It's late. I know that and I apologize. No excuse I can give will do justice to this little fact, especially since I've had the beta'd version on my computer for awhile now.

I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP!

I need ideas for the pranks the twins can pull on the rest of the school, most especially Gryffindor. Any ideas will be welcome.

Once again many thanks to Periculum for her beta work. Without her I'm sure everyone would be out for my head.

And finally….

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Warner Bros, Bloomsbury. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter Eleven (Sunday September 3rd)

Harry sat silently sipping his tea for a few minutes after the laughter died down, content in the feeling of calm that the moment shared between the two. It really didn't take long before Harry's mind started to puzzle through the last few days, checking and re-checking the facts as they presented themselves. "Lady Ravenclaw?" he finally started to ask.

"Oh please, young Raven, call me Rowena, or Ro as the others do," she interrupted. "There is no need to stand on such formality." Godric and Helga nodded in agreement, both murmuring their permission for him to use their first names, before glancing over at Salazar to see if he would also add his permission.

Salazar Slytherin gave the three of them glares that would put Severus to shame, before turning the look on Harry. "I believe that a degree of formality is always needed when dealing with youths," he stated arrogantly.

It took a few seconds before Harry could stop staring at the portrait in shock, before an innocent look came across his face. "I've never had a grandfather before."

The other four occupants of the room roared in laughter at the sight of the great Salazar Slytherin stuttering in shock. After a few minutes, he finally managed to get himself under control, and then turned his glare up a notch. "You may call me Salazar."

Harry bowed slightly from his chair in the portrait's direction. "Thank you, but you're absolutely correct. A certain amount of formality is needed when dealing with my elders...Grandfather."

{You have to be one of the most annoying younglings I have ever had the misfortune to teach!} Salazar hissed menacingly.

{And as I've already informed you, it's an art that I have perfected over the years.} Harry answered back with a grin.

"Humph!" Salazar huffed, and turned his back on the rest of the room, but not before Harry saw the suspicious brightness in the man's eyes.

Sending a fond look in Salazar's direction, Harry turned back to the others, "Rowena, what knowledge did the four of you add in that power blast?" Harry asked, giving the Elder Slytherin time to recover.

"Now let me think, young one," she replied, tapping her finger against her chin. "There was general knowledge in working theory for almost everything, including law, politics, languages, and etiquette. As well as everything else we figured our Heir would need to know about the school. We all gave you a boost in our own specialties, that would be Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Transfiguration from myself, Herbology and Healing from Helga, Charms and Defense both magical and non from Godric and Potions, Mind Arts, and the Dark Arts from Salazar."

"Dark Arts!" Albus stated in dismay.

"Yes, the Dark Arts." Salazar growled from his frame, as he started pacing through all four of the frames. "There is nothing inherently evil about the Dark Arts, it's all about the intention behind the use of the spell. From what I have heard from the Bloody Baron, you all seem to think that to use the Dark Arts, one most lose their soul, but that isn't true. If your intentions are pure, then the magic even though the spell itself is dark, will be pure. Parseltongue, for example is a Dark Magic, but it can be used in conjunction with light magic to make it stronger. A simple 'lumos' done in Parseltongue will create a light ten times brighter than one done in Latin," Salazar started, getting into his rant.

"If you'll pardon my intrusion into this conversation, Grandfather, but I happen to agree with you," Harry broke in before Salazar could really get going. Hearing a sound of dismay from the Headmaster, Harry focused his attention on him. "I was having the same argument this morning with Josh from Ravenclaw this morning at breakfast. Many of the spells we learn in our first year, when you put enough power behind them, will kill, Headmaster, but even you must admit that the uses of the three Unforgivables by someone who cares can be extremely helpful. The killing curse to end the life of someone suffering when other avenues of recourse have been exhausted, the Cruciatus can be used to see how bad nerve damage is, and to monitor the effects of treatment for the same thing. The Imperius can be used in a situation where some one is a serous danger to themselves and others, like a suicide attempt. I know there are inherent problems with using these spells because they leave a taint on the soul, but still, if there are no other ways around the problem they 'could' be used."

Before Albus could say anything to refute that statement, Rowena cut him off. "Young Harry is absolutely correct. What you consider Dark Arts, and what we consider Dark Arts are two different things Headmaster. Blood magic, for example is now considered Dark Arts, but when we were still alive, it was not. We signed contracts with our blood, adopted people into our families, even marriages were made with the use of blood to make the bond between the couples stronger. There is nothing evil in it."

Breaking in finally, Albus leveled a glare at them all. "The Dark Arts incorporate sacrifice in many of the casting in order to work! There is no way around that."

