DISCLAIMER: Everything from the books belongs to JKR.


Chapter 14: Dinner Disaster

Harry and Ron dropped their bags on their beds. "Let's head for dinner; I'm starving," Ron headed out the door.

Harry called after him, "I need to get something; I'll see you in the Great Hall." Harry dumped all of the stuff out of his bag and carefully slid something else in.

Harry did his best to hide the bag as he slid into his seat. "What's that?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Harry, what are you doing?" Neville asked a few minutes later as he watched Harry slip a piece of roast beef into his bag.

Harry started guiltily, "Nothing."

"Awful strange nothing," Ron leaned over and pulled the bag open.

"Harry," Hermione gasped. "You shouldn't have brought her to dinner!"

Nagini lifted her head lazily out of the bag. Stay down, Harry hissed at her as he checked to make sure no one else saw her. Nagini grumbled but did as she was told. "She was hungry," he explained to his friends.

No one noticed the snake and dinner went smoothly until dessert. Harry opened his bag, Do you want some choc-.

Hermione asked, "What's wrong?"

"She's gone!" Harry glanced frantically around the room while the others checked under the table.

Harry gasped, "Oh no," the others followed his gaze. Nagini was slowly rising up behind McGonagall and eyeing the plumage on the headmistress's hat.

Before the Gryffindors could do anything, Nagini swallowed the hat. McGonagall turned around to see what had happened to her hat and screamed when she saw the gigantic snake.

All hell broke loose at that point. Most of the girls and first years ran screaming from the hall while the older boys stared and laughed at their hysterical professors. Even Harry laughed when Professor sprout lunged for the snake, tripped over a chair, and sprawled into Flitwick's lap.

Hide; I'll find you when things quiet down, Harry hissed over the ruckus. Then to give her time to get away, Harry pulled out his wand and used the first spell he could think of. Suddenly, it was raining in the Great Hall. The noise redoubled, and Harry slipped out as everyone ran from the hall.