AN: Sorry for the delay!
As before...I still do not have a beta reader for this story. If you catch any spelling or grammar mistakes, please let me know so I can fix them asap. ^.^
Also, I just wanted to thank all the readers that added this story to their favs or alert list and thanks so much for all the lovely reviews! I'm very grateful to you all!

Chapter Three:

Class Dismissed

The foliage was vibrant and spread on endlessly around him. Light streamed through the canopy in heavy rays, glinting off particles of dust and pollen that danced passed him. Trees as wide as he was tall; indeed, so tall the tops were not visible from where he stood. The heat beneath the shelter of those leaves was sweltering in its intensity. The air so thick around him, his breath came in short bursts and he felt as though a thick cloth were being held over his mouth.

Feverously, he turned in circles, a strong sense of panic nearly blinding him. A twig snapped to his left and he jerked in that direction, the momentum nearly whipping him off his feet. A sudden deep voice made him gasp aloud. A burst of cold air against the back of his neck alerted him to the others location and sent his heart into a frantic tempo.

"Hello there...my little serpent."

Harry sat up with a lurch, shuddering and gasping for air. A strange sense of déjà vu fell over him as he gripped the sheets tightly to his chest. He felt the last fragments of the dream dissipate, even as he struggled to hold on to them. Curling forward with his head on his knees, the final words brushed through his mind, purred out by a sensual voice.

"Harry?"

The curtains to his bed pulled open slightly and Blaise's exotic face poked through.

"Ah, I thought I heard you. You may as well get up." He smirked slightly and gestured towards Draco's bed, the curtains of which were already open, revealing its empty confines. "If we go really slowly, we might finish around the same time he does." Harry couldn't help but chuckle, the dream now a distant memory.

Gathering his bathing supplies, he followed a chirpy Blaise into the shared lavatory. They were followed shortly after by a rather groggy looking Theo, who somehow managed to find an empty stall without once opening his eyes. Harry showered and quickly dressed, grabbing his satchel from the dorm. He tossed a few supplies into it just as Draco came through the door, still fussing with his hair.

"Morning, Princess. Sleep well?" Blaise teased the blonde.

"Shove off!" Draco growled, lobbing the towel at the others face. The towel was easily deflected and Blaise chortled in amusement, rolling his eyes. Before he could speak up, Prefect Higgs addressed them from the door way.
"I suggest you wake that one up," he motioned to Greg's bed, whose curtains, Harry now noticed, were still firmly shut, "and make your way to the common room. We leave for breakfast in exactly five minutes."

It took quite a bit of prodding to get the other boy up and dressed, leaving them with barely enough time to scramble down the stairs to meet the others.

Once more, Prefect Higgs led the way through the Dungeons and this time, Harry aptly took note of the many twists and turns they encountered. Left, right, right, left, alcove, left, right, right, left, past the statue of the Wizard he vaguely recognized as Golpalott. He was starting to feel dizzy by the time they reached the Great Hall, where he happily took a seat at the long table that housed the other snakes.

Draco had situated himself just so; directly beside Harry and at the very head of the table. It was not something that slipped the small brunettes notice as he surreptitiously scanned his surroundings. He eyed the food wearily, attempting to ignore his stomach as it protested against the meager portions he'd eaten the night before. Sighing, he grabbed a piece of toast, nibbling on the edge as he scanned the rest of the hall. This food issue would need to be resolved quickly, that much was certain.

The rest of the student body stumbled in at random intervals, sometimes in groups and sometimes they'd drag themselves in alone, only to meet up with others. It was nowhere near the collected march the Slytherin first years had made but then, Harry doubted their common room was at the end of a proverbial maze. The teachers were all far more alert. He watched Professor McGonagall as she chattered with a stout, friendly looking witch beside her. Dumbledore looked out over the students with an air of genial delight but Harry felt it was nothing more than a glorified façade. Scowling slightly, he let his gaze continue down the head table but froze as his eyes met the dark orbs of his Head of House. The man's face was a stony mask that gave away nothing, leaving Harry more than slightly unsettled. He almost sighed with relief when the side doors opened, revealing the impossibly large form that was Hagrid and pulling Snape's attention away from him. A snort pulled his own attentions back to the Slytherin's, where Draco was meticulously decorating his plate with food. Occasionally, Draco's gaze would flicker up to the half giant, a look of disgust marring his features.

"What do you have against Giants?" Harry asked.

"Against Giants? Well, that's really beside the point. That's not why I don't like him." Draco muttered, carefully spooning eggs onto his plate.

"That's not what is sounded like yesterday." Draco's eyebrows scrunched together for a moment as he thought that over, stacking bacon slices beside the perfectly layered toast he'd placed down earlier.

