A/N: Hello again, sorry for the delay. I'm back from Winter holiday and I am back in school. I want to thank everyone who listed suggestions in both reviews and PMs in terms of title suggestions for the last chapter. As you can tell, I've yet to decide with so many choices to choose from, perhaps I'll have a poll or something.

I want to thank everyone who has been following this story, receiving alerts, favorites, and reviews from my email account serve as great motivation. I'm pleased and humbled that so many have come to enjoy this story and are eager to see what happens to Harry and his friends. I know I am.

This chapter is a bit short for me, (6,500) and I think the next few chapters will be around (6,000-8,000) So hopefully no one's too upset with the change, I find it easier to write the shorter chapters and hopefully it will be quicker for me to update.

Ok enough of my ramblings...

A Chance Encounter

By Spectre4hire

Chapter Thirteen: The Experiment

"Little Drakey, the soiled snakey,

If he gets madder, he'll spill his bladder,

He wet himself in fright,

but do not laugh,

at his gaffe,

or you will face his daddy's might."

Harry chuckled while he watched Peeves floating above the students outside of the Great Hall. The school's poltergeist continued to pelt the crude and poorly put together limericks of Draco Malfoy's soiled train ride from the day before.

"I think I might be beginning to like Peeves," Daphne remarked as she stood on Harry's left with Tracey beside her.

Theodore who was standing on Harry's other side could only smile as he cranked his head and watched the poltergeist zooming over them. "Yes, well we should still get inside." Theodore's warning could not have come soon enough just as the four Slytherins walked into the Great Hall; they heard a collection of shrieks.

The Slytherins turned around to see a handful of third year Hufflepuffs standing at the threshold of the Entrance hall, head to toe soaking wet. A cackling Peeves zooming over them.

"Little Drakey sprung a leak!" Peeves sing songed with a cackle before disappearing.

The four Slytherins thankful that they had escaped Peeves little water show, made their way down to the end of their house table.

"How did you know he was going to do that?" asked Tracey.

Theo shrugged. "It is Peeves, you know."

Harry slid into his seat with Theodore sitting on his left with Daphne and Tracey taking the seats on the other end.

"It looks like we weren't the only ones who heard Peeve's performance," observed Daphne before tilting her head.

Harry and the others turned to where she was looking to see a very flushed and annoyed Draco Malfoy walking into the Great Hall. He was followed by his usual troupe of Slytherin cronies, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Millicent.

Draco's pale face tinged pink when several students from the other tables, pointed at the second year Slytherin many of whom chuckling or whispering. Peeve's little song was successful in reminding the students of Draco's little accident on the train ride yesterday.

The arrogant Pure-blood cast a glare in Harry's direction before taking his seat further up the table.

Harry returned his attention to his own Breakfast on his plate, consisting of a few eggs and sausages. He was cutting up his sausages when Daphne spoke.

"So I did a little bit of snooping last night."

Harry looked up to see the raven haired Slytherin smile as she nibbled on a piece of bacon delicately.

"Snooping?"repeated Theodore.

"Yes, Nott," Daphne drawled. "Shall I explain the word to you?"

"What did you find out?" Harry cut in, believing it was too early in the morning for them to start trading insults.

She returned her attention to him. "That we have three new first years with Half-Blood heritage."

Harry prodded at a cut up piece of sausage with his fork. He noticed the slightest of flinches come from his friend and fellow Half Blood, Tracey.

The surprisingly quiet Slytherin second year seemed to be putting all of her attention on buttering her toast. Looking closer Harry could tell that she seemed to be drifting off as her toast was completely coated in nearly two layers of butter.

"Tracey?"

She looked up at him and then back down to her toast. She offered her friends a sheepish smile before putting the buttered-beyond- belief-toast down on her plate. She then grabbed napkin to wipe off her fingers, which too had been slathered in butter. She didn't choose to comment on what she was thinking about.

"Three out of ten new students," Theodore said, turning their attention back onto the conversation. "It's a good start."

"Yes, it should be a good foundation," Harry remarked, before taking a bite from one of his cut up pieces of sausage.

"It won't mean anything as long as Draco is around," Daphne reminded them. "If he continues to have a voice then it won't matter how many half bloods we have."

Harry nodded, to his friend's reasoning he had come to a similar conclusion. They needed to first cut and splinter Draco's supportive foundation. Yesterday, had been a good start, but Draco still was a power within the Lair of Snakes, his father's gold and power held a great amount of influence for his son to wield.

