Severus stepped into the Room of Requirement, wand in hand. Today, there would be no more vanishing cabinet. Hogwarts would not fall from within. If the Dark Lord was going to conquer her, he would have to do it the hard way.

He closed his eyes and exhaled.

A hundred death eaters had stormed Hogwarts, pouring from this passage. They had killed every student that they had come upon. Sixty-seven students had been murdered that day, and Filius had fallen as well.

Well, it would not happen this time.

He reopened his eyes, focused on the task at hand as scenes of that day replayed through his mind.

It was the end of Harry's sixth year — the beginning of the end.

Screams echoed down the halls, children running, terrified as spells shot overhead. Filius Flitwick dashed forward, weaving around students to intercept the invaders. Rushing after him, Severus turned the corner and saw the short dueling master dishing out merciless magic. Four death eaters were already lying before him, broken.

Severus aimed his wand at the cabinet, his dark eyes taking in its grand etchings along the trim.

"Filius!" he bellowed, throwing spells of his own, trying to help the Charms Professor keep the death eaters back to buy more time.

Severus' cover had been blown minutes before.

"Aim for the walls!" Filius shouted, sending a massive blasting hex at the wall a few feet up and to his left.

Understanding his plan, Severus sent five more similar spells at the walls and ceiling near where Filius had sent the first spell, but not soon enough.

The older professor blocked two of the curses sent at him, and dodged four others, but he could not avoid or deflect them all. A -diffindo- passed through his defenses and caught him across his neck and chest. There was a spray of red.

The last thing Severus saw of Filius was his slashed form crumple forward, before the stone and rock from the ceiling and walls buried him.

Releasing his anger, fire poured from his wand, red hot flames erupting into the air before rocketing toward the tall black cabinet and consuming it with a vengeance of god-like proportions.

The hall was now blocked, but a rumble from the other side of the rubble told Severus that the death eaters were still coming.

The tongues of flame curved about, Severus pulling his wand back before he thrust it forward again and down sharply, releasing his rage onto the now burning cabinet.

He made it past the Great Hall, bodies of students and death eaters alike all about.

He yelled out, his magic weaving the roaring fire as his mind continued to replay that day.

Dumbledore finally arrived, the attack at the Ministry having postponed his coming.

"Severus! This way!" he directed, just as the wall behind Severus exploded out, sending him head over heels across the chamber.

Fighting to get up, Severus turned to see his former Lord standing at the threshold. Albus stepped forward, moving between his injured spy and Voldemort.

"Tom."

"Do not call me by that name!" the Dark Lord hissed, whipping his wand about, a demonic shadow-fire rising up before them.

"Get out, Severus!" Albus ordered as he batted the growing fire monster aside with a pulse of his white magic.

Severus moved to do as he was told, glancing back to see Albus curving the dark flames up and away to lick the ceiling, trying to rip the control of the flames away from Riddle.

BOOM!

His vision went black.

Sweat on his brow, he bent his knees and emptied his lungs in one sudden breath.

He woke up in a makeshift hospital a few days later. He learned from Albus that Hogwarts had been completely destroyed. Leveled. Into the ground.

The flames collapsed, condensing into a tiny defiant thing, before that too snuffed out, leaving the ash of the cabinet behind.

Severus smiled.

He would be able to sleep in peace tonight.

O o O o O

Harry frowned at the stubborn quill that would not obey his commands. It was as if it was determined to leave blobs of ink all over the parchment no matter what he did. He sighed, recalling what Professor Snape had said — 'students from the muggle world have a hard time writing well initially.'

Well, at least all of this practice would save him from getting P's later, or worse. And summarizing what he had read as he practiced was ingenious really. Professor Snape was really nice to give him a task that helped him learn two things at the same time.

He had read three chapters into all of his books so far. It was the beginning of the second week of August and he knew he would be grateful for all of the work he was putting in once he got to school.

He liked the extra potions book a lot. It was called, 'The Beginner's Guide to the Art of Brewing: Ingredients'. It reminded him of a cook book, but more specific in what ingredients did what to bring about the finished product. He wondered if he might be able to incorporate cooking and brewing together to make a meal of epic proportions. He would have to remember to ask Professor Snape later.

