Title: How to Seduce The Head of Slytherin
Summary: Harry has already learned all about Dumbledore, Hogwarts and magic. Knowing the truth about the most powerful wizard of all time, Harry decides he will make Dumbledore crumble to his feet. With the help of a snarky potions master, Harry will combine their strength and change the fate of the Wizarding World. Manipulative!Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione and a little bit of Gryffindor bashing. (Someone tell me I'm doing all the labeling correctly! Lol)
Pairings: SS/HP
Rating: M
Author's Note: Surprise! Please note that this is another one of my ideas that sprung to life! This does not mean I am discontinuing either of my other stories that I have already written. I have those chapters written – just feel like it needs more tweaking.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; it is all J.K. Rowling!
Chapter 1
~ Introductions are in Order ~
Harry knew he was different – he didn't need his aunt, uncle or cousin to repetitively call him a "freak" to know it. There were also several instances when something happened to him, which he couldn't explain. Magic – that was the only thing that could explain it. There was no way he appeared at the school's roof top during kindergarten by accident; and considering Dudley and his goons were chasing after him and he was wishing for an escape, magic must have saved him. Magic it was.
On the day of his eleventh birthday, was a day he would never forget. It had brought him happiness – but most importantly, it had brought him hope. After he watched his uncle rip up his letter, he felt miserable. Someone who had known him had sent him a letter, yet now that letter was gone and burned in the fireplace. Soon, the following days after his birthday had hundreds of letters poured into the house addressed to him and when it was all collected and burned, hundreds more came until the entire house was cleaned up and free from unopened envelopes.
One day, the doorbell rang and Vernon had shouted at Harry to open the door. Harry opened it to reveal a dark haired man with a long nose and a scowl upon his face. The older man seemed to be wearing some sort of dress on him, and as if the man could read his mind, he scowled at Harry.
"I am looking for Mister and Missus Dursley."
"They're in the living room." Harry whispered, wondering who the man was. He watched the stranger raise an eyebrow before waiting to be invited in.
"Well boy?! Who is at the door?!" Vernon shouted.
Harry led the man in and showed him to the living room before quickly escaping to his cupboard under the stairs. He could feel the man's gaze, even when the man was facing the hosts of the house. And until he shut the cupboard door was he safe from that prying look.
…..
Severus Snape was a man who prided himself in his work. Having accomplished a Potions Mastery at a young age and named one of only a handful of Britain's best potions master, Severus Snape thought he would be doing something worthwhile. Until that old headmaster had practically blackmailed him into spying for the light after subtly hinting that it was Severus's fault for calling Lily a 'Mudblood' that led up to her eventual death years later.
After ringing the doorbell at a quaint little home in Surrey, the potions master heard bellowing behind closed doors.
"GO GET THE DOOR YOU STUPID BOY!"
He raised an eyebrow at the command, wondering whom the man was referring to.
A few seconds later, the door swung up slowly and bright green eyes peeked out from behind the door. Those were eyes he would never forget for the rest of his life - eyes that reminded Severus of his dearly beloved best friend Lily Evans.
Dress? For a man? Severus scowled at the boy's thoughts.
"I am looking for Mister and Missus Dursley." He drawled.
"They're in the living room." Came the whispered reply, before the door fully opened as an invitation.
"Well boy?! Who is at the door?!"
Stepping inside, Severus looked around before waiting for the small boy to lead him to the required recipients of his arrival. Then again, he could've just followed the loud bellow mere seconds before he entered the 'fine' establishment. The raven led him towards what seemed to be the dining room before quickly dashing away.
Keeping his sight pinned on the raven, Severus watched with horror as the boy quickly slipped into the cupboard under the stairs. The raven looked to be around eight years old! What was he doing under the stairs?! Why did he not go upstairs to his room?! The potions master also noticed the oversized clothing the young boy wore and the too thin wrists connecting his hand to his arm – it looked so fragile that Severus was afraid it would break at a moment's notice.
Severus pursed his lips before turning to face the people he needed to talk to.
"Vernon Dursley and … Tuny." Snape smirked.
"YOU!" Petunia shouted, jumping to her feet, her finger pointing rudely at the potions master.
"You know this man Pet?" Vernon grumbled.
"He's one of those freaks." Petunia spat.
Vernon immediately reacted as if his arse had lit on fire from sitting on his seat.
"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! I DON'T WANT MORE FREAKS IN HERE. IT'S ALREADY ENOUGH THAT THAT BRAT IS LIVING WITH US! IF THAT OLD FREAK HADN'T PAID US TO HOUSE HIM, I WOULD'VE SENT HIM TO THE CLOSEST GARBAGE CAN! THAT'S HOW MUCH YOU FREAKS ARE WORTH!" Vernon's face grew purple with uncontained rage, spit flying everywhere as he screamed his feelings out at the man.
