Title: Harry Potter and the Queen of Serpents

Author: Sinayah

Distribution: Just Ask

Rating: PG for now but will move up to R in later chapters.

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything except the plot and the original characters, creatures, etc.

Authors Note: As always, I want to thank my partner in crime Zenura Ravenscar. Without her support I would've never had the courage to write a single sentence. I'd also like to thank the dedicated fans who gave me so many wonderful reviews for my other fics. I hope you enjoy this as much as the others.

Chapter 1

As Fawkes winged away from the house at Privet Drive, towards a place that was definitely not his home at Hogwarts with his chosen companion Albus Dumbledore, the phoenix thought hard about the actions of his chosen that had prompted his visit to Harry Potter and this subsequent new journey.

The magical bird had been with his chosen wizard for many years, and he was usually quite content in his life and happy with the decisions Albus made concerning those under the elderly wizards' care. Such had not been the case almost fourteen years ago, and it was not the case now. Fawkes' companion had made a dreadful error in the past, and the bird had done nothing to prevent it then, but he was going now in hopes of rectifying the damage done and preventing any more because of Albus' more recent mistakes.

Looking down towards the ground and seeing no sign of human habitation, Fawkes judged that he was far enough away from Surrey to avoid being seen and willed himself to become visible once more. Now that his magical abilities could be otherwise directed, the brilliant red and gold phoenix disappeared in a burst of flame.

* * * * * * * * * *

When Fawkes reappeared a few moments later, in another part of the world, he found himself facing the business end of a wand. Squawking in surprise and indignation while dearly hoping he wasn't about to be hexed into oblivion, he landed on a perch usually reserved for owls in the home of a long time friend, the only witch he'd ever known who could converse with him.

"Great phoenixes feathers Drakkara! I know we haven't seen each other in a while but do I really deserve to be hexed for it?" Though to an ordinary person, muggle or magical, his words sounded as the melodious trilling of his kind, the raven haired, violet eyed woman still holding her wand on him understood as clearly as if he'd been speaking English.

She made an irritated sound in her throat, while replacing her wand in its wrist sheath. "As you said Fawkes, we haven't seen each other in years. I'm no longer used to having a bird appear in a flash of fire right in front of my face, I was just surprised. Would you like some water or food? I don't have any of your favorites, but I'm sure Narasi and Vrisan wouldn't mind giving you one of their mice."

If a phoenix could look disgusted, then Fawkes surely did. "No offense to your guardians, but I'd rather not. I could use some water though if you don't mind, I've just apparated all the way from England." The bird replied softly, wondering how he was going to explain the happenings of the past few years to his friend, knowing she'd be ready to murder his chosen before he finished the story.

Drakkara nodded and left the room briefly, returning with a large dish of clear water and a cup of tea. The tall woman sat the dish on her coffee table along with her tea and settled herself on the couch. Gesturing to her avian guest to land on the table and have his drink, she spoke again. " So, what brings you here after all these years my friend? Surely you didn't apparate from England to Spain just to visit?"

After landing and taking several sips from his water dish, the phoenix moved again and perched himself on the couch beside the lovely woman. His black eyes were sad as they met the bright purple of his friends', and he loosed an avian sigh before beginning. "I have much to tell you Drakkara, and none you'll enjoy hearing, but I beg you to let me tell the story in full and allow my aid in deciding what to do next."

"I have always listened to your council Fawkes; tell me now what troubles you so, and we'll work to fix whatever is wrong." A smile lit her delicate features as she spoke, and a pale hand reached out to stroke over his feathers in a soothing way. Her words and gentle touch comforted the bird and he began his tale.

"Yes, you've always listened to my advice, and to the advice of my chosen; but I'm afraid that the last council you took with us led to the great despair of all concerned. Since that evening, when Albus sent you into hiding and let the world believe you dead, things have gone horribly astray from the path we hoped they would."

The phoenix continued speaking, his song sad as he told of Sirius Blacks' capture and twelve year imprisonment for a crime he didn't commit, and of Remus Lupins' grief and estrangement from the wizarding world after losing all he held dear in one night. And lastly he told the story of Harry Potter, from the moment his friend had last held her godson, through his troubled childhood with an aunt and uncle who despised him, to his discovery of the wizarding world and his fame.

