Title: Serpentine

Summary: Harry's relatives never raised him. In fact, they abandoned him the day they found him on their doorstep. It's going to be a very different Harry Potter than Albus Dumbledore expects who shows up at Hogwarts ten years later...

Warnings: 1. This is a SLASH fanfiction. It contains yaoi. Male/male relationships. People who dislike fanfics like that should press that lovely back button right now.

2. I can promise you that Harry is NOT a Gryffindor here. Nor is he likely to leap before he looks. So sorry to disappoint.

3. Harry. Is. DARK. In. This. Fanfic. I don't care if you think he's OOC. He's supposed to be.

4. There will probably be character deaths. Please, do not flame me if your favorite character dies. You have been warned.

5. I'm not experienced in writing human characters. If you don't want your eyes burned out by massive OOCness and bad character writing, you'd probably be better off reading someone else's writing.

Disclaimer: -sigh- I wish I owned Harry Potter. I'd have written a better ending to the series. Joanne really disappointed us all with hers.

OoOoO

Zephyr sat on the edge of his bed, turning the two-way mirror in his hands. It was two weeks into term, and while Draco, Aylen and Adrian were great friends and company, he wanted to talk to Evan. He wanted to be able to hear his brother's voice again. He wanted to see Evan's face. He lifted the mirror and said into it softly, "Evan?"

He waited a minute before the familiar face appeared in the mirror. A faint smile curved Evan's lips as he greeted Zephyr, "You called?" Zephyr couldn't help but smile back as he nodded. Evan pushed some hair out of his face and asked, "How are things?"

"As usual," Zephyr said, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "Dumbledore is being annoying, there's a new Defense against Dark Arts teacher, and I made friends with one of the third-year Slytherin boys."

Amethyst eyes glittered at the mention of Dumbledore. "What's the Mad Hatter riding you about, this time?"

Zephyr grinned. "He says I should be with my 'real family'." He shifted so he was lying on his side in a more comfortable position. "I keep on telling him you're my real family, but does he listen?"

Evan chuckled and let the subject drop. "So, tell me about this third-year Slytherin," he said. "What's he like?"

"His name's Adrian North," Zephyr began. "And he's – well, he's kind of like you. He's sarcastic and kind of…what's the word…"

"Jaded?" Evan supplied. When Zephyr gave him a blank look, he sighed and added, "He doesn't exactly have a happy-go-lucky attitude about life?"

"Yeah, that's it," Zephyr said. "Anyway, he's great company. He knows how to break up a tense moment and make everybody laugh." Suddenly, he noticed how Evan's eyes were sparkling with suppressed mirth. "What?"

"Nothing…it's nothing." The corner of Evan's mouth seemed to be making threats to pull up into a smirk. "I'm just thinking."

Zephyr narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Spill it!"

Now Evan did smirk. "Well, I was just thinking…you sound like a teenage girl going on about her boyfriend." There was a half-stifled laugh from the mirror and from behind Zephyr. Evan turned and grinned at whoever was behind him. Zephyr didn't.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, trying his hand at mimicking Evan's "tell me what you mean right now, or there will be problems" tone. Someone on his brother's side snorted, then quickly turned it into a cough.

Evan bit his lip as though trying not to laugh. "I just meant that it…it sounds like you've got a crush on this boy."

The person behind Evan – most likely Stryker – had a severe cough attack, and the person behind Zephyr – Draco – burst out laughing. Zephyr stared wide-eyed at his brother, feeling his cheeks flame. His expression made Evan chuckle softly. "Easy, Zephyr, don't have a heart attack. I'm only teasing. How's everything else going?"

"F-fine, I guess," Zephyr stammered, still a bit off-balance. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. "Um, except, Draco and I got detention…"

All amusement vanished from Evan's expression, and he said seriously, "With who, and for what?"

"It was stupid," Zephyr muttered. "The new teacher, Lockhart, is a complete idiot. He was going on and on about how he made it so a vampire couldn't eat anything but salad…"

"Moron," Draco muttered.

"And Draco said that it wasn't possible and that everybody with half a brain knew a vampire would get poisoned to death if they ate salad." Evan let out an amused snort. "Which made a bunch of us laugh. For some reason, Lockhart picked me and Draco out to do detention."

Stryker's voice said, "Because he was wrong? This 'Lockhart' doesn't sound like the brightest star in the sky. Why is Dumbledore hiring morons to do a teacher's job?"

Evan's head turned. "Don't forget, dearest Dumbles is a moron."

Stryker scoffed. "Of course. How stupid of me to forget."

"Well, Zephyr, I think the only thing you could do would be to do the detention," the Darkness Elemental went on, returning his attention to Zephyr as his violet eyes darkened with worry and a bit of anger. "Though I don't like it one bit. Why give you both detention, rather than just Draco? After all, he made the remark."

"…I laughed…?" Zephyr offered uncertainly.

