Wow! I have reviewers! I'm so excited. -Dances around like a maniac-
I would like to thank:
Cdkobasiuk: You were my first reviewer. Hands out a cookie
Ygraine: I am so wanting to continue. The past few chapters I wrote while on a very boring holiday at cook's beach. Lol
Lady Jillyan Malfoy-Potter: Wow! It's an update!
Prd2bAmerican18: Wow. I might have a favourite! Gives a big hug Yah! Also, Dumbledore isn't worried about Harry because he's a manipulating bastard and has his Order of the Flaming Turkey checking it out. Later chapters will explain it better.
Wolflady: Thanks! It's wonderful to have people that like my stories.
Leena Asakura: I love writing. I won't be stopping anytime soon!
Oh oh!
Poll 1: Which house should Silvanis be in?
Poll 2: I'm thinking of easing this into slash, what do you guys think?
The scream shot through the quiet Potions room, causing some people to jump, and Silvanis to shy back, swiftly changing back into his easily hidden cobra form.
Severus stalked over to the shocked pair, concerned for his son.
As he came closer Hermione started hurriedly explaining. "I don't know what happened! He just came at me and went to bite me so I screamed and… and he changed." She finished lamely.
Severus just shot her a glare and reached down to pick up Silvanis.
To his surprise, Silvanis just hissed at him softly and slithered over to where the Slytherin students had chosen to sit.
Severus just shrugged inwardly and kept one eye on his son.
--
Not good, not good. I scared here, the bushy-haired one. Maybe he just wants to catch me so he can hurt me. Escape, must escape. Doesn't go much over here. Wait, what's that? White blonde hair… I remember that. Maybe he knows who I am. Maybe he won't hurt me.
--
Silvanis spent a second just tasting the air before heading towards Draco Malfoy.
Draco was no stranger to snakes, as his father routinely entertained Voldemort and subsequently his overgrown serpentine pet, Nagini.
He reached down and held out his hand, keeping still while Silvanis flicked his tongue out over his hand.
Deciding that Draco was okay; Silvanis worked his way up Draco's arm and behind his neck, stopping to rest his head on Draco's shoulder. He was draped over the back of his neck, with his tail curled round Draco's upper arm.
From his vantage point Silvanis could watch what everyone was doing. He looked at the ingredients Severus – his father – had set out, and recognised almost everything. Mouldy ginger, some type of blood, shrivelfig, frog's legs, and newt. From somewhere in his mind Silvanis knew that they were making an advanced invisibility potion, and that the silver-haired boy would have to add six frogs legs next.
When Silvanis saw the teen reach for the newt on his desk, he hissed loudly, slithering down his arm to the desk. From there he reached over with his mobile tail and gently took the newt from his hand, then pointed to the frog's legs.
Looking up at the boy's face, he could see the boy thinking the recipe over, and saw his eyes light up, and the small nod he gave when he realised the snake was right.
Draco had figured the animal was intelligent, and saw its knowledge of potions merely as a side effect of belonging to his godfather, Severus Snape.
Though, he wondered why he had never seen the snake before on his visits, or at the school. Draco shrugged to himself, dismissing the thought.
--
Between the two of them, Silvanis and Draco managed to finish the potion first, putting a sample in a vial for Severus to mark, and smuggling the rest out in a flask Draco slipped into his robes.
Finally the bell rang, and Draco stayed behind to give his godfather the cobra. He reached up behind his neck, intending to lift the snake over his shoulders, but was stopped in midair by the feeling of a serpentine mouth and fangs lightly grasping his hand. He hadn't been bitten, but it was most definitely a warning.
Scared, Draco looked at Severus, who was hiding a smile.
"Guess he wants to stay with you, Draco. Don't worry, just keep an eye on him and if he changes into either shadow wolf or panther, don't be too alarmed, just come see me when you next have the chance." Severus said.
Draco nodded, pleased. He had liked working with the snake, and the feeling of his weight on his shoulders was comforting.
--
Draco strolled into the Great Hall for lunch casually, unmindful of the stares and whispers that came in his wake.
He sat down at the far end of the Slytherin table, having been ostracised from the House because of his decision not to follow Voldemort.
Over the holidays he had expressed his wish not to follow Voldemort, and was thrown out of the Malfoy Mansion because of it. Luckily enough, Draco had his own savings. His mother had been setting aside money for him, which could only be accessed by him. He used this to find a place to stay till the end of the school holidays.
He had thought to go stay with his godfather, but remembered he was a Death Eater too, and was afraid that he would turn him in to his father.
Brought out of his musing by a low hiss, he looked at Silvanis to find that the Hall was almost empty, and that there was only 10 minutes till the next class started. Thankfully, Draco had a free period next, so he was able to wander the school. Draping Silvanis around his neck again, he headed down to the Slytherin dorms.
They were on the same floor of the dungeons as Severus' rooms; Silvanis realised, and gave a snake-sigh when he caught sight of yet another portrait of Salazar Slytherin. This time the man was working in a potions lab, making a purple potion Silvanis didn't recognise.
Draco stopped in front of the picture, saying the password, "Slytherin Pride".
"Really," he said, maybe to Silvanis, "Don't you think that someone would think of a better password? Anyone could get into that. Bloody idiots."
He didn't see Silvanis' confused look, which looked rather comical on a snake. He had stalked down to the left-hand corridor where his father had managed to secure for him a Prefect's room. That was before he had kicked him out.
Draco dumped his bookbag on a chair, and laid Silvanis down on the bed so he could get changed into more comfortable clothes than his school uniform.
The biy is nice. Silvanis thought. He hasn't even been angry at me. I like him. I wonder if we could be friends. I would like to have a friend I could remember.
Feeling reasonably safe, Silvanis changed silently into his human form, not hampered by the 'pop' that gave normal Animagi away when they changed.
----
Finished with getting dressed, Draco turned round to pick up the cobra but was stopped in his tracks by a pair of black-green eyes right in front of his face, staring into his own pale grey ones.
Draco whipped out his wand, backing up a step and speaking angrily to the stranger.
"What are you doing here? How did you get in? I'll have you know that I'm Draco Malfoy, and my father would not be happy about people sneaking into my rooms."
"Who are you?" He finished up more curious than angry.
Silvanis, whose eyes were wide with fear, relaxed at that point, somewhat assured Draco wouldn't hurt him.
"I'm Silvanis." He said in his quiet, husky voice.
"That's stupid!" Draco retorted. "Silvanis is my godf- Severu- Professor Snape's snake, not some scrawny boy."
Silvanis sighed almost inaudibly before smoothly and silently changing form into an exact replica of the snake Draco had held before.
"Oh." Draco said, crestfallen. He glanced around the room before leaning in and asking, "Can you do the wolf form too? I saw you change, back in the classroom."
A hint of the real Draco shone through for a second, but was quickly hidden by the Malfoy mask.
"Yes." Silvanis replied, and proceeded to show Draco both his wolf and panther Animagus forms.
Draco, not ever having seen a panther before, stared in wonder for a while before smiling and nodding appreciatively.
Unknown to Silvanis, the Disillusion spell on his wings had broken, unable to take the strain of being warped by the magic used to complete the Animagus transformations.
--
After prancing round the room a bit as wolf and panther, Silvanis shifted back to human form, taking a second to gather his bearings. Changing from four legs to two wasn't the easiest thing to do.
He glanced back up, only to see Draco just standing there staring at him.