Funestus

Funestus

A/N. I have a brave stab at talking Latin in this chapter and I don't think it went too well. Oh, and no offence to any one called Tayah, one of my bezzie mates is called Tayah!!!!!:}

Chapter Three:

She was very quiet for the next four days and, although Harry hadn't known her for long, he could tell this was very unlike her. Not that he could blame her. Harry had sent letters to Ron and Hermione telling them, although they probably already knew and the owls would cross in mid-air.

It was an hour before they were due back at Hogwarts and Harry was, once again, forcefully reminded of The Burrow. Sirius managed to get in everyone's way and spent most of the morning annoying Lupin, who was in a bad temper and kept reminding everybody that they were leaving in a minute, although in a minute never came.

'Harry what are you doing?' said Jenny, walking up to him, 'We're going to go without you if you don't hurry up!'

Harry was sitting in Lupin's smallish garden, talking to a grass snake. It had told him how it had been the sort of 'runt' of the litter and probably wouldn't survive the cold winter. Harry was planning the best way to smuggle it into Hogwarts.

Jenny sat down beside him on the stone step.

'You're talking to a snake' she said, looking at him as if he was barking mad, then realisation dawned on her face, 'Of course, you're a Parselmouth! What's it saying?'

'You know?' asked Harry, bemused.

'Oh sure and you know what? I think it's really cute.'

'You do?'

'Yeah but no one ever said I was normal, so what's it saying?'

So Harry told her and then went on to ask her how he could sneak it into Hogwarts.

'Just put it in your bag and hope!'

Harry was just about to say something to that when Lupin's voice came irritably from the house.

'Will you two hurry up? We're already late!'

'Harry gently put the grass snake into his pocket and told it, in Parseltongue to stay.

'Yess ssir,' it replied placidly.

Soon they had Portkeyed into Hogsmeade and Harry hadn't fallen over quite as badly as last time.

'Well done,' said Jenny sarcastically as she helped him up yet again, 'You don't look like a starfish this time!'

They met Ron and Hermione in the Entrance Hall, who were looking uncomfortable about talking to Jenny at first but soon they relaxed, as Harry had.

She hadn't spoken about her parents and was carrying on as though nothing had happened. Harry knew it wasn't that she didn't care, she had just buried the pain.

After the welcome back feast they went off to bed. Harry had told Ron and Hermione about the grass snake and now the four of them were trying to decide on a name for it. Harry had found out that it was actually a she and had made her understand that she had to keep out of sight.

'How about Slytherin?' suggested Ron.

'On your bike!' replied Harry

'Greeny?'

'No comment!'

'Hissy?'

'You lot are useless!'

'Tayah?'

'What kind of a name is that?'

'Scaly?'

'Slimy?'

'Furry?'

'Furry!,' exclaimed Harry.

'Just a suggestion,' said jenny grinning.

'Snake?'

'Slither?'

'How about Vipereus?' said Jenny suddenly at breakfast the next morning.

'What?'

'It means snaky in Latin.'

'You know Latin?'

'Ita vero, aliquantulum.'

'Oh stop it!'

'I said yes, a little.'

Seeing as no one could think of a better one, the name stuck.

Lessons were the same as always apart from the fact that Jenny didn't cause havoc but sat and worked, almost as committed as Hermione. Apart from this Jenny seemed to be behaving like normal but Harry could tell she was hiding her emotions well.

Professor McGonagall seemed deeply disturbed too. According to Jenny, McGonagall and her parents had been very good friends.

About a week since school started again, Harry awoke with a feeling of something hanging over him. Try as he might he could not get back to sleep. He began to wonder if it was a nightmare that had awoken him but, seeing as he couldn't remember it, he dismissed the idea. After about an hour of tossing and turning, he got up.

He crept out of his dormitory, down the stairs into the common room, where an unexpected sight met his eyes.

The common room was ablaze with colour and there was a table in the centre covered in powders, but it was the person standing next to the table, which made Harry gasp.

A/N. Dun dun dunnnnnnnn!!!!!! Who is the mysterious person, will anyone review (hint hint)…….we'll have to wait and see….!!!!!:}

Disclaimer: Forgot to do one on the last chapter but just read this one twice to make up for it; I only own Jenny and Vipereus.