"Well, I suppose it goes hand in hand. It's not that I have anything against creatures. I'm all for equal rights and all that." He paused for a moment to take a bite of his masterpiece. It seemed harmless enough but as Harry glanced around them, he noted Draco had managed to grab the attention of a good portion of their table. The pause was a ploy, placed at just the right moment to keep his audience hanging on his every last word. Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes, something he suspected would become rather common place for him. When Draco spoke once more, his voice had dropped a notch in volume. Harry thought it overkill at first, until he realized the sensitivity of the subject at hand.
"Giants are notoriously stupid, which wouldn't really be an issue if it weren't for the fact that in every war they always end up falling for the light side's manipulations. Hagrid is really the worst of the lot. He's so head over heels for Dumbledore's ideals, he practically worships the man. It's disgusting. I'd wonder about his intelligence if it weren't common knowledge that he's half-stupid, so-to-speak."

Baring the dramatics and sneering, Harry could understand Draco's dislike of the man. To follow someone blindly like that, it was like signing your own death warrant. Scarier still, Harry knew that the majority of the Wizarding population in Europe were doing just that, following Dumbledore faithfully without a second thought. Although, Harry still didn't know the whole of the situation, he was starting to see the flaws in the so called "truths" the ministry liked to spew about Voldemort and his followers. He only hoped those followers weren't as blinded.

"Why do you bother doing that?" Pansy chose then to speak. Apparently, her previous vow of silence was no longer in effect.

"Doing what?" Draco muttered, distracted as he used his fork to move the eggs just so.

"Why bother being so neat with your food? It's weird. Table manners are all well and good but," She glowered slightly, "don't you think that's a bit neurotic?"

"I can't help it if I have more class than you." Draco huffed in annoyance.

"Class?" She snorted derisively. "How is being obsessive compulsive classy?" The statement caused a chain reaction that Harry watched with veiled amusement. Millicent busted out laughing rather raucously, causing the upper years to sneer in their direction. Blaise snorted into his pumpkin juice, spraying some of the liquid and causing a petite blonde named Daphne Greengrass to snarl in disgust. Greg and Vincent both glared menacingly at Pansy, cracking their knuckles threateningly. Draco, to Harry's immense surprise, merely rolled his eyes and continued delicately eating his food, occasionally setting aside his fork to take a sip of juice.

The sound of thousands of owls swooping over head, forced the argument to a close as the first years stopped everything to open packages from home. Harry's eyes grew dark as he watched Millicent and Pansy giggle over the gifts their mothers had sent them, congratulations for making it into Slytherin. Draco paused to retrieve a package from the talons of a rather prim looking bird who tittered neatly before taking off once more. The blond hummed softly and unrolled a newspaper that was attached to the rest of the package.

"What'd you get, Draco?" Blaise asked in curiosity.

"The Daily Prophet? I thought your Father hated that newspaper." Pansy muttered, also looking on in interest.

Draco, however, didn't seem to be listening. His eyes scanned the front page with interest. His brow furrowed as a frown tugged on his lips. When he finished, he passed the paper on, letting the others read its contents. Harry scanned the article as well, curious at the anxious looks now plastered on the faces of his fellow snakes.

Gringotts No Longer Safe?

Gringotts, whose depths are notoriously well known for being wholly impenetrable, was broken into late last night. The vault in question supposedly holds some of the oldest most valuable possessions known to Wizarding kind and resides under the Ancient and most Noble house of Peverell. Of course, since the records of this elusive family have been virtually wiped out, it's hard to conclude just what may have been stolen since no living relatives are available for questioning. We, at the Daily Prophet, would like to believe that nothing was stolen and that the Goblins and Gringotts have already accosted the thief and retrieved said object.

The article went on, interviews from wizards arguing that it simply wasn't possible for anything to have been stolen and that it was likely the culprits still resided somewhere within the bowls of the bank, where Goblins surely would have left them to fend for themselves. Harry found the entire thing to be rather morbid as they described in detail what horrible things one might encounter the deeper they went.

"Do you think it has to do with...?" Pansy trailed off at the look Draco sent her. Though Harry understood how vast the news truly was, the reactions of his classmates made very little sense to him. They were just children; such things didn't really concern them, especially since the vault technically belonged to the goblins that guarded it.

Draco glanced at him furtively before turning back to his meal, acting as if nothing had happened. Harry narrowed his eyes, watching as Blaise nervously scratched the back of his neck before he too returned to his food, avoiding Harry's gaze entirely. Pansy and Millicent turned to each other and began chatting about the first inane topic that came to mind. They were all hiding something from him, that much was very obvious but Harry also knew it wouldn't help matters to question them when they so clearly wanted to keep things quiet. Vincent and Greg seemed oblivious to the tension around them, both stuffing their faces happily as Theo looked on in morbid fascination.

"Mister Potter." Harry jumped slightly having not noticed Professor Snape make his way down the table to hand out their schedules. The man now stood behind him, the paper held loosely in his fingers as he looked on with one eyebrow arched.

"Sorry, Professor." He felt his face flush when he realized he'd been crumbling a piece of cold toast in his fingers as he contemplated the others. He brushed his hands off before reaching out to grab the paper, relieved when the man moved on without comment.