Fawkes told Drakkara of the child's adventures in his first year as he had heard them from his chosen. Of the small boys sorrows in second year when his classmates believed he was setting a monster loose on them, and his brush with death to save his best friends sister from the beast. The tale of Harry's third year was happier for the discovery of his long lost godfather and the werewolf who'd been his professor, but no less dangerous than his previous adventures.

Last of all the magical bird told of Harry's fourth year and the tri-wizard tournament, ending with the horrors the boy had faced in the graveyard of Little Hangleton, the rebirth of Lord Voldemort, and the recalling of the Death Eaters. When he had finished his long story, Fawkes flew back to the table and took another long drink before daring to look into the face of his friend.

Drakkara Vanimaer, best friend of the late Lily Evans Potter, former fiancée of the werewolf Remus Lupin, and godmother of Harry Potter was seething with anger underneath her tears of grief for her loved ones. "How?" she cried, "Why? How could Albus have let all this happen? He should've sent you to me the moment Siri was captured! I knew he wasn't their secret keeper! Lily told me about the last minute switch; she wasn't happy with it at all. And why in the name of all that's good in this world did he ever tell Remy I was dead? We agreed that he should know the truth, even if no one else did! Harry's been all alone in this world for fourteen years, left with that awful sister of Lily's, thinking that there was no one left who loved him. My god Albus what have you done?"

"Drakkara," Fawkes called softly, bringing the woman away from her grief, "I visited Harry tonight, just before I came here. I saw him open his presents alone; your mate sent him some pictures and a single memory penseive of you and his mother singing. Someone sent him a cake and he made a wish before going to bed. He wished for someone to love him like his mother did."

The phoenix glided over and sat on his friends' knee, looking up into her tear streaked face. "It's time to fix the mistake we made all those years ago my friend. Harry needs you, your loved ones need you, and I need you. I fear that without you our world is in great peril, for Albus' wisdom seems to be failing at every turn. My chosen needs to be shown that he is not omniscient, and that his choices aren't always the right ones. It might shock him back into sense if you were to return and take things in hand. If after hearing my story, you're still willing to listen to my council, then my advice is this: Pack up your things and come back to Hogwarts with me. Speak with my chosen and then go to Harry and give him his wish."

Drakkara looked at the magnificent bird perched on her knee, seeing in his onyx eyes the wisdom of ages and the genuine concern and sorrow he felt for the events of the past. A slender, long fingered hand reached out and stroked his soft plumage and she sighed deeply before replying. " I will take your council Fawkes, what else could I do after hearing all this? If for no other reason, I would go back for Harry, and for Remy and Siri. Though if Voldemort were still nothing more than an evil spirit I would simply take my loved ones and return to hiding with them."

The woman picked up her teacup and drained it of the now cold liquid. Then she set her arm in front of her bird friends' feet and set him upon her shoulder. "It won't take me long to pack the essentials, I wasn't planning on staying here much longer anyway." Standing, she took both cup and water dish back into the kitchen and then proceeded to her bedroom. "Hop off Fawkes, Vrisan and Narasi are in their tank with their daughter Siranev, you can give them a run down on whats happening while I change and pack up."

Fawkes took wing and glided over to a large glass tank where three snakes were coiled and resting. They were truly lovely serpents, as rare in beauty as the woman they guarded. Inky black scales covered their heads and backs, with a diamond pattern of violet and green shimmering amid the darker background. When the two larger serpents raised their heads to greet the bird, one could see an underbelly of shining silver.

These two adult snakes were the aforementioned Vrisan and Narasi, who were Drakkara's familiars, guardians, and friends. The two rare magical serpents had been with their chosen since long before Fawkes had made the woman's acquaintance. Their breed were known as Parsels', and from that name was derived the name of the snake language Parseltongue and the name of those humans gifted with knowledge of the language, Parselmouth.

Being magical creatures, the phoenix and serpents had no trouble speaking to each other, and greeted each other as friends long parted. Vrisan and Narasi introduced the large bird to their single offspring and all four were quickly involved in a discussion of the past happenings and the plans that had been made for the immediate future.

While the animals spoke among themselves, Drakkara was not idle. She quickly picked out some clothing designed to impress and laid the items on her bed along with the accessories she planned to wear with them. Then she stepped over to the large trunk resting at the foot of her bed. It was a multi chambered trunk of dark mahogany, and set with ten stones along the front of the lid, and a larger stone on the top. Pressing her hand to the top stone she softly commanded the trunk, "Separate."

