*****
Disclaimer – (insert standard Gusha-doesn't-own-it here.)
A/N - Oh, by the way, everything is all sadilou's fault. We saw her do it, and we have documented evidence. Blame her, not us. Hehehehehehehh
Sadilou: Did not! Did not! She started it! And besides…the evidence was all doctored…hehehehe
*hides scalpel behind her back*
The snake suddenly has a name, Zinnia. Don't ask why. She just does. Live with it.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I love you all.
*****
After the first time Zinnia chose to come with him to dinner, Harry always asked her if she wanted to accompany him when he left his room.
Some days she came. If she had just eaten, she was more likely to stay upstairs and sleep.
At first, she stayed in her box most of the time. It had rather good stabilization charms on it, so that Zinnia did not feel the disconcerting motion of walking about.
Soon, she became curious about the wider world and began to crawl around, up Harry's arms and often came to rest around his neck.
Zinnia was still a very small snake, despite having shed her skin more than once. She was also shy, and hid in Harry's robes more often than not.
Harry convinced Hermione to help him bespell pockets in all his clothing with stabilizing charms and rigidity charms to make nests where Zinnia could rest whenever she wanted to. Hermione loved the chance to do a bit of extra studying.
Then they also set up communication spells. The idea was inspired by one of Dudley's favorite television shows, a spy program. The spell allowed Zinnia to communicate directly to the earpiece of Harry's glasses from her box in his room.
Harry could hiss back under most conditions without anyone even noticing. After all, who would notice you speaking in Parsletongue if there was no snake around for you to be speaking to?
Zinnia, sensing that he was still upset by his conversation with Severus, had accompanied him to dinner.
"Scared?" Zinnia hissed. "I scared?" She lifted her head against his cheek.
"Scared of what?" Harry asked her.
She hissed incoherently and tasted the air. "No, not. Just too many scent/feelings."
Harry stroked her soothingly and she relaxed, making a hiss that translated almost like purring.
Harry watched the school pile into the Great Hall for dinner from a place at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione took seats on either side of him.
"Harry?" Zinnia asked, suddenly tensing again.
"Shh, what is it?"
"Why Shaking Boy fall?" She slithered quickly down his arm and nudged his hand.
Harry turned his hand over and she coiled herself into his palm.
Had Neville fallen? Harry looked around. Neville wasn't even in the Hall.
"Up." Zinnia commanded.
Harry lifted her up and she looked at him, tasting his emotions.
"Confused?" She asked. "No. Shaking Boy not hurt. Good. Like Shaking Boy." Zinnia retreated into a pocket in Harry's sleeve.
When the food appeared on the table, a slip of parchment appeared beneath Harry's fork. He unfolded it cautiously.
Harry,
Meet me on top of the Astronomy Tower at 5 AM. Bring your broom.
This note serves as permission for you to be out of bounds, so bring it with you.
Severus
Harry looked up at the man that he was slowly coming to acknowledge as his father. Severus was watching him.
Harry grinned and nodded. Then his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Harry plucked at his own robes and raised his brows.
Severus was wearing gray! Dark gray, sure, but it wasn't black.
One side of the man's mouth twitched upwards and he nodded. He raised his glass in Harry's direction, and then he turned to speak with Professor Vector.
Harry grinned. The tension that he hadn't even known he had dissipated. Maybe Severus wasn't as unreasonable as he had seemed.
Harry filled his plate enthusiastically and turned to Hermione, mouth full.
"So, are you and Ron dating yet?" He asked
Ron, on his other side, gave an outraged cry and batted Harry over the head with his napkin.
"Chew with your mouth shut and mind your own business, Harry." She said, pulling a book from her pocket.
"Hey, none of that." Harry said, reaching for the book. "No reading at table. It's rude."
"Oh, you're one to talk." Hermione scowled, but put the book back away.
"What? I never read at table." Harry grinned at her.
"You're terribly chipper all of a sudden." Ron said scowling. "Did Zinnia tell a joke?
"If you want, I can switch places with one of you so you can…" Harry said.
