I've settled on about three hours of Parseltongue practice a day. It seems more useful than anything else, including keeping up with this journal.
I haven't bothered tracking my anger, fear, or anxiety. How could I possibly unwind what might be Riddle's influence and what is the simple aftermath of that horrible might in Azkaban?
Something of him is bleeding over. I'm picking up Parseltongue faster than French. Well, not the vocabulary. But it's hard to learn the phonemes of a new language, and I've picked up the ear for the hisses faster than I expect I could have started to distinguish the tones of Mandarin. At least in the opinion of a succession of Ashwinders. My grammar is shaky, and my vocabulary is patchy, but I can contort my mouth into fifteen different varieties of sibilants.
I wish I knew why Riddle wants me to practice. Whatever magical assistance he's giving me, I shan't be fluent by tonight. And I expect the penalty for not scoring an Exceeds Expectations at the very least will be much worse than failing the NEWTs. But I don't know what I was expected to cover.
When I studied French, the first few chapters had helpful vocabulary (friend, he, she, today, tomorrow, etc). But, after that, the chapters became specialized (an entire unit on the sports on peut jouer and the equipments il faut avoir to do so - and I've never used a word of it). Which chapters do I need to skip to for Riddle's purposes?
If I left the topics to the Ashwinders, I'd be discussing the qualia of various magical fires, the way we are marked by our makings, and the transience of all things. By controlling the conversation myself, I've at least managed to tighten up my introduction: "Hello, I am bound up in the coils of a fearful predator who wishes me to shape my tongue to your speech." It's a good deal better than the "[imperative mood] learn snake talking needful!" that I reeled off the first time.
What should I be drilling? Eloquent ways to beg for my life? Will I need to know how to answer his original questions about the muggle world in Parseltongue? (The Ashwinders didn't know the words I needed) I certainly neglected the subjunctive mood, but I doubt Riddle is interested in my hopes, wishes, or desires.
It's nearly midnight. I can't stay up any later and maintain plausible deniability. If that's ever possible with the way he can read me. So, to bed, pick up your quills, and let the examination begin.