Harry rolled over and sat upright. He moved his hands over the dresser beside his bed to find his glasses. He grasped at them and slid them over his face as he looked around the room, feeling momentarily disoriented.

'Morning.' Harry yawned to Draco and looked around for Tom but the other boy wasn't there.

'Yeah, yeah. Come on!' Draco rolled his eyes as he pulled on his robes and checked his appearance over in the mirror. 'We're going to miss breakfast if we don't hurry up.'

'Right' Harry sighed and climbed out of bed to change into his school uniform. 'I'll meet you there.' He added to Draco when he noticed that the blonde was waiting for him to get ready, although he appeared as though he would much rather go ahead without him.

'Okay.' Draco nodded in relief and turned to leave the dormitory, which was now entirely empty.

'Tom?' Harry called out to his friend with the use of his mind link. 'Where are you?'

'Here.' Tom walked through the door and leaned against the frame. He looked Harry over with a critical gaze and frowned.

'What?' Harry asked. He could talk properly when there was no one else around and the magic of their bond had the capability to detect eavesdroppers. It was impossible to be overheard unless Tom was visible to everyone else.

Tom said nothing as he simply pulled out his wand from his robes and said a few incantations while he continued to eye Harry carefully.

'You're a Slytherin now, Harry.' Tom said. 'And you're the boy-who-lived. There is a great level of expectation placed on you. However, even though no one could live up to such expectations so easily, I can help you fool them.'

'Does it really matter?' Harry squirmed as his collar enclosed a little tighter around his neck and his clothes smoothed out all their creases.'Why can't I just be who I am?'

'This is who you are. You were raised by muggles, remember?' Tom scowled. 'I'm only helping you where they did not. I assure you, had you been raised by the magical community, you would be like this.'

'Fine.' Harry huffed. 'But hurry up, I'm hungry.'

Tom nodded and watched as Harry's hair straighted a little more and moved out of his eyes. He wanted to do something about the glasses, but it would be too suspicious and people would ask questions; if only he'd done this before they'd even boarded the train.

'Alright, you're appropriate.' Tom stepped back with a nod and feel at all as hungry as Harry was since he had already snuck into the Great Hall previously to eat.

'Remember to walk with your head held high; confidence and pride always cautions others that you're not to be messed with.' Tom added.

'Yeah, yeah.' Harry said just as Draco had several minutes ago. 'Let's go!' He turned and rushed from the dormitory, into the common room and than stepped out to look around the dark corridors of the dungeons.

'Which way?' He frowned as he looked left and right.

'Oh, honestly.' Tom rolled his eyes and led the way towards the Great Hall where most of the students were still gathered and eating.

'There you are!' Draco exhaled when he spotted Harry and gestured him towards the seat he'd saved for him. The blonde gave his appearance a once-over and appeared to be impressed before he continued with his meal.

Harry sat down and edged along the seat a little so that Tom could join him without looking too suspicious.

'Where's Salazaria?' Harry noticed the absence of their snake.

'Resting.' Tom answered without any further details and gazed over at the staff table curiously. As he observed each of the staff members, he wasn't too pleased when he spotted an observer.

'Dumbledore is watching us.' He scowled and Harry turned to see that the headmaster was indeed staring at him. However, when the headmaster had caught Harry's look he merely raised his goblet to the boy with greeting.

'Watch out for him. He's manipulative and believes only in the greater good.' Tom warned softly. 'That and he always seems to know too much.'

Harry nodded and turned back to briefly listen to what Draco was saying about his father and the Ministry of Magic. It wasn't until the topic became about Quidditch that Harry's ears perked into attention and he remembered Tom explaining shortly that it was the sport played on broomsticks.

'Well, I despise that first-years can't play Quidditch here.' Draco was saying. 'But I suppose all those not of pure blood wouldn't even know which end is which!' He laughed and many others joined in. 'Still, we miss out because of their pathetic lack of knowledge.'

'But don't we have lessons?' Harry asked, not sure why he felt brave enough to speak up; even Tom looked a little surprised. 'I mean, isn't that what they're for?'

Draco rolled his eyes as he turned towards Harry and faced him. 'Yeah, but it's going to take more than a silly little lesson to teach them, isn't it? You were raised by muggles, right? I don't suppose you're any better on a broom than they are.'

'He's trying to rise above you.' Tom noticed. 'He wants to show that he is far superior. Lie Harry, tell him you're good on a broom. Convince him.'

'But I've never been on a broom! What if I'm really rubbish?' Harry panicked quickly.

'Your father James Potter had talent! He was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.' Tom snarled. 'Convince him!'

Harry hated that Tom always told him what to do but figured the other boy knew more about these sort of things than he did and his advice always helped in the end.

'I'm actually rather good on a broom.' Harry said,. He was surprised how easily the words slipped out and sounded true. 'Just like my father. He played at Hogwarts too.'

Draco had nothing to complain with that and nodded with satisfaction. 'Well, then you certainly ought to try out next year. As I was saying, it's stupid that we can't already if we know how to fly...' He turned back to the others and Harry felt confident that he had been shown a level of respect he'd never had before.

'Thanks.' He said to Tom and resumed eating.

Tom said nothing and only glanced over as Severus made his way along the Slytherin table, handing out class schedules.

'Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.' He stopped before them and sorted through the pile of parchments.

