* This might be a bit of a teaser, but I'm just trying to get a feel for who is still following this story*

Anticipation swelled inside of Perseus as he tore open the present. He could tell from the sheen of the glossed emerald wrapping and the hand note written by his uncle that whatever waited for him inside was something special. Usually, Uncle Arty didn't even take time to wrap his presents due to the frequency of gifts purchased for the boy through out the year, and certainly never took the time to write notes or gift cards.

After all the wrapping lay on the floor beneath him, a large oak box with a silver latch on top was revealed. Reaching forward to unhook the latch, it clicked open as he lifted the top of the box. Halfway open, however, he stopped. A threatening voice had hissed at him from inside the moment he had begun to lift the lid.

"Who daresss to wake me from my ssslumber..."

"I'm sssorry," Harry hissed back, quite oblivious that he was speaking with a snake. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

A moment of silence passed before he heard another hiss from inside the box.

"A ssspeaker? Can it be?" the threatening tone now settling into one of excitement and curiosity.

"Can you hear him?!" Perseus turned to Gellert. "What is it?!"

Grindelwald's mouth opened to speak, but he only shook his head in response - his face now almost as white as his beard.

"I...did you...?" the old wizard stuttered.

"Did I what?" Perseus tilted his head to his side, not able to see the astonishment concealed in Gellert's dark eyes.

"Open... the box," was all that Perseus received in response, in a rather hoarse tone he noticed.

Disregarding Grindelwald's odd demeanor, Perseus reached forward again and lifted the box open. It was only a few moments before a hooded jet black snake raised its head upward. Two false red eye spots could be detected on its hood, along with an emerald diamond pattern on its body with a greater luster than the wrapping that lay at Perseus's feet.

"You are the ssspeaker?" the snake directed its head towards Perseus.

"I...I guessss sso," Perseus replied with a shrug, still unaware of the language he was speaking.

"Finally, a masster worthy of my talentsss," the snake hissed as it slithered out of the box and around Perseus's shoulders. "My name issss Ssssampson."

"What is it saying?" Grindelwald spoke up, his eyes now as curious as a newborn's.

Perseus's brows wrinkled in confusion.

"Well...you just heard him didn't you? He said his name is Sampson."

"Right..." Grindelwald nodded with a smile on his face. "Sorry I'm a little behind on my parseltongue, haven't heard it in many years."

"Parsel what?" Perseus asked in amusement as he let Sampson's tail twirl around his arm, estimating him to be around six meters in length.

"What you have there," Gellert began,"is a magical Diamondback Cobra. Very rare...so much so that I am curious as to how your uncle was able to purchase one, and why he decided to do so. More curious, however, is the bewildering fact that you, my boy, are a parselmouth."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," Perseus said as he stroked the diamonds on Sampson's back. "What does that mean? Parsel-"

"A Parselmouth," Gellert repeated, his eyes inspecting every aspect of the boy's face. "It means that you can talk with snakes. It also means that you likely have other abilities that have yet to surface...but, there's time for that later."

"You mean you can't hear them Mr. Grindelwald?" Perseus giggled as Sampson started to coil itself around his leg.

"Only parselmouths can speak the language of a serpent, Perseus. I used to be able to pick up a few words here and there through my studies... but many years have passed since then. If I am not mistaken, you are the only wizard alive today that possesses this unique ability. The last wizard known to have such an affinity with serpents... is Voldemort - the same wizard you defeated nearly ten years ago."

Perseus's smile faded at once and his laugh ceased as he darted his eyes towards Grindelwald, concern etched into his young features.

"I believe..."Grindelwald began as he stroked his beard, "this is a discussion we should all have over dinner tonight. Do not mistake me...this is remarkable news, yet fascinating... very fascinating indeed."