Harry and his friends had made good progress last year with winning the House Cup and stopping Voldemort, but it was to only be the building blocks for their own support foundation. They still had a long way to go.

"We'll stop him," Harry said with confidence, "Even if we need to get some outside help."

"Outside help?" Daphne asked, raising a dark brow in his direction. "What sort of outside help?"

Harry only smiled as his eyes lingered over to the Gryffindor table, towards the two very talented and raucous Weasley Twins. Before he could speak up about the potential allies, their Head of House appeared before them.

Severus Snape's dark eyes swept over the four second years. "I heard there was a disturbance on the train ride yesterday?"

"A disturbance, professor?" repeated Daphne in a convincing naive tone. She then turned to her friends. "Do you remember any disturbance?"

Tracey shook her head, not making eye contact with either professor or friend as her attention was transfixed on her empty plate.

"Only stories and gossip," answered Theodore, meeting his professor's gaze.

"Who was at the center of the disturbance, sir?" asked Harry, mindful to keep his tone innocent.

Snape's attention shifted to Harry, but the Potions Master's face remained stoic as he answered, "Mr. Malfoy."

"Oh, well that explains it sir," Harry said. "Draco has a way of ruffling people's feathers."

"I see," Snape said slowly, handing out Tracey and Daphne's schedules. "Well, I was unable to get any names."

"Pity," Harry and Theodore chorused.

"Indeed," Snape agreed, before handing the two Slytherin boys their schedules. "Well then until I have names, all I can do is give a warning to my house about the consequences of being caught fighting with our own house."

"We know sir," Daphne stepped in. "A month's detention of scrubbing cauldrons without magic." She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the thought before adding. "We're not foolish enough to risk it."

"Risk the act or risk getting caught, Miss Greengrass?"

"Getting caught, sir."

Harry was silently impressed with Daphne's honest declaration and even more when she didn't back down from Snape's intimidating gaze. Harry was sure he saw a curt almost appreciative nod towards his brightest second year student.

"Very well, then I will not waste either of our times by parroting the rules." He left them without another word.

Daphne watched him with a satisfied smirk. Tracey was looking at her friend with wide disbelieving eyes. Theodore only shook his head, the corners of his lips tugging upwards as his brown eyes turned to their schedule.

Harry smiled, "That was rather Gryffindor of you, Daph."

She met his jest with a roll of her eyes. "Now, now, Harry, there is no need to insult your friends, so early in the morning."

Harry snorted, but didn't comment as he saw the twinkle of mirth in her blue eyes. He instead turned his attention to his schedule, but he had barely time to look it over when Theodore spoke.

"Three classes with the Lions, this year."

"That's more than last year," pointed out Tracey.

Theo nodded. "Yeah, we have Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration with them."

"That's three of our core classes," Daphne observed with a nod, looking to approve of the class choices that they shared with the Gryffindors.

"The rest with Ravenclaws?" guessed Harry, not bothering to look, since he knew by now Theodore had a better knowledge of the schedule then he did.

"No, we have two with Hufflepuffs."

"Which ones?" asked Harry, remembering the friendly and amiable Susan Bones, whom he shared a nice conversation with at Kingscross station when Platform Nine and Three Quarters barrier malfunctioned.

Theodore sipped his orange juice before answering, "Astronomy and Defense."

"So that means we only have History, and Herbology with Ravenclaws," Tracey reasoned. "We have classes with all three houses this year, that's odd."

"It must be a new policy," Daphne remarked, taking a bite of her cut up eggs. "Having classes with all of the houses, it must be an attempt at school unity."

"Won't matter as long as Quidditch is around," Theodore noted, ignoring the frown that Tracey sent him as he added. "That sport does more harm than good."

"Bashing Quidditch, Nott?"asked Daphne, her eyes shimmering with mirth. She seemed to be enjoying the annoyed look that Tracey was now directing towards both of them. "We may need to hang out more."

Theodore smirked, "I'm not that desperate, Greengrass."

Tracey giggled, Daphne brought a hand to her chest feigning heartbreak before dramatically bowing her head in defeat.

Harry ruefully shook his head at the two's antics. If he didn't know any better he would think that the two enjoyed trading barbs with one another. He turned to Tracey and she seemed to be having similar thoughts as her eyes went from Theo to Daphne and then back to Harry before she smiled and winked.

