Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ Pretty Little Secrets ❯ Scheming Headmasters, Vengeful Sorting Hats and Taking up Residence in the Snake Pit ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Note: This chapter has been edited since July 2007.

A/N: Hey thanks for the reviews. I've been busy with school and stuff lately but now I've got a computer in my own room I don't have to share with three other people.

Chapter Five: Scheming Headmasters, Vengeful Sorting Hats and Taking up Residence in the Snake Pit

The office was silent after Harry's logical statement. Dumbledore stroked his beard in thought.

"It is, in fact, very possible your blood protection has been restored. The only true test is having Voldemort come in a close range of you and that isn't the best of ideas."

Remus nodded. "Your theory makes perfect sense. From what I know of Elemental Veelas, they don't get their powers until their 16th birthday because it helps hide them from Veela Traders. An Elemental Veela is worth a lot on the Black Market."

Harry paled. "You mean people are going to want to trade me! What the bloody hell for?"

Sirius cleared his throat. "Well regular Veelas are beautiful creatures but they aren't as... spirited as your kind. Elementals only grow attached to their families and mates and will fight. Enslaved Veelas are used as... toys for wizards. Elementals are for the ones who like pain. The," Sirius cringed, " S&M type."

The temperature was rising again and many of the portraits were complaining. Harry turned a deaf ear to them.

"Sex? We're used for sex? But I'm still a person! Not something you can play with and just throw out!"

Remus patted his best friend's son's shoulder. "Not to some wizards. The Ministry has been forced to recognize Elemental Veelas as a sort of sub-human species, so your rights are a bit higher than mine; but Elementals have a huge respect from the Wizarding World. If you had to go and tell every Slytherin down in the Great Hall your status they'd be very impressed."

Harry shook his head, his shiny locks reshaping themselves when he stopped. "I'm not telling anyone! Not even Ron or Hermione! And especially those Slytherins!” A thought struck the Veela suddenly. “Why are they even here? I know for a fact that Malfoy Sr. was present at the Ministry of Magic that night. Shouldn't he be in jail, or better yet Azkaban?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Not only did I have Professor Snape as a spy in Tom's ranks but Mr. Malfoy's father as well. They were found out this summer and for their protection and that of their families, they will be staying here. When Lucius revealed his true place in this war, many other purebloods also revealed theirs. I've had eight spies in Tom's ranks for the last three decades."

Sirius snorted. "I think some of them took their roles a little too seriously. Many of their parents had to flee the country."

Remus nodded. "The Parkinsons, The Knotts, The Montagues, The Flints, The Zabinis, The Higgs, The Goyles and The Malfoys. Lucius refused to leave, while Narcissa is staying somewhere in France, I believe."

Dumbledore nodded. "The least I could do was give them my protection and offer Hogwarts as a safe haven. Now," Dumbledore clapped his hands together lightly, "Where shall we put you for the remainder of your stay?”

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "I was under the impression that Remus and I would stay with Harry in the Gryffindor Tower."

Harry nodded his head. "That's fine with me. Maybe Ron and Hermione could come visit later."

Dumbledore sighed. “Miss Granger is out of the country until the last week in August and the Weasleys have a mission for the Order. Ron and Ginny went with Hermione. They had wanted to take you with them, but I was worried about you becoming sick. They left some letters and birthday gifts with me to give to you."

Harry took the four gifts gratefully. One from Hermione, one from Ron, one from Mrs. Weasley and one from Ginny and the twins.

Remus finally spoke up. "So we'll take Harry to see Poppy and then go straight to the Gryffindor Tower. We all need a good nights rest."

But sadly Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eyes. Before anyone could move another voice spoke out, this one strangely familiar. "I think that Mr. Potter and his guardians should be housed in the Slytherin dorms, just to help inter-house relations."

Sirius choked and Harry started to sniff out, literally, the culprit. There on the shelf behind Dumbledore was the Sorting Hat. Harry scowled at it.

"You just want to put me there. They all hate me."

The Sorting Hat laughed. "Your destiny lies within that House. You were always meant to be there. Now I will get what I have been hoping for the last six years."

Harry was just about to ask what that was supposed to mean when Dumbledore stood, blocking the Hat from view.

"Well now Harry, you'd best go see Madame Pomfrey. When you are finished, the password to the Slytherin Common Room is pureblood."

Harry groaned. "Great! Snape is gonna be the one to kill me and dance on my grave in a pink tutu! How unfair is that?"

The men just looked at their teenaged saviour in confusion. Harry blushed.

"Err, inside joke." He said before quickly leaving the office.

Sirius shook his head before leaning around Dumbledore and glaring at the Sorting Hat. "What do you mean Harry's destiny is in that House? Harry is a Gryffindor."

