Thank you to everyone!
Here is chapter 2; no warnings. Or at least I don't think there are any warnings...
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter nor do I make any money from this writing.
Enjoy :)
I hummed in satisfaction as I swallowed the fat rat whole, the twitching of the rat's legs giving my esophagus a little tickle that I thoroughly enjoyed feeling. I let my tongue flick out, tasting the lasting effects of the rat's skin and fur on my scales. Once again I hummed with contentment at the fullness of my stomach. Turning my head towards the small pond of water, I lapped a little at the water before slithering back over to the warming lamp that hung above the left half of my cage. I had come to love that heating lamp; it was by far the best addition to my new home. It was a nice little home with its sandy, rocky bottom that allowed me to climb up and down a little depending on where I was located in the cage. My long and large body would not fit in the small crooks and crannies that were available in the cage rocks, but that didn't stop me from trying. There was one particular valley in between two rocks below the heating lamp that I loved. I could curl my entire body in the small space, making me feel safe and warm. I loved my new home. I was loved, feed, and care for. Who in the hell wouldn't like that?
There was also the fact that Russ almost always left the cage top open so that I could leave my cage at any time that I wanted. Usually I could be found on Russ's shoulders because that was my favorite place to perch when I wasn't in my cage. Today, unfortunately, I could leave my cage because today was the day that all of the Hogwarts students were getting their supplies and Russ didn't want me to get hurt by some "idiotic kid with no sense of responsibility or self preservation." Russ's words exactly. The man never ceased to amuse me. He was very protective of me. After all, he had seen all of the damage that had been done to my body when he rescued me from the mob of crazy people. He was the only one that I would let anywhere near me. No one else in the snake shop could get anywhere near my cage; I would hiss and threaten to bite their head off if they got too close. Sometime, if my mood was well enough, Henry was able to get somewhat near me, but I sure as hell didn't let him touch me.
I flicked my tongue out as I coiled my body tight under the warm light, letting out a sigh as my scales absorbed the warm light and heated my cold body. It was good to be a snake. Much better than my old life; I had never been this content in my old life. I never had the time to enjoy the little things in life, and now I seemed to be enjoying them all the time, though the first day that I was brought back to the store was interesting enough to last me a lifetime of laughs.
Russ cooed, "Such a pretty, pretty snake," at me as rough and calloused hands laid my hurt body down on the table inside the shop with great care. I lazily let my tongue flicker out and taste the air for danger; I found none, but my body hurt all over so I was still very cautious and weary. Where once the pain was a dull reminder, it was now a sharp and throbbing pain that resonated everywhere. Every small movement or twitch of a muscle had me wincing in pain.
"Henry, make sure to get some of that…" Russ called over his shoulder as he waved his wand over my battered and broken body cataloging the damage. I was wary around anyone with a wand, but I knew that I had to trust Russ with the wand if I wanted to get better. Slowly as the minutes past by and my body began to hurt less and less as the healing spells did their magical work, I allowed my tired body to relax. I just wanted to curl up into a coil and fall asleep; I flicked my forked tongue out again and let my body go lax when I tasted nothing out of the ordinary. And that was when Russ's wand lightly touched the scales on my back. Immediately I tensed up and was ready to strike faster than Russ could say, "holy fucking Salazar Slytherin."
Russ snapped his wand and hand back as fast as he could, but I had already turned around and struck in fear. Two tiny holes appeared on Russ's pinky finger. I coiled my body tight and watched with my neck flap open, as the man stared at his finger for a second with wide eyes before jumping into action.
"Shit! Henry, call St. Mungo's!" Russ screamed as he grabbed his wand and cast a spell to keep the venom in his blood from traveling in his system. I hoped the spell would work and keep the venom from traveling, but Russ knew that he knew nothing about the potency of my bite. I felt myself deflate and guilt filled my scaly body; I didn't mean to cause the man harm. The wand had just bloody scared the hell out of me, and my body had reacted accordingly.
