I always said he was nuts.

Ron Weasley, Harry Potter à l'école des sorciers, page 295

ANSWERS TO THE GRANDMOTHER'S AUNT'S SECOND COUSIN ON THE MOTHER SIDE OF THE REVIEWERS

Kathleen: I aim to please, ma'am ^_-

Corundum Advance: *Shrung* I'm not American, I'm Quebecan. That's just north of them. You people'd forget I'm naturally French, eh? *Blink* We've got a Ron-hater, everybody! The R/H part won't be much in the plot, except in book 4. Details are restricted. *Shrug* Not everyone hates the guy. I don't, he's just a tiny bit annoying sometimes. Yes, word. Thanks for the info… *Blink* More looking forward for Golden sun 2 in June. *Shrug* Well, yeah. You got the longest. AGAIN. ^_- Ok then, thanks. Why not comment on the end?

MerlinHalliwell: I know I will, already got plans for book 4 ^_-. Can't wait to start planning book 5, too!

Time: Give him a break, he's only had 9 months in Slytherin. He'll gradually change more and more into an excellent example of a Slytherin. And anyway, Gryffy!Harry is a bit Sneaky for a Gryffindor already. *Blush* Thanks!

Flummox: Couldn't pass that chance up. …'lovely'? Are you Hagrid who's just discovered FF.net? Naah, that would be too boring. *Shrug* I aim to laughs. You'll like it!

Carya: Thanks! Will too!

AngelHitomi: Thanks! Can't wait to RELEASE the next book m'self ^_-.

Chapter 13: Veridian and Crimson

Serverus Snape was not happy. In fact, he was downright furious. Those who heard of him would say it was probably a normal thing. Those who remotely knew him would say it was a normal thing. Those who thought they knew him perfectly would also say it was a normal thing.

…only one person knew it wasn't a normal thing.

"If any student walked into this room now, your hard-earned reputation would be ruined, Serverus."

And that person just had the annoying habit to appear out of nowhere at any time, scaring the living heck out of anyone not used to it.

Fortunately, he had gotten used to it, up to a point where he had stopped physically jumping on the closest wall.

Not up to the point where he stopped wondering how he did it, however.

Serverus looked up from where he was, at Harry Potter's bedside in the infirmary. The boy-who-shattered-the-philosopher's-stone was sleeping soundly, physically exhausted. The first year boy had been up for around twenty-six hours and risked his life many, many times during the final two. He did deserve a break.

…not that it stopped Flint from almost breaking into the infirmary a few hours ago demanding his seeker for the game.

In their haste to get the stone, the group had unfortunately forgot there was to be a Quidditch game the next day. And now, the Slytherins' star seeker was not in any condition to play. The team hadn't abandoned, however. As far as he knew, the game was still going on. And if the unconscious Hufflepuff seeker laying knocked out in a close by bed was proof of anything, it would last for quite a while.

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of the school and closest person to Serverus Snape, potion master and proud holder of the title of 'asshole of the school', sat down on a wooden chair identical to the one said asshole was already sitting on.

"Can't I be worried for our chances of winning the Quidditch cup?" Serverus asked smoothly, giving a look at the man. "It's all a matter of which seeker wakes up first. I've heard of seeker races, but this is ridiculous."

Albus chuckled, his eyes twinkling in obvious amusement.

"Then you'll be delighted to hear that the Hufflepuff captain decided to give up when the Slytherin team was two hundred and sixty points ahead."

"Ah." Simply said Snape, smirking smugly. "What was our score?"

"Two hundred and sixty." Albus replied, his eyes glittering in amusement. "Quite obviously, Slytherin won the cup… again."

"Flint outdid himself this year." Serverus mused with a chuckle, his eyes going back to the black-haired boy who slept on the bed before him.

For a moment, both adults were silent. No sound came in the infirmary, except the steady breathing of the boy-who-slept, the chirping of outside birds and the slight humming of the nurse carefully measuring the dosage of beetle eyes to be added in the boiling concoction at her immediate right.

"Amazing how he looks like his parents, isn't it." Albus said after a moment. It wasn't a question.

Serverus nodded silently. Someone less experienced at detecting the mood of the reclusive potion master than Dumbledore would have missed the mild irritation that went through him.

"Though I must admit he has the looks of his father," Albus continued, looking at the boy wistfully. "his mannerisms and attitude are definitely closer to his mother's."

