate him, especially after it was him and his little friends who won stole the Cup from his House. More than likely, he purloined the spell from one of his father's dark journals-he has done so in the past-without really looking to see what it did. If it sounded like it could be powerful, he'd have tried it."

Dumbledore shook his head. "If that is true," he said, "then he'll have to be expelled."

Snape snorted. "You know Lucius will never allow that," he told him. "Just leave young Mr. Malfoy to me. I am not only his Head of House but also his Godfather. When I'm done with his backside, he'll not only tell me everything but he'll be begging me to give him detention."

Dumbledore grinned. "Really, Severus," he said, smirking, "how ever do manage not to show that you actually care for your students."

"Practice, Headmaster," Snape told him, "and lots of it. Now, what was with the Sorting Hat?"

Dumbledore glanced at the hat in his hands. "Yes, that," he said, sighing. "I believe that the spell didn't really clone Harry, as it literally split him in two. After all, everyone as traits from their parents-and the blue eyed Harry is obviously how Harry would have looked had he inherited James' eyes instead of Lily's."

"What about the Sorting, though?" Snape asked. "Why would it say Gryffindor for one and Slytherin for the other-the original, I might add."

"Because," Dumbledore said, "the blue-eyed Harry possesses most, if not all, of the traits that belong to all Gryffindors while green-eyed one now possesses the traits that make a good Slytherin. When Voldermort..."

Snape winced at the name.

"Really, Severus," Dumbldore admonished, then continued, "when he placed that scar on Harry's forehead he also placed many of his own abilities and attributes into the boy. When the spell split him in two, those attributes remained within Harry along with his natural Slytherin instincts."

"I wasn't aware the boy had any Slytherin instincts," Snape sneered. "He didn't show any this year, certainly."

"Why not, Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "His paternal grandmother was Slytherin, after all, as you well know."

"Do not bring her into this," Snape growled at him.

"The Sorting Hat," Dumbledore continued to explain, "allowed Harry to choose for himself at the beginning of the year because it could not decide which House he best fit into. Harry chose Gryffindor because he did not want to end up like Vol-him or be associated with the House that spawned him. However, the Hat didn't hesitate now because-due to the spell-there was no confusion. As it stands, Harry belongs in the House of the Serpents."

Snape sighed. "Wonderful," he muttered, "but what is to be done with him-uh, them-this summer. I doubt seriously Petunia is going to allow two of them into her house. She didn't even want the original, for Merlin's sake."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I know," he said, sadly, "but there is another alternative..." He eyed the potions professor shrewdly.

Snape's eyes widened in shock. "You can not be serious?" he asked. "That is absolutely out of the question?"

"You are," Dumbledore reminded him, "Harry's only other living blood relative, Severus."

"A fact," Snape growled at him, "that has been kept secret for the last twenty years, and I would like to keep it that way. Besides, what about your precious blood wards."

Dumbledore shrugged. "I will simply shift them," he told him. "Instead of using Lily's blood connection, I will use James'."

Snape shook his head. "No," he said, firmly, "I can't."

"Can't or won't, Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "You care for Harry, otherwise you would not have protected him so fiercely as you did this year."

"You know why I did that," Snape told him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I believe you did if for a reason besides your debt to James," Dumbledore told him, placing a hand on his shoulder, "and your love for Lily."

Snap shook off his hand and sighed. "Very well," he said, grudgingly, "if there is no other alternative."

Dumbldore smiled. "Excellent," he said, cheerfully. "Where will you take them? Spinner's End?"

"No," Snape said, horrified at the very thought of living in that house again. "I will take them to my cottage by the sea."

"The one near Dover?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape nodded. "Yes," he said.

"Very well then," he said, "but there are still a couple of things that need to be done first. Come along." He turned and headed back into the infirmary.

Snape once again followed after him. What am I getting myself into?

"Now then," Dumbledore told Harry and his double, "I do believe we are going to have to come up with a name for you, my boy."

"I already have a name, Professor," Harry said, confused.

"I think he was talking to me," his double said, "right, Sir?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said, smiling. "Do you have a preference?"

Harry looked at his double, who thought a moment.

"How about...James?"

"How about...James?"

"Absolutely not!" Snape exclaimed immediately. "One James Potter running around here was quite enough!"

"Uh, yeah," Harry said, though he hated to agree with his most disliked teacher, "that would be kind of weird. I mean, with it being Dad's name and all."

"Oh," his double said. "Got any ideas?"

"Uh," Harry said, thinking, "no, not really."

"How about Henry," Dumbledore said, smiling. "That was James' father's name."

"Really?" Harry and his double asked at the same time, smiling.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, it was," he said, grinning.

"All right," Harry's double said, "Henry...uh...Potter."

"How about Jacob for a middle name?" Snape suggested, surprising the two boys. "That was Lily's father's name."

"Henry Jacob Potter," Harry said, grinning. "I like it."

"Yeah," Henry said, smiling. "I like it, too."

"I suppose that is settled then," Dumbledore said, pleased.

"I guess," Harry said, somewhat quietly. "How did you know that?" That question had been directed at Professor Snape.

"What exactly, Potter?" Snape asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"How did you know my-uh, our-mom's dad's name?" he asked the black robed man.

"How indeed?" Dumbledore asked, his blue eyes twinkling.

I'm gonna get you for that, old goat, Snape thought to himself. "It is rather simple, Mr. Potter," he told the boy. "I grew up with your mother and her family."

"What?" Harry and Henry asked, surprised.

"Yes," Snape said. "Your mother and I lived in the same village until we turned fifteen. She was the closest friend I had when we came to Hogwarts-despite being Sorted into two different Houses."

"Wow," Henry said, his blue eyes wide.

"Yeah," Harry said, not sure how to feel about this information.

"I believe that it is time to discuss where you two will be spending the summer," Dumbledore said, eyeing Snape out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm not going back to the Dursleys?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"No," Dumbledore said, smiling. "I think I'll let Professor Snape explain from here." He turned to the black robed man, as did Harry and Henry.

Snape cleared his throat. "The two of you will be coming to Dover," he told them, "with me."

"What!?" the two boys exclaimed at the same time. "Why!?"

"Because," Snape said, clearing his throat uncomfortably, "I am the closest living blood relative you have."

Harry and Henry just stared at him, shocked.

"James was," Snape said, forcing bile back down his throat, "my brother."

"I don't believe you," Harry said, continuing to stare at him. "I mean, you hate me-uh, us-and you really hate Dad!"

Snape sighed. "If I truly hated you," he told him, "would I have protected you as closely as I did this past year?" he asked him, pointedly.

"I-I guess not," Harry said, glancing at Henry who glanced back, "but how can you and my dad be brothers?"

"Simple," Snape told him. "We shared the same mother."

"You did?" Henry asked, not wanting Harry to be the only one asking the confusing questions.

Snape nodded. "Yes, we did," he said. "My mother was a pureblood witch named Eileen Prince. When she was eighteen, she married another pureblood wizard named Henry Potter-the Potters and the Princes had been allies for several years-at the request of her family. James was born nine months to the day of their wedding."

"O-kay," Harry said, "but where do you come into the picture?"

Snape raised an eyebrow at the blunt (slightly disrespectful) question. "My mother wasn't happy," he explained. "Muggles refer to it as Post Partum Depression, I believe. What it boiled down to was that while Henry was a very nice man and would have been good to her, he was not my mother's choice and that made her unhappy. So, she left."

"She just left Dad as a baby?" Harry asked, his face wrinkling.

Snape sighed. "It wasn't something she was ever proud with," he explained, "but yes. She knew that Henry had what he truly wanted-a son to love and raise-and would take care of their son. She left the wizarding world, and met a muggle named Tobias Snape."

"Your dad," Henry said. It wasn't a question.

Snape nodded. "Yes," he said. "He was unlike anyone my mother had ever had to deal with before and that intrigued her. He fell in love with her beauty and asked her to marry him only after knowing her a few months. My mother wasn't sure if she loved him or not, but for the first time in her life she got to choose what she wanted. She chose him. I was born nine months later. James was a year old."

"I don't understand," Harry said, confused. "Why did you and Dad hate each other, and I thought you were in the same year as Mum?"

Snape sighed. "James was angry that our mother left him and his father," he explained. "To him, I was the living symbol of that betrayal. As to your second question, I was in the same year as Lily. James was a year ahead of us."

"Why did he save you?" Henry asked, curious. "Professor Dumbledore said he saved you and that's why you protected me-uh-us."

Snape again pushed bile back down his throat, and glared at the Headmaster for his big mouth.

"Yes, he did," he told them. "One of his friends thought it would be amusing to lure me into a very dangerous trap. Despite his hatred of me, James' noble nature couldn't allow his brother be harmed, and so he rescued me. Needless to say, I didn't thank him."

"Okay," Harry said, hesitantly, "so that explains why dad didn't like you. Why didn't you like him?"

Snape narrowed his eyes at the green-eyed boy. Yes, he could definitely see Slytherin traits there now.

"That is between him and me," he told him, firmly, "but the point of this entire discussion is to explain why you two will be coming with me this summer. I believe I have sufficiently done that. Are there anymore questions?"

"Just one," Harry said, looking at Dumbledore. "Is he telling us the truth?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, Harry," he told him, sincerely, "he is."

Harry and Henry looked at each other, and then back at the two older wizards.

"What now?"

"What now?" Harry and Henry asked at the same time.

"Now," Snape told them, "you two will come with me."

"Where to?" Harry asked, suspiciously.

Snape rolled his eyes at the boys mistrustful tone. "To my secret laboratory where I intend to cut you both up into tiny little pieces and put you in the foulest substance I can devise," he said, sarcastically.

Harry scowled, crossing his arms. Henry scowled also. "He was only asking," he told the man, crossing his arms. "There was no need to be rude."

Snape raised an eyebrow at the blue-eyed boy. Yes, that one most definitely was James Potter reborn. Terrific! "We are going to my suite of rooms," he told them, frowning, "does that satisfy both of you?"

Harry and Henry looked at each other, and then nodded. They hopped off the beds and stood waiting to follow him.

Snape turned to Dumbledore. "Will you have Potter's things sent there?" he requested of the older wizard.

Dumbledore smiled. "Of course, Severus," he told him. "I'll go take care of that right now."

Snape nodded. "We'll probably be making a trip to Diagon Alley," he told him next.

Again, the older wizard nodded. "It may be best only to carry one of them," he advised. "Henry, perhaps."

"Why me?" Henry asked, puzzled.

"Because, child," Dumbledore said, "you will need to acquire a wand from Mr. Ollivander and Harry's scar-as you know-is far too recognizable."

"I'll put a glamour on him so that no one will recognize him," Snape said. "Even without the scar, I think people would be hard to miss a mini-James Potter walking about."

Dumbledore grinned. "Look at it this way, my boy," he said, teasing, "at least you wouldn't have to wait in line for anything."

"Why's that?" Snape asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"Because," the older wizard said, winking at the boys, "people would take one look at him, think they've seen a ghost, and run for the hills!"

Snape rolled his eyes. He really rarely understood the Headmaster's sense of humor, although the two boys certainly thought it was funny enough. "Come along," he told the boys, and then turned to head toward the infirmary door. His black robes billowing out behind him.

"How does he do that?" Henry asked Harry.

Harry shrugged at his double. "Don't know," he said. "Maybe he does it on purpose to give him a more bat-like look." Henry grinned at that, and then they quickly hurried to follow their black robed-uncle/ guardian/professor.

Snape led them down into the dungeons, past his potions classroom, and stopped in front of a portrait of a tall, thin, black robed man with a two snakes wrapped around his arms. The heads of the snakes rest on his shoulder, as if they were pets of some kind.

"Good morning, Salazar," Snape greeted the portrait, the snakes raising their heads above his head.

"Good morning, Severus," the man in the painting greeted back. "The brats off again, are they?"

Snape smirked. "Yes, thank Merlin," he replied, and started to open his mouth when a hissing sound stopped him.

The two snakes were hissing in their master ear, and then Salazar hissed at him-no, not him-Harry! What was even more surprising to, to Henry as well as to him, was that the green-eyed boy hissed back. Salazar smiled brightly. "What a truly remarkable boy, Severus," he said. "Password, please?"

"Ambrosia," Snape replied, his eyes wide from what he had just learned. When the portrait swung open to reveal the doorway to his suite, he ushered both boys inside very quickly.

"What was that?" Henry asked Harry, looking very confused.

The Boy-Who-Lived looked confused. "What was what?" he asked.

"That out there," his blue-eyed "twin" said, "with the snakes and that painting."

"What?" Harry asked. "The snakes told that man to speak to me and he said hello. You heard him."

"All we heard," Snape explained, "was a lot of hissing. How long have you been a Parselmouth, Mr. Potter?"

"A what?" Harry asked, even more confused now.

"It means you can talk to snakes," Snape told him. "How long?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess I've always been able to," he told him, then looked at Henry. "Remember? One talked to me-uh, us-that time at the zoo."

Henry nodded. "I remember," he said, "but I don't remember it sounding like that!"

"Like what?" Harry asked. "All I said was 'hello, Sir'. You heard me."

Henry shook his head. "All I heard was that man hissing like a snake at you," he told him, "and then you hissed back at him."

"That is what the language of the snake sounds like," Snape explained, still rather rattled.

Harry was also feeling a bit rattled himself. "I-I spoke another language and didn't even realize it?" he asked. "How is that possible?"

Snape shook his head. "I am not sure," he said, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose where he was starting to get a tension headache. To think this morning he had thought today was going to be stress free. Ha!

"What I don't understand," Henry said, "is why I couldn't understand what the snakes were saying? I mean, I could before."

"Yes," Snape said, "but before you were one single individual-now you are two. The spell that hit you not only separated the two of you but also split your abilities, as well. From the moment you were split, you became two completely separate individuals-similar, yet different."

"So, we're just like Fred and George," Harry said, thinking it through. "We look a like, but we aren't the same anymore."

Snape nodded, grinning. What a Slytherin the boy would make! "Correct, Mr. Potter," Snape told him. "Now then, as I told Professor Dumbledore, we need to make a trip to Diagon Alley to buy you both some clothes and get Henry a wand. We'll worry about both your supplies when we get the list in the summer."

He unbuttoned his robe, took it off, and hung it up on the rack hanging on the wall beside the portrait doorway. Underneath it, he wore black trousers and a black button down shirt without a tie. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt up, and then reached into his pocket for his hair tie. After tying his hair into a tail at the base of his neck, he turned back around to find both boys staring at him with their mouths agape. "What is it?" he asked, puzzled by their shocked expressions.

"You wear clothes!" Henry exclaimed, turning bright red as he realized how that sounded.

Snape snorted. "Indeed," he said, sarcastically, "it is, I believe, against the law to walk about naked."

"No," Harry said, "it's just weird to see you in anything besides your robes-we all thought you wore it all the time."

"I like my students to think that," Snape told them. "It helps remind them who I am. When I am here, or at the cottage where we will be going tomorrow, I am not Professor Snape, the mean old bat of the dungeons, I am simply Severus, and so I wear what makes me the most comfortable."

Harry nearly burst out laughing as he tried to image Snape walking about in just a t-shirt and his underwear the way his Uncle Vernon sometimes did on Sundays when he didn't have to work. Somehow, the image didn't quite fit and he certainly didn't want to see his potions teacher in his underwear!

"Something amusing, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Harry shook his head. "Not really, Sir," he told him, "and don't you think you should start calling me Harry."

"Oh, why is that?" Snape asked him, curious.

"Because," Harry said, nodding at Henry, "there's now two Mr. Potters. Unless you're looking right at one of us when you're talking and we're in the same room, how are we going to know which one you are talking to?"

Snape again grinned at such a Slytherin deduction. "More than likely," he told him, "seeing as how the two of you are separate you are still molded from the same clay, to borrow a muggle expression, I will more than likely be getting onto you both at the same time so I'll be speaking both of you."

Harry crossed his arms. "And if you're not?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in a very Snape-like manner.

Snape sighed. "I will endeavor to call you by your first names," he told him. "Will that do, Harry?"

The green eyed boy nodded. "Yes, sir," he said, smirking. "It will."

"Thank, Merlin," Snape said, sighing. "Now then..."

"Sir?" Henry asked, interrupting him. "What exactly should we call you?"

Snape turned to the blue-eyed boy. "What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Well," the boy went on, "if our dad was your brother, doesn't that make you our uncle?"

"Technically," Snape said, hesitantly, "why do you ask?"

"Well," Henry said, "when we leave Hogwarts you'll stop being our professor until September, so... what do we call if not Professor."

"Well," Snape said, "whenever you are told to do something or asked a question by me, I will expect you both to answer respectfully with either "Yes, sir" or "No, sir", but I suppose for anything else you may either call me "Uncle" Severus." My, how that sounded strange in his own ears.

"Uncle Severus," the two boys spoke at the same time, trying the name out for size.

"Boy," Harry said, "that does sound weird."

Henry shrugged. "No different then saying Uncle Vernon," he reminded him.

Harry shuttered at the thought of his muggle relative. "I guess," he said, quietly.

Snape eyed him, wondering why the green-eyed boy looked so forlorn. He'd have to ask him about it later, however, as the clock striking ten got his attention. "We need to hurry," he told Henry. "Ollivander closes his shop for lunch at noon and I would really like to be back here by then."

Henry nodded. "All right, Sir," he said.

Snape nodded, looking at Harry. "You are to remain in these rooms," he instructed the boy, "at least until someone brings your trunk. You may go flying on the Quidditch field after that if you like, but you are NOT to go into the Forbidden Forest for any reason? Do I make myself clear, Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded, understanding. "Yes, sir," he said, remembering what the man expected from him when he asked him a question.

Snape nodded. "Believe me," he told him, sternly, "you will not like the consequences if I return and find that you have disobeyed me. If you need anything seek out either Professor McGonagall or Hagrid. Do not bother any of the other teachers as they are more than likely preparing to return to their homes for the summer."

Harry nodded, again. "I understand, sir," he said, "but what do I do until my trunk arrives?"

Snape took out is wand and flicked it at one of the bookcases that lined the back wall of the living room. A book floated off of it and into his hand. He handed it to Harry. "Here," he told the boy, "you might enjoy this."

Harry looked at the boy and smiled. It was called Quidditch: A Game Like No Other.

"Thank you, sir," he told the potions professor. He sat down on the sofa and started reading.

Snape just nodded. "Come along, Henry," he instructed the blue-eyed boy, walking over to the fireplace.

"How are we getting to Diagon Alley, Uncle Severus?" the boy asked him, curious.

"We will be traveling by the Floo system," he told him, taking out his wand and tapping the boy's head with it.

"What was that for?" Henry asked, reaching up to rub his head.

Snape smirked. "I was placing glamour upon you, silly child," he told him. "It requires me to touch you with my wand."

"You coulda told me," Henry grumbled, still rubbing his head.

"Where would the fun be in that?" Snape asked, smirking. He reached up and removed some green powder from a ceramic jar upon the mantle.

"I assume you have never traveled in this manner before, correct?" he asked him.

The blue-eyed boy shook his head. "No, sir," he answered.

Snape nodded. "Very well," he said, "we will do this together then." Taking a hold of the boy's hand, he then stepped into the fireplace-tugging Henry in after him.

"Now," he said, "pay attention. You must say the name of your designation very clearly otherwise you might end up who knows where. Diagon Alley!" He threw the powder down at their feet. They both disappeared in a burst of green flames.

Harry's eyes widened at that, but he then smiled.

"Wicked!"

Henry erupted from the fireplace, rolled, and landed in a heap at his uncle's feet.

Snape resisted rolling his eyes. "Do get up, child," he said, reaching down and lifting the boy to his feet. "For Merlin's sake, you're covered in soot."

"You're the one who wanted to travel by the Floo," the blue-eyed boy reminded him, coughing as he dusted himself off.

"Perhaps it would be best if we stuck to brooms and Apparition from now on then," Snape told him, "since it appears you and your-uh-brother won't be able to deal with Floo travel."

"Gee," Henry snorted, "ya think?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I'd watch my tone," he warned, "unless you'd like to have all these people see you get a thrashing."

Henry's eyes widened. "You wouldn't?" he asked, shocked at the very idea. He was eleven, after all.

"Try me and see," Snape said, smirking evilly.

Henry sighed. "Sorry, sir," he apologized. "This has just been one weird day."

"Now that," Snape told him, "I completely agree with you on. Come along, our first stop is to the Muggle clothing shop."

"Why?" Henry asked, as he followed him out into Diagon Alley.

"Because," Snape told him, "judging by what you and Harry are wearing you are both in desperate need of new clothes."

Henry looked down at his faded green sweater and baggy jeans. "Yeah," he agreed, "I guess I-uh, we-do. These belonged to my-uh, our-cousin Dudley."

Snape nodded. "Leave it to Petunia to birth a walrus of a child," he said, "after marrying a walrus of a man, of course."

Henry smirked at that. Apparently there was no love lost between him and Aunt Petunia. "Will I need to get money from my vault?" he asked the man.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Your vault?" he asked, puzzled.

"Yeah," Henry said, "you know, the one Mum and Dad left for me-well, Harry, really-but you know what I mean."

"Yes, I do," Snape told him, "and no you won't. I'll be paying for everything today."

"You will?" Henry asked, surprised by this. "Why?"

"Because," Snape explained, "you and Harry are now in my care-whether any of us like it or not-and as such it is my responsibility to provide the things that you need; such as food, clothing, and school supplies."

"Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon never cared about stuff like that," Henry told him, sadly.

Snape snorted. "Again, I am hardly surprised by that fact," he said, holding open the door to a shop bearing the sign of "Muggle Apparel" upon it. "Come along." He ushered the boy through the door.

To Henry's surprise, it was actually just like a muggle department store on the inside with a Men's section, a Woman's section, and a Children's section. It was to the third that Snape herded him to and then to the Boy's half on the right.

