I am free from college! I now enter the world of adulthood! Anyway, here is the next chapter. It's another short one, but I guess this and the previous chapter would have made the usual chapter lengths I usually write. Fair enough, right? Enjoy!

"Sam," Harry choked out, the castle walls spinning around him. He wanted Sam to make everything stop spinning before he got too dizzy and vomited, but his tongue felt swollen in his mouth, stuck to his palate. He blinked dazedly, trying to make out the blurry red form swaying back and forth in his vision. Couldn't Sam stop moving for one second?

: Don't worry, Sam's voice thundered in his head. Harry winced. Help is near.

Harry wanted to say that all he needed was for everything to hold still again. But his tongue didn't work. Nothing worked. Not his arms, not his legs, not even his head. Harry could hear his heart pounding in his chest and he his arms and legs were tingling. He felt so sick and his eyes felt so heavy. He wanted to sleep but the wall behind him was so cold. Couldn't they go back to their quarters? He wanted his nice, warm bed to plop in.

: Keep your eyes open, Sam commanded.

"I want . . . sleep," Harry tried to argue. "Tired."

"Oh dear!" A voice shrieked loudly. "Oh dear! What happened?"

: Black mamba.

"What? How?"

"Shh," Harry forced through his lips. Why was everyone yelling so loudly? Indoor voices, please. His head hurt enough without all the talking. He tried to see who Sam was talking to, but the figure was spinning around as fast as the castle around him. The voice sounded like Poppy though.

: Ah, I . . . it's a long story, I'll explain later. Can you help him?

"Hmm. He's lucky he's a wizard else he'd be dead by now. I have an antivenom. Let me see if I can . . ."

Suddenly, Poppy's face came into view and she reached out towards Harry. Harry watched as the hand holding some strange vial morphed into a hideous black snake. It stuck its tongue out and lunged at Harry.

"Ahhh!" Harry screamed, backing up more into the wall, his feet kicking. "Get away from me!"

"Harry, relax," Poppy's voice continued. "It's just me. You're okay, I'm going to help you."

Two snakes were lunging at Harry now, wrapping themselves around Harry's wrists to restrain him, hissing. Harry screamed louder, yanking harder to pull away.

"Sam, help!"

: He's delirious, said Sam, give that to him! He's getting worse.

"I can't just shove it down his throat while he's like this, he could choke!"

: He'll die if you wait much longer!

The snake's vanished and Harry curled in on himself.

"Merlin's beard, what happened?" A deeper voice banged on Harry's ear drum and he covered his ears to drown out the noise, squeezing his eyes shut.

"A black mamba, apparently."

"A black . . . like when you were attacked?"

: Yes, same situation, and for the record, I told him not to touch my necklace.

"Does anyone want to let me in on what's going on?"

"We will – have you given him any of that yet?"

"No. I tried to, but he freaked out."

"Harry," the deeper voice sounded more concerned. Just like his father. "He's so flushed. Harry, baby, can you look at me?"

Harry opened his eyes, hoping to see his dad's caring face. And for a split second, that was what he saw. But the dark robes his father wore swallowed the man, turning into a huge black mamba with red eyes. Harry screamed and tried to crawl away, only for the large snake to grab him, wrapping tightly around his chest, pinning his arms to his side. Harry tried kicking as two smaller snakes reached for his face. Tears left a burning trail down his cheeks as he called out.

"Sam!" Harry cried, still kicking, managing to kick one snake away.

Harry could make out a blurry red form, knowing it was Sam. But the fox didn't free him. Instead, Sam laid over his kicking legs, pinning them to the floor while the two smaller snakes moved for his face again, snapping their jaws. Harry cried louder, confused by Sam's traitorous actions. The snakes pried his mouth open and a putrid liquid trickled down his throat. Harry coughed and pulled his head away, only to have his mouth pried open again and another tasteless liquid slipped down his esophagus. His eyes felt even heavier, and he gave in to the feeling and closed his eyes.

"He looks dead," a voice sounded above his head, stirring him from his deep slumber. Harry groaned and shifted, the light weight of a hospital bed blanket moving around him.

"He's not dead," came another voice, sounding a bit further away. "Madam Pomfrey gave him a strong sedative along with the antivenom. He should be waking up any minute."