"What?" Henry yelled as he ran through the doorway wide eyed and with his wand out.
"The snake bit me which is my own damn fault, but anyways you need to fucking call St. Mungo's; we have to go now!" Russ said as he grabbed a piece of string off of a shelf and started to wrap it around his finger, hoping that it would help to stop the spread of venom. Henry turned and ran off to firecall St. Mungo's without another word while I watched Russ race around the small room swallowing anti-venom potions as fast as he could to try to counteract my venom. Russ could already feel the venom destroying his nerves, tissue, and muscle in his finger, and his finger was swelling and turning a dark, angry purple color rapidly. I watched as the man's finger grew before my eyes; I had no idea that my venom was that poisonous. This is awesome and sad, I thought to myself.
I laid my head down on my scaly body and felt the guilt wash through me like a tidal wave; it was my fault and there was nothing that I could do about it to help. I lifted my head quickly as a passing and usually irregular thought registered in my mind. Maybe I could help after all. I opened my mouth wide, hissing as loud as I could, but it was useless. Russ couldn't hear me over the racket that he was making or he simply chose not to pay attention. I hissed again, my throat vibrating as I tried to get Russ's attention. He still didn't hear me. I uncoiled my body, huffing in frustration in my head and grumbling about deaf snake tamers, as I slithered down the table's leg.
Russ was lifting another anti-venom potion to his mouth when he felt something wrap around his ankle and start to climb up. He looked down, frightened as he saw the long Black Mamba snake wrapped around his leg. Russ froze, holding his body perfectly still as the snake continued to climb higher and higher; the beautiful snake wrapped its tail around Russ's waist as it wrapped its upper body around Russ's arm and putting its head right by the bite wound.
Russ chocked out a sob as the snake opened its mouth and moved to strike Russ's soft skin again. Amazingly the snake stopped, and turned its head to look at Russ intelligently. Its silver eyes sparkled with knowledge and awareness. The snake stared at Russ for a second more before turning its head and opening its mouth again. The fangs were long and shiny from the venom that covered the sharp needles. Russ gasped and held his breathe as he felt the snake's forked tongue flicker against his skin. He closed his eyes as the snake struck forward and sank its fangs into his flesh. Russ knew in that moment that his passion for snakes was going to kill him; his mother had always said that they were going to turn on him one day, but he had hoped that it would be later when he was much, much older.
Russ waited for the sharp pain of more venom entering his body to come, but it never did. He opened one eye and watched in amazement as the snake throat contracted as though it was swallowing something. He opened the other eye as he saw his finger start to go down, the purple tinge to his skin leaving with the swelling. The snake swallowed a few more times before lifting its head and pulling its fangs out of his skin with a sick pop. Russ watched with wide eyes as the snake then laid its head on his now healed finger, covering the holes with its scales as if it was saying sorry. Then it retreated from his arm and wrapped itself around his neck, laying its head by his collarbone.
Russ was still staring at his finger in amazement when Henry and a healer came crashing into the room. The healer had the strongest anti-venom potion available in her hand, but Russ made no movement to get it. The healer uncorked the potion and held it out for Russ to grab.
Henry yelled when he saw that Russ wasn't moving, "Take the god damn potion Russ! We don't have time for you to just stand there!"
Russ looked up and intelligently said, "Huh?"
"Oh dear, it has progressed further than we could predict," The healer said as she moved quickly to force the potion down Russ's throat.
"Just hold on one second now!" Russ exclaimed as he threw his head back to avoid having the potion poured down his throat. Henry gasped as he saw the long silver and black snake wrapped tightly around Russ's neck, holding on so that it didn't fall off. Henry lurched forward and grabbed the healer's arm, pulling her back into safety.
"The god damn snake is around his neck! How are we going to get him the potion now!" Henry exclaimed as he looked around wildly for something that could remove the snake from Russ's neck. The healer watched with worried eyes as the clock continued to click; every second allowing the venom to destroy her patient's body further.
