Chapter: 5 Battle of the Hogwarts Express

"Harry…" the boy stirred comfortably where he lay, ignoring the annoying voice as he snuggled into his pillow. "Harry…" he grumbled and turned the other way.

"Wake up mate!" a slightly hard object hit him smartly on the head, waking him fully as he whipped out his wand to hex the bigot who had awoken him.

"Ow!" Ron practically squealed in pain as he held the unfortunate eye that came in contact with Harry's wand. Hermione, who was sitting next to him, had to hide a giggle behind her hand while he sniffled pitifully.

"Sorry, Ron." Harry gave him an apologetic look as he straightened up, and leaned into his "pillow" again, who so happened to be playing with a baby mouse and it scrambled over his fingers. Hermione glanced at it distastefully, and muttered something about "barbaric creatures".

"Good dreams, Carus?" Sheka side-glanced him with an affectionate smile; Harry nodded and smiled back.

"Very." He sniggered out of the blue and watched as a worried glance was exchanged between Ron and Hermione; though Ron's looked a bit more anticipant.

"What was it about?" he asked, munching on the leg of a chocolate frog.

"Boggart Snape." Harry replied with an evil grin. Ron choked on his frog with a snort, bits of chocolate falling from his mouth, earning him an angry outburst from his girlfriend. Sheka looked at them blankly.

"Should I even ask?" he lifted an eyebrow at his nestmate. Harry shook his head.

"Picture the git in an old green dress and vulture hat." Sheka's pupils dilated somewhat before he actually whimpered.

"That would haunt my nightmares." He muttered. "Why do you find it so funny?"

"Cause, if you had been there you would have seen a bit of drool at the corner of Remus' mouth."

Sheka shuddered visibly.

"I never want to think of those two together…ever." He hissed in disgust. "I don't even wanna think of them apart." Hermione chose this as a good time to inquire about that.

"That reminds me." She said a bit scornfully. "What do you have against poor Remus anyways? He never did anything to you as far as I can tell." Sheka scowled at her. He could feel all three pairs of eyes on him, Harry's being the most inquisitive. He didn't want to answer this.

"Not much really." He said, not realizing he was now, unconsciously squeezing the mouse to death, which harry alone noticed. "Natural and healthy rivalry between creatures I suppose." Harry's friends nodded, having been told by the werewolf of what Sheka was. Dumbledore had not been happy.

Actually, that was a complete understatement. They had never seen the Headmaster so furious, and Lupin apparently hadn't either. But by the time Albus had finished with him, the man was whimpering like a dog on the floor, looking much like a death eater at the foot of Voldemort. It had been a sight to see, and the man had not returned to headquarters after that, much to the joy of a certain Basilisk. They had continued calling him by his alias. But they were now wise to the fact that Sheka was a Slytherin to the highest decree.

Harry had been shocked to see Ron shrug it off as if it was nothing. And later upon asking, Ron had said,

"I reckon I'm old enough to set aside house rivalries, Harry. I'm a seventh year for crying out loud."

That episode had expanded Harry's respect for the redhead immensely.

"Well, that's alright I guess." Hermione nodded understandingly.

A few hours went by, and they chattered idly as the Hogwarts express sped across the countryside. Harry after a short while had gone back to leaning into Sheka's form as he gazed out the window, watching the clouds pass over the horizon, the scenery changing from grassy fields, to a brilliant view of the ocean as the train edge at a cliff, suddenly grateful this was the Hogwarts express, and not likely to teeter over the end from the multiple enchantments. Finally, the sun had begun to cast long shadows and his eyes opened once more, not remembering that he had closed them.

::Nhh Sheka…:: he nuzzled into his chest softly, enjoying the warmth of his mate, still out of it from his apparent nap. ::I'm hungry.::

Said basilisk smiled and caressed his hair as Ron and Hermione snickered at the affectionate spectacle. But their smiles faded considerably when the mouse Sheka had been playing with was pushed into Harry's hands, who looked just short of drooling.

