Chapter 12
Broomsticks and Rows
I hate my Potions Professor. He kept picking on me during my first lesson and every time I answered correctly, that only seemed to make him angry! He didn't even award me any points but gave everyone else in Slytherin points! It's not fair. I hope that his attitude improves, but until then I hate him. In the words of Sirius, screw you Snape!
Though I have to admit I don't know what that means, but it sounds angry because Sirius always says that whenever he's angry at something. I really hope he doesn't read this.
Classes continued, and Harry found that Snape did not change his opinion about him. It was insufferable for the young boy; however, he saw something on the notice board that made him grin. Flying lessons would start on Tuesday.
"Flying! That's brilliant!" Draco cheered, looking at Harry, "We'll show everyone how good we are! Especially Weasley." Ever since their first meeting, Draco and Ron Weasley were seemingly at each other's throats for some reason. Harry almost did not care, it distracted him from the whispers and stares that the other Slytherins would give him. They still did not receive any word from their parents or Remus and Sirius about Harry's Parseltongue, however, Harry felt comfortable with the snake language and decided that he might as well live with it.
Tuesday morning arrived with two letters, one from Harry's parents and the other from Remus and Sirius. "Hopefully, they have answers," Draco said, Harry nodded. He picked up his parents' letter and opened it, seeing his father's neat handwriting.
Harry,
First I have to say that your mother and I are both absolutely shocked that you are able to talk to snakes. This is something that neither of us even thought possible if even thought about it at all. You must first understand how special, and potentially dangerous, this is. Parseltongue is Slytherin's gift. Only those who are direct descendants from Salazar Slytherin can speak to snakes. Most specifically, the last known Parselmouth was the Dark Lord himself.
At first, this can be worrying, obviously, as he made me do terrible things under the Imperius Curse, a Dark Spell that took over my mind and body. However, we should not focus on him or his connection to your special Language. This is fate, Harry. Fate! Proof that you have always been destined to be who you are, a proud Malfoy, and a prouder member of Slytherin. Own this gift. Use it. And continue making us proud.
From,
Your Father.
Harry did not feel any better after reading the letter, he let it drop to the table and immediately opened Sirius' letter as Draco took their father's. Sirius's letter was longer and seemed immediately much more heartwarming as Harry read it.
Harry!
Give this letter to your brother afterward, will you? Remus and I wrote a message to him. Unless you're reading this right now Draco, in which case please stop reading your brother's mail and flip this around.
Anyway, Harry, and hopefully only Harry (unless you allow Draco to read this, I don't know how brothers work nowadays), Remus, and I hope you're feeling okay. We were both really surprised at your letter about that snake, Sophia, and your Parseltongue ability. Firstly, good for you for helping that snake. How dim must that boy be to not see the difference between male and female? I'm gay and I can spot the difference immediately without even— the rest of the sentence was scribbled out and Harry couldn't help but laugh. The handwriting changed as Harry assumed that Remus took over.
Sorry, Harry, my husband lost control of himself. Do not worry, he is on the bed sulking. As we were saying, it is very interesting to hear that you can talk to snakes. As you may know by now, no doubt drilled into your head by Lucius, the ability to speak Parseltongue is mainly a Slytherin thing. Slytherin as in Slytherin the family, not the House. We both have been looking through your family history and we simply cannot explain. As far as we know, the Potters are only somewhat related to Slytherin, just as they are somewhat related to the Gryffindor family. Funny enough, I was able to trace the Slytherin bloodline directly down to a family called Gaunt who died out in the 40s. It does not matter in any sense, however, I just felt like sharing this fact (it took me so long to find this out that I might as well put this to use).
In the end, this is a rather hard mystery, isn't it? With why it is that you can speak to snakes. However, do not think that it is destiny or some ultimate symbol that you were always supposed to be in Slytherin. You're in Slytherin because you are sly, clever, cute, and know how to use everything you have to better yourself and your family. You are the most resourceful child I ever have known, Harry. Never forget that.
