Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K Rowling.
Ron and Harry took to avoiding Katie after that by hiding in at the boy's bathroom, in the one eyed witch tunnel, the boy's dormitory, and occasionally by ducking into classrooms to ask useless questions to teachers so they could stall. Hermione just laughed at them and would leave them to hiding. Their methods ran out when Katie found a spell that allowed her to track them, which Hermione had 'accidentally' pointed out. Ron was livid for the next few days, when Hermione sat in the Quidditch stands and watched the team ran their laps. The first week back passed uneventfully. They even managed to avoid Malfoy. The first day of the second week, they weren't so lucky.
"All righ' now," Hagrid said, rubbing his hands together. Ron, Hermione, and Harry exchanged glances. Hagrid was excited, and he'd been boasting happily to the three ever since last class. "Wait here." Hagrid said, hurrying around to the back of his house, where whatever it was stashed.
"As if we'd go anywhere else." Malfoy drawled.
"Watch your mouth, Malfoy." Harry growled.
"Watch where you step, Potter," Malfoy spat, "because I'm watching you." Hermione rolled her eyes. Hagrid reappeared.
"Now, look at this!" He said, stopping in the middle of the paddock. The class (Gryffindor and Slytherin) were all leaning against the fence. Something came slithering out from behind Hagrid's house. Someone screamed. It was a snake, pitch black, with a silver diamond on its head. Harry stared at it. It was half as tall as Hagrid, putting it somewhere around five or six feet tall. Nearly everyone moved away immediately.
"You bring a poisonous snake to class?" Malfoy asked incredulously. Hermione glared.
"It's only poisonous when it feels threatened. This snake can control its venom. It could bite me and not poison me at all. It however, could bite you, and kill you." Hermione said, clearly enjoying the pained expression on Malfoy's face. Everyone was watching the snake with scared expressions, and everyone had moved away from the fence. Except Harry. Its silvery eyes were locked with his.
"Or it could bite Potter." Pansy sniggered. "And no one'd care." The Slytherins laughed with her.
"This snake is special. One o' the Slyyeri. Anyone know what that is?" Hagrid asked. Hermione raised her hand. "Hermione. Go ahead."
"They have the power to control things like weather in small areas, and they can take control of other animals. Except for werewolves, thestrals and unicorns, which are too powerful for it. It can transform into any animal as well, but only for an hour."
"Excellent, Hermione. Ten points!" Hagrid beamed.
"Of course the filthy Mudblood knows." Malfoy muttered. The Slytherins exploded into laughter. The Gryffindors shrieked with injustice.
"Malfoy!" Ron exploded, moving forward.
"No, Ron, don't bother with him. He's not worth it." Hermione said, grabbing Ron's arm. Ron shrugged her off, but settled for glaring at him. Malfoy smirked.
"Aw, look at the little Weasel, being protected by the Mudblood."
"NOW he deserves it!" Hermione shouted, lunging forward, reaching for Malfoy's neck. Harry broke his eye contact with the snake and grabbed one of her Hermione's arms, while Ron grabbed the other. Malfoy threw himself backwards, scared.
"Take points! She tried to attack me!" Malfoy shouted. Hagrid gave an abrupt laugh.
"But she didn't. In fact, you should thank Harry and Ron fer' savin' yeh. Ten points each, you two." Hermione relaxed, and Harry and Ron let her go.
Harrry Potter. The hiss came through the air. Everyone looked back at the snake, which had just made its first sound.
"What do you want with me?" Harry asked. Everyone, even Ron and Hermione, moved away from Harry. They could only hear him hissing.
In the foressst, I hear yourrr name.
"What do they say?" Harry's heart was thumping so hard it hurt. He didn't even realize everyone was staring.
The centaursss sspeak of you. The ratsss sssqueak about you, and the thessstralsss worry for you. A man hasss been walking in our midsssst. He gathersss things we don't ssspeak of.
"Is it Voldemort?" Harry asked. He vaguely heard screams around him.
No, young Potter. It isss a weaker man.
"A Death Eater!" Harry snapped.
Careful Potter. Many in the Foressst wisssh you well, but there are thossse that don't.
