Harry didn't have to worry about Dumbledore being angry. The talk he had with him in his office was calm and light-hearted. Hagrid came bursting in to say that Harry hadn't done anything wrong and that he was prepared to swear it in front of the Ministry of Magic, but it hadn't been necessary. Dumbledore said he didn't believe that Harry had done anything wrong. He told him a story about Fawkes, the phoenix and about some of the bird's abilities, but that was it. He then sent Harry on his way back to his common room. It was a huge relief that the Headmaster didn't suspect him. At least he might be able to get some sleep.
When he got inside the portrait though, half the house seemed to be sitting up and talking. They all hushed when he walked into the room and he knew that they had been talking about him. Harry ignored them and ran up the stairs to his dormitory. He just wanted to get away.
For the next few days, hardly anyone talked to him. If they even so much as brushed up against him or ran into him they were apologizing all over themselves. One girl even cried and begged him not to make her next on his hitlist. Harry promised her he wouldn't and ducked into the nearest hole big enough for him to fit through so he could hide. He waited until the halls were completely empty before he continued on to his classes.
Ron and Hermione greeted him when he sat down, but Harry didn't even acknowledge them. He was mad at them too for some reason. Probably because he was mad at the world for the moment. People were afraid of him, almost like he was Voldemort's son or something or his rival. The only thing was, the more he heard people saying it, the more he was actually starting to believe it a little. It made sense. What if that was why Voldemort had wanted to kill him in the first place? What if he didn't want someone as evil as him running around? Harry thought about it for three days, practically driving himself crazy.
On Christmas Eve, it started to snow heavily. Harry felt more alone than ever. He didn't want to bother his mother and Snape with his problems. They would only tell him that it was all going to be okay and he could see that it wasn't. He was fully dressed and walking back to Gryffindor Tower from a study session in the library when he came face to face with Ron and Hermione. Harry stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't want to have anything to do with either of them, with anybody really. He turned around and attempted to leave, but Fred and George were there blocking his way. He sighed heavily.
"Let me through, guys," Harry told them.
"No," they said in unison. "We've had to hear our brother whining for days now about you not talking to him."
"I just want to be left alone."
"Why?" Fred asked. "Because you're a seriously evil wizard?"
"Are you afraid you're going to kill us all?" George poked.
Harry frowned. "Very funny, guys."
"We were just trying to stall you, mate," Fred told him. Suddenly Fred and George stepped out of the way and Ron and Hermione took their places."
"Don't get near him everybody!" George announced. "He'll petrify you!"
Harry shook his head.
Ron placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, Harry. Fred and George are just fooling around. They think it's hilarious."
"They're the only ones," Harry said.
"Well I personally think it's ridiculous, Harry," Hermione told him. "You are not the heir of Slytherin."
He glanced to the side and then back at her. "Is that why the two of you have been avoiding me for almost a week now?"
"We haven't been avoiding you," Ron said. "We've just had a lot of work to do so our Christmas could be clear." He stepped in closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Tomorrow is when the potion will be ready. Then we can turn into Crabbe and Goyle and find out about Malfoy."
"There's no need. I already know who the heir of Slytherin is."
Hermione's eyebrows raised. "Really? Who?"
Harry lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Me." He turned around and walked swiftly away from them.
Ron and Hermione shared a confused look and then followed him. They caught up to him just as he was about to go up the stairs.
"Harry, come on. I know you don't believe that," Hermione declared. "It's stupid.'
Harry whirled around. "I don't know what to believe. I didn't know I could speak Parseltongue. What else don't I know about myself? What else am I capable of?" He shook his head. "If the two of you want to stay safe, then you best stay away from me."
Before they could say anything, he turned and bolted up the stairs.
Hermione sighed. "That went well."
"I know something else we could try," Ron suggested.
"What's that?"
Ron grinned. "I'm going to go tell his mother."
"That's mature, Ron. But clever. At least maybe she'll know what to do to cheer him up. That would be better than him moping around here like this. I hate seeing him this way."
"Me too. I want my best friend back."
With a little more discussion the two of them headed straight toward the Dungeons. It was lunch time, so they knew where Professor Evans would probably be.
~ * ~
Severus was so quiet that Alaina barely knew he was even in the room with her. They ate lunch in complete silence. He would look at her occasionally and smile if she happened to be looking his way, but other than that his expression was impassive. Despite his ability to mask his emotions, she knew something was wrong. Alaina finished eating early and set her dish aside. She got up and went over to the window and pretended to look out into the grassy meadow that was there in front of her, even though it was only an enchantment. Severus finished eating and got up to join her. He slipped his arms around her waist. She held onto his hands and smiled. That was more like it.
"What are you studying so hard on?" he asked as he set his chin on her shoulder.
Alaina sighed. "I was wondering," she said turning to face him, "what has upset you."
Severus frowned. "You could tell, huh? I thought I had learned how to mask my emotions better than this."
"I know you. You and I are alone. You're usually talkative. You were too quiet."
He sighed. "Some of the students were acting strange toward Harry today, shunning him in the halls. He didn't seem like himself and he didn't even speak to Ron or Hermione today that I saw. I was patrolling the halls."
She frowned. "Uh oh. That doesn't sound good." She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "Don't worry, Severus. He'll snap back to himself."
Suddenly there was a knock at his office door. Severus and Alaina glanced strangely at each other.
"Are you expecting someone?" Alaina whispered.
Severus shook his head. "No. Not that I'm aware of." They broke apart. "Enter."
