Hey y'all! How's everyone doing? Surprise! I'm back with another chapter coming out in the same month instead of the next! I was actually pretty surprised myself by how quickly I finished this chapter but then again, I had the time and the motivation to get it done so I just sped along as fast as I could before I lost one of those two things. Anyways, in this chapter we finally get to the brewing of the polyjuice potion as well as the dueling club incident plus a few little extras to help set up the next couple chapters. Hope you guys enjoy it!
Like always, I enjoy any comments, except for those that are just full of negativity and not constructive at all. Just give me something to work with instead of just "It's bad." I also appreciate any positive constructive criticism since I'm always looking to improve my writing and storytelling capabilities.
Thanks for reading this story! Virtual hugs and cuddles to y'all.
Disclaimer: I still do not own anything except any OC's that may come up, any world building that has not yet been officially stated by the books or movies, and any plot points/structures that have not been used in the books or movies.
Warning: No beta, we die like Stingbulbs.
Chapter 9: Polyjuice Potion and Snakes, Oh My
XXXXXX
Harry sat with Hermione and Ron in a secluded corner of the library as far away from other students and Madam Pince as they could get. He just finished telling them what happened last night.
"So the chamber really is real," Hermione said, torn between satisfied or concerned by the confirmation, "I suppose that explains why the professors were in such a panic this morning."
Ron nodded. "Don't think anyone bought the story Dumbledore gave about what happened to Colin not being related to what happened to Mrs. Norris."
"That means we have to look into this right? Just to make sure no one else gets attacked," Harry anxiously asked, "McGonagall said Colin was lucky that nothing else happened to him…"
The trio shared looks of trepidation, already feeling completely out of their depth and in over their heads.
"I agree that we should investigate…" Hermione tentatively said.
"Sure but how?" Ron asked, "All we know is that there's a connection to Salazar Slytherin and that's it."
She shook her head. "Not necessarily. Given what Harry said, it seems that Malfoy might know something, or at the very least, the house elf, Dobby, would."
Harry nodded. "That's right. Dobby was really insistent that I go back home because the chamber was open. But what would the chamber have anything to do with me when I'm not even a muggleborn?"
Ron and Hermione could only shrug helplessly.
"It sounds like no matter what we do, investigating the Slytherins is the correct course of action," Hermione deduced.
Ron snorted. "Well fat chance of that happening. Malfoy's gonna be on guard after last night and the rest of the Slytherins aren't too eager to start talking since the announcement this morning."
"So then we're just going to give up before we start?" Harry asked, growing upset at the thought.
Hermione pursed her lips. "Let's think about that later. Regardless of what we do, we need to get Seth involved."
"I dunno, Hermione," Ron said hesitantly, "I ran into him this morning and he didn't even look at me when I said morning."
"He did seem like he didn't want anything to do with us anymore," Harry agreed with a grimace.
"Then we'll just need to be sincere in our apology to him," Hermione firmly stated, "We could be in over our heads like last year and he was the only one who cared enough to make sure we got out alive."
The boys easily relented, as they were just as eager to get their friend back as Hermione was. The trio made their game plan for their apology before going to find Seth who'd sequestered himself to an isolated spot by the Black Lake. He was leaning back against a tree and enjoying the good weather as he wrote in a small, black notebook.
He looked up upon hearing them approach and immediately put his notebook away with a frown. "What do you three want?"
The trio was silent for a moment, shuffling about awkwardly and fidgeting restlessly. When nothing continued to happen, Seth sighed and began to get up.
"Look, I'm not in the mood to get in another game of 'you're right, I'm wrong' so if there's nothing else, I'm gonna go-"
"Wait!" Hermione shouted in a panic.
Seth stopped and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He reluctantly waited.
She bit her lip and then eventually blurted out, "I'm sorry!"
Seth was surprised by her apology but wasn't convinced by it yet. He crossed his arms. "Sorry for what exactly?"
"I'm sorry that I never really listen to you and always get defensive about my opinions and reject yours as a result," she said sincerely.
