The Serpent Kings: The Powers

Disclaimer: As you all know, Harry Potter is not my creation. I only contribute this plotline.

Rating: R; for violence and language

Summary: In Harry's sixth year at Hogwart's, a written prophecy begins. Two students are found to be the Serpent Kings, two powers which are to rule to wizarding nation, and to bring about the end of the Dark Lord. But struggling with newfound abilities is not their only problem. The evil that they are to overcome will not rest, and one has to wonder- will there be any part of the wizarding world left when they manage to stop the evil?

Author's Note: This first chapter doesn't really hold up to its 'R' rating. It is mostly a bit of explanation, and the revealing of the Serpent Kings! I hope you enjoy it, and if you have comments or questions, please review!

Chapter One: The Legend

'It goes without saying that most people find serpents to be evil creatures. They are often favored by Dark Lords. In fact, the most recent Dark Lord of our time, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, chose snakes to represent himself, as a tribute to his gift of Parseltongue which had been passed on to him by Salazar Slytherin himself. And it is because of this Dark Lord that this legend is born.
When he was defeated by the one-year-old Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter, there was simultaneously a passage written on a wall at Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. The passage appeared, carved into the stone wall of a dungeon classroom which had been used for Potions studies. It read as follows:

'Henceforth, all witches and wizards in their sixth year of studies are to be brought to this room, upon which day they are to hear the legend of The Serpent Kings... And the year in which the two are found is to be a year of struggles, but the Serpent Kings shall ultimately save this school and the world around it... And the following time shall be under the reign of the
Serpent Kings, not only amongst the school, but amongst the wizarding
community... Until the time of The Serpent Kings arrives, this message
shall remain... Until the time of The Serpent Kings...'

At the same moment as this appeared, and the Dark Lord was defeated, an old man had the sudden desire to write a passage on a piece of parchment, and owl it to Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwart's. Witnesses said that abruptly after he'd sent the letter, the old man died. It was as if his life was continuing for the sole purpose of writing the legend. It follows:

In this moment a Dark Lord is diminished. In this moment a prophecy is made. Not of Seers or Stars, but of the Ancient Magic of the Serpents. This magic prophesizes the coming of two Kings. The Shadow Viper and the Fire Cobra. Brothers in their magic, bonded neither by blood nor by heart, but connected in their core. And they shall repel the evil in each of its forms: the form of the cold and dark; the form of the giants; the form of the covered; and the form of their own kind, the Dark Serpent.
The Shadow Viper is the King of the Diamond and of the Spade. His Queen of the Diamond is the flower of wealth and scheming. His Queen of the Spade is the muscle of power. His Jacks number not two, but four, and are the loyal servants of their King. The Fire Cobra is the King of the Heart and of the Club. He has two Queens of the Club, the two who are right with the divine speakers. His Queen of the Heart is the wise pulse of friendship. His Jack of the Club is the timid one who shall become bold. His Jack of the Heart is the flame of courage and strength. The Fire Cobra also holds the Jokers, who are the standing comfort and shall complete the wholeness of the Court.
When both Kings combine their fellows, they form the Court of Serpents, and shall govern their school for two years. During these two years, they shall vanquish the evils, save for one. It is only after the conquest of the lesser evils that the way can be made to destroy the Dark Serpent. And if the Kings are able, they can purge the world of great evil for the extent of their reign, and they shall live for hundreds of years. If they are not able, they shall perish in their eighteenth year.
But they will not be alone in their task. The Serpent Kings have the hands of their Court, and the magics of the Serpents. These new magics come in ten forms, and once the Ace is discovered and controlled, they shall be ready to discover if they are able... The cards shall guide them, should they be able...

This Legend is now most desired and dreaded, for it brings both hardship and a way of escape. Ever since these two scripts were obtained, the sixth year students of Hogwart's have been taken into the dungeon to hear the legend, to read this story. Each student traces the words 'The Serpent Kings' to see if the wall recognizes them. Why this is done, nobody is certain, but an underlying force urged the first class to do it, and the others as well, every year. Until the time of these Snake Kings arrives, there is nothing else to be said on this matter.'

