Harry and the Pirates

Chapter 04

by Technomad

Bougainvilla Trading Company offices, Roanapur, Thailand

Petunia Dursley came into Balalaika's office, smiling so brightly that the overcast outside seemed to be banished. Balalaika looked up from some paperwork. "What's happened to make you so happy, Petunia? Did you find a nice man?" Petunia's reluctance to get romantically involved was a source of endless interest to Balalaika. Even though the Englishwoman was no soldier, much less a member of her old company, Balalaika had, all but unconsciously, started to treat her as she would a subordinate…and she believed that a healthy love life made a better soldier.

"No! I just got a letter from Harry and Dudley, in Scotland! I brought it straight on in here because I knew you'd want to see it too!" Balalaika's eyes went wide. She got up and peered over Petunia's shoulder as she cut the envelope open with a letter-opener. Together, the two women read:

Dear Mum/Aunt Petunia,

We got safely to Hogwarts. You would not believe the size of this castle! If we can, we're going to send you some photos. It's disguised, magically, to look like an uninteresting old ruin, with "Keep Out-Danger" signs everywhere, and charms to make non-magical people stay away.

We were both Sorted into the same house (Hogwarts has four of them): Slytherin. Our House-mates are an interesting lot. In some cases, the "interesting" part is like the Chinese curse, if you know what we mean…

OOO

Slytherin Common Room, Hogwarts

"You mean you're…Muggle-born?" Draco's voice cracked from sheer surprise as he stared at Dudley and Hermione. Harry privately thought that his expression would have been more appropriate had he found out that his cousin and their new friend had two heads.

"Yes, Draco, we're Muggle-born. You needn't act quite so much like we just admitted to enjoying cannibalism." Dudley's voice was patient, but Harry could see him adjusting his stance slightly. If the blond boy tried anything, he'd get a nasty surprise. Dudley often started off a fight with a vicious kick to the 'nads, followed up with a thoroughgoing stomping.

Of course, Draco did have backup. Crabbe and Goyle were standing not far behind him, and their expressions were ominous. However, their views did not seem to be unanimous. Their other Housemates were keeping their distance, and some of them were scowling at Draco. The blond boy's clear pride in his long magical pedigree was apparently not a universal sentiment in Slytherin.

And Draco wasn't the only one with backup on hand. Dudley and Harry had been in a good few street fights in Roanapur, and by now, they worked together like a well-oiled machine. Balalaika had hammered into their heads the maxim "fair fights are for fools," and they had proven her right again and again. Harry regretted losing Draco as a friend, but Dudley was like a twin brother to him. He also believed that magical power counted, or should count, far more than ancestry.

"He's my cousin, Draco, and my mum was Muggle-born. Are you talking smack about my mother?" Harry's tone was icy cold and calm. A murmur ran through the room. One rule on the streets was that running one's mouth about someone's mother, or other female relatives, was an invitation to a serious arse-kicking. The mouth-runner could generally expect no sympathy, either. It was clearly understood that insulting a man's mother was well over the line. Apparently that same rule held at Hogwarts.

Crabbe and Goyle's eyes went wide, and then they both scowled at Draco. Draco visibly sensed that he'd crossed a line better not crossed. He moved back, making nice with both hands. "No. No! No insult was intended! It's just that we get so few Muggle-borns here! I hadn't expected…I hadn't thought…"

A smooth, silky, deep voice came from a dark corner, startling all the firsties. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, you hadn't thought. Not thinking is a habit you need to break yourself of, and quickly. Successful magic in any field requires thought." The shadow parted, revealing a tall, sallow-faced man with bottomless black eyes, a hooked nose, and long, rather oily-looking black hair, dressed in black robes. As he came forward, silence fell.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House. I am down here to welcome our new first-years, and to help acquaint them with the glorious traditions of the House they have joined." As Professor Snape spoke, dead silence fell.

OOO

Bougainvilla Trading Company offices, Roanapur, Thailand

Balalaika took up the reading: Our House master is an interesting fellow. He's younger than most of the teachers here (the Headmaster looks to be older than God!) but he's apparently well thought of in his field. He teaches Potions. He has the same talent Balalaika has, of effortlessly commanding attention. They're as different as two people could ever be, but watching him do that, I was homesick for Roanapur and wished Balalaika was here.

Balalaika looked at Petunia, and gave a very uncharacteristic blush. Petunia smiled. "I told you that the boys both think the world of you, Ms. Balalaika. I honestly think that you could tell them to jump off a cliff, and they'd think it an honor to obey you."

