"Face your partners," Gilderoy Lockhart called out.

It was their first ever duelling class, and Lia and Pansy were locked in a death stare. Both of their faces spelled murder. "And bow!" Lia smirked and gave Pansy a theatrical curtsy, which she finished off by flicking up her middle finger at the other girl.

"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them-"

Lia scoffed. If they wanted them to only disarm, Snape really should have thought twice before pairing her with Haginson, Harry with Malfoy, and Hermione with Bulstrode.

"- we don't want any accidents - one ... two ... three -"

"Calvario." Lia flicked her wand. Parkinson's mouse brown hair fell down to the floor, leaving her as bald as a coot.

She let out a shriek of fury. "Melofors!" Lia deflected the jinx.

Her eyes searched the room. Harry had evidently hit Malfoy with a Tickling Charm, for he was doubled over laughing on the ground, his eyes less than amused. All around the hall, everyone seemed to have forgotten that they were supposed to only be disarming - it was as entertaining to watch as it was chaotic.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted.

Parkinson ignored him, and sent a curse flying; which would have left Lia with painful painful boils on her face, had she not hastily conjured up a shield charm.

She just about to shrink Pansy into a rat, when Lockhart shouted, "Stop! Stop!"

Lia payed no heed to him, and pointed her wand at Parkinson. "Porunia Des-"

She couldn't finish the incantation, for Snape shifted his gaze from staring at Malfoy and Potter, to yell at Lia, who was still frowning at the bald Pansy, her wand held in front of her.

"Agorios!" he barked. "Forty house points will be taken from Slytherin, if you do not stop duelling this instant!" He had probably seen the expression on Lia's face and had decided that it would be unwise to allow her to send Parkinson to St. Mungos.

"Well, that's hardly fair," she said. "I'm not the only one blasting spells around. What about what Parkinson shot at m-"

She stopped at the look on Snape's face. She wasn't sure if the potions master would actually take the threatened points away, but she knew that it would be unwise to test him - too much that is.

"Fine. Stupefy," she said. Haginson collapsed in a heap on the floor.

"That's not what I meant!" Snape roared.

"Oops," said Lia with a hint of irony, after a pause, she continued, "We have stopped duelling now, though. Isn't that what you wanted?"

He looked as if he was going to growl another warning at her, but Harry was struck with 'Tarantallegra' and Snape was forced to tear his attention away to yell, "Finite Incantatem".

"Oh dear," said Lockhart, taking in the disarray that lay before him. It was a bit of an understatement. "Come now. Up you get, Macmillan. Pinch hard to stop the bleeding, Miss Fawcett."

"Perhaps," said Snape. "It would be a better idea to teach them to block unfriendly spells. First."

"Yes," said Lockhart, looking flustered, "Weasley, Finnigan, how about you two?"

"Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest of spells. We'll be sending Finnigan home in a matchbox." Ron flushed. "How about … Malfoy and Potter?" Snape's face was set in a smirk.

"Excellent idea!"

"No, it wasn't," Lia thought. She warily watched Harry and Mopefoy move up to the centre. She wasn't sure which one looked angrier or more vindictive … This was totally going to end well.

"Three … two … one … go!"

"Serpensortia!" Malfoy quickly hollered.

Out of the end of his wand, a slithering snake exploded out, it raised its body up, tan eyes staring at Harry, looking ready to strike. Lia pushed her way around the other gawking students, moving to the front of the crowd, so that she stood only a metre away from Harry and the serpent.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape, with a lazy tone. "I'll get rid of it …"

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. Lia groaned. The professor yelled, "Alarte Ascendare!"

Why did he even choose to use that spell? The only good it did was send the snake flying up high into the air. When it landed, it looked even more enraged, and poised itself to strike Justin Finch-Fletchley – the brunette boy who stood opposite Lia.

Harry was running forward now, he yelled, "Leave him alone!" at the snake.

As if it had understood him, the serpent slunk around, so that it was gazing at Harry again. It hissed in her brother's face, like it was irritated that it had been forced to obey his command.

"Come here," Lia said warmly, as if she were talking to a small child. She'd always liked snakes. "It's alright. You don't need to be scared. We won't hurt you. We're all nice people."

The snake glided over to her. For some reason, Lia thought that its stare had become much friendly, and its hiss took on more of a purr. She raised up a hand, and the snake nudged its head at her palm. It really was a beautiful creature: with its olive green body and the bright yellow bands that adorned it. Its long forked tongue flicked out, and that pair of intelligently shiny, tan eyes peered at her.

