(Edited: 17/07/2020)

Chapter 4

Harry's Point of View

We ran for a long time, round and round the twisting stone corridors, past thousands of paintings, up numerous staircases, through hundreds of doors... It all started to look the same after a while. Eventually we collapsed in a heap on the floor sobbing. We had absolutely no idea where we were. It was very dark and cold, however, and the guttering torches did little to ease our despairing thoughts.

They'd never want us now. We'd be sent home. Back to the library. Back to the silence and loneliness that had been our 'childhood.' What was the point in even coming here? Nobody had ever cared about us, and even if they had... well, they'd left us eventually.

The cold began to seep into our bones and we began shivering uncontrollably.

'Harry.' Percy's voice was weak and childish. 'Harry I'm scared.'

'I know.' I retreated into the dark caverns of our mind to join him. I embraced my brother's consciousness in an attempt to share what little warmth I had with him. 'I'm scared too. But at least we're not there, with all those horrible stares and the teachers who distrust us.'

We lay together for a long time, sheltered in the back of our mind. Too long. Feeling was slowly leaving our limbs as the cold froze our nerves and slowed our reactions. Eventually we slipped into a deep sleep, basking in the comfort that the warm embrace of sleep brought.

When we woke it was very bright. Very bright, and very white. I mumbled incoherently and tried to move away from that painful light that was driving daggers into our eyes but a hand on our shoulder prevented me from doing so.

'Percy?' I asked for my brother, suddenly aware of the silence from him. A soft snore drifted back to me from his consciousness and a small smile twitched our lips. He was just asleep. All was well.

"I know you're awake, Mr Potter."

The voice was female, and very strict, with a note of annoyance sharpening it.

"So do I." I muttered back. "Though Percy isn't, so I guess you could say we're only half awake."

A small giggle slipped out our mouth at my joke. From the huff that came from the woman, she didn't find it amusing.

"So, I take it you're Harry, then?"

"U-huh." I opened our eyes fully now, squinting against the light. Slowly our vision came into focus. A short woman in a mediwitch outfit stood next to us, her lips tight with what I assumed was disapproval. "You're going to lecture us, aren't you?"

It wasn't a question, not really. I knew she was going to rant at us for one thing or another; I had seen Lily wearing that look on her face too many times not to.

"What were you thinking of, running away like that?" She burst. "You sent all the staff into a panic. It took us hours to find you. Hours. And for what? To find you half-frozen to death in the bowels of the dungeons. Why, if the Bloody Baron hadn't been passing by when he had... You do realise that you could have died?"

I took a deep breath. "But we damaged the hall." I stated, confused. "Shouldn't you be mad at us for damaging the hall and attacking the headmaster?"

She gave me a look of pure confusion and I frowned. "Mr Potter, are you implying that you ran away because you thought we would hurt you over a bit of broken glass? Dumbledore's fine, he's suffered much worse than being thrown back a few feet. As for the glass... nothing a simple 'reparo' couldn't fix."

I ducked our head. "Accidental magic usually means a punishment." I admitted. The woman looked horrified.

"Why? It's in the name, accidental magic."

I blushed a deep colour. "Madam... accidental magic for us usually means breaking something."

The woman laughed. "Yes? Well, I was the same. That's no reason to physically harm a child. Especially not for an accident."

"Well," I broke off. Before I could think of a reply the doors banged open. I jerked our head up. Severus Snape strode into the room, his robes billowing like bat wings. I smiled at the image.

"Ah, you're awake. Foolish boy, what were you thinking! I've assigned you two nights detention with me for such idiotic actions. And I thought you were the smart one!" Severus scolded us. His voice was stern and disapproving and angry, but underneath that there was something different... could it be relief?

"Sorry sir." I apologised, blushing again. "We weren't thinking. We didn't mean to worry you."

"Hump!" Our Godfather turned to the mediwitch. "Madam Pomfrey, how are they?"

The woman, Madam Pomfrey, smiled at the Potions Master. "Messrs Potter are fine. They just needed some warmth and to sleep it all off. Have you arranged sleeping arrangements with the Headmaster?"

Severus scowled. "Yes. Albus believed it would be best if they stayed in Gryffindor."