"Potter wouldn't have tried to manipulate Quirrell." Serverus agreed. "He would have charged right in and hoped to break something other than his own head."

"Yes, but miss Evans wouldn't have been so bashful about breaking the rules, either." Albus noted. "He is, in essence, the best of two worlds."

"Potter's bravery and flying skills with Lily's mind and manipulation skills." He said, then mused on this with a small chuckle. "Somehow, I can guess why he was so terrified of the boy."

Albus, in a manner much unlike what one would expect of a man of this age, snorted and gave a smile at Serverus.

After another pause, Serverus looked up. "So what's going to happen?"

"Harry will be fine." Albus simply said. "I had a chat with Nicholas about the destruction of the stone. He said he had lived long enough already. He and his wife have just enough elixir left to finish up the last of their business and then… well, they will go to where six hundred years old people are supposed to go."

"So he isn't expelled?"

"No, in fact, he graduated ages ago—"

"I meant Harry." Snape interrupted the old man's amused and playful lecture with an annoyed snap.

"You're his head of house, Serverus. Such a responsibility falls upon you. So ask yourself this: Do you judge Harry Potter did a bad enough crime to deserve his expulsion?"

"As much as I'm tempted to say no, he did." Serverus sighed. "Three times, now, that he risked his life. I don't need to remind you of the flying class and the troll, I presume."

"It did not escape my mind," Albus said, "but you can hardly blame the boy for that; all three times, he was acting on the behalf of someone else. Saving mister Longbottom's rememberall and, at the same time, save his friend Blaise from a horrible grade, can hardly be considered selfish or worth second notice, isn't it?"

"No." Serverus admitted. "Not that saving the rememberall helped any, though. I noticed it never turns clear in his hands. I swear, one day he'll forget his brain at home."

Dumbledore chuckled and nodded slightly. "Perhaps he will. Then, Harry risked his life again to stop the troll from tragically ending miss Granger's stay at Hogwarts, which, in my book, should earn him a medal, not an expulsion."

Again, Snape conceded.

"And the only offense left on his back is for having stopped the comeback of the dark lord… although I must say his methods were most unorthodox." The old man mused.

"Usually, protecting something involves keeping it in one piece." Snape agreed with a nod.

"That is true. Yet is it something that you can put on his back, since the owner of said object would rather die than let it be used for darker purposes?"

"No." Snape agreed, then smiled. "So he's staying."

"If you say so, Serverus, if you say so."

And, as the old man got up and left, Serverus Snape wondered if the old man had really been in Gryffindor, or if he was a closet Slytherin. He gave one more look at Harry and… for the first time in years, truly smiled.

"Definitely Lily's." He mused in a tone not unlike pride, before rising a leaving as well, closing the curtains as he went.

==~-~==

"…I mean, he stayed up as late as us, why does he stay asleep so long?"

"Come on, Blaise, who knows what happened down there except Snape… and I still can't believe it was Quirrell!"

"I told you, Granger," the drawling voice had a very familiar sense of smugness to it "but did you believe me? No. No one ever believes m—"

"Malfoy?"

"Yes Granger?"

"Shut up."

Harry woke up to the sound of his friends' friendly argument over his bed in the infirmary. On his chest, the familiar weight of the asleep Nemesis  He couldn't help the smile that peeked out of his lips and the small chuckle, that unfortunately didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh, so you're awake, eh, sleeping beauty?!" Blaise's voice scolded angrily, but with a heavy dose of relief.

"How did you ever guess?" Harry asked sarcastically, opening his emerald eyes and giving her a look. The reply he received, however, was definitely anything but what he had expected.

With a shrill sob, the dark-red haired girl's arms went around his neck with almost enough strength to snap his neck in a tight hug. Harry blushed a bit and tried to edge away, but before he could move, the girl let go of him and slapped him across the face.

"Ow!" He yelped, clutching his cheek. "What was that for?!"

"For scaring me half to death, that's what!" She replied in an angry shout, her eyes wet with tears.

Harry and Draco shared a look that clearly said 'God, she's Nutters'. With the capital on nutters. Don't ask how that can be shared in a look.

"So, are we finally going to learn what happened down there? Snape said it was all over, but I'd rather hear it from your end." He said.

Harry nodded and started explaining the whole story from the start, mostly for Draco. The boy in question burst out laughing almost directly at the start, much to Blaise's embarrassment.

