Conversations with a Snake
Prompt: [Old Woman Who Might Be A Witch] is offering a {mysterious prize} to anyone who brings back a [Huge Snakeskin]. "A huge one! From a Basilisk or a Lamia!" (over 300 words about snakes or mythical snake creatures of some kind)
Word count: 301
The room was dark, save the few embers flickering in the hearth. His aunt's heavy, yet dustless drapes covered the windows, and the snores of the Dursleys filled the night. Harry sat still in the empty living room, watching the creature carefully. Unlike most children his age, he didn't seem to fear the creatures, but seemed to have some sort of connection with them.
He listened to the hiss, the sound filling the air. Slowly the boy stood up and walked towards the snake, noticing it's tongue flicker. The tongue brushed against it's fangs, darting back and forth as it's lips curved and pulled back, revealing a pair of pointed teeth.
"Can you understand me?" Harry asked cautiously, as his mind deciphered the snake's hissing.
The snake slithered up to him, wrapping itself around Harry's arms; the boy still unafraid, "Of coursssse I can."
"Do you have a name?" Harry wondered aloud.
"My name issss Sssssaphra, now be sssssweet and take me back outsssside."
He carried his serpent-laden arms to the door, while the snake continued to coil and twist up his body, the rustle of her scales a muted counterpoint to his voice. Saphra's tongue began to flicker again, almost impatiently, brushing against Harry's skin.
"Hurrrry up," she hissed.
The green-eyed boy frowned, "Do you have some place to be? I can't imagine a snake having much to do."
"It isssss none of your bussssinesssss."
"Alright then," Harry replied, as he bent down so the snake could slither away in the dark, "But before you go, can I ask you a question?"
"What issss it?"
"How did you get inside?"
She snake's face warped into some sort of a sick smile, "Magic is among ussssss, Harrrrry Potter..."