Super random spur of the moment. This story was done in the wee hours of the night, forgive any typos I will correct them later as I see them. Anyway good night!

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The sorting hat was never wrong. Even as it contemplated, rocking back and forth between Slytherin and Gryffindor he would stand by his first choice. The great hall waited, anticipating which house it would be. Harry mumbled under his breath 'not Slytherin, not Slytherin'. The sorting hat cleared his voice and beckoned the attention back to him instead of Harry.

"Right then, better be Slytherin!" It was an odd sort of moment. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students clapped out of respect but most of Slytherin shrugged in disbelief. Harry felt weak, queasy even. This was the last house he wanted to be in. Any of the other ones would have been better. As he slumped in his seat watching his new friends both be placed in Gryffindor Harry felt yet again he had been shafted in the game of life. All throughout dinner Harry looked around the hall at all the other students. Content with the house chosen for them. Why had the sorting hat been so cruel?

Once dinner was over Harry followed the other first year Slytherin's back to the common room until his robe was tugged on by a boy prefect. "Potter?" He snapped.

"Yes?"

"Professor Snape wants to see you before lights out."

"Professor…who?" The prefect rolled his eyes and shoved Harry in the direction of Snape's office.

"Honestly." He said annoyed, but still lead Harry to his destination. "Potions master, head of our house, professor Severus Snape." The prefect stopped Harry just short of running into the door. Glaring at him, the prefect used his knuckles to tap on the door. After a few moments and low but solid voice came from it.

"Enter." The prefect boy opened the door and shoved Harry in front. He stood behind him waiting for instructions. After a moment the professor looked up, nodded and excused the older student. "Wait outside Flythe." He looked up at Harry with the most venomous glare. "It'll be but a moment."

The boy, Flythe took his leave behind the door. The professor hadn't looked Harry directly in the eye until the door locked shut. His eyes deep, and black. His lips seemed to be stuck in a perpetual stoic frown. Harry stood as still as he could. Those fearing eyes looked all too familiar, like the ones uncle Vernon would get before a beating was coming.

Harry was certain, that teachers couldn't beat their students, at least he hoped. Because this one looked right angry at him. He didn't understand. Had he done something? Other than begging the sorting hat not to place him in his house. Of course, that must have been it. Harry silently cursed himself as the professor moved slowly though precise around his desk and directly in front of Harry.

"Mr. Potter…" His tone subtle but direct.

"Yes sir?"

"I don't know what delusions Hagrid or other students may have filled your head with but I assure you, whatever heroic image they've plastered on you, it stops with me, is that clear?"

"Sir, I'm not sure why I'm even famous." Snape eyed the boy curiously. How could he not know? Surely that large oaf had told him something about the dark lord, his scar and…her. "I mean that…Hagrid said something about a lord Voldemort." Snape winced at the sudden drop of his former master's name. Even Harry noticed and stopped short.

"Bold, for an eleven year old." Now having sized him up Snape returned to the other side of his desk. "Potter, you will be treated same as any other Slytherin."

"Yes sir." Harry nodded, trying his hardest to keep his eyes focused on the professor's.

"You have a problem I suggest you find a way to resolve it independently, however, if it is beyond your measure or you feel you could possibly put another classmate in mortal peril do try to suspend any foolish actions until I can asses the proper course of action."

After Harry had processed all of his words he guessed that while professor Snape didn't like to be bothered with petty things, he would help if it was absolutely necessary and wasn't too much of a inconvenience to him.

Which in a strange way Harry could appreciate. After all he had learned to make it on his own for most of his life. At least he would help his students, unlike Vernon or Petunia who only did things for Harry to keep him alive.

More strange was that even though professor Snape said he was to be treated like any other student, he was in fact having this conversation privately instead of with the other first years. He went out of his way to ensure that Harry would know of his indifference towards his 'celebrity' status. Again something Harry could appreciate. He wasn't fond of all the attention he was getting, all the whispers and handshakes. It was so…strange. Finally this man, unpleasant that he was, intended for Harry to be humble about his legacy. Although this was pure speculation on Harry's part.

"Flythe." The door opened and the prefect boy stood waiting for Snape's command. "Take Mr. Potter back to the common room. You can assure the others that his status will not overshadow the actual content of his character." The prefect boy nodded and with a strange smile held the door for Harry to exit.

"Professor Snape…" Harry began. Snape looked up from his work with a raised brow. "Um, I just wanted to say…thank you." Before Harry could fully register the confused look in his professor's eyes he turned to follow the prefect back upstairs. Flythe, the idiot left the door open and though with little effort of his wrist twitching it closed silently with the last words of Harry Potter screaming in his mind. Thank you…?