Disclaimer: See Chapter One
-CHAPTER NINE-
'The Golden Nile Viper'
Harry settled down between Ron and Neville who were already helping themselves to a large plate, full of bacon and eggs. Hermione was trying to spoon muesli into her mouth while reading the muggle novel she had taken out of the library while Seamus staring vacantly over at the Slytherin table. Harry broke into a grin as he poured himself a goblet of orange juice as he looked across to see Lucy munching thoughtfully on a slice of toast. Harry wondered if Seamus was ever going to pluck up the courage to ask Lucy to the ball. Of course Hermione had been right watching them now exchanging little glances it was now so obvious to Harry that Seamus really liked Lucy and she felt the same. Harry grinned again recalling Seamus' face after Hermione had given him the third degree on inter-house relations, Harry agreed if Seamus really cared about Lucy then he should let the snide comments from few petty minded idiots from either house bother him.
Harry had a suspicion that Hermione was quite enjoying her new position as agony aunt, dishing out advice. Of course with Cho Chang things were different, she was in Ravenclaw and there was only a friendly rivalry between them and Gryffindor. He felt a pang of disappointment that she was going to miss the Halloween ball due to her brother's wedding, which also meant Harry still had to find someone to take to the ball. He suddenly thought of Hermione, Harry was almost certain that she was still waiting for someone to ask her, should he or would she just think that he felt sorry for her. Neville was taking Susan Bones from Hufflepuff as long as he promised not to dance with her but Ron didn't seem too bothered about it, although as Neville had pointed out last night Lavender was hoping that he would ask her. And of course Malfoy would be taking Pansy, Harry looked over at the Slytherin table again and this time was greeted by a nasty smile from Pansy who was sitting very closely to Malfoy trying to sneak a looked at what he had hidden under the table. Harry sighed, he didn't want to be the only one left without a partner, he glanced at Hermione who was still engrossed in her book, Harry had decided he would ask her to the ball during the dancing lesson.
Harry, Hermione and Ron were heading down the corridor for another mind-numbing History of Magic lesson with the ghostly Professor Binns when they spotted Malfoy and his cronies huddled in a corner.
"Shhh," Draco snapped at Crabbe. "Not here, although I can't wait to see Snape's face. My father said that Snape's always wanted one but he'd never be able to afford one on a teacher's wages. He go positively green with envy when he see it."
"Sees what?" Hermione demanded.
"None of business mudblood," Draco sniped back, while Crabbe and Goyle just sniggered.
"It's obviously something you shouldn't have then," retorted Hermione ignoring Draco's insult determined to find out what he had in the bag.
"I bet it's nothing," Ron goaded.
"What would you know, Weasley?" Draco hissed. "Your father would have to work all the over time going at the Ministry of Magic for a year, and still would be able to afford one of these…" Draco started to unfasten the golden cord that tied the bag shut when Crabbe elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
"Ouch," Draco snapped looking up then fell silent and swiftly hid the bag behind his back.
"Come on, Malfoy," Harry asked, as Draco swiftly hid the bag behind his back and tried somewhat unsuccessfully to look innocent. As if butter wouldn't melt.
"Well…Mr Malfoy…What exactly are you hiding behind your back?" questioned Professor Raven arching a slender dark eyebrow.
"It's nothing really, Professor Raven," Draco answered with a shrug shooting a venomous look at Hermione as he reluctantly brought the velvet bag into view.
"I'll be the judge of that," Professor Raven replied as she eyed the bag with suspicion. Harry thought he saw something moving within the bag.
"It's a gift from my father."
"Open it," Professor Raven demanded firmly as she folded her arms and waited patiently for the grumbling Draco to unfasten the gold cord. Hermione let out a fearful gasp leaping behind Harry which made Draco smiled.
