The first week of his detention went fairly fast for Harry. Filch had them scrubbing things like floors and toilets. As Harry had done this practically every day at the Dursleys, he was used to it. The only thing he had had a problem with was Filch, who reminded him too much of his Uncle. When he mention his nervousness about the caretaker to Draco, the other boy had remarked that no adult could harm them on Hogwarts grounds. Especially staff, as they were there to protect them.
What Harry never expected was to make friends of the other Houses' First Years. When he had returned Neville's Rembrall, the clumsy boy had looked at him with something akin to hero worship. While it had made Harry uncomfortable, he did like that the Gryffindor Firsties were willing to give the Slytherins a chance. When the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs heard what he had done during Flying Class, they started talking to him. It wasn't long before all four House Firsties could be found in the Library as a study group.
Unbeknownst to Harry was that study group would nearly be his down fall. The first detention with Snape was pretty much the same as Filch had him doing. While he scrubbed at a dirty cauldron (which he could pretty much fit inside), Snape graded homework. When he had finished as much as he could, the Potions Master had told him that he would be gutting rats the next day. Which was actually a relief for Harry, who really hated doing the same thing over and over. He wouldn't have cared if Snape had told him that they were planting herbs in dragon dung during the next detention. It would have at least been something different.
The second evening, he was running very late. He had gotten caught up in the study group, and doing homework, and he'd forgotten the detention that he had to be at at seven. When he realized that even if he had left at that very moment, he would still be late, he hustled to reach the dungeons. When he reached the fourth floor, someone stepped in front of him. Biting down on his yelp of surprise, he glared at Finnigan. He said in a low snarl "What do you want, Finnigan?"Seamus smirked, and stated "You are something Potter. Not satisfied with your fame as a 'hero', you put yourself forward to help someone not even of your House. Well, do you think you could take me off a broom?" Harry gritted his teeth, and thought fast. He was already running late, and if he let himself be distracted by a fight, Snape was sure to be very angry with him. On the other hand, if he didn't take Finnigan up on the Challenge, he would be known far and wide as a coward. Which would most likely lose him any chance he had of being friends with those in his study group.
Seamus waited, and grinned ferally when Potter nodded. He sneered "Then follow me, Potter. I know the perfect place for our fight." Thus he led Potter further into the fourth floor, and away from the dungeons. Though it seemed to Harry that they would never reach anywhere, they finally did reach an abandoned bathroom. He took a position against a wall, looking at Finnigan as if to say 'well?' When Finnigan turned to him, he had a smile that reminded one of the cat that got the cream. It unnerved Harry, and he soon found out why as three figures stepped out from the stalls.One of them, the leader it seemed, snarled "You idiot Finnigan, you were supposed to make it so he wouldn't see us." All three of them were upperclassmen, the leader being a seventh year. He was Hufflepuff, surprisingly, and had a hard face despite his youth. The other two were Ravenclaw and Gryffindor respectively, both looking a little uncomfortable about their leader. While the leader started bickering with Finnigan, Harry slowly eased his way toward the door. Only the sixth year Gryffindor noticed, and made small motions to signal for the young Slytherin to run. Which he did when he reached the door. By the time the others noticed he was gone, it was far too late to catch him.The Hufflepuff cursed, and muttered "Come on, we've got to get to Snape's stores before the little snake can tell on us. The powder is too much of a give away." While the leader and the Ravenclaw started walking out, the Gryffindor stated "Don't think so. I'm going to lead this Firstie to McGonagall, and turn myself in. You can do what you want, for I'm not going to give you away." Knowing this would turn his 'friends' against him, he quickly uttered a Shield charm. Just in time, as the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff both cast a Stunning charm just to have it turn back on them. The sixth year grabbed Finnigan, and muttered quietly "They'll wake up far sooner than if I'd cast the spell myself, so we have got to get out of here before then."
He spoke truly, for a mere five minutes after they'd left, the two who had idiotically stunned themselves stirred and got up. Both looked at each other, and headed full tilt towards a passage way that would lead them straight to the dungeons. When they reached the store room, they started trying to open it. It was, of course, not going to work, and they merely gave themselves away. They trembled when they heard the Potions Master say silkily behind them "So, the thieves return to the scene of the crime. Too predictable." Turning, they quailed at the sight of the cold Professor, who's anger was known throughout Hogwarts.***
Harry whimpered as he got more and more lost. He had taken a wrong turn trying to find his way back to the well trodden path, and when he tried to retrace that turn, it had just made it worse. What Harry felt was strange was the fact that he seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into the castle, despite the fact that he had not climbed down a single staircase. As the temperature dropped steadily with every step, he wished that he had brought a sweater or something with him to the Library. He had his wand and school books, but a fat lot of good they would do him in this situation.
Suspecting correctly that there was no chance anyone would find him down this strange corridor, even if he stayed still, he kept walking. He soon reached a door that had a portrait on it. He felt he had seen the man in that portrait before, though he couldn't place when or where. It wasn't until the portrait started speaking that Harry had a hint of who it might be. For the speaker spoke in an odd accent that he had heard only once before: at the zoo when he had released the snake from it's cage. The one speaking said "What isss a ssstudent doing down in thessse depthsss? Only a sssselect few could have even found the corridor, much lessss my portrait. Wait a sssecond, do you undersssstand me young one?" When Harry nodded, the portrait looked flabbergasted for a few moments. In those moments, Harry thought to himself What strange circumstances I've got myself into.