Title: Twining Transformations
Author: S.Malfoy
NOTE: These are not my characters, they are J.K Rowling's, and I make no money off of them whatsoever. However, it is my plot (at least hopefully haha).
It is a slash between SS/HP, seen later in the story, so you are warned.
NOTE 2: Thanks to all the reviews for such wonderful comments! Your enthusiasm has surprised and delighted me!
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Chapter 3
Harry escaped from the dungeons through the little entryway that opened specifically for Harry's animagi form. He heard Severus muttering from the potions lab, and gave a decidedly evil grin.
All the students third year and above that were allowed to go to Hogsmeade – and wanted to- had already left, and Harry was sneakily enjoying the subterfuge of escaping from Hogwarts.
Dumbledore happened to pass Harry at that moment and Harry turned his head, his face set into an innocent mask.
"Harry, if you're going to venture outside today, I would only suggest you be extremely careful," he warned with a twinkle in his eye before moving on down the elegant hallway, his flamboyant robes dragging on the ground behind him.
Harry cackled gleefully. I'm home free! He sailed through the Entrance doors and flapped excitedly into the air. His newly sharpened eyesight kept a lookout for the town while he floated lazily on the air currents taking him closer and closer to his destination.
Harry's yellow eyes sharpened as he noticed Ron's flame red hair and the shorter form of Hermione next to him standing in an empty alleyway. Letting out a brilliant squawk he drifted in a downward spiral until he settled on Ron's shoulder.
"Animus patesco," Hermione murmured, tapping the lightening bolt.
A picture of Harry standing in front of a particular potions store called The Dungeon Master Beware was shown and they obligingly led the way. They quickly exited the alleyway and scampered down the road, not stopping to chat with the house members that waved towards them.
When they entered the dark storeroom there was only one other person occupying the rows and rows of unidentifiable jars of dead –or painfully alive- objects.
"Can I help you?" croaked a voice directly behind them. They all started, turning to face the old shopkeeper.
"Uh, we're just going to browse," Hermione said. The other two only nodded, never taking their eyes off of the man.
The old man hocked and spat on the floor, his dark brown eyes surveying them, noting the money belt strapped to the side of Ron and the proud eagle sitting docilely on the red head's shoulders. His dark eyes nearly crossed when they viewed the white lightening bolt slash across the bird's forehead but he didn't say anything. He only turned and limped away, back hunched in what looked like a painful manner, towards the other customer that was standing impatiently at the cash register.
"Did you have any idea what you wanted to get-" Ron paused and gulped, "him?"
The bird shook his head mutely, his eyes pleading.
"Well, we'll just take a look around then, shall we?" Hermione suggested, and they began to comb over the rows and shelves of potion goods. Each time Hermione or Ron pointed out something, Harry only shook his head in denial. I want something that no one would have ever been able to give him, Harry though with determination.
When the store had emptied of everyone but the two students, one bird, and shopkeeper, the old man watched them for a silent moment.
Harry again shook his head at the trapped dragon lung sitting in a bottled jar, faintly disgusted but slightly interested in whether it was edible or not.
"Who are you looking to buy for?" the old man asked huskily after a few minutes of uneasy silence.
The two friends looked towards the bird for permission, and he hesitantly bobbed his head in admission.
"Professor Snape," Ron growled, his voice filled with disgust.
"Ahh," he said slowly, his eyes locking onto those of Harry's. They seemed to come to some agreement, and he motioned them to the back room.
They were led into a dusty room, filled with crates of howling, squealing, and bleeding boxes, and Hermione wrinkled her nose in dismay.
"Yuk," Ron groaned when he stepped into a foul smelling yellow vomit coloured puddle of liquid.
The man ignored the both of them, instead searching frantically through the boxes on the high shelves lining the sides of the wall. "Where did I put it..." he mumbled, shoving various boxes out of the way.
Harry watched, trembling in anticipation, as the man cried "Ah-ha!" standing up and holding a tiny box in his hands.
"This is an extremely valuable piece that I've been holding onto for a very long time," he began, limping towards Harry with it held in his cupped palms. Harry looked into the tiny cave formed by the man's rough hands, and figured it to be a tiny ring box. He looked up into the man's dark eyes, his interest piqued.
"It's called the Ring of the Serpent Tongue," he whispered dramatically. "It allows the wearer to speak and understand the language of the snake."
Harry's eyes widened, his body wavering tremulously in excitement on Ron's shoulder.
"It seems an odd object to be in a potions store," Ron said doubtfully.
The man only glared at him balefully, and turned to the other two still watching in agitated silence. "It was said to be made by Salazar Slytherin himself, given to his wife as a gift of love."
Hermione sighed while Ron grunted in repugnance. "Yeah, right. Like a Slytherin would ever know what love was," he mumbled.
Harry hissed at Ron while the old man glared, and startled at the sound next to his ear, Ron jumped about two feet into the air. Harry leaped away, settling on a box closer to the old man, his head turned so that his eye was centered on the ring.
Ron turned his back on the pair fuming disgustedly and dropped the heavy money bag in Hermione's hands, stalking away angrily out of the store without a word.
Harry paid his retreating figure no attention, looking over the ring. It was gorgeous, he had to admit. It was pure, smooth, shining silver inlaid with emerald gems and encrusted with diamonds. A particularly large emerald was in the center, and the vague image of a serpent twisted wildly inside, constantly moving.