Then she elbowed Harry who grunted but was genuine when he also apologized. "I'm sorry too, Seth. I just get so caught up in my thoughts that I never really bothered to listen to yours."
Then the two of them looked to Ron who was affronted by their silent implications. "What do I need to apologize for? I was on Seth's side!"
"It's fine, Ron, you don't need to say anything," Seth said, smiling in amusement. Then he looked to Harry and Hermione. "And thanks you two. I appreciate the apology. I'll admit I was a bit immature myself and should've talked it out with you all instead of yelling, leaving, and then giving you all the cold shoulder."
Hermione shook her head with a relieved smile. "No, it's fine. We also should've talked it out with you as well and sooner, but we didn't so here we are now."
Seth nodded in acceptance. "Great! Um, is that all? Do you wanna join me here? I wasn't really planning to do anything except study and stuff."
Ron immediately took him up on his invitation by plopping down with a groan. "Ugh, studying. I've had enough of that already."
Harry and Hermione also sat down and Hermione looked at Seth, carefully asking, "No, we actually came to ask you something too if that's alright?"
He waved for her to go ahead. "Shoot."
"So I know we were a bit in over our heads last year," she began.
Ron looked at her incredulously. "A bit?"
"Okay a lot," she conceded with a huff, "Anyways, Seth, I know you said you didn't want to be involved in our investigation but we would really appreciate your help."
Seth frowned, looking unsure. "I don't know…"
"Maybe it could also help you take your mind off of things back home?" Harry helpfully suggested.
Seth shot a betrayed look at Hermione who didn't look the least bit apologetic. He sighed and shook his head in resignation. "Alright, I'll bite. Not like it would make me feel better if I knew you were snooping around something potentially dangerous without me there to back you up."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron brightened up and thanked him but he waved off their gratitude.
"Alright, enough of that. So what's the plan?"
Harry opened his mouth eagerly and then closed it sheepishly. "Um, we never actually got that far?"
"Dunno, ask Hermione," Ron said at the same time.
Then the boys all turned to Hermione. "We need to find more information on the Chamber of Secrets, correct?"
"That's usually the first step in an investigation," Seth said, amused.
She scowled and ignored him. "Anyways, all we know is that the chamber is connected to Salazar Slytherin and I think the only way we're going to get more information is to get inside the Slytherin common room."
"And how exactly are we going to do that?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.
She pursed her lips and crossed her arms as she thought hard about it.
"And why can't we just go ask some Slytherins intead?" Seth asked the other boys.
"You saw them this morning, didn't you?" Ron asked.
He nodded slowly and then understood. "Oh, yeah, probably not a good idea to ask them questions about it right now. But that still brings up my original question of how?"
"There is a way," Hermione finally said, "But it would be very difficult and we'd be breaking about fifty or so school rules doing so."
"Rules were made to be broken anyways so who cares," Seth remarked nonchalantly.
She glared at him.
"If in a month or so you feel like telling us, you'll let us know, won't you?" Ron irritably said.
"Right," Hermione nodded, getting back on track, "So what we need to do is get inside the common room and question the Slytherins without them knowing it's us."
"But wouldn't that be impossible?" Harry asked.
She shook her head. "No, there's a way. All we need is polyjuice potion."
"What's that?" Ron and Harry both asked.
"Isn't that the potion Snape was talking about in class a few weeks ago? The one that can transform you into somebody else?" Seth said.
She nodded in confirmation.
"Huh, that isn't a bad idea."
But Harry and Ron looked unsure.
"I dunno, this polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," Ron said, "What if we end up stuck looking like four Slytherins forever?"
"The potion wears off after a while," Hermione assured him, "But getting a hold of the recipe and the ingredients is going to be another story. Snape said the recipe was in a book called Moste Potente Potions."
Seth frowned. "That sounds like something that's bound to be in the restricted section."
She grimaced. "Right. And there's only one-way to get a book checked out of there. You need a signed note from a professor."
"But isn't that risky? Won't the professor we ask want to know why we want the book?" Harry asked in concern.
