A/N: None here.
Disclaimer: Harry doesn't belong to me, blah, blah, blah. I only own Amelia, Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes, Silecia, and any and all Dark Woods harps. Oh, and I do use some of the same techniques Rowling uses with some fun lines I always enjoyed, so please don't sue me! I need all the money I can get for my student ambassador trip!
Parseltongue will be "~...~"
Chapter 16: Pancakes and Snake Nerds
-----------------------------------------
It was six-thirty the next morning, and the sun gently pried Harry's eyes open despite avid protest. Finally giving up the fight, he went into the little bathroom down the hall. Turning on the tap for hot water, he quickly stripped and stepped inside, washing his hair and just soaking in the lovely steam.
Having had enough finally, he used a Drying Charm, never being without his wand, and walked back to his room, towel firmly around waist. Amelia had finally gotten up and faced Harry, watching him get changed with passive eyes into a silver button up shirt with short sleeves and some comfortable green khakis, the perfect picture of the casual Slytherin.
"~So, what are we doing today, Harry?~"
"~Well, I'm going to organize my stuff and generally fiddle around until Blaise comes.~"
"~I'm going to the back gardens. Call for me when the psychotic girl comes, alright Harry?~"
"~Alright, be careful.~"
He patted her a few times on the head and watched her slide out of the room. The first thing he did was fix the desk which was quite easy, requiring a simple "Repairo." With that accomplished, he took out his books and quills for the summer homework and organized them neatly. Now he took his robes and new Muggle clothes to hang in the barren wardrobe in the front corner of the room.
By the time he had put away and pulled out everything, it was 8:30, and he was quite hungry. He went downstairs and found Dudley already fiddling with some sort of box with pancakes on the front.
"What are you doing?" he asked, stepping behind Dudley to look over his shoulder.
"Reading directions for making pancakes. Do you know what they are?"
"Yeah, but I don't know how to make them. Our house elves used to make everything."
Dudley faced Harry, brows furrowed.
"House elves? Those little things you told me about? Servants, like?"
"Yeah. I wish my personal elf Tinder was here, I really could use-"
POP!! And soon a thing was squeezing Harry tightly around his middle, high voice squealing, "Master Harry! Master Harry! It is you, Sir! Sir, where have you been? We is being so worried when Our Master and Lord is not coming back and you neither! But it is good to see you, young sir!"
Harry managed to get the lively elf off of him and smile at the little creature. Dudley was looking astonished.
"I'm fine, Tinder. I'm going to have to stay here in the summer until Tom comes back from his trip. How did you find me?" asked Harry.
"Master, I is hooked to you as part of my magic to serve you the best I cans, sir. You said you wished I is here, and I is, sir!"
"Well, since you're here, Tinder," said Harry, grinning up at Dudley, "Would you mind making some pancakes for breakfast? For two?"
The little elf was postively shaking with happiness, "Surely, Master Harry! Go sit, and I is starting!" And food conjured itself as the elf now used magic to mix and move things all over the kitchens while Harry pulled Dudley into the family room.
"Useful little buggers, aren't they?" grinned Harry.
"What about Mum and Dad?" asked Dudley, looking up at the ceiling. Harry simply said, "Later." About ten minutes later, Tinder yelled from the kitchen.
"Master! Breakfast is ready!"
"Great! Tinder always makes the best pancakes!" crooned Harry, and the two boys quickly went to the kitchen table to eat their seperate mountains of fluffy goodness.
---------------------------------------
Breakfast was finished, and Amelia was now laying across Harry's shoulders as the boy played his harp, a quick little ditty quite unlike the last, sitting in the living room.
"~I wish you could here the music, Amelia,~" hissed Harry, earning a slight jump out of his cousin, continuing to play.
"~Ah, but I can feel the emotions and vibrations from it, Harry. How do you think I knew how beautiful my Mistress' voice was? Your music would make her weep, surely it would.~"
The doorbell rang at that moment, and Harry used the suggestiveness of the harp's powers to get Dudley to answer the door. A slight scuffle was heard outside with some raised voices, and Blaise, stormed into the room, slumping down on the couch next to Harry.
"Honestly," she ranted, glaring at Dudley as he sat down across from them, "He hasn't changed. Then again, I wouldn't expect him to."
