Ch 6 You're mine
Two weeks later found Harry outside in the garden, the summer months had begun meaning that Harry's roses he grew would begin to open their petals. Harry had not planted the roses that grew there, since they were actually wild roses now. The more delicate ones had died off when the house had been abandoned and fallen into disrepair. Now only the strong climbing roses had lived, spreading out to grow in a tangle of vines. There was a little hollow place inside though, Harry could crawl carefully and sit inside of it on warm days and be shaded by the petals.
Harry had cared for them and loved them greatly; making sure to prune and water them faithfully, in truth he liked these roses better than the smaller, more fragrant ones. They tried so hard to climb up out of the ground looking for the light and air, Harry felt like if he let them die he was treating them cruelly. He almost felt like they were his children, Harry giggled at his funny thoughts, if he was the father then he had to give them kisses right? To say he loved them?
Harry grinned happily, put down his little shears, then knelt down and gave little butterfly kisses to the rose buds. He turned to the little flowers to his left already trying to open up and look around, he closed his eyes and knelt down to kiss the petals.
Then all of a sudden he kissed something dry and warm. Opening his eyes he discovered he had given two little kisses to the head of a tiny brown and green snake. Blinking his eyes he gazed for a moment at the little animal. Remembering what Tom had said and wondering if the little thing could really talk he hesitated.
Then he grinned "Hello!" he hissed
The green snake hung there gazing at the wizard, it's little tail wrapped around a rose vine. It was very miniature; all along its back was a brown and green diamond pattern, its eyes glowed yellow, then it opened it's jaws to expose little needle like fangs. Harry was frightened for a moment, wondering if it would bite him.
But instead it spoke in a little hiss "Why did you just try to eat me?"
Harry was shocked "I wasn't trying to EAT you! I was giving the flowers kisses."
"Why would you do that" The snake inquired
"Because I love them. That's how you show somebody you love them." Sometimes Kreacher would kiss the top of his head when he went to bed. He had seen a photo of Grandmother Walburga on her wedding day, taken just as they kissed. The two moving figures would embrace then retreat to walk together out of the frame, Walburga holding onto Orion's arm and leaning her cloaked head onto his shoulder looking up at her husband with soft black eyes.
The snake blinked for a moment, the extended its body toward Harry to peer at him. The snake 'sniffed' at the pale face over his jaw and eyes and up to his forehead, Harry giggled as the snake's tongue tickled him. Slowly the snake pressed it's head into the black hair, it unwound itself from the branch and slithered onto Harry's head,
Harry giggled and held still, the snake crawled along his hair then down over his ears to his neck. Harry could swear the snake grew heavier, and was proven right when it curled it's now much larger body around Harry's shoulders
"You smell like my Tom." The snake commented, Harry lit up shocked and excited to be able to talk about his friend.
"You know Tom too? He said he could talk to snakes just like I can but other people can't, I asked Uncle Phineas about it but he said it was an ability lost a long time ago, which is sad because now nobody can ask a snake not to bite them. I can take you to him if you want!" Harry excitedly hissed.
The snake peered at Harry's face again, "You can take me to Tom?" It hissed, Harry nodded. Then the now foot long snake nuzzled it's head into Harry's hair "You're a strange little wizard, but I like you. I'll keep you and see what happens."
Harry stood up the snake a not uncomfortable weight around his shoulders and went back inside with a grin. Hissing to his new friend about all the things he loved to do in the daytime, they went upstairs to his room. Harry was glad he Kreacher was making lunch and Grandmother was taking her nap, he didn't want to have to explain where he had gotten a foot long snake. Shutting his door he crawled onto his bed, the snake came down to curl around him growing in length. Soon the once itty-bitty snake was roughly twelve feet long and thicker than Harry himself.
He was captivated "You're so pretty." He hissed, reaching out to pet her shimmering olive green scales.
Suddenly startled he realized "Do you have a name?" He thought that maybe snakes named their babies too. Hiss and herr perhaps Harry thought smiling at the sudden thought.
"I am called Nagini hatchling." The snake said, nuzzling his hair again, Harry had a feeling she was trying to tame it.
"My name's Harry...not Hatchling." Harry corrected gently, not wanting his second newest friend to be offended with him.
The snake hissed out soft laughter, "You are young in days and very small, therefore you are a hatchling, if you were a snake you would still be playing with your egg tooth." The snake commented, tapping the end of Harry's nose with the tip of her tail. Harry giggled then, remembering why he had brought the snake inside, he reached over to pick up his pillow, revealing the gold locket underneath.
Nagini stilled, for a long time the snake was frozen, bright yellow eyes staring at the piece. Very slowly she slithered over to it, circling it and smelling it. At her approach and touch the locket began to grow brighter and brighter illuminating her scales. Soon the colors were violently swirling inside, pulsing like a quick heartbeat.
