"Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold - but so does a hard-boiled egg."
Anonymous
The Queen of Serpents
Chapter Ten
Ghostly Visit
"speech"
thoughts
"parseltongue"
/mind speech/
=visions=
Writing
Harry was very glad to be a Slytherin. Any other house would have ostracised him for his ability. Any house but the House of Serpents where a parselmouth was a prised honor. Harry's status had risen significantly over night.
Draco dropped a mouse into Little Dragon's cage. Much to his dismay, Severus had insisted that he care for it and "be glad that is all the penalty you are facing. Had the girl been harmed it is unlikely that even your father's position could have saved you from suspension, or worse." Draco winced at the memory. He really hated to disappoint his godfather.
Harry smirked as he watched his best friend tiptoe around the cage. "Oh, come on, Draco. What kind of Slytherin is afraid of snakes?"
"Yet somehow I manage," Draco said stiffly, gingerly dropping a mouse into the cage, before hurriedly backing away.
Harry just laughed. It was good to be a Slytherin.
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Dudley glowered at Seamus. "Parseltongue is a blood magic, same as any other."
"Yeah, but the others aren't evil," Seamus snarled back. "And he's a slimy, no good Slytherin besides!"
Nev grabbed the back of his friend's robes. "He's not worth it," the round faced boy warned, pulling Dudley back.
Dudley jerked away, face flushed with fury. "Listen Finnegan. Speaking to snakes is not evil. It's a gift, and it can even be taught. Our founder could speak it. Slytherin taught him." He smiled nastily. "Talk to the portrait if you don't believe me."
Seamus swallowed, glancing nervously about the room. "But my mam, she said-"
But Dudley was on a role. "And my Dad says that all magic is evil. So what? Face it, people are biased and your mam is wrong."
"Bu-" Seamus began, only to be interrupted.
"Yeah," Alicia glared at the Irish boy. "She's wrong, and so are you. So's mine for that matter."
Katie Bell nodded. "Exactly. We've all heard that parseltongue is evil, but we've also heard people say that Gryffindors are idiots."
"Or that blacks are ugly," Angelina added, hands on hips.
Fred grinned. "And only an idiot could think-"
"You were ugly," George finished, leering at the dark skinned beauty. Angelina mock glared at the duo, then turned away, shaking her head, muttering something about "Boys!"
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Tom sighed miserably as he petted Norberta's dark head. "I don't know what to do girl," he said sadly. "I can't chain her, but she can't just wander around the way she does."
Cedric frowned. He knew something was upsetting Tom, but this sounded far more serious than he had thought. "Tom," he called, announcing his presence.
The younger boy jumped. "Cedric?" He whipped around, looking flustered. "Why are you here?" Norberta growled irritably at the sudden movement. Tom petted her distractedly.
Cedric chuckled, settling down next to Tom. "Do I need an excuse to talk to a friend?"
Tom smiled sheepishly. He still forgot how relaxed the Hufflepuffs could be. "I suppose not."
Cedric sighed, growing serious once more. "I wanted to ask you how you're doing. I've heard what Zacharia has been saying-"
Tom laughed mirthlessly. "I'd be checking your ears if you hadn't. He has not been exactly quiet about his prejudices."
Cedric nodded. "I know it must be upsetting for you. It's upsetting me! But don't let it get you down. Rumors always die down and the ones who start them end up the fools."
Tom smiled faintly. "I suppose. Just so long as Harry manages to avoid being anywhere near anything suspicious."
Cedric laughed. "Well, he is a Slytherin. That should mean he'll have sense enough to avoid any such situation."
"One would hope." Tom still seemed unhappy, but he had perked up a bit. "It would certainly help me if he spontaneously sprouted some self-preservation skills. If all three of them did really."
Cedric decided to count the conversation as a success.
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"People," Sa'zar announced, "are idiots."
Mione nodded fiercely. "How anyone can believe that an inborn talent is a sign of evil is beyond me."
"Sheer stupidity," Val agreed. "In the US he'd get special training. No way would he be ostracised the way he is here."
"It's the nargles," Luna explained seriously. "They're infecting people, making them believe silly things."
"Err..." This statement was met with four disbelieving looks.
"Well," Rolf said finally, "you have to admit that it's no crazier than believing Harry is the heir of Slytherin."
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Emerald was unhappy. Her master still did not remember. And Cobra did not want to let her leave her chamber. The great serpent hissed irritably. She did not like being told where and when to hunt.
Deep green coils stirred as the basilisk moved. Perhaps she would visit her master's second male hatchling. She missed her little Viper. Decided, Emerald slithered down the side of the statue.
It was time to leave the Chamber.
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Harry frowned at the glares tossed his way, as he entered the hall. Many of the students wore angry looks on their faces. The frown transformed into a smile, however, as Harry noticed a surprising exception.
The Gryffindors had, for the first time since the Founders fought, come out on the side of the Slytherins. Some of it could be attributed to Harry saving a member of their house. Or maybe it was because Ginny was a Weasley. It did not hurt to have he Quiditch team on his side either. Not to say there were no glares, but they were few and far between.
