The Boy The Snake and The Stone

Chapter 6: The Past

Even after the long night Harry had, he only had one thing on his mind, how was he going to pay for his school stuff? All his life the Dursley's always passed down Dudley's old things down to him, even though the clothes were many sizes too large for him, school supplies were well used and torn, and toys were nonexistent. When he asked why they did this, they answered that they didn't have enough money to spend on both boys. So of course, Harry never questioned what they said, since they were the adults making the money.

"S-Sir," Harry called out, alerting Severus, who showed up shortly after Harry stumbled out of the floo. Harry came to the conclusion that he was never going to get use to traveling by floo. Severus turned and look at the boy.

"I-I was wondering how I was going to pay for my school supplies... I-I have no money." The boy's voice was barely above a whisper, but to Severus the boy was yelling. Did those muggles really never tell him about his life or his parents?

"Harry you have money, you parents made sure that you would have enough before they were, for a better lack of words, murdered." Severus explained, being as gentle as he could about giving the boy the news.

The boy's eyes widened at the news. Murdered? No one told Harry this, he was told that they died because they were drunks that got in a car crash. Was everything that those people had told him a lie? Harry was fuming at that thought, happy that he was rescued from those people, the thing that pulled him from those thoughts was Levi tightening his tail around his tiny wrist.

Little one, they are here no more, I will do everything in my power to keep them away. You have nothing to worry about anymore. Harry found such comfort in those words, happy that even though he had lost most of his childhood, he knew he had the chance to build something new, something real.

Severus narrowed his eyes, those stupid Muggles tried keeping everything away from this child, now he was the one who had to tell the boy he once blamed for his parents death, exactly how his parents died. "Harry why don't you take a seat? What I am about to tell you is quite shocking."

Harry nodded, taking one of the big stuffed chairs in front of the fire place while Severus took the other. His face looked haunted as he thought of the past and all the mistakes that he had made.

"Alright, so let's see where to start." Severus said with a sigh, trying to think of a good place to start, without giving Harry too much detail about the circumstances surrounding his parent's death. "Your parents had to go into hiding for fear of a man that was, er, insane. He was trying to get rid of anything and everything that he thought might ruin our society, so when he heard of news of someone being able to take him on he got scared. He and his followers went out and killed most of these people, and your family was one of them. That night, he came to your house and killed your mum and dad, but when he turned his wand on you, for some reason the spell backfired and caused a blast, you where there unharmed. A little baby taking on the Dark Lord, and surviving... The wizarding world was ecstatic, claiming you as the Boy-Who-Lived. Sadly, this left you as an orphan to the war; so Dumbledore took you to your only living family at the time, thinking that would be the best choice for you." Severus said, having managed to keep most of the details out of story, there were things that the boy didn't need to know right now. He would learn them of course, but one step at a time.

"S-So it isn't true, my parents didn't die in a car crash? They didn't drink?" The boy asked. Even though grew up without his parents he still had tears in his eyes, for the people that he never really knew. To Harry, even though he would never get to know his parents except through stories, they were the only family he would ever really get close enough to have a sort of family bond with. Harry was just happy to hear that his Mum and Dad weren't drunks, that they were heroes in a war, which was enough for him.

Severus snorted, "Lily a drunk? No never, Lily, your mum, never liked alcohol that much and while James had a few drinks every now and again, he had a job that required enough motor skills as it was without being impaired. Besides, Lily would never let anyone drive with you while impaired." Harry only nodded at the older man.

"W-What was his name? The man who killed my parents?" Harry asked, looking dead set at Severus. "You do not have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want a name to put with a person, so I can know."

Severus thought about it a moment and then nodded at the boys reasoning. He had a right to now the man's name, after all he was the one that took away his childhood, and knowledge is also power. If Harry knew the name, then perhaps it would give him the power to help him heal.

"I am only going to say this once, and please do not repeat it after I told you. Even today his name still causes fear and panic." Severus explained gravely, looking at the boy, waiting for a nod to indicate that he understood. Of course Harry nodded, he was happy that he was being told the truth that had been hidden from him since he was young.

"The man's name was Voldemort." Severus said in a hushed tone, his eyes looking at Harry but not seeing, instead seeing flashes of the man that he used to call his master. He was seeing everything that he had done to prove his worth to his insane master, and worst of all the memory of losing his only friend that he had ever had, Lily.

"Is he truly dead?" Harry didn't know why, but he felt like he had to ask that question, he wanted to know if this man that had killed his parents was truly dead. He really didn't want Severus upset with him because he asked too many questions, but he felt like this might be the only time that someone would be willing to tell him the truth.

Little one I will always tell you the truth, you do not need to worry. Levi promised, wanting to reassure the boy that even when the world might seem to be against him, that the snake will always have his back.

Severus stared at the boy curiously. "Some say he is, that night when he turned his wand against you, was the night he met his own end. Others say that he out there, looking for a vessel that might be able to hold his soul until he has found a proper body of his own once again." The potions master said grimly, turning his gaze to the burning orange-red fire. He just wanted to stop talking about the subject, he was done reflecting on the past mistakes that he made and now regretted. Now was the time that mattered, now he could fix all his mistakes by helping Lily's son, the way he couldn't help her. Harry understood that he had asked as many questions as he was allowed for the time being. So he stood up from his chair, looking at the man wallowing in his own self-pity, before biding him a good night and retiring to the room that had been his since he woke up.

"Levi, is everything that he said was true?" Harry asked, turning to the snake as soon as the door was closed behind them. Of course he trusted Severus more than he ever trusted an adult in his life, but at the same time he knew that everything he said could be a lie.

Yes Harry, everything that Severus was the truth. The snake promised, knowing that Harry wanted to be sure, but also was mad that a young Hatchling couldn't trust anything people said anymore; that his trust was tried and tried again by those vermin. If given the chance, Levi would swallow those people whole, but he knew that they would give him indigestion for how rotten they were. Levi also knew that Severus wasn't telling all of the truth though, but knowing the man, it was for Harry's own safety and as long as it didn't harm his young master, then the snake could overlook it for a while.

Harry smiled at his snake, happy to have him there, knowing someone would watch out for him. Go to sleep little one, tomorrow you have a long day. Shopping for school supplies and making friends with Draco. Harry would only nod as a yawn fought its way passed his lips, then he got ready for bed.

"Alright Levi, good-night."