"Great slithering Salazar!" Russ said exasperated as he pushed a tired hand through his hair, "I am okay Henry. The venom…"
"No you are not Russ!" Henry exclaimed interrupting Russ, "You just had a magical Black Mamba bite you! You are most certainly not fucking okay!"
"If you wouldn't interrupt me then you would be able to find out that the snake sucked the venom out of my system when you went to go get the healer. See look," Russ said as he held out his hand and turned it so both could see the bite mark. The healer sighed in relief and Henry chocked when he saw that Russ's hand was indeed looking much better.
"What…How…Huh?" Henry managed to get out. His face was completely screwed up in a confused pose and his hands were shaky from the adrenaline that was pumping through his body.
"The snake, it seems, has removed the venom that it put in Mr. Brooks' body," the healer said as she walked past a thoroughly confused Henry and grabbed the extended hand. She turned it over to each side, examining the skin and poking and prodding every inch to make sure that no damage was permanent. The healer murmured to herself about healthy looking skin and puncture bite marks as Russ let down an annoyed snake and Henry sat himself down in a chair after turning on a lamp for more light. "You are a lucky one sir. Not many magical snakes would do that," The healer said as she nodded to herself in satisfaction and reached into her bag to get some gauze. Carefully she wrapped a gauze wrap around his unswollen and venom free finger easily, "You probably are now immune to most snakes' venom now as well. That snake has given you a great gift indeed." The healer continued to prattle on about the effects that could occur, but Russ paid no attention. He just looked at the long black and silver snake that was lying contently under the heat lamp that Henry had turned on.
"Animals are certainly a mystery sometimes," Russ said as the healer finished wrapping his hand.
Henry snorted, "You could say that again. This guy is going to be a little devil though. I can just tell. Salazar, help us with the little devil." Henry let his head fall back and hit the back of the chair as Russ smiled.
Tap, tap, tap! A pudgy finger hit the side of my glass cage. Who dares disrupt my sleep? I asked myself as I lifted my head up from my coiled form and glared at the fat boy that dared disrupt my sleep. Annoying children thinking that it is funny to knock on glass and wake me up. Come on little boy, just put your hand in here and see if you find it funny when I bite you, I hissed as my tongue flickered in and out fast and my neck flap opened ominously.
"Timmy!" A woman screeched as the boy continued to tap at my glass, "Get away from that evil snake! It will probably bite you! Disgusting things snakes are, and so dangerous. I don't want anything to hurt you my little Timmy-Whinny." Immediately the boy backed away and glared at my reptilian form. Oh how I wanted to sneer in disgust as the pudgy cheeks on the boy turned bright red from his glare. Disgusting child, I thought as I hissed once again and then laid myself back down to try to fall back asleep. I really didn't want to get too worked up over the boy, but for some reason that woman saying that I was evil really irked me and made my cold blood boil. I was a snake for heavens sake. That didn't make me evil automatically! I knew that magical snakes had a bad rep because of all of the wizards that had been killed by one, but seriously, if you respect us, we will respect you. We don't just go around killing wizards for fun. And I was a beautiful snake not an ugly and disgusting one. Stupid woman, I hissed.
Tap, tap, tap! The pudgy boy came back and hit my glass in spite. Thoroughly annoyed I raised myself up and hissed menacingly, my fangs flashing and my neck flap opening like I was going to strike. Come here little boy, I just want a little taste of you. Just a little bitty taste. I chuckled when the boy ran off screaming for his mother.
