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The Christmas holiday break ended and Harry reluctantly left Nym to return to Hogwarts.
The days prior to the return had been both a pleasure and a pain, he had recovered well from his second bout of magical shock but had gained a few more scars most disconcerting of them all was the thin red line around his right pinkie where it had been severed completely then reattached.
The head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Madam Bones, had requested he make an appearance before her before his return to Hogwarts.
Several hundred complaints had been made against him, and her office, regarding what the papers called the "Knockturn Knockdown".
Not wishing to make a scene at the ministry. They met in the alley itself.
"So not only do you rescue the damsel and defeat the bad guys, you also decrease the criminal activity of this accursed alley. I've never seen it so quite."
Madame Bones was being overly sarcastic but Harry had to admit it was empty compared to the bustling hive of, generally airing on the side of grey, activity it normally was.
"Just doing my civic duty ma'am." Harry grinned tipping an imaginary hat.
"And netting a small profit too, over two thousand galleons from Lady Winters and Lord Falcons estates."
"You keep what you kill; I have already donated half to the Aurors pension plan and invested the rest in beautifying this cesspit of an alley."
"Which brings me to the matter of Lord Turlock's estate; he had no family so this lovely building before us, that they used as a hideout mind, is now your property. I would love to have a look inside just to make sure all is safe."
"You would wouldn't you" Harry thought but smiled politely instead, "Sadly I must refuse your kind offer, Lord Turlock had been running a successful animal emporium for a number of years until he fell on hard times and sold all his stock."
Madam bones smiled "So the rumour he ran a black market, exotic and endangered species ring, out of the basement was totally untrue?"
Harry nodded "Absolutely false!"
Harry had been one of the first to inspect the location Nym had been held.
It had been sealed, off limits, by the Hit Wizards following the fight and so no one had searched it until New Year's Eve.
Moody as well as Arnie from the Hit Wizards proceeded to gather evidence while Harry looked in the room full of cages that had at one time housed creatures of varying sizes.
All were empty now.
Harry had refused to let Nym accompany him back to where she had been imprisoned and going off scattered pensive memories she had provided, he located the exact cage she had been housed in.
Reinforced dwarf iron made it practically indestructible. A containment rune pentagram surrounded the outside. Even if she had managed to break free of the stasis charm she would have been unable to leave the confines assuming she could morph between the cages bars.
Harry was revolted, it had barely enough room to stand up in and only enough space to curl up on the small pile of rags that were, evidently, her bedding.
It reminded him of his cupboard under the stairs at four privet drive.
Harry shuddered not for his sake but for what Nym had endured.
Walking out the room he heard a small voice whisper.
"You are not one of the guards."
Harry turned and drew his wand, but when he looked around he saw no one.
"Did you hear me?"
Harry swung around and came face to face (as much as possible) with a luminously red snake, its serpentine body coiled on a shelf near the door, head raised watching him.
"Another snake." Harry sighed slipping his wand back into its holster.
"You can speak the language of my ancestors?" The snake hissed.
Harry nodded "I guess I do."
"I have been here a long time, they put me in a cage but forgot to lock the door and I left and have hidden in these walls since. I cannot leave this place because of the enchantments."
Harry moved cautiously towards the side, watching as the snakes head tracked his movements.
"What are you?"
"Extremely dangerous" the snake seemed to whimper, Harry assumed it was a laugh, "my birthing mother named me Jasper, the plaque on my cage said I am an Australian Red Tree snake."
Harry cocked his head and noted the snake copied him. "You can read?"
"I have been here a long time, I learn, I understand. You are not the guards."
"Do you mean the men who were here before me, they are dead."
"Did you kill them all, you must have been hungry?"
"Pardon, no I, what?"
"Why else would you kill but to eat? The rats and mice that dwell here are rather tasty."
Harry was bugging out he was having a conversation with a snake.
"No I killed them to save the woman from the cage."
"You killed to protect your mate. I miss my mate; she is long dead now without me to protect her."
"Nym is not my mate, not yet anyway."
"Many of the guards tried to mate with her but she would not let them, they were unworthy, they brought no gifts. When I found my mate I brought her as whole rabbit. A feast. She was most pleased with my gift."
Harry couldn't be live he was getting dating advice... from a snake.
"Did you kill the guards to prove you are worthy of her?"
Harry shrugged "I guess so?"
