You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.

- Sam Levenson

The Queen of Sorcery

Chapter Two

It Was an Accident

"speech"

thoughts

"parseltongue"

/mind speech/

=visions=

KABOOM!

Fred, George, Sa'zar, and everything not nailed down went flying.

"It appears doxy venom does not go with dragon scales." Fred grinned sheepishly as he picked himself off the bedroom floor.

"Y'think?" George drawled sarcastically, wincing as he surveyed the damage. "Mum is going to have a horse, a cow, and a dragon."

Sa'zar groaned slightly. "Forgo' th' fire 'gain, din' I 'Ric," he mumbled, words slurring.

Fred rushed to the small boys side. "Sa'zar?" No reaction. The red heads eyes went wide as he shook the limp figure. "Salazar! Answer me!"

Silver eyes blinked, glazed and unfocused. "Ric?"

Fred and George exchanged panicked looks. "Stay with him." Fred nodded. "I'm getting Mum." George turned, racing from the room.

Ginny, ever the observer, took note of her brother's hasty exit and ran off to find the emergency kit.

Fred tried to remember what you were supposed to do for a head injury. What was the first rule? Oh, right. Don't move the victim. Talk to the victim. Keep the victim from going into shock.

"Er...Um...Sa'zar. Just wait. Help'll come soon."

Sa'zar smiled weakly. "Don' te' Ro, 'Ric. She'll pu' m' in tention."

"Tension? Oh, detention. Um..." Fred looked blankly at Sa'zar. What was he talking about anyway? Did he think they were at Hogwarts? He should probably play along, right? "That wouldn't be fair, would it?"

"No' righ'," Sa'zar agreed. "We fou'ers. Ro'ena shou' no' gi' us 'tention."

The red heads eyes were about ready to pop out. Founders? Rowena? Ric- Godric? Wait. Sa'zar thought he was Gryffindor?

Sa'zar stirred slightly. "Ric, 's Ela comin'?"

"Er...Yes?" Fred offered. Now he wanted Hufflepuff? How hard was that blow? Footsteps broke him out of his thoughts before he began to panic for real. "Mu- Ginny? What are-"

"Here," She shoved the first aid box into his hands. "Well?" Ginny frowned at her older brother, who seemed intent on staring blankly at the box. "Are you just going to sit there?" The tiny girl placed her hands on her hips, giving her brother a look that reminded him all too much of their mother.

Who burst onto the scene with a ear-shattering screech.

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Fred and George, Sa'zar decided, were acting strange. Stranger than usual, that was. The silver eyed boy really wished they would stop. Banging his head on the wall was not fun, but it was not as though he had died or gone mad or something. He had not even had a concussion, for heaven's sake!

Sa'zar sighed. The twins were there again. Huddled in a corner, whispering. Silver eyes narrowed. Enough was enough.

He stalked across the room, eyes flashing dangerously. "Stop this. Now."

The twins jumped, giving each other nervous, shifty looks "Look Sala-" Fred began, but Sa'zar cut him off.

"And that's another thing. Since when do you call me Salazar? It's Sa'zar." He sighed, forcing his temper to calm. "Look, what happened wasn't your fault. Well, not entirely. And I don't even remember it really. So stop feeling so guilty and quit avoiding me!"

Fred and George shared a weighted look. Twins that they were, it was an entire conversation. /He doesn't know!/ Therefor we don't either./

George grinned. "Actually, we've been trying to avoid Mum."

Fred shuddered. "My backside still aches."

George winced. "Don't remind me Gred."

"I can't help it Forge," Fred whined. "I haven't been able to sit right since."

"I have to lay on my stomach," George sniffled, "and even then it's hard."

Sa'zar watched the duo happily. Things were going back to normal. Provided your definition of normal was sufficiently flexible.

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"Hogwarts Letters!" Ginny shrieked as the birds soared onto the breakfast table.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Duly noted. I would not have known if you hadn't told me." Ginny promptly turned as red as her hair.

"Hey!" Ron glared at Harry. "Don't upset my little sister."

"Tell her to stop stalking me then," Harry shot back.

Tom ignored the bickering in faor of reading his letter. "Quite a lot from this Lockhart person," he noted, returning the parchment to the envelope. "We will have to go to the Alley to pick them up. Tuney already has the re- Sa'zar what is so funny?" He glared at his youngest brother.

Sa'zar gazed innocently at him. "I was just admiring your new hair style."

"New hair- Salazar Solomon Gaunt, GET BACK HERE!"

The twins beat a hasty exit as Tom chased Sa'zar. Just in time too. A moment later Percy and Ron could be heard howling as they finally noticed their purple and green hair.

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Fred and George attempted to look contrite as everyone lined up for the trip to Diagon Alley. They failed miserably. Sa'zar just grinned, having somehow contrived to talk his way out of trouble.

"Have any of you ever traveled by floo before," Molly asked the brothers. She tsked at the four head shakes. "I suppose Petunia drives." Nods. "It's quite simple really. You just-"

"We know how it works, Mrs. Weasley," Tom interrupted. "We just have not had the opportunity to use it."

"I see." The Weasley matriarch handed him the pot with a smile. "Would you like to do the honors, Tom?"