'Good morning, sir.' Draco greeted politely while Harry merely stared at the professor. He wondered why Salazaria thought they smelt similar but also why the man appeared a lot darker or meaner than he had when he'd come to collect him from his muggle home. He didn't look the slightest less grouchy nor firm and yet there was just something different about him than before. Perhaps his hair was a little greasier or he was more in the role of a teacher now?

'Thank you, sir.' Draco nodded and checked over his timetable.

'Thanks.' Harry added as well and glanced away from the dark man to look at what classes he had that morning.

'Transfiguration and Potions.' Tom stated as he observed over Harry's shoulder. 'Not too bad, I suppose.'

And without further delay, the students rose to their feet and went to gather their things for their lessons. Harry remained a bit behind the group with Tom as they followed the crowd into the common room and than soon back outside into the corridors where everyone parted for the different directions.

'Wish we had potions first.' One girl ahead of Harry commented. 'It's only around the corner from our common room.'

'Is that true?' Harry asked Tom curiously as he readjusted the strap of his book bag and followed behind Draco towards their Transfiguration lesson.

'Yes.' Tom nodded but was a bit distracted with side-stepping everyone that nearly ran into him; it was becoming rather exhausting. He huffed in annoyance and than faded away as an alternative to showing himself to those around them.

-- 

After the lesson, the first years made their way back into the dungeons for potions. Tom noticed that Harry appeared to be really looking forward to this lesson and had started taking notes while Severus was talking.

'Stop. He thinks you're not paying attention.' Tom said quickly as he kept his eyes on Severus rather than Harry's notes.

Severus opened his mouth to commented about “some not paying attention” when Harry quickly put his quill back into the ink bottled and looked over at him. The boy gave him his undivided attention, as though he knew what Severus was about to say. Narrowing his eyes, Severus quizzed the boy instead. Tom provided Harry with the answers and Severus wasn't sure how to react to the unexpected situation so quickly proceeded with the lesson.

Severus sat at his desk with the knowledge that he didn't have to keep a closer eye on the cauldrons for another ten minutes or so and watched Harry. The boy was about to put something into his cauldron but paused as though listening and then he chopped the ingredient a little more before he finally dumped it into the cauldron. Severus glanced around for any signs but all he noticed was Harry's book moving a few inches away from him even though Harry's hands were full with his knife and shredded bloomslang skin.

'No, that one.' Tom pointed to the section of Harry's book and resisted the urge to stir his cauldron while Harry did the chopping and shredding.

'Thanks, again.' Harry sighed. 'You're only helping me because I'm awful at this, aren't you?'

'It's just your first lesson and you were raised by muggles.' Tom allowed. 'You're good at cooking though so you should get the hang of it. Have confidence in your own skills, Harry...you can do this. I'm helping because really high marks on your first day always put you in good graces with the professors.'

'Good point.' Harry sighed and straightened his back slightly as he focused on believing in himself. He forced away his doubts and tried to brainwash himself into thinking he was indeed skilled with this subject.

Tom glanced at Harry as he picked up on his thought range and smirked in amusement. He said nothing though, since it was working and after only a few minutes of concentration he barely had to give Harry any more hints for the rest of the lesson.

'You're right.' Harry said after he had finished copying down their homework task and gathered his things as they prepared to leave the classroom. 'It's not so hard so long as I don't doubt myself.'

'Yeah, I know.' Tom shrugged. 'Don't get too over-confident either. though. I mean we're more superior than everyone else in class and probably even higher grades, but we still have let them be fooled into thinking they can underestimate us.'

'You're all about plans and strategies, aren't you?' Harry sighed.

'It's survival, Harry.' Tom frowned. 'You don't become the best by just being another one of them.'

Harry nodded as he shoved the last of his parchment into his bag and turned to exit the classroom. Severus continued to watch the boy and was certain that whatever he had seen before the sorting was still taking place, that perhaps something was there in which only Harry could see and understand. He didn't know what, which was exactly why he left the Potions classroom at first opportunity to go and speak with Dumbledore.

--

'A hand, you say?' Dumbledore asked as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk as he surveyed Severus through his glasses. 'And there was a snake, the same snake you later encountered?'

Severus nodded and knew that Dumbledore had heard him correctly and needed little confirmation. He remained silent for a moment while the headmaster thought about the situation, both their minds were filled with passing theories and lingering concerns.

'The situation is most strange.' Dumbledore agreed with a darker expression and recalled the last time an eleven-year-old orphan had seemed so casual with the presence of snakes. And given the future that boy claimed, it was indeed most unsettling that someone connected to that evil man could have similar interests.

'This needs to be investigated.' Dumbledore nodded towards Severus and wrote down their upcoming arrangements involving the boy.

'We shall speak with him here in three days.' Dumbledore stated.

'You wish to wait three days, Albus?' Severus asked. 'Are you certain? Shouldn't this matter of great concern be dealt with immediately.'

'And yet we cannot afford to be rash, Severus.' Dumbledore informed him. 'I wish to conduct little research of my own before our little meeting with the boy. That is all for now, thank you.'

Not too pleased with being so suddenly dismissed and not informed on Dumbledore's sure theories, Severus rose from his chair and stormed from the office. He made his way down to the dungeons and reluctantly allowed himself to admit that Dumbledore was right, they still had little to go on and three days was indeed a necessary waited period.

Than again...a lot can happen in three days and Severus reached the agreement that he did not like either of their options set out before them.