"Aw," Lia cooed. "Aren't you a sweetheart?" she said, patting its scaly skin. "Who's a good snake? Who's a good snake? I think I'll name you Cleo."

"Have you gone completely mental?" asked Harry. "Lia. Step away. Before you get rabies."

Cleo hissed again at Harry. "Don't listen to the mean boy," Lia said. "He's just jealous of your exquisite fangs."

She looked up, grinning. She and Harry turned to check on Justin, expecting him to thank them. After all, they had saved him from getting punctured with snake venom. The boy didn't even look relieved though, merely angry and afraid.

"What do you two think you're playing at?" He stormed off, before Lia could scold him for being so ungrateful.

Snape raised his wand, preparing to vanish the snake, when Lia called out. "Wait!" He turned, and she saw that there was a shrewd, calculating look on his face.

"Wait," Lia said again. "Professor … could I ... could I, keep her? As a pet."

"I should think that a King Cobra would be far too large and dangerous to be living in your dormitory."

"Oh," said Lockhart. "Let the girl have the beast. Look at her. She looks miserable. Besides," he smiled, showing a row of pearly whites. "I can always shrink it or remove it, if it becomes a pest. And I know the perfect potion to act as an antidote to the venom."

Lia almost felt bad for ridiculing Lockhart, even if he was unreasonably arrogant. Snape looked like he was contemplating using 'Avada Kedavra' on the snake, but he hesitated, finally giving a stiff nod.

"If I hear any complaints," he said coldly. "Any complaints at all, I will not delay in disposing of the creature. And if that snake bites a student? You'll be expelled immediately, no exceptions."

Lia gave a cry of joy. "Thank you, Professor Snape! Thank you!" She almost moved to hug the potions master, who stepped back looking uneasy. She picked the snake up and it wrapped around her shoulders like a scarf. There was an unfavourable muttering in the room. Stares flickered between her and Harry. Hurried whispers echoed around them.

"What?" Lia thought. "Don't wizards keep snakes as pets?" She could have sworn that she'd seen multiple pythons for sale in Diagon Alley.

"Come on." Ron tugged on Harry and Lia's arms, dragging them out of the hall, Hermione at their feet. "Move … come on …" The other students jumped out of the way as they passed. Some of the Slytherins were looking at Lia in awe, staring at the snake hissing around her neck.

Ron shoved them all the way up to the deserted Gryffindor common room, where he pushed her and Harry into armchairs.

"Are you sure I'm allowed in here?" said Lia. "Aren't you scared I'll infect your stuff with my Slytherinness?"

Ron ignored her. "You're Parselmouths. Why didn't you tell us?"

"We're what?" asked Lia.

"A Parselmouth! You can talk to snakes!"

"I know," Harry said. "That has to be the second time we've done it. Once, we set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once – long story. Remember Lia?"

"How could I forget such a glorious event?"

"It was telling us that it'd never seen Brazil, and we sort of set it free without meaning to, but that was long before we knew that we were wizards, so it was quite confusing at the time, I thought we'd both gone mad."

"A boa constrictor? A snake told you it'd never seen Brazil?" Ron looked faint.

"So?" Lia said. "I bet lots of people here can do it."

"I think not," said Ron. "They can't. This is bad. It's not a very common gift, Harry, Lia. This is bad."

"Why's it bad?" asked Lia. "They're just snakes." She scoffed. "It's like everyone at Hogwarts suddenly got Ophidiophobia."

"Yeah. I don't see why they're all acting so odd," Harry said. "If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin -"

"Oh, so that's what you said?"

"What do you mean?" Lia was at a loss. "You were all there. Didn't you hear him?"

"I heard you start speaking Parselmouth," said Ron. "And you followed Lia. No one else knew what you were saying at all – it's no wonder that Justin was so scared, it sounded like you were egging the snake on or something. And then you went over, hissing that strange language, and patted it on the head, Lia! Like you were telling it good job! It was all very creepy, you know –"

They were both gaping open-mouthed at Ron.

"A different language? How could we speak another language without knowing how to speak it? And Lia understood me!"

Ron and Hermione were both looking terribly upset. It was as if Justin had really been bitten by the snake and was now dead.

"What's so bad about stopping a giant snake from biting Justin's head off -" Harry asked.

