The Present


"Um, Harry? Love? What's in that bag you brought with you again?" Draco asked nervously. He could swear he'd just seen it move.

"I told you. A present for Severus." Harry replied, glancing over his shoulder - and the offending bag - back at Draco.

"And what is that present, precisely?"

"You can find out when he does." Harry told him.

Draco protested, "But-"

"Hello, boys." Severus greeted them from his doorway.

"'Cause we're here." Harry laughed. "Hello Severus. Brought you a present!"

"Indeed, I heard." Severus replied, a slight smile creeping onto his face. "Come in."

"Seriously, Harry, I swear I saw-" Draco was interrupted by Harry elbowing him.

Severus' brows rose, but he said nothing.

"Perhaps you'd better open it first, so Draco doesn't combust." Harry suggested.

Severus nodded agreement. "Give it here then."

Harry shifted the bag carefully off of his shoulder and mumbled something before handing it to Severus.

Severus opened it carefully, and a bright orange and black banded something was visible for a moment before sliding away.

"It isn't-" Severus started, cautiously. "She won't hurt you." Harry assured him.

Severus took this at face value and reached in to pull out-

"You've brought me a three-headed Runespoor." Severus stated calmly.

"Like her?" Harry asked, valiantly forcing down his smugness.

Severus caught the smug undertones, but he was too pleased to scold Harry for it. "Of course I like it- her, you smug little brat!" All right, maybe he wasn't.

"How did you find one with all three heads intact?" Draco asked.

"Easily." Harry replied, "Parselmouth, remember?"

Severus snorted in amusement, still raptly watching his new pet, wrapped around his forearm.

"Oh, and Severus, she's been told about the rarity and usefulness of Runespoor eggs in Potion-Making, and she'll produce them for you on a semi-regular basis."

~Fin~

My prompt word was 'banded' and my first thought was 'snake', after that I thought of Runespoors. So today's 'guest star' was Severus, and tomorrow will have another prominent 'guest star': Lucius Malfoy.