"You mean she terrorized that thing?! Congratulations, Blaise. Your music is officially scarier than you-know-who."

"Yes, we'll start referring it as you-know-what now." Harry added teasingly.

The girl let out a growl and punched both their shoulders in annoyance.

The story unfolded to the eager public composed, at first, of a Draco who kept punctuating the story with comments and snide remarks such as:

"What a nice way to save them, Granger. Toast them, at least the plant won't get them."

And…

"Better not tell that story to Flint, Harry. He might change the budgers into Gargoyles."

Up to…

"Blaise, a queen? Now that's just wrong."

"Oi, shut up! I did a great queen!"

"Yeah, being rescued by your freckled knight in shining armor…"

Only now did Harry realize something.

"Where's Ron anyway?"

"Oh, he left." Blaise said dismissingly with a careless wave of her hand. "He said something about not wanting to be with Draco."

"His exact words were: I'm not spending a single second I don't have to in the same room as that git. Friendly chap, isn't he?" Draco asked sarcastically.

"Sounds like him." Harry sighed, before continuing. Blaise actually started listening, since it was at that point she had been in the dark. After glossing over the troll and the potions,

"See, I told you Hermione would be more useful than me!" Blaise commented.

he continued up to the point where only he and Quirrell knew of the events. And obviously one of them was in no condition to tell.

When he was finished, the whole group was gawping at him, eyes wide enough to make the full moon seem insignificant, silent and stunned with surprise.

"You-know-who tried to get you on his side?!" Blaise finally screeched.

"You destroyed the stone?!" Hermione screeched immediately after, just as loud, if not louder.

"Hah! Told you I was right!" Gave a very smug Draco, who ignored the glares the other three gave him.

"Does that mean you're in trouble?" Blaise asked.

"I don't think so…" He said out loud, before adding a much less assured "at least I hope not."

"They can't really expel you, right?" Hermione asked nervously.

"I don't know… I hope not, the last thing I want is to go back to the Dursleys for good."

"You're not going back to them!" Blaise protested. "If anything happens, you'll live in my house. Not at those fat-asses' pigsty."

"Rest assured, mister Potter's position in this school is safe." A voice came to their ears.

"Professor Snape?" Harry asked, eyeing the greasy-haired man who had just entered the hospital wing. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you can stay here; all your offences and deliberate annihilation of the school rules into fine dust have been forgiven."

Relieved faces and sighs came from all around the black-haired boy, who was grinning widely. The prospect of going back to live as a muggle, and with the Dursleys, had terrorized him a little.

…ok, a lot.

"If it was only me, however," Snape added with an angry glare "I would make sure you'd never set foot in this school again. Fortunately for you, the headmaster vouched in your favor."

"So I'm staying?"

"You are." Snape said with a nod. "But pull something like that again and I can't guarantee even the minister of magic will be able to stop me from kicking you out."

With that threat done, Snape walked back toward the exit.

"Are you sure it wasn't him?" Blaise growled in a whisper as the three first years turned their backs on the teacher.

Only Harry saw Snape give him a small smile and a nod.

The Slytherin boy smiled back and replied:

"Absolutely."

Ten minutes later, Pomfrey kicked the other first years out of the room, claiming she needed to check up on Harry. Even though she found nothing wrong with him, except that he was too thin, under no condition did she agree to let him go. Quote the lady:

"There's no way an eleven years old child like you can feel so good after seeing the evilest dark wizard of the world."

And even if Harry protested that Voldemort hadn't even touched him, she wouldn't listen and kept him in, claiming that he didn't need to touch people to hurt them.

And so, it was a very bored Harry that looked out at the cloudless sky, a Harry wishing there were clouds so he had something to do, even if looking at cloud shapes isn't very interesting.

"Did sssomeone get the lisssenssse number of that truck?" A voice whined, it's source tightly stuck within the covers.

"You're awake, Nemesis?" Harry asked.

"What'd you think?" The snake replied, peeking his head out from inside the covers. "Can I kill whoever cast that spell on me?"

"No." Harry said, then grinned. "Unless he gives me a detention."

"Ah, so it wasss Sssnape." Nemesis noted. "Never mind, wouldn't want to sssink my fffangsss in sssat."

Harry barely managed to stifle his laughter and he picked up and cradled Nemesis in his arms.