"Bloody Hell!" agreed Ron, while Harry just stood wide eyed in disbelief as from the dark depths of the bag rose the swaying head of a glistening yellow snake, it's dead black eyes unnervingly seemed to settle upon Professor Raven. The professor took an alarmed step backwards as the snake hissed hatefully at her as if it could sense her fear. It seemed Professor Raven hated more than anything it was snakes, in fact if the truth be known she didn't just hate them she was more than a little afraid of them. But she had strived over the years to overcome her phobia knowing that those who practised the dark arts wouldn't be slow to exploit such a weakness. There had only been three people during her time at Hogwarts who had known of her fear…until now.
"I'm sorry Professor," Draco grinned wickedly. "I had no idea you were so afraid of snakes."
"DRACO MALFOY!" Professor Snape's voice icy and sharp cut through the air wiping the smug smile from Draco who suddenly went quite pale. Nothing of them had heard Snape raise his voice from above a harsh whisper even when he had been especially foul tempered. Snape didn't need to bellow and shout to control pupils his icy stare and stern tone was usually enough to chill the blood. Snape's dark, cold eyes glinted in the shadows not unlike those of the snake that still hissed angrily Harry though as he loomed disapprovingly above the group.
"It's alright, Professor Snape, I was just…"
"Mr Malfoy…you may be in Slytherin " Snape rudely ignored Professor Raven as he took control. "But that does not give you permission to parade about the corridors of Hogwarts with poisonous snakes."
"Takes one to know one," Ron whispered behind his hand into Harry's ear. Snape regarded Ron with an angry icy glare but said nothing. He grabbed the bag from out of Draco's hand not flinching as the snake protested angrily.
"Now…now what's wrong, my sweet," Snape said to the snake in a soft whisper as he petted it gently upon the head. He held the now soothed snake a little too close to Professor Raven for her liking but she managed not to flinch back unlike Hermione who shrank even further behind Ron.
"She is a beautiful specimen," Snape infused almost with glee. "Golden Nile vipers are extremely rare nowadays."
"Really?" Professor Raven replied trying to be polite but wanting to escape she didn't like the way the snake was still focusing it's gaze her.
"But Cleo's mine. My father hears about…" protested Draco.
"I don't care who gave you the snake. Minus ten points Slytherin."
Harry gasped it was very rare that Snape deducted points from his own house before and to take them from Malfoy his favourite pupil was almost unthinkable.
"And be thankful I am not in the mood to take this any further."
Professor Raven looked as if she was about to speak and then glancing at Snape thought better of it. "Rule twenty-seven of the Hogwarts pupil's handbook strictly states that no pupil and including those of Slytherin House are not permitted to keep serpents of any sort."
"But, Professor Snape," Draco tried another tact in a hope of regain favour. "Cleo was meant to be a mascot for Slytherin House."
"Then as head of Slytherin Cleo shall reside with me," Snape returned with a complacent smile as he carefully pushed the snake back into the bag. "Any objections?" he was greeted with silence. "Right then." Snape continued shutting the bag with a firm tug of the golden cord. "I don't know why your father entrusted you with a Golden Nile viper in the first place Malfoy…yes they are extraordinarily beautiful and rare but also highly dangerous. The Golden Nile viper's venom is extremely poisonous, in the wrong hands a bite from one of these snakes can be fatal…now off to your lesson the bell rang five minutes ago." Great though Harry as he picked up his pile of books a deadly poisonous snake and Snape's going to keep it as a pet…then again there was always the chance it might bite him.
"If you'll excuse me Professor Raven," Snape whispered looking deeply into her eyes. "I better find somewhere a little more congenial to house Cleo than this awful bag." And with that he turned sharply on his heels fortunately just in time to miss Ron mouthing "try your bed" to Harry with a grin. Even Hermione managed a weak giggle as they all watched Professor Snape marching off with almost a spring in his step down the corridor, bagged Gold Nile viper in hand towards the stone staircase leading down to his dungeon classroom.
"Nice one, Granger," Draco sneered hatefully.
"You heard Professor Snape," Professor Raven held Draco in her steely gaze. Draco regarded her for a moment then sloped down the corridor muttering to himself with Crabbe and Goyle hurrying behind him.
