Harry leaned against the wall of the cupboard, panting slightly. Using a piece of rag, he pressed it to his arm, trying to stop the dripping blood. This was the fifth time his uncle had beat him that week. He was now nusing a broken arm, leg, ankle, and more.

He sighed bitterly into the darkness. He didn't care anymore. Nothing mattered now that Sirius was gone. And without Sirius, his life was empty, meaningless. The fear had left him, and he had long given up. Given up hope. He felt the guilt eating away at him all the time. He loved Sirius more than he loved life itself. But now, his godfather was gone. Who cared? Everyone he knew would eventually draw away from him, leaving him alone.

Harry looked at the knife lying on the floor with a glint in his eyes. He flicked it, watching, as the blood rolled down his arm. He knew it was fatal if he lost too much blood, but what did it matter when everyone treated the precious liquid within him as if it was nothing more than water. He watched the thin trail of blood with satisfaction, almost as if he was watching someone else. He felt a stinging throb in his arm, but he welcomed and enjoyed the pain; it dulled the everlasting guilt and grief.

He was about to fall asleep when he suddenly heard someone scream, "FIRE!" Harry sat, dazed, as he heard the sounds of pounding feet around him.

He heard a crash and knew immediately that the rest of the house had come crashing down around him. Flames licked at the cupboard, the heat overwhelming, the smell of ash and smoke choking him, suffocating him...

Harry no longer cared. He was grateful, for he knew that he would die. Die, and all the pain and torture would be over. Emotions: hurt, anger, guilt, shame, love, sorrow; all that and more, swirling around inside him, threatening to spill over. He closed his eyes, waiting for the fire to slowly come and devour him.

It never came.

Snapping his eyes open, he found a blue light surrounding him. The light was spinning, fighting and lashing out at the fire. Slowly, ever so slowly, the flames died out, turning everything to a pile of grey, dreary ash.

'No,' Harry thought, his mind not registering what had happened. He had been so happy, so grateful that his miserable life would be over.... But now, all hopes were dashed, once again. Maybe Vernon had been right. He /was/ a freak. Couldn't even die properly.

Suddenly, there a swirling whirlwind appeared before him, spinning. The wind slowed and a women stepped out from amist the storm. She had rich, black hair and lavender eyes the colours of glowing amethysts.

"Harry," the women said. Her voice was soft, soothing, gentle.... for the first time since Sirius' death, Harry felt slightly comforted.

"I am Shiara," the women said. "Goddess of Love, Need, and Justice. You may call me Lady Shiara."

"Were you the one who stopped the fire?" Harry asked warily.

"Yes, it was I."

"Why?" His voice was soft and depressed. "Why did you have to do it? I wanted it to end."

"Look at me, child." Harry felt as if an invisible hand was lifting his chin. Raising his head, he forced himself to look into the goddess' eyes.

"Harry," the Lady looked straight at him, penetrating him with her gaze. "Child, remember, never lose hope. No matter what happen, you must NEVER lose hope."

"What am I to do now?"

"You are in danger. The fire today was set by Death Eaters. They have put strong Sealing Charms on the door and windows, preventing your relatives from escaping. I am sorry to day that Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley have perished in the fire." The Lady paused. "As for you, little one, you only have one chance. One chance and choice. In order to be safe, in order to survive, you must start over. Everyone will believe that you have died in the fire. I will send you to another guardian."

"But I don't want---" Harry began.

"Child," the Lady said firmly. "Do you think your godfather would have wanted you to be miserable? Do you think he would have wanted to feel like this? Harry, please, don't give up. For your godfather's sake."

"Where are you sending me?" Harry asked finally, giving in.

"I'm afraid that I can not tell you at the moment. You'll find out soon enough." Lady Shiara smiled. "This person, you dislike. Yet I trust that you will try your best to get along and tolerate each other. Remember, Harry, for Sirius' sake."

"What about my appearance?"

The Lady waved her hand in the air. Harry felt a windy breeze blow on his face. Slowly, he began to change. His hair grew longer and straighter while he grew about a few feet taller. His skin was as pale as ever from the lack of sunlight, but his eyes changed from emerald-green to a shade of cold, icy blue. He no longer needed his glasses and though his famous scar had completely disappeared, he could still feel it.

"This is spiritual magic," the goddess explained. "So no wizards will be able to detect any magic on you." She looked at the tall, determined boy in front of him.

Harry nodded, his eyes hardening with new resolve. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Yes, I will find a way to communicate with you." The Lady smiled. "Good luck."

Hary felt a gust of wind spinning around him, picking up speed. He squeezed his eyes shut as the world span around him. When the whirlwind stopped, he was gone.

When Harry opened his eyes, he found himself in a large room. So this was probably where he was going to stay. He wanted to get up, investigate and see who was living here, but the world was spinning around him. His legs collapsed underneath him as the world went black.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Seveus Snape was sitting in his rooms, sortin through his papers when his ward-monitor went off. Something, or someone, had activated the wards of Snape Manor. Someone was here.

Thinking it was probably Death Eaters sent by Voldemort, he stood up, and sliding an emotionless mask onto his face, walked out o the room.

The Death Eaters usually met him in the living room. Crossing the kitchen, he stode over and yanked open the door. Quietly, he entered the room.

And gasped.

On the floor was a about the age of sixteen. And around the child was a pool of blood.

Severus lept up and ran over to the crumpled figure. Recieving no response, he levitated the boy onto a near-by couch.

This was not someone he recoginized. Definately not a student of Hogwarts.

The boy had, what he could tell, several broken bones including three bruised ribs. But that surprised him further was the many scars and bruises covering the boy's face and body. Definately a sign of abuse.

He was in the middle of healing the boy's arm when the child moved.

"Hello?" Severus called cautiously, feeling slightly foolish.

The boy opened his eyes and as Severus watched, he saw a flicker of surprise fly across the boy's features. A minute later, the surprise was masked by neutral coldness. Fascinating. Severus knew of very little others whom could cover their reality with such control.

What chilled Severus to the bone was the child's eyes. They were icy- blue, the colour of the deep, mysterious ocean. But instead of the usual innocence he was used to seeing, there was a hard, cold edge. They were not the eyes of a care-free child, but the eyes of an old man who had seen to much.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Severus broke the silence. "May I ask who you are and what you are doing here?" He made his voice as sneering and sardonic as possible. The child stared at him, his gaze piercing his soul, holding him to the wall. "I'm Sebastien."

"What are you doing here?"

The boy continued to examine him. Severus could feel a powerful, magical aura in the air.

"I don't know. I was Obliviated." The boy's voice was flat and emotionless.

Severus stared at the boy for a moment before saying in a slightly gentler tone, "What happened to you?" "Nothing." The child's voice was firm and Severus shivered at the slight tone of menace. It was clear that Sebastien was going to tolerate no argument.

The Potions Master stared hard at him for a moment before saying, "All right. You'll have to stay here for now. I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore about this tomorrow. Come."

Severus watched as the child attempted to stand up. He seemed unsteady on his feet. Noticing this, the Potions Master reached out and grabbed Sebastien's shoulders.

"Thank you."

This was the first time the boy had seemed open rather than defensive. Severus, sensing the child's discomfort in having to rely on someone, did not reply.

Helping Sebastian to his room. Severus watched as the boy climbed unsteadily into bed and fell asleep almost immediately. Unconciously, he reached up and pulled up the covers, tucking it around the boy. Wouldn't do to catch a cold.

He physically shook himself. Why was he thinking such a thing? Must be lack of sleep. Walking out of the room, he went to his own bedroom, and changing, quickly fell asleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus was suddenly awakened from his sleep by a loud, piercing scream. What was going on?

Sebastien.... in the living room.... The memories quickly came back to him. The screams seemed to be coming from the boy's room. What could have happened? Leaping up, Severus pulled on his robes and raced down the hall, wand in hand. Pushing open the door, a hex on the tip of his lips, he stepped in to find...

... The child was thrashing around on the bed, kicking, screaming. "No, NO! It's not my fault... I didn't know..."

Severus sighed in relief. It was only a nightmare. "Sebastien!" he called loudly, hoping to wake up the child.

Sebastien didn't seem to hear him; his struggling grew more frantic and the screaming rised both in volume and intensity.

Severus gaped at the boy. The child was showing signs of the Cruciatus Curse: stuggling, twitching, withering in obvious pain... Fingers dug into the palms, teeth furiously biting onto his lips, causing himself to bleed... Yet, how could it be? The child was just in a nightmare... How could a nightmare cause so much pain?

"SEBASTIEN!" Severus yelled as the boy suddenly leaped up from the bed, eyes rolling. Reaching out, the Potions Master caught the boy's shoulders, holding him down. Sebastien's eyes refocused slightly.

Severus shivered and felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. The boy's eyes were deep, shadowed pools... Raw agony and guilt blazed through the expressive sapphire orbs. Severus saw a flash of emotions: pain, despair, anger, regret, helplessness, sorrow, hurt, guilt, rejection... all that and more, too many feelings to describe. And there was something else. The Potions Master could not describe it... They were eyes of someone who had been forced and driven to the edge, of someone who had long creased to expect any act of kindness from the world. There was no hope for survival. The isolation and emptiness of those orbs scared the Potions Master to no end.

With a suddenly jerk, the boy's eyes focused once more. Severus saw that Sebastien's palms were bleeding where his nails had dug into them.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked slightly awkwardly after he'd given the boy a Calming Potion. He couldn't forget the hopeless look he had seen in the boy's eyes. He had often felt shameful and empty after the many tortures he had seen at the Death Eater meetings with Voldemort, but this... this was only a boy. A mere child. What had driven him to such a position?

"I'm fine." The answer was guarded, defensive. Those eyes were once again unreadable. "I'm sorry I woke you, sir."

"Do you have these dreams often?"

A nod.

"Are they usually this... violent?"

Sebastien looked at Severus, a piercing look. The eyes seemed to petrify the Potions Master... Looking deep into those orbs, he saw anger, terror, loneliness, and... was that a flash of pity? Severus shivered.... that knowing look, almost as if the boy knew his deepest fears and shame...

"Depends."

The Potions Master metally shook himself out of his thoughts. Feeling the boy's discomfort, he quickly exited the room. Coming back a moment later, he handed the child a Dreamless Sleeping Potion.

Sebastien's eyes lingered on Severus' face as he downed the potion in one gulp. Crawling into bed, the boy whispered. "Thank you. Good night, sir."

After a moment of hesitation, Severus replied softly, "Good night, Sebastien."

Harry woke up with a groan. He felt strangely comfortable. Nope, he definately wasn't with the Dursleys. His eyes snapped open as he remembered the events of the day before: the fire, Lady Shiara, Snape...

Harry tried to sit up, but flinched as pain shot up his body. The bruises in which his uncle had hit him stood out as clearly as ever on his pale skin. Besides, he wasn't in the mood for food. Not after the dream...

He shuddered as he recalled the dream. He had relived both Cedric and Sirius' deaths; Both had accused him of killing them. He had felt awful, crying out blinding as his godfather once again fell over and floated across the room and under the veil, disappearing from sight, as Voldemort's chilling voice rang out:

Kill the spare.

Harry shuddered involuntarily. It was as if Cedric meant nothing, as if the Hufflepuff was nothing for than a spare, a mistake. His scar was burning again, prickling annoyingly from time to time. And worst of all was that Snape had seen him squirm in his dream, seen his weakness, heard him scream and cry.

The clock chimed for breakfast, but Harry pointedly ignored it. He didn't want to eat, didn't want to face Snape. Besides, it wasn't as if he could have gotten up without falling.

He was extremely bored. Fortunately, bookshelves and books lined the edge of his room. Peering at the covers, he saw one which read, "Potions: The Art of Brewing". 'Ha!' Harry thought sardonically. 'Imagine if Snape knew that Harry Potter was sitting in his library reading about Potions of all things.' Raising his voice, he called out, "Accio Potions book!"

A dozen different books flew across the room, landing in front of Harry. Picking out a specific book, he banished the rest of them back across the room without another thought.

He flipped open the book he had chosen and turning to page one, was about to read when he suddenly froze. Realization hit him with the force of a brick wall. He had managed to summon the book without a wand! Gathering his strength, he tried again. "Accio, parchment!"

The piece of spare parchment flew into his waiting hand. Harry stared at it, disbelievingly. 'Interesting,' he thought, amused. 'Maybe it works only for the Summoning and Banishing Charm.' To test his theory, he raise his hand and concentrating on the Potions book, said firmly, "Wingardium Leviosa!" To his surprise, the book flew up into the air.

After a bit more practise, Harry realized that he could do most of the spells had learned at school, although it took a lot of energy out of him. He sighed as he realized that some day, the wandless magic would become useful, After all, he knew in his heart that he would have to face and defeat Voldemort one day. And he woul dneed all the help he could get.

Sighing, he flipped open the book and began to read.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus waited patiently for Albus to arrive. He had owled the Headmaster about Sebastien, and Albus had agreed to meet him.

And Sebastien. Though he didn't want to admit it, he was worried for the boy. It was almost dinner time, and the boy hadn't come down for breakfast or lunch.

There was a bang in the fire and Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace, robes flowing magestically.

"Ah, good evening, Severus. How nice to see you."

"Good evening, Headmaster," Severus growled, annoyed by Dumbledore's optimism and cheerfulness.

"I recieved your owl about Sebastien," Albus continued. "May I see him?"

"Of course."

Ringing a bell, Severus sent a House Elf to retrieve Sebastien. He watched as the boy walked into the room a minute later. For a second, surprise flashed acrossed the child's features. Then, they were gone, as quickly as they had appeared.

"Sebastien," Severus said. "This is Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore."

There was something about the voice, the tone, that sounded utterly familiar. Shaking his head, Severus concentrated on Albus' voice.

"... I will have to ask you a few questions. Answer them you if you can." Dumbledore was saying.

"Yes, sir." Sebastien nodded in comprehension, his eyes betraying none of his emotions.

"What is your full name, and who are you parents?"

"My name is Sebastien," the boy replied. "I'm an orphan. I don't remember who I was raised by, therefore I don't know my last name."

Dumbledore nodded. "What age are you?"

"Sixteen, sir."

"I suppose that you have no idea how you ended up in Snape Manor?" The Headmaster's eyes twinkled merrily.

"That's correct."

"Very well. For now, you will stay with Severus. You will go to Hogwarts in a few weeks for schooling as a sixth year. You have until the beginning of term to think of a suitable last name for yourself. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, sir." The boy quickly left the room.

"Severus," Dumbledore said. "You must be careful of what you say and do around Sebastien. He is a very sensitive child; he had been through much, much more than you will ever imagine."

Severus looked curiously at the Headmaster; how did Albus know of this?

"You will have to question him about his scars and bruisings. But be gentle and encouraging; he is not a normal child. And you will have to teach him in the various subjects until the term starts." Albus took out a small, silver watch and glanced at it. "Oh dear, I really must run. Goodbye, Severus." Taking a handful of Floo Powder, the Headmaster stepped into the fire and disappeared.

Sighing, Severus went back to marking papers.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At seven p.m, Harry, feeling slightly hungery, went downstairs for food.

After dinner, he was about to go back to his room when Snape spoke. "Sebastien, I wish to talk to you."

"Yes, sir," he replied, his voice emotionless, not showing any of his curiosity. "What is it?"

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but how did you get those scars? Sebastien, I must know in order to help you."

Harry froze at the question, panic rising in his chest as images of Uncle Vernon came into mind: the sharp, kitchen knife, cutting into this shoulder, the look of cruel delight on Vernon's face, the swishing of the whip, beating him mercilessly, again and again...

"Answer me, boy!" Snape's voice was loud and obviously irritated.

Harry winced as the voice, so similar to his uncle's rang through the air. Out of habit, he raised his arms protectively in front of his face, ready to block the blow he knew would soon come. He began to tremble. 'No,' he thought, 'Not in front of Snape!' But he couldn't help it. He shuddered, remembering the pain and agony...

Suddenly, he couldnt' stand it anymore. Without hearing Snape callign his name, he raced out of the room, disappearing down the hall.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but how did you get those scars? Sebastien, I must know in order to help you." Severus tried to keep his voice as calm as possible. He did not notice the way the boy stiffened.

After waiting for a few minutes, the Potions Master began to feel annoyed. What did the boy think he was doing, ignoring him? "Answer me, boy!" He barked out.

This time, the reaction was obvious. The boy visibly cowered, crouching as he threw his hands in front of his face. Severus cursed himself for his forgetfulness; hadn't Albus just told him to be careful of upsetting the other?

"Sebastien, Sebastien..." he called, keeping his voice soft and soothing, missing the usual note of menace.

The boy did not seem to hear him. Suddenly, the child bolted up and ran out of the room. Severus immediately followed.

He found the boy in the corner of the library, curled up into a ball, trembling visibly.

"Sebastien, it's okay, you're safe..." Severus reached up and put his hand uncertainly on the boy's shoulders.

Sebastien appeared terrified, flinching at his touch. Whimpering, he curled up even tighter, grabbing his knees and hugging it to his chest.

"Sebastien," Severus said again. "It's okay, no one will harm you..."

The words had absolutely no effect. If possible, the boy just seemed to curl up tighter.

Severus went and brought back a bottle of Calming Draught. He walked up to the boy but was suddenly stopped. Looking carefully, Severus saw hat the boy had created a shield. Pulling out his wand, he whispered the counter charm and the curse disappeared.

When he tried to approach the child, however, the boy screamed. A blue light appeared from nowhere and hitting the Potions Master in the chest, threw him at the wall.

The blue beam of light circled around and around the crying boy, picking up speed, spinning faster and faster...

By the time Severus looked up, the blue light had faded and there was nothing in the spot the boy had been sitting. Sebastien was gone.

When Harry opened his eyes, he found himself in a bed in a small, white room.

Looking up, he saw a man with long, maroon robes with golden hems. The man was preparing some kind of Potion; he was expertantly cutting up what Harry realized was willowbark.

"Hello?" He called out uncertainly.

The man turned around when when he saw that Harry was awake, a smile graced his lips. "Salazar! Rowena! Helga!" He called. "He's awake!"

A second later, three others burst into the room. First came a man with dark black hair; he was wearing green robes which flashed in the light. Next ran in a woman with hazel eyes. Her hair was a rich shade of dark red and her robes sapphire blue. Finally, a tall woman entered, her lush, green eyes flashing; straight, honey-coloured hair flying behind her. Her robes were pale yellow.

"Thank goodness you're awake!" The woman with the blue robes said with a smile. Walking over, she put a hand on one of his scars. A blue light radiated from her hand and the scar disappeared. She continued doing this until his body was scar-free.

After getting dressed and downing many potions, Harry finally asked timidly, "Um... could you tell me where I am and who you are?"

The man with maroon robes laughed. "Oh, yes, the introductions must be made," he laughed. "I am Godric Gryffindor, and that," he pointed at the man with green robes. "Is Salazar Slytherin. If you've heard any evil rumors about him, rest assured, they are not true. The lady with red hair is Rowena Ravenclaw, and finally, that is Helga Hufflepuff."

"You are in an alternate dimension," Salazar interrupted here. "Young one, you're destiny is to help the Light overcome the Dark which threatens to overtake the world. You are the only one with the strength and ability to do so. Which is why you are here today to learn."

"But," Harry began, confused. "Um... not to be rude or anything, but, why me? I'm not special.. I meant, I'm just the Boy-Who-Lived. Why was I brought here to learn? Aren't I supposed to go to Hogwarts?"

"You were sorted into Gryffindor, yet the Sorting Hat wished you to be put in Slytherin, is it not?" Rowena cut in as Harry nodded. "Have you not wondered why? It is because you, my child, are the heirs of both Gryffindor and Slytherin."

"What?" Harry gasped, shocked beyond belief. *I must be dreaming,* he thought, dazed. "How can that be?"

"Our heirs have each decided to pick another name in order to avoid attention. Godric's heir chose Potter, while Salazar's heir chose Frostpine. Henry Frostpine's only daughter, Maria Frostpine, married Nobilius Potter's only son, Harold Potter. They were your great-great-great grandparents. Therefore, you are the only heir of both Salazar and Godric."

"You have been brought here," Helga said. "In order to be trained for to reasons: one, because you are the heir of Gryffindor and Slytherin, and two, you must defeat Voldemort."

"Voldemort is no heir of Slytherin," Salazar said with distaste, a sneer on his face. He grew serious again as he turned to Harry. "Child, despite all the tales you may have heard, I assure you that I am not evil, like everyone says. You are to be trained in every aspect imaginable, which will take at least three years. When three years is gone, you will return to your dimension. But don't worry, only three days will have passed in your time. Then, you shall be trained to fight and help the Light."

"I-" Harry was at a loss for words. "But what does Helga and Rowena have to do with anything?"

"Young one," Rowena said. "Though you are the heir of Godric and Salazar, and despite the fact that you have been sorted into Gryffindor, you still have out traits in you. You have the traits of all four houses: You are brave and courages, yet you are sly and cunning. You use your wits and are top of most of your classes. And most of all, you stay loyal to the Light side. And intellegence and loyalty are traits of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff."

"I see," Harry said, dazed. "I--"

"No need," Salazar said. "I know you must be in shock at the moment, but I can't help it. If you want to return to your dimension in three years, you will have to start training as soon as possible. I will train you in Potions, the several different Languages, and the Dark Arts." When he saw Harry flinch, he added, "You must know about the Dark Arts in order to succeed, child. Godric will train you in Defense, Healing, Quidditch, and Transfiguration. Rowena takes over Charms, Animagus Transformation, Apparation and Ancient Runes. Helga will teach you Care of Magical Creatures, Herbiology, Divination, Arithmacy. You will also get trained in your speed, swiftness, ability, and etc. We start lessons tomorrow. Now, get a good night's sleep and we will start tomorrow."

"All right," Harry replied, still dazed. He closed his eyes and the last thing he said was, "Good night, everyone."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What happened, Severus?"

Severus Snape sat in his chair, telling Dumbledore about what had happened to Sebastien. "... and when I looked up, he was gone."

Dumbledore looked old and tired and the twinkle had disappeared from his eyes. "And I have very bad news, Severus. Harry Potter is dead."

"What?" Severus jumped up. True, he didn't like Potter, but that didn't mean he wanted the boy dead. "How did it happen?"

"Death Eaters set the house on fire and sealed the doors and windows. Everything inside have turned to ash."

The Potions Master sat down, stunned. "Does the rest of the Wizarding World know yet?"

"Harry's friends know already, and the article will be appearing in the Daily Prophet in exactly 4 hours. And now," Dumbledore continued, "Sebastien has mysteriously disappeared. We can't just go and search for him; he could be in North America, for all we know. We will just have to wait." The Headmaster stood up and put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I must leave now, Severus. Take care. I'll see you soon." With that, he was gone, leaving the Potions Master to brood over what had happened.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Child," Salazar said. "Three years have swiftly past since you have first appeared in this dimension. Today, you shall leave and go back to your world."

Harry Potter stood infront of Salazar, Godric, Rowena, and Helga, looking at his mentors who had helped him through everything for the last few years. His eyes stung as he tried to supress the tears of sorrow. "I know, Salazar," he said sadly, his voice full of sorrow. "I'll miss all of you. What would I have done without you?"

"Before you go, little one," Godric said. "We have a gift for you." He took out a large box and handed it to Harry.

Harry took the box and carefully opened it. Placed inside was a glittering sword, beautiful, yet deadly. Carved on it were the initials of Godric, Salazar, Rowena, and Helga. Set on the handle was a large jewel, divided into four quarters. One quarter was crimson red, another, lush green. The final two were sapphire blue and shining yellow. The colours fit together beautifully, the pieces coming together to form a whole.

"Thank you," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears.

"Only together, united, will we be able to defeat the Dark," Godric said. "And now, we each have a piece of advice for you. My advice is, little one, to open up and accept the help of those whom loves you. Not everyone is what they seem."

"My advice," Salazar said. "Is to never show your true emotions. Be happy or sad, yes, but never show them on your face, for the enemy will use those weakness to harm you."

"Oh, stop being such a git, Salazar," Godric laughed. "Must you be so... sly?"

"Oh, just shut up," Salazar grumbled.

Harry laughed. Wise as the four founders were, they still behaved like children at times.

"Stop it, you guys," Rowena scolded as she turned to Harry. "My advice is this: Remember, use your intellegence and wisdom, and whatever happens, you are not alone. We will always be here for you."

"And finally, Harry," Helga added. "Be loyal to the Light, and have faith in yourself. Believe, and you shall succeed."

"Thank you so much," Harry whispered. A smile graced his lips. "The last three years have been the happiest of my life."

"Our pleasure, dear,' Rowena said.

"It is time to go," Salazar said seriously. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Harry said, squeezing his eyes shut.

There was a whirl of light, and the Boy-Who-Lived was gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry opened his eyes and found himself in the Library, exactly where he had disappeared three years ago. *Only in this world, it's only been three days,* he reminded himself.

Going to his room, he hid the sword in his trunk. Then, he headed into the living room in search of Severus.

The Potions Master was found on the couch, intently reading a book.

"Professor Snape?" Harry asked.

The teacher looked up and Harry saw many emotions flash in those obsidian eyes. Surprise, relief, joy, and finally, anger.

"Where have you been?" Snape asked, towering over him. "Do you realize how worried Professor Dumbledore and I have been?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied, but he was no longer afraid. All those years ago, if this had happened, he would have been cowering on the ground, but not after what had happened. Not after what Salazar and the others had taught him. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't tell you."

"Sebastien," Snape said, his tone dangerous. "I will be forced to cast spells on you if you do not reply willingly."

"Then do so," Harry replied calmly. *After all, I'll probably be able to fight what he tries to do." Helga's voice suddenly echoed in his mind. *Have faith in yourself. Believe, and you shall succeed.*

Snape looked unnerved for a second before he pulled out his wand and pointing it at Harry, said, "Legilimens!"

Harry quickly cleared his mind before mumbling, "Protegro!"

The Shield Charm absorbed Snape's spell. The Potions Master looked stunned, and if the situation hadn't so serious, Harry would have found it amusing.

"How did you do that?" Snape finally asked. "There's no way you can /block/ that spell!"

Harry didn't answer.

"So you still won't tell me?" The Potions Master finally growled.

"I'm sorry, sir," Harry replied. "But I can't."

"Fine," Snape grumbled. "By the way, Professor Dumbledore has asked me to tudor you in all of your subjects before school starts in order for you to catch up."

"Um... I don't think that's necessary, sir," Harry replied. He knew that all the training with Godric and the others would allow him to achieve excellent marks.

"Dumbledore insists, so you will do as he says." Snape looked possibly fuming. Harry inwardly smiled as he replied.

"As you say, sir."

"We will begin as soon as possible," Snape said. "Tell me, what are you favourite subjects?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions, sir," Harry replied, smiling fondly as he remembered the long hours he had spent with Godric and Salazar, studying.

"We will start with Defense right now, since Dumbledore whats you trained as soon as possible," Snape said. "Go get your wand."

Harry ran upstairs to his trunk and unwrapped a handkerchief. Wrapped inside, were two wands. One was the one he had bought when he was a first year; the other, was a long, black wand, given to him by Godric and Salazar. Taking the black wand, he closed his trunk and ran back downstairs.

"I assume you know all the basic spells, so I will not waste any time teaching those to you. We will start with dueling." With a flick of his wand, Snape cleared away all the furniture in the room, leaving a wide space. "Do you know the basics?"

"Yes, sir," Harry replied. "The duelers shake hands and bow as they slowly back away till they are across from each other. Since dueling is usually done on a platform of some kind, if a person falls down and doesn't stand up in the next five seconds, or loses their wand, then the other wins."

"Correct," Snape barked. "Today, I just want to see how much dueling you know. Throw any kind of spell or curses on me, as long as its not against the law. I will, of course, fight back, so you will also have to work on blocking or dodging the spells I throw at you. I will be using more advanced curses, so you may not know all of them. Understand?"

Harry nodded.

"Let's begin."

After bowing and shaking hands, Harry backed away onto the end of the platform. Snape immeditely began throwing curses that Harry didn't know of. But it was strange, as if he could sense the curses Snape was going to throw. He easily dodged, blocked, or deflected the curses. He could see that Snape was surprised. After a while, the professor started calling out the curses more and more quickly until the flying spells were but a blur. Still, they didn't effect Harry's skills.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Snape yelled, firing the curse at Harry's side.

Harry pointed his wand at Snape's right side and opened his mouth. Snape, noticing, jumped to the right, which was exactly what Harry hoped he would do. Changing the direction of his wand at the last minute, he said, "Expelliarmus!"

Snape's wand flew threw the air and Harry easily caught it.

"Here's your wand, Professor," Harry said, blushing, feeling unnerved by the way Snape was looking at him.

"I must say, that was amazing, Sebastien," Snape said, and Harry felt shocked. Did /Severus Snape/ just compliment /Harry Potter/? Compliments from the Potions Master was rare, and Harry flushed as he replied quietly.

"Thank you, sir."

"I will see you again for lessons tomorrow. You may leave."

Harry quickly left the room, leaving a stunned Snape behind him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I must say, that sounded stunning indeed," Dumbledore said as he looked at his friend.

"It is," Severus agreed. He was telling the Headmaster about Sebastien "He managed to ward off my invasion of him mind, and beat me in a duel."

"He has a powerful aura for one so young," Dumbledore agreed. "It would be highly beneficial if he fights for the Light."

"Yes, but who knows? He may be a spy for the Dark Lord."

"No, that is not so. Although his aura is strong, it is pure and clean; the child is obviously innocent, for I can detect no hint of Dark Magic." After a few moments of silence, Dumbledore asked, "Severus, may I question him about a few things?"

"Of course, Albus, that is, if he is willing to answer." Raising his voice, Severus called for the boy.

A minute later, Sebastien entered the room. Albus immediately sensed something different about the aura; there was something.... stronger, more confident than before.

"Sebastien," Dumbledore began. "I heard from Severus that you managed to beat him in dueling yesterday?"

The boy blushed and immediately replied, "Headmaster, I'm sure Professor Snape was going easy on me.... There's no way I can beat him, he's professor after all..."

Severus was surprised at the amount of modesty the child showed; according to his own experience, children this age were usually annoying brats, refusing to believe that they were wrong. Especially that Potter brat. His lips curled at the thought.

"True, I think that Severus was going easy on you, which is why today, you are going to duel again. And this time, Severus, do everything you can; every trick you've ever learned. I believe Sebastien has quite a lot of potential." His eyes twinkled merrily.

"But---" Severus stuttered. "Most of the tricks in dueling includes the Unforgivables... Of course, not the Killing Curse," he added hastily.

"Do not use the Unforgivables--" Dumbledore began, but he was abruptly cut off.

"Headmaster," Sebastien interrupted. "If it is possible, I would like Professor Snape to include Unforgivables in his dueling."

"Sebastien, be reasonable..." Dumbledore began once he recovered from his shock, but the boy would have none of it.

"Professor," Sebastien insisted. "I believe that I can handle this; I've been put under Unforgivables before. It's not that much of a big deal."

Severus raised an eyebrow at this. "Headmaster, that's impossible! Using Unforgivables are highly---"

"Please, Professor," the boy said, a pleading tone in his voice.

"Very well," Dumbledore agreed finally. "But because of this, I insist that you duel now. I will watch you, in case anything drastic happens. And if anything, ANYTHING goes beyond control, then Unforgivables will be taken away from your dueling lessons."

Sebastien gave a faint smile. "Thank you, sir."

They spread out in the room and prepared to duel.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I stood before Sebastien, wand clutched tightly in my hand. I looked into the boy's eyes; determination flashed in those icy blue orbs.

After bowing and shaking hands, I backed away until we were on opposite sides of the room. I immediately began the duel with various advanced curses.

Sebastien easily dodged the curses I shot at him. A few minutes into the duel, I decided to start with the Unforgivables. Raising my wand, I yelled, "Imperio!"

*Lower your wand,* I ordered firmly through my mind. *Lower your wand.*

I was shocked at the immense determination and rebellion flowing in the boy's mind. "NO!" I heard him shout out. "I will NOT do such a thing!"

It took oen thing to disobey and rebel the Imperius Curse: will. The boy's determination was amazing; I've never felt such rebellion from someone so young. I guess Albus was right; this boy IS special.

"Stupefy!" I called, pointing my wand to Sebastien's right side. The boy saw me and dived towards the left. Exactly what I wanted. I immediately changed the direction of my wand and screamed out, "CRUCIO!" And immediately regretted it.

I flinched as the curse shot towards the boy. What was I thinking, using such a painful curse? Hadn't I tortured enough people already? The child would surely wither and start screaming any minute now... I watched, almost paralized, as the curse moved closer and closer to the boy...

The curse hit and the boy winced for a second before stepping back and turning to me, his wand raised. I was stunned, no forget it, that's an underestimation: I was BEYOND stunned. I had just shot the Cruciatus Curse, one of the most painful curses of this century at a sixteen year old boy, and it barely seemed to affect him! Not to mention the fact that I'm STILL holding the curse. And now, Sebastien's turning towards me as if he doesn't have a care in the world!

I just manage to dodge as the boy throws a Body-Bind at me. Then, my heart almost stops as I heard him say quietly, "Imperio."

I watched, frozen, as the curse hit my shoulder. I feel my control slipping from me as the boy commands me to lower my wand. Slowly, I do as he tells me.

"Bravo!" Dumbledore claps as Sebastien finally ends the Imperius Curse.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Sebastien apologizes to me. For what reason, I can't fanthom.

I don't react; I'm still in shock. Sebastien, a child, a mere boy, had managed to cast the Imperius Curse on me, a former Death Eater. Not even Lucius Malfoy can do that, and he's considered to be one of the most powerful Death Eaters!

I finally recover and I look at the boy with new-found respect. "Indeed, well done," I said as the boy blushes from my praise.

"Um... it was nothing, sir," Sebastien mumbled, his face red in embarassment. I never knew a child could be so modest; judging by my experience from those Hogwarts kids, all children were ignorant idiots who refused to believe they were wrong. Especially that Potter brat. My lips curled at the thought.

"You have been subjected to the Unforgivables before?"

I felt irritation at the question; Didn't Albus realize that the boy didn't want to talk about this?

"Yes. Imperius and Cruciatus." Sebastien didn't even flinch at the mention of those feared curses. What was the boy made of?

I felt a burning anger; who would want to do such a thing to /a child/? And Sebastien, no less? Much as I hate to admit it, this boy did not cause trouble like /some/ people. Again, my mind traveled to Potter. Speaking of the brat...

"Headmaster, what has happened with Potter?" Was it my imagination, or did Sebastien suddenly stiffen? I shrugged off my feelings and looked expectantly at the headmaster.

"His funeral is tomorrow, and it will take place in Hogwarts, the Great Hall. I trust you will be coming?"

I nodded curtly. Much as I disliked the Potter boy, it didn't mean that I wanted him dead. Especially not killed by Death Eaters. "How are the Wizarding World reacting?"

"Everyone is in panic," Albus replied gravely, the twinkle gone from his eyes. "Everyone is scared now that the Boy-Who-Lived is gone."

I nodded in understanding. I knew what the Headmaster was talking about; Weak as Potter had been, he had been a sign of hope, he acted like a hero; he was someone who had managed to defy the Dark Lord. Now that the proof and hope was gone, everyone was frantic.

"I must go now," Dumbledore checked his watch. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Severus, Sebastien." With a swirl of his robes, he left.

Sebastien left the room as I began to do some paperwork.

The day of my so-called 'funeral' quickly arrived. I woke up early in the morning and quickly changed into robes. Severus and .... I meant /Snape/ ---Must be spending too much time listening to Dumbledore refer to Snape as 'Severus'--- and I Floo'd to Hogwarts. The Weasleys were already there, and so were the Headmaster, Hermione, Sirius, Remus, and many other families. I felt a twinge of guilt as Hermione started crying. Wanting to comfort her, I walked over.

"Sebastien Frostpine," I said, saying the new name I had come up with for myself. "I'm sorry about your friend."

Hermione looked up, obviously surprised. Furiously wiping away her tears, she said, "I'm Hermione Granger. I don't believe I've seen you before..."

"I'm new," I quickly explained. "Staying with Professor Snape for the summer."

A flash of shock crossed Hermione's features as she gaped at me. I managed to bite back my laughter. This is one of the only times I've seen Hermione at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry," she said once she had regained her posture. "Professor Snape ..er... well, he doesn't usually allow students to stay with him during the holidays. Will you be going to Hogwarts?"

I nodded. "Sixth years. Hope to see you them." With that, I retreated to Sev--Snape's side.

I listened as Dumbledore made the speech. "... brave and thoughtful, Harry Potter will be remembered. May he rest in peace."

By then, Hermione was crying again, and Mrs. Weasley was hugging Ron. My heart clenched painfully as I saw the sorrow on Remus' face. I can't but help feel guilty; Here I am, perfectly fine, while my friends are mourning over me.

Later, everyone went outside. I was shocked at the magnificent sight I saw when I looked at the lake: The letters of my name were charmed to float in the sky, creating a sort of rainbow while candles were sent floating into the lake with floating spells cast on them. Hermione and each of the Weasley clan sent candles out. So did the teachers. Soon, the lake was glittering as the flickering light of the candles lit up the night sky. After a while, most of the guests left. The only ones left were Dumbledore, Severus, (Forget Snape, I'm tired of correcting myself. Anyways, I'm fine as long as I don't call him that face-to-face.) Professor McGonagal, and Professor Flitwick.

"We must leave," Dumbledore said. "It's late. Come on, Severus, Sebastien." Together, Severus, Dumbledore, and I Floo'd back to Snape Manor.

It was seven o' clock when we arrived back at the manor. The funeral had taken up most of the day. I was about to go to my room when Severus stopped me.

"We have time to do our first potions lesson," he informed me. "Go to the library and get my copy of the Potions Textbook."

I smiled; Severus was in for a surprise: Salazar was an excellent Potions Master, and he taught me many complicated potions. I ran upstairs to get the book.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"We have time to do our first potions lesson. Go to the library and get my copy of the Potions Textbook," I told Sebastien as he was about to leave the room. I watched in surprise as a smile graced the child's lips: Sebastien hardly ever showed his emotions.

A minute later, the boy came back in with my potions book clutched in his hands. "What will we be brewing today?"

"I want to see what level you're at in Potions," I told him. "I'll first ask you some basic questions."

The boy nodded.

"Where is gillyweed found?"

"The Atlantic Ocean, sir."

"When would you pick fluxweed?"

"During a full moon."

"What potions require the use of phoenix tears?"

"Various types of truth serums, sir."

"What is the most dangerous snake alive?"

"The basilisk."

"Why are the Mandrakes harmful?"

"The scream of the Mandrakes are fateful to the one who hears it. If a Mandrake is newly born, then it may petrify the person, but in more serious cases in which the Mandrakes are full-grown, the person may suffer death."

"What ingrediants are required in the Polyjuice Potion?"

"Knotgrass, powdered unicorn horn, shredded boomsland skin, fluxweed, leeches, lacewing flies, and a piece of whoever you wish to look like."

At this, I froze, startled, while I gazed at the boy. How the child knew the ingrediants for a Polyjuice Potion, I've no idea. I really hadn't expected him to know. These kind of potions were normally ordered by the Dark Lord.

"Do you know the ingrediants of the... Knife Potion?" I asked quietly.

A curt nod. "Scarab shells, moonstone petals, nutmeg, wormwood, leeches, and acanthus. Depending on the pain level, asarum can be added." All this was said in a monotone, betraying none of Sebastien's thoughts or emotions.

Merlin, who had previously taught this boy potions? This child actually know the ingrediants of a /Knife Potion/??? It was considered as one of the Dark potions with its power to create cuts and inflict pain.

"You seem to have mastered a high level of Potions," I told Sebastien. "Who previously taught you?"

The boy mumbled something about not being able to remember. I immediately stopped my questioning of the child's past; I can imagine the boy's shame in not being able to remember his own past.

"We'll begin with the Fire-Rose Potion used to heal cuts and internal bleeding. I won't be helping you with anything today since as I've said before, I'm just testing your abilities and potentials. You may start. Ingrediants are kept in the supply room." I left the room as I said this, planning to start brewing a few batches of Healing Potion to keep Poppy happy.

Four hours later, I finished my potions brewing and came downstairs. To my surprise, I found Sebastien cleaning up. I had expected him to go to bed a two hours ago; after all, why would a sixteen year old bother to stay up late to finish brewing a potion? In their opinions, potions weren't worth being deprived of two hours of sleep.

"Evening, Professor," the boy said when he saw me. "Here's the potion." He handed me a bottle filled with a fiery-red substance.

"You should go to bed, Sebastien," I said. "Tomorrow will be a long day."

The child looked surprised for a second before nodding. "Night, Professor."

After a moment, I replied, "Good night, Sebastien."

Harry was sitting in a misty courtyard; the sun shone brightly, lighting up the whole place. The sunlight danced in the air, reflecting and causing various rainbows to sparkle. Far off, a phoenix sang its morning song, the beautiful trilling echoing though the air.

Suddenly, a woman with lavender eyes appeared before him. "Harry," she acknowledged.

"Lady Shiara!" Harry cried out, happy to see the person who had once saved him. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my way to communicate with you, little one," she smile. "Through your dreams. Today, I'm going to introduce you to my sisters so we can get the bonding done."

"Bonding?"

"I'll explain once the introductions are done. For the basics, we are all goddesses, members of the spiritual world. We each rule one or two elements. Here," at this, the mist cleared away, revealing several other women. "These are my sisters. This," the Lady gestured towards a woman with dark hair tinged with blue. "Is Lady Skya, Goddess of the Ocean and Night. Her ruling elements are water and darkness."

Lady Skya gave Harry a small smile. "Welcome, child."

A woman with lush green hair stepped up next. "This is Lady Trisana, Goddess of Nature and Animal. Her element is Earth."

"Pleased to meet you, Lady," Harry said politely.

"This is Lady Elsa, Goddess of Sun, Moon, and Stars. Her element is Light." This was indicated to a woman with creamy-blonde hair and pale eyes.

"And finally, this is Lady Lyra, Goddess of Pain, Darkness, and Hope. She rules the elements of Wind and Ice."

There was something about this Lady that seemed to hold Harrys' attention. Lady Lyra had long, silvery-black hair which reached her waist. The curtain of hair danced around her and her eyes were a mysterious grey, with a tinge of icy-blue. Those eyes were piercing and penetrating, and Harry felt as if she could hear his thoughts. There also seemed to be an air of mystery about her.

"What element do you rule?" Harry asked, turning back to Lady Shiara.

"I rule fire, sometimes referred to as heat."

For the first time, Harry noticed that Shiara's hair was not pure black; the bottom fringe was dark, rich red, occasionally flaring up.

"Now that the introductions are done, we will move onto the binding. Binding will bind you to a certain goddess. You will be able to perform mental telepathy with that particular goddess so that she can help you with emergencies, and more importantly, give you mental training on dealing with things."

"What?" Harry was at a loss for words. "Why me? I mean.... Not that I'm unhappy to be bonded, by why do things always happen to me?"

"One of your mentors, Salazar, has taught you the basics. You can not possibly learn everything in only three years, and in order to defeat the Dark Lord, you must learn everything you need to know. You are special, Harry. You can not ignore that. You will be the one to bring down the Dark, which is why you must learn all of this. Now, for the bonding." She handed Harry a small crystal.

"This is what you must focus your power through. The light and power will be directed to the one you will be bonded to and then we can perform the rituals."

"Alright," Harry replied uncertainly. Taking the small crystal, he concentrated. He could feel the energy and power pulsing within him, pushing, trying to force its way out. Focusing all of the energy into the small crystal, he concentrated.

Slowly, a pure white beam erupted from the crystal. The beam stretched longer and longer until it suddenly split into many beams. The beams began to swirl and rushed through the air, faster and faster. Suddenly, it wrapped itself around Lady Lyra, twisting around her, spinning forcefully.

For how long he stood there, Harry did not know. The next thing he knew, the light and air slowly calmed as the beam vanished.

"Very good."

He looked up to see that it was Lady Shiara who had spoken.

"You have been bonded to Lady Lyra."

"I--" Harry was stunned. He had expected to be bonded to Shiara or Skya. Certainly not Lady Lyra. But though this Lady was not warm like the others, she had a charm of her own.

"Harry."

Lady Lyra's voice rang through the air, and Harry froze momentarily. The voice was soft and silvery, warm yet icy at the same time.

"You have been bonded to me. I would like to present you with one gift."

At that, the Lady raised her hand and a golden beam erupted from her fingers, hitting Harry. A warms spread through the boy's body.

"I grant you the gift of speaking Phoenixus, the language of the Phoenix."

Lady Lyra backed away as Lady Shiara stepped up again. She smiled at his look of utter amazement. "Young one," she said. "I would also like to grant you a gift." At this, she waved her hands, her silver robes flying in the air.

A minute later, the flutter of wings reached the ears of Harry. There was a swirl of air, and a phoenix flew into sight. Her wings were golden around the tips and reddish-orange around the middle. Her tailfeathers were a fiery red, long and elegant.

"I grant you your familiar."

"Familiar?" Harry asked, puzzled.

//Familiars are animals that are mentally attached with you. They're also able to perform mental telephathy,// Lady Lyra's voice said in his head, making him jump.

"Lady Lyra?" he asked out loud, confused.

//Speak in you mind, child,// the lady's voice once again echoed in his mind. //Remember, now that we're bonded, metal telephathy is also possible between us.//

Meanwhile, the phoenix was fluttering around, suddenly, it burst into a trilling song. The melody was beautiful and full of hope. To Harrys' surprise, he realized that he could understand its words. He suddenly remembered Lady Lyra's gift. So this was what she had been talking about.

Harry realized why this song seemed so familiar; it was the phoenix music he had heard when he had been battling Voldemort at the end of his fourth year. He smiled as he heard the song which had given him hope at the last possible minute, the tune which had silently cheered him on. Opening his mouth, he slowly joined in the singing, Phoenixus easily rolling over his tongue as if he had known it all his life. Their singing was the same, yet exactly the opposite at the same time. Together, they sang in harmony, Day and Night, Moon and Sun, Light and Dark, coming together to form a whole. Their trilling was soft yet with such intensity that Harry found himself shivering.

?Greetings, young master,? the phoenix said after it stopped its graceful singing.

?Greetings, elegant phoenix,? Harry replied in the same tongue. ?Honoured to meet you.?

?Name me, please, young master. I would like to have a name.?

Harry smiled. ?Hmm...? he said thoughtfully. ?You are a female, are you not??

?That is so, child.?

?Will Flame do?? he asked after a while of pondering. ?For you are the colour of fire.?

?Flame is fine,? was the reply. After a moment...

Harry let out a startled gasp; he had completely forgotten that his familiar had telepathic abilities when speaking with him. he said finally.

"One last gift."

Harry looked up and saw that this time, it was Lady Elsa who had spoken.

"This gift is from all of us." There was a flash of white light, and suddenly, two snakes appeared on the ground.

Harry gasped; the snakes were beautiful, unlike any other he had seen before. One was midnight black with a thin, white pattern down its back. The other was exactly the same, except its body was ice-white while the band of pattern was black.

~Good morning, young master,~ the black snake hissed in Parseltongue.

~Good morning,~ Harry replied, starting to feel a bit dazed. After all, he had just found out in the last ten minutes that he A) Now had a bond with Lady Lyra, allowing telepathic speech, B) had a new familiar named Flame and C) recieved two pet snakes whom he could communicate with.

~You are a speaker,~ The white snake stated.

~Yes.~

~Pleasure, young master. We are your's to do as you wish.~ This time, it the black snake who had spoken.

~Do you have names?~ Harry asked curiously. He was getting tired to referring to the snakes as white snake and black snake.

~Yes.~ The white snake spoke. ~I am Ice, and my sister here is Shadow.~

~Where do you come from?~ Harry asked, curious. ~And what species of snake are you? I don't think I've seen any of your kind before.~

~We are from Northern America,~ Shadow replied. ~We are from a species of snake called Serpentirus, but most people believe that we are extinct. In reality, we have just gone into hiding to avoid humans whom believe us to be evil.~

~Can we communicate with telepathic speech?~ Harry asked uncertainly. He felt as if anything was possible at the moment after the amazing events that had unfolded in front of him.

{I believe we can.} Ice's voice rang in his mind. The snake seemed amused as Harry jumped.

{You better stop scaring me like that or I might have a heart attack after this is over,} Harry scolded, but his tone was joking, not reprimanding.

//We must finish with this now.// Lady Lyra's firm voice interrupted. //Harry, you must go back you your world. Ice, Shadow, and Flame will be coming with you; You will have to make up an excuse as to how you got them. Do not be afraid; if you need me, just speak into your mind. I'll always be there now that we're bonded.//

//Thank you, Lady. I'm ready to go back.// Harry said confidently.

//Very well. See you soon, child.//

There was flash of light, and Harry was gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry opened his eyes to find himself back in his room in Snape Manor. Stretching, he found Flame perched on the side of his bed. Ice and Shadow were curled up on his arms.

?You're awake, young master,? Flame said, trilling in greeting. With a poke, she woke up the two snakes.

After dealing with grumbling snakes and exchanging greetings, Harry got up and got changed.

Okay, now for the next problem. How was he going to tel Snape about his new pets? Harry finally decided to take it one step at a time: today, he would go to lessons with Ice and SHadow; Flame would be introduced when the opportunity presented itself.

At promptly nine o'clock, Harry started down the stairs with Ice and Shadow curled arond his left arm. In his right hand, he held his black wand.

~Remember,~ he hissed to the snakes. ~When we are down there, I can't talk in Parseltongue. I don't want Snape to know. We'll have to use telepathic speech.~

~Yes, young master,~ came the reply.

Harry took a deep breath and walked into the room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus Snape was sitting in a chair, book in hand, waiting for Sebastien to come down for lessons.

He had waited for ten minutes when the door flew open. He couldn't help but stare: his student had drawn himself to his whole height (which was almost as tall as Severus himself). The boy wore a pair of long, silver robes, and with his long, black hair swishing, Severus had to admit that the child would soon be chased by many girls.

But most stunning of all were the two snakes curled around the boy's arm.

"Um... Sebastien?" he asked. "Are those Serpentirus snakes, by any chance?"

"Yes, sir," th child smiled. "This is Ice, and that's Shadow." He gestured towards the animals.

"You DO know that Serpentirus snakes are poisonous?" Severus sat frozen, not moving an inch, watching the snake hiss.