Harry chuckled, which caught the attention of both Theodore and Daphne, he immediately stopped laughing not wanting them to raise any questions on the topic of his directed mirth. He instead put his effort in trying to finish his breakfast.

"Who are you looking for?"

Harry looked up from his plate at Theodore's question, not sure who or what his Slytherin friend was referring to. He looked to see that Daphne was scanning the staff table with great interest.

"Please tell me it isn't Professor Peacock?"Theodore mumbled. "We don't have to suffer from his class until tomorrow."

"Suffer?" repeated, a gob-smacked Tracey. "What do you mean suffer?"

"As in I would rather have the giant squid teach that class, then Lockhart," Theodore clarified.

"What?" asked an incredulous Tracey. "Did you not read his books? We finally have a dreamy-I mean skilled teacher." The Slytherin second year turned scarlet at her embarrassing admission.

"Dreamy?" Theodore playfully jumped on his friend's slip up. "I thought Flitwick had his moments. Especially since he is so small, he's travel recommended. He can fit right into your pocket or bag."

Harry laughed as Tracey's blush deepened but she too smiled and giggled at the joke.

"Or our own head of house," Theodore continued, his own growing smile showing that he was enjoying himself.

"Enough, Nott," cut in Daphne with an exasperated tone. "You're going to make me sick if you keep talking."

Harry had to agree with Daphne. He was thankful that she cut him off before Theodore went through every teacher they had in an attempt to list their 'dreamy' attributes compared to Lockhart's. He noticed that her attention however, was not on them but had remained on the staff table. "Who are you looking for, Daph?"

Daphne had either not heard him or was ignoring him as she remained silent in her search until she suddenly brightened. "There he is!" She pushed herself out of her seat in a flash and headed over to the staff table without saying another word.

Confused, and curious, Harry turned to see that the only addition to the staff table was his friend and school game keeper, Hagrid. The ten foot man sitting down at the end of the table, his dark beard as bushy and disheveled as Harry remembered. His beetle black eyes alight with warmth as his broad smile and jolly like appearance had been a staple for Harry and his friends, when they visited him for tea last year.

He could only guess why Daphne would seek Hagrid out so quickly and so early on their first morning back to school.

Harry watched as Daphne came up to the ten foot gamekeeper, whose smile was replaced with a confused look as she began whispering in his ear.

He could only watch and wonder at what she was telling him, as his curiosity only grew when Hagrid's bushy dark brows knitted together before finally nodding. A smirking and triumphant Daphne patted Hagrid's arm before leaving, heading back over to their table.

Harry was sure that whatever it was, he would know soon enough, all he had to do was be patient. His eyes were drawn away from the warm and friendly Hagrid and over to his aloof Head of House. Professor Snape sat down at the staff table after successfully handing out the schedules.

Harry could still remember the revelation over the summer about his mother and Snape's friendship. How it had lasted so many years, even before school and yet had been destroyed because of his uttering the one vile word that wizarding elites used to describe people like his mum and his friend, Hermione.

He wanted to ask Snape about the friendship, he was always looking into more insight on his parents. He was addictive to the stories that Remus, Roxanne, and Cyrus shared of his parents as well as the simple but encouraging compliments his professors would give him about him reminding them of his beloved parents.

But he was hesitant in broaching the subject with Snape, not wanting to rile up his professor or become a target for his ire, especially with how the friendship had ended. No, Harry wasn't brave or foolish enough to openly ask the Potions professor about his friendship with his mother.

"What was that about, Daphne?"asked Tracey, as Daphne re-joined them, effortlessly sliding into the seat next to Tracey.

Daphne kept her face impassive; while she gently tossed back some of her dark hair over her shoulder. "I was just catching up with a friend."

"Oh?" asked Theodore, with a roll of his eyes, sounding insulted at the poorly chosen lie. "So I suppose you're going to speak with Professor Binns next and ask him how his summer holiday went?"

Daphne who had been sipping from her goblet, narrowed her eyes in his direction over the rim of her cup, but didn't choose to reply until she finished. "If you must know," she put an emphasis in making eye contact with each of them. "I was asking him for a favor."

"What sort of favor?"asked a suspicious Theodore.

"And why so secretive?" added Tracey, who looked and sounded unconvinced and unsatisfied with the vague answers that her friend was giving them.