"Ah," Theo scanned his own schedule. "Potions first thing." His monotone voice hinted at nothing. Draco, on the other hand, had no issues showing his annoyance, glaring with venom at the Gryffindor table.

"With those morons no less." Draco set his utensils aside then, as if the very thought had ruined his appetite. Harry's stomach rumbled in sympathy catching the undivided attention of Blaise who gave him the same piercing look he had the night before. He ignored the dark boy, standing with the other students as they began filtering out into the main hall. His small frame allowed him to maneuver through the crowd rather easily and he reached the Dungeon stairs just before his classmates. Pausing at the top stair, he allowed Draco to catch up so they could walk side-by-side, the others surrounding them thereafter. Now, with so many others around, Blaise was forced to hold his tongue, at least for the moment, just as Harry had intended. Though the boys' dark gaze never left his form completely, sending shivers down his spine.

Thankfully, the classroom was easy to spot for it was at the very beginning of the dungeons and they made it to the door without incident, at least, Harry had assumed they had until they were approached by a lanky red-head Harry vaguely recognized from the sorting.

"Weasley." Draco growled before the boy could even open his mouth. The boy only glanced at Draco before his attention was fixed firmly on Harry.

"Traitor," He hissed. "How could you?" His face was twisted into an ugly scowl, red splotches clashing horribly with his hair. "You're supposed to be our savor?" As if the very thought was ridiculous. "You're nothing! A backstabbing, slimy snake." There were several other students gathering around now, the Gryffindors were all glaring heatedly at him, some of them nodding along to Weasley's speech. Harry had known something like this would happen; he wasn't particularly surprised but the venom behind the boys' words, as if the small brunette had personally slaughtered half the boys' family, was slightly unexpected. Harry, however, kept his face a bored mask, appearing relaxed and uninterested in anything the boy had to say. Unfortunately, this only seemed to anger the red head even more, his teeth were clenched tight, his fists opening and closing as if any moment he would spring forward. The other Slytherins appeared just as collected as Harry but he noted several of them had their wands held seemingly loosely within their grasps, ready should anything go astray. They were not stupid enough to attack first; no, better to let the brash Gryffindors make the first move, allowing them to plead self defense. It was an unnecessary precaution at that moment, Harry realized, as the dark looming shape of their Head of House appeared behind the Gryffindors.

"What is this? No one's causing trouble I hope." Professor Snape's voice was low and menacing and Harry suspected he actually did hope someone was causing trouble. In fact, he felt it would have made the man's entire day had they been. The Gryffindor's all tensed at the unspoken threat, the redhead speaking up like the brave Gryffindor the sorting hat had seen him as.

"N-not at all Professor. We were just waiting for class to start." Baring the stutter at the beginning, the boy wasn't that bad of a liar but Snape saw right through him, or else didn't care if he was truthful or not.

"Do not presume to lie to me, Mister Weasley." The man was the only human Harry had ever met that sounded even more dangerous the quieter he got. "Five points from Gryffindor for your cheek." The pale boy sputtered indignantly but before he could stick his foot in his mouth, Snape growled out, "Well, what are you waiting for?" He addressed all of the students then. "Get in the class and take your seats before I'm forced to assign my first detentions of the year!" They all scrambled to obey. Even the Slytherin's could sense their Head of House's annoyance and quickly took their seats and pulled out the necessary supplies.

Snape swept past the students in a dramatic billow of robes before stopping at the front of the room rather abruptly. Harry almost snorted out loud when the man whipped around, causing his robes to billow up once more. Though Harry thought it looked ridiculous, it seemed to be having the opposite effect on his peers who all looked sufficiently cowed by the display.

"Silence." the word was spoken softly, and for no apparent reason other then to frighten the students even further, for none had dared to utter a word since his earlier demands. "You are here to learn, not to bicker and mingle with your peers. I do not expect you to understand the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making." He sneered then, his dark gaze sweeping over the students, or more specifically, the Gryffindors; although his eyes did settle on Harry's form for a brief moment before he moved on. "In fact, I rather suspect most of you won't make it past your O.W.L.s." There was a mutter then and Snape immediately zoned in on the perpetrator.

"Do you have something you'd like to add, Mister..?"

"L-Longbot-t-tom, sir." The boy squeaked out and Harry narrowed his eyes. There was no way that boy had said anything, so why was Snape singling him out? Snape sneered once more but said nothing else on the matter and began taking roll call. Harry wasn't too surprised when he paused on his name.

"Harry Potter, how interesting." Harry's eyes twitched automatically as he barely kept himself from narrowing them in suspicion. The man's gaze looked downright devious as he spoke once more. "Let us see just how...efficient the ministry's tutors are, shall we?" Not at all. Harry thought to himself. But they don't need to know that.

"Tell me," The man continued. "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" Harry furrowed his brow. That was a rather simple question, why would the man choose something most wizards grew up knowing? Though, as he caught several of the other students' expressions, he realized that most of them were actually completely clueless.

"They're the same thing, sir. The proper name is actually aconite." There was a small quirk at the corner of the man's lip then; it could have been a smile but Harry wasn't certain.