Harry Potter glanced up from his textbook, the legend swirling in his head. 'How spooky!' he thought, 'Two people reigning over the wizarding world- with snakes!' Harry glanced over to the wall and shivered at the sight of the deeply carved words.

He was in the first week of his sixth year at Hogwart's. Their entire year was gathered in the old Potions dungeon- each of the four houses had been squashed unceremoniously into the room and ordered to read pages 214- 216 of their Defense Against the Dark Arts book. Harry glanced around at the other students as they finished reading. He imagined that their faces of surprise and nervousness mirrored his own face. Glancing to his right, he looked into the only face which didn't look surprised by what she'd just read.

"I take it you've already read this book about seven times?" he whispered to Hermione Granger, one of his best friends. She scowled back at him.

"Not seven times, Harry, only twice. Once this summer when I found out it was one of our course books, and once back in first year."

"First year? What made you look at a book at the sixth year level when you were in first year?" Harry hissed at her. She looked a bit miffed.

"I read it because your name is in it! Surely you didn't think that I'd neglect to read anything that mentions my best friend?" Hermione frowned. "I knew from the beginning that we couldn't afford not to know anything about you. Well, not the very beginning, but close enough." Harry sighed- she was right, of course.

Throughout all of his training at Hogwart's, Harry had been involved in some sort of trouble- be it surviving the return of Lord Voldemort (the Dark Lord that had been mentioned in the legend) or helping a wanted criminal escape by traveling through time. He and his friends had been left surprised several times when they hadn't known enough about Harry, his parents, or their friends. Harry sulked, recalling the last thing they'd found out about him, and the unfortunate events that had stemmed from their not knowing. Sirius...

"Anyway though, the book is a bit outdated- it still thinks that Voldemort is gone!" Hermione said, sounding a bit put out that one of her beloved books was incorrect about something.

"It can't be that old, though, if you pay attention. It had to have been written after baby Harry stopped You-Know, I mean, Voldemort the first time. And it had to have been a couple years after that too, for it to say 'Ever since then, the sixth year students have been taken into the dungeon to hear the legend.' But then, it had to have been written before Voldemort came back." commented Harry's other best friend, Ron Weasley. Harry and Hermione looked at him in surprise.

"Impressive Ron." said Harry. "When did you get so smart?" Ron looked down, his cheeks flushed.

"I reckon, since things have become so serious now, I need to start focusing better. You know Harry, because I want to help you with the Prophecy." Harry had told Ron and Hermione about Trelawney's prediction during the summer, when the three of them had arrived at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Both had whole-heartedly stressed that they would do everything they could to help prepare him for the fateful day when the Prophecy was fulfilled.

"You don't think anyone in our year will be a Serpent King, do you?" asked Harry, curious. He glanced over to where the Slytherins were sitting. Surely the Kings would eventually come from their house- the house of the snake. Harry studied them critically.

"I certainly hope not." Hermione shuddered. "I don't want to imagine being under the reign of any of those boys." Harry agreed. There were only five Slytherin boys: Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, and Theodore Nott, and not a single one of them would be a good King.

"Not to mention the fact that if the Kings were in our year, it would mean that Hogwart's needs saving sometime in the near future." Ron pointed out. Harry nodded and looked at the wall. '...the Serpent Kings shall ultimately save this school'. Hogwart's had been through enough- it didn't need anything for a good many years.

"You know Ron, you are having a particularly inspired day." remarked Hermione, smiling. "It is certainly an improvement from the standard Ron that we're used to."

But any response that Ron may have made in self defense was interrupted by their Potions Master, Professor Snape. He glided into the room and stood by the wall, regarding the now silent class with his cold, angry eyes.

"I trust you've all had time to read your assigned text. It is now time for you each to approach the wall. You shall trace the words 'The Serpent Kings.' When you've finished you shall step back in line. If anything unusual happens, we will assume that you are one of the Kings that this speaks of." Snape glanced at his Slytherins with a look that could almost be described as pride.

