As Harry entered the Wise One's cave, he felt his garments start to steam as the very warm air struck them.  It was almost like summertime in there, and Harry quickly felt sweat begin to drip down his forehead, or perhaps it was merely melted snow. He heard a soft slithering noise and then the Wise One's murmur, **Icefyre, we have visitors. I believe it's young Harry and S-S-Severuss.**

A moment later, the great ruffed serpent, she was approximately thirty-five feet in length, appeared from the back of the cave, gliding along serenely to greet her unexpected guests.  **Welcome back, Harry. And S-S-Severus too,** she added as Snape stepped into the cave, stamping snow off his boots.  **To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?**

"Well, we . . .errr . . .wanted to say thanks for the Christmas presents." Harry spoke in Parseltongue, even though he could have used English and had no fear of being misunderstood.  He preferred the snake's natural tongue, plus it was good for him to practice, since though he could speak it and be understood, he knew his inflection and accent could use some work, the Wise One had told him so.

The Wise One dipped her head in acknowledgement.  **I am always happy to be appreciated. I hope you may use my scales and venom for a good cause. Come, sit and warm yourselves.  I have increased the heat in here because of my other winter guest.**

Harry and Severus followed her as she slipped back down towards the back of the cave.  "Am I correct in assuming your guest is Icefyre?" asked Snape.

An affirmative hiss tricked from the great snake's throat. 

"Icefyre's staying here?" Harry repeated.  "But why? Why not just come back to the castle?"

**Would you want to return to a place where you were imprisoned for centuries?** demanded the basilisk tetchily.

Harry halted upon seeing the magnificent green and gold serpent stretched out, or nearly so, on the cave floor.  Icefyre was wearing his hood and resting comfortably upon the warmed stones.  "No, sir. I suppose not." He gave the basilisk a bow, half in apology.

Icefyre swung his snout towards Harry and Severus, sniffing lightly.  **You smell of cold and snow. Hssss! S-Serinisssima, come and see, they've been playing about in the snow**

**I can see that,** giggled the Wise One. She extended her tongue a little and sighed.  **Ahh! The cool fresh air! I have to keep the cave warm enough for Icefyre, otherwise he'll go into torper.**

"Serenissima?" Severus arched an eyebrow at the name.

The Wise One looked faintly embarrassed.  **Icefyre is fond of nicknames.**

"It fits you."  Severus said. Serenissima meant "Most Serene" in Italian, and often referred to Venice.

**It is good to see you out and about,** the ruffed serpent stated, looking at both sorcerers fondly.  **The snow is deep and cold, but invigorating, so long as there is shelter nearby.  My cave is always open for you.**

"You are most generous, Revered One," Snape said respectfully.

**Hardly that.  I but do what any teacher would do for her apprentices.  ‘Tis the season of warmth, after all. The warmth of the spirit to brighten the dark and give succor to those who need it most.  Do you not find it so?**

Slowly, Severus nodded.  "Yes, I do. And I thank you.  You saved my life."

**As you saved mine.  You awoke me from my spirit sssleep, and made me live again, reminding me that there were sstill wizards worth my time and willing to learn from me yet in thisss world. That, Potions Master, is a gift beyond price.**

**My cousin is right.  You have ssaved us both, and are S-Slytherin's true heirs. If ever you need me, you may call, and I sshall come.** pledged Icefyre.

And so the bond was reforged among wizard, basilisk, and ruffed serpent once more. 

Both Severus and Harry felt the warm glow of peace and understanding enfold them, and were content.  Now if only the rest of the world could be brought to feel as they did, Icefyre would truly be safe, and so would the Wise One. 

SWSWSWSW

Two days after Christmas, Charlie Weasley and Ron arrived at Hogwarts.  Both brothers were eager to see Harry again and speak with Dumbledore about the basilisk Charlie swore he had seen while rescuing Ginny.  Ron had insisted that a basilisk had been petrifying students in school and couldn't have been anything like the one Charlie thought he'd seen. 

"Maybe it was another kind of snake," Ron insisted.

"Ron, do you think I can't tell a basilisk when I see one?" Charlie had laughed. "Come on, kid, I'm not stupid. I know what I saw. There's no way I could have mistaken a giant green and gold snake that way. It's not a king snake." Once, as a boy, Charlie had mistaken a king snake for its venomous counterpart, a coral snake, and sent the household into a panic before Mr. Weasley got home and showed him the difference between them-a coral snake had red and yellow and black bands side by side, while a king snake had red and black bands side by side and yellow last.