The other two books he had gotten from the store with the professor were also proving to be rather helpful — 'Caring for Serpents' and 'Controlling Your Inner Magic'. Coral laughed at some of the things in the serpent book, finding it hilarious that humans went to such trouble to do things they believed snakes liked, when they really didn't care either way. Harry was glad he could just ask Coral what she wanted, instead of having to guess. The other book was a little less straightforward and clear, but at least now he knew why his accidental magic surfaced in some instances and not in others. Maybe he could teach himself to call up his 'accidental' magic and get it to do things he wanted, when he wanted. Yet another thing he decided to ask Professor Snape when he got to Hogwarts.

As for his other school books, Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts looked the most interesting, and although Transfiguration looked pretty cool, he was not looking forward to transfiguring animals. It seemed so cruel. Though, that may be because he knew how it felt to be treated like an object.

But his most favorite book, by far, was 'The Art of Parsel'. It was amazing, and he couldn't wait to begin trying things with Coral, and neither could she. The book was written by a man whose friend was a parselmouth. It didn't have parsel spells exactly, just what his friend had told him about how he did certain things, how it felt, and what limits he had found concerning certain methods.

The book was a nice read for those curious about parselmagic and a guide to those teaching it to themselves. From what Harry had been able to gather thus far was that he had to say what he wanted done in parseltongue while manipulating his magic or the patient's. For example, if he wanted a patient's shattered arm to heal, he would say, :Shattered bone, repair:, and it would be done (as long as he provided enough magic in the area needing to be healed).

Reading the book, Harry learned that once he got the basics of parselmagic, he would be able to heal people without even using a wand! All he'd need would be his hands and Coral around his wrist. He would, eventually, even be able to heal sicknesses of all kinds, even things normally untreatable by magic and potions. He wondered if he would be able to volunteer sometimes in the nurse's office, if the school had a nurse. Though, why wouldn't it?

-Tap-taptap-

Harry looked up and saw the hawk owl on the other side of the window before quickly opening it up for him to come in. Hedwig straightened.

He removed the package, quickly knowing what it was. It was that week's dose of potions. He waved the hawk owl over to drink from Hedwig's bowl. She didn't fuss, in fact, she helped preen his feathers. Harry hid a grin. He was certain Hedwig liked the handsome hawk owl.

Shaking his head, he turned to the package and opened it. Upon doing so, he immediately chugged the first potion, before quickly following it with the other two, despite their horrid taste. He did this because of what the professor had told him in his first letter on August 1st . . . .

Mr. Potter,

Enclosed in the box are the three potions I promised and the parselmagic book: The Art of Parsel.

Concerning the potions, you will always drink the red flask first. It will enable your body to more effectively take in nourishment from the food you eat and the potions you drink. It is called the Absorbance Potion. It is referenced in the fourteenth chapter of your potions book.

The blue flask you will drink next, immediately after the red. It is a variant of the Draught of Nourishment, which is in chapter nineteen. Note it is not the same as the Nutrient Potion.

The third is a potion I call the Utilization Potion. It will allow your magic to flow within your body more efficiently. This will decrease your recovery time and primarily assist in muscle growth.

Expect these three potions every week and DRINK them as soon as they arrive! I have a stasis spell on the flasks but once you touch them the spell is off. The fresher the potion the more it will help you. Ignore the taste as best you can. The benefits far outweigh the aftertaste.

Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master

Harry smiled as he felt the effects of the potions once again.

They gave him a very nice full feeling, a feeling he was quickly learning was what one felt when they ate what they needed at a meal. Harry decided it was one of the nicest feelings one could ever feel, even with the nasty coating left over on his tongue.

Setting the package aside, he removed the little note attached to the top of it. Once again, he saw the writing of his professor.

Mr. Potter,

I trust you have already drunk the three potions. If you haven't, DRINK THEM NOW. I also trust the Dursleys are behaving themselves, as I have not been alerted to their failings.

