Serpent Lies in Crimson

Chapter 3: Still a Friend

It had been several weeks since Harry had spoken with Professor Flitwick. Despite the seriousness of the Chamber being opened, classes went on as usual, only with a heavier workload for each year. The young Potter assumed the professors were trying to distract the students with work to get back a little normalcy. Harry didn't even have a chance to try to see Hermione on how she was doing. Ever since the teachers started escorting their students to each class there has not been any opportunity to sneak off.

The isolation was getting to the young Gryffindor as each day passed. Ron was still giving Harry the silent treatment and refused to even look in his direction. The young Potter didn't even know what to consider the red-head anymore, he wasn't a friend anymore. The raven-hair didn't even understand what got Ron all mad at him and explode. Was the 12-year-old Weasley that jealous of what he stood for in the Wizarding World? Famous because his parents were dead? It seemed to be a reoccurring thought that floated across Harry's mind.

The other houses weren't helping much matters either. The Slytherin's had lessened their taunts with the other three avoiding the twelve-year-old like the plague. The Hufflepuff's keeping the belief that Harry was still responsible for Justin being petrified.

The young Potter could swear he saw a glance coming from the Slytherin's, one of the boys in his year. But the look was only watchful, observing, and not a hint of scorn. Harry would honestly think he had imagined it as he rushed to Charms.

Another change since the Chamber was opened was Professor Flitwick seemed more observant of him, while the other teachers were warier. His Head of House was unapproachable, no doubt believing the rumor that he was the Heir despite being in a difference house. Harry didn't know what to make of the change, especially where Professor Flitwick was the Head of Ravenclaw. Maybe it was wishful thinking for the Gryffindor, but he was never approached about a continued conversation about his parents.

The only surprise was when the young Gryffindor received a letter a few weeks later. The letter was short and to the point with the name unsigned. The only thing noticeable about the letter was the seal near the end, a black Raven.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I know you will not know me, but it is of essence that you don't know my identity. Never know who's watching. You have allies, not every witch or wizard believes that you opened the Chamber of Secrets. Remember that Parseltongue is a gift not a curse. A blessing from one of our founders.

Harry sat stunned at the Gryffindor table with the letter frozen in his hands. The words made no sense, 'who's watching?' Was it a warning or threat? The part about the Parseltongue almost made Harry choke back his food he swallowed not even ten seconds ago. 'Was Parseltongue really a blessing in disguise? Or a gift by magic like the letter implied. So far that gift brought more anguish to the young boy. The one thing that seemed to bother the young heir was the Raven. He knew it was important, felt the magic radiating off the symbol. But for the moment Harry had been left more questions than answers. Not bothering to finish his breakfast, Harry stowed the letter into his robe and headed back for his first class of the morning, double Transfiguration with Slytherins.

It was a sinking feeling when Harry's professor no longer acknowledged him in class. Despite the class was talking about theory for the whole lesson. The young Potter wished Hermione was there in class and still not in the Hospital Wing. Though nobody commented on it, Harry saw the glances thrown his way where he no longer sat anywhere near Ron. No questions were thrown, and the silence was almost deadening. When the class was finally over, Harry didn't waste any time and made straight to the Hospital Wing. The next lesson was History of Magic and it wasn't like Binns cared who showed up for his class. He probably still drones on without a class present and wouldn't notice the difference. Harry didn't care about the escort teacher, his mind felt like it was going mad without his usual friends to talk to. Ron not being a possibility with everything that happened, but hoped he still had Hermione's friendship.

Harry had snuck quietly in the Hospital Wing and spotted Hermione on the far end of the Wing. Her frizzled hair wasn't hard to miss.

"Hermione," Harry whispered. He didn't see Madam Pomfrey around yet, so he wasn't caught yet.

"Harry!" She almost yelled and basically threw her arms around him.

The young Potter almost winced at the sound. "How are you? Ron mentioned about the cat part."

Hermione almost snorted as she sat back down on her bed. "Madam Pomfrey finally managed to get me to stop coughing up hair balls. I think she's releasing me today or sometime this week."

"Sorry I haven't stopped by before, Pomfrey is very protective over her charges and usually don't like visitors to disturb their rest." Harry's voice sounded weak even to him.

"Harry, I'm not mad. Sure, it feels like I'm going insane with nothing to do. I don't know how you managed not to try to escape her clutches."

