A/N: Looking back, this chapter features somewhat cynical-Harry Potter or Harry Potter draws-different-conclusions. People had expressed a wish that Harry would get back at teachers for the delay but I haven't written it like that. Some were confused why Harry grew nervous breakdown (Sort of) meeting Voldemort. Imagine someone coming back from the dead. I always felt that Harry Potter readily accepted the fact that Voldemort is still alive in the canon. Here, he considered him dead and was against Dumbledore for personal reasons. Now at that moment he didn't know what or whom to side with.

A/N: A huge dump, over 9k and I expect many reviews.

A sharp riposte from Snape, he was ordered to go back to Slytherin common room and stay there but he no intentions of going back to Dormitories.

He had just managed to slip-in before the door closed. Dumbledore levitated the unconscious body of the three students and the flurry of activities began. Poppy was in her element as she waved her wand around and cast a multitude of spells on them.

Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were cleared soon enough but Poppy gave a sharp shout.

"Call in healers from St. Mungo's! Severus bring me the blood-replenishing potion and a stability potion. NOW."

Dumbledore swiftly headed towards the floo and Snape walked swiftly towards the potion cabinet. Minerva stood there still gasping by the sight of the boy. The grey color was now no longer limited by thin lines but spreading at an alarming rate.

It looked like his blood was decaying under the effect of the curse. Had Draco been conscious he would never have stop screaming. Dumbledore came back with his eyebrows furrowed in thought. There was a sadness on his face which hadn't gone unnoticed. Harry had seen enough.

"What's wrong with him?" Harry said, capturing the attention of all in the infirmary.

"Potter! What did I tell you!?" Snape's tone was angry and he looked like curse him into next week.

"What's wrong with him, Headmaster?" Harry repeated his question with a sense of urgency.

Dumbledore debated with himself and answered.

"A variation of blood decaying curse, Mr. Potter." His tone was grim. Floo flared green, revealing several witches and one wizard.

"Will he be…" Harry trailed off.

"Only healers can tell that, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore sighed out. "I implore you not to tell anyone about it. Please, go back to your common room and stay there." Dumbledore waved his wand and his shoulder fixed itself.

Harry gave a nod in a daze and ran off to read the coveted book which seemed to hold, for him, the secrets of the universe.

Never had Harry been more pleased and agreeable as he was now. Something stirred in him as he thought about the decision he had made when he had to choose between curses and healing. The blood decaying curse, as the book said was very different from what Voldemort had cast.

Perhaps it was for better, Harry agreed to himself. The curse described was, surprisingly, not anything bad as far as the visual effects went. But what it lacked in disturbing scenery, it made in its lethal bite. There was a strength sapping component and it progressed with the help of the heart. As a result, the victim would die within one hour. There was no known cure for it.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the last sentence. It had been a long time; surely they had developed a cure for it now. Perhaps variation of Voldemort would be different from what was mentioned here.

All in all, Harry would know the instant he stepped in the infirmary again.

It was 3 in the morning and sleep hadn't made its presence known. Not even the slightest. Hastily, he pried open the other book. As much he'd liked to admit, he wasn't anywhere near proficient in healing.

There had to be something that he could use, something that could help break the curse.

Re-generate. Harry's interest piqued. It was a section at the end of the book, detailing regeneration of various limbs. Could it be used to stop the decay? Of blood? Harry had to wonder. Unlike the earlier sections, the process was not explained. Repairing the broken bones and neutralizing the venom, Harry had understood. He had felt the effects and was innately familiar with the process. Some of it came instinctively to him and was the reason he was able to do it.

Here was a case that Harry neither understood nor trusted himself to do on his own.

"Frost, are you familiar with this regeneration processes?" Frost flicked her tongue out as she tried to learn the matter before her.

Walking towards the infirmary his mind went through various doubts and ploys. How would he hide his secrets? How will he explain his supposed healing ability? He hoped the healers had figured out something.

If he had to choose between his secrets and Draco Malfoy's life, what would he choose? Surprisingly, Harry knew his answer and at some level it made his stomach clinch.

His attention snapped back to present when the door didn't open and remained shut. And it remained shut when he spelled 'Alohomora' at it. After five failed attempts to cast a blasting hex, he resorted to banging loudly at the door.

McGonagall answered the door and she was not pleased to see him there.

"Mr. Potter." She said giving out a warning.

"Please. I need to know. Is he still alive?"

"Yes. He is." Her composure softened but only just.

"I need to see him." Harry said shoving her out-of-the-way, only to stand in front of Lord Malfoy.

He was forcibly pulled up to meet the cool grey eyes of him. Harry stared at the clenched jaw and could see the familial resemblance.

"Calm yourself, Mr. Malfoy." Harry said placing his palm over his wrist. "All is not lost yet."

Inner turmoil felt, by Lucius dispelled to an extent giving way to some clarity. It was Potter which Draco had… did consider his friend. He gave a small nod, letting him go. McGonagall looked livid but managed to hold her tongue. So did Severus.

"I need to see him." He conveyed with a sense of urgency. He knew he was intruding on a personal moment but if he managed it right, he would swing it in his favor.

The curtains parted to show a grotesque figure of Draco and two healers, one of them administration some potions down his throat. There was a sense of finality in the air, clearly seen in case of the healers. They were working on the next best thing despite not being able to cure him.

A sniff diverted his attention towards Lady Malfoy but he couldn't focus his attention on her at the moment.

"Does the curse have a strength sapping component in it?" Harry asked drawing attention to him. "Sorry. I… I did some research on it once I knew…" He finished lamely. They looked at him as if he was a mere boy!

