I have spent many years of my life in opposition and I rather like the role.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

The Queen of Serpents

Chapter Five

Nasty Cats and Gentle Basilisks

"speech"

thoughts

"parseltongue"

/mind speech/

=visions=

Writing

Harry was getting sick and tired of Flint and his mantra. "Practice, Practice Practice!" The messy haired boy groused. "Are those the only words he knows?"

"You're forgetting 'moron' and 'idiot'," Draco noted, trying to wring the mud from his robe.

"Don't know what he's so worried about," Harry grumbled. "Thomas is no good at a seeker."

"And we have the best brooms." The two boys exchange smirks.

"The duo continued walking through the halls, a trail of mud dogging their footsteps.

"Miaow."

Harry glowered at the cat. "Quit it Norris. We haven't done anything wrong." The cat simply purred.

"What's this," snarled Filch, leaping out from behind a curtain. "Dripping mud all over my nice clean floors? This will be a detention! Two detentions!"

Draco's eyes narrowed. "You can't do that! My father-"

"Doesn't own this school!" Wheezing, head wrapped in a towel, face flushed, ears smoking from the after effects of Pepper-Up, Filch looked like nothing so much as an other worldly demon.

Draco wisely decided to keep his mouth shut.

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"-and now Drake and I have to clean the halls for the next week!" Harry speared his potatoes with no small amount of force.

"Wish someone would give him detention," Dudley agreed.

"And his cat too," Sa'zar added, swinging his fork wildly through the air.

Tom caught his youngest brother's hand before Sa'zar could poke someones eye out. Especially his. "Enough. I agree; he is bad. So let's do our best not to give him further reason to hate us." That said, he returned to his meal.

His brothers exchanged exasperated looks over his head.

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"EM!" Tom sighed exasperatedly. "You know you cannot just go up to him. He does not remember!"

"Ssss...." The giant basilisk bent her head in glum acknowledgment. "But how is he to find me if has forgotten where he has hidden my den?"

Tom nibbled his index finger, trying to find an answer that would actually keep Emerald in her chamber. "We will have to help him find his way here. But we must be very careful to remain hidden and not cause upset."

"S..s..s..s..s.." Emy sissed her laughter. "Do not worry, Cobra. I will be careful."

Tom groaned. "That is what you said last time!"

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Dudley glanced at his watch and groaned. He was not usually that big a reader, but that Hogwarts: A History really was interesting. He would have to thank Daphne.

But first he had to get to class.

Dudley raced through the halls, barely noticing his surroundings. He could not be late a gain. McGonagal would kill him. Or worse- turn him into a pocket watch!

The chubby blond barely managed to catch himself before he tripped over a dozing Mrs. Norris. The book flew from his hands as he screeched to a halt. "Sorry," he gasped.

The scrawny old cat arched her back, hissing furiously. Barely a second later, her master leaped out from behind a curtain.

"Running in the halls," Filch wheezed. Noticing the book the caretaker's face took on a gleeful cast. "And throwing library books about too." He smiled down at his cat. "Excellent work my pet."

Mrs. Norris purred.

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"-Completely unfair! Dropping that book was an accident!"

Sa'zar nodded, leaning over to pat Dudley's shoulder, swiping his brothers muffin on the way. "I a'gee," he mumbled around a mouthfull of chocolate chips. "He shoushn' ha do' thash."

Tom frowned. "Don't talk with your mouthful." sa'zar swallowed and stuck out his tongue. Fortunately for him, Tom did not notice. "There is something odd about that cat."

Harry shrugged. "Draco says she's his familiar."

Tom nodded slowly. "Provided he has some slight magical abilities, that could very well be."

Dudley wrinkled his nose. "Either way, she is more bitch1 than cat."

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"Can I just visit him?" Emy gazed pleadingly at Tom. "I will not allow him to see me. I only wish to see him."

Tom nibbled his finger. He could think of a hundred and one things that could potentially go wrong with this.

And he did not have the heart to name even one of them.

"All right." Tom folded, knowing he was going to regret this. "But do not let him see you." Really, compassion caused far too many problems.

"Do not worry, Cobra."The giant serpent almost seemed to smile.

Tom sighed. Who knew basilisks could be so persuasive?

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"Master? Serpent-Tongue? Why do you not come to me?"

Sa'zar froze, the potion vial in his hand slipping through nerveless fingers to shatter on the floor. The instinct kicked in and he fled, panicked.

