~Unknown Markings~

~The talk with the Slytherin Portrait~

Harry POV:

The lights had been turned off in the dormitories across Hogwarts an hour ago. I was snuggled under my duvet using Lumos to light up the Marauders map. Draco Malfoy had been moving around a bit during this past hour which has made me increasingly more suspicious.

Finally, after he seemed to be stationed in one area for a prolonged period of I dimmed the light and reached to where I hid the invisibility cloak. The silky soft fabric caressed my fingertips as I got out of bed and put the cloak around me. This was a stark contrast to the map which was rough and grimy.

Getting out of the Gryffindor common room is easy. The tricky part is getting into Slytherin. I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to do that.

Cautiously, I approached the Slytherin housekeeper.
"Ahh, Harry Potter. I have been expecting you." Behind the cloak I gaped, dozens of thoughts crossing my mind simultaneously.

The first most prominent thought being he is going to turn me in. Followed by how the bloody hell did he know.

"Take off the cloak Potter, you look like a fool," The portrait said with a huff. The Slytherin portrait was guarded by a middle-aged man with long rich green robes. His hair was well kept in a dark raven mane which extended down to his shoulders, generously.

His eyes were a piercing shade of blue which compelled me to remove my cloak.... and I did, slowly.

"I know what you are here to do Potter and that already makes me want to let you in." He stated and I felt hope surging through me.

Until he said, "But unfortunately I can't just let you in, you have to figure out the password like any other Slytherin."

I was confused didn't every Slytherin know the password why would they need to figure it out. Isn't that more of a Ravenclaw trait. As if reading my mind the portrait answered. "Slytherins, Mr. Potter, need to find out the password of their own will, ambition, and cunningness. They use their drive to figure out the password. Unlike Ravenclaws who generally know the answer or know something to figure out the answer."

"I never knew..." I said, very surprised at this revelation.

"Don't flatter yourself, Potter, of course, you didn't. All people see Slytherins as is manipulative and conniving. Evil sometimes, anything that is the slightest bit human or normal about us is a surprise." The portrait sighed deeply. He had clearly never told anyone this before... so why tell me? The Golden boy of Gryffindor!

"Now hurry up and figure it out. I will give you a clue if you so desire, it will make it easier for you. Other Slytherins wouldn't have the privilege. It's the greatest Slytherin that ever lived."

Without a second thought, I shouted out "Salazar Slytherin!" The portrait gave me a look of great disdain. His eyes once filled with amusement shattered into something utterly unrecognizable, almost disappointment. Almost. 

"Honestly Potter a three-year-old could break into Slytherin if that was the password. Try again you have two tries left."

"Tom Riddle." I blurted out and the portrait's face morphed into many different shades of unpleasant.

"No. Try again." That was all he said in a hushed voice.

"Merlin! This is so hard!" I exclaimed, wondering how it could not be one of the two that I had suggested.

"Correct." The black-haired painting said flatly and I whipped my head around.

"What?" I asked confused

"Merlin was the right answer? He was a Slytherin?"

The portrait looked at me in disgust, I already knew he was calling me an uncultured swine in his head."Of course, he was a Slytherin Potter. Now get in, I'm letting all the heat out and Merlin knows there's not much of that down here."

I glanced in towards the gloomy and cold-looking Slytherin common room. "Right of course," I murmured as I dashed inside and the painting swung shut behind me. I didn't know where the great Draco Malfoy slept so I pulled out my trusty map and followed it along a corridor until I stopped in front of a wooden door. 

With a great deal of caution and careful planning, I put my hand on the door handle and applied a minimal amount of force. This managed to open the door with little noise except for the occasional squeak which made my insides cringe. 

"Lumos," I whispered and a small light appeared at the end of my wand, which I used to aluminate the room. On the other end of the dorm, I saw the white tuft of hair belonging to a certain Draco Malfoy. 

The floor contained scattered books, scrolls, quills, and ink which made the pathway over to the Slytherins bed considerably harder. I finally reached the young Slytherins bed only knocking over a couple of books on the way. 

I used the light to see his features more clearly. The boy looked so peaceful sleeping, there was no tension on his face, and his hair was completely natural. 

On his forehead, there was a mark from the dice identical to the one which was currently on my forehead at the moment. There was something else on his forehead as well, something which I have never noticed before. 

Right beside the mark from the dice lay the famous trade-mark lightning scar the spitting image of my own. 

How the hell have I never noticed it before?