"Don't worry about it, Blaise," murmured Harry, finally stopping the music. "He's just a Muggle, nothing to do with us." Dudley just looked between the two.
"You know eachother?"
"Of course! I wouldn't forget my Slytherin comrade, now would I?" asked Harry, arching an eyebrow. Dudley grew pale and looked between them.
"But she can't be! I went to primary school with her! She was in my classes! We all ganged up on her because of her name!"
Blaise rolled her eyes and pulled out her wand, which had been used for holding back her hair, and fell in loose waves as she pointed her wand at Dudley, "Don't remind me, or I swear I'll hex you back to front!"
"But you can't! Your parents aren't magic like them! They're not!" stammered Dudley and this set off Harry quicker than anything else and looked to Blaise.
"You're a Muggleborn?"
"Yeah, I am, if it makes any difference," snarled Blaise. "From the way you and Draco always talk, it sure sounds like it."
"No no, we talk about Tom's opinion. Well, Draco's, too. But I don't see the problem with Muggleborns. After all, you lot are usually pretty smart, and you help the rest of us keep from being fools in situations with Muggles. Tom and Draco just don't see that."
"Come on. Let's go. You can meet my parents," said Blaise, grabbing hold of his hand and pulling him out of the house and down to the walk before he could get his balance to walk. Dudley just sat dumbfounded in his chair.
"Am I forgiven, Blaise?"
"If it wasn't your opinion about Muggleborns, Harry, then what's to forgive? However, you really should spend more time with Muggles before you judge them. My parents wanted to meet you ever since I told them about finding you. Here we are! Number 13 Cheshire Avenue!"
Amelia wrapped herself around Harry's shoulders a bit tighter as they entered the dim house, and an assault of voices reached his ears. Looking around, there were dozens beyond dozens of snakes in large tanks all over.
"Remember? I told you my dad studied rare snakes! Of course, he doesn't know any of the magical ones except through books I've bought of them from Diagon Alley. He's quite interested in you and Amelia. Something wrong?"
"Hold one moment, please. I need to ask something. It's too noisy in here," said Harry, and then he loudly hissed, "~Please! Can we keep it to whispers? I would greatly appreciate it!~"
Almost instantly, it went down to a silent grouping of hisses, rather like little whispers breaking out.
"Quite fascinating! You're Harry, are you? You surely are!"
Turning towards the human voice, he was faced with what had to be Blaise's father. He was a well built man, most likely as old as Severus, with kind grey eyes and black hair. This man gave off the impression of the friendly kid in your class who's just a bit nerdy. The man looked almost positively beside himself when he saw Amelia.
"Oh! Oh! It's one of those Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes! Oh, Lord! I thought I would only see one from pictures in those books Blaise got me! Such a pretty thing!" he said, scratching just under Amelia's snake chin.
"~Harry, this man is quite flattering.~" purred Amelia, closing eyes in contentment at the scratching.
"~Would you like to stay with him for a bit while I talk to Blaise?~"
"~That sounds quite nice, thank you.~"
Amelia now slithered onto the man who was looking at Harry, awed.
"So you can actually talk to them and they understand?"
"Yes. Amelia will spend some time with you while I talk with Blaise for a bit. She thinks you're quite flattering. I'm sorry, but I realize I didn't catch your name."
"Oh, it's Anthony, just call me Anthony! Oh, and this is my wife and Blaise's mother, Claudia," he gestured at the woman now walking up to him. She was surely where Blaise had gotten her looks from. Claudia had hair that just ghosted her shoulders of a natural shining silver with deep ocean blue eyes and a long frame that gave off a sort of royal presense. Her long fingers took Harry's hand daintily and shook it gently.
"A pleasure to meet you, Harry. You can call me by my first name also. I've heard many interesting things from Blaise about you. I hope you will visit often?"
Harry smiled.
"As often as I can, let me assure you. Lovely to meet you, Claudia," finished Harry, and he took her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles in a slight bow.
"Quite charming, Blaise. I see you have an excellent taste in you friends at school," voiced Claudia, looking at her only child and smiling lightly.