"The snake trapped inside will always move, supposedly searching for its mate, and will only stop when it has finally found its match. But, of course, it will always allow its wearer to speak and understand Parsletongue," the man soothed, noticing Harry's eye jerked back towards him. "It just forms greater powers when matched with a mate."
"I don't know Harry-" Hermione began, but Harry nodded his head eagerly. He knew that speaking his ability Parsletongue had always been a sore point to Severus – this would make them equals at last.
"How much?" Hermione asked, sighing at the impenetrable look on Harry's bird face.
"For Harry Potter? Two hundred and fifteen galleons," the old man said, his tone betraying he was being generous.
"Harry! That's too much money!" Hermione said, looking desperately at her friend.
Harry motioned his head towards her wand, indicating he wished to 'speak'. Hermione gingerly cast the spell once again, her wand tip pressed against his forehead again.
The picture of Harry scribbled madly on a piece of parchment, bouncing up and down in excitement. He held it up for inspection in front of Hermione and the shopkeeper.
Give him all that's in the bag now as a down-payment. He will receive the rest of it by next week. In the bag there are 52 galleons, and Hagrid will go to Gringotts for me to get the rest!
The old shopkeeper nodded and said, "I will hold it here until I receive the rest, and then you will have the gift.
How did you know I was Harry Potter? The boy wrote after a thoughtful moment, his head tilted curiously.
"The savior of the wizarding world could never hide his power in the form of a bird," the old man scoffed, waving his hand, dismissing the question as preposterous.
Hermione and Harry only stared in amazement, and Harry was faintly relieved the man only assumed it was a disguise.
They made the final arrangements and exited the store, Hermione stepping into the bright sunlight and Harry settled on her shoulder. Ron was nowhere to be seen.
"Well, that was lucky," Hermione said quietly. "We found it in the first store we went to. Kind of scary if you ask me."
"Caw," he agreed with an inward sigh. Harry shrugged apologetically at his friend and took off into the air with a great flap of his wings, thinking it was better to leave his friend alone to find Ron – he was stewing for sure.
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The week passed, Hagrid making a special trip for Harry to the Gringotts bank, and Harry could tell he felt pleased that Harry would entrust him with a mission carrying that much money. Hagrid cried for fifteen full minutes and left immediately.
It was harder work sneaking back into Hogsmeade the next Saturday with Hermione since Ron strictly refused to accompany them, and had not been on speaking terms with Harry for the week since that first foray into the town.
He eventually left with Hermione, making use of his father's Invisibility Cloak and some well placed innocent facial expressions. When they arrived at the store for the second time, he was trilling in excitement as the old man smiled, showing his various missing teeth; the box was wrapped in plain paper with spells to hex anyone who touched it besides Harry, Hermione, and Snape.
The shopkeeper had kindly attached a roll of parchment inside the tiny box, explaining the working and use of the Ring, so that when Snape was given the gift he would know exactly what it was.
They left the store with Harry's money bag much lighter than it had been when they walked in, and since they were already in the town, Hermione and Harry entered Honeydukes's to buy some candy. With the little money left over, Harry purchased – with Hermione's help – an apologetic gift for Ron.
The bags were shrunk in weight and size for easier travel, and they began the walk back to the school. On the way back into Hogwarts was when they encountered their first problems.
Snape materialized from the shadows as they entered the Entrance doors surreptitiously
"And where have you two have been?" he asked smoothly, his eye glinting maliciously.
"Outside," Hermione whimpered, shrinking away from the imposing figure of the Potions Master.
"Caw," Harry supplied generously in aid to his friend.
Snape glared malevolently in Harry's direction before his eyes reverted back to Hermione.
"That wouldn't happen to be an invisibility cloak in your arms, would it, Ms. Granger?" he asked with silky venom.
"Uh," she replied, fidgeting with the smooth cloth.
"Twerp," Harry said, his eyes narrowing.
"I didn't ask you Potter," Snape snarled. "I believe I was speaking to Ms. Granger."
"It is," she finally said defiantly, lifting her chin.
"And where would you need to go inside of the school ground that requires such a cloak?" Snape questioned, his black eyes gleaming.
"We were hiding from Ron," she answered brightly.
"I-why?" Snape asked, his train of though abruptly halted.
"Because he's mad at us," Hermione said, raising an eyebrow as if it should be obvious.
There was a startled gasp from behind the group, and Hermione and Harry watched with dismay at the gaping figure of their friend behind Snape's back.
"Why, isn't this interesting," Snape purred, rubbing his chin with his long, cool fingers.
"Fine!" Ron shouted. "I don't want to be your friends either if that's how you're going to treat me!" With that last shout he turned and ran off towards the Gryffindor towers.
Harry looked downwards, he eyes shifting guiltily with Hermione's.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for you both being suspicious, and a week of detention for both of you" Snape said with a smirk. "Now get out of here."
As Hermione, with Harry perched on her shoulder, made to move off the same way Ron had left, Snape spoke up once more. "Potter, you will go directly to the dungeons," Severus purred. "There is something I need to speak to you about."
With a disgusted look at Snape, Harry nodded his head to Hermione silently and with a shrill call, took off down the hallway, leaving both behind.
Hermione moved away as well, but if Harry had cared to look back, he would have been startled at the sheer look of longing that passed briefly over Snape's face before disappearing behind his usual veneer of disinterest and annoyance.
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A/N: Took me a while to try to decide what kind of present would be suitable for Snape, and I finally figured it out! More to come, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter.