Tuesday –

As several students gathered around Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures, Emery moved to stand beside Luna Lovegood. He'd been wanting to talk to her about joining his debate team. He wasn't sure if she'd want to join him after the wand experiments that they'd done together a week ago, but he'd been impressed. So much so, that he wanted her to co-captain the team.

Her perception and observation skills were exceptional, and he was sure that she could see problems on their own team as well as Harry's without much concentration. As he approached, she smiled up at him.

"You, uh, excited for Hagrid's surprise?" He asked lamely.

"I don't think that was the question you wanted to ask me," Luna tilted her head with a smile. "Try again."

"Since when do you play psychic?" Emery grinned as a strand of his wavy black hair fell over his face.

"I'm not. I can just tell by that curious expression on your face. You've worn it a lot recently. It only disappeared shortly after you asked Neville to join your debate team yesterday and now it's back." She answered reasonably.

"Okay, fine. Will you join my debate team? Maybe even act as my co-captain?"

Emery tried not to notice Theo, the only other Slytherin in the class, glaring angrily at him and Luna. He wasn't sure what the connection was and rather than find out, he refocused on the girl. Despite the hostility directed toward them, or maybe just him, Luna seemed at ease.

"Yes, Emery. When will our first meeting be?" She asked.

"Well, I still have to get the rest of the team together, but if you wouldn't mind studying on the sport in the meantime it would help a lot," He couldn't help but glance back at Theo who looked angrier and angrier by the second. He wasn't sure what the boy's problem was, but he refused to let it affect him.

"I wonder what's upsetting Theodore," Luna pondered with her typical melodic tone, her hand rising to wave at the other Slytherin.

"Who cares?" He shrugged as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black pants. "He's a phony anyhow."

"A phony?" She looked up at him and then back to Theo. "No more than you, I think."

Emery looked away from the girl and her all too accurate comment. He was reminded once more of Luna's exceptional observations and insight. He wondered if she'd hate him by the end of the year. Despite her gentle nature, he could tell she wasn't some silly little girl. She wasn't a pushover. She was dangerous and skilled. Ravenclaws weren't to be underestimated. They were used to fighting alone and that often led to fighting dirty.

"Emery?" She called his attention back to her. "Would you like me to see if anyone else in my house would join our team?"

"Please," he nodded enthusiastically. "My top choices after you were Michael Corner, Padma Patil, or Cho Chang. From what I could learn, they all had pretty good grades, but I only want two more from Ravenclaw. No more and no less."

"I believe Cho and Padma have already joined Harry's debate team, or at least they've pledged themselves to it once he gets around to filling it," Luna informed him. "I would suggest Lisa Turpin and Michael Corner. Her grades may not reflect it, but she's extraordinarily clever and open minded."

After a moment's debate, Emery found himself agreeing to the substitution. He was tempted to ask her to get Ginny Weasley to join on behalf of Gryffindor, but despite her skill in magic itself, like her brother Ron, she seemed very uninterested in academics. Too much of a jock for his taste.

"So, why haven't you pledged yourself to Potter's team?" He asked as Hagrid finally came out of his hut and approached with a large wooden crate.

"Couple of reasons," and for the first time since he'd met the girl, he picked up a note of sadness in her softened voice. "Harry would never think to consider me for the task. He often has to be forced to accept help from anyone, let alone those outside of Gryffindor."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware," he frowned, trying to ignore the fact that Hagrid appeared woefully under prepared as the man ran back into his hut for something he forgot.

"It's alright, Harry just thinks I am strange and most of his friends…" She shrugged and then blinked, her tone returning to neutral. "Did you know that having two different colored eyes is seen as a good omen in many different cultures?"

"I didn't," he smiled, letting her change the subject. "My grandparents said it made me a freak and was further proof of the tainted evil coursing through my veins." It wasn't his intent to grab at his left arm, but he rarely noticed it until he felt himself squeeze the appendage. Stopping himself mid movement would only draw more attention to the tic, so he didn't bother. "As clichéd as it sounds, I think people fear what they don't understand."

"Its simple truth is exactly how it became a cliché," Luna told him. "I will talk to Lisa and Michael during dinner tonight."

"Now class," Hagrid's gruff voice rang out to capture the attention of the fifteen or so students surrounding him and his sealed wooden crate. "Today we are going to study the Amphisbaena. Can anyone tell me what it is?"