Harry noticed how Daphne's blue eyes lingered on him, but more importantly his scar before she turned to Tracey. "I'm not being secretive, just cautious."

Harry was unsettled with how her attention had shifted to his scar. "And why is that?"

Daphne sighed as she threw up her arms in annoyance. "What is with all the questions?" Her calm impassive persona was cracking from the bombardment of questions.

"What is with all the vague answers and shady looks?" countered Theodore.

Daphne frowned, her eyes looking further up their table before she inched closer to Harry and Theodore and lowered her voice. "You will know everything soon enough."

Harry met her gaze when her blue eyes shifted to him. "It's just a little experiment I want to run."

He absently brought his dark bangs over his scar, his mind perking at the chosen word, 'experiment,' he was unsure what she meant by it. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to know what she had in mind for him.

"Now come on," Daphne urged them, switching from distant and shady to casual and normal in a blink of an eye. She got up and slipped on her bag over her shoulder. "Or we'll be late to our first class."

Tracey was studying her friend closely, but reluctantly nodded as she gathered her things, Theodore who was frowning, didn't seemed pleased with being dictated to or having their topic all but dropped.

Harry was the last to get up from the table, his back to his friends but he could feel their eyes as he slid his schedule into his front pocket. He took a last sip of his orange juice, as his mind continued to play Daphne's earlier remark. "It's just a little experiment I want to run."

He sighed as he put down the glass, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm. He was in for a long day and he was sure that his classes could be the least of his worries by the time the day was up.

Harry wasn't sure how he was able to concentrate through his first day of classes after how the breakfast conversation ended. That one word that Daphne had used continued to float around Harry's mind, haunting and maddening him as he tried to decipher what his friend was planning and if he even wanted to be a part of it.

And yet he had surprisingly finished his classes, able to concentrate and take effective notes. He now found himself walking behind the others, picking up pieces of his friend's conversation as they drifted away from the school and towards Hagrid's hut. It was a cool, crisp autumn day, the sun still shined but it was beginning its slow descent behind the Forbidden forest, leaving a reddish glow as it did.

Harry made it a point to walk a step or two behind his integrated Slytherin and Gryffindor friends. He was aware of the occasional glance that was sent his way, mostly from Daphne but he made a point not to look up or leave his musings.

It was time for Daphne to reveal her little secret. He could still remember how happy and excited she looked when she spoke to Hagrid at lunch after their morning Charms and History of Magic classes. How Harry was able to concentrate in Herbology after seeing his friend's reaction was a credit to his concentration and goal in wanting to succeed in his school work.

However, now that he was out of class and that Dinner was an hour away, he found himself with no more distractions.

A bark of laughter from Theodore caused Harry's thoughts to ebb back into the corners of his mind and to finally get him to look up and latch himself onto his friends' conversation.

"He was attacked by Cornish pixies?" sniggered Theodore.

"Not attacked," corrected, an affronted Hermione. "He was trying to teach us."

"Yeah, but they went crazy as soon as he opened their cage," added Neville.

Harry had to lean closer just to hear his friend's quiet voice.

"Oh what a sight I missed!" Theodore said, sounding as if Christmas had come early. He rubbed his hands together, before adding, "Pixies wreaking havoc in his classroom!"

"It was bad," Neville said, shuddering slightly. "We had to catch all of them. It wasn't easy, they bit and clawed at us!"

"We?" asked Harry, stepping between Neville and Theodore, effortlessly joining the conversation. He was aware of the looks that his friends were giving him, but made a show to try to steer the conversation back to their mirthful experience and not on him.

"Yeah," Neville said slowly. "Hermione, Ron, and me, it was awful!"

"Ron Weasley?" asked Daphne, not bothering to hide her amusement. "Now, I am disappointed that we missed the opportunity to see the young Weasley get outsmarted by a group of pixies."

"He's not that bad," Neville's half hearted attempt at a defense of his Gryffindor roommate was met with incredulous looks and snorts of amusement from his friends. "He helped, sort of."

"We were able to save Professor Lockhart's witch weekly photos," Hermione said, proudly.

Tracey let out a sigh of relief, "That's good."

"I don't understand why did Lockhart make you guys do it?"asked Harry.

"Maybe because he didn't know how to," Theodore answered, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

"It was a learning exercise!" protested an adamant Hermione.

