A/N: Basilisk Sev for Nightshade sydneylover 150! Harry's his mate, but Sev waits for him until the age of consent; keep in mind that it's only sixteen in Britain. Follows everything up until HBP then deviates from there. It does hold some elements from HBP, but not a whole lot.
DISCLAIMER: No matter how much I wave my wand, I will never own Sev and our favorite green-eyed Wizard. *sobs*
WARNING: Yaoi (boyXboy) is an important part of these. If you don't like, DON'T READ. Please desist in flaming.
-Ryder
P.S. There may be more than one title that gets a continuation; Dragon's Might, Dragon's Might II... etc.
EroDra EroDra EroDra EroDra
The first time Harry spoke Parseltongue was not to be his last. In fact, had he known what fate awaited him, he would have started speaking it far earlier; but fate, such as it was, was a bitch...
EroDra EroDra EroDra EroDra
He sat on the dorm windowsill in Gryffindor Tower, lost in his thoughts. After he'd spoken Parseltongue during that disaster of a Dueling Club, he'd refrained from speaking it much. Not only did it creep people out, it brought with it the sensation that someone was waiting for him to find them. It was actually kind of comforting. He whispered in Parseltongue, unable to help himself, "I wissh that I had ssomeone to undersstand me bessidess that sstupid basstard that'ss trying to kill me..."
-PoV-
Severus bolted upright as his Mate spoke in Parseltongue. He unwittingly replied, savoring the taste as he hissed fluently, Sss-aa, I wissh the ssame ssome dayss. Ssuch sstupidity can drive one mad, yess?
"What are you? I didn't think another Bassilissk roamed the hallss of Hogwartsss..."
A Bassilissk I am, Parsselmouth, but not inclined to hunt sstudentss for ssnackss. They'd taste rather dissgussting, even if I bothered to. I like mindlesss prey, not sscreaming, whining bratss on my tasste-budss. he demurred, waiting for his Mate to panic. Severus heard laughter, low and distinctly amused.
"I ssupposse if I wass you, I wouldn't either."
Rani wass half-mad; ssurely you do not place all of uss in that category?
"It had a name?"
Quite. Sshe wass avoided even by otherss of our kind. I should think you welcome and relissh in the fact that I am sspeaking with you. Do you not wissh to meet? An open meadow residess outsside the casstle. You may bring your wand, sshould you fear for your ssafety.
"Wha-Oh. Okay. Umm, I have to ssneak out, then. I'll be there ssoon. I never caught your name-"
It iss besst to leave out our namess until we meet.
Shifting into his form took less than a minute and he was in the meadow when Harry made it. His crest arched as he circled his striking Mate.
"You're black?"
You thought I'd be another color? Sss-aa, you have much to learn, Sspeaker. Harry blushed as he looked down.
"Ssorry."
Do not be; it iss quite alright to quesstion that when you have sseen only one of uss. Did you have any otherss?
"Yeah, actually. What'ss up with your cresst?"
Maless have it, but not all. Only fully matured males have thiss cresst. It grows longer with age.
"Can I touch your sscaless?"Harry hissed uncertainly, extending a hand fearlessly towards his nose. Of course, he kept his eyes averted, obviously remembering the battle with Rani.
Yess. Why do you look away? You are not in any danger from my sstare. Parsselmouthss are immune to uss. Moonlit green looked up in shock. Sss-aa, only when they are gold do you need to fear for your life, little one. he purred, lowering himself to the ground. Go ahead.Hesitant strokes moved into smooth ones, sweeping from his jaw to his crest, an action normally performed by Mated pairs. Irritating skin was peeled off and soothed, as well as old, dry flakes from the underside of his jaw.
"Doess that feel good?"
Like you wouldn't believe. Could you get that spot of sskin underneath my cresst?
"Ssure." It was carefully peeled away, making him groan in appreciation. "Really itchy sspot?"
I could not reach it with my fangss, sso the obviouss ansswer iss?
"Yess."
Precissely. Come, card your fingerss through my cresst.
-PoV-
Harry yawned at breakfast, cracking his jaw back into place.
"Harry?" 'Mione asked, handing him buttered toast as he sat at the table on the week-end.
"Mmm?" he hummed as he slathered strawberry jam on his toast.
"Were you out late?" she prodded, sighing when he took a while to reply.