Theo raised his hand and was called upon. Emery was surprised as the boy rarely spoke up in his other classes. "It's a snake that has a second head where the tail would normally end," Theo began his voice faltering when he said the word 'second', and the word 'end'. Like he was both nervous and excited. "They are extremely rare, and no one knows for certain how they mate as their sex can't even be clearly defined, not to mention they're almost never seen in close proximity to another of their species; leading most to believe that they're asexual."

"Very good, there, Theo!" Hagrid exclaimed, his dark eyes twinkling with pride. "Can anyone tell me of their significance in the wizarding community?"

Emery frowned; he'd met one before back in SHAWW and it had been… eventful. It wasn't the scariest creature out there, but he knew enough to be extremely cautious around them. Knowing there was an amphisbaena in the box, he wasn't so sure he wanted to meet this one. He debated excusing himself, his mother had warned him often to stay away from snakes in Europe, that no one would understand.

Justin Finch-Fletchly was the one to answer Hagrid's question. "In most wizarding communities, the amphisbaena was once seen as a positive role because it was used to help ancient wizards and witches select or find new apprentices," he paused and when Hagrid continued to stare, the no-maj born went on. "Over the past few centuries or so, the snake has become known as a bad omen owing to the fact the two headed snake resembles those with dual natures or are seen as two-faced. They're now seen as the wizarding world's symbol of a traitor."

"Excellent answer!" Hagrid continued to beam as he reached down and removed the lid from the crate beside him. "The venom of these beauties is extremely valuable to many a potion's master. Sadly, due to poaching they've also become a rare find out in the wild." He reached into the crate and gently pulled out a two headed snake. "This here is Delia and Delilah. Aren't she the most spectacular thing you ever saw?"

Emery took an unconscious step backward, his gaze focused on the reptile. Hagrid was absolutely right, aesthetically it was one of the most gorgeous snakes he'd ever seen. The creature was as thick as a wooden baseball bat with a hide of azure, teal and plum colored scales. It's coloring and even its pattern resembled that of a peacock's tailfeathers thanks to the black "eyes" running along it's spine. This snake seemed comfortable around so many witches and wizards, though only one head was awake, allowing the sleeping head to act as the tail being dragged about while the other investigated.

"In its natural form, the venom of the amphisbaena isn't deadly and is actually harmless long term to most wizards or witches," Hagrid lectured, pulling back some of his informal speech and trying to impress his students. "Now, that's not to say that a bite won't be excruciating. It makes its way through the system with the worst of the pain lasting between two and eight hours depending on how much venom it gets in its bite or bites. The pain can be so bad that most will pass out and feel numb for a few hours once the pain subsides.

"Like most venoms out there, many a dark wizard or witch has been able to turn it into a deadly potion. The effects have varied, but most of the time it can be manipulated to place the intended victim into a coma that can last years if it didn't kill them outright.

"Other uses include pain-relieving potions as well as having acted as a base in a few truth serums. Yes," Hagrid smiled to them all as Delia or Delilah approached each student and took a sniff at them with its black tongue. "The venom of this lovely beast can be quite useful."

Theo knew he was a Slytherin and he knew that Slytherins didn't fear snakes. Truth be told, he didn't fear snakes, but this one made him nervous. He'd never once felt the pain of a bite because as Hagrid pointed out, the serpent was considered rare. That being said, the snake bothered him, and he didn't want it getting anywhere near him.

Maybe it was a panic attack? Maybe it was because he knew for a fact a very deadly poison was made using its venom thanks to his father. Maybe that terrible poison had been used on a man Theo knew once long ago that was technically buried alive. He shivered but otherwise did his best to conceal his fear from the rest of the class.

He didn't know what he did, but something about his actions caused the snake to edge closer to him. He took a testing step backward, but it lunged forward and began to wind itself up his body, drawing gasps of alarm from his peers. It settled itself calmly over his shoulders, the second head still asleep.

"Don't worry there, Theo. Even if Delilah there did bite you, it'd be over shortly. Right now, she's just acclimating herself to ya." Hagrid beamed and then turned to the class to continue his lecture. "You see class, as Justin indicated earlier, the snake is just doing her job and settling with a Wizard or Witch she feels is likely to learn well from her master."

Hagrid offered him a smile and normally, Theo would be thrilled, but he was too focused on the excruciating pain part of his lecture as well as all the terrible things this snake's venom could be used for.

Unfortunately, Theo also knew that as wonderful a teacher as Hagrid could be, there were reasons why students weren't…eager to take his class. The Keeper of the Keys had a tendency to allow the animals too much control and it often left Hagrid in the pitiable position of having to defend the animal or its actions. Theo wanted to believe that Hagrid learned his lesson with Buckbeak three years ago, but it seemed Hagrid had no way of stopping the snake from biting.