Harry suddenly tore his gaze from the snake.
"You freak, Potter!" Malfoy shouted. Harry lunged at Draco, and punched him hard in the stomach. Malfoy crumpled to the ground, and Harry stormed up to the castle.
"Five points to Gryffindor Harry." Hagrid mumbled under his breath.
Later, Hermione and Ron hurried up to where Harry was.
"Harry, what happened?" Ron asked.
"Nothing." Harry snapped from where he sat on the couch.
"You can talk to us Harry!" Hermione pleaded.
"No! There's nothing!" Harry yelled. They backed off then, and left him there. Harry was sick of being followed,sick of the plots that rose against him. So he made up his own plan. In the middle of the night, Harry slipped out of bed. Ron heard the noise, woke up, and blinked wearily at Harry.
"What's going on?" He mumbled.
"Nothing. Go back to sleep, Ron." Harry suggested gently, pulling his cloak around him, and grabbing the Invisibility Cloak as well. He shoved his wand into a pocket and pulled on his shoes.
"Goin' somewhere?" Ron asked sleepily.
"No. This is a dream Ron." Harry told him. Ron nodded.
"Oh." Ron's head dropped and he dissolved into sleep. Harry pulled his Invisibility Cloak around him and went down into the Common Room. He was glad for the cloak, because Hermione was sitting on the couch and heard the door open.
"Harry?" She called. Harry made his way carefully to the portrait hole. "Harry?" She called again, hurrying up the stairs. Harry exited the portrait hole and hurried out to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He took a deep breath and plunged in. It was dark and cold in there, and he could barely see the full moon through the full branches overhead. An hour later, he heard something.
Harry Potter.
"Who's there?"
Me. The snake hissed. Harry drew out his wand nevertheless.
"What's going on? Where's that man?" He could see the snake now, it was draped over a tree limb in front of him. It hissed, not saying anything, just tasting the air. Harry nearly shuddered as he saw the huge, pearly fangs.
The man is gone. But his danger lurksss. You must go.
"I want to end this!" Harry argued sharply.
Flee, Harrry Potter! Suddenly, there was a loud howl. Harry's heart fluttered unpleasantly, and he looked up. Overhead, the full moon was visible. There are werewolves in there! Harry remembered Malfoy saying in their first year. He had to get out. Now. He turned and began to run. He could hear barking, and knew it was getting closer. He had dropped the Invisibility Cloak by the edge of the forest, hiding was futile, and it would be able to smell him anyway. The barking disappeared, but Harry knew it must be closer. It jumped out in front of him, teeth bared. It's long, gangly limbs were tense, ready to pounce. The hair on its body stood up, and it was snarling and growling fiercely. Harry searched his mind for something, anything to protect himself.
"No!" Harry shouted as the werewolf leaped towards him. Its grey eyes were illuminated in the moonlight. It was about to land on him, and the teeth were close to sinking in when suddenly a large black figure moved between them. Harry was amazed to see it was a thestral. It stamped and snorted, and the werewolf back off at first. Suddenly, wildness took over its mind and it began to charge again. Harry did the first thing that came to mind. He remembered winning the Quidditch Cup, and pointed his wand, focusing on the memory.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry shouted, and the silver stag exploded from the wand, galloping towards the werewolf. The werewolf whimpered, and then suddenly charged towards it. The stag went up on its hind legs, and the werewolf followed suit. Harry didn't take another chance. He threw himself up onto the thestral's back and called for the stag.
"PRONGS!" He shouted. The stag galloped back at him. The thestral spread its wings and took off. It spiraled down just outside the forest, allowing Harry to slip off and grab the cloak. Suddenly, it disappeared and turned back into the snake.
I ssshall leave you now, Harry Potter. The snake hissed. Harry remembered Hermione saying the Slyyeri could transform itself.
"Thank you." Harry said quietly.
Go. The snake ordered before slithering back into the Forest. Harry went back to the castle and slipped back into bed. Tomorrow, he decided, he would look into the Pensieve again.
I hope you liked it! Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I apologize if I don't update every day. I just got a hectic schedule, so if I'm late, please forgive me! Please review if you get a chance!