Godric looked at the headmaster as though he was insane. Pulling himself straight to argue the matter, he was silenced when Helga gently cleared her throat. "My dear Headmaster, I think you are distinctly confused. I will give you one little piece of information to meditate on and then this part of the conversation will be over. I happen to agree with Harry about the uses for the Unforgivables. From a Healer's stand point they could indeed be used as he suggested, if there were no other choices available. I also understand your point of view, about how many of the spells used within the Dark Arts do indeed require a sacrifice. But the problem as I see it at the moment, is more in the definition of a word. You seem to think that sacrifice means death, but I'm here to tell you it does not. The whole definition of the word when it comes to the Dark Arts includes not just the giving up of a life, but the giving of something personal. Think on that, Headmaster, and we will continue this discussion at a later date. Now this conversation is closed, Harry was asking about the powers he inherited, and I think he has a reason behind his questions that I personally would like to hear."

Albus sat back thoughtfully, before nodding his agreement, "Very well. I will agree to thinking about what you have said, and we will discuss it at a later date." Looking over at Harry, he smiled slightly. "Other than learning what was done to you, was there another reason behind your questions?"

"Yes, in a way there was, Headmaster. Firstly, I'm trying to figure out what exactly to expect over the next little while. Power boosts that I'm going to need to manage so I don't overpower my spells and hurt someone. Magical theory that I have to make into working theory, new gifts that I might expect that I'm going to need to master in order to keep myself and others safe. Is my temper that I'm just learning to control, going to be worse? How is this going to effect my interactions with the other students? My professors?" Harry started to question. "How much knowledge was passed down to me, and in how many areas? Am I going to be able to take classes that I don't have OWLS in, or do I need a tutor? And then there's the connection between myself, the twins and Draco..."

"Harry, my boy, take a deep breath and slow down. I see that you've been thinking about this quite a bit, and we can't answer anything until you give us a chance to." Albus broke in.

Harry flushed slightly before looking down. "I'm sorry, Sir, it's just that so much has happened over the past few days, that everything is just spinning around in my mind, and I'm not sure what exactly to do anymore. Especially when you add in the other students and how they are going to act around me this year, when over half of them are blaming me for what happened over the summer. I mean, if the Weasleys weren't safe for being best friends/family to me, what makes anyone safe when I'm around?"

"Now see here, young man, that kind of thinking is just going to cause problems," Godric stated firmly. "You can't allow yourself to think that way."

Harry's head snapped up, and defiance flashed briefly through his eyes. "I didn't say that I think that way, Godric, but the rest of the students will."

"Then ignore them," Godric said with a careless wave of his hand.

"That's easy enough for you to say, My Lord!" Harry growled, bolting to his feet and glaring at the portrait. "Ignore them! Sure, I'll ignore them, just like I ignored them when I first entered this school, and came face to face with the fame, the way people stared at me like I was a God walking amongst them. Ignore them like I did in my second year, when everyone thought I was the next Dark Lord when they found out I could talk to snakes, or when they thought I was a glory hound because of a stupid tournament that I was entered in against my will. Or how about I ignore them like I did when no one believed that the Dark Lord had returned, and they all thought I was mentally unstable at best and about to go into a murderous rage at the worst. How exactly you would like me to ignore them this time, My Lord Gryffindor, I would really like to know."

Harry was so intent on the Founder's portrait in front of him that he didn't notice the waves of magic rolling off him, nor hear the frantic calling of his bond-mates in his mind. He didn't feel the waves of calm that Severus attempted to send his way or the sound of the staircase to the Headmaster's office activating. It wasn't until his line of sight with the Founder was blocked by a black-clad chest and a set of strong arms wrapped around him that he realized what exactly was going on.

Breathing in the earthy scent that permeated from Severus' robes, he wrapped his arms around the older man, and allowed himself to lean fully against Severus. "I think the control I had over my temper is shot," he mumbled

"Indeed," Severus whispered into his hair.

~~OoO~~

After a calming draught fetched from Severus' office, the Headmaster attempted to explain what had set Harry off to Severus, Lucius, the twins and Draco, but kept being interrupted by the Founders adding in their own opinions. Finally, Harry let out a growl of frustration and sunk into his mind, determined to do this in the easiest and fastest way possible. Gently touching the connection he had with Lucius, he silently asked permission to strengthen it. Receiving a mental nod, he used the magic still running rampant through his body and made the connection hopefully strong enough that he could 'send' the entire conversation to Lucius and everyone else. He knew he had succeeded when the faces around him went blank, as they reviewed the relevant parts of his morning.

:Sorry Scarhead.: Draco said, being the first to recover. :just don't expect me to say that where anyone else can hear!:

:Wouldn't dream of it, Ferret. Thanks though.:

:You gonna be alright?: Gali asked.

:I'll let you know once the extra strength calming drought wears off.:

:Kitten?:

:It's fine, Morgan.:

"Harry, my boy, what did you just do?" the Headmaster asked.

"He showed us exactly what happened, Headmaster," Lucius stated.

Rowena looked surprised at this. "How is this possible?"

Looking between Severus and Lucius, Harry sent a silent question, not even sure what exactly he was asking, and received nods of understanding from both of them. A single glance had Draco and the twins getting up and the four of them left the office to the adults.