For the next ten years Severus worked at Hogwarts School as the Potions professor. Eden remained well hidden within the Dark Forest, and Harry lived with his supposedly dead mother's horrid sister and her husband and their son. Severus had attempted to argue about his nephew being placed in the care of the muggles, but Dumbledore won out saying that since Lilly Potter had risked her life to save Harry, that he would be safer with Lilly's family. This put Severus in a very foul mood.
Whenever Severus had a spare moment to himself he would go deep into the dark forest to speak with his sister. She would never transform back into her human form, but he still found her comforting. "Don't worry so much Severus. I know how you feel about Harry being raised by that horrid muggle family, but we shall be seeing him attend Hogwarts during the up and coming school term. I personally am looking forward to seeing my darling son after so many years. It's just a pity that he will not know me," said Eden as she walked through the forest with Severus on her back.
"Eden, Dumbledore has been keeping tabs on Harry over the years for us. I am disappointed to tell you that Lilly's muggle sister has spoiled the boy terribly. I'm not looking forward to seeing the damage that they have done to my nephew," said Severus as they reached the edge of the forbidden forest. Eden stopped suddenly almost making Severus fall off and stood stock still with her ears pricked, and her nostrils flaring wildly.
Severus could feel her equine body tremble beneath him as she stood there. "Eden, what's wrong?" he asked as he slid down and walked around her to look into her green eyes.
"He's back, Severus. I don't know how, but he's back," she said with a frightened snort as she backed away from her brother fearfully.
"Eden, he can't be back," said Severus attempting to calm his sister.
"He is back, Severus mark my words. Do you honestly believe that I wouldn't know my own father's dark magic when I feel it? I have to go and hide myself from him. Protect Harry, I couldn't bare it if anything happened to him," she said as she reared and fled back into the darkness of the forest.
Severus turned and walked slowly back to the castle alone. As he got closer he saw professor Quirrel walking through the doors into the entrance hall ahead of him. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that there was something off about the returning professor.
Two days later Severus sat in the great hall watching the first years getting sorted into their houses. He looked up as the doors opened and Minerva led the group of first year students into the great hall stopping them in front of the staff table for all to see. As he glanced over the new students he wondered which of them his nephew was. He hadn't seen Harry since he was one but he hoped that he would recognize him.
As the sorting began Severus got drawn into a conversation with Professor Quirrel, who oddly smelled strongly of garlic. As the sorting continued he glanced lazily at the students and noticed a boy with unruly black hair, and green eyes wearing round glasses. As Harry waited his turn to be sorted he noticed the dark robed wizard with shoulder length black greasy hair and black eyes staring at him. As the man stared at him he felt a stabbing pain in his scar and brought his hand up to rub it.
"Ouch," he said as he rubbed his scar.
"Harry, what is it?" asked his new friend Ron with concern.
"Nothing, it's nothing, I'm fine," lied Harry as he blinked Ron was called up to be sorted first and Harry clapped with the others as he watched his new friend run over to the Gryffindor table. Then the room fell silent after Professor McGonagall called out his name.
Severus finally heard the name that he had been waiting for and sat up watching as the black haired boy that he had watched before stepped out of the crowd of new students and approached the stool. He wondered which house his nephew who looked just like his father except for the fact that he had inherited his mother's green eyes would be placed in. His mother was placed in Slytherin but he knew that the boy's father was in Gryffindor.
Severus held his breath as the sorting hat was placed onto his nephew's head. Silence followed for a few minutes while the hat seemed to be having a whispered conversation with the boy, and then the hat screamed out GRIFFENDOR at the top of its voice. The Gryffindor table erupted into cheers and applause.
Harry took his seat at the Gryffindor table and watched as the rest of the students had been sorted. Then the headmaster stood and spread his arms happily with a beaming smile on his face and said," let the feast begin." Food magically appeared on the golden plates. Harry looked at the full table with plate upon plate of sumptuous food. He had never seen so much of his favorite foods in one place, and had a grand time eating till his heart's content.
As they ate Harry turned to see Professor Snape again watching him from the staff table and turned to Percy Weasley to ask him about him. "Say, Percy, who is that teacher talking to Professor Quirrel?" he asked as he pointed up toward the staff table. Percy looked up toward the staff table to see what Harry was talking about before he answered.
"That's Professor Snape, the head of Slytherin house," he said.
"What does he teach?" asked Harry curiously.
"He teaches Potions, but everyone knows that it's the dark arts he fancies. He's been after Professor Quirrel's job for years," said Percy as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice.
