Panthera

Chapter Two.

Harry turned from looking at where the door should be to where his Professor sat, all of his muscles tense as if they wanted to strike out at something. Doing his best to keep his voice steady he started to speak.

"I never knew magic was real until Hagrid showed up to give me my letter and take me to Diagon Alley. That was the first time I found out anything about who I was to the Wizarding community. I was sick of the hero worship before I stepped foot into this castle. I was brought up to believe that I was a burden, so my very first class with you brought home to me that I was nothing but a spot of slime beneath your boots. In a way it was a comfort knowing that no matter where I went, there was someone who would always despise me. It wasn't until last year that I found out why you actually hated me, and yes I do understand your reasons even if I don't agree with them. I am not my father." The last sentence almost had Harry losing control of his magic, as a few things in the room started to shudder, as his voice cracked on the word 'father'.

"I never asked for fame, and I don't, despite would some people say, use it to get my own way. If I had a choice I would rather be a shadow on the wall, with no one looking up to me as a hero. ''The Boy Who Lived', 'Gryffindor's Golden Boy', and all the rest of those stupid titles are not of my choosing. "

Taking deep breaths, Harry calmed himself before continuing, "I never asked nor want any of the things you accuse me of, I don't want the attention, and I never have." Taking another deep breath, Harry locked his eyes with his professors. "All I want is to be Harry, Just Harry. Nothing more." Searching the black eyes across from him, Harry let he shoulders slump in defeat, and curled up into a ball at the end of the couch, waiting for what ever Snape had to say.

Snape sat back in his chair with Harry's words ringing in his ears, and the tendrils of magic that he had released caressing his senses. In truth he really didn't know what to say. He's first thought was to believe that the boy in front of him was lying, but a close look at the body posture confirmed that he had been told the truth. Sighing in frustration Snape stood and walked to a recessed cabinet and pulled out a dusty bottle of white wine and two glasses. Turning back he banished all the clutter from the late night tea, and proceeded to pour both of them a glass, knowing that it would relax them both enough to keep the calm that surrounded them. Snape had no doubts that the wrong word would send the teen in front of him over the edge, and he really didn't want his rooms (or himself) destroyed. Setting one of them on the small side table next to the couch, he placed his own on the coffee table before settling himself down next to the dejected boy, and hoped his words would not set of another display of uncontrolled magic that he witnessed earlier.

"I truly don't know what to make of what you just told me. I need time to think about it. I was under the impression that you knew more about our world before you came here, but from what you said that is obviously not the truth." Barely soft enough to be heard, he added to himself, "it would have made things easier in the long run if I would have been told of that little fact."

Snape watched as Harry slowly uncurled from the ball he had pulled himself into, but noticed that he refused to look him in the eye. Sighing softly he reached across Harry and picked up the glass of wine and handed it to him. Shocked eyes flew up to meet his own with that, before Harry slowly took the glass and had a small sip, before nodding his head in thanks.

The two of them sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Snape once more broke it. "I don't hate you. I've despised you, and loathed the fact that you remind me of my past. Over the years you have pushed what little tolerance I had with all your constant rule breaking, but I have never really hated you."

Silence descended upon them once more, slightly more comfortable, but still tense. This time it was Harry who broke it. "I understand. I also understand that in order to keep you position as a spy you needed to treat me with nothing more then scorn. I figured that out at the end of last year." Harry paused to take a sip of his wine before continuing. "You have questions that you need to have answers for before you can trust me." It was not a question. "I'll answer them to the best of my ability as long as you promise not to use the knowledge you learn against the others."

"Agreed. I will also do my best to answer your questions."

"Agreed"

"How much do you remember from your sorting?"

Harry looked at Snape from the corner of his eye. "I remember everything from that night." Came the slow answer.

"The first time our eyes met your scar flared with pain, I could see that clearly. Do you know why?"

Harry sat silently as he tried to find the words he needed. glancing up to met Snape's he gave him a small smile. "I'm not avoiding your question. I know what I want to say, It's just finding the words to say it." Harry's voice trailed off softly. Receiving a nod, either in understanding or encouragement, he didn't know, but it gave him the will to try to go on.

"That night I though it was you. I thought you had found away to let me know just how much you hated me. After all, we are magic, and knowing what I do know about you, I wouldn't have been that far from the truth. Over that year you never really gave me a reason to think otherwise, hell in the past six years you never gave me a real reason to think otherwise. I know that you saved me during my first quidditch match, but at the time it really didn't mean anything. everything else that you said or did overshadowed that one event." Harry stopped long enough to take another sip of his wine, and then stared into his glass as if the contents would give him the answers to all his problems.