Sebastien shrugged. "No big deal," he replied, reaching down to stroke the white snake.

Severus recovered from his shock and began his lecture on transfiguration. He kept a tight watch on the two snakes.

After transfiguration, Severus moved onto Potions. "Today," he began. "I'll allow you to choose which potion you want to make, as long as it's not illegal, harmful, or dangerous. Take your pick."

Sebastien pondered for a moment before repling promptly, "Windlight Potion."

Severus looked thoughtful. "Windlight Potion is one of the most powerful healing potions in the world," he said. "And the procedures are extremely difficult, although it can be brewed in a single day. The only problem is that it requires the healing properties of phoenix tears and phoenix tailfeathers, both which we lack."

"Not a problem," Sebastien said carefully. "Let's start brewing. Tell me when you need the phoenix ingrediants, and I'll get them."

Severus was starting to get slightly suspicious. The boy knew where he could get one of the most rarest ingrediatns in the world? Perhaps the child /did/ work for the Dark Lord after all. Voldemort was the only one he knew of that had every ingrediant in the world at his disposal. When the Dark Lord required Severus to brew a potion which required rare ingrediants, those materials were handed out exactly so that none was left over.

Oh well. He pulled out a cauldron adn several ingrediants as he watched Sebastien begin to brew.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry knew the second he had walked into the room that something was different. It took him a moment to realize what it was.

He could physically /see/ Sev-- Snape's aura. It was a shade of midnight blue.

//Lady Lyra?// he asked silently. //What's happening?//

//You are now an elemental, and because of it, you have new powers. One of the powers is that you are now albe to see auras.// came the reply.

//What's an elemental?// Harry asked, confused.

//I'll explain later,// The Lady replied. //Pay attention, your professor is speaking.//

After listening to Snape talk about transfigureing various objects (Harry had to hide his smirk at the way his teacher carefully watched the snakes' every move), they moved onto Potions.

Harry grinned; how ironic that Potions was now one of his favourite subjects.

He was thrilled when Severus--'Snape,' he reminded himself-- allowed him to pick whatever potion he wished. He chose the Windlight Potion which he had heard a lot about, but never made.

He felt a wave of saddness and hurt when he saw the cloud of suspicion in the Potions Master's aura when he mentioned having free access to phoenix tears and tailfeathers. He shrugged away the feeling as he began brewing.

After Snape added the jasmine petals, the Potions Master said, "We have to add teh phoenix ingrediants now in order for this potion to work."

Harry gave a curt nod as he let out a shrill trill in Phoenixus. he called silently.

He could see that Snape was shocked when he had cllaed out in the language of the Phoenix. He didn't care at the moment; Snape would find out sooner or later.

Harry asked.

?Of course, young master,? the phoenix trilled. Leaning forward, three drops of pearly tears dripped into the bubbling cauldron.

?Thank you, Flame,? Harry replied, not bothering to use telepathic speech. Snape knew already anyways, and it took more energy to use telepathic speech. He knew he would get used to it after a while, but for now, he just spoke in Phoenixus.

He heard Snape gasp again as he reached out. He delicately took the fragile phoenix feather Flame handed him. Dropping it into the potion, he stirred three times counter-clockwise.

"Okay," Severus said when the potion started to simmer. "What was that about?" He had been stunned when Sebastien spoke Phoenixus; it was a rare gift that only Merlin himself had had.

"This is Flame," Sebastien said, pointing to the phoenix. "He's my familiar. He just turned up this morning."

It was strange as Severus considered the situation; Phoenix only associated with the most innocent aura and purest magic. This

boy was clearly more than he seemed. He decided to let it go for now. "Fine," he replied, scowling, as he returned to the potion.

//So, what's an elemental?//

That was the first question I asked when I walked back to my room.

//An elemental,// the Lady explained, //is a person who has the abilit to control one or two elements. When we were bonded, most of my elemental magic was transfered to you. So you are now an elemental of wind and ice.//

//What about the auras?// I asked curiously.

//Ah, yes. The elemental magic allowed you to /see/ the auras, showing you how powerful, or weak, a person is. You can also sense the person's emotions. The auras rate from most powerful to least powerful, starting from white, then red, blue, yellow, purple, green, and orange. White is the most powerful; I believe Merlin was one of the few whom had it. The darker a colour, the more powerful that person is.//

//Well, Sev-- I meant Snape had a icy grey-blue aura, and it was pretty dark, so that means he's considered powerful?// I asked, blushing over my little slip.

//First of all, child,// the Lady said, sounding amused. //Do not be afraid to call him Severus. If you feel that you know him well enough to do so, then do it. You realize that he is much like you, little one.//

//Like me?//

//He had an awful childhood; his parents encouraged him to join Voldemort. But you realize that their parents were nothing like the Weasleys. They are cold, hard people, displaying no love or warmth.//

//But... what happened?//

//That, child, is not for me to say. You will have to ask him some day. You must realize that he needs you, just as you need him.// Lady Lyra was smiling, I could tell, as if she could see my stunned expression. //You may not realize it, little one, but its true.// She sighed. //Now, back to the point. Yes, Severus is considered powerful, but have you noticed the silver lining on his aura?//

I shook my head. //Nope. What does it mean?//

//A silver lining represents Dark magic. If a person interacts with Dark magic too often, their auras will automatically have a silver lining. Since Severus has the Dark Mark, but loathes the thought of being a Death Eater, his line is barely visible. On the other hand,// Here, the Lady paused slightly. //The opposite, is a golden lining. It's a sign of Light magic. For example, if you see Albus Dumbledore, you'll see a well-defined golden lining outside his aura.//

//Um... I'm just curious,// I asked uncertainly. //But... what colour is my aura?//

The Lady laughed, a beautiful, melodic sound. //Do not worry, little one. Your aura is of the purest white, and you will be able to defeat the Dark with no problems as long as you train and practise.//

//Train?// I asked, confused.

//Training is necessary for you to explore your powers and control you elements. We will begin practical training lessons as soon as possible. First though, you must read about the theory and meditation skills. When you have mastered the meditation, then we can move on. Also, you will have to learn Shape-Shifting. It allows you to change your appearance. That's what Shiara did you your appearance. Shape-Shifting it a part of elemental and spiritual magic which you will learn.//

//What book do I have to get?// I asked, eager to begin.

//No need. There, take these two.//

I was shocked as three books flew towards me and onto the table. One read, 'Elemental Magic: The Ancient Elements by Rowena Ravenclaw' while the other was called 'Meditation Skills: A Complete Guide by Godric Gryffindor'. The last one was called 'The Art of Shape-Shifting by Salazar Slytherin.' //Rowena, Godric, and Salazar wrote these?// I asked, completely stunned.

//Yes, they wanted their future generations to be able to learn the ancient skills. Now, read these two books as soon as possible, and practise the meditation skills. Inform me when you are done. You have one week at the longest.//

I groaned. Reading, reading, reading. I opened one of the books to the first page and began to read.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The days passed quickly. Harry had soon finished reading his required books, and was now mastering the art of elementals and meditation. His control over his elements has improved greatly. He was now able to call the wind and ice to him when he wished. His Shape-Shifting techniques were also improving. He was now able to shift his appearance at will. Each morning, he woke at four a.m. in order to practise.

Now, he had a second problem. Nightmares. The daily visions were depriving him of sleep. Each night, he dreamed of Voldemort with his reptilian eyes, torturing Muggles mercilessly. And Cedric, Sirius, his parents.... they all came to haunt him during the frightening shadows of the night. Sometimes, it was the Dursleys again, usually beating him whil he had no way of defending himself. He was constantly tired and messing up his work.

"Sebastien!" Severus barked. "What do you think you're doing? You're supposed to put in nutmeg FIRST, before the basilik powder! Now the potion's completely ruined!"

"I'm sorry, sir," Sebastien replied, yawning. Looking at him, Severus felt concern. It was only eight in the evening, and Sebastein seemed unbelievably tired. The child had been messing everything up for the last few days. Something was wrong, though what, he did not know.

"Wait here," he ordered. "I'll go get a new supply of ingrediants from the storage room so you can start over. With that, he left the room.

When he came back, his arms full of ingrediants, he was surprised to see Sebastien asleep on the table. The child looked dead to his feet. Usually, Severus would awaken the student and yell at them for falling asleep, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do it now. The child looked different without his usually guarded look, so fragile, so... vulnerable. Dropping the ingrediants on a table, he levitated the boy onto the sofa. Summoning a blanket, he covered the child.

For a few moments, Severus watched Sebastien sleep, looking so peaceful. He reached out a hand and unconsciously brushed away a strand of hair. He caught himself in the middle of the action. What was he doing?

He was about to leave when the boy started mumbling, looking uneasy. "No, no... not me, not again... I didn't do it, it was Dudley..."

Dudley? Who was that? The name sounded slightly familiar.

The child continued to mumble. "Please... don't, leave me alone..." His voice was rising both in volume and intensity, making a crescendo. "PLEASE, NO~!" The child leaned backwards, cowering. Severus watched, shocked, as blood started leaking out of the boy's mouth.

Severus wondered for a moment what would cause such a violent reaction before turning to the matter at hand. What could he do to calm the child? He reached out uncertainly and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, but Sebastien winced, flinching away from him.

He had to show Sebastien that he was safe, and there was only one thing he could think of to do. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the child and pulled him into an embrace.

At first, the boy stiffened, but slowly relaxed. After a few minutes, Severus moved to put Sebastien back onto the sofa, but the child grabbed onto his robes, snuggling against him. Severus froze. This was the first time someone willingly sought out comfort from him, and he wasn't used to the human contact.

The boy slowing fell into relaxed sleep, but Severus could not move without waking up the child. Using a spell, he quickly got rid of all traces of blood. He held the boy for the rest of the night.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The first thing Harry was aware of was warmth. Such unbelievable comfort and love. He felt someone pull a strand of hair from his face. He snuggled towards the warmth as he felt whoever was holding him freeze. A second later, the person relaxed again.

He could not ever remember being held this way. Yes, Mrs. Weasley had held him a few times while he cried, but this was... different. There was a feeling of protectiveness that he hadn't noticed before.

Opening his eyes, he found himself looking into a pair of obsidian black eyes. With a gulp, he realized that it was Sev-- no, Snape... no, Severus. (WHATEVER!) He cheeks flushed as he jumped up and immediately apologized. "Um... Sorry, sir."

"No need. How are you feeling?" was the reply. Harry slowly looked up. There was a softness in Severus' voice that he had never heard before. A slight understanding. And was that concern he saw in the man's usually emotionless eyes? No, he had to be imagining it. Why would Severus Snape care about Harry Potter? He could almost laugh at the very idea. He suddenly realized that he was being asked a question.

"Um... fine, sir," he replied, blushing again. He got up and hesitantly added, "Thank you, sir," as he walked out of the room. He didn't see the sad expression on the Potions Master's face.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus saw Sebastien open his eyes. The boy looked shocked for a second before immediately putting on a blank mask. He felt surprised at how sorrowful he felt. This boy was concealing his emotions and hiding away from the rest of the world. A child shouldn't have to do that, to go through that. Whatever the child had been dreaming about, it wasn't pleasent.

He watched as Sebastien left the room. He sighed, getting up. He was about to go eat breakfast when his left arm suddenly burned. Damn it, why now? Well, not that he had a choice. Sighing once again, he went to Sebastien's rooms.

"I'll be gone for a while, I don't know when I'll be back," he said, quickly leaving, clutching his left forearm. He didn't notice the icy-blue eyes looking at him with concern.

Severus walked out of the house until he was out of the Anti- Appartion wards. With a pop, he was gone, leaving thin air where he was standing a minute ago.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry was worried. Yes, he admitted it. He was worried about Severus. After all, his professor had comforted him earlier with his nightmares.

He had to admit that Severus wasn't bad when he wasn't around other students. He was almost... nice when he didn't constantly where that smirk of his on his face.

Harry paced the rooms, tapping his foot impatiently. Beside him, he had several different bottles of healing potion ready. He knew that when Severus came back, he wouldn't be in a good condition and would definately need the potions. He checked his watch. The Potions Master had been gone for two hours already. He began pacing again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus found himself in front of a looming house. This was Riddle Manor, though where it was located, he was unsure. Voldemort never told his followers any of this information, just in case there as a spy among them.

With a swish of his robes, he walked into the now familiar Manor. The Dark Lord often held meetings here. Walking through the grand entrance hall, he walked down the hallway to where Voldemort usually held his meetings.

Walking into the dimly lit room, he found Voldemort sitting in an armchair. Gathered around him were a group of Death Eaters, each cloaked in black.

"My Lord," he said, kneeling, as he kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robes, feeling sick all the while.

Voldemort turned around and smiled, a cold smile of anticipation, sending a chill down Severus' back.

"Finally, you have come, Severus."

"Of course, My Lord, I am always at your service."

"Are you sure you are loyal, my dear Severus?"

"My loyalty shall never waver, my Lord," Severus replied, his voice showing none of the disgust he felt.

"Then why have you not notified me about you new charge? Sebastien is his name, is it not?"

Severus swallowed. How had the Dark Lord found out about Sebastien? "My Lord," he said, still kneeling. "I did not wish to bother you and thought I would notify you next when you call us. I did not know you knew already."

"I will take that excuse for today, Severus, but next time, I expect better of you."

"Of course, my Lord."

"Today," Voldemort said, a smile plastered on his face. "I will test your loyalties. Each of you will be put under tests and those of you who are not loyal, will die in pain."

Severus' stomach clenched painfully. He knew exactly what the Dark Lord meant by 'tests'. Voldemort occasionally tested people's loyalty by putting them under various curses and torture devises. He thought that anyone not loyal would end up confessing. Severus had seem many times when a Death Eater confessed to passing information to Dumbledore when Severus knew for a fact that the follower had done nothing of the sort. Most just confessed so that they could be killed, so that the pain would be over.

Severus bit back a scream as Voldemort pointed his wand at him and said, "Culter." It felt as though a billion knives were ripping into his skin. Cuts opened on his pale skin as he started bleeding. Soon, he was lying in a pool of his own blood. Many others were in the same condition.

Three hours later, the torture finally ended. The only thing which kept Severus going was the fact that he was disloyal, and that he had to survive so he could continue spying for Dumbledore.

He staggered from the house and with a loud 'pop', Apparated.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry had been waiting for almost four hours when finally, there was a pop. Severus appeared out of thin air, but his condition was terrible. Various cuts lined his pale skin, making him bleed. Judging from his aura, he was in great pain. He had been put under the prolonged Cruciatus curse, looking at the way the man was shaking.

"Professor!" Harry cried as he rushed over and helped the Potions Master onto the sofa. Taking out a bottle of healing potion he had brewed a few days ago, he gave it to his professor. "Drink this, sir."

The professor lifted the cup to his face, but his hands were shaking too much. Finally, Harry just took the cup and helped his teacher down the contents by holding it up to the Potions Masters' mouth.

He took out a potion for dealing with the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse. Helping Severus drink the blue potion, he sat down and sighed.

He had done all he could with potions. Now, for the spells. Pulling out his wand, he whispered, "Communis Healius!"

The cuts and wounds, both internal and external, began to heal. Harry sighed. Severus looked much better than when he had first walked in. Casting a sleeping spell on the man, he decided to notify Dumbledore.

Going to Severus' fireplace, he threw a handful of Floo Powder into the fireplace. Instead of stepping in though, he called out, "Albus Dumbledore!" With that, he stuck his head into the fire.

He found himself in Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster was sitting at his desk. Dumbledore looked surprised when he saw him. "Sebastien," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Professor Snape just came back from a Death Eater meeting, sir," Harry gasped out, not caring if he wasnt' supposed to know this information. "He's hurt."

"Go back," Dumbledore ordered. "I'll be there in a second."

Hary obeyed, and sure enough, Dumbledore stepped through the fireplace a minute later. "Where is he?"

Leading the Headmaster to the sofa in which Severus was lying in, he explained, "I gave him several healing potions and healing spells."

"Thank you, that's all we can do at the moment." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again before he became serious. "Although Sebastien, you must tell me, how did you know that Severus was going to a Death Eater meeting? How did you know all those healing spells? They are advanced beyond your level, and I doubt you have made /that/ much progress these weeks."

"I--" Harry opened his mouth to tell Dumbledore that he couldn't tell him when Lady Lyra interrupted.

//Tell him, Harry. He will help you.//

//Excuse me?// Harry asked, stunned.

//Tell him who you are. He will understand and help you. I promise.//

//If your sure.// Harry sighed, admitting defeat. Turning to the curious Headmaster, he said, "Professor, I doubt you will believe this..."

"Do not be so quick to judge me, Sebastien," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

"Fine. I'm not really Sebastien Frostpine. I AM an orphan, but I was not Obliviated. I know exactly what happened and how I got here."

"And how, is that, my dear boy?"

Harry raised his hand and as he shifted into his true form, said, "Headmaster, I am Harry Potter."

He smirked slightly at the look on the headmaster's face. So Dumbledore wasn't 'all-knowing' after all.

"I'm sorry," Dumbledore said after a moment. "But I must ask you to prove this."

"No problem." Harry raised his head and hissed in Parseltongue. ~Come to me, Ice and Shadow.~ A minute later, the two snakes slithered onto his arm.

He looked up and saw that the Headmaster's look was guarded. "Professor?"

"I must ask you to do something else," Dumbledore replied, his wand in hand. "For Harry Potter is not the only one who knows how to speak Parseltongue. Tom Marvelo Riddle also knows how. I must be sure that you are not Voldemort in disguise."

Harry could have laughed at the silliness of the sentence. Dumbledore thought HE was Voldemort? Ha!"Of course, Headmaster," he said as he raised his voice. This time, he called out in Phoenixus, ?Come, Flame!?

A minute later, there was a loud trill in reply. Flame flew into the room and perched himself on Harry's shoulder.

"Is this proof enough?"

This time, the Headmaster smiled, his eyes twinkling. "It is good to have you back, Mr. Potter. Can you tell me how this happened?"

So Harry spent the next hour telling the Headmaster of what had happened: The fire, Lady Shiara, the Dimension travel, meeting the Founders, bonding with Lady Lyra, the gifts, Severus' Death Eater meeting... all that and more. The only things he left out were the trainign he was going through.

"... So I came to the fire to notify you, and here you are." Harry finished.

"Excellent, excellent." Dumbledore's eyes were amused. He checked his watch. "You realize that we must keep this between us, and tell no one, not even the Weasleys or Severus." Seeing Harry's nod of comprehension, he added, "It's been a long morning, Harry. Go get yourself some food. I'll watch over Severus."

Harry left the room. He didn't hear the Headmaster say to himself, "Looks like it will be another exciting year."

The days quickly flew by. Severus slowly recovered and soon, it was August 29th, the day Harry was to go get his supplies for the new school year.

That day, Harry woke up early in the mroning. After eating breakfast with the Potions Master, they were set to leave for Diagon Alley.

They Apparated together, since Harry had learned from the Founders how to do so. They appeared outside the Leaky Cauldron.

"You already have a wand, so you don't have to worry about that," Severus said as he quickly pointed out the main stores. "I'll meet you at Three Broomsticks at three." With that, th professor left.

First stop, Gringotts. After filling his bag with Gallons, sickles, and knuts, he walked into Madam Malkins. There, he ordered several dozen pairs of robes, mostly balck. He also ordered robes of emerald green and cerulean blue, each with golden linings. These, he had the shopeowner pack into hsi new trunk.

Next, he walked into the bookstore. He quickly gathered the required books for the sixth years and a few extra books Lady Lyra had encouraged him to get. //You'll need it for studying,// were her words of explanation.

By then, it was about 12 p.m. He was about to go for lunch when he heard a voice call out to him.

"Sebastien!"

Harry turned to see the familiar figure of Hermione Granger walking towards him. Behind her followed Ron Weasley, who had a confused expression on his face.

"Hey, Sebastien," Hermione greeted him. Turning to Ron, she explained, "Ron, this is Sebastien Frostpine. He's new to Hogwarts this year and has been staying with Professor Snape over the holidays."

Harry watched in amusement as Ron gaped at him. The expression on the redhead's face was priceless. Upon reconvering, the boy said, "Ronald Weasley." Turning back to Hermione, he asked, "Where did you meet him, 'Mione?"

"... At... Harry- Harry's funeral." The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as Ron stiffened.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Want to join us for lunch, Sebastien?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.

"Sure," Harry replied, glad that the awkwardnes had disappeared. "Where do you wnt to go?"

"Is the Three Broomstick okay?" Hermione asked. She looked at Ron, who shrugged.

They sat down at a table and Hermione went to order some butterbeer.

"So, what's it like, living with Snape?" Ron asked.

"It's not too bad," Harry replied. "He's actually okay when he isn't around students."

Ron snorted disbelievingly. "So, what's your favourite Quidditch team?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Chudley Cannons," Harry answered, smiling as Ron started rambling on about the Quidditch team. "Do you play?"

"I played a little for Gryffindor last year," Ron shrugged. "I don't know about this year. How about you?"

"I play Seeker." Harry turned away so he didn't have to see the sorrowful expression on his friend's face.

Just then, Hermione came back with a tray of butterbeer in her hands. All conversations stopped as he began to eat.

After lunch, they went shopping together. First stop, the pet shop. Harry walked in to get a new owl. He had given Hedwig to Ron to keep over the summer at the end of his fifth year.

While the other two were looking curiously at the different animals, he spotted a small, brown owl perched miserably on a crowded perch. Perfect. Paying for his new pet, he left the shop. It was two p.m.

Next, they headed into the Quidditch shop. Harry stopped in front of the broom display. The Maurader's Map, Firebolt, invisibility cloak, and photo album of his parents were some of the properties which he still owned since he had shrunk it and kept it in his pocket before term ended last year. Thank goodness the Firebolt was safe; it was precious, being a birthday present from Sirius. But he couldn't use the broomstick; Ron would recognize it for sure. He decided to purchase a new broom: the Windwhip 2000. It happened to be the newest and fastest broom currently on sale.

"Wow." Ron sighed wistfully as the shopkeeper wrapped up the new broom and handed it to Harry.

They left the shop and was about to walk into Honeydukes when it happened. First, there was a loud bang. Then, a store exploded.

Immediately, a dozen cloaked figures Apparated in. Each wore a mask to cover their face. Death Eaters.

Harry whipped out his wand, standing, ready to attack if necessary. People were soon running wild, all over the place, screaming and yelling.

"SEBASTIEN! BEHIND YOU!"

Harry turned around only to see a Death Eater raise his wand and yell, "Crucio."

Harry knew that he could shield Unforgivables if necessary: Salazar had taught him how. But he didn't want to do so at the moment. He would immediately catch Voldemort's attention. Instead, he allowed the curse to hit him. Pain coursed through him, pounding through his veins, but he paid it no attention. Instead, he raised his wand and said in a firm voice, "Stupefy."

The Death Eater had not expected him to attack while being under the Cruciatus Curse. The stunning spell hit the cloaked figure and the person fell to the ground with a thud.

"Sebastien!"

He turned to see Hermione and Ron running towards him. They had anxious but reliefed expressions on their faces.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. WATCH OUT!"

Harry was just in time to see a Death Eater point his wand at Ron and say, "Crucio!"

Immediately, he paniced. He knew that Ron had never been placed under the Cruciatus Curse before. It was a horrible experience, an experience he didn't want his friend to have. Without a second thought, he leaped into the air, pushing the redhead out of the way. Just in time to see the curse hit his chest.

For the second time, pain rushed through his body, controlling him. With all his might, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain, concentrating on casting a spell. However, the pain suddenly stopped.

Looking up, he saw Hermione with her wand raised and the Death Eater on the floor. It seemed as if the girl had petrified the man.

"Come on, let's go!" He knew he had to find Severus. As he was rushing around, he saw a group of Ministry Aurors Apparating in. Good, the fight would be over.

"SEVERUS!" Harry yelled on the top of his lungs when he saw his professor in the crowd. "WE'RE HERE! SEVERUS!" He realized that he was using the Potions Master's first name. At this moment, he couldn't care less.

His professor turned and seeing him, began to run towards him. A second later, Harry saw the Weasley family follow suit.

"Are you okay?" Severus asked worriedly. Beside them, Mrs. Weasley was hugging Ron and Hermione.

"I'm f--" he began, only to be cut off by a voice beside him.

"No, you're not! Professor, he was hit by the Cruciatus Curse twice!"

He turned to see it was Hermione who had spoken.

"Sebastien?"

Harry turned back to his Professor. "I'm fine," he insisted.

Even as he said this, he knew it was not true: his legs felt as if they were about to collapse, his hands shaking uncontrollably. He felt so tired...

His legs couldn't hold his weight any longer. He fell forward into blessed darkness.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus looked helplessly at the boy lying in his arms. He was aware that Granger and the Weasleys were staring at him. Speaking of them, what had Sebastien been doing with them anyways?

The boy was obviously tired. And if Granger was right, he had also been hit by Unforgivables. Not a good combination. Quickly, he picked up the boy, walking towards Leaky Cauldron so he could floo back to Snape Manor. He was aware of the way the Weasleys were gaping at him, but he was surprised to find he didn't care very much. Getting Sebastien to rest was priority.

As he walked, he pondered on what had happened. He had been coming out of the various stores, carrying several potions ingrediants, when he heard a loud bang. A second later, the store 'Monica's Styling Clothes for every event and celebration, both Muggle and Wizard' had blown up, killing the many customers inside.

He had began to panic slightly. Running out, he was searching through the crowds when he heard someone calling his name...

Speaking of his name... Sebastien had called him 'Severus'. He wasn't sure how he felt about this; the only student who had ever called him this was Draco, being his godson. And what was he doing around Granger and Weasley anyways?

Walking into Snape Manor, he strided quickly towards the boy's bedroom. Placing the child in bed, he quickly pulled up the bedcovers, tucking the boy in. Sebastien let out a contented sigh.

He sighed himself. He didn't understand how the boy had managed to stun the Death Eaters. Most of them had experience and were fully trained. Maybe the child was more than he seemed to be after all.

He was beginning to feel tired. Returning to his room, he quickly changed and fell asleep.

The last few days of the holiday flew by. Soon, it was September 1st. Harry had packed his trunk and belongings, waiting for Severus to get ready.

"Alright," the Potions Master said finally. "Let's go."

"What about you?"

"I'll be going straight to Hogwarts after you leave. Oh, and if anyone asks, you are a boarding student from North America."

"How am I going?" Harry asked curiously. "Floo powder or portkey?"

"Portkey." The professor held out a small key. "Ready?"

"Ready." Reaching out, he touched the key. He felt a tug around his navel as he closed his eyes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When he opened his eyes, Harry found himself on Platform 9 3/4. It was crowded with students.

He quickly dragged his trunk over and boarded the train. Most of the compartments were full already. After running around for five minutes, he finally found an empty compartment with only one girl in it.

After sitting down, he looked curiously at the girl. She was rather tall and had rich, dark-red hair which tumbled down her back. Her eyes were misty grey, reminding him of Lady Lyra. Her aura, surprisingly, was bright red. Oh yes, this girl was powerful.

"Hello, I'm Sebastien Frostpine," he introduced himself. "I'm new at Hogwarts this year."

The girl looked at him. He felt slightly awkward and was about to turn away when the girl smiled.

"Eliza Serenity Rosethorn," she replied, holding out her hand, which Harry took. "I'm new too. Boarding student from United States."

The rest of the way to Hogwarts, they got aquianted with each other. Harry took an immediate liking to Eliza: she was intellegent, mature, humourous, and had a sharp sense of sarcasm which reminded him of Severus.

"So, tell me about yourself," he said. "Do you live with your parents? Have any siblings?"

"I'm an only child," she said. "I would like to have a few siblings. It gets lonely sometimes, you know," she added while Harry nodded in understanding. "I don't live with my parents; they were killed in a Death Eater attack when I was five. I live with my godparents. I attended a small wizarding school in the U.S."

Harry smiled wistfully, thinking of Sirius. "My parents were killed by Voldemort too," he said sadly. "I lived in an orphanage until now."

"Aren't you supposed to get your letter on your eleventh birthday though?"

"I.. um... I attended another magic school too." He stuttered slightly, hoping she didn't notice his stumbling of words.

Thankfully, the train pulled into Hogwarts at that moment. Harry got off, and with Eliza following him, wondered where he should go.

Just then, Severus-- no, Professor Snape, he reminded himself-- appeared. "Miss Rosethorn, Mr. Frostpine," he said curting. "Follow me."

By the time they walked into the Great Hall, it was already full. Professor McGonagal was just leading in the first years.

"Go join the end of the line with the first year," Severus -- oh hell, what did it matter? As long as he didn't call him that in class--- instructed. "You will be sorted."

Harry was about to follow Eliza, and was surpised wen he felt a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder. "Good luck," the Potions Master's voice whispered.

He smiled his thanks and walked over to the end of the line of first years. He could not help but panic. Although he knew no one would be able to see through his disguise, he was still nervous. He barely heard the Sorting Hat's new song.

When 'Zoara, Sarah' was sorted into Hufflepuff, Dumbledore stood up. However, unlike the other years, the Sorting Hat stayed on the stool.

"Welcome back, staff and students! I would like to welcome you back to another year at Hogwarts. Welcome to all of the new students. I have several announcements. First of all, I would like to say that Professor Lupin is back this year to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts." There was an explosion of loud applause from the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff table. "And the Forbidden Forest REMAINS forbidden, true to its name." At this, his eyes lingered on the Weasley twins, who looked back at him innocently.

"Also, we will have two transfer students fom North America this year." He smiled and motioned for Harry and Eliza to walk to the Hat. "They will be sorted now. I trust you will make them feel welcome."

"Frostpine, Sebastien!" Professor McGonagal called out. Harry walked over to the Sorting Hat, feeling slightly nervous, as if it was his first year again. Sitting down, he placed the Hat on his head.

'Ah, back again, are we, Mr. Potter?' the Hat asked thoughtfully. 'But where should I put you this time?'

'I don't really care this time,' Harry admitted. 'Now that I know Slytherin aren't bad at all...'

'This is difficult,' the Hat replied. 'Last time, you subconciously wanted to go into Gryffindor. You begged me not to put you in Slytherin. Now however, it is different. You do not care, and I... I'm afraid, I do not know.'

'Difficult indeed....' the Hat mused to itself. 'You are heir of Gryffindor and Slytherin, yet part of you have strong personalities of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. What shall I do with you, Mr. Potter?'

'Please hurry up,' Harry said. It had been almost ten minutes since he had placed the Hat on his head. Others were getting anxious.

'If you say so,' the Hat agreed, and opening its mouth, it began to sing.

Oh, Dear Headmaster,

I'm sorry to say,

I do not know where

This boy is to stay.

His life is of Gryffindor,

His heart made of gold,

Brave and self-sacrificing,

Couragous and bold.

His thoughts are of Slytherin,

Cunning and sly.

Not whom he seems,

I curiously wonder why?

His mind is of Ravenclaw,

Such brilliance at heart.

With books and knowledge,

Never shall he part.

His soul is of Hufflepuff,

Intellegent and wise.

Forever loyal,

A blessing in disguise.

His blood is of two,

Both Dark and Light.

With all his strength,

Forever shall he fight.

Anywhere or nowhere,

The houses must unite.

To form a whole, to truely belong

Look from the ultimate height.

So choice wisely, young one,

Where you wish to go.

The Child of Light and Dark,

Filled with joy and woe.

The One who will Live

Through bloodshed and tears,

Beware and be careful,

Overcome your anger and fears.

So make your choice,

Think of all,

Form a whole,

Or all will fall.

There was a ringing silence in the Hall when the Sorting Hat stopped singing. For a minute, no one moved.

"Well," Dumbledore finally said. "It seems, Mr. Frostpine, that the choice is up to you. Do you wish to join Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw?"

Harry didn't know what to say. Yes, Rowena and Helga had been important to him, but.... this was different. He was the heir of Salazar and Godric, so shouldn't he join one of those houses? Okay, so he could either join Slytherin, or Gryffindor. Now what?

As he thought about it, he realized that sooner or later, his true identity would be revealed. Well, as Harry Potter, he had experienced the life of a Gryffindor. Why not choose the opposite?

"I wish to go to Slytherin, Headmaster," he said calmly. For a second, there was no movement. Then, the Slytherin table burst with applause.

He walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down. Turning, he watched Eliza's sorting.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I watched as Sebastien walked up and placed the Hat on his head. They stayed that way for about fifteen minutes, before the Hat finally burst into his song.

When the song was over, no one moved. No one breathed. I was stunned; Sebastien had been given the choice to go anywhere he liked? Impossible! Never, over all of the history of Hogwarts, had such a thing happened.

I was even more stunned when the boy choose to go to Slytherin. Not that I had anything against that house: Rowena and Helga had showed me that Godric and Salazar were both kind and loving. If you were based along the 'Slytherins are evil' line, then Gryffindors would truly be idiot martyrs. But... I guess I expected him to choose Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

When Sebastien joined the Slytherin table, I went and put the Hat on my head.

'Miss Rosethorn,' the Hat said. 'A pleasure to meet you. Heir of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, are you not?'

'Yes, I am,' I replied, slightly unnerved that the Hat could read my thoughts. 'Where am I to go?'

'You are another in whom truly belong in all of the houses,' the Hat said, surprising me. 'But I will not ask you to choose. Would you mind going to Slytherin?'

'No, I don't mind,' I said curiously. 'But why Slytherin?'

'The one in Slytherin requires your help to defeat the Dark One, child,' the Hat replied. 'You must work together. Now go.'

At this, the Hat opened its mouth and called out, "SLYTHERIN!"

I also joined the Slytherin table, settling down next to Sebastien. I wonder what the Hat meant by working with someone else. I guess I'll have to ask Rowena.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I am Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. Everyone thinks that I am the arrogant Malfoy child, spoilt and gets everything I want. I do nothing to make them think otherwise. But little do they know, how wrong they are.

My father never spoilt me at all. When I dare to speak back to him, he would either whip me, or put me under the Cruciatus Curse. The first time I was put under the curse was when I was four. God, it hurt like hell. My blood was pounding through my veins, my head felt as if it would explode. Finally, Father stopped the curse. From that day on, I was certain to treat him with utmost respect.

My mother never cared for me. She often left me alone for weeks at a time while she went on holiday in different countries.

Yes, I had rooms, full of toys, but I had no friends. Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle... they only followed me around since they want to use me. They know that my father is ranked high in the Dark Lord's inner circle. They know that I will be useful someday. They are not friends: they think I am only a boy, a toy, to be used and thrown away.

And my parents... They pressure me into joining to Dark Lord. I know that I MUST join the Dark Lord, or Father will truly kill me. I know what I am to them.... an object, used to please Voldemort. Voldemort was just like the others... He uses his servants, then throws them away.

I don't want to be ruled over. I don't want to be forced to bow to the one I despise. Sometimes, I believe Potter is lucky; he can do whatever he wishes without punishment hanging overhead. Which is why I hate him. Hate him to hell. Because he has what I can never get.

The only joy of my life is Severus, my godfather... He is the only one who truly cares. He makes me feel special... wanted. He comforts me in his own way during my darkest hours, helps me get through when the pain becomes unbearable. But what I want, in reality, is a true friend. Someone who likes me for who I am, not what I am.

Which is why I was overjoyed when Dumbledore announced that two transfer students were coming to Hogwarts. Even more stunned when they both joined Slytherin.

During dinner, I managed to get Crabbe and Goyle to trade seats with me, leaving me next to Sebastien Frostpine, the new boy.

"Draco Malfoy," I said cooly, holding out my hand. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

He looked up at me, a slightly stunned expression on his face. Then, he took my hand. "Sebastien Frostpine," he replied.

His voice was soft, but strangely soothing. A voice with a quality I had never heard before.

I wanted to say more, but my voice was drowned out when everyone began to eat.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I have never been more surprised when Draco Malfoy held out his hand, welcoming me to Hogwarts. How ironic, that the blond Slytherin was the first person to speak to me, other than Eliza.

I took his hand, thinking that if I accepted Malfoy's friendship, no one would suspect me of being Harry Potter. After all, how could the Boy- Who-Lived be friends with the Slytherin's most arrogant git?

Malfoy's aura was light yellow. Hmm, not bad. So far, I've noticed that Dumbledore has a dark red, almost crimson aura. McGonagal's was midnight blue, Flitwick's was shade lighter. Remus' was aqua. Speaking of auras...

I looked over at the Gryffindor table. Hmm, interesting. Ron had a pale purple aura, while Hermione's was pale yellow, much like Malfoy's. This was going to be an interesting year, examining others' auras.

After dinner, we followed the rest of the Slytherins to the dorms. The password was 'Salazar'. Good, I don't think I'ld be able to stand it if it was 'pure-blood' or something like that.

I went in and settled into the boy's dorm while Eliza walked into the girls'. I had the feeling that Malfoy tried to speak with me, but I ignored him and went to bed. It had been a long day.

I opened my eyes to see the sunlight streaming into the room! Ah, back to school. Getting dressed, I saw that Crabbe, Goyle, and Sebastien were still asleep. Guess I better wake them if they don't want to be late.

Walking over to Sebastien, I called out, "Hey, Sebastien, wake up!"

There was no answer.

After calling for five minutes, I had had enough. Reaching over, I lifted a hand to shake his shoulder.

The second my hand touched his shoulder, a white light erupted from the boy's body. I found myself being thrown backwards, into the wall. When I looked up, Sebastien was already awake.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at me.

"I... well, I was about to wake you, and the second I touched you, I was blasted back here," I replied.

He looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "Sorry about that, Draco," he said finally. "But you shouldn't try to touch me when I'm sleeping. You'll hurt yourself."

I looked down at myself and saw that I was bleeding where I had bruised my arm.

"Here." I looked up and saw Sebastien approaching me. With a flick of his wand, the cut healed.

"Thanks." I let a small smile grace my lips. "Come on, lets get to breakfast. We're late."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After breakfast, Harry headed to Potions, walking with Eliza.

Walking into the classroom, he settled down in a seat at the front of the class. Malfoy was sitting in the row behind him, Ron and Seamus closely beside him.

At promptly nine, Sever--Professor Snape swept into the classroom. "Get out your ingrediants," he barked. With a flick of his wand, the board filled with the familiar, but nearly illegible scrawls. Harry doubted anyone else could read it. The only reason he could was because he had spent the summer trying to figure out the Potions Master's handwriting.

They were making the Shrinking Potion, used to shrink items when a wand was not avaliable. Halfway during the class, Ron leaned over and whispered, "Sebastien, does it say put the wormwood first, or the willowbark? I can't read his writing!"

"Willowbark," Harry replied.

"Thanks!" Ron whispered.

"Mr. Weasley!" Snape snapped. "10 points from Gryffindor for talking."

Ron quickly turned away and continued working.

It was almost at the end of the lesson when it happened. Harry was putting in his last ingrediant when he turned and saw Pansy Parkinson launch scarab shells at Ron's potion. Mix that particular shell with wormwood, and it was highly explosive.

Even if he was in Slytherin, he would not allow them to be unfair. Without thinking, he cast an invisible shield in front of Ron. The scarab shells hit the shield and was absorbed in, leaving the Slytherins gaping.

"What was that?" he heard Draco whisper behind him. "It just disappeared into thin air!"

Harry turned and saw Pansy experimentally throwing knotgrass into the air. He had had enough. He would cover up one incident for the Slytherins, but not if they were going to do such a thing. Silently, he used his elemental magic and called the wind to him. Slowly, he shaped the wind. When the knotgrass hit the air current, he forced the wind to blow the other way. Slowly, the knotgrass changed directions and lauched itself back at where it came from, which meant Pansy's potion.

The ingrediant hit the potion and immediately exploded. Harry automatically brought a shield down over the people near him, which happened to be himself, Eliza, Ron, Seamus, and Draco. The rest of the class was drenched in the potion from head to toe.

"SILENCE!" Snape growled as he turned. "What happened?" Harry could see that the Potions Master noticed the fact that Harry and the others were the only ones who weren't wet.

"Weasley!" he said. "Was it you who sabotaged Pansy's potion?"

"No, sir," Ron began, but was abruptly cut off by Snape's "20 points from Gryffindor and detention tonight."

"Sir," Harry spoke up. "I saw what happened. A certain student, not Ron, threw knotgrass into the air. The ingrediant, for some reason, didn't reach the aimed cauldron. Instead, it backfired and hit the cauldron of the person who threw it."

"I see," Snape growled. "Fine, Mr. Weasley, the detension is canceled." Turning back, he said, "Hurry up! I expect this classroom to be cleaned in the next five minutes or you will all recieve detension until you graduate!"

Judging by the Potions Master's tone, he wasn't kidding. Everyone quickly scrambled around began to clean. Soon, the room was once again back to normal.

The bell rang for the end of class. The next class was defense. As Harry was walking, he heard Ron say, "Thanks, Sebastien. I can't believe Snape actually listened to you."

"No problem, Ron." Harry replied. He chose to ignore the second part.

Stepping into the DADA classroom, Harry immediately saw that the room was set up for dueling.

"This year," Professor Lupin said. "We will be focusing on self- defense with dueling and etc. Today, we will be starting with dueling. For the first lesson, I just want to see how well you do and what level you are at, which is why I am going to ask pairs to come up and duel. The person who wins will duel with the next person. Understand?"

At the nod of heads, Remus called out, "Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan!"

Seamus easily won. He also won the duel with Pansy and Dean, but he lost to Ron.

Ron won with Crabbe and Goyle, but lost to Hermione.

"Next, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger."

The blond stood across from the girl, wand trained. It was a close duel, but Draco won in the end.

There was only a few people remaining now. "Sebastien Frostpine and Draco Malfoy!" Lupin called otu.

Walking up, Harry trained his wand. He would win, he was sure, but he would not use his full power. Otherwise, it would attract others' attention.

Sure enough, after five minutes, Harry won.

"Eliza Rosethorn and Sebastien Frostpine!"

When Eliza threw a stunning spell at him, he dodged. He was stunned to see that there was a scorch mark on the floor where the spell had hit. Interesting... there was a lot of power put behind the single spell.

Harry decided to move up a notch. Now, he too focused a bit more power behind his spells.

The duel stretched on, longer and longer. Five, ten, fifteen minutes... The movements of the duelers became faster, stronger, more agile. Harry was almost sure that Eliza was using wandless magic sometimes, for though she only called out one spell, two shot at him. But it couldn't be... wandless magic was Salazar's speciality.

After five more minutes, he was sure the girl was using wandless magic. He too decided to use his powers. He was determined not to lose.

"Inpedimenta!" He called out, aiming his wand at the girl's feet. The girl leaped up into the air with surprising ease. Just what he wanted. "Petrificus Totalus!" He cried, aiming his wand up. "Stupefy!"

He was positive, for a second, that the spells would hit. But Eliza twisted her body in such a position that all of the spells missed.

He called the wind to him while leaping to avoid another spell. He controlled the wind, using it to press the girl into the wall.

Instead, Eliza shot him a surprised look. Then, she grinned, and before he knew what was happening, a fire column shot up in front of her, blocking the wind.

Harry was shocked. She was a fire elemental! But elementals only existed in the spiritual world, unless bonded... which meant...

Before he had time to comprehend what was going on, the girl shot a binding spell at him. Without thinking, he jumped into the air, riding the wind. He barely heard the gasps of classmates below him; he was only focused on Eliza. Slowly, he changed the wind into drops of ice. Then, he aimed them at the girl.

It worked. The ice drops pierced through the fire, hitting the girl. Slowly, the fire column died down. Before the Eliza knew what was happening, he threw a petrifying spell.

The girl was too busy concentrating on the fire. She never noticed his spell. It connected with her body and she finally fell, defeated.

Harry released her from the spell, bowing, as she did the same. They shook hands, both smiling.

"Impressive!" Professor Lupin finally said. Harry realized that he had forgotten about the rest of the class. Judging by the embarassed expression on Eliza's face, she had too.

"Now, Sebastien, you are the winner. We have fifteen minutes left of class. Would you care to duel with me?"

At this, Harry gave the DADA professor a stunned look. He was about to refuse but Eliza gave him an encouraging smile. 'Do it,' she clearly said.

"I accept," he replied, smiling at Remus.

Remus immediately started throwing complicated spells at him. Harry easily dodged them all. He was determined not to use his elemental magic this time. It would be unfair for his professor.

Finally, after ten minutes, Harry managed to disarm his professor.

"Bravo!" Professor Lupin clapped. "Sebastien and Eliza, you two are truly amazing. Who taught you dueling in North America?"

Eliza started to say something about private lessons with her godparents. Harry was stuck. What should he say?

"I... Professor Dumbledore asked a few staff members to teach me," he mumbled finally.

Thankfully, the bell rang right then. Harry hurriedly packed up and walked out of the class.

The next block was a study period. He had to talk to Eliza, though. Walking over to the girl, he asked, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," the girl replied, casting a silencing charm around them.

"Um... about the fire column you cast around yourself..." he began.

"I... I can't tell you until I'm sure." Eliza interrupted. "I... I'm not allowed."

Harry was stuck. What should he say? He had an idea.

//Lady Lyra?// he called out silently.

//Yes, child?//

//Who is she? Does she know about elemental magic?//

//Yes,// came the soft reply. //She knows. She is bonded to Lady Shiara.//

//Thanks, Lady,// he answered. Turning back to Eliza, he said bluntly, "Look, I know about Lady Shiara, okay?"

Eliza gave him a stunned look. "How?" was all she managed.

"I'm bonded too. To Lady Lyra." He replied simply.

"So you know," Eliza finally said. "How? Why?"

"I don't know," Harry answered. "Ask Shiara. Call out to her. She can reply, right?"

Eliza nodded and her eyes unfocused. A few minutes later, she asked, "You... you know the Founders?"

It was Harry's turn to be surprised. "You know them too? So that's how you knew wandless magic, being Salazar's speciality."

"Yes, I knew them. I was taken and trained for three years." The girl was about to say more, but the bell rang at percisely that moment. "Look, we have to go," she replied. "How about this? I'll talk to you after dinner tonight. Meet me in the library."

"Sure," Harry replied, still puzzled over what she had told him. "See you later!" With that, he headed to Charms.

After dinner, Harry rushed up to the Common Room. Eliza was already there.

Casting a silencing charm, Harry said, "Okay. So, do you want to start, or shall I start?"

"I'll start," Eliza replied. "Okay, it started a year ago. I was sleeping, and in my dream state, I was brought to Salazar, Godric, Rowena, and Helga. It was there that I learned I was the heir of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff."

"After three years of training, I was introduced to the Goddesses by the Founders. I was then bonded to Lady Shiara, being told that I must help another heir fight the Dark Lord." Eliza paused slightly, then continued. "Which now, happens to be you. My elements are light and fire." She smiled. "That's all, I think. You're turn."

So Harry told her about everything that had happened to him so far. The only fact he kept secret was that he was actually the Boy-Who-Lived.

When he finished, Eliza said, "Sebastien, you're keeping something from me. I can tell. Besides, teh story doesn't fit. Tell me the truth."

Harry sighed. "Fine," he answered. "But promise me, you will NEVER tell anyone else. Or I would be in danger."

Eliza nodded.

"Okay. My name isn't really Sebastien Frostpine."

"What is it then?"

"Harry Potter.

"WHAT?!!?!" Eliza gaped at him. "How?

"Shape-Shifting," Harry explained. "Here, I'll show you."

"Waving his hand, he sealed the door of the Slytherin common room. Then, he concentrated, imagining himself as the boy with messy, raven locks.

"Wow," Eliza exclaimed, seeing the scar on his forehead. "Now, it makes sense."

"Remember," Harry reminded. "You must never let anyone know."

"I promise."

Harry shifted back into Sebastien Frostpine.

"Do you know Shape-Shifting, Eliza?"

The girl smiled sadly. "No, I'm afraid not. Everyone specialize in a different thing. My talent is magical dancing. Rowena taught me."

Harry frowned. "Wait a minute. Eliza, how did you know I was hiding something from you?"

"When you became an elemental, did you have a special ability?"

Harry nodded, remembering how he had been able to see auras.

"Well, mine is... almost mind-reading, but I can't tell everything you're thinking. It's more kind of... truth telling is the better word to use. I can tell when you are lieing, or leaving something out."

"Did you recieve a gift when you were bonded, by the way?"

Eliza nodded. "I can speak the language of the unicorns and the gryffins," she said.

Harry smiled. "Cool. I speak Phoenixus and Parseltongue."

"Where they gifts too?"

"Phoenixus was a gift, but Parseltongue... I was born with the ability to speak it." He yawned, suddenly exhausted. "Blimey, I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed. 'Night, Eliza." With that, he headed up to his dorm.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He was standing in front of a large mansion. He automatically walked in, his feet leading him to the last room down the hall.

On the way, he spotted a large mirror hanging on the wall. Looking at it, he realized that he was no longer Sebastien Frostpine, but once again Harry Potter.

He sped up when he heard sounds fron the last room. When he stepped in, he heard Voldemort speaking.

"... Severus, how dare you disobey? This calls for punishment. Death Eaters, two rounds. Do whatever you like other than kill him or damage his potion-making skills. GO!"

Harry watched in horror as his Potions profesor was placed under various curses, over and over. Five minutes into the tortue, the man stopped reacting. There was a dead look in his eyes.

"Severus?" Harry asked, worried. "Can you hear me?" He kept his voice gentle and soothing, providing whatever warmth and comfort he could.

Severus' head snapped up. "Harry?" He finally rasped out disbelievingly.

"It's alright, Severus," Harry said quietly. "I'm here. Don't give up, Severus... There are people who need you. Just a bit longer, and you'll be back at Hogwarts." He reached up and put a reassuring hand on the shoulder of the trembling man. The shaking subsided almost immediately as Harry transfered a few healing spells through him with wandless magic.

Ten minutes later, Voldemort returned. "Enough," he declared. "Severus, I expect better from you this time." Seeing the Potions Master nod, he added, "Malfoy, Avery, bring him back to Hogwarts. Leave him at the Appartion point, someone will find him."

Harry watched as Lucius and Avery carried his professor out of the room.

He felt himself fading from the dream. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was back in the Slytherin dorm. But he couldn't fall asleep. Not yet.

Slipping into the invisibility cloak over his head, he walked silently out of the Slytherin dorms. Once outside, he broke into a run, racing towards the Apparation barrier at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

When he got there, he saw his professor lying on the ground. Before taking off his cloak, he once again shifted into the form of Harry Potter.

Walking forward, he asked quietly, "Professor?"