"I don't know, Uncle Sev," the voice above him spoke. Harry felt a finger poke him in the side and he scrunched his nose at the feel. "He looks like death warmed up. Smells like it, too."

Harry frowned at the comment. Finding the strength to open his eyes, he looked around his surroundings, noting he was lying in an infirmary bed. Draco was standing at his side and Severus was moving around in the back where Madam Pomfrey kept her potions. Harry rubbed at his head, which felt very hot.

"And he lives," Draco said at his side.

"Mm-nn-mumph," Harry groaned out, not having found his voice yet.

"Great, he's a zombie. Now he's going to start an apocalypse."

"Better not let me bite you," Harry managed to say.

"You won't infect me. I'll get away. A Slytherin would be the last infected by an apocalypse."

"And who would be first – a Gryffindor?"

"Obviously. Your house would try and kill all the zombies and run right at them. Then Ravenclaws would be next because they would try to find a cure and expose themselves. Then Hufflepuffs would all try to die together in some kumbaya style. And then there's me."

"And you would . . .?" Harry encouraged.

"Survive. I mean, it's going to be a while for the zombies to get through the other houses first. That leaves me time to come up with an escape."

"You have too much house pride."

"And you have too much house stupidity. Who picks up a glowing dragon tooth? Doesn't that ring any alarm bells?"

"It should have," Severus spoke, moving toward Harry, setting several vials down on a nearby table. He rested a hand on Harry's forehead. "You're burning up. How do you feel? Nauseous? Dizzy? Any weird sensations?"

"Just hot."

"Hmm," Severus waved his wand over Harry's head. "You have a fever of 102. I'll give you a fever reducer. And you're sure you feel fine otherwise?"

"Yes, Dad. Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

"Busy. I told her I could take care of you while she tends to some flu-ridden third years." Severus picked up a vial and handed it to Harry. "Fever reducer."

Harry drank the potion, grimacing at the taste. He sighed and rested his head on his pillow, his mouth feeling dry.

"What's wrong?" Severus asked worriedly. "Are you dizzy? Is the potion not settling well? Are you –?"

"Dad," Harry interrupted. "I'm fine. Just a little thirsty."

"I'll get you water."

Once Severus had moved away and his back was turned, Draco made the cuckcoo sign, motioning toward Severus with his head. Harry snorted, and Draco smirked. Severus returned with a glass of water, which Harry started gulping down quickly, only to be told to slow down by his father. He took smaller sips until Severus turned his back, then gulped the rest down. It was Draco's turn to snort as the boy sat on the edge of Harry's bed. Severus picked up a towel and dabbed at Harry's face, drying him off.

"What time is it?" Harry asked.

"After dinner," Draco supplied.

"Eight-thirty-ish," Severus said.

"All you've done," said Draco, "is sleep and sweat."

"What did you do, watch me sleep the whole time? Creep."

"You did look dead. I wasn't sure if I was watching you sleep or take your last breaths."

"Draco," Severus glared at the boy.

"I'm alive as ever," Harry said, kicking the blanket off as he still felt hot.

"You are very lucky, young man," Severus said, giving Harry a stern look, pausing in cleaning up Harry. "Do you have any idea how close to death you came today?"

"Isn't he always close to death at least once a year?" Draco remarked, earning a harsh flick of the towel to the back of his head.

"I'm sorry," Harry said. "I know I shouldn't have touched the necklace, but it was . . . I couldn't help it. After I touched it the first time and Sam told me to leave it, I felt like I had to touch it again. It was like a strange pull in a way."

"Sam explained," Severus began, sitting on the edge opposite of Draco, "that the tooth's magic was activated at the moment, and it was attempting to lure anyone into using its magic. It's like a terrible temptation you can't resist once the magic affects you. That is why Sam wasn't wearing the necklace. Though he is used to it and can usually resist it, it helps to leave the necklace off. When you touched it, the magic seeped into you and acted as that temptation."

"Sounds like dark magic," Draco stated.

"I believe it might be," Severus said, "but Sam does know how to control it and he knows more about it than any of us. And if he said to leave it, then you should have listened to him and left it."

"I know. I've just never seen it do something like that before."

"All the more reason to leave it alone."

"I'm really sorry, Dad. I'll never touch it again. But I don't understand why it brought snakes here."