"Shut up, Harry." Hermione interrupted.
"Well, you know…" Harry continued blithely.
"Hermione." Ron interrupted, "Mighty fine weather wouldn't you say?"
Harry laughed and looked up at the ceiling of the Great Hall. It looked like they might be in for a heavy thunder storm the way that the clouds were rolling in.
"Absolutely stunning." Hermione agreed. "Please pass the asparagus."
"So, are you looking forward to going to Hogsmead this weekend?" Harry handed her the platter, still grinning.
"I need to visit the apothecary." Ron said. "I've run out of some things already."
"I read in the Daily Prophet that Watkin's Traveling Bookshop will be in town." Hermione said. "I have wanted to visit them. They have hundreds of books from all over the world. Some of them are really rare."
They all looked around as the doors to the Great Hall opened and Neville came in, not quite running.
Goyle, at the end of the Slytherin table, stuck out his foot and tripped him. Neville cried out and pitched forward on the floor. He rolled and was on his feet again before anyone could say anything.
"You did that deliberately." Neville said loudly.
"I did?" Goyle said, trying - and failing - to look innocent. He cracked his knuckles.
Neville scowled and strode over to the Gryffindor table. He sat down opposite to Harry and silently began filling the empty plate there.
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other and then back at Neville, who was still upset.
"Are you all right?" Harry asked.
"Never better." Neville said with what looked almost like a sneer. "Stupid Slytherins make me so mad."
"Yes." Ron said, not sure what to say.
"Peeves must be a Slytherin." Neville continued. "Blasted poltergeist drenched me with some nasty smelling goop just as I was coming to dinner."
MacGonagall tapped her glass with her fork and the Great Hall quieted. The Headmaster spoke from the head of the hall.
"Five points taken from Slytherin for Mr. Goyle's malice." Dumbledore said quietly. "Five points given to Gryffindor for Mr. Longbottom's self control. Please continue with your dinner."
The Gryffindors all grinned down the table at Neville. Dumbledore giving points at dinner was a rare occurrence in itself, but to take them as well was almost unheard of.
"Shaking Boy happy?" Zinnia asked from Harry's sleeve. She crawled out and onto the table.
"Yes, I think he is." Harry replied.
"Up to Shaking Boy." Zinnia hissed.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked her as she lifted herself onto his hand again.
"Up." She said.
"Um, Neville?" Harry said uncertainly.
"Yeah, Harry?" Neville asked.
"I think Zinnia wants to talk to you. Do you mind?" Harry held up the tiny snake in his hand.
"I guess not." Neville peered Zinnia. "You will have to translate, I suppose."
Harry half stood and reached across to hold Zinnia over Neville's plate. "Like this?" He asked her.
"To." She demanded. "Hold."
"Um, do you want to hold her?" Harry asked.
"I guess." Neville looked a bit surprised, but he put his hand next to Harry's.
Zinnia crawled onto his hand, and Harry sat back down.
"What does she want?" Neville asked, reaching up to stroke her head.
"I don't know." Harry admitted. "She does what she wants to. She likes you. She is usually really shy. She calls you Shaking Boy."
Neville laughed. "Appropriate, probably."
"Double shaking." Zinnia said. "Tickles."
Harry hissed to Zinnia. "Neville likes your name for him." Then he said to Neville. "She says you are double shaking, and that it tickles."
"Shaking Boy happy?" Zinnia asked again.
"She wants to know if you are happy." Harry told Neville.
He grinned. "Yes. I am, despite all the Slytherins in the world."
"He is." Harry hissed.
"Good." Zinnia turned back to Harry. "Nap Pocket." She ordered.
Harry reached over and let her climb back onto him. "Now she wants to take a nap." Harry said, carrying her to the pocket inside the front of his robes. She settled down quickly.
"Well, that was interesting." Neville said, turning back to his food. "I wish I could talk to Trevor."
*****
I think this has a slightly different tone to it than most of the story. Slapstick and comic relief.
I understand that you are supposed to wash your hands after handling a reptile, but hey, this is a magical world and fiction on top of that. :-P
Disclaimer – (insert standard Gusha-doesn't-own-it here.)
