HARRY POTTER STORY: Lions in snake den

Part 30

As Harry and Snape walked through the dimly lit corridors back toward the Slytherin common room, the weight of the conversation in the headmaster's office still hung heavily between them. The tension was palpable, the silence only broken by the occasional shuffle of their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Snape's sharp eyes darted to Harry, his voice low and steady. "I take it your conversation with the headmaster was not as pleasant as I'd hoped." Harry, still processing everything that had been said in the office, shook his head. "No. He wants me to keep playing along, like nothing's changed. He has his plans, and I'm not part of them anymore. I don't trust him, Professor. Not anymore."
Snape's gaze softened, though it wasn't out of sympathy. It was a mixture of understanding and caution. "You should have always trusted your instincts, Potter. Dumbledore's interests do not always align with ours, as you've come to realize."

Harry's mind raced. Dumbledore's manipulations, his constant pulling of strings behind the scenes—Harry felt sick just thinking about it. He needed to break free from whatever hold the old wizard had on him. He wasn't some pawn to be moved at will. As they reached the common room, Harry gave Snape a quick nod. "I'll grab my trunk and meet you in the hallway. I need a moment." Snape didn't question him. He simply watched as Harry disappeared into the common room, his thoughts lingering on the young man's growing resistance to the headmaster's influence. Inside, Harry quickly packed his belongings. The Slytherin common room was nearly empty—most students had already left for the summer. He moved swiftly, not wanting to linger longer than necessary. His thoughts, however, kept drifting back to the conversation with Dumbledore. The marks, the promises, the manipulation—it was too much. He couldn't be a part of that any longer.

Once his trunk was packed, he turned toward the door, but instead of heading straight for Snape, he made a detour to his room. Closing the door quietly behind him, Harry walked over to the desk where an old picture frame sat, its wood worn from years of age. Inside the frame was a portrait of Salazar Slytherin, his grandfather. Harry placed the frame carefully in his hands, staring at the face of the wizard who had been an enigma for so much of his life. He had been raised with tales of Salazar's genius, of his legacy, but now—now, he needed something more.

"Grandpa," Harry whispered, the words heavy with his need for answers. "I need your help." The portrait remained still for a moment, but then the eyes of Salazar Slytherin seemed to flicker with life. His gaze locked with Harry's, and the wizard's voice, ancient and resonant, filled his mind.
"You seek answers, my heir. What is it you wish to know?" Harry's breath caught in his chest. "I need to find a way to get rid of the Dark Mark. I know it's not physically there, but the influence... the connection—it's still there. I need a way to conceal it or get rid of it completely, some kind of magic. Can Parseltongue help me?" Salazar's gaze deepened, the wisdom in his eyes apparent. "The Dark Mark, as you call it, is not a mark of the body alone. It is woven into the very essence of one's magic, binding the soul to the Dark Lord's will. Breaking such a bond is not simple. It requires more than just strength, boy. It requires an understanding of the magic that binds you."

Harry clenched his jaw. "I need to break it, Grandpa. I can't live with it anymore. I can't stand the thought of being tied to him."
Salazar's portrait seemed to regard him with something like sadness. "It is not an easy task. But you, Hadrian, you are my heir. The magic within you is old, ancient, and powerful. You were born with the blood of Salazar Slytherin running through your veins. If anyone can break such a bond, it is you." Harry's heart pounded as the realization of what he was asking hit him. "What do I need to do? Can Parseltongue help?" The ancient wizard's eyes narrowed in thought. "Parseltongue, yes. But it is not enough to simply speak the language of serpents. You must learn to harness its power in ways even I did not fully master. To conceal or sever the connection to the Dark Lord, you must first understand the nature of your magic, the very core of it."
Harry nodded, his resolve strengthening. "How long will it take?"