"Perhaps something more difficult then?" The man murmured, though in the deathly silent room it was clearly audible. Harry watched the man pace several times before he stopped once more. "I'm going to give you a list of ingredients," He locked eyes with Harry once more. "And I want you to tell me what such a potion would be used for." Harry couldn't help but narrow his eyes then, wondering what exactly the man was trying to accomplish. "Wolfsbane, liquid silver, bloodroot, hellebore, powdered moonstone and finely diced Ginger Roots."

Harry blinked and let his eyes stray behind the professor. He was so surprised at the list that he did not notice the assessing look the man was giving him as he thought it over. I've never heard of so many poisonous ingredients being used at once. He furrowed his brow as he thought about how such ingredients would react with each other. His first thought was, "something with which to kill your enemy." But he didn't really believe the man would openly tell a classroom full of children the ingredients to something so dangerous. The Wolfsbane and Hellebore would balance each other out. The Moonstone...

"Ah, a shame," The man spoke, startling him out of his musings. Before he could continue, Harry interrupted.

"Something to suppress." Snape froze then, adopting a strangely blank look.

"It's odd that you should say that, Mister Potter." He spoke evenly. "Most would come to the conclusion that it would poison. I'm curious to your reasoning." Harry shook his head slightly, his gaze still glazed over as he thought.

"As long as they were prepared properly, the Wolfsbane and Helebore would counteract each other while still retaining their base components. The bloodroot would force the drinker to stay calm. The moonstone would allow for balanced emotions and in combination with Ginger roots would repress natural impulses." Harry frowned. There was something off about this potion. In all, it sounded like a liquid form of the imperious. He locked eyes with the professor, who was definitely smirking at that point. The Gryffindors looked terrified, while his fellow Slytherins looked on in apparent interest.

"You're missing an ingredient, Mister Potter." Missing an ingredient? Oh, right...the liquid silver. But why would anyone want to consume such a poisonous... His eyes widened.

"It's not meant to suppress a human, but the instinct of an animal." Professor Snape arched his brow slightly and Harry elaborated further his gaze drifting once more as he spoke his inner musings. "Liquid silver isn't actually silver; it's mercury so its attributes are very different, even to be the exact opposite." Harry's bright eyes snapped to attention then, startling many students who had been staring at him since he'd begun his explanation. "This potion isn't in any book, is it Professor?" Snape did not deign to answer verbally; he merely tilted his head slightly and addressed the rest of the class.

"For the rest of you impudent runts, I can only pray that you learn even half of what Mister Potter has displayed." His trademark sneer fell into place once more. "I doubt I should be so lucky. Class is dismissed!" He barked the last bit causing the students to jump at the abrupt noise and scramble to collect their things. Harry lingered slightly behind, wanting very much to know if he was actually correct. The potion he was thinking of, though well known to any potions expert, was strictly monitored, for obvious reasons. Blaise nudged him slightly to get his attention as the last of the students retreated.

"You coming, Harry?"

"Yeah, in a minute." The boy looked bemused for a moment but nodded and headed out the door regardless, likely waiting in the hall for Harry to finish.

"What is it, Mister Potter." The man was hunched over his desk as Harry approached, sorting through a pile of papers but he paused once Harry was finally standing before him.

"That potion." Snape looked up with that strangely blank mask once more. "It wouldn't happen to be called Wolfsbane, would it?" The dark man surprised Harry then when he let out a quiet chuckle.

"You surprise me, Mister Potter. I was not expecting a ward of the Ministry to be interested in such things." Harry scowled. His association with the Ministry was proving to be troublesome. People saw him now and instantly assumed he followed the mass of idiots that alleged to be "helping" their world.

"There are a lot of things about the ministry that I've never quite understood." Harry spoke softly, choosing his words carefully in hopes that the man before him was as intelligent as the rumors claimed.

"I see." Snape's gaze was steady, if not thoughtful and Harry felt it was a good sign. "Ten points to Slytherin, Mister Potter." The man's lip twitched as if he wanted to smile but he schooled his features once more. "You should hurry, lest you lose them by being late to your next class." He drawled and Harry was quick to obey.

The rest of Harry's day passed without a hitch. He ignored the glares and mutterings from the other houses and listened to each of his professors as they informed their students what to expect from the lessons. By the time Dinner rolled around, Harry was feeling rather irritable. The professors weren't poor teachers but the majority of the content they would be covering, he'd already learned on his own.

"You seem agitated." Blaise nudged him slightly as they walked down the hall, headed for dinner. The sudden contact sent a strange sensation down his spine and Harry stopped walking entirely. He blinked as he glanced around them in trepidation. Somehow, he'd been so lost in his musings he'd managed to lose track of the others. He was left alone with Blaise, something he'd been avoiding as soon as he'd noticed the odd looks he'd been getting during meals. The last thing he wanted was for someone to start interrogating him.

"Right, I guess so." He muttered.