Going to a rack of jeans, he began looking through them and every so often would hold a pair up to his (Henry's) waist to see if they fit. He found four pair that did, and then got two pairs in each of those sizes.

"Why eight pairs?" Henry asked, curiously.

"Four for you," Snape explained, "and four for Harry."

"How do you know they'll fit Harry?" Henry asked next.

Snape gave him a withering look. "Besides your eyes," he said, "and the fact you do not bear his scar, the two of you are identical. You have the same features, same height, same weight, even the foot size-so naturally anything that fits you will also fit him."

"Oh," Henry said, realizing he was right, "okay."

Snape then moved on to the slacks and repeated the process as he did with the jeans. Henry and Harry ended up with two pairs of khaki slacks, two pairs of black slacks, and two pairs of dark blue slacks each. Next came the polo shirts, where they each got a red, green, blue, and gray one. The t-shirts followed with the same colors, only two each instead of just one.

After that came a rather embarrassing topic: underwear. "Which do you prefer?" Snape asked, holding up a package of boxers and a package of briefs.

"Uh," Henry stammered, "I-I..."

Snape rolled his eyes and sighed. "What kind are you wearing now?" he asked, only slightly impatiently.

"Boxers," Henry answered, "but they're a little too big." He knew his face was probably blushing.

Snape nodded. "We will get both," he decided, "and will let Harry choose. You can have the package he doesn't pick, how's that?"

Henry nodded. "Sure," he said, relieved. "Whatever you say, Uncle Sev."

Snape frowned. "It is either Sir or Uncle Severus," he told him, firmly, "not Uncle Sev."

"What's wrong with that?" Henry asked, curious.

"I hate being called Sev," Snape told him, "a fact your father loved to exploit. He and his little friends took great delight calling me that-among the other pleasantries they referred to me as-and so I have loathed that particular shortening of my name ever since. Now, let's go pay for all this and head to Ollivander's." He turned and headed for the counter.

Henry followed behind him; his arms loaded with their purchases-or rather most of it except for the underwear. When instructed to, he more than happily plopped all of it down onto the counter and waited for his uncle to pay for everything. Once he did, he was even more relieved when Snape took out his wand and shrunk their packages to put in his pockets.

They then headed over to the wand maker/seller Mr. Ollivander's shop. Henry remembered when Harry had first entered it with Hagrid. Mr. Ollivander had given him the creeps a little bit, but otherwise had been a very nice man. He hoped he still was.

They entered the shop and were immediately by the wide-eyed wizard wand maker. "Why, Professor Snape," he said, smiling that wide smile of his, "what an unexpected surprise...and with Mr. Potter no less."

Henry jumped as those wide eyes turned to him. "Uh," he said, hesitantly. He looked to Snape to figure out what he should do.

His uncle, however, just grinned. "I had forgotten that you could see through glamour quite easily," he told the other man. "Mr. Potter has had a little accident and is in need of a new wand."

"I see," Mr. Ollivander said, "just a moment." He turned and went back into the back. He came back with a long thin box that contained a wand.

Henry hoped this wouldn't be a lot like when Harry had gotten his wand, with him having to try wand after wand until he got the one that was right for him.

"Here you go, Mr. Potter," he said, taking out a light colored wand. "White oak, 15 inches long with a core of dragon's heart string-very good for Transfiguration. I once sold a wand very similar to this-to your brother, I believe." This last had been directed at Snape.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "You are getting as bad as Albus," he told the man.

Ollivander chuckled. "Maybe so," he said, 'but I know what I know." He shrugged, reaching to hand Henry the wand.

Henry took it, holding his breath and hoping against hope that it was the right one. The moment he wrapped his fingers around it, he felt a tingling sensation and felt the hairs on his head stand nearly straight up...just as it had when Harry had gotten his wand.

"Ah," Mr. Ollivander said, "Curious, very curious."

Uh-oh. Henry knew that tone, from when Harry had gotten his wand. "What's curious, Sir?" he asked the older wizard.

"It is curious," Mr. Ollivander said, "that this wand would be the exact opposite as your Uncle's wand-Black oak, 15 inches long with a core of dragon's heart string-which is excellent for Defense."

Snape rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Ollivander," he said, paying the man for the wand. "Come along, Mr. Potter." With that, he turned and headed out of the shop.

Henry quickly followed him. "That is one very strange man," he told his uncle.

Snape smirked. "Yes, he is," he said. "Now, let's get back to Hogwarts. No telling what mischief your-uh-brother is getting into."

"Will we be traveling by Floo powder again?" Henry asked, making a face.

"And end up with you spitting soot on my boots again?" Snape asked, grinning. "I think not. This time we'll take a more direct route."

Taking his hand, he then Apparated them back to Hogwarts-where Harry had a very unusual surprise waiting on them.

As much as Harry enjoyed reading the Quidditch book Snape had left for him, he was glad when Hagrid brought him his trunk.

Getting out his trunk, he got his broom and headed down to the Quidditch field to fly. For the next hour and half, he flew and flew and flew. He had a blast!

When he finally tired, he landed and started back towards the castle.

:help me pleasssse:

Harry stopped in his tracks as he heard a voice call out for help. Okay, that was weird. He started back up to the castle.

:please help me:

There it was again.

Harry stopped and turned toward the direction the voice was coming from. It was the Forbidden Forest.

What should he do? Snape told him not to go in, but if there was something or someone in there that needed help he couldn't just NOT help, could he?

:please:

The voice sounded desperate now, and frightened. That decided things.

Hoping back onto his broom, Harry flew into the Forest to try and find whatever was calling to him.

"I'm coming," he called out. "Where are you!?"

:I am here:

Harry turned in the direction he heard the voice and quickly came to a forked tree. Getting off his broom, he stared at the tree in surprise.

Caught in the fork of the tree was a snake, but not just any snake. This was a winged snake!

It's scales were a mixture of dark and light blue, and it's feathered wings were silver! It's eyes were also blue, and they glistened like twin sapphires. It was the most beautiful snake Harry had ever seen.

That it could talk didn't surprise him any. He was a Parslemouth, after all.

"What's wrong?" he asked the snake, trying to figure out why it was calling for help.

The snake looked at him, it's sapphire eyes staring into his own emerald orbs.

:my tail is caught:

It looked back toward the fork in the tree, flicking its tongue (which was also forked, ironically) back to where its tail was hung up.

Harry sat his broom down and climbed up to where the twin trunks of the tree met. He looked at the snake, hesitantly. "Uh," he said, "you aren't poisonous, are you?"

:Do not worry, little speaker, my bite paralyzes but does not not kill. I will not harm thee:

"All right," Harry said, "I trust you." He reached and yanked the snake's tail free. He then climbed back down and got his broom. The snake's silver wings bobbed up and down, letting it hover in mid-air. It coiled it tail like a corkscrew and then glided down to hover so that they were looking each other in the eye.

:I thank thee: It told him :I am Azure:

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry told him. "It's nice to meet you, Azure."

:You speak the language well, do you speak to my kind often?:

Harry shook his head. "Not really," he told him. "I've only talked to this one snake, and it was just a regular snake. Not a winged one."

:My breed is very rare we are not seen anymore:

"That's sad," Harry said, "so you don't have any family?"

Azure shook his head. :no:

"I know how that feels," Harry told him. "My mum and dad are dead, too. Up 'til last year I lived with my aunt and uncle, and they weren't very nice."

:Where do you live now:

"Well," Harry said, "it turns out one of my teachers at school is my dad's brother. He's gonna let me and my...uh...brother come live with him."

:You seem hesitant, do you not like this uncle?:

Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure," he told him. "He's been kinda mean and grouchy to me all year long, but he protected me a lot and he didn't have to let us live with him. I guess I'll just see how it goes."

:I will go with you:

"What?" Harry asked, puzzled. "Why would you want to do that?"

:You saved my life, little speaker:

"I just pulled your tail free is all," Harry told him, still puzzled.

:Had you not I would have starved:

"I wanted to help," Harry told him. "You don't own me anything."

:My kind always pays our debts, please let come to watch over you:

Harry thought it would be cool to have a pet snake, not that he didn't love Hedwig, but he knew Snape would have to say it was okay first. "We'll have to ask my uncle first," he told Azure, "I'm sure if he'll want you around or not."

Azure bobbed his head up and down. :very well:

Harry climbed onto his broom. "C'mon," he told the winged snake, "let's go back to the castle and wait for him. Azure bobbed his head again and began gliding through the air behind his broom.

When they got back to Snape's rooms, they found the potions master had returned and he wasn't very happy. "Harry James Potter!" he growled at his nephew, not noticing the flying snake hovering beside him. "Where have you been!?"

Harry gulped. He held up his broom. "I was flying," he told him. "Remember, you told me I could."

"Don't lie to me, boy," Snape growled at him. "I went to retrieve you at the Quidditch field and you weren't there! Where were you?"

Harry bit his lip. "I had to help Azure," he told him, glancing over at the flying snake.

Snape finally noticed the flying reptile. "My word," he said, glancing at Azure.

:I am Azure. I asked young Harry for help:

Snape, normally wouldn't have been able to understand him as he couldn't speak the snake's language, but Azure had projected the words into his mind so he could hear them clearly. "A very admirable feat," he said, turning back to his nephew, "but just where was he when you went to help him?"

Harry bit his lip. "The Forbidden Forest," he admitted, glancing down.

"I see," Snape said, his voice dangerously low. "Why is he here now?"

"He, uh," Harry said, "wants to stay with me... to watch over me, he said."

:Yes: Azure agreed, bobbing his head up and down.

Snape thought about it a moment. A flying snake was a rare magical creature indeed. It's scales, when crushed into powder, could heal most wounds and its venom paralyzed without killing. He could at least trust the snake to watch out for the boy when he wasn't around to do it himself. Goodness knows, Harry needed twenty four hour supervision.

"Very well," he told the boy and the snake, "he may stay."

"He can?" Harry asked, excited. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Snape told him.

Just then, Henry came out. "Hey, a flying snake," he said. "Wicked!"

Snape rolled his eyes. "Yes, I suppose it is." He was still glaring down at Harry.

Harry gulped. He had a feeling he was in trouble. "Uh, Azure," he told the snake, "this is my-uh-brother, Henry."

:You are twins:

"Yeah," Harry said, "sorta, anyway."

"Henry," Snape said, "why don't you show Harry's new friend around while I have a talk with your brother."

Henry looked at Snape's scowling face and then at his brother's worried one. Uh-oh!

"Sure," he said, "uh, Azure. C'mon."

The winged snake looked at Harry. "Go on," he said, "it's all right." Not!

:Very well: Azure followed Henry back down the hallway where he'd come from.

"Now then, Mr. Potter," Snape growled, sitting down on the sofa. "Let's have a little chat, shall we?"

Harry gulped again.

I'm dead!

Harry stood before Snape, wondering what the man was thinking.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter," Snape asked, crossing his arms, "what were my exact instructions to you before I left here?"

Harry gulped. "That I could go flying at the Quidditch field once Hagrid brought be my broom," he replied, glancing down at his hands that were folded in his lap.

"What else?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Harry gulped again. "That I wasn't to go into the Forbidden Forest for any reason," he replied, honestly.

"Very well, Mr. Potter," Snape said, "and did you obey those orders?"

Harry sighed. "No, Sir," he answered, truthfully. He hadn't, the man knew that so why lie about it.

"Which one did you disobey?" Snape asked, sternly.

"The second one," Harry replied, "but I had to help Azure!"

Snape nodded. "So you said," he told him, "but could you not have gotten Hagrid to go see what sort of creature needed help or did you even bother to think to tell someone you were going at all?"

Harry looked down again. "No, sir," he answered, "I didn't."

"I see," Snape said, his tone displeased, "so not only did you disobey me, Harry, you also put your life at risk."

Harry's head flew up. "I didn't," he argued.

"Really?" Snape asked, his eyes narrowing. "What if-instead of Azure-it had been a dangerous creature luring you in there under false pretenses so that it could eat you!? Or even a dark wizard like Quirrel intent on doing you harm!?"

Harry bit his lip. "I didn't think of that, sir," he admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Being sorry doesn't help," Snape growled at him. "You rushed in just as you did with that blasted Stone! I will not tolerate disobedience, Harry James, of any kind. Do you understand me!?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, Sir," he answered, quietly.

"We will be remaining here at Hogwarts a couple of more days," Snape told him, "as I have some unfinished work I need to see to before we go to my home in Dover. Because you disobeyed me, you will spend those two days in your room. In other words, Mr. Potter, you are grounded!"

Harry groaned inwardly. Outloud, he said, "Yes, sir."

"Come here," Snape ordered sternly, pointing directly in front of him.

Reluctantly, Harry obeyed.

Snape took him by the shoulders, turned him sideways, and then landed five very hard smacks on his bottom.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

Harry jumped as those five smacks landed, causing his bottom to sting a bit.

"That," Snape informed him, pointing an admonishing finger at him, "was for putting your life in danger, as well as willfully disobeying me. If it happens again, you will receive considerably more and will be missing a couple of items of clothing as well. Do you understand me, young man?"

Harry nodded, reaching back to rub his behind a little.

"Very well," Snape said, "you may go on back to your room. Tonight, after supper, the three of us are going to sit down and discuss the rules for this summer...as well as what breaking those rules will entail. Now, scoot!" He sent him off with another smack to his behind.

Harry went down the hallway Henry and Azure had gone down. There were four doors, two on the right and two on the left. He found his double and his new friend in the first door on the left.

"This is our room?" he asked them, curious.

Henry nodded. "Yeah," he said, "at least until we go to Dover."

The room was large with two matching beds, wardrobes, and desks on either side. Once side was decorated in Slytherin green and the other Gryffindore red. "Which side is mine?" Harry asked, curious.

Henry pointed to the Slytherin side, grinning when Harry wrinkled his nose. "Sorry," he said, shrugging, "but Uncle Severus gave me first pick since you weren't here."

"Oh," Harry said, sitting down on his new bed. "Well, it's only for a couple of days. I guess I can live with it."

:Is something wrong?: Azure asked, gliding over and landing beside him He coiled himself up, his wings furling close to his body.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing you can help with," he told his new friend. "I'm grounded."

:For helping me?: the winged snake asked, curious.

"Not really," he told him, reaching over to rub his head. "Snape told me not to go in the Forest and even though I was helping I was still disobeying him."

:It was also dangerous: Azure reminded him. :You should have asked someone to come with you:

"Hey," Harry said, grinning, "whose side are you on?"

:I am simply stating a fact, nothing more: the snake replied matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, it was," he said, "so I guess I deserve it. It's only for a couple of days, anyway. Besides, it's not like I won't have company. Right?"

The snake bobbed his head up and down. :I will be pleased to stay with you:

"Thanks," Harry told him.

Henry brought over some bags. "These are yours," he said. "Uncle Severus got two of everything, even underwear!"

Harry blushed at that, pulling out the packages of boxers and briefs. "Why both?" he asked, curious.

"Well," Henry told him. "He didn't know which kind we preferred. I was too embarrassed to give him a straight answer. He said he'd let you pick. I get whichever kind you don't want."

Harry thought a moment. He'd never really been given a choice before, as he'd always had to wear Dudley's old boxers that were too big. "I'll take the briefs," he told his double, "you can have the boxers."

"Okay," Henry said, taking that package of underwear and depositing it in his wardrobe beside his bed.

"What now?" Harry asked, curious.

"How about we play a game of chess," Henry suggested, pulling out a chess set.

"Where'd you get that?" Harry asked, curious. It looked way better than the one he'd gotten as a prize at Christmas.

"It's a muggle set," Henry said. "Uncle Severus gave it to us."

"He did?" Harry asked, surprised. "Why?"

Henry shrugged. "Beats me," he answered. "I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Good point," Harry said, smiling. "Let's play."

So, they did. They spent the rest of the afternoon happily playing chess until they were called to dinner by their uncle.

Harry managed to survive his two days grounded, with Hedwig, Henry, and Azure all three to keep him company. They spent most of their time doing homework...he and Henry did, anyway. Azure mostly just hovered nearby while Hedwig slept. They soon discovered that while their memories were the same regarding their classes this past year, their skills in certain areas had either increased or decreased.

Harry, for example, seemed more adept at Potions than he had before and remembered quite a bit more about Defense Against the Dark Arts, as well. So, he worked on those two classes' summer assignments, while his twin worked on the Transfiguration and Charms assignments, as he seemed more skilled in those two subjects.

"It kinda makes sense," he told Harry, "as you got most of the Slytherin characteristics and I have the Gryffindor ones."

"You know," Harry said, "we still don't know the exact spell that was used on us, or what it was supposed to do. I'm sure whoever cast it hadn't intended on creating two of us."

Henry agreed. "Yeah, you're probably right," he said, grinning.

:Why not ask your uncle?: Azure suggested from where he hovered just above their heads.

They had both gotten used to the winged snake by now, though Harry was certainly more comfortable in his presence than Henry, for the obvious reasons. Henry's personality was most definitely Gryffindor-ish, and reminded Harry a great deal of Ron.

That's probably why we're such great mates, he thought to himself, I hope that's not going to change.

"You think he'd tell us?" Henry asked, curious.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe," he said, "if we ask him at the right time."

Henry snorted. "When is that?" he asked. "He always seems to be busy."

Harry grinned. "I know," he told his twin, "but right now he isn't in his potions lab, so maybe he won't mind if we bother him."

The day Harry had found Azure, Severus had sat both boys down after supper and explained the rules, and consequences, to them.

"Now then, boys," he had said to them, "there are three major rules I will expect for you to obey, and those are: Respect, Obedience, and Honesty. You will show me the proper respect at all times, as both an adult and your uncle. Whenever you are told to do something, you are to do it immediately without complaint or argument. This is also true when you are told NOT to do something (he had paused then to glance at Harry, who had blushed at the not so subtle rebuke). The third and final rule is this: you will not lie to me. Ever."

The two boys had winced at that, hearing the severity in his tone. "Yes, sir," they had answered at the same time.

Snape had nodded. "Very well then," he said, "should you break these rules these are the consequences: being grounded, having your allowance docked, extra chores, and if I deem you actions warrant it spankings-however, I will never use a switch or a belt. A hairbrush, however, is fair game especially if what you have done is risk yourselves or someone else's lives. Do I make myself perfectly clear, gentlemen?"

They had again nodded and answered, "Yes, sir."

"Now," Snape had continued after that, "while we are hear at Hogwarts you are under not circumstances to go into my private Potions lab while I am in there working-in fact, you are not to go in there period. You will always know when I am in there as there is a small globe attached to the door. If it is glowing red, I am busy working and will not be disturbed for any reason short of a nature catastrophe such as a fire. Understood?"

They had nodded a third time.

"When we reach my cottage in Dover," he went on, "I will expect you both to keep your room clean-it isn't a very large cottage so you will be sharing one room as you are now-as well as the other chores you will be assigned to do. Stay out of trouble, do your homework assignments, and complete these chores and you will each receive a weekly allowance-which I have already mentioned you will forfeit should you misbehave. Are we clear on everything, boys. A verbal answer, if you please?"

"Yes, sir," they had answered again.

He had nodded. Seemingly satisfied. "Very well," he said, "you may go play in your room until bedtime-which will be strictly at nine o'clock, here and at Dover-now scoot." He had then shooed them off to their room, where they continued their game of wizard's chess they hadn't finished before supper that night.

"C'mon," Harry told Henry, "let's go ask him. The worst he can do is yell at us."

"That's bad enough," Henry said, wincing.

"You're supposed to have more courage than me," Harry told him, smirking, "or perhaps you have more Hufflepuff in you than Gryffindor?"

Henry glared at him. "Don't be ridiculous," he said, "we don't have any Hufflepuffs in the family, so we couldn't have inherited any of their traits, except for loyalty and that one is in ALL the Houses."

Harry chuckled. "You are so easy," he told him, laughing.

Henry gave him a shove. "Watch it, snake-boy," he told him, "before I show you some Gryffindor strength and kick your scaly butt."

Harry smiled. "Even the biggest lion can be taken down when bitten by a poisonous snake," he told him, "and you're more the runt of the litter than King of the Jungle."

Henry cracked a smile. "Well, so are you," he reminded him.

Harry smiled. "The smallest snakes," he told him, "are the ones with the swiftest reflexes and the most lethal bite."

Henry snorted. "Since when are you an expert on snakes?" he asked. "You still can't stand the Slytherins, even you have their traits."

"True," Harry said, "but those pureblooded idiots aren't exactly true Slytherins if you ask me. I mean, look at Snape. He has more intelligence and cunning in one of his greasy black hairs then Malfoy has in his entire body."

"Why thank you, Harry," a silky voice spoke from behind them, causing them to jump, "I think I'll choose to take that as a complement-despite the rather unflattering description of my hair."

The two boys turned, finding their uncle standing there. He had apparently just come out of the bathroom as they passed it.

"We thought you were in the living room," Harry told him, blushing a bit.

Snape smiled. "I am as human as you are, boys," he reminded them, "and as such I do have to relieve myself once in a while." He jerked his thumb behind him to the bathroom door, indicating what he was doing in there.

"Okay," Henry said, "that was just a little too much info there, Uncle Severus. We so didn't need to know that."

"That I am human?" Severus asked, smirking. "Or that I had to pee?"

"That's even worse," Harry said, wrinkling his nose.

Snape just chuckled. "So," he said, herding them towards the living room, "you both may discuss your bodily functions in detail with each other but I am not allowed to do the same?"

"That's different," Harry told him, "we're guys!"

"And what I am?" Snape asked. "I can assure you both I am quite male."

Harry blushed. "I mean," he told him, "we're boys. Boys are supposed to talk about needing to go take a leak and stuff like that with each other. Adults aren't."

"Oh, very well then," Snape said, sitting down in his favorite easy chair and propping his bare feet up on the footrest in front of him, "I will try and endeavor not to give out "too much info" again. Now, what can I do for you two?"

