DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.

CHAPTER 36

"It's a wizard by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle, he is the last in the line of the Slytherin House. Father was right about it being fifty or sixty years ago. There wasn't much information about him. Only one thing is a little strange about him, that being, no one remembers much about him. Apparently he was pretty good at school, I think he was a head boy at Hogwarts and then after school he just up and vanished."

"Riddle…Riddle…" Harry said tapping his forehead absently "I feel I should know this, or like I've heard or seen it somewhere. The date really corresponds to last time's attack doesn't it?"

"Hmmm…" Draco nodded "You know Christmas was a rather unpleasant affair at home this year. Father was being so short tempered and touchy, he's still furious about the Diary. Now I that fully understand why, I share his sentiments. It's an evil artifact belonging to You Know Who himself, and if he gets a hold of it god knows what the consequences will be."

Then looking at Harry with a tiny grin he said "On the other hand this has given my house elf something to moon about, believe me Harry, Dobby will do anything for you now. Every time I'd say the name Harry Potter he'd look all happy, I mean he's finally started to wear a clean pillowcase! It was quite funny actually, so started I to do it on purpose until, Father heard 'Potter' and nearly blew his top. "

"You're entire family is nuts starting from the help isn't it? No wonder you turned out this way" Harry said shaking his head sagely.

"Harry! You take that back!" Draco said running after his laughing friend.

A week later after breakfast, they heard an announcement by Lockhart asking all the second years to stay back. Looking bewildered at each other, they watched as all of tables and benches in the Great hall moved away leaving a large clearing in the middle from where a round platform rose from the ground.

"Today" Lockhart said wearing embellished purple robes, standing on the platform, "I have arranged for a special duel to be held with you students as participants. I will pick the participants myself and Professor Snape," He pointed unnecessarily at the scowling man "and I will become those two children's mentors for the match." Turning around to examine the students before him he pointed out to Draco and said "Mr Malfoy," smirking slightly "and Mr Weasley, will be the first two contestants. Give them a round of applause."

Draco grinned evilly and said "Finally! The man is finally useful for something" and got up to join Ron who was sporting a similar gleeful expression.

Draco automatically chose Snape as his second and Ron got stuck with Lockhart, his happy face faltering a bit.

"Right then, wands out and bow to each other." Doing as asked the two boys stood facing each other.

"On the count of three you may begin…one…two"

Ron made his first move with the first spell they had learnt in DADA 'Rictusempra' he cried out pointing at Draco. Draco had anticipated Ron's haste and jumped out of the way calling out 'Glisseo'. The floor under Ron's feet became glassy smooth and he fell, landing hard on his backside.

Raising his wand despite being unable to move he said 'Expelliarmus' and Draco's wand flew out of his hands and onto the floor in front of Ron. Ron was trying desperately to pull it towards himself to be declared the winner when he accidently pushed it away and towards Draco!

Seizing the opportunity Draco picked it up and was about to fire a spell when Professor Snape pulled him back and whispered something in his ear, nodding gleefully Draco pointed his wand at the floor near Ron and said in a low voice 'Serpensortia' a black snake rose from thick fumes while Ron watched paralyzed with fear, even Draco looked taken aback.

The crowd of watching students stepped away from the dais and Lockhart abandoned Ron to his fate. Ron trying to move the snake away from him said the only spell that came to him 'Wingardium Leviosa'. The snake hovered for an instant in the air and Ron flicking his wand flinging it closer to the audience.

The snake started to hiss at its next victim which was Harry potter.

Harry, at that moment was lost in its eyes and everything around him began to dim, hundreds of images flashed in his mind, all of them of the snake before him. The poor thing was terrified and confused to be so suddenly summoned and placed in a dueling circle.

One thing was clear it did not want to harm the children. Harry tentatively tried sending it calming and soothing thoughts, trying to channel through his emotions that no one meant it harm either and suddenly, everyone to their surprise saw the snake lie down on the floor docile. Snape pointed his wand at it in disgust and banished it, leaving Harry reeling from the loss of contact

Luckily for him, no one had noticed this silent exchange which had left him shocked and strangely bereft. An hour later he was still listening to Draco talk non-stop about the duel and how he had new found feelings of love for Lockhart for giving him such a rare chance to openly and legitimately fight the Weasley scum.

Harry was only half-heartedly paying attention still thinking about the encounter with the snake. It had felt so familiar, the warm comforting knowledge that the reptile meant him no harm. So similar to the feelings he had felt with Norbert the Norwegian ridgeback.

Had he accidently performed Legilimency on the snake? How was it even possible? Snakes had a much lower intelligence quota than humans and reading their minds could drive a person mad as it would be a completely foreign place to him. So how then had he understood the snake and why of things had the snake understood him.

Abruptly he was shaken out of his thoughts by Draco who had been calling his name for quite some time looking supremely irritated. Apologizing to him Harry asked Draco if he knew about Parselmouths'. Draco nodded looking startled at being suddenly asked a strange question and said "Parselmouth's speak to snakes, the two most famous being Salazar Slytherin and the Dark Lord himself."

"I guess that's common knowledge then."

Draco fell silent and looked deep in thought "Nope can't think of a single thing other than that" he said after some time and then looked innocently at Harry and said "But I know someone who'd be grateful to you for giving them extra research material."

Harry almost threw his heavy satchel at Draco's head.