For a second, Severus' face was blank. Then, he gasped out, "Potter?" He tried ot sit up, but failed.

"Don't try to move, Professor, you're hurt," Harry commanded, casting a healing charm to stop the bleeding. "I'm bringing you to the school." Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a bottle of the healing potion he had brewed several days ago. "Drink this, Professor."

Severus looked at the potion cautiously before reaching up to grasp it. But try as he might, his hands were shaking too much for him to drink it.

Harry, seeing this, kneeled down and grabbed the bottle. Gently helping a rather embarassed Potions Master sit up, he raised the bottle to the teacher's lips.

His professor relaxed as the potion took effect. He levitated the injured man and began the trek back to Hogwarts. There was a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"You're supposed to be dead." Severus said finally.

"Oh, am I, Professor?" Harry laughed, a harsh, bitter laugh.

By then, they had already reached the castle. Harry pulled open the door but suddenly froze.

He heard the sound of footsteps coming around the corner. He quickly pulled on his cloak.

Madam Pomfrey walked into sight. She dropped the several bottles she had been carrying when she saw the battered Potions Master.

"Professor Snape!" She said, rushing towards the floating man. "Professor Dumbledore is very worried. He's looking for you. Come with me."

She went into full nurse mode and levitated her new patient. Harry smiled as she disappeared in the direction of the Hospital Wing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus opened his eyes to find Dumbledore sitting in a chair beside his bed.

"Severus! How are you feeling?" The Headmaster asked, worry shining in his eyes.

"I'm fine," the Potions Master replied, feeling annoyed but smiling slightly. He tried to sit up, but his sore musles from doing so. Suddenly, he remembered. "Where's Potter?"

"Harry?"

"Yes, Harry."

"Severus, he's dead, remember?" Dumbledore asked gently.

"I know he is, but he was the one who bought me to Poppy."

"Nonsense," Madam Pomfrey said, walking into the room. "I was the one who found you in the corridors, and you were definately alone."

Severus quickly explained about what had happened. "... and he brought me into the hall when Poppy came," he finished.

Dumbledore and Pomfrey exchanged worried glances.

"Maybe you'd better get some sleep, Severus," she finally said.

The Potions Master, being exhausted, didn't protest. As soon as the Headmaster and nurse left, he drifted off into restless sleep. Had he stayed awake a little longer, he would have seen the figure emerge from the shadows of the room.

The shadowy figure walked slowly up to the bed. Emerald eyes melted into icy-blue as he watched the sleeping Potions Master, a content smile gracing his lips.

Thankfully, it was Saturday the next morning. As soon as Harry had finished breakfast, he headed out of the Great Hall, racing towards the Hospital Wing.

Rushing in, he found Madam Pomfrey looking at a stack of medical charts.

"Is Professor Snape awake yet?" he asked.

The nurse looked at him in surprise. "He's in the extra room down there," she said, recovering, as she gestured down the hall.

For the first time, Harry noticed a small door down the small hall in the Hospital Wing, Smiling his thanks, he walked into the room.

His professor was sitting up in bed, a book in hand. He looked up as Harry walked in.

"Professor? How are you feeling?"

The smallest of smiles lit up on Snape's face. "Sebastien." he stated. His tone softened slightly. "I'm feeling much better. Although that annoying nurse refuses to let me leave."

"I heard that!" Pomfrey protested, walking into the room. "Professor, you know very well that you have to stay here and rest. You can go out tomorrow at the earliest." She walked back out the room, a stack of paper in her hands.

"What happened?" Harry asked. He noticed how the other man stiffened and his professor's face became guarded.

"I-I'm sorry, Professor Snape," he said in a small voice. "I shouldn't have asked."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," the Potions Master replied, surprising Harry with how soft his tone was. "I just don't think it is wise to tell you."

"I understand, sir," Harry replied. He was reliefed that Severus wasn't angry, but felt strangely hurt that the man had refused to tell him what had happened. Even though he already knew.

"I'll leave you to rest now, Professor." With that, he left the room, feeling just slightly disappointed.

He was about to go back to his dorm when Draco cam eout. "Hey, Sebastien!" the blond called. Harry was surprised to see the genuine smile on the Slytherin's features. "Want to go to the Quidditch Pitch for flying?"

"Sure," he agreed. Racing into his room, he pulled out his Windwhip2000.

Going outside, Harry was about to climb onto his broom when he heard someone approach them. Turning, he saw that it was Goyle.

"HEY MALFOY!" He heard the boy yell. He felt slightly surprised; since when did the others call Draco 'Malfoy'? Now that he thought about it, however, he realized that he was the only one who called Draco by his given name. Everyone else referred to the blond as 'Malfoy'.

"What?" The blond answered.

"Filch want to talk to you about your detention."

With a groan, Draco turned to Harry. "Damn, I forgot. Sorry, I'll be back in a second." With that, he rushed off towards the school.

Harry started with doing laps around the Quidditch Pitch, warming up. The Windwhip2000 was much faster than the Firebolt. it turned at the slightest touch and was a Quidditch fan's wildest dreams.

After several more laps (and whizzing around the goal posts), Harry did his favourite stunt. Pointing the broom handle down, eh raced straight towards the ground at lightning speed. The brown earth drew close and close. The wind rushed into his face, blowing his already windswept hair back. He felt his stomach clench in excitement. This was what he loved about Quidditc; it was the freedomm, the feeling of utter control.

At the last second possible, he pulled out of the dive, his feet skimming the top of the grass.

He heard the sound of clapping behind him. Whipping around, he saw that it was Draco.

"You're brilliant," The blond said, a look of amazement on his face. "How did you do that?"

Harry shrugged, blushing.

"You should join the Quidditch team," Draco said.

"But... you're the seeker, right?"

The Slytherin nodded proudly. "I'm also the Captain this year."

Harry said, "Well Draco, if I join the team, I'll only go for Seeker, and I don't want to take you'er position, therefore I'm not joining the team."

Draco looked at him, seemingly stunned for a moment, before bursting out laughing.

"What?" Harry asked, suddenly self-concious.

"It's just that... I've never met another Slytherin whose so selfless and modest. Usually, they'ld do anything to beat you instead. Oh, and for the team, I was thinking about going for Beater this year anyways. Besides, the seeker, the better for the team."

"So you don't mind?" Harry asked increduously.

Draco grinned. "Of course I do! I'm not a selfless Gryffindor. But I don't really care at the moment. If you want to go for it, don't let me stop you."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Draco."

After racing around for an hour, Draco asked, "Hey, Sebastien, do you know any more stunts?"

Harry pretended to look offended. "Of course I do!"

"Then prove it," Draco teased, grinning mercilessly.

Harry sighed; he had backed himself into a corner. "All right," he said. "Watch."

He took a deep breath, quickly calculating in his head the angle of the broomstick like Godric had taught him. He was about to pull off Godric's favourite stunt.

Shooting into the air, he did an excercise lap around the Pitch. Then, slowly but nimbly, he climbed up until he was standing on the handle of his broom. Taking a deep breath, he leaped up, doing a cartwheel in the air, the broom falling away from him. He thought he heard Draco gasp, but he was too busy concentrating. He began to fall; sensing this, Harry pointed his legs and shot down towards the ground. Seeing his broom at just the right angle, he did another cartwheel, spinning through the air, coming down just in time to grab the handle of his broom. Rightening himself, he sat up and flew around the goalposts twice before landing.

He turned to Draco, grinning at the Slytherin's stunned expression when he heard someone behind him.

"DEAR MERLIN! HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"

He turned to see a redhead and a girl with bushy, brown hair.

"Ron! 'Mione!" He called, running towards them.

"Who did you do that?" Ron repeated.

Harry shrugged. "I calculated the angle so that I knew I would grab onto the broom on time."

Hermione looked at him. "WHAT? Don't you know how dangerous it is?"

"Depends on whose doing it, Mudblood."

Harry felt his blood run cold as he heard Draco's sneering voice.

"Draco," he hissed warningly, his voice cold.

"What's /he/ doing here?" Ron asked in disgust.

"Ronald!" Hermione rebuked sharply.

Harry sighed; this was going to be difficult. "First of all," he turned to the blond. "Draco, kindly do not insult Ron or Hermione in front of me."

He turned to the redhead. "And secondly, Ron, do not bait Draco, or you will regret it." He made his voice into a low hiss. The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees as Ron quickly nodded.

Draco too nodded after a few seconds of silence.

Harry turned to Hermione. "I need to go to the library to work on Charms homework. Coming?"

Hermione immediately nodded. "We'll be there in a second," she said, dragging a protesting Ron off the pitch.

"Coming, Draco?" he asked in a softer tone. He was surprised to see the slightly hurt look in the blond's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." The reply was harsh.

"Draco, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to snap at you... it's just that I hate it when my friends bicker. I know you don't like Ron and Hermione, but I can't stand it." He looked straight into those grey-blue orbs. "Please Draco, forgive me?"

The blond nodded. "I'll get my books," he said rather stiffly. "Wait for me in the library." With that, he disappeared towards the school.

Harry sighed. He could tell by the Slytherin's aura that the boy was deeply hurt. He had never realized until now just how vulneravle Draco could be.

After settling down in the library with Draco and Ron around him, he realized with a sinking feelign in his stomach that he had forgotten his quill.

"I forgot something," he said. "I'll be back in a second. Hermione, make sure they don't do anything rash, okay?"

At the quick nod from the girl, Harry walked out fo the library. Getting his quill, he was coming back when he heard an angry shout.

Quickening his pace, he raced into the library. The sight that met him was a shock: Hermione was on the floor, petrified. Ron was baking away from a giant serpant on the floor while Draco's pale skin ws lined with cuts, most still bleeding heavily.

"Incendio!" Ron said, pointing his wand. Draco's robes began to blaze with crackling fire.

"ENOUGH!" Harry yelled. For a second, everyone froze. He quickly sent out a jet of ice at Draco, stopping the fire. With a wave of his hands, he wounds on the blond immediately healed. The air cackled with power, but Harry had had enough. He used wandless magic to revive Hermione, whom immediately dragged Ron away from the Slytherin.

Now for the snake. He couldn't talk directly to it, or the others would find out.... Only one thing he could do.

{Ice! Shadow!} he called silently. A second later, his two pets came into the room. He subconciously noted that Draco raised an eyebrow while Ron backed away.

~Yes, young master?~

Harry quickly explained the situation. {...so could you please tell him and get him to leave?}

The snakes nodded and quickly slithered over to the giant serpent. Harry heard them explaining the situation, apologizing profusedly. A minutes later, the serpant crawled out the window into the Forbidden Forest while his pet snakes settled around his arms.

Now, he turned t face his friends. Ron and Hermione looked stunned while Draco seemed exceptionally pale.

"What the DEVIL did you think you were doing?" he hissed, his voice venomous. "You could have been expelled, you could have hurt each other seriously! What the HELL is wrong with you two?"

Ron began to mumble something under his breath. This was a mistake, for it caused Harry to turn to the redhead.

"You!" he said, his voice dangerous. "What were you thinking, using the Cutting Curse? Did you not know that Voldemort often used it to torture his captives? Did you want to make others suffer like Voldemort did?"

Ron quickly shook his head, looking horrified with the very idea.

"Then why did you do it?" he roared, his voice icy cold. Then, he turned to Draco.

"And you, I thought you knew better! The Serpensortia Spell? What else would that be used for other than damage? Why the snake? God, what the HELL IS WRONG WITH BOTH OF YOU?"

Harry took a deep breath, trying to control his anger. "Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you," he said in a softer tone. "But I'm really ticked off at the moment. I leave you alone for two minutes, and look what happens. I shouldn't have to baby you two. Try to be more mature next time. I apologize for yelling."

He checked out his friends' auras nad was reliefed to see that none of them were angry. Ron looked ashamed while Draco... waid a minute, hie aura showed that the blond was in pain.

"Draco?" he asked quietly. "What's wrong? You're hurt."

"I'm fine," the blond said quickly, stiffening.

Harry didn't push the subject, but he send a beam of healing energy at the Slytherin.

Draco relaxed slightly, smiling his thanks.

Harry sighed. "Looks like I don't have time for Charms homework today," he groaned. "Let's get to dinner." With that, they each left the room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"ENOUGH!" Sebastien's angry voice rang through the air a second after I set the ferret's robes on fire. Ha, he deserved it, that absolute git!

Before I knew what was happening, the fire on the prat's robes were put out, Hermione was awake, and the serpant was out the window.

He seemed so angry; I could actually feel the air cackle with power. Sebastien must be extremely powerful. And he used wandless magic. I know he did, there's no other way he could have done it, he didn't have his wand with him. But how is it possible? A wizard NEEDS there wand to focus their power...

I still wonder why he chose to go to Slytherin. He definately has the courage to go to Gryffindor, or the brilliance to get into Ravenclaw.

But one thing I know for sure: I won't piss Sebastien off again unless necessary. He sure has one hell of a temper.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

How? HOW IS IT POSSIBLE? How is it that Sebastien can do wandless magic? These were the thoughts running through my mind as I went to the Great Hall.

High levels of wandless magic should be impossible. Only Professor Dumbledore can only seem to do simple things like clear off the table or turn off the lights. But Sebastien did a counter-curse without his want.

Looks like I'll be spending tomorrow in the library...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"ENOUGH!" I saw Sebastien stomp into the room his cold, penetrating blue eyes flashing dangerously.

The next thing I knew, I felt pieces of ice hitting me, dousing the fire Weasley set on me. He revived Granger, and somehow, sent the serpant out the window.

"What the DEVIL did you think you were doing? You could have been expelled, you could have hurt each other seriously! What the HELL is wrong with you two?"

I winced inwardly as the words hit me with the force of a brick wall.

My shoulder was aching from where Weasley had hit me, but I barely felt the pain. Sebastien's words, for some reason, meant more and hurt me more than any physical wound ever would. I hadn't realized how much I longed for his friendship, his approval. Merlin, I'm an idiot. Sebastien probably hates me now.

After what seemed like forever, I heard Sebastien apologize. I was jerked from my thoughtrs when the boy asked, "Draco? What's wrong? You're hurt."

Damn it, how could he tell I was hurt. "I'm fine," I mumbled.

Sebastien didn't reply, but a second later, a ray of energy hit me, diminishing the pain. I smiled my thanks.

The next thing I knew, I was walking out the library, following Sebastien towards the Great Hall.

The week passed quickly. Harry wsas reliefed that Severus was back to full health, and that Draco and Ron weren't arguing as much. But he soon found that he had another problem: visions. Every night, he saw Voldemort, heard the evil Dark Lord's tortues and wicked schemes. Yes, he could block out the nightmares with Occlumency (Salazar had taught him all he needed to know on the subject) if he wanted to, but he refused. He and Severus were one of the few and only sources with information on of the Dark Lord. Harry did not want to refuse Dumbledore what little he could do.

As a result, he was constantly tired and in pain. For whatever Voldemort did to his prisoners, Harry felt the pain, felt it as if it was happening to him. Fresh scars and cuts marred his pale complexion, though Harry was always careful to use concealing charms. The only problem was that he was so tired that he barely had the energy to maintain those charms.

He learned to move gracefully no matter how he really felt; his face was always cheerful, though if you looked carefully enough, you could see the glint of weariness in those icy blue eyes. So far, no one had seen through his disguise yet, for which he was reliefed.

"Sebastien! Come on!"

Harry turned away from his breakfast to face Draco. "What's wrong?"

"Have you forgotten?" The blond asked. "We have potions first thing."

Harry groaned, barely noticing the fact that the other had left out the fact that they had the class with the Gryffindors.

"Sebastien? Are you okay?" He heard Draco ask, worry evident in his voice.

"I'm fine," he said brightly, plastering a cheerful smile on his face. "Come on!" Grabbing his books, he headed out towards the potions dungeon.

Potions was fairly uneventful. At the end of class, Snape said, "Mr. Frostpine, please come see me tonight at eight."

Harry nodded, curiously wondering what was going on.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The rest of the day passed quickly. Finally, after Charms, which happened to be the last class of the day, Harry headed to dinner. He was exhausted, but he carefully kept up his facade.

After eating a few bites of chicken, he quickly excused himself and headed towards the Potions dungeons.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus sat in his desk, waiting for Sebastien to arrive. The reason he had requested this was simple: Sebastien truly had talent in potions. His hands were percise, never hesitating or mistakening. The boy was, so far, the best student he had ever had in potions. Severus often wondered what master had taught the boy, for only a Potions Master could teach the subject so well.

But there was something else about the boy... Severus could tell that something was wrong. Although Sebastien was as polite as ever and moved gracefully, there was something about his actions that was forced, almost as if he was in pain. Severus could tell, for he had often come back injured from the Death Eater meetings, forcing to go on and pretend that he was fine.

Severus was startled out of his daydreams for at percisely that moment, there was a knock on the door. A second later, Sebastien walked in.

"Professor?" the boy asked. "You wanted to see me?"

Severus allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "Yes, Mr. Frostpine," he said. "I was wondering if you wanted to take up and become a Potions apprentice."

Sebastien seemed startled for a moment. "Potions apprentice?"

"Yes, Mr. Frostpine. I must say, your Potions skill exceeds expectations and are better than any others I have seen. I believe you have the talent to be one. I could give you Advanced lessons in the evenings. So, do you agree?"

Sebastien seemed to think for a few minutes before nodding. "Alright, thank you, sir. When do we meet?"

"Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting tomorrow."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, Professor."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next evening, Harry quickly finished dinner and raced towards the dungeons. He stopped outside the door, knocking. After a few seconds, he realized that there was no one in the room.

He stopped, wondering what he could do. His left hand went up and subconciously rubbed his aching shoulder where the Cruciatus Curse had hit in his latest 'Voldemort visions'.

"Mr. Frostpine?"

He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his professor's voice. He quickly dropped his left hand.

"I--" he began, but stopped when he realized he didn't know what to say.

"Come on inside," The Potions Master said, motioning.

Severus looked thoughtfully at the boy as they walked into the Potions dungeon, Severus pondering on how the child had been behaving. "Sit down," he said, pointing to a chair.

"First of all," he began. "We'll be making a potion of your choice today to begin with. Take your pick."

Harry looked up and grinned slightly. "Wolfsbane Potion," he decided.

Severus looked at Sebastien, shocked. "Mr. Frostpine," he said. "There is no way you will be able to do that potion. No matter how skilled you may be, it is virtuely impossible for anyone that is not a Potions Master."

Harry shrugged. "You said I could pick," he said softly.

Severus hated to hear the disappointment in his apprentice's voice. "Alright," he agreed finally. "But I do not guarantee you be able to make it. In fact, I would be shocked if you DID make it. However, you may try if you wish."

Harry let out a silent cheer inside him as he began setting up his cauldron and ingrediants.

Two hours later, he stopped. "Professor," he said. "I'm finished the first procedures. The potion needs to simmer for two days before I can continue."

Severus inspected the potion carefully and was stunned to see that it was faultless. "Well done," he said quietly. "You can come back on Thursday to finish. Now, clean up."

Harry began to put away his ingrediants. His movements were slower, more fatigued. He was starting to feel drained for the sleepless night from the day before was starting to catch up to him. His shoulder was also beginning to ache again.

Severus watched as the boy put away his ingrediants slowly. There was no doubt about it now, Sebastien's movements were slower and more tired than ever. "Mr. Frostpine," he said. "Come here, please."

The boy moved towards him submissively. "Yes, professor?"

"What's wrong with your shoulder?"

Harry stiffened. "Nothing, sir."

"Show me."

Harry had no choice. He quickly put on several layers of Concealing Charms before pulling the neck of his robes down, showing is shoulder.

Severus inspected the shoulder carefully, although there seemed to be nothing wrong with it. "Fine," he said finally. "You may go.

Harry quickly stood up, and because of his hurried movements, he accidentally banged into the table. He gritted his teeth to keep himself from crying out as his fresh scars smashed agaisnt the protruding wood. He gripped the table tightly, trying to regain his balance.

Severus watched in alarm as his student grabbed the table, his knuckles almost turning white, holding on to keep himself from collapsing. He rushed over and immediately picked up the boy in his arms. He roughly grabbed Sebastien's arms only to hear the child gasp in pain.

Harry bit down on his lips to keep from screaming when the Potions Master grabbed one of his cuts. He quickly wiggled out of the older man's grasp, trying to leave the room. He had to go quickly, for one of his newest scars were starting to bleed again. He rushed towards the door, hoping to get away.

No such luck.

Harry saw his professor step in front of him, blocking his exit. He knew there was no way he could fight any longer: he was so damn tired, and his whole body hurt so much... With a shudder, he collapsed onto the ground.

Severus watched as Sebastien fell helplessly to the ground. He was about to ask what was wrong when he realized with a gasp that the back of the boy's robes was soaked. In blood.

He quickly strided towards the fallen boy, picking him up and placing him on the desk. Despite the weak protesting, he quickly pulled off the child's robes.

And gasped. Sebastien's back was covered with scars, most of them bleeding. There were brusies on his pale torse, cuts covered his arms.

"Sebastien," he growled, deciding that he had to be menacing if he wanted an answer. "What happened to you?"

Harry was suddenly reminded of Uncle Vernon, ready to kick him. "I'm sorry..." he whispered almost inaudibly. "Don't hurt me..." He curled up into a ball.

Severus had had enough. He reached down and roughly grabbed Sebastien's arm. "What happened?" Hearing no reply, he tightened his grip.

Harry bit down on his lips, drawing blood, to keep from crying out when he felt his professor grip his already injured arms. "Professor..." he whispered.

Severus did not reply. "WHAT HAPPENED?" he yelled this time. The boy flinched away from him. After a moment of silence, a small voice sobbed, "Please, let go of me. Severus, you're hurting me."

Severus froze as the impact of the words hit him. He hadn't realized that he had been holding the boy in a deathly grip. He immediately let go, looking down in time to see a large, blue-black bruise starting to form on the already battered arm.

"Oh Merlin," he whispered quietly. "God, I didn't mean to-- I didn't realize... I'm so sorry, Sebastien."

The boy didn't reply, but a single tear fell from his blue eyes.

Severus immediately summoned a healing lotion. Rubbing some onto his hands to warm it, he said softly, "Here, give me your hand." When the boy obeyed, Severus gently rubbed the lotion onto the child's arms.

Harry sighed, feeling strangly soothed as the Potions Master applied the lotion. The pain from the bruise eased slightly, but the rest of him was still in pain.

Severus rubbed on more lotion. He suddenly realized that Sebastien had called him by his given name. He was surprised to realize that he didn't mind.

"Sebastien," he asked gently. "Can you tell me where you got the injuries now?"

The boy looked at him as another silent tear dropped from his eyes. "Professor, I--" he began only to get cut off.

"Severus." Seeing the other's confused look, the Potions Master said, "Call me Severus, Sebastien."

Harry looked at the professor for a moment before nodding. "Severus," he whispered, the name rolling off his lips. "I..." Suddenly, he flung himself at the older man, burying his head into the other's robes, crying helplessly. He let out his sorrow for Cedric and Sirius, his anger at Voldemort, his pain and despair.

Severus awkwardly patted the shoulder of the boy. He began to rub comforting circles on the child's back. "It's alright..." he said softly.

Harry finally looked up again, his blue orbs meeting the obsidian ones. "Severus," he said sorrowfully. "I wish I could tell you, but you'll hate me if you knew. I couldn't bear it if you hate me, especially when you've started to matter to me. I don't want to be looked upon as someone you would hate."

Severus looked at his student. "Sebastien," he said softly. "It's alright. You can tell me. I'ld never hate you."

He was surprised when the boy let out a bitter laugh. "Never hate me, Severus? You've always hated me, always. You've only started to act decently towards me a few months ago. I can't lose you when I've just known you."

Severus looked down at Sebastien. "Does the headmaster know?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, he does. You can ask him and see what he tells you."

Severus nodded. "Sebastien," he said. "You're in no condition to move. Come on, let's go see Madam Pomfrey."

"NO."

The reply was so ferocious Severus paused for a moment. "Well," he sighed finally. "It's either that, or you stay here for the night and let me heal you."

"You?"

Severus allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "I DO know how to heal, you know. Being a potions master, I have to. So?"

The child smiled also. "I'll stay."

Severus nodded and leviatated the boy out of the room and headed towards his private quarters. He placed the boy in the spare room and handed him several potions. "Drink them and go to sleep," he said. "See you in the morning."

Sebastien obediantely drank the contents. He yawned. "'Night, Severus," he said, falling asleep immediately.

Long after Sebastien fell asleep, Severus sat, looking at the sleeping boy. The child looked so vulnerable, so helpless, lying there, asleep. The thin scars stood out on his already-pale skin. He felt a strange feeling in his heart and suddenly realized that it was protectiveness. The boy looked so... small and defenseless, his heart clenched painfully, thinking about what the child must have gone through...

He smiled grimly, determined to treat the boy more carefully from then on. He had never been more sorry than when he had realize that he had hurt the younger boy. The child was so sweet, who could ever want to hurt him?

Albus' voice echoed in his mind.

/Remember, Severus, some child can turn the coldest hearts into jelly./

Severus smiled, realizing how right the Headmaster was. And speaking of him... It was time to pay a visit to Dumbledore.

There was the sound of evil laughter coming from Voldemort. When the sound stopped, the Dark Lord said, "Where's Lucius?"

"Here, My Lord." A cloaked figure stepped forward and knelt on the ground.

"You have disappointed me," Voldemort snapped angrily. "You have failed yet again. And considering all the Death Eaters captured on the raid at Diagon Alley... Tell me again what happened?"

"I managed to capture several families," the blond man said. "I sent a Cruciatus Curse at a boy. It hit him, though he didn't react to it at all. He stunned me. The next thing I knew, a fellow Death Eater had Enervated me and Diagon Alley was swarming with Aurors. I Apparated to your side, my Lord."

"Interesting," Voldemort said, his serpentine eyes flashing. "You say the boy did not react?"

"Not at all, My Lord."

"Do you know of his name?"

"No, my Lord."

"You may leave."

"Thank you, my Lord." The blond man stood up quickly, no doubt trying to get out before he was punished.

"And Lucius?"

"Yes?" The blond turned back.

"Crucio."

Harry felt his body shudder under the pressure of the curse. Pain coursed through his veins. He wanted it to end, to stop... God, he knew he wouldn't be able to stand it much longer...

"Sebastien! Wake up, SEBASTIEN!"

Harry barely heard the yelling. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Voldemort...

Without thinking, he automatically flung his arm back, throwing out a ray of energy. There was a loud crash, causing him to wake up.

Opening his eyes, he saw Severus lying against the other wall. The man's shoulder was bleeding where it had hit the hard stone.

Harry quickly scrambled up, rushing to the fallen man. He knew immediately what had happened; he had thrown Severus across the room with his energy.

Severus attempted to get up, only to be pushed back down by Harry. "Oh god, Severus, I'm so sorry," he said softly.

Severus, on the other hand, was puzzled. All he had done was wake the boy up from a nightmare. What had caused such a reaction, and how had Sebastien done it? No wizard should be able to throw someone back with the force of energy in a moment's notice.

Hearing the other apologize over and over, he said quietly, "It's alright, Sebastien. I'm fine."

"You're not fine," he heard his student say. "You're shoulder's bleeding and you have bruises all over you back."

He did? Severus was puzzled. How had Sebastien known such a thing when he himself had not? He was fully dressed, so there was no way the boy could have seen the bruises. But then, how?

"It's just a few bruises, I'm fine," he heard himself insist as he tried to stand up. His arm shook slightly as he leaned against the wall.

Severus suddenly felt hands on his shoulder. Turning, he saw that it was Sebastien. "What--" he began, about to jerk away when the boy said, "Just relax for a second."

Hearing the authoritive tone, he intinctively obeyed. A second later, he felt a warm ray of energy pushing into him. The pain eased and the bleeding stopped.

"There," Sebastien said when Severus turned to him. "All done."

"Sebastien," Severus asked. "What was that?"

The boy shrugged. "Just some healing techniques."

"Healing techniques? I've never seen Madam Pomfrey do such a thing and she's been here for as long as I can remember! Where did you learn it?"

Harry shrugged once again, uncomfortable, as he heard Severus ask the question. In truth, Helga had been famous for her Healing abilities and she had been the one who taught him. But of course, he couldn't tell the truth, so he answered vaguely, "I can't remember. It was... before the Obliviation."

Severus nodded, hearing the answer. "I believe you have some talent in healing," he said. "Come on, let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"I healed you for the cuts yesterday. I went to Dumbledore, but he basically told me the same things you did." Severus scowled at the memory. "Anyways, the brusing will have to go away on their own. You're coming to the Hospital Wing with me because I want Pomfrey's opinion on your healing abilities."

"Alright."

They walked along the corridors in silence.

"Don't you have classes today?" Harry asked finally.

"Dumbledore requested me to stay with you for today," the Potions Master replied. After a moment, the older man asked, "What were you dreaming about?"

Harry immediately stiffened as he remembered Voldemort talking to Lucius. He was about to make an excuse, but something in his demeanor must have shown.

"Alright, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Severus said, seeing the way the boy flinched slightly at the mention of his nightmares. "Do you have them often?"

The boy shrugged.

"If you want, I can brew you some dreamless sleeping potion."

Sebastien turned to him. "No, thank you. I appreciate your concern, but it's alright, Professor."

Hearing the boy call him by his normal title, Severus nodded. He didn't want to seem as if he was intruding. "Are you going to the Quidditch tryouts today?" he asked.

The boy seemed to cheer up slightly at the mention of the popular sport. "Yes, I'm going for Seeker," he said.

"I used to be Seeker for Slytherin too."

Sebastien looked up, seemingly shocked. "What? You played Quidditch?" Then quickly, he added, "Not an offense or anything, Severus, I was just surprised."

"None taken."

By then, they had reached the Hospital Wing. When Madam Pomfrey saw them, she immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

"Everything is fine," Severus said smoothly. "I just want you to check out Sebastien's Healing abilities."

Pomfrey raised an eyebrow before saying, "Come on, I have a few new patients you can try out on."

Walking into the Wing, Harry was brought to a boy with several cuts and bruises on his face.

"He got those from Quidditch Practise," she said, handing him several bottle of potions. "Here are the necessary potions. Heal him."

Harry looked at the potions, slightly surprised. "I er... don't need these," he said, handing the bottles back.

"Of course you need them, Mr. Frostpine. How else would you heal him?"

Harry raised his hands and placed them on the shoulders of the injured boy. Concentrating, he sent a wave of Healing energy at the child.

Before his eyes, the bruises and cuts faded away until there was once again pale skin where the injuries had been.

When he looked up, he saw that Madam Pomfrey was surveying him with shock. "How did you do that?" she asked. "That's very VERY advanced Healing that only several wizards and witches were known for. The ability has supposedly faded out a few centuries ago. Helga Hufflepuff was one of the only witches who managed it."

Harry blushed, hoping he wasn't giving too much of his identity away. He knew that each Founder was famous for their own abilities: Godric for dueling, Salazar for potions, Rowena for charms, and Helga for healing. He hadn't realized HOW rare the abilities were though.

He looked up at Severus helplessly, his eyes pleading him to get him out of here.

Severus seemed to get the idea. "Don't you have Quidditch tryouts, Sebastien?" he asked. "You should go if you don't want to be late."

"Okay." Smiling gratefully at the Potions Master, he raced out of the room, hearing Pomfrey call out, "COME BACK WHEN YOU HAVE SPARE TIME!"

Walking into the Slytherin Common Room, he grabbed his Windwhip2000 and headed out to the pitch.

Draco was already there, as well as the other team members. Harry and another girl who was a second year were both trying out for Seeker. Eliza, he was surprised to see, was trying out for Chaser.

"Alright," Draco told him and the second year, whose name, he found out, was Melody Lystra. "I'll let go of the Snitch and I want to both chase it. GO!"

The golden, fluttering ball flew into the air. Harry immediately flew after it, broomstick racing through the air. Beside him, Melody was doing the same. Soon, they were flying neck-to-neck.

Harry reached out his hand to grab the small ball when suddenly, the snitch gave a quiver. Without warning, it changed directions and dropped towards the ground.

Harry groaned as he whipped his broom around and began dropping towards the ground at neck-breaking speed. Melody did the same, although she was a little more cautious. The spectators gasped as the two raced after the snitch, not slowing down at all. Melody's dark hair whipped out behind her like a banner.

Draco groaned. There was no way those two could be able to stop in time.

However, at the last minute, Harry reached out and snatched up snitch, holding it out in front of him. He quickly changed direction and did a victory lap around the pitch. He then slowly landed, walking up to Draco.

"Excellent!" The blond said, smiling at both him and Melody. "The results will be posted in the Common Room tonight.

As it turned out, Harry became the new Seeker while Melody was the reserve seeker. Draco and Goyle were the Beaters, Eliza, a fellow sixth year named Felicity Moonstream, and a third year called Marissa Staghorn became the Chasers. Alexander Valden became the Keeper.

That night, Harry went to bed, feeling exhausted. It was going to be a long week.

"Are the plans ready, Wormtail?"

"Y-yes, my Lord," the cowering figure on the floor stuttered.

Voldemort flashed a sickening smirk. "Excellent," he hissed. "You have done well, Wormtail. You shall be rewarded."

"Thank you, my Lord," the figure said, relief evident in his voice.

"The attack will take place soon," Voldemort said. "Make sure you my most faithful followers are prepared. Do not inform anyone else, for there is a spy in our midst." He laughed, a cold sound. "When we attack Hogwarts and defeat Dumbledore, the world shall know who REALLY rules!"

Wormtail gave a nervous giggle before leaving. Next, another figure replaced the man. This person moved smoothly and elegantly. "My Lord," the velvety voice said. "You wished to see me?"

"Yes, my dear Severus," Voldemort replied. "Do you have a student with long, black hair and icy blue eyes?"

"Yes, My lord."

"Tell me about him."

"His name is Sebastien Frostpine and he is in sixth year."

"Does he show particular talent in any subjects?"

"Yes, my Lord. He is top in all classes and excels especially in Potions and Defense."

"How is it that he can resist the Cruciatus?'

"I do not kno, my lord."

Voldemort nodded. "I will question you again next time. For now, do you have any news on the Ministry or Dumbledore?"

"None, my lord."

"Ah, but Severus, you know that I do not take 'no progress' as an answer?"

"My most profused apologies, my Lord. I will make sure to gain information next time."

"To late, my Severus. You shall be punished. Crucio."

The dark figure stayed on the ground, and though he figeted slightly, he did not scream. Finally, the curse creased.

"You may go, Severus."

"Thank you, My Lord."

The figure left after kissing the hem of Voldemort's robes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry opened his eyes with a gasp, the pain of the Cruciatus still coursing through his body. He had to tell Dumbledore about the attack...

Checking his watch, he saw that it was only 5 in the morning. But this new was urgent, it couldn't wait. For all he knew, Voldemort could be attacking now. Jumping up, he pulled on his robes and slipped out the door, careful not to wake Draco or the rest of his dorm-mates.

Reaching the stone gargoyle, he guessed hopefully, "Lemon Drops?"

No such luck.

"Mars Bars?"

No reaction.

"Sugar Quills?"

Still no answer.

Frustrated, Harry yelled, "Just open up, you bloody door!" He kicked the gargoyle, achieving nothing but a pain in his foot.

"Canary Creams," a rich, velvety voice said behind him. Turning, he saw that it was his potions professor, leaning against the wall.

"Severus!" he cried, running over. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the man replied, an amused smirk on his face. "And what, may I ask, are you doing doing here at five in the morning, Mr. Frostpine?"

"I-- er, have to talk to Professor Dumbledore, sir." Harry blushed slightly, hoping that the Potions Master would not question him any further.

Thankfully, just then, the door opened and Dumbledore stepped out, wearing purple night-robes. "Ah, Mr. Frostpine, Severus," he greeted. "I was expecting you." He stepped out of the way and allowed them to enter."

"Any news, Severus?" the Headmaster asked once they were seated.

"Albus," Severus replied uneasily, glacing at Harry.

Harry, getting the idea, was about leave when Dumbledore motioned for him to sit down. "It's alright, Severus," the old wizard said. "Sebastien may stay."

Severus nodded and quickly outlined the meeting.

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Sebastien," he said, turning to him. "You must take extra precautions if Voldemort is indeed interested in you."

Harry nodded in agreement. Turning, he saw that Severus was flashing him a puzzled look. "Headmaster," he said in a low voice so only Dumbledore could here. "I have some news."

The man turned to Severus. "If you are alright, you may leave. Go to Poppy for any potions or medical treatment you might need."

"Good night, Headmaster," Severus said as he left the room. Dumbledore turned to Harry.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

Harry quickly told the older wizard about what he had heard. "...So I don't know when the attack will be," he finished.

The headmaster nodded gravely. "I see," he said. "Please inform me of any further notice, and I will tell you if Severus find out any information on this attack. If that is all, you may leave.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It wasn't until almost November that it happened. It was during lunch time in the Great Hall when Harry suddenly felt a painful tinge in his scar. The pain grew until it was almost blinding. Immediately, he knew. The Death Eaters and Voldemort were coming.

Ignoring Draco questions, he turned to Eliza. "Voldemort," he whispered in her ear. "Be ready."

The girl nodded, grabbing her wand as Harry did the same. He immediately got up and rushed up to the headtable. Unfortunately, Dumbledore had been called away on Ministry business. Severus was missing also. He ran up to the only other person he was familiar with, Remus, not aware that the entire hall was watching him curiously.

"Sir," he whispered urgently. "Voldemort's coming. He's about to attack."

Remus looked at him in confusion, but Harry ignored him and raced back to the Slytherin table.

Just then, the door of the Great Hall flew open and crowds of figures dressed in black dashed into the room.

"Students, back!" McGonagal yelled as she herded the students over to the corner of the Great Hall. The only students who did not listen, however, were Harry Potter and Eliza Rosethorn.

Harry jumped up, about to stun a nearby Death Eater when suddenly, Voldemort himself appeared through the doorway. Both students and teachers let out a startled gasp as the reptilian man stalked into the room.

Without thinking, Harry turned away from the Death Eater and turned to the Dark Lord. "Voldemort," he said, his voice icy, as he looked at the man (if he can be called such a thing).

"And who are you?" The Dark Lord asked, turning to him, his voice cruel. By then, the hall was still, the Death Eaters stopping to watch their master.

"Does it matter at all?" Harry asked, making sure his voice was firm but quiet.

Voldemort looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "You dare speak back to me?"

Harry smirked. "What, surprised?"

The man turned his reptilian eyes upon him. "This calls for punishment," he said. "Crucio."

Harry could easily block the Unforgivable, considering the skills Salazar had taught him, but he didn't want to show all his true secrets just yet. The curse hit, but he gave no reaction. "Pathetic," he hissed, his voice causing the hair on the back of everyone's neck to stand up.

Voldemort stopped the curse. "Ah, you are Sebastien Frostpine, I suppose," he said. "How is it that you can resist an Unforgivable?"

Harry sneered. "Thank is for me to know, and you to find out."

"I give you a chance, Sebastien," Voldemort said. "Join me, and I will lead you to greatness. Stay on the side of the losers, and you shall die, just lie the others."

"I bow to no one, Voldemort."

The icy voice caused everyone in the room to gasp.

"This calls for punishment." The Dark Lord smiled sickeningly. "Culter!"

Harry lept out of the way, the curse hitting the floor beside him. This caused the teachers to start. McGonagal once again began guarding the children, calling out shields and protection wards to keep the students safe. Flitwick started to attack the Death Eaters while Remus stepped up, about to approach Harry.

"SILENCE!" Voldemort said, causing everyone in the room to freeze. "Death Eaters, watch for now. I will make an example out of this boy. Hogwarts teachers, I suggest you stay put unless you wish to die."

All the teachers ignored the warning, approaching them, but Harry lifted his wand, throwing up a shield to stop the staff members from approaching. "Stop," he commanded, his voice full of authority. "Do not come closer."

"Ready to die, boy?" Voldemort asked, a sick smile on his face.

"Afraid that won't happen today, Voldemort."

"What can a little boy like you do, Frostpine?"

Harry smirked at the other's tactics. "Ah yes, but little boys and grow to be great things. After all, everyone was young once, were they not, Tom?"

Voldemort stopped, looking at him piercingly. Harry heard many of the teachers gasp, undoubtedly wondering how he had known the Dark Lord's childhood name.

Before Harry knew what was happening, anothing curse came at him. He quickly raised a shield, blocking the spell.

"Ah, this will be interesting," Voldemort hissed. "I will be able to take my time and slowly break you. Unless you've changed your mind about joining me?"

"I'ld die before I join you, Tom Marvalo Riddle." The words were said with such venom that the students shivered.

"Very well." The Dark Lord raised his wand. "Imperio!"

Harry heard a small nagging voice in his head ("Join me!"), but it barely affected him.

"Down to Imperious Curses now, aren't you, Tom?" he asked. "No matter, it down not work on me."

"So, you can fight, can you not?" Voldemort sneered. "Prepare to die. Senario!"

A black beam shot towards him and Harry leaped up into the air, dodging it while riding the wind. There was gasps heard around the room as they saw the student standing on thin air.

"Incendio!"

"Tut, tut," a voice said from behind his back. "I would have thought a Dark Lord such as you would have used a more advanced spell. Want to play with fire, do you not? Be prepared."

Harry turned and saw that it was Eliza who had spoken. She stepped up beside him, her grey eyes flashing with mischief. Her hair flew in the hair.

The next thing everyone knew, a fire engulfed Voldemort. "Extinguero!" They heard as the flames disappeared.

"And who are you, little girl?" Voldemort asked.

"None of your business," Eliza replied bluntly. "Now shut up."

Harry could have laughed at the expressions on everyone's faces. Voldemort looked livid with rage at this rudeness. "Encavio!" The Dark Lord shouted.

A column of flame rose before them, surrounding both Harry and Eliza, cutting them both off and shielding the curse. Harry grinned. "Thanks, Eliza," he said."

"No problem. What stradegy shall we go for? I know we can't do anything majoy since Dumbledore's not here, but what should we do in the meantime?"

"The Wind and Fire dance," Harry replied, listing off one of the stradegies Lady Lyra had taught him. "You know that one right?"

Eliza nodded. The next thing they knew, the flame column disappeared.

Harry immediately used his elemental powers and called the wind to him. He moved around in a dance-like motion, one move flowing into another. He sliced his hand through the air, cutting the current in half. One half, he pushed towards Voldemort's right side, the other, Voldemort's left.

He could feel the fire energy radiating off of Eliza. The girl let out a burst of fire, pushing Voldemort back against the wall until he could go no further. Voldemort managed to cast a shield to block the fire, but he was unable to block the wind. Finally, with one last curse, he called out, "Death Eaters, attack," and Disapparated.

The Death Eaters immediately complied. Harry turned away from the spot Voldemort was a minutes ago as he stunned a masked figure. He was about to petrify another when he stopped. There was something about the way the person moved...

"Sebastien!" A velvety voice hissed softly. "It's me!"

It was Severus. He immediately waved his hand, forming a ring of ice above the head of the Potions professor, protecting him from all spells, curses, and hexes. Then, he turned to the next person.

He petrified another, but his robes were set on flames. He doused the fire with ice as he turned to the next person. However, just then, he heard about half a dozen voices intone, "Crucio."

He felt as if his body was on fire. About five Cruciatus curses had been aimed at him, and now, pain was coursing through his body. The pain stopped as abruptly it started as the said Death Eaters prepared to Disapparate. Harry quickly set an Anti-Appartion charm around them, preventing them from going anywhere. He immediately stunned the lot.

Beside him, Eliza was setting the robes of another Death Eater on flames. He smirked as he saw the said figure slide to the ground, trying to extinguish the flames. Severus seemed to be getting attacked from all directions, but the ice halo was keeping the curses from doing any damage.

However, he froze when he saw what was happening in front of him. Remus as fighting a Death Eater, but the werewolf never realized that two more figures were sneaking up behind him.

"REMUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed, as one of the figure raised his wand.

His heart froze and plummeted off of the Earth as the figure screamed.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry felt as if his heard had stopped beating when he heard the Death Eater yell the curse. There was no time for magical shields: he had not been prepared.

There was only one thing he could do. Riding the winds, he launched himself at Remus. He had to get there in time, just had to... He had lost his parents, Sirius... He couldn't loose Remus too.

He saw the emerald beam get closer and closer. He willed himself to go faster, he was almost there... There. He knocked Remus out of the way as he shielded himself over the other's body. There was only a few seconds left... He quickly cast a magical shield, but he knew it was too weak to absorb the curse. He only hoped that it would be enough to keep him from getting killed.

He was vaguely aware of people screaming around him as the curse hit, contacting with his left shoulder. He cried out in pain as his legs collapsed from underneath him.

He heard someone calling his name. He struggled to open his eyelids. He saw that it was Remus. "M-Moony?" he whispered softly. Remus was safe. He had managed. Allowing a gentle smile to grace his lips, he closed his eyes and drifted off into blissed darkness.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~REMUS' POV ~

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The spell shot towards me, closer and closer.

"REMUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

My name rang through the air. Turning, I saw that it was Sebastien. He was running... no, flying towards me. Strange. I must be hallucating.

At first, I panicked, but I gradually excepted. I smiled. I would see Lily, James, and Sirius again... And Harry... I closed my eyes, waiting for the curse to hit, but suddenly, I felt a heavy weight being pushed against me. I lost my balance, falling backwards, and I was vaguely aware of someone whispering an unknown spell. Looking up, I saw... Sebastien? A second later, the boy collapsed on top of me, calling out in evident pain.

I gasped when the impact of what had happened hit me. Sebastien Frostpine, a boy I knew next to nothing about, had just saved my life. And died for me in the process.

"Sebastien! Sebastien!" I called out, ignoring the panicking people around me.

To my surprise, the boy opened his eyes. I looked into those icy blue eyes filled with pain and... relief?

"M-Moony," the child whispered, a smile on his lips. Then, his eyelids once again dropped.

Moony? How had he known my nickname?

I called his name several more times, but there was no response.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~SEVERUS' POV~

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

I watched, almost in slow motion as the curse traveled towards Lupin.

"REMUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The voice penetrated the air. I looked up and was surprised to see that it was Sebastien. He was racing towards the professor. I wonder where he got the habit of calling Lupin by his first name. But no matter. I had seen the curse too many time; I know he would never make it.

Which was why I was stunned when the boy launched himself AT the professor, knocking him over. The next thing I knew, the curse hit the child's left shoulder and Sebastien fell over, crying out.

The Death Eater who used the use was trying to Apparate, but Minerva quickly stunned him.

I raced forward in panic, tugging the boy out of Lupin's arms. I swiftly pulled off my Death Eater mask as I turned to the fallen boy. "Sebastien! Sebastien!" I called softly, over and over.

The boy slowly opened his eyes. I saw conflicting emotions flash over in his blue eyes: fear, anger, remorse, joy, sadness.... and love? No, I had to be imagining it.

"Sev?" The voice called out softly. I was too reliefed to tell the boy off. Instead, I grabbed him and rushed towards the Hospital Wing, ignoring the Death Eater lying on the ground.

I was vaguely aware of Remus Lupin following me. On the way, we met up with Albus Dumbledore.

"Severus!" the Headmaster called out, worry evident in his eyes. "What happened? The Hogwarts alarm went off, I came here as quickly as I can, but..."

I was, for once, too panicked to explain properly, so Remus quickly outlined the situation. I was surprised to see the Headmaster pale. "Sebastien got hit by the Killing Curse?" he asked softly.

I nodded. The next thing I knew, the Headmaster had cleared the hallway and was rushing us towards the Hospital Wing at a dizzying speed.

By the time we got there, Poppy was already there. "He got hit by the Killing Curse?"

I nodded, quickly explaining the situation.

Poppy looked at me sadly. "I'm sorry, Professors, but if he was hit, then there's nothing I can do---"

Dumbledore cut her off. "Poppy, I would like you to check him out anyways. I know for a fact that he put up a shield before the curse hit."

"But Headmaster, no shield is strong enough---"

"Please Poppy, just check," Remus said, worry evident in his voice.

The nurse nodded and quickly used several spells and curses. She suddenly gasped.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's amazing," she said. "He... he's still alive. His heart is still beating properly, although his breathing is laboured."

For once, I felt like cheering out loud. I suppressed my urge and told the Matron, "Hurry up and get started!"

That was all the encouragement Poppy needed. She went into full nurse mode and levitated Sebastien into a small room inside the Wing, away from her other patients, as she ushered us out of the room, claiming she needed calm and quiet.

We waited outside for several hours. Suddenly, Poppy rushed out, panick in her eyes.

"I don't get it!" she said. "I tried all the treatments on him, none of them work!"

We were at a loss for words. "Isn't there anything else you can do?"

"He's not responding to any of the treatments!"

"Professor," a new voice said from behind us. "Perhaps you could allow me to try? I was taught healing by the same person Sebastien was."

I turned and saw that it was Eliza Rosethorn, a girl Sebastien often studied with. Well, it was worth a try, I suppose. I refused to allow myself to lose hope.

"Go on ahead," Poppy said, ushering her into the room. "His breathing is slowing, and he's in pain. None of the painkillers work," she informed us.

"Do you think Ms. Rosethorn's treatment will work?" The headmaster asked.

"I'm not sure, it all depends on how much skill she's got... but, if her skills rival Mr. Frostpine's then perhaps there is hope after all.

From the window the Headmaster enchanted, we watched the process. Rosethorn raised her hands and calmly placed them on Sebastien's back. Beams of light erupted from her hands and into the boy's back. First blue, then red, emerald, orange, gold, and finally, silver.

A second later, Poppy and Rosethorn both came out. "He's fine now," the nurse said, looking at Eliza in wonder. "I don't know how or what she did, but it worked. He's currently resting. He'll be constantly tired and may need help standing and walking the first two weeks, but after that, I think he will be fine. I need someone to stay the nights with him."

"I will," I said in a voice that allowed no argument.

"I'll do it tomorrow night," Lupin said.

"Very well," Poppy said as she left the room. "Make sure he's warm and comfortable. I need to take care of the rest of my patients."

I sat there, watching the boy's slow and quiet breathing as everyone else left . Each rising of the chest brought new hope to my heart. I know that he will live.

I wonder how he survived the curse. Only Potter has managed it, yet Sebastien had done the same. But the Headmaster had said something about a shield...