"..Nagini...Na..gini." It whispered, the snake curled around the piece tighter nudging it with her head
"I came Tom, I'm here, my little Tommy." Nagini almost seemed like she was going to cry, if snakes could cry that is Harry thought. The locket merely pulsed quicker, then seemed to slow down, the colors fading into the sides of the amber.
"I think it tires him out to talk like that." Harry said, "We could probably go inside though! Oh," He remarked "but I'm not sure how to get in." Harry thought about it, Tom had said it was because he could talk to snakes so...maybe a snake word? But what?
"Open up please." Harry tried, there was a tiny click...it had worked? Harry barely had time to wonder as he opened the locket and he fell. Down through dark and then bright white Harry opened up his mouth to yell but before he could utter a sound he landed on his feet. Looking around he found himself once more inside the grey alley. The cool mist thicker than before.
"I would appreciate a little more warning next time hatchling." Nagini hissed at his side, looking a tad ruffled from the sudden trip curling and uncurling her body.
Harry smiled sheepishly "Sorry." He began to walk down the alleyway, the sound his footsteps of Nagini scales sliding over the pavement stones echoed. He soon spotted the sign the signaled Tom's shop, "There it is!" He said, running forward. He grasped the door handle and pulled, Nagini slithered inside then nudged the door to stay open so Harry could let go.
Both inside the shop with the resounding 'ding' of a bell echoing in the gloom. Harry merely went to the counter and, slipping under it, went around to the door in the back.
"Where is Tom?" Nagini asked slithering behind him.
"Through the black door." Harry murmured looking at the door, then looked at his hand, Placing it on the greyish wood and closing his eyes, he thought about Tom, about the study, about the books and wanted it to be there. Willed the door to change to black with a gold handle.
Hearing a small creak Harry opened his eyes to see the last bit of grey wood change, there was the study door in front of him!
Harry beamed and pushed the door open, going inside. "Tom?" He called.
Tom was sitting on the couch, elbow propped up on the arm with his head on his fist, fast asleep. Harry walked over quietly with Nagini beside him. Nagini crawled over to Tom and rising up, nudged him with her head. "Tommy..." she hissed, flicking her tongue at him. Tom twitched, his face scrunched slightly, his eyes opened to fix on the snake. Then they opened wider.
"Nagini?" He hissed disbelievingly, frozen for moments before slowly reaching out to stroke her head. "I'm here Tommy..." She said launching herself around her beloved person, curling around him.
"I was following your magic scent, I smelled something like you and I found the little hatchling. He's a very strange one, rather reminds me of you, and he said he would bring me to you. Can we keep him Tom? He's so small" She said swiveling her head to gaze at where Harry stood standing, grinning at both of them. Tom looked at Harry in shock.
"You brought Nagini to me?" Tom murmured, stunned red eyes fixed on green. Harry nodded, Tom slightly gaped at him, absentmindedly petting Nagini "You...remarkable child." Tom breathed, his red eyes glittering. A smile spread across his face, "You will be rewarded Harry. I will see to it, once I am free."
Harry perked up, was Tom stuck? "When will you be free?"
"Not for a time, but now...I have the capability." Tom said, petting nagini one last time then reached forward to place his hand on top of Harry's head, "When I am, will you join me Harry? I can teach you any magic you want to know. Could show you anything you want about the world" Tom asked eyes earnest and hungry. Harry looked up at Tom, transfixed. Tom had just presented a kind of dream to the boy. To discover what he had wondered at and thought about all his life. And..Tom said he would teach him magic...Harry knew that he had made a promise to Kreacher, but if Tom was with him and taught him things then one day Harry would be big enough to protect himself. Right?
Grinning wide he nodded his head, "Okay" he said excitedly, Tom's smile widened a bit, red eyes alight.
Harry then happened to look at the side table when something glittered in the firelight, it was his Josephine comb. He was happy to see it, when he couldn't find it he had become worried. Picking it up he sat down on the sofa and attempted to draw it through his thick locks, making his hair look almost like a destroyed birds nest. Tom watched and winced at such disorder, "Stop...stop that." He said reaching over to pluck the comb out of Harry's fingers.
"Come here." Tom beckoned, Harry merely grinned and scooted closer putting his head on Tom's knee as Tom began to comb it. Tom was still certain that this was not a particularly fear-inspiring thing to do, that Dark Lords did not comb little boys' hair but...maybe it was okay as long as it was just around Harry...if he and Harry ruled together one day. Then Tom could keep these things a secret, because Harry would always be with him. These things belonged to him, he thought fiercely looking down at the soft black head. The locket, Nagini, the world...and Harry.