"Thanks for saving me, Nemesis."

"If I didn't, who'd take me to his classes next year? And who could I speak to?"

"Draco?" Harry asked, shrugging. "I'm sure he'd jump at the opportunity of having his 'bad boy' image reinforced by having a big, nasty snake coiled around his neck."

"And if he called me sssat way, he'd have a big, nasssty sssnake ssstrangling hisss neck." Nemesis noted, before shaking his head. "He wouldn't underssstand me anyway."

"Why not?"

Before Harry could receive his answer, a voice came from outside the plain, design less and boring curtains. An awfully familiar voice.

"Please, Poppy, just ten minutes. It won't take very long."

"Professor Dumbledore, I seriously doubt he's in a state to receive anymore visitors… I suspect he's been caught under a long-term curse…"

"I doubt it, Poppy. He seems perfectly fine to me. Aren't you, Harry?"

'How does he know I'm listening?'

"Yeah, I told her I feel fine." He replied. "How did you know I was listening anyway?"

Madam Pomfrey's footsteps went further away as Dumbledore slid the curtains open, allowing his old, wrinkled face in, his blue eyes twinkling. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

"I'll take it as a challenge." Harry noted with a small smirk.

The old man chuckled and sat down on the bed carefully as to not sit on Harry's legs.

"Excellent work, by the way. Very few stu--- no, people in this school could have handled the situation as well as you did. Even if you did break the stone."

"Professor Snape said you vouched for me, but why?" Harry asked. "I mean, I did break something that you've spent all year protecting…"

"First, let me assure you that Nicholas is in no way holding you responsible for this. Had you not broken the stone, Voldemort would have gotten it. And that would have been much worse than what you did."

"Yeah, but there was no way he would have been able to take the stone out of the mirror." Harry protested. "He wanted to use the stone, not just get it."

"There are ways even a powerful magical item like the mirror of Erised can be confused about it's functions, Harry. Had Quirrell decided to ask Voldemort for help, the two of them could have taken it out."

"…confuse… you mean like making the mirror think they only wanted to get it?"

Dumbledore smiled. "You catch on quickly, Harry. A lot like your mother."

Harry blushed a bit and couldn't help the grin that broke through his face. The old man chuckled.

"But what about mister Flamel? Isn't he going to…"

"Die? Indeed he will." At Harry's horrified incoming blabbering, Dumbledore raised a hand to stop him. "However, he assured me he would have destroyed it anyhow. An object that grants eternal life is too coveted to be safe forever, and all it takes is a single person with wrong intentions to turn it into a source of suffering or injustice."

"B-…But he'll die!"

"He knows that." Dumbledore said with a nod. "He has just enough elixir to set his affairs into order before the inevitable happens. No matter how hard people try, life is always 100% fatal."

Harry took a second to wonder how on earth Dumbledore knew of the Slytherin code of conduct, but not more, since the man continued to speak.

"Know that, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was not such a wonderful thing. It only gave as much money and life and you could want!"

Harry wondered if the professor was sarcastic or not. Probably not.

"The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

'How can money and infinite life be bad for someone?' The listener wondered.

One thing was still bothering Harry, though.

"What about Voldemort?" 'No need for the you-know-who,' he mused. 'Dumbledore called him Voldemort before.' "What happened to him?"

"He's still out there, somewhere." Dumbledore said with a wistful look at the window and a sigh.

"He'll keep trying to find other ways to come back, won't he." It wasn't a question.

"That's doubtless. His thirst for power and revenge caused him to fear and hate, thus try to destroy, everything that could stop him; his enemies, traitors and, above all, death itself. And he knows that the state he is in can only hinder his quest. Therefore, he will try to come back by all means necessary, until he is stopped for good."

'But how to stop something that made itself impossible to kill?' Harry wondered.

"The one thing we can do, however," Dumbledore continued in closing tones "is stop his every attempts. If we manage to do that, then it's possible he'll never come back."

'Possible, but not too likely.' Harry sighed mentally. Then, something came to his mind, since he was talking to Dumbledore, why not get a few questions answered?

"Sir, if I would ask you a question, you'd answer me, right?"

"In the best of my abilities, yes, as long as I can without intruding on secrets best kept hidden."

Damn. Harry thought. 'cause it's probably one.

"I just want to know… why is Voldemort after me? Why did he go after my parents? I mean… I know my mom was a muggle-born, but…"

"Unfortunately, it's the only question I cannot answer." Dumbledore sighed.