Well, he was a boy but he was more than that.

"No… It doesn't." The healer finished curtly. There was a warning tone in his voice telling him not to ask further questions.

"Does the curse originate from his heart?"

"Boy! Whoever you are! You have no business being here! Let me do my job and leave the good woman in peace!"

"I ask because I can heal him! I, can reverse anything cast by the servant of the Dark Lord. Because… because I'm the Boy-Who-Lived." Harry snapped back before he could be man-handled from there.

Narcissa looked at the boy with utmost curiosity and a bit of hope. There was a scar on his head and the silky black hair Draco had described when he had met him. Harry Potter.

"Oh! Really. You can, can you?" The healer said in a sickly sweet voice. The women besides him looked at him with derision.

"Yes!" Harry said with confidence as he met Lady Malfoy's eyes. "Maybe."

"Maybe, he says! I want this boy out of here now!"

"Healer, in your professional opinion, how much time does Draco have?" Harry asked quickly.

Narcissa looked at the healer demanding an answer from him.

"Two, maybe three hours. Eight if you don't disturb us and let us do our work!" He defended himself.

"So you are not curing him but only prolonging his time of death? You are willing to let go any opinion I have over the matter. Any at all? What if I can manage to reverse the curse? What if there is slight chance of letting him not die? Are you not willing to take it? I will ask again, does the curse originate from his heart?" Harry said tapping his foot in anticipation. Healer waved his wand and shook his head.

Harry's eyes widened. Voldemort had used a different variation indeed. "That is good!" Harry sighed. It managed to get a raised eyebrow of Narcissa. The healers looked at him with open hostility.

"It means that there is still a chance of saving him. Had the curse originated from his heart, you wouldn't be able to do anything. Discretely, he switched on the mage sight to take a quick glimpse of him.

"Lady Malfoy, I am sorry to intrude but I felt it was my duty to help my friend. I will not offer you empty promises but I do believe that I have a counter-curse for what that ails Draco. If this works your son will recover swiftly, if not…" Harry trailed off at the end.

"Do it!" Narcissa urged. 'Anything to save my Draco. Anything for my son!'

"I want you to swear an oath that you'll swear a proper blood oath at the end of the task regardless of the result here. If you cannot do this then get out!" Harry leveled a stare at the healers.

"So mote it is!" Came the three soft responses.

"Lady Malfoy, please set up wards so that no one can bother us while we are at it. The best ones that you can manage." Harry said while looking at the body of Malfoy under the Mage sight. There were tendrils of grey overwhelming the rest of the body aura and slowly reaching the heart.

He came to a startling conclusion. The curse originated from blood itself! Every now and then he would see a slight flash making him understand that his natural magic was fighting the curse. But at the same time, it was corrupting the various organs and body parts it was moving to and from.

It was clear what was needed.

"His heart needs to be stopped." He said blinking his eyes and looking at the healers. "The curse is on the blood and the blood is moving the curse through the body. The heart needs to be stopped." He repeated.

"He'll die if we stop the heart." Healer said as it was the most basic thing in the world which Harry hadn't understood.

"Start it up again when I'm done! It'll take a few moments, one minute at best."

"Put him in stasis!" The female healer urged.

"Only his heart region. And do not do anything when I'm performing a counter-curse!" Harry responded quietly.

There was a flash of light and Draco Malfoy's heart stopped beating.

Frost could sense the nervousness from his master and chose to make her presence known.

"Regeneration is the most basic thing needed to live. Your skin, my skin is regenerating as we speak. Magic regenerates after some time. You must remember it Master. Your magic did regenerate again. Remember!"

Harry dumbly nodded pulled his sleeves up letting his snake make contact with the skin. The next moment he took off his dragon-hide gloves.

"Blood-Regenerate!" Harry commanded in a loud hiss. He was too focused to see anything around him. The female healer had collapsed on the ground and the male healer had gone incredibly pale.

It did not work as Harry had predicted. It frustrated Harry to no end. Sure he could see a minor change in the aura but none too significant. He would not take no for an answer. He would see this curse destroyed.

"Curse: Destroy." It was the most beautiful reaction he had seen as of date. There were fireworks, literally. The green aura from him, mixed with the pale grey of Draco. Slowly but surely, the greyish smoky tendrils fizzled out.

"Wait!" Harry hissed at the male healer.

"It needs to be done now." He whimpered out. He might not have understood it the language but he did understand the gesture.

"Wait." Harry repeated. After a moment, he nodded.

The healer performed a counter curse and watched with bated breath as Draco sucked in a huge breath.

"Amazing..." The healer mumbled to himself and began casting various charms on the boy. "No sign of the curse." He whispered.

He was pulled into a hug by Lady Malfoy as she made her gratitude show.

"Anything for family, Lady Malfoy." Harry said, putting her at ease.

"Call me Narcissa." She said looking seriously meeting his eyes.

"Very well, Narcissa." He said with a hiss. He saw a flinch before it was covered by a blank mask.

"The blood-oath Lady Malfoy!" Harry demanded. Narcissa cursed inwardly at her slip of the mask. But the hiss reminded her of him… After so many years, seeing this boy speaking the menacing language had shook her to the core.

A threat of obliviation was all that Harry needed to make Healers to force take the vow. Narcissa gladly took in the vow. For all intents and purposes, the thing in here never happened. They would not acknowledge it in any form or way.

"But we must be able to tell something!" Healer said frustrated by the whole thing. He had worked hard for two hours before some runt shows up and does that… that… devil thing with his evil speech. He was morbidly fascinated by it, too!