"Excuse me, sir, but is it just the boys that line up, or do us girls have to as well?" asked Pansy Parkinson. Ron smirked at Harry.

"Now, what makes her think she's a girl?" he whispered. Harry chuckled quietly, only too happy to part-take in a joke at the expense of the Slytherin girl.

"Miss Parkinson, do not speak out of turn. You will all be part of the line because we are not only looking for the Kings, but for the members of their court. Now line up!" Snape finished with a slight yell, sending the students scrambling.

The first person to approach the wall was Terry Boot from Ravenclaw. Nervously, he ran his fingers over the stone. When he finished the final 's', a soft hissing filled the room. Terry's eyes widened in surprise, and he glanced quickly at Professor Snape.

"Is that something unusual, sir?" he asked. Snape literally snorted in response.

"No, idiot boy, that happens with everyone. No, you are quite normal. Step aside." Harry started when Terry moved to the side. He spoke up quickly.

"Excuse me, Terry, but would you like to know what it said?" Harry asked. Terry nodded slightly.

"It said, 'The King this boy is not, nor is he a member of the court of the Serpent." At the look of disappointment on Terry's face, Harry immediately felt bad. Why had he thought Terry would want to hear that?

"I'd forgotten you were a Parselmouth, Mr. Potter." said Snape. "Come up here so that you can translate for each of the students." Reluctantly Harry moved forward. He wasn't looking forward to telling anybody else that they weren't part of anything special.

As it was, the same message was given for the next fifteen students. None of the Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs were in any way connected to the legend. But the next person in line was Ron, and when the wall spoke again, Harry momentarily froze in surprise. After a second of Ron looking at him expectantly, he blurted out the translation.

"The King this boy is not, but a most influential pawn in the court he is." A round of whispering filled the room as Ron's mouth dropped open in surprise. Snape's eyes flashed as he looked at Ron.

"Silence!" The professor bellowed. "This is an interesting development. We know very little of this court. Mr. Weasley will simply have to attempt to put things together without knowing for sure what he is supposed to do." But as the line progressed, Mr. Ronald Weasley's problem became the problem for Miss Hermione Granger, Mr. Seamus Finnegan, Mr. Dean Thomas, Mr. Neville Longbottom, Miss Parvati Patil, and Miss Lavender Brown. All of the Gryffindor sixth-years were part of the court. Harry saw Snape and the other Slytherins become more and more agitated as the line progressed. No doubt they didn't think that Gryffindors, of all people, should be part of a Court of Serpents.

Then, when the first Slytherin finished with the wall, Harry sighed. He didn't want to say it, but he had to. He told Blaise Zabini the same thing he'd told his Gryffindor friends. The same followed for Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Theodore Nott. And when Draco Malfoy stepped up the wall, Harry felt his stomach drop. Even before the wall spoke, Harry knew something was different. Malfoy's face seemed to glow while he traced the stone. The air seemed to crackle with tension. Harry felt the hairs on his arms stand on end, and he shivered in the suddenly frigid air. Harry looked around, but found that none of the others seemed to notice anything. When the wall hissed out its message, Harry couldn't seem to speak.

"Well Scarhead? What's my message?" Malfoy smirked at him. Harry couldn't seem to say anything. Instead he felt himself obeying the message, and dropping to his knees. Once on the floor, kneeling in front of Malfoy, he was able to speak.

"It said: Kneel before the Serpent King, in respect of his power over you all. The Shadow Viper is found." Suddenly everyone in the room felt themselves pulled to the ground by an invisible force. Glancing up, Harry met Malfoy's eyes for a second, before the blonde boy whirled around, gazing at the others. Even Snape bowed before him.

"Well, well." Malfoy's voice held the unmistakable tone of scorn. "Look at all these people in submission to me. Look up Golden Boy, because for once you are under my power." Harry lifted his head. As his green eyes met Malfoy's grey ones, Harry couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach. Draco Malfoy was a King. He would rule over them all. Oh the injustice of it all!