For the first time, both boys noticed what their uncle was wearing. Gone were his billowing black robes, and even the dress shirt and slacks he wore underneath them; in their place was a black muggle style t-shirt and a pair of muggle blue jeans. His greasy black hair had been pulled into a tail at the nap of his neck.

"You look different," Henry told him. "You weren't wearing that this morning."

"I wasn't on summer vacation this morning," Snape told them. "I have just finished up all of my end of the year paper work, so I am now officially off duty as Hogwarts Potions Master. So, I changed into more comfortable attire. It isn't my choice of wardrobe that you two have breached the sanctity of your bedroom-that you both have barely left the last two days-to come and find me I'm sure?"

"Hey, I'm grounded," Harry told him, "remember?"

"Your brother, however, isn't," Snape replied, "and you are grounded from leaving this suite of rooms-not to your bedroom specifically. Now, what is on both of those little minds of yours?"

Both boys weren't sure whether he'd just insulted them or not, so they shrugged off the "little minds" bit. "We were wondering if you could explain about the spell that hit me," Harry told him.

"You know," Henry said, "the one that made us-sorta?"

Snape leaned back in his chair. "I was wondering when you were going to ask me that," he told them. "Sit down, boys, and I'll try to explain it to you."

They did so, and turned anxious ears to listen.

"The spell that hit you," Snape explained, "is called "Dividus Horrificus" and it is a very old dark curse that has been banned by the Minstry."

"What's it supposed to do exactly?" Harry asked. "We figured the person who cast it didn't mean to divide us in two."

"No," Snape said, "certainly not-or at least not the way it happened to you two. The spell IS designed to divide a person in half, but it means to do so literally. Cutting a person right down the middle usually results in that person's death."

Both boys paled at that and their eyes widened. "You mean someone was trying to kill us?" Harry squeaked.

"Someone like Quirrel?" Henry asked. "Someone who worked for...uh...him."

Snape shook his head. "Anyone like that would have been sensed immediately," he informed them, calmly, "we-myself and Professor Dumbledore that is-believe it was a student who had found the curse in one of his father's "illegally" obtained books and didn't bother read what it did."

"So this person would have killed us without even meaning to?" Harry asked, his green eyes widening further.

Snape nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid so," he said, "but I believe it was not this student's intentions to harm you-merely humiliate you in some way. As I said, I don't feel he knew exactly what spell he was casting...just that it sounded humiliating and painful."

"It was Malfoy," Henry said, darkly, "wasn't it?" His fists were clenched in anger and his eyes were narrowed.

Snape was taken back a moment, as the boy looked so much like James just then. "I am not sure," he told them, "I just simply believe him to be the culprit."

"Why that little ferret," Harry snarled, just as angry as his brother now, "he'd have killed me and not even been sorry about it!"

"That will be quite enough of that," Snape growled at both of them. "As I said, I am still not sure it WAS Mr. Malfoy, just that I suspect it was. And I will be dealing with him, not you. You two will NOT go out of your way to pay him back-if you even think of it, you will both feel a hairbrush upside your bare backsides. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

The boys nodded. "Yes, sir," they answered, sighing.

"Are there any further questions you want to know?" he asked, his voice more gentle than it had been a moment ago.

"We're not going to start disappearing or anything, are we?" Harry asked, biting his lip. "I mean, because we're not one person anymore?"

"No," Snape told him, "for whatever reason the spell split you in two instead of killing you-I believe this has to do with your mother's blood sacrifice myself-you are now both separate individual. You share all the memories up til the time the curse split you, but from now on you will each think and act separate from the other. You are, in essence, twins-and fraternal twins at that due to your eye colors."

The two boys nodded and stood up. "Thanks for answering our questions, Uncle Severus," Henry told him.

"You are quite welcome, lads," Snape said, smirking. "Now, you two need to go start packing. We are leaving for Dover in the morning. I'll call you when lunch is here."

The two dark haired Potters nodded, and they went back to their room.

Snape watched them go, a thoughtful expression on his face.

I think I'm going soft, he thought to himself, I'm actually starting to care about those two urchins.

He sighed, and went back to reading his Potions Monthly Journal.

The next morning found Harry and Henry, both packed and ready, with Azure coiled up asleep in his new cage-something he and Harry had both protested at first until Severus had told them that if he didn't travel in it he would not go-and Hedwig in her own cage waiting in the sitting room of their uncle's suite awaiting Snape-as he had been called to the Headmaster's office just as they were preparing to depart.

"What do you think Dumbledore wants?" Henry asked Harry.

Harry shrugged. "Don't know," he said, "guess we'll have to wait and see when Uncle Severus gets back."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the Salazar's portrait swung open and their uncle, dressed in muggle jeans, a green t-shirt over which he wore a blue jean style jacket, and his usual black boots, stepped through with a scowl on his face.

"You don't look happy," Harry observed, "was it that bad?"

Severus sighed. "No," he growled, "it just seems that we will be taking a longer way to Dover than I planned-by way of the Burrow first."

Both boys looked confused. "What's the Burrow?" they asked, simultaneously.

Severus looked a bit surprised. "You mean you do not know?" he asked them. They shook their heads.

"The Burrow is where the Weasleys live," he explained. "It seems Albus has been receiving inquiries left and right from nearly every one in that household plus Miss Granger as well, concerned about your welfare. He asked us to stop by their and assure them of your health and well-being."

"I guess they would be worried," Henry said. "I mean, right after the spell hit us we were rushed up here by Hagrid and they didn't get a chance to say good-bye. It'll be good to see Ron and the twins, and their mum, too." He pointedly ignored Ron's older brother, Percy, because both he and Harry didn't particularly care for that member of the large brood.

"Yeah," Harry said, a bit worried. He was afraid how Ron would react to the fact that there were two of them, and that he was more than likely to be in Slytherin come the fall.

Severus sighed. "Very well," he said, "do you both have everything?"

They nodded an affirmative, gesturing to their trunks.

Severus took out his wand and promptly shrunk them. "Put them in your pockets," he instructed them, "grab the cages and let's be off. We're way behind schedule and I'd like to get to Dover before nightfall." The boys quickly did as he asked.

"Come along, gentlemen," he told them, opening the portrait door and then stepped through.

The boys followed him out of the dungeons and out onto the grounds of Hogwarts. Once they were some distance away from the castle, he instructed, "Take my hands, please."

They both hesitated. What was he thinking? That they were five!

Severus rolled his eyes at their indignant expressions and explained, "We will be traveling via Apparition and in order to do this we must be in contact. Now you can either take my hands or I can sling one over one shoulder and the other under my arm. The choice is yours, gentlemen?"

Given that, they decided to take his hands. "All right," he said, "here we go."

No sooner had he said that but both boys felt a pull at their navals and felt the world spin out from around them. When it stopped spinning, they found themselves standing in the yard of a rather large structure that looked as if it had been a farmhouse at one time but had been built upon-going up-as more room was needed. This, they decided, must definitely be the Burrow.

"I feel sick," Henry groaned, looking as if he might throw up.

"Me, too," Harry agreed, grabbing his rolling stomach.

Severus grimaced. "I had forgotten that neither of you had ever Apparated before," he said, apologetically. "The feeling will pass in a moment. It'll help to walk around a bit. Come on. Albus said the Weasleys were expecting us." With that, he started walking towards the door of the Burrow.

Harry and Henry looked at each other and then quickly rushed to catch up with him.

The door to the Burrow swung open and Mrs. Molly Weasley stepped out. Harry and Henry remembered her from the Platform at the beginning of the year, and she hadn't changed a bit in that time, either.

"Well," she said, glaring at Severus, "it's about bloody time!"

Severus raised and eyebrow at her. "Really, Molly," he said, "with that overly large brood of yours I'm surprised you found time to worry about someone else's children."

Molly just shook her head and glanced at the boys. "My word," she said, her eyes widening. "The boys told me, but..."

Severus nodded, understanding. "It is a bit shocking," he said, "but I have gotten used to them and so will everyone else. Are we invited in or are you planning to leave out here?"

"Just you mind your manners, Severus Snape," she told him, wryly, "or I'll treat you like I do my own boys-even Bill and Charlie-and take a wooden spoon to you."

Severus smirked. "You may try, Madame," he told her, just as wryly, "but you'll find I'm not as easily cowed as those boys of yours. I am a Slytherin, after all."

Molly snorted, and stepped back to let them in. "Come along, all of you," she said, "I've got tea and cookies prepared."

They stepped inside, and Mrs. Weasley automatically rushed forward to pull Harry into a big hug. "You poor dear," she said, "thank Merlin your all right!" She released him and turned to his twin.

"I'm Henry," the blue eyed boy told her, somewhat sheepishly. "Henry Jacob Potter."

To his surprise, she pulled him into a hug, too. "Dumbledore told us all about what happened," she said, "so we'd be prepared for two of you. You are both more than welcome here anytime. Now, come along. Arther is at work, of course, Percy and the twins are off running errands for me in the village-at least Percy is, the twins are probably getting into some mishchief naturally-but Ron and Ginny are here. I know he's been very anxious to hear from you, dear."

"May we sit down then, Molly?" Severus asked her, impatient. "Not that I do not enjoy your company, but we do have a ways to go and I'd like to be there before nightfall."

"Of course, Severus," Molly said, turning towards the stairs and raising her voice quite a bit, "take a seat and I'll call the kids down. Ron! Ginny! They're here! It's time for tea!"

"I've often wondered how you manage not to lose your voice," Severus commented as he and the boys sat down at the table, "what with all the shouting you must do."

Molly grinned. "I drink plenty of tea," she told him, "with LOTS of honey and just bit of sherry mixed in for good measure. It helps to calm me."

Severus snorted. "I'm sure it does," he said, rolling his eyes.

Feet pounding on the stairs alerted them a few seconds before Ron dashed down them, took one look at Harry and Henry, and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Bloody hell, mate!" he exclaimed, his brown eyes widening at the sight of two of his best friends.

"Ronald Arther Weasley!" Molly screeched, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. "Do I need to get the soap?"

Ron's face turned as red as his hair. "No, ma'am," he answered, "I'm sorry, Mum, but...look at them. Couldn't they put ya back together, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "No," he answered, "I don't they can. This is Henry, Ron." He patted his twin on the back.

"Hey, mate," Henry greeted, laughing. "You should have seen your face just now, it was hilarious!"

Harry started chuckling, too. "Almost as funny as when your broomstick hit you in the face," he reminded him, causing them to laugh even harder, "remember?"

Ron scowled at them, but then smiled, and finally broke down laughing to. "Yer right," he told them, coming and sitting in-between the two dark haired boys, "but can ya blame me, mates, I mean..."

"We know," both boys answered him at the same time, smiling.

Ron laughed. "I guess it don't matter much," he said, wrapping an arm around both of their shoulders. "I reckon I'm pretty lucky cuz now I've got me two best mates!"

Harry smiled, glad to hear his friend say that. "No matter what?" he asked, hopefully.

"No matter what," Ron assured him.

"Even if one of us was in Slytherin?" Harry asked, glancing at him cautiously.

Ron snorted. "Yeah," he said, "like that would EVER happen." He laughed at the absurdity of the idea.

"Well," Harry gulped, "it kinda has..."

Ron looked puzzled. "What do ya mean, mate?" he asked, confused.

"Professor Dumbledore put the Sorting hat on our heads," he explained, "to determine something about the spell that was cast on me-uh, us. Henry got Gryffindor, because apparently he got those traits when we were separated. But me, well, it called out Slytherin when it was placed on my head."

"No way," Ron said, his mouth hanging open.

Harry nodded. "'Fraid so," he said. "Apparently, I got all the Slytherin traits. I didn't like it, but it didn't surprise me."

"Why not?" Ron asked, his face turning red.

"Because," Harry said, gulping, "it tried to put me in Slytherin at the Sorting Ceremony-only I asked it not to. It said I could go either way, and apparently with me and Henry separated that's no longer true. He's Gryffindor and I'm Slytherin."

Ron looked first outraged, then confused, and finally hurt. "Why didn't you tell me, mate?" he asked, quietly.

Harry bit his lip. "Well, because of Malfoy mostly," he said. "He was already being a prat to us and I was afraid that you'd...well, you'd think I was just like him if I told you the hat wanted me in his House."

"I-uh," Ron stammered, blushing. He would probably have thought that, at first.

"You said it didn't matter," Henry reminded him. "Harry is still Harry, and you know there's no way he'll be like Malfoy-afterall, our Grandmother and Uncle were in Slytherin, so it just runs in the family."

"They did?" Ron asked. "I didn't know you had an Uncle?"

Harry and Henry smiled. "Neither did we," they said.

"Well," Ron said, seemingly over his earlier confusion, "who is it?"

"Me, Mr. Weasley," a silky voice spoke up behind them, causing them to jump.

Ron's eyes widened at the sight of Snape. "Bloody-uh-I mean what!?" he caught himself just as his mother started reaching for her wooden spoon in her apron.

"Yes, quite shocking I know," Snape told him, "but it is true non the less. My mother was also James Potter's mother, though we have two different fathers. May we sit down and eat now? The boys and I do have a ways to travel before dark falls?" This last had been directed Mrs. Weasley-who didn't seem at all shocked by the news.

"Of course, Severus," she said, smiling. "Here's Ginny now." They all looked to find Ron's younger sister coming down from upstairs.

Though she seemed surprised to see two of him her eyes mostly stayed on Harry. "Hi, Harry," she greeted him, shyly.

Harry smiled. "Hi, Ginny," he said, then gestured to his twin, "this is Henry."

"Hey, Ginny," Henry said, smiling.

"Hi," she said, then went and sat down right across from Harry. She seemed unable to take her eyes off him.

Harry blushed a little bit, not comfortable with those large brown eyes staring at him.

Ron snickered and elbowed him in the ribs. "I think she's got a crush on ya," he whispered. "Started askin' me and the twins all kinds of questions when we got home 'bout you."

Henry grinned. "See," he whispered to his brother, "and you thought you'd never get a girl."

Harry glared at him. "Thanks a lot," he growled at him, and decidedly looked down at his plate instead.

Mrs. Weasley brought out lunch and that busy eating it. However, every time Harry glanced up he found a pair of large brown eyes upon him. He blushed, embarrassed but also...kind of flattered.

At least there was one girl in the world that saw him as Harry and not the bloody Boy-Who-Lived!

After lunch, it was time to go. Harry and Henry bade Ron and Ginny farewell, received crushing hugs from Mrs. Weasley, and then followed their uncle out the door.

They Apparated once more, and then found themselves standing on a sandy beach. Behind them, the White Cliffs of Dover loomed in the distance and the choppy looking waves of crashed upon the surf while sea gulls rode the air above them.

"Come along, you two," Severus instructed the boys, "my home is just ahead."

They followed behind him, nearly having to run to keep up with his long legged stride, and soon found them at a rather small looking cottage. It was a traditional sort of wood and thatch cottage, and from the looks of it couldn't possibly be more than one room at the most.

"Uh, Uncle Severus," Harry said, hesitantly, "are you sure there's going to be room for all of us in there."

Severus smirked and looked at him. "Quite sure, Harry," he said. "Remember, appearances can be deceiving. Come on." With that, he strolled up to the door of the cottage and walked inside. His nephews looked at each other a moment and then followed. Upon entering, their moths dropped in astonishment.

They were standing in a entryway that from the outside of the cottage would have filled the whole of it, only it didn't. They stepped down and found themselves in a living room with a roaring stone fireplace, soft looking sofas and chairs, and in the middle a staircase leading to an impossible second floor. On either side of these were two doors.

"Due close your mouths, boys," Severus told them, smugly, "it's only a house. Upstairs is the bedrooms. Through the door on the right you will go down into my personal potions lab-you are under NO circumstances to ever go down there without me. If I find you have, you will not sit for a week afterwards. The other door goes to the kitchen and the backdoor. Come, I'll show you your bedroom." With that, he started up the stairs.

The boys, still amazed at what they were seeing, quickly followed him up. They found themselves in a hallway with five doors. Three stood on the wall directly in front of the staircase and then there were two on each end.

Severus pointed to the door at the left end of the hallway. "That is my study and the library," he said. "You may use it for when you're doing your assignment. However, there are certain books that are off limits. Should you try to touch them, I will know, and again you will not enjoy sitting for some time should you do. The other end door leads to my bedroom, and since I value my privacy as much as the two of you do I will expect you to knock before entering and never go in there when I'm not. Understand?"

Harry and Henry nodded. "Yes, Sir," they said, simultaneously.

Severus nodded, satisfied. "The door in the middle," he said, pointing, "is the bathroom. There is another one down stairs, but it has only a toilet and a sink in it, so we will just have to share this one. Your room is the door on the left."

"What's the other door?" Harry asked, pointing to the door on the right.

"That is the guest bedroom," Severus told them, "but there is only ever one guest who comes to stay with me so you may as well say it is his bedroom."

"Who?" Henry asked, curious.

"My godson," Severus told them, going to the door of their bedroom and opening it.

"Who's that?" Harry asked, as he and his twin followed him into their new room.

It was rather large room and with a flick of his wand Severus doubled all the furniture for them. There were two beds, two wardrobes, two small desks in each other corners, but only one nightstand in-between the two beds that they would have to share. A small rounded window above it gave the room some light, but there were also lamps on the desks so that they could read at night if they wanted.

"What colors would you like?" Severus asked, avoiding the question asked of him. He wanted to get them settled before he had to deal with childish theatrics.

Harry and Henry looked at each other. "Uh, how about blue," Henry suggested, "but not too light."

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "like maybe navy or something."

Severus nodded, flicked his wrist, and two identical navy blue bedspreads appeared on their beds. They were only nearly identical because Harry's bed was checked with silver squares while Henry's bed was checked with gold squares.

"Wicked," the boys said, approvingly.

Severus flicked his wrist again. A bird's perch appeared on Henry's side of the room while a stand to hang a cage appeared on Harry's side. "Place the bird and snake on those," he instructed, "and then take out your things so that I may enlarge them." They did this and he did so.

"Put your stuff away," he instructed and watched them put everything where it was supposed to. "Good, now let's go see the rest of the place." He turned and headed back out the door.

Harry and Henry followed, wondering what else their uncle had in store for them. They followed him back downstairs and through the door he had said would lead to the kitchen-which it did. The kitchen looked just like any other kitchen they had seen, except maybe it was cleaner.

Severus opened a door that apparently led to the back of the cottage. "Come on," he said, "there is something I wish you to see." With that, he stepped out the door.

Again, they followed. They found themselves in a sandy backyard of sorts with what appeared to be a medium sized barn and paddock attached to it. Severus stepped up to the fence of the paddock, put his fingers to his lips, and gave a shrill whistle. Three amazingly beautiful horses, two stallions and a mare, came trotting out to greet him. Harry and Henry's mouths dropped open again.

"Do close your mouths, boys," Severus told them, "before flies fly decide to fly in them. Come meet Athena, Ares, and Apollo."

The boys stepped up to the fence and got a better look. One of the stallions was a palomino with blondish mane and tale. The other was a large black brute that obviously had a temperamental nature, as well as considered itself to be the "lead" stallion. The mare was smaller, of course, with a reddish-brown coat and a glossy mane and tail. She was also obviously with foal.

"They're beautiful," Harry told his uncle, amazed.

Severus grinned. "Yes, they are," he said, proudly. "Apollo is the palomino. He has a very easy going nature, though if you're not careful he'll try to nip at you for fun. Ares is my personal mount, and be warned he's very picky about letting someone ride him. I know what to do to get him to mind, but most don't so I'd advise you to ride one of the other two. Athena is the sweetheart of the three, and the gentlest creature on earth. Until she foals, of course, you won't be able t ride her but afterwards I'm sure she'll allow one of you to."

"We don't know how to ride," Henry told him, "but I'd sure like to learn. They're incredible, Uncle Severus, but how to you keep them fed while your at Hogwarts?"

"There is a village not too far from here," Severus explained, "and there is a little old man I hire to watch the place for me and feed my beauties here. He does a good job, and he's honest as the day is long so I have no fear of him taking advantage or doing them harm. He can't enter the cottage, of course, as I spell it locked each year after I return to school, but he keeps the weeds down and makes sure the roof gets fixed if some of the thatch comes off during a storm."

Harry turned back to the cottage. "This place is amazing," he said.

Severus nodded. "It's peaceful," he told them. "Well, come along boys. I need to go see what were lacking as far as food is concerned so that I can run into town to the grocery store." He headed back inside to the kitchen.

Harry and Henry followed. "You never did answer my question," Harry told him, frowning. It had just dawned on him, in fact.

"Which question was that?" Severus asked, though he was afraid he already knew the answer.

"Who's your godson that comes to stay with you?" Harry repeated his earlier question.

Severus sighed. He supposed it was now or never. "Draco Malfoy," he told them, counting down to the explosion he knew was about to occur. He timed it pretty accurately, as a matter of fact.

"WHAT!?"

"WHAT!?"

Severus winced as those two identical voices rose in absolute horror and he turned to find both his nephews staring at him with expressions of mixed horror and outrage.

"Malfoy is your godson!?" Harry exclaimed.

"That rotten, no good, son of a..." Henry started to sputter, but stopped himself when his uncle narrowed his eyes.

"That's enough, boys," Severus told them, sternly. "Yes, Draco is my godson and he does come to spend two weeks out of every summer here-which is why he has his own room."

"H-He's not coming this year, is he?" Harry asked, feeling a knot form in his stomach.

"He may," Severus told them, honestly, "it depends on what his father and mother have planned."

"Well," Henry said, snarling his nose in disgust, "that's just peachy, isn't it? The little ferret that tried to kill us will probably be sharing a bathroom with us in a few weeks!"

Harry snorted at his brother's sarcasm and description of their adversary but their uncle didn't find it at all amusing.

"Unless you'd like to take a sore bottom to bed with you, Henry Jacob," he told his blue-eyed nephew sternly, "you will watch your tone of voice."