Harry was still smiling at the outraged expression upon Draco Malfoy's face as Snape confiscated the Golden Nile viper from him as they left Herbology that afternoon and slowly walked towards the castle for another dancing lesson. Harry noticed that Lavender Brown had fallen into step with them once he, Hermione and Ron had left the greenhouse, she grinned expectantly at Ron who just shrugged not really bothered who he partnered. Lavender took his shrug as a conformation and squealing with delight ran to catch up with Justin Finch-Fletchley and Parvati who although still walking awkwardly insisted upon wearing her new boots.
Malfoy and his cronies were already in the great hall; strangely Draco didn't greet Harry with his usual nasty sneer but looked away as if he hadn't noticed him walk into the room.
"It's not funny," Malfoy snapped punching Crabbe on the arm to stop him chuckling. Pansy smiled reassuringly at Draco, then gave Harry a most venomous glare. Hermione ignored Pansy and scurried over to speak with Lucy Featherstone about doing that sketch of Millie for the front of their Thorny Devils project book. Lucy was standing on her own, away from Draco and the other Slytherins, she greeted Hermione with a weak smile, she nodded and seemed keen to do the sketch but was a little distracted, her attention focused on the door she suddenly blushed as Neville clutching a small brown book followed by Seamus and Dean strolled into the hall.
"What you got there Longbottom?" Malfoy demanded with a sneer.
"Nothing," Neville mumbled.
"Really?" drawled Draco as he stuck out his foot, tripping Neville up. Neville stumbling forward, nearly scuffing Parvati's boots but she managed to jump back with a shriek in time to save them. The book threw out of Neville's hand as his head collided with a nasty thump on the edge of a house table that had been pushed to the sides of the hall in order to create space enough for dancing.
"Dancing for beginners…ha!" Malfoy snorted as he gave Neville's book a kick. "Longbottom's going to need more then this stupid book to solve his clumsiness," Pansy erupted into a fit of giggles but Lucy's expression was one of disgust and concern.
"Neville might be a bit clumsy, Draco," snapped Seamus, as he helped Neville who was groaning with pain, his eyes full of tears and he looked dazed to sit up. "But at least he hasn't got two left feet," Harry watched Lucy trying her best not to smile at Seamus insult while Pansy snorted haughtily as if the fact that her boyfriend couldn't dance was of little concern to her, but Harry had a suspicion that if Pansy was truthful she was more than a little disappointed. There was already a large purple egg-shaped lump appearing just above Neville's right eye, he let out a whimper of pain as he touched it.
"That looks nasty, I think we should take Neville to see Madam Pomfrey," suggested Lucy in a small, worried voice, placing a hand upon Neville's shoulder.
"I'll take him," snapped Seamus, sliding his hands under Neville's armpit and struggling to lift him onto his feet.
"I…I feel faint," complained Neville, swaying unsteadily on legs that felt like jelly, the colour draining from his face. Lucy grabbed one of Neville's arms as he staggered toward her and slipped it around her neck. Harry went to offer his help as he saw that the tiny, slender Lucy was struggling to support Neville's weight but Hermione stopped him, giving Harry a stern look. So Harry stooped down and pick up Neville's book before watching as Seamus and Lucy slowly walked Neville towards the door, Lucy whispered something into Neville's ear that made him laugh out loud.
After Hermione had tactfully explained the absence of Neville, Seamus and Lucy from the class to Madam Hooch, she had decided that there was no point stirring up even more trouble for Neville by dropping Malfoy in it, the dancing lesson processed much like all the others. At least they had the satisfaction that Malfoy had made no improvement from the last lesson, in fact if anything he had got worse much to the disgust of Pansy. Yet Ron it seemed not only to have remembered perfectly all the dance steps they had been taught so far but master all the new, more advanced ones within minutes. Harry and Hermione had also mastered the basic jigs and would have been quite good at the waltz if Hermione hadn't been trying to watch Ron and Lavender as they flashed gracefully by.
