AN: #thumbs up everyone# We're all good. Now everyone… for the readers there's a note at the bottom about Runespoor. Harry is FOUR. I said that in the prologue. What I've noticed about the other stories is that the skip Harry's 'surviving' years so completely you don't know how he lived do I'm going work on that and try to keep my story as original as possible. And still make it the best Serpent Challenge Response.

Disclaimer: Did I have one last chappie? No? Well I own nothing. So you know!

Rejected Runespoor

Chapter 2

:It talks: The petulant voice turned surprised and seemed to come from the head on the right.

:A snake speaker.: The head on the middle nodded sagely.

The left head was held high as the snake stared him down. Harry blinked back.

"You a special snake. You talk."

:It's gone back to speaking mumbo jumbo again.: The right head's eyes rolled.

:This human hatchling is a wizard.: The snake on the left hissed accusingly. :Only wizards are snake talkers. No normal human hatchling…:

"Wiz…wizar? Sounds like lizart." Harry giggled.

:Make him talk properly:

:What is a wizard doing…here: The left voice asked incredulously.

:More importantly what are we doing here! I told left to go right, I told him. But no. See, right's always right:

The middle head shook gently. :Little one, if you want to speak to us you must concentrate.:

Harry frowned deeply. "Can't hear me?"

:Time for us to move on. This hatchling is a bit slow in the head.:

:I don't think we're in a wizarding area. So the boy shouldn't be here.:

:You are speaking like a human. Speak like a snake.: The middle head began to sway eyes locked with Harry's.

"Speak…speak like," :snake:

:…what hatchling! We are off course and don't need to be held up by you.:

:Yes little one. Speak like a snake. We can understand you now.:

:The question is now…what do we do with him: The left head hunkered low with the others while Harry watched them avidly.

:Leave him:

:Keep him.:

:Keep me: Harry chimed in.

The left head swayed before rising up, yellow slitted eyes steady on the boy. :We keep him. For now.:

Harry had been stumbling after the constantly muttering, usually the right head, snake now for a few hours. The sun was high and he was now hot. And his hands hurt.

"Snake?" It kept winding it's way along. "Snake?" The right head kept muttering about wrong directions. "Snake!" Harry stopped walking and crossed his arms. The snake kept moving.

:SNAKE:

It stopped and all three head turned to face him. :What: Two shouted.

The third head just looked at him dreamily.

Harry held out his hands. "They hurt." They were red and raw.

: Ouch. Mince meat.:

:There is a stream nearby. He can remove the blood.: The right head turned away and they started winding in a new direction Harry following again.

"I'm hungry."

:The blood and whining are distracting. Can't we just dump the hatchling somewhere with one of the other humans:

"Others?" Harry perked up.

:If you ask as a snake we can show you some edible berries and roots for your hunger.: The softer snakehead spoke.

:Though we prefer small animals. Mice 'specially.: The right head's tongue flicked out.

Harry's stomach rumbled at the thought of food. :Berries:

:Berries it is. Luckily they are by the stream.:

:I can move faster! If you tell me where to go I can get us there: Harry kneeled next to the snake and held out his hands.

:Ah…blood. Let's bite him after all.:

:No:

:Take off your covering little one. And rest it over your hands. Then rest them on the ground so we might ride on it.:

Harry blinked. :Okay…: So he did as the snake told him to and toddled back up to his feet, jacket in hands and snake on top. :Where do I go:

An hour later, two bushes that had been laden were all out of berries, half were eaten and half in Harry's jacket pockets. His hands and face were clean, he was full of berries and water and the snake too was full.

:Baby mice good.: The right head muttered flopped down on the ground and lazy.

:Mm.: The middle head agreed.

The third was watching Harry as he stripped off his clothes and splashed in the slow moving water, getting cool. He stumbled out happy and wet and threw himself down next to them on the grass.

:Now snake:

:Hush:

:Ssss…:

:We sunbathe. As our food settles. You may run around and get hot or sunbathe with us.:

So Harry stretched out in the sun and got dry on his front and back before retreating to the shade of the trees in the afternoon heat. He spoke from there as the snake lay in the sun.

:Do you have a home here:

:Nooo…: the right head hissed irritably.

:Do you have a name:

:Why would we need a name? We are not a pet: The right one hissed annoyed.

:Can I name you: Harry grinned.

:No:

:Of course you may little one.:

:Noooo…:

:Potty!: Harry clapped. Then winced. Then laughed.

:…Ugh. Now we'll never be rid of him.:

:We will need to make a den. Somewhere near here.: The soft-spoken snake head said.

:Why: The left asked while the right kept ranting.

:We will need to take care of our hatchling won't we:

The left is known as the 'planner', the middle is known as the 'dreamer', and the right is the 'critic', which chides the other two heads. The fangs of the right head are "extremely venemous," but it is "common to see a Runespoor with the right head missing, the other two heads having banded together to bite it off.

Btw! I now realize why lots of post-Hogwarts fics have Malfoy as a writer or poet….it's so catchy! And rhyme-y.

Weasley cannot save a thing,
He cannot block a single ring,
That's why Slytherins all sing:
Weasley is our King.

Weasley was born in a bin,
He always lets the Quaffle in,
Weasley will make sure we win,
Weasley is our King.

And LV...Dark Lord. Moldywart. Captain Hypocrite. You know...Lord Voldemort?Big V. And Irihi isn't little Harry just the cutest thing ever?