To settle the argument, and to convince the Ministry of the fact that at least one basilisk roamed that was not evil, Charlie opted to go to Hogwarts and see if the Chamber of Secrets basilisk had indeed been released.  Ron wanted to come so he could talk to Harry and prove he was right for once.

Harry was unprepared to see the great green dragon settling down in the courtyard, its massive claws gently scraping the stone.  He gaped as Charlie and Ron dismounted, and Charlie tapped Flamestrike's nose with his Keeper's baton and bid him to stay and wait. The dragon yawned and promptly put its head on its forefeet and dozed. 

"Ron?" Harry called, standing in the doorway.  "What are you doing back so early? Thought you'd get a head start on your classes?"

Ron made a gagging noise. "Blech! You crazy? My last name's not Granger.  How are you, Harry?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"Well enough." He gestured to Charlie. "Harry, this is my brother Charlie. He's the one that's a dragon tamer and works for a reserve in Romania."

"Nice to meet you, Harry." Charlie shook hands with him. He was tall and a bit broad in the shoulders, with close cropped red hair and an open honest face.  "We've come to settle a bit of a disagreement, in a manner of speaking.  You see, Ron here thinks I've lost it, claiming a basilisk helped me rescue my little sister. So we've come here to talk to Dumbledore and ask about the creature locked in the Chamber of Secrets, which my baby brother here insists is a basilisk."

Harry looked at the pair of brothers and said quietly, "You don't need Dumbledore to answer that question."

"Why not?" asked the dragon tamer.

"Because I know the answer." Harry drew in a deep breath.  "You're both right. There was a basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets but it's gone from there now. And there was a basilisk who helped you fight You-Know-Who, Charlie. I know because I've spoken to it. You see, I'm a Parselmouth."

Ron's jaw dropped onto the ground. "You . . . can talk to snakes, Harry? But that's a rare ability one that only Slytherins like You-Know-Who have! How come you never told me before?"

"Because I didn't know what I could do before. I kept hearing a voice inside my head and thought I was going off my rocker. . . " Harry related what had happened to him while they went to Dumbledore's office, Charlie had gotten the password from the Headmaster that morning.

Both of them were stunned at Harry's revelations, Charlie because he'd never even suspected that other wizard was Voldemort, and Ron because suddenly he now had to come to grips with a friend who was a Parselmouth, an apprentice to a ruffed serpent, and the ward of Snape.

"Ronnie, you look like you're about to pass out," Charlie remarked, amused at his brother's expression.

Ron looked as though he'd been poleaxed. 

"Huh? Well, it's not every day that you learn your best mate's a Parselmouth and talks to giant snakes and has Snape the git for a guardian! Bloody hell!"

Harry frowned.  "Snape's not a git, not anymore," he said, feeling compelled to defend the professor.

"Do not bother to defend me, Harry," Snape spoke up from behind them, causing Ron to nearly fall backwards down the stairs. "Mr. Weasley's dislike of me is well known."

Harry looked at his guardian, who had entered the staircase a few minutes later and was now standing behind them.  "I didn't hear you come up, sir," he said, slightly breathless, though by now he ought to be used to Snape's silent comings and goings.

Charlie had raised his hand to knock on the office door when it opened and Dumbledore called, "Come in, everyone!"

They all filed into the office, with Dumbledore beaming enthusiastically at all of them.  "Well, gentlemen, now that we're all here, what would you like to know?"

"How a Gryffindor suddenly turned into Slytherin's Heir," Ron blurted.

"That's easily answered," Dumbledore chuckled. "It has to do with bloodlines.  You see, Harry is descended from Salazar's youngest daughter, Morgana, who married a Muggle man . . ."

Ron listened, shellshocked, as Dumbledore explained about the real Salazar Slytherin, not the bigoted nasty man everyone had always assumed Slytherin was, but a wizard dedicated to justice and keeping his students and children safe at all costs.

"I don't believe it!" Charlie cried.  "All my life, I've been told that Slytherin was the reason why purebloods had such prejudice against Muggleborns, that he was an arrogant, blind fool who broke apart the Founders. And now you expect me to believe that he wasn't?"