Continue reading your books and writing with a quill. I do not like slackers.

Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master

Harry smiled, finding it oddly comforting the professor was taking the time to tell him to keep working.

Looking back at his desk, the hawk owl still enjoying Hedwig's affections, he decided to try and reply.

Dear Professor Snape,

I have taken the potions you've sent me. Thank you.

The Dursleys have been leaving me alone. It's been nice. I've been able to read a lot because I haven't been told to clean the house, cook meals, or anything!

Well, I am going to get back to reading The Art of Parsel. It's awesome! Thanks for letting me read it. I am going to learn all I can and work very hard like you said I should. I want the lock you said I have to lift.

Thanks for everything! (Sorry, trying not to gush.)

Harry Potter

Harry bit his lip as he read over his letter. His writing wasn't as bad as it was last week; however, he got the feeling the professor would not appreciate how some of the letters were erratically thicker than others, but it was the best he could do right now. Knowing it would have to do, Harry folded the letter and turned to the hawk owl.

"Could you take this to Professor Snape, please?" he asked.

He got an affirmative hoot before the hawk owl took the letter and flew out the window.

:Are you going to read now, Harry?: Coral asked, lifting her colorful head from his wrist.

:Yeah. I should be able to read the next chapter before lunch:

Coral hissed in agreement.

O o O o O

Severus looked at the progress of the Utilization Potion he was brewing for Harry. Stirring it, he let his mind wander.

What should he do with his free time? What could he do to help prepare for the upcoming war, besides what he was already doing? Perhaps he could subtly suggest some things to Albus? Yes, that might work. But what to do exactly? There was the matter of Sirius Black. Should he open that big can of worms? Should he find Remus Lupin first?

He really didn't know.

To be brutally honest, Black had not been very helpful in the future, and Severus was not quite sure he would be any more helpful if he got him out of the prison two years early. If anything, it may hurt the work he is trying to do with Harry. Granted, leaving an innocent man in Azkaban is a rotten thing to do. He would need to think more on what to do with Black.

Lupin, on the other hand, had been a bit more, well, useful. Maybe he could get him involved with Harry's life sooner, providing the boy with another adult he could count on, and then just let Lupin recognize the rat. That way, he would be out of that mess when it hit the fan and could watch from the sidelines. But . . . was that really the best option? Was it wise to let the rat remain that close to Harry for any amount of time? Allow him to possibly gather intelligence on Harry to give to Voldemort?

Hmm, when he thought of it that way . . . he couldn't allow Peter Pettigrew to remain as Ronald Weasley's pet rat.

He stopped stirring, waiting for the proteins to react as he thought about what to do about Pettigrew.

Shaking his head and deciding he would need to think more on it later as well, he admitted to himself he had a more serious problem on his hands.

Quirrell.

He would be returning to the castle in a few weeks, so he only had so much time to prepare for him and subtly prepare the Headmaster and the rest of the staff.

He knew he wouldn't be able to get rid of him. Voldemort was too good at hiding in plain sight, and even though Dumbledore might suspect him (as he had originally, later in the term), he would still keep him around just to keep an eye on him.

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. . . . It was a good philosophy.

O o O o O

Severus sat down in the headmaster's office. The Heads of House were about to have the annual meeting with the headmaster concerning the upcoming school year.

"Severus, how are you? I haven't seen you for a few days," Filius squeaked cheerfully. "Been brewing potions?"

"I am doing fine, and yes, I have been brewing," he answered simply.

"I am looking forward to the students coming. This place is too quiet without them," Filius continued.

"Hmm," Severus hummed, a faint sarcasm underneath.

"Oh, come now, Severus, even you must be finding the dungeons a bit too quiet now," Minerva said, joining in.

"Not really."

Minerva narrowed her eyes. "Well, I am certainly looking forward to the students returning. I am also looking forward to seeing the new students." She gave a soft smile, her eyes dancing with anticipation. "It should be an interesting year."

Severus didn't answer for a long moment, but then whispered, "Perhaps."