"Er, could you maybe eat that elsewhere?" Hermione pleaded. Sheka glanced at the girl and noticed her complexion was a bit green. Ron looked much further up on the gross out scale and placed his hand over his mouth as his best mate drowsily lifted the squirming animal to his parted lips.

"Sure," he turned to harry, who looked positively crazed; licking the wriggling mouse as if it were a decadent confection. He seemed to care so little of what they thought of his sudden changes of behaviour. "You don't mind right, Harry?"

The teenager looked up at him as if just coming too. Sheka had to use extreme self control not to roll his eyes. He really needed to brush up on his species. Living for a millennium in an abandoned wing of a castle didn't help much with knowing about his long gone puberty. He remembered when he had reached 700 years and all of a sudden his body changed in ways he didn't even know was possible. He hoped to god that he would be able to find a portrait of his father at the school. He knew the library would have nothing on his kind, and he needed to learn everything that he had not been taught before his father's abduction if he was to be a wise and proper leader of his people; even more, so he could take care of Harry in his recent changes and their children when the time came.

Harry nodded and stood up. "You gonna be able to handle her, mate?" he asked with a wink, suddenly back to normal.

Ron shrugged and Hermione smiled as best she could.

"Go for it."

"Well be fine." Harry and Sheka both stood up, hand in hand.

"See you in the great hall then?" the two nodded and waved their friends out.

When the door had shut, Ron looked over to Hermione with an insanely perverted grin, which was met by a very similar expression. A locking spell was uttered, the door sealed shut, and in seconds, the clothes were flying.

Twenty minutes later, the serpentine couple were both, tired, hungry, and very, very cranky. They had spent said amount of time just looking for an empty compartment, but none were to be found. Harry was unsure if it would be wise to venture into the one place he knew would have seats.

"I could clear the Malfoy brat out if you want." Sheka offered when they finally reached the door. He knew that more likely than not, their meal would do just that, but he was unsure if those inside would spread word of it.

"No, its fine." harry insisted, looking crazed with impatience. "I really don't care anymore. I'm too hungry." Sheka smiled and shook his head.

"No you're not." He stated plainly. "You just want the bloody mouse. Honestly, is it even healthy for humans to eat such things?"

"Physically or mentally?" harry retorted with a sly grin, licking his lips. "Cant you just give it to me here?" he said practically reaching for his bag of "snacks".

'I've created an addict.' Sheka rolled his eyes and remembered their escapade last night in Salazar's Fen.

The bog moss squelched pleasantly between Harry's toes as he wiggled them into the muddy ground. He had been sitting in the shallow water for the past ten minutes, watching as his mate gulped down the last of the water leaper that had been lurking nearby. Just before the last of the tail slipped into his mouth, harry watched in fascination as Sheka snapped his jaws shut, cutting the tip off which fell into the water with a plop.

::Mmmnn.:: Sheka purred happily as he swam over to harry and licked his cheek, earning himself a giggle as he hugged his snout, nuzzling him like a cat. ::What's gotten you so affectionate Carus?:: Harry tilted his head and looked to the side just in time to see a fish break the surface of the minerally water.

::I dunno.:: he said dreamily. ::I just…I like it here.:: he fell back into the mush curling his fingers into the bog rush and plucked a meadowsweet blossom from the patchy dry area next to his arm. He lifted it to his nose and sniffed quietly, closing his eyes with content. Sheka observed his behaviour and couldn't help but wonder what would cause harry to act so strangely. It was unlike him to be so…at peace. Had someone informed him that harry was the earthy type he would have laughed. But here he was, raven hair fanned out like a halo framing his head as he all but rolled in the boggish flora.

