Slithering along

"Turn to pages five hundred and fifty four and begin reading until you reach chapter six." Said Snape with a shrill voice. He was slowly striding back and forth across the classroom, his long cloak following behind him. He peered at each students' textbook to reassure everyone were at the correct page. Harry glimpsed up at Snape as he passed by the row of snickering Slytherins. But to full reassurance, most of the noise was coming from non-other then Malfoy. His father a death eater and Harry quite believed that he was too. Though Ron and Hermione didn't believe him nor did Mr. Weasley, Harry was determined to prove them wrong. Harry looked at Snapes black beady eyes run along the faces of the students that sat lazily at their chairs. He looked at the black greasy hair that fell down his face un-tidily and the way his pale skin looked as white as the frosting on the pumpkin pie on the night of Halloween. But to Harry's gloating mind he thought was even paler. If only I could throw this book at him…and I don't care if he puts me in detention…

"Proffessor Snape?" asked Hermione coldly, gripping her textbook firmly in one hand and the other hand up high dancing in the air.

"Yes….Mrs. Granger?" said Snape in his annoyed fashion. Hermione was always at the top of each class. She did her homework always got 'O's' for Outstanding and knew the answer to each question. Snape and many other teachers are very familiar with her liking for answering questions. But Harry knew that she didn't like answering questions…she just knew the answers to them.

"I've finished reading the pages that you have assigned…uh…what can I …um…do next?" mumbled Hermione. She was rather mesmerized by the way professor Snape was moving his wand. He was flicking it sideways and back and up, and was circling it up and down. Harry had noticed that not only Hermione was lost for words but he saw that the remaining of the class had looked up from their textbooks and have concentrated their eyes on Snape's wand instead. Harry had also noticed Snapes lips quivering and his tongue moving up and down. It was almost like he was mumbling something very quietly. Something he didn't want the class to hear. Harry thought for a moment that he was speaking in parcel tongue. Snape? He cannot talk in parcel tongue. Harry remembered when he first discovered he could talk in another language. A language that snakes understood. But not only snakes, but Voldemort too. He remembered what Dumbledore had told him three years back. He remembered that parcel was also the language of the Dark Lord. Snape suddenly looked up from his wand and his mouth froze at the sight of the entire class now staring at him in dismay. Harry looked over at Ron and saw his mouth wide open, utterly dumbstruck. Harry looked back at Snape and almost jumped out of his seat.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT?" said Snape with a harsh rigid tone of voice. He had jumped up from his chair and his wand had fell on top of a book on his desk with a 'snap'. "Get back to your reading or I will give all of you detentions. That will give you something to stitch your mind to!" Snape had begun to settle down. Harry thought that anything to do with punishing kids would be sure to make him happier then anything else. Snape sat back down and Hermione had flipped back to the chapter she had started on and begun reading it again. Meanwhile, the rest of the class buried their faces back into their books. There was a long silence that followed and finally to the classes amusement the class had finished. Snape had retrieved his wand and waved it in front of the chalkboard. Here are your assignments. I expect them finished by Friday and if it is not handed in then you will get a 'T'. Troll. Harry and the entire class moaned but copied down the assignments into their notebooks. Outside of class Harry, Ron, and Hermione were deep in discussion. So was the entire class. People were huddled in little groups along the corridor and down the stone steps that lead to the Divination class. Whispers and mumbles were heard along the corridors and the name Snape was said more often then usual.

"What do you think that was about?" asked Ron in a normal-to-whisper tone of voice. He checked around his shoulders in every direction to make sure they weren't listened to. But everyone was talking about the same topic so it didn't really make a difference.

"It seemed as though he was playing with his wand or something…but it was never like I've ever seen it." Said Hermione with a frown.

"Yeah. Me too. But did you see? He was mumbling under his breath too. Almost like a spell or incantation. It was almost as if –

"You aren't going to say what I think you are." interrupted Hermione with a sigh.

"Well…I…isn't it…obvious?" shrugged Harry as he had the lost for words. He knew that Snape couldn't be trusted. No matter what Harry didn't only despise him, but the entire package. He knew Snape was up to no good.

"Come on Hermione." Said Ron defensively. "Snape is always up to no good. Anything he was doing in there was anything but normal! Did you see the way everyone was looking at him? It wasn't just Harry who noticed it was, well, all of us! And the way he leapt up from his seat, and yelled like that was definitely not normal, mate." Finished Ron and took a long deep breath afterward.

"Snape is anything but normal." Said Harry finally.

They were walking back down the steps discussing the next time Harry will make the Quidditch tryouts and if Dumbledore would ever consider explaining why his arm was so badly injured. As they saw the end of the staircase and made their way, they saw Neville leaning against the wall, his eyes in a daze.

"Hey Neville! What's going?" asked Ron awkwardly, nudging him on the shoulder. Neville rocked a little bit on his toes from the impact of Ron's fist, although he didn't nudge him that hard.

"Are you alright?" asked Hermione worriedly, staring at Neville while approaching him a little closer to see his face more clearly.

"Ah…didn….herd….ah…herd…"mumbled Neville. Harry and Ron were barely making out a word Neville was saying but Hermione was catching on to each phrase.

"You didn't or did hear what Neville?" said Hermione with a more agitated look on her face. She felt sympathy for Neville but also didn't want to be late for her next class.

"I heard what he said." Said Neville more clearly. "I heard him."

Harry cleared his throat and said: "You heard…Snape?" asked Harry. He was guessing at random but he remembers glancing a look at Neville. He was sitting in the front row in Snape's class and he looked horror-struct. He was watching Snape's glowering, mesmerized, face.

"Yeah. Snape...that…old…no good…" Neville lost his words and took a deep breathe. "I remember those words Harry. I remember them. I don't know from where or when. But I heard them. Harry, help me. I…I…I…swear. Harry, I'm not going mad. Believe me!" Neville was beginning to speak louder. Harry was so preserved by every word he spoke that he just realized that Neville was clutching the front of his robes. He was on his knees. He was sobbing like a baby without it's milk bottle. Both Ron and Hermione were staring at Neville in disbelief. Neville was always a calm and controlled boy. He was usually shy and always reading something about a plant or a new undiscovered creature. Harry knew something was wrong, the minute Neville looked into his eyes.

"Believe me Harry. Please."