"You have seen for yourself that a basilisk-Salazar's familiar-is capable of saving a human life," Severus pointed out.  "Is it so hard to believe that Slytherin was not as history paints him? How much of your life, Weasley, has been shaped by Tom Riddle, and what he stood for? It was he who gave my House the onus of evil, he who dragged Slytherin's name into the mire. Because he fell, and led others down the lefthand path into night, so too did every other member of the House of Serpents, according to popular belief. He marked us with his taint, until now when you see the silver snake, you see evil.  But we have always been more than what he made of us. Ambition to be the best, cunning to navigate the world around us, and the intelligence to live with the choices we make.  Think about it. Is it so bad to strive for greatness? Without it, many things would never have been done, no new spells created, or potions invented. Without ambition to better oneself you're a lump, a blot on society.  Now Riddle took his ambition too far, and used his cunning to deceive and his intelligence to dominate those weaker than himself. But why should the entire House suffer for the ways of one man? Or his followers? Where then is the fairness and justice you Gryffindors preach in that? Long ago, the serpent was revered as a wise teacher, the keeper of ancient ways, not the beast of evil.  That still holds true. And if you doubt me, come and meet the Wise One. She is the last great ruffed serpent in Britain. And she knows more about the magic of healing than any ten of us put together."

"I would like to meet her, sir," Charlie said after pondering the professor's words for a moment. 

"Very well. Then you shall. Follow me."

Charlie did so, and after a moment, so did Ron.

Harry was relieved that Ron was taking the news so calmly. He should have known better.

Snape led the Weasleys to the edge of the forest and told them to wait while he went to speak with the Wise One and Icefyre.  Charlie went to make sure his dragon didn't need food or water and as soon as the adult wizards were out of earshot, Ron rounded upon Harry.

"How could you allow that greasy git to become your guardian, Harry? It's just not right! After everything he did to you at school-"

Harry held up a hand. "Ron, stop and listen to me for a minute -"

But Ron was off on a tirade and didn't want to hear Harry defending their least favorite teacher.  "He's always trying to get you in trouble, always taking points from Gryffindor, always spying on us and making our lives a misery, and all of a sudden you can forget all that and let him take control of your life? Mate, what did he dose you with . . . a Forgetfulness Draft? Or did he cast a Friendship Charm on you? Or wait . . . he Obliviated you, right? Made you forget how much you couldn't stand him, right? Because that's the only reason why I can think of for you to agree to the lunacy of making Snape your guardian! Your parents are probably rolling about in their graves."

"RON!" Harry shouted.  "Will you SHUT UP?"

Ron swallowed back the rest of what he was going to say. Harry was practically drilling a hole in his forehead with the heat of his glare.  "Okay." He said weakly.

Harry drew in a breath. "Don't try and throw my parents at me, that's a low blow.  I don't know what they'd think about me or him, because I never knew them. I only know of them.  And one thing I learned this holiday was that when they were in school, Snape and my mum were friends."

"What? No flaming way!"

"Yes.  They were neighbors too.  So I don't think my mother would mind if Snape was my guardian. I know he was an arse to me during first year, but that was because he thought I was like my father, and they apparently didn't get along at all.  That might not have been fair, but I can live with it, since he saved my life.  And this year, he saved my life twice.  Once when I nearly froze to death during the blizzard and could have died of exposure and frostbite and again when I got a bad fever and chest infection.  And want to know something else, Ron? He did all that when he was sick himself, so sick that he nearly died too."

"Yeah, but you saved him, so you're even. Why make him your guardian?"

Harry ground his teeth together at his friend's obtuseness. "Ron . . . you saw how my relatives treated me . . .they locked me in a room with fifty locks and put bars on my window because of a wrecked cake that I had nothing to do with.  You've seen how hungry I am when I come back from there, I've told you about the cupboard and Dudley and all the chores I do all the time.  You know how they feel about magic and anything associated with it, right?"

"Sure, I know they're cracked and all.  And that aunt of your is just blinking nuts, trying to pretend magic ain't real when her own sister was a witch.  But if you wanted to get away from them, why didn't you just ask me? We would've let you stay at the Burrow . . ."

"Ron, I wouldn't have dreamed of telling anyone what went on there, or of asking anyone's help.  Dumbledore told me I had to stay there and I would have never expected your mum and dad to take on an extra kid, you've got enough of your own. Plus, it's dangerous for me to stay anywhere without wards, because of Voldemort."