The Hat chuckled. "You have always put too much meaning into a person's house, Sirius Black. Harry Potter's mate lays within that House, the Prince himself. The choices made have led Harry down this path now. You both must help him understand and accept it, for if he doesn't all will be lost and the prophecy will be fulfilled in a way that will destroy the world."

Remus sighed. It was always Harry. The poor kid couldn't get a break. "So Draco Malfoy is Harry's mate? And Harry was always meant to be a Slytherin?"

Sirius nearly fell out of his chair. "Draco Malfoy? My snotty cousin Cissa's spawn? He's Harry's mate? And Harry a Slytherin? Moony have you taken too much Wolfsbane?"

Remus glared at his childhood best friend. "Did you ever hear the saying 'Read between the Lines'? The Hat said Harry's mate was a Slytherin, the Prince himself. Now who has been called the self-proclaimed Slytherin Prince since he came here?"

Sirius blushed and mumbled. "Draco Malfoy."

Dumbledore nodded. "I've figured as much. Harry told me in his second year that The Sorting Hat had wanted to place him in Slytherin. I've always feared what would have happened to him if he was sorted into that House, but now…… his destiny has been to be there."

Dumbledore looked up at the last true Marauders. "Look after him. There is a new room being set up in the dungeons as we speak. Help Harry and Draco accept their fates. You may need to enlist the help of Severus and Lucius in this matter, but I will leave that up to you."

Both men nodded as they felt the magic in the room change. “An Oath." said Remus awed. "You truly care about Harry that much?"

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I'm afraid that his need for knowledge has only derailed his anger at me for a short while. I have made some mistakes in his life and upbringing but I think of him as the grandson I never got the chance to have. But he is so much more. The Sorting Hat has forgotten that his blood also lies in Gryffindor."

After Professor McGonagall had left the Great Hall, the remaining Slytherins started talking.

"So do you think he'll tell anyone what's been happening?" asked Matt, curiosity seeping out of his pores. "He never looked like that in June."

Many of the guys actually blushed. Pansy smiled. "I hate to say it but Potter just might beat out our Draco for the sexiest guy in Hogwarts this year."

Their Head of House snorted. "I do not want to know if you think thoughts about Potter like that. He's still as arrogant as his father." Apparently Snape was still fuming about Potter's comment at dinner.

Draco mock-sniffed. "You really think that Pansy? I'm hurt." Blaise punched him in the arm.

"You'll get over it. All she's saying is that you'll have some competition this year. Isn't that what you love, a good competition?"

Draco glared at his best friend. "Blaise, do shut up. I'm upset here."

"Where do you think Dumbledore will put the Gryffindors? He's tricky. We may all end up with some guests for the summer." commented Lucius.

Snape growled, "He wouldn't dare..." Suddenly a phoenix swooped down and dropped a letter on the Potion Master's plate.

Reading the letter over Snape's shoulder Lucius did a very un-Malfoy-ish thing. He slapped his forehead.

"I hate being right."

Beside him Snape taught his students some very colorful curses, and not the kind you could do with a wand.

Poppy was still chewing Harry out when Sirius and Remus showed up, ready to head to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Never again do you leave like you did today. You went from passing out and vomiting up blood to just walking around in a few hours!"

Harry was still trying to explain himself as he followed the irate medi-witch's instructions but he could barely get a word in.

"I was hun-"

"I don't care! You should have yelled or- Or-Or something! I don't think I've been that frightened since Voldemort re-"

"Poppy!" said Remus in his no arguing voice. "Are you finished with Harry? We'd all like to get some rest; it's been a long day."

Poppy Pomfrey blushed before nodding at the werewolf. "Yes a good nights rest will be perfect." Then she rounded on Harry.

"If you have the slightest pain or irritation you will come and see me at once. Once you find your mate everything should work itself out."

Harry nodded once before trying to put his shirt back on. This time it wouldn't fit. A growl rumbled throughout the Hospital Wing.

Sirius took the shirt and enlarged it. "You're growing into your natural body shape. We'll need to get you some clothes tomorrow. My little Harry-kins is all growed up!"

Remus rolled his eyes at the two before they all started off towards the dungeons.

"Somebody up there hates me." Harry complained as they walked. "First this horrible illness, having to spend my summer with Slytherins and now all my clothes will be too small by tomorrow morning! And that doesn't even include Voldemort!"

Remembering Albus' words the two men tried to sooth their godson.

"You know some of the Slytherins may not be so bad. We should at least try to get along with them." Sirius said. Harry blinked slowly at him.

"Sirius you hate anything that has to do with Slytherins, Snape and Malfoy included. I think the stress of today has cracked you."

Sirius glared at the two. "What? Am I really that bad?"

Remus and Harry nodded in complete unison.

"Well damn."

A/N: Well here you go. I'm thinking of starting another story also with Snape as Harry's daddy. Let me know what you think. If you want any updating hints you should check out my journal.

S. Tangerine