Hi people!^_^
Firstly, I would like to thank bebepantheon for the idea with the snake. It was absolutely awesome, so this chapter is dedicated to you!^_^
Parseltongue is – "this".^_^
Well, here is chapter 4! Wow, I feel really good. Not only do I know that I am regularly updating this story, but also that you, my dear readers, enjoy reading it!^_^
Now, enjoy chapter 4! Viktor, the disclaimer please!^_^
Viktor: Lady Avotil does not own the Harry Potter or Underworld series, only the plot of this story and any OC characters.
Lady A: Thanks, Viktor! Also, thank you for the lessons in politics.
Viktor: *shrugs* You had to teach Harry the dance of politics.
Lady A: Yes, I did have to, didn't I? *turns to readers* Well, enjoy reading chapter 4!^_^
HPxUnderworld****************************************
Chapter 4: Snake and Revelation
Harry walked out of his bathroom and over to his wardrobe, his hair still dripping slightly from his bath. Opening the doors, the young heir looked through his wardrobe and thought about which robes he should put on for the presentation. He had to look like a young noble, after all. His neon blue eyes stopped their search when they came across a black, ankle-length coat with small, silver and forest green serpents along the hem of the robe and the sleeves. A small smile appeared on the black-haired teenager's face as he recalled the incident which prompted the creation of this particular garment.
Flashback
"Oh, Harry, your accent is so funny!", Amy exclaimed before she was overcome with another laughing fit, completely ignoring the small glare directed at her from a pair of neon blue eyes.
Harry had already been at the mansion for an entire month and during that time he had learned one thing – Hungarian was one hell of a language to learn! Amy, his new friend at the coven, made sure to remind him as often as possible that he still had a long way to go until he had mastered the native language of his father.
"Well, so is your German accent!", the irritated young vampire shot back at his friend, causing her to stop her excessive giggling and narrow her eyes at him.
"Not everyone had the opportunity to study that language as long as you did!", came her angry reply, though they both knew hat there was no true anger behind it.
The now 13-year old teenager smirked in return. He had never really told Amy this, but he had learned German outside of school and not at school like she thought. The Dursleys never knew of his secret studies, since Dudley had never dared step foot into the library, a place that had become a sanctuary for Harry. He had always been welcome there and the head librarian – a nice, elderly woman named Rose – had always been more than willing to help him learn the language, seeing as she herself had studied and lived in Germany for an extensive amount of time. By the time his Hogwarts letter had arrived, Harry had been proficient enough in German that it could have been considered his mother tongue.
"Ich weiss. Also mach dich nicht lustig über mich!"(I know. So don't make any fun of me!), Harry retorted.
"Okay, okay. I promise I won't laugh…much", the brown-haired girl told him, a smile on her face and a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.
Seeing this, Harry could not stop a similar smile appearing on his face. Amy was an okay person, in his opinion. He had been somewhat reluctant to open up to her in the beginning, but as he spent more and more time with her, he realized that she was nothing like any of his former friends. Amy was, in fact, like the friend he had always wished to have – nice, understanding, with a good sense of humour and, above all, loyal. Harry somehow knew without a shadow of a doubt that the vampire girl would never betray him or anyone she considered a good friend.
The peaceful moment between the two was suddenly interrupted when a high pitched scream ripped through the air. Harry and Amy both stared at the door of his room before exchanging a startled look with each other. Without even thinking, the young heir ran to the door, opened it and ran into the hallway, his mind all the while working overtime. What could possibly frighten a vampire – an immortal creature – so much?, he thought as he ran down the stairs leading to the entrance hall, jumping them down two steps at a time to reach the source of the scream as quickly as possible.
Arriving at the bottom of the staircase he saw a group of aristocratic vampires cowering in a corner of the spacious foyer, their frightened eyes trained on something in the middle of the room. Neon blue eyes turned from the clearly scared nobles towards where all of their looks were directed. What he saw made him wish to fall down in an anime-like fashion. There, lying in the center of the beautiful foyer and the cause of the vampires' fear was…a snake.