"This happened to Sam before. The same incident with the snakes."

Harry remembered when he had been feeling guilty for his late-night adventure with the twins and visited his father. He nodded his head.

"So," Severus rubbed the back of his neck and frowned, "from what I understand, the tooth has the ability to give you whatever you demand, say . . . a wish or desire, but there is always a price to pay for what you demand of it. And I guess it usually relates to whatever it was you asked in some way. A while back, Sam had asked to be shown the danger that that house elf Dobby had been on about, but the magic was interrupted before it could finish."

"And it was glowing because it wants to finish," Harry concluded.

"Yes," Severus nodded, "but at the price of being bitten by a deadly snake. Not exactly favorable."

"Why does there have to be a price?" Draco asked.

"I'm really not sure," Severus shook his head, "that's something you'll have to ask Sam."

"It doesn't seem like a very safe thing to be wearing," Draco frowned. "Why does he even keep it?"

"Personal reasons," Severus answered, standing up and looking at Harry. "If you are feeling well enough, you may come down to our quarters and sleep in your room for he night."

"I guess it would be better than staying alone here," Harry decided.

"Well, I'll let our friends know you're alive," Draco said, hopping off the bed. "I was really hoping to devastate them with some terrible news."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, like maybe you have toxic blood now or scaly skin or maybe you have fangs or –"

"He was bitten by a snake not cursed by a deranged witch," Severus said.

"I know, but I was still hoping for a cool story. He could have at least turned into a zombie."

After Draco left, Severus and Harry walked down slowly to their quarters, where Severus tucked Harry into bed.

"I'll bring you a light dinner and then it's straight to bed. You need the rest."

"Yes, Dad."

"And for the record, you are grounded from your book for three weeks now."

"Aww, come on, Dad."

"Do not "come on" me, you earned it. You are lucky I don't add a smacking to your punishment. Listening is something you seem to be forgetting how to do, but I'm telling you now, you better start remembering how to listen, or your bottom is toast, young man."

"Yes, sir."

"Let me get you some grilled cheese and soup for tonight, then bed."

"Can I get hot chocolate, too?" Harry asked excitedly.

"No," came the immediate stern response. Harry pouted.

: Glad to see you feeling better, Sam said, trotting into Harry's room. The fox sat at the side of Harry's bed, tilting his head up at the boy. That was quite the scare you gave everyone.

"Hey, Sam. I'm sorry about your necklace an all."

: You should have listened to me when I said to leave it be. This is not a toy.

"I never thought it was. I just didn't think it did anything . . . like that. It's kind of scary, actually."

: Yes, its strange magic can be quite scary. I remember when I first realized of its true potential. I almost destroyed it when I learned.

"Why didn't you?"

: Well, yes there is – what do you call it, dark magic? – entwined in the tooth, but there is also good or light magic. It just depends on how you use it. And experience. Learning what demands will generate which responses helps.

"Is it always a bad response? Dad said you have to pay a price for using it or something like that."

: There is always a price but it's not always a bad one. It just tends to be the opposite of what you ask for it. In a weird way, it helps keep a balance. It isn't exactly natural to be able to have your every desire at your paws, or fingers in your case. The price is a reminder of that.

"So, is it like a wishing tooth?"

: In a way, yes. But you don't make wishes. It won't work if you don't make an assertive demand.

"Can I demand for anything?"

: There are rules and limitations, as there is with anything.

"Harry," Severus returned to the bedroom with a plate and bowl of grilled cheese and tomato soup, along with a cup of orange juice. Harry sat up in his bed and Severus placed everything around him. "You don't have to eat everything if you don't think you can handle it but try to eat as much as you can. Then straight to bed."

After eating as much as he could tolerate, Harry fell asleep quickly in his bed. His dreams were snake free and his fever had dropped, making him more comfortable under the warm blankets. He woke up later to raised voices, though he couldn't exactly make out what was being said until he was fully awake and alert. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, looking at his closed door. He could hear his father and Sam talking in the living room, and they didn't exactly sound happy. Harry frowned, straining his ears to pick up exact words through his thick wooden door and stone walls.

". . . without having to keep a constant eye . . . something like this happens . . . Harry . . ."