I was spot on, unfortunately. He thought dryly.

"Then can you answer one other question?"

"Yes. I just did, but you can ask another."

Harry resisted the urge to whack the old man's head with a food tray for saying that.

"Why does Professor Snape hate me so much?"

"Oh, quite simple, actually. Your father and Professor Snape were here at Hogwarts at the same time. They hated each other like cats and dogs." The man said with a contagious, incurable chuckle that Harry caught on the spot. "That and, of course, the fact that your father did something he could never forgive him for."

"What?"

"Your father saved Serverus' life."

Had Harry be drinking, it would have been spit out. Had Harry been eating, he would have choked. But since he was doing neither, he had to go with a gaping mouth and UFO-shaped eyes.

The man took his reaction with another chuckle. "Surprising, isn't it. Professor Snape couldn't stand the thought of being indebted to your father. And when he died, that debt was passed on to you… until he redeemed himself a couple of hours ago. Now, he is free to hate your father's memories in peace, and to re-build trust to his young charge, yourself. You did quite a surprise to everyone, when you were sorted in Slytherin, Harry."

Harry shrugged and grinned a bit. "I aimed for the best."

"I would argue, but then Poppy wouldn't be happy at me." Dumbledore replied, causing the boy to laugh.

***

Few minutes later, Dumbledore left the office with a small smile. Harry was a delightful child, really, and he was eager to get to know him better.

"You lied to him, you know." A familiar voice said.

"Ah, Serverus. May I ask in what way I lied?"

"Sure you can." Said Snape.

"Very well, then. In what way did I lie?"

"Lupin wasn't the only reason I hated Potter and you know that. So why did you keep it a secret?"

"Oh, Serverus. How would you feel if you knew one of your teachers had a crush on your mother, and your father was jealous?"

"…point taken, although I can't put myself in his shoes."

"…"

"What's with the silent treatment?"

"…"

"Don't tell me…. Albus, please don't tell me… Don't tell me my mom… And one of my teachers…"

"…"

"…Albus, please answer me…"  

"You're the one who asked me not to tell."

And with a final exclamation of disgust from the youngest, the two men rounded the corner and vanished in the multiple halls of Hogwarts.

***

Harry was allowed out of the infirmary on the last day, just in time to pack his stuff up and assist the house cup ceremony. Proudly wearing Nemesis on his arm and not caring about the looks that attracted, he sat down between Blaise and Draco, in front of Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy.

Because of the number of points Slytherin and Gryffindor had lost, and although they had gotten a lot, the two houses had only managed to reclaim second and third place, respectively. Ravenclaw had a comfortable advance on them, something which the little Flitwick, who was it's head, was quite ecstatic.

Needless to say, the other houses didn't have the same festive spirit as Ravenclaw. Even less for Hufflepuff, who managed their 11th fourth place in a row.

At the staff table, Dumbledore got up and demanded attention by tapping his spoon against his cup.

"May I have your attention? Thank you. It's time to discern the winner of the house cup."

"Why? It's obvious they win." Draco grumbled darkly, pointing at the Ravenclaw table.

"In fourth place, it's Hufflepuff with 352 points, then Gryffindor with 376, Slytherin and their 386 points, and finally, the Ravenclaws with 426!"

The banners became blue and bronze under the ecstatic bellows of the Ravenclaws. However, before they could begin to sing a victory song, Dumbledore tapped his spoon on his cup again.

"Yes, yes, good job to the Ravenclaws. However," at that word, Flitwick's grin froze and the Ravenclaw's cheerfulness vanished like a fire burning in the middle of a flood. "in the light of recent events, I must give out some last-minute points. First, to mister Draco Malfoy, for an exemplary reliability and perspicacity, I award Slytherin… 40 points."

Draco promptly received enough claps to his back to make his pale skin gain color. The boy put a smug – and slightly pained – grin to his face. They were tied to Ravenclaw!

"Then, for quick thinking, excellent logic and a certainly… excellent Incendio hex, I award Hermione Granger and Gryffindor sixty points."

"Why'd she get more than me?!" Draco growled, glaring. Again, he received taps on his back, but they were sympathetic this time.

"We're tied to Ravenclaw and in second place now." Blaise noted grimly.