A/N - Oh, by the way, everything is all sadilou's fault. We saw her do it, and we have documented evidence. Blame her, not us. Hehehehehehehh
Sadilou: Did not! Did not! She started it! And besides…the evidence was all doctored…hehehehe
*hides scalpel behind her back*
The snake suddenly has a name, Zinnia. Don't ask why. She just does. Live with it.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I love you all.
*****
After the first time Zinnia chose to come with him to dinner, Harry always asked her if she wanted to accompany him when he left his room.
Some days she came. If she had just eaten, she was more likely to stay upstairs and sleep.
At first, she stayed in her box most of the time. It had rather good stabilization charms on it, so that Zinnia did not feel the disconcerting motion of walking about.
Soon, she became curious about the wider world and began to crawl around, up Harry's arms and often came to rest around his neck.
Zinnia was still a very small snake, despite having shed her skin more than once. She was also shy, and hid in Harry's robes more often than not.
Harry convinced Hermione to help him bespell pockets in all his clothing with stabilizing charms and rigidity charms to make nests where Zinnia could rest whenever she wanted to. Hermione loved the chance to do a bit of extra studying.
Then they also set up communication spells. The idea was inspired by one of Dudley's favorite television shows, a spy program. The spell allowed Zinnia to communicate directly to the earpiece of Harry's glasses from her box in his room.
Harry could hiss back under most conditions without anyone even noticing. After all, who would notice you speaking in Parsletongue if there was no snake around for you to be speaking to?
Zinnia, sensing that he was still upset by his conversation with Severus, had accompanied him to dinner.
"Scared?" Zinnia hissed. "I scared?" She lifted her head against his cheek.
"Scared of what?" Harry asked her.
She hissed incoherently and tasted the air. "No, not. Just too many scent/feelings."
Harry stroked her soothingly and she relaxed, making a hiss that translated almost like purring.
Harry watched the school pile into the Great Hall for dinner from a place at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione took seats on either side of him.
"Harry?" Zinnia asked, suddenly tensing again.
"Shh, what is it?"
"Why Shaking Boy fall?" She slithered quickly down his arm and nudged his hand.
Harry turned his hand over and she coiled herself into his palm.
Had Neville fallen? Harry looked around. Neville wasn't even in the Hall.
"Up." Zinnia commanded.
Harry lifted her up and she looked at him, tasting his emotions.
"Confused?" She asked. "No. Shaking Boy not hurt. Good. Like Shaking Boy." Zinnia retreated into a pocket in Harry's sleeve.
When the food appeared on the table, a slip of parchment appeared beneath Harry's fork. He unfolded it cautiously.
Harry,
Meet me on top of the Astronomy Tower at 5 AM. Bring your broom.
This note serves as permission for you to be out of bounds, so bring it with you.
Severus
Harry looked up at the man that he was slowly coming to acknowledge as his father. Severus was watching him.
Harry grinned and nodded. Then his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Harry plucked at his own robes and raised his brows.
Severus was wearing gray! Dark gray, sure, but it wasn't black.
One side of the man's mouth twitched upwards and he nodded. He raised his glass in Harry's direction, and then he turned to speak with Professor Vector.
Harry grinned. The tension that he hadn't even known he had dissipated. Maybe Severus wasn't as unreasonable as he had seemed.
Harry filled his plate enthusiastically and turned to Hermione, mouth full.
"So, are you and Ron dating yet?" He asked
Ron, on his other side, gave an outraged cry and batted Harry over the head with his napkin.
"Chew with your mouth shut and mind your own business, Harry." She said, pulling a book from her pocket.
"Hey, none of that." Harry said, reaching for the book. "No reading at table. It's rude."
"Oh, you're one to talk." Hermione scowled, but put the book back away.
"What? I never read at table." Harry grinned at her.
"You're terribly chipper all of a sudden." Ron said scowling. "Did Zinnia tell a joke?
"If you want, I can switch places with one of you so you can…" Harry said.