"In that case, I wonder what he is going to unleash on us tomorrow," Theodore replied sarcastically, "Perhaps a dragon or maybe a giant?"

Hermione and Tracey harrumphed at what they seemed to think was an obvious sign of disrespect for their favorite professor.

"It's too bad, he couldn't handle the pixies," Theodore observed, wistfully, ignoring Tracey and Hermione's previous reaction to his comment.

"Why is that?"asked a confused Neville.

"It would have made for a great addition to his series," answered Theodore, bringing his hands up in front of him before pretending to be reading a title as he recited, "Prancing with Pixies, Lockhart's latest adventure!"

Harry couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous but amusing idea, and he wasn't alone, Neville too joined him as did Theodore who looked and sounded pleased with his latest joke. Daphne even giggled, before covering her mouth with her hand in an attempt to pass it off as a cough. She tried to put on a mask of annoyance or indifference to Theodore's latest joke, but Harry could see the mirth shimmering in her blue eyes.

The only ones who weren't laughing were Tracey and Hermione. Both girls looked scandalized at the blatant lack of disrespect to the wizard who had won Witch Weekly's best smile for five years. However, before either fan of Lockhart could reprimand Theodore and the others, Hagrid's booming voice echoed towards them.

"'Ello you six," the gamekeeper was waving at the six friends as he walked out of his famous pumpkin garden.

Fang, who had been walking beside him, immediately bounded over to the six second years and made a bee-line straight towards Tracey. The hound's enthusiastic and immediate greeting to Tracey had become a tradition to the friends every time they went to visit Hagrid.

The Slytherin girl, who seconds ago had been upset with how her favorite professor was being treated, now couldn't help but smile as the energetic boar-hound slobbered the front of her robes in an attempt to lick her face.

"Yes, Fang, I missed you too," she said, smiling as she petted the hound on the head.

Fang let out an appreciative whine at the attention before licking her fingers.

"Thanks, Fang," Tracey replied, withdrawing her fingers from the hound's tongue as she wiped the drool off with her sleeve.

Hagrid laughed, "He really likes yeh."

"I noticed," Tracey deadpanned.

"Hey, Hagrid," Harry said, as he and the others approached the friendly giant with Fang bounding beside them, in an attempt to get more attention from one of the second years.

"'Ello Harry, how were classes?"

"Pretty good."

"Glad ter hear it."

"Hagrid?" asked Daphne tentatively stepping forward, closer to the gamekeeper and further away from her friends.

The friendly gamekeeper raised his bushy dark brows at Daphne for a moment before replying. "It's over there." He raised his pan sized hand towards his pumpkin garden.

Daphne beamed. "Thanks, Hagrid!"

"Hagrid what's going on?" asked a confused and concerned Harry, his eyes going back and forth between his two oldest friends, Hagrid and Daphne.

Hagrid opened his mouth to speak, but was cut-off from Daphne, stepping in front of the giant, but she was merely dwarfed by his towering appearance. "It's nothing, Harry."

She then turned to Hagrid, "I'll tell them before, I promise."

"Alright, I reckon, but be careful you six," Hagrid said, his eyes lingering on Daphne. "Don't be out too long, I'll have some tea ready when yer done." Hagrid made his way back to his one room hut. "Come on Fang!"

The boar-hound whined, since it was currently being petted by Hermione, but it knew better then to disobey his master, so with one more pet from Hermione, the boar hound trotted back towards its master, leaving the six friends alone.

"Daphne, what is going on?" asked Harry, annoyance seeping into his tone.

Daphne must have noticed, as she sent him an apologetic look. She then turned to the others who had gathered around her. "I know, I've been a bit mysterious today, but I have good reason." She then gestured for them to follow her as she made her way over to Hagrid's pumpkin garden.

"And why have you been?"asked Theodore.

"I didn't want to be overheard," Daphne explained, over her shoulder.

"So what exactly are we doing out here?"asked Hermione, walking in between Theodore and Tracey.

"An experiment."

Neville gulped, "what kind of experiment?"

"Nothing dangerous," Daphne assured them. "Then again, we will only be observers."

Harry noticed as she turned to answer Neville's question, her eyes lingered on him as she gave the last part. His stomach rumbled. He immediately stopped in his tracks, refusing to go any further. He did not like being led around without the slightest bit of information of what was to come. He had gone along with it this far, in hopes Daphne would reveal her plan before they actually came to whatever experiment that she wanted to run, but that did not prove to be the case.