Dudley waved Harry over, and the messy haired boy grinned as he settled down a the Lion's table. Oliver nodded to him in passing; the chasers waved, calling greetings. Harry grinned, relaxing as Tom and Sa'zar joined him and Dudley.
"So," Sa'zar smirked. "Anything interesting happen?"
Harry winked at the Weasley twins. "Gred and Forge got down on their hands and knees proclaiming me as the new Dark Lord."
Tom choked on his pumpkin juice, Dudley pounded him on the back, and Sa'zar sissed with laughter.
Dudley grinned over the coughing Tom. "Yeah, they've been asking me about the 'Dark Rituals' you perform at home."
Sa'zar took a deep breath, stifling his giggles. "Luna insists that the Blibbering Humdinger is behind it all." The tiny boy began to laugh again.
Tom, having regained his breath, thoughtfully bit his finger. "I found an interesting book in the Restricted Section." The other three shot him startled looks. "What?"
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Emy hissed irritably to herself. She could not find Saliir. Or any other silver ones. They were not letting her see them today.
A sudden pearly glow, caught her deadly eye. A silver one! It was not her Viper, no, but perhaps this silver one might know where he could be found. She hurried forward eagerly.
The silver one was watching her with a strange expression. There was a boy too, gazing right at her. The silver one was trembling, turning black, even as Emerald rose up, hissing in fright. This should not be happening! What strange power was this? Only her master's blade could harm the silver ones!
The basilisk fled. Whatever this power was, she did not wish to face it. Her master had taught her to avoid battle when possible, especially if she did not know what she was facing.
She would have to ask Cobra what had caused the silver one to turn black. Perhaps he would know...
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The dark haired boy hurried through the halls. He really had to work on his punctuality. If only the book had been less interesting...
He nearly crashed into the gryffindor ghost. And froze as though he was the one petrified. Nick was black, not white as he should have been. And at the ghost's feet was a stiff figure. The boy's eyes widened as he knelt down beside the victim. Justin Finch-Fletchley, the muggleborn Hufflepuff. This was not good.
He blinked rapidly, trying not to panic. The sight of a cackling Peeves only caused his heart to plummet further.
The poltergeist paused at the sight of Justin. his grin slipped and his eyes widened slightly. "ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! No mortal or ghost is safe! Run for your lives! Attack!"
CRASH! Doors were flung open as students raced into the corridor, milling about in blind panic. There was such terror and confusion that Justin barely escaped being squashed and people kept walking through Nearly Headless Nick.
The boy found himself shoved against the wall. the teachers had begun demanding quiet. professor McGonagal had entered the fray, class in tow, including one boy with black and white hair. She whipped out her wand, and a gunshot went off. Silence was immediate.
"All students return to your classes at once." Not wanting to tangle with an angry lioness, the students hurried to obey. The Gryffindor Head faced the boy. "This way," she instructed.
"P.P..Professor," he stuttered, "i swear, I didn't -"
"This is out of my hands," she said curtly, leading him around the corner to face a large, ugly, gargoyle. "Sherbet lemon," McGonagal barked.
The statue leaped to the side as the wall behind it split in two. Teacher and student stepped onto the moving, spiral stairs, stopping at a gleaming oak door. Though he had never been there he instinctively knew where he was. The office of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
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AUthor's note: I am so mean, aren't I? First I leave everyone in the lurch for weeks, and then I leave you with a cliffie. I don't even let you know which brother is in trouble... Ah, well. Blame college for why this took so long. Almost done now, so I should start giving faster updates soon. Hurray for Summer! Chapter ten, so all the questions are posted this time.
Questions:
Chapter 10:
One time only: Which brother is in trouble?
Why did Cedric consider the conversation a success?
Who is Viper?
Why does Tom choke?
What do you think the book was about?
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? 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?
Chapter 6:
Why does Binns award Sa'zar's points to both of his houses?
Who was the Gryffindor Binns taught?
What task did Lucius set Dobby?
Why is Sirius the Slytherin heir?
Who else is an heir?
Why did Ron's rat react?
How much do you think Albus knows/suspects? (This is an opinion question.)
Who is the man in Tokyo? (To be answered in third year.)
Who is the Tigress? (To be answered in seventh year.)
Chapter 7:
Why are there two bludgers attacking?
Why does the Slytherin team keep playing?
Why does Flint want Collin's pictures?
Harry tells Draco something when he wakes the blond up. Where does the idea come from?
Opinion: Why will Gilderoy have to leave Hogwarts?
Chapter 8:
How does Harry know who Dobby is?
What does Dumbledore mean 'why'?
How does Dudley know about the shield?
Where did Emy's 'little Master' come from? (Not who gave it to her.)
Why didn't Tom's film melt?
Chapter 9:
Why is Ginny at the Club?
Who is Rolf?
What is Tom trying to hint at during his conversation with Snape?
Why did Snape pair Tom and Sa'zar? (There IS a reason for his doing that.)
Opinoun Question: How much do you think Snape knows/suspects?
As always, anyone who can tell me who Val is gets points. Her identity will be revealed in fifth year.
Points:
Gryffindor:105
Hufflepuff:118
Ravenclaw:95
Slytherin:120