"Then, to Blaise Zabini," The girl promptly blushed and grinned, "who's complete lack of musical skill made it quite easier to get by the guard dog, although he is now taking anti-phobia lessons to learn to like music again. I award Slytherin fourty points."

Yes, Blaise did blush and try to hide, but it was mostly from the amused chuckles and the laughs from the Gryffindors, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs. The Ravenclaws, however, were quite horrified to see they were being overtaken at the finish line.

"To Ron Weasley, for playing the best chess game to have blessed Hogwarts for a good, long time, and for a very noble sacrifice, I award fifty points to Gryffindor."

"We're twenty points behind!!" Harry gasped in horror.

"And, to Harry Potter." Dumbledore began more seriously. "For Gryffindoric courage and Slytherinish wit, for having defeated the dark lord once again and, above all, for an excellent aerial performance, I award mister Harry Potter, and Slytherin, fifty points."

The Slytherin table burst into applauses and, this time, it was Harry who was being congratulated. The blushing boy grinned and got up, bowing to his housemates theatrically, to the house's major hilarity. A look at the staff table, at Professor Snape, especially, made his grin grow wider; the man was shooting him a small, yet noticeable, smile. A look at the Gryffindor table, however, made his grin vanish. Ron was shooting him the glare to end all glares.

"And finally!" Dumbledore unexpectedly said with a wide grin and twinkling eyes as the applauses abruptly stopped. "While it takes great courage to face one's enemies, it takes even more to face one's friends. Which is why I offer, to mister Longbottom of Gryffindor… thirty points."

The hall was silent, stunned. NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM?!??!

Then, the Gryffindor seventh year prefect began clapping, and was imitated by the rest of the housemates. Soon, someone began whistling, someone not without red-hair and a twin. The sound was contagious and soon, Neville was being congratulated from all sides.

"It appears we have something of a rarity happening… Both Gryffindor and Slytherin are in a stalemate! What happens then, you ask?"

"Heads or tails!" Someone from Gryffindor, bearing the same description as said red-head from before, proposed.

"Rock paper scissors!" A Slytherin third year shouted.

Dumbledore shook his head with a grin, taking the cup. "Nope, not heads or tails, not Rock Paper Scissors. In case of Stalemate, it's only normal to give both houses the cup, isn't it?"

And, with a clap of his fingers, the banners hanging from the roof turned from blue with a bronze design, to red and green with the design of a golden lion in the green section turning into a dozen silver snakes in the red.

The two tables looked at each other and promptly began cheering. Harry grinned at Ron, who returned it. Snape gave a small, undetectable smile at Dumbledore, then at Minerva from behind the old man.

"We'll win next year." The teacher challenged.

"Don't bet on it." The deputy headmistress retorted.

Dumbledore's chuckles were audible up to where Harry was sitting.

***

"You asked to speak to me, sir?" Harry asked, knocking on the door of the potions classroom.

"Ah, Potter." Snape said, his voice devoid of the usual cold tone. "Yes I did. Sit down." Yet, it still managed to prompt the boy into obeying the order quickly, sending him in front of one of the desks in the back.

The classroom was not a place that could be called "Welcoming". However, the bottles-O-unmentionables decorating it were even more imposing when only he and the professor were there. Snape was looking over some piece of parchment, holding a red-tipped quill in his right hand.

For a while, neither talked. Harry wondered if it was some attempt from the black-haired teacher to look imposing. Whatever it was, though, it worked.

"You know what, Potter?" Snape finally said after a long time, looking up from grading the paper, which he deposited upside-down on a pile of identical pages pf parchment. "I think that, in your youth, you've been dipped in a fairy spring, which is the only possible way to explain the extreme luck that allowed the fact that you are still breathing from happening."

Harry felt his anger grow. Had he been brought here just to be insulted?

'Probably wants to enjoy verbally punching me before I leave.' He grumbled mentally.

"However, as they say, luck can run out." Snape continued. "And one day, you might face a danger so great that even that won't save you."

The man got up, walking toward Harry in slow, long steps that made his cape blow slightly.

"Your father was exactly the same way, you know." Harry looked up in surprise. "Yes, he was. Every single year, he risked his hide some way or another, and always managed to get out in one piece. However, in the end…"

The boy looked back down, frowning. What was Snape saying?