"Harry?" asked Neville, the first to realize that he had stopped. The others turned around, all of them at the cusp of the garden with Daphne in front, Neville had stopped himself in a position between Harry the others.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"Tell me what's going on, Daph."

She sighed, her eyes going over to the garden and Harry followed her sight to see a large cage had been set up, a dark tarp partially covering it…

"Do you remember what we talked about on the train?"

Harry frowned, not expecting a question to his own question. He closed his eyes, recalling the many things that he and the others had talked about during the long train ride from London to Hogwarts. However, he did not need to think long as his eyes rested on the cage to realize that there was only one thing that they had talked about that would have brought them to Hagrid's garden.

"A snake?"

Daphne nodded, "Yes, Harry. Don't you see we need to be sure if you can really speak to snakes or not."

"You had Hagrid catch a snake?" asked Theodore.

"Yes," answered Daphne proudly. "I had to be sure it wasn't an accident after Harry told us the story about his cousin at the zoo."

"There are no accidental Parselmouths," Theodore observed. "You're either one or you're not. It is not a language you could learn or mimic."

"I know that, Nott," Daphne replied defensively. She sent her fellow Slytherin a glare before turning her attention back to Harry, her face softening. "Harry, don't you understand how important this could be?"

"I suppose," he said hesitantly, approaching the others, while his eyes never left the partially covered cage. He did have to agree that Daphne had a point, if he was a parselmouth it was an incredible gift and it was something that he should use, not allow to wither away.

Daphne smiled, looking pleased that he had decided to agree on her little experiment. "I wanted to tell you, all of you, but I didn't want others to over-hear… If it had gotten out that you were a Parselmouth…"

"What?" asked Harry, confused with how her demeanor and expression had changed so suddenly with the last part of her sentence. "What would happen?"

"It's not something to boast about," Theodore answered delicately.

"Why?" asked Harry, turning to see that the others too were looking at him with apprehension.

"Because Harry it's associated with the Dark Arts," explained Hermione.

"Yeah Harry, why else do you think the symbol for our house is a snake?" Tracey added.

Harry mentally cursed himself at such a large oversight on his part. He should have been more studious and learned as much as he could about this skill as soon as he discovered it, so that he wouldn't appear so foolish now. He made a mental note to make sure that he read up on the history of Parselmouth and the wizards and witches who wielded the incredible gift throughout history.

He stepped away from his friends to approach the small cage. His palms were slick with sweat, his heart drumming against his ribs, with each passing step. He wasn't sure what to expect or do when facing this snake, nervousness and exhilaration filled his insides as he readied himself to face the unexpected. He could hear his friends shuffling footsteps walking behind him. He tried to cancel them out, wanting to focus all of his attention on the cage, and what it held.

He reached out a slight shaky hand towards the tarp that covered the snake's cage, his fingers gripping at the fabric tightly. He let out a deep breath and with a quick tug, pulled the tarp completely off of the cage.

The tarp pooled around the cage, revealing Harry's first glimpse of the snake that Hagrid had caught. He recognized it as once, as an ordinary garden or grass snake. It was no longer than a meter with an intricate pattern going up its back as its triangular shaped head was crowned with the same pattern and colors. He could tell the snake was agitated as it slithered around the cage's perimeter, looking for any escape from its imprisonment, but it seemed to give up once the tarp had been lifted as its attention shifted to Harry.

Its dark eyes meeting Harry's before its forked tongue tasted the air.

Harry gulped, bringing his hands to his side, he knew he had the snake's attention as its dark eyes continued to survey him, its head slowly rising above the rest of its body as its tail gingerly gave a gentle flick.

"Is it saying something?" asked Hermione, who didn't bother to hide her excitement.

"No," said Harry, he could see the disappointment in his friend's expression out of the corner of his eye.

"Try to say something to it," encouraged Daphne.

"Easier said than done," mumbled Harry, believing his friend was over-simplifying matters. He noticed the snake's attention had shifted from Hermione to Daphne and now back to Harry. "Ergh… Hello?"

Nothing.

The snake simply continued to stare at him with those dark, intimidating eyes.

"What did it say?"asked Hermione eagerly.

"Nothing," answered Harry, trying his best to keep the disappointment and frustration out of his tone. His friends seemed to be expecting him and the snake to instantly begin conversing as if they were old friends. Was he and the snake really just supposed to hit it off at once, trading stories or discussing something as mundane as the weather.