"But..." Madam Pomfrey prompted.

"I set him right. They would eat them alive! Especially with that brother of theirs... No, I'm not letting them go near the Gryffindor Common Room. They'll room with Draco, but their lessons must be split between the houses. Meddling old fool..." Severus muttered the last bit under his breath. I giggled.

"Still here, Sev." I beamed at him. "Thank you for letting us room with Draco."

"Yes well," Our Godfather gave us a small smile in return. "Hopefully he'll knock some sense into that head of yours."

"With Percy living in it? Not a chance!" I grinned.

Severus smiled. "Shouldn't he be complaining round about now?"

"Can't complain if he's asleep, can he?" I laughed merrily.

Severus shook his head in amusement. "Well, if Poppy agrees you can go, I'll take you down to the Slytherin common room to meet your classmates."

"Messrs Potter may go." Madam Pomfrey agreed before I could ask who Poppy was. I bolted out of bed, nearly tripping over ourself in my eagerness to escape what I presumed was the hospital wing. Snape rolled him eyes, but waited patiently for us.

I thought I recognised some of the dimly lit corridors that we walked down, but I couldn't tell for certain. Too many of them looked the same. They were all grey stone in the dungeons, lit only by flickering torches held by brackets on the walls. Luckily, however, although you could smell the smoke some sort of magical filter kept it from clogging up the corridors or staining the walls black with soot.

We eventually came to a stop in front of a plain wall. There was nothing to mark it out as different or particularly memorable place. However, when Severus spoke to the wall, a section of it rotated to create just enough space for one person to slip through. I grinned.

"Wow."

"Indeed." Severus turned to face me. "The password for this week is 'pureblood'. Forget it and you're locked out until someone decides to take pity on you. And remember – Slytherin remain a united front in public. Any silly feuds or arguments take place behind closed doors. You'll have enough enemies outside the common room without arguing with your own as well."

"Yes Sev." I nodded.

"One more thing – I'm Professor Snape here, Godfather or not. And you shall address me so whilst in the presence of others."

"Yes sir." I reiterated with a small smile.

We entered the common room. I stood still for a minute, taking in the beautiful matching green furniture, the woven rugs and snake wall hangings. Above the fireplace the Slytherin Crest stood proudly, the snake moving slightly as it turned to stare at me. A watery green-blue light illuminated it all. Suddenly, a shadow slid past the windows. It looked like a squid. I shivered slightly, thinking of the Giant Squid that had rescued us yesterday.

"Sir, are we beneath the lake?" I asked.

"Yes." Professor Snape answered.

I shuddered again. A snigger startled me. I glanced left in the direction it had come from. The sneering blond boy who I had grown to call a friend stood at the bottom of a small flight of stairs leading down into another passage.

"We're quite safe, Potter." Draco smirked.

I rolled our eyes at him. "I never said we weren't. I was just imagining waking up to see some strange creature from the lake peering at me through a window."

Draco burst out laughing. I just gave him a look.

'Urk...' Percy mumbled incoherently. 'Harry, where are we?'

'Slytherin Common Room, sleepy head.' I smiled at my brother. He really was just too cute in the mornings.

"Well, I'll leave you in Draco's more than capable hands then, shall I. I'll be seeing you three at lunch." Professor Snape told us before walking out the common room.

"How long till class?" I asked Draco.

"An hour." Draco informed us. Percy moaned in our head, and I laughed quietly at him.

People were slowly starting to gather, pointing and whispering at us. I groaned and rubbed our eyes.

'Yo Percy?' I asked, receiving an image of a sleeping Percy in return. I giggled slightly. 'Can I at least have some moral support here?'

I sent him an image of the whispering Slytherins and Percy snapped to attention, his wariness setting me on edge.

"Gryffindork." A loud voice cut through the incoherent whispers. Percy shoved me aside, taking control.

"You got a problem, buddy?" Percy demanded, instinctively slipping into a defensive position, ready to attack.

'Percy... careful, we're rooming with these people...'

Needless to say, Percy ignored me.

"And if I do?" A tall muscular boy stepped forward. He looked like he was at least in fourth year judging from his height.