Being a Parselmouth does not define you, it is just another quality of this great and wonderful boy I know named Harry James Potter-Malfoy. People might judge you, no in fact I know they will, but I know that you are strong Harry. You are strong by yourself and even stronger with your brother and friends. Stick to them. Turn to them when things get too tough for you to handle. Do not be afraid to ask for help. And turn to us, Sirius, and I will always support you Harry, and you too Draco. I am absolutely certain that you are reading this, if not over Harry's shoulder than right after your brother. Look after him, will you? You're the big brother. Look out for Harry, and Harry look out for Draco.
Love,
Remus and his brooding husband, Sirius
Harry smiled and handed the letter to Draco as he looked at his friends. "I don't think we should worry about how I got my ability to speak to snakes," he said aloud. "It's a part of who I am, not the main focus, but just a part."
"Agreed," Theo nodded, looking at the others expectantly who nodded. Breakfast went on afterward as normal and before Harry knew it, the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years were walking out of the castle into the afternoon air after classes for the first flying lesson.
It was a clear breezy day and Harry was brimming with excitement and they made their way down a sloping lawn towards a flat area opposite the castle. The Slytherins arrived first, waiting by the twenty brooms that waited on the ground in neat lines. The Gryffindors arrived noisily and Harry could not help but roll his eyes as Draco glared at Ron Weasley. Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up!"
Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," Madam Hooch said, and say 'UP!'"
"UP!" everyone shouted.
Harry and Draco's brooms jumped into their hands at once. They grinned as they were one of the few who did. Some have simply rolled over while Neville Longbottom, a scared-looking Gryffindor, hadn't moved at all.
Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end and walked up and down the rows to correct their grips. Harry laughed loudly as right after Madam Hooch complimented him on his grip, she told Draco that he's been doing it wrong for years.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hover for a moment then come straight back down immediately. On the whistle—three—two—"
But Neville, nervous and jumpy pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.
"Come back down, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle—higher and higher until he slipped, and Harry saw Neville's horror-stricken face for only a second before he fell.
A thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap. Madam Hooch was at his side immediately. "Broken wrist," she muttered. "Come on boy, up you go you'll be alright." She got Neville to his feet and turned to the rest of the class. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! If I see any of you even holding a broom, you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can even say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."
Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, bobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
Draco looked around and smirked when he found something out of the grass. It was a glass ball with white smoke in it. "Look at this, maybe if Longbottom held onto this he would remember to not let go." Some of the Slytherins laughed while Harry frowned. He smacked his brother's shoulder as Ron Weasley stepped towards them.
"Give that back Malfoy!" he demanded.
Draco hummed thoughtfully, "No, I don't think I will Weasley," he said. He threw it into the air and caught it, smirking at Ron. "What are you going to do?"
"I'll grab it from you if I have to! That's not yours, you slime breath!"
"Slime breath?" Draco laughed, "Is that seriously the best you got Weasley?"
"At least I'm doing more than just saying your last name, snake-tongue!" Ron fumed.
Draco blinked for a second, "You got the wrong Malfoy, it's Harry who can talk to snakes, not me," he said.
"Draco," Harry groaned but immediately he felt the eyes fall from them to him. He stepped back closer to Blaise who placed a hand on his shoulder.
Ron's face turned red, "That's because your family did some sneaky slimy Slytherin thing to Harry! You probably like locked him a room with snakes who made him learn!"
Draco laughed and smirked at Ron, "Really? Locking my brother in a room with snakes? Come now Weasley, do you really think I'm that cruel?"
"Yes," Ron said.
Draco sighed and turned to Harry, "Harry have I ever locked—"
"I'm not getting into this Draco, just give him the darn thing back," Harry said, giving him an angry look. Any fight in Draco left and he sighed, silently tossing the object in the air and Ron catching it clumsily. Draco scoffed and returned to Harry, who just gave him a hard look. Draco tried to grin, but Harry just shook his head and turned to Ron, who was smirking at the two of them. "Ron Weasley," he sighed, "Why do you and Draco just have to fight all the time?"