"And I am sure Mr. Wood is going to be a great Quidditch Captain. This year Slytherin will not stand a chance!" Minerva said, getting pumped.

Severus fought the urge to roll his eyes.

Had they really been that competitive? Had there been this strong of a rivalry that he would have immediately countered that statement with a childish phrase like, 'Will not! Slytherin will beat your house!'

If he was honest with himself, that answer was yes.

But the war had changed him. He no longer cared about Quidditch, and now that he thought about it, he didn't even know why he ever gave so much attention to it before. Sure, he would always support his Slytherins, but to be so zealous as to give Minerva a run for her money in obsession. . . .

It was just sad.

How much had their competitiveness added to the friction between their houses? How much could have been different if they had shifted their love of quidditch to more long lasting endeavors - like say . . . the welfare and future of their students?

Severus shook his head. "Oh, I'm sure they will have a chance, just the same as Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw."

Minerva and Pomona Sprout glanced at each other, raising their eyebrows. Flitwick almost fell off his chair. They had been expecting a retort of some kind, not a deflection and a conversation closer.

"Good morning!" Albus greeted, entering the office from his private quarters.

The professors respectfully returned the greeting as he got behind his desk.

"So, anything anyone wants to discuss first? We have a great deal to cover," Albus began.

"Madam Hooch has asked for funds to purchase new brooms for her classes," Minerva answered.

Albus looked apologetic. "I will send the request to the Board, but I sincerely doubt that will make it into the budget this year."

Minerva sighed. "Repeat of last year then."

"I'm afraid so," he agreed, before looking to one of the other professors to invite them to voice any concerns of theirs.

Flitwick spoke up, asking about what was going on with the stone, since Hagrid had recently delivered it to the school. This led them to discussing protections and how they would need to begin placing them soon. The third floor was brought up, because it was an older part of the castle that students didn't frequent often. Severus saw an opportunity here and took it.

"Why place it so far from where we will normally be?" Severus asked. "If you ask me, the safest place would be here, in your tower, Headmaster."

Filius hummed at that, his brain calculating the warrants of such a maneuver. They knew Voldemort was after the stone, the break in at Gringotts had told them that much. Was the safest place for it in the Headmaster's office? Or even . . . in his quarters?

"That is . . . an interesting suggestion, Severus," Albus admitted. "I don't know why I hadn't thought of that."

Severus shrugged, unbothered by the curious looks he was getting.

"If the Dark Lord is able to enter Hogwarts, which I am sure we all know he is capable if he is determined enough — and he is, then it seems only sensible to me to place the stone in an area he would avoid entering," Severus continued, before getting a thoughtful look on his face. "And, to make this even better, why not have the third floor be a decoy? We can go through with placing all these fancy protections there and tell the other professors the stone is there to make it even more convincing. No one else but the five of us has to know where the real stone is. This way, it is safer for everyone. I also strongly suggest placing an age-line at the entrance of the third floor, so no students are at risk of placing themselves in danger anymore than they normally are."

There was a minute of silence as the others contemplated his suggestion before the headmaster broke it.

"Excellent plan, Severus. Anyone have anything to add?" Albus asked.

"What will the real protections be?" Filius asked.

"Well, I will certainly put up a few more wards around my quarters and this office," Albus stated.

Pomona Sprout nodded, before asking, "Why not the ultimate protection? Why not use the Fidelius?"

Severus almost wanted to kiss the woman. He had mentally been wanting to suggest that, but he had spoken enough, and (with his past concerning the Potters), if he brought up anything even minutely related to Lily, he knew such an idea from him would really have caused the Headmaster and the others to raise their eyebrows at him.

Upon hearing Pomona's suggestion, the Headmaster's eyes twinkled. "I will have to run it by Nicholas, but I am sure he will have no qualms about it."

Pomona beamed.

"Alright, I believe we should move the topic onto the new incoming students," Albus continued. "Thirty-eight children have accepted their invitations. Four politely declined due to previous education arrangements and the like."

The professors nodded, having heard it plenty of times before. Not everyone felt Hogwarts was the best for their children, and it was within their right.