Henry nodded, sighing. "Yes, sir," he said, grumbling, "but how can you let him anywhere near us after what he did!?"

"As I told you yesterday," Severus told them, "Draco-if indeed he is the one who cast the curse-did not intend to harm you...just humiliate you."

"He still would have killed us if not for Mum's protection," Harry told him, shrewdly.

Severus sighed. "We're still not even sure it was Draco, Harry," he told him, feeling a headache coming on.

The Boy-Who-Lived crossed his arms. "And if it was?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in a very Snape-like way. "What's going to happen to him? Is he going to get just away with it?"

"Of course not," Severus told him, "and believe me, after I am done with young Mr. Malfoy he will not only regret casting such a disgusting curse but will never again go snooping or even thinking of touching one of his father's dark spells ever again."

Harry and Henry exchanged glances with each other and gulped simultaneously. In that moment, judging by their uncle's ominous tone alone, they actually felt sorry for the blonde haired Slytherin-even though both agreed he'd deserve whatever he got.

"Now then," Severus said, "why don't you two help me see what we have by way of food in the pantry while I check the refrigerator and cabinets. We're more than likely going to need to make a run to the supermarket in the village."

So, for the next thirty minutes, that is what they did. Inventory.

"Well, boys," Severus said after they compared notes on everything, "it seems we currently have a couple of sacks of flour, a container of salt, some dried beef sticks, and a box of moldy crackers."

Harry and Henry wrinkled their noses.

Severus chuckled. "My sentiments exactly," he told them, smirking. "C'mon, let's head into town." He started for the backdoor again, and the boys followed him.

"How exactly are we going to get into town, Uncle Severus?" Henry asked, curious.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "are we going to walk?"

Severus snorted. "Of course not," he told them, "we'll be taking the truck."

"Truck?" the boys asked, looking around. "What truck?"

"This one," Severus said, walking over and removed a large grey tarp to reveal a 1932 Chevelot classic truck. It had not windows except for the windshield and was painted a pale blue in color.

"Wicked," both boys' exclaimed at the same time.

"Is it yours?" Henry asked, his blue eyes alight with awe.

"Does it even work?" Harry asked, his emerald eyes skeptical.

"Yes, it is mine," Severus answered, "and yes, Harry, it does work-quite well, actually."

"Where'd you get it?" Henry wanted to know next.

"How much did you give for it?" Harry asked. "Aren't these classic types worth a lot?"

"I bought it just after I purchased the cottage," Severus told them, running his hand over the hood, "and I actually didn't give all that much for it. The original owner was just ready to be rid of it and besides it didn't run at the time I bought it-it was quite the hunk of junk."

"Who fixed it up?" Henry asked.

"You?" Harry asked, smirking.

Severus grinned. "Surprised, are we?" he asked them, smirking. "Yes, as a matter of fact I did fix her up. My dad, Tobias, was quite the mechanic when he wasn't drunk out of his skull and the few times he actually did anything with me was to show me how to handle tools and turn a hunk of heap into a classic."

"Wicked! Cool!" Henry and Harry exclaimed again.

Severus just chuckled. "Hop in, boys," he told them, "and let's head out. I want to be back before dark."

The two boys crawled into the cab, Harry slid over in the middle while Henry got the passenger seat. Severus go in behind the wheel and buckled his seat belt. "Seat belts, boys," he told them.

Henry fastened his right away, as did Harry. "Did they even have seat belts in the '30s?" he asked, curious.

"No, actually," Severus answered. "I added these when I fixed her up." He turned the key in the ignition and the older machine purred to life.

"Here we go," Severus told them, putting the truck into gear and stepped onto the gas pedal.

He pulled onto the road and headed for town.

"Sir?" Harry asked, looking at his uncle curiously.

"Yes, Harry," Severus said, glancing down at his green-eyed nephew out of the corner of his eye.

Of the two of them, Harry rarely called him 'Uncle Severus' and he couldn't help but wonder why the boy had an aversion to that particular form of address. It was definitely something to look into.

"I was just wondering," he said, "what will happen when we get back to school?"

"What do you mean?" Severus asked, puzzled by the question. The new school year didn't start for a good two and half months. Why was the boy wondering about it now?

"Well," Harry said, "I guess what I'm asking is am I going to be placed in Slytherin?"

Severus hesitated about answering. "I'm not really sure, Harry," he told him, honestly, "would it be so bad if you did?"

Harry bit his lip. "All the Slytherin's in my year are mean and nasty," he told him, "and I don't want to lose my friends."

"Why do you think you'll lose your friends?" Severus asked, curious.

Harry glanced at his brother. "Well," he said, "Gryffindors don't like Slytherins and well...if I became a Slytherin...well..." He trailed off, unable to get out just what he was trying to say.

"That's the things about friends, Harry," Severus told him. "If they turn on you for something you can't help or control then they were never really your friends to begin with. It is those who will stick by you no matter what they are your true friends. Do you believe Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger to be such?"

Harry nodded. "Of course," he told him, "but what about Neville, Seamus, and the others?"

Severus shrugged, his eyes never leaving the road. "If they are as good friends as they claim to be," he said, "then they will not be bothered by it, but as I said we do not yet know what will happen come September. You may have nothing to worry about."

"But you believe I will be, don't you?" Harry asked, shrewdly. "That I'll be in Slytherin, I mean."

Severus smirked. "I believe it is a real possibility given the characteristics you've been displaying," he told him, "but as I said we still have two and half months before the school year starts. Do not let one little worry ruin you summer."

"Yeah, Harry," Henry said, nudging his brother. "Besides, we're probably going to drive the old bat so crazy this summer that he'll beg Dumbledore to keep you Slytherin." This, of course, had been whispered so only Harry could hear it.

However, the 'old bat' had sharper hearing than they realized. "This old bat, Henry Jacob," Severus said, smirking, "isn't as easily driven insane as you may think...and I'd remember that should you attempt anything too outrageous it will be your hides, not mine, on the line."

The boys' wrinkled their noses. "Yes, Sir," they answered together, identical put upon looks on their face.

Severus chuckled. This was going to be one interesting summer.

Severus pulled the truck to a stop once he found a parking spot. He pulled the keys from the ignition and took his seat belt off.

"Now while we are here you may go and look around while I get what we need. But I will warn you now if you two get into any trouble you will have to deal with me. Is that understood?" Severus asked his two now very excited nephews.

"Yes Sir!" Henry said followed by Harry who said, "U-huh"

Severus opened the door and held it open as the two boys jumped from the car. Harry and Henry both started running towards the store. Severus sighed and yelled after them to be careful.

Severus started towards the store following the boys.

The store is a log store with an ice container and a vending machine by the door. Severus would come to this store as a child and play in the toy section. For as small as the store looked on the outside it was much bigger inside. It had the food section, a clothes department, and a little section with toys of all ages.

Harry and Henry were waiting for him by the door and they walked in together. They were greeted kindly by the worker.

"Oh hello Severus, I haven't seen you for a long time." Miss Klinger said giving him a broad smile.

"Hello Kathleen! I'm surprised you still work here. Boys this is Kathleen Klinger, she owns this store." Severus told the two boys that looked like they were excited to go look around.

Kathleen turned her attention to the two boys standing impatiently beside Severus. "Oh and who may I ask are you two?"

"These are my nephews, Harry and Henry." He pointed to each as he said their names.

Harry smiled kindly at her, "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss. Klinger."

Kathleen smiled at him, "Please if you will call me Kathleen." She then turned her attention back to Severus, "I didn't know you had nephews! I suppose James finally settled down then huh?"

Severus turned to the boys who were itching to go exploring and said, "You two may go look around now and you both can pick one thing to bring home." Harry and Henry started to run off when Severus yelled warningly, "I mean it to, stay out of trouble! And don't run in the store!" The boys slowed to a jog. Severus glared at them and mumbled what sounded like "Cheeky brats." Kathleen smiled at him.

Severus turned back to her and answered her question, "Yes James got married a women named Lillian Evens, but they both died when Harry and Henry were a year old." At this Kathleen gave him a sad look then gave him a hug, much to his dismay.

"Oh Severus I'm so sorry I mentioned it!" Kathleen said full of regret.

Severus sighed, "It's not your fault Kathleen, really! You had no idea. Don't worry about it." Severus tried to tell a very stubborn Kathleen who just kept saying how she was so sorry and then she went on saying that she shouldn't have brought James up in front of the boys, on and on it went.

"KATHLEEN! Please it was not your fault you had no idea, don't worry. The boys both understand and I know for sure that they won't think twice about what you said about James. Are you okay now?" Kathleen nodded much to Severus' relief. "Alright well I have to go and grab all the stuff we need, talk to you later?" Kathleen nodded and Severus went to the food section where he grabbed about anything that he thought looked good or he knew Harry and Henry liked.

Just as he was about to put a jug of milk into his cart he heard a scream followed by a long laugh. He dropped the milk into the cart and took off to where he thought he heard the commotion. Apparently Kathleen heard it too because she was walking in front of him trying to get to the place where she heard the noises.

'What are those two up to now?!' Severus thought trying to hold his temper and his temptation to just run off to the boys.

When both adults arrived at the scene what they saw made Kathleen burst into tears of laughter and Severus to narrow his eyes at the boys.

Harry was on top of Henry with what looked like Silly String all through his hair. Harry was wrestling Henry for the can of spray. Neither noticed the adults.

"Henry I swear if you don't give me the can now you'll have to sleep with your eyes open!" Harry threatened menacingly.

Severus raised his eye brows. While Henry finally managed to get out from under Harry and said, "Oh really? I do believe Harry James that you should be the one that should keep his eyes open tonight! You never know if the scary can of Silly String will attack you again." Henry danced out of reach from Harry arms.

Harry glared at him, "That's it!" He pounced on Henry and grabbed the can. Soon Henry found his face covered in Pink Silly String. Harry burst out laughing.

"I do say you look great in pink." Harry smiled wickedly as he attacked his brother again with a tackle.

Henry glared at him, "You! I swear-"

"BOYS! What do you two think you are doing?! UP NOW!" Severus gave them his best glare and turned to Kathleen who finally managed to get a hold of herself and finally took in her surroundings. Things were thrown everywhere from the fight. "Kathleen I am so sorry. I promise I will have the boys clean it up and then I can pay for the Silly String." He glared at the boys who finally stood and were standing there with Silly String all over them.

Kathleen waved off his apology. "No its okay Severus, really. Boys will be boys."

Severus sighed, "Fine, but they will clean this up!" Severus looked pointedly at the boys who automatically started cleaning up their mess.

Kathleen smiled at Severus and told him she had to go and deal with a customer who just walked in when the commotion started. Before she could walk away Severus made Harry and Henry apologize for ruining a can of Silly String and in the process making a mess of her store.

Once she was gone Severus turned to the boys and glared dangerously. "Just wait till we get home." And that was all he had to say for the boys to start fidgeting and cleaning faster.

The car ride home definitely wasn't something someone could call pleasant, at all. The whole time it was either completely silent which didn't help with the boys' nerves or it was with Severus lecturing them about acting their age and their behavior. Most of the lecture Harry was in his own little world, he didn't want to hear this. Sure they messed up but they cleaned it up and now they were going to receive a punishment so why did he bother with a lecture? It's not like they listened to it anyway.

Severus pulled the truck to a stop and told the boys to go to their room. He had to calm down before he could deal with them. Dealing out punishments while still seeing red was never good. He had to have a clear mind while dealing with his nephews.

Harry and Henry unbuckled and got out of the truck. They started towards the house in complete silence until they got inside where they knew their uncle couldn't hear them.

Henry closed the door and glanced at Harry. Harry rolled his eyes and started to their room.

Once they were inside the safety of their room they flopped down onto their beds and sighed.

Harry glanced over at his twin with a smile, "I got you good." Henry glared at him.

Henry still had pink silly string stuck in his eyebrows and even a little up his nose One look in the mirror had both boys laughing their heads off. Their laughing fits were cut short when they heard the front door open and close; they didn't want their uncle thinking that they weren't taking this serious. Harry looked over at Henry and almost burst out laughing again, Henry's face was a bright red from trying not to laugh.

The boys listened as they heard their uncle go into his room and close the door behind him.

Harry and Henry sat still for a bit thinking about all that happened that day.

A feeling of regret was starting to creep into their hearts. It was obvious that they embarrassed their uncle in the store that day and they had a slight feeling that Severus kind of had a crush on Kathleen, maybe. They weren't positive though it was just a gut feeling.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Five minutes passed and Severus was still in his room thinking of how to handle this one. It was obvious they should have a spanking. He finally decided that a spanking was enough as they are boys just trying to have a little bit of fun, even if that was embarrassing to him in front of Kathleen.

Kathleen was a great friend since they were young and all he wanted to accomplish today was to show her how great his nephews were. But that was ruined when they decided to have a silly string fight. Severus has been having a slight change of feelings towards her lately that he hasn't felt since Lily started dating James. He never thought he would ever feel this way towards another woman again, but here he stands with the same exact feeling as before. The same feelings that ruined his life and made him feel like he wasn't worth it anyway.

Severus sighed and stood up to go deal with his nephews. He walked out of his room and pulled over a straight back chair into the middle of the room then sat down.

"Henry Jacob, come here." He called from his seat.

He didn't have to wait long for Henry to slowly open the door and come over to him with his face looking at the ground.

Severus pulled him between his knees and put his finger under his chin so they were looking eye to eye. Then he said, "Henry Jacob you really disappointed me today. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Henry left his guilt show and a tear slide down his cheek as he said, "I'm sorry, Uncle Severus!"

Severus gave a small nod then said sternly, "You will be. Now lower your trousers and underpants." He watched as Henry looked at him with wide eyes.

"You're joking right?" Henry asked with a slight plea to his voice.

Severus shook his head in denial. When Henry still hadn't moved an inch he said even more sternly, "I'm going to count to three and if you don't have your trousers and underpants down by three you will get double. One." Severus began counting.

Henry's eyes went wide. He didn't want to get a bare spanking but he also didn't want double his punishment. Henry weighed the two options and couldn't decide which would be worse.

"Two." Severus gave him a raised eyebrow almost tempting him to not comply with his demand.

Henry was shock still.

"Thr-" Henry panicked and pulled down his trousers and underpants as fast as he could. Severus pulled him over to his side and said, "Don't tempt me Henry Jacob."

With that said Severus pulled him over his lap then continued to pull his underpants and trousers further down his legs. Henry tensed and tried to wiggle away but one sharp swat told him to stay still.

Severus raised his hand and brought it down on the small bottom in front of him. He continued until the pale white was now a bright shade of pink then he lifted his knee up so he could get a better shot at his sitting spots. Henry was crying so hard by the end of his punishment.

Severus pulled Henry up so he was holding him in his arms. He bent down and lightly put a small kiss to his forehead, and then he said, "You are forgiven Henry." He continued to hold him until he calmed down then he slowly pulled up his underpants and trousers over the smarted bottom.

"You may go back to your room and send your brother out." Severus told him as he sat back to get ready for his next trouble nephew.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Henry opened the door to their room and rubbed his bottom the whole way back to his bed where he flopped down.

"Your turn." Henry told Harry who was watching him with horrified eyes. "Oh and when he says to take down your underpants and trousers, do it right away." Henry told him as he was about to open the door.

Harry stopped opening the door and turned back to his brother. "You mean he is going to spank me bare?!" Harry was horrified and a bit scared.

All he got for an answer was a nod of the head as his brother drifted off to sleep.

Harry sighed and decided he might as well get this over with. Harry turned back to the door and carefully opened it as to not wake his now asleep brother.

He looked out of the room and saw his uncle sitting on a straight back chair. Harry sighed and walked over to him.

Once he got to his side Severus pulled him between his knees and said in the same tone he used with Henry, "Harry James I am extremely disappointed in you, I thought you could behave better then that! Now what do you have to say for yourself?!"

Harry was tempted to say, "That was the most fun I have ever had. And don't regret it at all." But he knew that wouldn't turn out good in the end so instead he simply said, "I'm sorry Uncle Severus. I promise not to attack Henry again with silly string."

Severus raised his eyebrows and said even more sternly then before, "You better not or I wont wait to spank your behind at home I'll just take you over my knee in the middle of the store!"

Harry gulped and whispered another, "Sorry."

Severus gave a curt nod and pulled him to his side, "You will be! Now lower your trousers and underpants."

Harry knew he would be saying this since Henry told him but it still shocked him to actually hear him say it. Harry's eyes went wide but still did as he was told.

Severus nodded and pulled him to his side then he pulled him over his lap and began the punishment.

Severus kept swatting Harry's behind until it was the same shade as Henry's. Harry was quiet for the first couple but finally he cracked and burst into tears begging him to stop and promising that he won't ever do it again. But he wasn't done yet. Severus lifted his knee so he could get better aim at his sitting spot and then finished delivering the punishment.

Severus pulled Harry up and held him while rubbing circles on his back and telling him that it's over and that he is forgiven.

A couple minutes later Harry's tears turned to sniffles and Severus helped him up off his lap then pulled his underpants and trousers back up over the sore behind.

"You may now go back to your room; I will call you when it's time to eat." Severus watched Harry walk sullenly back to his room while trying to sneak a couple of rubs to his behind to sooth the sore feeling.

Almost twenty minutes went by before Severus called them to the kitchen to eat. While Severus was making the meal Harry and Henry were sulking on their beds with sore behinds trying to find a comfortable area to lay without making their situation worse then it already was.

Harry and Henry jumped from their beds and hurried to the bedroom door. As soon as they left the room they quickly walked to the kitchen then sat on their seats, for some odd reason their seats didn't feel as horrible as they dreaded they would be, in fact it felt as if someone put a cushion underneath their bottoms.

As Severus sat the food on the table and took his seat Harry gave him a questioning glance. Harry not the one to be able to keep his curiosity in check asked his uncle in a small voice, "Uncle Severus?"

Severus looked up from dishing some mashed potatoes onto his plate, "Yes Harry?"

Harry glanced at Henry and realised he wanted to know what happened to the hard, cold, wooden chairs they normally sat on. "Um well I was just wondering... Uh well you see..."

Henry left out a exasperating sigh and rolled his eyes at Harry then turned to his uncle and said in a all knowing tone, "What he is failing to say is, what's up with the chairs?"

Harry sent him a glare then muttered under his breath, "Not to put it bluntly or anything."

Henry stuck his tongue out of his twin, "Prat." Henry muttered darkly as he scooped some green beans onto his plate.

Harry grumbled something inaudible and if his uncle actually heard him he would be rewarded with a all mighty mouth washing.

Severus watched his nephews with an amused look, he was again shocked at how childish they could be at times, or more like all the time.

"Well I figured you would like to eat your meal comfortably, but apparently not so..." Severus rose his wand to take the charm off when suddenly Harry and Henry screamed in a pleading voice, "NO!"

Severus smirked at the sight before him, both boys had the looks of complete horror on their faces. He wasn't going to take the charm off in the first place but hey he couldn't resist.

Severus slowly lowered his wand and set it on the table. He then said in a fake threatening voice, "Then don't complain. Harry put some vegetables on your plate."

Harry scowled at his plate and made a disgusted look as he slowly scooped two green beans onto his plate. Severus glared at him for the cheek and grabbed the scoop then gave him a huge pile. Severus gave Harry a look that Harry knew not to mess with, "Eat them all."

Harry sighed as he slowly picked up his fork and cautiously stabbed one, Harry gave it one more disgusted look before he popped it into his mouth. Henry chuckled at the look on his twins face as he slowly devoured the green beans.

The rest of the meal was done in silence until all the food was gone from the table then Severus got both boys to sit down again for a family meeting.

Harry and Henry shared a confused look, what could they have possibly done in this short amount of time. Harry immediately started panicking because he thought his uncle heard what he called Henry under his breath.

Severus watched the worried looks then saw Harry's eyes widen as if he knew he was caught. This made him curious, "Got a guilty conscious, Harry?"

Severus smirked as Harry jumped at the sound of his voice, Harry quickly shook his head in denial but wouldn't look at his uncle, no way was he going to look at him.

Severus finally said, "What I wanted to talk to you two about is would you like to go flying tonight?" Both boys beamed a bright smile as he said this. "Now this isn't going to be a normal flight, it's going to be dark so I have some rules." Both boys groaned at the 'rule' part, "Do you want to go?" At the nods he received he continued, "All right then don't complain. Now I only have a couple of rules for tonight, first you must fly only in the yard and not too high, I mean it Harry." Severus told Harry that when he noticed the mischievous look on his nephew's face. "The second rule is you must always be somewhere that I can see you, and the last rule is to have fun." He gave them a smile as both boys became happier then they were all summer. Their happiness warmed Severus' heart, he loved the feeling.

A few hours later when the sun was completely down Severus and the two boys mounted their brooms and flew up into the sky. It was beautiful, you could see where you were going because the stars were guiding your path. If you look up at the stars you could see the Big Dipper and Little Dipper perfectly. The moon shown down on the three figures as they glided through the yard, the moon was full and as bright as a naked bulb, it was perfect.

Many people awoke to sounds of laughter fluttering through the neighborhood, even Severus himself was laughing right along with his nephew.

This is what families do, they enjoy each others company. And that is what it truly felt like tonight, they felt like a real family now.

A few days had passed and Severus, Harry, and Henry were eating breakfast when an eagle owl flew through an open window and dropped a letter on the table before leaving. Severus picked up the letter and opened it.

"It appears my godson is going to be here this afternoon. Something has come up and his parents need to go on an important business trip out of the country for a few days. Rather unusual for something like this to happen so early into the summer holidays..." Severus said while looking over the letter.

"So much for a quiet holiday..." Henry mumbled while Harry groaned.

"I know you don't get along with Draco but I do not want there to be any incidents during his stay. Also, remember there are two of you and only one of him." Severus pointed out.

"I didn't think about that." Harry replied, smirking. Severus just glared at Harry.