"I did nothing wrong! He got his slimy—"
Harry stared at Ron, raising an eyebrow. He looked in that moment of a pure innocence who channeled all of his annoyance in a single eyebrow raise. Ron's words died down and Harry kept staring until he saw the redhead's cheeks starting to go crimson. "My brother is my brother and sometimes he can be a git," Harry said, "but Ron Weasley, there's something I want you to know. I am who I am, and there's nothing slimy or weird going on. I'm in Slytherin, so what? I'm with my brother and my friends. There's no weird plan or whatever going on to turn me slimy or evil, okay?" Harry slowly stepped forward to Ron, his anger quickly being replaced by an innocent cuteness that only caused Ron to blush deeper. "So, can you please just drop this whole thing? For me?"
Ron nodded immediately, his voice squeaking as he tried to talk. "Y-Yeah." Harry smiled and quickly bounced up. "Thank you, Ron! I knew you could be understanding," he said. "However… he glanced around and leaned towards Ron's ear whispering so that only Ron could hear him, "if I hear that you and Draco are being mean to each other again, I'll have to punish you both."
Ron made a scared yelp and Harry smiled at that. He backed away and looked purely innocent, "But we don't need to worry about that, do we?" he smiled. Ron shook his head and Harry gave him one last smile before returning to his friends. He barely glanced at Draco as he returned to Blaise's side, who once again placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Did you just make Weasley fall in love with you, husband?" Blaise joked.
"What? No!" Harry said, scrunching his nose up at the thought of love. "I just told him what Draco already knows."
"Which is?"
"I'm not afraid to punish him," Harry smiled, and this caused Blaise to laugh.
A few moments later, Madam Hooch arrived, and no mention of the confrontation ever left anyone's lips for the remainder of the lesson nor for the rest of the week. Whenever Ron or Draco saw each other for the remainder of the week, they always flicked their eyes towards Harry, sometimes the boy catching it while other times he was oblivious. Then they would just stare at each other for a moment before moving on, a strange tension forming between them that paled in comparison to whatever punishment the young Harry Malfoy could think up.
The weekend came with sunshine and Harry woke up happy because he was not swamped with homework like he was the previous weekend. He rolled off his bed and grinned to himself as he went to his trunk to figure out which robes he was going to wear. As his mother said, it was the weekend, and he did not have to wear the school uniform during them. He could go right off the bat and wear pink, however, Harry found that he wasn't really in a very pink mood, it was still one of his favorite colors, but his eyes constantly went to a periwinkle robe that he owned. But also there was a nice deep blue, or maybe green to show Slytherin pride? Harry groaned at his indecision.
"You know you're going to have to take more clothes out if you want to hide in there."
Harry only glanced back to see a sleepy Blaise staring at him from his bed. "I'm not trying to hide," He scoffed, "I'm trying to figure out what I want to wear. It's the weekend and I don't need to wear the school's uniform on weekends if I do not want to." He picked up both the green and periwinkle robes and stood in front of Blaise, "Which one?" he asked.
"Uhm…"
"Blaise help me! I don't want to ask Draco he'll just pick the darkest color!" Harry pouted. His best friend chuckled and grinned at Harry's pout.
"You have to stop doing that, you know I can't resist," he argued.
"That is why I do it," Harry said. "Now choose."
"That one," Blaise said, pointing to the periwinkle robes. Harry grinned and thanked Blaise as he placed them on the bed before folding his green robes away. With the robes chosen, it was much easier for Harry to pick out the rest of his outfit to match or go along with the color. When he had his clothing situation figured out, he went to the bathroom to get ready then returned to get dress.
He finished just as Draco was getting up. His older brother just stared at Harry for a moment, blinking his eyes before shrugging. "I don't feel like wearing pink today," Harry said.
"Alright, well me neither," Draco yawned. "wait in the common room, I'll be down in a bit."
