Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. (short and sweet!)
Ankha lay back on her bed with a deep sigh. Three months detention with Snape, but that was nothing compared to what Ron was going to have for running off, though she didn't blame him. After some of the things Snape said, she would have run much sooner than that. But then again, he didn't understand what Snape said. But Harry did, that must mean he is parsletongue as well. Ankha still remembered what happened when people found out what she was. It happened just last year and was still very close in her mind. It was just after their Halloween ball...
Ankha walked from the dance as though she were floating on clouds. Joe Rickman had actually asked her to dance! Her friends followed close behind her, everyone of them laughing. She then realized she had been skipping. She stopped in her tracks, allowing her friends to slam into her. A few startled gasps ensued and she turned to say something to them when she noticed there was a snake right in front of her. Thinking nothing of it, she told the snake to get out of the castle. Looking up she noticed her friends, and a good deal of the student body who happened to be coming out of the dance at about the same time, staring at her in utter fright.
"What is it?" She asked approaching her friend, who backed away, avoiding her touch. "What did I do?"
"You...your a Parsletongue?" Ankha's brows furrowed, she could not think of what a Parsletongue was, she told them so.
"A Parsletongue is someone who can talk to snakes, and anyone who has that ability is said to be the desendant of...Salazar Slytherin." The last part was whispered. Ankha looked just as shocked as the others. She knew she was Parsletongue, but she didn't know it was such a bad trait. Soon a teacher came through and was able to get the crowd to disperse, and everyone left except Krissy, Ankha's best friend. She turned to Ankha.
"I don't know where you got that ability, but I am willing to believe you are not evil." Ankha smiled a grateful smile and turned to the teacher, who had a huge grin on his face. It was amazing, but he seemed to grin all the time, and it was her belief that he even grinned in his sleep.
"Ms. Valmoor, could I speak to you for a moment?" She followed him to his office, which wasn't that far away. While Krissy waited outside, Ankha sat down and, for the first time, saw Mr. Blake with a...well...almost a frown. He looked at her for a second, as though trying to decide what to say. "This...talent of yours, to put it bluntly, is comonly associated with evil; but not all those who have it are evil." He rubbed his forhead. "I should not have installed such a fear of Slytherin as I did, and it will only work to further their fears. The students are not going to take this news very well, as you could see." She nodded. "Just remember that I am here if you ever want to talk. And also, now is a time when you learn who your true friends are. When you find them, treasure them, true friends are hard to come by, and even harder to let go." He said the last part with a whisper, and that was the first time, to her recollection, he was serious.
"Thank you." She got up to leave, but thought about something. "Have you ever known anybody else that can speak..." He nodded.
"Do not worry, you are not alone. I have an old friend who has the same ability, and he found out about its origins much the same as you did. And he is far from being evil." He added, aswering her next question. "Some people just sort of end up with abilties like this, which is not very surprising considering it can lay dormant in some families for many generations." She thanked him again and left.
She sighed; no one would so much as sit next to her in class for months after that incident, no one but Krissy that is. She would have to write her and tell her about that duel. 'Too bad I wasn't able to get a picture' she thought faintly as she dug around for her schedule. Her next class, Care of Magical Creatures, wouldn't start for another thirty minutes, but she decided to head that way just to make sure she would make it in time, she had enough detention to last awhile.
When Ankha arrived at the hut where her class was taking place, she found no one there but the teacher. She walked up to him and introduced herself.
"Well, 'gid evenin' to ya, Ms. Valmoor. You kin call me Hagrid." He studied her for a second. "Ya know, you remind me of someone. Can't remeber who exaclty, but I think I might a' gone to school with one of your parents. What were their names?"
"My mom's name was Elena Valmoor." He looked quizically at her.
"Is that her maiden name?" Ankha sat for a moment in thought.
"I don't know." That had never accured to her. Hagrid looked confused for a second, and then looked to the ground with a slightly shocked look on his face, as though he just remembered something. He looked back up.
"I am sorry 'bout yer mum. I wouldn't of asked if I'd a' remembered."
"Thats all right. So, what are we doing today?" At this excitment swarmed into his eyes.
"Taday we will be learnin' about Clabberts."
"Aren't those the animals that have a large pustule in the middle of their forehead that flashes when they sense danger?" He smiled.
"You know yer stuff." About then the other students began to trickle out of the castle.
Night at Hogwarts was very peaceful. When it was really late, even Filch gave up wandering the halls for his nice, warm bed. The owls were out hunting, and Hagrid's creatures were sound asleep in their cages. In fact, the only movement in the castle came from the Astronomy tower. A girl sat there alone studying various objects she had laid out in front of her. There were small pictures, some jewlery, and other odd ornaments. Seperate lay a small wooden box, with "Leana" engraved across the front. The girl sat, studying the objects with interest. She was trying to figure out to whom the things belonged too, but the more she stared at the things, the more aggravated she became. What was more annoying was her mind. Her subconcious knew who the things belonged to, but it refused to tell her. She went through the things once again. The locket, with the pictures of (who she believed to be) Leana and someone that was special to her. Pictures, muggle pictures at that, of the two together, only the bigger one showed them separate. Jewlery, most of it real, that was decorated with snakes and flowers, an odd arrangement. Small momentos of places traveled, pennies, and even a button. Ankha shook her head, these things only left her with more questions than answers. Who's box was this, and why was it in her mother's vault? Where is that person now? Could this be someone who knew her mother, and if so, why did they leave their momento box in her vault? With a sigh, she gathered the things together and put them back in the box and headed to her room.
Ankha woke early the next morning. She was not anxious to get on with the day, not by far, for today was the first day of detention, but the potion would begin to take effect today...and the results proved to be rather...interesting. She found an inconspicuous corner in the common rooms (very close to an escape route) and sat to watch the show. She didn't have to wait long, a few moments later a large group of girls came charging into the common rooms, their skin green; not tinted green, or light green, but dark, forest green, as though they had just rolled around in paint. Most of the girls were screaming, some were crying, but all were noticably shocked. Next came the boys, and many of the crying girls ran to their boyfriends for comfort. They were all plotting ways to get back at the Gryffindors (who else would do something like this?), but failed to notice Ankha, hidden in the corner, trying to keep from laughing and failing miserably...at least most people didn't notice her. One girl, the last enter the common rooms, was unaffected by whatever turned the others' green, and was the only to noticed Ankha's clumsy escape through the portrait hole. She crept out of the door to see Ankha doubled over in laughter. After giving her a moment to catch her breath, the girl helped Ankha off the floor.
"I can probably guess who did that." She said, guesturing back towards the common rooms.
"I couldn't help myself, it was just too funny!" The girl smiled.
"It was quite a sight, good thing I got pictures. My name is Ashen by the way."
"I am Ankha. So tell me, why are you not green as well?"
"I am immune to every form of curse known to man," Ankha looked at her doubtfully, "and I don't usually eat at a table that was rubbed down with a potion in the middle of the night." Ankha laughed as she brushed off her robes.
"Yes, I should have figured someone would have heard the arguing. Well, it is almost time for Quidditch tryouts, I had better go."
"I am trying out as well, why don't I join you?"
"Ok, which position are you going for?" The girls made their way to the fields, leaving behind a common room filled with rather perturbed Slytherins.
A/N: Short, I know, but the next promises to be really interesting!