Harry Potter was pissed off. God damn know-it-all Hermonie and jealous bastard Ron, Harry thought to himself as he clicked his tongue ring against his front teeth in frustration and then ground his teeth heavily together to try to reign in his anger. It didn't help. He stomped down Diagon Alley, his tight leather pants and shirt stuck against his skin as he moved through the crowed alley with ease and his black army boots clanking against the ground. I swear, sometime I just want to strangle them. Thinking that they know what is best for me! I am my own person. I can make my own fucking decisions thank you very much. If I want to get my nipples pierced then I will damn well get my fucking nipples pierced! Harry growled and watched as a few witches scampered out of the way with frightened looks sprayed on their faces. Good, Harry thought as he turned the corner and wandered into Knockturn Alley. He, of course, knew where he was going and what he wanted done and by god no one was going to stop him.
Harry could understand where the two were coming from though. He knew that they were concerned about him and the changes that he had made recently, but they sure as hell didn't need to lock him in his room! Harry suppressed a shiver as he thought back to his days at the Dursleys. He was just glad that Molly Weasley had finally raised enough cane and Dumbledore had succumbed to her wishes of allowing Harry to stay at the Burrow; it was much better than living with his so called muggle family.
Shaking his head, Harry refocused on the task at hand and walked to the piercing and tattoo shop that he had gotten his tongue pierced at earlier in the summer. He placed his hand on the door handle and waited for the shop to scan his magic, the tickling feeling that radiated in his chest making Harry chuckle. He hummed quietly to himself waiting for the shop to finish confirming his identity, and smiled when the door opened with a click.
"Greg! Where are you ya bastard?" Harry called out as he stepped through and pulled the door closed behind him. He glanced around the familiar shop, and breathed in deeply closing his eyes as a feeling of safeness overcame him. For some reason he had come to love the smell of alcohol, ink, and a musky cologne smell that belonged to his tattoo artist.
"Hold on one damn second! I do have other customer besides you short stuff," Greg called out from where ever he was. Harry assumed that he was in a back room giving someone a new tattoo or piercing. Harry snorted and looked around for a chair to sit in. He sighed as he spied one sitting in the corner, but Greg's snake, Ebony, had made her claim and Harry knew that there was no way that he was going to be able to sit in it. Ebony could be a bitch when she wanted too.
Hello beautiful. How are you today? Harry hissed in parseltongue as he crouched down beside the chair and stroked the green python lightly. Harry watched with amusement as Ebony stretched out like a cat and yawned widely.
Hello speaker. I am well. Ebony said as he pushed her head into his warm hand. Ebony, of course, didn't ask how Harry was, but Harry was used to it; Ebony was after all a very selfish snake that didn't care about others. None the less, Greg adored her, and Ebony had managed to worm her way into Harry's heart as well. Make sure you ask Master about what he wants to show you later on. He will most likely forget. Ebony hissed as she removed her head from Harry's hand, and coiled her body tighter.
Harry chuckled and thanked Ebony who simply hissed in response and promptly fell asleep. Harry stood up out of his crouch and turned around to face Greg when he heard the man's heavy steps from one of the back rooms. A small petite woman came out first and Greg shortly followed a few steps back; he was blabbering on about caring for the piercing properly and making sure that if an infection was to get into the piercing that she needed to come back immediately. The woman nodded, but Harry could tell that she was getting impatient. Finally, Greg finished his monologue; the woman paid and left the shop as quickly as she could before Greg could start to talk again.
"Hey short stuff!" Greg called as he came towards Harry. Greg called Harry short stuff for some reason even though Harry towered over Greg small frame. It was quite funny to look at the different men. Harry was over six foot tall while Greg was a miniscule five foot four inches. Harry had pitch black hair that was a complete mess on top of his head while Greg's blonde hair hung silkily onto his shoulders and there was also the fact that he had blue highlights. Harry only had one piercing which was the one in his tongue while Greg had at least five on each ear and a snakebite piercing in his bottom lip; Harry was also sure that the man had more piercings elsewhere. Harry wore tight leather clothes that showed off his muscular figure while Greg wore big shirts that hung off his small frame. Harry was at the tender age of sixteen while Greg was in his early twenties; he wouldn't tell Harry his age for some reason. Harry would always call him a girl when he whined about his age. Despite their difference, for some reason, they had become fast friends.
