Chapter Eleven

"Where could he be?" Remus moaned. "Ugh…If only I hadn't of said we could play that stupid game—"

"Stop blaming yourself," Snape snapped. "It's Potter you need to be blaming."

"He's only nine," Remus said, "He doesn't know the dangers that are out there yet. Not completely."

Greasy human, Slyther said suspiciously, trailing behind the two men, how can you understand my language? You can't possibly be as gifted as Harry is.

You'd be surprised, Snape's voice snapped, shocking Slyther. So he did have the mysterious gift.

Tell the human next to you…the new human…that Harry is near the big tree.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked Snape, who was looking down at the snake who was now slithering down beside Remus.

"Potter's near the Whomping Willow," Snape said curtly. Remus looked surprised.

"And you know this...how?"

"That snake told me," Snape said, motioning down to Slyther.

"I didn't know you could talk to snakes," Remus said, still looking surprised.

"You do now."

Let's just stop our bickering now, all right, children? Slyther asked impatiently. We have a Harry human to find.

-

"Wow," Harry said, looking impressed. "How did you know that?" Sirius laughed.

"Because Moony and I were spying on Lily and James down by the lake when he proposed."

"Moony?" Harry repeated, looking confused. At first, when he and Sirius started talking, they sat in the same position as before, with Harry still near the wall. But, as they started to chat more and become more used to each other, Harry was now sitting in Sirius's lap.

"Remus," Sirius corrected himself. "That's what we used to call Remus. Moony." Harry nodded. "What are you doing at Hogwarts, anyway?" Sirius asked suddenly.

"The Dursleys went to Mexico," Harry said, trying to sound cheerful. "They left me at the house. Then Snape came to the house and brought me to Hogwarts."

Sirius scowled. "Snape? Why him?" Harry shrugged.

"I don't know. I never bothered to ask."

"Has he been treating you fairly? Because if he hasn't, I swear—" Harry's laughter interrupted Sirius.

"Don't worry. He's okay."

"As long as he's better than the Dursleys," Sirius said. "But, really, if I had been given a trial I wouldn't be in Azkaban now. I—I'd be free, and with custody of you." Harry smiled, and was about to say something, but caught himself.

"Do you hear that?" He asked quietly. He glanced at the door of the shack. Sirius glanced at Harry nervously.

"Footsteps."

Harry nodded in reply. "Yeah." He paused, glancing around the room. "Can you go in your dog form?"

"Harry, I don't think Remus would fall for it. He knows what my dog form looks like—"

"Just do it!" Harry exclaimed frantically. Sirius reluctantly nodded, and where the human form of him was now sat a dog. "C'mon," Harry muttered, "G—go under the chair, Sirius." Harry bit his lip. That wouldn't work, it wouldn't ensconce Sirius. Not completely. But, it was too late, the footsteps were getting louder; nearer.

Quickly, Harry made his way over by the door and sat down, bringing his knees up into his chest and burying his head into his arms.

"Harry?" Remus's relieved voice caused Harry to glance up, and he put on a relieved expression.

"Remus! I—I was so scared, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"

"Come here," Remus said, wrapping his arms around Harry comfortingly as Harry came forward. "What are you doing here? I told you not to come here, Harry!"

"I'm sorry," Harry sniffled, pretending to wipe away tears. "I was looking for a place to hide. Then I was in front of this tree, and I saw this opening and so I went through, and I didn't know what to do next. I was trapped." Remus frowned.

"All you had to do was go through the door and back out, Harry." Harry hesitated. What did Sirius tell him about this tree? Only that it was known as, "The Whomping Willow" that and, oh yeah—

"It came to life, though!" Harry exclaimed. "The branches were going crazy. That's why I tried to come through the opening in the tree, and I was too scared to go back out. What is this tree, Remus?"

"We'll talk after, okay?" Remus said, giving Harry a promising squeeze on the shoulder. "Harry, nobody was here with you, were they?"

Harry gave Remus a confused look. "What do you mean, Remus?"

"Sirius Black, he wasn't here," Remus said, searching Harry's eyes for the truth, "was he?" Harry shook his head.

"Just me. Why?"

"Never mind," Remus said.

At last, we've found you! Slyther cried happily, slithering up Harry's leg and up his arm, finally resting on his head. I was so worried, I haven't been so worried about a human in my life! NEVER do that again, because if you do, I will start hanging out with the Slytherins!

"That won't be a complete loss," Harry said with a grin, grabbing onto Remus's hand as he, Remus, Snape and Slyther exited the shack. Harry felt a wave of relief wash over him as Remus didn't pay any attention to anything else... including the something that stay completely still—frozen, like a statue—underneath the chair in the corner.

