Disclaimer: Not mine
Chapter 35
Outkast walked next to Sev as they left the dungeons on their way to the lions den, they had barely got round the corner when they caught sight of a body on the floor. They dashed to the side of the injured Slytherin, Outkast turned Zabini's head and saw the bite mark, she uttered a charm placing the body in status before turning her attention back to Severus
"I think your serpents pissed off a certain snake" Outkast raised an eyebrow and turned her attention back the student, as she stood she conjured a stretcher and hovered the boy onto it.
"I think we need to get him to the hospital wing" Severus could only nod, he had no idea what could have happened to make his son attack another student.
Five minutes later they were hovering the body onto a hospital bed, Poppy bustled over
"What happened to him?" she asked already examining the student
"He's been bitten I think by a cobra I put him in status" Outkast supplied. Poppy shook her head
"Your stasis charm is only thing stopping him dying, unfortunately anti-venom isn't stocked at the school I don't even know where to get it from" Outkast looked at Sev who was unusually quiet
"Can you make it?" she got no reply, she tried again
"SEV! Can you make the antidote?" Severus snapped back to reality, he nodded slowly
"I can but the base ingredient is taken from the venom itself… and I don't know where to get it from, something tells me that my son will not be too cooperative" Outkast grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the door
"Well unless you know another cobra we are just going to have be very persuasive"
##
Harry didn't change back; he coiled around his friends arm and wasn't inclined to turn back. Needless to say this caused a minor panic in the Gryffindor common room; most of the students were not used to the sight of their prefects sauntering in whilst arguing with a blue snake. What was more frustrating for Ron and Hermione was that not only would he change but he wouldn't get off them either, he would happily coil round either of them but if you tried to untangle him he just gripped harder. Hermione lost her cool
"Oh honestly Harry get off, this is highly irritating" she huffed sitting down next to the fire, Harry was still attached to her arm, Ron sat next to her. Several first years edged away from the sofas looking worried. Dean and Seamus shrugged and commandeered the empty couch
"Hey guys what's up with Harry…. That is Harry isn't it?" Ron nodded
"Yeah it's Harry he changes colour depending on how he's feeling" Seamus looked puzzled
"That's not normal is it?"
"Of course not, but name one thing that Harry has done that's been normal?" Hermione stated still trying to prise Harry off her. She glared at Ron
"I could use some help here" Ron paled and shook his head
"No way I saw what he did to Blaise" Seamus and Dean perked up
"What did he do?"
"He bit him"
"Ouch"
"You have no idea" all four of them spun round at the silky tones of the head of the house of snakes floated through the air. Dean and Seamus sunk back into the sofa as Snape and Outkast approached. Outkast crouched down by Hermione and extended her arm, she hissed something in Parseltongue and Harry slid off Hermione onto Outkast. Outkast stood and walked over to Snape still hissing, Harry was going from blue to dark grey with every step closer to his father. Snape held out a small beaker, Hermione looked from him to Outkast
"What is that for?"
"We need some of the venom to developed an antidote for Zabini" Ron snorted
"And what if you don't get it?"
"He'll die" Ron paled
"Oh" he said before sinking into the couch. Harry was still refusing, and Snape was
beginning to lose patients
"Look Harry this will be easier on you if you do it willingly, it is possible to extract the venom but I should imagine it would hurt" the snake hissed something and slowly slithered off Outkast, he made his way to the hearth at the front of the fire and coiled up. Outkast nodded
"Thanks kid" she looked at Snape
"Put the beaker down in front of him, he doesn't want you to hold it when strikes because he's not too sure how good his aim is, but once he's got it, you'll need to steady it" Snape nodded and followed the instructions. Harry's strike was so fast you couldn't really see it, one minute he was coiled up the next he was on the beaker, Severus picked up the beaker in one hand and held Harry's head in place with the other, Harry wrapped around his father's wrist, a translucent but slightly white liquid oozed down the side of the glass as Snape applied a little pressure to the snakes head. It only took a few minutes for him to get what he needed. Harry crawled onto the floor and turned back to his normal self, he took a seat next to Ron and curled up in a ball. Severus rolled his eyes
"Harry I have to go make this now, but after dinner you and I are going to have a long chat" with that he turned couldn't leave fast enough, he definitely felt out of place with all that red and gold. Harry sighed, and pushed back further into the sofa, Outkast squeezed his shoulder
"Don't worry it's nothing bad, well not in the normal sense anyway" and then she too left.
##
The antidote took less then an hour to make, leaving Severus an hour to contemplate what he was going to say to Harry. He now wasn't sure how to talk to his son without him turning into a ball… or a snake. He was startled from his thoughts by a knock on the door. Outkast was hanging off the door frame
"Am I disturbing something?" she asked and for once sounded sincere, Severus raised an eyebrow
"Since when did you care if you were disturbing something?" he scoffed, she grinned and shrugged
"I don't but I want you in a good mood for what I'm about to say" She sauntered into the room and causally glanced at the antidote for Blaise that was cooling on the desk before returning her attention to Sev. He groaned
"I don't like the sound of that. What do you want?" he massaged his temples and tried not to look at her, since doing so made concentrating on what she was saying quite a bit more difficult. Outkast hopped up on his desk looked down at him.