"Thanks, Mum! Come on, Harry!" Blaise said, and she pulled him out into the gardens where they sat for hours in the cool shade of a large willow, talking about everything that had gone on in the past few days until the sun was beginning to set. They both stepped back into the house, where Anthony now sat, waiting for the two with Amelia, who quickly rejoined her master. The snakes in all the cages around bowed to him, and whispered things like, "The Parceltongue Master" and "Heir of the Great Serpent."
"~They all believe you were descended from a great and powerful serpent, Harry.~"
"~Oh, am I now Slytherin's heir?~"
"~You could be.~"
"~Nonsense. There's no way. Come on, let's go back to the Dursley's.~"
"So, Anthony, did Amelia tell you anything interesting?" asked Harry, stroking Amelia's flexing spines.
"It's amazing, Harry! Absolutely amazing! Such lovely creatures they are, these Dragon snakes! Very polite little things, too. Is three feet about as large as they get?"
"Oh, this is apparently only a 'space saver' form. She must be in actuality much bigger," informed Harry while Blaise giggled in the background about "snake nerds".
"Astonishing! Able to change sizes! Wonderful creatures!" crowed Anthony.
"Well, I better be off. I'll come back very soon, I promise! Bye Blaise!"
"Bye Harry!"
And he walked off down the street, back towards Privet Drive and the Dursley's.
----------------------------------------------------
A/N: Well, we've now met Tinder the house elf, and Blaise's parents Claudia and Anthony. What will happen next chapter? We're skipping ahead to Harry's birthday most likely! Until next time! And remember: Life is short, so do what you want. You never know when a freak accident will come your way!
Review responses:
Elssha- I really wish our school gave Latin classes, but alas, they don't. I take Japanese instead.
Thanks for your information and your review!
SilverKnight7- Don't you hate when you apply knowledge from school in off-school hours?
Queen Cari- Conneticut? Wow, I bet it's cold there right now. Is there snow? We only have
summer and winter here. 120 to 30 degrees in like a month. Totally sucks. But
then again, we don't get weather like you guys, do we Las Vegans? We just get
boiling summers, windy, dry winters, and the occasional torrential downpour!
C.M. Aeirs Queen of Insanity- What a mouthful! Glad you like my story! I hope MOF goes and
dies in the next book!
hermionegreen- Yes, we couldn't let the Dursley's have any possible way of escaping, now could
we? hehehe
me- Don't worry, Harry won't go soft or turn from the Dark because Blaise is a Muggleborn. I
get so disappointed when stories go like that! No, he may have many friendships on the
Light side, like Remus or Sirius or Hermione, but who's to say he can't turn them?
Bwahahahahahaha! *coughs*
ReflectionsOfReality- Oh, I know I romantisized the entire vampire situation, but hey, I can't
help it. In fact, my other friends recoil even at the thought of being one.
I'm the odd ball. Oh, and I do believe in mystic things like vampires.
After all, if you have read how vampires came to be in the fictions of
Anne Rice, you can see a legit way. Even before I read her works, I
still believed in them. Maybe I'm just a soon to be seventeen year old
who's desperately clinging to youth, but I believe with all my soul, and
that's all I really have to give, isn't it? Wow, that was a long spew about
vampires, wasn't it?
bitchkitten- Yeah, I always enjoyed that line Ron said from the fourth point about the two neptunes
in the sky means a midget in glasses is being born, and that word is always so
fun to describe the apparent Dark Heir with!
JerseyGirl03- Yes, Harry's Patronus is hard to decide on. I better do that soon, hhmmm?
chozen1- Oh, we'll get glimpses of Tom, but he won't come back until year 4. I pretty much follow
the book outline, but year five will obviously be taking an almost 180 from the actual
book, most likely, with Tom being back with Harry at his side this time.
ER- Yes, I couldn't have let Harry be almost all by himself this summer. Actually, I planned that
in chapter 6 when Harry and Draco discussed Hermione. Did anyone catch Blaise shift
uncomfortably?
Nicoletta- That's cool. So what do you think, in your vampiric opinion, of how close Rice came to
your actual ways? Lestat a total fraud or what?
Falafal- Harry can't have sibling arguments with Draco, so he'll have one with Dudley instead!