"Tell them." Harry smirked as he thought back to his first meeting with Dumbledore. "Tell them it's my unknown Boy-Who-Lived Powers."

"Harry… Mr. Potter. Forgive me for the slight. It was not intentional." Narcissa said looking quite ashamed of her actions. She could not repay him like this after her precious son was saved from the clutches of death.

"Healing is a thankless task, Mrs. Malfoy. I understand it too well. People shy away from what they do not understand. But that should by no means be labeled as evil." Harry gave a pause and spoke further. "I meant what I had said earlier. Family means something to me and I do consider Draco as my cousin." It was well-known that Dorea had been a Black before she married to a Potter. Purebloods fussed much about their family tree and the branches of them.

"Do you have some pepper-up potion?" Harry said as the tension and the thrill vanished from his body. He was incredibly tired.

Dumbledore came down to the infirmary to a totally different mood to which he had seen. Mrs. Malfoy radiated with happiness and there was a relaxed state on Lucius Malfoy. He had tried to convince his familiar phoenix to give his some tears but he had refused!

What had happened in such short amount of time? He approached Severus instead.

"What has happened, Severus?"

"Potter managed to cure Draco." Severus said as if it pained him a great deal to admit that thing.

"How?!" Dumbledore all but demanded of him.

"Healers said that…" Severus jaw clenched and his nostrils flared, "The boy used his unknown powers!"

Dumbledore felt a headache coming on. He had done it on purpose! He just knew it. He made a move to meet the healers.

"It's no use Headmaster. They were bound by oath with oath set to obliviation if they try to reveal what they have witnessed."

"Were?" Dumbledore paused and asked.

"They have been obliviated of the incident." Snake grimaced. The healers were acting all surprised and shocked seeing the boy cured of the curse.

Dumbledore visibly cringed. He didn't fancy losing his memory while performing legilimency on the healers. He breathed out a loud sigh. The boy was not what he had expected at all. Good enough that Snape was a good at occlumency and skirted around the spell.

"Mr. Potter. I…We are grateful for saving our son. Malfoy family acknowledges a life-debt to the House of Potter." Lucius feel helpless at that moment. It would've just added more salt to the wound had Potter been in Gryffindor and under Dumbledore's thumb. Narcissa said the boy considered them as family. He hoped it would be true.

"Now is not the time for such things, Lord Malfoy." Harry said with equal seriousness. "Now is a time for celebration and festivity. Such things can be discussed later."

"Very well." Lucius agreed and looked Narcissa. "I would like to invite you to our home this summer holidays."

"I graciously accept your invitation. I would like to see Draco during the holidays and get acquainted with your family." Harry replied.

"Potter! I demand to know how you cured the curse!" Healer Smyth came bumbling forward.

"Have you not heard of family secrets, Smyth?" Lucius barked out. Harry smirked seeing him put in his place.

"What if someone else needs to be cured of that?" The female healer asked pointing a glare at him. Harry remained unfazed. This was even better than it was expected. Lucius had thanked Snape for triggering the oath seeing that Dumbledore wouldn't get a chance to see it.

"Then they will find me outrageously expensive." Harry gave a smooth reply back and walked out of the infirmary. Lucius relaxed as he watched the retreating back of Harry Potter.

He is faking it. Harry smiled brightly as he looked at the smiling benign face of Albus Dumbledore at the staff table. Gryfindors and Slytherin, tied to first place, waiting anxiously what would the headmaster say.

"And finally, I would like to give 50 points to Mr. Potter for the brave and courageous action that saved the lives of Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger." Dumbledore couldn't really complete the sentence as the Great hall erupted in cheers, from the staff table. Many seniors gave him a nod of appreciation and Harry raised his glass of pumpkin juice high, for a toast.

Yes, he is faking it. Harry watched the smiling face of Albus Dumbledore. It took him back to the conversation that had taken place in his office.

"Take a seat, Mr. Potter. Severus that will be all. Thank you for getting Mr. Potter for me." Dumbledore said. Harry took a seat in front of Dumbledore's desk while Snape exited the room.

"Ah, Harry finally we get a chance to have a little talk. You know I always like to talk to as many students as I can, but every year passes just so quickly. Would you like a Lemon Drop?" Dumbledore asked as he extended a little bow of candy. Harry just shook his head.

"Well Harry. I was wondering what you thought of your first year at Hogwarts. Was it everything you expected?" Dumbledore asked with a grin.

"Not quite what I had expected, Headmaster. I've seen my friends on deathbeds and myself on one as well." Harry said cutting through the small talk, already angry at him for using his first name.

"Ah, yes it was a terrible thing what happened to you and Draco Malfoy. Lord Voldemort has manipulated many people in his life, Harry, and professor Quirrell was no different." Dumbledore was pleased as he didn't flinch as he'd expect every other person.

"I hear Mr. Malfoy is planning to pull him out of the school." Harry offered neutrally and added further, "I am inclined to do the same as well." Create as much problems for Dumbledore as possible. Dumbledore grew alarmed. He couldn't let Harry Potter away from Hogwarts.

"Discussions are in process with Lucius about that Harry. I expect it would be resolved very soon. It would be very sad to see you walk away from Wizarding World Harry. Your parents would want you to complete your education, as they did in this very school."

Harry clenched his jaw. His past was messed up and what he had seen in the mirror had left him in vulnerable.

"I don't know." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Did such things happened in the past?"

"No. It did not." Dumbledore answered solemnly.