Percy narrowed our eyes. "Well, then I say you're a discriminating –" (Here Percy added a few choice words about the older snake.)

'PERCY!'

I began to fight Percy for control, mentally throwing spells at him in an attempt to overpower him. Our mind began to look like a battle ground as Percy fended off my spells of with his own. He summoned water, manipulating it to knock me off balance, and I sent a tickling hex his way in retaliation.

Then a sharp blow to the head had us staggering backwards. We looked up in shock at the older boy who still had his hands clenched.

"I think you'll find my parents were married when I was born, mudblood."

Percy looked unimpressed. I decided to just hit Percy with my fists.

'Do not retaliate!' I snapped at him.

"WE'RE NOT MUDBLOODS YOU TWO FACED COWARD!"

I sighed. Sometimes I wondered why I even bothered.

"Percy, shut up." Draco said, stepping between the fourth year and us. "I know you're pissed at the moment, and I know they're threatening Harry, but you really need to stop. Snape will be back if we're not careful, and we might be late to class as it is."

'Listen to him.' I begged. I loved my brother, but sometimes he was too protective for his own good.

The wall was silent as it swung open, as was Professor Snape as he stormed in.

"Exactly what is the meaning of this?" He demanded. "And why is the Slytherin table empty?"

The fourth year eyed our Head of House warily. "Sir, why is the mud-blood here?"

Professor Snape stiffened. Then he hissed, "Percy and Harry are not mud-bloods. I'm sure you're all aware of what Twin-souls are?"

The whole room nodded. Huh, seems like it was only Gryffindors hadn't heard of Twin-souls.

"Harry is a Slytherin, and Percy has just a much right to be here as Harry. Can you imagine what the Gryffindors would do to them?"

The fourth year paled.

"Exactly. Well, Flint," Snape faced the fourth year. "I expect you to be more courteous to my godsons in the future. That goes for the rest of you as well. And don't get Percy angry. He is very protective of Harry, if the look on his face is anything to go by, so I wouldn't push him, for your own physical safety."

The warning was well heeded, everyone slipping round Draco, Severus and us.

We followed shortly after, walking through the now almost recognisable corridors back up the to Great Hall and sitting at our allocated table. Percy was still fuming silently, refusing my pleas to take control.

Breakfast should have been a quiet affair, as the Slytherins tended to stick together in public, showing a unified front to the three other houses that seemed to despise them so. Unfortunately, Professor Dumbledore hadn't quite got the memo that we were looking for peace and quiet.

"Ah, Harry, my boy!" Dumbledore greeted us cheerfully. "Nice to see you up and feeling better again."

'Is this guy for real? I thought he only cared about our brother.' I asked Percy, who snorted in agreement.

'Your Slytherin status is probably ripping apart Charles' Gryffindor family.'

"Professor." Percy nodded to the headmaster. A frown marred our forehead for a moment. "I'm Percy. Though Harry say's hello too."

'I do?' Percy ignored me, knowing full well that my manners would compel me to be polite toward our superiors, however annoying we might find them.

"Ah, of course, I see now." He indicated the front of our robes. With a scowl we noticed that they currently styled the Gryffindor crest and that the Lion's colours decorated our tie.

Percy let out a string of curses in what sounded like a mixture of mermish and gobbledegook. I smirked.

'So you did pay attention when I was learning then.' I teased him.

Percy sent me a mental jab in retaliation. 'Shush you. It was impossible not to when you were thinking that loudly.'

"Was there something you wanted, Professor?" Draco's voice was coolly polite.

The old man nodded his head absentmindedly. "Yes, yes. I thought it would be good for Mr Potter here to meet his other house. As the majority of his lessons will be paired with Gryffindor-"

"What?!" Percy and I exclaimed.

"Yes, it was easier to give you a ready-made schedule, and since you are rooming with the Slytherins, we've paired you with the Gryffindors during the day." Dumbledore informed us, looking quite proud of this solution.

Percy cursed again in mermish. Dumbledore frowned.

"Now, now my lad, no need for that sort of language now, is there?"

Percy blinked and we were both taken aback. "You speak mermish?!"