"I want to talk to you about Harry"
"There's a surprise"
"I'm going to ignore that. Look Sev you need to talk to him, and I mean really talk without getting angry or impatient with him"
"Since when did you become an expert on what my son needs?"
"Well I seem to know better then you" she sighed trying to pull her temper in.
"Look I'm not here to start a fight with you, but I want you to promise me something, whatever Harry says to you tonight don't be angry" She looked imploringly at him, his eyes cut through her
"You know something about Harry I don't, don't you?" She ran a hand through her hair and took another deep breath
"Yeah I do, but he has to be the one to tell you. Sev your son has really been messed up, he's scared and untrusting. If I were to tell you I would lose what little trust he's honoured me with and it would gain you nothing. Please promise me don't get mad with him and listen to him, if you want to yell at someone you can yell at me after, deal?" She was practically begging, Severus sighed it was a rare thing that Outkast would ask anyone for anything but this was practically unheard of, he felt he had little choice but to agree. He gave her a short nod, and she looked relieved
"Good. Now it's almost diner, so why don't I get that antidote to the brat and meet you in the great hall" she hopped off the desk and grabbed the vile before leaving. Severus sighed, that was a particularly strange conversation – even by Outkast's standards and now he really needed to talk to his son.
##
Outkast's first trip was to the infirmary; she left the anti venom the Frau Pomfrey's capable hands and left before they could get into a row about her impromptu disappearing act. Her next stop was her quarters; the rat version of Pettigrew was awake and frantically running around the small enclosure, she rolled her eyes
"Will you stop that, I don't want you wearing your little rodent heart out prematurely" the rat stared at her in shock. She nodded
"That's better" she slid the lid open and dumped in a plate of food and a bowl of water, before shutting it again. She looked at the rat with distaste before sauntering out of the room and slamming the door.
##
Outkast was heading by towards the Gryffindor tower when she caught sight of Harry and his friends, she wondered over to them and the conversation – which she noticed Harry wasn't taking part in – stopped she smiled, as she looked at them, a lot of the Gryffindor's didn't trust her, she couldn't really blame them she didn't try and earn their trust and she would be damned if she acted like the professors here seemed to. They turned to looked at her,
"Hello, can we help you?" Hermione was trying to be polite but there was still and edge to her voice when she talked to Outkast, there was just something about the woman (aside from being the Dark Lord's twin) that made her uneasy, Outkast looked around the group
"Yeah actually Harry, can I have a word in your shell-like before you go to dinner?" Harry shrugged and nodded. She said goodbye to the others and led Harry into the empty defence classroom. She closed the door and cast a locking and silencing spell.
"Hey Harry sorry about the silencing spells but I don't trust your friends not to be on the other side of the door trying to listen in" She shrugged
"I'm paranoid" she added, Harry smiled weakly still wondering what she was up to. She paused collecting her thoughts before turning back to him.
"Harry, you know you father wants to talk to you tonight?" He nodded but didn't say anything
"Well let's just say I don't think it's going to be the easiest conversation you've ever had, but remember Sev would never hurt you ok?" Harry nodded, but his eyes showed disbelief. Outkast smiled at him, not a mischievous grin or a smirk but a proper smile, she opened her arms, and beckoned him
"Hey kid come here" Harry did so; she wrapped him in a warm embrace and continued to talk.
"Harry I'm fairly sure your father's going to ask you questions you're not going to like, but it's important you tell him the truth, not just what you think he wants to hear. He won't be mad at you ok?"
"And what if I can't tell him?" Harry's voice was muffled as he was speaking into her shoulder; she ran a hand through his hair, in a motherly gesture before letting him go
"Then tell him you can't tell him" She screwed up her face at then sentence before shrugging it off.
"Harry, he needs to know and you have to be the one to tell him, he's isn't going to desert you I promise and in the long run it will be better" Harry nodded, she was talking sense, but he wasn't convinced
"What if he hates me? What if he's mad? What if he throws me out?" his eyes were wide as he started to vocalise his fears. Outkast shook his head at each point
"Harry he won't hate you, he won't be mad and he will certainly not throw you out or disown you." He still didn't look too sure, Outkast perched a hip on the edge of one of the desks
"You know Harry when I first met Sev he was so cold, I had never come across someone with some much malice in them, but as I got to know him, I learnt why he closed off his heart, he couldn't bare the thought of being hurt. That man survived a brutal upbringing, spying on Voldemort and Azkaban. By the time the first war was over I was under the impression that nothing would even be able to drive him over the edge, nothing would make him crack. I now know that I'm wrong, there is one thing that would send your father into insanity so far that nothing would bring him back" Harry wasn't liking this conversation but had to know
"What?" he whispered, not meeting he eye. Outkast gently lifted his chin bringing his gaze to hers
"Losing you. Harry you are his world and life, he won't send you away because despite everything else he couldn't bare it"
"What about you?" Harry barely spoke so the question was audible
"What ever happens between your father and me, I will always be there if you need me for anything, I don't care what people say you are my son" she pulled him into another hug
"I love you, don't you see both Sev and I do?" cupping his face in her hands she made him look her in the eye, he gaze burned with fury
"I would die for you, and when the time comes I'll kill for you" She placed a kiss on his head and released him. Noise from the corridor began to filter through the room indicating that she had lifted the charms,
"Go eat with your friends" she smiled gently and walked out leaving Harry to wonder what an earth most of that had been about.