"If you want to live, hold your temper." Snape retorted, his wand pointed between Vernon's eyes. Petunia stiffened in shock. Vernon didn't seem to understand the situation he was in, opening his mouth to scream once more.
"You can't kill us. If you do, you'll be sent to that prison to rot." Petunia said boldly, interrupting her husband. Dudley peeked his head over the armchair, whimpering when Snape turned his onyx eyes at him.
"Believe me Tuny. I've done things that would make dying seem like a god given miracle." Snape snapped. "Now where is the boy? He has not accepted his letter to Hogwarts and school starts in a month."
"HE WILL NOT BE GOING TO THAT FREAKISH SCHOOL! I WILL BEAT THE FREAKISHNESS OUT OF HIM IF I HAVE TO!"
Snape's eyes narrowed with growing fury.
"I'll be taking him. And once he leaves, the blood wards will fall in a matter of weeks. And when that happens, I hope you can defend yourself against any freakish incidents." Snape said in a cool tone.
"ARE YOU THREATENING US?" Vernon started to shake, wanting to hit the man before him – though the wand between his eyes held him from attacking the wizard. Vernon seemed to be able to comprehend that the stick held between his eyes would snuff out his life, quicker than he would be able to defend himself and his family.
"No, I'm predicting the future. Your family's future, and it does not matter where you go, you'll be found. Now it will the last time I ask. Where is the boy?" he growled.
"He's under the stairs." Petunia sniffed, her eyes pinned on the wand pointed at her husband's head.
With a click of his tongue, Snape sent three spells, all of which obliviated the past half hour from their memories.
He walked back to the cupboard where he saw the other boy disappear into. He knocked on it and opened when a small "Come in" answered.
Opening the cupboard door, Snape froze. The space was small and crowded, unfit for anyone to live in. It was dusty, and the only light in there was the light bulb hanging from the short ceiling. Yet the boy he met just a few minutes ago, someone of Harry's age, but looking shorter and lacked more nutrition than any person should ever be was living in there. And judging from his small size, he had no doubt that those fat beasts had overfed their whale of a son while Harry was forced to eat scraps he could find.
"Come, we're leaving."
"Who are you? What about my things, sir?" Harry asked timidly.
With a flick of his wand, all of Harry's possessions, which weren't much, were packed into a suitcase that floated down from the second floor. Harry's eyes widened in shock – this man, he could do magic! Just like him!
Severus inwardly fumed in anger and disgust at the lack of items in Harry's possession. The clothes that flew into the suitcase were at least three times bigger than the raven. The pictures had been magically removed from the walls of the cupboard before it was folded neatly into the suitcase. When the cupboard was bare, bar the thin picnic-looking blanket, Severus slammed the cupboard door shut.
Staring at the potions master with a look of awe and glowing respect, Snape could barely contain his smirk before he grabbed Harry's hand and led him from 4 Privet Drive.
"What about Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and my cousin Dudley?" Harry asked.
"Do not worry about them. You will not be staying with them any longer."
"I'm free?" Harry gasped in astonishment.
Snape withheld the wince when Harry spoke. Free? The boy spoke as if he had been held as a slave his entire life. What did those muggles do to the poor boy? Dumbledore told everyone that he was living with loving relatives in a warm home. This boy was wearing tattered clothing nearly two and a half times his size, if not three times his size!
Snape growled to himself. Dumbledore has been withholding some interesting facts to himself.
"Where are we going, sir?" Harry asked, when silence fell upon them.
"We're going to get you new clothes to wear, more food on those bones and you'll be living with me from now on."
"I don't know you though, sir."
"My name is Severus Snape, potions master, Potions Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Head of Slytherin."
"My name is Harry Potter, Severus Snape sir." Harry beamed a smile at the man as he fought to keep pace with Snape's long stride.
"Tell me Harry, have they always treated you like this?"
Harry looked sullenly at him, "Must I answer it?"
Severus nodded his head. "Yes sir, I've been treated like that since I could remember."
"And how far back can you remember?" Severus gently prodded.
Harry frowned, thinking long and hard about it. Severus gently let himself into the boy's mind with Legilimency. The potions master caught himself before he squeezed the small boy's hand in anger. Harry's memories flew back so far into his childhood, the boy thought he was four when all the physical and mental abuse began. But no, Severus could tell. Even when the boy was an infant, he could see the abuse there. Those inferior muggles would leave Harry alone in his own filth for hours before tending to him. Sometimes they wouldn't even clean him up, yet the boy's innate magic would fix the problem for him.
"Maybe when I was four?" Harry answered unsurely. "I'm never going back there again am I?" He asked for clarification.
"Well not anymore you won't." Severus couldn't bring himself to hate the boy before him, even if he was the child of James Potter – especially if the boy had been abused ever since he was dropped on the Dursleys' doorstep.
"Where are we going now, sir?"