"Alright then. You can rise now, I suppose." As one, they found themselves able to stand. Right away, the room was filled with excited chatter. But as it got louder, Malfoy became annoyed with the excessive noise.

"Silence!" Harry felt his throat close up. He was unable of making any noise. What type of magic did Malfoy now possess, that he could control them this way?

"Now, I allow you to speak, but you may not all talk at once. Professor Snape, what does this mean, exactly?" asked Malfoy, turning to his professor.

"It means that, as our King, you have power over all of us. Or you will. As of now, you are still under the authority of this school and its professors. I know this because I was not affected by your orders as they were. I wasn't forced to bow, or forced to stop speaking, had I actually been rambling on like these nitwits. I bowed out of respect. I assume though, that the others are all under your power. Aside from that, the fate of the Serpent Kings is really not known. You'll have to study the Legend for better answers." Snape supplied. Malfoy nodded.

"Very well. Is class over then, Professor?" he asked. Snape nodded.

"Class is-"

"Excuse me, Professor Snape, but Harry hasn't traced the wall yet." spoke up Hermione. Harry started. He'd completely forgotten that he still needed to take his turn.

"Go on then Potter." ordered Malfoy. Harry raised his hand to make contact with the wall. The moment that his skin touched the stone, he felt the strangest feeling of power. Warmth flowed into him, and he felt he was floating. He felt more alive then he ever had before. When he finished, Harry wasn't surprised by the message.

He turned to his classmates, who were watching him. He met Malfoy's gaze as the boy rubbed his goose-bump dotted arms. Malfoy was scowling at him.

"Well Potter, what did it say?" the young King demanded. Harry hesitated. "I order you to tell me!" Malfoy said harshly. Harry was pleasantly surprised not to feel an unbreakable force make him respond, but he spoke anyway.

"It just said I was part of the court." Harry said, glancing at Ron and Hermione, who looked slightly disappointed. Malfoy, on the other hand, crowed with delight.

"Potter is under my reign! He's a member of my court! The joy of it all! I can make him do whatever I want!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione gazed at Malfoy in horror as the blonde boy grinned maliciously. "Go on Potter, hop like a bunny! Spin in circles! Quack like a duck!" Harry groaned to himself, but he nevertheless began the tasks. He caught Ron's eye; the red- head shrugged sympathetically. Hermione on the other hand, was glaring daggers at the newfound Shadow Viper.

Malfoy eventually let Harry stop. He staggered against the scripted wall, his head still spinning. But by placing his hands on the wall, Harry felt warm and stable again. He glared at Malfoy as Hermione and Ron came to stand by him.

"There'll be more where that came from, just wait Potter." Malfoy snarled. Snape then dismissed the class, and they hurried away. Harry quickly pulled Hermione and Ron into an alcove just before the stairs leading up to the Entrance Hall.

"That was terrible Harry! No surprise that Snape didn't stop him though. Malfoy's was always his pet- now he's a King." Ron growled in anger. But Hermione had a slightly more serious thought.

"Oh Harry, this is just awful. Malfoy won't give you any peace anymore! And he's most likely going to become a Death Eater- he'll order you to give yourself to Voldemort!" Hermione sobbed, crying on Harry's shoulder. He gently pulled her from him.

"He can't, Hermione. Malfoy can't order me to do anything." Harry whispered, trying to comfort her.

"Yes he can you dolt! What do you call what just happened?" asked Ron, miming the spinning and hopping. Harry rolled his eyes at him.

"I lied. I'm not on Malfoy's court. I followed his orders to keep my secret." said Harry. "I don't feel like I have to do anything when he tells me, not anymore." He watched as their expressions registered what he said.

"Then you're- oh, tell us what the wall really said!" pleaded Hermione.

"It said: Kneel before the Serpent King, in respect of his power over you all. The Fire Cobra is found."