"Looking back, I now think that there are two reasons, both could be correct or a combination of the two could be correct. I really don't know."

Another short silence before Harry continued. "The first is infinitely more likely then the other but it has it's draw backs. My scar always flares whenever Riddle is nearby, and with Quirrell sitting next to you while that dark thing was attached to his head, I'm guessing that's why. but like I said, it has one major draw back. when I met Quirrell in the leaky cauldron, and later during classes, I was never in pain. It was only that one time."

"The second reason it could have flared is also because of you, or rather your Mark. My scar could have been reacting to another person marked by Riddle. But then again, it's never happened again, unless you where called when I was near, but I always feel it when he calls anyway, it's just stronger around you."

Harry was silent for a few minutes before he continued. "It could also be a combination of the two, like I said. With the three of us all in one place, and the emotions going through the room at the time, enough Dark Magic could have combined for that one single instant." Harry finished before silently looking up at Snape, waiting for his reaction.

Snape thought about it for a few moments before answering, turning all the possibilities in his mind, and wondering just how much he should reveal to Harry. "I believe that the third reason is correct, although all three are valid. I know when it happened my mark also flared to life for a single moment, and in that time I felt a connection between us." Pausing for a moment, before continuing he decided to be honest. "I always knew where you where although it took all most a year to figure out how it worked. but I did always know when you where in trouble and needed help. I never had to search for you, I could always find you if I really needed to get to you. More often it would let me know if you where in true danger and I always found I knew what i needed to do to help you, even if it was just a detention to get you away from that spot. It was always like a sense of 'you' in the back of my mind."

Harry snorted in grim amusement. "That explains so much. it also explains how I knew where you where. I never was really surprised when you came through the door at the start of class." Harry looked at him from the corner of his eye, "do you feel me over the summer also?" He asked holding his breath as he waited for the answer.

"Not really. I most likely would know if you where in serious danger though."

Harry nodded in understanding, even as he gave an almost silent sigh of relief. "That's probably a good thing at the moment." he said softly. "Although, I must remember to find a way to break this connection, it would make life so much easier if you couldn't find me when I'm out after curfew."

"Not a chance Mr. Potter. Someone has to be around to save your hide." Snape said with a sneer, but Harry could hear the undertone of amusement.

"You almost caught me a few time you know. Especially during my first Christmas here. If you would have reached out a few more inches, you would have been able to grab my invisibility cloak after I left the restricted section in my first year."

"I always did wonder about that. but I will save those questions for later."

A deep chime sounded through the castle and both of them turned to look at the clock. 3 o'clock am.

Harry groaned and murmured, "I am so glad tomorrow is Saturday." Before grinning tiredly, "At least I won't get in trouble for being out after curfew tonight."

"You're lucky the Headmaster locked us in." Snape sneered back. "The only question is how you get out of my rooms and into your own. quickly followed by asking if your rooms are even ready for you?"

"Only one way to find out i suppose." Harry sighed. "Dobby?"

A soft pop along with a set of small arms around Harry's legs announced the arrival of said house elf.

"Master Harry Potter Sir called for his Dobby? What can I's do for Master Harry Potter Sir?"

Harry ruled his eyes as he pried Dobby's arms from around his legs. "Are my rooms ready Dobby?"

"Oh yes Master Harry Potter Sir. Dobby and Winky finished as much as the Castle would let us."

Harry's eyes became slightly puzzled but he put this comment aside until later. "How do I access them from here Dobby?"

Dobby's grin, if possible became even larger as he pointed at the wall. "Yous and Professor Snape Sir must both ask the wall for entrance. No door will come unless you's ask for it."

Harry nodded his head in understanding "Thank you Dobby."

"You's welcome Master Harry Potter Sir. Dobby is always willing to help his Harry Potter Sir." And with another hug he disappeared.

Snape had sat watching the whole thing, and knew at least one of the questions harry would be asking if not two of them. Moments later his suspicions proved correct.

"Professor, do you know what Dobby meant when he said that he finished my rooms as much as the Castle would let him, and about needing both of us to open the wall?"

"Did you feel drawn to those rooms when you found them." Snape asked.

"Yes sir, I was looking for a place where I could be myself and alone, and without being bothered by anything. I was wondering at night like usual when the door for those rooms opened up for me. It seemed perfect at the time."

