Damaged Raven

8

The Slytherin's walked into their common room, only to freeze when they saw Harry Potter casually sitting in one of their chairs. They collectively gulped as they recalled what happened the last time Harry had come here.

"What are you doing here?!" Malfoy demanded

"Waiting for someone" Harry answered, as he slowly looked around the room "Ah, there he is" Harry stood up and walked towards a portrait

"What are you on about?" Theodore Nott said

"Shush" Harry replied as he walked up to a portrait of Salazar Slytherin, the wizard in the portrait never talked to anyone and he was rarely found in his portrait. In fact he spent most of his time elsewhere, not that anybody knew where. The Slytherin's never really saw more than a few glimpses of him throughout the year. "Salazar Slytherin" Harry stopped in front of the potrait

"What makes you think he's going to talk to you?!" Malfoy sneered, any further reply was cut off by the sound of hissing. They blinked as they realised the hissing was coming from Harry and that Salazar looked like he could understand it

"He's a parslemouth!" One Slytherin blurted out as the rest paled, realising that this powerful wizard was not only capable of beating them at the age of eleven but he also possessed the great ability that made the dark lord and Salazar Slytherin famous

"It is a pleasure to meet you" Harry said in parsletounge

"Likewise" Salazar replied in the same language

"I saw you...last time I was here. I saw you out of the corner of my eye"

"I was watching you" Salazar admitted "I was very impressed. Power, speed, you have it all"

"I wanted to ask you something" Harry replied "do you have anywhere special where I can learn more magic?"

"Why?" Salazar didn't react beyond a slight raising of his eyebrow

"Because Voldemort is still alive and he will come after me sooner or later" Harry replied "I need to be ready for when he comes"

"The last boy I helped BECAME Voldemort and he never attacked a whole common room in his first year" Salazar replied

"He didn't need to be kept busy so he doesn't get rid of all of his boredom, frustration and anger on the nearest idiots" Harry argued "he was an ass who wanted to rule the world. Me, I just want two things."

"And those would be?"

"The first is to be left alone so I can have peace and quiet"

"And the second?"

"To be the best, that way I can protect the few I don't want to leave" Harry said seriously, Salazar remained silent for a few seconds

"Your face" He said after a while "does it hurt?"

"No, not anymore" Harry shook his head

"Can it be healed?"

"No, it can't" Harry shook his head again

"If you could, would you?"

"No" Harry answered immediately

"Why not?" Salazar's voice was curious

"I hate looking like this" Harry gestured to his face "I hate the judgment, the pity and the fear when they see me. I hate the fact that my face is ingrained into the heads of everyone when I want nothing more to stay in the background and not be noticed. But it helps, it lets me see people for who they are. It brings out the real them, I can see who is scared of me and I can see who isn't. This...is me now. I might get over other people judging me but I wouldn't change it. I am me, I will not be anyone else." The other students watched as both Harry and Salazar became quiet and stared at each other intensely, the Slytherin's were amazed to see the boy-who-lived engaging in a staring contest with one of the Hogwarts founders.