"Hey Greggy," Harry said as he picked the man up off the ground for a hug. Harry laughed when he saw Greg's pout as he set the man down.
"Harrrrry!" Greg whined, "You know that I hate that nickname!"
"And that is why, Greggy, I call you that," Harry said as he smirked at Greg's face; the man really was adorable. "Honey, you should know by now that the puppy dog face doesn't work on me."
Greg stomped his foot and murmured under his breath for a second, "Fine. Not that I am not happy to see you, but what do you want short stuff?"
Harry ruffled the man's hair knowing that it would piss him off, "I want another piercing."
Greg glared at Harry and turned around waving his hand so that Harry would follow, "Oh really? And you just decided to stop in without checking to make sure that I had the piercing, the equipment, and that I wasn't with a customer?"
"Errr…Yes that sounds about right," Harry said sheepishly.
Greg snorted and shoved the door to his office open. Harry trailed into the room like a puppy following his master, "It is a good thing that I am so fond of you short stuff. Okay what do you want?" Greg sat down in the leather chair behind his desk and laid his head on the back of the chair.
Harry plopped down in the comfy chair that took up the space in front of Greg's desk that he never used. He blushed a little and simply said, "Nipples."
Greg lifted his head and opened his eyes to look at a blushing Harry. He was amused to see the kid so embarrassed about getting his nipples pierced. Greg snorted and smiled a little, letting Harry know that it was okay when the youngster finally managed to get enough confidence to meet his eyes. "Okay well do you want to do this now or later?"
Harry rolled his eyes, "What do you think Greggy?"
"Hey now! I am going to be the man with a needle piercing your nipple so be nice. You don't want me to accidentally make the needle slip a little," Greg teased as he stood up and wandered out of the room knowing that Harry would follow. They walked into Greg's work room and Harry sat down in the chair automatically. He watched as Greg opened and closed random drawers, pulling out small plastic bags out of each. "I have to do this the muggle way because… Well hell I don't know why. I just do. I can heal the suckers for you after though since you are still underage for magic use."
Harry nodded and ran a hand through his hair, suddenly nervous, "Will…Will it hurt a lot?" Harry asked warily.
Greg quickly spun around and gave Harry a sympathetic smile, "No short stuff it won't hurt that bad. Your tongue piercing will be worse than this; the clamp is the worst part, I promise." Harry nodded and relaxed knowing that Greg was telling the truth. Harry watched as Greg pulled on rubber gloves and started opening the plastic bags, pulling out clamps, a needle, and two small barbells.
Greg turned around when he was done and popped the glove loudly, smirking evilly he asked, "Are you ready for your examination now?" Harry snorted and pulled his shirt off over his head.
"Yeah, let's get this over with. Ebony told me that you had something to show me?" Harry asked as Greg came closer with the tray of all things evil.
"Oh yeah!" Greg exclaimed as he set down the tray and sat down on a spiny stool, "I really love that snake. I want you to meet my friend Russ. He just got bit by this magical Black Mamba snake and lived. It is freakin' awesome because now he is immune to any kind of snakes' venom now. I want to get bit by a Black Mamba now."
Harry snorted and winced as Greg pinched his nipple, making it into a hard nub before putting the clamp on. Harry looked away as Greg grabbed the big needle and placed his hands on Harry's chest. Harry wanted to laugh at the intense look of concentration that was on Greg's face; his tongue was sticking out of the side of his mouth.
"You ready short stuff? I am going to go on three."
Harry nodded and took a deep breath in. Greg leaned forward and placed the needle right by Harry's nipple.
"One…Two…Forty Five!" Greg shouted as he pushed the needle through Harry's skin. Harry grunted at the pain but made no movement. "Now that wasn't so bad was it short stuff?"
"I think that my nipple hates me," Harry replied as a throbbing pain made itself known.