"You haven't eaten much either. You look a little pale." Harry ran a hand through his muzzled locks, startled when he noticed both trembling. He clenched them slightly and crossed them over his torso before looking up. Blaise held a calculating glint in his eye, his lips pursed as he contemplated something. "Wanna skip the great hall?" Harry stared incredulously. Why would Blaise offer for him to skip dinner entirely? Hadn't he just commented that he wasn't eating enough? The darker boy just grinned and grabbed Harry's hand, pulling him down the hallway. The skin on skin contact sent a sharp pulse of energy into his body that made him gasp out loud but the taller boy didn't seem to have noticed. He continued tugging him down several corridors seemingly at random before stopping in front of a still painting. The painting was much different from the many portraits that lined the school halls. It was a simple bowl of fruit with no obvious magical connection as far as Harry could tell, though he could feel the tell-tale buzz magic left behind humming just beneath its surface.

"I wasn't sure if I would be able to find it or not." Blaise grinned, finally releasing his hand. A tingling sensation was left behind, though it was not unpleasant. Reaching forward, Blaise ran a finger across the soft yellow pigment of the pear which, much to Harry's astonishment, giggled and morphed into what looked like a door handle. Blaise grasped onto it with a triumphant smile and pushed forward. "Welcome to the kitchens."

The room looked like a replica of the great hall, with rows of tables all lined with food, though the tables weren't as elaborate as the ones above them. Unlike the real hall, this one housed a great many stoves and tables along its edges where, Harry now noticed, hundreds of house elves were scurrying to-and-fro preparing the nights dishes.

"House elves." Harry muttered to himself, though Blaise watched him carefully. "The school uses house elves?" He thought about that for a moment, realizing Hogwarts; A History had briefly mentioned this but Harry had skimmed over the information without much thought, not deeming it very important. He frowned as one of the creatures scurried over to them.

"It is a hoggy student, it is!" She exclaimed happily. Or, at least Harry assumed it was female with the pale pink bow wrapped over one ear. "Mina, is being happy to gets you something to eat! Hoggy students should be eating with the others but Mina not mind feeding them here!" She cooed happily, ushering both boys to an empty table off to the side before scurrying to place plates and food before them. "Yous be eating now!" She clapped happily before bowing and running off to help the others once more. Harry watched the tiny creatures for a moment longer, wondering how it made him feel. Not the fact that Hogwarts used house elves, that thought really didn't faze him in the least; the little beings wouldn't have it any other way after all. He simply wasn't sure how this changed his rules, or if it even did. On the one hand, he could visually see the elves cooking and they were far from being malevolent creatures, quite the opposite in fact. On the other hand, a house elf was bound to any task its master ordered. But these are the schools elves. A soft voice reasoned in the back of his mind. Before he could contemplate it any further an amused voice cut in.

"Eat something, Harry." Blaise pushed a plate of chicken forward. Harry struggled a few more moments, his paranoia so engraved in his mind that it was hard to ignore it. He finally placed a small piece of chicken on his plate. His companion smiled faintly and nudged the bowl of mashed potatoes over as well. Harry couldn't help but glare at the boy but the happy grin he sent back had him grabbing the spoon with a sigh, adding some of that dish as well. When Blaise went to push a bowl of green beans his way, Harry actually growled.

"Just eat your food and wipe that ridiculous grin off your face." The comment didn't seem to deter the boy, though he didn't push Harry into actually spooning any of the vegetables onto his plate. The two of them ate in companionable silence, Blaise occasionally sending a subtle glance at Harry's plate to make sure he was actually eating. Harry had to admit, the food was delicious and he was hard pressed not to enjoy himself as he nibbled on the chicken and sipped on what he assumed was some sort of juice. His stomach, which he hadn't realized had begun to feel quite pained, was finally settling.

The rest of the evening was spent comfortably and in relative silence, only a couple mutterings about the day's classes marring it here and there. When they'd finished they retreated back to the common room, Harry leading the way since Blaise still hadn't memorized the many twists and turns. Their classmates greeted them with curious looks but said nothing on the matter. After reviewing the day with several other first years, Draco among them, Harry found himself curled up in bed once more. He drifted off into a pleasant sleep that, for once, was not riddled with strange dreams whose meanings he could never quite grasp.

The next day dawned much the same as the previous, though the classes varied from before. Harry followed Blaise and Draco to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Whispered rumors had started in the common room and expanded into ridiculous tales by the time breakfast had appeared before them. However, Harry knew that each rumor was born on a grain of truth and the one variable that hadn't changed was the fact that the Defense Professor had not been at the post the day before and had only arrived that morning. This meant their class was actually the first of the year, so no one knew what to expect.

So, with a sense of curiosity, Harry entered the room with his fellow Slytherins. His eyes rolled automatically when Draco sneered at the Gryffindors already seated. Of course, the nasty looks they threw back didn't help matters. Harry suspected the class would be similar to Potions, at least in that regard, but was cut out of his musings rather abruptly. His eyes locked with pearlescent orbs across from him and he felt his body freeze.

"Good evening, Harrison." Riska's smile appeared even more shark-like in the bright morning light that streamed through the windows. It was odd. Though he'd always felt a sort of unease around her, he'd never felt the swell of panic which suddenly overwhelmed him. Something in the very back of his mind was telling him to retreat, to find safe ground, and it was all he could do to keep from obeying it.

"Sit down, if you would." Harry felt his body jerkily comply, and found he'd automatically sat directly beside Blaise. Somehow, having the boys' presence so near seemed to help take the edge off the feeling of dread.

Once the students had all taken their seats, Riska began her own synopsis of the year. Harry could tell both Blaise and Draco where trying to catch his attention, to question him, but he could not tear his eyes away from the woman gesturing in front of him. He felt an irrational fear that, should he look away, something horrible might happen. By the time the class had come to a close, Harry felt ridiculously exhausted, as if he's just run a ten mile marathon.

"Class is dismissed" Riska's voice rang out and the students shuffled to get to their next course. It was only once they'd reached the next room that Harry seemed to snap out of his daze.

"You alright, Harry?" Blaise's sharp gaze was assessing him carefully, as if looking for some sort of injury. Before he could answer, Draco spoke up.

"You know Professor Summers?" It took Harry a moment to realize he was referring to Riska.

"Yeah, she was one of the Ministry tutor's I had." Then, almost as an afterthought, "I didn't realize she'd be working here."

Both Draco and Blaise spent the rest of the day attempting to get more information out of Harry. When nothing was forthcoming, the two shared a look that, had Harry actually been paying attention, he would have recognized immediately. They would stop questioning him directly, but they would find their answers.

Harry, for his part, felt completely lost. It was odd, as he knew he'd felt fine that morning and there was no reason for his sudden apathy. He felt tired, drained, and strangely emotionless. A part of him knew he should be alarmed at this, but he couldn't find it in him to care.

He spent the rest of the day on autopilot. He ate small portions during meals (much to Blaise's satisfaction) studiously took notes in all his classes, but he wasn't actually there. Draco and Blaise watched with narrowed eyes, his reactions to everything around him. Each time Professor Summer's passed them, Harry's response did not go unnoticed by the two cunning Slytherin's. His eyes would take on a glazed look and his body seemed to tense painfully as if he were fighting the urge to bolt.

Over a month passed in this way and both boys knew something was terribly off. Though Harry was emotionless during the day, he'd get worse the moment he stepped foot into the defense classroom. It was obvious that Professor Summer's had something to do with it, but neither had come up with any information on the woman. They'd shadow her during the weekends, watching with narrowed eyes as she spent most of her free time in the restricted section, a crooked smile on her sharp features. The more time passed, the more intent she became on Harry. Where before, she didn't seem to notice anything amiss, she was suddenly watching him during meals as a prey might their next meal. She seemed to appear where ever they happened to be, and it was only while they were in their common room that they seemed safe from her presence.

According to Draco's father, she had no records, which, for a Ministry official, was unheard of. Of course, asking a father for such delicate information leads to questions, something both boys had decided was a necessary evil since they had found nothing on their own. Draco had reluctantly divulged what information they had gathered, knowing his father would likely tell them they were overreacting. He was quite surprised, therefore, when the man informed them to keep supplying him with updates on the boys' condition, which was quickly declining.

Harry never slept. It was the first thing that had clued them in to his condition. As the days wore on, the circles around his eyes got darker and darker. Harry rarely ate much. Blaise was the most distressed by this as he'd only just gotten the boy to eat at all. He was thin and his skin had taken on an unhealthy pallor. Harry never spoke. At first, he'd quietly add a few comments during conversations but as time wore on he'd taken to only replying when directly spoken to before he stopped speaking entirely. It was as if he'd gone mute and they would have assumed he had if it wasn't for one factor; Defense Against the Dark Arts. All Riska had to say was, "answer the question, Harrison." and, unlike the classes before, Harry would answer in a monotone voice.

None of the other teachers seemed to find it too odd. They assumed he was just quiet to begin with and had simply stopped calling on him in class. Severus Snape, on the other hand, knew that was far from the truth. He too, began to watch the boy closely and, after the third detention he'd assigned (the boy refused to reply when he asked questions. Of course, he'd punish such insolence, especially from one of his own.) he had cornered Draco and Blaise for questioning.

"What on earth is wrong with Potter?" he growled out impatiently when the two stood silently in front of him. Draco and Blaise exchanged unreadable glances.

"You've noticed that?" Blaise grunted when Draco elbowed him, glaring at the sheepish expression he gave him.

"How could I not?" Snape's mouth was a thin line of annoyance. "The boy is a walking zombie."

"We don't really know." Draco said slowly, refusing to make eye contact with his head of house. Snape's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You're lying." It was not a question and Draco knew from his father that Severus Snape was not someone to trifle with.

"Well, we only know a little." He admitted, though he didn't elaborate.

"Tell me, now." Snape's voice had taken on a dangerous tone but Draco wasn't convinced just yet.