"Was she pleased with your gift? Will she be your mate now?"
"I hope so soon."
Jasper bowed.
"I like you, free me from this place and I will serve you for as long as I live, you are worthy and honourable to your mate."
Looking back at it all now why Harry had trusted the serpent even so much as putting out his unprotected hand to let the creature wrap around his wrist, he had no idea why, it just seemed right.
Jasper rode on his lap all the way to Hogwarts.
Nym had been quite smitten with Jasper when he had brought him back to the Bastion.
A bit of research had revealed the red tree snake like its green cousin was rather docile. However unlike its green cousin the red tree snake was also highly magical, rare and sough after for its extremely potent venom for potions. Its skin was also used to make amulets of invisibility, Jasper himself could become invisible at will, an ability that had saved him more than once while hiding from Lord Turlock and his men.
Walking into the main entrance hall Harry felt Jasper move.
"Master" Jasper hissed "I sense an old one here..."
Harry lifted his hand and jasper peaked out of his robe's sleeve.
"An old one?" Harry whispered back.
"Yes, ancient ancestor, I taste her among these halls, she is old, terribly old."
"Could she be the monster from the chamber?"
Jasper's lounge flicked out tasting the air more closely.
"I have no idea master, her scent is everywhere. She would have to be large or very well-travelled to leave a scent as strong as I can taste."
"Jasper could you do me a favour and find her, there's a large rat in it for you."
"You speak my language." Jasper hissed uncurling from Harry's wrist and sliding invisibly to the ground.
Nym returned to the Hit Wizard office the day after Harry had returned to Hogwarts.
She had been given leave until Easter but couldn't bring herself to have such luxury, especially when all her injuries were emotional, something Harry had made bearable while he was around but without him she had begun to feel lost once more.
Arnie suggested she stay away from field work for a while, but Alastor said it was her choice if she wished to jump right back in the thick of things.
Nym looked over her desk; being the current rookie of the corps she was passed all the grind work. The most common type being inter-departmental requests.
Other departments would constantly request assistance with various parts of their own operations. Most notably being the Obliviators especially when a muggle that had learnt too much got away from them.
Obliviators had only seventy-two hours after contact to find and fix the breach.
Ninety-nine times out of a hundred cases went off without a hitch, but there was always those that managed to get away. Going to ground or vanishing without a trace enough to track.
So people like Arnie from the hit wizards would be asked to assist in the hunt. But there was only that seventy-two hour window allotted to obliviate the subject after that even the strongest memory charms would have no guarantee of sticking as the memory would have gone from the Muggles short term consciousness to being engraved on their long term mental platforms.
In those cases a special group of ministry workers would approach the person explain the whole magical/muggle society, offer them counselling for the ordeal and revelation. Then threaten them into not revealing the secret or else...
Four such requests were already expired on her desk another one would expire in ten hours.
Tonks smiled and figured she'd be able to find the guy.
Walking out the office she slipped into her muggle attire and began the hunt.
Tonks tracked the man to a seedy bar in west end.
He had seen a group of Aurors take down a harpy but before the Aurors could nab him he had run off into a crowd. Tonks had noted that he had been carrying several betting slips in his top pocket and while the obliviators had found his home and workplace neither of the two locations had any sign of him. Aurors were currently staking those spots out but after seeing a harpy, Tonks expected he'd want a stiff drink and the only location in the area that was close to his home that had gambling facilities was this particular bar.
Walking in, Nym smiled and ordered a beer.
She scoped out the patrons in the bar before walking into the back room. A bank of televisions was displaying a dozen or so different sporting shows.
Nym moved from one table to another looking for all intents and purposes like she was scrounging for a betting slip.
Stopping near the furthest corner she noticed a rather bedraggled person. Curled up with a heavy coat pulled around his body.
Nym let her eye patch scan his signature.
"Gotcha" she whispered to herself.
Tapping her wand three times she subtlety cast an anti-muggle barrier between her and the bar area no one would see or hear them.
Bending down she patted him on the shoulder.
"Rough night?"
He stared up at her "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Flying monsters wand waving wizards?"
He started for her, Nym ducked bringing her knee up into his groin.
"Sorry..." she apologised "needed to make doubly sure."
Pulling his file from her pocket she noted she had plenty of time left, folding the file in half she placed it on his stomach. Instantly portkeying the man to the Obliviators office.
"Guess that's a job well done then."