"Which is why I shall never do such a thing," Balalaika answered. "A good commander…and I try to be the best commander I can be…treasures the lives of her men and does not expend them foolishly. Go on. What else do the boys say?"

There was some trouble brewing after our Sorting, but Professor Snape sorted it right out. We both plan to stay on his right side, as far as possible. He does not strike us as an easy person to fool.

OOO

"Apparently some of us are under the misapprehension that this House is intended only for the 'pure of blood," Snape purred, his black eyes fixed on Draco Malfoy, who stared back like a deer caught in a spotlight. "That is by no means the case. While our Founder preferred to teach those who came from wizarding families, that was because at the time, Muggles often had many misconceptions about magic, and he was not as patient with having to unravel those as the other three Founders of Hogwarts.

"This House is for those who wish to make themselves the best wizards and witches they can possibly be. Many Ministers of Magic, top researchers, and other famous magical folk have been able to proudly claim that they were Slytherins. We strive for excellence in all things, whether in the classroom or on the Quidditch pitch."

Snape paused, and swept the room with a gimlet stare. "I should also mention that at the moment, this House is under something of a cloud. A certain Dark Wizard whose name is not spoken aloud was himself a Slytherin, and recruited heavily from his old Housemates. This does not mean that any of you are fated to be Dark wizards or witches. In fact, I should be quite…displeased…if any of you follow that path. I can assure you, while it seems to promise power, the promises are false and the power Dark magic grants is illusion."

Pointing at a rather startled Harry, Snape said: "Our new…celebrity…here can testify to that himself. Were it not for Dark magic's weaknesses, he would not be with us today. The Unnamed One tried, personally, to murder him in his cradle, and did succeed in killing his parents. How Mr. Potter survived is unknown, but since that day He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has not been seen." Harry's eyes went wide. McGonagall had told him something of this, but having it confirmed in front of his new Housemates was unexpected. Everybody stared at him. Harry wished that Snape had left him out of the discussion; he wasn't comfortable being the center of attention.

Drawing himself up, Snape concluded: "While disagreements are inevitable, I should note that intra-House feuding is not tolerated in Slytherin…unlike certain other Houses, which, unlike us, are divided, and, therefore, cannot stand against outside forces. Slytherin stands alone, and surmounts all challenges. That which does not kill us makes us stronger." The Potions Master narrowed his black eyes. "Any Slytherin who makes a habit of harassing or tormenting other Slytherins will find him- or herself answering to me…and will not enjoy the experience. You have all been warned. Now scoot for your beds. Classes start early here, and dawdling is not tolerated."

Bougainvilla Trading Company offices, Roanapur, Thailand

We start classes tomorrow, Petunia read. We're really looking forward to learning all about magic! Some of the things our classmates tell us are hard for us to believe, but what we've already seen makes us think that we haven't heard the half of it!

"Magic sounds as though it would be very useful," Balalaika commented. She gave Petunia a long, considering look. "You never told me, before Professor McGonagall came, that your sister was a witch who could do real magic."

"Would you have believed me?"

"No. You have a good point." Balalaika smiled. "However, as I pointed out earlier, a good soldier deals with reality as it is. This 'transfiguration' that Professor McGonagall showed us…I can think of all sorts of ways that it would be very useful for getting goods past customs officials. Or into places where they aren't ostensibly allowed."

"Not to mention, Apparation," Petunia pointed out. "Imagine being able to appear out of nowhere at will, the way the Professor did!" Balalaika's eyes glowed as she considered that possibility.

"Is there any more to the letter?"

"Not much. Here we go: So we're both off to bed, and we'll write you again around the end of the week. We'll keep you both posted about developments here, and we're keeping our eyes wide open for things that would be useful to Bougainvilla Traders. We miss you, and everybody in Roanapur. Give our best wishes to the Black Lagoon crew, Chang and his Triads, Bao, and everybody else.

Love,

Dudley Dursley

Harry Potter."

"It's a huge opportunity, and one I had never dreamed would come to my Dudley," Petunia whispered, her eyes shining with the tears she refused to shed. "I wanted to go to Hogwarts, but the Headmaster told me I just didn't have the gift, and my sister did. I envied her so!" She sniffled. "And I'll miss both my boys!" She choked back a sob.

"You got to be mother-in-all-but-name to Harry. I think your sister would have given anything for that opportunity," Balalaika pointed out. "Here. Have a drink. Let's toast their success in school."

END Chapter 04