"Then I wouldn't know for sure if they would've liked me to stay here, would it?" Harry made a smart comeback. "I can't help but feel threatened, Headmaster."

"Harry, Hogwarts is the safest place in all of Britain. Granted that, it has been one bad thing after another but we are planning to upgrade our wards during the summer. No doubt they have been circumvented by Quirell."

"Perhaps I'll make a decision over the summer holidays." Harry gave a non-answer. "My money would be better invested in hiring tutors."

Dumbledore looked at the stubborn boy who was staring down at his hands. He was being difficult.

"I wanted this to be announced at the leaving feast but I'll tell this to you now. On behalf of Hogwarts I am waving your fees for this year and the next."

Harry let a smile play on his lips before furrowing his brows in thought.

"That would be better than hiring tutors." He mumbled and then nodded his head. "I suppose it's better."

Dumbledore let out a breath he was holding.

"Now Harry I want to discuss your arrangements for this summer with you." Dumbledore said. Harry instinctively narrowed his eyes.

"I want you to stay at the Dursley's this summer. It just isn't safe for you out side of the wards, I've put up for your protection there." Dumbledore said.

"Why isn't it safe and what wards?" Harry asked darkly. He knew about the wards. The Goblins hadn't provided more information about the wards than a owl-ward present on the property. Besides, he had standing invitations to go to Malfoy Manor once they came back from vacation. Daphne and Blaise had issued one too.

"Well Harry you've seen first-hand the fact that Voldemort is not dead. What's more disturbing is he seems to have taken interest in you. Therefore it is imperative that you stay at your aunt and uncle's place." Dumbledore paused as he saw the blank face of Harry. "You see when your mother died-"

"Voldemort?" It seemed weird to say that name out loud. "He's dead Headmaster."

"Harry, you saw the proof of Voldemort not being dead." Dumbledore said patronizing.

"He is not alive either. He is a ghost!" The first thing he had done after everything had transpired was to question Baron about it.

"He is a wraith, Harry."

"So? No doubt he has done some dark rituals to make sure that he turns into a vengeful spirit after he dies." Harry exclaimed. It was very logical to think that and he had come to a startling conclusion after seeing the ghosts float by. Why were wizards bereft of all the logic? It was entirely possible that Voldemort had turned into a ghost. And ghost couldn't brought back to life by drinking elixer of life from philosopher's stone. If they had dared to drink unicorn's blood, they were cursed to a low, mean life. But either ways, it was not a full life in any form. The wieght of the curse would make greater wizards buckle.

"There are truly horrible things that can aid a wizard to escape death, Harry. Trust me when I say that Lord Voldemort will come back to life."

"Then you best call in a necromancer before he is able to do so, Headmaster." Harry said calmly.

"Necromancy is a very dark art Harry. It is banned in Britain and for a good reason!"

"Isn't it the duty of him to ensure that the Dark Lord should not return to life once again?" Harry accused.

"Alas, Harry. There is a reason Voldemort darkened your doorstep eleven years ago. Perhaps when you are older I shall reveal it to you."

"Then you hope that Dark Lord will not come back to life, Headmaster." Harry said causally. He found it incredibly strange that Dumbledore was here and not out there tracking the wraith of Voldemort. What was that hint anyways? He wasn't going to fight him. He had just achieved neutrality with him!

"And so you must return to the Dursleys. Your mother's sacrifice protected you even after her death. It flows in your veins. As long as you stay with her sister, the blood wards I put around your aunt's house will protect you from Voldemort." Dumbledore said.

Harry felt mild anger stirring within. It would've reached explosive levels if it wasn't for the fact that Durselys were in jail. Well, Vernon was living off in the streets probably since goblins hadn't found anyone living in the house. Dudley would be in foster care. It seemed that Dumbledore didn't know nor did he care.

He only cared about him getting back to that place, to ensure that the 'Wards' don't fail. But what kind of person never checks up on the savior once he was put there. The wards probably told him that it was alive.

But Harry didn't want to lose the advantage he had. Dumbledore was ignorant about this and he intended to keep it this way.

"Alright Headmaster. Perhaps it is for the best." He also wanted to ask him if he knew about the torture he had gone through there but he refrained. At some level he would still feel humiliated and ashamed. It made him confused and filled with rage.

And just as the rage and come it went away when something suddenly clicked.

"You have my blood?" Harry whispered looking properly horrified. "I don't remember giving you consent to it Headmaster!"

"Harry-"

"It's Mr. Potter to you Headmaster. And tell me you don't have any of my blood stashed with you!?"

"I don't." Dumbledore replied quickly.

"Then you wouldn't mind swearing an oath about it."

"Is my word not enough for you, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, visibly hurt.

"Your word backed up by oath is enough for me. Everyone knows performing blood magic is dark and evil. After Quirell I'm just wary of Dark Wizards." Harry barked back. Wow! Necromancy was a dark art for him but Blood magic wasn't? It cemented the things he had assumed of Headmaster.

Dumbledore's jaw hung loose. Harry didn't get to see it because of the flowing beard and the white mustache. He had initially thought of brushing over the oath but Harry considered him a dark wizard.

HIM? Dark? How could anyone think that!

"Harry the blood wards are powered by your mother's love and sacrifice. How can you label such thing as dark and evil? Phoenixes are creatures of light they could never tolerate being in the presence of a dark or evil wizard."

"It's Mr. Potter to you Headmaster. I never gave you permission to call me by first name. I recall you being expert in transfiguration. I, or no one else would know for sure if you have a mythical creature with you. I would never consent going there if I knew they were evil. The oath Headmaster, or would you simply try and obliviate me?" Harry took out his wand just to add more tension.