Later that night as everyone else in his dorm slept Harry sat in the window seat of his dorm room stroking Hedwig's soft white feather's lovingly and looking out onto the moon lit grounds below. As he looked towards the blackness that he assumed to be the dark forest he could see the lights from a little hut near the forest's edge. He heard the sound of what he believed to be a horse's whinny and saw what he thought was a black horse with wings flying happily through the air over the dark forest tossing its head as it flew around Gryffindor tower before flying back into the darkness of the forest below. Harry smiled as he closed the window after releasing Hedwig then slid himself into his bed so he could get some sleep for his first day of classes.
The next day after being late to Transfiguration Harry sat in Potions class with the others waiting for the class to begin. The class fell silent as Professor Snape burst through the door. As Severus entered he noticed Harry sitting on the front row of desks with his friends. He wanted to test the boy to see if he had inherited any of his mother's talents so he smirked as he began his class.
"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class" he said as he turned to face the class of students. "As such I do not expect many of you to understand the subtle and exact science and art of potions making... However for those select few who possess the pre-disposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses."
"I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death," he said as he looked around the room. He then noticed Harry scribbling on a sheet of parchment and decided to put his plan into action. "Then again maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts with such powerful abilities that you feel comfortable to not pay, attention," he snapped angrily making Harry look up from his parchment.
"Mr. Potter, our new celebrity. Tell me what would I get if I were to combine powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of worm wood?" asked Severus with his arms crossed expectantly. Harry shook his head in confusion. "You don't know? Well let's try again. Where Mr. Potter would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" asked Professor Snape as Hermione Granger's hand shot up for the second time.
"I don't know, sir," said Harry softly.
"Then tell me Mr. Potter what is the difference between monk's head and wolves bane," asked Professor Snape as Hermione's hand stretched higher into the air.
"I don't know sir," said Harry.
"Tut, tut, clearly fame isn't everything now is it," said Severus with a disappointed expression on his face.
"Put your hand down girl, snapped Professor Snape as he pulled a chair up in front of his nephew and looked into his green eyes. "For your information, asphodel and worm wood make a sleeping potion so strong that it is known as the draught of living death. A bezoar is a stone found in the stomach of a goat that will save you from the effects of most poisons, and monk's head and wolves bane are both the same plant that is also known as aquinite. Well why aren't you all copying this down, he snapped as he looked around the room. There was a scuffling of students as they all reached for parchment and quills to take down the notes as requested.
November came and soon, Harry was to play as the new seeker for Gryffindor. During their first match against Slytherin house Severus watched in horror as Harry's broom started to buck and attempt to throw him from it. He heard Quirrel muttering a curse under his breath and started muttering the counter curse franticly over and over in an attempt to save his nephew from what could have been certain death. His counter curse and the curse muttered by Quirrel were disrupted, when the hems of his robes suddenly burst into flames.
Another professor noticed the flames and shook Severus out of his frantic muttering. "Severus, you're on fire," he exclaimed as he pointed down at the hem of his robes. Severus jumped to his feet and started stomping on the hem of his robes knocking professor Quirrel off of his feet. They then all watched on as Harry swung himself back onto his broom and raced for the snitch. Severus watched with rapped attention as the boy reached out his hand for the snitch and a bludger hit his broom sending him flying forward. Harry landed hard on the ground and started coughing violently. Suddenly he coughed up the golden snitch and held it high for all to see. Cheers erupted all around the school seeing that Slytherin had lost the first match of the year.
Months later Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco Malfoy of all people got caught out of their beds after curfew and were sentenced to detention with Haggrid. As they walked through the dark forest Harry couldn't get past the feeling that he was being watched. He heard a twig break and they all froze as a dark shadow flew across the path. After that Haggrid suggested that they split up to cover more ground and Harry was forced to go with Draco and fang, who was known to be a coward despite his size. They came into a clearing where a shadowy figure in a long flowing cloak was bent over the form of a dead unicorn drinking its blood.
Draco screamed and ran as the hunched figure looked up at them with silvery blood dripping from his mouth and started floating nearer to them. Harry was frozen with fear and stumbled backwards falling as his feet got caught in the roots of a near-by tree. All of a sudden the dark figure backed away as a massive centaur leapt over where Harry was on the ground and attacked the dark figure making him retreat.
"This place is not safe for you Harry Potter," said Firenze as he reached down a large hand to help the boy to his feet.
"How do you know my name?" asked Harry with a puzzled expression on his face.
"We centaurs have heard of your greatness, Mr. Potter. Although as I said the forest is not safe for you at this time, you have a friend within these woods. Come now I must get you out of here," he said as Haggrid and the others approached.
All through the summer Harry dreamed about Hogwarts and its many splendors. It was his only comfort considering how he was still treated by his aunt and uncle and his horrid cousin Dudley. On the up side they were so afraid of him that they gave him Dudley's spare bedroom for his own. Yet on the other he was locked into his room after a very embarrassing situation involving a house elf named Dobby, and a floating cake.