"Diagon Alley. We'll be going to Gringotts – it's the Wizarding Bank of the Magical World."
"Why must we go there, sir?" Harry quickly amended.
"No need for formalities Harry. Severus will be fine."
"Yes sir. I mean, Severus." Harry gave a shy smile before it beamed as bright as the sunlight.
Severus couldn't help the small twitches at the edge of his mouth.
"Your parents have left you money Harry. You are the heir to one of the richest families in the Wizarding World Harry, didn't you know?"
Harry shook his head. "Aunt Petunia always told me mum and dad were drunks who died in a car crash."
Snape breathed slowly through his nose. Those stupid muggles – downgrading the Potters' deaths to such an extent.
"Your parents saved the Wizarding World Harry. They protected you and in turn you took down the Wizarding World's darkest wizard."
Harry's eyes widened in shock. "I did? How?"
"No one knows. The scar on your forehead is the only remnant of that night that You-Know-Who died."
Harry reached up to rub lightly on the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. "You-Know-Who?"
"Lord Voldemort."
Harry mouthed around the word. "Voldemort?"
Snape nodded his head curtly, withholding the flinch when hearing the Dark Lord's name. As they walked several blocks away from 4 Privet Drive, he took out his wand and hailed for the Knight Bus. And as soon as he put his wand back in its holster, the Knight Bus arrived.
"Hello, my name is Stanley Shunpike, where will you be heading?"
"The Leaky Cauldron." Snape answered, receiving the two tickets.
Harry looked around in awe before being deposited onto the beds with Severus by his side. Spelling the bed with a sticky charm, the bus rushed off. Harry watched with an excited expression as the surroundings blurred past.
"Do they see us?" he asked.
"The muggles don't see anything."
"Muggles?"
"Non magic folk. You and I, we're half blood wizards – children with one magical parent and one muggle parent. And then there are the pureblood children with magical parents, both with a set of magical parents."
Harry nodded his head, understanding the explanation so far.
"Where will we be going afterwards Severus?"
"We'll be filling out some documents Harry. I know we're moving really quickly. But, I was wondering if you would like for me to take over your guardianship."
"My guardianship?"
"I'd like to be your guardian – someone who takes care of you, watches over you."
Harry nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes yes! Thank you sir!" Then his shoulders slumped. "But… won't I be a bother..? Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia always said I was nothing and that I was worthless. Am I not worth anything to anyone?" His emerald eyes grew moist with impending tears threatening to fall.
Severus didn't know what he was doing and let his body move before his mind could comprehend what was happening. He wrapped his arms around the sniffling and crying boy, stroking his hair softly and rubbing his back in comfort.
"Of course not Harry. Those muggles believe that anything different is considered not normal. They are afraid of what and who we are Harry – strong and powerful people with magic flowing through our veins. You are worth everything and more. Do not let them think you inferior, for they are the cowards unable to be open-minded and accepting of who we are. Trust me Harry. There are such people in the Wizarding World as well. That is why we must be wary of those we meet, trust those we know with all our hearts, and love those we keep close to us."
Great. Now I'm talking like a Gryffindor. Severus sniffed, continuing his ministrations on the boy, who was now calming down. Severus let the silent fall on the two of them, allowing the boy to pull away from him.
Harry wriggled in his arms and faced him. Even the redness from the crying did nothing to dull the bright green eyes. "Thank you Severus." Harry shot a small smile at the potions master before hugging him around the waist.
Severus slowly hugged back after half a minute frozen in shock. He hadn't felt such contact since his mother had passed away – definitely not from his father, that's for sure.
Soon the Knight Bus reached the Leaky Cauldron and Severus took Harry by the hand once more and shuffled them towards the bar's entrance.
"Remember, if we're ever in muggle London, and you need something – anything really – just come to the Leaky Cauldron."
Harry nodded his head, eyes wandering around the dark lit bar.
Severus bypassed several drinking customers, nodded his head in greeting to Tom the bartender and towards the back entrance, closing the door behind him.
"This is also another thing you should remember – the code to Diagon Alley."
"Diagon Alley?" He remembered Severus mentioning that at the start of their conversation.
"It's where witches and wizards get their supplies and whatnot." Severus informed him, making sure Harry's eyes was on the wall before tapping out the code.
The bricks slid away to form an archway, allowing Harry to witness his first glance at the Wizarding World.
Making sure he still had a firm grip in Severus's hand, Harry followed beside Severus, eyes flitting to and from stores. His eyes landed on several shops and his ears followed several small conversations – mostly being focused on the uplifting atmosphere.
Soon, the duo stepped before a large white building that towered over the rest of the other shops.
"Welcome to Gringotts Harry."
….
What do you guys think? Sorry about the American / British lingo switch up. I hope you all enjoy this! Any questions, feel free to ask. I might rewrite this chapter though. And I'm not aborting any of my other stories! Just give me some time to write them up! Thank you! :D