In an instant, one trunk became ten, each with a single stone in place of a keyhole. The raven-haired woman quickly opened all ten trunks, showing chambers of different dimensions in each, all with specific purposes. Stepping back from the long row of trunks, Drakkara removed her wand from its sheath and waved it in a clockwise circle over her head three times, encompassing the entire house before slashing the wand down and across, pointing at each of the trunks as she commanded, "Pack."

Objects of different sizes began flying into the room in an orderly fashion and arranging themselves in the different trunks according to what they were. While her magic worked to stow away her possessions Drakkara moved to the glass tank and removed its occupants to the bed so that they wouldn't be packed with their resting-place. Fawkes too moved to the bed and continued conversing with the serpents as their friend took her fresh clothing into the adjoining bathroom to change.

Slipping out of the night robe she'd been wearing, Drakkara took a quick shower and dried herself off. After using magic to dry her long, thick midnight tresses, the lovely woman donned her fresh clothing. She'd chosen the outfit to impress upon Albus Dumbledore that she was not a woman to argue with, just in case he'd forgotten that fact.

Her blouse was of a silver material, and was actually made from the hide of a cold-drake she'd come across in her travels. It had taken much time and effort to make the sleeveless blouse, but the finished product was well worth the work, as a cold-drakes hide would reflect even very powerful spells.

The next item she pulled on was purely for modesty's sake. A pair of forest green lycra leggings, as the lighter green ankle length skirt she wore over them was rather sheer, but again reflected powerful spells as the material was produced from crushed fibers of dragon scales. Her footwear was a pair of simple flat-soled silver sandals with lacings that criss-crossed her feet to the ankle. Next, a black leather belt holding sheathed twin knives carved from the fangs of a basilisk was draped over her rounded hips. Lastly, she combed her long hair back and twisted it into an intricate figure eight at the back of her head and secured it with a pair of ivory sticks, the upper halves carved into serpent heads with tiny emeralds for eyes.

Nearly ready, Drakkara stepped out of the bathroom and surveyed the bedroom, looking into the opened trunks when she saw that her possessions were no longer flying around. Seeing that each trunk was now thoroughly packed, and the only things that remained outside were the furniture that had come with the house when she rented it, and the four magical creatures still conversing on her bed, she nodded with satisfaction and closed each trunk.

She laid her hand on the lid stone of the middle trunk and said, "Combine." As quickly as they'd separated, the ten trunks merged again into a single trunk with ten chambers. The trunk was then shrunken to the size of a small suitcase that she lifted by the handle and carried to the bed where she draped a black velvet travelling cloak about her shoulders and raised the hood before speaking to her animal friends.

"Alright my friends, time to go." The two adult serpents glided up their companions' arms and coiled again around her biceps as if they were living armbands. Siranev, the youngest and smallest, coiled delicately around the woman's right wrist, and Fawkes lifted himself up to her left shoulder.

The phoenix pushed aside the hood of Drakkaras' cloak and nuzzled his soft head against her cheek, silently expressing his gratitude for her willingness to return to Hogwarts and do what she could to make things right. "Drakkara, I believe it's about three o'clock in the morning in England now, and Albus will be well and truly asleep. Why don't you apparate us to Hogsmeade and we'll have a nap at the Three Broomsticks before we go shock the twinkle out of my chosens' eyes." There was a definite tone of anticipation in the birds voice, and the woman chuckled, knowing Fawkes could hardly wait to see Albus' face when the old wizard realized his familiar had gone over his head, so to speak.

"No doubt the Three Broomsticks will be closed at this time of night, and I absolutely refuse to step inside the Hogs Head. I'll take us to the Shrieking Shack instead; it should do for our needs. Ready?" She replied candidly. The large bird tightened his clawed feet a bit on her shoulder and the three snakes clenched their muscled bodies around her arms and wrist in answer. Violet eyes closed as Drakkara pictured in her mind the outside of the shrieking shack as she'd last seen it. Grasping her shrunken baggage tightly, she gathered her magic around her, encompassing her trunk and the four magical creatures within her aura. Long distance apparating was difficult at best, but with the power of both magic and will, the woman and her companions vanished with a slight pop.