"Mmmhmm. Met a snake."
"What kind, Harry?" Ron asked that one, plopping down with a strong cup of tea and a full plate.
"'Nother Basa." Silence reigned around Harry before Ron and Hermione started in as he chewed his food.
"Harry that's danger-"
"Whoa, there's another one?"
"What on Earth possessed you to-" He held up a hand before finishing his bite, swallowing to savor the taste.
"He's not dangerous, told me a hell of a lot about Basa's that isn't in the library and that the one I had to fight was absolutely, completely BONKERS. That satisfy you?" Hermione still looked doubtful but Ron rolled his eyes. "All black, with no other colors. Real sarcastic and he enjoyed it when I got rid of all the dead skin."
"You touched him." The flat tone from them both told Harry he might not have told them that part.
"Harmless, I swear. Besides, we've got a lot of stuff to discuss. If you could understand... Whip-crack smart and he explains things real well."
"Mr. Potter, desist in entertaining your fellow students with lies." the drawl of his Potions Professor had him unconsciously curling his lip into a sneer. Then the tone clicked in his mind and he slipped into Parseltongue without even realizing the switch.
"It'ss you." Snape stiffened, but recovered quickly. "I knew it!"
"I don't speak snake, Potter. Ten points from Gryffindor."
He sat in their meadow, waiting for his Professor to show up. Sure enough, a huge black shadow loomed over him.
Idiot. Sslipping like that in front of everyone... If I wass not fond of you, you would be blankly sstaring at the ssky insstead of my sshadow!
"I'm ssorry."
Do not apologize! Ssuch a sslip could be read by the Dark Lord... And you do not know enough about Occluding to sstop him from knowing my ssecret.
"Then why sspeak to me at all?"The Professor was silent for a long moment.
It hass been a long time ssince I spoke thiss way to another. I am ssure the Dark Lord would twisst anything I had to ssay hiss own way. With you, I do not fear thiss; Gryffindor honessty hass it'ss high pointss.Snape said lowly, coiling around him like a heated blanket.
"You're warm. Why iss that?"
Bassilisskss are generally warm-blooded. We differ from regular ssnakess in that matter.
"Harry-Oh. Wow. He's gorgeous." Hissing laughter escaped the Professor at Hermione's comment.
Sss-aa, sshe hass not sseen the other maless. They are much brighter cressted than mysself. Thank her for me.
"He said that you haven't seen other males yet. They're brighter than he is. Oh, he says thank you for your compliment."
"Still... Is it alright if I don't look up?" she asked, scooting closer.
Tell her what I told you.
"You only have to worry when his eyes are golden."
"You weren't kidding when you said you learned a lot."
-A Month Later-
-PoV-
Severus snarled lowly when his Mark burned with a summons from the Dark Lord. He Flooed to Riddle Manor and knelt in front of the madman responsible for the many scars on his Mate.
"I have heard that Potter spoke Parseltongue to you."
"Yes, Milord."
"Do you have any idea why the brat would do such a thing?"
"No, Milord." He answered mentally in the Occluded part of his mind; Yes, and I enjoy every minute of it.
"Dismissed. One more thing, before you go."
"Milord?"
"Finish Dumbledore off if you wish to remain alive past this year. Crucio!"
He dragged himself to his quarters, glad that it was pitch-dark as he limped along the corridor. Severus hissed as he bumped into his Mate.
"What are you doing out of bed, Mr. Potter?"
"I... I had this feeling you were, uh, hurt. Decided it was worth a detention to help you out." Visions from the Dark Lord, most likely, he thought sourly. "Well?"
"Fine. You're in luck this time." With Harry holding most of his weight, they made rather good time to his private quarters. He whispered out the password, still in a lot of pain, Guide my sstar home.Harry looked startled, but didn't let go until he was resting in the ridiculously soft chair in front of his fireplace. "Get me the bright blue and grey Potions off of that shelf there." His Mate grabbed the right ones and helped him drink. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Professor."
"Severus." he rasped, coughing slightly.
"What?"
"When we're alone, call me Severus." he said wearily, still panting for breath as the Potions worked their way through his body.
"Then I guess you can call me Harry." He sat on the edge of the sette, looking uncomfortable.
