Hello, my darlings! I'm here again for the newly-established monthly update! *hands out chocolate and air-kisses* I hope you didn't miss me too little, loves. Anyway, I've recently noticed the story has started writing itself all on its own when I try to make it cooperate. Grr... Oh well. Enjoy the new chapter and REVIEW!

Last time on The Merits of Time Travel…

(Harry's POV)

I bit my lip, wondering how this time would turn out.

I never should've touched that damn glass ball.

As soon as the Founders came to, I realized Snape hadn't told me what the fake memory he had planted in Slytherin's head was. What if I answered something that contradicted with his fake memory? Or what if I acted one way, but Snape expected me to act another way? I looked up at Helga, who by this time was glaring heatedly at Snape, obviously only remembering having told him off for insulting me. The professor had a shocked look on his face, staying in character.

The tears hadn't yet dried completely from my face, and remembering the earlier scene helped bring more tears to add to my own act. "Ms. Helga, may I have a calming draught?" My voice came out small and shaky. Paired with my small body, I looked weak and defenseless. But now I had my wand tucked safely into my pocket, giving me comfort.

"Of course, little one," she murmured to me, before giving Salazar a pointed look. "Salazar."

"Helga." His voice was cool, emotionless.

Huffing, she turned to Rowena. "Please, Rowena?"

The raven-haired female nodded and walked over to the potions cabinet, selecting one and bringing it over to me. I sent her a tremulous smile of thanks and sipped at it, sighing in actual relief as it calmed my nerves. I relaxed enough to lean more comfortably against the gentle blonde's side. Her small hand brushed my hair away from my face, pausing as she felt my scar with her fingers.

"What's this scar, Harry?"

Chancing a glance at Snape, I saw his eyes were also on me, silently asking me if I was going to tell them everything. I shrugged very lightly.

~What lie could you possibly make up now, child?~ Salazar hissed.

I was already answering before I realized the words were out of my mouth.

~I'm not lying, you narrow-minded idiot! We may have taken you by surprise by coming here, but it wasn't our doing; it doesn't give you the right to be a bastard to me! How come you don't pick on Snape, huh? Is it because he's an adult and I'm younger than you, therefore more vulnerable? Is that what you think?! Because I can adequately defend myself, thank you very much!~

The following silence was nearly deafening.

Oh, shite. Good going, Potter.

"At this point, Potter, we're going to have to start from the moment Merlin was conceived," Snape sighed.

Gryffindor snorted and stifled a guffaw, while the girls giggled quietly at both what Snape had said and the look of utter shock on Salazar's face.

Helga cleared her throat and stood up. "Why not instead of shocking us each time you open you mouth, Harry, we all go down to the Great Hall and have dinner. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm hungry, my temper's short, and this poor baby needs some food in him." Quickly, she spelled some pajamas on my body (in replacement of my robes) and pulled me out of bed by the hand, leading me like a child toward the door.

(No POV)

"Come, Mr. Snape, I'm sure you would like some sustenance as well," Rowena chirped, a smirk firmly on her face. Tugging on the man's arm, she also latched onto Godric and dragged them along out of the infirmary, pointedly ignoring Salazar's glare on her. She knew he'd follow.

After their dinner, where everyone except the Slytherin founder talked rather amiably, Helga immediately declared that their guests were tired and needed sleep in order to function properly for the tour around the castle the next day. Everyone but Salazar was rather eager to end the day, so Harry and Severus were given a personal chamber of rooms close to the founders' own chambers. When Harry wondered why they had to share chambers, Rowena gave a wicked smirk only Severus saw. Helga simply gave the teen a goodnight hug, kiss on the cheek, and gentle nudge into the quarters, smothering her own devious look.

Whatever those women are up to, I hope I don't get dragged in the crossfire. Merlin, they seem just as crazy as the females in my time! Snape thought, shuddering in revulsion at what he imagined the female founders were thinking about Potter and him.

Once alone, and with a silencing charm up, Severus sat across from the small teen, scrutinizing him deeply. Potter squirmed slightly, his nerves pretty much eaten away as soon as his professor had warded the rooms. Hopefully, the man wouldn't just decide to murder him in this time and hide his body in an obscure hallway.

"Don't worry yourself so much, Potter; I'm not planning on killing you yet." Yet. Oh god.

"Do you think we'll be able to get back to our own time?" Harry asked nervously, biting down on his rosy bottom lip, not that Snape noticed, or stared, or anything.

"I am not sure at the moment," Severus said carefully, "but with no way to contact the future, and no knowledge on how that blasted glass ball works, we may be stuck here for a while."

"Oh," Harry murmured. His teeth bit harder and broke the delicate skin, forming a drop on ruby blood on his lip.

The tall man sighed and swiped his long index finger across the pouting lip, taking the blood with it. "You needn't hurt yourself, Mr. Potter. I will somehow find a way to send us back as soon as possible. For now, however, we must rest." Standing, he grabbed the young teen's robe sleeve and led him to the small hallway that held four different rooms: two bedrooms, one bathroom, and one small potions lab.

"Harry," the teen suddenly said.

"What?" Severus turned to look at the smaller male.

"Please call me Harry?" he asked tentatively. "I don't like it when you call me Potter."

Snape sighed and opened one of the large rooms, letting go of the sleeve. "Very well. You may call me by my forename as well. Now, this will be your room for now. Go to sleep, Harry, and I will see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight…Severus," Harry whispered, walking quickly into the room and closing the door.

Focusing on the rather large four-poster bed in the middle of the room, Harry jumped onto the middle, pulled the covers back and over his body, and laid his head on the downy feather pillow. Sleep consumed him.

Harry woke up suddenly, wand in hand. The familiar shades of Gryffindor red surrounding the sixth-year dorm made him sigh in relief. It had just been a dream. Looking over his body, he noticed that he was even wearing his own pajamas instead of the ones Helga had spelled on him. He was home, in his own time.

To his surprise, a shaking sensation started in the room. Yelping in shock, he dived under the sheets, covering his head as the shaking stopped momentarily and started again, this time harder. Clenching his eyes shut, he wondered why there was no one else in the dorm, or any noise at all, considering there was a very powerful earthquake shaking the castle. Then, he woke up.

His eyes springing open, Harry moved out of the way of the long-fingered hands that kept shaking him. Snape – or rather Severus, now.

"Finally you're awake," the older man huffed. "Lady Hufflepuff has been waiting for you to wake for over two hours, Po-Harry. It is 8 am, and time for breakfast. Now get up and get ready."

"I don't want to," he mumbled, eyes already closing again as he prepared to sleep.

"Oh, no, you don't," was the last thing Harry heard before he felt like sub-zero water had been dumped all over him.

Screaming, he jumped off the bed, landing on the floor ungracefully. Shivers overran his body, his face pale with cold.

"W-why'd you d-do t-that?" Harry scowled lightly, his lips pouty and somewhat blue. Severus pointedly looked away from the pout.

"It served its purpose of waking you completely; now, get your arse off the floor and get ready to go down to the Great Hall." Severus strode out, closing the door with a smirk.

So, uh, that's it for now. Review, please (yes, this can be considered begging) and tell me what you think about the way the story is going so far. I hope you guys haven't completely given up on this. Bye-bye!