Chapter 14: Inquiring Minds
My Thanks to all My Readers and Reviewers Enjoy...- S.S.
Snape's Quarters,Slytherin Dungeons Hogwarts...
Snape had been in a rather foul mood since Neville Longbottom exploded yet another cauldron in potions class. The Potions Professor had not even understood how the boy could mix exploding carp with gray moss berries. The prospect of having to teach that dunderhead boy had been utterly daunting. He filed into his room in a swirl of black billowing robes and made his way to the firewhiskey. he had not been able to enjoy much of his newly appreciated solitude due to Hermione making her way into their quarters. The bushy haired witch had wanted to question him ever since she saw what he had done with Hagrid's indigo dragon.
"Severus." she said.
Snape tore his obsidian eyes away from the dancing orange flames in the fire place to look into the amber eyes of his young wife.
"What is it this time witch?" he asked sipping on his firewhiskey.
"I-I want to know how you can talk to dragons." said Hermione. "Is it like when Harry speaks parseltongue?"
Snape arched an eyebrow at the inquisitive young witch.
"Who says I can talk to dragons?" he asked.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at her husband.
"Severus we saw you." she said. "And the way Hagrid's dragon responded to you...it was amazing."
Snape rolled his eyes.
"I don't make it a habit of consorting with creatures clad in scales." he said.
Hermione couldn't help but laugh considering the Slytherin mascot was a serpent.
"H-How were you able to do it?" she asked.
"That's just it Miss Granger." replied Snape.
"Mrs. Snape." corrected Hermione.
Again Snape rolled his eyes.
"Well, Mrs. Snape...I. do. not. know." he said. "It simply happened and with good time otherwise Hagrid would have been minus a bloody dragon."
Hermione could hardly believe what she was hearing. Apparently, Snape's ability to speak dragon was not voluntary. The dour wizard continued to drink his firewhiskey and made his way toward the bedroom. His sudden headache had brought with it an uncomfortable notion that he had not been willing to deal with.
The bushy haired witch took a moment to read a few of his books before heading to bed after him.
Snape's Bedroom, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...
Hermione released her hold on the dour wizard as the conclusion of their activity came without either of them wishing for it. His pale chest rose and fell as he tried to catch his ragged breath. The familiar black glow of their eyes had gone unnoticed by either of them. The flames that consumed them seemed to dissipate and the dour wizard took his place in bed beside her.
Newly exhausted both Snape and Hermione drifted off to sleep. As Snape slept more visions of a time long forgotten took hold and he found himself standing along the battlements of a rather large castle once more. The air had been thick with the scent of death and blood littered the field below.
{"Sortiarius...see your past."} said a voice from within. {"Know that life that was stolen from you by your enemies."}
Snape continued to shift in bed he had not liked the images flooding through his mind as before he could feel the small quakes from the catapults as Hogwarts faded into the distance. Once again Snape saw the dark man with a gleam in his eye as his blade sank into the flesh of his enemy. Crimson stained the steel and signaled the end of the slain foe at his feet.
The Sortiarius took the field in search of his treacherous brother. In the sky above Hiei did battle with numerous soldiers dodging arrows and incenerating various foes with his darkness flame. He had done his father proud as his great wings beat causing many to fall before his gust.
The Sortiarius walked over numerous corpses that seemed to pile up on the bloodied ground below. He caught a glimpse of the traitor, his brother clad in white, eyes of icy grey as he moved about the field of battle. The traitor in question, a handsome and benevolent wizard fighting in a bid to stop his tyrannical brother from filling the world with his darkness.
"Come now traitor!" demanded The Sortiarius. "Face me like a man!"
The wizard of grey set his sights upon his brother.
"It didn't have to be this way." said the handsome wizard. "This war is not what I wanted brother."
"It is as the fates decreed now face me coward." said The Sortiarius. "I do not fear you nor my treacherous son."
"The boy is not to blame for all this." countered the handsome wizard. "You've lost yourself in darkness...Uriel...Aareon was simply doing what is right."
"You will not use that name in my presence!" demanded The Sortiarius. "I AM SORTIARIUS Master Sorcerer of the Dark Arts, and King of Dragons, mortal men quake when I approach and time has no standing in the wake of my power...that name in which you speak belongs to a corpse of flesh and bone!"
"Uriel, is my brother and I will not mourn him until I see the life drain from his body." countered the handsome wizard.
"Then you will die with him Artemus." replied The Sortiarius.
Enraged the handsome wizard known as Artemus slashed at The Sortiarius with his blade. The dark wizard countered as the two leaders of their vast armies clashed.
"I cannot be defeated." taunted The Sortiarius with a wicked grin. "I am eternal."
Hiei sensing his father in battle made his way over toward the waring wizards. As soon as he made himself known something blocked his path. It was a large white dragon with pale blue eyes and diamond like scales. Hiei had not seen anything like it before and immediately sought it's destruction. }
The Grounds, Hogwarts...
Snape could not make any sense of the strange dream he had. He had been half way down the path to the grounds when he saw suddenly called on by Charlie Weasley. The older Weasley boy had looked so much like his relatives that it was hard to tell which one he had actually been. It was evident that Ron had summoned his older brother to get his opinion about Snape's strange ability to speak to dragons. It seemed that Ron's utter enthusiasm had driven the young man to seek out his old professor to see for himself if what his hysterical brother had said to be true. He had even taken the liberty of bringing along a small hatchling which he kept in his bag out of sight due to dragons having illegal status in England.