"Ouch!" Harry cried as stopped waltzing, he couldn't understand how even though he was meant to be leading she had managed to stand on his toe for the second time.
"Er…sorry," Hermione blushed.
"Hermione," Harry had spent most of the lesson trying to think of a tactful way to ask her to the ball but with only a few minutes left before the bell he was starting to feel so desperate and nervous that he was will to sacrifice tact just to put himself out of his misery. "Will you go to the ball with me?" But only to further Harry's despair Hermione didn't seem to have heard him, she was watched Ron and Lavender who had suddenly stopped dancing. Lavender shrieked excitedly and gave Ron a kiss on the cheek, he looked utterly stunned his mouth gapping open.
"He's gone and asked Lavender to the ball," Hermione muttered quietly sounding equally as stunned.
"Will you go to the ball with me?" Harry tried again he knew that it was pretty tactless now Ron had successfully asked Lavender and expected Hermione to flatly refuse him with a prickly comment or angry glare.
"Yes…I'll go to the ball with you Harry," Hermione replied, it was now Harry's turn to stand there opened mouthed, he had at least expected her to think about it for a moment. It was then that the bell sounded, as Ron strolled over to join them Hermione grabbed her bag muttering something about needing a get a book out of the library before dinner and hurried out of the great hall without even looking at Ron.
"What's up with her?" asked Ron with a puzzled frown.
"I haven't a clue," Harry shrugged picking up his own bag. "Lets drop our bags in the common room before dinner…oh I am right in thinking that you've asked Lavender to the ball."
"Yeah…it wasn't that bad after all and it kind of makes sense her being my dancing partner but did you see how she reacted anyone would have thought I'd asked her to marry me or something…girls I still can't fathom them out."
"I asked Hermione," Harry said quietly, not that he was ashamed but something about Hermione's own surprising willingness to go with him was starting to trouble Harry.
"What did she say?"
"Yes."
"Cool…now all we have to do is worry about our costumes," reminded Ron.
"You alright Neville mate?" Ron asked as Neville burst excitedly into the common room.
"Yes thanks," Neville puffed. "But you'll never guess what?" There was still a nasty purple bruise over his eye but the colour had returned to his cheeks and he sounded quite cheerful.
"What?" Hermione inquired not looking up from her book, she had finished Charmed Life and had returned to the biography of Professor Planchette's father. Of course she was relieved to know that Neville was okay but although a friend he rarely had anything original or interesting to say. Harry just smiled at Neville encouragingly while Ron started to unwrap the shinny foil covering his third chocolate frog that evening; all that dancing had made him feel very hungry.
"Malfoy ran out of Professor Raven's class this afternoon, that's why he was in such a foul mood," Neville continued he puffed out his chest in pride suddenly realising as silence fell upon everyone that he had not only grabbed the attention of his friends but all the Gryffindors assembled in the common room.
"Go on..." Harry asked expectantly eager to hear anything embarrassing befalling Malfoy.
"That was one of the reasons Lucy wanted to helped Seamus take me to the hospital wing, she told us the whole story while we were waiting for Madam Pomfrey."
"Oh, she said yes, you were right Hermione…er…thanks," Seamus said casually flopping down into the empty chair next to Ron. Hermione didn't look up from her book but Harry could see that she was smiling broadly to herself.
"Anyway, Lucy told us that Malfoy got to the lesson in quite a temper as he blamed Professor Raven for Snape taking his pet snake off him."
"He shouldn't have had that snake in the first place, what was his father thinking when he gave it to him," Hermione muttered from the pages of her book.
"Anyway Malfoy thought he would get his revenge by turning the floor of the classroom into a writhing mass of black snakes."
"That terrible," Ron just managed to splutter angrily before erupting into a fit of coughing as the head of his frog went down the wrong way.
"Oh, don't worry about him," said Harry as he handed Ron a glass of pumpkin juice. "He's only got a huge crush on Professor Raven."