"Cleo wasn't going to do that," Lia said. "She's a good snake."

"It matters," said Hermione, in a hushed voice. "…because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."

Their mouths fell open.

"I always thought that the symbol was because Salazar loved snakes!" said Lia. "And because they're cold blooded creatures!"

"The whole school's going to think that you two are his great-great-great-great-grandson and granddaughter, or something … Lia why in gods name did you have to adopt that creature. The snake's going to make everything worse and –"

"But we're not," said Harry, panicking, as Lia swore. "We're not related to Salazar Slytherin."

"That's going to be a tad hard to prove," Lia said. "He lived about a thousand years ago. I mean, for all we know Harry, we totally could be." She groaned. "Oh no. What if we turn out to be related again?"

The next time Lia saw Harry was at night the following day, when she was heading from the common room towards the library. After what had happened during the duelling club, she was eager to scavenge for information regarding Parseltongue.

"Harry?" Lia asked. Her brother was lying on the floor. It appeared that he had tripped and fallen over … merlin … what was that body? … it looked like … like Justin Finch-Fletchley!

She cursed. This was not good. It appeared that the boy had been petrified, like Filch's cat and the Creevey boy. Next to him, hovering in the air, was Nearly Headless Nick, blackened and no longer transparent. She nearly screamed.

"Oh god. Harry," she said, distractedly noting the trail of spiders that scampered away from the bodies. "Harry, we have to get out of here! If anyone sees us … oh but we need to get help! They're going to think that we had something to do with this!"

Lia had heard the whispers behind her back when the students thought that she was distracted. How apparently Harry had told her that Justin was muggle-born, and that together they'd teamed up to attack him. That they were both some sort of dark wizards, working together to destroy anyone whose blood wasn't pure enough.

It was as if they'd all forgotten that Harry's parents had been slaughtered mercilessly by Voldemort, and as if Lia hadn't given that lengthy speech about the irrationality of pureblood supremacy to the Slytherin Quidditch Team.

She supposed that from their point of view, it was all a bit suspicious – she was a Slytherin; the daughter of a death-eater; a Parselmouth; not bad at all at spells; and she was best friends with Harry Potter, who was suspected to be formidable in the dark arts, being the only person who had ever survived the killing curse. Plus, she also had a 'S' shaped scar on her arm. And now owned a pet snake.

Just bloody wonderful.

"Why, it's potty wee Potter!" Lia froze at Peeves' voice. "And little Miss Lay Lay. What are we up to? Lurking in the –"

Peeves spotted the two bodies – one collapsed on the ground, the other suspended in mid-air. Before she could do anything, he screamed at the top of his lungs, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

"Shut up!" she hissed, but it was too late. Classroom doors flung open and students poured into the corridor. Professor McGonagall came running, her transfiguration class straggling after her. As she caught sight of the petrified bodies, she pulled out her wand, a loud bang echoed around, and the students were ordered back to their classrooms. The crowd cleared away slightly, although many were still gaping, dumbstruck, at the sight.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie's face was as white as a sheet, as he pointed accusatory fingers at Lia and Harry.

"That will do, Macmillan!" McGonagall said with a snap, and Peeves suddenly broke into song, smiling evilly:

"Oh, Potter, you rotter, with Lia the fle-a, oh, what have you done, You're killing off' students, you think it's good fun -"

"Fuc ... Go away Peeves!" Lia yelled. The ghost blew a raspberry at her.

After a fretful conversation with Dumbledore, in which his phoenix had burst into flames, Hagrid had come barging through yelling about Harry's innocence, and the headmaster finally quenched her fears of being expelled, Lia was eventually back in the Slytherin common room.

The chamber was silent as she walked in. Head spun around to stare at her, and eyes rested upon the snake that glided on the floor, never straying far from her side.

"What do you think you're all looking at?" she snapped, and stomped across to plop herself onto a plush armchair. She was about to grab a book off the table, when she found herself staring into Marcus Flint's copper eyes.

"Ahem," Flint cleared his throat. "Lia. I wanted to say-" He looked as if he was sucking on a bottle of poison, whilst standing in the middle of an ignited fireplace. "I wanted to say," he tried again, "…that I'm sorry."

"Pardon me?" Lia choked. "You're what?"

"I'm sorry."