"Shut up, Harry." Hermione interrupted.
"Well, you know…" Harry continued blithely.
"Hermione." Ron interrupted, "Mighty fine weather wouldn't you say?"
Harry laughed and looked up at the ceiling of the Great Hall. It looked like they might be in for a heavy thunder storm the way that the clouds were rolling in.
"Absolutely stunning." Hermione agreed. "Please pass the asparagus."
"So, are you looking forward to going to Hogsmead this weekend?" Harry handed her the platter, still grinning.
"I need to visit the apothecary." Ron said. "I've run out of some things already."
"I read in the Daily Prophet that Watkin's Traveling Bookshop will be in town." Hermione said. "I have wanted to visit them. They have hundreds of books from all over the world. Some of them are really rare."
They all looked around as the doors to the Great Hall opened and Neville came in, not quite running.
Goyle, at the end of the Slytherin table, stuck out his foot and tripped him. Neville cried out and pitched forward on the floor. He rolled and was on his feet again before anyone could say anything.
"You did that deliberately." Neville said loudly.
"I did?" Goyle said, trying - and failing - to look innocent. He cracked his knuckles.
Neville scowled and strode over to the Gryffindor table. He sat down opposite to Harry and silently began filling the empty plate there.
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other and then back at Neville, who was still upset.
"Are you all right?" Harry asked.
"Never better." Neville said with what looked almost like a sneer. "Stupid Slytherins make me so mad."
"Yes." Ron said, not sure what to say.
"Peeves must be a Slytherin." Neville continued. "Blasted poltergeist drenched me with some nasty smelling goop just as I was coming to dinner."
MacGonagall tapped her glass with her fork and the Great Hall quieted. The Headmaster spoke from the head of the hall.
"Five points taken from Slytherin for Mr. Goyle's malice." Dumbledore said quietly. "Five points given to Gryffindor for Mr. Longbottom's self control. Please continue with your dinner."
The Gryffindors all grinned down the table at Neville. Dumbledore giving points at dinner was a rare occurrence in itself, but to take them as well was almost unheard of.
"Shaking Boy happy?" Zinnia asked from Harry's sleeve. She crawled out and onto the table.
"Yes, I think he is." Harry replied.
"Up to Shaking Boy." Zinnia hissed.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked her as she lifted herself onto his hand again.
"Up." She said.
"Um, Neville?" Harry said uncertainly.
"Yeah, Harry?" Neville asked.
"I think Zinnia wants to talk to you. Do you mind?" Harry held up the tiny snake in his hand.
"I guess not." Neville peered Zinnia. "You will have to translate, I suppose."
Harry half stood and reached across to hold Zinnia over Neville's plate. "Like this?" He asked her.
"To." She demanded. "Hold."
"Um, do you want to hold her?" Harry asked.
"I guess." Neville looked a bit surprised, but he put his hand next to Harry's.
Zinnia crawled onto his hand, and Harry sat back down.
"What does she want?" Neville asked, reaching up to stroke her head.
"I don't know." Harry admitted. "She does what she wants to. She likes you. She is usually really shy. She calls you Shaking Boy."
Neville laughed. "Appropriate, probably."
"Double shaking." Zinnia said. "Tickles."
Harry hissed to Zinnia. "Neville likes your name for him." Then he said to Neville. "She says you are double shaking, and that it tickles."
"Shaking Boy happy?" Zinnia asked again.
"She wants to know if you are happy." Harry told Neville.
He grinned. "Yes. I am, despite all the Slytherins in the world."
"He is." Harry hissed.
"Good." Zinnia turned back to Harry. "Nap Pocket." She ordered.
Harry reached over and let her climb back onto him. "Now she wants to take a nap." Harry said, carrying her to the pocket inside the front of his robes. She settled down quickly.
"Well, that was interesting." Neville said, turning back to his food. "I wish I could talk to Trevor."
*****
I think this has a slightly different tone to it than most of the story. Slapstick and comic relief.
I understand that you are supposed to wash your hands after handling a reptile, but hey, this is a magical world and fiction on top of that. :-P