The door swung open and Ron and Hermione walked inside.
"We need your help," Hermione said right away. Quickly she told Alaina and Severus about their run-in with Harry.
"Where did he go?" Alaina asked worriedly.
"We don't know," Ron said.
"I'm glad you told me all of this. I have to find him. He must feel terrible."
"I'll escort Weasley and Granger back to Gryffindor," Severus volunteered. He placed a hand on Alaina's shoulder to calm her. He could see she was worried. "Not to worry, love. You'll find him and straighten it out. I know you will."
She smiled at him. "I think I know exactly what I have to do."
All four of them left the office and walked up the stairs out of the Dungeons together. Alaina separated from the group when they reached the lobby. She went outside and headed straight for the courtyard. She knew that Harry liked to go out there sometimes to think. He had told her that once and somehow she knew that's where he would be. She was right too. Harry was sitting there on the fountain wrapped in heavy robes. He was wearing his gold and scarlet scarf around his neck too.
"Hey there, sweetie," Alaina said as she approached him. "What's this I hear about you wanting your friends to steer clear of you?"
"I don't want to hurt them," Harry mumbled. He didn't even look at her and his face was pale. He couldn't look her in the eye.
Alaina grabbed Harry's shoulders gently. "Look at me." When he wouldn't, she lifted his chin until his eyes were burning into hers. They were filled with tears. "You are not evil, Harry."
"But-"
"No. Not a chance. Do you hear me? I have known you your entire life and there is not one evil bone in your body. You are not the heir of Slytherin. You just have an unusual power. That doesn't make you evil or dangerous. I know exactly how you must feel."
Harry moved her hand from under his chin and turned away. "No you don't." He stared at her, anger flooding through him. "Can you talk to snakes? Does the whole school think you're evil?" Tears fell from his eyes. She could see how frustrated he was.
"No," Alaina said quietly. "But they don't really know everything about me or what I'm about to tell you, Harry or they would think the same of me as they do of you. There is something I've kept from you because I didn't know how you'd react or what you would think of me. Now I think you might understand. You're not the only one with the ability to do something that makes you a target in the eyes of others."
He raised his eyebrows curiously. "Who else?"
"Me."
"You?" he repeated in disbelief.
She nodded and sighed loudly. "I have the power to kill with a single touch or thought. The victim suffers unimaginable pain until their heart just can't withstand it anymore and it gives out."
Harry stared at her. "I never knew you could do that."
She smiled warmly. "I didn't want you to be afraid of me. You see, Harry, I know how you're feeling because I've been in your shoes. But I promise you that you will be able to accept it eventually. Only you can determine who you are."
"Does anyone else know?"
"Professor Snape. I used my power on him for demonstration. I can control it enough that I didn't hurt him. I can give it in small doses so to speak."
"Was he afraid of you after he found out?"
"No. He loves me just like I love you. He loves me for who and what I am as I do you. You're not alone, Harry and you never will be as long as I'm alive."
Harry smiled. "I'm glad you told me."
"This stays between us, Harry. Dumbledore also knows."
"I promise I won't say anything."
"And I know you won't. Are you okay now?"
He smiled. "Yes." He got up. "I have to go find Ron and Hermione now and apologize to them."
"You do that. I'm going to go back inside before I freeze to death." She wasn't even wearing a jacket and she was out in the snow. "And Harry?"
"Yes, Mum?"
"You can talk to me about these things and I will always find a way to help you through it."
"I know that now. Are we staying here through the holidays?"
Alaina nodded. "I'll see you in the morning." She watched as Harry practically ran back toward the castle. At least she had been able to console him and get his spirits up. Her mission had been accomplished.
~ * ~
Harry found his friends in no time at all in the Gryffindor common room. They were lazily lounging by the fire.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed the moment she saw him.
He smiled. "Thanks to the both of you for getting my mother involved. I know you were the reason she came looking."
"Is that sarcasm?" Ron questioned with mock suspicion.
"No. I'm just grateful. She made me feel a lot better about myself. I've been a jerk these past few days. So are we still fishing for that information tomorrow?"
"You bet!" Ron exclaimed. "I can't wait."
"I've already got what I need," Hermione boasted. "I pulled a few hairs off of a Slytherin's robes earlier today.
"Good," Harry commented. "Ron and I will get ours tomorrow."
And they did. After spending the morning with his mother and Professor Snape in her office, Harry went to find Ron and Hermione. They were waiting for him in the girl's lavatory. They took their Polyjuice Potion and everything went according to plan. Harry was Goyle and Ron was Crabbe. Hermione turned into Ms. Bullstrode. They found the Slytherin common room with ease. Draco joined them only a few seconds after they had dealt with the real Crabbe, Goyle, and Bullstrode by knocking them out and stuffing them in one of the hall closets. Malfoy answered all of their questions without hesitation.
When the trio got back to the girl's bathroom, they had already changed back.
"That was wicked!" Ron exclaimed.
Hermione wasn't as excited. "Draco Malfoy is vile. Wishing I would die! Who does he think he is?"
"A pratt," Harry said. "I wanted to punch him right in the nose. But at least we found out that there was a death when the chamber was opened before. That's something right?"
"Definitely," Ron agreed.
"Only one thing I don't understand," Hermione said with a crease in her forehead. It was an indication that she was concentrating hard.
"What's that?" Harry prompted.
"If Malfoy isn't the heir of Slytherin, and you know he isn't or he would have been bragging about it all over the place, then who is?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm not giving up until we find out."