He closed his eyes, bringing his attention back to that balmy summer day, when he had gone to the zoo with his relatives. He tried to remember every detail about his visit, and his encounter with the snake. He remembered how confused but excited he was when the snake seemed to be responding to his rambling. He had been both alarmed but thrilled at the idea that the animal could understand him.

He slowly opened his eyes, realizing that the snake was still watching him. He pushed out all distractions, ignoring his friends, forgetting about his first day of classes. His only focus was himself and the snake, nothing else mattered or existed at the moment. He took a deep breath and tried once more.

"Do you want my help?"

He could hear the gasps from his friends, their reactions temporarily penetrating his secluded thoughts. He was quick to mend the mental wall that he had made to block the outside world from him and the snake.

The snake's head darted a few inches up, Harry was sure the snake had heard and understood him. It's head slowly bobbled up and down as if answering his question. Harry smiled, he was doing it! He was actually speaking and understanding the snake.

He let out a weak chuckle, before nodding. Repeating the steps he did last time as he spoke once more. "Ok, I'll let you go." He said, slowly, bringing his fingers to the cage door. "I'm real sorry about my friend catching you." He turned the latch on the door. "He meant you no harm."

The snake looked to have tilted its head to the side as if unsure it had heard Harry correctly. It opened its mouth and as it did, Harry could only stare in shock at what came next.

"Thanks,"

Harry let out a shaky breath, as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips before his fingers fidgeted on the handle of the door before he slowly opened it. He fondly remembered the last time a snake had uttered that one but miraculous word to him.

The snake tentatively slithered over the leafy ground with surprising speed, freeing itself from the confines of the cage. It raised its head as its fork tongue tasted the air, its dark eyes scanning the surrounding area, before resting once more on Harry.

The snake slowly tilted its head down as if it was bowing in respect or thanks before it retracted its head back down onto the ground and without another word or reaction, the snake slithered off into Hagrid's garden.

"Wait!" Harry called, exhilarated by the brief exchange with the snake and the fact that he could understand it, just as it could understand him. A growing part of him didn't want the exchange to end so quickly.

To his surprise and relief, the snake did pause in its movement, raising its triangular shape head and turning to him.

"I was wondering," Harry paused, trying his best to be brief but informative with the snake, "If I could see you again?" He mentally chastised himself for how lame that had sounded.

The snake regarded him with those cool dark eyes, before slowly bobbing its head up and down in agreement.

Harry smiled at the prospect that he would be able to meet with the snake again, to hopefully practice and hone his gift.

"Excellent!" He said, unable to hide his excitement. His mood then dampened as he realized he had no idea how he was suppose to schedule a meeting with a snake. He looked up to see the sun slowly setting, and an idea came to him. "How about in three days?"

The snake looking at him strangely, not looking to understand what he was saying.

Harry frowned, pointing to the reddish glow of the sun as he clarified, "The passing of three dark skies?"

Harry wasn't sure if the snake understood him, as it continued to stare at him, but to Harry's relief it slowly nodded its head once more. It then surprised him when it lifted its tail and flicked it towards the outskirts of Hagrid's pumpkin garden.

Harry's attention shifted from the snake to the garden and then back to the snake, taking him a moment to register that the snake was suggesting a meeting point. "Yes, that would be perfect!"

The snake lowered its head and slithered away, the last part of the snake, Harry could see was the flick of its tail before it disappeared within the underbrush.

"You did it, Harry!" said an exciting Daphne.

He could hear the smile in her voice and he couldn't help but let out a shaky laugh at what he had just accomplished. It was brief, but he had done it. He had actually spoken to a snake. And hopefully he would be doing it again soon.

"That was remarkable!" praised Theodore; coming to Harry's other side, clapping him on the back.

"What did you say?" asked a curious Hermione, the Gryffindor second year falling into her overly eager student persona.

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning back to his friends.

"What did you tell it?" clarified Neville.

"You didn't understand me?"

"Of course not, Harry," Daphne said with a roll of her eyes. "Don't you remember only you can speak parselmouth."

"Oh yeah," replied a sheepish Harry, feeling foolish that he had expected his friends to understand him or the snake. "Then wait, what did you hear?"

"You sorta just hissed," explained Neville. The chubby Gryffindor looked a bit nervous and disturbed at retelling the incident. "It was rather creepy."