::It's odd.:: harry whispered dreamily. ::I cant describe it other than…I feel less…:: he smiled to himself and inhaled the strange, but comforting scent of his mate and the Fen around them. ::…human. As if I'm a part of something bigger than myself.:: he reached up and caressed his beloved's scaly cheek. ::More in tune with myself and everything around me. The venom in my blood is practically singing.:: Sheka leaned into the hand and gave the best smile he could in this form. He had known the poison in Harry's blood would have remained, but for him to be aware of its presence; to feel it react differently in his bloodstream? He had never heard of such a thing.

::What else does my venom do for you Carus?:: He asked curiously, coiling up into a more relaxed position, setting his head next to his love. Harry looked over at him, eyes toeing the line between glazed and focused.

::I can feel danger, almost as if malicious intent's were vibrations.:: he said, tone resembling that of one Luna Lovegood.

::I can sense things, hear things…smell things…even taste things others can't.:: he sighed. ::I hardly ever pay any notice at all anymore. But here…it just overcomes me.:: Harry gazed up at the night sky through the canopy of trees and watched as the stars glittered above them.

And so they lay there; relishing in the sounds of the gentility trickling water, a soft breeze whispering through the grass and into their minds guiding the fireflies in their slow, melodic dance. It was the greatest silence, the most consuming peace they had ever felt. Sheka's life had always been governed by politics, death and the wait for his purpose to return. But here he was, with Harry, his Carus, his mate; who was stroking his cheek absently and they knew nothing but the wondrous calm that they lay in.

It was Eden…

::What is it like?:: harry suddenly asked. ::Eating like that.:: Sheka grinned and lift himself up.

::Would you like to try?:: he chuckled teasingly. Harry smiled up at him and lifted out of the mud with a loud squilsh standing up without shame, having been used to it after several hours in the nude. To be honest, harry quite enjoyed being without the restrictions of society.

::Ha, ha.:: the boy smirked. ::Like I would ever eat a fucking rat.::

::Can't enjoy it if you never try.:: Sheka's tongue flicked out and harry took it in his hand. :: Thahhsh nnahhd thhaar:: he did his best to give harry a pitiful look. Needless to say, a basilisk just can't pull it off.

::Alright.:: Harry laughed and let go. ::Let's see if the great Basilisk King can keep up with a human.:: harry grinned as he took off, letting the hum in his veins take him over again.

Sheka opened the locked compartment door with ease, and they both walked in and sat in the first empty booth they spotted.

"Excuse me." No sooner than they had set their bums on the seats, a haughty drawl sounded out. Sheka looked up spotting a clean-shaven, wealthy looking blonde glairing down at them as if he was royalty looking upon peasants.

"Oh," harry glanced at him nonchalantly. "Hello Malfoy."

"You must be lost Potter." Draco sneered. "Or did you miss the Slytherin crest on the door." Sheka looked at harry, who was smirking now, and decided to let his Carus handle this for now.

"No actually I think I saw it." Harry retorted. "Its rather nice looking, was that gold filigree, around the S?"

"Then since you know that you are not welcome here," Malfoy tilted his head to the side, looking impatient. "Would you kindly get your filthy half blood arse out of my compartment before I hex you and your boyfriend here?" His lip curled into a smirk; sure he had hit a nerve.

Harry had heard the mocking tone in his voice and smirked when Sheka returned the look. :: He didn't read the article, did he?:: he hissed low enough to be unheard by anyone other than harry, who nodded.

::Probably not.:: It was then that the same, marvellous idea popped into their heads and quickly shot each other the most longing look they could muster.

"But everywhere else is full." Harry pouted at Malfoy in mock anger. "Where else are we supposed to snog?" They could both see the utter shock on the prat's face before he quickly hid it behind another sneer. "Care to join us?" harry added on a whim. Malfoys face turned Vernon purple and he whipped out his wand, curse on his lips. But before he could say a word, he felt something sharp at his throat. He looked down, to see the tip of a black wand, held by the boy Harry had brought with him.

Sheka's face was calm, but menacing as every wand around the three was raised and pointed at them. Malfoys expression remained threatening, but beneath the mask of a smirk as his posse ran to aid him was the stench of fear. Everyone was still, and Harry was unsure of what to do. Not a word was spoken, and the tension only grew until.