Now Harry sat locked inside of his bedroom worrying over how he was going to get back to school after his uncle had placed bars on his window while screaming and bellowing about how he was never going back to the school for freaks again. He was soon rescued by his friends Fred, George, and Ron Weasley in a flying car. After a week of summer spent with his friend and his family he and Ron somehow got blocked from entering Platform 9 3/4.
The two boys decided not to wait and see if Ron's parents were able to get back from the platform and took the car to Hogwarts instead. As they reached the castle the car's engine started to sputter and cough, and then as the engine failed the car fell towards the ground. It landed roughly in the limbs of the whomping willow, and after being beaten and battered around a bit, the car finally fell out of the tree and the boys found themselves and their belongings ejected from the car just as the whomping willow came down and smashed the car to smithereens, demolishing it completely.
"Bloody hell, Harry, my mum and dad are going to kill me for this," said Ron as the boys walked quickly into the castle hoping not to get caught by Filtch. Unfortunately they were caught by Professor Snape who was absolutely furious with them.
"You were seen by no less than five muggles, not to mention that you've damaged a tree that has been on these grounds since before you were born. Rest assured that if your fate rested with me, you'd be on the first train back home," he said with a scowl on his face.
"Luckily for them they are members of my house, "said Professor McGonagall as she entered the office.
"You can leave them to me Severus, "she said with a curt nod. Severus frowned and left the room. "I will be writing your parents about this boys. You will eat your dinner in the Gryffindor common room then you will go straight to bed," she said as she escorted them to Gryffindor tower.
Later on in the year, while attempting to rescue Haggrid from Azkaban Prison and save the school from the Basilllllisk, Harry and Ron found themselves surrounded by hundreds of Acromantulas. Just as they started to lose all hope and started fearing for their lives there was a strange bright light that seemed to frighten the acromantulas away from them. The boys turned in shock to see a black winged unicorn with its horn glowing brightly.
Harry heard a strange feminine voice that seemed somewhat familiar to him inside of his head. "Quickly Harry, you and your friend Ron get on my back. I'll take you to safety," said the voice.
"Ron quick we've got to get on her back said Harry as he leapt onto the back of the kneeling winged unicorn holding out his hand to his friend.
"Harry, I don't know how to ride a horse, much less a winged unicorn," shouted Ron fearfully. The next thing that Ron knew he found himself floating through the air and placed onto the winged unicorns back behind Harry.
"Hold on to me," said Harry as the winged unicorn leapt into the air kicking a few acromantulas aside as she flew. The wind whipped through the boy's hair as the black winged unicorn flew through the air over the dark forest landing softly outside of Haggrid's hut. Fang who had ran when the acromantulas attacked was hiding under the front steps of Haggrid's hut shivering and whimpering with fear.
Ron and Harry slid from the winged unicorn's back and Ron started raving about how he was going to kill Haggrid for suggesting that they follow the spiders into the dark forest. Harry shook his head as he watched his friend, and turned as the black unicorn nuzzled the back of his head gently. "Thanks for saving our lives," he said as he stroked her head.
"It was truly my pleasure Harry. I only wish that I could help you more," said the unicorn.
"Who are you, and where did you come from?" asked Harry.
"My name is Eden Merope Prince. I have lived in the Dark Forest ever since you turned one year old. I was the one watching you during your detention in the Dark Forest last year. I am the one who sent the centaur Firenze to save you from the evil one who wishes you harm. I can offer you only one piece of advice. Don't hesitate to use your parcel tongue. I must go now, take care of yourself my son," said the black unicorn as she walked back into the dark forest.
Harry stood there watching the black winged unicorn who he now knew as Eden Merope Prince in shock as she disappeared into the darkness of the forest. "Harry are you alright?" asked Ron as he stood by his side.
"Ron, she knew my name, and the fact that I can speak parcel tongue. She also called me her son," said Harry with a puzzled expression on his face.
"Harry, you know that's just plain weird. I heard her voice too, and just thought that I was imagining things," said Ron.
"Maybe it's nothing Ron, but I intend on taking her advice about using my gift with parcel tongue to my advantage," said Harry as they walked back to the castle.
After defeating the Basilisk in the chamber of secrets Harry was sitting alone by the black lake thinking about the black winged unicorn and how her advice had helped him. He looked up as Professor Snape's shadow blocked the sun from view. "Well then Potter, I understand that you were rescued by a black winged unicorn. Did she speak to you?" asked Severus as he crossed his arms.
"I don't know what you are talking about sir. Animals can't talk," said Harry as he got to his feet to go up to his dorm to collect his belongings before returning to the Durslys for the summer.
"Potter, if she ever gives you any advice, take it. She will never guide you in the wrong direction," said Severus as he placed a strong hand on Harry's shoulder before turning abruptly and walking away with his robes billowing behind him. Harry scratched his head in confusion before walking to his dorm.