Blood Filled Chalice

Program Escape

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The boggart said something below the hearing range for humans and it sounded like, 'Eyes of blood, hair of blood, protected mind ... its kind has returned.'

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(It knows what I am?) Harry thought as he ate dinner with his housemates.

The rest of the class was basically absorbed in their own chatter and were completely oblivious to the young Slytherin's situation. The entire school, in fact, was chatting about his boggart encounter, but had no clue on how it affected him. Only three people truly focused on him right now. One was his Dad, of course, and the other two were James and Michael though they just seemed annoyed that he was getting so much attention. Even Fred and George seemed to be happy, but they had no reason to think this may be strange in any way.

With a sigh he tried to shake away his thoughts and settled on trying to talk to the boggart after curfew. He glanced subtly at his Dad and saw a small nod. Hagrid wasn't told about what boggart said because there was simply no time, but he could tell his son was concerned about something more than the boggart rumor suggested.

"Harry." The young creature looked up and saw his head of house. "When you're done with dinner I'm going to take you to the headmistress's office. There's something we want to discuss with you about your education and an opportunity you might find useful." Severus explained quietly.

(An opportunity? It doesn't sound like this is about the boggart incident.) Harry mentally concluded and was relieved that he wasn't in trouble. "Ok, Professor Snape." He said and once his meal was done he left the table with his potions professor. On the way he noticed Michael pause in his gluttonous shoveling of food down his throat to see Harry being escorted away. Harry looked away with a smile to make it clear he wasn't in trouble, but that only made the Gryffindor twin scowl.

Severus noticed the subtle exchange between the two Potter boys and Harry's sigh after, "Your attempt to maintain some peace isn't going to work."

"It never has, but I can't be the one to start something. Not with them." Harry said tiredly. He wasn't sure how long he could keep from biting one of the Potters. When he follows orders from a professor, such as the videotaping at the museum, he gets hurt. Every time he's praised he gets a scowl. How is he supposed to make it appear that he's mending family bonds like James wants when Michael gets angry and violent with every shred of happiness Harry earns? Is he expected to kiss his brother's feet or something? If so then there's going to be a problem because he might just claw James and Michael first.

"You might not have to worry about any of them for a while." Severus said almost teasingly in his refusal to reveal anymore to the calm boy who was curiously watching him as they walked down the hallways.

When they reached the statue of the griffin Severus said a password and it started moving upwards. As it moved a staircase was revealed, but so was something. No one would think much of the faded scaled pattern winding up the pillar. It could easily be mistaken for a symbol for Slytherin, but Harry spotted a skull carved at the end of the snake's tail. It was a symbol for the dark lord cleverly hidden as an old Hogwarts house symbol. It also served as a disturbing reminder for the creature who felt a chill go up his spine as he followed the professor up to the resident Death Eater's office. His Dad can say she is unwittingly on their side, but that doesn't mean he will drop his guard around her any time soon.

Minerva was talking to someone who was seated in one of the tall chairs in front of her desk when Severus and Harry came in, but once they entered she turned her attention to them. "Thank you for coming. Harry, please have a seat. I'd like you to meet Lucius Malfoy."