Always, Snape

Chamber of secrets

The next day passed away without any further incident and at dinner Harry was tempted to just ditch Snape's request so he could study instead but Hermione told him to go.

When Harry arrived at the girl's bathroom he still wondered why he had actually come. This wouldn't be pleasant and he wasn't eager to spent more time with Snape than necessary. "Good evening, professor Snape." He said politely while he thought this be better over fast. His professor simply nodded at him. Then turned his view back to the sink where the entrance was hidden which proofed once more that despite his obvious cynicism Snape was damn sharp and intelligent because he without being a parselmouth he was on the right track. Harry stepped next to his professor and looked down at the sink. Only he was able to open it because he was a parselmouth. And the chamber had indeed been closed since ancient times. Til Harry had opened it. At least this was the official statement of the headmaster but everyone genuinely overlooked the fact that Ginny had been captured inside and so the incident had been long forgotten by students and teachers. "What are you waiting for, open it." The older man snarled. "Alright." Harry sighed and let his hands ran over the little carved Snake which could easily be overlooked. Then he hissed. "Open yourself." He could sense Snape stiffen next to him. "What's wrong?" He asked his professor before he could stop himself. Snape shot him an annoyed glare. The sink disappeared in the ground revealing a dark stairway. "What exactly did happen in the chamber of secrets last year?" Snape's voice sounded as if he was barely interested but Harry could feel the man's burning gaze piercing him. "I told Dumbledore everything I remembered when he asked me." Well, this wasn't a lie at least. Snape lit his wand and moved forward. "Follow me." Harry tagged along until they reached the giant door of the chamber. Snape gave it a searching look. "Tell me what you know now." Crap, Snape had seen through him. "It's your choice whether you tell me deliberately or I make you tell me." The potionmaster said menacingly. Harry flinched. "Er, alright. I didn't go to save Ginny in the first place." He managed. "It was more like I heard someone speak in parseltongue and followed that voice. Then I stumbled upon the entrance and accidentally opened it." Harry shot Snape an unsure glance. "Go on." The professor demanded. "Well, I went inside without even realizing where I was. Then I found Ginny in a hideous condition. She was terribly injured. I think I healed before I- Well, from there on everything is quite dizzy." Harry hoped the potionmaster was satisfied. "Why got everything dizzy?" Snape asked smugly. Harry groaned desperately. "I don't remember." Instantly Snape was only inches away from him. "Potter, this is my last warning. If you lie to me once more I make you truly regret it." His professor hissed. Harry bit his bottom lip. Snape wouldn't pardon him until he knew the full truth. So what was the point of hiding the truth. "Voldemort appeared. He had been alive. I don't know how or why but when I arrived I didn't even recognized him at first. He called a giant snake which attacked me. But I managed to kill it somehow." Harry said embarrassed. "He attacked you with a snake?" Snape sneered. "Don't laugh at me. It was really huge." Harry muttered as he stepped forward to demand entrance in parseltongue once more. The giant door swung open and he and Snape went inside. There was a murderous sting in the air and Harry had to do his best not to throw up immediately. The stinging odor came from a large snake body which lay on the floor. "Can we please leave fast?" Harry asked his professor but Snape didn't pay attention to him because he slowly surrounded the snake giving it an examining look. "He finally stopped at its giant head. "So this the snake you killed?" He asked impassively. Harry nodded. "Do you know what species it is?" Snape questioned rhetorically because he knew the brat wouldn't. "Your snake is called Basilisk. It is an ancient crossbreed between a snake and a chicken. It is probably as old as Hogwarts itself." Harry who had the feeling Snape was accusing him of something swiftly said. "I am sorry. I didn't want to kill it. Please don't punish me." Snape shot him a bewildered look. "Quit the nonsense, Potter." He replied dryly. "How did you manage to survive such an attack almost unharmed?" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "It only bit me a little." Harry lifted his shirt revealing two pointed marks in half an inch distance. Those scars... "So you have been bit?" Snape asked alarmed. "Yeah but I was lucky. I wasn't hurt so bad." Harry smiled while Snape might have throttled him. Now he knew what the unknown poison in the boys blood had been back then. "Did you know that a basilisk is one of the most dangerous of the known magical creatures? It's venom leads to an instant death and it has the ability to turn someone in to stone just by looking at them?" The potionmaster explained. "I guess this was the purpose of Voldmort to have me attacked by it. Fortunately, it didn't work. Maybe the thing was ill or too old." Harry guessed vaguely which earned him a grim look of his professor. "Someone surviving the look and even a bite of a basilisk. That is truly unheard of." Snape said slightly impressed. "Well, I survived the killing curse, too, you know?" Harry said sarcastically. Snape was for the first time in his life so astounded he let the boys insolence slip. "Maybe I am immortal." Harry suspected. "May I remind you that you lay as good as dead in the hospital wig for one week after your little adventure." " The potionmaster snapped. That did silence the boy immediately. "You might leave now." Snape announced then. Harry practically fled from the chamber. At his dorm he needed five showers and a parfum charm to cover the sting that didn't want to leave him for the next week. Damn, Snape. He probably had an antidote.