1994  

That Hat… that Hat was mocking him! Somehow that Hat knew something and it was mocking Severus by calling Harry up there, before everyone, calling out Harry James Potter. Had the Potions Master not been so nervous and surprised, he might have found time to be furious with the ratty old Hat. But as it was, even though Severus felt the mocking sting of the Sorting Hat, he sat as still and silent as everyone else. He had a feeling something was going to happen, something that would no doubt shock them all.

“Fire shall be consumed by water,” Severus whispered to himself, not knowing why he spoke the words he did. But as he watched his son walk up to the front, picking up the Hat, another jolt shot through the Potions Master’s veins. “Proud Slytherin shall prevail,” he muttered.

The moment Harry set the Hat on his head time seemed to stand still for Severus. His eyes snapped open in realization. The Hat! It was resorting Harry! The Gryffindor flame was about to be extinguished by the Slytherin water! “Dear Merlin!” Snape whispered right as the Hat screamed, “SLYTHERIN!”

The whole Hall sat in a stunned silence. No one could think to say anything, no one seemed able to really even think at all. Harry, who had closed his eyes, just wished he could disappear. He felt himself blushing and he felt like he was going to be sick. Why did this sort of thing always happen to him?

Suddenly there was a sharp pain in Harry’s arm, like it was trapped in a vice. He snapped open his eyes, looking up to see the grim face of his father, Professor Snape. Not even waiting for Harry to register anything, Snape drug the boy off the stool, the Sorting Hat still on his head, and took him out of the Great Hall, around the Staff Table, and through the staff entrance. The Hall remained silent as they watched the Head of Slytherin drag off Harry Potter.

Slamming the door shut behind him, Severus all but threw Harry onto a couch before he began pacing rapidly. “This is impossible,” Snape was talking aloud, making Harry very nervous. “This is not good, Harry, this is not good at all.”

Just then, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall came through the door as well, the sound of students gossiping filling the room before the door was closed once again. Both Gryffindors looked almost as bad as Snape, with their faces white and their countenances very grim. While Snape kept pacing, Dumbledore was stroking his beard in an almost spastic manner, while McGonagall looked like she was about ready to throw up. The sight of the adults in such a state frightened Harry, and he could not help but shiver.

As he waited for someone to speak, Harry took off the Sorting Hat and put it on the other end of the couch he was sitting at. He had no desire to be near it anymore. But as he waited, he began to sweat, and was having trouble with the silence. Why wouldn’t anyone speak?

“I just…don’t understand,” Dumbledore finally did speak up.

“This is not good, Albus!” Snape said, never slowing his pacing.

“This is a thing unheard of!” McGonagall shrieked. “No one’s ever been resorted before, Albus! No one!”

Harry looked between the three professors and wondered what was going to happen to him. Although he could not deny that he had changed this summer, quite drastically really, he had not actually thought that he had changed enough to be resorted. Although for a time he had regretted not being sorted into Slytherin his first year while staying with Snape this summer, afraid that he had let his father down somehow, Harry found that at the moment he had no desire at all to be in the Slytherin House at all. What was going to happen to him? He could not be a Slytherin! 

“You can’t let Potter into Slytherin, Albus!” Minerva cried. “They’ll eat him alive!”

“Severus,” the Headmaster turned to the Potions Master, who stopped his wild pacing. “What did you do?”

“What?” Snape’s eyes actually widened in shock for a moment. “You think I had something to do with this?” It was clear that the younger wizard was quite insulted with his mentor’s accusations yet again. “I didn’t do anything to that bloody Hat!”

“Then why did it resort, Harry?” Dumbledore growled, it seemed he could not think as clearly at the moment.

“The Sorting Hat cannot be spelled by any but the original casters, For only the original four are this hat’s true masters,” the Hat Sang a little tune quietly.

The three professors and the student stared at the Hat again as though it were the devil himself, before the adults turned their attention to Harry once more. The boy blanched.

“Harry,” Dumbledore walked over to the former Gryffindor, “can you tell me what happened out there? Why did the Hat call you up?”

Worrying his hands, Harry did not know what to say. He had not done anything to the Hat to make it call him back up and get resorted, nor could he really explain why the Hat called him up at all. Although he had a pretty good guess… But before Harry could answer, there came a thumping noise, like wood against stone, and turning around, the boy jumped upon seeing something, or rather someone, emerge from the shadows.