Harry perked up at hearing his name. Curious, he slid out of bed and inched his way closer to his door, pressing his ear against it. He knew he shouldn't eavesdrop, but when his name was mentioned, he wanted to hear a little more about what his father and Sam were talking about. Obviously, it had something to do with him.

: This was an accident . . . never happen if . . . Sam's voice came in and out of Harry's head, an odd feeling, though Harry knew Sam's mind was only so open because the fox wasn't aware he was listening.

Deciding to get a clearer audio, Harry slowly turned the doorknob, quietly opening his door. He slipped out into the hall and glided along the wall, staying hidden in the dark shadows. He paused just before the living room, staying hidden enough. He could see Sam pacing back and forth in front of his dog bed, and his father had his back turned to him. Severus seemed to be drinking a nightcap, one he was refilling.

"In my honest opinion, and I know you'll reject to this –" Severus began.

: Then why bother saying anything?

"Let me finish," Severus snapped back. "Considering the events of today, I'd think you'd be more concerned in making sure an incident like this never happens again. And in my honest opinion, the best way of ensuring that is by getting rid of that tooth around your neck."

: That's your solution to anything dangerous, isn't it? Getting rid of it. Even with the value it still carries, it doesn't matter one damn bit. Let me just find the nearest bin and toss it in the trash.

"I don't understand you! You want to protect Harry, but you carry that dark object around your neck which has clearly put the boy in life-threatening danger, but you don't seem the slightest bit fazed by what happened with Harry. He could have –"

: Do not assume what you don't know! Sam barked angrily, white teeth flashing.

Harry took an unconscious step back. He had never really seen his father and Sam yell at each other in such a way. Did they do this occasionally? Often? Or was this the first? Severus moved, setting down the bottle of whatever it was he was drinking.

: I have never intentionally allowed Harry to put himself in danger, Sam snarled, circling around Severus slightly. And when that child finds himself in the worst imaginable trouble, I swear I gain a hundred years on my life! He might be your son, but he is very much like a kit of my own, and I'll be damned if you accuse me of not caring for what happens to him.

"Then why not take some measures to make sure this never happens again?"

: I can't just get rid of something valuable to me. Despite what dangers it can offer, if I keep it with me at all times, Harry will never have to deal with its magic again. I can tell him more about it, teach him its origin and –

"Tell him how you obtained it, perhaps?" Severus threw back the small shot glass, swallowing its contents and setting the glass down. "Won't that be an exciting story for a twelve-year-old."

Harry frowned. Sam refused to tell him where he had gotten his necklace, but it seemed Severus knew very well where it came from and how Sam had gotten his hands, or paws as Sam had said earlier, on it. Why would Sam tell Severus and not him? Was there something wrong with how Sam had obtained the necklace? What was the fox hiding? Harry leaned forward slightly.

: Stop turning this around on me! Sam lunged forward, stopping just before Severus, fur bristled and ears flattened. Severus didn't even flinch, though Harry did.

"If I were you, I wouldn't say a bloody word about where that necklace came from to Harry. He respects and looks up to you –"

: You seem to be able to look past one mistake.

"I'm not a twelve-year-old boy and I don't want you sharing that story with him."

: And leave him in the dark?

"I'd rather he be left in the dark."

: Is that how you plan to protect him from the horrors of the world? Leaving him in the dark?

"He's my son and I know what's best for him and he is not – "

: You shelter him too much! I'm sure there's a line between –"

Severus and Sam were both talking at the same time now and Harry couldn't tell what exactly was being said anymore. But the two were getting louder and it was an unsettling sight. Deciding it would be worth getting in trouble for, Harry stepped out of the shadows and loudly cleared his throat. Severus and Sam both froze and turned to look at Harry. They stepped away from each other and seemed to calm down instantly.

"Are you guys okay?" Harry asked.

"We're fine, son. Just talking," Severus said.

"Loudly."

"Right. We're okay now. We'll quiet down. Go back to bed."

Harry looked at his father's tired face and Sam's small smile before turning back to his bedroom, closing his door and jumping back into bed. He was surprised his father let his eavesdropping go, but then again, Severus May have thought he had just come out of his room. He wasn't sure if the two spoke at all after he went back to his room. If they did, they were quiet, because Harry heard nothing and fell back to sleep.

Remember to review! I promise to work on my many other stories as well, I just need the right inspiration for some of them.