Snape's POV.

I slam the books closed. The Hogwarts library has books on just about every topic imaginable, and then some. The trouble is, most of them are exactly the opposite of up to date. The only texts of much use were A Demon Tamer's Guide, Magical Creatures of the East, Defense Against Tricksters, and How to Talk Your Way out of Being Eaten. I was certainly not worried about Nagini eating me, unless she managed to steal my wand as well as my boots. Still, I consider it wise to consult Hagrid on his knowledge of the Naga, as no doubt, he knows something of more than academic use, being obsessed with dangerous creatures. First, however, a trip to my quarters, as that creature is currently chewing on my favorite boots.

A student dares to giggle as I exit Pince's "Sacred Shrine of Moldy Tomes". I take ten points from Hufflepuff, for disturbing the quiet of the library, of course. Sending the snot nosed brat my best death glare, and sweeping dramatically form the room, I am sure the effect was quite ruined by the quite visible hole in my left sock. A hole, through which, two toes are visible. I note that my toenails are in rather bad need of clipping. It will have to wait, I decide, until my next bath, though I have no idea when that might occur. It is not as if I have nothing more important to attend to then hygiene.

I pull on my second favorite pair of boots, cursing the scaly fiend that robbed me of my favorite pair. My boots are, as the nearly all the rest of my wardrobe, black. It makes it far easier to traverse the Forbidden Forest and other places I don't particularly wish to be seen. It also adds to the air of danger I take care to cultivate. It would not do to have my students see me as a human being, though, my efforts seem to have succeeded a bit too well each time the rumors that I am a vampire surface.

Some minutes later I knock reluctantly on the door of Hagrid's "house". Hagrid himself is disgustingly exuberant. I am pleased to see his mood falls somewhat upon learning the identity of his guest. Nonetheless, he lets me in, and invites me to partake of questionable refreshments in the form of coarse tea and something grey and lumpy. They resemble stones, and I assume that these are Hagrid's notorious rock cakes. I decline.

"What ken I do fer yer, Perfesser?" Hagrid asks me, even less happy to see me, as I am not pretending to enjoy his fare, as others foolishly do. It does not occur to the man's friends that if they were more honest, his cooking might perhaps improve.

"I have come across a dark creature recently with which I am understandably unfamiliar. I have found little in the Library. I am most dismayed that so little in such a vast repository of knowledge should be helpful in this case, though it is admissible I suppose considering how rarely the creatures ever venture into Europe, let alone Britain."

"A ferign creature then." Hagrid remarks, suddenly looking more enthusiastic about my visit. "Expect you'll be wantin' to know if I know anythin' about 'em."

"Indeed."

"Tell me what you've got then." Hagrid prompts somewhat eagerly.

"The creature's main form is a large serpent. It claims to be a demon, or a demigod. Apparently it has at least near human intelligence. From this I concluded that the specimen is a Naga, though why one would venture so far from its native climate, and its body of water, I have no idea. I may have to deal with this creature regularly, and I need more insight into its mind than the library could provide."

"Ah, well, first off, the Naga aren't necessarily good or bad. This ones likely bad, as I can take a good guess at where you'd be seeing such a thing. Second, they're awfull proud, the Naga are. That lot make Hippogriffs look like flobberworms when it comes to insults."

I was mildly alarmed. I would have to be careful not to goad Nagini beyond what her loyalty to her Master could bear. It would not do to have her lose her temper one day and attack me.

"Their fangs are extremely venomous, whatever shape they're usin. A bloke'll snuff it in minutes. Some of 'em like humans okay, and will work for them. They're a bit like house elves, and a bit like djinn, except, you treat 'em like a servant and that's the end of it, unless they're bound. A free Naga will take off the second you stop treatin' it like a demigod, with offerings and such. Might even take yer kiddies with 'em, if they get really ticked."

"And what do they do with the "kiddies?" I inquired, wondering if perhaps I could persuade Nagini to dispose of Longbottom for me.

"Dunno fer sure." Hagrid shrugged, "but there's lots o' Naga with human blood, and lots o' wizards with Naga blood."

I was mildly disturbed at that thought. Perhaps Slytherin...? No, it was too absurd.

"What does it mean, that they're are shape shifters of limited ability?"

"Well, in the East, near where they were born, they can take either human like form, or snake form, and everything in between. Easiest is half and half."

I blinked, the most I allow myself to show surprise. That would be an interesting sight.

"Around here, the Naga can't manage much magic at tall, unless they are bound to a human master. That can be tempry or permenet, as I'm sure yeh know already, Perfesser."

I nodded, it was no use pretending that I knew nothing of the dark magic used by wizard kind to enslave other races.