(December 9, 2003)
Disclaimer: Harry doesn't belong to me, blah, blah, blah. I only own Amelia, Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes, Silecia, and any and all Dark Woods harps. Oh, and I do use some of the same techniques Rowling uses with some fun lines I always enjoyed, so please don't sue me! I need all the money I can get for my student ambassador trip!
Parseltongue will be "~...~"
Chapter 16: Pancakes and Snake Nerds
-----------------------------------------
It was six-thirty the next morning, and the sun gently pried Harry's eyes open despite avid protest. Finally giving up the fight, he went into the little bathroom down the hall. Turning on the tap for hot water, he quickly stripped and stepped inside, washing his hair and just soaking in the lovely steam.
Having had enough finally, he used a Drying Charm, never being without his wand, and walked back to his room, towel firmly around waist. Amelia had finally gotten up and faced Harry, watching him get changed with passive eyes into a silver button up shirt with short sleeves and some comfortable green khakis, the perfect picture of the casual Slytherin.
"~So, what are we doing today, Harry?~"
"~Well, I'm going to organize my stuff and generally fiddle around until Blaise comes.~"
"~I'm going to the back gardens. Call for me when the psychotic girl comes, alright Harry?~"
"~Alright, be careful.~"
He patted her a few times on the head and watched her slide out of the room. The first thing he did was fix the desk which was quite easy, requiring a simple "Repairo." With that accomplished, he took out his books and quills for the summer homework and organized them neatly. Now he took his robes and new Muggle clothes to hang in the barren wardrobe in the front corner of the room.
By the time he had put away and pulled out everything, it was 8:30, and he was quite hungry. He went downstairs and found Dudley already fiddling with some sort of box with pancakes on the front.
"What are you doing?" he asked, stepping behind Dudley to look over his shoulder.
"Reading directions for making pancakes. Do you know what they are?"
"Yeah, but I don't know how to make them. Our house elves used to make everything."
Dudley faced Harry, brows furrowed.
"House elves? Those little things you told me about? Servants, like?"
"Yeah. I wish my personal elf Tinder was here, I really could use-"
POP!! And soon a thing was squeezing Harry tightly around his middle, high voice squealing, "Master Harry! Master Harry! It is you, Sir! Sir, where have you been? We is being so worried when Our Master and Lord is not coming back and you neither! But it is good to see you, young sir!"
Harry managed to get the lively elf off of him and smile at the little creature. Dudley was looking astonished.
"I'm fine, Tinder. I'm going to have to stay here in the summer until Tom comes back from his trip. How did you find me?" asked Harry.
"Master, I is hooked to you as part of my magic to serve you the best I cans, sir. You said you wished I is here, and I is, sir!"
"Well, since you're here, Tinder," said Harry, grinning up at Dudley, "Would you mind making some pancakes for breakfast? For two?"
The little elf was postively shaking with happiness, "Surely, Master Harry! Go sit, and I is starting!" And food conjured itself as the elf now used magic to mix and move things all over the kitchens while Harry pulled Dudley into the family room.
"Useful little buggers, aren't they?" grinned Harry.
"What about Mum and Dad?" asked Dudley, looking up at the ceiling. Harry simply said, "Later." About ten minutes later, Tinder yelled from the kitchen.
"Master! Breakfast is ready!"
"Great! Tinder always makes the best pancakes!" crooned Harry, and the two boys quickly went to the kitchen table to eat their seperate mountains of fluffy goodness.
---------------------------------------
Breakfast was finished, and Amelia was now laying across Harry's shoulders as the boy played his harp, a quick little ditty quite unlike the last, sitting in the living room.
"~I wish you could here the music, Amelia,~" hissed Harry, earning a slight jump out of his cousin, continuing to play.
"~Ah, but I can feel the emotions and vibrations from it, Harry. How do you think I knew how beautiful my Mistress' voice was? Your music would make her weep, surely it would.~"
The doorbell rang at that moment, and Harry used the suggestiveness of the harp's powers to get Dudley to answer the door. A slight scuffle was heard outside with some raised voices, and Blaise, stormed into the room, slumping down on the couch next to Harry.
"Honestly," she ranted, glaring at Dudley as he sat down across from them, "He hasn't changed. Then again, I wouldn't expect him to."
