Chapter 11

A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. Also, this is not going to be a representation of the London Zoo, as I have not visited there. It is just a generic zoo.

"Look Draco, penguins!" Narcissa crooned to Draco, pointing out the black and white birds currently swimming underwater. Draco clapped his hands and mimicked her, turning around to look at Harry.

"Pinwins, Harry!" he laughed.

"Penguins, Draco, penguins," Remus corrected. Draco blew a raspberry at him.

"Good job, mate!" Sirius said heartily, and Narcissa gave him a light slap on the back of his head.

"We do not reward Draco for bad behavior, you overgrown child."

"How did he even learn how to do that, Sirius?"

"Don't look at me, Moony! Harry's the master!"

"That'd be one of the unfortunate side effects of playdates with the Weasleys."

"Are the animals supposed to be out of their enclosures?" Severus interrupted quietly, looking at a chicken who was wandering around on the other side of the room.

"Well, the chickens are allowed to wander about by the farm, but I'm sure they're not supposed to be inside the penguin exhibit!" Lily said.

"Should we find a zoo employee?" Remus wondered, looking around for one.

"For goodness sakes, Remus, I think we can handle a chicken!" Narcissa declared. She walked over to the offending bird slowly and grabbed it around the middle and placed it gently outside the doors. As she returned both Sirius and Severus were looking at her in disbelief. Remus grinned at her.

"My prim and proper cousin touching a chicken? I thought I'd never see the day." Severus nodded in agreement. Narcissa sniffed.

"I think after looking after those ridiculous peacocks Lucius kept a common hen is hardly a challenge."

"Mummy, I wanna see tigers!" Harry yelled, clutching the park map in his hands. The zoo had recently expanded its tiger exhibit and accordingly placed a tiger on the front.

"I think that can be arranged, darling," Lily laughed, "Are you done looking at the penguins, Draco?"

"Tigers!" Draco parroted Harry, grinning at Narcissa.

"As long as it isn't the lions," Severus quipped quietly, and Remus snickered.

"They're a bit young for that, aren't they, Sev?"

"No one's too young to be brave, Lils!"

"Only if they get to see the snakes too, sure you won't be scared, cousin?"

"That's enough out of you lot!" Lily declared, steering the pram back out into the crowded walkway.

"Oh, bugger," Sirius said, "No prams allowed in the tiger viewing area."

"You can watch the prams, can't you Sirius?" Lily said lightly, giving him a meaningful look.

"What?" he replied indignantly, "I want to see-oof" Snape thrust an elbow into his side. Lily tilted her head toward Narcissa and Remus. Sirius pouted but nodded.

"Sev is a little thirsty, we're going to find a drinking fountain. Can you take Harry, Remus? He'll never forgive me if he misses the tigers." Remus looked confused, but hoisted Harry up obediently. Lily and Severus began to walk to a nearby gift shop.

"Couldn't we just stay with Sirius?"

"It has to look a little real. Besides, I owe Sirius an ice cream. We can buy some for Draco and Harry too."

"Oh joy, sugar."

"They've all behaved, even Sirius!"

"Can't we just buy them some stuffed tigers? That's quieter."

"Do you want to carry around three plush animals all over the zoo?"

"Fair point."

"You have to learn Sev, with children the simple solution isn't always the best." Severus nodded. They walked up to a brightly covered cart and bought three orange ice creams on a stick, with black stripes in food coloring. As Sirius saw them coming back his face lit up in a huge grin. Severus laughed out loud with Lily, nearly dropping the ice cream he held.

"Never change, Sirius," Lily said breathlessly, giving him an ice cream that he began eating eagerly.

"It's got real stripes, just like a tiger!" Sirius exclaimed. They heard two appreciative squeals at the top of the stairs and saw a pair of squirming toddlers.

"I'll be sure to tell Alastor you accept ice cream as payment," Remus called down, "You'll spoil all three of their dinners, Lily!"

"Dinner's not for hours, spoilsport!" Sirius shot back, trying to get a drip of ice cream before it fell on the ground. The two toddlers ate their ice cream quickly, although they got a lot more on their clothing than Sirius. Lily brought out a package of wipes from the bottom of the pram, prompting a questioning look from Narcissa.

"What are those?" she asked quietly, so no one else could overhear. Lily gave her an understanding look and explained the benefits of Muggle cleaning supplies while on an excursion into Muggle London. Narcissa's eyes widened, and she looked at Remus to confirm this new information. "Muggles think of everything!"

"Well, Sev, do you want to pick next?" Lily asked. Severus flushed slightly and shook his head.

"Let's go to the snake house!" Sirius grinned, earning a patented Snape glare.

"Alright, and then we'll go to the petting zoo. That's close."

The snake house was significantly cooler than the outside, which they all appreciated. It had various kinds of smaller animals as well as reptiles. Draco was entranced by a small black-footed cat and refused to see other animals until one of the two cats woke up. Narcissa rolled her eyes and acquiesced to his request, at least until he got bored. Harry pointed at all of the colorful dart frogs and tugged on Lily's shoulder to get closer to a giant boa constrictor.

Severus was watching the boa constrictor move its long tail around the cage, closer to the glass. Its head moved up farther, which disturbed him for some reason. He heard a soft hissing noise that he assumed was due to some air leak at the edge of the glass. After a minute or two he glanced back at Lily and Harry, and saw the boy screw up his face in concentration. The glass vanished.

Lily let out a scream, lurching backward as Harry reached forward to pet the snake. The other visitors looked around at her and starting stampeding towards the exits. The boa constrictor sent a conspiratorial wink towards Harry and slithered away towards a darkened corner. Severus grabbed Lily's arm and led her out the exit with the rest of the muggles, in case someone remembered the funny child standing next to the glass before it disappeared.

"What happened, Sev?" Lily said urgently, cradling Harry close.

"Accidental magic," he said under his breath, indicating Harry.

"Harry! Did you really?"

"Mummy, he was sad! He wanted to go home to see his mummy and daddy!"

"Not all the zoo animals are lonely, sweetheart."

"He was too! He told me!"

"Told you?" Harry nodded his head vigorously, and suddenly the small hissing sounds made sense.

"Lily, he's a parselmouth," Severus said quietly, and Lily's mouth dropped open.

"How? It's so rare, and I'm muggleborn." Severus shrugged.

"I don't know, it might have been spontaneous. No one's sure how magical skills get passed down.

"Do you think we should leave?" Severus thought for a moment.

"Yes, let's leave Narcissa and Remus to their date. I'll go catch the mutt."

"I can Floo Dumbledore at home."

"Yes, you should do that. I'll look into the matter as well."

"Thanks, Sev."