The boy whimpered slightly, curling up into a ball. He seemed to be in pain. I quickly reached down and pulled him up into my arms. At first, he was as tense as ever, but slowly, Sebastien relaxed into my embrace. I rubbed circles on his back, hoping to calm him, and was surprise to feel the child lean into my touch. I continued watching the boy, looking so vulnerable but peaceful as he slept. There was none of the guarded look he usually placed on his face. It occured to me that as powerful as Sebastien was, he was only a boy, prone to emotions such as joy and sorrow, anger and despair. I suddenly felt an urge, a longing to protect the boy, to shield him from the world's evil and darkness. For, he was, only a child.

A child, I realized, A child whom I cared deeply about.

Severus once again sat in the Hospital Wing next to Sebastien's bed. A week had passed since the day of the attack, and the child had yet to wake. He stayed by the boy's side as often as he could between lessons and etc.

He closed his eyes tiredly and was about to drift off when a whimper caught his attention. Opening his eyes, he saw that it was Sebastien making the sound. He was at the boy's side in a flash. "Come on, Sebastien," he coaxed softly. "Hurry up and wake up. It's time to get up now."

Slowly, ever so slowly, the boy's eyes opened. Blue orbs met black as Severus leaped up. "You're finally awake," he said softly.

The child's eyes were full of confusion. He watched as the boy slowly recognized him.

"S-Severus?"

The voice was raspy from a week of disuse. Severus quickly summoned a cup of water and lifted it up to Sebastien's lips. "Drink," he ordered.

The boy obeyed, swallowing the water. He shivered slightly.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked, noticing the way the child was trembling.

"It's cold. So cold."

Severus grabbed the boy and brought him closer, wrapping his arms around the shaking child. He surprised himself with the action. It had been so long since he had willingly felt physical contact with another.

He discovered, to his horror, that the boy was burning hot. Taking his temperature, he saw that it was about 43 degrees Celcius. He quickly summoned several wet towels as he placed them on the burning forehead. "Poppy!" he yelled loudly. "He's awake!"

A few seconds later, Poppy raced into the room with Fever-Reducing Potions. The fever dropped two degrees, and was better than before, but was still too high for comfort.

"The best we can do right now is keep him warm," the nurse said.

Unfortunately, Severus had to leave for morning lessons. He was extremely snappy and impatient that morning, taking out his anger and helplessness on the cowering students. At lunch, he raced back to the Hospital Wing to find that the bed Sebastien had occupied before was empty.

In panic, he looked around the room, not seeing the boy. He was about to go for Poppy when he heard a small whimper. Looking up, he saw a small figure curled up in the corner of the room where the two walls met.

Walking over, he placed a hand on the shaking shoulder. The boy looked up, confusion evident in the blue orbs. "Sebastien?" he asked. "What's wrong?" His fingers touched the burning cheeks.

"I-I'm lost," a small voice whispered, barely audible. "Where am I?"

It broke Severus' heart to see the boy he had come to look after as a son behave this way. "Oh, Sebastien," he said softly, pulling the child closer. "You're at Hogwarts. You're safe."

The confusion disappeared. "S-Sev?"

"Yes, Sebastien, it's me."

The boy suddenly launched himself at him, throwing fraile arms around his neck.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," he said, lifting the child easily and placing him onto the hospital bed. He tucked the sheets tightly around the boy. "Are you hungry?"

Sebastien shook his head. "Just tired."

"Well, go to sleep, Sebastien," Severus said. The boy complied and minutes later, he was once again asleep. When he was sure no one would see him, he leaned down and placed a kiss on the forehead of the child he had come to love.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry woke several more times over the course of the next few days. Soon, he had built up enough stamina to walk around for short periods of time, although someone had to be with him on these trips for he often got hit with dizzy or weakness spells. Draco, Eliza, Ron, and Hermione often came to see him between classes, bringing get-well gifts and etc. Severus was mostly around to talk with.

One afternoon, he was in bed when there was a knock. The door opened and Remus Lupin walked in. "Hello, Sebastien," the werewolf said.

"Good Morning, Mo--Professor Lupin," Harry said quietly, inwardly kicking himself. What would he answer if Remus asked him how he knew his nickname?

"How are you feeling?" the man asked, sitting down in a chair next to him.

"Much better, sir," Harry heard himself reply.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence. Then...

"I want to thank you, Sebastien. For saving me. It it hadn't been for you, I would be dead by now." Remus looked at him, warm brown eyes shining with gratitude. "You risked your own life for me, and I can't thank you enough for that."

Harry flushed, embarassed. "I only did what I had to do, Professor," he said, blushing furiously, his cheeks fiery red.

"Sebastien, I wanted to ask... How did you know my nickname? Not many do."

Harry looked down, distinctly uncomfortable. "Er... I'm sorry, Professor, but I can't tell you," he said quietly. "I promised not to tell. Let's just say... An old friend told me."

Remus looked at him for a minute before nodding. "It's alright," he said. After another minute of silence, he asked, "Sebastien, you knew about my nickname, so did you know about... Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail?"

Harry nodded. "Padfoot was Sirius Black, godfather of Harry Potter, blamed for a crime he did not do. Prongs was James Potter, father of Harry Potter, killed by Voldemort on Halloween. And Wormtail." His voice hardened and his eyes flashed coldly. "Peter Pettigrew, Death Eater and Spy for Voldemort. He betrayed Lily and James and he framed Sirius." He looked up again, smiling sadly at Moony. "I know you want to know how I know, Remus, but I can't. I promised myself and everyone else. I promise you'll find out one day."

A pained expression flashed across the werewolf's face, but it quickly disappeared. "I understand, Sebastien," he said, standing up, smiling sorrowfully. "I'll see you soon, okay? I have to leave for classes now." With that, he left the room, leaving Harry to ponder over his own thoughts.

Harry lay in bed, thinking about what had happened over the past few days. When he had first awoken, he could barely remember anything. One of the things he did recall, however, was the feeling of strong arms wrapped around him protectively. Severus' arms. He had seen a gentle side of the Potions Master no one had ever seen before. He discovered suddenly that he cared about the man, that Severus was the closest thing to a father- figure he'd ever known. He was the one to comfort him when he had frightening nightmares, or took care of him when he felt weak. He realized that the man meant more to him than he could ever guess.

The last thought he had before drifting into darkness was of how the world would react if they knew Severus Snape was willingly taking care of Harry Potter.

By the beginning of the Christmas holidays, Harry was declared well enough to go back to the Slytherin dorms. Although the dizzy spells still hit, these were rare and could be taken care of by his friends.

That year, most of the school population was going home. The only people in Slytherin were Harry, Draco, and Eliza. Ron, Hermione, and a second year named Mira Breechwood. In Ravenclaw stayed Cho Chang and her friend Marietta. All Hufflepuffs had gone home for Christmas.

Dumbledore had announced that there would be a Yule Ball the day all the students came back since it had been extremely popular in the fourth year. Most of the girls had been talking about what they would wear when they had left for the Hogwarts Express.

Harry was just sitting in the Slytherin Common Room one day as he gazed into the blazing fire. Draco was out flying and the dorms were empty expect for he and Eliza. Feeling bored, he decided to speak with Lady Lyra.

//My Lady?// He asked quietly.

//Hello, Harry,// came the softly reply. //It's been long since you've last talked with me.//

//I apologize, it was an eventful month.//

//Oh? What has happened?//

Harry quickly explained about the attack on Hogwarts. //Thankfully, Dumbledore managed to keep the Dailey Prophet press away from the school.// He sighed. //My Lady, do you know why I managed to survive the Killing Curse again?//

//Three things are required for the survival of the Killing Curse: love, sacrifice, and immense power. You loved Remus like a second godfather, and you were willing to sacrifice yourself for him. The amount of power you had inside you burst out to form a shield. Normally, shields would not work against the Killing Curse, yet your shield was so powerful and made of such love that you and Remus both survived.// Lady Lyra paused slightly. //That is why you have survived.//

//Does that mean Dumbledore can save people from the Killing Curse if he wished?// Harry asked curiously. He knew that the old man was one of the most powerful wizards alive.

//Although Dumbledore is powerful, he is not powerful enough. You, Harry, are more powerful than he with the blood of Godric and Salazar running through you.//

Harry gaped as his jaws dropped. /He/ was more powerful than /Dumbledore/??? Suddenly, an amused voice cut through his thoughts.

"What's the matter, Sebastien?"

Looking up, he saw that Eliza was standing in front of him, her grey eyes flashing with amusement.

"I was just talking to Lady Lyra," he replied, grinning despite his cold tone.

"I havn't talked to Lady Shiara for a while too," the girl replied. "She's always busy these days." She sighed, then brightened. "Hey, I had an idea earlier: Do you think we can visit Rowena and the others during the Christmas break?"

"How do you suppose we do that?"

Eliza shrugged. "I don't know. Ask Lady Lyra."

Harry complied. //Lady, Eliza asked whether there is a way we can go visit the Founders during the holiday?//

//Hmm...? came the answer. //It might be possible if I transport you... How about this: Get everything you need ready by tomorrow at eight fifty in the morning. Wait in an empty classroom or a disused closet. At prompty nine o'clock, I will transport you to the Founder's dimension. Okay?//

//Thank you!// Harry said happily as he cut off his connection. He quickly told Eliza about what the Lady had said. "... so I need to get to Hogsmeade to get gifts. Coming with me?"

"Of course," the girl replied. "Come on, let's go, get your cloak!"

"How did you know about my invisibility cloak?"

Eliza smirked. "I have my ways. Come on!"

Grabbing his cloak, he led Eliza towards the statue of the witch with one eye. Opening the tunnel, he headed into Hogsmeade.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Several hours later, both students came back, levitating about a dozen bags between them. "Come on," Harry panted as he led the way to the Slytherin Common Room, careful to cover the presents with his cloak.

Walking into the Common Room and closing the door behind them, they came face-to-face with Draco Malfoy.

"Where WERE you guys?" the blond asked. "I was looking everywhere for you for the last... three hours!"

"Er..." Harry stuttered, trying to levitate the presents into his dorm without the boy noticing. "I.. um..."

"COME ONE!" Eliza yelled, grabbing the presents and dragging him upwards. Harry didn't need anymore encouragements: he bolted into the dorms, placing locking spells and silencing charms behind him.

"What's that spell you used?" Eliza asked curiously. "I've never heard it before."

"It's a modified silencing charm," Harry explained. "It allows you to hear what's going on outside, but doesn't allow the person outside to hear what's going on inside." He smirked when he heard Draco yelling downstairs. "Come on, let's wrap the gifts."

Two hours later, they finished. Harry hid the gifts for Ron, Hermione, Severus, Remus, Draco, and Eliza under his bed while he grabbed the gifts for the Founders and stored them into his trunk. He also stuffed in several pairs of robes. He stored the trunk beside his pillow. Only when he and Eliza were both ready did he take off the locking charm.

A second later, Draco burst into the room. "WHAT THE DEVIL WERE YOU DOING IN THERE!!??!" He yelled. "I've been waiting for hours!!!"

After listening to the boy ramble for another five minutes, Draco finally calmed down. "So," he said. "Out with it. Where were you earlier?"

Harry sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you. We sneaked into Hogsmeade to buy Xmas gifts and we were wrapping them for the last... two hours."

"What?" Draco's eyes grew wide. "You know a secret way into Hogsmeade?"

"You don't?" Harry smirked. "My, my, Draco... You've been at Hogwarts for six years, and you tell me you don't know the secret passageway into Hogsmeade? Fine, do you know the way into the kitchens?"

Draco shook his head. "Show me?" He pleaded.

Harry grinned. "How about this: let's go down to the kitchen tonight and we'll get some food in here."

"Perfect."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That night, the trio headed down to the kitchens in Harry's invisibility cloak. They went down several floors and turning, started down the marble staircase of the Entrance Hall.

"What are we doing HERE?" Draco whispered in his ear.

"You see," Harry replied softly. "Come on."

He hurried towards the small, obscure door at the side of the room. Pulling it open, he walked down a flight of stone steps into a brightly lit hallway that was decorated with paintings of food.

"Hurry up," he said softly as he dragged the blond over to a painting of a giant fruit bowl. Eliza stood right behind them.

Reaching up, he stretched out his forefinger and tickled an enormous green pair. It began to squirm, chuckling slightly, then... turned into a large green doorhandle. He grabbled it and pulled the door open.

He stepped into a huge, high-ceilinged room, almost as large as the Great Hall located above them. Glittering pots and pans hung from the stone walls and the large, brick fireplace. Turning to Eliza and Draco, he grinned. "Welcome to the Hogwarts kitchen."

"How did you know it was located here?" Draco asked, looking around.

"I have my sources." He smiled as he raised his voice. "Dobby? Winky?"

A second later, a squealing elf ran into the room. "Mr. Frostpine, sir! Dobby is honoured to meet you, sir, for you save Hogwarts from evil, bad wizards, sir. Would you like some food, sir?"

Dobby looked up at him, his enormous, tennis-ball shaped size brimming with tears of joy. His bat-like ears flapped happily and he was wearing a shortened maroon sweater. His tea-cosy hat stuck up on his head, on which he had pinned many badges of different shapes and sizes.

"Er...." Harry looked down, cheeks flushing. "Sure, Dobby. Call me Sebastien. Just bring us... some cake and stuff. Where's Winky?"

"Yes, sir, of course, sir. You have heard of Winky, sir? She's right here."

A minutes later, Winky walked in at a more dignified pace, carrying trays and trays of food and snacks. Draco's eyes widened at the sight.

After a few more minutes, they stuffed their pockets with cream cakes, sweets, and pies as they retreated from the kitchens with the invisibility cloak over them.

Halfway up the staircase, Harry heard shuffling footsteps coming nearer and nearer. He backed away into the wall, pulling Eliza and Draco with him. A minute later, Severus appeared. However, he was obviously hurt: He was limping slightly as a trickle of blood ran down the side of his face. His breathing was highly irregular, and the man was panting.

Without giving it a second thought, Harry immediately pulled the cloak off of himself, although still covering Draco and Eliza. "Professor," he cried softly, walking over to assist the man. "What happened? Are you alright?"

Severus smiled at him slightly, but his eyes were painful. "Meeting. Cruciatus." That was all he had to say.

"How many times?"

"Three."

Harry immediately leaned down and pulled the Potions Master to the floor. He transfigured one of the pies into a chair as pushed the man into it. "Relax," he ordered as he placed his hands on Severus' back and sent waves of healing energy into it.

As he gave off the energy, he felt his legs weaken beneath him. His magical energy was still recovering from the Killing Curse of a few weeks ago. Just as he was about to collapse, a hand grabbed him, wrapping him into a protective embrace.

"Sebastien?"

He looked up and saw obsidian black eyes looking into his. "I'm fine," he said weakly, trying to stand.

"I'll have to take you back to the Slytherin dorms." The professor said, cutting off his mutterings. Just as the man was about to stand up, two other voices rang through the air.

"It's alright, Professor. We'll take him."

"You can go rest now, sir."

Harry smiled as he heard Eliza and Draco's voices. He saw Severus' surprised expression before the Potions Master nodded.

"All right. Take care of him." With that, the man left, his robes swirling behind him.

The trio got back to the dorms in another ten minutes. By then, Harry was feeling much better. After stuffing themselves full with the snacks they had got, they each went to bed.

As Harry crawled under the covers, he smiled in anticipation, thinking of what tomorrow would bring.

The next morning, Harry woke up at about six in the morning. He was too excited to sleep any longer. Beside him in the next bed, Draco was snoring lightly. Grinning, he grabbed his trunk and sneaked downstairs.

To his surprise, he saw that Eliza was already in the Common Room. "Hey, Eliza," he greeted. "When did you get up?"

"Oh, about ten minutes ago," the girl replied. "I think we'd better leave and hide somewhere before Draco wakes up, or else he'll drag us into some activity we don't want to do. We have to be on time, or we'll miss out chance to see Rowena and the others."

"Oh, alright," Harry agreed as he sat down to read.

Several hours later, at eight o'clock, Harry thought he heard movement upstairs. "Quick," he whispered to Eliza. "Draco's up. We have to get out of here if we don't want him to follow us."

The girl nodded in agreement and they both grabbed their trunks as they ran out of the Common Room.

"Which classroom are we using?" She asked.

"Um... let's take the Room of Requirement. It's this way, come on." Leading the way, he headed up to the seventh floor. He walked past the wall and back again three times, concentrating.

/We need a place to stay until Lady Lyra transports us... Somewhere nice and quiet.../

A second later, a small door formed in the wall. He thought he heard Eliza gasp slightly, but he ignored her and pulled the doorhandle. Walking inside, he motioned for the girl to follow.

Today, the room looked cozy and comfortable. There were several sofas littered around the room while dishes of sweets and snacks had been placed on the coffee tables. Harry promptly sat down and grabbed a Chocolate Frog as he flipped open his book and continued to read.

At about eight fifty-five, Harry stood up abruptly. He packed away his book as he grabbed his trunk and stood in at the center of the room. Beside him, Eliza did the same. Neither said a single word.

Eight fifty-six.....

Fifty-seven.....

Harry reached up and impatiently brushed his robes for lack of things to do.

Fifty-nine....

10 seconds now....

Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one... Zero.

Harry was aware that somewhere in the castle, the ringing of an old Grandfather clock could be heard. He squeezed his eyes shut as he held onto his trunk like a lifeline. The world began spinning around him. A wind barrier formed, the current surrounding him, encircling him over and over... Faster and faster...

The next thing he knew, he was standing on firm ground once again. Looking up, he saw a man with silvery robes standing in front of him. "SALAZAR!" he cried as he raced forward and thew himself at his mentor.

The man returned his embrace. "Come on," he said, motioning to both him and Eliza. "The others are waiting."

Walking into the next room, he saw that the rest of the Founders were there. He launched himself at Godric while the man laughed and hugged him.

After greetings were exchanged, Rowena said, "You're rooms will be the same one's as last time. Just settle in."

Harry looked up and asked hesitantly, "How long will we be staying, Rowena?"

The witch smiled. "A week this time, although only one hour will pass in your time." Her hazel eyes twinkled. "Go ahead and settle in. Don't let us stop you. Come back down when you're done."

Harry and Eliza both complied, running up to their old rooms and unpacking the few items they had bought. Then, they returned downstairs.

"Lessons will start again tomorrow," Salazar said. "I know its the holidays, and you will get plenty of free time, but we have limited time together. We want you to improve as much as you can. For today, you can just relax and do whatever you like."

"Harry," Godric said, turning to him. "I want to have another dueling session with you right now if you don't mind. I want to see how much you've improved since you've left."

Harry nodded happily. Dueling with Godric, although extremely difficult, was always interesting. "What are the rules?"

Godric turned serious. "I want to duel with no rules. Every spell aloud, except for the Killing Curse, of course." Seeing the boy stiffen, he added, "Salazar's right, you know. Even the Dark Arts is important. Just because its Dark Magic doesn't mean its evil."

"But... how come?" Harry had never quite understood the concept of Dark Magic not always being used for evil.

"Just because a spell is classified as 'Dark' does not mean its necessarily bad. I'll give you an example. The Levitating spell is a Light spell which first years learn, correct?"

Harry nodded in agreement.

"Well, imagine this. Someone levitates their nemisis and dangles them out the window. Then, they intentionally drop the spell and their enemy falls to their death. In this case, the Levitating spell is dangerous. It is what caused the death of an innocent. But it is considered a Light spell. Another example is this: you know that the Aduro Shield, one of the strongest in the world, is considered Dark because of its fire properties. If someone uses it and manages to stop another from getting hit with.. say, a pain curse, is it really so bad for one to use it?"

Harry nodded, his brain processing this information. He knew that Godric had a point. "But, what makes a spell evil or good?"

"The difference between what someone may call a 'good' use of a spell, or a 'bad' use, is the intent. You'r intension changes everything. If you meant to kill someone by dropping them out the window, then in that case, the Levitating spell is 'evil'. If you meant to save someone by using the Aduro Shield, then the spell is 'good'. Do you understand what I am talking about now?"

Harry nodded thoughtfully. "But.... there are some spells that I can't see the good side of. What about the Unforgivables? How can any of those be 'good'?"

"I'll start with the Imperius. Suppose someone has suicidal intentions. To stop them from hurting themselves, someone may use the Imperius Curse on them. It may be the only way to keep them safe. With the Cruciatus... Have you ever heard of spirit posession?"

Harry nodded slightly. "Well, in my second year, Voldemort posessed Ginny, my best friend's sister. He made her... do things."

"Yes," Godric said. "Spirit posession is similar to that. Sometimes though, the only way to drive the spirit away is pain. That is where the Cruciatus comes in use."

"But... what about the Killing Curse?"

"Harry." The founder sighed slightly. "Imagine this: you are terribly sick and nothing anyone does can help you. There is no medication that will work, no potion or spell that will cure you. Everyday, you are in pain, and your body is slowly failing. Wouldn't it be kinder just to let you go? Two simple words, a flash of green light, and everything is over. Wouldn't that be better at times?"

Harry slowly nodded as he finally understood what his mentor was trying to say. "So, you're saying that every curse and spell has its good points and bad points. It is how we, as humans, uses them that decides whether it is actually good or evil."

Godric smiled. "Exactly. So are you ready to duel now?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Good." Standing, they both bowed to each other before they began.

The two circled each other warily. Harry grabbed onto his wand tightly. Although he didn't need it, he always felt comforted by its presense.

Godric snapped out a curse with whipcrack speed and zero warning. Harry jumped out of the way. There was a blare of orange-red light that quickly fizzled out.

Harry cried out his own spell. "Stupefy!"

Godric countered the stunning charm with barely a blink. "Imperio!"

Harry felt the air crackle with the force of the forbidden curse unleashed. He quickly used a Dark shield and countered the attack. "Encavio!"

The walls around Godric began to collapse. The Gryffindor Founder jumped out of the way with lightening speed.

Taking advantage of the slight distraction, Harry used wandless magic and called out three spells at once. "Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! Expelliarmus!"

For a second, he thought the spells would hit, but then the founder jumped up and twisted his body in such a way that every single one of them missed.

"Seclario!"

Harry jumped sideways to avoid the pain curse. He met his downfall when he was suddenly hit with another spell. The world before him turned black. He reached out his hand and tried to get up, but stumbled and fell back to the ground.

"Harry! Harry, calm down," a voice ordered.

Harry obeyed as he stilled. A second later, someone muttered and his sight returned. "Godric?" he asked weakly.

The man picked him up gently and set him in a chair. "Pretty impressive, Harry," he said. Inwardly, he felt proud at what his heir had managed to accomplish. After all, not everyone could challenge Godric Gryffindor to a fifteen minutes duel. Most couldn't even last five minutes. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," Harry said shakily. He momentary blindness had scared him to no end. He was trembling slightly.

Godric reached forwards and pulled the quaking boy into his arms, wrapping his arms protectively around his heir. He rubbed the child's back comfortingly. After a few minutes, the younger wizard calmed down slightly. "Come on, let's take a break," he said, pulling the boy up.

A break and many cups of tea later, Harry settled down into his room for the night. He was exhausted. Yawning, he quickly fell asleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The week sped by with lightening speed. Before Harry knew it, it was the day to leave for his own dimension.

The morning they were to leave, Harry and Eliza gathered in the living room. Before they were to be transported, Godric walked up with many boxes in his hands. "Before you leave, we have some gifts for you," he said. "Here, sit down, this will take a while."

First, Rowena handed out her gifts. Harry opened the large case to find a red violin propped up inside. The beautiful instrument was made of wood, smooth and rich. He ran his fingers gently alone the strings, feeling them rubbing against him.

Turning, he saw that Eliza had recieved a silver flute the colour of ice. He smiled; these were the instruments Rowena had taught them to play.

"Remember to practise your music when you get back. Don't forget to practise the piano," the red-haired Founder reminded them.

Helga was next. She handed them each a suitcase. Harry's was green while Eliza's was blue. Opening them, Harry grinned. It contained 'Founder- style' robes. Many pairs of high-collared robes could be seen with matching boots. One pair was icy silver, another emerald green. There were also robes of dark maroon and deep, sapphire blue. The boots light but sturdy, perfect for dancing and social events.

He looked over at Eliza. Her robes and tunics were decidedly more... feminine, similar to those of Rowena and Helga's.

Next, Godric stepped forward. "I bought different gifts for you two," he said, a grin on his face. "Harry," he said, as he handed him a small, oak box. Opening it, Harry gasped. Inside the box contained a beautiful necklace the shape of a six-point star. The star itself was made of pure white marble, and engraved on it were two animals: a phoenix and a snake. The phoenix had fiery tailfeathers the colour of flames while the snake was lush green. The two animals were entwined together, wrapped around each other with stunning elegance and grace.

What Harry liked most, however, was not the animals. On each point of six-point star was a small jewel. Each was different and unique. The one on top was a milky white moonstone. Carved on it was the initials 'Harry.P.' The next two jewels to the right were a ruby and a sapphire with the letters 'R.W.' and 'Harry.G.' The lilac gemstone on the bottom could be clearly recognized as an amethyst. The initials 'E.R.' could be seen. And finally, on the left, was an emerald and a black garnet. Engraved were the letters 'D.M.' and 'S.S.' The pendant hung from a simple but delicate silver chain.

"Wow," Harry whispered. "Godric, what's this for?"

At this, the man took out another box. In the box were five smaller stars. The stars were each made from precious jewels. One was made of ruby, the others sapphire, amethyst, emerald, and black garnet. "I've connected these necklaces together with many charms and spells," the Gryffindor Founder explained. "Give one each to your friends (just associate them with the colours). You will be able to communicate through these stones, and if any one of them is in danger, their coloured stone on your pendant will glow hot. To speak with them, just press your finger on the specified stone and say the activating password."

"Activiating password?'

Godric smiled. "So the enemy can't use it. You each need your own password to be able to use activiate jewels. Each time before use, just say the password."

Harry grinned and threw himself at the founder. "I love it, Godric," he whispered. "It's beautiful."

Godric then handed Eliza a pair of bow and arrows. "My very own which I have created," he said. "Use it well, Eliza."

Finally, Salazar came forward. He handed them each a huge box. Opening it, Harry was stunned. Contained inside were each and every potions ingrediant he had ever heard of. He gasped when he saw a small bottle labled 'Veela hair'. Severus would go crazy over this!"

"Thank you, Salazar!" he cried as Eliza nodded her agreement.

"I totally love this." The girl sounded ecstatic with joy. Harry knew that she adored potions almost as much as he did.

Rowena stepped forward and engulfed them both in an embrace. "It's time to go now, children," she said regretfully. "I hope to see you soon."

They each nodded, unable to express how thankful they were. Finally, the air around them began to spin. Faster and faster, until everything was but a blur.

And Harry and Eliza disappeared from sight.

When Harry opened his eyes again, he was back in the Room of Requirement with Eliza by his side. They quickly brought their suitcaes back to the Slytherin Common Room. After unpacking his robes and gifts, he took out the necklace Godric had given him and slipped it onto his neck. The pendant glowed silver for a second before returning to normal.

For the rest of the day, he sat in the Common Room by the fire, reading several books he had found in the school library. Since it was Tuesday, he backed away his books at seven fourty-five and headed down to the Potions lab.

Reaching it, he walked inside. By now, he was extremely familiar with the place. He knew exactly where everything was placed, what the passwords for the ingrediants cupboards were, and where he could find the different cauldrons and measuring spoons.

Severus was not there yet, so he finished up the potion he had begun last time. Finally, half an hour later, the Potions Master swept in. Settling down, the man pulled out a small golden cauldron and began measuring.

An hour later, the older wizard poured a pale blue mixture from the cauldron and stored it into a bottle, closing the cap. He sighed he set it down on the table.

"Severus?" Harry asked curiously. "What potion is that?"

"This is a new experiment I'm trying. It's supposed to be a Healing Potion which heals without any of the usual side effects, but I'm not sure it'll work. I'll have to test it later." The man closed his eyes wearily.

"Professor, do you mind if I test the potion?" Harry asked.

Severus looked up sternly. "Absolutely not!" he said firmly. "It's much too dangerous, Sebastien. No, I will test it myself. Besides, what will you heal?"

"I'll heal this," Harry said, rolling up his sleeves and showing one of his newest scars from his 'Voldemort-visions'. "I accidentally cut myself in Herbiology," he lied quickly. "Besides, if it has any side effects, it will affect you as much as it will effect me. And if it effects me, you'll be able to find a counter-potion, but if it affects you, no one will be able to do anything," Harry complained. "Please, Severus. I /am/ you're apprentice, can't I just test it for you? I promise I'll tell you if I feel sick or anything."

It was after much complaining, grumbling (on Severus' part), and persuading that the Potions Master finally agreed. "If you feel anything abnormal," he growled. "ANYTHING at all, you will IMMEDIATELY let me know. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Harry grinned widely.

"Annoying brat!"

"Name calling professor? How very mature of you." Harry smirked as he grabbed the bottle and poured the blue liquid into his mouth.

The effects were immediate. Instead of feeling the relaxing feeling he normally felt when he drank Madam Pomfrey's normal Healing Potions, he felt exactly the opposite: giddy and nervous. Suddenly, his head began to pound. He felt skin begin to crack around his scar. Instead of healing, fresh new cuts burst out from the older wound. The bleeding immediately began, running down his arm. By then, his headache was getting unbearable. He whimpered as his legs collapsed underneath him and he fell unconcious.

Severus gasped inwardly as the cuts burst onto the pale skin. Damn, something was obviously wrong with the experimental potion. He knew he shouldn't have allowed Sebastien to try it, but when his apprentice had pleaded nonstop for fifteen minutes, he had finally given in.

Now, as the student collapsed beside him, he rushed forward and caught the boy. Placing him onto a conjured bed, he could only think of one thing to do: wait until the potion stopped working. If he tried to feed the child a healing potion, it might react with the different ingrediants in the experimental potion, and who knew what would result. So he waited by his student's side, his face lined with worry.

Finally, after exactly ten minutes, the new cuts stopped coming. By then, blood was racing out of the wounds at an alarming speed. Grabbing his wand, he quickly muttered the few healing spells he knew. As he watched, the bleeding slowed, then stopped. He sighed in relief as he quickly pulled off the child's robes, a healing salve in his hand.

He pulled off the shirt and was immediately hit with a wave of guilt and regret when he spotted the various cuts and bruises which marred the pale skin. He spread the ointment on the scars, watching as the swelling skin slowly healed. The scars, however, would stay. He knew there was no way he could get rid of them.

The boy moaned softly. "Sebastien?" he asked softly, turning the child over.

The younger wizard finally opened his eyes. "Sev?" he asked quietly, pain colouring his voice. An almost undetectable smile graced the young man's lips as he whispered, "Shrivelfig. You need more crushed shrivelfig." With that, he fell back asleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Many hours later, Harry woke up to find himself in a small room. Where was he? He last thing he remembered was the blinding pain.

He was about to get up when suddenly, Severus entered the room. "You're finally awake," the man said, relief in his eyes. "How do you feel?"

Harry stood up, not understanding all this concern. "I'm fine, Severus," he reassured the man. "It's no big deal."

"NO BIG DEAL!" the Potions Master roared. "NO BIG DEAL, MY FOOT! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH BLOOD YOU'VE LOST?"

Harry shrugged as he placed a hand on the other's shoulder, trying to calm the distraught man. "It's okay," he said softly but firmly. "Relax. I'm fine. It didn't hurt all that much. I've been through worst." The last part was muttered, not intended to be heard, but Severus heard him anyways.

"You've been through worst? What worst? What happened?"

Harry gave a start as he realized the Potions Master had heard him. He inwardly kicked himself. How could he have forgotten the man's keen sense of hearing? "It's nothing," he muttered. "I don't want to talk about it, Sev."

Severus, although not satisfied, nodded. "Alright," he said. "If you're sure you're fine, then you can go for now."

Harry nodded and he left the room, not noticing the concerned looks Severus was shooting him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was the night of Christmas Eve. Harry sneaked down to the kitchens with the gifts he had bought for his friends. In everyone's gifts, he added different the necklaces Godric had given him, except for Severus'. He wanted to give the man the necklace face-to-face. He stuffed a small note in each of the boxes, explaining the uses of the necklaces.

Sneaking into the kitchen, he prompty met Dobby.

"Mr. Sebastien, sir!" The excited elf squealed. "What can Dobby do for you, sir?"

Harry smiled at the enthusiastic elf. "Leave these gifts by my friends' beds when you go clean the dorms tonight, okay?"

"Yes, Mr. Sebastien, sir, Dobby will do it, sir!" Dobby said excitedly.

"Thanks, Dobby." Harry grinned as he pulled out another box and handed it to the House Elf. "And this is for you."

"Thank you, sir, Mr. Sebastien, sir!" The elf said, bouncing around excitedly. His golfball-sized eyes filled with tears of happiness as he spotted the pair of green and red socks. "Socks are Dobby's favourite clothing, sir! Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Harry said, leaving the bubbling House Elf behind. Returning to the Slytherin dorms, he fell asleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning, Harry woke up early at seven o'clock. He eagerly checked out his presents, discovering that he had recieved books from Hermione and Eliza (On Potions and Defense), a green sweater from Mrs. Weasley (Ron had obviously told her about him), a black cloak with an elegant clasp from Draco (made of velvety silk material), a practise Snitch from Ron (it must have cost the redhead a fortune), and to his delight, a mahogany chessboard from Severus. He pulled on his robes as he grabbed the Potions Master's presents as he headed down to the dungeons. Reaching the office, he pulled open the door and grinned. Severus was sitting by the table, grading papers.

"Merry Christmas, Severus!" Harry cried as he walked into the room. The Potions Master turned around, surprised.

"Hello, Sebastien," the man greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"Bringing you your Christmas present," he said enthusiastically. "You didn't think I would forget you, did I? Oh, and thanks for the chess board."

"You're very welcome," the man said.

Harry pushed a large, oak chest into the Potions Master's hands. "Open it."

Severus complied as he slowly opened the top. The lid squeaked slightly as it swung open.

He gasped as he saw every potions ingrediants he had ever needed inside the small chest. Rows and rows of bottle could be found, each labled in Sebastien's neat handwriting. Lifting one bottle, he saw the words, 'Elven hair.' He turned to the boy, stunned. "Is this what I think it is?"

Harry nodded, grinning as he saw the look of amazement on the man's face. He had bought most of the ingrediants from Knockturn Alley, and some of the rarest ingrediants had been take from the box Salazar had given him. After all, he didn't need that much himself.

"How on earth did you get this?" Severus breathed, lifting a bottle labeled 'Basilik venom'. "They don't sell it anywhere."

"I have my ways," Harry said, smiling widely. "Do you like it?"

To his surprise, the normally apathetic Potions Master turned to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. He relaxed into the touch, hugging the man back.

"I love it. You don't know how much this means to me," Severus whispered. No one had ever bought him a present like that before. He meant the world to him, the fact that someone cared about him enough to spend time and money on some of the rarest potions ingrediant in the world. "Thank you, Sebastien."

After man let go, Harry pulled out the box containing the necklace. "Here, this is for you too."

Severus curiously opened the box and his breath caught in his throat. Inside it was a necklace made of black garnet. The precious gem was shaped in the shape of a six-point star, the letters 'S.S.' flashing silver on top. It hung from a simple platinum chain.

"It has a protection charm on it so that if you're in danger, my necklace will glow," Harry said, motioning to his own pendant. "And one more thing. You can communicate with me through the necklace."

"How?"

"Like this." Harry reached down and pressed his hand to the garnet jewel on his own star. "Rising Phoenix," he said, whispering the activation code. a?膘Severus?a?膘 he asked, speaking into the jewel.

Beside him, he heard Severus gasp. a?膘Sebastien?a?膘

Harry smiled, putting the necklace back under his shirt. "Now you know how to use it. You just need an activating password and you're all set." Reaching up, he clasped the pendant. around the man's neck. "Always keep it on, alright?"

Severus nodded as a small grin graced his lips. "Thank you, Sebastien," he whispered. "These are the best gifts I've ever had in my life."

"You're welcome, Sev," Harry said. He suddenly checked his watch. "Oops, I have to go before Draco wakes up. See you, bye." Standing on tip- toe, he gave Severus' cheek a small peck as he ran out of the room, leaving a stunned Potions Master behind him.

For those of you who are helping me find out the exact date in which Sirius died, thank you very much. The information may come in handy in the future of this story.

* ~ ~ ~ Chapter 21 ~ ~ ~ *

Draco was just waking up when he heard Sebastien call him. "Hey, Draco," the other cheerfully. "Want to play Quidditch outside?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "Sure," he replied, standing up and pulling on robes. "Wait while I open my presents."

Draco sat down and began ripping off the wrapping paper to several large boxes. Inside were various types of candies and expensive sweets. Two of the boxes contained elegant cloaks and robes which had obviously cost a great fortune. He sighed almost inaudibly, inwardly groaning. Every year, it was the same thing. Expensive clothing from his parents, sweets and etc. from his so-called 'friends'. Sure, he appreciated the presents, but he knew that the clothing were sent only to show how rich the Malfoys were, and the candies were sent because he was the son of Lucius Malfoy, who was one of Voldemort's most loyal Death Eaters.

He came to the present from Severus. Now, his godfather was someone who made him feel entirely different. Instead of showering him with meaningless things like his parents, the man made him feel... wanted. As if he actually mattered in this world. His godfather had always been the one to make him feel better when his parents became too much to bear. Opening the gift, he gasped when he found a silvery-green cloak. An invisibility cloak. The cloak was simple but elegant, and Draco knew that it could be extremely useful.

"Who's it from?"

He looked up when he heard Sebastien answer the question. "Severus. Professor Snape. He's my godfather."

Sebastien nodded thoughtfully. "Here," his fellow Slytherin said as he handed him the last box. "Here's my gift. It might seem childish, but it reminded me of you, and I think you might like it."

Draco looked curiously at the carefully wrapped package. Ripping off the wrapping paper, he saw that it was a medium-sized oak box. Opening it, he saw that there was two different compartments. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the two items.

The first was a stuffed dragon. Yes, it was a childish toy, but Draco appreciated it all the same. He had never recieved a stuffed animal before: his parents had never babied him in any way. It felt... special to get such a simple but meaningful thing for Christmas. The small dragon had maroon coloured hide. The eyes were made of two grey-blue stones.

He could hear Sebastien talking beside him. "Those eyes. They reminded me of you. They're the exact same shade as your's. It looks like the ocean right before a storm. The blue is the icy water, and the grey is the wild storm. I hope you like it."

Draco smiled and threw himself at his friend. "I love it," he whispered quietly. "I've never got anything like this before."

"Look at the other compartment," the other reminded him.

Draco turned to the second compartment. Looking in, he gasped softly. There was a simple, silver necklace inside. The pendant was a star-shaped emerald with the word 'Draconis' inscribed in it.

Harry smiled as he saw the wide-eyed look on Draco's face. He had changed the initials 'D.M.' into Draconis. It had just seemed more... right. He quickly explained the procedure of speaking through the jewel. "... just set up an activating code."

The blond smiled at him. "Thanks, Sebastien."

"You're welcome. Come on, let's go to the Quidditch Pitch for a game. I'll ask Eliza, Ron, and Hermione to come."

"Weasley and Granger?" the Slytherin asked in distaste. "Do we have to?"

"Yes," Harry said firmly. "We need as many players as we can get. Come on."

In the end, they ended up with eight people: Harry, Draco, Eliza, Hermione, Ron, Blaise Zabini, Dean, and Seamus. When Harry and Draco had asked Eliza, Blaise had overheard and asked to join in. When they asked Ron, he agreed and also managed to drag in Hermione, Dean, and Seamus. So, as it was, the eight trooped out to the Quidditch field, brooms in hand.

Draco also owned a Windwhip 2000, but he didn't sneer or tease when Ron and Hermione showed up with their Nimbus and Cleensweep brooms. Dean and Seamus both borrowed brooms from other classmates, and somehow, they ended up with two Firebolts.

Harry was the Seeker while Draco and Eliza were Beater and Chaser. Blaise was the Keeper for their team.

The Gryffindors formed the other team with Ron as Keeper, Hermione as Chaser, Dean as Beater, and Seamus as Seeker. Harry grinned. This was going to be fun.

Two hours and two games later, the two teams flew down to the ground for a rest. Harry, personally, wasn't even beginning to feel tired yet. While the other's were resting, he got on his broom and flew around the Pitch freely. He thought about the game. Slytherin had, of course, won both games, thanks to the fact that Harry always caught the snitch. Blaise turned out to be a decent Keeper, although she wasn't very interested in Quidditch.

"Hey, Sebastien!" He heard Ron yell. "Show Dean and Seamus the trick you did the first time we saw you."

Harry nodded to show that he had heard. Calculating the angle, he quickly stood up onto the handle of the broom. He thought he heard loud gasps, but he wasn't sure. It took all his concentration to try what he was going to do.

Taking a deep breath, he jumped up into the air, doing a cartwheel and spinning around and around with amazing speed. He pointed his toes and shot downwards. The wind rushed through his windswept hair as the ground came ever nearer. Suddenly, he stopped in midair, physically standing /on/ the wind. Then, he took off once again, flying up into the air as if an unknown force was pulling him upwards. Seeing his broom beside him to the right, he did another cartwheel, whizzing through the air before coming down to grab the handle of his Windwhip. Composing himself, he sat up and landed.

Gasps and praises could be heard as excited friends congratulated him. He blushed with he heard Dean exclaim, "That was amazing, Sebastien!"

After another game, they headed back to the castle for dinner. Harry felt extremely happy. Ron had not exchanged a single word of rudeness towards Draco. The blond, in turn, had been extremely tolerable with the Gryffindors. He was even beginning to talk with Hermione. Although Seamus insulted the Slytherin once, a quickly glare from Harry had quickly shut him up. Together, they headed up to lunch.

After lunch, Harry decided that he wanted to practise his dueling skills. "Hey, Eliza," he called out. "I want to practise my dueling; want to come with me?"

The redheaded girl nodded quickly. "Sure," she said, standing up.

"Wait," Draco cut in. "I want to come watch. Can I?"

Harry and Eliza exchanged looks before the boy nodded. "Why not?" He asked.

As they were walking out, a voice called, "Sebastien! Where are you going?"

Turning, Harry saw Hermione was the one who had spoken. "I was going to practise my dueling with Eliza," he replied. "Draco's coming to watch."

"Can Ron and I come?" the bushy haired girl asked eagerly. "I know you two are good at dueling. Maybe we could learn something."

Harry smiled at his friend's eagerness. "Of course," he said. "Come on, guys."

"Which room are you going to use?" Ron asked when they began climbing the stairs.

"Room of Requirement," Harry said. Seeing the surprised look the redhead shot him, he smiled. "No need to freak out, Ron. I've known about it for a long time."

Walking into the room, they discovered that it was set for dueling. Two couches lined the sides for spectators while a large empty space was in the middle. As Ron, Hermione, and Draco sat down on the couches, Harry cleared his throat.

"Ron, Hermione, Draco," he started quietly. "Before we begin to duel, I want to warn you: We will be using all kinds of curses and hexes other than the Killing Curse. All other spells are accepted, including Unforgivables."

There was immediate chaos. Hermione began rattling off about it being illegal while Ron was wide-eyed, asking, "WHAT? You're going to be using Dark Curses? But only evil wizards use them!" Draco was staring at him in surprise.

"STOP!" Harry commanded. "Ron, just because you use Dark Curses, that does not mean you are evil. Eliza and I use them; that does not make us evil, it just makes us Dark Witches and Wizards. It is the intent of what you are doing that makes us evil or good, not the spells and curses, understand? If you have a problem, I suggest you leave now. Hermione, Dumbledore SHOULD know that we are using Dark Curses, unless he has forgotten. So don't freak out. Okay, anyone leaving?"

The three stayed where they were, although Ron had a strange expression on his face.

"Fine," Harry said. "I'm casting a strong shield charm on you that will repell all spells, including the Unforgivables, so you don't have to worry about being hit." He turned to Eliza. "Ready?"

The girl nodded, grinning. "Ready." Raising their wands and bowing, they began.

"Stupefy!" Harry cried out, starting off easy. He knew there was no way Eliza would get hit.

He was right. The girl was jumped out of the way in a flash and countered with "Petrificus Totalus!" and a quick "Expelliarmus!"

Harry dodged both as he moved onto the more advanced curses. "Tormenta!"

This particular pain curse, although dangerous, was a Light Curse.

"Protego! Inpedimenta! Culter!"

That was the first of the Dark Curses. Harry, however, got hit when he jumped to the right to dodge the Impediment Jinx. Cuts began appearing on his arms, marring his pale skin. He gritted his teeth in pain and quickly muttered a healing spell. The cuts disappeared. "Exaresco! Incendio!"

The girl smirked as the Disecting Spell missed her and the heating spell shot towards her. Gathering her elemental powers, she shot the fire back at Harry.

Harry inwardly kicked himself. How could he have forgotten about the girl's elemental powers? Scolding himself in his head, he quickly formed an ice shield. The fire hit the ice, dousing almost immediately. Now, for his element. He focused on the wind in the air, pushing the energy at the girl in front of him. He forced the air into three different currents: One from the middle, and two from the right and left.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Eliza screamed as she pointed her wand at herself. She flew into the air, avoiding the wind. "Crucio!"

Harry cursed to himself as he dodged the Cruciatus Curse. "Seclario!"

Eliza dodged as she shot another string of curses at him. Harry dodged all of them, except for one.

The world turned black before him as his sight disappeared. This time, however, he didn't panic. He sensed a curse coming towards him as he quickly jumped into the air. His sense of hearing was especially strong. Aiming his wand blindly at where he had heard the jumping footsteps, he hissed out, "Imperio."

The spell seemed to hit, for Harry suddenly felt the presence of another soul. "Drop you're wand," he commanded harshly. "Drop you're wand."

Hearing no reaction, he yelled, "NOW!"

There was a clatter as Eliza's wand fell to the ground. Harry dropped back onto the floor, waving his wand as he let go of the Imperious Curse and restored his sight.

There was the sound of applause from the couches. Turning, Harry saw that it was Draco. Hermione and Ron both had stunned expressions on their faces.

"That was a good duel," Eliza said, a smile on her face. "We should do it more often. Come on, its time for dinner, let's go."

Harry nodded as he left the room, Ron and Hermione following. They each headed into the Great Hall for dinner.

After dinner...

~IN THE GRYFFIDOR COMMON ROOM~

Ron and Hermione sat in the corner of the room, talking quietly so that no one else would overhear them.

"I can't believe it!" Hermione said. "He actually used DARK MAGIC IN SCHOOL!"

"Shhh," Ron said softly. "Do you reckon his family's Dark? He must be, with all the curse he knows."

Hermione shook her head. "I really don't know right now," she said. "I'll check the library for Frostpine and see what I can come up with." They went to the library together, each determined to find out more.

Half an hour later, there was a frightened squeal from Hermione. Ron ran over to her. "What's wrong, 'Mione? Did you find anything?"

"LOOK!" Hermione screeched. "Read this!"

Ron glaced at the page. "So? It talks about Founders."

"Keep reading."

The Founders: General Information:

Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff, formed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry thousands of years ago. They transported their thoughts into an old hat, which is now known as the Sorting hat. All Founders' heir changed their last names so that they would not be so easily recognized. Exact names are unknown, although possibly chosen last names exists in the list below.

Godric Gryffindor: Head of Gryffindor, famous for Dueling and Transfiguration skills. Extremely powerful Light Wizard. Said to have fought Salazar Slytherin in a battle of good against evil.

Animals: Lion, Unicorn

Colours: Red (Maroon), Gold

Jewels/Gems: Moonstone, Ruby

Last names that may have been used by Heirs: Goldeye, Dumbledore, Potter, Geminius/Gemina (Gemini), Hawkings

Current Heir: Unknown

Salazar Slytherin: Head of Slytherin, famous for Potions skills. Evil Dark Wizard. Enemy of Godric Gryffindor.

Animal: Snake

Colours: Green (Emerald), Silver

Jewels/Gems: Emerald, Black Garnet

Last names that may have been used by Heirs: Mordecai, Riddle, Snape, Frostpine, Perfidus/Perfida, Tylor

Current Heir: Unknown

Rowena Ravenclaw: Head of Ravenclaw, famous for Charms skills. Said to be the mother of all wisdom.

Animals: Eagle, Phoenix

Colours: Blue (Sapphire), Purple (Amethyst, Violet)

Jewels/Gems: Sapphire, Diamond

Last names that may have been used by Heirs: Moonstream, McCathy, Rosethorn, Praeclaius/Praeclaria, Tayler

Current Heir: Unknown

Helga Hufflepuff: Head of Hufflepuff, famous for Herbology and Healing skills. Known as the best Healer the world has ever seen.

Animal: Badger Colours: Yellow, Brown [A/N: Are those the Hufflepuff colours?]

Jewels/Gems: Topaz, Citrine

Last names that may have been used by Heirs: Pearwood, Lystra, Luria, Rainsville, Nadlen, Valden, Zenadius/Zenadia

Current Heir: Unknown

Ron gasped as he understood. "Frostpine! Rosethorn! They're all possible names of heirs to Slytherin and Ravenclaw! Do you think it's possible..."

"That's the only reason I can thing of to say why Sebastien and Eliza are so strong. And I didn't know Potter was a possible last name for Gryffindor heirs!"

"Do you think Harry's the heir?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know, I don't know! It's all too much of a coincedence. If Harry, Sebastien, and Eliza are the heir of Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw, what about the Heir of Hufflepuff? I don't understand any of this."

"You know what?" Ron asked suddenly. "I've had enough. Let's forget this and get to bed."

For once, Hermione nodded in agreement. She was confused and tired and she wanted sleep. "Let's go."

Together, they headed off to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Had they stayed any longer, they would have seen the small rat scurry across the room, climb out the window, and disappear out into the Forest.

*~~~End of Chapter 21~~~*

*~Firestar~*: PLEASE REVIEW!

"Wormtail," a cold voice said. "What have you found out in Hogwarts?"

"I-I have found out a few things about S-Sebastien Frostpine, m-my L-Lord," the man on the floor stuttered pathetically. "I have heard the youngest male Weasley and the Mudblood Granger in the library, trying to find out more about Frostpine. It was discovered that Frostpine was the possible last name of the last heir of Slytherin."

"Oh really?" Voldemort asked in an amused voice. "Interesting, it would certainly explain why a child could be so strong. If he /is/ the heir of Slytherin, then surely he will be willing to join me once he finds out who I truly am. Wormtail, you are dismissed."

Next, another cloaked figure knelt on the floor. "How may I be of service to you, My Lord?"

"Ah, my dear Severus," the Dark Lord said. "I want to know more about Sebastien Frostpine. He is you're student, yes?"