Just in time, as the vial's contents reacted with the oxygen in the air, causing a rather loud explosion. Torches fell from their brackets, windows shook in their frames, portraits fled their paintings and the hall filled with bright pink smoke. The blast lifted Sa'zar, sending him flying down the corridor.

The force weakened and the silver eyed boy slid to halt, hugging the wall, listening. That voice...Where had it come from? What was it? How did it know his name? He shuddered, curling into a ball, dark hair falling over his face. "How do you know my name?" His voice was little more than a hoarse whisper. "How do you know my name?"

"Miaow."

Sa'zar glanced up nervously. Wide silver eyes met narrowed yellow cat ones. And behind the feline, her fuming master.

Sa'zar could have sworn the cat was smirking.

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"-voice. I was so scared that I dropped my potion."

Tom felt like banging his head on the table. He was going to have to have a looooong chat with that basilisk. Honestly, was Emy trying to get Sa'zar killed?

Harry glowered at no one in particular. "Stupid man. Just because he doesn't have magic doesn't mean he has to take it out on us."

Dudley nodded. "Pity someone doesn't just teach him lesson."

Sa'zar gave a weak smile, still getting over his fright. "Do the cat too, while you're at it."

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"You frightened Serpent-Tongue half to death," Tom railed, "and got him in trouble too."

Emerald had the good grace to look embarrassed. "I am sorry, Cobra."

Tom appeared not to have heard. "You have behaved in the manner of a hatchling. For a thousand year old creature that is unacceptable! how can I trust you enough to allow you out again?"

The basilisk ducked her great head, a human gesture she had picked up from her master. "Serpent-Tongue did not get in much trouble?"

Tom snorted. "The Clean-Man and the cat caught him. They are making him work for them as a penalty." Emy hissed angrily.

A sudden thought occurred to Tom. If Emy- He shook his head. If I let her out again...But she'll get out anyway, he reminded himself.

A very Slytherin smirk appeared on Tom's face. "There is a way for you to both apologise and avenge Serpent-Tongue..."

A warning for the school and a way to punish Filch and Norris combined. Absolutely perfect.

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Members of all four houses sat around the table in the Teachers' Room.

Daphne passed Harry two candles. "They're Yartzeit Licht," she informed him cooly. "You light them on the anniversary of a family member's death."

"Oh." Harry took them, a confused look on his face. "Thankx, but I brought candles."

Daphne sniffed. "These will stay lit for forty-eight hours."

"Oh! Thankx Daph." Harry carefully set the two large candles on the table.

"Thankx a lot Daphne." Dudley smiled at his friend.

Daphne sniffed again, but she seemed pleased.

Tom shifted slightly. The transfigured paint can was like a heavy weight.

Cedric was speaking now, something about the sacrifice Harry's parents had made.

Tom checked his watch, slowly getting up. It was time.

Sa'zar shot him a confused look. "Bathroom," Tom mouthed the not-quite-lie. Sa'zar nodded, returning his focus to Cedric's speech.

Tom breathed a sigh of relief as he left the room, glancing again at his watch. Time to run.

Emy was waiting on the second floor. "The cat came to the flame-hold, Cobra, just as you said. The small squeak-yum brought it here."

Tom nodded. "Good. You must return to the Chamber now."

Emy hissed her agreement and slithered away. Tom began to paint.

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened

Beware She who lies within

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AUthors note: Finally! From now on I will probably post about once a week. Good news! I finished plotting out all the parts of this story! All the way to book seven! YAY!

1) A 'bitch' is technically a female dog in heat. So that is where the nasty use comes from. Dudley is saying that Norris is acting more like a bad tempered dog than a cat. Okay? (Sorry if this offends any one. :C)

Chapter 1:

Who is the Queen of Serpents?

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

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? Due to this not having anything to do with my story, here is the answer: No one had a last name unless you were a king. The founders were known by their holdings which might have become the last name of their descendants. However, ppl. did not have last names until the 13/14 hundreds for the most part.

Chapter 3:

Who is Valerie? (To be answered in fifth year.)

Which diary is Tom using?

Why has the Dark Mark returned to the Death Eaters' arms?

When did it return?

Chapter 4:

What is the Hufflepuff guard? (Like the Fat Lady or the 'Trick wall'.)

Who does Nev's grandmother know who could help?

Why is Myrtle so upset?

Chapter 5:

Why is the message on the wall different?

How did Tom get Norris to the bracket?

Who is Emy's master?

Emy's real name is Emerald. Who gave her her nickname?

Points:

Gryffindor:50

Hufflepuff:30

Ravenclaw:38

Slytherin:42