Rolling his neon blue eyes and throwing a look of disgust at the collection of scaredy-cats in the corner, the black-haired vampire casually strolled to where the reptile was and crouched down, his neon blue eyes making contact with the slitted, yellow ones of the cold-blooded animal. Harry heard a sharp intake of breath behind him, making him smile. Most probably from Amy, he mused. Quickly taking in the size of the snake, he judged it to still be a rather young one.
"Hello, little one. Why are you here?", the black-haired teenager inquired, his question coming out in a series of hisses. Every single vampire in the room stopped moving as they heard the strange sounds coming out of the 13-year-old's mouth.
"A speaker!", the snakeling excitedly exclaimed, "It is such a great honour to meet one!". Harry let out a low groan, making sure that none of the vampires heard it. Not another admirer, he miserably thought.
"Yes, I speak. Now, why are you here?", the young vampire gently asked again, knowing that acting rashly would not help in this situation.
"I am looking for a new nest since I just left my mother's", the young snake explained and Harry was amused to hear a note of pride towards the end. Obviously the snakeling is on its way to becoming an independent individual…uh…reptile, Harry concluded. His mind was going through several case scenarios and only one of them seemed acceptable.
"Would you like to stay in my nest?", Harry hesitantly proposed. To his amusement as well as horror, the young snake seemed to attempt a small, happy jig.
"Yes!", came the joyful reply from the young reptile.
Harry carefully extended his arm towards the snake. Without even the slightest bit of hesitation the black reptile wound itself around the proffered appendage, slithering up until it had coiled itself in a loose, but comfortable position around its new owner's neck. The young vampire heir slowly stood up, gently stroking the snake's head and listening to what appeared to be a snake-version of a purr.
Suddenly the sound of clapping pierced the silence in the entrance hall and Harry turned around. Amy had a big grin on her face as she applauded her friend. Before Harry could blink, Amy had run towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a friendly hug. Releasing him from the embrace, the brown-eyed girl looked at her friend, the grin getting even bigger.
"That was so cool, Harry! Is the snake going to be your new pet?", she asked, looking at the content reptile hanging around the teenage vampire's shoulders.
End Flashback
It had turned out that Viktor had watched the entire spectacle. His father had not objected when he had declared that Nox – the snake's name – was his new pet. The little debacle with the reptile had also resulted in Harry getting either looks of respect or of fear whenever he went past one of the noble vampires in the mansion and after he was assumed to be out of earshot the whispers started – whispers, where Harry was called "Kígyó-beszélő", meaning "Snake-speaker" in Hungarian as he later found out. Amy, of course, was highly amused by his complaints about receiving the title.
Slipping into a pair of black, leather pants, Harry went a second time through his hair with a towel, making sure that it was completely dry. Once he was done, the young vampire put on a black, silk poet shirt, much like the one his father had worn on that one night two months ago. A look in the mirror on the doors of his wardrobe reminded Harry to comb through his black hair. Harry genuinely wanted to look as good as possible for his presentation tonight. After combing his raven black hair into a more or less slicked back style, the young vampire looked again in the mirror. It's acceptable, he decided.
Observing his face a little longer, Harry noted several minor changes since his arrival at the mansion. His complexion had paled a little bit more and his cheekbones were slightly more pronounced now, though this only gave him a more aristocratic look than before. His eyes…the greatest change was in his eyes, he knew. They were colder than before, more calculating, and there was no naivety or innocence in them anymore. He only ever revealed his real self in front of his father and Amy, since he was certain that he could trust them. Also, despite the fact that he could switch to his original eye colour anytime he wanted, the black-haired boy preferred his vampire neon blue eyes. It seemed more natural for them to be that colour than his previous emerald green one.
Harry shook his head – now was not the time for such trivial actions. Opening his wardrobe again, the young heir took out the coat with the snake decorations and put it on. His ability to speak with snakes was a gift, after all, a unique talent, and he had no reason to be ashamed of it. Besides, it would remind the nobles about the snake-incident and, consequently, about his power.
"You look well, Harry", Nox hissed from his position on his master's bed before lowering his head and closing his eyes. The young snake had grown since Harry had taken the reptile in.
"Thank you, Nox", Harry replied, a small smile on his face as he went towards the foot of his bed, grabbed his black, leather boots and put them on as well.