This man had rather long, stringy gray hair that looked as though it hadn’t been kept for some time; but that was the most flattering detail. The man had a pair of mismatched eyes, one large, swiveling blue eye that resembled a chameleon’s eyes, the other one a steely gray. There were large scars slashed over the man’s face, and a chunk of his nose seemed to be missing. The man was neither too skinny, nor too fat, but somewhere in between, but short in stature. And he was missing the lower half of his right leg. Harry found that he could not look too long at this man, but whether it was from disgust or pity, he did not know.

Instead, the boy turned his attention to his professors. But when he saw his father, he watch curiously as the left side of Snape’s face twitched three times before it went completely blank, as though set in stone. Harry could not recall ever seeing his father like this, and it scared him.

“Alastor!” Dumbledore rushed over to the new wizard. “You’re just in time.”

“What’s going on here?” came the gruff voice of the Alastor man.

“I’m afraid that there is something strange going on that Minerva, Severus, and I must go over with Harry, here,” the Headmaster explained.

The frightening wizard snapped his head over to glare at Snape the moment the Potions Master’s name was mentioned. Harry watched interestedly as his father and the new wizard held a silent battle of intimidation, and for once, Harry wasn’t sure if Snape was winning. That, in its self, scared him. It did not seem possible for anyone to be more frightening than the Potions Master.

“What’s this now?” Alastor asked, turning back to the Headmaster, looking away from Snape, as though saying the other wizard wasn’t worth any of his time.

“Can you go out and help Filius and Pomona keep the students under control while we take care of Harry here?” Dumbledore asked.

Nodding, the strange wizard limped to the door and stepped outside, where the chattering had gotten louder. The moment the door closed, Severus shot a silencing spell around the door, and turned on the Headmaster like a rabid dog. “Moody?” the Potions Master screeched. “What the hell is Moody doing here!” he demanded.

“What do you mean?” the Headmaster really did look confused.

“How can you be like that?” Snape shouted, a vein in his neck looked as though it were going to explode. “What the hell is Moody doing here?” he asked again. Odd, Snape never repeated himself.

“I’ve hired him as the DADA professor,” Dumbledore said calmly, though with a frown.

“What!” Severus recoiled away for the Headmaster as though Dumbledore had just turned into a troll. “Why the hell would you do that?”

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, the Headmaster sighed tiredly. “Severus, it isn’t that bad-”

“Isn’t that bad!” the Slytherin looked as though he were about to explode with anger, much like he had at the Dursleys with Petunia. “What is wrong with you? It’s Moody, and he hates me, you dolt!”

“Severus, please!” Minerva was ringing her hands, looking worriedly between the Headmaster, the Potions Master, and her student.

The witch and boy seemed to be ignored for a moment, as the two wizards focused solely on the other, never sparing a glance at the other two in the room. “Severus, be reasonable for once. Alastor was the best Auror that-”

“The man’s a lunatic!” Snape screamed. “He’s crazy! You know what he’s like! You know he went off the deep end, and now you want him to teach students?”

Although Harry did not know who this Alastor Moody was, he was certain he wasn’t going to like the man very much. He had not seen his father express such hatred for anyone except Sirius before. And if Snape hated this Moody person as much as he did Sirius Black, Harry was certain that things were not going to pan out well at all. He just wished he was back outside, sitting with his friends at the Gryffindor table, worrying about how he was going to get his books.

“Calm yourself, Severus,” Dumbledore ordered sternly. “You’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting?” Snape let out a mirthless laugh. “Overreacting? Merlin, Albus! You, of all people, should know why I don’t want him here! You remember what he did to me when I was i…”

Harry watched in slight horror as his father trailed off, as though he were not able to speak of whatever Moody had really done to him. The boy found himself extremely nervous for his father’s sake, although he was not exactly sure why. Whoever Alastor Moody really was, he had to be terrible if he made the infamous Severus Snape squeamish.  Harry actually began to shake a bit, his anxiety over his resorting and then now his fear of his apparently new professor was taking its toll on him.

“Forget not that Alastor is one of the Order members and-”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Severus cut off the Headmaster.

“It means that you can trust him, Severus,” Dumbledore glared at the younger wizard fiercely. “He knows now that you were working for me and-”

“He also knows that I was a Death Eater!” the Potions Master looked about ready to scream again. “That’s all he sees when he looks at me! You know that! He never wanted me released!”

