Chapter 18: Guests and Snakes

~*~
If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain.
If you're not into yoga, if you have half-a-brain.
If you like making love at midnight, in the dunes of the cape.
I'm the lady you've looked for, write to me, and escape."

~*~

 Harry sat in the downstairs sitting room with Brian and an anxious Lexie. After realizing that Lexie was Ginny's they had quickly asked the Karsen's permission to invite her to say. So in a few short minutes Harry's three friends would be arriving via the fireplace. The catch was that Ginny didn't know yet. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face. He felt that it was about time he did something for her. Harry looked at the clock on the wall counting down the seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2...

 A roar emitted from the fireplace as green flames appeared and Harry watched as Ron, then Hermione appeared. Finally Ginny stepped out and had immediately swept him into a hug. After Hermione let go that was. Harry was about to reintroduce Ginny to Lexie but found that he needn't. He watched in awe as the two girls flung themselves at each other. It seemed like things hadn't changed at all for them as they happily chattered. If you hadn't know then you'd have never have guessed that they'd been apart for years. Harry marveled yet again at female bonding. He helped his friends carry their trunks to the appropriate rooms. (The Karsens had agreed to take all four of them to King's Cross the next day.) Finally they headed upstairs to dinner where his friends were finally introduced to the rest of his foster family.

 It was partway through the meal that Harry began to hear the voices. The other occupants of the table kept looking at him strangely whenever he jerked his head to one side.

"What is it Harry?" asked Hermione. Then it occurred to him exactly what he was hearing. He concentrated and the voice began to get clearer. Finally he got up from the chair and walked towards the pantry.

"It's a snake," he said calmly to those who were inquiring. He chuckled to himself though when he began to make out exactly what the snake was saying, or rather what it was singing.

"If you like Pina Colodas and getting caught in the rain..."

 He pondered exactly how it had learned the words to the song as it couldn't understand English. He wasn't sure but the effect was still entertaining. Strangely, he noticed, Ginny was chuckling too and also looking in the direction of the cabinet.

"Hello?" he hissed at the small green snake.

"Ahh," said the snake who was decidedly feminine, "You are one of the family."

"Care to come out here?" he asked.

"Suree," replied the snake.

 He was slightly startled as it slithered up his arm to rest on his shoulders.

"What," he asked with a grin at all those who were looking at him strangely. And what was stranger was that they all went back to their meal, only asking the occasional question about his unique gift. Except for Ginny, who he noticed was remarkably pale. He made a note to himself to question her later.

 After the meal was over the teenagers all found themselves downstairs seated on the plump couches of the basement living room. Harry couldn't help but grin as he saw Hermione snuggled up against Ron on the loveseat with her head on his shoulder. It was definitely a relief from all the bickering. Now it seemed they only teased each other lightly. Harry plopped down in an armchair as it seemed that there was no room left on the larger couch either.  He was surprised when Brian made an excuse to switch places with him and he found himself seated on one side of Ginny where he was thanked repeatedly for reuniting her with her friend. Though when discussion of the snake at dinner arose she grew strangely silent again. He wondered once more what was bothering her but didn't wan to say anything in front of the rest of the group.

  Finally he asked Ron a question he'd been waiting to ask for awhile.  "Have there been any attacks lately? anything in the prophet?"

 Ron stayed silent before finally saying, "Well y'know the Daily Prophet isn't the best source of information and all. And.."

"Come on, Ron," said Harry. "Tell me what's going on."

 Hermione finally offered an explanation, "Well Harry we weren't, well we were told not to bother you with anything the prophet's been printing lately but.."

"Well?" exclaimed Harry.

"There haven't been many attacks lately," said Hermione, "and no casualties have been reported. Anything that does make it into the paper is covered by Fudge as fake death-eaters. And then there was also..."

"Also what?" asked Harry impatiently.

"Harry," said Hermione. "You're not going to like this but somehow information about the trial leaked out."

"You can't be serious?" said Harry, "How would they find out?"

"Well," said Ron, "We've gone over all the possibilities and we think Fudge might have given them the story, y'know for keeping quiet about some of the attacks."

 Harry brought his head down into his hands. "Is there any way I can not go back to Hogwarts?"
 "It'll be okay Harry," said Hermione.

"You don't understand," he said, "It's going to be like every other time something like this has happened, where they find out something about me. They were all happy to believe I was evil remember? Now it'll be worse because they won't be looking at me and thinking I'm evil. They'll pity me instead which is going to be even worse."

"It's okay Harry," said Ginny, "You can still count on us to be normal."

Ron snorted, "Or at least as normal as Ginny ever is."

"Ron!" she exclaimed while throwing a cushion at him.

"It's the truth," he grinned, tossing it back.

 When the sibling pillow fight had come to an end everyone began to drift off to their respective beds or cots. Harry found it impossible to cast a silencing charm with Ron around and had to settle for hoping he didn't dream, or at least that he could keep quiet. Unfortunately he knew he was likely to have his hopes shot down.

~*~

 "That's strange," said Brian to Ron while looking at Harry's sleeping form.

"What's strange?" said Ron curiously.

"He didn't bother casting a silencing charm tonight," said Brian, "I'm pretty sure that's the first time."

"That bloody git!" Ron exclaimed angrily, "We've told him off for it often enough before. I thought he was getting better about it?"


 "What do you mean?" asked Brian.

"Did he even bother to tell you that he has nightmares?"

"No," said Brian, "But why silencing charms?"

"When you've seen some of the stuff he's seen you're nightmares are bound to be a bit noisy."

"Well don't wake him up now," said Brian. "He usually doesn't fall asleep so easily. You might as well wait 'til morning to tell him off."

 They all lost hope for a sound night's sleep when Harry's cries awoke them. Ron was immediately at his bedside, trying to shake him awake as he clawed at the sheets. Brian looked around helplessly until he was finally given something to do.

"Go get Ginny."