"Yes. As much as I'd like to know how you learned such a noble language, I also request to refrain from using it in such a coarse manner. Swearing, after all, isn't permitted." Dumbledore winked at us. Percy rolled our eyes.

"As you wish, sir." He ducked our head in acknowledgement. "However, we're prefer to get fully settled in here, before we eat with the Lions."

"But-"

"Headmaster, I believe Percy has made them quite clear. Besides, it's entirely up to the students where they wish to sit." Professor Snape intervened. Percy flashed him a grateful look.

'Thank Merlin for attentive Godparents.' Percy muttered. I laughed, but agreed whole heartedly with him.

The rest of our meal passed in peace, and we just chatted quietly to Draco, ignoring the mixture of curious and angry looks from the rest of the Slytherin House. Eventually, the food on the tables vanished, signalling the end of Breakfast. The Heads of Houses started handing out schedules.

Professor McGonagall handed ours to us last, after seeing to her Lions. We groaned.

We only shared Potions and flying lessons with the Slytherins. Percy turned to give Dumbledore a dirty look.

'Was that really necessary?' I asked, mentally scowling at him.

'Yes.' Percy send me an image of him sticking out his tongue. I laughed.

"What do you have first?" Draco asked. Percy groaned.

"Transfiguration. With Ravenclaw."

Draco frowned. "The Eagles aren't the worst house."

"No," Percy agreed, "but the Lions are."

Conceding to our point, Draco flashed us a grin. "True, true. I've got to rush. See you next lesson in potions?"

"Sure thing!" Percy agreed cheerfully.

Transfiguration was taught by Professor McGonagall. The first thing she did was lay down the rules:

Always do your best...

Don't talk while I am teaching...

No fighting in her classroom...

Don't pass notes...

The usual boring teacher rules.

Then she transfigured her desk into a pig and back, explaining that: "You won't be capable of such work until at least seventh year, as it is NEWT grade Transfiguration."

We rolled our eyes at that. 'How much do you bet I could do that?' I asked Percy.

'I'd bet a galleon that we could do that.' He replied.

I laughed. 'I'll do the research. We could 'accidentally' do it next lesson.'

'You're on!' Percy grinned mischievously, immediately catching the Professor's attention.

"Something amusing you, Mr Potter?"

Percy's grin dropped as he adopted an innocent look. "Amusing, Professor? No, not really. Harry and I were just thinking about how we could use Transfiguration in –"

I quickly shoved Percy out of control. "How we could use Transfiguration in other lessons. For example, if transfiguring potion ingredients would tamper with the potion." I quickly covered Percy's almost slip up.

A few murmurs ran round the room, having no doubt noticed the Gryffindor crest had been replaced with the Slytherin one, our tie turning green and our posture straighten to that more befitting of a Pure-Blood heir. I smiled angelically at Professor McGonagall.

"Well, Mr Potter. If you have time to mull over questions such as that, then I suppose you won't need my demonstration to transfigure the match on your desk into a needle." She said in disapproving voice.

I smiled, taking my Holly wand out of our bag, ignoring Percy's which was already lying on the desk. More mutters sprung up from this. I tapped the match stick, reciting the spell on the board and imagining the wood melding into metal and one end sharpening to a point.

The match followed my instructions until a perfect needle lay on our desk in its place. Professor McGonagall looked surprised; "Yes, well. Very well done. 10 points to Gryffindor."

I stiffened, as did Percy from where he'd been sulking at the back of our mind. "I am Slytherin, Professor, as the green I am wearing should inform you." I told her in a cool, quiet voice that seemed to echo loudly in the silent classroom.

"Then 10 points to Slytherin as well. You partially belong to my House too, Mr Potter, as you should start to acknowledge."

Our brother snorted. "Don't bother, Professor. My brother is as much a slimy snake at the rest of them!"

McGonagall rounded on Charles. "Five points from Gryffindor! There is absolutely no need for such language. Mr Potter is your brother!"

"I mean no disrespect, Professor," I interrupted quietly, "but you're fighting a lost case. My brother and I don't get along. Sibling rivalry and all. Yes, I am a Slytherin. And Percy is a Gryffindor. Charles will eventually have to learn to cope with that. And until he does, no... external prompting will make him."