"Hogwarts herself gave you those rooms. They will be yours until the day you die, if not longer. She knows what you need even more then you yourself do. The House Elves would have been able to effect only some changes, you will find that as your needs change, your rooms will also change. Tonight you will have the basics, which the House Elves put in. By the time you wake up in the morning all the rooms will have changed to serve your needs better."

Harry was silent for moment taking that all in. "I see. What about the wall?"

"Since neither of us really wanted a door between our rooms, it will remain a wall. I gather that the first time we will have to open it together. After that I believe only one of us will be needed to move it."

"That sounds reasonable. Shall we then, I'm going to have to be awake and aware tomorrow so that I can say good-bye to the others when the train leaves for Easter Holidays."

"I take it your friends are going home then?"

"Yes sir. They wanted to stay here with me, but I told them to go ahead to be with their families."

Snape gave him a shrewd look. "And what of yourself?"

Harry just shrugged "I'm safer here in the castle. My relatives are traveling for the holidays which would give Riddle the perfect chance to attack me if I was with them." he said smoothly hoping Snape would leave the subject alone.

Much to Harry's relief Snape did, although if he would have been able read his Professors mind, he would have been dismayed to see Snape making a mental note to push Harry on the subject of his relatives. Instead Snape walked over to the wall and waited for Harry to join him. When he did join him, instead of allowing Harry to stand by his side, he moved the boy to stand in front of him and laid his hand on top of Harry's, allowing their fingers to lace together. The two stood that way for a few minutes, back to chest, as they both felt the magic of the Castle judge their intent before a glow surrounded their hands and moved across the walls. A faint groaning sound followed before the wall rearranged it self much like the one in Diagon alley did, allowing the two of them their first look into Harry's new rooms.

Harry stood rooted to the spot, with Snape's fingers still laced with his own, as he gazed at the room that had once been his study. Instead it had morphed into a cozy sitting room, complete with two comfortable winged back chairs, in front of the fireplace, placed facing out towards a couch and love seat, all done in a sandy suede leather. the walls where done in slightly darker shades, with cream accents. all the portraits on the walls where done in landscapes accept for one. a large king cobra curled on a large boulder, staring intently at the two of them.

{Ignorant two feets. Don't they know that it's rude to stand in doorways staring?} The snake hissed

This was enough to pull Harry from his daze and step into the room. Snape started to follow him, but remembered just in time about the wards that protected these rooms.

"It's okay Sir. You no longer need my permission to enter all the time. I'll reset them tomorrow so that you may enter even when I'm not here."

Snape took a few steps into the room before leveling Harry with an disbelieving look. "There is no need for that Mr. Potter."

"Actually Sir there is. If anything happens to me, someone will need to have access to these rooms, and the Headmaster has been pushing me to do this, as well as, hinting strongly that he should be the one with full access. I personally do not wish him to show up when ever he wants. And I refuse to allow Ron or Hermione that kind of unrestricted access in here either. I would rather it be you. I can at least trust you to stay out of things you have no business going through."

Snape gazed at him in shock. "I'm not sure if I should thank you for this or not." he managed to say with a small sneer.

{How can you know he is really worthy?} came the hissed voice again.

Harry turned and faced the snake in the portrait. {It's rude to talk about people when you know they don't understand you! besides, I know I can trust him with my life, if not anything else.}

The snake reared back in shock before addressing Harry once again. {You speak!}

{And you state the obvious.} Harry snorted, before turning back to his Professor. "Sorry Sir, but he was being rude, and I needed to deal with it."

"So I see. I will bid you good night Mr. Potter. Please remember that the train leaves after breakfast tomorrow. And we will be continuing on with our discussion over the holidays."

"Yes sir. Thank you and good night." Harry watched as the Potions Master reentered his own rooms and the wall reappeared behind him. Turning back to the snake he asked, "Do you actually understand English, or where you just guessing?"

{Yes Speaker, I understand the human tongue.}

"What is your name?"

{I am called Ashhleigh.}

"Thank you Ashhleigh. Do you know where I may find my bedroom?"

{Yes Speaker, it is the second door on your right.}

"Thank you once again. When I am more awake I will talk to you again."

{Of course Speaker, rest well.}

"You as well." Harry replied before dragging his feet towards the indicated door and entering his new room. He registered cool greens and blues along with muted shades of yellow, before his mind and body shutdown and sleep dragged him into it's depths, even before his head hit the pillow.