"Thanks Hermione. Its been crazy without you in class, especially now that Ron refused to speak to me anymore."

Harry looked like he wanted to take his words back when Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "He what?!" she hissed.

"Ron believes I'm the heir, where Malfoy isn't. Pretty much called me a murderer," Harry's voice was soft as if disbelieving his own words.

Harry could see the young witch's eyes grew furious. "I'll murder him when I get out of here! Harry, I know you're not the heir. Ron's just being pigheaded and not able to see through his arse."

"Do you think Ron's jealous of me?"

Hermione's eyes grew soft, "Ron has always been the jealous type. I noticed it our first year, it was like he was possessive that you had to be his friend and nobody else's. That didn't give him any right to call you a murderer though. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you, Harry."

The young Potter just smiled, "You just need to make up for lost time."

Harry knew his smile was strained but it felt so good to just talk to Hermione again after being alone for weeks.

Their next conversation between the two was catching up what has been going on since Hermione had been stuck in the Hospital Wing. Though Harry never noticed, Hermione saw Madam Pomfrey wandering about and gave a small smile when seeing them talking. Hermione knew the mediwitch was relieved that Hermione wasn't another petrified victim of the myth's monster.

The other petrified victims had been placed in isolated wards in the Hospital Wing to keep the privacy and prevent panic from rising.

Harry had just finished telling Hermione his conversation with Flitwick before he noticed Madam Pomfrey hovering in the corner. The young Gryffindor almost jumped out of his seat, "Madam Pomfrey, I had to check up on Hermione. I wasn't neglecting my classes on purpose—"

Harry stopped his sentence when he saw the amused expression on the elder witch's face.

"Mr. Potter, I was fully aware you were in the wing. You were concerned for my patient. There are restrictions depending on what I'm treating. But there was no harm for being here and speaking to Miss. Granger. Unlike you, I don't need to place a sticking charm on the bed for Miss Granger. You are excused for your classes for today, your professors have already been informed."

Harry shrunk in embarrassment as the Mediwitch spoke and inched away from Hermione calculating glance.

"So, you did try to escape the Hospital Wing before?" Was Hermione remark.

"I was fine," Harry muttered.

"A muggle concussion is not 'fine', Mr. Potter," was Pomfrey's sharp reply.

Hermione's sharp look got the answer out of Harry.

"End of first year, when I was in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey didn't want me to go to the End of Year Feast."

"I thought you said you were allowed to go as long as you didn't do anything strenuous," Hermione commented.

At Harry's guilty look the young witch relented on her questions/interrogation. Though Harry's next question almost threw the young girl off guard.

"Hermione, do you think Parseltongue is a gift or curse?" The question was almost hesitant, like the young Potter was afraid of the answer.

Hermione looked shocked for a moment, "I don't think it as a curse. There's a lot of stigmatism that all Slytherins are evil and follow He Who Must Not Be Named. It's like saying learning is a curse, Harry. True, there isn't much good to be said about Slytherin, but we only know about Malfoy. Not that he's a good example what the house represents. Its like saying Ron's behavior is what all Gryffindors represent. I'm not a fan of Slytherins myself, as I don't know if Malfoy's opinion of blood purity is a Pureblood thing. But we've never heard it from a Slytherin's point of view."

"That makes sense, thanks Hermione."

Harry thought for a moment about his friend's words. It gave the boy a lot to think about, was he really that blind that he listened to the first person that told him only dark wizards came from that house? It made him think about what other prejudices the young heir had been told about. It's not like Hermione knew about the letter, as for some reason the young Potter wanted to keep that secret.

The words from Hermione were almost comforting about his idea to confront one of the Slytherins. The only troubling thought was how he was going to talk to one of the Slytherin's without be overheard. The whole school had already made the young Gryffindor an outcast. Last thing Harry wanted to do was make himself more isolated because he decided to associate with a Slytherin. He knew that Hermione would vouch for him but the prejudice in Gryffindor was high with their rivalry with Slytherin. Though the young Potter told Hermione about what Malfoy said about his unknown heritage, he never spoke of his intent to speak with that house. It was like Hermione was at a loss for that subject, so his friend wasn't the only who didn't know anything about having a magical line. The knowledge hadn't surprised him, most likely it was the magical parent's responsibility to have their child raised in their customs, especially when their child was to become heir and eventually Lord or Lady. The conversation was left at that and when Harry finally left the Hospital Wing with Hermione it was almost curfew.