Released? Harry frowned at the word. What was that supposed to mean? The only things he knew that people released were animals and prisoners, but his father was neither of those…was he? No, no his father could not have been a prisoner…could he have been? No, Harry had watched Sirius close enough, had even read the few letters he had gotten from his godfather, and he could tell that the man had been in prison. There was a slight oddity in the way Sirius talked, how he wrote that indicated insanity. There was something that glistened in his eyes all the time, a harsh bitterness, a need to do the rash. Even before he knew the Potions professor was his father, Harry had never seen anything of the sort in Snape’s black eyes.

“Control yourself, Severus!” the Headmaster barked. “Alastor-”

“You’re not listening to me!” Snape shouted, throwing his arms down in a fit of rage, causing his cloak to swirl about him dangerously. “I’ve had it with you!” he went on, his black eyes burning with hatred. “Either he goes or I do.”

“What!” both Harry and Minerva shrieked, taken back in complete surprise.

“Severus!” the Headmaster had the nerve to look hurt.

“I’ve had it!” the Potions Master hissed. “I’m tired, Albus, tired. And I’m not going to stay if Moody teaches. I won’t be near him.”

His father was quitting? If Harry had been afraid before, he was terrified now. What was going to happen to him now? If Snape left Hogwarts, what would happen to Harry? He’d be lost and alone, at the mercy of the Slytherins. Without Severus being the Head of Slytherin, there was no telling what the vipers would do to him.

“Y-you’re leaving, sir?” Harry spoke up quietly, after staying silent for so long.

Severus snapped his head over to where his son was still sitting, right where he had put him. He locked eyes with the beautiful green orbs and he instantly regretted his rash statements and harsh temper. They had gotten him into more trouble over the years, and looking into Harry’s frightened eyes, he wished he had never said anything at all. He did not see Harry Potter; he saw his own son’s face, the child that he had watched over all summer. He also saw in those eyes Lily…

How could he have even thought about quitting? Especially after what had happened only a few minutes ago! If Harry really was sorted into Slytherin now, Severus knew that the only chance the boy had was through him. There was no telling what his House would do to Harry, and the Headmaster wouldn’t have enough sense to take precautions to ensure the boy’s safety. Hadn’t he told Harry the other day that you could not run from your problems? Why should Severus have an exception?

Taking several deep breaths, Snape turned back to face the Headmaster. “I suppose if I left Potter wouldn’t be looked after, would he?”

“Don’t do this, Severus,” Albus said gently. “I need you here.”

“You always need me for something,” the Potions Master growled. “But I suppose I can’t leave Potter as bait.”

“Yes, I believe you are still needed to watch over him. Now more than ever,” the Headmaster nodded.

Charging forward, as though she had been neglected long enough, Minerva stood before the two wizards and glared at them dangerously. “Then you’re really just going to throw him in with the Slytherins?” she demanded hotly. “Merlin, Albus, even with Severus here, the boy won’t last a day with them!”

“You doubt my influence?” Snape hissed quietly. Harry could not tell if his father’s tone was out of resentment towards McGonagall’s statement or if it was just from his lingering temper.

“What can we do, Minerva?” Dumbledore looked down at the witch before him. “No one’s ever gone against the Sorting Hat. And since none can change its instruction but the Founders, I don’t think there is anything we can do except place Harry in Slytherin.”

At this, Minerva paled, and Harry sat silently as another round of shouting and arguing occurred. He turned and scowled at the Hat sitting three feet away from him. If only he had managed to skip the Feast again this year!

*******

“SLYTHERIN!”

The moment that house was called, the whole table of Slytherin could not help but sit dumbfounded as they stared at the Harry Potter. Sitting among his normal cluster of friends, Draco watched in silence, just as shocked as everyone else in the room that Potter the Glorious would be resorted into his house! It was crazy, it was absurd! There had to be some sort of mistake. Potter simply could not be in Slytherin. It was physically impossible for the scar-head to be in Slytherin!

Suddenly, something caught Draco’s attention out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see Professor Snape charge down from the Head Table and over to where Potter was sitting stupidly on the stool. Last year, Draco would have believed that his Head of House was going down there to kill the worthless Gryffindor, but now… now the young Malfoy was not so sure.