Harry nodded and went to the common room. A few older years were already awake and loitering about. Harry just smiled at them cheerfully as he went to a chair to wait in. He has gotten a few curious glances and some snickers but ultimately, they left him alone. Draco and Blaise came down at the same time and Harry jumped up to join them.
Harry's heart sank as they entered the Great Hall, he stuck out like a sore thumb with his robes, looking like a periwinkle straw in a sea of black. He shifted uncomfortably and frowned, looking down at his robes. "Harry? What's the matter?" Daphne asked.
Harry looked up to her and said, "I'm the only one wearing different robes," he said.
Daphne looked around and made a noise, "Oh," she said.
Harry frowned and looked down at his robes, "I should go change," he said.
"No!" Both Draco and Blaise said. "You are not going to change," Draco said.
Harry flinched and looked at both boys, "But I'm different! No one else is out of their school robes!"
"I mean there are others who are out of uniform," Theo said, looking around. "But they're wearing their school robes over it."
Harry made a sad noise and sighed. "I guess," he said. "But it still feels weird."
"Well you look beautiful Harry," Blaise said. "And if you go change, it'll feel weird. I like seeing you in all your fabulous colors."
Harry felt his cheeks go red as he smiled at Blaise. "Thank you," he said.
Blaise grinned and his eyebrows raised as he got an idea, "How about you and I spend the day together?" he asked.
"Yeah, that'll be fun," Harry smiled.
"Excellent!" Blaise grinned. "You don't mind I steal your brother from you, right Draco?"
The blonde shrugged, "I mean if you make him cry I'll have to hex you," he said.
"As if you know how!" Blaise said, "but hey it'll just be me and Harry, no crazy things going on."
Draco just gave another shrug and waved it away. Harry and Blaise left together after breakfast, Blaise bringing Harry outside to enjoy the September fall air. "It's been a long time since it's just the two of us, eh Harry?" Blaise grinned.
"Yeah, "Harry nodded. "We were ten right? Draco was sick and I went over to your place to hang out."
"Uh-huh," Blaise grinned. He slung a friendly arm over Harry's shoulder as they walked through the courtyard towards the grounds. "But now I have you all to myself again," Blaise said. "So, I've been meaning to ask: how is it like? Talking to snakes."
"It's weirdly natural?" Harry said, looking a little quizzical. "Like I didn't even realize I'm talking a different language! Like I told you all, I thought that Sophia and that other snake were two snakes who could speak English."
"Weird, but cool," Blaise said. "So, what else did that snake say? Sophia right?"
"Yeah and uhh nothing much, she just complained that her owner kept calling her a boy and that nobody could understand her," Harry said.
"Oh?" Blaise said. "Huh."
Harry nodded. "I like her," he said. "She seems really nice, and a bit funny."
"That's good," Blaise nodded. "She has good taste, you know."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well, she must have enjoyed talking with you since she got you to fix her owner," Blaise said.
"Yeah," Harry smiled. They were by the end of the courtyard when they stopped for a second. Harry stretched and looked around for a place to wander around with his friend. They were about to step out the courtyard when an older voice yelled out, "Hey! Malfoy!" They turned to see a few older years. They were smirking and sniggering as one of them said, "Nice robes! You trying to win poof of the year?"
"It's very queer of you, you look fabulous, darlin'!" the other said in a very exaggerated lisp. They laughed and walked away, but their laughter still remained in Harry. He could feel any and all confidence in him shatter. He held tightly to his robes and stood in place and started to shiver with tears.
"Harry…"
"I hate this!" Harry yelled and he ran away, tearing off his robes. He threw his robes to the floor and started crying aloud. He didn't care or notice where he was running towards. He just wanted to get away. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought. I shouldn't have ever brought my robes! I'm so stupid!
Harry ran across the field. He could hear Blaise, far away, yelling out for him but he didn't care. He didn't want anyone to be around his stupidity. He ran further and further away from the castle and towards the forbidden woods, not caring about any looks or yells. All he needed was to get away from his stupidity.