He nodded, taking a handful of shimmering green dust. "Harry, Dudley, Sa'zar, you three watch." Tom tossed the powder into the flames. As they flared up bright emerald he called out "Diagon Alley," and vanished up the chimney.

"Your turn dearie." Harry took a fistful of dust from the flower pot, trying to look relaxed. A Slytherin did not show nervousness, especially when around Gryffindors. He tossed the powder into the fire. He opened his mouth to speak and got a throat full of soot for his trouble. "Diago-caugh- Alley!"

The flames grabbed him, sending him whirling up the floo. He caught glimpses of other houses as he passes their fireplaces.

Then he was falling over a grating, his glasses slipping off to shatter on the ground. Harry concentrated hard, willing his eyes to change prescription. Slowly the room came into focus. Harry groaned. "Looks like I'm not in Kansas any more. Or the Leaky Cauldron."

Harry studied the place he had just landed in. The window sign gave the name 'Borgin and Burkes' to the dusty establishment. The items on display all seemed to be cursed in some manner which indicated the Dark Arts.

Harry ducked down as a bell tinkled and the door to the shop opened. Then he straitened up with a sigh of relief. "Hey Draco. Do you know where I am?"

Draco gaped. "Harry?" The pale blond shook his head, recovering from the shock of seeing his best friend turned into a soot covered monster. "This is Knockturn Alley. Why are you here?"

Harry shrugged. "Floo problems. Those things are a menace."

Draco nodded sympathetically. "Agreed. Fire travel is completely medieval.

The long haired blond at the counter turned. Harry instantly knew him to be his best friend's father. "Draco recall your manners. Introduce us."

Draco flushed. "Apologies, Father. Harry, this is my father, Lord Lucius Malfoy. Father, this is Harry Potter, my best friend."

Harry shifted uncomfortably beneath the man's gaze. The way Lord Malfoy watched him reminded him forcibly of Hedwig sizing up a mouse.

The pale man seemed to come to a decision and inclined his head elegantly. "A pleasure, Mr. Potter. It is good to know that my son has chosen his friends well."

Behind his father, Draco breathed a sigh of relief. Harry bowed slightly, as an heir to a lord. "It is an honor to be the friend of so great a man."

Lucius smiled slightly at the reply before returning his attention to the counter. "I have business to attend to here. Draco, do entertain your friend and do not touch anything."

The two boys nodded. "So," Draco asked, "how was your summer?"

Harry faked horror. "Don't ask. I was trapped in the lion's den for three weeks."

Draco mock shuddered. "How terrible! How did you ever survive?"

"Badly." Harry grinned. "You have no idea how good it is to see a fellow serpent once more."

Draco laughed. "Perhaps you and your brothers could stay with my family next summer. We have more than enough room."

"Oh, My Lord, you have saved me!" Harry pretended to kiss the back of the blond's hand.

Draco rolled his eyes. Better quit doing that, Potter. Someone might take it the wrong way."

Harry smirked. "Who? Your father?"

Draco did not seem to find this funny. "Exactly. Oh, Father, are you done?"

Lucius nodded coolly. "Indeed. Come Draco, Mr. Potter."

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"Harry! We've been searching everywhere!" Molly Weasley hurried forward, only to come to a sudden halt at the sight of the Malfoy patriarch. "Lucius Malfoy."

The tall blond tilted his head, looking the red headed woman up and down, a condescending sneer on his face. "Molly Weasley. Has that brood of yours grown so large that it haas begun to endanger your guests welfare?"

Molly flushed. "That... I..It was an accident with the floo."

Lucius nodded, seemingly bored. "Fortunately for Mr. Potter, he happened to arrive at the same store as my son and I. It would have been a pity had he gotten lost in Knockturn and while under your supervision too." He smirked slightly. "Good day Mr. Potter. Come Draco."

Draco bit his lip. "Father, if it is not a problem, could I stay with Harry? We could meet later at the book store."

Lucius tapped his snake headed cane thoughtfully. "Very well." He gave Mrs. Weasley a cool look as he turned away. "Be careful not to lose my son, Molly."

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AUthor's Note: So now we meet Mr. Malfoy. He's not going to be abusive, BTW, but he is pretty cold. Also, despite the rather painful bump to the head, Sa'zar does not remember his past. He barely remembers the accident. Fred and George do know the truth though. The twins being the twins, they're not really concerned. If Sa'zar doesn't know, then it doesn't matter.

Sorry this took so long. First I had Internet connection issues, then we went away. Don't worry though. I wrote up the end of chapter three and started four while I was gone!

Questions!

Chapter 1:

Who is the Queen of Serpents?

Why is Harry's snake named lioness? (She is a rosy boa constricter.)

Who is the blond girl?

What is the real name of Umbrons, and what are they?

Chapter 2:

What was Sa'zar remembering when he hit his head? (Specifics, BTW. Don't just tell me being a founder.)

How did Harry change his eyes? (Note: Second Childhood, Three Snakes and a Lion.)

What is wrong with the founders names? (Requires knowledge of HP and history. Hint: what do the founders' names have that ppl. did not have?)

Points:

Gryffindor:15

Hufflepuff:5

Ravenclaw:15

Slytherin:16