As Hagrid approached, Theo caught sight of Emery who, though pale, was coming toward him as well. Theo really, really didn't want to be bit and he knew that so far, Hagrid had left out one very crucial detail about the snake.

Once an amphisbaena chose a pupil or protégé for the wizard or witch it belonged to, it would make a claiming bite. He wondered if Hagrid didn't know that or if he just hadn't wanted to bring it up to keep everyone calm. Damn the man! He shouldn't have allowed the snake anywhere near the students! Not knowing the risks!

As the snake's tongue flicked at his ear, Theo brought up a shaking hand and gently petted its scaly head. So far, so good. Even as Hagrid and Emery got closer. Their teacher appeared very calm and even casual about the whole thing, but Emery's face was both determined and pale, like he was scared but fighting it back.

"Alright now, Theo, the hardest bit is going to be removing her," Hagrid explained, and it took all of Theo's restraint not to roll his eyes. "Most amphisbaenas tend to bite the wizard or witch it has decided is a suitable match."

"H-Hagrid," Emery frowned. "One or both of those snakes will bite Theo," he looked to his roommate and saw Emery lick his bottom lip nervously. "I think, I think you should find someone who's already been bit once or twice by an amphisbaena and let them remove her. I could do it for instance."

"No," Hagrid shook his head. "No that uh, that could be worse," Theo heard the man whisper so only he and Emery could hear. "Sometimes they'll bite someone who's already been bitten until they are sure the previous claim is gone."

Emery stood still at this bit of information and Theo sighed softly. He didn't blame the American. If he could avoid being bit, he would, too. It must have been bad though, if Emery having already felt it, stopped himself from helping.

Theo just had to accept the inevitable. He was going to be bit and he would have to endure the pain. He could handle it. It wasn't like he didn't know how to take a punch or even a curse or two. His father was Avery Nott, a man who knew more about curses than he did drinking, and that was saying something.

"Don't go givin' up on me now, Theo," Hagrid said quietly. "I'd let her bite me before a student."

"Hagrid, they don't bite their masters." The American warned, dashing any bit of hope he'd started to feel from Hagrid's words. "Let me try something, please."

Hagrid turned then and faced Emery as Theo tried to stay calm. "Emery, I can't go lettin' you get yourself hurt either, 'specially if you've already been bit before."

"Look, there's a one hundred percent chance that Theo gets bit if someone doesn't interfere. It's only fifty-fifty with me. Either Delia and Delilah accept Onyx and Pearl's claim, or they don't, but…but I have another trick up my sleeve that could make it like a forty-sixty chance."

Theo's brows furrowed as he wondered what the crazy teen wanted to try.

"If I do this right, she won't bite either of us," Emery tried again, and it seemed to do the trick as Hagrid finally consented and stepped back.

The whole class watched him, and Theo felt a blush rise in his cheeks. He hated being the center of attention, especially when it was due to something embarrassing. That was why Theo rarely helped Draco with his pranks or cruel acts. They always came back to bite them in the ass, and he'd be damned if he was going to be humiliated in the limelight. Theo didn't like positive attention, but he absolutely despised negative attention.

"OK, Theo, just stay calm," Emery pulled him from his thoughts as he approached, several students snickering or whispering at the precarious situation they were both in. "I got this."

Theo wanted to know how he was going to be effective with his wand still in its belted holster, but that wouldn't have been polite. So, he bit his cheek and nodded, letting his eyes drift to Luna to see if she was laughing at him, too. Thankfully she wasn't. He smiled to her, feeling a little braver.

Until he heard it.

Until they all heard it…

A hissing, whispering language came out of Emery's mouth, his dual colored eyes focusing intently on the snake as the Emery held his hand out. Theo could see that even Hagrid's jaw had dropped at the revelation. Emery Graves was a parselmouth. No wonder the teen was convinced he could help. Theo didn't know whether to be frightened or relieved.

Whatever he'd said, it woke the second snake, as both heads rose up a few inches, their attention completely on Emery and not at all on Theo. The vile language continued as Emery kept his hand out to the serpent.

Theo nearly went cross eyed as the two heads looked to one another, their noses nearly touching as they seemed to communicate non-verbally. After only a brief second, the once sleeping head of Delia, or so Theo assumed, moved to join the first.