"Salazar's wand!" Blaise whispered in realization, dropping his own to his side before rushing forward to get a closer look. Sheka snapped his gaze to the boy, in half warning, half approval that the boy would recognize it.

"I would stay back," he muttered as he stood up, wand still at the frozen Malfoys neck, towering over the boy as he narrowed his eyes. "I cannot say it is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Malfoy." He growled. "Put your wand away." Draco matched Sheka's expression and didn't move.

"And if I refuse?" he said with a confident smirk.

"Then I can say two simple words and you will find yourself dropping it anyways." Harry looked at his mate unsure of weather he was only threatening Draco. Sheka was dead serious.

::Sheka…please. He isn't worth it.:: Harry pleaded. Regardless of his position in the Council, he was under Wizarding Laws on this train and in Hogwarts.

Malfoy was overcome with confusion. Why was harry hissing at the bloke? Surely he wouldn't understa-

"Sssherass sshhkaaaa ssslavess ssskessshiiir." Draco's jaw dropped, along with every other in the compartment. The boy was a parselmouth as well!

Everyone watched as harry hissed back and gave the boy a pleading look, and all were relived when the newcomer withdrew his wand, not taking his eyes off of Malfoy.

"It will not due to anger me, Mr. Malfoy." He warned, twirling his wand in a frighteningly Voldemort like way.

"Why should I be scared of you?" at this, Sheka tilted his head his expression unreadable.

"Why indeed?" he said. Draco looked at him curiously, backing away slowly from the boy, not out of fear, but out of discomfort from that "I-know-something-you-don't-know" expression. "Trust me when I say this, you little infant." He hissed. "Co~mpa~red to~ me~…" he hissed in a mix of parseltongue and English as he stood up, towering over him, letting his rage flow out of him in waves. "Yo~u're ha~lf-ra~te chi~ld mo~le~sssti~ng ma~sssste~r isss a wi~tle~sssss ha~tchli~ng." Malfoy's face turned red with furry at this insolent boy who dared insult his lord.

But before he could retaliate, Blaize stepped up, taking Draco's arm and pulling him away.

"Let it alone, Draco." He insisted as they walked away.

Harry gave out a relived sigh and rested his head in the table just as he got an immense sense of wariness before he knew it he leaped blindly in front of Sheka and was blasted into the wall his shoulder hitting the metal with a sickening crunch. Malfoy stood only feet away, and stepping closer, his marked arm holding out his wand at harry, a second curse on his lips.

"Get away from him you filthy little Succubus!" Sheka roared, launching himself from his spot and caught him across the face with the back of his hand as they both hit the ground. Harry groaned out a protest as he lifted his wand to his shoulder gasping out a short "Episkey." But promptly fell back in agony when it snapped in place, pain ebbing enough for him to feel the pain of a shattered ribcage, making him completely useless to his mate. He had no choice but to let the blackness overcome him and beg to the gods for Sheka to be alright.

"Draco, look out!" Pansy screamed as the two boys topped into her, knocking her into the nearest booth. Draco was wide eyed with ecstatic mania as he shot a blood boiling curse at the foreigner who dodged, promptly hissing out a spell he found to be a severing curse when it cut across his cheek, blasting through the window behind him, which exploded into thousands of shards spraying them both as the wind bust into the cabin, blowing their hair about as jets of red, blue and silver light flew back and forth. Malfoy's expression resembles that of his aunt Bellatrix as he showed the newcomer his massively improved skill and knowledge in duelling. He had been training with the dark lord himself for the past year and a half, and he could now match his bold patrician nature with his actions.

"So let me ask this." He taunted for a rise from the new boy. "Does Potter taste better from behind or missionary?" he licked his lips for added effect. He wanted to test this Parselmouth's abilities, and this he figured was the best way. His master had requested this of him personally. Apparently, this boy was a target of interest. "Cause I've been craving a good rut." He cackled as he bent over back wards, avoiding a castration curse and swung around with exceptional grace. "Willing to share?"