With calculating eyes, Draco watched as Snape grabbed Potter by the arm, not all too gently either, and all but sprinted off through the teacher’s entrance doors. The moment the door slammed shut, the Great Hall erupted in talking. The loudest cries came from the Gryffindor table, and when he looked over, Draco saw that the Weasleys and Granger were staring at the door Potter had gone through, their faces still frozen in shock until the Weasley in his year stood up and started yelling something that was drowned out by all the other talking. Granger tried to pull him back down, but Potter’s sidekick refused to sit.

Of all the tables, the Slytherin table was the quietest, but that did not mean they were not shocked. First the betrayal of their Head of House, and now Potter was sorted into their house? What was next? “Merlin, is Slytherin destined to be tainted forever?” Pansy cried from Draco’s right.

Sneering at the girl, Draco remained silent as he turned away from the crying girl in favor of watching the door. What was happening in there? What was being said? Dumbledore and McGonagall were gone now, which meant that they went after Snape and Potter. Looking back over to the Head Table, the blonde watched as Professors Flitwick and Sprout tried to calm everyone down and commanded that they all eat their dinner.

Looking down at his plate, Draco was not sure if he could eat anymore. This was disgusting, the whole situation! What was going on here? What was Snape planning? There seemed to be no gain by placing Potter into Slytherin where the professor had to know that the Gryffindor would be meat. But then again, Snape and Dumbledore too, had seemed just about as surprised as everyone else. Maybe this wasn’t all planned out? Maybe this was all some freak accident?

The Hall kept getting louder and louder until the door to the teacher’s entrance slammed open. Draco immediately snapped his eyes over towards the door but was horrified to see a man he had only ever heard his father, and occasionally Snape, take about: “Mad-Eye” Moody. The Death Eater’s son paled instantly. He had never seen the Auror in person, but there was no mistaking the description that this man fit to the tee.

Was that it then? Dumbledore hired an Auror to keep the Slytherins at bay while Professor Snape could flaunt his freedom and his betrayal in all of their faces? Perhaps Potter’s situation was not by accident. Perhaps they knew it was going to happen and they hired him an Auror to guard him? Sweet Merlin, was Dumbledore going to have the whole House of Slytherin investigated?

The moment Moody was near the Headmaster’s chair, he sent up spark that popped and immediantly caught everyone’s attention and the whole Hall went silent.  “Get to eating!” the old Auror growled. “Things are getting taken care of!”

It was almost as affective as a command from Snape in potions class, and all the children began to pile their plates full with food. But Draco could not help but stare at the Auror in the front. He began to feel nervous as he watched the disfigured wizard limp to an empty chair, and sneered when Moody flopped down into Professor Snape’s vacated seat. A shiver went down the young Malfoy’s spine.

What was going to happen to them now? Snape had been the champion of all Slytherins; he had been the only one that had listened to their side of the story, the only one that did not assume the worst in them. Snape stood up for them to the other professors, was the only one they could turn to when in trouble or confused, the only one that cared about them. The man had been a hero to them all, why had be betrayed them all like this! He had to have known that they all adored him!

Balling his hands into tight fists, Draco glared down at his still empty plate. He had found out from his father several years ago that Snape had been severely mistreated while in Azkaban, even by their standards, and that Mad-Eye Moody had been one of the ones that had arrested Snape and left him to rot in prison. Snape would hate Moody, would he not? But why did Draco care about Snape? It had been an act, more than likely, just like everything else. If it wasn’t an act, then the blonde wished that the Auror would lock his godfather away forever. Let the Half-blood, Muggle loving, double-crossing, Potter arse-kisser rot!

“This is terrible!” Pansy wailed again, and Draco had to keep himself from shouting at her.

Looking back to the teacher’s entrance, Draco sighed. He recalled his mother’s words to him again, that day when his father had come home drunk with rage: If you have any of me in you, then you will see the wisdom in keeping your godfather alive. The words rang in his ears again and again until they almost made him sick. I don’t know what to do, Mum! He thought desperately.

But one thing was certain, he was going to find out just exactly what was happening and no one was going to stop him.

*******

Harry thought that either he was going to fall forward and break his nose or that his arm was going to get ripped off when his father was literally almost dragging him down into the dungeons. They went down and down, twisting this way and that, until finally they stopped outside of the Slytherin dorms. Harry remembered them after sneaking his second year with Ron under the disguise.