"Lift your arm," Emery instructed him. "Just raise it so that our fingertips are touching and then they'll come to me and hopefully let me carry them back to the crate."

"Why not just let them slink to the ground?" Theo asked.

"She might go to a different student," Hagrid answered before Emery could.

"Right," Emery agreed and then started speaking again, this time much more forcefully and almost angrily.

Theo wasn't sure angering or frightening them was a good idea, but he couldn't deny the snake moved much faster across his stretched-out arm toward Emery than it had moved when it crawled up him. As soon as the snake had moved to wrap about the American's arm, Theo dropped his own and nearly fell to his ass as he got himself out of the snake's reach.

Very slowly and with soothing parseltongue whispers did Emery walk the two headed snake to its crate. No one moved, especially Theo, who had begun to feel like quite the coward for allowing Emery to help. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling Hagrid was right. Delia and Delilah were going to get Emery if only because he'd been bitten before.

Theo couldn't see Emery as the other students slowly moved to block his sight, all of them watching and following raptly. He was almost sure the crazy foreigner had succeeded until he heard a sharp scream from one of the girls and Emery's own cry of pain. A cry that was too familiar as he recalled the scream of muggles tortured by his father and the Cruciatus curse.

He got quickly to his feet and ran to his roommate, pushing several students out of his way. The boy was holding his neck firmly as tears streamed down his cheeks, but the initial scream had faded. One of the girls kept screaming while another insisted both heads had bit him.

"Here, I got you," Theo told him as he started to pull the taller boy to his feet. "Luna, run ahead and tell Madam Pomfrey what happened and get Snape or Slughorn, too if you can."

She didn't hesitate before she turned and ran for the school, calling out "Accio broom!" and flying off into the castle. Theo was grateful and he could see that Emery was just trying to hold it together as Hagrid approached.

"Lemme help," The older man insisted and as he started to take the weight of the boy off Theo's shoulder, Emery fell backward. The half-giant readjusted and managed to catch him in a bridal carry.

"Nice… catch," Emery gritted through his teeth.

Hermione glared at Harry and Ron as they continued to play Wizard's Chess. She'd rushed in and told them she needed to speak to them about something very important, but they'd yet to give her their full attention. It took a lot of effort to rein in her temper and keep herself from knocking the board over and yelling at the top of her lungs. Still, she took a deep breath and tried once again to get them to listen to her in a calm fashion.

"Harry, I really need to speak with you about that bit of research I did," Hermione tried as Ginny came over and took a seat beside her on the large, overstuffed couch.

With a frustrated groan, Harry finally looked up. "What is it, Hermione?" He asked not even bothering to hide his annoyance.

"It's about Emery Graves," She started.

"Oh!" Ginny exclaimed. "Are you talking about what happened in Hagrid's class this afternoon?" The redheaded girl asked anxiously. "I can't believe he's a parselmouth, can you? Everyone's been talking about it like mad! It's why I came back here, too!"

Although she'd normally be annoyed with the younger girl, she couldn't help but be grateful for the outburst as both boys immediately stopped what they were doing. Ron looked horrified and Harry was livid as he got up from his chair and plopped down on the couch, forcing his way between her and Ginny. "He's a what? How? What happened?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, Harry!" She looked around and quickly threw out a charm to keep anyone from hearing what she, Ron, Ginny, or Harry were talking about. "I just wanted you guys to see this," she pulled out a photo of Emery that was dated a little over a year ago.

In the photograph, Emery was amongst a small class of advanced potions students. There were only seven teens in the photo and Emery appeared to be the youngest, and at this point of his life, not yet the tallest. A black snake was draped over his left shoulder and a white snake was over the right. All the students were wearing short sleeved shirts and shorts, except Emery. Emery wore long pants and long sleeves, his right hand firmly gripping his left forearm.

"What's the big deal?" Ron asked.

"His arm, look at his left arm," Hermione insisted.

"Where'd you get this?" Ginny asked.

"I've a pen-pal that happened to attend a contest in America last year."

"Krum," Ron rolled his eyes, but Harry didn't laugh or join in.

The Boy-Who-Lived glared hatefully down at Emery. "Any other photos like this one?"

"No," Hermione shook her head. "But I know what I've seen. He's always making sure his left sleeve is covering his arm, like he's afraid of someone seeing what's on his skin." She took a deep breath and looked to the other girl in their group. "Tell them, Ginny."