"Don't worry about it, Blaise," murmured Harry, finally stopping the music. "He's just a Muggle, nothing to do with us." Dudley just looked between the two.
"You know eachother?"
"Of course! I wouldn't forget my Slytherin comrade, now would I?" asked Harry, arching an eyebrow. Dudley grew pale and looked between them.
"But she can't be! I went to primary school with her! She was in my classes! We all ganged up on her because of her name!"
Blaise rolled her eyes and pulled out her wand, which had been used for holding back her hair, and fell in loose waves as she pointed her wand at Dudley, "Don't remind me, or I swear I'll hex you back to front!"
"But you can't! Your parents aren't magic like them! They're not!" stammered Dudley and this set off Harry quicker than anything else and looked to Blaise.
"You're a Muggleborn?"
"Yeah, I am, if it makes any difference," snarled Blaise. "From the way you and Draco always talk, it sure sounds like it."
"No no, we talk about Tom's opinion. Well, Draco's, too. But I don't see the problem with Muggleborns. After all, you lot are usually pretty smart, and you help the rest of us keep from being fools in situations with Muggles. Tom and Draco just don't see that."
"Come on. Let's go. You can meet my parents," said Blaise, grabbing hold of his hand and pulling him out of the house and down to the walk before he could get his balance to walk. Dudley just sat dumbfounded in his chair.
"Am I forgiven, Blaise?"
"If it wasn't your opinion about Muggleborns, Harry, then what's to forgive? However, you really should spend more time with Muggles before you judge them. My parents wanted to meet you ever since I told them about finding you. Here we are! Number 13 Cheshire Avenue!"
Amelia wrapped herself around Harry's shoulders a bit tighter as they entered the dim house, and an assault of voices reached his ears. Looking around, there were dozens beyond dozens of snakes in large tanks all over.
"Remember? I told you my dad studied rare snakes! Of course, he doesn't know any of the magical ones except through books I've bought of them from Diagon Alley. He's quite interested in you and Amelia. Something wrong?"
"Hold one moment, please. I need to ask something. It's too noisy in here," said Harry, and then he loudly hissed, "~Please! Can we keep it to whispers? I would greatly appreciate it!~"
Almost instantly, it went down to a silent grouping of hisses, rather like little whispers breaking out.
"Quite fascinating! You're Harry, are you? You surely are!"
Turning towards the human voice, he was faced with what had to be Blaise's father. He was a well built man, most likely as old as Severus, with kind grey eyes and black hair. This man gave off the impression of the friendly kid in your class who's just a bit nerdy. The man looked almost positively beside himself when he saw Amelia.
"Oh! Oh! It's one of those Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes! Oh, Lord! I thought I would only see one from pictures in those books Blaise got me! Such a pretty thing!" he said, scratching just under Amelia's snake chin.
"~Harry, this man is quite flattering.~" purred Amelia, closing eyes in contentment at the scratching.
"~Would you like to stay with him for a bit while I talk to Blaise?~"
"~That sounds quite nice, thank you.~"
Amelia now slithered onto the man who was looking at Harry, awed.
"So you can actually talk to them and they understand?"
"Yes. Amelia will spend some time with you while I talk with Blaise for a bit. She thinks you're quite flattering. I'm sorry, but I realize I didn't catch your name."
"Oh, it's Anthony, just call me Anthony! Oh, and this is my wife and Blaise's mother, Claudia," he gestured at the woman now walking up to him. She was surely where Blaise had gotten her looks from. Claudia had hair that just ghosted her shoulders of a natural shining silver with deep ocean blue eyes and a long frame that gave off a sort of royal presense. Her long fingers took Harry's hand daintily and shook it gently.
"A pleasure to meet you, Harry. You can call me by my first name also. I've heard many interesting things from Blaise about you. I hope you will visit often?"
Harry smiled.
"As often as I can, let me assure you. Lovely to meet you, Claudia," finished Harry, and he took her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles in a slight bow.
"Quite charming, Blaise. I see you have an excellent taste in you friends at school," voiced Claudia, looking at her only child and smiling lightly.