"Harry, if anything happens next year, which, around you, it probably will, I want you to come straight to me, for your safety." Harry almost jumped three feet up in the air. The whole surprise of the statement dimmed the fact that the teacher had called him by name. "Even if it looks silly or stupid. The most carefully hidden plots are camouflaged as a bunch of coincidences, after all."

Harry didn't answer right away, his eyes as big as saucers. Did Snape mean he'd protect him? SNAPE?!

At his lack of answer, Snape's eyes turned cold and glaring. "Potter, promise me, and not an empty one."

"…Y…Yes sir." He said, nodding. "I will, I promise."

***

It was a very depressed Harry who looked out of the window of the Hogwarts express the next morning, staring at the disappearing castle while softly caressing Hedwig's feathers. Nemesis was munching on some every flavors beans, every now and then complaining about having no taste buds and being unable to decide if it was good or not.

Draco was sitting just beside him and was engaged in a furious chess battle with Ron. So far, the red-haired boy was winning, but it was a close match; seven white pieces for six bla—

"There." Draco said with a grin as his queen smashed a bishop to pieces.

…make that seven black, there was no winner so far.

Hermione was reading a book, as usual. However, every now and then, she would look up at the game and give looks to both players before sighing and rolling her eyes.

Blaise was sitting directly in front of Harry, trying to keep the beans to herself without touching Nemesis; she was a little bit freaked by him. However, when he sighed in defeat as the top of the astronomy tower vanished beyond a hill, she looked up at him and smiled sadly.

"Don't want to go home either, eh?"

The boy shook his head. "I feel like I just left."

"It did go quickly—" "I mean I feel like I just left home. This summer's going to be hell."

"Well, at least you're staying at the Zabini's, right?" Hermione asked, looking up. The two other boys took that moment to break their game and look at him, although Draco's hand went back to his side when the black pawn threatened to cut his finger off.

"Only good point of it." Harry sighed with a smile.

The girl gasped and blocked her mouth, looking at Harry apologetically. "Sorry, you won't be able to: We're visiting our family in italy."

"Can't I come along?" Harry asked, getting desperate.

"Mom asked, but Dumbledore said something about your safety being compromised outside of England. You'd be mobbed by reporters."

"I don't care, it's better than the Dursleys." Harry sighed.

"Look on the bright side, you can blackmail them into taking good care of you." Draco said.

Harry gave the other boy a puzzled look, which he answered by revealing his wand, making the black-haired boy grin.

"That's right! They don't know I can't do magic during the summer!"

"You'd do that?!" Hermione gasped in horror.

"It's better than being locked in the cupboard again. I doubt I'm small enough for it anymore." Harry explained. "Plus, there's no harm in it, they're just a bunch of idiots who deserve it, after all."

"I'd drink to that." Blaise agreed with a smirk. "If I had something to drink."

By the time they reached the King's cross station, it was nearly night time. The lights of London whizzed by during the last few minutes until the train rolled to a stop, finally ending it's trek in a loud whistle.

After getting their trunks, the five students headed for the nearest exit. Draco purposefully lagged behind, standing in between Crabbe and Goyle. Harry understood; Draco didn't want his father to know he was friends with him.

As soon as they were out, an army of red-heads went to claim the Weasley child. He gave them a final wave and a grin.

"See you all next year!" He shouted as he was pulled away by the twins.

"You'd better owl me or else!" Hermione threatened.

"That goes for me, too, Weasley!" Harry called.

Ten seconds later, a pale, blond-haired man turned toward them, his pale grey eyes coldly glaring at them.

"Draco." He simply called. "Come."

And with no other word, the boy walked ahead, passing by Harry. 

"Don't owl me." He hissed as he passed, making it sound like he was sneering at Harry.

"Well I won't miss you either, Malfoy." Harry snapped back hostilely, but with a hidden gleam in his eyes.

With a smirk hidden behind a sneer, the boy followed his father.

"That was Draco's father?" Hermione gasped silently as they headed toward the exit of the platform.

"Feel the chill, 'mione. Feel the chill." Blaise said in her best yankee surfer accent.

Soon after they passed through, Hermione was collected by a couple that were obviously muggles, as they were impeccably dressed in non-magical attire; something, he had learned, only muggles managed.

Hermione turned toward Blaise, gave her a tight hug, then hugged Harry, before leaving.

"Beaking hearts already, Harry?" A familiar female voice said.

"Mom!" Blaise squealed, hugging her mother tightly.

Harry blushed. "She's just a friend!"