Harry cast a helpless glance at the ceiling as Hermione and Ron dropped to their knees in front of him.

"Oh get up already. This is important. I don't think I want anybody to know that I'm one of the Kings." Harry said.

"Why not?" asked Ron. The redhead was obviously confused as to why Harry wanted to ignore that he had power over them.

"I just don't like the sound of it, alright? I agree with the beginning of that text we just read- serpents have always seemed evil to me. How can I want to control the world through their power? And think of the hardships I'm going to have to face. All those evils! I'd much rather put it off for a bit, thanks."

Hermione and Ron nodded. "Alright then, Harry, we won't tell."

"I could just order you not to." he said. "But I won't. That would be accepting, and I'm having a strong case of denial." Harry smiled at them, and then started towards the Great Hall for lunch. Behind him, Hermione and Ron exchanged a look. They both knew that they'd have to convince Harry to accept it quickly. Neither of them believed that the evils would hold off until Harry was ready for them. The sooner he learned the new magics, the better.

SWITCH

Draco Malfoy surveyed the Great Hall, feeling a bit unnerved. He'd never imagined something like this happening to him. After he'd first read the legend, he'd half hoped that he'd be one of the Kings. Every Slytherin had. What better than more power? But then the Gryffindors started becoming part of the Court, and Draco had begun to second-guess his desires. He'd realized that being the King wasn't strictly a good thing, that perhaps having to fight so much evil might not be something he wanted to do. Then, low and behold, Potter had gone down onto his knees before him, and told him that he was a King.

Draco would never be able to explain how the sight of Harry Potter bowing before him had made him feel. He had still been pulsing with the warmth of the wall, but the mixture of fear, delight, and the sense of unreality had swarmed over him when the pride of the Gryffindor house had knelt at his feet. This combination of feeling had made Draco's head spin. He had right away felt how wrong it was for Potter to bow to him, then in the same instant, it had felt so right for the others to follow his example.

And that feeling in particular made him suspicious. Why had he felt that Potter shouldn't bow? He'd become further concerned when Potter had touched the wall. Draco could practically feel the air crackling with tension. And the cold. Draco didn't think he'd ever felt so cold in his entire life. But then Potter had said he was like the others- a simple member of the Court. Draco had been suspicious. He'd tested Potter; ordered him to act a fool in the dungeon. But Potter had done as Draco had told him. Draco still wasn't convinced that Potter had been honest. Yet, why would he hide it? Draco couldn't imagine a reason to keep something this important a secret, unless... Perhaps Potter feared that the Dark Lord would hear of it and set his forces upon the boy right away, in hopes that Potter hadn't learned the new magics that would give him a chance at survival. Upon realizing this, Draco felt his blood chill. What about himself? The legend basically said that Draco could be responsible for the Dark Lord's final fall. What was to say that he wouldn't come after him, regardless of his father being Voldemort's right hand? Swallowing his sudden fear, Draco focused on the Headmaster, who was rising to address the students.

"Attention please!" called Dumbledore, "It has come to my attention that a wonderful new discovery was made this morning amongst our sixth years." Dumbledore turned to look at Draco. "One of the Serpent Kings has been discovered." The Hall was silent. The younger students were wondering what Dumbledore was talking about, while the seventh years hurriedly scanned the faces of the sixth years, trying to determine who the King was.

"Mr. Draco Malfoy has been labeled the Shadow Viper. I ask you all to now kneel in respect to your King. You should feel bound to do this, but don't worry, it is nothing abnormal." As the students bowed to him, Draco glanced over at Potter. Was he mistaken, or was Potter a beat behind the others in his descent to his knees? Shaking off his suspicions, Draco rose to acknowledge them.

"Thank you. Please, return to your lunches." His strong voice rang across the hall, and there was general commotion as the students all sat down and began eating in earnest. As Draco realized that nobody was talking, they were all 'returning to their lunches', he cast a worried look around the Hall.