"Yes, my lord," the voice confirmed. "He is a transfer student from another school."

"Is it true that he is your apprentice, Severus?"

"Yes, my Lord. He shows exceptional skills in Potions."

"I have heard from several sources that the boy may be the heir of Slytherin, Severus. You are to befriend him and try to recruit him. It he is truly the heir of Slytherin, then he must agree with me in my opinions of ridding this world of Mudbloods and Half-bloods. I want him on my side. He is powerful, and he will be useful."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Do you have any news on Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix?"

"My apologies, my Lord, but the Muggle-loving fool is being extremely secretive. He is not giving me any information."

"You have disappointed me, Severus. I have given you several months already with no results." Voldemort said. "This calls for punishment."

The man on the floor tensed, waiting.

"Effundere!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry woke up, mouth open in a silent scream, the pain of the bleeding spell still in his limbs. Although he was not bleeding, his body still hurt like hell. He thought about the dream and inwardly groaned. Great. Hermione and Ron had obviously been doing research on him, and Pettigrew had somehow found out in his Animagus form. Just great.

He got up wearily. If the Potions Master was hit by the Bleeding Spell, then he would be in serious need of medical attention. He was too tired to walk all the way till he outside the wards, so closing his eyes, he Apparated. Although there were Anti-Apparation wards, Rowena had taught him how to avoid them.

He cast a wandless invisibility charm as he found himself by the Apparation point. He shape-shifted back into Harry Potter. It wouldn't do for Severus to find him outside in the middle of the night.

Several minutes later, there was a quiet 'pop', and a bedraggled Potions Master appeared. Harry saw that his many wounds were bleeding profusedly. Removing his invisibility charm, he stepped forward.

"Potter?" the man asked. When Harry didn't reply, he heard Severus mutter, "Great, I'm going insane."

Harry laughed wryly. "Afraid not, Sev--- Professor Snape. You're as sane as I am.

"Great, that's reassuring," the Potions Master muttered sarcastically. "Why do you have to come at the wrong times? And Poppy and Albus both thinks I'm crazy since I keep insisting I've seen you."

Harry had to smirk. However, the smile disappeared off his face when the man stumbled slightly, tripping forward. He rushed over and immediately grabbed Severus before the Potions Master touched the ground. "Here, wait," he ordered. He quickly muttered several complex healing charms, using wandless magic. He knew that it would be more effective if he used physical contact, but Sebastien Frostpine had already done that, and he didn't want to give himself away.

Levitating the man, he headed up to the castle. "Lemon Drops," he muttered to the gargoyle. It hopped sideways as Harry walked in, Severus in toll. He found Dumbledore in the office alone.

"Professor," he said curtly. "I found Professor Snape outside."

Dumbledore stared at him for a second before nodding. Harry quickly cast another invisibility charm over himself as he left the room, shape-shifting back into Sebastien Frostpine. Now that Severus was in good hands, he could get some sleep. The rest of the students were coming back from the Xmas holiday next day. *Well, technically, today, since its past midnight,* he thought to himself. And the Christmas Dance would be taking place later in the evening. He smiled slightly. He had asked Eliza to go with him as a friend and the girl had readily agreed. Ron was going with Hermione, Draco with Blaise, and Ginny with Neville.

Returning silently to the Common Room, he slid into his dorm, quickly falling into dreamless sleep. He didn't notice a pair of grey-blue eyes watching him from the folds of the curtains of the next bed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*~That Evening....~*

*ELIZA'S POV*

At promptly six o'clock, I followed Hermione and Ginny to the Gryffindor girls' dorms. Today was the night of the Xmas Dance, and we had agreed earlier on to get ready together. I smiled inwardly. This was going to be fun.

As I walked into the Common Room, I could feel stares following me everywhere. Well, I mean, it wasn't every day that Slytherins went into the Gryffindor rooms.

Hermione was discussing a book with me, although Ginny was decidedly quiet. She still isn't comfortable with me, I guess. The only reason Hermione knows me is through Sebastien, or should I say, Harry.

Walking into the privacy of the girls' dorms, we settled into Hermione's dorm, where she locked the door.

Hermione pulled open her package, a pair of pale blue dress robes. "What colour robes do you have, Gin?" She asked.

"Emerald," the redhead said. "I finally got better robes with the money I saved up."

"Mine's lavender," I said. I inwardly smiled; Harry and I had agreed to dress up in our 'Founder-style' robes. I sighed as I remembered fondly the time when Rowena discovered that Harry and I didn't know how to dance. She had managed to teach us a lot in the single week we stayed there. "How well do you guys dance?"

"I hate dancing," Hermione said. "I'm no good."

"I'm alright," Ginny said softly.

By then, Hermione and Ginny had pulled on their robes and were turning to their hair. I quickly slipped on my robes, the curved but fashionable high collar against my neck. Turning to the mirror, I quickly pulled my hair into a simple bun.

"How do you do that?" Hermione asked. "I can't get mine right!"

"Here, I'll help." I quickly did up the bushy haired girl's hair, casting a quick smoothing charm. "There." I turned to Ginny. "How do you want your hair?"

"I think I'll just leave it down," the girl said shyly.

"Here," I said, waving my wand and muttering under my breath.

"What did you do?" Ginny asked curiously.

"It's a charm that makes your hair stay tidy," I explained as I pulled on a pair of high-heeled boots. They were a bit uncomfortable, but managable.

"Wow," Hermione said, looking at my boots. "I've never seen this style before."

I smiled as I turned to the mirror, re-fastening the necklace Harry had given me for Christmas around my neck.

"You have one too?" Hermione asked, spotting my stone.

"Sebastien gave one to each of his friends," I explained. "Come on, its time to go." I dragged the others down to the Common Room, marching over to the Fat Lady. The boys would get here any minute.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*HARRY'S POV*

I waited outside the Gryffindor Common Room. Draco was currently outside the Slytherin Common Room, waiting for Blaise. I smiled as I waited. Eliza should be here any minute now.

The next thing I knew, the portrait swung open and Hermione came out, led by Ron. I smiled at them both. Ginny and Neville came out next. Then, Eliza came out. I smiled as I saw her outfit: high-heeled boots and high-collared robes with dancing butterflies around the hem. A hint of make-up decorated her face.

"Come on," I said, dragging her off towards the Great Hall.

As I stepped into the huge Hall, I gasped slightly. It looked beautiful with red and green decorations, an enormous Christmas tree in the corner.

"Welcome," Dumbledore began when everyone settled down. "to the Christmas Dance. All I have to say is this: Have fun and enjoy!"

People clapped as the Headmaster sat down, many couples going up to dance. "Come on," Eliza said. "Let's go."

I followed her. Joining hands, I began to dance, remembering the steps Rowena had taught us. One two left, one two right... three four up... I smiled as I danced, glancing around. I've never thought of dancing as fun before, but now I realize just how enjoyable it is. Reminding myself to thank Rowena the next time I saw her, I allowed myself to be pulled into the music. I soon forgot about the others around me.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*HERMIONE'S POV*

Many hours later, Dumbledore stood up. "It is almost the end of our Valentine Ball," he announced, his eyes twinkling. "I would like to bring it to an end with a competition: the best dancers. All participants, please step up."

She and Ron didn't participate; Hermione was content just to watch. Ginny and Neville, however, did.

She watched in amusement as pair after pair went. Lavender and Seamus, Parvati and Dean, Parkinson and Goyle, Blaise and Draco... To her surprise, Draco and Zabini were rather decent dancers. The line of contestants slowly got shorter and shorter. At last, Hermione watched as Sebastien and Eliza stepped up. There was something about the way the pair moved, so comfortable, so... familiar. As she watched, the pair joined hands.

They both seemed to transform before Hermione's eyes. The moment their hands touched, it was as though a new feeling entered the room. The Great Hall became a ballroom and the two professional dancers were demonstrating their skill. With her right hand still holding his left, Eliza twirled once underneath the arch made by Sebastien's arm and stopped when she put her left hand on the other's shoulder. Their moves were perfectly sycronized and flawless, smooth and elegant.

They danced as longtime friends might- two people so comfortable with each other that they sometimes forgot where one person stopped and the other began. They danced in perfect harmony, as though they practiced together all their lives. They were exactly the opposite, yet so similar at the same time. They were one, yin and yang, Day and Night, Light and Dark, coming together to form a whole. Hermione saw this closeness as both spoke softly to each other, but never pausing in their movements. She saw it in their intricate footwork and in that footwork she saw their story.

The dance drew on and on. Finally, Eliza twirled faster and faster until she was but a blur, her interesting dress robes flying around her. She leaped into the air and Hermione gasped as a ring of fire formed around her. As she came down, Sebastien caught her easily, holding her up in the air. He didn't seem to be affected by the fire. Instead, a circle of ice surrounded him, reflecting off his silver robes.

There was a moment of silence as the dance ended. Then, the Great hall exploded into clapping with Hermione leading. Sebastien and Eliza were truly spectacular at dancing.

"The winner of this contest," Dumbledore said, "is Sebastien Frostpine and Eliza Rosethorn! This brings an end to our dance! Good night, everyone!"

The crowd burst into another round of clapping as this was announced. To her surprise, she saw that even Professor Snape was clapping. She smiled as she watched the two Slytherins leave the room. She was happy, but tired. Quickly returning to her own dorm, she pulled off her dress robes and crawling into bed, fell into untroubled sleep.

*~~~End of Chapter 22~~~*

****************************************

Effundere- 'bleed' in Latin

****************************************

*~Firestar~*: PLEASE REVIEW! I hoped you enjoyed that.

The days soon settled back into their regular schedules. Although Harry was often busy, juggling around homework and Quidditch Practise, he still found time to just relax and think.

Today, he sat down in the Slytherin Common Room in front of the brightly burning fire. It was Saturday. Most of the school was in Hogsmeade, but he hadn't felt like going. He sighed softly, staring at the fiery blaze. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt slightly lonely and out of place. Yes, he had his friends, but it was ... different. Draco was the son of a Death Eater. He wasn't sure whose side of the war the blond was on, therefore could not trust him completely. Ron was so... tactless that there was no point in talking to him about something important. And Hermione and Eliza... they were girls with their own problems. They wouldn't understand how he was feeling.

He sighed again, moodily. It was at times like this that he missed Sirius the most. He had always taken comfort in talking or writing to his godfather when he felt this way in earlier years, but now, Sirius was dead... He felt as if he couldn't truly talk to anyone. Sirius was gone, and Remus only knew him as Sebastien Frostpine. The only person he felt he could rely on, to his surprise, was Severus. But Severus only liked Sebastien, not Harry Potter. As soon as the Potions Master found out his true identity, he would once again go back to being treated like scum in potions class. The thought bought tears to his eyes. He wasn't sure he could stand going back to the way things were now that he had gained Severus' friendship.

He stood up, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He decided to practise his music like Rowena had instructed him to. He hadn't really had time to practise before.

He didn't feel like playing the violin though. The only other instrument he knew how to play was the piano. It would have to do.

He headed out to the seventh floor, walking up several flights of staircases. He came to a tapestry as he walked back and force several times, thinking hard.

The next thing he knew, a door appeared on the previously blank wall. Stepping up, he pulled the doorknob.

He gasped slightly. Inside was a beautifully furnished room with chairs of dark mahogany. On the side was a black, grand piano. The chair was of painted black oak. He pulled the door closed and sat down.

He rested his fingers gently on the keys, running it up and down the polished black and white keys. He familiarized himself with the instrument, then took a deep breath. His fingers touched the G#. Slowly, he began to play.

He chose the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. He knew that it was written by a Muggle composer, but it was his favourite of all. He smiled as he played, the music drifting from under his fingers. He leaned forward intently, lost in the music as he poured his heart into the tune, his joys and sorrows, his strength and weakness. His spirit soared with the music, his fingers flying. The harmony sounded in a deep baritone, the melody ringing beautifully in the air.

The tune turned sorrowful, just like his mood. A single tear leaked from his eyes, rolling down his cheek. The melody returned to the main tune, ringing dramatically. He sighed as the tune ended quietly on a high C#. He was about to get up when he heard a voice.

"Sebastien?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus was walking through the halls, searching for rule-breaking students when his sensitive ears suddenly caught the sound of flowing piano music. The tune was mournful, elegant but eerie. He thought he had heard it several times before. Strange. Who could be playing music on a Saturday when students were supposed to be in Hogsmeade? He decided to investigate.

The sound led him to a small door on the top of the seventh floor. The music grew louder as he approached, chiming beautifully. He sighed contently as he leaned against the door, listening. The ballad was full of emotions so it was evident whoever was playing had poured their soul into the tune. His heart broke for the person who played the strain so beautifully yet mournfully. He was lost in the piece as he listened to the three notes, played over and over again, yet slightly different each time.

Finally, the sound of a student yelling two floors down brought him out of his reverie. However, the music didn't stop. He quietly walked over to the door and opened it slowly.

He gasped silently as he saw the boy sitting inside. Long, black hair was clearly visible. Sebastien. From where he was standing, the child's profile could be seen.

The boy didn't seem to notice him. A single tear leaked out from those expressive orbs as the melody grew even more sorrowful than before. Finally, the tune ended, echoing the last note.

Sebastien just sat there, not moving. Severus decided it was time he said something. "Sebastien?"

The boy immediately turned to him. He was surprised as he clearly saw the blue eyes. Instead of looking apathetic and indifferent like they usually were, he was suddenly overwhelmed by the range of emotions he saw. Surprise, fear, sorrow, anger.... all that and more. The emotions came so quickly that he couldn't catch exactly what they were.

"Severus." Sebastien looked at him, his voice breaking slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"I was walking through the halls when I heard music. Are you alright?"

The boy nodded. Severus wasn't satisfied.

"Sebastien, I know something's wrong. What's the matter?" The Potions Master kept his voice soft and gentle.

Those words seemed to be too much for the poor child. Sebastien broke down as sobs racked his body, a deluge of tears pouring down his face.

Severus hesitated slightly before stepping forward and pulling the child into a tight embrace. His fingers rubbed comforting circles on the boy's back as he muttered soothing words.

After a few minutes, Sebastien relaxed, pulling back slightly. "Sorry," he muttered.

"It's alright, Sebastien," Severus said quietly. He smiled. "I didn't know you played the piano."

"I learned a few years ago," Sebatien answered.

"Will you play something for me?" Severus asked softly.

Sebastien nodded, smiling slightly. Sitting down, he began to play.

A second later, another melody drifted through the air. Severus sighed as he listened to the dark, brooding music. The boy had to be extremely talented to be able to play like that in a few years. He was overwhelmed by the sudden passion he heard in the tune. There was a driving force behind Sebastien's playing that most pianists lacked. The blazing fire in those sapphire orbs burned into his soul.

The tune soon ended. "Thank you for playing, Sebastien," the Potions Master said sincerely.

Sebastien allowed a small smile to grace his lips at these words. "You're welcome, Severus."

Harry was in Tranfiguration class the next day when he was called down by the Headmaster. Walking to the gargoyle, he was about to say the password when the old man's voice called, "Just come in, Harry."

Harry stepped into the office, settling down in a chair. He was offered both lemon drop and tea, which he politely declined. After a while, Harry asked, "You wished to see me, Professor?"

"Yes, Sebastien," the Headmaster said, eyes twinkling. "One thing I have become aware of is your excellent skills in schoolwork. Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagal has both spoken to me many times about your strong working skills. Professor Lupin has asked me to congratulate you on you test (Harry had recieved full marks), and Professor Sprout has informed me that your Herbology has improved since you've joined the Potions apprentice with Professor Snape. Because of all this, I was wondering..." At this, Dumbledore leaned in closer. "Would you like to take the NEWTs one year early?"

For a second, he thought his ears had decieved him, but then Harry realized that Dumbledore was still waiting for an answer. "I- Do you think I'll be able to do it, sir?"

"I KNOW that you will be able to do it with your academic skills."

"I-" Once again, Harry was at a loss for words. "Of course I'll accept," he said finally. "Er... but wouldn't that change my study plans and schedules?"

The Headmaster nodded. "You will take the test in June, so you have approximately five months to prepare. You will have extra lessons on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and the weekends at eight p.m. On Mondays and Wednesdays, you have Quidditch practise. On Tuesdays, you will see Professor McGonagal, Wednesdays- Professor Fliwick, Thurdays- Professor Sprout, and Fridays with Professor Lupin. I understand you were supposed to meet with Professor Snape on certain days for the Potions apprentice, but these will be scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays. Will that be alright?"

Harry nodded, slightly dazed. "Er... yes, sir, that will be alright. Um... is that all, sir?"

"Yes, you may leave, Sebastien."

With a final nod, Harry left the room. He knew that the reason Dumbledore had asked him to take NEWTs early was because of Voldemort. Because he was the Boy-Who-Lived, he had to train early. He didn't mind the extra lessons, but god, he hated being treated differently. He had hoped that being Sebastien Frostpine would give him a chance to be normal, but he was wrong after all. It seemed, that no matter who he was, Harry Potter was always different.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A month passed. It was now February. The training with the different professors had each gone exceptionally well. The only bad thing was that Harry had little or no free time.

On Sunday morning, he grinned when he realized that he had a few hours of time to just hang around and do nothing. Smiling, he went down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

He was walking back with Draco when Ron and Hermione stopped them. "Hey, Sebastien, Malfoy," the redhead said. "We're sneaking into Hogsmeade. Are you coming?"

"RON!" Hermione admonished. "I keep telling you, we're NOT ALLOWED! And now that we don't have an invisibility cloak...."

"I have an invisibility cloak," Harry said, speaking up suddenly.

"You do?" Draco asked. "Why didn't you tell me? Where did you get yours? I don't think those are on sale anymore."

"It slipped my mind," Harry said. "My... godfather gave it to me." Quickly summoning his cloak, he threw it over his, Draco's and Ron's heads. "Coming, 'Mione?"

Hermione sighed, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "What am I going to do with you guys?" she asked. "I'm coming, someone has to keep you out of trouble."

"Hey!" Ron said indignantly as they sneaked off towards the secret passageway.

Walking into Hogsmeade, they were careful to be quiet. There were no customers yet: it seemed that all had not come out yet. They sneaked along to the Three Broomstick through the back alley. The alley was eeriely silent, almost as if the volume had been turned off. None of the usual banter could be heard.

Harry sighed, breathing in the fresh air. He shivered slightly as he approached the popular pub. He was just about to pull the door handle of the back door when he felt the invisibility cloak slip off him. He turned around, immediately drawing his wand, but he felt something being held under his nose. He frailed his arms around wildly, kicking, but to no avail. His air supply was slowly beginning to run out. At last, he couldn't stand it any more and took in a deep breath, falling into blissed darkness.

When Harry opened his eyes, the first thing he was aware of was darkness. Utter and complete darkness. He squinted, trying to see, but to no avail. What on earth was going on here?

Suddenly, his eeys snapped open as he remembered: the invisibility cloak, sneaking into Hogsmeade, his friends...

"Ron, Hermione?" He called softly, his voice dry. "Draco?" The only answer were empty silence.

He concluded that he was alone in this room, wherever this was. Fighting down his panic, he tried to think logically.

They had been captured by Death Eaters. That was the obvious part: who else would do such a thing? Now, to escape would be more difficult. Reaching into his robes, he found that his wand was gone, just like he had expected. If only he could speak with his friends...

Of course! Harry felt like slapping himself for being so stupid. His hand grabbed the star-shaped pendant hanging around his neck as he whispered the activation code. "Rising Phoenix." The pendant glowed slightly as his fingers pressed onto the glittering emerald jewel.

A second later, a voice came through. ႧSebastien?Ⴇ

ႧDraco!Ⴇ Harry said in relief. ႧAre you alright?Ⴇ

ႧI'm fine,Ⴇ the blond said, although he sounded slightly confused. ႧEr... do you know where we are?Ⴇ

ႧI have a pretty good idea. First of all, though, tell me, what kind of room are you in?Ⴇ

ႧI'm in a large, brightly-lit room,Ⴇ came the reply. ႧIt looks pretty luxurious: there are a lot of painings hanging around on the walls."

Harry frowned slightly. ႧInteresting,Ⴇ he said. ႧI'm in a pitch black room, so I don't know what it looks like. Draco, can you open the door?Ⴇ

There was the sound of rattling, then a reply. ႧNo, sorry. It seems as if I'm locked in. So where do you think we are?Ⴇ

ႧI think we're in some kind of Death Eater hideout, where Voldemort is,Ⴇ Harry replied as calmly as he could. ႧLook, Draco, don't panic. I have to talk to the others, okay?Ⴇ With that, he turned and pressed his fingers to the ruby.

After ten minutes of talking, Harry discovered that both Ron and Hermione were safe, albeit a bit uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, his fingers reached down and pressed onto the hard, black garnet.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*SEVERUS' POV*

I walked out of the Great Hall, sneer plastered firmly on my face. I had just come out of lunch. If Dumbledore hadn't "persuaded" me to come out, I wouldn't be eating here at all. Taking several points at unfortunate Hufflepuffs, I reached the dungeons, pulling open the door to my quarters. I was about to begin marking the latest pop quizes when I suddenly felt something on my neck glow hot. My fingers reached down to clasp onto the glowing garnet as I whispered the activation code. ႧHello?Ⴇ

ႧSeverus?Ⴇ A familiar voice said. I recognized it immediately.

ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I called. ႧWhat's wrong?Ⴇ

ႧEr... I don't know how to tell you this, but...Ⴇ the voice hesitated slightly.

ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I asked, worry tinging my voice. I can't help but feel concerned. I admit, I've been rather... overprotective of the boy. ႧJust tell me what's wrong.Ⴇ

ႧYou see... we're not at Hogwarts right now.Ⴇ

It took a few moments for the implications of the words to sink in. When it did, I inwardly groaned. ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I commanded firmly. ႧTell me where you are.Ⴇ

ႧI'm not exactly sure where we are.Ⴇ

ႧWe? Who's we?Ⴇ

ႧMe, Draco, Ron, and Hermione.Ⴇ

Severus groaned out loud this time. ႧOkay. Do you have ANY idea where you are?Ⴇ

ႧI... er... I think we were captured by Death Eaters.Ⴇ

I froze. ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I asked. ႧAre-- Are you hurt in any way?Ⴇ

ႧNot yet. Just a few bruises right now.Ⴇ We both heard the undertone in his statement. I knew what happened to the prisoner of Death Eaters: ninety-five percent of them ended up dead.

I'd bearly finished my thought when my left arm suddenly began to burn. ႧHe's call--Ⴇ I began, before remembering that Sebastien didn't know about the mark. ႧI mean, I'll tell Dumbledore immediately. Just hang on, alright?Ⴇ

ႧI'll try my best,Ⴇ came the grim reply as we both cut off our conversation. Cursing, I raced towards Dumbledore's office, throughly worried. I barked out the password as I swept inside.

"ALBUS!" I called loudly. The next second, the older wizard appeared from nowhere. "Severus?" he said, noticing my disheveled appearance. "What's wrong?"

I quickly explained about the situation. "I have to go," I said. "Voldemort's calling."

Albus just nodded. "Good luck, Severus," he said, handing me four feathers. "There are all portkeys to the Hogwarts Infirmiary. The activation passwords are 'Order', 'Light', 'Phoenix', and 'Serpent'. If you see the students, try your best to bring them back. If you can't manage, we'll try something else.

I nodded as I tucked the feathers into my robes. I hurried to the outside of the Hogwarts wards, standing by the clearing. Taking a deep breath, I clutched my left forearm and Apparated.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry had just broken off the connection with Severus when he saw a faint light coming towards him. Quickly stuffing the necklace under his shirt and casting a wandless invisibility charm on it, he waited.

A second later, a man dressed in Death Eaters attire approached him. Harry could tell by the white-blond hair that it was Lucius Malfoy.

"Malfoy," he stated calmly. Inside, he was both anxious and scared, but he was determined not to show it.

"Frostpine," came the sneer. The name was spat out like a curse. "How nice of you to join us.:'

"What are you planning to do to me?" There was no fear or anger in the phrase, just a simple sentence.

Lucius sneered once again. "Much as I would like to chat right now, the Dark Lord is waiting. Come." The older man waved his wand and Harry found himself bounded. The blond grabbed his arm and began dragging him down the corridor.

They ended up in an empty, large hall. There were only twenty or so members gathered around in a circle. The Inner Circle. His eyes searched the group of Death Eaters, finally landing on a tall, slim figure. Long, black hair could be seen behind the mask. Severus.

And standing in the middle, between all of the robed figures, was Voldemort.

"Ah, young Frostpine, not too keen on dying, are you?"

Harry smirked. "I'ld rather die than serve you, Tom." To show his contempt, he spat at the man's feet.

Gasps rang through the room. Voldemort looked up, eyes glittering cruelly. "I would punish you, Mudblood, but that will not hurt you. However, I know something that will." He turned to a robed figure. "Bring them in."

A second later, two other figures were brought in, bound by ropes. Harry's heart clenched painfully as he saw Ron and Hermione.

A blond figure followed after them in a more dignified way. Draco. The Slytherin's seemed to stumble as he looked up and saw his father and Voldemort, both looking at him.

"I will torture your friends here, Frostpine," The Dark Lord said to Harry. "You will hear them scream and know that it is you whom have caused the pain."

Harry felt a flash of rage run through him. "What do you want, Tom Riddle?" He asked harshly. "Stop playing games with me."

"I want you to serve me," the man said, laughing chillingly. "And your friends shall force you." Turning, he looked at Lucius. "Lucius, it's time for your son to prove himself."

"Draco!" Lucius said. "Come here."

Draco Malfoy looked utterly horrified, but obediantly went to his father. Harry could see that his legs were shaking.

"Ah, my young Dragon," the Dark Lord said, sneering. "You father is one of my most loyal servants. He has been with me since the ripe age of sixteen. Now, it is your turn. Here is your challenge: torturing your enemy. This is a chance to prove yourself, Draco. Make them scream. Use the Cruciatus."

The Slytherin shook with fear as he took the offered wand and walked over to Ron and Hermione. He opened his mouth to say the spell. "Cru--" He stopped as he froze. No, he couldn't do this. Couldn't... He slowly lowered his wand.

á‚“Draco! What the hell are you are doing?á‚” Lucius hissed. á‚“Hurt them! You hate them!á‚”

The blond just shook his head and stepped away from Ron and Hermione. "I-I can't," he whispered, stammering. "Please, I just c-can't."

"YOU CAN'T?" the elder Malfoy yelled. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU CAN'T! This is your chance, Draco. Do it, and you'll be able to join the Dark Lord."

"I---Then I don't be a Death Eater," the blond stammered nervously, although a determined look was on his face. "I won't do this."

"Lucius. What is the meaning of this?" Voldemort growled.

"My apologies, my Lord," Lucius said before turning back to his son. "YOU! DO IT NOW! YOU WILL CURSE THEM AND BECOME A DEATH EATER!"

á‚“I WONá‚’T!á‚” Draco shouted defiantly.

á‚“CRUCIO!á‚”

The silver beam of light shot from Lucius' wand towards Draco. The younger boy stiffened, ready to be hit any second, but Harry would have none of it. Quickly muttering a shield, he wandlessly shot it at Draco.

The Cruciatus Curse bounced off of the shield and headed back towards Malfoy senior. Lucius, seeing it coming, dodged to the side. The curse bounced off of the wall and faded.

Lucius was about to speak again when Voldemort raised a hand. "No need, Lucius," the man said. "We'll deal with your son later. For now..." he smirked cruelly as he turned to Harry. "Since you have stopped Draco from doing this, I will do it myself." The Dark Lord stepped up towards his friends, raising his wand. "You're friends shall suffer for what you have one, Frostpine."

Harry bit his lips as he closed his eyes, not bothering to retort. He knew one way he could keep his friends safe. To be truthful, it was the only way.

Concentrating on his elemental magic, Harry send a wind shield, wrapping it around Hermione, Ron, and Draco. This was one of the strongest shield the Founders had taught him, able to repel even the Killing Curse itself.

"CRUCIO! CULTER! SCINDERE!" The three Dark Spells shot towards Harry's friends. Closer and closer... Harry prayed the shield had worked. Otherwise, this was going to be painful.

The curses hit the shield and evaporated into the air. Gasps rang through the room as Harry sighed in relief. It had worked.

"YOU!" Voldemort said, turning to him. "How DARE you...." There was a moment of silence before Voldemort suddenly smirked. Turning to his Death Eaters, he said, "As you have seen, young Mr. Frostpine here has been so... protective as to sacrifice himself for his friends. Well, let's allow him to finish what he has started, shall we? Since we can not play with his friends, we shall play with him instead. You have two rounds to have fun with him in anyway you like. I will be watching. Begin!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*SEVERUS' POV*

Damn it!

Why?

HOW?

Dear Merlin, why on earth did this have to happen?

Maybe this was just another part of my punishment for all the wrong I've done before. Maybe.

I watched as Voldemort made his 'speech' to his followers, my mind freezing. Two rounds. That would last at least three hours. I didn't know how Sebastien would be able to survive all this. He was only a child, only sixteen, for heaven's sake!

I looked down at the boy again. He was bound tightly by ropes, the strings entwining around his arms, over and over again. As I watched, the Dark Lord snapped his finger and the ropes dropped to the ground.

Lucius stepped up, wand in hand. "You shall pay," the man hissed. "For taking my son away from me. Crucio."

I watched in horror as the beam shot forward. It wavered slightly before shooting in, hitting Sebastien squarely in the chest. The boy writhed around, but he didn't scream.

Damn it, why didn't the boy use a shield, or his healing powers? I watched, almost as if in a trance, as Death Eater after Death Eater went up, shouting in latin: Frangere, Crucio, Peccatum, Angere... Each time, the curses wavered slightly before hitting Sebastien. I felt nauseous as I suddenly realized why the boy wasn't using his powers: he had tired himself out forming the shield for Weasley, Granger, and Draco. The child was now too weak to do anything but form half-shields.

My turn drew nearer and nearer. Finally, I stepped up, my legs feeling as though they would collapse. I pulled out a potion from my robes as I met those icy blue eyes. I hesitated. I couldn't do this, no I couldn't.... I could never forgive myself for doing this. I couldn't. But I desperately needed time.

Those blue eyes continued to stare at me, unwavering. For an instance, I thought the boy recognized me. But it couldn't be. Sebastien didn't know I was a spy, did he? Loosing myself for a second in those orbs, I was surprised to see no fear or anger. Just serenity. Acceptance. I shuddered. How could I do this? I was about to turn away when the boy looked at me and slowly nodded.

Slowly, I stepped forward and kneeled down, opening Sebastien's mouth. The boy didn't struggle at all. I poured the potion down his throat as I stood back up.

There was as moment of silence. Suddenly, the boy began to scream. I squeezed my eyes shut behind my mask, silent tears falling down my cheeks. At that moment, I loathed myself more than any other time in my life. How could I do this? To an innocent child, no less.

My hands clenched into fists as Sebastien continued screaming. I had used the Ossis-Scissura potion. In other words, the Bone-Tearing Potion. It caused the victim's bone to shatter into tiny pieces before growing back, due to the Skele-Grow ingrediants. And believe me, it was painful. Very painful.

The boy continued to scream endlessly as I closed my eyes. I wanted to die in shame. I deserved to die. I knew that for sure now. I could hear Voldemort's cruel laughter ringing through the air, mingling with the screaming.

The screams slowly faded as the potion wore off. Looking down, he saw that the boy's eyes were on him again. As he watched, the icy orbs flashed fiery emerald for a second before returning to their normal blue. The child wasná‚’t pleading for mercy or pity. He eyes seemed to pierce through mine, just like Albus' had done...

I closed my eyes, praying the boy would last. Would live. Stepping back, I watched numbly as the next Death Eater stepped up.

*HARRY'S POV*

I looked into those obsidian black eyes which were staring at me. I lost myself in their depth, seeing the emotions flash across them. I saw the slight hesitance in his movements as Severus approached me. His eyes suddenly took in a determined look, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. I knew right then what the man was planning to do.

I looked pleadingly into dark orbs, silently begging Severus to play along. Not to risk his life for me. I wasná‚’t worth it. I inwardly sighed. Iá‚’ve never comprehend how much Severus meant to me. Until now.

I was startled to realize that the Potions Master was more than just a professor, more than just a teacher at school. I saw him asá‚… a sort of a father-figure. Someone I could speak with when Iá‚’m worried, or concerned. Someone who would reassure and comfort me. I inwardly chuckled. How ironic that Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived should come to see Severus Snape, the most feared professor, as his mentor.

I felt strangely calm as Severus came closer and closer, potion in hand. I gave a small nod. As the man knelt by my side, I opened my mouth without struggle. I did not want to make this any more difficult for Severus than it already was. I would feel the man trembling as he poured the liquid down my throat, holding my chin in his hand. The touch was surprisingly gentle, although Severus was obviously afraid. As he let go of me to stand up, I reached out and gave his shoulder a small squeeze, trying to reassure him. However, Severus looked anything but reassured. In fact, there was a look of panic and self-loathing in those midnight orbs. A second later, I found out why.

Pain shot through me like an arrow as I heard bones cracking. It took me a few seconds to realize it was /me/. I closed my eyes, teeth clamping tightly over my mouth until my bottom lips began to bleed. The pain was awful, even worse than the Cruciatus. As I collapsed in a heap on the floor, I could not hold back my scream. I thought I could here laughter in the background.

As the pain finally faded, I took in a deep breath and opened my eyes. Severus was still in front of me, a haunted look in his eyes. I looked into the usually apathetic orbs as I allowed a smallest of smiles to grace my lips, pleading that Severus would understand. I wasn't angry at the man at all: he had done only what had to be done.

I closed my eyes, waiting, as the next Death Eater stepped up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After fifteen more minutes, the Death Eaters finally stepped back. Voldemort himself walked up.

"See where opposing me has gotten you, Sebastien Frostpine," the man hissed, reptilian eyes flashing with evident glee. "You have potential, I must admit. I give you one more chance. Will you join me?"

If looks could kill, Voldemort would have died three times over. "Never," Harry hissed, his eyes flashing.

Severus watched those boy lying on the ground with a heavy heart. He was startled when once again, those icy blue eyes turned into fiery emerald flames. There was something familiar about those bright green eyes, although what, he couldn't place his finger on.

"Such bravery and courage," the Dark Lord sneered. "Too bad that that should soon go to waste." He raised his hand. "Come in, my loyal Dementors."

Severus watched in horror as the dark, hooded figures entered the room, approaching Sebastien. His mind screamed for him to do something, but his body seemed frozen.

Harry immediately felt the icy coldness as the soul-less figures advanced towards him.

"This is your reward for your loyalty, my Dementors. You may feast upon him all you wish."

Voldemort's voice rang through the air as Harry inwardly shivered. The silhoulettes came ever closer, and a rush of biting numbness overcame him.

He heard the sound of a woman screaming. /"NO! Leave him alone, kill me instead!"/

There was a flash of green light, chilling laughter ringing through the air.

The scene changed. Vernon stood above him, whip in hand. "YOU USELESS FREAK! YOU MURDERER! YOU DESERVE ALL THIS... YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR GOOD-FOR- NOTHING PARENTS!" The whip was brought down upon him, again and again, lashing out on his back and torso.

Harry felt rage rush through him as he revived this memory. How DARE Vernon insult his parents. Vernon would never be as Lily and James were. Would he risk his life for his son? Would he sacrifice himself for a boy that had no relation to him at all? No, of course not. The bastard only cared for himself. Harry's hands clenched into fists by his side, nails digging furiously into his palms. He felt dizzy and weak and knew that the Dementors were effecting him. He knew that Voldemort had ordered them to give him the Dementor's Kiss. And there was only one way to stop them.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He realized that by doing this, his identity would finally be revealed. In a way, it was a relief. He just hoped that Draco and Severus would forgive him. He had never meant to hurt them in any way.

Then, looking up apologetically, he raised his hand above his head and yelled.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*RON'S POV*

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

I blinked as I saw the stag leap out of the wand, charging towards the dementors. I gasped. Harry was the only person who's Patronus was a stag. A stag that was a replica of Prongs.

But no, it couldn't be. It couldn't be Harry. Harry was dead. This couldn't be happening.

I watched, transfixed at the scene before me. Time seemed to stop as everyone stood frozen, watching the poweful Patronus charge through the air.

No. This wasn't happening.

But there was no denying it as I watched the deer trot gracefully around the room, disparsing the Dementors.

I had only one question on my mind as I turned to look at Harry, at the boy who had disguised himself as Sebastien.

How?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*HERMIONE'S POV*

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The marble-white stag burst out of the tip of Sebastien's wand, charging towards the oncoming Dementors. My jaws dropped open as I realized who it was. Prongs.

My body seemed immoblized as I watched what was happening. Finally regaining control of my limbs, I turned and looked up at Sebastien, gazing into icy blue orbs.

But they weren't blue anymore. They were a fiery green, the color of bright emeralds. And only one person I knew had that color eyes.

Harry.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*DRACO'S POV*

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

I watched as a familiar stag erupted into the room, prancing elegantly, seperating the Dementors. Wait a second... stag?

I've seen that Patronus before. I know I have. But when?

I searched through my mind, recollecting. Then, suddenly, I knew. That day in my third year, when I had dressed up as a Dementor in the Quidditch match, hoping to scare Potter--- the exact same Patronus had leapt upon me.

But... that was Potter's Patronus. Potter's stag. Which meant....

/Potter./

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*SEVERUS' POV*

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

From the tip of Sebastien's wand burst a brilliant white stag, shining brightly in the room. The animal seemed to glow with magic and power as it charged around the room, scattering Dementors and Death Eaters alike. I frowned slightly. There was something familiar about the stag. I knew I had seen it before, but I couldn't remember where.

Everyone seemed to freeze as the deer bound elegantly around before finally returning to its master. Sebastien smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Prongs."

I froze as I heard the words come out of the boy's mouth. Prongs.

I sneered in distaste as I realized why the name sounded so familiar. Prongs was James, the boy who had made my days at Hogwarts a living hell. Along with Black.

But how did Sebastien know?

I searched through my memories, trying to figure this out. Prongs was James' Animagus form. Anyone could have figured it out, seeing the way that they weren't very discreet about their transformations. And James' Animagus form was a stag. A stag...

So Sebastien's Patronus was Prongs. My thoughts went back to that day, three years ago when I had found Sirius Black with Potter and Granger, surrounded by Dementors. I remembered the how Potter had screamed the Patronus spell over and over, pointing his wand desperately at the Dementors...

Suddenly, everything slid into place. I gasped as I looked over at Sebastien. Instead of those icy blue eyes, the expressive orbs were a deep emerald green. My hands clenched into fists as I finally realized where I had seen those eyes before.

"Potter."

"Potter."

Harry inwardly winced as he heard Severus' barely audible voice. He turned away, not wanting to see the rage he was sure would be in the Potions Master's eyes. Judging by the looks on Ron, Hermione, and Draco's faces, they had figured it out too. Looked like his act was over.

He sighed as he looked up fiercely into Voldemort's crimson, reptilian eyes. He felt anger course through him as he looked at the monster that had murdered his parents, his godfather, Cedric...

For a second, he just wished that he could just fight and get it over with-- he was tired of waiting, of hiding, or pretending to be whom he could never be. That moment passed as soon as it had come: he knew he could not risk the lives of those he held dearest. He would not risk his friends.

His mind whirled furiously as he tried to think of a way to escape. Finally, he came up with an idea. Turning towards Voldemort, he suddenly let loose his elemental powers.

A deluge of whistling wind and dropping hail rained down upon the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. Harry was careful to keep the precipitation off of his friends. Unfortunately, he could not exclude Severus: Voldemort would surely get suspicious if the Potions Master was the only Death Eater who got away unscathed.

His idea obviously worked. Chaos broke out as Death Eaters attempted to keep their footing in the ferocious storm, hiding behind shields and furniture alike. The room was utter chaos, papers and people flying around the hitting others.

While the Death Eaters were busy, Harry slowly managed to stand up. His body throbbed with pain, but there was no time to heal himself. Turning, he focused, wrapping his magic around his friends, preparing to Apparate. He could sense the Anti-Apparation Charms about the room, but he easily ignored them. The last thing he heard before he disappeared was the sound of the ferocious wind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Harry opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of the Hospital Wing. Ron, Hermione, and Draco were around him, although they were still restrained by the shields Harry had put on them. Without saying a word, he turned around and marched out of the Hospital Wing, heading in the direction of the Headmaster's office.

After guessing for five minutes, he muttered, "Sugar Quills" and the stone gargoyle lept aside. Walking in and pulling open the door, he saw that Dumbledore was sitting in his office.

"Sebastien!" The elderly Headmaster said when he saw him, relief evident in his voice. "I'm glad you're safe, my dear boy." He paused, looking at him. "Shouldn't you be in the Hospital Wing right now?"

Harry blushed slightly as he looked down. His arm was bleeding profusedly while his robes were ripped in many places. His hair was a mess and blood and dirt were slattered over his clothes. "I'll go as soon as I'm finished, Professor," he said as he quickly explained what had happened. He looked away shamefully as he felt Dumbledore's reprimanding look on him when he mentioned sneaking Hogsmeade.

"Continue," the older wizard said.

So Harry ended up explaining about being captured by Death Eaters, about Voldemort threatening him with his friends, about Severus... "... I'm afraid they known about my identity now, sir."

The Headmaster nodded slowly. "Try not to worry, Mr. Potter. I'll speak with them."

"Um... now that they know, Professor, would I go back to being Harry Potter in Gryffindor, or would I stay Sebastien Frostpine?"

"I think it would be best if you went back to your true identity, Harry. However, before we do that, I will give you two weeks' time to speak with your friends and Severus. Hopefully, that will be long enough."

Harry managed a small smile. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore," he said as he left the room. In truth, it was not Ron and Hermione he was worried about. They had been his first friends, and surely they would be happy that Harry was back again. It was Draco and Severus that he was worried about. Draco had come to be a good friend for him in the past months, someone whom he would count on, someone who was always there for him. Severus was like the father he had never had. He knew he wouldn't be able to bear loosing these two.

Turning, he headed in the direction of the Hospital Wing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus was boiling mad, to say the least. He had just come back from the Death Eater meeting (which was very unpleasant, due to the fact that Voldemort was VERY displeased over the fact that his prisoners had managed to escape) only to be reminded yet again of what had occured in the last several hours.

Sebastien Frostpine was Harry Potter. The words kept ringing in his mind, forcing him to remember, again and again, over and over. At first, he had been shocked, but it had soon worn off and the anger and rage came full force. He couldn't believe it. That... boy, that BRAT had betrayed him: betrayed his trust, his acceptance. How DARE that arrogant idiot do such a thing!

In a away, he was disgusted with himself but not because of the boy. It was because of his own feelings. Instead of feeling repulsed like he had expected, he couldn't help but remember how the child's warm and lithe body had felt in his arms, how nice it had felt to have someone depend on him, to have someone care for him. He had never had that kind of trust and dependance placed in him before.

God damn it! Severus slammed his fist into the stone wall, trying to release his frustrations. WHY did this have to happen to him? Why did this have to happen just when he was beginning to care about Sebastien? He realized now that he had come to see the boy as the son he had never had, as the child he could comfort and hold. DAMN IT! Why did he care anyways? The boy was nothing, had never meant anything to him... The child had been nothing but a burden. Why did he want the brat in the first place?

He tried desperately to convince himself to hate the boy, finally managing to allow the hate and anger build up inside him. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to regain some self-control. Finally, he came to the stone gargoyle guarding Albus' office. And speaking of Albus...

"ALBUS!" Severus bellowed loudly, storming into the office. "HOW DARE YOU! YOU KNEW THAT -- THAT SEBATIEN WAS THAT BRAT AND YOU STILL DID THIS TO ME! GOD, WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO ME, YOU OLD MAN? AND I'M NOT TAKING HIM UNDER POTIONS APPRENTICE ANY LONGER!"

"Severus!" the Headmaster commanded firmly. "You calm down this second."

The Potions Master managed to stop rambing as he stopped, breathing hard.

"I will explain. I first found out several weeks after he appeared in your living room. He was very reluctant to tell me the truth, but I finally convinced him. He told me what had happened to him and made me promise not to tell anyone of his true identity. Which is why I didn't tell you. I suggest you take a few hours to think about this, Severus. It is not entirely his fault. He was injured when he came to tell me earlier."

"I DON'T BLOODY CARE IF HE'S INJURED!" Severus roared, control deserting him. "HE CAN FUCKING DIE FOR I CARE! YOU THINK HE MATTERS TO ME AFTER ALL THAT HE'S DONE! I HATE HIM, AND I HATE HIS FATHER, AND I HATE ANYONE RELATED TO HIM!"

"Severus!" Albus said, his voice suddenly void of all warmth and understanding. The temperature seemed to suddenly drop. "I suggest you think about what you are saying. Listen to youself, rambling on about hating him. You know that you cared for him when he was Sebastien Frostpine. With the last name of Frostpine, you saw no reason for hate or anger-- there was no dislike between you and him. You managed to befriend him, to comfort and take care of him. Now that he has regained his true name however, you claim to no longer care for him. Do you realize what you are doing to him, Severus, what you are doing to yourself? You are blinded by your prejudice, by your anger. I know you had rivaries with James Potter and Sirius Black, but you have to realize this: Harry is not James, nor is he Sirius. He is Harry, a person for himself. The boy you have come to know is still there, underneath the name and fame. You just have to come out and search for it." With this, the Headmaster stood up, heading towards the door. "Think about it, Severus. You are a good man underneath your masks and secrets, and you have many things in common with young Harry. Look past the outer mask and learn to see the inside. I'll leave you for now." And he was gone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I have spoken with Severus, Harry," Dumbledore said as he looked at the boy. "You'll have to give him some time to think about this. Unfortunately, he's requested to take you out of Potions Apprentice."

Harry nodded numbly as he sat in front of the Headmaster. Severus had taken him out of his Potions Apprentice. He didn't know why he felt so surprised-- he should have expected it after what had happened. He could help but feel lost and hurt, however. Pain built up inside him-- not any physical pain, but the pain of his emotions, his feelings. He felt unsteady and out-of-balanced without his friends who had been supporting him only hours ago.

As he exited the office, he suddenly didn't know where to go anymore. He didn't feel wanted, he didn't /belong/ anymore. The Slytherin Common Room was too full of memories of what had just happened, and as a Slytherin, he certainly couldn't get into the Gryffindor Commons. If it had been before, he would have gone to the dungeons to visit Severus, but now, he couldn't, not when Severus hated him. That left one choice. The Room of Requirement. Hopefully, he would get a few hours of peace.

He felt a wave of despair engulf him as tears suddenly overwhelmed him. He wanted things to be back to the way they had been before, before Voldemort had captured him and his friends. For him, however, he knew that things would never be the same, for he wanted what he could no longer have: Severus as a friend, a father-figure, and a mentor. That would never happen, not when the Potions Master had clearly showed his loathing and disgust. All seemed hopeless as he headed towards the seventh floor. All he could pray for was for tomorrow to be a better day. A single trail of tears ran unnoticed down his cheeks.

Harry trudged up to the seventh floor, banging open the door to the Room of Requirement. Walking in, he once again saw the piano set up, ready for playing. Dragging himself over to the stool, he sat down, placing his hands on the keys of the grand piano, running his fingers gently up and down the instrument. Closing his eyes, he began to play.

The first few strains of the Devil's Trill drifted through the air, the music flowing along smoothly. The melody was soft, gentle and full of sorrow. Harry allowed the pain and sadness to overtake him, the sense of loss and hurt fresh in his mind. He remembered the confrontion with Voldemort, his friends' looks of shock, and Severus' reactions. His heart clenched painfully as tears began falling from his eyes, the wet drops falling onto his face and rolling down his cheeks, absorbing into his robes. As he played, his mind began forming pictures to go along with the music. He imagined himself on the night-time ocean. The luminous moonlight shone brightly against the water, reflecting along the gently rolling waves. Surrounding him was darkness, the distance around him the shade of midnight black. The only light guiding his way was the of the mild glow of the moon. The trilling right hand was the soft rippling of the Arctic waters, the enchanting left hand becoming the grandeur of the deep, mysterious ocean. There was a feeling of melancholy sorrow in the air.

The grieving tune changed into one of anger and rage. Harry couldn't help but ask himself: What had he ever done wrong? Whatever had happened, whatever he had had to go through, he had always tried his best. It wasn't his fault that he had to disguise himself as Sebastien Frostpine to keep himself safe, that he was the Bloody Boy-Who-Lived. The scene in his mind faded, shifting into another. The gentle current became the rumbling waves as they crashed against the shore. Lightening flashed dangerously in the air. Thunder boomed in a dull roar as the howling of the Northern wind could be heard.

He lost himself in his music, completely absorbed in his playing. He /became/ the music, entwining himself among the notes, concentrating hard. A single moment of distraction would ruin the flow of music rushing through his veins. As he continued his playing, he didn't notice the door open soundlessly and the almost inaudibe sound of footsteps stepping into the room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus Snape was in a terrible mood, to say the least. He had just come out of the dungeons after sitting motionless for several hours, sinking into self-pity and anger. He was heading towards the sixth floor, looking for some poor rule-breaking students to take out his anger on when he suddenly heard piano music drift through the air from the floor above him.

Sebastien. His mind clung to the single thought for a few seconds before changing gears. No, not Sebastien. Potter. He stopped slowly as he listened to the eerily melancholy music. He thought the music sounded familiar, but couldn't place his finger on it.

Suddenly, he realized what tune it was. It was the Devil's Trill, a rather famous, classical wizarding piece. However, Potter had done something to the tune. Instead of the happy melody it was supposed to be, it was now full of grief. Severus winced just listening to the piece.

The strains were so beautiful, yet there was a sense of pain, so full of hurt that Severus was almost choked by the intensity of it. He was left stunned and devastated: he couldn't understand, how could a boy, so arrogant, so self-centered, play something of such utter beauty? How could a child, seemingly so disdainful, produce something so deep and meaningful?

As he listened, he could feel the supressed power behind the music whirling out, a magic beyond simple spells. He could feel it wrapping around him, weaving its own unique spell, allowing itself to be truly heard within a person's heart and soul, not just their ears.

He found himself standing in front of the door of the Room of Requirement. He blinked. How had he gotten there? Well, no matter. He was here, he was here. Reaching out, he pushed open the door.