"That's how it starts…" Mrs Zabini said with a grin, patting Blaise's head.

"Since I can't speak for her parents, I'm not going to tell you to "be careful with her". Although if you get the same idea for Blaise…" Mr Zabini let his voice trail suggestively.

Harry's face could now compete with Ron's hair and a tomato in a redness contest. He crossed his arms and huffed, under everyone's laughs. "It's not funny!"

"I'll get drive us back to Privet drive." Mr Zabini said, twirling the keys.

"Dursley decided not to come." Mrs Zabini said sourly. "His official reason was that it would seem strange for the neighborhood if both cars left and came back at the same time."

Blaise snorted. "Like anyone have nothing better to do in their free time than to look at them. I'd rather look at the content of a toilet. He just didn't want to lift his fat butt off his couch."

"Had you been talking about anyone else, Blaise, I would have scolded you. However, since it's Vernon Dursley we're talking about and that you're probably right…" Mrs Zabini let her voice trail as everyone laughed.

The way back was just as fun as ever; Mrs Zabini spent most of the way entertaining them on stuff the Dursleys did to "protect" themselves against the magical family that lived next doors; some of which involved crosses at the windows, growing garlic in the flower box and even oriental warding papers with about as much magic potential to them as a sleeping Dudley.

"It's like they think we're vampires or something." Mr Zabini added, not keeping his eyes off the road.

Unfortunately, the trip did end. Never had the trunk seemed so heavy, never had his steps felt so slow.

"Well, I guess it's a goodbye for now, Blaise." Harry said as they stood on the walkway in front of the fence between the two houses.

She gave him a reassuring smile and hugged him tightly; he expected his shoulder to pop at least twice, before she let him go.

"Owl me often."

Harry smiled sadly and nodded.

"I promise I will."

…and both neighbors turned away, walking in their respective houses. Never before had a single, simple wooden fence blocked off two completely different worlds.

***

Serverus Snape yawned as he lay down on his bed in his comfortable house in Hogsmeade. Finally he was free of the dozens of dunderheads he was supposed to teach potions to. And finally the burden of the life debt was lifted from his shoulders.

He was happy.

For the first time in over ten years, he felt truly happy.

The first thing he had done upon entering was to re-place the pictures he had arranged back into his office. Pictures of him and his graduating group, of his friends and himself, of his successes and youthful follies…

…only one picture was misplaced.

Serverus Snape quickly corrected the mistake.

Lily Evans Potter looked back at him with a warm smile, her green eyes glittering playfully as she waved her wand threateningly at the camera.

…for the first time in twelve years.

End of book 1, The Snake-who-lived and the philosopher's stone.

*Blink* Did I just write that?! I DID!! I DID!! I DID SEE A… *blink* Erm… shutting up.

I'll take a short break of a few hours, and I'll start working on book 2. ^_-

I admit I've inspired myself off Slytherin Rising for the cup retribution ceremony; it just didn't feel right to have either Gryffindor or Slytherin win. Or any house, actually. So, I decided for the next best thing, a tie.

Here is the final notes of the fic: characterization, which is essential to a good AU. I'll only do the characters I modified from the Cannon.

Harry: He is certainly not as gullible and dense as Gryffindor Harry. He also tends to think better in tight situations, and although he doesn't have the same bashfulness in the face of danger, he can get himself out faster; he improvises less. Much less. He's also a lot more sarcastic.

Ron: Less hostile toward Slytherins, but barely, Harry's absence in the 'Gryffindor trio' made him much closer to Hermione than in the original books. Her friendship is also much more important to him. He still maintains the ideal, however, that most Slytherins end up death eaters; to his eyes, only Blaise, Harry and Draco are fine, and the last one barely.

Hermione: Again, Harry's absence in the trio made her closer to Ron than in the books. She is more used to his bashfulness, although doesn't approve of it any more than originally. She is also very open to Slytherins and disapproves Ron's discrimination. In their group, she is closest to Blaise; they are the only two girls.

Draco: His proximity and friendship to two 'mudbloods' made him start doubting the values his father has given him. Plus, the fact that he is farther away from Crabbe and Goyle both makes him less of a "high school bully", and makes them actually force their brains to go around, which is beneficial to both.

All and all, yes, Harry changed a lot. If it is all for the best, however, is a question still unanswered ^_-

            ~Akuma-sama