As soon as Ginny finished the tale she'd gotten directly from Luna about Care For Magical Creatures, Harry was so red, Hermione was worried he was going to have a stroke. After hearing it a second time, Hermione was more certain than ever that her theory about Emery being a spy was true.

"Okay, but what could this mean?" Ron asked, looking stressed and even skeptical. "I mean, what are we saying here? He's a parselmouth so he must be a Death Eater? I mean, come on, Harry's one and we don't think he's a Death Eater spy."

"That's different!" Harry shouted and Ginny nodded.

"I think," Hermione stated carefully, suddenly questioning herself. If Ron doubted it, could her deduction be wrong? "I think I'm right. He's either a Death Eater outright, or he's the son of one."

"Not just any Death Eater," Harry shook his head. "But the son of Voldemort himself!"

"Okay, now really, that's too far!" Ginny denied. "I know what you're thinking Harry, but I saw him as a teen, too and yeah they have some similarities, but not enough to say that!"

"Yeah, I mean, sure the bloke's a bit of a prat, but to say he's his son?" Ron frowned.

"Guys, think about it!" Harry argued, his eyes alight with passion and fury. "He's arrogant, he's far more powerful than he should be at his age, he knows things he shouldn't, and he doesn't seem to have any real friends! He feels like he's obsessed with the dark arts and he has absolutely no fear of Malfoy, Snape or the other children of known Death Eaters. It's like he knows they can't harm him!" Harry hypothesized, before his green eyes widened. "How could we have been so stupid? They all heard him speak Parseltongue and except for me, only Salazar Slytherin's descendants can speak it!"

"That's a myth, mate," Ron sighed and ran his hands through his bright red-orange hair. "There's plenty of other lines that can speak snake language, they just all hide it because of reactions like yours."

"I don't know, Harry, this seems like a bit of a stretch," Ginny agreed with her brother. "I won't deny there is a sort of darkness around him, but to be honest, we don't know what kind of life he had. Maybe he has a nasty scar? Maybe he's been abused? Besides, he really sounded sincere about the houses."

"Of course, he would sound sincere, Ginny! Don't you see what he's doing?" Harry demanded as he got up from the couch and began to pace. "He's trying to make Slytherin out to be good guys instead of the evil bastards we know they are! Hermione's right! He's a spy and who better than Voldemort's own to send in?"

"Why not just use Malfoy, mate?" Ron asked, still looking unconvinced. "Normally, I am all for hating Slytherin and thinking the worst of them, but Emery hasn't been cruel or mean to a single student. He doesn't act superior to the muggle-born or non-humans. He doesn't act like hardly any of the Slytherins in our school. Not to mention, he's not even from here."

Hermione frowned when her best friend glared impatiently at Ron. She hadn't wanted them jumping to conclusions. They needed to be logical and they needed to talk it out, but Harry was running with her theory and had turned it into something else entirely.

"Why is this so hard for you to see? It's all an act!" Harry shouted. "An act to make us think he's something he isn't. He never talks about his family, he mysteriously shows up during our sixth year from America. Besides, in what universe would Snape ever allow a student to talk to him like Emery did last week?"

She watched the Weasley siblings exchange worried glances but ultimately, they remained silent. She wanted to say something to help figure it all out, but it was obvious that her initial concern had agitated Harry more than expected. She agreed with several of Harry's points and no matter what the siblings said, the parselmouth thing was a big deal. But she also understood what Ron and Ginny were saying.

Emery wasn't mean spirited in the slightest and to think he came from such a horrid, dark creature was going a bit further than she would have suspected. A spy yes, a Death Eater possibly, but the son of the Dark Lord?

Maybe, just maybe, Harry needed this to be true. Maybe allowing him to think the worst of a new student would help him feel like they were back on track toward stopping Lord Voldemort for good. Maybe Harry needed to focus on something outside of Sirius Black's untimely demise, to feel like he had a plan to get his Godfather justice?

"Harry, we have to be sure," Hermione stated, catching all three of their attention. "I mean, I agree that it's a possibility, no matter how slight. I still think he's either a Death Eater spy or the son of one, but until we know for certain, we can't make any accusations."

"So how do we figure it out?" Ron frowned as he crossed his arms, still sounding like he didn't agree with either of them.

"Well, I know his debate team hasn't filled up yet; I could ask to join his team?" She suggested.

Harry beamed from ear to ear. "Great idea, Hermione! We'll spy on the spy!"

Thanks to all of you giving this version of the story a chance. It really means a lot. I hope you'll read and enjoy. This story is also being posted under the same name on Archive Of Our Own.