Without pausing, Snape raced towards the wall where a tapestry hung, dragging Harry with him. The younger Snape was certain that they were going to crash when the doors suddenly opened. “No password?” he mumbled in surprise as he looked over his shoulder, watching the doors close.

“The Head of House does not need to say the password,” Severus hissed through gritted teeth before stopping at a wall where there was a picture of Salazar Slytherin. “Open the door,” Snape spat.

The picture frowned at the Snape, but did not argue. The walls suddenly parted and the Potions Master rushed in, Harry still in his grip. “Sit,” the professor commanded, finally let go of Harry’s arm.

Rubbing his arm, Harry sat down in a wooden chair that had Slytherin green padding. The room was fairly large, with a large wooden, mahogany desk and a large, almost throne-like chair behind it that was adorned in green and silver. Behind the desk was the most beautiful Slytherin crest tapestry Harry had ever seen. It looked very old, like it had been made before the Middle Ages had begun. Two walls were covered from floor to ceiling in books, and there was a matching chair to Harry’s at the other side of him to finish off the room. On a whole, the room was bare and empty, really.

Sitting at his desk, Snape placed his elbows on the desk and folded his hands. “Well,” he sighed after a moment to calm himself. “This is not what I thought this year was going to be at all.”

“Sir?” Harry looked up at his father.

“Despite Dumbledore’s lack of real concern,” Snape’s lip pulled back in disgust, “you are going to have to stay here in the dorms with the other Slytherins.”

Fear shot through Harry like a bolt of lightning. He had heard Dumbledore say that he was going to have to room with other Slytherins, but hearing it from his father’s mouth just made it feel more real. When the Headmaster had said it, Harry had imagined that he wouldn’t have to do it, since the whole summer he had basically been doing everything the Headmaster had said not to, and on Severus’s orders. But hearing it from the Potions Master’s lips told Harry that it was final, there was no way he was getting out of this.

“You will have to be careful, Harry,” Snape said seriously. “There is only so much I can do for you. We will have to come up with a schedule so that I am here to escort you from your room in the morning and then back again at night.”

“You’re going to walk me from every class?” Harry winced. The thought of having Snape, father or not, walking him everywhere was mortifyingly embarrassing for one thing, and troubling for another. Would the other students really be that bad?

“Of course not!” Severus snapped. “I will not be able to escort you from class to class. I have my own agenda to follow. But I would like to make sure you will not get attacked in the dorms. Once you’re in your dorms, you’ll not be able to leave until the next morning when I come and get you. And this is for your own good.”

Sighing, looking down at the floor, Harry nodded. “But what about my dorm mates? Won’t they…cause problems?”

“Leave that to me,” Severus growled, his eyes flashing before he stood up abruptly. “Come now. The others should be here within a few moments.”

Exiting what Harry supposed was another of Snape’s offices, the two stood out in the open for only a moment before the doors opened again and the Slytherin children came in. As the other Slytherins made their way in, they paused seeing their Head of House and Harry Potter standing silently watching them, but pushed aside the discomfort to come in the rest of the way. The prefects stood towards the side in the front while the rest of the children lined up according to year, first years in the front, then second years and so forth. As Harry watched, he could not help but think of some sort of military operation.

“Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts,” Snape began once everything was silent. “And welcome to those of you who are new this year. I am your Head of House and Potions Master, Severus Snape.” There was an edge, a hardness to the professor’s voice that dared anyone to interrupt him. No one did.

“I am here to ensure that you all understand the rules, and provide answers to any questions you may have.” Snape scanned the room with harsh eyes. “I am here to ensure that you will all perform adequately in your studies and keep you in line. Should you disregard any of the rules the school has set up or any rules I have set up, I will not hesitate in punishment. If any of you cause problems,” here Snape glared pointedly at all of the students Harry knew had Death Eater parents, and a few he did not know, until they each looked down at their feet, “and I assure you, your year at Hogwarts will not be a pleasant one.

“You are all in the proud and noble House of Slytherin,” Severus went on, hands clasped behind his back. “The other houses will judge you, the other professors will be critical of you, but do not be ashamed. Hold your heads high. Here in Slytherin, I expect unity among house mates. The other houses are disorganized and quarrel amongst themselves, Slytherins do not. I do not want to hear about any fighting among any of you outside of these dorms. Outside of here, we are unified.”