"Shit … Everyone step back! And someone fetch Snape! Flint's being possessed! Or Imperio-ed," She narrowed her eyes. "Who was it? Own up now." She spotted Malfoy in the corner. "Mopefoy. It was you wasn't it?"

"Listen to me!" Spittle was flying out of Flint's mouth. "Goddamnit. I'm sorry -"

Lia gaped at him. She was pretty sure that she would be able to count all the times that he had ever said 'sorry' to someone before on her hand. And now? He'd said it to her! And what? How many was it? Three times already! What was happening to the world?

Flint continued. "- for doubting you. We all are. When I heard you speak on the yard the other day, I thought you were one of those disgusting blood traitors. But I know better now."

This conversation was beginning to sound dreadfully like one she had once had with Malfoy.

"You must have been putting on a disguise, so that the professors, and those filthy Gryffindors wouldn't know your true identity."

"And ... and, what is my 'identity'?" She was overwhelmed.

Flint gave her a wicked simper. "You don't need to hide anymore. We all support you." The Slytherins started nodding. Flint sucked in a breath.

"... We know that you're the Heir of Slytherin!"

Lia gawked at him.

"Oh! Not you too!" She burst into laughter. "Ha, ha, ha! Aha, ha, ha, ha! Ohh, I wish I could go back in time and record that. You said sorry to me. You actually apologised!

"Merlin!" She could barely get the words out; she was guffawing so much. "What? Are you hoping I can go kill some muggle-borns off for you? Set my monster loose on Alicia Spinnet? I know you envy her. She's always been better than you at Quidditch."

"So you admit it then?" Flint said, his eyes wide. "You really have your own monster? Wow! What does it look like?"

"You know, just because I'm in Slytherin and I like snakes, doesn't mean that I'm the -"

She didn't get to finish though, for Tracey Davis had grabbed onto her arm. "Sorry guys," she said. "Just stealing our champion for the moment. I think she's a bit too … excited from all the attention." The Slytherins grumbled in disappointment. "Just a minute."

"What are you doing?" Lia whined, as she was pulled forcibly into her dormitory. "I was having fun and-"

"I know you're not the Heir of Slytherin -" Tracey began.

"Well obviously," said Lia.

"- you talk far too much about how you despise Malfoy for that. But, you shouldn't go telling them all that! Don't you see how you could use this to your advantage?"

"Uh ... not really? What? Should I threaten to kill them in their sleep?"

"No!" Davis shook her head. "I thought you were meant to be cunning!"

Lia stared at her, waiting.

"Geez, use that big brain of yours! If they think that you're the Heir of Slytherin, don't you realise how much power you'll have over them?"

She blinked. "I do like power."

"They'll practically do anything you want! And, it'll give you more chance of catching who the real culprit behind this is. The Slytherin's will tell you anything. Most of them are intimidated by you already, and now you have their respect too. And... even better, if whoever's actually the heir is stupid enough to point out your lie? Well, you'll know who's responsible then. You can be like an undercover agent."

"Woah." She was taken aback. "That's actually ... brilliant, Tracey!"

Davis grinned.

"How long did it take you to think of that one?"

She kept smiling and stuck out her tongue. Then her face turned grave.

"Remember how I told you that I'm a half-blood? Mum's already written to me about how I'm coming straight back home, to be homeschooled, if the petrifying doesn't stop. Even she's scared - and I'm a Slytherin, from a wizarding family! She says that after the muggle-borns are all finished, whoever it is will be after the halfbloods next."

Lia shuddered. "It's a cruel world. But don't worry, Trace, we'll catch them, we'll find out who's up to this, make no mistake. And we'll make sure they regret their actions."

"Come on," Tracey said, tugging her. "Everyone's waiting for you downstairs."

Lia walked out, trying to seem elegant and powerful when she treaded down the steps. She cleared her throat, attracting all the eyes in the room to her face.

"It's good to see that everyone here is a true Slytherin. It's good to see that you all support me." She tried to say the next words as confidently as she could. "I am the Heir. You've discovered my secret."

A cheer erupted in the room.

"Who's the next victim?" a voice called out.

"What's in the Chamber of Secrets?" another yelled.

"Recruit me to your army!"

"Let me help you."

"How are you getting around the school?"

"Show us the monster!"

"What's your next move?"

Lia raised up one hand. She surveyed the room with a cold eye. "Do you think I'm an idiot? That I would actually tell all of you what my plans were? There's so many here that I don't trust."