"I will deal with him about the curse he used on you. I think it might be best if you two are out of sight when he arrives. I will tell you when you can show yourselves." Severus instructed.

After lunch, there was a knock on the front door of the cottage and Severus informed Harry and Henry it was the Malfoys. Following Severus' instructions, they hid in the kitchen.

"Severus, a pleasure as always. I hope you don't mind having to watch Draco on such short notice but Narcissa and I have to urgently go to Switzerland because our solicitor is on the verge of making us lose a large sum of money." the voice of Lucius Malfoy was heard from the front room.

"I hope the Malfoys lose that money." Harry whispered to Henry to which Henry smirked, silently agreeing.

"Actually it was no problem Lucius. In fact, Professor Dumbledore had asked me and the other staff to ask students about an incident that happened at the Hogsmeade Station they may have witnessed while boarding the train," Severus explained. "A task I'm not looking forward to doing..."

"I didn't hear about any incident happening. What exactly happened and why not get the Ministry involved?" Lucius asked.

"Dumbledore has his reasons as usual even though it was something that Ministry would normally have aurors look into. An unidentified person fired a dangerous curse at The-Boy-Who-Lived as he was getting onto the train. According to Dumbledore the only thing that spared Potter his life was a spell Potter's mother had unintentionally placed on him that protected him from the Dark Lord's killing curse."

"Oh my. Just out of curiosity, what spell was it?"

"Dividus Horrificus."

"Whoever cast it must have been very foolish or have good aim to fire that curse in or at a crowd just to get one person. I can't imagine what I would do if Draco accidentally... Draco, I know that look on your face. You know something about this don't you?" Lucius asked in an accusing way.

"Yes..." Draco almost whimpered.

"Were you going through my journals again and decided to practice a spell you found?"

"Yes..."

"IDIOT BOY! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT SPELL DOES? IF IT WORKED THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO AND YOU WERE SPOTTED BY SOMEONE..." Lucius yelled. "I DID NOT AVOID AZKABAN ONLY FOR MY OWN SON TO LAND THE BOTH OF US THERE! NO FLYING AND NO FRIENDS OVER FOR THE REST OF SUMMER! AND NO BEING ON THE QUIDDITCH TEAM NEXT YEAR EITHER!"

With that, the front door slammed.

"I don't ever recall your father being so furious..." Severus said breaking a few moments of silence.

"I don't either. Just what was so bad about that spell?" Draco asked.

"You were very lucky the spell didn't come back at you like the killing curse did for the Dark Lord. It cuts a person in half as if someone drove a knife straight down the middle of their body. It's a rather gruesome way to die and I have yet to figure out why the Ministry hasn't declared it an Unforgivable given that it was used a few times on Muggles during the war." Severus replied as Draco paled. "Anyways, just because you are here doesn't mean your punishment will start when your parents get back. Also, there is something I want to show you. Boys! You can come out now!"

Taking the cue, Harry and Henry walked out of the kitchen and into the front room. Draco's eyes appeared to double in size and he started open and closing his mouth like fish out of water as he stood by a trunk, which Harry assumed, was Draco's.

"Why is Potter here? And what's with this blue-eyed clone of his?" Draco managed to ask, still in shock.

"Its not commonly known but I had an older half-brother. My half-brother was James Potter, which means that I am Harry Potter's uncle. Your failed Dividus Horrificus resulted in Harry acquiring a "twin" which Dumbledore and I named Henry Jacob Potter. As for why they are here and not at their muggle relatives' place, Harry's aunt never really wanted to take Harry in and Dumbledore and I agreed that she and her husband would never agree to take Henry in as well. Being their only other adult blood relative, they are going to be living with me until they can live on their own. I expect the three of you to at least be civil with each other. Understood?"

"Yes, sir..." the three boys said more or less in unison.

Harry didn't know about Henry, but he really didn't like Severus telling Draco that his aunt never wanted him. Draco teased Harry before the winter holidays about not being wanted at home and now Draco knew that was indeed the case.

"Draco, take your stuff to your room here and the three of you find something to do and please stay out of trouble..." Severus instructed. "And remember Draco, no flying."

Draco grumbled as he picked up the trunk as if it was no heavier then a feather, and headed up the stairs. Harry didn't trust Draco and had a feeling Draco might go into his and Henry's room and do something and proceeded to follow Draco upstairs. Henry apparently was thinking the same as he was following Harry and Draco.

Harry went to his room and sat on his bed, trying to pretend he wasn't concerned about Draco. Henry sat down next to him and decided to break the silence after 10 seconds.

"Just why did Mafoy have to spend part of the summer here?" Henry asked annoyed and as quiet as he could.

"Maybe it's the universe trying to balance itself out..." Harry replied. "I don't know about you but up until this morning, it was dream come true. I... We get to live with a relative that actually cares about us."

"No having to wait on Uncle Vernon and Dudley..." Henry commented.

"No being called a freak..." Harry added.

"Having clothes that fit..."

"Not getting snapped at for asking a question..."

"No worrying about being locked in a cupboard..."

"What's this about being locked in a cupboard? Famous Harry Potter, locked in a cupboard by muggles?" Draco said almost mocking them as Harry realized the door was open. The sight of Draco "spying" on them made both Harry and Henry stand up.

"Look Malfoy, I... Henry and I don't like talking about the people we used to live with. All I call say was they were horrible, hated magic, and we just wanted to get away from them because they were never our family. Now please leave us alone." Harry said to Draco, trying to be as "civil" as possible.

"Father always said muggles are lousy parents. Just wait until he hears about this. The Weasleys will have to beg for money on the streets because the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office will be closed." Malfoy replied chuckling. Henry apparently couldn't restrain himself and started to lunge at Draco.

"Henry, its not worth it!" Harry shouted as he tried to stop Henry but Henry managed to punch Draco in the eye before Harry managed to break up the fight before it got worse.

"Let go of me! You heard what he said!" Henry protested while Draco decided if he should run to Severus or to watch Harry and Henry fight over fighting.

"What is going on up there? You better not be fighting!" they heard Severus shout as they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. It was a few seconds before an angry Severus was in the doorway. "It seems I can't leave you three alone without a fight breaking out a few minutes later. Now explain what happened and no lying. I have my ways of learning the truth."

"He was making fun of us for being locked up in the cupboard and said his father is going to make Mr. Weasley lose his job!" Henry shouted and pointed to Draco.

"Draco, Harry James, you have anything you would like to add?" Severus angrily asked, eying all three of the boys.

"Malfoy was spying on us. After he made fun of us and threatened the Weasleys, I tried to stop Henry from punching him..." Harry nervously answered.

"At least one of you made an attempt to prevent a fight... Just what am I going with the three of you here? This is going to be a long few days..." Severus said dryly.

It was 3:00 in the morning and Henry couldn't sleep. He was laying in bed thinking about how the punishment for the incident during the afternoon was unfair. He was grounded for a week after getting a spanking for punching Draco. Draco's punishment for harassing Harry and Henry only consisted of apologizing and being jinxed not to talk to anyone about what life was like for Harry prior to finding out he was wizard unless who Draco wanted to talk to about it all ready knew from Severus, Harry, or Henry. Harry was the only one that didn't get punished because he did the right thing by preventing the situation from getting worse.

Henry was just starting to drift off when he heard a yell from the hallway.

"Uncle Severus! The Potters are invisible and keep hitting me!" Draco yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Go back to bed Draco! The ward monitor shows Harry and Henry haven't left their room all night! You are probably imagining things! Go back to sleep! We'll talk about this in the morning!" Severus shouted from his room.

That morning, Draco looked like a white blond storm cloud as he sat down for breakfast and glared at Harry and Henry.

"Had a bad night?" Severus asked.

"Horrible! I don't know how much sleep I got but these two kept sneaking into my room and hitting me when I was trying sleep! I couldn't see them but I know it was them!" Draco glared angrily at Harry and Henry.

"After what happened yesterday I set up some wards in your rooms that would alert me if any of left your rooms. With the exception of storming out of your room at 3:00 this morning, none you left your rooms. Maybe it was because your bed was jinxed to not let you have a good night's rest unless you give an apology to my nephews and truly mean it," Severus explained unemotionally as Draco made more than one attempt to interrupt but kept quiet.

"Your behavior at school was the biggest complaint I had from the other professors. Draco, I have said this before I will say it again because I believe Harry and Henry need to hear this as well. You cannot expect to get anywhere by resorting to childish behavior. While the three of you have enough money to guarantee that your great-great grandchildren don't need to a job, any bad behavior you have may come back and haunt you at a time you can least afford it.

"I do not know for sure about this but after your mother's grandfather Arcturus Black passed away last summer, the title of head of your mother's family transferred to either Harry or Henry due your Arcturus' only living grandson and cousin of your mother, Sirius Black, ineligibility and closeness to the Potter family. If Harry or Henry is head of the Black family and the tradition of children belonging to both of their parent's family, you are showing great disrespect to your superior. When they get older they could legally rob your blind if they wanted to." Severus explained causing all three boys to mutter a silent "what?"

"Why would Sirius Black not be allowed to be head of the Black family?" Harry asked.

"Sirius Black is surviving a life sentence in Azkaban Prison for being a follower of You-Know-Who, mass murderer, and an accessory to a double murder though I have some doubts if he is guilty of the charge of being a follower of the You-Know-Who. Despite being an arrogant bully from a family that has a reputation for hating Muggles and Muggle-borns, Sirius openly socialized with many Muggle-borns witches, a rather odd behavior for a follower of You-Know-Who considering that You-Know-Who and his followers have a hatred for Muggles and Muggle-borns."

"Why are you calling the Dark Lord You-Know-Who?" a somewhat more calmed down Draco asked.

"You are forgetting, Draco, that they grew up with Muggles. They probably won't know of whom I'm speaking of if I were to say the Dark Lord," Severus answered. "In an unrelated topic, I got a message from Professor Dumbledore saying he will be coming by some time today depending on how long it takes to reorganize his collection of oddly shaped lemon drops after accidentally leaving the entrance to his office open while away allowing Peeves to come in and have a little fun."

And three of the boys didn't know what to make of that.

A couple hours later there was a knock on the door, which Severus answered.

"Good morning Severus. I trust you are enjoying the holidays so far?" Dumbledore cheerfully asked. The elderly headmaster, with the exception of his long beard and hair had made a convincing Muggle man dressed in a dark gray suit with a suitcase

"Please come in. With the exception of a couple of incidents, yes. First the two boys got their hands on some silly string at the store and had a fight with it. Then Lucius and Narcissa had to go out of the country for a few days and my godson Draco is having to stay here..." Severus trailed off as Dumbledore walked in.

"Ah. I can see how that could be a problem. Hopefully the three of them limited their exchange with to just words?"

"Henry Jacob punched Draco before Harry James managed to break up the fight prior to my arrival to see what the commotion was," Severus answered making Dumbledore give a disappointing sigh.

"I just hope before the school year starts, they can all get along with each other," Dumbledore replied, disappointed as he set his suitcase on a couch and opened it. "I just hope Harry follows the old adage of not shooting the messenger of bad news."

"What do you mean?" Severus asked concerned eying the odd contents of the suitcase. The inside of the suitcase reminded him of something from a muggle science fiction TV show he saw every now and then when he was visiting Lily when he was growing up. The top part was black with five vertical red rectangles. They were labeled left to right souls, magic, magic stability, magical age, and magic bonds.

"I prefer to say it when the boys are present. I'd rather talk to them before I set up the wards. I have more information about what exactly happened to them and I would like to perform a quick scan of both with my wand to confirm my research."

"Harry James, Henry Jacob! Professor Dumbledore is here and wants to speak to you two!" Severus shouted up the stairs where the three boys were supposed to be studying.

The two boys came down the stairs.

"Before we get started, I would like to do a quick scan of both of you with my wand to be sure of something... This won't hurt at all." Dumbledore explained and he waved his wand in front of Harry. The bars changed their size and Dumbledore glanced at the display panel if you could call it that giving a "mmhmm". Severus found it rather odd that for Harry it said that Harry had an extremely small fraction more than one soul inside of him. It also said Harry had one magic bond.

After Harry, Dumbledore 'scanned' Henry before taking another look at the display panel. Severus saw it said Henry had exactly one soul and no magic bonds, and slightly less magic power than Harry.

"Looks like my hypothesis is correct about what the curse did. Why don't we all go sit down and I'll explain about the curse," Dumbledore said closing the suitcase and made it disappear by taping it with his wand. Severus led them to the dinner table after thinking he saw Draco peak down the stairs. After the four of them sat down, Dumbledore began to explain.

"Since the day you were hit with that spell Harry, I've been researching for any information that might help explain how Henry came into existence. It was not normal, if not impossible, from my understanding of magic at the time for the Sorting Hat to say the name of one of the four houses at Hogwarts for the two of you," Dumbledore explained, referring to Harry and Henry.

"What do mean?" Henry asked.

"One of the most fundamental laws of magic theory states you can never create something that is truly alive. According to that law, one of you should have been nothing more than a corpse charmed to appear to be alive. However, that is not the case. If it were, the Sorting Hat would have protested when I placed it on one of you. In addition, I shouldn't have registered a soul inside of one of you. According the Sorting Hat and the scans I just did, both of you are very much alive." Dumbledore resounded sounding pleased.

"That's good to know." Harry commented.

"Indeed. Now as to how that is possible goes down to the workings of Dividus Horrificus and the protection charm your mother placed on you when she sacrificed her life to save yours and how they interacted. Apparently a distant ancestor of yours that lived around 800 years ago named Ignotus Peverell wrote in an old note book that was donated to the Hogwarts Library a few centuries later by another of your ancestors, wrote out a series of equations that describe Dividus Horrificus. From what I could tell in the notebook, he discovered the existence of the spell though calculations rather than trying out random incantations and wand movements. A much safer approach in my opinion but that's not the point. According to his calculations, the spell not only splits a person physically in half, but will split their soul as well. However, it is not like other ways of splitting souls.

"Other ways of splitting souls leave an extremely weak connection between the soul fragments if you will call them that. I won't say what that connection allows because the type of soul splitting that results in it is magic at its darkest and since I became headmaster of Hogwarts, I have forbidden the subject. Teachers are not allowed to make students buy books with references to it nor is the library allowed to have any such books though every now and then one is discovered in some part of the library nobody has been in decades. Anyways, Dividus Horrificus does not create such a connection. In fact what it does to a person's soul is more like how the most primitive forms of life reproduce. It splits a person's soul into two fully functional souls each with its own unique personality but all the memories and abilities of the original soul." Dumbledore explained.

"I was looking at the readings from your scans, they did not show up as identical. It said Harry had more than one soul, a bond, and more magic power than Henry," Severus pointed out.

"The bond and more than one soul is a result of what Voldemort did that Halloween night in 1981. Voldemort appeared to have left behind part of his soul as he fled from the Potter's cottage that night. I am working on finding a safe way to remove it. To the best of my knowledge nobody has attempted to remove a soul fragment from a person before and it may be years before I can come up with a way. As for the more magic power, I believe that is because when the curse hit Harry, Harry's soul absorbed part of the soul fragment as his soul tried to regain its strength. It's the only explanation I have as that having some one's soul, or part of one, inside of you doesn't add to your magic power but rather allows you to channel the owner of the other soul's magic. Soul splitting weakens souls briefly and it tried to draw energy from wherever possible. If both of you, Harry and Henry, collapsed, that is why," Dumbledore answered.

"I'm confused. Isn't causing a soul to divide like how some germs do still creating life?" Harry asked.

"Actually no. While magic cannot create life, it can assist the natural process of creating it. Some species of animals split their soul as part of reproduction. The protection charm your mother placed on you allowed both you and Henry to survive long enough for both of your souls to repair what would normally be fatal damage to your bodies. Part of that type of soul splitting is physically cutting a body in half. The species that reproduce that way survive because their souls are more in tuned with their magic than most known beings in a way that they can re-grow the missing half of their body a rate that for all intents and purposes might as well be considered instantaneous. For most beings, it is estimated it would take approximately half of a second to accomplish the same feat if the magic needed was performed in the most efficient way possible, which hasn't been discovered, but by that time, their soul would have long moved on to the next great adventure."

"I'm still confused..." Harry replied.

"Same here." Henry added.

"Don't worry. The important thing is that both of you are alive," Dumbledore reassured.

"You hinted to me earlier that you had bad news for Harry. I don't see how everything you said is bad news other than it means that Harry will have to experience sibling rivalry." Severus added wondering what the bad news was.

"I was going to get to that. Harry, I'm not sure if I made this clear after I put the Sorting Hat on you back in the hospital wing that you have been transferred into Slytherin house." Dumbledore said as calmly as possible.

"WHAT!?" Harry exclaimed. At the same time the dinning room window shattered. Harry just knew he caused it to do that though it had been a long time since he lost control of his magic like that.

"Calm down Harry!" Severus shouted.

"I don't want to be in Slytherin! Everyone will hate me!" Harry shouted.

"That is not true Harry and you know it!" Severus shouted back.

"Well almost everybody! Wood and the rest of the Quidditch team and most of Gryffindor will hate me for not being on the team anymore!"

"Harry, its not your fault you got transferred to Slytherin. If they bother you about it, just send them to your uncle, Professor McGonagall or I." Dumbledore calmly tried to reassure.

"What about the Slytherins? They're all a bunch of stupid psychotic wanna-be dark wizards that hate my guts! They're curse me in my sleep or something!" Harry continued to rant making Severus angry.

"They are not all stupid wanna-be dark wizards. Yes, a lot of them are but a lot of them are not. Furthermore more, not all dark wizards are and will be from Slytherin. All houses, including Gryffindor, have produced people who have gone bad. I will not have you go on about all Slytherins are bad. In addition, if any of them give you any trouble, they will have to deal with me and I don't tolerate such behavior. And for the record I am not a stupid psychotic wanna-be dark wizard!" Severus scolded.

Harry saw he wasn't getting anywhere. He was doomed to be in Slytherin. As much as he wanted to put up a big scene, he knew it just wasn't worth it so just sat there looking like a green-eyed storm cloud. The fact he had a scar shaped like a lightning bolt didn't help.

"Are you calmed down now?" Henry asked.

"Yes." Harry lied.

"We need to work on your temper. Not even your mother exploded like that," Severus said, still angry. "I think part of your punishment will be learning to control your emotions. The ministry won't like it if your accidental magic is seen by a muggle."

"Indeed. I might say you are going to be a powerful wizard. I never had an angry student blow out a window before..." Dumbledore added. "I might suggest you use paper clips to vent your anger on rather than windows. At least there won't be any mess to clean up though I wish we were in my office. I really enjoy using a broom the way muggles do. Anyways, aside from doing those scans and informing you of my finds as well as the bad news, I mainly came here to strengthen the wards around the house in case Voldemort or some other person who wishes to harm the two of you decides to show up."

"Very well, I suggest you get started. Harry, we will have a discussion about your outburst after Draco goes home. In the mean time, Harry, Henry, go back to what ever you were doing," Severus said sternly as he got up. The four people at the table got up and thought they heard something go up the stairs.

"A bunch of stupid psychotic wanna-be dark wizards? That was the best you could come up with Po-Harry?" Draco chucked from the door to Harry and Henry's bedroom. "I admit a troll is probably more intelligent than Crabbe, Goyle, and Bulstrode put together but Slytherins in general are not stupid. We just know better than to lose our head as my great-great-great grandfather Phineas Black said."

Both Harry and Henry just glared at Draco.

"No offense meant to Sir. Nicholas," Draco quickly apologized. "So you really were transferred to Slytherin?"

"Yes," Harry groaned and he sat on his bed.

"Well, if there's one Slytherin you should be afraid of, its Flint, Slytherin's Quidditch captain. After catching the snitch in like five minutes, he's going to keep hexing you until you join Slytherin's team. I heard his father taught him some rather nasty hexes..." Draco shuddered.

"I'll be careful," Harry groaned and Harry came to the conclusion that Draco not only was trying to recruit him to play Quidditch for the Slytherins but had been 'spying' on him and Henry again.

"Can't be as bad as that hex Ron said his sister is good at," Henry added making Draco roll his eyes.

"Flint's family is really into the dark arts so any curses and hexes Flint knows are nothing compared to anything a family like the Weasleys would know. But I doubt he would use any of them. The point is, Harry, if you are afraid of Slytherins, then try out for the Quidditch team," Draco continued to say before being interrupted.

"Makes sense. Slytherin will want to continue their winning streak and they won't harm their seeker," Henry interrupted.

"That's what I was going to say before you rudely interrupted..." Draco partially sneered.

"Than everyone in Gryffindor will hate me!" Harry protested.

"Well, if I replace you on Gryffindors team, maybe it might not be so bad." Henry suggested.

"But we only have one broom." Harry pointed out.

"Good point..." Henry replied.

"Maybe you can ask for one for our birthday?" Harry suggested.

"Good luck convincing your uncle to support a rival team..." Draco sighed.

A couple days later Draco went back home, having not apologized for the things he did to Harry and Henry. Harry, for his outburst during Dumbledore's visit, not only got a spanking, but was grounded for a week.

During the following month they learned someone was apparently stealing Harry and Henry's mail. It was the only explanation that made sense when Mrs. Weasley made a Floo call in mid-July call asking why Harry and Henry weren't responding to Ron and Hermione's letters. The ministry official that was assigned to the case couldn't figure out the exactly what the cause was saying to the mail saying as soon as it got exactly four kilometers from their home, the letters just vanished into thin air as if there was some kind of anti-mail ward, something Dumbledore deigned setting up. Without knowing the exact cause, solving it proved impossible.

The only other odd thing was that Harry woke up one morning with "Stupid Psychotic Wanna-Be Dark Wizard" written on his forehead. Henry denied doing it and and even proved he was innocent by talking a wizard's oath.

