Hey everybody! Thanks for giving this a chance. My first HP fic, hope you like it!
Authors Note: Hm, so Snape is the main character in this along with Harry (not Slash) but you're going to have to read between the lines to find Snape! It's much more enjoyable if you make inferences.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. (I can only wish...)
Prologue
"A vacation," Severus repeated slowly, staring at the wizard before him with inscrutable black eyes.
"Yes," Dumbledore said, hands folded in front of him. The old man sat calmly at his desk, so calm that something about him infuriated Snape, but it wouldn't be the first time.
"And you call that a vacation?" The man hissed. Dumbledore merely smiled. Snape had an urge to wrap his hands around his neck and strangle him. But again, that wouldn't be the first time.
Chapter One: The Big Black Snake
There were ear-splitting screams coming from the courtyard.
Several students shrieked and ran from the scene. Others watched with wide eyes- there, in the middle of the courtyard, was a enormous black snake, sliding sinisterly around the grounds. Three students in particular dashed over to get a look at the ominous python.
Hermione clasped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming, Ron looked horrified, and Harry watched it carefully with wide eyes. The snake slithered around silently, staring at the frightened youths around it with bright, shrewd eyes.
"Hagrid's gone too far this time," Ron said hoarsely. He swore the snake glared at him with it's threating black eyes, and turned away. There were more shrieks and screaming, panicking and fleeing. At last, a booming voice that rose above all other's silenced that chaos.
"Silence!" it said, a voice Harry knew well. It had an immediate effect. All eyes turned to the old, white wizard that stood calmly next to the strange serpent.
"Calm down," Dumbledore said with ease and reassurance. "This beast is harmless, and will remain so unless provoked. This serpent is named Serepious, and was given to Hogwarts to be watched over from the Duke of Goosetoe. He happens to be a good friend of mine who is going to vacation to Switzerland, too cold for the liking of his favortie pet snake, I daresay. The snake is in the care of Rubeous Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, but is free to roam wherever it may choose. Spoiled creature, it is. I advise you to please do not disturb it lest it come near you, and don't be afraid."
After the Headmaster's words of advice, several people gazed at the snake with a newfound curiousity. One small boy, Colin Creevy, even approached it and held his camera level to the snake. The blonde little boy shouted and staggered backwards. The snake reared to a towering height and hissed malevolently. More screams, and the student body scattered back out into the halls, leaving the angry creature to itself.
Dumbledore stood still with a twinkle in his eye, and disappeared. Quite literally.
"Did you see that?" asked Ron incredulously. "Dumbledore just disappeared!" He, Hermione and Harry were the few still left lingering in the courtyard.
"Yes, but there's something odd about that snake. Serepious, Dumbledore said it's name was," Hermione said, scanning the creature out of the corner of her eye with an uneasy expression.
"But Dumbledore disappeared!" Hermione, paying no attention, looked over to Harry.
"Well?" she asked.
"Erm, I s'pose," Harry said, eyes lingering on the jet black python. It looked at if it were watching him. Did it just slide it's muscular body a few paces towards him, or was it his imagination?
"Harry, you're a parseltounge. Talk to it," she said. Harry glanced around. They were about the only ones left, save for a few first years that were fixated on practicing a few basic spells. Cautiously, he approached Serepious. It's black eyes bore into his green ones with some kind of human intellect.
"Hssss shhhsssph Sssshasss," hissed Harry. Behind him, Ron shuddered. His face always grew a little pale when Harry spoke that eerie laguage belonging to snakes.
"Are you a boy or girl?" Harry asked the Snake. For a moment the snake looked taken aback, then to his astonishment, it hissed angrily and reared, poised as if to strike.
"Harry, get away from it!" Hermione said. Harry too noticed the way the snake looked-well, really pissed off. It's eyes gleamed dangerously, and Harry backed away-slowly. Ron was dead white, praying it wouldn't eat him. It looked like it was considering it. Serepious uncoiled it's long, tones body and slid away.
Ron let out the breath he had been holding since it first hissed at Harry.
"I don't like it," he said. "Bloody hell, what was Dumbledore thinking babysitting that thing, and letting it creep all over the grounds like some sort of pet?"
"Dumbledore said to leave it alone," Hermione said, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. She was half-guilty she urged him to talk to it. "So, that's what we'll do."
"Besides, I'm sure Hagrid has it covered," Harry said jokingly. He was a little shaky from the encounter but recovered quickly. Snakes didn't scare Harry. In fact, the first snake he ever met he befriended. Then agan, the second snake he met was a huge, sharp fanged Basilisk that tried to kill him.
"Well, come on. We still have transfiguration, then potions with the Slytherins," Hermione stated with a sigh, and they headed to their classes without much enthusiasm.
Thanks for reading! The next chapter is going to be important so read it, please! Review, while you're at it. I'd love you forever...
Random Side Note of the Day:
One time, I knew this guy. He loved to read fics, but he never reviewed. Then on day, he got hit by a bus. Think about it.