"You have to promise not to go to Dumbledore." Draco boldly stated, staring up into those dark eyes with a determination he only half felt.

"I see." A dark eyebrow arched in assessment of the two children before him. A moment passed, both boys practically holding their breath in anticipation. "Very well." Snape gestured for the two to follow him, leading them through a side door off the classroom and into his private study. The door closed behind them, locking in place as Snape began warding the room.

"I suspect," the man spoke lowly. "This is somehow connected to a rather, peculiar letter I received from Lucius the other evening."

"My father wrote you?" Draco questioned uneasily. Snape ignored the question.

"Where is the boy, now?" He asked. Blaise answered readily.

"He's sleeping." He shook his head. "Well, he's lying down at least. I doubt he's actually sleeping." Snape nodded slowly and then proceeded to shock both boys into silence.

"I, Severus Tobias Snape, do hereby vow not to divulge any information about Harrison James Potter's current condition to anyone outside this room without the express permission of those involved. This I so do swear upon my magic." Both boys stood gaping for a moment before Snape's arched eyebrow had them speaking at once.

"So mote it be." They managed shakily, watching as a thin stream of gold light wrapped around the rooms' occupants before dissipating.

"Your father informed me you might seek out my aid. When you did not, I decided to force your hand." He smirked lightly before continuing in a more serious tone. "However, he also informed me that it was a very…delicate situation you've found yourselves in, and that I should employ whatever means necessary to insure this information did not reach…unfavorable ears."

Both boys exchanged weary glances then, thinking along the same lines. Draco was again, the first to speak.

"Does this have something to do with…" He trailed off as Snape nodded slightly.

"It is very likely, yes." He stared intently at the two before him. "The Dark Lord does not want anything to happen to the boy. Something is obviously wrong and he wants it handled with kid gloves." He sneered out the last part and inclined against the large mahogany desk, the angle making him appear even more imposing.

"Speak." It was one word but both boys immediately launched into their tale, switching back and forth as they explained to Snape everything they had learned since they'd started investigating. When they'd finally finished, Snape's face was a mask, though it was obvious he was contemplating everything he'd been told.

"Bring the boy here." They hesitated for a moment and Snape was about to snap at them when Blaise spoke up.

"Under one circumstance," The man's eyes narrowed slightly but he nodded for Blaise to continue. "You have to stop calling him 'boy'. He doesn't like it." Blaise had started off uncertainly but the more he spoke, the more sure he became. "Every time Professor Summer's calls him that he flinches." Snape was slightly surprised by the request but acquiesced all the same.

"Very well."

The first thing Harry did upon entering the room was blink rapidly, as if waking from a long slumber. The second thing was slightly more violent. He jerked back against the door, his wand suddenly appearing in his hand and his stance defensive. Though Snape was slightly impressed at the boys instincts, he was also annoyed.

"Be still, Mr. Potter. You're safe here." Harry narrowed his eyes at the man but lowered his wand to his side, wearily taking in his surroundings. He relaxed slightly when he noticed both his friends present as well.

"Where are we?" he asked, scanning the bookshelf beside him in interest.

"My private office." Snape intoned, watching the boy with hawk eyes as he scanned the book titles in apparent interest. "If you would please take a seat, Mr. Potter." Harry sidled up to the chair directly across the desk from Snape's current spot, and perched at the edge. Out of his peripheral vision he watched his two friends take their own seats on a couch along the far wall.

"How do you feel, Mr. Potter?" Harry blinked at the odd question.

"Fine." He intoned automatically.

"Do not lie, Mr. Potter. It will only make things more difficult." Snape deadpanned. Harry wasn't sure what was going on. He felt off, like he was missing something. He was confused and not a little bit frightened but he'd be damned if he was going to tell these things to a virtual stranger, Head of House or not.

"Harry," it was Blaise that spoke his voice laced with obvious concern. This only served to confuse Harry further. Why was he even there? Why did Draco look even paler then usual and why did Blaise sound so worried? "You can trust him, Harry." Harry would have scoffed but Draco chose to chime in then.

"He took a vow, Harry. Anything you tell him, he's not allowed to divulge to anyone outside this room." That seemed like such an odd thing for a teacher to do. Harry felt like his head was going to explode. He rested his elbows on his knees and cradled it with a groan, his confusion only intensifying.

"I don't understand…" His voice was quiet, but carried in the silence of the room.

"You are confused." Snape said. It was not a question.

"It feels like…something's missing." Snape looked alarmed for a moment before masking his expression and rounding the desk to crouch before the small boy.

"What day is it?" Snape asked suddenly and Harry looked up with a frown.

"Saturday." He answered in confusion. Snape nodded then, glad Harry wasn't missing time at the least.

"Mr. Potter, you have been afflicted somehow, though we cannot be sure of any details." From the corner he heard Draco snort and mutter something along the lines of kid gloves my arse. Snape scowled at the blond.

"If you have nothing helpful to add, Mr. Malfoy, you may take your leave." Harry looked panicked for a moment but Draco didn't budge.