Harry was actually surprised by the speech, as Professor McGonagall had never talked to Gryffindor like this before. In fact, Harry could not think of a time when McGonagall had explained so much to her house as Snape was. Was it all because of him? No, surely not, as some of the other students seemed to have heard this speech many times before.

“Now,” Snape went on, “I have a list of rules and regulations printed, along with tentative schedules for you all. Memorize them,” he barked. “Mr. Sellick and Miss Everard will be spitting you up into groups and handing out the list of rules and giving the rest of your instructions,” he glared fiercely at Sellick while he did not even glance at Everard at all, before handing each of them parchment which Harry supposed had the different lists. “Split up into your groups once they call you. Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, if you would follow me,” Snape turned on his heels and walked back towards his private office.

Not feeling so comfortable, Harry jumped to follow his father, while Draco, sulking, followed as well after waiting a few moments. The office door closed with a smart snap just as the blonde Slytherin stepped all the way in. Snape was standing behind his desk, and when both boys were in front of him, he sat down. Once he seemed comfortable, he raised an eyebrow at the children before him and the two rivals scrambled to sit, feeling awkward before the Potions Master.

“It would seem that there are some complications that have arisen this year,” Snape looked down at his students, his tone dry. “I do not need to tell either of you about my own standing this year,” he glared particularly at Malfoy. “I do not want trouble from either of you while in the dorms, in classes, or anywhere else this year, have I made myself clear?”

Harry nodded quickly with a quiet “yes, sir,” while Draco turned his head away, glaring into space bitterly.

“I believe I asked a question, Mr. Malfoy,” Snape’s voice was hard and unrelenting.

Looking up, still scowling, Draco gave a, “yes, sir,” before turning back away, not wanting to look at a man he had once trusted all of his secrets and troubles.

“Very well,” Severus nodded, not looking happy, but not furious. “That will do. For now, I suppose. Now we move on to the next issue I’ve discovered.”

This “new” issues seemed to attract both boys attention and they turned to look up at their professor questioningly. “It would seem that there is not enough room to fit all of the fourth year boys into one room this year, with the addition of Mr. Potter that is. And since we certainly cannot let him room by himself,” Snape sneered, “I must split the boys. However, since I know  I cannot trust Mr. Zambine or Mr. Nott, I have decided that I must only draw out one young man to make the sacrifice of rooming with Potter,” the professor’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “So congratulations, Mr. Malfoy, meet your new roommate.”

“What?!” both Harry and Draco stood up from their seats.

“You can’t be serious, sir!”

“I’m not rooming with the Gryffindor!”

As the two boys began to argue and yell, Snape did nothing but sit and listen to all of the reasons why he should not let the two room together. But as time went on, the two boys realized that their arguments were not being weighed heavily as the slowly, a smile began to spread on the Potions Master’s lips, until they quit speaking at all and the Head of Slytherin was smiling.

“Well your reasons are sound,” Snape nodded once to the two boys. “And yet I remain unmoved. You two will have to get over your petty little differences and learn to be, at the very least, civil to one another.”

There was a moment when Harry wanted to scream at the man before him, scream and shout and curse. How could Snape do this to him? He knew how much Harry hated Draco, but now he insisted that they room together? This was insane, and the Potions Master was just being evil!

“You can’t be serious,” Draco stood stunned, glaring up at his godfather as though he were a simpleton.

“Oh, yes, I am, Mr. Malfoy,” Snape glared down at both children again. “You’ll be rooming together and if one or both of you turn up dead…well then I’ll know who was to blame.”

Draco and Harry stood horrified, their mouths hanging open. “What?” Harry shrieked.

“And just so I make myself clear,” Severus went on, his voice stern. “If something should happen to one of you, I will hold the other responsible. Do anything to the other, and I’ll know who to question first. Get any outside help won’t matter, I’ll punish you for their crimes. Have I made myself clear?” he sat back in his chair, looking almost kingly.

“Yes, sir,” both boys spat bitterly, looking at the floor in hopes that the Potions Master wouldn’t see the murder in their eyes.