She glared. "I know some here are ... are" - she forced herself to spit out the word - "blood traitors. Or faking your blood status. You'll go running to Dumbledore as soon as I said a word!" Already, some Slytherins were staring distrustfully at their peers. "But if you tell anyone ... anyone at all! That I'm the heir? You won't last the night."

"For -," she repeated again for good measure, "- I am Slytherin's heir." She smiled nefariously. "And the Chamber of Secrets has been reopened."

A/N: Hi my lovely readers!

Thank you so much for sticking with the story! I don't usually do author's notes, but I just wanted to apologise about the pace of the novel. When I started planning this fanfiction, there were so many canon scenes that I wanted to try.

We're seventeen chapters in now, and there's barely been any romance! I'm sorry!

I just thought that it would be a bit more believable if Lia and Draco started off as enemies, since J.K. Rowling did give him some dickish traits. Malfoy forever though :D

Things will definitely be picking up during Lia's fourth year. I thought that she's still a bit too young right now, at twelve, to have a truly meaningful relationship. Her second year's almost complete now, and I've only got a scene with the polyjuice potion, and one with the basilisk left to do.

Just to pique everyone's interest a bit, here's an extract from a scene I've already written, that will appear soon enough:

Draco looked back at her with a glare that dissolved into a bitter laugh. He shook his head.

"Why you? Why is it you, Agorios? … You annoy the hell out of me," he said, his voice passive as if stating a fact.

"Likewise."

"You never know when to shut up."

"Says you."

"You're nothing like any of the girls I know."

"Well, you're not exactly what I was expecting either."

"You dated Zabini. And he's a disgusting prat."

"You dated Pansy. She's a sadistic bitch."

"Your hair never –"

"- This is very romantic isn't it," Lia interjected. She was staring to get rather offended.

Draco groaned. "You're not really making this any easier. I was saying that … I … well … I –"

"Stop stammering."

"I'm not trying to okay! Just shut up and listen. I'm trying. I'm trying okay?" When his eyes met hers, they were so pleading that they pierced Lia with guilt.

Draco sucked in a shaky breath. "You're infuriating and stubborn and rude, Lia. You never know when to give up, and you're so … you're just so prickling. Like a … a deadly yet beautiful rose. And when I'm with you, I always seem to lose my mind

"But you're smart Lia, and kind, and selfless – as much as you would hate to admit it. And you make me … you make me. Make feel like I can be a good person. Like I can rise above the bigotry that my parents raised me in.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is … I … I like you Val. I like you. I really do." He ran a hand through his hair, looking relieved that he'd finally gotten the words out, but slightly embarrassed all the same.

"That wasn't so hard was it," Lia smirked at him. "A deadly yet beautiful rose? Why Draco, I think I've discovered your new calling as a poet!"

Draco's mouth opened in disbelief, his expression darkened, and with a shove, he pushed Lia with one hand. As she staggered, her body slipping towards the Great Lake, her laughing face stared up at him. He couldn't understand why she was still so happy, until her fingers whipped out and fastened tightly onto his wrist.

She pulled him down with her.

They fall with a splash into the lake, Lia resurfacing with a laugh. She looked around, expecting Draco to be there smirking with her … But he was already stalking out, his muscled arms pulling him out of the water, the broad shoulders tense beneath his suit.

A/N: Do you like it? I've always loved fanfiction Dracos.

Anyway, just finally, I've been wondering if Lia needs a new name. Daliah Agorios seems a bit weird doesn't it? And I feel as if Lia just doesn't suit her brazen and sarcastic personality!

Do you think it would be better if I called her either:

Valerie (nicknamed Val)

Verity (not sure about a nickname)

Amelia (maybe nicknamed Lia again?)

Or something else? And I am completely stuck with the last names. Like, what even is 'Agorios' am I right? How did I even come up with that? If you have any suggestions pleaseeee let me know. I'm legit awful with names :/ And I'll give credit too!

Okay so finally, I'd just like to thank everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed so much. This is the first fanfiction I've written since I was like twelve (God the ones I wrote in my twelvie days were repulsive), so your kind comments really mean so much to be!

And if there are any spelling or grammar or any other mistakes, don't hesitate to tell me. I've been re-editing all of the chapters I've written so far, and I've picked up on quite a few. I feel like there's still a few hiding in there though.

Thank you all! And sorry this is so long xxxxxxx

- Annie