Professor McGonagall gave us a curious look, then continued the lesson.

'Feeling mature today?' Percy asked.

I gave him a small smile. 'Maybe a little. I don't want to get into any more fights today.'

'Can I have a go with the needle?' Percy randomly requested, changing the subject.

'Sure.'

We swapped continuously for the rest of the lesson, practising Transfiguring the needle. It took Percy a while longer as he'd never practised before, but he eventually got the hang of it too. By the time the class ended, we all but sprinted for the door to get away from the Gryffindors who really didn't seem to like us that much.

Percy and I were relieved to enter the cool dim dungeons. Home territory. We followed the sound of voices to where the Potions room was located. Outside the Slytherins were already gathered, chatting quietly amongst one another. Draco was at the centre, being the self-declared 'Prince of Slytherin'. We smiled at the thought, and Percy walked closer to the group.

"Draco!" He moaned in exaggerated despair. "Cousin, pray save me from all those mewling Lions!"

I sniggered as I watched Draco turn to us in surprise. "Cousin?!"

"We'll yeah." Percy nodded. "Harry looked up our family tree. Turns out Grandma Dorea was originally a Black, and your Mother's cousin. Hence, we are cousins twice removed. But never mind that! The Gryffindors! You must rescue me from the god-forsaken Gryffindors!"

"Got a problem with us, brother." A familiar voice sneered from behind us. We groaned, and turned to face a fuming Charles.

Percy tilted his head. "Can't imagine why we would, you acting so... friendly, and all."

Draco sniggered. "Don't the Potter siblings get along? Oh, you poor things, we should call a therapist at once to solve you family issues!"

"Malfoy." Charles snarled at our god-brother. Percy immediately moved to stand in front of Draco.

"He's been more of a brother to us the last two days than you've been our entire life!" Percy declared. "Leave him alone, he's ours!"

Some part of the almost child-like innocence that Percy still had seemed to stun everyone into silence. It was such as childish thing to do, claim procession over somebody. The past two days we'd been acting more befitting of someone our age, but, deep down inside, I guess we still had those childish urges that we had suppressed when we were younger...

"What is going on here?" Professor Snape demanded, taking in the situation in one glance. "Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter, for starting an unprovoked attack on Draco and Percy."

"But –"

Snape cut Charles off. "Or should I make that twenty?"

Immediately any Gryffindors that had opened their mouths to back up Charles shut them. In a sullen silence everyone filed into the room.

"Sit where you wish, I care not. But mind that whoever you sit next is your partner for today." Professor Snape said as he strode into the room after us, his robes billowing behind him.

We sat next to Draco, in the front row. Cauldrons were already placed on the workspace, a small flame keeping them warm, ready for use.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving, or silly incantations in this class!" Snape informed us in a low drawl. "But before we get started, shall we test some general knowledge? Potter!"

As he barked our surname, Charles and us sat up straighter.

"If I were to ask you to find a bezoar, where would you look?"

"I would care to know." Charles sneered, even as Percy answered with my prompting:

"Inside a goat's stomach, sir. It's known to save you from most poisons."

"Congratulations, Percy, but let me rephrase this – Charles Potter, what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

Charles didn't stop sneering as he stared blankly at Snape. "No idea, Snivellous."

Immediately it was obvious Charles had gone too far. Then entire class stiffened, the tension almost palpable in the air as they waited for Snape to explode.

"Thirty points from Gryffindor, Potter, and detention with me tonight. If you don't show, I'll make it two detentions and fifty points." Snape snapped in a low voice. "Turn to page three hundred and ninety four. We're working on the basic cure for boils today."

The rest of the class passed quickly; it turned out Draco and Percy and I were the only ones capable of properly completing the potion, excluding the muggleborn Granger girl, who seemed to have something to prove, acting like a stuck up know-it-all.

"Well done boys, fifteen points to Slytherin each." Snape praised us, ignoring the downcast Gryffindor sitting on our other side.

A flicker of hope lit in our chest at our godfather's small smile.

'Hey Percy?'

'Yeah Harry?'

'Do you think that maybe, just maybe...'

'We might belong here?'

'Yeah.'

We smiled. Perhaps Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad, despite our awful start to it.