Stepping in, he shut the door inaudibly behind him, standing next to the back wall. Potter didn't seem to notice him as the boy continued playing. The tune changed. The sense of gentleness was gone, replaced by a wave of anger. The innocence which had appeared in the first few stanzas was subsituted by harsh reality. The notes clashed together and Severus could practically feel the fury radiating off of the boy.

He continued listening until finally, the music stopped, resting on the high B flat. A bittersweet sound lingered in the air. He watched as Harry slowly stood up and turned around...

"Potter."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Potter."

Harry looked up in surprise at the sound of his given name, although he was careful to hide it. Seeing the Potions Master, his heart beat sped up. What would the man do? How would he react? Whirling around, he quickly sat back down into the piano stool.

Severus sighed inaudibly at this action. His heart was still soaring with the music. Blinking, he tried to clear his mind. In reality, he was deeply moved by the emotional piece, although he would never admit it. "Twenty points, Potter, for using this room without permission."

Harry, feeling tired and drained, nodded. "Yes, sir," he replied.

"Potter, look at me when I'm speaking!"

Harry stood up slowly, turning around to meet a pair of obsidian black eyes.

Severus looked into emerald orbs, clearer and brighter than any jewel. He could see the innocence radiating from the boy. He couldn't understand: How could a child whom was forced to face so much darkness, be so pure, so very /innocent/? Although the shadows of pain and weariness could be clearly seen, there was no hint of corruption. How could one who had lost so much be so... /good/?

To his own surprise, Severus didn't feel angry like he had guessed he would. Instead, he just felt a sense of loss and regret. Finally, opening his mouth, he spoke again. "Why?'

"Why what?"

"Why did you do it? Why did you pretend to be Sebastien Frostpine?" Severus felt his anger slowly begin to build. "Wanted to trick me, did you? Think this is all a big prank thought up by the Great Harry Potter?"

Harry shook his head, eyes downcast. "I-I didn't want to hide it from you, Severus," he said quietly. "I-- but I wanted to keep you safe."

"Keep me safe?" Severus laughed harshly. "Keep me safe? Why would you care about keeping me safe, Potter?"

"I--- I didn't want you to get hurt." Harry swallowed hard. "I--- Everyone who comes near me gets hurt. My parents died for me, as did Cedric and Sirius."

Severus sneered, his eyes hardening. "Stop whining, Potter. You father was an arrogant fool, always thinking he was the best. And your mutt of a godfather-- he died and it was his own fault. It's passed and it's gone, so stop wallowing in your pathetic self-pity." He paused. "But then, what else should I have expected? Of course you would sulk: after all, you are the Great Harry Potter, the Golden Boy of Gryffindor. What other could you deserve?"

Harry would not have said anything if he had been the one insulted, but he would not tolerate Severus insulting his father and godfather. He felt rage mounting inside him at the Potions Master's words. Yes, he knew Severus was hurt, but that did not give him the right to lash out at others. Especially not at James and Sirius.

"You," he hissed, for once his voice full of loathing. His fists were clenched at his sides as an unearthly white glow radiated off of him. "How DARE you, Severus? Yes, I know my father and godfather were immature when they were in school, often humiliating you before others, and I am sorry for it, but how does that give you the right to insult the death? After all, how must you blame them when you do the exact same thing to me?" He watched as the Potions Master opened his mouth to retort, but he cut him off before he could start. "And don't you deny it, Severus Snape. You've always humiliated me before the Slytherins. True, it might be because of your position, but that does not give you the right to publicly insult my parents. As to this summer, everything I've said before is true. I had to become Sebastien Frostpine in order to keep myself safe, and for some reason, Lady Lyra decided it would be the best choice for me to come to Snape Manor. I regret listening to her now. She told me to give you a chance, to get to know you. She told me that you were more than you seemed, and I believed her. I should have known it was too much to hope for for your friendship. You're nothing but a bastard, Severus Snape, and I hate you." With that, Harry swept out of the room, anger rushing through his veins.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry rushed out the door, face flushed with fury. He was heading towards the Lake for a walk to calm himself when he suddenly turned the corner to see Ron and Hermione in front of him.

"Ron. Hermione." He felt nervous and unsure. How would Ron and Hermione react to him? He guessed he would find out.

"Harry! We missed you so much!" Hermione cried, launching herself at Harry. "I--- But I don't understand, why did you pretend to be Sebastien Frostpine? What about your death? What happened?"

So Harry ended up retelling what had happened to him since the beginning of the summer. However, he left out many details. As he was telling his story, he noticed that Ron was decidedly more quiet than usual. This was not a good sign.

When he was done, Hermione immediately reached forward and hugged him again. "Oh, Harry!" She cried. However, Ron was not so forgiving.

"How could you do this to us, Harry?" the redhead asked angrily. "We're your best friends! You were supposed to trust us with everything!"

"I'm sorry, Ron. I-- I didn't want to hurt you guys."

"Harry's right, Ron! Besides, how could you risk his safety?"

Ron shook his head stubbornly. "I don't care. He could have told us if he'd really wanted to." He turned back to Harry. "How could you do this, Harry? Making friends with Malfoy and Snape: What were you thinking anyways? They're Slytherins!"

Harry felt his anger and protectiveness mounting. "They're my friends, Ron! It doesn't matter that their Slytherin: I'm half Slytherin too!"

"Oh, so now you're a Slytherin!" Ron's tone was dangerous and furious. "Well, I'll leave you to the Snake Den then, Potter, if that's how you'll be." With that, Ron brushed past him and walked away.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry couldn't stand it anymore. He had always counted on Ron to help him: the only time the redhead had turned against him was during the TriWizard Tournament in the Fourth year. He couldn't believe this was happening.

"I'm sorry, 'Mione," he said quietly. "I need some time alone right now. I'll talk to you later if you want. Will that be okay?"

Hermione nodded sympathetically. "Of course, Harry. I can't BELIEVE Ron. How could he be so heartless? Remember, Harry, don't listen to any of his nonsense. I'll always be here if you need me." She gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she walked away, leaving Harry to his own thoughts.

Harry closed his eyes as he pressed his forehead against the cold stone walls. God, he was so tired of this. First Severus, then Ron. He had thought at least, that Ron would be able to understand. Now, he knew that he was wrong. At least he had Hermione. He just hoped that Draco would not react as badly. However, a sarcastic voice in the back of his mind whispered, 'Fat Chance!'

Turning wearily, he headed towards the Lake. He desperately needed to take a walk to calm his mind. However, as he headed through the desolate corridors he heard a pair of voices heading his direction. With panic building up in his chest, he frantically tried to think of a way out of a confrontation with whoever it might be.

The idea suddenly hit him. Quickly, he closed his eyes and concentrated. He felt himself shift, morphing as his features rounded out, head turning into the face of Neville Longbottom.

Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil came around the corner, talking loudly.

"---I can't believe it! It's like, totally cool!"

"I know, Lav... She's just awesome, I--- Oh!"

Parvati stopped short when she saw him. "Er... oh hi, Neville!"

Harry tried to calm his racing heartbeat. "Hi, Parvati," he said, fidgeting on purpose in the nervous manner he had seen Neville do.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I--- I erm, I had detention with P-Professor Snape."

"You did?" Lavender looked at him curiously. "I don't remember him assigning you detention..."

"I---He caught me looking at the Herbology plants last week when I should have been working," Harry said quickly, sighing with relief when he saw the acceptance on the girls' face. "Er... well, I've gotta go now. Bye Parvati, Lavender!" With that, he rushed off.

He continued to make his way outside, but before going any further, he quickly shifted his features again. He didn't want to accidentally bump into Neville while he was in the boy's form. Instead, he turned his hair deep, dark red, eyes shifting into amber brown. He shortened a few inches before he nodded to himself, satisfied.

It was cold outside. The evening air blew around him, whistling discordantly. Harry pulled his cloak tighter around himself, shivering slightly. He inhaled deeply - the air was fresh and clear and it felt nice to feel it rushing against his face. He gazed out at the water, shimmering slightly in the light. The sky was dark grey, cold and forbidding. He leant against a nearby tree, just observing, practising clearing his mind.

It didn't work for long. As soon as he attempted to rid his mind of all thoughts, memories would trickle in; the look of betrayal in Severus' eyes, the anger in Ron's... He snapped his eyes open again, trying to distract himself from his brooding. Finding that it didn? help, he banged his hand against the wood. He was just so frustrated!

/What's wrong, child?/ A voice suddenly ran through his mind.

Lady Lyra! He had almost forgotten her in the recent mess of classes, homework, the capture and conflicts. /My Lady?/

/I can feel the anger and the sorrow in your mind, Harry. Tell me what is bothering you, child. I promise you it will help./

Harry sighed. /Lady, I----/ He stopped, sighing. /I don't know how to explain./

He could almost hear the Lady smile. /Harry. First of all, I would ask you to calm down. I can sense what you're feeling right now, so I'll give you advice to the best of my abilities. Remember, all the frustration you've stored up inside of you is going to erupt soon. Let it out. As to facing your friends, remember this: You are who you are. What you do is what you are to do, what you're meant to do. If your friends can not accept who you truly are, then they are not really your friends at all. I know you have to confront Draco soon, but I suggest you give them a few days to calm down./

Harry nodded slowly. /Yes, I think I understand. But...I'm so frustrated and I can't stop thinking about them!/

/Relax, child. You have Eliza, do you not? Spent time with her, play music... It will calm your mind. Remember, not only is music an entertainment, it can also be an outlet./

/Alright. I'll try./ Harry responded half heartedly before taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself. His heart was beating quickly as he attempted to clear his mind from all the frustration and confusion.

Suddenly, he felt the hair on his back prickle, almost as if someone was watching him. Turning, he looked straight into a pair of grey-blue eyes.

"Draco," Harry said emotionlessly before biting the inside of his lips. Damn it! He shouldn't have said that. The blond glared suspiciously at him. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"I'm a Hogwarts student, Malfoy," Harry said, trying to hide his panic. "Don't tell me you still don't know the students after six years!" It would never have worked on anyone else, but he was praying on the fact that Draco treated most people as invisible if he didn? deem them worthy of his attention.

Draco frowned. "What house are you in?"

"S--Hufflepuff." Harry inwardly kicked himself for the slip.

Draco smirked triumphantly. "Then why are you wearing Slytherin robes?"

Damn it! Quickly, Harry turned slightly so that he was facing away from the blond boy. Using wandless magic, it only took him a few seconds to transfigure the Slytherin sign into a Hufflepuff badge. "What are you talking about, Malfoy? Are you blind?" He shot back, trying to sound as rude as possible.

Draco whirled around. "YOU'RE the one who's blind! Can't you see that those robes are Sly---" The blond's words died on his lips as he saw the Hufflepuff badge. Harry was sure he heard him mumble, "Strange. I was sure those were Slytherin robes a minute ago."

Harry smirked, about to retort when Draco spoke again. "What's your name?"

"Se--- Septimus. Septimus Moonstream."

Draco's look was piercing, his expression suspicious. "Septimus? Isn't that a Slytherin name?"

Harry forced a triumphant sneer onto his face. "Really Malfoy, you should know by now that all names are categorized."

"Pureblood?"

Harry shook his head, thinking that if he said he was Muggleborn, Draco would surely lose interest in him. "Muggleborn."

It worked. Hearing the word, Draco sneered and turned away. "So you?e nothing but a Mudblood. No wonder I've never noticed you before." He smirked evilly. "See you, Septimus." There was something about the way he said those words that made them seem as if they were filth. Normally, Harry would retort and snap back in anger, but since he was trying to avoid attention, he just gave a small nod, watching as the blond walked away.

He stood there, lost in his thoughts until suddenly, a voice called out to him.

"Excuse me?"

Turning, Harry saw Eliza. The girl was wearing a long, fur cloak which trailed behind her. "Er... I've never seen you around the school before. Are you a student?"

Smiling, Harry remembered Lady Lyra's advice. "Eliza!" he said as he shifted back into Sebastien Frostpine.

A look of surprise flashed across the girl's face before she smiled in return. "Hey, Sebastien. How's it going?"

Harry's smile faded. "Not well."

"I've heard from Dumbledore about what happened. Do-- Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry nodded slightly as he sat down on a rock. "Okay...." he trailed off, "I-- I don't know where to start though." He suddenly felt awkward.

Amusement shone in misty-grey orbs. "The beginning's usually a good place."

Smirking, Harry whacked Eliza on the elbow. "Fine, fine," he said, sighing, "I'll tell you. It all started with when Draco and I decided to sneak into Hogsmeade..."

By the time Harry was done recounting his tale, it was near dinnertime. After getting scolded by Eliza for being so careless, ("YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT! WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING???!!?/SPAN>) they both headed towards the Great Hall. Harry smiled slightly; he felt much better now that he had talked about his feelings. Although Eliza scolded him mercilessly, she was still extremely understanding and sympathetic.

As they neared the hall, however, Harry was once again beginning to panic. He had not yet faced Draco, and they usually sat right next to each other. How would the blond react?

Eliza, sensing his anxiety, smiled at him. "It's alright, Harry. Remember, Draco's the only one who knows about this in Slytherin. Just relax: you've given him a chance to calm down, and now it? up to him how he wants to react. You've done your part Harry, and you should be proud of yourself; you did what had to be done. Go out there and face your problems. I promise I'll be here with you."

Harry forced a weak upturn of his lips, grateful that he had such friends. Then, taking a deep breath, he stepped in.

To his relief, the only person who looked up at him was Hermione. She gave him a small reassuring smile before turning back to Ron. Harry sighed. The redhead was sitting defiantly, face turned determinedly in the other direction. Harry? stomach squirmed as he remembered Ron wasn? even the one he was supposed to be worrying about now; he still had Draco to face. And he didn't have to wait long.

He trudged resignedly to the far end of the hall before silently sitting down at the Slytherin table, beside Draco. His heart thumped loudly as he waited for the blond to react.

"So, Frostpine," Draco sneered, a smirk resting on his lips. "What are you doing here, huh? Thought you were with the Gryffindork lions now?"

Harry bit down on his lips, feeling his heart clench painfully. "Don?, Draco," he said softly. "I-- I did what I had to do."

"What you had to do, really?" The blond spat out mockingly. "Could you not have told anyone even if you had wanted to? Had to, my ass!"

Draco didn't seem to care that people were beginning to stare that them, but Harry was growing increasingly uncomfortable of the curious glances thrown in their direction. "Er... I'll just be going, Eliza," he said apologetically to the girl sitting beside him. "I'm not really hungry." With that, he took off, running out of the Great Halls without a backward glance.

ELIZA'S POV

I watched sorrowfully as Harry ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Most of the members of the Great Hall turned to stare as the gigantic doors crashed shut. Draco, however, turned determinedly in the other direction, talking loudly to Blaise as if nothing had happened at all.

I felt anger mounting inside me at the sight. How DARE Draco act this way? Harry was not really to blame: He had always tried his best, doing what he had to do, what he was meant to do. It was true that by imposing as Sebastien, he had hurt many people's feelings, but the way Draco was acting was unreasonable. It wasn't as if Harry had any choice!

A steak of lightening cracked through the air as my fire elemental magic lost control. Quickly, I gripped myself, grabbing and focusing the power back inside me. I couldn't loose control right now. I would probably end up burning everyone if I did. But my anger was overwhelming me. I had to let it out somehow. And I had to get out of here before I did something I would regret.

I stood up suddenly, decision made. Reaching out, I grabbed Draco by the collar, lifting him off of his seat. The Great Hall became silent, everyone watching me as Draco gave a yell.

"Rosethorn! Get the hell off me!"

I paid him no heed. "You're coming with me, Malfoy!" I hissed. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dumbledore stand up, heading towards me. Without thinking, I turned, and with lightening speed, darted out of the hall, Draco in toll.

I headed into the Slytherin dormitory, yelling out the password. Once in the Common Room, I set Draco down on the floor. The blond picked himself up indignantly before turning to face me, his eyes blazing.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, Rosethorn! How DARE you drag me out of the room without my permission!"

I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down. "Yes, I dare. I dare, Draco Malfoy, because I had to deal with you before I exploded on you."

A sneer graced his face. "HA! Tell me, what has gotten on your nerves now, Your Highness?" His voice was mockingly high, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

For a second, I stood there, rage and shock burning through me. Then, I raised my hand and brought it down upon Draco.

Whack!

The slap landed with a satisfying smack. Draco just looked at me, hand cupping his cheek, too shocked to react.

"YOU!" I hissed angrily, shaking with fury. "YOU! You go around blaming people all day for things they couldn't help, and you blame it on me! You insult me for dragging you out of the Great Hall! Why don't your look at your own behaviour, Malfoy. You're acting like an absolute prat. And you blame Sebastien for whatever that's happened. He helped you when you had no friends: he befriended you and became your best friend. And this is how you repay him? It wasn't his fault he had to pretend to be another! Do you think he enjoyed it? That it was all some sort of sick joke? Well, I'll tell you this, I'm sick of this, Draco Malfoy! You stand around sulking all the time, complaining to the others, whining endlessly and blaming everything on Sebastien! And what has he ever done to you? He made friends with you, he helped you, and you... you...." I stopped, eyes flashing dangerously. "God, you're such and idiot, Draco Malfoy! Just get your wand out of your ass and look at what's happening before you go around judging people!" Shooting one last angry glare, I stormed out of the room, leaving a confused and shocked Draco Malfoy behind me.

Draco just stood there, staring in shock as he watched Eliza storm out of the room. Dear Merlin... Eliza had always seemed shy and polite to him: he hadn't known she had such a temper. He still couldn't believe that the same girl had managed to drag him (literally) out of the Great Hall and had been yelling at him on the top of her lungs for the last.... fifteen minutes.

All because of Potter. Damn Potter.

And it had been mostly his influence that had stopped Draco from becoming a Death Eater! True, he had never been as at ease with taking the Dark Mark as he had outwardly appeared, but it had been Sebastien who had shown him that he could make his own decisions, and turn away from the path that had already been made for him. He had thought he had found someone to admire ?a Slytherin who was against the Dark Lord and would firmly support Draco? choice against becoming one of his minions, when really all he had found was damn Potter!

What Draco hated to admit, however, was that in a way, Eliza was right. Potter had only done what he had had to do --Draco doubted the Gryffindor had meant any harm. But... his mind just couldn't get over the fact that Harry Potter, the Damn Boy-Who-Lived, his worst rival, was actually his best friend. It was just too confusing. How could Potter and Sebastien, seemingly so different, be the same person?

Draco sighed. Perhaps he had over-reacted after all. In his heart, he knew that he had been acting foolishly. As he lay down in his bed in his dorm, he vowed to himself that he would try to behave more maturely in the future.

Eliza rushed out of the Common Room in search of Harry. Where had the boy gone now?

After running around the school for several minutes, she ran head-long into a figure that was coming out of the library.

"Oops... Sorry, Hermione," she said apologetically as she helped the other girl up.

Hermione just smiled. "No problem. What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for H--- Sebastien. I haven't seen him since he ran out of the Great Hall."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Poor Sebastien," she said quietly. "Draco's obviously ignoring him, and Ron's being an absolute prat. I can't believe those two!"

"Want to help me look?" Eliza asked hopefully, peering around.

Hermione smiled gratefully. "Sure. Let's go."

After they searched the dorms, the library, and the kitchen (in which Dobby was horrified to hear that they couldn't find Harry Potter), they finally headed up to the seventh floor. As they neared the room, they both heard the sound of music drifting out.

"Devil's Trill..." Eliza whispered.

Hermione just looked at her. "Is-- Is that Sebastien?"

Eliza nodded.

Hermione's eyes widened. "It's beautiful," she said softly. "I didn't know he could play."

"He learned," was the only reply as Eliza reached out and pulled open the door.

Harry sat on the piano bench in front of a Grand piano. His eyes were focused, his brows wrinkled slightly in concentration. The music just drifted out from under his fingers.

"Wow, Harry," Hermione whispered when the music ended. "That was beautiful."

"Thanks, 'Mione," the boy said, turning and allowing a faint smile to grace his lips.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Eliza asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I'm fine." The answer was slightly harsh, causing both girls to back away.

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, guys," he said. "I'm just really tired right now. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"No problem," Hermione said brightly. "It's alright, Harry. Even if Draco and Ron are acting like prats, don't worry, we'll be here for you."

Harry smiled, thinking that he was truly lucky to have such friends. "Thanks, guys."

"Come on," Eliza said, breaking the short silence. "We should get to bed."

Together, they walked to the doorway, where they paused.

To Harry surprise, Hermione stopped and threw her arms around him, bringing him into a comforting hug. "Don't worry, Harry," she whispered softly before turning and heading in the direction of the Gryffindor dorms. Harry and Eliza watched her until she disappeared before they headed towards the Serpent's Lair.

The next morning, Harry was woken by the sound of soft hissing. Looking around, he saw two snakes slithering onto the side of his bed.

Ice! Shadow! he hissed softly. Where have you guys been? I haven't seen you in ages!

Our apologies, young master, the white snake said, speaking for both of them, We were exploring the castle for the last few weeks and we stayed with the large one.

The large one?

The one who lives in the cabin.

Oh! Harry suddenly realized who they were talking about. You mean Hagrid?

I do not know his name, young master. He is large and has a long, black beard. He gave us rats to eat.

Harry smiled at the mental image of Hagrid, feeding his snakes rats. The kind half-giant had always loved dangerous animals. Perhaps he should go introduce his snakes to him after all.

He stood up, grabbing his robes and getting dressed. Have you seen Flame lately? He asked. He hadn't seen his pet phoenix in a while either.

I believe she is in the Owlery, Shadow replied. She hid herself in the form of an owl so no one would be able to recognize her.

Good. Harry nodded as he checked the time. Sorry guys, but I've have to go. I have transfiguration in... ten minutes. Bye!

With that, he raced out of the room.

Transfiguration passed quickly (in which Professor McGonagal had them doing research on human transfiguration), as did Charms and Lunch. After a long Double DADA block with the Gryffindors (In which Ron kept shooting him glares and with Remus looking between the two of them with a puzzled look on his face), Harry headed to dinner, feeling sick and queasy. He had no appetite at all, but because of Eliza, he had no choice but to eat. As it was, he only nibbled on a small piece of chicken.

"What's wrong, Sebastien?" Eliza asked worriedly, looking at the amount of food her friend was eating.

Harry managed a faint smile. "Nothing, I'm fine, Eliza." He turned back to poking at his food.

There was one main reason why he was feeling worried: Potions. Although they didn't have a potions class until the day after tomorrow, Harry still had his Advanced Potions lessons with Severus. And one Advanced Potions lesson was about to take place soon. About half an hour after dinner, in fact.

When everyone began heading out of the Great Hall, Harry followed, going into the Slytherin Common Room to grab his potions bag. He was about to leave early when someone called out his name.

"Sebastien?"

Turning, he saw Draco standing in front of him. But this time, there was no sneer or scorn in the boy's expression. Instead, there was a hesitant smile.

"Draco? What's wrong?"

"I--- er... I wanted to apologize, Sebastien. The way I behaved was unacceptable. I'm sorry."

Harry looked in surprise at the blond in front of him. In all the six years he had been at Hogwarts, he couldn remember a single time when the aristocratic boy had apologized to anyone, never mind the Boy-Who-Lived, his past nemesis. With a second pause to recover, his shocked face morphed into a smile, as he pulled the other boy into a tight hug. "It's alright, Draco," he said softly, "Apology accepted."

Draco grinned at him. "Good," he said, "Now I can stop arguing with you."

Harry just nodded as he checked his watch. "Oops, sorry, Draco, I have to run. I have lessons with Sev-- Professor Snape in two minutes."

The blond winced sympathetically. "Good luck, Sebastien. Hopefully, he won't be too hard on you."

Nodding his thanks, Harry walked out of the room, a sinking feeling in his stomach quickly replacing the ecstatic relief he had felt from the encounter with Draco. He couldn't help thinking: this would be the first time he and Severus would be alone since.... then.

As he reached Severus' dungeon rooms, he reached out and knocked softly on the door, for once waiting for admission. As Severus' annoyed "Come in," rang through the air, he took a deep breath to calm his agitated nerves, cautiously stepped into the dark room and gently closed the door behind him.

"Frostpine!" Severus barked, his eyes glinting with sudden fury. "What are you doing here?"

Harry took a step back, suddenly very frightened. "Er... for Potions lessons, sir."

"Did I not tell you that your Potions Apprenticeship is now over?" the man spat out.

"But sir, I thought we still had Advanced Potions together..." Harry trailed off.

As the seconds stretch for what seemed like an eternity, his former mentor just looked at him, shooting a hard penetrating glare that unnerved Harry to the very bone. He attempted to return the stare and steady his breath, but began to feel uncomfortable, fidgeted slightly under the Potions Master gaze. Finally...

"Very well," Severus snapped, the distaste evident in his voice. "Get out a cauldron and start working."

By 8:30 pm, Harry had to admit that this was the worst lesson he'd ever been to in his life. Just after the first miserable hour he had been prepared to re-endure every detention he had suffered with Snape over the years of being his most hated student, if only to be released then and there from the Advanced Potions class. While he was "Potter", the insults had always been rude and scathing, but now they were even more personal, including sarcastic implyings of him being responsible for Cedric and others' deaths. The Potions Master even preyed on the more humiliating moments Harry had spent with him, hinting at his pathetic weakness for crying openly and his childish nature at having screamed from imple nightmares? All of Harry more open moments were tactically turned against him, all his guilt and sorrow over Sirius and his parents picked at and scornfully mocked. To go even further, the man distictly implied about how "Great Harry Potter" being abused by "weak muggle relatives." Harry had soon decided if there was one thing Severus was better at, then sarcasm was it.

Only nearing the end of the lesson, already having steadily ignored or avoided the rampage of insults and degrading of his skills, did he find he couldn't stand it any more.

"Professor," he said coldly, interrupting the Potions Master's tirade. "I was just wondering why you have so much criticism over my work when just weeks ago, you said it was fine, even greatly exceeding standard?"

Severus turned to him, his black eyes shining menacingly with a triumphant smirk at having found an excuse for punishment. "Detention, Frostpine, for interrupting a teacher, and ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek."

"But I'm not in Gryffindor!" Harry protested hotly.

"Oh really, Potter?" The loathing was evident, the fury blazing.

"Yes!" Harry cried. He couldn't stand this anymore. "The Sorting Hat wanted, no practically begged to put me in your precious Slytherin, but I convinced it to put me in Gryffindor instead!"

Severus looked about to speak, but Harry continued on, not giving him the chance.

"And Professor," he continued fervently, stressing the title with added sarcasm, "I'm tired of you insulting me with every turn. Everything I do, everything I say -whether it's meant to offend or not- you're always at my back, taking points away or giving out detentions. I'm tired of it! You think it's my fault that I had to deceive you? You think I WANTED to lie to you? NO! I was forced to for my safety and for others'. I was under orders to not tell anyone about who I was other than Dumbledore. I didn't want to lie to any of you, but I had no choice! So STOP BLAMING ME FOR EVERYTHING!"

"Twenty points for yelling, Potter," came the scathing response, "And you-- you, saying that you were under orders, then WHOSE orders were you under, may I ask? It obviously isn't Dumbledore's, and unless you have suddenly taken a desperate fancy to taking instructions from Voldemort, I see no one else whom you could possibly take orders from. So, in other words, you deceived me, Draco and your doting Gryffindor fan club on purpose!"

Harry calmed himself by taking deep breaths. He understood that the evasive answer he was going to give in reply would do nothing but serve as fuel for Severus' outrage, but he concluded that he had little to no choice.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you, Professor. Only Dumbledore is to know. But I assure you, it was not my choice to not tell you. It wasn't my--"

"Just leave, Potter."

The response surprised Harry: Severus wanted him to leave now? "Sir, I didn't---"

"I said leave, Potter. You mean nothing to me. You're just an arrogant murderer, just like your father. Your mother died because of you, and so did all the others. Just go."

Harry froze at the cruel words. He saw the look of loathing and disgust in the Potions Master's eyes and was filled with a sense of loss and sorrow as he looked at the man whom he had come to view as a father-figure.

"Severus, I---"

Whack!

The sharp, stinging slap rang loudly in the room. There was a moment of silence. Harry's right hand flew to his cheek, biting his lips to keep from crying out. The tender skin turned pink and was beginning to swell. But the rage he saw in Severus' eyes hurt him more than any physical wound ever could.

"Don't call me that, Potter! Leave immediately!" The words were steel, the tone, ice, as Severus spat out the name in utter disgust.

Harry just looked at the man standing in front of him. "I thought you cared," he whispered almost inaudibly. "I thought you understood. I guess you're just like everyone else then. Don't worry, I won't be coming back."

He spun angrily on his heel, heading quickly out of the room before the stinging hot tears that lined his eyes could be noticed. As he flung shut the door behind him, the full implications of what had happened hit him with the force of a herd of rampaging Hippogriffs.'

He leaned weakly against the cold, stone wall, sliding to the ground as his legs collapsed from underneath him. The world seemed to spin around him as he closed his eyes.

Severus hated him. Severus, the father-like figure he had come to respect and admire, perhaps even to love. The sarcastic Potions Master who had overcome his own coldness to comfort him, to save him from depression. Harry's heart was heavy as he chuckled harshly. It had been a lie, all a lie. A dream that would never truly be, a wish that would never be fulfilled. All because he was Harry Bloody Potter.

He allowed the tears to come as he wept, wept for his losses and sorrows. He wept for the man that would never be, for the friendship and parent-figure that he would never gain. His body shook with sobs as he wallowed in pity and self disgust.

After what seemed like hours, the tears would no longer come. Instead a flood of hopelessness washed over him, engulfing him in misery until he felt numb.

He stood up and began to walk aimlessly, not paying attention to exactly where he was going. He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with despair: what reason did he have left for living? He was tired to being the damn Boy-Who-Lived, tired of the burdens, the endless expectations. He just wanted it all to end.

He found himself in Moaning Mrytle's bathroom. Thankfully, the ghost was nowhere in sight.

He walked into a stall as he sat down. Waving his hand, he transfigured one of the buttons on his robes into a knife.

He laid the knife on his palm, feeling the cool, calming metal against his skin. The sharp blade gleamed dangerously in the fading light. Slowly, he raised the handle and brought it down.

He watched the wound as the maroon-red blood seeped up, a single trickle running down his arm. He felt a slight prickle of pain as he cut down again, fascinated by the precious, life-giving liquid. At least the ache dulled the grief and anguish.

He cut again and again as memories overwhelmed him. The pale skin as soon marred with fresh cuts and scars. He cut out a pattern, carving a snake upon himself.

When he ran out of space on his left arm, he turned to his right arm, repeating his earlier actions.

He recalled Severus' earlier words as he brought the knife down, pushing deeper and deeper each time. He applied more pressure, watching detachedly as the life-giving blood seeped out of him. He began to feel dizzy as more time passed.

Spots danced at the edge of his vision as he knees collapsed underneath him.

His knife clattered to the ground in finality, as Harry closed his eyes and slipped into sweet oblivion.

HERMIONE'S POV

I was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, homework spread out in front of me, when suddenly, my necklace glowed white-hot. I was confused for a second before I realized what this meant. Harry!

"RON!" I yelled loudly, causing a few near-by first years to jump with fright. "GET DOWN HERE!"

A minute later, the redheaded boy raced down the stairs of the boys' dorm.

"'Mione? Look at this, what's going on?"

Looking up, I saw that Ron was motioning to his ruby pendant. It too was glowing.

"It has to be Harry," I said worreidly. "Remember what he said about putting protection charms on these? It must work both ways."

I watched as a flash of unexpected anger cross Ron's face before his expression became determined. "Okay, so what can we do? Do you think we should go see McGonagall or something?"

Hermione slowly shook her head. "I think we'ld better go see Professor Dumbledore," she said quietly. "He'll know what to do."

Ron furrowed his brows, thinking hard, before finally nodding. "Let's go."

They raced out of the door in the direction of the Headmaster's office.

DRACO'S POV

I sat in the Slytherin Common Room, leaning back comfortably onto the couch. I was thinking about what had happened earlier.

Now that I've apologized to Pot-- Sebastien, I have to admit that I feel much better. When I first found out who "Sebastien" really was, I had been angry and confused, but as time went on, I realized that I was being stubborn and unreasonable, treating a friend as an enemy. It seemed as if a heavy weight had been lifted from my shoulders now that I had gotten the apologies done and over with.

I sighed, checking my watch, frowning slightly. Harry should have been back about fifteen minutes ago. I quickly dismissed the thought, thinking the boy had probably just gone down to the kitchens or something.

Suddenly, I felt something burn against my skin. Looking down, I saw that my pendant was glowing brightly. Something flashed in my mind, but it was gone before I could comprehend it. I was positive there was something important about this, but I couldn't place my finger on it.

Just then, Eliza rushed into the Common Room, banging the door of the girls' dorm shut. Her robes flew behind her as she headed towards the portrait exit.

"Wait, Eliza!" I called, noticing that her necklace (which was hanging just outside her robes) was also glowing. "What's going on here?"

She stopped slightly, a look of slight panic on her face. "Look," she said. "I have to hurry, there's not time to explain. Just... Just go to Professor Snape and show him your necklace. He'll know."

With that, the girl disappeared with a pop, bursting into flames.

I gaped after her, rubbing my eyes, wondering whether I had been dreaming. Was it just me, or did Eliza just Apparate into a ball of flames? Well, there was only on echoice as to what to do now. Rushing out the door, I headed in teh direction of the Potions Master's office.

SEVERUS' POV

As Harry ran out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him, I slid into a nearby chair, my legs no longer able to support me. I felt numb, as if I had just lost somehting precious to me. But why was it that I felt this way? Har--- no, Potter was nothign to me. I had only allowed myself to care for him because of Sebastien. But it was all an act, right?

I hated admitting it, but I felt lost and confused. True, I hated Potter, but was hate really what I had thought it as? I had cared about Sebastien and loasthed Potter, but in reality, they were the same people. How could two boys, seemingly so different, actually be one and the same? This, I just couldn't understand.

I couldn't help but remember how warm the child's body had felt in my arms, how.... nice it had felt to have someone depend on me. I had thought of the boy almost as a son've never had.

I gave myself a mental shake. No, I couldn't think this way. Potter was brat, and I would have nothing to do with him with I could help it.

At exactly that moment, I felt something burn against my neck. Looking down, I saw that an unearthly glow was radiating off of the deep black pendant hanging from the fine, silver chain. Which meant....

Harry's words from what seemed like an eternity ago came back to me. I cleared remember the boy telling me that the necklace had been charmed to glow when one was in danger. Which meant...

Harry.

Suddenly, I remembered. Harry's last words to me before he left my room twenty minute ago.

"I thought you understood. I guess you're just like everyone else then. Don't worry, I won't be coming back."

"I won't be coming back."

Severus suddenly felt as if something icy cold had gripped his heart. He wouldn't, would he? No, he wouldn't. Even he wasn't that foolish. Right?

But Severus couldn't forget the look of pain and despair in the boy's eyes as he left the room. The way his shoulder had been slumped, his head dropped.

He stood up suddenly, nearly knocking his chair over with the rough motion. Something was wrong with Harry: he just knew it. And he had to get there before it was too late.

Out by the Owlery, a small owl with beautiful, long wings rested. Specks of white mixed with the deep, mahonagy brown of its chest while streaks of midnight black stood out clearly on its wings. Her head was held high and proud, head cocked to the side, as she listened for something only she could hear.

Suddenly, she straightened, realizing something was wrong. Her master was in danger. And as any obediant pet, it was her duty to save him. Stretching her wings, she took flight, swooping through the castle. As she flew, she began to change: speckled body turned into a mix of blazing orange and yellow while her wings became longer, flecks of red and gold clearly visible. Fiery red tailfeathers came into sight, stunning and elegant. Whipping through the night time air, she disappeared around the corner, heading for the second floor.

Hermione banged loudly on the door of the Headmaster's office, screaming at the stone gargoyle to open up. Ron just stood beside her, sighing at the fiery display of temper.

"...JUST OPEN UP, DAMN IT, YOU IDIOTIC, ANNOYING BAS----"

Just then, the door clicked open and the headmaster himself appeared, dressed the long, sky-blue robes. His eyes twinkled brightly as he saw Hermione blink. The brown-haired girl began to blush as she realized what had happened.

"Well, Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Granger, come on in. Lemon drop?"

After they both declined, the Headmaster settled down, peering at them from behind his half-moon glasses. "Mrs. Granger? I believe you have something to tell me?"

So Hermione launched into the story of what had happened, beginning from the jeweled necklace to what had happened mere minutes ago. ".... and it began glowing so we came to you."

Dumbledore's face turned grave, his twinkle disappearing as he suddenly stood up, surprising both his students. "This is bad news," the older wizards said. "We must search the school, Mrs. Granger. Your help would be greatly appreciated."

Hermione nodded, her face set with determination. "If Harry's in danger, then we have to help him. Just tell us what to do."

"We must find Harry, but we mustn't tell the other teachers of what is going on. If you, Mrs. Granger, would take the first and second floor, Mr. Weasley, the third and fourth floor. I will take the fifth, sixth, and seventh floor. Hopefully, we will be able to find Mr. Potter."

Ron and Hermione nodded in understanding as together, the three headed out the door. They turned in different directions, each of them only having a single thought in his mind: finding Harry.

Eliza appeared in a ball of flames just outside of the Great Hall, wondering what she should do. It was evident that Harry was in danger, and judging by the brightness of her pendant, he needed help immediately. She could still sense Harry with her elemental powers though, so she knew for a fact that Harry was still inside the castle. And she had to find him. But where first?

Eliza sighed. There was nothing she could do but just look, starting from the first floor and looking all the way up to the seventh floor. She figured that with her elemental and apparation powers, she would be able to get around quicker. Turning, she made her way down and hall and began her search.

Severus rushed out of his office, running up the staircases and entering the section of the more well-known section of Hogwarts. He stood there, looking frantically around, wondering where he should begin searching.

His problem was suddenly solved for him when he spotted a fiery blur heading down the corridor at amazing speed. The blur turned the corner and headed in the direction of the stairs leading up to the second floor.

It took him a minute to realize what the blur had been. Harry's phoenix! Severus knew that animals should have a more pronounced sense of the well-being of their masters and mistresses. Whirling around, he quickly turned and began running and top speed after the phoenix. Hopefully, it would lead him to Harry.

He was running so fast that he didn't see the figure whereing green robes, calling after him.

Draco headed down to the dungeons, turning the corner and coming to Professor Snape's office. Walking forward, he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

No answer.

He knocked again, this time, slightly louder. "Professor Snape?"

Still no answer.

Finally deciding that Professor Snape wasn't there, he turned away, wondering what was going on. Just as he stepped out of the dungeon areas and onto the main floor, he saw a black figure racing past him. As the blur rushed by him, he saw the familiar sweep of black robes.

"Professor Snape!" he called out loudly, wondering what was going on. "Professor, wait!"

The man didn't seem to hear him: he just kept on running in the direction of the staircase to the second floor.

Draco sighed. First Eliza, now Snape. Looked like this was going to turn into one huge game of wild goose chasing. Turning, he bolted after his professor.

Severus raced as fast as he could after the phoenix. Running up to the corner of the second floor, he looked around. Damn it, he had lost the dratted bird. What could he do now?

Looking around, he saw that he was next to the girls' bathroom. A large "Out-Of-Order" sign hung from the door. He sighed. Guess he would just have to search on his own now.

He was about to turn away, heading back to the first floor, when something caught his attention. A trickle of red down the corridor, coming from the gap underneath the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He froze. Could it be?

Slowly, slowly, he turned towards the door. He put his and on the door handle and turned.

As the door swung open before him, he froze, a gasp caught in his throat.

Before him lay Harry Potter, eyes glassy and unseeing. And around him was a large pool of blood.

Severus just stood there, frozen and unable to move. The sight before him was more horrendous than anything he could have ever imagined.

Sebastien Frostpine a.k.a. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, Savior of the Wizarding World, lay on the cold, stone floor. A pool of blood surrounded his body, trickles leaking in different directions. The boy's normally sparkling emerald eyes were glassy and emotionless. The smallest hint of a smile could be seen on the lips.

Severus couldn't believe it. Harry had done this. This. Because of him.

It pained him more than anything to know that it was him, Severus Snape, who had driven the boy to this step. As he stood there, only one thought ran through his mind. This is all my fault.

There was the flutter of wings, and looking up, he saw a fiery phoenix flying past him. It came forward, landing on Harry's body. It opened its mouth wide as it began to sing, the beautiful, but eerily trilling music ringing loudly through the air. As it sang its mysterious tune, pearly tears fell from its midnight black eyes, dropping onto Harry's scarred wrists.

This action broke Severus out of his stupor. He quickly rushed forward, pulling the boy into his arms, holding him close. Blood dripped onto his robes, but he didn't care. All he could think of was this. And what had happened. What Harry had done. Because of him.

"I--I'm sorry, Harry," he whispered quietly. A single tear leaked out of his eyes and rolled down his cheek.

He sat there for what seemed like hours, but in reality, it was only minutes. Suddenly, he was pushed out of his position by a heavy weight. He turned just in time to look into a pair of angry grey eyes.

Eliza apparated once again, this time appearing on the second floor. She had just finished searching the first floor, and finding no one, she had moved upwards.

She stood on one end of the hall, next to an empty, unused classroom. She began to search, banging open doors and using unlocking charms on the ones that were locked. One by one, she looked until she found herself at the other end of the corridor.

She was about to give up and move to the third floor when the sound of a melodious trilling stopped her in her steps. She would recognize it anywhere. Phoenix music. However, it was this particular tune that scared her. The sorrowful melody sung only in mourning during the death of a beloved one. There was only one thought in her mind as she headed in the direction of the music. Harry.

The song seemed to be coming from an old, unused washroom at the end of the hallway. Pushing the door open, she froze in her steps.

In front of her lay Harry, surrounded by a pool of crimson blood. Professor Snape sat on the cold, stone floor beside him, the boy wrapped protectively in his arms. A brilliant phoenix flew in front of them, continuing to sing.

An unexpected spark of rage raced through her. Looking at the patterned lines on Harry's wrist, she could tell he had done this to himself. And judging by the fact that he had seemed fine before his "lesson" with Professor Snape, the Potions Master had been the one who had made him do this.

She launched herself at the older man, pushing him away from her. She would deal with him later. For now, she turned to Harry, focusing her healing magic at him. Judging by his healing aura, he had lost a lot of blood. If she didn't hurry, it would be too late.

She was concentrating so hard that she didn't notice the door bang open behind her, nor did she see Draco looking at the sight before him, shock and fear clouding his normally cold, grey-blue eyes.

She concentrated on the boy's magical aura, using her own energy and pushing in. Using her own life force to supply him, she turned and began healing the cuts on his arms. Slowly, minutes ticked by. Eliza worked tirelessly, healing the scars one by one until none was left. Finally, she let go, sagging onto the ground tiredly. She had done the best she could. The rest would be up to Harry. And Fate.

She sensed someone moving and saw that Severus was once again heading towards Harry. "No!" She cried out, stopping the Potions Master. "Don't touch him, you bastard! It's all your fault! He would have been fine if he hadn't some to your 'Potions lesson'! You stubborn git-- this is all your fault! You keep away from him!" She turned to Draco. "I'm getting Madam Pomfrey. You keep an eye on Harry and make sure he, (she nodded towards Severus) doesn't touch him. Got it?" Seeing Draco nod, she turned, and with a swirl of flames, she disappeared.

As Eliza left the room, Severus just leaned against the stone wall, still in shock. A single phrase lingered in teh air.

This is all your fault.

And he knew, in his heart, that she wa sright. If Harry hadn't come to his extra-curricular Potions lessons, he would have been fine. He knew that it was his harsh words that had driven the boy over the edge. Unexpectedly, Harry's words came back to him.

I thought you understood.

"I do understand," he whispered almost inaudibly. "I'm sorry." He ignored the worried looks Draco was shooting him.

A few minutes later, Eliza came back in with Pomfrey, Dumbledore, and to Draco's surprise, Ron and Hermione in toll. Madam Pomfrey quickly went into full nurse-mode, and levitating Harry behind her, left the bathroom, heading in the direction of the Hospital Wing. The rest of them quickly followed with Hermione in the lead, only to have Madam Pomfrey shut the door in their face. Hermione sputtered indignantly as she pulled out her want, trying to use the Unlocking Charm, but apparently, it didn't work on the door of the Hospital Wing.

After trying several more spells, Eliza had had enough. In a burst of flames, she Disapparated, only to appear on the other side of the door. Ignoring Madam Pomfrey's surprised look, she asked quickly, "How is he?"

"We've done all we can for now," the tired nurse said. "What you did was extremely helpful, Eliza. If you hadn't, he might have not made it. The rest, however, is up to him."

By then, Hermione had finally managed to open the door, so Eliza ended up telling them Harry's condition. Dumbledore had a grave look in his eye before he disappeared from his room, claiming he had a few things to 'take care of'. The rest of them stayed until finally, Madam Pomfrey ushered them out, claiming that her patient needed rest.

Severus walked back to his room numbly. He couldn't believe it. It still hadn't actually sunk in.

Harry had tried to kill himself.

Because of him.

He sighed, pouring himself a shot of firewhiskey and downing it in one gulp.

This was all his fault. All his fault.

He poured himself more alcohol.

He couldn't seem to forget the look on Harry's face when he had rejected him. The hidden pain and sorrow had appeared for a mere second before retreating back behind the facial mask. But it had been there.

And the eerily blank expression on the boy's face when he had found him. Severus knew that he would never forget that in his life. The way those emotionless blank eyes had stared back at him, blaming him.

He truly regretted yelling at the child now. Especially slapping him. Severus bit down on his lips, hard enough to draw blood. He should have had more control on himself. He shouldn't have taken out his anger and frustration on Harry.

He sighed, pouring himself another shot. It was all too late now. He just hoped that Harry would come through this alright.

Somewhere in the deep horizon, lost in the darkness of space, two stunningly beatiful females stood watching the scene before them.

The boy is dying, the one with long blonde hair stated softly. Destiny's startling violet eyes shone in the fading light.

Yes, her sister replied. Dark hair gleamed as midnight black eyes flashed. His will is dying. He feels no point in living with the only ones he cares for despites him for who he is.

What shall we do, Fate?

He must live, Fate said softly. Without him, the world will fall to Darkness. He must live. And we must give him the will to live.

What can we do, sister?

We will contact the Founders. Hopefully, they will be able to help him.

Destiny nodded. Alright. Harry Potter must live on.

Fate smiled. Yes, sister. He must.

In a flash of light, the two disappeared.

Rowena stormed into the large room, surprising the other three founders. Godric and Salazar flashed a look at each other, each wondering, 'What was wrong now?' Calm Rowena almost never losses her cool. For her to be this angry had to be the result of something big.

"Rowena?" Helga asked. "Is something wrong?'

Rowena turned to her before she exploded. "SOMETHING WRONG! I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG! HARRY'S DYING!"

"WHAT?" Salazar jumped up. "What's wrong with Harry?"

"I just got a message from Fate and her sister. They say that Harry is dying due to blood loss, not to mention emotional depression. And thosethose imbeciles think that there's a chance he might live!"

"How did it happen?"

"I'm not sure, something about suicide though, according to Destiny. They're trying their best to allow him to live, but really, they can't do much if he doesn't WANT to live. What he needs is a proper healer (a natural one, mind you, and those are so rare that you can barely find them anymore), and a nice, strong Sanatio Potion.

"Sanatio Potion?" Godric gave a start. "But... isn't that Salazar's specialty? Not to mention that I think only Salazar's descendants are able to make it, no one else."

"That's the problem!" Rowena threw up her arms, exasperated. "That's why there's no way they can heal him! They have no healer and no potion."

"Wait a minute..." Godric interrupted. "I've got an idea."

Salazar groaned. "What kind of crazy idea have you come up with now?"

Godric have him a glare before answering. "I was thinking, Rowena, why don't WE go and help him?"

"EXCUSE ME?" Salazar turned to Godric. "I don't even want to THINK about where you came up with that one. Don't you know by now it's virtually impossible to dimension travel?"

".. Wait a second..." Rowena interrupted, her eyes sparkling in a way that showed she had an idea. "It might just work..."

Salazar whipped around. "How?"

"If we combine the effects of the Vectorium Spell and the Peregrinatio Potion, we should be able to Apparate Cross-Dimension, because of their special properties."

"But... we can only transport two people," Salazar interjected. "Peregrinatio Potions takes months to make, and I only have two bottles on handy at the moment."

Rowena sighed, before making up her mind. "Then two of us must go in order for Harry to live. But the question is, who shall go?"

"I demand to go!" Salazar said immediately. "It is my right to go since Harry is MY heir."

"Then I will go too," Godric retorted firmly. "He's every bit my heir as he is yours!"

Before a fight could start out, Rowena cut in. "Quiet, Salazar, Godric. First of all, Helga must go, as healing is her specialty, and she is one of the only natural healers left. And I'm sorry, Godric, but you can't go. We need a Potions Master who knows what he's doing, and Salazar's the one." She saw Godric open his mouth to complain, but she quickly cut him off. "I know you don't like this, Godric, but in order to save Harry, this must be done. You DO want to help him, don't you?"

Godric opened his mouth before closing it again, sighing in defeat. Rowena, ever the wise one, had once again managed to manipulate him into agreement. "Fine, fine," he said finally. "But you," he turned to Salazar and Helga. "You better make sure Harry's alright and punish whoever hurt him!"

"That will be done, be reassured, Godric," Helga said smoothly. She checked the clock. "Now, we better leave as soon as possible if we want to help Harry. Sal, do you have the potion with you?"

"One second, I'll be right back." With that, Salazar walked out of the room.

A minute later, he came back, two clear bottles in his hand. They were both filled with lavender potion to the top. "This is it," he said, motioning.

Helga raised her wand, holding it up in such an angle that she managed to point it at both of them at the same time. "Ready?"

Salazar nodded.

Helga swirled her wand in a circular motion, calling out loudly, "Vectoria!" At the same time, Salazar handed her one of the lavender potions, and as one, both tipped it towards their lips, downing it in one gulp. As they disappeared from their home dimension, Salazar thought he heard Godric's soft "Good Luck, Sal, Helga," ring out behind him.

And in a swirl of emerald flames, they disappeared.

Hogwarts was, for once, a gloomy place. Students sat quietly at their house tables, each keeping their voices down quietly, almost as if they had entered the house of a dying man. Which, in a way, it was true. Even the Slytherins seemed unusually quiet and respectful. The teachers talked less than usual, each content to focus on their own thoughts.