He reached the forest edge and tripped, screaming as he fell and rolled over, dirtying his clothes, and having his glasses fly off his face. "Ow," he sniffled, laying where he stopped for a long moment. He just laid there, not moving, and cried.
He felt a hand on his shoulder after some time and sniffled. "No," he whined.
"Harry." It was Blaise.
"No, I'm stupid, don't look at me," Harry said. He felt something over him, and he looked over his shoulder to see that it was his robes.
"Don't listen to them," Blaise said. "Come on, you're stronger than this Harry. You look great in your colorful robes and you know we all love seeing you in them."
"But—but," Harry sniffled.
Blaise shook his head and said, "Come on Malfoy, sit up! You're really going to ruin everything because of stupid teenagers?"
Harry frowned and sat up. "No," he said softly. "But I don't want to stick out."
"You're not sticking out, you're being beautiful!" Blaise said. "Remember? My mother says that boys can be very beautiful!"
"I do," Harry sniffled. He wiped his face and frowned. He held onto his robes and looked at Blaise, "I'm sorry," he said.
"Don't be," Blaise smiled. "Come on, just put on your pretty robes Harry." Harry nodded and stood up, putting his robes back on. Blaise quickly hugged him and held him as tightly as he could. "Feel better!" the taller Slytherin commanded.
Harry smiled and nodded. "Come on, let's go actually have fun," he grinned but they barely took a step when they both stopped once more at the sound of hissing. They turned and Harry smiled as he saw the familiar slithering form of Sophia come towards them.
"Oh, it's the smart one," she said. "Hello, are you here to mate too?"
"Mate?" Harry asked.
"Yes, there was a strong male in the forest," the snake said. "Speaking to two smart humans is fine at times, however, it is always nice to be with another actual snake."
Harry gasped at that and looked wildly at Sophia. "Two!?" he said in English. "Blaise, did you hear that?"
"No, what did she say?" Blaise asked.
"She said two smart humans!" Harry said. He turned to her and asked excitedly, "Do you mean you found another human who can talk with you?" he concentrated and found that he could almost hear the change, his voice hissing instead of speaking.
Sophia nodded and looked at Harry for a moment. "Yes, though I never saw a man like him before. He was drinking unicorn blood, very bad to do that I heard. My male friend told me what happens when you do, it is not pretty. Not that he was ever pretty," she chuckled grimly. "You should see him; he has two faces: one looking rather dead and the other terrified. It's the dead one that can speak to me, the other face was just making these amusing terrifying noises," she laughed.
"A man with two faces?" Harry asked. He felt something heavy inside him, a scared feeling that caused his scar to prickle. He frowned deeply and knelt down, so he was closer to the snake. "Who is he? Do you know?" he asked.
"Can't say I do," Sophia said, "But he was rather mean. Did not even ask me for my name, just demanded question after question of things I don't know about. I'd watch out for him if I were you, boy." Harry swallowed heavily and looked at Blaise. Sophia just slithered away, and Harry hugged Blaise.
"Harry? What's the matter?" Blaise asked.
"There's another person here who can speak to snakes," Harry whispered. "A man with two faces. He drinks unicorn blood and Sophia is afraid of him."
Blaise immediately hugged Harry back. "What do you want to do?" he asked.
Harry gave a small whine and looked at the forest. "I want to get away from the forest," he said. Blaise nodded. He barely let go of Harry, keeping an arm around him, and they quickly ran towards the Black Lake where, sitting by the shore, both were able to calm down and relax, the thoughts of the two-faced man on the edge of their minds, but Harry pushed them back. He didn't want to think about that. He wanted to think about Hogwarts, about being with Blaise, and wearing his favorite robes. He sighed and looked over at Blaise who offered a grin. The two-faced man was pushed over the edge of his mind, and Harry smiled back, letting out a long, relaxed sigh.
A/N: A man with two faces? That can't be good!