"But Harry, the basilisk killed him! So now you could stay at the Burrow! Mum would love to have you, she's really fond of you, you know . . ."

But Harry shook his head. "Ron, I'd love to say yes, but we both know it wouldn't work.  You're my best friend, but I won't risk you getting involved with all the trouble that seems to follow me.  Besides, Snape is . . . he understands me, he knows all about the Dursleys and he can protect me, he's powerful and Dumbledore trusts him the way he does no one else, he's the only one Dumbledore says can keep me safe."

"Oh, that's rich! Keep you safe from what? His old pals, the Death Eaters? Or didn't he ever tell you that he was once one of them? During the First Wizard War, Snape was a Death Eater and almost ended up in Azkaban."

Harry felt as if someone had just stabbed a knife into his chest. It couldn't be true! "No . . . that's not true! Where did you hear that?"

"Everyone knows it.  Why do you think none of my family trusts the bugger? Once a dark wizard, always a dark wizard.  He'll keep you safe all right. Then he'll hand you over to Malfoy and the other Death Eaters."

"No! Ron, he gave his oath that he'd protect me. You don't know what you're talking about!" Harry shouted. Ron had to be wrong. Severus could never have been a dark wizard. Icefyre would have repudiated him, and so would the Wise One. Dumbledore couldn't have trusted a Death Eater, and no evil wizard would have cared so much for Harry as to save his life over and over. "He told off my aunt and got them arrested for child abuse! You're wrong! It's all lies!"

"I'm not lying!" Ron yelled back, his fists clenched. "You just don't want to see the git for what he is.  Why don't you ask him then? Go on! Ask him!"

Harry glared back at him.  "Why do you always assume the worst about Slytherins, Ron? Is it because you can't see past the end of your nose? I'm a Parselmouth, just like Voldemort. And Snape too. Does that make me evil? I like snakes, am I going to become a dark wizard now?"

"Of course not. That's different. The Hat Sorted you into Gryffindor-"

"That's right. It did. But did you know that it wanted to put me in Slytherin? In Snape's House? Yes, that's right! But it didn't. Because I asked it not to. Because you told me that Slytherins were all dark and evil. So it put me in Gryffindor instead."

"What are you saying? That you'd rather be a slimy snake?"

"What if I was? What if I was Sorted into Slytherin? Would you still be my friend, Ron? Or would you turn your back on me and spit on me? Would you still want to be seen with the Boy-Who-Lived if I wore green and silver?"

Ron just gaped at him. "I . . .I . . ."

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Harry snapped.  "You can't give me a straight answer, now can you? Because you still believe that anyone associated with Slytherin is bad.  You're like all the rest, you see what you want to see, not the truth.  Even when the truth is right in front of you."

"I see that Snape bloody brainwashed you!"

"No, idiot! He saved me! He was the one who convinced Dumbledore to visit my home and see just how my aunt treated me. He was the one who insisted I get help and get out of there, no matter what wards were around there.  And no, Dumbledore didn't tell him to do it. It was his idea. If not for him, I'd still be rotting there over the summer.  He's the reason I'm free of my bloody relatives, and he cares about me.  Whatever he did before doesn't matter. It's what he's done now that counts."

"You're just afraid to ask!" Ron taunted.  He couldn't believe the change in his friend. Since when had Harry become a snake lover?  "One good deed doesn't wipe out what he was before!"

"You don't even know if he really was a Death Eater," Harry growled, incensed.  "You just think so! Where's your proof? You know what your problem is, Ron? You're jealous. You don't want me to like Snape because then you're afraid I won't like you."

"That's ridiculous! I don't want you to like Snape because he's a dark greasy git who only cares about himself."

Harry shook his head.  "You really believe that, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Even after everything I told you, you think I'm an idiot, so desperate to get away from the Dursleys that I'd go with someone who hated me and put myself in a worse prison. Bloody hell! I'm not stupid, Ron! Give me some credit for brains, and for being able to tell good from bad.  The Wise One and Icefyre can both tell dark wizards, there's an aura that they have, and Snape doesn't have it.  He might not be the nicest person, but he's not evil, and I trust him.  And I don't trust many adults, Ron. Now put that in your mouth and chew on it."

And with that, Harry turned and stalked away into the forest, leaving Ron gaping at him. He was so angry that he feared what he might do if he stayed there any longer, and so he left.  He knew he was breaking one of his guardian's rules by wandering off alone, but he had to leave or else risk hurting Ron.