Harry and Henry's birthday party made their 12th birthday the best they could remember. Only the Weasleys showed up, Hermione wanted to attend but she was with her parents site seeing in France. Both Harry and Henry got brand new Nimbus 2001s from professor Dumbledore, making Severus grumpy, in addition to some new clothes from Mrs. Weasley, a bunch of candy from Fred, George and Ron, and a pocket book on defensive spells from Percy. Severus' present for Harry was a book on meditation and beginning occlumency, something that was obviously part of Harry's punishment for his outburst during Dumbledore's visit. Henry's present from Severus was a potion making reference book to help him in class.

At the end of the day, Harry and Henry went to go to their room and get ready for bed. However, they found some small humanoid creature with big ears, a long nose, and large eyes wearing a dirty pillow case that might have been white at one time was there.

"Wha-Who are you?" Harry asked startled by the creature.

"I can't say. If my family ever knew I was here, I will have iron my ears..." the creature replied frightened.

"Your family?" Henry asked.

"My wizard family. I has to serve them until I die or they free me by giving me clothes..." the creature answered nervously. "But that's not important. There's a plot to make terrible things happen at Hogwarts. Harry Potters must not go back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

"But our friends are going to be there! Uncle Severus!" Henry shouted.

"Friends that don't even write to Harry Potters?" the creature asked.

"Hold on, you made our letters disappear! Uncle Severus!" Harry shouted, hoping to make Severus hurry up who apparently was taking their time getting to their room.

"I will give them to you if you agree not to go back to school..." the creature said nervously.

"We have to go back. Our Uncle Severus teaches there and if we don't go to Hogwarts, we have a place to live," Harry explained, relieved to hear Severus coming up the stairs though it sounded like he was moving in slow motion.

"Then you leave me with no choice... I got to go!" the creature said before disappearing with a pop. Suddenly it sounded like Severus was running up the stairs.

"What is going on up here? I heard the two you shouting and sounded like you both inhaled helium balloons..." Severus said sounded a little panicked. Harry and Henry told him about the creature.

"Sounds like a rouge house elf..." Severus muttered. "You sure he didn't tell you his name?"

"Yeah. He said he didn't want his family to find out he was here..." Harry answered.

"I'll tell Professor Dumbledore about this though I find it ominous he said you left him with no other choice..." Severus replied concerned. Just than there was knock on the door.

"Who could that be at this hour..." Severus muttered. "I'll be back. If that house elf returns, yell."

Severus went back downstairs and answered the door. Harry and Henry could hear Severus talking with some woman though they couldn't make out what was being said.

"BOYS! COME DOWN HERE!" Severus shouted. Both Harry and Henry, curious and scared, obeyed. When they came to the front room, they saw a blond haired woman in her 30s wearing a blue robe that removed all doubt the woman was a witch.

"Harry, Henry, like I've said to your uncle here, I'm sorry to have to disturb you at this hour but I'm from the Improper Use of Magic Office to notify your uncle that I was going to arrest the two of you for using summoning charms to steal items from a muggle store in town."

"I just honestly can't believe this is happening Harry. First a house elf shows up last night, tells us not to go to school, confesses to stealing our mail, and then makes the Ministry think we stole a couple of cans of corn from a grocery store..." Henry complained to Harry as they waited outside of Madam Bones' office. The two boys were sitting on a wooden bench. Through the door, they could hear the muffled sounds of Madam Bones, their Uncle Severus, and Professor Dumbledore talking.

"Look on the bright side. At least Susan Bones' Aunt decided to get involved, over rule Madam Hopkirk's orders to arrest us, and hear the case today. I hate to think of what would have happened if Susan Bones was our enemy." Harry replied optimistically.

"You really are a Slytherin. Thinking about 'alliances' and 'enemies'..." Henry sighed.

"I am not! I'm just saying if it was Malfoy's dad, we'd be screwed." Harry pointed out.

"Good point."

Just then the door opened and Severus said they could come in. The two boys were nervous as they walked into the room and saw the square jawed, gray haired, middle-aged woman sitting behind a desk. They were told Madam Bones was fair and listened to reason but meeting her under the present circumstances made her seem like their uncle Vernon when he was in a bad mood.

"Harry, Henry, just relax and have a seat." Madam Bones said gesturing to a couple of chairs in front of her desk. The two boys sat down, still nervous.

"First of all, I've heard and seen enough evidence to convince me this is another case of incompetence in Madam Hopkirk's office. As you may or may not know, all underage witches and wizards have a spell on them called The Trace that keeps track of magic in their general area and reports it to the ministry. It's rather a flawed way of enforcing the ban of under-aged wizardry and I've been pushing for years to have a much more accurate method that doesn't discriminate against muggle-borns put in place but that pink toad that currently calls herself the Minister's Senior Undersecretary has fought me every centimeter of the way but that is another story..." Madam Bones explained sounding annoyed when she got to the part about a pink toad. "Anyways, according to the receiver in Madam Hopkirk's office, it showed that the two of you were not only in your uncle's house..."

"How do you know I am the boys' uncle?" a shocked Severus interrupted.

"Mr. Snape, people don't forget scandals. There're people who are still talking about the then Head of International Magical Cooperation Nobby Leach being caught making out with his secretary in the elevator back in 1955," Madam Bones' answered making Severus grown. "Anyways, the sensor said, not only were the two of you at your uncle's house but for a less than 15 seconds, you were also in town at the same time with no evidence of time travel. Only a time distortion spell was casted and that is not only the wrong type of time related spell to explain being in two places at once, but it was over an entire room which no human has ever been able to do, had a magic signature that was clearly from a house elf, and was canceled before the theft of the cans of corn that were found under your bed by Miss Wazlib.

"Since the two of you clearly didn't steal the corn, I'm dropping all charges. Why that house elf would want to frame you of stealing cans of corn of all things is beyond me." Madam Bones chuckled.

"That's a relief..." Harry replied.

"And you're the one who said to think positive..." Henry said sarcastically and making a brief sideways glance at Harry.

"Before you go, I asked Professor Dumbledore why there are two Potter boys when my niece Susan, who I believe you know, never mentioned going to school with two Potters. Your Uncle and Professor Dumbledore explained what happened to me. Needless to say young Mr. Malfoy is going to be paying a visit to my office though I'm sure his father will have him plead imperious curse."

Dumbledore, Severus, Harry, and Henry left chuckling.

:You are very lucky that house elf wasn't very smart. Powerful, but not very smart,: Azure hissed as the winged snake rested on top of Harry's desk.

:Yes. I wonder who he belongs to...: Harry hissed back.

:No way of knowing. I don't think he was joking about a plot to make terrible things happen at Hogwarts. If you can think of anyone who would want that to happen, that house elf probably belongs to them,: Azure answered.

"I wish I was a parselmouth so I could understand what you two are saying," Henry commented from the other side of the room.

"Maybe Parseltongue is like Mermish and is something that you can learn. When we go to get our school stuff, whenever that is, lets see if we can find any books on talking with snakes though I doubt Florish and Blott's would have any since speaking with snakes is considered a dark ability." Harry suggested.

"Its worth a try," Henry replied.

"BOYS, YOUR HOGWARTS LETTERS ARE HERE!" Severus bellowed from downstairs. The two boys, excited they could go to Diagon Alley with their friends soon, ran down the stairs and ripped open their letters. Harry read his letter while Henry read his.

SECOND_YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wandering with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

"Who is Gilderoy Lockhart? He wrote all the Defense Against the Dark Arts books..." Harry asked.

"Let me see..." Severus asked and Harry handed his letter to Severus.

"This can't be happening..." an annoyed Severus commented. "I'm going to have a word with Professor Dumbledore about this. Gilderoy Lockhart is probably the biggest fraud I know of. I skimmed over a few of his books last year to see what all the hype about them was and found many errors not only in the spells and potions he claims to have used, but many continuity errors in the stories in his books."

"What do you mean?" Henry asked.

"For one, he claimed to have been trapped in an elevator in Paris with a werewolf during a full moon at the same time he was in the Amazon rain forest tracking down a Lethifold that ate half a muggle village in one night." Severus answered, clearly disgusted as he headed to the fireplace.

Severus came back from his meeting with Professor Dumbledore looking stressed. When Harry and Henry asked what was wrong, Severus said he'd tell them when they got to Diagon Alley. However, due to everyone's schedule, the soonest Harry and Henry could go to Diagon Alley with their friends was the 12th of August.

It seemed like forever for that day to come and when it finally arrived, both Harry and Henry felt excited. It was agreed for them to all meet at the Leaky Cauldron.

"I don't think I'll get used to being Apparated..." Henry complained after Severus side Apparated him and Harry to the nearest Apparition point to the Leaky Cauldron, which was located in near by muggle alley.

"It takes some time to get used to." Severus replied as the three of them left the alley and headed to the Leaky Cauldron. Both Harry and Henry hoped to avoid a repeat of last year. Much to their relief, the bartender wasn't behind the counter when they walked in.

"That's a relief..." Harry muttered.

"What is?" Severus asked.

"The last time we were here, the bartender recognized me and Hagrid and I got mobbed." Harry explained.

"Indeed."

"Harry! Henry!" Hermione shouted from across the room getting Harry, Henry and Severus' attention. They turned and saw Hermione, the Weasleys, and two people who Harry assumed were Hermione's parents. The three of them walked to the group and after introducing themselves to Hermione's parents, they left the Leaky Cauldron and headed into Diagon Alley.

On display in the Quality Quidditch Supplies' window was the new Nimbus 2001.

"What are planning on doing with your old Nimbus 2000?" Ron asked immediately after the display entered his field of view.

"We haven't decided. Its still a good broom," Henry spoke for both himself and Harry.

"We are defensibly not going to throw it away because we have Nimbus 2001s," Harry added.

"I think we should get books first since it's the closest on this side of Diagon Alley," Mrs. Weasley suggested before Ron could reply.

"She's only suggesting that because she heard Gilderoy Lockhart is doing a book signing today... Mum fancies him..." Ron commented earning a glare from Mrs. Weasley. Severus immediately groaned when he looked ahead.

"I believe I should warn you about Lockhart. He's going to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. Even Professor Dumbledore agrees with me that the man is a fraud. The only reason that ponce was hired was because he was the only person who applied this year," Severus added.

"He can't be a fraud. His books..." Mrs. Weasley said, offended.

"Are just as educational as toilet paper," Severus interrupted. "All the idiot is good for is telling stories with serious errors of magic and major continuity errors. I had a long chat with Professor Dumbledore and he has given me permission to pull Harry and Henry out of Defense Against the Dark Arts this year and tutor them myself. They will not be getting Lockhart's books."

"You can do that?" Mrs. Granger asked shocked.

"Yes. Educational Decree Number 4 which was issued in 1822 states that parents or guardians have the right to pull their children out of any class at Hogwarts and have them be tutored with permission of the headmaster for any reason including, but not limited to, the teacher being incompetent," Severus answered. "It's one of the more obscure educational decrees."

"I see. We'll let Hermione decide if this Gilderoy Lockhart is incompetent or not. The amount of times she corrects her teachers..." Mr. Granger said as they walked past the sign announcing Lockhart's book signing for "Magical Me" that day. The first thing Harry noticed was the insanely large crowed inside the store.

"Can Henry and I go see if there're any books on Parseltongue?" Harry asked hoping only Severus would hear them.

"With this crowd? I doubt you can get to the books on languages... We'll have to move with the crowd for time being." Severus replied and they were pushed by a man with a camera.

"Out of the way! This is for the Daily Prophet!" the man said as he walked past them.

Harry looked straight ahead in between the people in the crowd and saw a man signing books that he assumed was Lockhart. Lockhart was wearing forget-me-not blue robes that matched his eyes. He also was wearing a matching pointed hat on top of his wavy blond hair.

Harry and Henry were forced closer by people wanting to get their books signed. Harry got concerned because he couldn't see anyone other than Henry he recognized because of all the pushing and shoving... Lockhart looked up and saw Harry.

"It can't be Harry Potter?" Lockhart shouted as he quickly got to his feet. Next thing Harry knew, someone grabbed him.

"Let me go!" Harry futility protested. Apparently Henry was having the same problem as somebody mistook him for Harry and soon both boys were next to Lockhart.

"When young Har- who are you?" Lockhart asked shocked to see two Harrys.

"Henry Potter..." Henry replied.

"I didn't know you had a blue-eyed twin Harry. I heard you were an only child. I guess you can't believe everything you read..." Lockhart said sounding rather unsure to Harry before turning back to Henry. "I guess Henry we need to remedy you living in your brother's shadow."

Lockhart then moved both boys in front of him as the man from the daily prophet took a picture. Harry looking out into the crowd saw Severus looking for him and Henry. He just hoped Severus would spot them soon and get them out of this situation they had found themselves in.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Lockhart, said loudly waving for quite. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!

"When young Harry and Henry Potter here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, they only wanted to buy my autobiography - which I shall be happy to present them now, free of charge..."

Severus finally spotted Harry and Henry just as Harry was hoping he would. Harry silently mouthed for help as Severus looked right at him.

"LET GO OF MY NEPHEWS!" Severus yelled as he pushed through the crowd.

"Yo-your nephews?" a shocked Lockhart stuttered.

"Yes. Didn't Professor Dumbledore bring it up during last week's staff meeting or was your brain even later to the meeting than your body? Now let go of them if you don't want any bad publicity," Severus scowled.

"I remember now... But I assure you Severus there's no such thing as bad publicity." Lockhart replied.

"Let's test that theory, shall we? Exactly how does one go about making a pepper-up potion?" Severus asked, smirking.

"Severus, it's been a long time since I brewed one... I think it was in potions class with Professor Slughorn when I was 16... And I fail to see how this is a test to see if there is such a thing as bad publicity." Lockhart replied.

"According to Year with the Yeti you brewed a pepper-up potion to fight a head cold. I might want to point out to you that you claimed to have added gilly weed when brewing it at the same time you added chopped willow bark. As a holder of a level one potions mastery I would like to point out to you that gilly weed and willow bark are, not only, not ingredients in a pepper-up potion but added gilly weed at the same time as willow bark, no matter what the potion is, is suicidal. In a partially dissolved stated both gilly weed and willow bark react violently with each other and will create an explosion that will level the building depending on how much of either ingredient has dissolved." a still smirking Severus pointed out as some people flipped through copies of Year with the Yeti.

"Now see here Severus, I'm sure we all forget things when in stressful situations..." Lockhart trailed off as Harry and Henry managed to sneak away from Lockhart and got back into the crowd. Fortunately, the crowd was too thick and they found an aisle of books on the other side of it where there was nobody standing in. It was just their luck it had books on languages. After a quick look of the books, Henry found a rather old paper back book on speaking Parseltongue that had seen better days. It had a cover that had more damage from being folded than an elephant had wrinkles on an area of skin the same size as the book. The inside, with the exception of a few pages that had been torn a little, was in better condition.

"How old is that book?" Harry asked and Henry thumbed through it.

"It said 1768. I didn't know wizards made paper back books back then. I think we should get it. The price tag says its only one knut." Henry answered.

"They must be desperate to sell it." Harry replied.

"So this is where you two went..." Severus said from the other end of the aisle where the crowed was. "After what happened, I don't blame you for getting out of the crowd. Ron's mother went into full panic mode when we got separated. What is this that you two have found?"

"A book on Parseltongue. Its only one knut," Henry replied.

"That's not too expensive," Severus sarcastically replied. "I already picked up a copy of standard book of spells for the two of you. I haven't paid for them yet because I was enjoying making an idiot out of Lockhart. Needless to say, I think he lost a lot of his fans today. Let's go pay for our books. Hopefully Molly is at the cashier and not getting all her kids books signed. Also, Hermione is going to be joining you to in the private lessons I give you. After her parents overhead my chat with Lockhart and looked at the books they would have to buy, they decided that they don't want their daughter learning from Lockhart. They still need the arrangement to be approved but I will see to it that it is."

The three of them made their way into crowd, which had thinned down some as Lockhart had decided to leave due to Severus. As they made their way to the cashier, they heard a commotion.

"Get him, Dad!" Fred or George shouted.

"No, Arthur, no!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

From what Harry could tell it looked like Mr. Weasley was having a fight with Lucius Malfoy. A few book shelves got knocked over as the crowd tried to get away. Harry saw Hagrid wade through the crowd and managed to pull the two men apart.

"Here, girl - take your book - it's the best your father can give you." Lucius spat as he tossed Ginny a used transfiguration book and walked away towards Harry, Henry, and Severus after grabbing a scared looking Draco.

"Severus, what a surprise!" Lucius said acting like he hadn't be in a fight even though he had the start of black eye from being hit with a book.

"I'm shocked as well Lucius. Getting into a fight with Arthur Weasley? I don't think Narcissa will be happy about it if it's mentioned in the Prophet," Severus replied, gesturing to the reporter from the Daily Prophet that was taking pictures earlier.

"Lovely... I can't afford any more trouble after Madam Bones decided to investigate what happened last June. I don't blame you for having to tell her about Draco's confession. I just hope Draco has learned his lesson." Lucius grumbled.

"Any word on what will happen to Draco if he is found guilty?" Severus asked.

"He's already been found guilty. Madam Bones decided to go easy on him and Draco has to do volunteer work once a week at Azkaban. Fortunately he doesn't have to interact with any of the more dangerous prisoners. Only the ones have done non-violent crimes..." Lucius explained. He and Severus chatted for a couple of more minutes while Draco, Henry and Harry stared at each other expecting someone to say something insulting. After the Lucius and Severus finished talking Severus paid for Harry and Henry's books and met the Weasleys and the Grangers outside of the shop. Fortunately Lucius and Draco were nowhere in sight as the group made their way to the next store. As they were walking to the next store and while the adults were talking about the what happened in the store, Ginny turned to Harry, Henry, and Hermione holding a small, thin book with a shabby black cover.

"Any of you want this old diary? I don't know why my parents bought this because my brother Bill gave me a bunch of them last Christmas..." Ginny asked. The diary looked oddly familiar and almost called out to Harry.

"I'll take it," Harry replied.

It was at night and Harry sat down at his desk at home and decided to write in the diary Ginny gave him earlier that day. Henry was already asleep or was pretending to be asleep. Hedwig was out hunting and Azure appeared to be asleep. Harry felt so drawn to the diary but couldn't figure out why. He was so drawn to it, he couldn't sleep.

Harry opened the diary to the first page and saw in smudged ink the name T. M. Riddle. Harry figure someone wrote in the book while it was in the store but the name T. M. Riddle seemed so familiar.

Harry didn't know where to begin when he had his quill ready. He never wrote in a diary before so he decided to start with a something at seamed silly, at least to him. "My name is Harry Potter. I'm twelve years old and sitting at my desk in our bedroom - the one that my brother and I share." Harry wrote.

The text faded confusing Harry. However in its place different text appeared.

"Good evening, Harry Potter, my name is Tom Riddle. I am the previous owner of this diary. I'm sixteen years old. How, may I ask, did you come across my old diary?" 'Tom Riddle' wrote back. Harry was startled but figured diaries that wrote back were nothing unusual. At least to witches and wizards.

"My friend Ron's younger sister Ginny gave it to me. Said she had too many diaries." Harry wrote back.

"Interesting. I guess I wasn't the previous owner of it then. Just out of curiosity, do you go to Hogwarts?" Tom wrote back.

"Yes. My brother Henry and I will start our second year in a few weeks."

"Are you and your brother twins? Just curious."

Harry paused for a moment before responding. Explaining what Dumbledore said was confusing. Earlier that day when Hermione asked how it was possible Henry is alive, he told her to ask Dumbledore because it was hard to explain.

"Yes. We're not in the same house though. I'm in Slytherin and he's in Gryffindor."

"I was in Slytherin when I was going to Hogwarts. I was in the class of 1945. I started in 1938."

"Its 1992 now. My first year and this summer haven't been normal. At least compared to 1990."

"How's so?"

Harry explained about the Dursleys to Tom, how he learned he was a wizard, having to solve the mystery about the philosopher's stone. Tom interrupted every now and then asking questions about Henry and why Harry was in Gryffindor when he said earlier he was in Slytherin. Harry kept telling Tom he was getting to that. Finally Harry explained about Draco trying to curse him and how it resulted in Henry the best he could.

"Interesting. I believe I read about that curse. What I don't understand is how you were able to survive it? Dividus Horificus is deadly to all known beings," Tom asked.

"Professor Dumbledore said it was because of this protection charm my mum placed on me when she died." Harry replied, realizing he had some how forgot to mention how his parents died.

"How did she die?"

"Voldemort wanted to kill me when I was a baby. My mum could have gotten away but instead took the killing curse for me. When Voldemort tried to kill me after he killed my mum, he couldn't. The curse backfired on him or something. Now he's some kind of wraith. Everyone thinks I'm some kind of hero for making Voldemort disappear when all I did was nothing."

"That is very interesting," Tom replied as Harry felt a slight headache coming on.

The rest of August came and went and it was now September First. Harry, Henry, and Severus arrived at King's Cross station at 10:45 AM, with more than enough time for Harry and Henry to get there stuff onto the train, and find a compartment. Even though it would have been less hassle to go straight to the school, school policy said all students who had parents or guardians in the school had to leave the school for a few hours and come back on the train so they don't steal any of the seats with in easy reach of popular items. At least there was no such rule about pets and Severus said he'd take Azure and Hedwig straight to Hogwarts. Harry and Henry pushed their trolleys towards to barrier to platform 9¾. Just as they were about to enter the barrier, their trolleys crashed into a very solid barrier and bounced back, knocking the two boys down and getting the attention of near by Muggles.

"Loss control of the trolley..." Harry lied as he got up. Henry hoped his brother's explanation would satisfy the Muggles' curiosity.

"That is very odd. The barrier should never seal itself like this..." Severus said very quietly to the two boys as he tried to go through. "Wait right here while I notify Professor Dumbledore. I have a hunch this is that visitor you had on your birthday is responsible for this."