"Harry." Startled green looked up, hidden behind those horrible round frames. "Have you seen Madame Pompfrey about an Eye-Correction Potion?" His Mate frowned at that. Had no-one told him that it was possible to fix it?
"Didn't know there was one." the grumbled answer told Severus a lot. Those memories... The Muggles Harry stayed with weren't exactly caring and his friends had gotten used to it.
"Ask her about it this week-end. She's been blathering on about it for ages now in Staff Meetings. Now, get going and don't get caught dithering on your way back."
-PoV-
Harry made his way to the Hospital Wing, disbelieving that he was voluntarily doing this on his own. He'd ended up there more times than he wanted to count...
"Harry! What can I do for you?" Madame Pompfrey looked relieved to see him uninjured.
"One of the Professors mentioned an Eye-Correcting Potion..."
"Oh. I thought you'd never come down here for one of those. I was going to say something the next time you dropped in." She gave him a wry smile as he grimaced at the way she put it. "I'll be right back then." Once her steps faded, Harry sat, deep in thought.
"Potter? What, another injury?" the sneering tone of Malfoy made him raise an eyebrow, but he remained seated.
"Mmm, no, actually. Potion."
"What for?"
"This." he gestured to his glasses, then flattened his fringe to hide his scar better.
"... Perhaps we got off on-What is the phrase?- ah, the wrong foot? Let me re-introduce myself. My name is Draco Malfoy."
"Harry Potter. So, how's the new Potions essay coming along?" They shook hands and Malfoy sat across from him.
"I only have two feet done; Uncle Sev's merciless when it comes to comparisons..."
"There you are- Mr. Malfoy, already?" she handed him the potion, which he downed without thought and winced as he took off his glasses.
"It's become worse." the clipped response was what he expected from his rival.
"Mr. Potter, it'll take about an hour to heal the damage. Mr. Malfoy, do you mind sitting with him while I go get your dose?"
"I suppose not." the neutral reply was careful and calculated.
"What dose?" Harry asked, his eyes wrapped as the potion set to work.
"My blood is rather thin, Potter, and as such, I need to take a Blood Thickener every two months. It is not normally a problem... But lately, it has become much worse; I
have fainting spells every now and again." Harry pondered that for a while before he spoke.
"You eat pretty light. Do you eat enough sugar?"
"Potter, please. You're no-"
"Excellent notion Harry." He heard the swish of a diagnostics spell, then a small gasp. "Mr. Malfoy, I insist that you and I have a talk... in my office."
He was allowed to sit up, but not leave the Infirmary just yet. She checked and pronounced he needed a second dose, which was rather unusual. So now he was stuck with his rival (they'd had a surprisingly civil discussion on Potions ingredients).
"I honestly think the ingredients are better fresh. I garden a lot for my Aunt, and she insists on the very best."
"So does Uncle Sev; you wouldn't believe what he's had me do for a good potion... Are you sure you can't brew right? I notice that when someone's not hovering over you, you do better on the Potion than even Granger. Why is that?"
"Potions is like cooking; easy once you grasp the recipe." he muttered, relaxing onto his bed.
"Why do you get your own bed?"
"Considering the amount of time I've spent in here, you really need to ask?"
"Right. Do you think this will alter our Quidditch games much?"
"Why would it? Just because I can see better doesn't mean squat. Training is what it takes, not just talent."
The instant he could see, he relished in not seeing with the thick shield of glasses. Now, if he faced Voldemort, he wouldn't have to worry about his glasses being Summoned... right off his face. He formed a tentative friendship with Draco, almost not telling Ron and Hermione until it was too late. They became known as the Dragon's Four, often sitting together at one table or another. One such evening, Ron finally noticed Harry had gotten rid of his glasses.
"Whoa. Mate, uh, where are your glasses?"
"I got rid of them ages ago, Ron. Where have you been?" Hermione giggled into her hands as Draco rolled his eyes at the question.
"Huh. So how about that match between the Magpies and the Cannons?"
-PoV-
Coiling into a predatory stance, he reared up and struck, the sound of a scream reverberating throughout the room. Another Horcrux down, only one left to destroy...
Ending A/N: So? How was it? Did you like my ending? Mwahahahahaha... R & R, folks. And, as always, ASK ME FOR DRABBLES! I apologize to 'shades if it isn't; we'll work on that surprise second chapter if you'd like.