Oh, and another thing, Harry? The greasy human has the gift, too! The gift to talk to Snakes, so don't be surprised if the greasy human is listening into our conversation.

Harry didn't know what to say. There were more people who could talk to snakes, and Snape was one of them? He glanced back at Snape, who was looking at the two without any evident expression. It was completely blank; unreadable.

I have to talk to you after, Slyther, Harry said. In privet. But, I can't—

"Don't worry," Snape said briefly, his face still unreadable. "Whatever you have to say to that snake, I will most definitely not listen in."

Harry glanced up at Remus, who was looking at Harry suspiciously. "Can you do that?" Harry said, looking back up at Snape. "Not listen to conversations if you don't want to?"

"Yes," Snape said curtly.

"Do the people know if you listen in or not?" Harry questioned, suddenly becoming intrigued.

"No," Snape said, "but believe me: I would rather not listen to you and that snake of yours converse."

"Can you teach me?" Harry asked excitedly. "Ooh, that'd be so cool—"

Snape snorted. "I think not."

Eh, the grumpy, greasy human seems to be more grumpy today. Let me guess: you didn't have your coffee this morning, aye? Slyther said from on top of Harry's head. Snape just ignored him.

-

"Are you sure that you're okay?" Remus asked later that night as he was tucking Harry into bed.

"Perfect," Harry said with a smile. "I actually had fun today."

"Really now?" Remus said, a smile playing on his lips. His eyebrows rose. "And can you tell me, Mr. Potter, if you just happened to do that on purpose?"

Harry pretended to look shocked, and confused. "Purpose? What do you mean?"

"You wanted to go look at the Whomping Willow," Remus started, "and I said no. Then, after ten or fifteen minutes I spent looking for you, we just happen to find you in the Shrieking Shack?"

"I told you," Harry said, "I was looking for a good hiding spot. I didn't know how far I went, and I just found myself at the tree. Then the branches started to move and I didn't know what to do, so I saw that opening, and decided to go through it. I didn't want to go back out because the branches…scared me. Plus, it wasn't that short of a look."

"And it just so happens that you don't have a scratch on you?"

Harry shrugged, running out of excuses and lies. He hated to lie to Remus's face, but if he told him the truth, he just knew that Remus would get mad at him for disobeying. "I'm really fast," he said. "Mrs. Vye said I'm the fastest in my class!" He grinned. "I can dodge things good, too. If I was lying to you"—Harry pretended to look hurt—"How could I know about the tree?"

"I don't know," Remus said, looking Harry in the eye. "Why don't you tell me?" Ruffling his hair, Remus got up from the edge of the bed and gave Harry another look before shutting the light off and closing the door on his way out.

You're lying! Slyther exclaimed. What really happened, Harry?

"I'm not lying," Harry said, tucking the green satin sheets up under his chin. "I'm telling you the truth."

Hah, hah, I'm laughing, human. Now, really, Harry, what happened down there? And what was that black fur I saw under the chair? Slyther asked.

"What black fur?"

I'm not blind. Tell me now.

"What about—" Harry paused, "what about you-know?"

You-know? Slyther repeated, slithering up by Harry's head. Oh! You mean, oh, the greasy human!

"Exactly," Harry said, lowering his voice to a whisper so Remus couldn't hear him beyond the door.

Well, who cares if the greasy human hears? It's his own fault, having the 'gift' and all. It's his own fault, Slyther repeated.

"I don't think you should call him that," Harry said quietly, though he hadn't a clue why he was defending Snape. "He's not greasy, Slyther."

Ooh, going soft, are we? Why, I'm shocked! I would never have expected it. Harry, the human, going soft on what's-his-name, the greasy human. Someone, pinch me, since I have to be dreaming! Slyther exclaimed dramatically.

"Stop it," Harry said, snuggling his head down into the pillow, which was the same color and material as the sheets. "You know, Snape doesn't like me—"

Just tuning in now, are we? Slyther asked sarcastically.

"If you let me finish," Harry said, scowling, "I was going to say: Snape doesn't like me, that's a fact. But look what he's doing now, huh? Letting me stay with him until the Dursley's get back, that's a pretty big thing for him."

So, what, are you his biggest fan now?

"Well, no," Harry admitted. "But I respect him a bit more. Just a bit."

That's something I'd never have thought to hear come out of that mouth of yours, Harry. Now I'm really shocked. I wish I could have a rewind and repeat button for you, human, so I can listen to you say that all night long. 'Cause that's something that'll never ever come out of your mouth again.

"Just go to sleep," Harry said, frowning.

No, no, not until you tell me the truth! Slyther said. Or if you decide to ignore me, I'll lay on your face and never get off.