The occupants of the room scrambled to get out of harms way, Harry's unconscious form abandoned on the ground; Sheka's furry blinding him to what needed his attention most.

"You stay away from my Carus!" Sheka all but vibrated with rage and he screamed out a Deffindo, which caught the blondes leg as he made a leap our of the way, slicing through the skin and muscle. But he ignored the pain and muttered a quick healing incantation, which reduced the gash to a shallow cut.

"Temper, temper." Draco chuckled as he shot a series of stinging hexes, followed by-

"DEFODIO!" a beam of silvery black hit Sheka straight in the face, blood splattering over the ground as he screeched out in agony, hand to his nose and mouth as he flicked his wand at Malfoy, catching him in the gut and sending him to the ground with a grunt as the wind was ripped from his lungs, gasping for air, sending a furious silent curse in the direction of the infidel.

Sheka growled; his eyes aglow with furry as he blocked a Crucio with his hand; thankful for his natural talent with Parsel-magick. He however was unable to mend such extensive damage to his face as this without reverting to his true form, thus had to continue as is. He looked up and willed himself to ignore the pain and difficulty breathing.

Draco regained his breath and leaped to his feet, running to the side and slashed his arm across, a wave of purple flames flying at Sheka who dodged it his hand no longer covering his face.

Malfoy saw it as if in slow motion; Sheka's hand finally ceased to block his face, which was contorted with rage he had never seen equalled, not even by his lord, his yellow eyes blazing with the flames of hell itself as his golden brown hair flew around of his face and swam in the wind that blustered around them, revealing his the scrunched up sneer that adorned Sheka's noseless face. For a fleeting moment, out of sheer instinct, Draco's face changed to one of absolute awe and amazement to the all but exactly perfect resemblance to the Dark Lord himself.

"STUPEFY!" the shout brought Draco out of his split second daze.

He slashed his wands through the air, narrowly avoiding a small jet of fire which crashed through the opposite wall blowing it away almost entirely the jagged cliffs of the southern coast of Scotland flashing behind him as the two lifted their wands and roared out their curses.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

"VISCUS EXPELLIO!"* the curses collided and in a shockwave of magic, both boys were thrown asunder, Draco into the wall and Sheka towards the lack there of. In an amazing display of quick thinking, he yelled out a frantic "CRUDESCO!" and the air of the gap in the wall solidified and prevented him from flying out and fell to the floor in a heap. Quickly he stood up, watching as Malfoy chuckled where he lay, legs bent awkwardly as his face went green from the pain.

"All this trouble for the little golden whore." He smirked, though it was half hearted the moment the nose-less Voldemort look alike began to hiss at him

::You will regret that human…:: Sheka lifted his wand arm, the Slytherin heirloom pointing straight at Draco's chest. Weather he had forgotten that they were in the school train and approaching the station or just did not care, nobody who watched from the windows (as everyone had fled to safety) knew. But they did know one thing; as they finally pulled in, Teachers rushing over wands drawn and ready for the worst, they knew that short of a miracle, Draco would be dead before they arrived.

Harry shook his head as he regained consciousness and gasped, not in pain, but in horror as to what he had awoken too. Draco was there not three feet away, looking battered and defiant as Sheka's wand tip glowed a feint lime green as if knowing what spell it would be asked of next. Sheka took slow, almost sensual steps, his eyes glowing with his intent to kill. His instincts were in complete control, whatever human reason in him he had was null and void in his current state of mind. The irrationality of his desire to kill him was so obvious! Why couldn't Sheka see it? Harry's eyes widened in realization when the wand lifted to the Draco's face; Sheka's lips parting ready to utter those two forbidden words.

::NO!::

* VISCUS EXPELLIO. – gashes open the stomach to spill out entrails.