"Oh nonsense," Greg said as he pushed the end of the barbell through the small hole and removed the needle. "Only one more to go short stuff and then we are all done," Greg said in a sing son voice that made Harry want to punch him in the face.
"Thank god." Harry leaned back in the chair and allowed Greg to work, and soon enough both of Harry's nipples were throbbing in pain. Two small tails of blood had trailed down his chest and stomach. Harry watched as Greg stood up and stared intently at Harry's chest, specifically his nipples.
"Looks pretty damn good if I have to say so myself," Greg said with a smug smile.
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled. Greg threw him an alcohol swab to get rid of the blood on his chest, and then started to race around the room cleaning up the mess.
"Can I get that healing charm?" Harry asked quietly once Greg stopped moving. Greg reached into his pocket, pulled out his wand, and with a flick Harry's nipples were soothed. "Oh, how I love magic," Harry said as he reached up with his hands to mess with his new piercings.
Greg slapped his hands away before he could mess with his nipples though. "What have I told you about messing with new piercings?" Greg said disapprovingly as he glared at Harry for even thinking about touching his nipples.
"To not to," Harry said guilty as he lowered his hands to his lap.
"Good boy," Greg praised as he grabbed Harry's shirt from the corner of the room and waved for Harry to stand up. "Now even though I healed your nipples they are going to be very sensitive for the first couple days. I would avoid touching them. Your shirts might cause irritation to the sights so you might consider not wearing a shirt for a while."
Harry gave Greg an incredulous look and shook his head, "You just want to see me with my shirt off all the time don't you?"
"Oh yeah that is exactly the reason," Greg said in a monotone voice that had Harry laughing. "Now let's go short stuff. We have places to be."
Greg locked the shop and pulled a still shirtless Harry down Knockturn Alley. After many twists and turns they arrived in front of a snake shop called, Russ's Snake Shop. Well that name is sure original, Harry thought to himself as he rolled his eyes.
"Russ!" Greg called as he shoved open the door to the store and dragged Harry through. Greg dropped Harry's hand and ran off through the back door while Harry stood in the middle of the store and looked around.
Oh wonderful, the hyper pixie is back. Harry heard a voice hiss off to his right. He stifled a laugh.
Now we really are not going to be able to get back to sleep! A more feminine voice hissed.
Shut it Sandy! I am trying to sleep here. A different snake hissed.
You shut your trap Randall. I am a woman and I deserve to be treated with respect.
The day that you are treated as a woman is the day that I get you pregnant which will be on the day that pigs fly.
How rude! Sandy the snake hissed; the hurt and pain easily coloring her tone.
Excuse me? Harry hissed trying to get the snakes to stop fighting.
A speaker? Sandy the snake exclaimed, Oh how wonderful! It has been so long since we have been able to talk to a human. You are such interesting creatures.
What do you want speaker? A snake Harry assumed to be Randall said annoyed.
Randall! Sandy admonished, do not be rude to the human!
If I want to be rude then I will damn well be rude! And don't tell me what to do woman!
Excuse me! Why you poor pathetic excuse for a snake I ought to cut off…
The conversation was cut off as Harry attention was brought back to the room. Greg raced into the room with a taller man trailing father behind him.
"Here he is short stuff! The man of the hour! Russ this is…" Harry slapped a hand over a shouting Greg's mouth. The man had already grabbed Harry once again to drag him to meet this man called Russ, and Harry was sure that he could introduce himself.
"Hello I am Harry P…" Harry trailed off as he saw the huge black and silver snake that was wrapped around Russ's neck looking straight at him like he was something to eat. Harry shivered and froze as he saw the snake start to move around Russ's neck. Harry saw Russ glance between Harry and the snake a few times, before making the decision to take a step back in case something were to happen, but it was too late.
Harry screamed as he saw the snake move with lightening speed, and before he knew what had happened the snake's fangs were deep in his skin on his neck.
Thoughts? Please and thank you :)
Until next time,
Lost