"Ah, perhaps I should rephrase that. Um, you are at ease?" Draco tried. As the normal student activity resumed, Draco took his own seat. He saw Potter pick up his fork and begin eating. Watching him, Draco resolved to address him after lunch, when they had their actual Potions class. He knew now, that Potter had been lying to him. He knew for certain, because Harry Potter had not been eating his lunch when Draco had inadvertently ordered it.

As it was, Draco didn't have a chance to confront Potter before Potions started, and was forced to take his seat without finding out the truth about the Gryffindor. But he soon found that he wouldn't need to wait long. Snape started the lesson by informing the class about an interesting development.

"You'll all be surprised to hear that the carvings on the wall have disappeared." He told them. Draco nodded. 'Until the time of The Serpent Kings arrives, this message shall remain...' Well, all the more reason to know that Potter was lying. The message wouldn't have disappeared if it hadn't found both of the Kings. Snape apparently had the same thoughts.

"Potter, you lied about one of the Kings. Now tell me who it is!" bellowed Snape. Potter stared at him, floundering. Next to him, Hermione and Ron sat up and glanced warily between their irate Potions professor, and their best friend.

"I didn't lie, sir! It only identified Malfoy as the King. And the others were members of the Court." Potter said, not a trace of a lie in his features or voice.

"But you are lying! I did the math. You identified one too many people as members of the Court. One of them is the Fire Cobra, now tell us." Snape's eyes were black slates of anger, and Draco couldn't help but be impressed by Potter's ability to remain bold in front of them. His emerald eyes met Snape's gaze with a stubborn silence.

"Perhaps, Professor, if I could speak with Potter in the hall for a moment?" Draco suggested. Snape nodded, and Draco rose to go to the door. "Come along Golden Boy." He called over his shoulder. He stepped into the hall and wasn't surprised to see Potter follow after him.

"Ha, I knew you wouldn't fall for that one!" Draco smirked. Potter would have had to follow him if he wanted to keep up the act that he couldn't defy Draco. The Gryffindor simply watched him, an unreadable expression on his face, which annoyed Draco to know end.

"Alright then, Potter. Go on and admit it. You're the Fire Cobra." Draco saw the surprise register itself in Potter's eyes before they were masked with a calm coolness.

"Good job on shielding your eyes! Quite like myself, I must say." Draco heard himself say. What was wrong with him? Did Potter's silence bother him so that his mouth went off foolishly? He'd just complimented the Gryffindor, for Merlin's sake! But wait a minute, Draco thought, finally putting it together.

"You didn't answer. I told you to admit it and you didn't. That proves it then, you are the King!" Potter nodded. "What did the wall really tell you- was it the same thing it told me?" asked Draco, curious.

"It said: Kneel before the Serpent King, in respect of his power over you all. The Fire Cobra is found." Potter told him quietly. Draco felt his legs collapse under him as he knelt before Potter.

"I think we have to bow to each other only once. I had to at first in the dungeon, and you do here. But then, at first I had to follow your commands... and now I don't." Potter seemed to be thinking out loud.

"I reckon that's because the wall hadn't identified me yet. Everyone bows a first time, other Kings included. And before it knew I was there, the magic forced me to obey your other orders as well. Now it knows better." Draco listened to him for a moment, then rose to his feet and extended his hand.

"I suppose we shall have to form a sort of truce, being fellow Kings." said Draco, almost sadly, as he thought about their childish 'disagreements' with longing.

"Not only fellow Kings, Malfoy, but 'Brothers in our magic, bonded neither by blood nor by heart, but connected in our core'." Potter recited as he clasped his hand in Draco's.

"What did you do, memorize the whole legend?" asked Draco. Potter flushed.

"Hermione made us read it about fifty times during lunch. She said she wanted me to be as prepared as possible." Draco was about to comment when a brilliant shock pulsed from their clasped hands. Pulling apart slightly, they discovered eight playing cards in their hands. Inspecting them, Draco observed the design on the back. Two Serpents, one red, one black, twisted together, fangs exposed as they hissed up at him. They were inside of a large jade square. In each of the squares corners was a standard symbol- red heart, black spade, red diamond, and black club.