"Him and half the boys in this school," retorted Hermione with a pang of bitterness in her voice.
"No, I haven't," Ron insisted desperately hoping he could blame the colour crimson he was rapidly turning on choking on his chocolate frog.
"That was a pretty nasty thing to do," said Harry agreeing with Ron. "Considering how much Professor Raven hates snakes." His thought suddenly drifted to the nightmare and he shuddered, remembering the look of fear on Professor Raven face as she was surrounded by snakes, Harry just hoped his dream was just a worrying coincidence!
"The swine," Ron added with a finally cough.
"Ahh, but Malfoy's little joke backfired," said Neville grinning from ear to ear. "Because Professor Raven ankle deep in snakes fixed Malfoy with this really cold, hard stare, Lucy said it was just like one of those Snape gives you if he is in a particularly foul mood…"
"You mean the ones that you swear he is trying to read your thoughts," asked Harry with another shudder, he knew those stares all too well.
"Exactly," enthused Neville. "Professor Raven must have been able to read Draco's mind because she whispered something and all the snakes turned into large cockroaches that all scuttled after Malfoy. He must be scared stiff of cockroaches cause he took one look at them and ran straight out of class."
"That will teach him," Hermione said with a most satisfied grin as it seemed the whole of Gryffindor common room burst into laugher. "Ahhh…now that is interesting."
"What's interesting?" asked Harry but Hermione couldn't have heard him, she was too engrossed in her book. Harry shrugged and turned his attention back to Neville.
"Professor Raven did say that we have to face up to our greatest fears as those who use the dark arts will always try to use our weaknesses against us," Neville mused thoughtfully.
"I wonder what Snape's greatest fear is then?" Ron asked with a wicked grin.
"Well it isn't snakes that for sure," said Harry. "He dotes on that Golden Nile viper."
"Still I wished we knew what Snape was really afraid of because then we could fill his bed with them," Ron laughed.
"Of being liked," Neville suddenly said profoundly.
"What!" they all answered in unison staring at Neville who was now helping himself a generous handful of spider- and bat-shaped crisps from a bowl on the table.
"I was just thinking…" Neville continued as he stuffed several large spiders into his mouth amazed that he had managed to grab their attention twice in one conversion. "That the thing that Snape must fear the most is being liked."
"Hey, Neville, are you sure that bump on the head didn't affect you?" Ron asked with mock concern.
"No," Neville replied indignantly between mouthfuls of the tangy tomato spiders. "Why else would he so horrible to everyone all of the time…I mean apart from Professor Planchette, doesn't anyone really like him?"
"That's it Neville I'm taking you back to Madam Pomfrey, you don't know what you're saying…next you'll be telling us that you feel sorry for Snape and want to be his friend!" Seamus laughed.
"No…I just think it's a little sad," said Neville still munching through the bowl of crisps but no one seemed to agree.
"Really," huffed Hermione as she sat down next to Harry, glaring at Bryon as she cawed loudly, while hopping along the front bench towards Crabbe who was holding out a half munched crumpet. "Snape's classroom turning into a macabre zoo, what with that creepy raven and now that horrible snake."
"Perhaps he's lonely," suggested Neville thoughtfully. Hermione looked at Neville in surprise, everyone knew that Neville was terrified of the Potions master; but this was the second time that week he had considered that Snape might actually be capable of such a human emotion like loneliness.
"I really think that bump to your head affecting you Neville…" said Ron. "Besides like you said last night, Snape's got Planchette."
"Yeah but Planchette wants to be everyone's friend," said Harry with a grin. It was true, Professor Planchette with his jubilant, sociable disposition found making new friends easy, unlike the moody and sullen Snape. Harry pondered this as he took his potions book and parchment out of his bag, not seeing that Draco Malfoy had slipped over to the glass tank that was situated upon a shelf behind Snape's desk.
"Look Granger," Malfoy sneered as he thrust the protesting snake at Hermione. "Want to make friends with Cleo?"