The last item that he would have to wear to his presentation was a formal sword-belt that was different than the ones used during the Medieval Ages by knights. At least, that was what his father had told him. The vampire Elder had insisted on him wearing it, along with a sword that Harry had yet to see. Mentally shrugging at this thought, the young heir fastened the belt around his hips, looking at the square, silver buckle and then at the intricate designs on the scabbard that would eventually sheath his sword. The black-haired teenager noticed with a small smile that the scabbard was hidden from view by his long coat, just like his father's was. He was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts by a knock on his door.
Amy looked at the long and heavy box she was carrying and wondered why Lord Viktor had told her – her of all the vampires in the mansion – to deliver it to Harry. Thinking about the teenage boy, Amy couldn't help but smile. She had become great friends with him and their mock arguments were always a lot of fun for her. However, the brown-haired girl knew that there were some things that the other young vampire was hiding from her.
Amy's thoughts went to Lord Viktor's announcement in the late hours of the night yesterday – there would be a presentation today, though what or who would be presented was a mystery to every vampire in the coven. As she was thinking this, the door in front of her opened and revealed her friend standing in the doorway. Amy's breath caught as she took in his appearance. He had never looked so elegant before, so noble and aristocratic. His neon blue eyes briefly met her chocolate brown ones before looking her up and down and finally landing on the oblong box in her hands. The black-haired vampire raised an eyebrow, his expression indifferent. Amy blushed.
Harry was sure that if it weren't for his mask of indifference, he would be openly staring at his friend. She was dressed in a beautiful, strapless, floor-length, dark crimson dress with small flower decoration from the waist down. Around her neck hung a magnificent, oval onyx encased in a golden frame. Her hands were bare but on her right ring finger she wore an equally as magnificent golden ring inset with tiny onyx stones. She was, in short, breathtaking. Concentrating back on the present, Harry spotted the mahogany-coloured box in her hands and raised an eyebrow in a silent inquiry.
"Lord Viktor wanted me to deliver this to you. You know, I still have no idea why he is paying so much attention to you", Amy told him, watching a small glint of recognition entered his neon blue eyes. She wondered if she would ever see his mesmerizing, emerald green eyes ever again – his eyes seemed to constantly be their neon blue colour, which by no means was any less captivating than the other one.
"Thanks, Amy", he replied, taking the box off her hands, "I'll see you at the presentation". With that he closed the door, went over to his bed and carefully put the long box down on it. Nox lazily opened one eye, looked at the box and closed it again, deciding that it wasn't anything interesting.
Opening the latch and lifting the lid, Harry saw that his thoughts about the box's content were right – lying inside on a soft, red, velvet cushion was a sword. During the past two months Harry had come to appreciate the beauty of swords and this one was the most artfully crafted one he had ever seen. The sword was a broadsword, like his father's, and similar to his father's, the pommel had an ornate "H" on it. The handle of the sword was wrapped in a strip of black leather and the guard had intricate Celtic designs on it. The blade of the sword was, naturally, silver and the light from the lamp overhead gave it a deadly gleam.
Harry firmly gripped the handle of his new sword and carefully lifted it up from its box. A few experimental swings proved to Harry that the sword was brand new and the edges were sharpened to the point where, when the black-haired teen made a downward swing, the movement created a small whistling sound. Smiling in delight, the young vampire put the sword in its new scabbard. He was ready for the presentation.
Another knock brought his attention to the door yet again. Walking over to it, the young vampire opened it. On the other side stood none other than his father. Throwing a quick look over the vampire Elder's attire, Harry mused that he either had the same taste in clothing as Viktor or that Viktor had had a bigger influence on him than he had thought. The older vampire was dressed in the same clothes as his heir with the only difference being their coats. The teenage vampire stepped to the side and allowed his father to enter his room. Once the vampire Elder was inside, Harry quietly closed the door and turned towards him. He had one of his rare smiles on his face as he looked at the young vampire.
Viktor felt a fatherly pride overcome him as he observed his son. Harry had changed a lot from the boy who had willingly offered him his memories. The black-haired young vampire now radiated confidence, strength and, most importantly, power. Yet Harry was not the slightest bit arrogant and never flaunted his abilities. The teenager had quickly grasped the basic concepts of politics and it would not be long before he was ready for the council meetings and the internecine power struggles within the coven. In fact, Harry had started to behave much like Viktor himself. Yes, Viktor was very proud at that moment.
"I see that you are ready for you presentation to the coven, my son", Viktor observed, taking in his son's choice of clothes and hairstyle. He inwardly smiled – Harry reminded Viktor so much of himself at his age, it simply amazed the vampire Elder.
"Quite. I especially like the sword. Thank you, father", Harry confirmed his father's words and smiled when his comment about the sword brought the fatherly side of Viktor out even more. Suddenly his father grinned, shocking the black-haired teenager – the older vampire had never done that before.
"The ladies will simply love you", Viktor commented, chuckling when his son scowled at him for the remark, "Especially Miss Jones". The vampire Elder was amused when the teen's eyes widened, his glower disappeared and a blush of embarrassment covered his cheeks.
"Father!", Harry indignantly exclaimed. His father's soft laugh only caused the red adorning his cheeks to darken.
Viktor was enjoying himself a lot. Tormenting his son like this and then watching the black-haired youth's reactions were simply priceless. However, when he remembered the second reason for his visit to his son's room, he became serious once again. Harry, noticing the change in his father's demeanor, immediately pulled himself together, though to Viktor's amusement, the blush on his face barely receded.
"Are you sure you want to go through with the name change?", Viktor questioned the younger vampire. He understood his son's reason behind this action, but he wanted to be sure that Harry really wanted to go through with it. The young vampire almost immediately paled at his father's question, though his eyes remained determined. The memory of his last day in the Wizarding World resurfaced once again, along with the information revealed on that fateful day.
Flashback
Harry could only stare in disbelief and horror at the head goblin as the young boy resurfaced from the pensive, having just watched the memories his mother had left for him. The black-haired boy could not believe what his mother had revealed. He couldn't, not after hearing so many things at Hogwarts. However, he knew that Lily Evans had not lied about the information she had passed on to Harry via her memories. She had taken an Unbreakable Oath – much like an Unbreakable Vow – that she would tell the truth and only the truth to Harry. In shock, the 12-year-old collapsed on the armchair behind him, emerald green eyes staring into space. The truth, as they said, really was not nice.
Lily Evans had been forced into a marriage with James Potter by the doings of Albus Dumbledore. It was also James Potter who had been the bully at Hogwarts, not Severus Snape as Harry had thought. James Potter had enjoyed the pain of the others. James Potter had never really loved his mother. Harry should have been the son of Lily Evans and Sirius Black, the man whom his mother had really loved. Yet the machinations of the Hogwarts Headmaster had hindered their love and, as a result, a happy childhood for Harry.
Disgust started to build within Harry for the man who had sired him and hate for the man who had ruined his life before it had even started. He would be damned, if he ever looked up to Albus Dumbledore once again.
After transferring all of the money from his Trust Vault and the Potter Vault to a muggle bank account the head goblin had just opened for him, Harry looked at the magical creature with emerald green eyes full of repressed anger, his magic swirling wildly around him in sync with his emotions.
"I need two spells to be removed from my person, as well as a ritual reversed…"
End of Flashback
"I am sure, yes", the vampire heir answered. He would have nothing whatsoever to do with his bastard of a biological father. Viktor smiled.
"Then let us proceed to the presentation", the vampire Elder regally declared before sweeping out of his son's room. Harry smirked before following the vampire Elder, his coat billowing behind him just like his father's. The coven was in for the shock of their immortal lives.
HPxUnderworld****************************************
Well, I hope you enjoyed chapter 4! I also think that this was the last of the flashbacks, though I cannot be 100% sure.^_^
Viktor: This is your own story, isn't it?
Lady A: *confused* It is, yes.
Viktor: Then shouldn't you also, as the author, already know exactly what is going to happen?
Lady A: *blushes slightly* No, I don't know what exactly is going to happen. See, a plan that has no room for changes is doomed to fail. Same with plans for stories – if the plot isn't flexible and able to accommodate unexpected changes, then the story will never be completed. Besides, I doubt that you, as the ruler, can foresee what is going to happen in your coven.
Viktor: *nods in agreement* Very good argument, Lady A. I see that my lessons about politics have not gone to waste *turns and leaves room*
Lady A: *blinks* Did he just give a compliment? *shrugs* Please, remember: write long and nice reviews!^_^