"I suppose this is our crest, then." Draco said, flipping the cards over. He looked at the King of Spades and the King of Diamonds, surprised to see that the picture King looked remarkably similar to himself. He also held the Ten, in Diamonds and in Spades. Written in the center of the Tens was a simple message: The first power- your will is done, your orders fulfilled.

"I suppose you have the same in your suits then?" asked Draco, showing Potter his cards. The black-haired boy nodded in affirmation.

"So Mal- Draco, can we go back inside now?" asked Potter. Draco raised his eyebrows.

"First names? What's this?" he asked.

"I thought I'd try it, since we will have to work together in future..." Draco nodded.

"Alright then, Harry, we can go back in, but first I've another question for you. Why didn't you tell everybody?" Draco asked him. Harry sighed.

"I just didn't want to have to go fight evil. I was in denial. I wanted to go grieve in peace, and not worry about the bad things for awhile."

"And what do you have to grieve about?" Draco asked, sneering. He knew Potter didn't have a wondrous life, but honestly-

"My godfather died last spring, when we went to the Ministry." Harry told him. Draco's eyes flickered with surprise, and he felt himself swallow his previous thoughts.

"I didn't know that." Draco paused. "Who was he?"

"Sirius Black."

"The murderer?"

"He was framed!" Harry's eyes flashed. "Wormtail did it; he faked his own death."

"Wormtail?"

"Peter Pettigrew. Called Wormtail because he's an Animagus rat. He was Ron's rat, Scabbers." Harry told him.

"The one that bit Goyle that one time, I remember. He was a Death- Eater?" What on earth happened to Potter every year? What was all this crazy information? Draco didn't think he enjoyed hearing these things.

"Yeah, but he's back with Voldemort now. He helped him come back." Draco visibly shivered when Harry said 'Voldemort', but Harry chose not to comment on it. There was a short, awkward silence, which unnerved Draco.

"Well, I guess that's a good enough answer. And here I thought it was because you were afraid the Dark Lord might come after you again." Draco heard Harry growl.

"He can come whenever he wants. I'm ready. I won't be the victim."

"What are you on about Potter?" Harry wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Nothing, forget it." said Harry. Draco nodded- he understood secrets, and he sure as hell didn't want to hear any more of Potter's. "Harry's", he reminded himself. Draco looked up at the Fire Cobra, and scrunched up his eyebrows. "This doesn't mean that we're friends now, does it Harry?" The blonde boy asked, faking horror at the thought.

"Now, now, Draco, don't go scaring me like that. The idea of being friends with you..." Harry shuddered in mock repulsion, then grinned. "Come on then, let's return to the terrors of Snape." He turned to the door, but Malfoy's voice stopped him.

"Hey Harry... I'm sorry about your godfather. I know you've never had any type of father..." Draco said softly. Harry smiled at him.

"Thanks Draco." He said, and then he entered the Potions classroom. Snape frowned down at them when they entered.

"Took you long enough. Well Draco, did you get the truth out of him?" Draco and Harry exchanged a glance in mutual understanding.

"Yes sir, Harry has admitted that he is in fact the Fire Cobra. He didn't say before for reasons that we choose not to explain to you." Draco then turned to the class, who were all being forced into bows by an invisible force, which proved to Snape that the boy spoke the truth. In a gesture that surprised Harry, Snape went down to his knees before the Gryffindor. After a moment, Harry snapped back to reality.

"Alright then, get up everyone, there's Potions to be done." Harry told them. The hurriedly followed his orders. Draco leaned over and whispered to Harry.

"Be careful what you say to them- they'll do whatever you mention." Harry nodded, fingering the cards that he'd placed in his pocket. He understood what the first of the ten new powers meant, and vowed to be careful with it.

A/N: I apologize if my characters seem a little different from their true selves, but I like to think that the shock of what they've just discovered has them acting strangely. I promise that they will be more normal in the next chapter.