The ceiling of the Great Hall was a rumbling black, reflecting the cheerless weather. Outside, a deluge of rain fell down upon the school while lightening flashing dangerously in the sky. The loud boom of thunder rang through the air, making everyone jump.

Severus sat at the teachersf table, keeping his eyes on his food and trying to not look at the others around him. Guilt and regret ate at his insides, knowing that even as he sat there, Harry was in danger of dying. He could feel the looks of anger Eliza shot him from time to time. The girl had been especially cold towards him since the "incident", as he called it.

He bit down on his lips, heart clenching. Really, he had deserved this, doing what he had done to Harry. The boy had never meant any harm at all. It was his doings that caused the child's depression, all his fault. And he knew that he deserved every bit of the loathing Eliza showed him.

Sighing almost inaudibly, he went back to eating his dinner, carefully avoiding eye contact with a certain Slytherin girl.

Helga and Salazar appeared in a ring of green flames, just outside the door of the Great Hall. Dusting herself off, Helga tucked her wand into her robes before turning to the man beside her.

"Ready, Sal?"

Salazar nodded, allowing a small smile. "I'm ready, Helga. Let's go."

Stepping forward, she pushed open the door of the Great Hall.

SEVERUS' POV

Severus stuffed a mouthful of potatoes down his throat before turning back to his almost untouched plate. He really didn't have the appetite to eat at the moment.

He was about to forget dinner and leave when suddenly, a loud clanging drew his attention.

The door of the Great Hall banged open, revealing two people with their hoods pulled up to cover their faces. Severus was relieved to see that neither of them were wearing the black Death Eaters robes, although their outfit was certainly strange, to say the least.

The one on the left, presumably a man, wore long robes, which went down to his feet. They were a dark, dark green, so dark, in fact, that it could almost be mistaken as black. His entire being radiated confidence, much like Albus. However, unlike the kind Headmaster, there was an air of darkness about him. What surprised Severus the most about his attire, however, was the sheath that hooked into his belt, the handle of a sword clearly seen.

The other, clearly a female, was a different matter entirely. She wore pale yellow robes, so pale that it almost seemed to be white. An eerie glow radiated off of her, beautiful as the luminous moonlight. She wore high-heeled boots; honey colored hair tumbling down her back. Delicate blue lace would clearly be seen at the neck and wrist. Unlike the man, there was something about her, a sense of hidden wisdom that most people ignored.

Suddenly, the female looked up, pulling her hood off in one swift motion. Beside her, the man did the same. Severus looked into those lush green eyes. For a second, they reminded him uncannily of Harry's emerald green ones.

Beside him, he sensed a sudden movement. Looking around, he realized that all of the professors had pulled out their wands, training them at the strangers.

McGonagall raised her wand, a binding spell on her lips, when suddenly the lady raised her arm. She whispered something inaudible, and suddenly every teacher's wand other than Albus' flew to her. She closed her hand around them with a snap.

Severus watched, almost in slow motion, as Albus stood up, raising his wand, clearly about to curse the unexpected arrivals. Suddenly, a voice cut upon his thoughts, stopping the headmaster.

"Salazar! Helga!"

Eliza sat at the Slytherin table, picking at her dinner. She occasionally shot a few angry looks at the Slytherin Head of House, watching in satisfaction as Severus lowered his gaze in shame. She was still angry with the Potions Master for causing Harry so much pain.

She was about to give up eating when suddenly, the door of the Great Hall banged open. Two people stepped through, hoods pulled up high.

Eliza frowned. There was something familiar about these two figures, although she couldn't determine what at the moment. There was something about the way the figures stood confidently, about the powerful aura that clearly radiated from them...

Her eyes wandered over the first stranger, a female. Honey-colored hair, pale yellow robes, delicate blue lacing, a glass-globed necklace, and high-healed boots...

Wait a minute! A necklace? Re-examining the pendant that hung around the woman's neck, she saw that it was a small, marble-sized glass globe. Inside the globe was a small, badger, the sign of the Hufflepuffs. The letter "H" was engraved on the outside of the glass.

Eliza's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. She had seen that necklace on only one person before. But it couldn't be, could it?

She watched as suddenly, the lady raised her arm and summoned the teachers' wands. Then, at the same time, both figures swept off their hoods in one smooth motion.

Eliza gasped. She would know those clear, green eyes of her mentor anywhere. Before she realized what she was doing, she raised her voice and called out, "Helga! Salazar!"

"Helga! Salazar!"

Eilza's face lit up with a grin as she flew forward, ignoring the whispering that was occurring around her. Without another thought, she launched herself at Helga, pulling the older woman into a hug.

"Eliza!" Helga hugged her back enthusiastically before letting go. "I'll speak with you later, little one, " she said quietly in her ear.

By now, Dumbledore had stood up, wand raised, although no spell came from the tip. The old wizard's eyes were narrowed, and the usual twinkle could not be seen. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" There was no hint of the usual kindness in his harsh voice.

Helga spoke up first, and her voice was clear and confident, easily bringing the attention to herself. "I am Helga of the Badgers, daughter of Demenor and Serenity of the Clan of Fedalitas."

"And I am Salazar of the Snakes, son of Satanus and Celesta of the Clan of Callidus." It was Salazar who spoke this time, his voice commanding and majestic. "We are here to heal the one you know of as Sebastien Frostpine."

Eliza smiled slightly as she realized that they had stated their proper titles, although they had left out their last names. And judging by the twinkled that returned to the Headmaster's eye, Dumbledore too had recognized the names.

The Headmaster immediately lowered his wand. "I welcome you, Lord Salazar and Lady Helga. Sebastien is currently resting in the Hospital Wing. I trust you know your way there?"

Helga gave a nod, curtsying slightly. "I thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore. Your hospitality shall be noted." With that, she turned, Salazar and Eliza by her side. Together, as one, they walked out the door and headed in the direction of the Hospital Wing.

Severus watched as the three unlikely trio walked out of the Great Hall. Who were those strangers? They had obviously managed to convey their identity and purpose to Albus somehow, but how, he didn't know.

As soon as the three disappeared out and the door clanged shut behind them, students began to whisper to each other. Severus watched as Minerva swooped onto the headmaster, an outraged look on her face.

"How could you just let them go, Albus? They could have been Death Eaters, for all we know!"

Albus just smiled that annoying smile of his. "Don't worry, Minerva," he said reassuringly. "They are trustworthy."

Before the Transfiguration professor could go on, Dumbledore turned and began speaking with Filius, conveniently ignoring her.

Severus watched in amusement at the indignant look on Minerva's face. Turning, he went back to his own dinner.

Eliza and the two founders headed in the direction of the Hospital Wing with Helga leading the way. Wordlessly, they stepped into the room, looking around for Harry.

Madam Pomfrey stepped up, hands on her hips. "Excuse me, Madam, but this is the Hospital Wing. You are not allowed in here if you are not a patient or a professor."

"We have the Headmaster's consent." Although Helga's voice as soft, her tone was piercing.

The nurse, looking flustered, tried again. "I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid I can't allow this. My patients need"

She was abruptly cut off as Helga gave Salazar a pointed nod. Salazar waved his arm once, and Pomfrey was pushed against the wall by an invisible force. Her lips had also disappeared, preventing her from speaking. Eliza knew that this was serious Dark Magic. Not that the Ministry could do anything to Salazar though.

"He's in there," she said, pointing to the curtained-off bed at the end. Rowena quickly walked over, pulling open the curtain.

Neither her, nor Salazar's face showed any emotion when they saw the dying child lying on the cot, although Helga's green eyes softened slightly. She quickly checked his temperate and condition. Seeing that he was extremely weak, the female founder quickly sends some of her own energy into the child.

Turning to Salazar, she spoke. "His condition is extremely fragile, and he's lacking healing energy. You need to make the Sanatio Potion and the Impentus Potion."

Salazar frowned. "I can manage the Sanatio Potion myself, but the Impentus Potion requires at least two Potions Masters to be successful."

Helga turned to Eliza. "Is there another Potions Master in the school?"

Eliza nodded, a scowl on her face. "Severus Snape. But he's the reason why Harry's here in the first place."

Salazar gave a start at this. "What do you mean?" His voice was dangerous, vengeful. "If he did this to Harry, I'll kill him..."

Eliza quickly explained what had happened, beginning with when she had met the boy. She talked about all of the unusual occurrences, the capture, the rejection, and finally, the suicide attempt. "... Anyways, I thought he was fine until he went to see Severus for the Potions lessons."

Salazar nodded. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes. Helga, noticing this, turned to him. "Remember that we need Severus in order to help Harry, Sal. Don't do anything you'll regret later."

Salazar nodded, and with that, left the room, heading in the direction of the dungeons.

Salazar headed in the direction of the dungeons, walking down the stone staircases with ease. He, as one of the Founders, knew every nook and secret passageway in Hogwarts. In fact, Hogwarts herself obeyed him so that he would be able to get into any room he wished. With these thoughts in mind, he felt very at home indeed.

Walking through the rooms, he found himself outside a row of doors. Without pausing, he walked directly towards the current Potions Master's office. Knocking on the door, he paused for a split second before pulling the door open and walking in.

After Severus had finished dinner, he quickly went back to his office to work on a new potion he was experimenting with. He had been in the middle of mixing the foxwood roots into the cauldron when suddenly, there was a knock on his door.

Before he could answer, however, the door opened by itself. In stepped the man he had seen earlier in the Great Hall. Severus was both surprised and annoyed. "What are you doing here?" He snapped. "And how did you open the door without a password?"

However, Salazar, unlike other people, would not allow such attitude directed at him. "You watch whom you're talking to, young man," he said pointedly. "I will not permit such rudeness around me. And I must say that how I opened your door is none of your business."

Severus gave a start at this. His bad mood increased as he turned to Salazar. "Just who do you think you are, storming into my office without warning and demanding I behave? This is MY office, for heaven's sake, and I can do anything I want."

Salazar's eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't be talking like that if I were you, Severus." His voice was harsh and dangerous. "If it weren't for Helga, Ifd kill you for what you've done to Harry."

Severus froze at the name. "Harry? How is he?" His annoyance was gone, now replaced with concern. "IHas he woken up yet?"

Salazar sighed inwardly, closing his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. Judging by the way Severus was reacting, he probably hadn't MEANT to hurt Harry. And he knew he wouldn't be able to find it in himself to punish someone for something they hadn't done on purpose. "Harry will not wake. Not until we make the potions that Helga needs so she can heal him."

"We?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, we, and what's going on here?"

"We, as in you and me, are going to make the necessary potions so Helga can heal Harry. Got that?"

Severus, a bit unsure, just nodded. "Okay... so what potions are we making?"

"Sanatio and Impentus."

"Sanatio and Impentus?" Severus echoed, thinking that his ears were betraying him.

Salazar rolled his eyes. "Yes, Sanatio and Impentus. Gotta a problem?"

"ButBut no one knows the recipe! It was lost in the age of Salazar Slytherin!"

Salazar stared. "You mean that you don't know how to make the potions?"

"Of course not! The potion recipes has been lost for centuries!"

Salazar sighed. "And here I thought this would be simple," he mumbled. "I wish Sebastien was here."

"Sebastien? You mean he knows how to make the potions?"

"Well, of course," Salazar replied, his voice full of sarcasm. "I taught him myself. Any more stupid questions?"

"Who are you, exactly? How is it that you know the recipe? Where did you find it? How did you"

Salazar cut him off with a hand. "I can't answer any of those questions yet," he said. "For now, we have to hurry up and make the potions. Just gather these ingrediants: wormwood, phoenix feathers, asphodel, elven hair"

"WHAT?" Severus interrupted. "ELVEN HAIR? Where in nine hells do you expect me to get elven hair?"

"From the elves, or course." Salazar said, rolling his eyes. "Don't you modern Potions Masters know ANYTHING?"

"THERE ARE NO ELVES! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"No elves? No elves?" Salazar's eyes widened in disbelief. "What has the world come to?" he mumbled to himself. "Well, never mind. Just come with me, will you?" With that, he swept out of the office.

Severus quickly followed, locking the door behind him. Clearly, the man in front of him was off his rockers, but if he knew how to help Harry, then he would do whatever was necessary.

He followed him all the way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Severus watched in shock as the man hissed something in parseltongue and a large tunnel appeared.

"You speak parseltongue?" he asked as he was pulled down the tunnel.

"Just noticed?" came the sarcastic reply. "Come on, no dawdling."

Together, they walked through tunnels after tunnels until they came to a stonewall. Salazar placed his hand on it and muttered something in parseltongue.

The rock slid to the side, revealing a small room. Stepping in, Severus couldn't help but gape. Inside was the most sophisticated potions lab he'd ever seen. There were all the rare equipments necessary, and cauldrons made from every kind of metal lined the shelves. What shocked him the most, however, were the small drawers labeled with potions ingredients. He did a double take when he saw a few labeled "werewolf hair" and "vampire fangs". Such ingredients were now considered museum artifacts! Potions Masters would die for such ingredients.

"Surprised?" Came the voice behind him. Turning, he saw Salazar.

It took him a while to come out of his daze. When he finally did, however, Severus felt that he had had enough of not knowing what was going on. "What on earth is going on here?" he asked, sighing. "Just tell me who the hell you are and where we are right now. I demand to know!"

Salazar sighed. "Don't tell me you still haven't figured it out? I was hoping I wouldn't have to explain."

Seeing Severus' puzzled look, he finally looked up.

"I am Salazar Slytherin, and we are in the Chamber of Secrets."

"Salazar Slytherin?"

Severus froze for a second as he heard the name before slowly turning to the man. It took him a moment to realize that the other seemed completely serious. After all, who else would be able to speak Parseltongue? Who else would have access to such rare ingredients as elven hair and phoenix feathers? But... it couldn't be, could it? This couldn't really be true. Right?

"Look," the Potions Master said angrily. "If this is some kind of joke Potter set you up to, then he’d better---" he suddenly stopped as he saw the murderous look in the other man's eyes.

"You listen to me," Salazar said, interrupting. He had had enough. "Why is it that you blame everything on Harry? Don't you know by now that he would never do something so cruel as humiliate you? He cares for you, Severus, he considers you as a father-figure - believe me on that. Why else would he store his inner magic into your pendant to warn him if you were in trouble?" The Founder's voice softened slightly. "Just remember, Severus, Harry never meant for any of this to happen. He loves you like a father and looks up to you like no others: don't ever deprive him of that privilege."

Severus, anger fading at the words, just nodded numbly. He hadn't known that Harry had stored his inner magic into his pendant. He knew that in order to use you inner magic, you had to truly care about what, or who, it was for. It meant a great deal to him, the fact that Harry had done such a thing for him. Guilt suddenly rose inside of him as he realized what he had done in return. He had driven the child to the point of suicide. And for that, he would never be able to forgive himself.

"Now, you will listen to me, and brew whatever I tell you, if you want Harry to live." Salazar looked straight into the obsidian eyes before him.

Severus nodded. "Let's get started."

For the next five hours, the two of the sat in the Chamber of Secrets, working in union to brew the potion that would heal Harry. Smoke billowed throughout the chamber, and potions sizzled: and finally, after many hours of hard work, Salazar stood up.

"We're finished," he said, capping the bottle of the last potion needed. "Come on, let's go."

Together, the two of them left the chamber, striding quickly towards the Hospital Wing.

There, they found Helga and Eliza gathered around Harry, trying their best to heal him.

"There you are, Sal," Helga said, relief in her voice. "We need the potions as soon as possible."

Salazar nodded and silently handed over the two bottles of potions they had made.

Helga propped up the unconscious boy and slowly poured the potions into his mouth. Harry swallowed slowly but steadily, and a few minute later, Helga placed the empty bottles on the table.

"He should wake up soon, but we don't know the exact time. I suggest we all go get some rest."

Salazar and Severus both shook their heads resolutely.

"I will not leave Harry alone!" the male Founder said, eyes flashing.

"You need rest, Sal," Helga replied smoothly. "And you'll be coming with me." With that, she dragged the man behind her.

Eliza looked up at the Potions Master. "I have to go for classes, so I expect you to watch over him. However," here, she paused slightly, eyes flashing dangerously. "If you upset Harry in any way, you'll have me to answer to. And the rest of the Founders." With that threat hanging, she left, her robes sweeping behind her.

Severus sighed as he settled down in a chair next to Harry's bed. His hand subconsciously reached down to grip Harry's as he began to speak.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I really am. I know that there's no way you'll ever be able to forgive me-- not after what I did to you -- but know that I'm sorry. You were like the son I'd never had, and.... I was just so shocked when I found out you were Harry Potter. I just lashed out. I--- You don't know how much I regret what I did.

Please come back to us, Harry. Helga and Salazar are here now, and they're both so worried about you. Get better soon, Harry. Know that we miss you."

With those final words, Severus summoned a potions text from his quarters and settled down, flipping open to the first page and beginning to read. His fingers still held on tightly to the one of the young man in front of him.

He was in an abyss, a bottomless gulf, a tunnel of darkness. He walked blindly on, not knowing where he was going. Suddenly, he saw a small prickle of light down the tunnel. He began to run, heading towards the dot of light, which grew steadily larger. As he came closer to the end, the sound of phoenix music was heard. The beautiful melody made him smile as he finally reached the end of the tunnel.

He looked outside and his emerald green eyes brightened. Heavenly sunlight shone down upon him as the phoenix music became clearer than ever. A mist with the colors of the rainbows appeared before him, beckon for him to follow. He stood up resolutely, about to step out, when a voice cut through the air.

"I'm so sorry, Harry."

The boy froze at the sound. There was something so utterly familiar about the voice, but he couldn't place it.

"I know that there's no way you'll ever be able to forgive me-- not after what I did to you -- but know that I'm sorry. You were like the son I'd never had, and.... I was just so shocked when I found out you were Harry Potter. I just lashed out. I--- You don't know how much I regret what I did."

The words warmed his heart as he realized: someone cared. About him. Not the Boy-Who-Lived, not famous Harry Potter, but Harry. Just Harry.

Harry gasped as he suddenly recognize the velvety tone. Severus! But how could the man be here?

"Severus?" he whispered, his voice wavering.

"Please come back to us, Harry. Helga and Salazar are here now, and they're both so worried about you."

Helga? Salazar? What were the two Founders doing there? Had they gone to all that trouble just .... for him? He slowly stepped away from the glorious light in front of him and looked back at the dark tunnel behind him. Hesitation overwhelmed him. What should he do?

"Get better soon, Harry. Know that we miss you."

Those were the final words before Severus' voice quietened. But Harry's decision had already been made for him. He couldn't leave yet. He had to go back: go back to Severus, the Founders, Eliza, his friends.....

Determination glinting in his fiery green eyes, he turned around and began his journey back the way he had just come.

Several hours later, Severus' attention was drawn away from his book by the sound of moaning. He looked down and to his surprise, felt himself looking into emerald green eyes.

"Harry?" he gasped.

"Sev'rus?" the child's voice was soft and slurred.

"How are you feeling, child?"

"'M fine," the boy whispered. "Just tired."

Severus reached down and pulled the covers closer around the boy, tucking him in. "Sleep well, Harry."

The boy burrowed into the warmth of the cover. "'Night, Father," he said, yawning and slipping into sleep.

Shock coursed through him at the last word. Was it his imagination, or had Harry just called him... Father? He had never thought that he would ever be addressed as such. True, the boy had probably been half delirious, but.... the words still brought a feeling of warmth into his heart.

He sighed as he shook his head. He would worry about that thought later. For now, he would just stay here and wait for Harry to get better. They would deal with the rest as it came.

Leaning down, he placed a single kiss on the child's -- his child's-- forehead. "Sweet dreams, Harry," he whispered quietly before he returned to his book.

The morning sunlight of the early new day shone brightly into the neat and tidy Hospital Wing. One Harry Potter lay, asleep, on one of the beds.

The boy whimpered lightly as the sunlight hit his face. He wanted to roll over, but felt too weak to do so. When he attempted to open his eyes, his body refused to obey his actions: his eyelids felt as if they had been glued together.

He pulled with all the strength he had and managed to roll over. Now, however, the blanket covering his body had fallen to the side. He attempted to reach out and get it, but was too weak to do so. He curled himself into a tight ball, shivering, teeth chattering from the cold.

"Harry?"

The sound of his name made him freeze. There was something about the voice that was so very familiar...

He felt the covers being pulled back around his body as someone tucked him in tightly.

"Harry, can you open your eyes for me?"

For some reason, Harry felt compelled to obey. Struggling and with much difficulty, he finally managed the feat.... and found himself looking into a pair of worried onyx eyes.

"Sev'rus?"

His voice sounded dry and cracked and his throat hurt. A lot.

"C-Can I have s--s--some water?"

Slurred as his voice was, the other obviously understood, as a second later, he found himself gently sat up and a cup held at his lips.

He tipped his head back weakly and felt water being tipped into his mouth. However, try as he might, his throat felt too sore to swallow.

The other, as if sensing his problem, began making comforting circles on his back while fingers danced at his throat, trying to sooth it enough for him to swallow. Finally, he managed it, sighing as the wet drops made their way down his dry and cracked throat. He leaned back into the comforting arms that held him, burrowing his body into the warmth.

Severus sighed when he felt the child in his arms lean against him. He held the boy tighter, pulling him protectively into his arms. He sat there for a while before realizing that he should probably notify Salazar or Helga. He started to lower the boy back into bed, but to no avail. The child whimpered at the action, holding onto his robes in a vice-like grip.

Seeing no other option, he stood up, Harry in his arms, as he headed out to search for one of the Founders.

Thankfully, he bumped into Helga, who just happened to be walking into the room. "What's wrong?" She asked quietly, seeing Harry in his arms.

"I just thought I'd tell you: Harry's woken up."

"Oh?" Helga raised an eyebrow in question when she looked at the boy in Severus' arms.

Severus flushed slightly as a light snore could be heard from the child. "At least, he was awake." Sometimes, the two Founders just made him feel like a school boy again.

Helga nodded. "I'll just go tell Salazar and the others," she said quietly before she left the room.

Severus, not knowing what else to do, just settled down in a nearby chair, pulling Harry closer to him, his arms wrapped around the sleeping body protectively.

Helga stepped out of the Hospital Wings before apparating into the Chamber of Secrets. She found the man sitting in a conjured chair, speaking with H's pet snakes. The male Founder looked up at her entrance.

"Harry's woken up for a few minutes. I believe he's gone back to sleep though."

"How's his condition?"

"He seems to be doing fine: he should be awake again in the next two to three hours. Severus is currently with him at the moment."

Salazar nodded before he stood up. "I'll just go make sure that that bastard hasn't done anything to Harry." With that, he swept out of the room.

Helga just shook her head. Really, Salazar was just as bad as Godric at times. With a sigh, she decided that she'd better tell Eliza and the rest of Harry's friends. With a soft crack, she disappeared into nothingness.

Eliza sat in the Slytherin Common Room, her eyes scanning at the potions text as she tried valiantly to study. After a few more fruitless minutes, she threw the book aside, sighing in defeat.

Next to her, a certain blond smirked. It amused Draco to no end to see the usually calm and composed girl looking so restless. However, his smirk turned into a worried look as he remembered the reason for her restlessness. Harry.

The last he'd heard of the Gryffindor-turned-Slytherin, the two strangers had appeared out of nowhere and had announced that they were helping the boy. Eliza obviously knew the two, although she had bluntly refused to give him anymore information. All she would tell him was, "You'll find out when you need to know." Which annoyed Draco to no end. He hated not knowing what was going on around him.

At that exact moment, the door of the Slytherin Common Room banged open, making everyone looked up. The lady in the yellow robes (Helga, was it?) entered the room, making Draco wonder how she had acquired the password to the Slytherin rooms. Ignoring the looks people were shooting her, the female turned to Eliza. "He woke up momentarily, but went back to sleep. He should be awake again in a few hours."

Although the students looked at one another in confusion, it was very obvious to Draco who they were talking about. Harry. He followed quickly as Eliza leaped up, but stopped when he noticed that the lady had motioned for them to stop.

"You can go see him in a few minutes. Eliza, I need you to gather up his friends from Gryffindor and someone needs to notify the Headmaster. That'll be all."

"Is there anyone in the room with him?" Eliza asked.

"Severus is currently with him." Seeing the Slytherin girl's frown, Helga sighed. "Child, you know as well as I do that it wasn't his fault: at least, not entirely. I need all of my reserves to deal with Sal, no to mention Godric's going to be anxious for 'revenge' when we get back, so please try to calm down, alright?"

Eliza nodded finally. "Alright, I'll try, Helga. I'll just go get Ron and 'Mione now..." With a crack, she disappeared into a ring of fire, making Draco jump back.

The blond sighed. It seemed that no matter what he did, he would never find out what was going on around here.

Helga looked down when she heard the other boy sigh. Her heart softened as she realized how frustrating it must be for the other to not know what was going on. Looking down, she spoke.

"Draco?"

The boy looked up, fidgeting nervously. "Yes, my Lady?"

Helga smiled at the title. "Do you have any questions?" She asked gently.

Draco's look of surprise was evident in his expression. "Err.... um, not to be rude or anything, but... who are you and the other guy?" Seeing her look, he faltered. "Um... I meant... Lord Salazar?"

Helga shook her head in amusement. "There's no need to be so nervous around me, child. Come on, we'll go somewhere where we have more privacy to talk." Raising her arm, she swept the boy closer to her before she apparated.

They appeared in a small but elegant room. Draco was surprised by its appearance. Misty yellow curtains hung around the room in a graceful fashion and yellow roses randomly decorated the room. He looked up in shock as Lady Helga lifted her arm -- a second later, the fireplace burst into merry flames.

How was it that all of them: Harry, Eliza, and now Helga and obviously Salazar, all knew how to do wandless magic? Wasn't it supposed to be a long-forgotten form of magic?

When he finally regained the use of his voice, he asked, "Er.... where are we?"

"We are in my office, child. You can speak freely here."

Draco looked up. "Office? You have an office at Hogwarts? Do you work here?"

Helga smiled. "I--- Yes, you could say that I do. I, along with Salazar, Godric, and Rowena, founded the school after all."

The blond Slytherin was effectively shocked into silence. When he finally managed to speak again, he croaked out, "I--I--- You're Helga Hufflepuff?"

Helga nodded. "I know it sounds amazing and unbelievable to you right now, Draco, but it is, in fact, the truth. We are, of course, not from this time, nor dimension-- we only came to help Harry."

"Harry?" Draco looked up, puzzled. "How is it that you know H and Eliza?"

Helga sighed. "I'm afraid, Draco, that that is a question that they must answer for themselves. It's their story to tell, not mine, or Salazar's." She stood up suddenly. "That's enough questions for now, Draco. I think Harry should be awake by now."

Draco found himself following the female Founder towards the Hospital Wing, feelings as if he had more questions now than he had to begin with.

Eliza apparated into the Gryffindor Common Room with a pop, ignoring the shocked looks and gasps of indignation around her. Whirling around, she found herself face to face with Hermione. "Sebastien's awake," she said quickly, using Harry's disguise name. "Where's Ron?"

"He's in the boy's dorm," Hermione said. She was about to offer to go grab him when Eliza disappeared with a pop.

A second later, Ronald Weasley was given the shock of his life when Eliza appeared in the middle of the room. "Sebastien's awake," she said quickly. "I've already told Hermione, hurry up with you want to see him." With that, she disappeared again, leaving a gaping Ron (and several puzzled Gryffindor boys) behind her.

Severus and Salazar both sat by Harry's bed, each on either side of him. Each was deep in their own thoughts, and except for the sound of Harry's raspy breathing, all was quiet.

The silence was broken by a lethargic voice. "Sal? What are you doing here?"

"Harry!" Salazar jumped up as he quickly pulled Harry into a sitting position. "How are you feeling?"

"'m fine, just tired," Harry replied. He grinned at the Founder. "You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"

"Rowena received... news from a certain pair of siblings," here, he ignored Harry's confused look. "... and she notified the rest of us about what was happening. Godric was extremely worried, along with the rest of us... Anyways, we managed to combine the effects of two potions and came up with a single potion that would allow us to visit you here. Unfortunately, I only had two shares of the potion on hand, and it takes months to brew it. Helga had to come, as she was the only natural healer, also the best --- and I came since we needed to make you a few potions." He chuckled. "Boy, you should have seen Godric's look when he realized that he couldn't come. He sure had a tantrum over that."

Harry laughed merrily at the mental image of Godric's expression. "I'm sure he was very.... displeased about the fact." he said, just as Rowena came in with Draco.

"How are you doing, child?" The female Founder asked, her motherly side taking over.

"I'm perfectly fine, and I'm feeling much better." He shot the Lady a grin before turning to Draco. "Hey, ferret-boy," he teased, wanting to get rid of the tension surrounding him. "So, how are you doing?"

Draco scowled at the name, but inwardly, he was feeling pleased that Harry was well enough to joke around. "Fine, fine," he grumbled, but couldn't help smiling. "Eliza was so worried about you... as were the Weasel and Granger, of course."

"Hey! Don't call them that! Speaking of Eliza and the others, where are they?"

"We're here," a voice called out as the three they had been talking about rushed into the room. Hermione and Eliza both rushed up to him. "How are you feeling?" they asked at the same time.

Harry groaned at the question as the others began to laugh. "Why does everyone ask me that? I am perfect fine," he said, empathizing the last two words.

For about half an hour, the group of them just chattered merrily, talking about everything and anything. Their topics for conversation ranged from school, to Quidditch. However, one member of the group stayed decidedly silent.

Severus did not join in the talking. He just sat at the side of Harry's bed, feeling strangely left out. No one had even acknowledged his presence --- not even Harry---- and Severus could not help but feel hurt at the fact. He sighed. Well, he supposed that he did deserve it. After all, it was his fault that Harry was here in the first place.

Harry heard a sigh from beside him as he looked up at Severus. He knew the older man was feeling left out, but he had wanted to talk to him privately later. Well, now was as good as any.

"Listen, guys," he said, interrupting the chattering. "I'm feeling kind of tired right now, and I need to talk to Severus. Privately." he added.

Salazar, Eliza, and Ron immediately looked up, ready to protest.

"I refuse to allow him---"

"Harry! He almost killed you! How can you---"

"God, he's Snape, for heaven's sake! Not to mention he almost got you----"

"ENOUGH!" Harry burst out, shocking the others into silence. "Sal, Ron, Eliza... I know you're all worried about me, but trust me, I'm fine. I just need to talk to Severus and sort a few things out. I'm also feeling kind of tired right now, so I'd really appreciate it if I didn't have to yell, thanks." He smiled slightly. "I'll be fine, now--- go get some rest yourselves." With that, he shooed them out of the Hospital Wing until he found himself alone with Severus.

Severus, looked down at the ground, refusing to meet the other's eyes. Guilt and shame overwhelmed him once more as he was reminded again of what he had done to Harry. Shoulders trembled as he waited for the other to yell at him. Slap him. Anything.

Harry sighed as he looked at the man before him. He could only imagine how the other was feeling, but in reality, he had long forgiven the Potions Master. Now, he only had the overwhelming instinct to comfort the man in front of him. Sighing softly, he leaned forward and gently wrapped his arms around the other, pulling the trembling wizard into a hug. "It's alright, Severus," he said quietly, his hands rubbing soothingly on the other's back.

Severus stiffened at first, but slowly relaxed into the warmth of Harry's arms. Tears threatened to spill over, and he buried his face in the other's shoulder as they did. "I--I'm so sorry, Harry, so sorry....."

They sat like that for a few minutes until the Potions Master calmed down.

"Severus," Harry said quietly. "I just want you to know that none of this is your fault at all." He raised a hand, seeing that the other was about to protest. "It was my choice what I did, and I admit it was a silly choice now, but it was mine nevertheless. You had nothing to do with it, so don't blame yourself for it, alright?"

"I--I--- But I almost killed you! If I hadn't yelled at you, then you wouldn't have..... tried what you did." Severus looked down, not wanting to meet the other's eyes.

"Severus. Listen to me." Harry stared resolutely into the other's eyes. "You have nothing to blame for this. In the beginning, when I was sent to your manor, it was you who nursed me back to health. You were the one who helped me through my nightmares, and taught me potions. You were the one who helped me. With everything. And I have you to thank, before without you, I wouldn't be here right now." He paused slightly before continuing. "It was my fault for not telling you the truth about who I was, and for that, I apologize. You had the right to be angry, so stop blaming yourself for this. Everything's fine now. Let's just forgive and forget."

Severus looked up, his onyx eyes disbelieving. "I-- I don't know what to say, Harry. How can you just forgive me like this? After what I did?"

"I've said it, and I'll say it again: You've done nothing that you can be blamed for. Any little mistake you may have made is all forgiven and forgotten." Harry's voice was gentle and soft. "You were like the father I never had, Severus. You were there for me when none of the others were."

Severus looked up uncertainly. "You mean it?"

Harry nodded. "Yes."

His heart burst with joy at the revelation. Harry saw him as a surrogate father, a mentor, someone to trust --- and that in itself meant everything to the Potions Master. He suddenly reached forward and pulled the green-eyed child into a hug. "Thank you, Harry," he said quietly.

"You're welcome."

Far away in the distance, two sisters turned to each other and smiled.

"Well, Destiny, it looks like we've done our job."

Destiny smiled at her sister. "It seems that we did." She looked at the scene before her, of the young boy and the Potions Master in the hospital wing. "Do you think they'll be fine now?"

"I truly hope so. But who knows?" Fate smiled. "Only time will tell."

Without a backwards glance, the two walked away, hand in hand. The sunlight shone down upon them, yet the stars twinkled brightly at the same time. The moon glowed brightly as the clouds drifted.

The two sisters walked on, further and further away, until they disappeared into the horizon.

Until next time, dear Hogwarts.

Until next time.

Harry woke up to the morning light, and groaned, rolling over. Opening his eyes, he found that he was (once again) in the Hospital Wing. Alone.

Excellent.

He quickly stood up, pulled on his shoes, and headed towards the door, hoping to sneak out. He'd barely taken two steps when a shrill voice made him freeze.

"SEBASTIEN FROSTPINE! JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?"

"Er.... out?" He answered timidly, then gulped at the look on the school nurse's face. Poppy Pomfrey was one of the few people who could still make him cower in fright.

"You, young man," the nurse said fiercely, poking him in the chest. "will be staying the Hospital Wing until I see that you are fit to leave!" With that, she marched him back to bed, muttering under her breath about teenage defiance.

Harry sighed. He had been under the nurse's care enough times to know that arguing would not do any good. This was going to be one long day.

Lying in bed for an entire day with nothing to do gave him plenty of time to contemplate what was going on in his life. He thought about the events that had taken place in the last few weeks.

He wasn't sure about his current feelings on what had happened. He certainly didn't feel the need to end his life anymore, now that everything was fine --- almost. At the time, he had felt as if he had nothing left to live for ---- Severus' words had cut deeply into his heart. Now, however, with their talk the day before, he realized that the Potions Master had just been lashing out, inflicting pain upon others as a defense mechanism. He knew that he couldn't blame the man for what had happened, and he willingly forgave him. Now, he only had to talk to a few others ---Ron being one of them--- before things could go back to normal. As normal as possible for Harry Potter, anyways.

He was suddenly broken out of his thoughts by the sound of hissing. Looking up, he spotted his two pet snakes slithering towards him.

Ice! Shadow! He cried out, allowing the snakes to curl around his arms. Guilt overwhelmed him as he realized that in the recent light of things, he had completely neglected his pets. I'm so sorry about what's happened.... I----

Ice cut him off before he could continue. No need to explain, Master. We are aware of what has happened and we've looked after ourselves just fine. There has been no harm done.

We've had plenty of food from hunting in the forest, Shadow added, as if to reassure him.

Harry looked down at his pets fondly, occasionally reaching down to stroke their backs, as he quickly caught up with what had been going on. Suddenly, both snakes froze, hissing, tongues forking out as if to taste the air. Their bodies tensed, as if ready to attack.

What is it, Shadow? Ice?

Someone is approaching, Master. They smell like.... wolf.

Wolf? Before Harry could ask anything else, the door of the Hospital Wing swung open, and in stepped Remus Lupin.

"Re--- Professor Lupin? Is something wrong?"

Remus stepped quietly into the Hospital Wing, not wanting to disturb anyone. He stopped suddenly at what he saw. Sebastien Frostpine lay in the last bed, twin snakes curled around his arms.

"Re--- Professor Lupin? Is something wrong?"

Remus noticed the boy's slip, but dismissed it without a second thought. "I heard about... what happened. I had a free class, so I just came around to see how you were doing."

The boy smiled at him. "Have a seat, Professor." Noticing his look, the Slytherin added, "Don't worry about Shadow or Ice here. They're very well-trained."

Remus nodded, pulling up a chair. He smiled at his student, although his amber eyes darkened with concern. "How are you doing, Sebastien?"

"Everything's been fine, sir, and I'm feeling much better. Although Madam Pomfrey still won't let me leave," he added, grumbling.

Remus couldn't suppress a chuckle at the comment. Soon, they were both laughing in amusement.

They talked for a few more minutes before the door swung open again. This time, Ron and Hermione walked in, the latter carrying a pile of homework.

"Hey, Harry, how're you----- Oh Professor Lupin!"

Remus, instead of answering, however, was looking between the three, frowning. "Harry?" He asked in puzzlement before turning to Sebastien. What was going here? The only plausible answer was.... But no--- it couldn't be, the boy didn't look anything like...

"Oh, er... Harry's my middle name, Professor," the boy explained quickly. "My full name's Sebastien Harry Frostpine. I don't really like my first name--- too old-fashioned----so I've asked Ron, Hermione, and Eliza to call by my middle name. For some reason, Draco refused-- said something about rivals.... not sure what he was talking about...."

"Oh... I see..." Remus inwardly kicked himself for jumping on conclusions. How could have he been so foolish? Harry Potter was dead, and he had to learn to move on with it. So lost was he in his thoughts, he didn't notice Sebastien's sigh of relief, nor did he see the glances the three shared.

They talked about school for a while (with Hermione rambling on enthusiastically about the classes) before Ron began talking about the upcoming Quidditch match. Remus listened awkwardly for a while, feeling slightly out-of-place, before standing. "Well, I think it's time I take my leave. I'm sure you youngsters wouldn't want me listening in on your conversations." He smiled warmly, heading towards the door.

Sebastien spoke up behind him.

"Oh, it's alright if you want to stay, Moony. We're not talking about anything important anyways."

Remus shook his head. "It's alright, I---" He suddenly froze as he realized... Quickly, he whirled around. "What did you say?"

Sebastien looked at him, puzzled. "What?"

Remus' voice was harsh. "What did you just call me?"

He watched as realization slowly dawned on the boy, and the child's face paled. "I--- Professor, I----"

Remus took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He didn't want to scare the boy. His mind was a hailstorm of emotions: confusion, anger, sorrow.... And so many others that he couldn't even begin to unravel. The practical part of him was trying to sort this out logically, but it too, was having difficulties. How could Sebastien, a student he had never met until the beginning of that year, know about his nickname? Could Ron and Hermione have told him? The idea was possible, but it didn't sound like the type of thing either of the Gryffindors would do. No one else knew about his nickname, no one other than Sirius ---who was no longer with them---, Peter ---who had betrayed them all---- and.... and....

He stopped short, looking carefully at the boy in front of him. Long black hair, pale skin, icy blue eyes... It couldn't be. There was no resemblance at all between those cold sapphire orbs of Sebastien Frostpine and the bright emerald green ones of the Boy-Who-Lived. But.... there was something about the boy's posture--- shoulder's hunched, legs sprawled out---- his expressions, the way he held himself... something so familiar that it took his breath away. Remus' hands trembled as he reached forward, scarcely daring to believe what he was seeing. A part of him was almost afraid that if he broke this moment of silence, the child in front of him would revert back into the person he had pretended to become. Remus, his voice shaky and full of question, finally spoke.

"Harry?"

"Harry?"

Harry's shoulders shook as he pulled his legs closer, encircling his knees with his arms. A part of him was happy: happy that he could finally behave normally around Remus again, that he could get the chance to know the man his parents had befriended. Yet another part of him was terrified: Remus knew. Remus knew who he really was, and who he had pretended to be. The man he looked up to as a second godfather knew about what he'd done and what he'd tried to do--- and he was terrified of rejection.

A small part of him realized that he could pretend he didn't know what was going on: he could pretend he was still Sebastien Frostpine. But his mind protested: he was tired, so tired --- tired of having to pretend, tired of being someone who he could never be. His body trembled as tears threatened to overcome him, but he valiantly pushed it down. No, he wouldn't cry, he wouldn't show his weakness....

He felt a hand on his chin, forcing him to look up, and he unresistingly obeyed, only to find himself looking into concerned amber eyes. He bit down on his lips, wanting to look away, but not having the strength to do so.

"Harry?"

There was such hope in that voice, such desperation, that he couldn't bear to lie anymore. With his last ounce of energy, he nodded slowly.

For a second, it seemed as if time had frozen. The four of them just sat there, no one daring even to breath for fear of breaking the moment. Then, suddenly, Remus reached forward and pulled Harry into a tight embrace.

"God, Harry... I was so worried; I thought you'd died... I'm not dreaming, am I?"

Harry shook his head, wrapping his arms tightly around the man. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he held them back determinedly.

Remus sighed softly, his hands rubbing gently on the boy's back. "It's alright Harry," he whispered quietly. "It's alright to cry. Just let it go."

With those words, it was as if a dam had been removed. Tears rushed forward, overwhelming him, as Harry clutched onto the other man like a lifeline. He was vaguely aware that Ron and Hermione had left the room, but his mind was too numb to register anything else. All that mattered was that Remus was here....

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the tears stopped flowing and Remus was left with an exhausted Boy-Who-Lived in his arms. Gently, the man placed the child back onto the bed, tucking the blanket in around him. "Go to sleep, Harry," he said quietly, his eyes moist. "You look exhausted. We'll talk later."

Harry nodded. He did indeed feel tired. Burrowing further into his blankets, he gave the werewolf a small smile. "Good night, Remus," he whispered.

"Good night, Harry."

The next time Harry woke up, it was the middle of the night. He turned, unsure of what had woken him. After a while of silence, he decided to go back to sleep. Whatever it was, it had probably been his imagination.

He was already half-asleep when he was vaguely aware of the door swinging open. Harry, not sure what to do, pretended to be asleep, although he turned his half-closed eyes towards the door.

The door opened, then a second later, closed by itself. Whoever it was, they either owned an invisibility cloak, or had done some sort of Disillusioning Charm. Hearing footsteps, approach him, he stiffened, one arm tightly gripping his wand.

Somewhere near his bed, the footsteps stopped. Harry tensed, a spell on his lips, when the person pulled off a silvery invisibility cloak to reveal....

...Ron Weasley.

Harry relaxed slightly, but still pretended to be asleep. He wanted to see what his friend would do.

"Harry! HARRY! Hey, mate, wake up!"

Harry opened his eyes fully. "Ron?" he asked. "What are you doing here? It's probably one in the morning!"

The other looked guiltily down at the floor. "I came to ... apologize."

"In the middle of the night?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Hey! It's the only time of the day when you're not bombarded with visitors, you know!" the redhead said defensively. "Besides, I wanted you to know this."

"Alright," Harry said in defeat, sitting up. "One second."

With a wave of his wand, he created a large shield to surround the both of them. Whispering a quick Lumos, the room lit up.

"Harry!" Ron hissed. "What if someone goes by the door and sees the light?"

"Don't worry," Harry answered. "I've put up a blocking shield, so if anyone walks by, they just seeing the normal darkness." He shifted slightly, getting comfortable. "Come on, sit down."

Ron settled down comfortably at the side of his bed. "Harry...." he began awkwardly. "I wanted to apologize for how I behaved the last few weeks. I----"

"Ron," Harry said patiently. "I've already forgiven you. It was my fault for keeping it from you, and anyone who's not logic-minded -----like Hermione----- would have needed a few days to adjust."

He would have gone on, but Ron held up a hand.

"No," the redhead said. "I know all of that, but I still treated you horribly and everything. I'm sorry for how I reacted."

Harry smiled. "Forgiven. Now you can stop apologizing, okay?" He looked at the time. "You know, you should go get a few hours of sleep while you still can. You don't want to fall asleep in potions, do you?"

Ron groaned at the comment. "I'd better go," he said. "Thanks, mate."

He was about to stand up when suddenly, both of them heard footsteps outside the door. Heading towards the Hospital Wing.

"Damn!" Ron said, reaching for the invisibility cloak, but Harry shook his head. "No time," he hissed, before pulling up the bedsheet and pushing the boy under the bed. "Stay there." He quickly whispered a spell to make the bed sheets longer so they covered Ron, before falling back into bed, pretending to be asleep.

A second later, the door swung open and Severus Snape walked in. Harry was surprised to see the Potions Master. What was he doing here in the middle of the night?

The man walked towards his bed, grabbed a chair, and sat down beside him. To Harry's surprise, Severus reached out and tucked a strand of raven-black hair behind his ear. After that, he just sat there. Watching him. Guarding. Protecting.

After a while, Harry began to feel drowsy. He didn't want to fall asleep -----parting because Ron was still under the bed---- but couldn't help it. With a sigh, he burrowed further into his blankets. Sleep opened her arms and took him in.

---DREAM SEQUENCE---

Two men knelt on the floor before another cloaked in midnight black. A cold voice rang through the air.

"Rookwood. What have you found out for me?"

"N-Nothing, my Lord."

Voldemort turned, his nostrils flaring. "Nothing? Is this how a servant would please his lord?"

The man trembled violently. "We could not access the----"

"Crucio!" The man screamed in pain, falling to the floor. "I do not wish to hear your pathetic excuses, Rookwood. I expect better results from you next time. Understood?"

"Y-Yes, My Lord." The man crawled forward, kissing the hem of Riddle's robes. "You are most noble, my Lord..."

"Pettigrew! What information have you found out?"

"It seems that Dumbledore has come up with a new plan to oppose you last mission, my Lord. There seems to be a leak in our people."

"Interesting. Well done, Wormtail. Have you found out about who the traitor might be?"

"N--Not yet, my Lord."

"This calls for punishment. You know that I do not tolerate failures, Peter."

The wizard shook from head to toe, trembling. "Please, my Lord...."

"Crucio!"

------End of Dream Sequence------

Harry woke up to blinding pain as he grasped at his invisible scar. His body trembled violently as he gasped in pain.

"Sebastien! Seb---Harry!"

He heard someone calling his name, but he didn't have the strength to respond. Curling himself into a ball, he groaned.

He felt arms wrap around him before he was lifted up. He buried his face into the person's robes.

Whoever it was, they just sat there, rocking him, until he felt better again. A while later, the person pulled back. "Harry? What happened?"

"Sev?"

Receiving a nod, he answered. "Voldemort. I had a vision."

After telling the Potions Master about what he had seen, he collapsed back into the bed, feeling drained.

Severus stood up. "I'm going to get some potions for you," he said. "I'll be back." With that, he swept out of the room.

The door had barely closed behind him when there was the sound of shuffling under his bed. Ron crawled out, groaning, before standing beside him. "Are you alright, mate?"

"Ron! Did you stay down there the whole time?"

"Er... I kind of fell asleep half-way through.... but anyways, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Ron. Severus' has gone to get some Potions --- You'd better go before he comes back."

"Alright," Ron agreed hesitantly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine! Now hurry up!" he shoved his invisibility cloak into his friend's hands. "By the way, how did you get my invisibility cloak?"

"I'll tell you later," the redhead said. "I think Snape's almost coming back." With that, he pulled on the cloak and disappeared out the door.

A few minutes later, Severus came back in, arms full of bottles. After pouring potions after potions down Harry's throat, he banished the empty bottles to the table before he turned to the boy before him. "How are you feeling right now, Harry?"

Harry's response was quiet, and his eyes remained closed. "Tired."

Severus smiled. "Go to sleep, child," he said, standing up to leave. To his surprise, a hand tightly gripped his robes, refusing to allow him to leave. "Harry?"

"I-- Could you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

The boy's voice was timid, almost as if he was afraid of the response. Severus felt compassion well inside him. Reaching down, he carefully tucked the boy in. "Of course, child. I'll stay. Go to sleep now."

Harry nodded, burying his face into his blanket. "Thanks, Sev'rus."

There was no response for a long time.

Harry was almost asleep when he heard the quiet reply.

"Sweet dreams, Harry."

The weeks passed by quickly, and soon, Harry was feeling better. He still occasionally had dizzy spells and fevers, he was much healthier than a few weeks ago. While he was recovering, many students and teachers had visited him, bringing cards and get-well gifts. Now, he couldn't wait to go back to sleeping in the dorms. Unfortunately, Madam Pomfrey had refused to let him leave, claiming that his health was still weak. Harry had solved the problem by sneaking out one night. He had been avoiding the over-protective nurse for the last few days.

The one thing he was worried about, however, was his upcoming meeting with Remus. Although the professor had come to visit him a great many times, the man had always insisted that they wait until Harry was out of the Hospital Wing before they had their "talk" about Harry's true identities. Now that the time was almost here, he couldn't help but feel nervous.

His friends had tried to help, all of them ----even Draco--- reassuring him that everything would go fine. Hermione and Eliza encouraged him to talk to Severus about it, but so far, he hadn't said anything. He didn't want to bother the Potions Master with such a small matter as this. He knew Severus was a busy man, and that the Slytherin hadn't been very pleased at the fact that Remus now knew Harry's secret.

A good thing, however, was that Severus had restarted their Potions Apprenticeship. Harry smiled widely as he stepped into the Potions Lab, books and notes in his hands. It was good to be back.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked Severus, grinning at the sight of the older man.

"You can start on the Pepper-Up Potions for the Hospital Wing," Severus replied distractedly, his mind focused on the potion he was brewing.

Harry nodded before grabbing a cauldron and getting the necessary ingrediants. Then, he got started, chopping, mixing, and occasionally stirring.

As he waited for the potion to heat, his thoughts once again drifted to his meeting with Remus. He was scheduled to meet him right after this session with Severus, and this had Harry feeling particularly anxious. How would Remus react now that the werewolf knew about his disguise? Would the man be disgusted that he had pretended to be someone else? Harry wasn't sure. Remus hadn't seemed angry when he had come to visit in the Hospital Wing, but Harry couldn't help but worry. So lost was he in his thoughts that when he reached forward to turn off the heat, he accidentally knocked over the cauldron with his other arm. He gasped in pain as the scalding potion touched his bare skin. His eyes filled with tears, and he bit back a cry. Merlin, that hurt!