Evan's brow creased in a frown. "Yet, as you said, you were not the only one. It makes no sense."

Zephyr lifted his shoulders in a helpless shrug. "There was something else I wanted to tell you, too," he said, wanting to change the subject away from Lockhart's idiocy. When Evan's eyes lit up with interest, he went on, "You know the Weasleys?"

Evan suddenly looked amused. "I know of them. If Lucius has ranted about them once, he's done it a thousand times. What about them?"

"Well, their daughter keeps stalking me." Behind him, Draco had another laughing fit. Ignoring him, Zephyr complained, "She follows me everywhere, and keeps telling me that we'll get married some day! She's only a first year!" Draco suddenly started to cough, his amusement replaced by horror.

Evan screwed up his face. Stryker was making gagging noises in the background, as if she was clutching her throat and pretending to suffocate. "That's just…um…" Evan muttered. He seemed lost for words. He finally settled with, "Yuck."

"Double yuck," Stryker commented.

"Yeah." Zephyr looked over to his friend and asked, "Alright, buddy?" Draco looked like he wanted to throw up, or hit something.

"Never better," Draco snarled sarcastically, throwing Zephyr a nasty look.

Evan's faint chuckle brought Zephyr's attention back to the mirror. His brother still looked a bit sickened, but there was faint amusement clear in his expression as well. "Just make it clear to her that you're not interested," the brown-haired man said. "Well, it's got to be getting close to your curfew, brother. Anything else before I bid you adieu?"

Zephyr frowned. "Well, the youngest Weasley boy has been harassing me, too, but he doesn't look like he could throw – or take – a punch."

"Or a hex," Draco put in. "He's so scrawny I bet one good hit would have him out cold in seconds."

"Even so, don't let your guard down," Evan warned. "And never underestimate an opponent. And let him make the first move – don't attack him unless he goes after you."

"Yes, sir," Zephyr said, and saluted.

"Oh, go to bed, you brat," Evan said affectionately. Zephyr snickered. "Goodnight, Zephyr."

"Night, Evan. Talk to you soon?"

Evan smiled. "Any time you want to talk to me, I'm here." Then his face vanished, and Zephyr was left to think over the conversation.

OoOoO

"Viridis," he called softly. Excitement made his hands – small, feminine hands, though that would change soon – shake. Finally – he knew how to set her free, and it was so simple he couldn't believe it had never occurred to him. All he had to do was give her permission to leave and go wherever she wanted.

"Young one," the soft voice replied. He kept his eyes closed, and stretched out a hand to touch his companion. He had no need to fear the great snake's stare, but this tiny girl would be dead in a heartbeat.

"I've remembered, my lovely, I've remembered," he hissed excitedly, brushing his fingers over her rough hide. "I've known all along how to set you free…all I have to do is give you permission."

A large snout bumped his shoulder gently. "We should wait, Master. Wait until the little ones have gone in leaftime. Then I won't hurt them without meaning to."

He hissed, frustrated. "No, then it will be too late. I will have to leave as well, with this child's body. It must be done before then."

Viridis did not reply right away. She knew the speaker was desperate to free her, to fulfill his promise. But the little humans had arrived, and if one of them ran into her…like that poor child long before…it would be a disaster. "Please, young one, listen. I have waited until now, for you to remember. A little longer will make no difference. Remember the girl."

He flinched and recoiled. He remembered well… "She didn't have to die. She was just…in the wrong place, at the wrong time."

"Because you tried to set me free too soon," Viridis hissed gently. "I'm asking you…begging you, as your friend…to wait."

He clenched his jaw. Patience had never been his strong point, when Viridis was involved. She had been trapped for far too long. It was time to break her chains and set her free. "Viridis…I, as your Tamer and friend…set you free, to go where you want and never return if you so wish."

"No, young one!" she hissed. But it was too late.

"As a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, I release you from your prison!"

"You foolish boy!" Viridis closed her eyes and let out a long, soft hiss. But she slithered past him, and towards one of the many pipes leading out of the Chamber. She could only hope she wouldn't run into anyone…

OoOoO

"I swear, that detention was the worst thing I've ever been through, Aylen," Zephyr groaned.

Aylen, wrapped securely around his neck, laughed softly. "I don't doubt you, koishii."

"I mean, answering fan mail! Ugh! And the way that leech keeps going on and on about himself…" He trailed off, surprised when he heard a soft splash. He looked down. Then he gasped and looked up.

A cat…not just any cat, but the one that followed the caretaker around everywhere. Why was it up there? And why…

Why wasn't it moving?

OoOoO

She watched the child, saddened by her mistake. The cat had been in the wrong place at the wrong time when she decided to look around, see where she was.

Just like last time.

Master, you fool, she thought. It's happening again.

-0-0-0-

Short, and for that I apologize. I'm half asleep, so if the end sucks, well...you know why. XD