"No…no I don't," Hermione stammered inching away from the hissing serpent.
"Leave her alone Malfoy," snapped Harry angrily.
"Not scared are you Potter? Then why don't you tell Cleo to back off…you Parslemouth freak." The cruel shrieking laughter of Pansy could be heard over the rest of the Slytherins, all were in fits of giggles excepted Lucy who looked just as frightened as Hermione.
"Well you should be, one bite from this snake and…" Draco ran his finger across his scrawny throat making a sickening throttled noise. "You're a gonner for sure."
"Don't," groaned Hermione, who couldn't take her terrified eyes off the snake.
"And it isn't a quick death either," Draco smiled stroking the snake like some B-movie villain. "You die the most painful horrible death, it can take hours, the venom slowly creeps through your veins like molten agony; the pain is so bad that you're writhing about on the floor tearing at your own flesh trying to stop it…"
"That's horrible," Hermione gasped.
"But quite true…so I'll take the snake from you now Mr Malfoy, and minus ten points Slytherin," snapped Snape suddenly looming over Malfoy whose conceited smile quickly faded.
"But…but..." Malfoy protested indignantly.
"Sit down boy, before I make it fifty points," snapped Snape. "And you will not remove Cleo from the tank without my permission again…do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Professor," Malfoy grumbled as seething he returned to his seat next to a sniggering Crabbe who he punched hard on the arm. Snape,the snake now clasped to his chest turned his dark eyes upon Hermione who still sat rigid with fear.
"Judging from the rather unflattering shade of white that you have just turned, Miss Granger," Snape said with an amused smile as he gently smoothed the golden scaly head of the snake. "Your great intellect does not run to poisonous snakes. I believe Salazar Slytherin was particularly fond of the Golden Nile Viper. A nasty nip from Cleo here would have had you in the hospital wing for several weeks but a full-blown bite is indeed fatal. They were often used in ancient times by members of Snake Cults as a means of assassinating those deemed disloyal. But this practice is now very rare as due to several centuries of serpent charming these snakes have been conditioned only to attack if their own life is endangered. In fact if you wanted to kill someone using one of these snakes then you would be better off just using the venom, injecting the victim or getting them to ingest it."
"But you can still make a Golden Nile viper attack someone, can't you Professor?" Malfoy piped up flashing a menacing grin at Hermione.
"Yes, Mr Malfoy…but the Assassin Draft requires you to have a specific victim in mind, I forget the particulars now as I have only come across the spell once, you need a photograph or image of the intended victim. The potion involved is very long and complex, it takes about twenty eight days to brew and requires some very powerful and complicated dark magic, thankfully far beyond any of you. If fact I would go as far as to say that besides myself, only Professor Dumbledore and Professor Raven would have the intellect to brew such a draft." Snape slowly walked over to his desk and placed the snake down among his papers. "The charm was considered a most effective method of assassination as it was so specific, no chance of mistakes and can be prepared up to six months of the intended date. Personally I think the Assassin Draft is a particularly cruel meaning of killing someone as the snake becomes agitated and suffers if it is prevents from obtaining its goal."
He seems to know an awful lot about this Assassin's Draft for someone who claims to have come across it once thought Harry with a frown.
"Besides…" Snape continued his cold, black eyes bore hatefully into Hermione as to force the idea of her even considering the charm out of her head. "It's a rare and ancient charm, there are no books even in the restricted section of the library that contain it," Snape almost sounded disappointed.
"Ahhh, but there is now." Malfoy boosted with pride as if his information could win him back as Snape's favourite. "The charm is in the volume The Cult of Apophis – Their practices and rites translated from the original papyrus, my father let me skim through it when he was deciding which books to donate to the school library."
"Really? Your father did mention something about there being a few books of particular interest to me among those he donated," Snape replied with a sly smile. "I must take a look at that one sometime, thank you Mr Malfoy."
"Great, that's all we need." Hermione whispered anxiously into Harry ear. "Malfoy has just given Snape the prefect tool with which to murder Professor Raven."