Severus apparated and less than 30 seconds later he was back with Professor Dumbledore. In those 30 seconds Severus was gone, a small crowd of parents and students wanting to get through the barrier had formed. Professor Dumbledore was able to open the barrier in a few seconds and everyone was able to get through before the crowd drew any more attention from Muggles than it already had. Severus saw to it that Harry and Henry were safely on board the train, so much as to telling them to not be alone in a compartment together and, much to their annoyance, telling at least 3 prefects, including Percy, to check up on them on regular intervals. After Severus left, Harry and Henry found the compartment Ron and Hermione was in and sat down opposite of each other with Ron next to Harry and Hermione next to Henry.

"What was up with the barrier?" Hermione asked first thing.

"Un-Professor Snape said he thinks that rouge house elf we told you about did it." Henry answered.

"He must be completely mental if you ask me. First preventing you from getting your mail, then trying to frame you of stealing cans of corn, and now stopping you from getting through the barrier." Ron chuckled.

"I don't find it funny at all." Harry grumbled causing Ron to do a quick apology.

"Are you OK? You don't look to good..." Henry replied looking at his brother. Something just didn't seem right but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"He looks fine to me Henry..." Hermione replied confused.

"I'm fine Henry. Really," Harry replied, not convening Henry. At that moment, the train lurched forward but didn't move very far.

"What now?" Harry complained after a few moments, noticing the train hadn't moved any with the exception for the one lurch. There was another lurch, but like before, the train didn't move far. Finally a voice was heard.

"This is the current driver of the train speaking. As you probably have guessed, we are having some difficulties in getting this train to move. Please stand by while we try to diagnose and correct the problem."

"Why do I have feeling this is that elf again?" Harry asked to no one in particular.

While they waited for the train to get moving, a person Harry and Henry instantly recognized as Marcus Flint entered the compartment. Flint seemed a little confused at seeing two Harry's.

"Which one of you is Harry?" Flint asked trying to tell the different between the two from the compartment door.

"I am..." Harry replied nervous. Henry just knew what was going on. Flint was there to recruit Harry for Slytherin's team.

"I heard from Malfoy that you were transferred to Slytherin because of what happened at the start of the summer holidays..." Flint started to explain.

"Harry, what is he talking about?" Hermione interrupted all confused. Before either Harry or Henry could reply, Ron spoke up.

"After Malfoy cursed Harry, Dumbledore put the Sorting Hat on both Harry and Henry's head. It said Slytherin for Harry and Gryffindor for Henry," Ron explained sounding disappointed.

"Dumbledore says I'm now in Slytherin house..." Harry replied sounding rather unenthusiastic.

"Anyways, I was wondering if you were interested in joining Slytherin's team. Malfoy said you were." Flint continued sounding much like a salesman. Both Ron and Hermione looked rather shocked.

"I am," Harry replied, causing silent protests from both Ron and Hermione.

"Since I can't play for Gryffindor anymore because me being in Slytherin, Henry said he'll be Seeker for Gryffindor. This way both of us can play Quidditch," Harry explained, calming down Ron and Hermione for the time being.

"But don't you have one broom? It will be hard to play against each other sharing a broom," a confused Flint asked.

"We both got Nimbus 2001's for our birthday." Harry explained.

"Excellent. If anyone has a chance of beating, your... brother in catching the snitch its you. The tryouts are next week Wednesday. Be there. I need to replace a chaser, a keeper, and a beater," Flint said before leaving. Just then the train started moving.

"How could you betray Gryffindor like that Harry?" a mad Ron asked. "Gryffindor will never win the cup with you playing for Slytherin!"

"I'm going to be playing for Gryffindor so Gryffindor may win, even if we loose to Slytherin during the first game," Henry pointed out.

"I guess. But that doesn't mean I like what you just did. Just be careful, Harry... Fred and George might mistake your head for a Bludger during a game," Ron grumbled.

:Why can't I go in dormitories?: Azure hissed as soon as Severus stepped into his private quarters. The winged snake was hovering a few meters in front of him with its wings turned towards Severus.

"Parslemouths are believed to be dark wizards by nearly all wizards. A belief that is stronger than ever thanks to the dark wizard that killed Harry's parents and tried to kill him twice," Severus replied. Severus didn't like it that Azure could allow others to understand Parseltongue only when the winged snake wanted them to. It wasn't that Severus hated it, its just made him nervous that Azure could be having a conversation with Harry about him right in front of him and he wouldn't know it. To him, that would be worse than having people talk about him behind his back.

:I guess that needs to be changed. I can't watch over Harry if I'm in here all the time...: Azure hissed back.

"We'll talk about this later with Harry and the headmaster. If you can wait until then, I would like to get my book on wards," Severus replied, heading to a bookshelf.

"Severus, I've heard of that theory and it won't work on house elves. Alastor and I tried to put it into practice after we discovered the Carrows' house elf was searching the homes of people close to me looking for any clues as to where Order headquarters was located during the war," Dumbledore shook his head while sitting at his desk in his office. "The best we can do is set something up to alert us that a house elf is nearby but it would be going off all the time here."

"Just thought it would be helpful after what happened to the barrier and the train. I hope Harry and Henry will be safe," Severus replied, disappointed, sitting down facing Dumbledore.

"I agree. For the sake of the school, I also hope the house elf is merely delusional and there is no danger," Dumbledore replied. "Not to change the subject, but how is Harry doing with occlumency?"

"After I gave him a book on the subject for his birthday, he has gotten better at shielding his thoughts. I haven't tested his shields but I don't see anything when I make direct eye contact with him," Severus replied pleased before getting a little concerned. "However, there's been a change in him. When I look at his face, something doesn't seem right. I can't pinpoint it but something has changed. I think Henry has noticed something too."

"It may be just the occlumency. Twins can sense each other's feelings to a certain degree and you are too used to using legilimency on people. With Harry blocking his thoughts, it may be rather odd for the two of you not to know what he is thinking," Dumbledore speculated.

"Possibly," Severus sighed. "Its hard to believe last year I called him everything his father was, at least in my opinion, and now I'm getting myself worried about him over possibly nothing."

The twinkle that was now in Dumbledore's blue eyes really annoyed Severus.

"I'll guess I see you tomorrow..." Harry said to his brother before heading to the Slytherin table in the great hall. It was obvious to Henry, Ron, and Hermione that Harry was not looking forward to the feast. Henry wasn't looking forward to it either; already people were whispering about there being two Potters at Hogwarts this year when there was only one last year.

Henry, Ron, and Hermione sat down near the front of the Gryffindor table, near the staff table. Ron's sister Ginny was starting Hogwarts this year and Percy more or less forced all his brothers to sit near the staff table to welcome Ginny to Gryffindor.

"Where is Harry? I saw him come into the hall with everybody," Percy asked quietly when he saw only Henry was at the Gryffindor table while the Sorting Hat sang the song it worked on all year.

"He's at the Slytherin table." Ron quietly answered as Henry noticed Dumbledore look in the direction of the Slytherin's table after there was a brief commotion at that table. Henry tried to see what was going on but it was hard to see what was going on there.

"He can't do that. School rules clearly says all students must sit with their housemates during the start of the term feast," Percy complained as he started to get up causing McGonagall to gesture to him to sit back down and Dumbledore to look towards the Gryffindor table.

"I'm shocked. Perfect Percy in trouble and we haven't eaten yet," Fred teased.

"I think I'm going to faint from the shock of it all," George added as Dumbledore leaned over the staff table and quietly said something to McGonagall before sitting back down.

After the Sorting Hat finished it's song, Dumbledore stood up. Henry sat quietly and waited.

"Before we get started with the sorting I have something to say. While we were enjoying the song the Sorting Hat has spent most of the past year working on, I saw misunderstandings at the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. In hindsight, I think I should have sent a notice out about explaining a certain situation that arose last June as those of you returning may remember.

"I would remind you that there is a reason why there are rules about using spells outside of class, especially curses, jinxes, and hexes. Further more, I strongly advise you not to experiment with or cast spells you not familiar with. If a spell cast improperly and/or comes into contact with other forms of magic, the results can be unpredictable. With that said, I was very much horrified last June that a student who is lucky not to be expelled attempted to curse Harry Potter with a spell that the said student had not only had no knowledge what the curse would do, but would have been deadly had it been cast properly. I assure you they have been punished most severely by both their parents and the Ministry." Dumbledore explained, causing the students to start murmuring things to each other.

"The curse cast was not an unforgivable but should be considered one because of what it does. It would literally cut a person in half, killing them. Fortunately the curse did not work as it was supposed to. Instead of killing Harry Potter, it more or less cloned him. The Sorting Hat made it quite clear when I was determine the effects of the spell that Harry Potter was to be transferred to Slytherin house," Dumbledore continued to explain before being interrupted by a bunch of a protests from the Gryffindor table. Henry groaned as he realized most of the protests were coming from the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Dumbledore gestured for people to calm down and allow him to finish speaking. As soon as everyone settled down, Dumbledore continued.

"However, the Sorting Hat made it clear that Harry's brother, if you would call him that, who goes by the name Henry Potter, belongs in Gryffindor. I know this is all very unusual and parts of what I have said may seem to go against the laws of magic but I assure you that they do not if you understand some obscure branches of magic that I'm sure will bore you all if I gave you a crash course in them. Also, please treat both Harry and Henry Potter like any other set of twins. They are not objects of curiosity for you to stare at and talk about like some rather interesting sculptures I saw at a museum a few years ago. Those sculptures were..." Dumbledore continued to explain before another interruption, this time from Professor McGonagall who was clearing her throat as if to remind him that there were students to sort.

"I believe I have said enough on this matter and I can see all of you are hungry so Professor McGonagall, you can proceed with sorting our new students so we can all eat." Dumbledore finished and sat down. Henry was glad Dumbledore told everyone to treat him and Harry like people though he didn't know how to take being compared to something in a museum.

After Harry started to head to the Slytherin's table in the great hall.

"Potter, sit near me. Why you're sitting at the Slytherin table would be more believable coming from me than you if people start telling you to go back to the Gryffindor table," Flint told Harry. Harry reluctantly obeyed the Slytherin team's captain and sat next to him near the front of the Slytherin table. Much to Harry's displeasure, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle decided to sit on the opposite side of the table from him with Draco sitting directly in front on him. A few other second year Slytherins sat near by. Harry was surprised nobody noticed he was at the Slytherin table until after the Sorting Hat started to sing.

"What are you doing? Go back to the Gryffindor table where you belong, Potter!" a boy Harry recognized as Nott said rather rudely to Harry.

"Nott, Harry has permission to be here. I'll explain after the sorting ceremony is done," Flint responded before Harry could say something. Harry turned his head to look back towards the Sorting Hat and saw Dumbledore and Severus both look in his direction. Harry concluded that something happened at the Gryffindor table because both Dumbledore and McGonagall diverted their attention there before Dumbledore said something to McGonagall. After the Sorting Hat's song was finished, Dumbledore stood up and decided to make an announcement.

"Looks like Dumbledore is going to explain why you are sitting here Harry," Flint said quietly to Harry as Harry noticed Malfoy sink down in his seat, looking miserable. As Dumbledore explained loud protest came from the Gryffindor table, mostly the Quidditch team. Harry lowered his head in misery as he realized most of the protests were coming from the Gryffindor Quidditch team, people who praised him last year for winning two games. He felt like he had betrayed his former teammates.

The sorting proceeded after Dumbledore finished his annoucement. Harry listen as each student name was called and they were sorted into one of the houses. Finally, Ginny's name was called. It saddened Harry that since she was a Weasley, she was expected to go into Gryffindor. He wished that she would be in Slytherin so at least there would be someone in Slytherin who he felt more comfortable being with.

"By Slytherin!" the Sorting Hat shouted, catching everyone off guard. Almost immediately people began whispering what the 'By Slytherin' meant. Dumbledore quickly turned his head and looked straight at Harry with a rather puzzled look while an unsure McGonagall told Ginny to go the Slytherin table. Harry had an eerie feeling he was some how responsible for the Sorting Hat's unusual decision.

"I remember reading or hearing somewhere what a sorting like that means but I can't remember what..." Flint trailed off as a shocked Ginny sat down at the Slytherin table. After everyone quieted down, the sorting ceremony continued without any more unusual things happening. When it was over feast started after Dumbledore told everyone to "tuck in."

"Albus, in all my years I've been here, I never once seen the Sorting Hat behave like that," Professor McGonagall commented to Dumbledore while everyone was eating.

"Actually it did but it was in 1970 when you missed the first month of classes because of a family emergency. If I recall it did it twice that year. Once for Remus Lupin and again for Peter Pettigrew. When they were sorted, the hat shouted 'By Gryffindor'," Dumbledore replied.

"What caused the hat to behave like that?" McGonagall asked.

"It means that one of the so called Hogwarts' heirs that were sorted into the house named after their distant ancestor wanted the person to be sorted into their house," Dumbledore answered.

"Then that means an heir of Slytherin is here at the school?" Severus asked from a few seats away after taking a swallowing some squash.

"But You-Know-Who had no children Albus. There is no way..." McGonagall pointed out before being interrupted.

"I have a theory but this isn't the place to discuss it because knowing how students like to gossip about things that we say to each other, the Daily Prophet will get wind of the rumors and the public will be needlessly put into panic mode, especially if Rita Skeeter is the one who writes the article," Dumbledore answered.

Severus didn't need Dumbledore to say what his theory was. The school got confused about who Harry's distant ancestor because the boy unintentional absorbed part of Voldemort's soul. As a result, Hogwarts itself recognized Harry as an heir of Slytherin and gave Harry all the privileges of it. Its just want Severus wanted. A nephew that could not only interfere with the sorting process but override any punishments handed out by the staff if he remembered correctly. With Harry, Henry and their friends' knack for trouble, Severus decided to put off telling Harry about the privileges he had and desperately wished he could strangle the idiot who came up with the idea of special privileges for Hogwarts heirs. Dumbledore much have looked down the table at Severus while he was deep in thought because Dumbledore said something to him.

"Severus, if you are concerned about a person in your house being able to overrule the staff when it comes to punishments, I assure you that is an exaggeration. The school would only let them overrule if the 'heir' is convinced the person or people being punished are innocent. Other than control of the Sorting Hat and pardoning framed students, all other privileges aren't true. A certain Gryffindor a year above you proved what an heir can and can't due repeatedly."

After the feast, the prefects lead the students out. Harry went with the rest of the Slytherins to the dungeons. Soon they came to a stretch of bare, damp, stonewall.

"A Better Heir," a boy prefect who Flint was a 5th year named Raoul Wazlib spoke to the wall and door slid open. Once everyone was in the common room, the prefect address the new Slytherins. "If everyone would please wait here in the common room. Professor Snape wants to have a house meeting. He should be here shortly."

Harry looked around the common room. It just wasn't the same as the Gryffindor common room. It was a long room with stonewalls and dark despite the fact it had round-greenish lamps hanging from the ceiling. There was also a fire in a fireplace that had elaborately carved mantle. All the chairs and couches in the room were either green or black. In a few minutes, Severus came through the common room door with an annoyed look.

"Please don't bother to memorize current password for the common word until I have a chat with the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, who is responsible for setting the password. There will be a new password in the morning. I will announce the new one then," Severus announced.

"Wouldn't the portrait have to be on the door?" a boy who Harry believed to be a third year asked.

"There is one but it requested to be made invisible when I was still a student after a person in the year below me took offense at something the portrait told him and shot some impressive hexes at it," Severus explained.

"What did Slytherin say to the student that make him mad?" the boy asked.

"I don't know. I was in the common room when that incident occurred. However, I believe we have house meeting to conduct this evening," Severus explained.

"First of, I would like to welcome the new additions to our house. I except you to all help them get familiar with the layout of Hogwarts as soon as possible if they weren't here last year. First impressions are the most lasting and being late for class during the first week does not leave a good impression with the other professors.

"For those who don't know who I am, I am Professor Snape. In addition to being the resident Potions Master, I am the head of Slytherin house. I am responsible for your behavior and academic performance while you are here at Hogwarts. If you have any problems with other students or professors, come to me first if possible. I expect each and every one of you to be on your best behavior and get at least an Acceptable in all your classes. If you have any problems with your work for your classes, I will arrange for a tutor to help you. Also, second years and fifth years, at the end of the spring term I will be discussing in private with you what classes you will be taking next year so you better start thinking about them because the end of the spring term will be here before you realize it." Severus explained. Harry had no idea what classes his uncle was talking about and decided to ask about them later on.

"Now for the first order of business, I believe we should go over the rules for Slytherin house. First of all, we will be having a house meeting to discuss all issues, problems, and suggestions you have every Friday evening. The only excuse you have for missing a house meeting is if you are in the hospital wing under the care of Madam Pomfrey. As I supply a large number of the potions she uses in the hospital wing, I will know if any of you are lying to me about being there.

"Second rule: assist each other when appropriate and possible. I've had a lot of complaint these past few years from the others that has lead me to believe that many of you are interpreting that rule as presenting a united front to the rest of the world. The problem with interpreting that rule in that way is that whenever one of you do something that reflects badly on our house, the rest of you rally to that person's defense ruining Slytherin House's reputation even further. Slytherin House has a bad enough reputation in part to certain individuals who used to be in it, it does not need it to be ruined any further by you succumbing to a mob mentality. You all have a brain; please use it to think for yourself. If you feel anyone is disgracing Slytherin House, do not show that person any support. Slytherin House is the house for the ambitious and cunning, not the house for those who mindlessly follow the leader," Severus continued. Draco let out a groan earning him a glare from Severus and a few snickers from other students present, including Harry.

"Third rule: Present your best self to the rest of the world. If you get caught behaving like the school's resident poltergeist, you won't get far in life. Your friends and family aren't going to be here forever to bail you out of any bad situation you get into for breaking this rule. The parent of the student responsible for last June's attempt on Harry Potter's life wants make sure that his son and his friends understand this rule and the previous one completely," Severus said, continuing to glare at Draco.

"Are there any questions about the rules?" Severus asked sternly to which there were a number of no sir's.

"Good. I also have to make an announcement. I'm only telling you this because I'm sure everyone is going to know it by the end of the winter holidays if I say nothing. Due to the unanticipated effects of the curse that failed to kill Harry Potter, it was decided that Harry and his brother Henry couldn't return to their muggle relatives. Being that I am the late James Potter's half-brother and Harry Potter's uncle, Harry and Henry Potter are living with me so do not think anything of you seeing them in my office or near my quarters. There are enough rumors about the Potters and I going around and I would appreciate it there aren't any new rumors started. Now is this anything you wish to discuss?" Severus asked, handing over the meeting to the students.

"Is Potter going to be playing Quidditch for Slytherin or is he still going to be playing for Gryffindor?" A fourth year girl asked.

"He'll be playing for Slytherin. He agreed to play for us earlier today," Flint replied causing a few cheers to break out.

"Is there any more?" Severus inquired. "Very well. Next meeting will be on Friday after super. Ha-Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore and I want to talk to you in private. The rest of you are dismissed." Harry and Severus left the common room while all the other Slytherins either headed for the dormitories or stayed in the common room to finish the conversations they were having at the feast.

"I can't believe my uncle wanted to keep Azure locked up in his quarters," Harry wrote to Tom while he was sitting up in bed. He was glad that Azure was now allowed to leave Severus' quarters when Harry didn't have class. However, Azure wasn't allowed in the dormitories after lights out not that Azure objected. Azure didn't like Draco and preferred to avoid him saying something about Draco reminding him of a ferret he had the unfortunately crossed paths with.

"That is a cruel thing to do to a creature from the wild, especially to one that can fly. But given the stigma of being a Parselmouth, I don't blame him." Tom wrote back.

"Why is everyone convinced all Parselmouths are evil?"

"It is because of there have been a lot of dark wizards who were."

"But Parseltongue is just a language. Being able to speak it is no different than being able to speak German during the world wars. You could help fight the evil parselmouths with it." Harry reasoned.

"Spoken like a true Slytherin, both Professor Dumbledore and Slughorn felt the same way about Parseltongue. I'm a Parselmouth myself but Professor Slughorn told me in my first year not to let anyone know because they might get strange ideas about me."

"You're a Parselmouth?" Harry wrote, shocked.

"Yes. I discovered by accident when I was seven but back than I didn't know I was a wizard."

"Are you a muggleborn?" Harry asked.

"No. A half-blood. My mother was a witch and father a muggle; I never knew either of them. I was told they died when I was a baby and I ended up living in a muggle orphanage. I didn't know I was a wizard until Professor Dumbledore, who was then the Deputy Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor, told me."

"You are lucky. At least you got a proper bedroom. All I had was a cupboard... Looking back, I think the only reason my aunt and uncle didn't take me to an orphanage, like my uncle's sister Marge kept telling them to do, was because of the blood wards Professor Dumbledore set up." Harry wrote, feeling jealous. He decided to take a look at the clock before seeing what Tom's reply was. It was getting late and Harry felt he should wrap up his conversation with Tom soon.

"Funny. For people who hate magic, it's rather odd for them to want to use magic to protect themselves," Tom replied.

Harry blacked out for what seemed like a second but the clock said he was out for less than a minute. What was even odder was that he hands felt as if he had just washed them. He told Tom that he needed to go to sleep. As he put his diary away, there was some dust on his trunk and the floor around it that wasn't there before. It didn't seem right. Not wanting to dwell on it, he went to bed and fell asleep.

Henry walked into greenhouse three with the other Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs after Professor Pomona Sprout showed up a minute or two earlier than she normally would. She looked liked she was in a hurry muttering something about annoying frauds which was extremely unusual for her. It didn't take Henry long to figure out who the annoying fraud was. Lockhart was soon standing in the greenhouse's door.

"Good morning everyone! I was just talking with Professor Sprout about our shared passion with plants. I got my experience with them in the wild. For further details, please see my published works," Lockhart said making Sprout look like she wanted to give the idiot a piece of his mind. "I'm not saying your Herbology teacher here isn't an expert or anything. I'm sure you are in good hands with her."