He walked towards the Wise One's cave, expecting at any moment to spot her and Severus coming through the trees.  But to his surprise he didn't encounter them. Instead he found Icefyre, curled up at the entrance, wearing his hood. The basilisk woke as Harry came towards him, feeling him approach because of the vibrations of Harry's footsteps. 

**Harry? Is that you?** Icefyre hissed.

"Yeah, it's me."

**You seem troubled. Anything I can help with?**

Harry hesitated. He didn't want to seem like a whining baby, but he badly needed someone to talk to. He carefully approached Icefyre and seated himself before the great serpent. "I dunno. If you can help, that is."

Icefyre sniffed gently. The distress and anxiety coming off of the young wizard was palpable.  **Nor will you know until I try.  Speak to me. I ssshall listen.**

"What would you do if your best friend hated your . . .err . . .guardian? What would you do if that same friend accused your guardian of something terrible?"

**Such as?**

"Ron thinks Snape's a Death Eater. Insists on it. I don't believe him, but . . ."

**But you wish to be sure.** Icefyre finished.  **Have you thought about asking your guardian?**

Harry blanched. "I couldn't! It'd be like saying I didn't trust him."

**Then what about asking someone else you trust? Like Dumbledore.**

"I guess I could." Harry bit his lip. Ron's accusation had brought so much doubt back into his life. And this was a time he couldn't afford to doubt, to be anxious.  "But Icefyre . . . what if it's true? What then?"

**Then you have a choice to make.  If you're coming to me for advice, I would tell you thisss . . .one large mistake should not brand you your whole life.  If Snape is truly sorry for what he did, then you should forgive him and move on. Let the past be in the past. As you said, he made a mistake, but realized it and returned to the right way, probably at great cost to himself.  Will you then condemn him for an evil man because of something done before you were born?  If so, you'd be no better than your friend Weasley. Is that what you want?**

Harry shook his head.  "No. I want to trust him. No, I need to trust him. He helped me when nobody else gave a damn.  I don't want to know what he did in the past.  And yet, at the same time, I do."

**And if Weasley is right? What then? Would you still want SSeverus as your guardian?  You know what I have done years ago. Do you hate me for killing innocent children?**

"No. What you did . . . it was like you forced to it.  And you saved my life too . You went and killed the bastard who bound you. If that isn't a good thing, I don't know what is."

**That is a wise decision. You are acting most maturely, and Severuss would be proud of you. You have learned to look beyond what most people see.  That is a rare gift, Harry.  To see what is and to know that mistakes are made to be erased, and one should be known not by rumor and hearsay, but by the way he faces the consequences of those actions.**

"I know. That's what I was trying to tell Ron. Only he wouldn't listen to me."

**He seems as stubborn as you.**

"Worse." Harry made a face.  "I don't want to stop being friends with him, but how can I when he doesn't trust me to make good decisions and hates my new family?"

**That is a dilemma I wish I could answer.  But I cannot tell you what to do. This is one choice you have to make for yourself.  What is your friendship really worth? Think about it.**

Harry nodded. Icefyre's words made him feel much better.  But a part of him still wondered if Ron could be right. What if Severus had been a Death Eater once? Even though he thought Ron's accusation was a lie, he couldn't bear not knowing for sure.  So he went to find Dumbledore. 

If anyone would know truth from rumor, the Headmaster would.  He had been there, after all. 

Harry thanked Icefyre and headed back towards the school.  He paused upon seeing the Wise One talking animatedly to Charlie, with Severus translating for the dragon tamer and Ron, who was gaping up at the golden serpent like a witless fool. Harry carefully slipped about the edges of the trees and none of them saw him.

Repeating the password that Dumbledore had changed, it was "Edelweiss", Harry ascended the spiral staircase and then paused before the office door, one hand poised to knock.  He swallowed hard.  Did he really want to do this?

He took a deep breath. Yes. He needed to know the truth and to silence the screaming doubts Ron had brought to life once and for all. Only then could there be true understanding and peace between himself and Snape.

Harry knocked firmly at the door.

For a few moments, there was silence. Harry began to hope the Headmaster was not in. It could wait. Maybe Dumbledore was having lunch?

But then he heard a quiet, "Come in."

Harry turned the knob and entered.