"Why are you confused, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked.

"I don't know. Something's not right. I…" Harry rubbed his face in frustration.

"What do you remember from the past month?" Harry looked up in shock.

"It's been a month?" Snape narrowed his eyes.

"What's the date?" He retaliated with his own question.

"I don't know. I haven't really been paying attention. I just know its Saturday." He admitted.

"Perhaps, Mr. Potter," Snape stood up from the crouch he'd been in and walked back to his chair, "your friends should tell you a little story." Blaise looked uneasy at the idea, but Draco nodded and stood to sit beside Harry. It took them an hour to explain to Harry, everything they'd been witnessing, interrupted on several occasions by Harry's questions.

"I don't understand," he spoke when they'd finally finished their tale. "She's never had that sort of affect on me in the past. Why now? What's different?"

"Those are very good questions, Mr. Potter and I intend to find out just that." Snape stood from his spot at his desk, arms automatically crossing over his chest. "For now, I'd like to test something, but I'll need your permission to do so." Harry hesitated. The fact that Snape was asking for his permission to do, whatever it was he wanted to do, helped slightly. Most adults never bothered.

"What, exactly, are you testing?" he asked.

"I'd like to test your mindscape for any inconsistencies." Snape replied honestly. Harry narrowed his eyes at the man. To any normal eleven year old, that was an innocent enough request but Harry was not normal.

"You want to use Legilimency on me." Harry didn't even pretend he was clueless. The situation was far too severe. Blaise and Draco looked confused, neither having heard the term. Snape, for his part, kept his mask up through his surprise of hearing the term cross such a young boys lips.

"It's not quite as invasive as you're thinking. Though, it is a form of Legilimency, yes." Again, Snape knew that lying now would be a bad idea.

"What does it entail?" Harry asked quietly; obviously still uneasy with the idea. Snape narrowed his eyes. He wouldn't normally bother trying to explain such a thing to one so young but Harry was beginning to show he was much more then what others perceived.

"It is similar only in that I'll require eye contact but," he emphasized the next part, knowing it was what had the boy so uneasy. "It will not be your memories I'll be looking at."

"Will it hurt?" Harry asked aloud, though he hadn't meant to.

"It should not hurt, but it may feel odd. You will see what I see." Snape allowed that information to sink in. Finally, Harry nodded shortly. After shooing Draco back to the couch with Blaise, Snape arranged the second guest chair so it was directly facing Harry and took a seat before him.

"Now, you'll need to relax. It won't hurt if you do not, but it may take longer and I have a feeling you want this to be over as soon as possible." Harry nodded once and scooted further into the chair until his back was leaning comfortably against the material. He relaxed his body as much as he could before locking eyes with the dark gaze in front of him. Snape did not use his wand or utter any words but Harry felt the moment his mind collided with his own.

As Snape had predicted, it was not painful but it was highly disorienting when he could suddenly see another image superimposed over the image of Snapes office. A soft voice in the back of his mind gave him quick instructions. Though he recognized the voice as belonging to the man in front of him, it was somehow less imposing in this form. 'You must ignore my office but do not close your eyes.' At first, the idea seemed ridiculous and nothing short of impossible but a moment passed and Harry started to get the hang of it, the image of the room slowly fading into the background as an annoying sound might. He was left standing on a plateau overlooking a valley. The ground riddled with cracks as if it had been dry there for many seasons. Though, instead of the expected tan color, everything was in shades of gray. Even the sky was clouded in a gray fog. It was utterly depressing.

"You have…a very bleak mindscape, Mr. Potter." Harry jumped at the voice right beside him, turning quickly to see Professor Snape standing there, staring around the space calculatingly. "No matter," he continued. "Since this is not my mindscape, I'm not familiar with it as you are."

"I've never been here before." Harry too had begun to scan the area with interest.

"That is beside the point." Snape pinched the bridge of his nose as if composing himself. "Everything you see here is inside your head. Whether you were knowingly aware of it or not, it has always been there. You are intimately familiar with it, even if only on an unconscious level." Snape explained and Harry found himself intrigued despite the circumstance. "For that reason, only you can say if something does not belong." Snape admitted. "I would have sent you in alone, but it would have most likely taken me months just to get you to this point. It's much faster this way." Harry nodded slowly, still assessing the space.

"Something does feel wrong." Snape gestured for him to continue. "But it's nothing I can see all the time."

"What are you referring to?" Snape questioned. Everything in the space looked eerily dead and strangely the same to him. This didn't seem to be bothering Harry in the least however, so he refrained from panicking. Harry pointed to the edge of the cliff where, Snape only just noticed, a small red flower was blooming. Only, it wasn't always in color. It would pulse in a steady stream of light then flicker off, blending in seamlessly with the grey surroundings.

"Hmm, something is causing it to turn gray?" Snape questioned to himself but Harry interrupted.

"No," he said quietly, slowly approaching the flower, which seemed to be some sort of dessert paintbrush. "Something's making it turn red."