"I know," Harry muttered under his breath just as worried. There was a nasty squawk from Bryon who hopped nervously out of the snake's path as it slivered over the parchment covered desk. Byron jumped up onto a pile of potion books, cocked her head and croaked triumphantly as the snake glared up at her.
"Leave Cleo alone," Snape snapped at the raven. "Right, I am going to give you a spot test on your knowledge of class three potions, you have exactly…" Snape glanced up at the clock that hung upon the dungeon wall, "...one hour to produce one of the potions that we have already covered this term, marks will be given out of ten and these will go towards your end of term examination."
"But Professor," Hermione cried. "We haven't been give any time to prepare."
"I am sorry, Miss Granger, but perhaps your understanding of a spot test differs to mine," Snape sneered sweeping over to his desk. "Oh and Potter, you will shall partner with Longbottom, maybe between you there will be a slight chance of producing something worth the effort of marking," Harry grabbed his bag and sliding off his stool went to join Neville.
"I hope that snake accidentally bites you," he muttered bitterly, knowing that poor Neville was even more hopeless at potion brewing then he was, at least sitting next Hermione he had some chance of a reasonable grade. So Harry wasn't surprised when he and Neville came to cork their finished potion in a glass bottle that their Shrinking solution was vivid green instead of the dark purple that it was meant to be, he handed it to Snape with a heavy sigh.
"Tut tut Potter," Snape mocked silkily, his cruel delight caused Harry to flush with angry embarrassment. "I would expect better from my first year class, clearly neither you or Longbottom had the intelligence to actually look at the list of ingredients, it's belatedly obvious that you have used powdered unicorn horn instead of the required ground dragon's teeth…that will be a failed grade for the both of you then," Snape made the glass bottle containing the potion disappeared with a wave of his wand. "You two are going to have work even harder now to even obtain a pathetic pass grade, maybe I should ask Professor Raven if she could spare the time to give you remedial potions lessons, you obviously need them."
"You never told us that we could look in our potions book," Harry erupted with sudden rage. "That's so unfair; we all might not be as talented at potion brewing as Hermione or Professor Raven but you've failed us on purpose. I don't care about myself, I know you hate me but at least give Neville a chance." Neville who didn't seems as bothered about failing quickly ducked behind Harry, he might not be the brightest when it can to brewing potion but even he knew what was coming.
"How dare you speak about a member of staff in that tone…And I will not tolerate being spoken to like that either," spat Snape his eyes burning with utter loathing. Harry stepped back; he had never known Snape to become so angry. "Detention…nine o'clock sharp… tomorrow" Snape snarled through gritted teeth, he was shaking, his fists clenched with the strain of keeping his temper under control. "Get out…get out of my sight the lot of you"
"You know Planchette isn't wrong," said Ron as walked out into the castle grounds to sit under the beech tree by the lake. "Snape needs to seriously chill out."
"I know Snape shouldn't have lost his temper but Harry did sort of provoke him," Hermione said quietly.
"I can't believe you just said that…whose side are you on?" Ron retorted accusingly.
"Harry's of coursing I am just saying…"
"Snape was bang out of order and he's knows it, you should report him to McGonagall."
"Er…what?" said Harry who hadn't really been listening, he had been out across the dark surface of the lake wondering what he could have said to enrage Snape so badly. Thinking back on it now it seemed to Harry that what he had first mistaken for fit of anger was perhaps something else, Snape hadn't just been angry he had also been upset.
"Ron thinks you should go to Professor McGonagall and tell her about Snape," Hermione said with a frown.
"No…It's only a detention, I don't want to give Snape even more reason to make my life hell."
Harry walked up the stone steps of the dungeon surprisingly happy, munching on a large jam tart.
"What you got there?" Ron asked, he was leaning against the wall waiting for Harry to finished his detention so that they could maybe go down to see Hagrid and feed the Thorny Devil.s "Snape hasn't been giving you cooking lessons, has he?" he joked.
