Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. However, I claim any other characters and situations not from the canon.
A/N Update 1.8.17: Special thanks to reviewer "Viper." In my defense, I chose the cobra as the original snake species for Harry due to the "King Cobra/King of Snakes" moniker. Also, the legend of the basilisk is actually related to the cobra and the mongoose (part of the weasel family) as natural enemies (I thought this was pretty cool). Check out the National Geographic website for a fight between the two (it is epic!). I decided to take "Viper's" suggestion and use a Smooth Snake instead after researching it on The Wildlife Trusts and the New Forest National Parks websites (used in my descriptions). I did not want to choose a viper because many FanFiction authors already do so. Enjoy!
Part II: Sparkly Guidance
Harry trampled through the forest hurt, angry and strangely guilty thoughts swirled in the teenager's head and heart. Harry sat down on a partially decayed log stubbornly wiping away tears.
"Great," Harry muttered disgustedly. "Now I'm a baby, too." He signed ignorant of an old smooth snake slithering by. The smooth snake paused.
"My ssspeaker?" She asked.
Harry looked up, confused. "Who's there?"
"Down here." The old smooth snake said.
Harry looked down and saw an oddly sparkling silvery grey snake with a mottled black pattern running the entire length of the body. At first glance, Harry thought it was an adder but realized the snake had a more slender build. The top of the old snake's head was a darker shade than its body, with a black stripe running across each eye. The smooth snake rose to his eye level. "Oh hello there-what's your name?" Harry asked politely. Harry was not shy around snakes after speaking with a boa constrictor at the zoo.
"You once called me Sssparklesss and my mate, Sssneakersss." The smooth snake answered gently.
"I-I did?" Harry asked surprised. Harry intuitively knew that Sparkles was not a venomous snake despite being ophiophagous.
"You were only a hatchling, youngling." Sparkles answered soothingly.
Harry knelt to her level figuring it might be a strain on his elder. It did not occur to him that he was treating the snake as if he would his own species.
"I apologize but I honessstly don't recall anything." Harry paused. "How are you here?"
"You sssaved my life and my mate'sss. We have had many hatchlingsss and would like to know if we can help you now." The old smooth snake tilted her head. "You are in turmoil. Why are you crying?"
"I'm jussst ssstupid." Harry declared. "I have no family and my bessst friend-he-" Harry sniffed.
"Hurt you." Sparkles hissed furiously, baring her fangs. "Perhapsss it wasss a misssunderssstanding? Sssurely my youngling Ssspeaker has more than jussst one friend?"
"Yesss ssshe's probably mad at me for running away." Harry admitted sheepishly.
The smooth matriarch inclined her head. "Running away isssn't alwaysss the answer, my Ssspeaker."
Harry grimaced and nodded. "Ssso you think I ssshould return and make amendsss?" Harry hedged.
The smooth matriarch nodded. "Come back and sssee me anytime, youngling."
Harry grinned at her. "Thank you Madam Sssparkless." The smooth snake inclined her head and before she could slither away, Harry picked her up and she curled around Harry as he smiled. Her scales were a strange feeling for him, oddly warm from the sun but still rough. She gave Harry a 'hissy kiss' in his ear and he allowed her to the ground. He watched her leave and saw her slither toward a male ginger brown smooth snake.
Sneakers? He thought curiously and then shrugged. The teenager walked back toward the pumpkin patch and simply sat down collecting his thoughts.
"Harry!" Hermione cried as she hugged him from behind nearly making the raven-haired boy fall. "There you are! We were fit to be tied! We were so worried about you! You just can't go wandering off like that! We thought you ran away! You can't think what Ron said was what everyone was thinking, could you?!" Hermione yelped. Harry winced as Hermione said all this in his eardrum. Slowly, Harry turned to her, burying his face in her neck. Harry was desperately trying to hide his tears although she could feel them against her skin.
"I guess I just…needed to think." Harry said quietly. Should I tell her about Sparkles? He wondered. It was not as if he did not trust Hermione…quite the opposite. However, as he was going to tell her where he had been he saw the Twins running toward him.
"You had us going spare-!"
"Don't do that to us again!"
"Ron's a git and we can assure you-"
"Mum and Dad will make Ron understand-"
"That was bloody uncalled for-"
Harry hid his face and then sighed. He gathered his Gryffindor courage from a Slytherin matriarch. The thought made him smile slightly. Harry straightened and talked with the Twins and Hermione before heading toward the Burrow filled with trepidation.
A/N: Madam Sparkles will be making a comeback for sure!
P.S. Here are my resources: New Forest National Park Smooth snake fact file and The Wildlife Trusts Smooth Snake coronella austriaca. After several uploads, I have to admit defeat on FanFiction for citing purposes. I cannot put the URLs here. These are the names if you want to Google them for further information.