"No, it wasn't," protested Daphne. "I thought it was brilliant!"

"Let's just say, it was a combination, it was creepy-brilliant," Theodore mediated with a smile.

Harry snorted in amusement. "Creepy-brilliant?" he repeated, unsure how to respond to such a description.

Theodore remained smiling as he nodded his head. "It's not every-day you can be both creepy and brilliant, Harry."

"I'll say," Harry laughed as did the others.

"We should go see Hagrid," Hermione reminded them.

The friends nodded in agreement, not wanting him to wait too long for them as he was making tea for them.

"What are we going to tell him?" asked Harry.

"A little white lie," answered Daphne.

"But he's our friend," Neville pointed out, looking and sounding uncomfortable at the prospect of lying to Hagrid.

"I know," Daphne agreed, giving him a sympathetic look. "But this isn't something that we can tell him. Don't you remember the Stone and Fluffy?"

Harry knew at once what Daphne was referring to. It had only been last year when Hagrid made a few big slip ups in revealing information about Nicolas Flamel and Fluffy. Hagrid was a good and trusting friend, but he was not the best at keeping secrets.

"I agree," Tracey said delicately, trying not to sound disrespectful or rude.

The others nodded and mumbled their agreement. Harry was silently touched by their sincerity and their determination to protect him and his alienating gift. They didn't want to exploit him or his gift, but to protect him. They wanted to make sure that he could not be hurt by others if word had gotten out about his special ability.

Even though this gift may be stigmatized, Harry was determined to make the most of it. He would not allow the opinion of others to dictate to him what he could or could not do. He was not only going to try to do some research on his ability, but he was going to practice it, the best he could. He was going to perfect it! And meeting with the snake again could only help Harry as he tried to get use to this new and unusual gift.

He could only imagine the possibilities if he could fully understand and harness this special gift. One thing remained on his mind, something that he still could not shake. How did it happen? How was he given such an incredible gift?

He remembered his friends telling him, how rare the gift was and the only way of acquiring it was it being passed down through the family. His father was a pure-blood and according to Cyrus, the Potter name went back several centuries. But neither Remus, nor the others made any mention that his father could speak to snakes. However, the topic had never been properly brought up before.

But then again, maybe it was something that his father didn't feel comfortable sharing. Especially now that Harry understood how the magical world viewed those with the gift. They had labeled the talent, dark and dangerous, and so perhaps his father had decided not to speak of it, to anyone, including his friends…

Harry found the idea, credible but he was unsure if the origins could be traced to his father. Surely, if his father had the gift, then he would have entrusted it to someone. Harry's friends didn't treat him any differently now that they knew he could speak to snakes, surely, Remus and the others would not have ostracized his father had he entrusted them with the secret that he was a parselmouth.

Harry sighed, running his hands through his dark hair just as he and the others arrived at the Hagrid's doorstep.

Hermione knocked, they only waited for a few seconds before the door swung open as a smiling Hagrid greeted them. "Just in time for tea, come in." The friendly giant stepped aside allowing the friends to pass.

Harry was the last to pass, his fingers still in his messy hair and as he pulled them away he could feel his finger tips lightly skimming over his lightning scar. Harry's eyes widened, as a new and scary possibility came to the forefront of his mind.

If his family couldn't speak to snakes, then was it possible that his ability came not from blood but from his scar? He remembered Hagrid telling him during his visit to Diagon Alley that his scar was no ordinary mark.

The gift was associated with the Dark Arts and who was more dark or evil then Voldemort. It was a chilling thought that nestled within Harry's conscious. He wouldn't be able to rest or drop the thought unless he was proven right or wrong and there was only one person that he knew that would have answers to his question…

Dumbledore

A/N: As you can see a different take on Harry's "first" talk with a snake. Perhaps a bit anti-climatic to those who were expecting a long drawn out conversation, but I never found it that believable when I came across it in stories (that could just be me).

Yes, Harry will be having classes with all four houses. This was one of the things that bothered me in the books. Rowlings creates this amazing school with an intricate house system but only gives us a glimpse of a handful of students throughout the period of seven years? Most of them being in Gryffindor. This world is too rich to leave so many characters high and dry. I look forward to bringing a few 'canon' characters to life in this story.

Don't forget to review, to let me know what you think.

You can always message me comments or observations as well.

Thanks for reading,

-Spectre4hire