"Well, I am sure you all know that this year Harry Potter will be returning to the Wizarding World," Albus began.

"I understand he was having trouble getting his letter at first?" Filius asked. "What was the problem there?"

The headmaster's eyes saddened. "I grievously misjudged the situation."

"Situation, Albus?" Minerva asked.

"I am sorry, Minerva. I should have listened to you all those years ago," Albus said softly.

Minerva's eyes widened, before her Scottish temper began to radiate from her form. Pomona and Flitwick glanced at each other. What was going on?

"Albus, what did they do?" she questioned, her voice dangerously low.

Severus decided to take pity on his mentor and spoke up. "The situation has been handled. Mr. Potter has all that he will need when he arrives. Let us move on."

That caused everyone to look at the potions professor.

"It's been handled, Severus?" Minerva asked, confused. "And how do you know Mr. Potter is ready for September first?"

"I helped him get his things."

Filius blinked, Minerva raised an eyebrow, and Pomona glanced at Albus.

"But I thought Hagrid took him to Diagon Alley," Filius said.

"He did, but I took over from there." Severus looked back at his mentor, not sure how much he should say. He didn't want to make it even harder for them to treat Harry like a normal student.

"B-bu-what?" Minerva stuttered.

"What is he like?" Filius asked eagerly, unconcerned with McGonagall's state. "Is he like his parents?"

"He is . . . a bit." Severus didn't want to comment further. He would let them make their own conclusions once they met him.

"Really? Oh, I do hope he likes Charms," the Charms professor chimed.

"He has shown interest in potions and—" Severus began, only to be cut off.

"Well, that's not much of a surprise, you likely steered him that way," Minerva said.

"I merely told him his mother had a talent in it, so he may have some as well."

"A compliment, Severus?" she asked, stunned.

"The boy has . . . potential," he stated.

"I am sure he does, but what could you determine in one day with him?" she questioned, bewildered by Severus' new attitude but not wanting to reveal that fact.

"A great deal."

"Ah, which reminds me," Albus said, interrupting. "Severus gave Mr. Potter permission to have an exotic pet; however, Hagrid hadn't known that when he sent Mr. Potter an owl for a late birthday gift. Because of this, I have made an exception for him, allowing him to have both."

"Both? Two pets?" Minerva asked, her voice elevating slightly.

"An exotic pet?" Filius squeaked.

"What was the exotic pet?" Pomona asked.

Severus braced himself for the coming reaction.

"Oh, a magical coral snake," Albus replied calmly, as if the pet was a fluffy bunny instead of a poisonous serpent.

"What?" Minerva cried, before sending a glare at Severus, believing he was trying to convert Harry Potter into a Slytherin.

"Don't glare at me. I determined it was the sensible thing to do when I learned he was a parselmouth and showed great interest in parselmagic when I brought it up."

"A-a parselmouth?" Filius gasped, his voice so high it couldn't even be called a squeak — it was a wheeze.

"How is this possible, Albus?" Minerva asked, looking to her old friend.

"It is from the killing curse. However it had happened, some of Voldemort's power went into the boy," he answered.

Severus kept the truth to himself. He would let them think this was true for now. It wasn't important enough for them to know he had cast the Legacy Spell on Harry. That would make things overly complicated.

"Oh my," Filius whispered.

"So he is interested in parselmagic?" Pomona asked, her voice soft and happy. She knew the power in such magic, and for the Potter child to be a wielder of it. . . .

"Yes. I have sent him my book about it and he seems to like it thus far," Severus answered.

"You sent him 'The Art of Parsel'?" Minerva asked, knowing how much the potions master guarded that book from everyone.

"I have read it enough," he answered simply. "He will be able to put it to good use."

"Who are you and what have you done with Severus?" Minerva asked.

Severus and the others were not sure if she was joking or not. The Head of Slytherin raised an eyebrow at her, looking as if he thought she had lost her mind.

"Well, I believe we have much to look forward to this year," Filius piped up, wisely moving the conversation along.

Severus appreciated it.