Sprout just sighed. Henry just knew she wanted the man to go away. "Anyways, Professor, can I borrow Henry for a couple minutes before class started? I'll not keep him long." Lockhart asked to Henry's horror. When Sprout agreed, Henry just knew it was because she just wanted to get rid of the man.

Henry dreaded having to leave the greenhouse with Lockhart, even if it was going to be a few minutes. After Lockhart dragged Henry to a bush about fifteen meters from the greenhouse over to some bush with purple, yellow, and white flowers that were humming softly a happy tune, Lockhart started to talk.

"Henry, Henry, Henry... I'm a bit surprised," Lockhart started. "You are brother a practically legends and both of you aren't taking advantage of your fame."

"We never wanted to be famous..." Henry replied.

"Nobody planed to be famous. It just happens when you're in the right place at the right time. You should capitalize on it! Look at all the books that mention your brother! If you could get ten percent of the sale of each of those books, the two of you wouldn't need to worry about finding a steady job for the rest of your lives!"

"Those books say Harry Potter, not Henry Potter..." Henry groaned.

"You have just as much claim to being the original Harry Potter as your brother. The two of you were the same person when that happened from what Professor Dumbledore said when talking to the staff last night. If you don't assert yourself, you'll always be second fiddle to your brother," Lockhart lectured.

"Look, I'd rather be Henry Potter, the perfectly ordinary person, rather than the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry feels the same way. We don't want all the attention. We have more than enough money from our parents and we don't need anymore," Henry replied, resisting lashing out irrationally at the man. Henry so much wanted to yell at the tell the guy to leave him alone but didn't want to deal with his classmates asking a bunch of questions about what Lockhart had said to him to get him so... mad.

"Girls flock to famous good looking young men..." Lockhart replied, obviously not getting it.

"You should have seen Ron when the sorting hat put you and Ginny into Slytherin," Henry told his brother and Ginny during lunch the next day when students were allowed to sit at any table they wished even though almost without exception every stayed at their house's table. Henry felt odd being the only Gryffindor at the Slytherin table, or at any table other than the Gryffindor's table. Ron talked Hermione out of it after informing her that there's a lot of Slytherins that don't like Muggleborns, something that an eavesdropping Percy confirmed. Not wanting to leave Hermione alone at the Gryffindor table, Ron decided to sit next to her though Henry felt it just because Ron had some issues with Slytherin house.

"Let me guess, his jaw hit the floor?" Ginny asked, after taking a bite out of a sandwich.

"More like his whole body," Henry said chuckling at the memory. "Then when the feast started, Percy told Fred and George, 'It is you two's fault that Ginevra is in Slytherin. Not that there is anything wrong with that.'"

"He only said that because he thinks mum hates Slytherins and probably will send a howler. Mum doesn't hate all Slytherins. Just the ones that hate Muggles and Muggleborns," Ginny replied.

"What's a howler?" Harry asked as Henry took a bite out of some sandwich that's flavor now seamed to change every second. First it tasted like strawberries, then like apples, and then something Henry awful that made him want to gag but was able to resist the urge after swallowing. Some Slytherins sitting near by snickered and Henry knew he'd been the victim of a prank.

"It's a letter that yells at you. If you don't open them quick enough, they explode," Ginny answered.

"Sounds like something that would be good for revenge on Lockhart." Henry thought out loud thinking about a chat he had with Lockhart before Herbology.

"What did Lockhart do other than have us dragged out of the crowd to have his picture taken with us this summer?" Harry asked.

"I was waiting for Herbology class to start when Lockhart showed up and asked Sprout if he could borrow me for a few minutes before class," Henry groaned. "He then talked to me about how being your brother, I'm always going to be in your shadow and nobody will notice me and how we should both capitalize on our fame. At one point he talked about all the girls that could be fallowing us around..."

"You told him we don't like being famous?" Harry sighed.

"He didn't believe me. Then he had the nerve to give me detention for being late to Herbology!" Henry complained getting the attention of everyone nearby.

"But he was the reason you were late... I can see why your uncle hates Lockhart..." Ginny commented.

"I'm sure that Sprout got you out of it right away," Harry replied.

"He didn't tell me that I had detention. I found out from McGonagall on the way here. I tried to tell her Lockhart not only didn't tell me I had detention but was the one that made me late but she saw Fred and George decorating a tree with what looked like toilet paper..."

Ginny chuckled though Harry didn't look happy as he ate an olive.

"That's not fair. You should have waited for McGonagall to get done with the twins and told her how you got that detention. That's what I would have done. That or go to Dumbledore or Uncle Severus." Harry told Henry. Henry didn't think about doing that. He just wished at he got more Slytherin traits. Now he could see why the stereotypical Gryffindor was someone who didn't think...

"I'll tell Uncle Severus after lunch," Henry decided taking into account a few Slytherins pranked him for sitting at their table.

Severus after finishing lunch went to his office to get ready for his next class. He just hoped the order of billywig wings he placed a month earlier had finally arrived as his next class would need nearly all the ones currently in the supply cupboard making breath freshening potions that day. He was a little shocked to see Dumbledore standing outside his office. He swore the man was still in the Great Hall when he left.

"One of the advantages of living at Hogwarts for so long is you learn about all the short cuts to get to various parts of the school," Dumbledore explained.

"Is there something you wish to discuss?" Severus asked knowing Dumbledore wouldn't be here unless there was something he wanted to say in private.

"Yes. I believe we should talk about this issue where we can't be heard," Dumbledore answered as Severus let him into his office. Severus was relived to see the house elves left the package of billywig wings on his desk. Now all he had to do was make sure the apothecary would honor their policy of all late arriving packages being free of charge.

"Now, Severus, remember I said I had a theory about how the school believes an heir of Slytherin is here?"

"Yes. After McGonagall pointed out that a certain dark wizard didn't have any kids, I believe I've come to the same conclusion as you. Harry, by his soul absorbing part of that soul fragment inside of him, has caused the school to think he's an heir of Slytherin," Severus replied.

"Yes. Well, it appears we need to inform him and Henry about this after another incident that happened during lunch..." Dumbledore said sounding concerned.

"What did Harry do?" Severus asked, hoping it was something that wouldn't attract attention.

"He got Henry out of a detention assigned by Mr. Lockhart for being late to Herbology this morning."

"Knowing the ponce, he doesn't know how to read a clock properly but Pomona wouldn't allow an innocent student to be punished..." Severus grumbled.

"I've had plenty of experience in the 70s dealing with an heir of Gryffindor to know it will only work when the student being punished is innocent. It only worked for him twice. Once for that indecent where James saved your life and again when Peter was accused of spiking the drinks served during on particular breakfast in your forth year with Essence of Insanity after the house elves claimed to have seen him in the kitchens that morning. Never found out who really did it after questioning the other three 'Marauders'..." Dumbledore trailed off as Severus kept a straight face. Severus would never admit he was responsible for that incident. He only did it because he was mad for almost being killed by a werewolf a few days earlier and seeing his half-brother's gang of troublemakers not getting punished for it. He figured that the disruption that followed after the Essence of Insanity entered everyone's system; the four troublemakers would be expelled. If it was discovered he did it, even after all these years, he'd claim he was temporarily insane at the time. After all, a fourth year Slytherin would have to be to plan and carry out such an operation where so many things could go wrong.

"So that is why he gave you detention," Severus replied to Henry as they talked about the morning's incident with Lockhart. "I was going to relay to you a message from Dumbledore saying your detention had been canceled during your defense lesson later on this afternoon."

"What?" Henry asked confused.

"Did you tell your brother about your detention?" Severus asked.

"Yes... But what's that got to do with it being canceled?" Henry asked more confused.

"Promise me that you will not tell this to anyone except for your brother but a side effect of what happened in June is that Hogwarts, the castle itself, thinks Harry is an 'Heir of Slytherin' and has given him the ability to cancel any unjust punishments. I suspected it last night after Miss Weasley's unusual sorting and the headmaster confirmed it to me a short while ago." Severus explained.

"I won't tell anyone. I can see it would make him mad with everyone asking him to get them out of detention." Henry promised knowing how Harry would feel if word got loose.

"That and it could start an untrue rumor that your mother had a love affair with a certain dark wizard that later murdered her. It could give the Ministry and Gringotts a major headache with people trying to 'steal' your inheritance by saying that the two of you have no claim the Potter family fortune." Severus replied very seriously. Henry was dumbfounded couldn't think of anything to say about that and decided to change the subject.

"At lunch, I was sitting at the Slytherin table with Harry and Ginny. After taking a few bites of a sandwich, I was changing flavor like once every second and some Slytherins near by were giggling..."

"If you don't know who they were, there's not much I can do other than issue a general warning. Also, I will have another word with Professor Flitwick about teaching students the Ever Changing Flavor Charm. Too many students have too much fun with it... If it happens to you or anyone you know again the counter charm for it is Saveurium Normalem."

"Lockhart's class was so pointless!" Ron ranted as walked with Harry, Henry, and Hermione. Azure flew along beside them gathering a few stares from passing students. "Not only that, but he was useless!"

"I couldn't have been that bad..." Hermione replied.

"We spent most of class doing a three page 'little quiz' that only had questions about Lockhart. Things like what his favorite color was and what his secret ambition is. There was even one question about what his favorite brand of shampoo is! How are we supposed to know those things!?" Ron continued his rant.

"I'm sure all the answers are in his books. He's probably just making sure you all read his books." Hermione suggested.

"Maybe. But after the quiz, he set loose a bunch of pixies in the classroom and couldn't get them to go back in their cage! He ended up running out of the class with everyone else because the pixies were out of control! Some of them hung Neville on the chandelier and few even bit me! Not only that but the classroom was a mess the last I saw of it..." Ron finished his rant.

Harry was just glad he didn't have class with Lockhart. From the way Ron made it sound, he could see why Severus would not want him to have class with the guy. Azure flew in front of them and opened his wings up more.

:Mr. Lockhart sounds like a bad teacher. I don't see how Professor Dumbledore would hire him unless Professor Dumbledore was bewitched into hiring him. But Professor Dumbledore strikes me as being too strong willed to do things against his will...: Azure spoke his mind.

"Yeah. I just wished Mum would let me have defense lessons with you guys... Even if it with someone just about everyone in Gryffindor hates..." Ron grumbled. "Well, I'll see you all later..."

With that Ron left and Harry assumed Ron was going to the Gryffindor common room. Harry, Henry, and Hermione went up to the seventh floor corridor.

"I don't see how your uncle could say there's a room near a tapestry with the trolls along this corridor. I've been through here a few times last year trying to memorize the layout of the school and there was no room where he said there is on..." Hermione said and they headed to the place Severus told him their lessons were going to be.

:It could be a room with a hidden door like the one to the Slytherin common room.: Azure suggested.

:Oh maybe not...: Azure added after looking ahead and spotting a door where Severus said there would be a room. As soon as they got to the door, Azure, not being allowed to be in class with Harry, left for Severus' quarters.

When they walked into the room, Harry looked around and saw a room with shelves lining all 4 walls. All the shelves except for the ones at the far end of the room had book. The ones at the far end had a bunch of items that Harry couldn't recognize or seemed out of place like a dirty mirror. In the middle of the room were some silk cushions Harry assumed were for sitting.

"I used to use this room as a student to brew potions when I didn't want to be interrupted by anyone. It's a rather useful room as it can provide you with just about anything you need. Don't tell a certain set of twins about this room because I fear what kind of chaos they would cause if they learn of it," Severus explained, catching Harry off guard. Harry didn't notice Severus was standing a few feet to the right of them.

"Professor, what are those things in front of the room?" Hermione asked.

"Various instruments to tell you if you are in danger or there is someone not trust worthy or is deceiving you near by. The ones that make sound which are called sneak-a-scopes were giving me a headache before I deactivated them. I had to deactivate them because Lockhart is radiating enough deception that I won't be surprised if they can pick him up while he is in the nearest Muggle town." Severus explained sounding annoyed before sighing and continuing sounding like he was in a better mood. "Now for are first lesson, I believe we should start with a rather simple, but affective offensive spell called Expelliarmus..."

The lesson was fun in Harry's opinion despite Hermione having a problem with putting too much power into the spell at first and not only did she manage to disarm Henry during practice, but sent him flying across the room. Fortunately Severus was able to quickly place a cushioning charm on the floor and walls before Henry slammed into some shelves of books. Harry was glad that he didn't have to practice the spell with Hermione. Hermione may have been smart and clever in Harry's opinion, but she could be scary at times.

Harry was going to leave the room when Severus told him to stay behind.

"Harry, has Henry had a chance to tell you about the status his detention?" Severus asked.

"I know that Lockhart gave him detention for being late to Herbology. He said he was going to talk to you about it." Harry replied, recalling what Henry said during lunch.

"His detention was canceled. How it was canceled was most unusual. You remember that Professor Dumbledore said you absorbed part of You-Know-Who's soul?" Severus asked.

"What has that got to do with Henry's detention being canceled?" Harry asked confused.

"Everything. You see, You-Know-Who is an Heir of Slytherin. When you absorbed part of his soul, Hogwarts, the school itself, recognizes you as an Heir of Slytherin and being in Slytherin House has given you all the privileges of being that." Severus explained. "You can cancel any unjust punishments as well as tell the Story Hat to sort any first year student into Slytherin."

"So the school thinks that I'm Voldemort's son?" Harry asked not knowing how to take the news.

"I don't know for sure but it definitely thinks you are related to him in some way. And before you ask, Miss Weasley's unusual sorting was because you wished her to be in Slytherin. Also, I cannot stress how important it is to not tell anyone about this. There are plenty of rumors about you out there and this would only add to them and in undesirable way."

"I understand." Harry agreed. He didn't know exactly what kind of rumors were out there about him but given how people reacted to his presence, he had a good idea.

"It's already been more than three weeks we have been in school, and it's obvious to everyone why my uncle pulled Henry and I out of Lockhart's class... I already know how to disarm a person, cast a shield, and turn a person's legs into jello and every in Lockhart's class have learned is not to let pixies loose in a classroom." Harry wrote in his diary while in his dorm room just before supper one afternoon in late September. Ginny would be getting out of class shortly and Henry had quidditch practice, and Ron and Hermione went to go watch quidditch practice. Harry would have joined them but he didn't want to face his former teammates so Harry was all alone with nothing to do but homework and writing to Tom.

"Is everyone writing home to their parents asking to be taken out of the normal Defense Against the Dark Arts class yet?" Tom wrote back.

"Not that I know off. But to make things worse whenever they mention Henry, Hermione, and I have lessons with my uncle, almost every Gryffindor start going on about how I'm a traitor for being on Slytherin's quidditch team... I know my friend Ron thinks I'm a traitor but he's keeping quiet about it..." Harry wrote.

"Ron must not be a good friend if he thinks you're a traitor. You were transferred into Slytherin House against your will. You shouldn't have to give up playing Quidditch because of it. If he thinks you're a traitor over Quidditch, imagine what other things you could do that he could get upset about. If he sees you getting too close to anyone in Slytherin house, your friendship to him would be over..." Tom replied. Harry thought about what Tom wrote.

'Is Ron a good friend?' Harry wondered before he decided to write a reply to Tom.

"I'd like to think Ron is a good friend but I'm not sure. I'd mean he said he'll still be friends with me even if I'm in Slytherin..."

"If he continues to think you are a traitor, he's not the kind of friend you want." Tom wrote back.

:Rip... Tear... Kill... So hungry for so long...: a voice of a snake came from about Harry said. It sounded very feminine to Harry ruling out Azure right away.

"I just heard the sound of a snake saying something about killing and being hungry but I don't see any snakes around..." Harry wrote to Tom a little spooked after seeing there were no snakes above him.

"That is interesting... Have you been getting enough sleep? I heard people who don't get enough sleep hallucinate." Tom wrote back after a few moments before Harry blacked out. When Harry came around, he felt hungry and a little spooked. Without thinking, he decided to head to the great hall.

"Get away from here traitor!" a 3rd year Gryffindor boy Harry recognized as Cormac McLaggen yelled as he, Henry, Ron, and Hermione, and Ginny looked for a spot on the Gryffindor table to sit. Henry had talked Harry into joining him there.

"Leave him alone! If my brother wants to be here, let him." Henry shouted back as Harry had more second thoughts about eating at his old house's table than before. He was amazed that he managed to walk three-fourths of the way down one side of the table and had not been noticed by anyone up until that point. At the head of the table, he saw there was room for all of four of them as that nobody wanted to be so close to the teachers. Harry chose to have his brother in between him and the other Gryffindors who Harry was convinced were saying less than nice things about him while Ron, Hermione, and Ginny sat opposite of them. Harry was about to start putting some fried chicken drumsticks on his plate when Peeves came flying full speed into the Great Hall.

"MURDER MOST FOUL IN THE SECOND FLOOR CORRIDOR! NO BEAST IS SAFE!"

After sending the students to their dormitories, Dumbledore lead the staff to the second floor corridor. It took a few minutes for them to find what Peeves was yelling about. Hanging from a torch bracket by her tail was Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris. Near her, written in what appeared to be blood, was a message that was hard to miss and left the staff speechless.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

FLEE MUDBLOODS OR DIE.

Severus recalled hearing some story about the Chamber of Secrets. He only remembered something about only an Heir of Slytherin could open it and something about a monster. The part of the Heir of Slytherin troubled him.

"Either we have a sick practical joker or the students are in grave danger..." Professor Flitwick muttered, breaking the silence.

"Is she dead?" McGonagall asked nervously as Dumbledore took a closer look at Mrs. Norris.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her - probably the Transmogrifian Torture - I've seen it use..." Lockhart started to say before Severus interrupted.

"I seriously doubt that. I haven't seen it used myself but I know the Transmogrifian Torture would have altered Mrs. Norris' appearance to the point where we would not only not be able to recognize her, but all of us would loose our appetite just by looking at her," Severus scoffed while glaring at Lockhart who returned his glare.

"She isn't dead. Only petrified... How, I do not know," Dumbledore explained before turning to McGonagall. "Minerva, would please find Mr. Filch and inform him of what happened to his cat. Also, inform him that Pomona has recently been able to procure some mandrakes and as soon as they reach maturity, I will arrange for them to be used in a potion that will revive Mrs. Norris."

McGonagall nodded and walked a way. Dumbledore then turned to Severus. "Severus, I need to speak in private with you."

"Are you suggesting Harry did this? He may have a knack for getting into trouble but he would never harm a cat!" Severus shouted in Dumbledore's office.

"Severus, I'm not suggesting he did. He's not the only one the school could be recognized as the heir of Slytherin." Dumbledore calmly replied.

"There is no way that he would be sneak into the castle so soon! Not after last year. And besides, if he had a new host or other physical form, my dark mark would be more noticeable."

"He doesn't have to be here in person Severus," Dumbledore sighed shaking his head.

"Imperious Curse?"

"Possibly. There is also the remote possibility that someone figured out Harry is considered the Heir of Slytherin and is trying to discredit him. There is that house elf that didn't want Harry and Henry to come back to school this year," Dumbledore suggested.

"Either way, Merlin help us, if Harry being the Heir of Slytherin is leaked..." Severus groaned. "I don't fancy taking another trip to the Ministry because someone framed Harry and/or Henry of something."

As Dumbledore had said the previous June while Harry had been in the infirmary at the end of the year, that when something is suppose to be a secret, naturally everyone knows. What happened in the second floor corridor was a secret but now the whole school knew. Mrs. Norris had been found either dead or petrified and a message was found near her written in either blood or red paint that said the Chamber of Secrets had been opened and for all Muggle-borns to leave to school. Despite there being four versions of what happened going around, everyone knew it was something bad. Henry had hoped it would be an uneventful year after the summer but sadly, it appeared it wouldn't be.

The moment Harry, Henry, Ron, and Hermione were told; Hermione ran off and returned with her copy of "Hogwarts: A History", flipping threw it madly as they made their way to Severus' quarters.

"Found it!" Hermione exclaimed making the three boys look at each other in confusion as to what Hermione had found.

"Is this about the Chamber of Secrets?" Henry asked curious.

"Yes. It says here the Chamber of Secrets is part of a legend..." Hermione explained before being interrupted by the portrait of Salazar Slytherin.

"The Chamber of Secrets is no legend. Though most likely everything in that book of yours about the chamber is all lies," Salazar interrupted.

"How do you know it's not a legend?" Ron asked sounding rather thick.

"Ron, you are talking to Salazar Slytherin who helped make the school," Henry answered in disbelief Ron questioned a portrait that had been around for at least one thousand years.

"Thank you Henry. I know it's not a legend since I was the one who built the chamber. Godric, Helga, Rowena, and I all needed someplace to keep a basilisk we bought in case Muggles attacked the school."

"Makes sense to have some kind of defense for the school, but why a basilisk?" Hermione asked. "Basilisks are impossible for a non-parselmouths to control. Not to mention they can kill you if you look into its eyes."

"Basilisks are much more trainable than dragons. Not to mention don't require as much maintenance or space. As for being impossible to control, I trained the basilisk to be able to take commands from a non-parselmouths. I wrote a small book that explains everything about the basilisk. It is in the headmaster's office to the right of the second level window that faces south. It should make itself available when ever the school is under attack though it can be retrieved if you tap on the windowsill four times. I doubt the book would be of much use to anyone right now about how to get into the chamber. The entrance is in my old office on the second floor but that floor has been remodeled too many times to count so the only way you could find it would be by dumb luck. I'll try to get one of the ghosts that has been around for a while to tell me what happened to my old office but with the exception of a few people, nobody pays attention to me anymore. However, if the rumors its been opened again, I'll see if I can be useful," Salazar answered sounded rather depressed before disappearing from the frame.

"Great. How are going to get inside now?" Henry asked annoyed that Salazar would leave them when it was obvious they were going to go inside. Suddenly, as if Salazar heard them, he returned.

"Sorry about that." Salazar apologized.

"Thank you. Diced Leola roots," Henry said still annoyed and the door to Severus' quarters opened and Salazar left his frame again.