"No…" replied Harry swallowing the last mouthful of jam tart. "Snape wasn't there, he asked Planchette to take the detention instead."
"Hence the jam tart," Ron smirked.
"Planchette said Snape's gone to London, something about needing specialist supplies for his six year class next week."
"A likely story," Hermione muttered darkly as she joined them. "I've just been to the library to check in the book Malfoy was boasting about."
"But that was in the Restricted Section," Harry said with a frown.
"I know, but Madam Pince sometimes lets me take a quick look if I promise not to take the volume out of the Restricted Area, but someone has already borrowed the book, they took it out yesterday just before the library shut for the day."
"No guesses who that is then," replied Ron.
"I think Snape took it to read up on the Assassin Draft and now he's gone to London to get the ingredients…"
"There's nothing like striking when the iron is hot."
"This isn't a joking matter Ron; anyway you've both got to come to the library with me."
"But Hermione it's Saturday!" wailed Ron who had been looking forward to playing with Millie and the other Thorny Devils.
"I know but this is important, I've finally found a book with something more on the Amulet of Sekhmet."
The library was deserted; everyone else seemed to have the sense to be outside enjoying the last of the autumn sunshine. Hermione brought over a hefty, ancient looking volume over from the new shelves and gently dropped it down on the table with a heavy thud.
"It was among the books Lucius Malfoy dedicated to the library, the one he was showing Professor Raven before Planchette borrowed it."
Harry looked at the faded and rather tattered green leather cover, the title The Wisdom and Magic of the Ancient Worlds that once would have be gilded in impressive golden letters was now worn and barely readable in places. Hermione carefully opened up the book; Harry could hear the fragile yellowed parchment crackling between her fingers. She stopped at a page of text illustrated with black, ink drawing of the Amulet of Sekhmet.
"Here..." Hermione traced the passage with her finger. "The Amulet of Sekhmet, which is sometimes known as the Protector of Ra is thought to be one of the oldest protective charms ever produced. The amulet is crafted from pure gold in the shape of a winged solar disc, with an impressive ruby at its centre. It was thought that the amulet was created by the goddess Sekhmet, the daughter of the sun god Ra, who was considered a great sorceresses and healer. Sekhmet was thought to have created the amulet for her father to protect him from his eternal enemy Apophis, the god of darkness and evil. Sekhmet created the amulet to protect Ra in his nightly battle against Apophis as he journeyed through the underworld, Ra had to defeat Apophis so that the sun could rise again. It is said the blood of the goddess that gives the stone its power and deep dark colour…"
"Okay," said Ron after a moments silence had passed between them while he and Harry had took in what she had just read to them. "So this Amulet of Sekhmet is pretty ancient and created by some goddess so her father can fight this Apophis bloke…but that still doesn't tell us why…"
"But, don't you see?" Hermione snapped turning the page over and pointing at a drawing of a large snake. "That's Apophis, he is always represented by a huge serpent as he was the snake god of the underworld…the Amulet of Sekhmet was created to protect against Apophis, it must be a charm to ward off snakes and that's why Professor Raven took it, to protect herself."
"I don't know," said Harry still gazing down at the illustration of the serpent. "It didn't seem to ward off that Golden Nile viper."
"Well I doubt she was wearing it then, she had no reason beside she can't risk Snape finding out she's got it."
"If she ever took it in the first place," Ron reminded.
"I suppose," replied Harry still not sounding entirely convinced, "But I thought you said it was a protection against Dark magic."
"Yes, but that was before I knew more about the amulet…"
"I guess it does make more sense Harry; this Apophis guy is a huge serpent and Professor Raven hates snakes…why else would she have take it, not that I am saying she did. I bet Planchette could settle this for us, magical artefacts are his subject after all."
"I wonder…" mused Hermione with a most serious expression furrowing her brow. "Perhaps Planchette can settle something…one way or the other."
TBC
R&R!
AN: Thank-you to my lovely reviewers!