Severus looked up quickly as he heard a gasp of pain behind him. Quickly turning off the fire for his cauldron, he turned to see Seb---Harry holding his arm in anguish, an overturned cauldron in front of him. He quickly accioed a healing salve before gently spreading some onto the boy's red-hot skin. He heard Sebas----no, his name is Harry, he reminded himself---- sigh in relief as the salve took effect.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly, concern coloring his voice. The other nodded, sighing with relief.

Severus looked worriedly at the boy in front of him. He knew that the child had been distracted by something when he had walked in the room, but had decided to talk to him about it later. Now, however, Severus was hesitant. It was obvious that the reason for Harry's carelessness was due to the boy's earlier distraction, and he didn't want to the boy to continue getting hurt. Maybe it as better to have that talk now.

"Harry," he asked softly. "Is something bothering you?"

Harry looked up in surprise at the question: Had he been that obvious? For a moment, he hesitated, before shaking his head resolutely. "No, nothing's wrong." He forced a small smile. "Everything's just fine."

He sighed as the other raised an eyebrow, looking at him skeptically. Knowing he hadn't fooled the man, he admitted quietly, "I guess I'm just... worried." Seeing the Potions Master's confused expression, he clarified. "About Remus. I'm supposed to see him later for a talk." He looked down at his feet, suddenly feeling silly. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. What did he think he was doing, bother Severus for such a foolish thing? He stood there and waited for the scolding and laughter to come.

Finally, after about a minute, he looked up almost fearly... But all he saw was the Potions Master standing in front of him, a strange expression on the man's face.

"Severus?" Harry asked uncertainly. "Did I... do something wrong?" He couldn't help but feel as if he had done something bad. This had happened all to often at the Dursleys... the Dursleys... Harry pushed the thought of his repulsive relatives away. They were in the past. All that mattered was now. Now. He looked up. "Sev? I-- I- I'm sorry for bothering you with such a silly question. I'll go back to work now." He turned back to his ruined potion.

Without warning, the Potions Master suddenly leaned forward and pulled Harry into his arms.

"Severus?"

The Potions Master sighed. "Oh, you foolish child." He ran his fingers through the raven black hair.

Harry looked up, surprised by the affection in the man's voice. "Sir?"

"It that what has been bothering you all day?" Severus asked quietly. Seeing the boy nod nervously, a small smile graced his lips. "You should have come to me earlier, silly child. Don't worry about Lupin. As idiotic and thoughtless that werewolf may be, I doubt that even he can be foolish enough to be angry at you." Severus' voice softened. "If anything, he should be blaming me."

Harry shook his head. "I've told you, Severus. None of this is your fault. It was the one being stupid." He looked don at his feet miserably, avoiding the other's gaze.

Severus sighed before lifitng the boy's chin. "Harry, look at me."

Uncertain green eyes met black ones.

Knowing that he had the other's attention, Severus continued. "I want you to answer me honestly, Harry. Would you have done something that... drastic if I hadn't been so harsh with you that day?"

Harry hesitated before slowly shaking hsi head. "Probably not, I guess..."

"Percisely." Severus nodded. "Basically, it is because of me that you tried what you did, therefore, I am at fault. Not you."

He saw Harry open his mouth to argue, and sighed. Again. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to win this discussion this easily. Finally, he held up a hand. "Alright, let's make a deal. You will stop blaming yourself for this, and I will do the same."

The boy looked at him disbelievingly for a few minute before finally nodding. "Alright," he agreed quietly.

Severus gave him a small smile. "Now that you've creased your unnecessary worries," he said humorously, "we can get back to these potions."

Harry just smiled.

An hour later, Harry left the Potions lab, heading in the direction of Rems' office. Although he was much calmer due to Severus' reassurances, he stil couldn't help but feel worried. His heart pounded loudly as he stood there in front of Remus' quarters, his stomach feeling slightly nauseas. He swallowed before raising his hand and knocking hesitantly.

He heart footsteps approaching, and he suddenly had an urge to hide. But it was too late. The door clicked open.

Remus Lupin stepped out of his quarters, a smile breaking out on his face. "Harry! Come on in!"

Harry looked up anxiously as he took a seat on a nearby chair. He fidgeted slightly, and his hands didn't seem to know hat to do. He was sweating slightly, and the room suddenly seemed very small.

"Calm down, Harry. There's no need to be so nervous."

Remus looked down with concern at the young man in front of him. The boy looked particularly pale, and he seemed to be sweating immensely. "Harry, are you feeling alright?"

Harry nodded. "I'm fine." He forced a small smile, but Remus wasn't convinced. His werewolf senses could tell that Harry wasn't up to his full health.... But then, why would Madam Pomfrey let Harry go before the boy was ready? He knew how... strict the nurse could be.

He suddenly had a thought. "Harry," he asked quickly. "Please answer this honestly. Did Madam Pomfrey give you permission to leave the Hospital Wing?"

Harry's heartbeat quickened at the question. True, he had been feeling lousy that morning, but had he really been that obvious? "I..." He stopped, not knowing what to say.

His hesitance apparently answered Remus' question. "You left before she let you, didn't you?"

Harry slowly nodded, his cheeks burning.

Remus frowned, worry clouding his expression. With a suddenly flick of his wand, he transfigured a wooden chair into a couch, and before Harry knew what was going on, he found himself pushed into the couch and a blanket tucked around him. As tired as he was, he had to ask. "Remus?" His confusion was evident in his voice. "What are you doing?"

"We'll talk when you're feeling batter," Remus said quietly. "You need some rest."

"Okay."

Harry's immediate acceptance showed Remus how tired the child truly was. He knew that the boy hated to show weakness, and the fact that Harry had obeyed instantly just proved the boy's condition.

To Harry, everything seeemd hazy, and the world was spinning aroun dhim. But he did know that he needed to say something. "I'm sorry, Remus," he murmured.

Remus looked up in surprise. "What are you apologizing for?"

"'m sorry for not telling you who I was earlier."

Remus smiled. "All is forgotten, Harry." He leaned down and pulled the youth into a hug.

Harry looked up drowsily. "Thanks, Remus," he mumbled. The man's arms felt warm and safe around him, and he suddenly felt extremely sleepy.

"You're welcome, Harry."

Remus held onto the boy for a long time after that. By the time he put Harry down again, the child was long asleep.

When Harry woke up, he found himself staring at a dark blue ceiling. For a second, he couldn't recall where he was, but then, he remembered the incident from day before. Remus must have moved him upstairs. Remus...

He leaped up from bed, finding a fresh set of Gryffindor robes by his bed. He pulled it on quickly, and feeling much better, left the room.

His thought returned to the day before. He couldn't believe that he had fallen asleep during his so-called "talk" with Remus. And now, the man knew that he had left the Hospital Wing before he was ready. This was bound to bring trouble.

He found himself in Remus' living room, with the man sitting at the table, the Daily Prophet and a cup of coffee in hand.

"Good morning, Harry!" Remus smiled at the sight of the younger man. "Are you feeling better?"

The boy nodded slightly. "Much better. Thanks for letting me stay, Remus."

Remus waved away the thanks. "Anytime, Harry. If you need me, you can come see me anytime." He paused for a second before asking cheerfully, "Would you like some breakfast, Harry?" Seeing the boy nod, he ordered some toast, instructing the house-elf to also bring along drinks. The little elf nodded obediently before disappearing with a loud crack. A second later, a table-full of breakfast appeared in front of them.

Harry stared at the plates of food. Remus didn't actually expect him to eat all that, did he? He looked up.

Obviously, Remus had seen his expression, for the man laughed. "For some reason, the elves always provide us with more food than we can eat," he said, chuckling. "Just eat as much as you can, and leave the rest." He turned back to his newspaper.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Harry asked.

The man smiled. “I’ve already eaten beforehand,” he replied. “Come on, eat up, Harry. You need the energy.”

Between small bites of toast and gulps of milk, he came up with another thought. “Is it eight thirty yet, Remus? Don’t you have to teach soon?” He looked around, then gasped when he saw the clock. “Dear Merlin! It’s eleven thirty already!” Harry jumped up, panic on his face. “Professor McGonagall’s going to murder me! Not to mention I’ve missed Charms and Potions already… I--- I have to----“

“Harry!” Remus’ voice cut through his nearly hysterical thoughts. “Harry! It’s okay! Calm down. I’ve already talked to the professors and have let them know that you’re not feeling well and will not be attending class.”

At these words, Harry calmed down slightly, inwardly scolding himself for losing it so easily. Sighing, he went back to munching on his toast.

After breakfast, Remus pushed a protesting Harry back into bed. “You’re still weak,” he insisted sternly. “Just because you escaped from Madam Pomfrey doesn’t mean you don’t need to rest.”

Harry sighed before settling into the bed obediently. As Remus was about to sit down next to him, Harry asked quietly, “Don’t you have class today?”

Remus shook his head. “Dumbledore had someone take over for me for the day,” he answered, smiling. “I thought I would stay behind today and take care of you.” He looked fondly at the child.

Harry blushed in embarrassment at the thought of Remus abandoning his students just to worry about him. “Really, Remus, I’m fine! You don’t have to stay behind! I---“

He was cut off as Remus raised a hand, silencing him. “I know you hate being fussed over, Harry,” The man told him softly, “but I want to be able to take care of you. I want for you to be able to come see me when you need something. I don’t want you do feel pressured in anyways. Do you understand?” Remus paused, and seeing Harry nod, he continued. “I know you have Severus to look after you now, and I’m glad that you have someone to rely on… But I want you to know, if you ever need me for something, that I’ll always be here for you.”

Harry nodded, suddenly feeling very emotional. "Thanks, Remus," he said quietly. "I know I can come see you anytime, but it's been hard for me.... Especially after Sirius..." His voice trailed of, and his eyes suddenly found his shoes very interesting.

"I know, Harry, I know," the man replied, tears in his eyes. "I know it's been hard for you and that we will never be able to truly stop missing him. But as time goes on, we have to learn to move on with our lives. He'll always be with us in our hearts, but he would have wanted us to move on."

Harry nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry for not telling you who I was earlier. I know I made you worry."

"Hush, Harry," Remus said, quietly. "Didn't I tell you that you had already been forgiven?" He smiled at the boy. "But just out of curiosity... How did you end up as Sebastien Frostpine?" He gestured at Harry's appearance. "And how did you manage to disguise yourself so well?"

So Harry ended up telling Remus what had happened in the past few months: the Fire, Lady Lyra, Severus, and the Founders... He carefully let out the Dursleys' treatment towards him, not wanting to anger the man. That part of his life was best left untold.

Remus listened, amazed by the things that Harry was telling him. However, he had a strange feeling that Harry was hiding something from him. He didn’t know what, but there was something about the way the boy talked, the way his eyes seemed to never meet his own. When Harry finally stopped speaking, Remus inwardly thought through what the boy had said. Was it just him, or was there something.... missing from the whole story? Harry had said that Lady Lyra had moved him to Snape manor to keep him "safe". But what he didn't understand was...

"Harry," he asked, "Why did she bring you to Snape Manor to keep you safe? Weren't you safe in the first place? At the Dursleys?”

Harry bit down on his lips, not sure how to answer the question. While he didn’t want to lie to the man, he surely couldn't just tell the truth. "I--- The Dursleys didn’t like me that much. And there was that fire." He looked away.

Merlin, Harry was a terrible lire! Remus could clearly tell the boy was hiding something, but he decided to let it go for now.

Harry yawned widely, suddenly feeling very tired.

Seeing the child's exhaustion, Remus stood up. "I'll leave you to your rest now, Harry. We'll talk again later."

Harry nodded wearily before drifting off to sleep. "'Night, Remus."

"Good night, Harry." He placed a soft kiss on the child's forehead. "Sweet dreams."

There was no reply. Harry was already fast asleep.

Remus sat down in front of the fireplace, a cup of coffee in his hands. In his mind, he was going over the conversation he had just had with Harry.

He as convinced that the boy was hiding something. The child had said that the Durlseys had not been fond of him. But what would the Dursleys disliking him have to do with his safety? Although there could be a chance that Harry had meant the fire that had occurred, somehow, Remus was skeptical.

He stood up resolutely. There was only one way to find out what had really been going on.

He pulled open the door of his quarters and headed in the direction of Severus Snape's office.

Severus sat in his quarters, a look of concentration on his face. Four bubbling cauldrons surrounded him, each at various stages of brewing. He hummed lightly under his breath as he mixed the seahorse powder into the silver cauldron. He was about to turn to the dragon skin when suddenly, a knock on his door disturbed his thoughts.

"Blast it!" He said to himself. If he didn't add the dragon skin into the potion in the next twenty seconds, the mixture would undoubtedly explode. There was no time for him to get up to answer the door.

Quickly grabbing his wand, he did a transparency spell, and a certain Remus Lupin appeared outside the room. Growling under his breath, he said gruffly, "Come in."

The door clicked open, and the brown-haired man stepped in. "Severus?"

The Potions Master didn't reply, just continued chopping his ingredients at an amazing pace.

"Severus?"

Severus finished chopping and sighed with satisfaction as he dropped the last ingredient in just in time. Stirring gently, he waited for the potion to turn into a brilliant emerald green before turning to the man in front of him.

"Yes?" he asked irritably. "Is there a reason you've decided to come waste my time?"

Remus ignored the attitude and sarcasm. "It's about Harry," he began quickly. He was surprised to see the man freeze at those words. Severus quickly stood up, and after turning off the fire and cleaning up his workspace, turned to a nearby chair and sat down.

"Yes? You were saying?"

"I've just talked to Harry about an hour ago. He told me about... a few things, including how he ended up at Snape Manor as Sebastien Frostpine." Remus paused. "I trust you two have already spoken?"

"Actually, no," the man replied. "I was thinking of speaking with him later on today. Is there a problem?"

“I believe that he’s… hiding something. The story doesn’t seem to quite fit together.”

“Oh? How so?” Severus inquired.

“Harry told me that he was taken to Snape Manor to be kept ‘safe’. Which leads to the implication that Privet Drive is not safe for him. The question is, WHY is he not safe at the Dursleys? While he could have been referring to the fire, I personally doubt that.”

Severus raised an eyebrow. “And what would you have me do?”

“I want to ask about Sebastien’s behavior after he got to Snape Manor. Did he act… strangely? Did he seem to be hiding anything?”

Severus was tempted to retort, to use the ‘Harry-wouldn’t-want-anyone-to-pry-into-his-private-business’ excuse, but he knew that this was important. It had to have some significance: otherwise, Lupin wouldn’t have bothered coming to see him. Sighing, he cast his mind back to the day he had found the child in his manor.

The boy had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He inwardly smiled as he remembered how he had thought that he was going to be attacked at first. He remembered the many nights of screaming nightmares, the batches of Dreamless Sleeping Potion he had ended up brewing. The boy had been injured, but when questioned, had managed to get out of answering, as usual. His thoughts were affectionate as he remembered how---

Wait a minute.

He froze suddenly as he went of his last few thoughts.

The boy had been injured.

The boy had been injured.

He jumped up as he suddenly recalled Harry’s appearance that day. The boy had had not only a broken leg, but also numerous scars and bruises. And the boy had been terrified of him. He inwardly yelled at himself for not putting two and two together. While he knew that Sebastien had been hurt, and that Harry Potter was Sebastien Frostpine, he had failed to comprehend the reality of the matter.

The child had been fatally injured that day.

While he had know that particular fact for months, it had only been a few weeks since he had found out that Sebastien and Harry were one and the same. What he had failed to ask himself was WHY Harry had been injured. While ‘Sebastien’ had claimed to be under a memory charm as an excuse, Harry clearly remembered all of his past. Lupin was right. Something was going on here.

"Severus? Is something wrong?"

Severus ignored the question. "Lupin, what did Harry tell you about coming to Snape Manor? Exactly?"

Remus blinked at the question, but answered it none the less. "I believe his exact words were 'I was brought to Snape Manor by the Lady to keep me safe.'"

To keep him safe. Brought to Snape Manor to keep him safe. For a moment, Severus wondered who the 'Lady' was. Maybe they could somehow contact her?

He stood up. He had to speak with Harry first to clear this up. Wherever the boy was. He was heading towards the door when a hand grabbed his robes, stopping him.

"Kindly let go of me, Lupin," he sneered at the man. "Unlike you, I have places to get to."

"I came to day to ask you a question and to find out whether something is wrong with Harry. If whatever it is that you're planning to do right now concerns him in any way, I demand to know."

The nerve of that werewolf! Severus was tempted to ignore him completely, but he knew, as much as he hated to admit this, that the man played an important role in Harry's life. He had a right to know.

"Harry was... injured badly when he arrived at the manor," he answered finally, carefully keeping his face blank. "Unfortunately, I did not know who he was at the time. His excuse was that he had been Obliviated and knew nothing of his past."

"He was injured?" Remus's voice was full of concern. "How bad was it?"

"It was rather unpleasant." Severus sighed, knowing that that was an understatement. "He had several broken bones. His skin was covered with bruises and scarring, and he was also affected by nightmares."

Remus went back in his mind to the conversation he had had with Harry, going over the details. Harry had claimed he had gone to Snape Manor to be kept "safe", and from what Severus had revealed, the boy had clearly been injured. The main question was: WHY had the boy been hurt? And how?

There was no way those injuries could be due to the fire: flames couldn't possibly cause bruises and broken bones. But that left only one possibility. A possibility that he didn't even want to consider.

He wanted to tell himself that it was due to an argument: maybe Harry had been in a fight with some neighbouring boy, or perhaps had accidentally fallen down the stairs. But he knew, somewhere in the pit of his soul, that he was just lying to himself. And as much as he wanted to keep deceiving himself, he knew that he couldn't do so. Now that he knew, he couldn't leave Harry to suffer. He had to help.

Severus must have seen a change on his expression, for the Potions Master's face hardened. "Lupin. Tell me what you know."

Remus hesitated, not wanting to interfere with Harry's privacy. Besides, his guess had just been that: a guess. He didn't even know whether his suspicions were correct or not. "It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, Severus... It's just that.. I'm not even sure whether my suspicions are true, and if they are, they're Harry's secrets to tell, not mine. He should be given the chance to come clean with this on his own terms."

As much as Severus wanted to force the werewolf to tell him what was going on, he knew that the man had a point. Harry WAS a very private person, and he knew that the boy would hate it if his secrets were given without his knowledge. With a sigh, he nodded. "Fine. But I will give you a week for you to speak with Harry. After that, I will demand that you tell me. I'm as willing to help him as you are."

Remus smiled slightly. "Thank you, Severus. I know you answered my questions earlier, and technically, I should be telling you what I think is going on... but Harry is an extremely private person. I just want to give him a chance to let people know on his own terms. You have my word that I will speak with Harry about this within a week."

Severus nodded. "If that is all... I have several potions to get back to."

Remus couldn't hide his smile as he stood up. Bastard as the Potions Master was, he could see that Severus obviously cared about Harry. Hopefully, the two of them could get to the bottom of this.

With a small grin, he gave his farewells before leaving the rooms. It was time he had another talk with Harry.

Remus stood in his office, pacing back and force across the room. He needed to think.

It had been an hour since his little "chat" with Severus, and he had yet to figure out what he needed to do. All he DID know was that he had to talk to Harry - and soon - but he didn't know when, or how he should go about doing it.

He sighed, his footsteps echoing loudly on the stone floor. He couldn't exactly walk up to the young man and ask him to speak the truth. Harry would deny it for sure.

Back and force, back and force... He stared at a random spot on the wall, his eyes slightly glazed as his mind re-thought about his options.

Knock Knock.

A light tapping on his door broke him out of his reverie. "Who is it" He called out.

"Remus"

Harry's voice came through the door.

"Harry" Remus went over and pulled open the door to see the boy standing outside. "What are you doing out of bed" He scolded gently. "You should be resting."

Harry blushed lightly. "I woke up and you were gone... so I looked around and found you here." He peered up curiously at Remus. "I heard you pacing. Is something wrong"

"Uh..." Remus didn't know what to say. Here was the perfect chance to confront Harry... but was it still too early? He had, after all, just spoken to Severus several hours ago, and his thoughts were still in a jumbled heap. But... this was just too good an opportunity to give up. He finally decided to take the risk. He'd have to ask the boy sooner or later - why not now?

"Um... Harry... I wanted to talk to you about something involving what you told me earlier..."

"Yeah" Harry sad down in one of the chairs before looking expectantly up at Remus.

"I believe you told me that you were brought to Snape Manor by Lady Lyra to be 'kept safe'"

Harry looked suspiciously at him, but nodded slowly. "Yes..."

"Well - one of my biggest question is, why did you need to be kept safe if you were at the Dursleys? Were you in some way, not safe in Privet Drive"

The boy visibly stiffened at the questions. "Er- Actually, I meant that the fire was what made the Dursleys not safe. Yeah..." He trailed off, trying to sound sure, but failing miserably.

Remus sighed. Harry could be a terrible lier at times - he couldn't imagine how the child had managed to keep such a large secret from Severus all this time. Well, looked like he wasn't going to get the truth anytime soon.

He decided to get straight to the point. "I had a talk with Severus earlier, Harry, and he happened to tell me that you were ... injured when you arrived at Snape Manor. I need you to answer me truthfully, Harry - why were you hurt? Did the Dursleys hurt you"

"NO" Harry blurted out. "No, no, no... They didn't hurt me... they actually took care of me." He smiled nervously, his hands twitching slightly. "I... I bumped into the door! And I got hurt in the fire..."

"Harry." Remus' voice was firm and patient. "You couldn't have possibly gotten a broken leg from bumping into the door. And the fire would have given you burns, not broken bones." He couldn't hide the hint of hurt in his voice. "Can't you just tell me what happened, Harry? I just want to be here for you, to help you." He kept his voice as soothing and gentle as possible.

It obviously wasn't working, as Harry seemed to be in panic. "NO, NO! THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! They didn't, they didn't..." Tears made their ways down his cheeks as the boy bolted from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Remus sighed, then followed.

-

HARRY'S POV

I raced from the office, my head a jumble of thoughts.

No! Remus knew! He knew my secret, he had somehow figured it out. Oh, how he would hate me now that he knew. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived - couldn't even defend himself from his Muggle uncle. Oh, the irony of it.

I wasn't aware of where I was going. My feet carried me blindly through the hallways, one after another until suddenly -

Wham.

I found myself on the floor, the person I had crashed into going down next to me. I barely felt the pain of the impact, my hands shaking slightly as I tried to pull myself up.

"Harry! Harry, what's wrong"

It was Severus. Without a second thought, I grabbed onto the man like a lifeline. I couldn't let go. I couldn't.

It was then I realized that tears were streaming down my face.

And for the life of me, I couldn't stop them.

-

SEVERUS' POV

I was returning to the dungeons after giving Poppy my latest batch of Pepper Up Potions. As I turned around the corner, I suddenly found myself being pushed to the floor by a sudden weight. Without thinking, I snatched out my wand and looked up to my opponent... only to see the face of one Harry Potter.

“Harry?” I asked, concern coloring my voice as the boy buried his face into my robes. Silent sobs wracked his thin frame. “What’s wrong?”

“I-It’s n-n-nothing…” the boy stuttered, but I would have none of it. Something was obviously wrong.

“Child? What is it?” My arms encircled the boy’s shoulder pulling him protectively towards me. Harry didn’t usually break down Something had to be drastic. “It’s alright, you can tell me.”

“I-I – I was talking to R-Remus…” Harry mumbled quietly, and I felt my fist clench. What had the damn werewolf done to make Harry loose control like this. I was just about to ask when I heard the sounds of approaching footsteps.

A second later, one Remus Lupin appeared around the corner. “Harry!” The man cried. “Please, I-“ he stopped when he caught sight of me. “Severus.”

“What the hell have you done now?” I snarled at him. If he had hurt Harry in any way…

“I was just talking to him regarding our discussion earlier on. I’m afraid Harry panicked.”

I felt the body in my arms stiffen at the word ‘discussion’. “It’s not what you think, Harry,” I whispered quietly to the boy. I know Harry valued his privacy greatly and would be horrified at the idea of himself being “discussed” behind his back. A part of me is glad that Lupin didn’t tell me of his suspicious before he had left earlier. If he had, I knew that I would have been feeling rather ashamed at breaking his trust by now.

“Please, Harry,” Lupin continued, a pleading tone in his voice. He looked at the boy. “Please tell me the truth. I just want to help you.”

We were both startled at the following outburst.

“You ALL say you want to help me!” Harry yelled, tears streaming down his face. “Can’t you see that it’s in the past now? I just want to let it be, but the rest of you keep bringing it up. Talking about me behind my back, were you? Did I make an interesting ‘discussion’ topic?” His words were sarcastic and bitter as he attempted to pull out of my grasp. “Let me go! Just leave me alone!”

I refused to loosen my grip. “HARRY!” I raised my voice, the boy child immediately stilled.

“I need you to calm down, Harry,” I told him quietly. “And believe me, Lupin and I weren’t talking about you like that. Lupin was worried about something and he came to ask me a few questions. However, he didn’t tell me of his own suspicions at all. He didn’t betray your privacy.”

“On the other hand, this is a discussion we can talk about some other time.” I shot Lupin a glare. “Right now, you need some food and rest.”

Harry nodded, taking in deep breaths. A few minutes later, he looked up at me expectantly.

“Here, come to my quarters and I’ll order some food for you from the House Elves.”

With a small smile on his face, Harry gave a slight not before walking down the corridors in the direction of my office.

I have a swift glare to Lupin before following.

Remus stood in his office, pacing back and force across the room. He needed to think.

It had been an hour since his little "chat" with Severus, and he had yet to figure out what he needed to do. All he DID know was that he had to talk to Harry - and soon - but he didn't know when, or how he should go about doing it.

He sighed, his footsteps echoing loudly on the stone floor. He couldn't exactly walk up to the young man and ask him to speak the truth. Harry would deny it for sure.

Back and force, back and force... He stared at a random spot on the wall, his eyes slightly glazed as his mind re-thought about his options.

Knock Knock.

A light tapping on his door broke him out of his reverie. "Who is it" He called out.

"Remus"

Harry's voice came through the door.

"Harry" Remus went over and pulled open the door to see the boy standing outside. "What are you doing out of bed" He scolded gently. "You should be resting."

Harry blushed lightly. "I woke up and you were gone... so I looked around and found you here." He peered up curiously at Remus. "I heard you pacing. Is something wrong"

"Uh..." Remus didn't know what to say. Here was the perfect chance to confront Harry... but was it still too early? He had, after all, just spoken to Severus several hours ago, and his thoughts were still in a jumbled heap. But... this was just too good an opportunity to give up. He finally decided to take the risk. He'd have to ask the boy sooner or later - why not now?

"Um... Harry... I wanted to talk to you about something involving what you told me earlier..."

"Yeah" Harry sad down in one of the chairs before looking expectantly up at Remus.

"I believe you told me that you were brought to Snape Manor by Lady Lyra to be 'kept safe'"

Harry looked suspiciously at him, but nodded slowly. "Yes..."

"Well - one of my biggest question is, why did you need to be kept safe if you were at the Dursleys? Were you in some way, not safe in Privet Drive"

The boy visibly stiffened at the questions. "Er- Actually, I meant that the fire was what made the Dursleys not safe. Yeah..." He trailed off, trying to sound sure, but failing miserably.

Remus sighed. Harry could be a terrible lier at times - he couldn't imagine how the child had managed to keep such a large secret from Severus all this time. Well, looked like he wasn't going to get the truth anytime soon.

He decided to get straight to the point. "I had a talk with Severus earlier, Harry, and he happened to tell me that you were ... injured when you arrived at Snape Manor. I need you to answer me truthfully, Harry - why were you hurt? Did the Dursleys hurt you"

"NO" Harry blurted out. "No, no, no... They didn't hurt me... they actually took care of me." He smiled nervously, his hands twitching slightly. "I... I bumped into the door! And I got hurt in the fire..."

"Harry." Remus' voice was firm and patient. "You couldn't have possibly gotten a broken leg from bumping into the door. And the fire would have given you burns, not broken bones." He couldn't hide the hint of hurt in his voice. "Can't you just tell me what happened, Harry? I just want to be here for you, to help you." He kept his voice as soothing and gentle as possible.

It obviously wasn't working, as Harry seemed to be in panic. "NO, NO! THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! They didn't, they didn't..." Tears made their ways down his cheeks as the boy bolted from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Remus sighed, then followed.

-

HARRY'S POV

I raced from the office, my head a jumble of thoughts.

No! Remus knew! He knew my secret, he had somehow figured it out. Oh, how he would hate me now that he knew. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived - couldn't even defend himself from his Muggle uncle. Oh, the irony of it.

I wasn't aware of where I was going. My feet carried me blindly through the hallways, one after another until suddenly -

Wham.

I found myself on the floor, the person I had crashed into going down next to me. I barely felt the pain of the impact, my hands shaking slightly as I tried to pull myself up.

"Harry! Harry, what's wrong"

It was Severus. Without a second thought, I grabbed onto the man like a lifeline. I couldn't let go. I couldn't.

It was then I realized that tears were streaming down my face.

And for the life of me, I couldn't stop them.

-

SEVERUS' POV

I was returning to the dungeons after giving Poppy my latest batch of Pepper Up Potions. As I turned around the corner, I suddenly found myself being pushed to the floor by a sudden weight. Without thinking, I snatched out my wand and looked up to my opponent... only to see the face of one Harry Potter.

“Harry?” I asked, concern coloring my voice as the boy buried his face into my robes. Silent sobs wracked his thin frame. “What’s wrong?”

“I-It’s n-n-nothing…” the boy stuttered, but I would have none of it. Something was obviously wrong.

“Child? What is it?” My arms encircled the boy’s shoulder pulling him protectively towards me. Harry didn’t usually break down Something had to be drastic. “It’s alright, you can tell me.”

“I-I – I was talking to R-Remus…” Harry mumbled quietly, and I felt my fist clench. What had the damn werewolf done to make Harry loose control like this. I was just about to ask when I heard the sounds of approaching footsteps.

A second later, one Remus Lupin appeared around the corner. “Harry!” The man cried. “Please, I-“ he stopped when he caught sight of me. “Severus.”

“What the hell have you done now?” I snarled at him. If he had hurt Harry in any way…

“I was just talking to him regarding our discussion earlier on. I’m afraid Harry panicked.”

I felt the body in my arms stiffen at the word ‘discussion’. “It’s not what you think, Harry,” I whispered quietly to the boy. I know Harry valued his privacy greatly and would be horrified at the idea of himself being “discussed” behind his back. A part of me is glad that Lupin didn’t tell me of his suspicious before he had left earlier. If he had, I knew that I would have been feeling rather ashamed at breaking his trust by now.

“Please, Harry,” Lupin continued, a pleading tone in his voice. He looked at the boy. “Please tell me the truth. I just want to help you.”

We were both startled at the following outburst.

“You ALL say you want to help me!” Harry yelled, tears streaming down his face. “Can’t you see that it’s in the past now? I just want to let it be, but the rest of you keep bringing it up. Talking about me behind my back, were you? Did I make an interesting ‘discussion’ topic?” His words were sarcastic and bitter as he attempted to pull out of my grasp. “Let me go! Just leave me alone!”

I refused to loosen my grip. “HARRY!” I raised my voice, the boy child immediately stilled.

“I need you to calm down, Harry,” I told him quietly. “And believe me, Lupin and I weren’t talking about you like that. Lupin was worried about something and he came to ask me a few questions. However, he didn’t tell me of his own suspicions at all. He didn’t betray your privacy.”

“On the other hand, this is a discussion we can talk about some other time.” I shot Lupin a glare. “Right now, you need some food and rest.”

Harry nodded, taking in deep breaths. A few minutes later, he looked up at me expectantly.

“Here, come to my quarters and I’ll order some food for you from the House Elves.”

With a small smile on his face, Harry gave a slight not before walking down the corridors in the direction of my office.

I have a swift glare to Lupin before following.

Severus sighed as he watched Harry walk tiredly into his guest room and close the door behind him. The boy had just finished the small meal the house-elves had brought him, and upon seeing his continuous yawns, Severus had suggested the boy take some shut-eye. Harry had seemed too tired and withdrawn to argue. Damn it, what had the goddamn werewolf ask him to cause him to behave that way?

After pacing around his quarters until the floor started to wear out, Severus finally decided to leave thinking for later, after Harry wakes up. He had just settled down on his couch with a book and a cup of Firewhiskey when a knocking on his door disturbed his thoughts. With a snarl, he opened the door to find himself face to face with one Remus Lupin.

"Severus, how----"

"What the hell did you do?"

Remus backed away slightly as the Potions Master growled at him. "Severus, what are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm asking! What the hell did you do to Harry to make him react that way?"

“I didn’t do anything, Severus.” Remus looked at the Potions Master, sincerity in his voice. “You know Harry’s like a son to me --- I would NEVER intentionally harm him.”

Severus took a deep breath, trying to control himself, at the same time, resisting the urge to hex the man into next week. “Well, then what did you ask him to make him react that way?” He aimed a glare and snarled at the werewolf. “You were supposed to HELP him, you idiot!”

“I was trying, but---“ Remus tried to protest, but was immediately cut off.

“HELP? You call that helping? Then why, may I ask, did I find him running down the corridors in tears earlier?”

“I---“ At this, Remus faltered and looked guiltily down. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to continue. "I was talking to him about my... suspicions during our discussion earlier."

Severus was about to answer when a piercing scream erupted from his guestroom.

Without another word, he raced towards small room, Remus at his heels.

Harry sighed as he walked into Severus' spare room, shutting the door tightly behind him. At least Severus hadn't interrogated him when they'd come back to his quarters.

He'd been terrified when Remus had brought up the Dursleys. Somehow, he just knew that Remus had figured out his painful secret. He couldn't help it --- without a second thought, he had rushed down the hallway, trying to escape from the nightmares and the fears.

He yawned. Merlin, he was tired, but he didn't feel like going to sleep. His scar tinged and a hand came up to rub at it irritatingly. He crawled into bed anyways and looked around for something to occupy himself. Anything to keep him from going over the memories of the Dursleys in his mind.

He looked down shamefully as he suddenly realized that he'd been neglecting his pets. He had no idea where Flame was, and Ice and Shadow were probably out hunting. He knew that he could call to the snakes telepathically, but somehow, he felt guilty for ignoring them for so long only to call them back when he needed them. Perhaps some other time, he vowed to himself. He'd make it up to them.

For now...

He sat up suddenly. How could he have forgotten? In the midst of his busy life, he'd completely failed to talk to Lady Lyra. /My Lady/ He called out quietly in his mind.

For a while, there was no response, before a soft voice came through. /Harry, child. It’s been a while./

/Yes, it has./ He smiled slightly. /Lots of things have happened here recently./

/I realized./ As if hearing his look of surprise, she chuckled quietly. /I am not entirely ignorant. However, you must get some rest now. I can tell that you are tired. Go to sleep. I will be here when you awaken./ With that, the soft voice faded from his head.

Harry sighed again. He’d been hoping, in a way, that the Lady would be able to distract him for a while, but apparently, she had been able to sense his fatigue. Maybe he should listen for once. But then again, he wasn’t THAT tired, was he?

He sank down into his pillows and managed to fall asleep before his head hit the pillow.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!”

A scream erupted from him as Harry suddenly sat up in his bed, his eyes glazed over. Sweat dripped from his brows, his body a disturbingly high temperature.

Severus rushed into the room, but Harry didn’t notice the man. Opening his mouth, he swallowed hard.

“Tell…. Need Dumbledore!”

“Harry,” Severus began. “Whatever you need to tell the Headmaster can wait. Now, just drink this ---“

“No! Tell Dumbledore!” Harry gasped out, his voice hoarse. “Voldemort is going to be attacking Hogwarts sometime within the next two weeks.”

Severus froze for a second before turning to Lupin. “What are you waiting for? Go tell the Headmaster, now!”

Remus shot a concerned look at Harry before nodding. “Take care of him, Severus,” he said before disappearing out the door.

Harry, seeing this, finally relaxed into the bed. Severus summoned several calming potions and muscle relaxants before lifting Harry up and raising the bottles to the boy’s lips.

Harry obediently drank the potions, grimacing slightly at the taste.

A few minutes later, the fire turned a bright green, and Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room. For once, the old man seemed very worried, and the usual twinkle was missing from his eyes.

“Professor!” Harry sat up quickly, ignoring his sore throat.

“How are you feeling, my boy?”

“I’m fine, Professor. But Voldemort --- he’s going to attack Hogwarts within the next two weeks. I think he has a plan to bring down the wards.”

“What else did you say, Harry? I know you’re tired, but I need you to tell me everything you remember. If Tom is indeed attacking soon, we need to notify the Order so we can prepare.”

Harry nodded, and the next two hours were spent discussing the small details of Harry’s vision.

When Dumbledore finally left, Harry sank back into bed with a long sigh. He closed his eyes, exhaustion lining his face.

“Harry? Are you alright?” Severus looked worriedly at the boy.

Harry nodded slowly. “I’m okay, Severus. I just need some more sleep.” Yawning, he sank down into his pillow.

Severus couldn’t help but smile. “Alright. Good night, Harry.” He bend down and placed a soft kiss to scarred forehead, tucking in the covers.

There was no reply.

The boy was already asleep.

“It is time.”

“Time?” A light haired female looked up at her sister. “Do you think so, or is this merely another prediction of yours?”

“This time, it is the truth. It is time we revealed all to the boy, for his time shall soon come. He must be prepared of what will come if he were to fail his destiny.”

“Then it is fortunate for you that you have a sister who controls such factors of life.” She smiled.

The other brought out a crystal ball and placed it lightly on the table. “I’m sure you’re wondering what brought this on. In truth, I had a vision yesterday.”

“A vision of Truth? Or of possibility?”

“Of possibility. Of destruction.”

Violet met onyx as eyes pierced each other.

“Then in that case, we must show him.”

DREAM SEQUENCE--------------

He was in a forest. A large forest. The sun was overhead, but the leaves were so thick, the light barely shown through.

Having no choice, he began to walk forward. As he went, the forest seemed to become darker. He keep walking, and walking, and walking.

Suddenly, he heard a growl from behind him. He looked around, but saw nothing. The growl came again, this time, louder and closer. Having no choice, he broke into a run, rushing forward, trying to get away from whatever it was that was chasing him.

He heard twigs snap behind him as the creature too sped up to an inhuman speed. He ran faster, trying to keep away, but he was so tired, so tired…. Terror filled his heart, and a scream built up in his throat, louder and louder…

And then suddenly, he was at a dead end. Realizing that he couldn’t get away any more, he looked back, expecting the monster to jump at him and bring him down. However, he didn’t see what he had thought had been coming. Instead, he saw two females.

They were obviously sisters, yet at the same time, there were absolutely no similarities in their looks. The first female had long blond her, the color of sunshine. Her violet eyes were filled with fire as they gazed at him. Her robes had a similar style to those of the founders.

Her sister, on the other hand, contrasted greatly. Dark hair streamed down her back as midnight black eyes took in his appearance. Silver wings seemed to gleam in the darkness.

“Harry Potter.”

It was the second one who spoke. Her voice was soft, almost like the wind rippling across the calm waters. There was a melodious quality to it, yet at the same time, a sense of eerie silence.

There was something surreal about this entire thing. The women looked almost too perfect, their appearance too beautiful to be true. This reminded him almost uncannily like a book he’d once read about the Greek mythology of bird-like females called the Sirens.

He knew that he should be frightened, that he should be running away from these two ghostly figures. But for some reason that even he himself did not know, he felt calm. A sense of tranquility swept through him, and he felt like he was floating.

“Who are you?”

His voice came out as a whisper.

“That, you need not know. All you must understand is that we are here to show you a vision.”

“A vision?”

The first sister nodded. “You are lucky, for it is not of truth, but of probability.”

Harry didn’t understand what she meant. He was just about to ask when the dark haired sister pulled out a crystal ball from the depth of her robes. Lifting it so that it was level with his vision, she blew softly.

A gust of wind swept over the ball, and a vague image appeared.

“Come closer,” she said, her voice soft yet commanding. Harry felt compelled to obey. Almost as though under a trance, he stepped forward, closer to eth ball.

Then suddenly, a violent wind swept through the air, pulling him in. He struggled, trying to keep from falling forward, but failed.

The next thing he knew, he was IN the ball itself.

He was in a world of darkness. ---- A world in which the sun never rose, and the moon never shone. Looking around, he gasped as he suddenly realized where he was. He was standing on Hogwarts group, in front of the Lake, but everything had changed.

The Lake, once a beautiful crystal blue, now turned deep crimson. An eerie silence was in the air. Where once was the occasional splashing of the giant squid of the calling of a centaur, now, there was nothing. The sky was a deep angry gray, casting the land below in darkness.

Slowly, slowly, he turned around to look at the school itself, almost afraid of what he would see.

What he did see, however, shocked him to the core. And at the same moment, he realized just why the lake had been red.

Bodies littered the group, pools of blood running into a river. Friend and foe alike lay on the ground: Draco Malfoy, Cho Chang, Bellatrix Lestrange, and… Ron… Ginny… The list went on and on until Harry had to look away.

But what horrified him the most was what he saw when he looked up --- or rather, what he didn’t see. Where Hogwarts had once stood, there was now nothing. The school had come down in ruins.

He felt as though he had been punched in the gut. All his life, eh had believe the school to be an anchor in his life: something stable and undefeatable. To realize that his assumption had been false…

“No…” he whispered… “Nononono…”

Not wanting to see any more, he closed his eyes, falling to his knees in defeat. “Take me back… please… TAKE ME BACK!” His voice was the only living thing in this world of death, but he felt dead inside.

And then all at once, he felt the wind gather up around him, pulling him backwards. Opening his eyes, he sighed in relief when he realized that he was back in the forest. His dull eyes took in the pair of sisters again. “Why? Why did you have to show me that?”

“To make you understand.” The female’s voice no longer sounded beautiful as it had before. “You needed to know the full significance of this upcoming war. If you fail to defeat this darkness, then both worlds shall fall --- Muggle and Wizard alike.”

For a moment, he just looked at the women blankly, feeling numb. His brain wasn’t absorbing the words, and the fact that such a possibility existed was too terrifying to consider… but now that he knew such a thing existed, was possible, he was more determined than ever to save his friends from such a fate. He took a deep breath and swore to himself right then and there that no matter what, he would protect the ones he loved, even if it meant his own death. He would not let the only place he’d ever called home fall to the hands of that monster. No. “Never again.”

“I’ll protect them.” His throat was dry as he looked up at the females, but determination was in his eyes. “I’ll protect them if it’s the last thing I do.”

“You must be prepared.” Those eyes looked right through him, making him feel exposed. “You must practice and keep training. It would be disastrous if you forgot the Founders’ training.” She paused slightly before continuing. “It is time for you to go now. You have stayed too long as it is.”

The world began spinning around him again. “No, wait!” Harry called out. “How do you know about the Founders? Who are you? What did you show me this?”

There was no reply.

And then, he was falling, falling, falling into the endless black void. He fell endlessly, on and on, never to hit the ground. In panic, he raised his body, trying to dig his limbs into unseen walls, only to bang his feet against a hard surface.

He opened his eyes only to find himself back in the blurry darkness of Severus’ guestroom.

The next few days passed quickly. Order members and professors seemed to be in frenzy. He barely saw Severus other than in class – the man seemed to be busy working on a potion which would allow the drinkers to develop temporary immunities to simple spells.

Since his nightmare in which the two mysterious females had showed him the destiny of Hogwarts, he’d started waking up at odd times during the middle of the night. His scar always prickled irritatingly, and the visions from Voldemort came more often than ever. Deciding to make use of this, he’d begun to train every time he woke up and couldn’t fall back to sleep. After the first day, Ice and Shadow had joined him. Harry had asked them about Blaze, and had been amused to here that his pet had taken a liking to Fawkes.

He practiced. He practiced his elemental and wandless magic, his shield-making, warding, and more. He started spending most o his time in the library, looking up new and potentially useful spells and curses.

He was thankful, as in the storm of things, Remus had stopped trying to speak to him.

At the present time, the young man had just finished with another session of his training. Sighing in exhaustion, he lay back on his bed and immediately fell asleep. And he began to dream…

-----------------------------------

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Harry woke up with a gasp sweat dripping down his brow as he recalled the vision. For a minute, he just sat there in a daze. His heart pounded loudly, his breathing coming in uneven gasps.

Finally, he pushed himself into motion. He had to get to Dumbledore, and as soon as possible. Pulling on his black school robes and a pair of shoes, he closed his eyes and Apparated.

He appeared in front of the door of the Headmaster's office, spraying the ground in ice. He'd bypassed the gargoyle completely, and the stone creature sniffed behind him, seemingly insulted.

Just as he was about to pull open the door, two familiar voices came from inside.

"... the students will be placed into the ward dungeons tomorrow. Classes will then proceed in the spare classrooms downstairs. We can then ---

He didn't wait to hear any more. Reaching forward, he pushed open the door, responding to the Headmaster's previous statement. "It's too late, Professor." He ignored the wand a certain Mad-Eye Mood had trained on him. "Voldemort's attacking, tomorrow at dawn. He's brining most of his Death Eaters, along with about 200 Dementors."

"How do you know all of this, boy?" Moody asked harshly, stepping forward. "Ad how did you get in here without a password?"

"Alaster!" Dumbledore said sharply. "Calm down! He is of no harm to the Light, and I trust him."

"Albus, he---"

"Sir," Harry cut in suddenly. "We have no time to argue. Voldemort is gathering his allies as we speak."

Dumbledore nodded. "I will tell Minerva to bring the lower years into the dungeons as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it's only a few hours until dawn, and I fear we won't have enough time."

"Some is better than none, sir. Send in some prefects with the younger students to keep order." Harry looked up at the elderly Headmaster. "I will go visit the House Elves and centaurs as soon as possible."

Dumbledore sighed before nodding. "The Order members must me notified immediately. I wish you luck, Sebastien."

"Thank you, Headmaster. I must leave now."

With a nod towards Dumbledore and the protesting Moody, Harry disappeared in a rain of ice.

-----------------------------------

"Mr. Frostpine! Mr. Frostpine, sir!"

Harry had to smile as he landed in the middle of the kitchens. House Elves were bustling about, preparing for breakfast the next morning. A group of them immediately surrounded him.

"What can we do for you, sir?" A female elf in the corner asked in her high voice.

Harry smiled warmly at her. "Is Dobby here right now? I'd like to speak to him."

Before the female elf could reply, another voice penetrated the room. "Yes, sir! Dobby is right here, Mr. Frostpine, sir! What can Dobby do for you?"

"I need you to spread the news to the rest of the House Elves later --- but Voldemort is attacking Hogwarts when dawn comes. I need all of the elves to protect the school and students in any way possible."

Dobby nodded immediately, his bat-like ears flapping. "Dobby will tell the others, Mr. Frostpine, sir! We will protect the school at all costs, sir!"

"Thank you, Dobby." Harry smiled at the small elf. "I need to go now and see the centaurs."

"Alright, sir! Thank you for coming, sir!" Dobby squealed.

"You're welcome, Dobby." Harry chuckled at the excited elf before Apparating off to the Forbidden Forest.

"Bane!" He called loudly, walking deeper into the darkness. The leave rustled, the moonlight streaming into the clearing. "Come out! I need to speak with you!"

He turned around as he suddenly heard a branch crack behind him. He saw the centaur eh was looking for behind a small bush.

"Bane. You've come."

"What are you doing here, human? And how do you know my name?"

"I came to ask whether or not the centaurs would help in this upcoming war against the Dark." Harry carefully avoided the second question.

"Why should we help?" Bane growled at him. "Why should we do this when humans ridicule us? If it will place centaurs in danger?"

"Voldemort is planning on attacking Hogwarts when dawn comes." Bane looked up in surprise, but Harry continued. "And when he attacks, he ill show no mercy. He will attempt to take down the Forbidden Forest and take away the home of these creatures. The decision is yours, but I beg of you, do not disagree merely to spite us humans."

Bane seemed to contemplate this for a second. "I am not agreeing to anything, but I will thinking about this and bring this matter to the rest of our clan."

Harry nodded. "For that, I thank you. When dawn comes and you do not appear, we will respect your decisions and assume that you have disagreed. If you do agree, however, then we will meet again when the sun rises. “ He lowered his head slightly.

“I hope to see you soon, Bane,” Harry said as he turned around toe leave. As he began walking, he added, “And remember that just like any other species, not all humans are evil. Many members respect the centaurs greatly. Do not let the opinions of one cloud that of the other humans.”

And with that, he disappeared into the trees, leaving Bane to ponder his statement.

-----------------------------------

When Harry got back into the halls of Hogwarts, he came face to face with Professor McGonagall, who was busy leading students in the direction of the dungeons. He noticed that many of the first years seemed to be trembling, although from cold or fear, he wasn’t sure. He had a suspicion it was the latter though.

He was rounding the corner to get back into the Slytherin Common Room only to see Severus leading the first and second year Slytherins. Although the House of Salazar was already located in the dungeons, the students still had to get to the correct regions. Harry gave a small smile as he looked up at his Head of House. “Professor Snape,” he greeted, inclining his head.

“Mr. Frostpine.” Severus shot him a worried look, seeming as he if wanted to speak with him. The Potions Master didn’t say anything though – he just continued walking, the long line of students behind him.

Harry, knowing that Severus was busy, just stood to the side and allowed the man (with the children) to go by.

It was by chance, he would recall later, that he saw a small boy near the end of the line trip on the robes of the person in front of him. With a small cry, he fell to his knees. What shocked Harry the most, however, was that none of the students behind him paid him any attention. They just kept on walking, like he wasn’t there.

The last of the students walked by, leaving the young boy still on the ground. Severus obviously hadn’t noticed, as he’d turned a corner already and had long disappeared out of sight.

Harry quickly stepped forward and pulled the boy up to his feet. “Are you alright?”

The child nodded, the black hair shifting up and down. “I’m fine,” he said in a small voice.

“What’s your name?”

Startlingly dark eyes peered up at him. Indigo, Harry decided after a while. Not black, but a deep indigo.

“Tom,” came the quiet reply. “My name is Tom.”

Harry just looked at him for a while, until unexpected, he chuckled. “Well Tom, my name is Sebastien, and I’ll just take you to Professor Snape, alright?”

A small smile lit up the boy’s face. “Alright, Sebastien.” He placed his hand into Harry’s and started down the hall, dragging the older Slytherin with him.

Harry had to laugh at that one.