"If we make it sound as if we're only interested in the theory, we might have a good chance," Hermione said.
"Oh come on, no professors gonna fall for that. They'd have to be really thick," Ron groaned as if the whole thing was a lost cause before they could even try.
"I gotta agree with Ron on this," Seth said, "No professor's gonna believe that kind of lame excuse."
Hermione grimaced as if she was about to admit something unpleasant. "There is one."
The boys shared a confused look before realization dawned and they all looked at her with wide eyes. She nodded grimly and immediately, Harry groaned as if he was about to be sent off to the gallows.
XXXXXX
The quartet decided that the best time to ask their chosen professor would be right after class with Harry chosen as the 'sacrificial lamb' due to Lockhart's continued attention upon him and his 'fame.' Hermione eagerly offered to do it instead when Harry voiced his reluctance but Ron and Seth denied her on the account that she was still a bit too star struck about Lockhart despite admitting he was thick.
Harry was in the middle of another cringe inducing reenactment of one of the scenes in Lockhart's books when the bell rang, cutting Lockhart off mid-rambling.
"Homework! Compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"
The class began to leave the room while Harry returned to the back where Ron, Hermione, and Seth waited.
"You ready?" Seth asked.
"No," Harry glumly responded.
"You can do it, Harry, I believe in you," Ron half-heartedly encouraged.
Harry mumbled miserably and walked over to Lockhart's desk with the others right behind him. Lockhart looked up at him with an award-winning smile.
"Harry, my boy! Are you finally ready to hear my tricks on how to boost your fame?"
"Er, not exactly, Professor Lockhart."
"Another time then, what can I do for you?"
Seth nudged Harry helpfully when he hesitated. Harry glared at him and turned back to Lockhart, clearing his throat awkwardly.
"I, um, want to get this book out of the library but it's in the Restricted Section so I need a professor to sign for it. It's, uh, supposed to, er…" Harry struggled to remember the excuse they came up with.
Hermione helpfully chimed in. "It's to help us understand what you say in Gadding with Ghouls about slow acting venoms."
Lockhart beamed. "Ah! Gadding with Ghouls, probably my very favorite book!" He took the note Harry presented him. "Say no more Harry, I'd be glad to give you a little extra help in the academic department so long as you remember to tell your readers the pivotal role I played in your schooling when you finally start writing your memoir."
Harry struggled to smile and it came out as a grimace. "Er, right…"
Lockhart pulled out an enormous peacock feather quill. "Yes, nice isn't it," he said, misreading Ron's revolted look and Seth's amused snort, "I usually save it for book signings."
He didn't even bother to read the contents of the note before scrawling an enormous loopy signature that took up most of the paper and gave it back to Harry.
"So Harry, about what happened after the Quidditch game, I hope you'll understand my little blunder. After all, healing spells are rather tricky to perform correctly and I honestly didn't have the materials I needed to make sure your arm would be perfectly restored so I figured the best solution would be to remove the problem entirely. After all, I had faith that Madam Pomfrey carried Skele-Gro in her stock. If she didn't, well I'd gladly brew some for her! So no hard feelings, yes?"
"Water under the bridge," Harry said with a strained smile.
"Excellent, excellent. Now are you sure you don't want to stay and hear my tricks?"
"Sorry Professor but we gotta go now," Seth said, stepping in to save Harry, "Cheers!" He grabbed Harry by the shoulders and guided him out of the classroom with Ron and Hermione following after.
"He didn't even look at the book we wanted," Harry said in disbelief.
"That's because he's a brainless git but who cares, we got what we wanted," Ron said.
Hermione frowned but didn't say anything about Ron's harsh words. "Come on then. Let's go to the library."
They soon arrived at the library and tentatively approached Madam Pince who looked as irritable as ever with her vulture like face.
"Moste Potente Potions," she said, eyeing the quartet suspiciously.
She held the note up to the light as though determined to prove it a forgery but it passed the test. She stalked away between the shelves and returned several minutes later carrying a large and moldy looking book. Hermione put it carefully into her bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly or look too guilty. Though Seth just casually strolled and rolled his eyes at how guilty his friends looked by trying not to look guilty.