##
Outkast too her place in the great hall and winked at Sev, the action wasn't lost on Dumbledore whose eyes twinkled just a little bit brighter. Severus just snarled and hoped that none of the students noticed.
Harry walked in a few minutes after Outkast and took his place opposite Ron and Hermione
"What did the Queen of the Damned want?" Hermione said as he arrived, Ron looked puzzled
"Queen of the Damned?"
"Muggle book and film reference, don't worry I'll get it for you for Christmas" Hermione elaborated without missing a beat before turning her attention back to Harry. Harry shrugged
"She just wanted to give me something to think about. At least that's what I think it was all about" he finished lamely before shrugging and grabbing a roll and start to pick at it.
"He mate Quidditch practise tomorrow night alright?" Ron said with a mouthful of food Hermione looked disgusted
"Ronald Weasley you will kindly refrain from eating and talking at the same time, you were not bought up in a barn so stop acting like it" She had mastered a tone somewhere between Mrs. Weasley and Professor Snape which was twice as intimidating as either. Ron looked sheepish and finished chewing
"Sorry" he grinned at his girlfriend who just nodded
"That's alright but don't do it again" she then turned her fiery gaze on Harry, who shrank back
"What I wasn't talking?" he said defensively
"You're not eating either" she observed, Harry shrugged
"I'm not hungry" He said simply, Hermione rolled her eyes
"You need to eat more hungry or not" and with that she started to pile food onto his plate Harry glared at her over the top of the food mountain
"I. Am. Not. Eating. All. That." he said punctuating each word. Hermione glared right back
"Yes. You. Are" she crossed her arms glaring at him. Ron looked at his girlfriend, amused at her wrath when it wasn't aimed at him, he gazed sympathetically at Harry
"Sorry mate but you might as well get started she isn't going to back down" Harry opened his mouth to reply but chocked as someone stuffed a fork full of mashed potatoes in his mouth. Harry glared at the person sitting next him as he removed the offending fork and chewed the potato. He swallowed the food and went to yell at Ginny but again the moment he opened his mouth another fork full of food was stuffed in, most of the Gryffindor's close enough to see what was going on were now laughing. Harry swallowed that mouthful as well but kept hold of the fork before glaring at each of the in culprits in turn, Neville shrugged
"That's not fair you're all ganging up on me" Harry huffed, Ginny smiled deceptively sweetly
"Yup we are and you are going to eat or else" Harry sighed defeated, he maybe a brave Gryffindor but he wasn't stupid enough to take on the collective wrath of the youngest Weasley and Hermione. He picked up the fork and started to pick at the pile in front of him. It took him half an hour to convince them he couldn't eat anymore after demolishing a third of it. They were about to argue with Professor Snape appeared over Harry's shoulder
"Harry when you finished you know where I will be" He offered no further conversation but left in his normal fashion. Harry chose to use it as a reason to escape
"Sorry guys can't keep him waiting" He ducked out the hall before anyone could argue feeling incredibly full.
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Woo a long chp this time!
Thanx for being my Beta May!
OK firstly anyone who read my reviews already knows this: the spicy brains thing in a previous chapter is a line from a really funny series known as Mittens on www.matazone.co.uk check it out it's a cool site!
Reviews:
Ash Knight, Hunta, Angeldelamorte, Blackdragonofslytherin, Xyverz, Prohpetess of Hearts, Rusgara, Starangel2106, Craw/Brad, Amy2k, Padfootfe, Otspock, Kelei, Lightning Rain: Thanx for reviewing!
May; Nobody likes a smart ass :-p and don't be down drink Bombadillo's!!!!!
Tynan; There isn't but feel free to try!
Shae Lynn; What happened to the bunnies???
Schnuff: A friend of mine says that the neurotoxin in cobra venom is fatal after several hours - her name is Christina Haestier Bsc (HONS) Department of Biology, University of Essex – if you want to debate it with her I'll give you her email!
Opal: Err Draco doesn't have a sister in this… I think well I can't remember writing one!
Portia De Lanuit; WOOO More minions, can't have too many can we??
Marauders4ever: Firstly if you go as Outkast I demand a photo! Secondly if you want something to hit (emphasis on someTHING) then I can give you the address of my Ex!