"I can just pull you off," Harry reminded Slyther.

I'll bite you.

Harry scowled at the snake, fighting the urge to flick it off the pillow. "You wouldn't, Slyther."

I bit the new human, did I not?

"So maybe you would," Harry reconsidered. He sighed. There was no point in arguing with this snake. "Okay, so I did trick Remus and go to the tree without his permission. Happy?"

There's more, Slyther said automatically.

Harry sighed. "And I was dragged down into that shack by Sirius Black, but it's not what you think!" He added hastily. "Sirius Black didn't kill all those people, including my parents. He was framed, and he's not that bad. He—he's nice, and he's my godfather, and—"

So while the new human, the greasy human and I were frantically looking for you, you were being all lovey-dovey with the enemy?

"What? No—" Harry sighed exasperatedly as Slyther interrupted him, and he propped his chin up with his fist.

You made me worry like never before, saying a DOG had attacked you, and then when we finally come to 'rescue' you, you make up a huge lie?

"I didn't know what else to do," Harry yelled, forgetting to keep his voice in a low whisper. He glared at Slyther angrily. "I thought you of all…snakes…would understand! He-is-not-bad! He's innocent! Do you not know what innocent means?"

Harry's head shot up as light slowly overwhelmed the darkness, and a concerned Remus and an annoyed Snape were standing in the doorway.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked, concerned. "I heard yelling."

Now you've done it, Slyther said.

Now you've done it, Harry thought back. He kept his eyes on Remus. "Nothing. I just, uh, had a bad dream."

"Are you sure?" Remus asked. "I didn't think you'd fall asleep that quickly."

Harry shrugged, grinning. "I fall asleep easily, especially after what happened today. I'm worn out!"

Remus didn't look the least bit convinced, but reluctantly let it go. "We'll talk in the morning, okay? Just get some sleep," he advised.

"Okay," Harry said. "'Night." Harry kept his eyes on Snape, who never left.

"You should keep your conversations down," he said, almost warningly. "You never know who might catch bits and pieces of it."

And he left.

No, duh! Slyther exclaimed as Snape shut the door loudly. Of course you'd catch 'bits and pieces' of our conversation you, greasy, dimwitted human! You can understand us!

"Exactly," Harry said, grabbing Slyther and stuffing him under the sheets, giggling. "So keep it down. He can understand our conversation."

How rude. Next time, tell me in advance when you're going to do that, Slyther said. Anyway, back to our previous conversation, how could you do that? Making me worry when you—by the way, I thought you were getting killed as we spoke—were chatting away, getting all lovey-dovey with the murderer that killed your parents. I—I'm appalled, I really am.

Harry sighed, becoming sick with the conversation. "Just…let's drop it, all right? Sirius Black is an all right person, just... nobody believes him when he says he's innocent. Only I do, it seems. "

So he wants you to think, said Slyther. How do you know he didn't just make that up to get you to trust him? He was probably so convincing, and your curiosity probably got the best of you—

"Good night," Harry said loudly, but not too loudly. He sat up in the bed, the silk, green Slytherin colored sheets hugged around him. "I can't go to sleep, now."

I like this room, Slyther said conversationally. Very Slytherin-y, huh?

"That's not even a word," Harry pointed out, throwing the covers off of him and exposing his bare legs to the cold air, since he was wearing one of Remus's shirts. Dudley's clothes just weren't that comfortable to sleep in.

The sheets are very silky. And wonderful choice of colors!

Harry groaned. He was never going to go to sleep. "Maybe I should have a midnight snack, huh?"

It's not even eleven o'clock yet, Slyther pointed out. Just get back into bed, Harry. I'm getting tired now. Eat in the morning.

I agree with that thing of yours, Snape's voice drawled through Harry's mind, startling him. The longer you two keep talking, the longer you keep me awake. I tend to get very grumpy. So don't keep me awake.

More grumpy than you already are? Slyther asked, sounding shocked.

More grumpy than I already am, Snape confirmed. Harry glanced at Slyther, though he wasn't absolutely sure where the snake was curled up in his bed. It was too dark.

"Maybe we should go to sleep now," Harry said, his feet getting colder by the minute as he walked across the cold hardwood floor and back into the warm, silky sheets of the bed.

Good idea, Slyther said. Though, if the greasy human is already grumpy in the morning, afternoon AND night, it won't be much different, would it?

"Go to sleep," Harry muttered.

-

A/N: All right, I finished the Deathly Hallows... and all I have to say is... I can't believe it's over! Although, I'm glad that there's such a thing as FanFiction to keep Harry Potter going alive :-) Thanks to everybody who reviewed; the other two chapters should be up soon!