"P-Professor Snape." said Charlie.
Snape looked upon the Weasley boy and rolled his eyes. He knew instantly why he had come and didn't much care for it.
"What do you want Mr. Weasley I have a class starting soon and I would like to get to it." he grumbled.
"W-Well...I-I was wondering if...if it was true." said Charlie.
Snape arched an eyebrow at the fumbling young man.
"Spit it out boy I haven't got all day." he said irate.
"I-I wanted to know if it was true that you could talk to dragons." said Charlie. "I-I've spent a good deal of time with them...I even helped train a few but I've never come across anyone who could actually speak dragon's tongue."
"You must be mistaken." said Snape. "I do not speak dragon's tongue."
Charlie reached into his bag and pulled out a small hatchling. He figured The Potions Professor would be stubborn about his gift. The way Ron had described what happened with Hagrid's indigo dragon Snape only spoke to it because he had no other choice. No sooner had Charlie lifted the gray scaled baby hatchling from his bag the small lizard sprang to life slashing and flailing it's limbs and tail in a bid to get to Snape.
Snape rolled his eyes hearing the little lizard cry at him desperately.
"opsola!" {"Father!"} it said. "coi ui wer opsola!"{"It is the Father."}
Charlie looked back n forth between the dragon and Snape. The Potions Professor appeared to be unaffected by the small lizard's flailing but the hatchling seemed rather desperate to get to him.
After several minutes of the young lizard trying to get Snape's attention Charlie let the gray scaled thing go and it went straight toward Snape flapping it's tiny wings wildly and trying to nuzzle it's scaly head against his ebony clad chest.
"pok batobot!" said Snape in dragon's tongue. {"Stop that."}
The lizard stopped in it's tracks seemingly pleased to be spoken to by The Father.
Charlie could not believe his eyes nor his ears. It had been indeed true what Ron had told him. Professor Snape had been able to speak dragon's tongue. The older Weasley found himself in awe of The Potions Professor.
"gethrisj spical ekess Weasley!"{"Go back to Weasley."} said Snape still top the dragon. "He ui|ulph vi bensvelk sthyr...he geou doege ihk wux...do algbo ekess show jacion tekilek." {"He's a good man...he will care for you...do well to show him respect."}
"axun opsola" said the gray scaled dragon. {"Yes Father."}
It made it's way toward Charlie who wondered just what it had been that Professor Snape had said to the small creature.
"Might I suggest you get a move on Mr. Weasley." said Snape as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. "I've got a class to teach."
Charlie nodded absently still very much in awe of what The Potions Master was capable of doing. He put the hatchling back into the sack but found it strange that it had not put up a fight as it had before. It seemed to be rather tame since Snape spoke to it.
"And Mr. Weasley." said Snape in his usual baritone drawl.
"Y-Yes Professor Snape." said Charlie still in awe.
"I do not want any of your dragons or dragon taming buddies knowing about any of this." said Snape. "It is not my intention to become a dragon translator...I simply wish to be left alone...I've got my own affairs to deal with."
"Y-Yes Professor Snape." replied Charlie. "B-But sir I was wondering if you could...teach me...you know to talk to dragons."
Snape arched an eyebrow at the older Weasley boy.
"I wasn't aware that one could be taught." replied Snape. "I simply understood what they said and replied back in kind."
"T-That's amazing." said Charlie. "I-I was wondering if I could perhaps see if I could learn a few things...to help me in my work."
Snape sighed.
"As long as you stay out of my way." he said. "But the minute this becomes a nusence it's done with understood?"
Charlie nodded his head.
"T-Thank you Professor." said Charlie. "This is a most productive day...I have to thank my little brother...if he hadn't called with such a story I would never have come checked it out for myself."
Snape rolled his eyes.
"Of course Baby Weasley called you." he grumbled. "He never could mind his own business."
Charlie had been too elated to take offense and laughed heartily.
Snape looked over and saw Hagrid's place in the distance.
"You know Weasley, Rubeus has recently acquired a indigo lizard from one of his various card games." he said. "Perhaps you should go help him properly see to it."
Charlie's eyes lit up.
"Indigo you say?" he asked. "That sounds like it's quite a dragon...is it the one you spoke to before?"
Snape nodded.
"The very same." he replied. "If you hurry you can catch him before he's taken for his feeding."
"I'll see you later then Professor." said Charlie.
"Not if I can help it." muttered Snape.
Charlie made his way toward Hagrid's and Snape ventured toward his office. He had only five minutes to go over his lesson plan before class. He had not liked the idea of being Charlie Weasely's pet project but the boy did love dragons and had been one of the least of the Weasley children to give him trouble during his time as a Hogwarts student. Snape shook his head. He had no clue how he was going to teach the boy to speak a language that he wasn't even sure how he knew he could speak himself. It was going to be interesting to see if the boy could in fact grasp the concept of said language and hopefully keep other would be dragon enthusiasts away from his door step. He had enough on his plate without getting mixed up in all this business with winged lizards. As he continued to walk across the grounds he noted that he was soon to be due for a summons from The Dark Lord and it had not been pleasant to think about.