"Thanks, Mum! Come on, Harry!" Blaise said, and she pulled him out into the gardens where they sat for hours in the cool shade of a large willow, talking about everything that had gone on in the past few days until the sun was beginning to set. They both stepped back into the house, where Anthony now sat, waiting for the two with Amelia, who quickly rejoined her master. The snakes in all the cages around bowed to him, and whispered things like, "The Parceltongue Master" and "Heir of the Great Serpent."
"~They all believe you were descended from a great and powerful serpent, Harry.~"
"~Oh, am I now Slytherin's heir?~"
"~You could be.~"
"~Nonsense. There's no way. Come on, let's go back to the Dursley's.~"
"So, Anthony, did Amelia tell you anything interesting?" asked Harry, stroking Amelia's flexing spines.
"It's amazing, Harry! Absolutely amazing! Such lovely creatures they are, these Dragon snakes! Very polite little things, too. Is three feet about as large as they get?"
"Oh, this is apparently only a 'space saver' form. She must be in actuality much bigger," informed Harry while Blaise giggled in the background about "snake nerds".
"Astonishing! Able to change sizes! Wonderful creatures!" crowed Anthony.
"Well, I better be off. I'll come back very soon, I promise! Bye Blaise!"
"Bye Harry!"
And he walked off down the street, back towards Privet Drive and the Dursley's.
----------------------------------------------------
A/N: Well, we've now met Tinder the house elf, and Blaise's parents Claudia and Anthony. What will happen next chapter? We're skipping ahead to Harry's birthday most likely! Until next time! And remember: Life is short, so do what you want. You never know when a freak accident will come your way!
Review responses:
Elssha- I really wish our school gave Latin classes, but alas, they don't. I take Japanese instead.
Thanks for your information and your review!
SilverKnight7- Don't you hate when you apply knowledge from school in off-school hours?
Queen Cari- Conneticut? Wow, I bet it's cold there right now. Is there snow? We only have
summer and winter here. 120 to 30 degrees in like a month. Totally sucks. But
then again, we don't get weather like you guys, do we Las Vegans? We just get
boiling summers, windy, dry winters, and the occasional torrential downpour!
C.M. Aeirs Queen of Insanity- What a mouthful! Glad you like my story! I hope MOF goes and
dies in the next book!
hermionegreen- Yes, we couldn't let the Dursley's have any possible way of escaping, now could
we? hehehe
me- Don't worry, Harry won't go soft or turn from the Dark because Blaise is a Muggleborn. I
get so disappointed when stories go like that! No, he may have many friendships on the
Light side, like Remus or Sirius or Hermione, but who's to say he can't turn them?
Bwahahahahahaha! *coughs*
ReflectionsOfReality- Oh, I know I romantisized the entire vampire situation, but hey, I can't
help it. In fact, my other friends recoil even at the thought of being one.
I'm the odd ball. Oh, and I do believe in mystic things like vampires.
After all, if you have read how vampires came to be in the fictions of
Anne Rice, you can see a legit way. Even before I read her works, I
still believed in them. Maybe I'm just a soon to be seventeen year old
who's desperately clinging to youth, but I believe with all my soul, and
that's all I really have to give, isn't it? Wow, that was a long spew about
vampires, wasn't it?
bitchkitten- Yeah, I always enjoyed that line Ron said from the fourth point about the two neptunes
in the sky means a midget in glasses is being born, and that word is always so
fun to describe the apparent Dark Heir with!
JerseyGirl03- Yes, Harry's Patronus is hard to decide on. I better do that soon, hhmmm?
chozen1- Oh, we'll get glimpses of Tom, but he won't come back until year 4. I pretty much follow
the book outline, but year five will obviously be taking an almost 180 from the actual
book, most likely, with Tom being back with Harry at his side this time.
ER- Yes, I couldn't have let Harry be almost all by himself this summer. Actually, I planned that
in chapter 6 when Harry and Draco discussed Hermione. Did anyone catch Blaise shift
uncomfortably?
Nicoletta- That's cool. So what do you think, in your vampiric opinion, of how close Rice came to
your actual ways? Lestat a total fraud or what?
Falafal- Harry can't have sibling arguments with Draco, so he'll have one with Dudley instead!
(December 9, 2003)