"Fawkes has been my familiar for over fifty years now." Dumbledore said in a somber voice. "Please do not disrespect him."

"If he was a true phoenix wouldn't you have procured its tears for getting rid of the curse. The tears have many rare healing abilities."

"He didn't want to give out tears for some reason." Dumbledore mumbled out.

"A likely story, I'm sure. The oath headmaster, else I walk out and demand presence of an adult next time you wish to have conversation with me."

The Gryffindor in Dumbledore rumbled at the callous attitude of the boy and demanded to be put in place. But that would further sow seeds of doubts of his being the leader of light. Legilimency probe read extreme wariness and want to leave the office as soon as possible.

With a mental command, the phoenix gave a trill and flashed out of the room.

Harry's face remained impassive. 'Is it supposed to impress me?'

Dumbledore took out his wand and swore an oath. It didn't change anything as the blood he had taken had been used up in various instruments he had kept it in his office. He only had a drop or two free blood left which he add in the oath that he'd try is best to destroy once he found it.

Harry mentally thought of forwarding this information to the DMLE. It would create more problems for him as well. Dumbledore gave him a look which said, 'Are you Happy?'

"Blood magic is a dark art. It's banned in Britain and for good reason." Harry said throwing his words back at him.

"There is exemption for some of the members in the Ministry and Wizengamot. As Chief Warlock I am included in it as well." He said with irritation. He didn't like being called hypocrite.

'Convenient.' Is what Harry thought of it.

"Oh!" Harry said out loud. "If that's all." Harry said getting up, regardless of the answer.

Dumbledore's let out a sigh. He had resolved all the major issues with the boy. But it seemed like nothing had resolved between them.

"I had asked many people who had studied with your parents and told them to send the photographs of them."

Harry's eyes widened as he took the black leather book in his hand. Judging from the weight, it contained a lot of photographs.

Harry was about to say something when Dumbledore's bird let out a trill, flashing into the room.

The noise was something Harry couldn't place, on one hand it was soothing, yet at the same time it made him want to cringe away and hex the creature. Harry just kept his face neutral and turned to look at the bird.

The phoenix for its part just stared right back at Harry. After a few moments, Harry turned back to the headmaster, who was watching him carefully.

"Good day."

When Harry closed the door, Dumbledore turned to his companion. "Fawkes what do you think?" He asked.

The Phoenix gave a thrill of uncertainty that caused Dumbledore to sag into his chair feeling every day his age. On one hand, he was glad that Harry did not react negatively too Fawkes' song; however, he didn't show the enthusiasm that someone firmly entrenched in the light should have felt. The boy's face had remained completely impassive.

It might be because he didn't consider phoenix as a real deal, he thought irritated. Atleast he shows aversion to dark arts. That was good and so was his case of healing Draco Malfoy. Healing was as light art as it could be, in his books.

"We will have to watch Harry much closer the next few years, Fawkes." Dumbledore said after a while.

There was absolute silence in the common room, except for the occasional crinkling of the woods that burned in the hearth. Harry sat comfortably on the chair closest to the fire and in his hand, was the black leather book that Headmaster had given to him.

He hadn't opened it yet and was debating if he should give in to temptation. He had never been so much confused and angry at the same time, after seeing his parents in the mirror. And there lay the problem.

Before the mirror, everything had been so much clear and sharp but now, there was an added something… affecting his thought process. The mirror had left him more tired than the ordeal he had gone thorough.

His snake was coiled up by the fire watching curiously the conflicted emotions on his master's face.

With a smooth move Harry got up and neared the fire place. He stroked the soft leather book in his hands. The texture was not clearly defined or felt under the dragon-hide gloves he had worn.

"You reap what you sow." He said softly, plunging a metaphoric knife in his heart, throwing the book in the fire. He took out the dragon-hide gloves and ran his fingers over the smooth scaled body of his snake. He wanted nothing to do with his dead family. The past just refused to stay in a past and it took something from him just thinking about it. It was better this way. The book was laden with spells anyways.

Good thing he had spell resistant dragon-hide gloves, he thought feeling the heartache as he trudged up to his dormitories.

Daphne Greengrass walked in stealthily and levitated the book out of fire. A frown marred her face. It was weird of him to throw a book away.

A specter spirit watched the happenings inside the Slytherin room, witnessing the scene with a blank expression. He turned towards the portrait of Salazar Slytherin and talked when certain no-one was listening in.

"He is much like you."

"A terrible thing in more ways than one." There was a hint of bitterness laced with barest curiosity in the deep soft voice of the portrait. So many had walked, talked and acted like him. Recent example was his blood heir Tom Marvollo Riddle.

"Time will tell." Bloody Baron said.

"It always does."

Harry walked in the room and eyed the man sitting in front of him. There was a definite amount of 'wisdom' that he could sense in him…or around him. He just couldn't pinpoint it, nor actually comment on it. There was liveliness in his eyes that wasn't in Dumbledore. No, in Dumbledore's eyes there was this twinkle that he specifically designed or 'had' for people to feel comfortable around him. There was a purpose in his twinkle and on many occasions, that superior all-knowing attitude which wasn't present in, this man.

His smile was fake, or he might have just done it for being polite. Harry smiled back an equally fake smile. There was a definitive amount of curiosity in his eyes and yet that faint sense that he knew him.

"Mr. Gregorovitch, I presume?"

"You must be Harry Potter." Harry nodded once. His tone was slightly off considering he was not from here. Harry was surprised and felt a bit strange meeting a person from somewhere he had never even seen.

"I presume we can have a conversation freely?"

Gregorovitch raised his hand and Harry could feel wards surrounding the place. He looked back through the door he had come, and folded the invisibility cloak he had with him. His eyes quickly turned to slits and he saw the intricate weaving of wards around. He was satisfied. Not that he could differentiate but the wards seemed strong, tightly woven.

Harry sighed.

"Thank you for meeting me, Mr. Gregorovitch." Harry said, sincerely. He drew out his wand and gave it to him, for inspection.

Gregorovitch looked at intently before taking it into his hand.

"This wand belonged to a Parselmouth." It was not a question. Harry was impressed and gave a shrug in return.

"You said in your letter that you are able to cast in a 'specific' language. I presume correctly that you are a Parselmouth too." Harry took a sharp breath in and spluttered in his mind. He had went to such lengths to hide his talents and it was all laid bare that easily. Could anyone connect the dots like he did?

Well, he was straight and to the point. He had to give him that. He was not inclined to disrespect him especially in this 'wand' business. There were so few to begin with and he had replied after such a long time.

"How could you tell?" Harry asked in a calm tone, "That this wand belonged to a parslemouth."

Gregorovitch smiled.

"You see this, these markings, these engravings at the bottom?" Gregorovitch pointed the neck of the motif of the metal snake. Harry nodded.

"Quite the work in making this real. It looks almost authentic." He murmured and added, "This is a distinct…er… pattern or what you call representation of a typical wand owned by a Parselmouths. If this creation is authentic." Gregorovitch said.

Harry was drawn into the conversation.

"You mean there was a group of witches and wizards? How do you know this?" Harry asked, very curious.

"Mr. Potter." Gregorovitch laughed. It was not a boisterous laugh but a jovial laugh. "I make wands. However, I have never crafted a wand like these." Gregorovitch looked up, for the first time, his eyes dancing with mirth. "Very few people know that we, wandmakers make a good historian and somewhat expert in ancestry."

"So this wand belonged to someone in the past." This came out as a dumb statement but Gregorovitch understood what Harry wanted to ask.

"There was a civilization in the east, I think."

"What happened to them?" Harry asked, sitting at the edge of the seat.

"Wiped out." Gregorovitch mentioned casually. "Oh don't look at me like that. Happens all the time. Egyptian civilization, Mesopotamian civilization, Indus Valley civilization. I could go on and on." He said looking at the serious look on Harry's face. "Some of them died in war, some due to famine. Some of them were just gone. Never heard from again."

"How? How were they wiped out?" Harry asked gathering back his composure.

"I don't know. There was very little information available about that civilization. But the wand… A true magnificence. The characteristic shape- Though there are imitations available. However... Never have been able to achieve this level of perfection." He said gesturing at the small scales on the sliver. "There is a simple way of testing if this is a cheap imitation. May I?"

"Hmm." Gregorvitch said looking at the wand as some sort of interesting specimen. "The varnish is new and utterly disgusting. I presume correctly that you did not come across this wand from a Wand maker?"

Harry nodded. Damn, this guy is good, he thought.

"Is it possible for non-parslemouths to cast from these wands?" Harry asked.

"Hmm… Quite possible, yes." Gregorovitch nodded to himself. "However, you know the saying, 'A wand chooses a wizard' and not the other way around."

Harry nodded.

"Very few however would successfully be able to cast with it." Gregorovitch said and cast a lumos with Harry's wand. It worked, but the brightness was not as bright as when Harry would cast it.

"So you can cast successfully in Parseltongue with this creation?" Gregorovitch asked.

"Yes." Harry said stiffly. "It works flawlessly for transfiguration and is perfect for casting curses. I can do charms without the aid of Parseltongue." Harry said, looking at him.

"Basic charms are easy, could be performed wandlessly even." Gregorovitch waved it off.

Gregorovitch levitate his original wand in the air, with his hand. Harry was mildly impressed with the wandless display. The next moment, Gregorovitch took out his own wand and murmured a spell. In an instant, the varnish peeled off to reveal a dull colored wood beneath it.

The wand levitated higher and spinned fast around its axis. It was almost a blur and Harry could only manage to see the metal glint. Harry could see magic tunneling into the wand and almost instantly, the wand came to a stop.

"Aha! Semi-alive metal. A prominent feature in those wands." Gregorovitch was truly awed. Here was a wand that built by Parselmouths and he was seeing it for real. He had only heard of myths and beliefs about such wands but only now he was seeing to what he believed to be a fraction of the real power of the wand.

The snake motif had elongated. The scales which, seemed closed were now open. If Harry didn't know better, he would say that the snake's head had started to grow its tail.

The next ten minutes, Harry watched patiently as Gregorovitch reapplied varnish. Oddly enough, the scent of varnish wasn't much strong. At the end, he cast a spell again and varnish dried instantly.

"It doesn't work when I'm casting in English or Latin!" Harry stated getting back his wand. He loved this wand but something was missing, still. The slightly elongated tail gave him a good grip though.

"But it does work perfectly when you are casting it in Parseltongue?" Gregorovitch said, eyeing wand intently.

"Yesss." Harry sighed. Frost showed herself from under Harry's cloak.

"Then I don't see the problem." Gregorovitch said looking up to Harry.

"I don't want people to know that I'm a parslemouth!" Harry said impatiently.

"Why?" Gregorovitch asked.

"Because it's considered dark ability!" Harry snapped.

"Why hide your true nature, Mr. Potter?" Gregorovitch fixed Harry with a stern glance. Harry was shocked. "It isn't considered a dark ability in most of the other parts of the world. In Europe, perhaps Parselmouths are judged a bit more harshly than the others but only in Britain it's considered a dark ability. And even then, it's not a punishable offence, to be one. Eastern part of our magical country almost reveres Parselmouths and their help is actively sought in many cases, especially in healing. I'm know that ParsleMagic is capable of true wonders be it healing or…cursing."

Harry sighed.

"I don't want Dumbledore to know about that." Harry revealed. It was a bit close to the truth.

Gregorovitch looked at him for a full minute. Harry resolutely started back unyielding.

"You are wise not to trust Albus Dumbledore. The truth is often not what appears to be…Then again; the same applies to you, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked immediately.

"People are blinded by many thing. Yours is your hatred. But anyways, I digress. We are diverted from our purpose. Your wand, will work perfectly if you cast spells in Parseltongue." Gregorovitch stated. Harry shrugged in return.

"I already know that. I want you to fashion a new wand. A wand that will allow me to cast in 'normal' language that witches and wizards uses!" Harry said in return. How dare he say that I'm blinded by Hatred! Harry huffed to himself.

"Hmmm. Try this. Gregorovitch opened a suitcase and dug out a wand."

"The normal wands don't work with me. They burn the instant my magic courses through it." Harry said matter-of factly.

"Do try, nevertheless." Gregorovitch said.

The result was the same as it had been while Harry had been in Olivander's store. The wand got heated up and it burst into flames. Frost hissed angrily and slid out.

"Try this."

Harry took it and his eyebrows rose. It literally was a tube of metal.

"Lumos." Harry dropped the wand instinctively. The metal burned hot and it left an imprint on his skin.

"This is the same reason I left Ollivander's shop, Gregorovitch!" Harry said angrily. "He wasn't able to fix up a wand for me!"

"Calm down, child."

"I'm not a child. Never call me a CHILD!" Harry snapped back. His magic was running wild and while he had strived to gather some control over his magic, it was fast slipping. Gregorovitch eyed him with a new sense.

"Do calm down, Mr. Potter. How many tries did it take him when you gave up?"

"39!"

"And you have tried how many now?" He asked politely. "Try this, Mr. Potter." His voice was formal and Harry calmed down marginally. This wand was different. It was, it looked like a custom wand and Harry took it warily.

Harry could feel the difference. Magic coursed through it easily.

"Lumos!" Harry cast with full power. The light blazed through the room blinding Harry smiled with his eyes closed.

Harry smiled.

"Cast something else." Gregorovitch said, blinking his eyes rapidly. Harry eyed a small vase on the table. He cast a spell to transfigure it into a needle. He was confident that he would succeed.

He was wrong. The vase took the shape of the needle but it wasn't made up of steel. He gave a loud groan.

"Curious…" Gregorovitch spoke after some time. "Could you cast that spell in Parseltongue?"

"Yes." He replied and cast the spell again. The result was much better. The needle was made up of steel and only the hole in top of the needle was missing.

"Very curious. Try that with your wand in English and then in Parseltongue." Gregorovitch said cancelling the spell on the vase.

Harry cast the spell in English and it wasn't something you could call a transfiguration. Disfiguration was the word. He cast the spell in parseltongue and he result was a flawless transfiguration.

"Why's that." Harry replied, feeling a bit sour.

"What do you know about Magic?" Gregorovitch asked his eyes shining brightly. Harry stared back, baffled by the question and after a moment he answered.

"There are different branches of Magic." Harry stated carefully. Gregorovitch nodded and he went on, "There's transfiguration, charms, potions is too but not an active kind." Harry stated.

"And all of these branches of Magic use…magic. Do you agree with that premise?" Gregorovitch stated.

"Yes." Harry said easily, wondering where this conversation was headed.

"So, you agree that Magic is a fundamental thing required or… trained by witches and wizards to use for various fields. Transfiguration requires a different amount of control and method than what you may use to cast curses. The possibilities are endless. They may sometimes be coupled together for uses but sometimes…" Gregorovitch looked up fire burning in his eyes. Harry was reminded distinctly of Professor Flitwick and surprisingly Pomona Sprout. Like they really got into the subject.

"What?" Harry drew into conversation.

"Sometimes, witches and wizards grow partial to one language for casting. Normally, it is that language in which they use normally. Here in Britain, most of modern spells and hexes have English roots. Some wizards find casting in Latin a bit troublesome but they manage it. So the question is, Mr. Potter. How come you grew partial to Parseltongue instead of English or…Latin?"

Harry's mask slid effortlessly on while a storm erupted back in his mind.

'Could the blood bonding affect me?' The answer came automatically.

'Yes, yes it has.'

Harry sighed again.

"I found a snake and talked with it for long hours." Harry said off-handedly. He was fixated with one question in his mind. 'Was this permanent?'

Gregorovitch sat back in his chair. This boy was different. Talking to a snake for long hours wouldn't affect or change his magical core to such a degree. There was more to it than what he let on but he wasn't about to give that away. His curiosity was itching to be satisfied but there was a problem that needed to be solved.

"So what you're saying is…the problem isn't in wand but in me?" Harry asked.

"It's not a problem. It's just your nature. The way your magical core adapted to changes. But it's called an affinity for a reason, Mr. Potter. " Gregorovitch pressed on the last word emphasizing the fact.

"So it's permanent." Harry said resignedly.

"Nothing's permanent. Nature can be changed, your magic can adapt to the changes you make. It'll probably take more time for you to learn spells that were traditionally meant to be cast in Latin. But magic learns to change."

"So what about the wand, then?" Harry said, feeling a bit deflated. He had thought that he would be given a new and improved wand to be able to cast with.

"The wand which I gave to you, is made up of snake's fang mixed with its blood. I gave you because you are a Parslemouth. I can give you another wand to test how well it fits you, but my best guess is to continue using that wand you have."

"I'd like to try out a different wand first." Harry stated.

"This wand, wasn't much different from the first one but Harry could tell that his piece of spell-work was a bit more effective when he cast any other language other than Parseltongue. However, the spell-work was near perfect." Perfect as in identical. It could never match the work done by his wand.

"I see the point." Harry eyed both the wands warily, letting Gregorovitch take both of them away.

"Not to worry, Mr. Potter." Gregorovitch said, "All you need is more control over your magic and practice. Magic can be made to learn the way you want to cast it. However, I would recommend studying advance material with aid of parseltongue. Hiding an ability is understandable but never shunning it."

"Thank you, Mr. Gregorovitch" Harry said softly, enjoying his magic coursing through the wand. The wand felt slightly better than before.

"No…Thank you, Mr. Potter." Gregorovitch replied, beaming. He gave one last look at the wand and added, "Parselmouths were a very secretive sect, Mr. Potter. I imagine there are more secrets in that wand you could uncover. It was said that the wand grows as the wizard matures with it. If I had time, I would've liked taking a closer look at it."

"I will keep you informed if I discover anymore secrets of it. In return I will ask you not to tell my secrets to anyone."

"It is a deal, then." Gregorovitch looked satisfied. And strangely, so did Harry.

"Could you tell me which books you refer to about the different civilizations?"

"Let me right up a list for you."

"Oh… by the way, what's this symbol?" Frowning at the triangle like symbol at the end of the parchment. It was there in his letters as well.

Gregorovitch peered over the symbol of Deathly Hallows and looked up his eyes burning with renewed intensity. It was going to be another round of discussions.

Harry cursed as he flooed back to the train station. The conversation took more time than he had assumed. He swore he had seen this symbol before. But he couldn't care to remember just now. He had asked his friends to cover for him and promising them that he'll meet him at the station.

Train pulled up, predictably on the platform and Harry rushed in opening the doors. Daphne and Tracy were seen pulling up the extra trunk along theirs.

"Do you need any help Miss. Greengrass?" Harry inquired politely.

"Harry!" Daphne's eyes widened and tension left her body. "Weasleys were asking for you."

"The twins?" Harry frowned as they nodded their heads. "Meh!" He said taking his trunk and helping with theirs too.

Soon he came face to face with the Greengrass. Cyrus Greengrass carried himself with confidence and there was an expensive air around them which screamed of old money. Harry found it incredibly strange that almost all purebloods were unemployed. They had family business that supported their expensive tastes.

He shook their hands and their little sister gave a squeal of delight as he kissed her hand. Age difference aside, they were nearly identical in looks. He didn't have much time with them since he was grabbed by Blaise to meet with his mother.

After an exhausting five minutes of introduction and everyone politely trying to getting to know him better, Harry sensed someone staring at him. Turning around, he saw the Weasleys staring at him, more particularly a star-struck girl among the group.

Distantly, he could make out their mother scolding the twins of all the pranks they had pulled and the complaints they had received.

Harry smirked, making a plan in his head.

"Potter, what do you want?" Ron asked menacingly.

"Ronald Weasley you will watch how you speak!"

"Hello Mrs. Weasley." Harry greeted politely. "I have heard nice things about your son Charlie and Bill." Charlie Weasley was a thorn for Slytherins, not letting them win in any games."

"Thank-you dear."

"Harry Potter mam." Harry gave an introduction and the red-haired girl blushed deep red.

Molly Weasley's face brightened with praise and then some more when he introduced himself. The fact that Daily Prophet had delivered a full story was an added bonus.

"I haven't heard nice things about the rest of them though."

"Get away from him, mum! He is a dark-wizard." That was Fred, or George.

"Fred and George! You will shut your mouth. You are in enough trouble as it is."

"It's okay Mrs. Weasley. They are always saying nasty things about me, just because I'm a Slytherin." Harry made a sad face.

"It's okay dear. There is nothing wrong in that." Harry could sense that she was just saying that to placate him.

"But it really hurt me when they said that I should've died with my family that Halloween night and done the world a favour." Harry rubbed his eyes and gave a soft sniff.

There was a tense moment of silence. There was a gasp from the girl as she turned towards her brothers in anger.

"Is it true?" Molly towered on her boys, her cheeks puffed up in anger with a wand in her hands.

"But mum! He said-"

"Is. It. True." Molly Weasley dug her wand deeper into one of the Twins neck.

"Yes." One of them squeaked.

Molly Weasley took a huge breath and Harry judged that they were about to get screamed at till they went deaf. A hand landed on her shoulder and Molly instantly calmed down.

"We will discuss this at home." He turned and met Harry's eyes, "Mr. Potter, I am sorry that my boys said that. This in no ways reflects the sentiments we share. I apologize on their behalf."

"It's quite alright Sir, I will not pretend that your sons and myself are good friends because that's just not true." Harry said honestly.

"Good day to your family and to you, Miss-" Harry offered his hand.

"Ginnyerva… er… Ginny." She squeaked out.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He said as he shook his hands.

A vicious smile plastered across his face as he walked back. Things were looking up this summer.