“Good,” the professor growled. “And now on to new business: Mr. Malfoy, I believe I do not have to ask you if you’ve been informed about the summer events.” Draco blushed with anger. “That being, know that I will be watching you carefully. Daddy isn’t here anymore,” Snape’s tone was cruel. “Try anything, lead any rebellious acts against me, and I will not hesitate to lease all my knowledge of your family and their…less than lawful possessions.”

“You’re blackmailing me?” Draco was stunned, staring up at his godfather.

“In common terms, yes, I am,” Severus nodded. “I cannot afford you to cause any trouble this year. Anything you say or do, I will be monitoring. Behave well and I shall not speak a word.”

“Y-you can’t do this!” Draco stood staring at his godfather in utter shock. “Blackmails illegal!”

“Since when has your family cared about breaking the law?” Snape raised a mocking eyebrow. “And do you think anyone would really care about a man blackmailing a Death Eater’s son?”

Tears of sheer frustration began to pour from Draco’s eyes as he scowled darkly at his Head of House. “I thought you were one of us! Someone we could trust! But…but you’re not! You’re just like all the rest of them, aren’t you?”

For the second time that night, Harry was forgotten about, and he watched his father and rival. Harry could not stop himself from feeling sorry for the other boy who had clearly trusted Severus, perhaps even cared about him, while Snape did not show anything at all. His heartless display actually cut into Harry’s heart, and he wondered again if his father really did have feelings.

“I am not like anyone, Mr. Malfoy,” Snape said, after waiting a moment to let Draco compose himself. “I will not be hard to get along with as long as you follow my guidelines. Do that and things will go on the same as any other year. I only ask that you not stir up trouble and force me to carry out the punishments I have set.”

There was a pause in which Severus was waiting for his godson to challenge him, argue with him, do something. He knew he was being more than stern, but he needed to be at the moment. He liked Draco, but the boy was unprincipled in some areas, and Severus did not know just how the boy had reacted to his father telling him that his godfather had betrayed the Death Eaters. Snape knew that in this matter, he could not be over-cautious with, especially now that Harry was thrown into this odd mixture.

“You really don’t care about me, do you?”

The question caught Severus by surprise, and it took all of his will not to show the surprise on his face. He did not want Harry to see this, nor did he want Draco to know how hurt he felt at the moment. But adorning the title as “the worlds only living heart donor” he had received like a cloak, the professor let none of his thoughts or feels show on his face or creep into his voice.

“That’s quite enough, Mr. Malfoy,” he said sternly. “I have no time for this. I care for my House. Everyone in my House.” He made sure the young Malfoy comprehended that he was talking about Harry. “Now, Mr. Potter,” he turned his hard gaze over to the other boy.

Harry could not help but gulp. His father was not in a good mood. In fact, all Harry was seeing tonight was the old Snape, the man that terrified him, the man that he hated. His father said that they were going to have to take their “tolerance” of each other slow, but it seemed that he was forgetting to take a step towards tolerance at all.

“What I just said to Mr. Malfoy applies to you as well,” the man growled.

Draco’s head snapped up. What? Was Snape threatening and blackmailing Potter too? That was unexpected, and quite frankly, the blonde wasn’t sure what to make of this. What did Potter have to hide exactly, and what was so bad about it? Maybe the professor had seen something when he went to Potter’s house over the summer? Seemed more than likely.

“Yes, sir,” Harry nodded, not meeting his father’s eyes. Merlin, did his father have to look so mean?

“I mean it, Potter,” he spat. “One foot out of line. You’re no longer in Gryffindor, where McGonagall coddles you and bows to your every wish. You’re in my House now, and as such, you will behave like a Slytherin; no more of this Gryffindor nonsense.”

Both boys stood still, their heads hanging, their eyes fixed on different places on the floor. Although they still hated each other, they were finding it easier to be angry with the Potions Master at the moment. “Good,” the Head of Slytherin nodded. “Now, get out of here and go to your dorm!” he barked. “It’s down the stairs, to the left, the one by the statue. Well? Move!”

Both boys jumped to obey, but when they were almost to the boy, Snape’s voice stopped them. “Oh, and Mr. Potter?”

Harry and Draco turned around, apprehension written on both of their faces. A cold mask of anger seeped slowly onto the Potions Master’s face, and he flicked his wand carelessly at Harry. Suddenly the Gryffindor gold and maroon changed into silver and green, and the Gryffindor crest was replaced by a Slytherin one on his clothes. “Welcome to Slytherin.”