A few minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was quietly sobbing in her stall, having graciously lowered her usual wailing volume after Seth asked her to do so very nicely.
Hermione carefully opened the book and the four of them bent over the damp spotted pages. It was clear from a glance as to why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about and there were some very unpleasant illustrations which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.
"Disgusting," Ron said.
"How has this book not been banned from the library?" Harry asked.
Seth shrugged. "Eh. I've seen worse."
The two boys looked at Seth strangely but he remained nonplussed by their judgment.
"Here it is," Hermione said, drawing their attention back to the book as she found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people.
"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen. Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, knotgrass, well they're easy enough. They're in the student store cupboard so we can help ourselves. Ooh look, powdered horn of a bicorn, don't know where we're going to get that. Shredded skin of a boomslang, that'll be tricky too. And of course, a bit of whoever we want to change into."
"Excuse me?" Ron sharply said, "What do you mean a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with toenails in it."
"We don't have to worry about that yet though because we add those bits last," Hermione continued as if she hadn't heard him.
Ron turned, speechless, to Harry and Seth.
Seth shrugged. "We could use hair instead."
Ron didn't look any more reassured by that.
"I don't know about this, Hermione," Harry said, concerned, "Look at how much we're going to have to steal. Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the student cupboards. What're we going to do? Break into Snape's private stores?"
"That sounds like a terrible idea," Ron said.
Hermione shut the book with a snap and a frown. "Well if you two are going to chicken out then fine. I don't want to break the rules, you know. But I believe threatening and attacking muggleborns is far worse than brewing a difficult potion. But if you don't want to investigate further then I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and return the book."
"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be the one asking us to break the rules," Ron said in disbelief.
Seth sniffed dramatically and wiped away an invisible tear. "She's finally leaving her goody two shoes nest. I feel like a proud parent right now."
Harry sighed in resignation. "Guess we have no choice but to do this then."
"Guess so, but no toenails alright?" Ron grimly said.
"Again, we could just use hair," Seth shook his head in exasperation.
"How long will it take to make?" Harry asked.
"Since the fluxweed has to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have to be stewed for twenty one days, I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients," Hermione responded.
"A month?! The heir could've attacked half the muggleborns in the school by then," Ron protested only to backtrack when Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously at him, "But it's the best plan we've got so full steam ahead I say!"
XXXXXX
In the days following the announcement of Colin's petrification, the entire school was filled with tension. The muggleborn students were understandably on edge and the first years had taken to huddling together in their respective house groups for protection.
But as the rest of November slowly passed by without any more attacks, the school slowly began to breathe again.
However, suspicions still hung in the background because of the uncertainty of it all. This was especially evident in the way people treated the Slytherins, slowly reverting back to their 'everyone from Slytherin is evil' mentality the longer a culprit for the attacks wasn't found.
Seth was annoyed by this, now wholly on board with Hermione's desire to investigate just so he could find the 'heir of Slytherin' and wring their neck for flushing all his hard work from last year down the drain in just a handful of days. However, he was only able to devote himself to the investigation with half the usual gusto he usually had for such endeavors.
This was because he finally paid attention to and accepted the strange changes in his behavior that everyone had been pointing out since the year began.
He noticed how he was losing time, dozing off one moment and then somehow ending up somewhere else the next, forgetting the conversations he had and the places he went to in the meantime. He got into mindless dazes easily and slept in more and more with a fatigue that felt like his body was fighting just to keep what little energy it had lasting as long as it could.
His friends helped take notes and woke him up at key moments in class so he wouldn't fall behind. However, they couldn't stop their concern whenever they brought up a conversation or event that Seth had no memory of because it occurred during his fugue states.
Pepper up potions could only help fight the fatigue off to a certain extent before he had to take a break lest he burn a hole in his stomach. And he did concede to seeing Madam Pomfrey about his health but even she couldn't tell what was wrong with him despite the battery of tests she conducted. The only solution she could give was to send him to St. Mungo's but she didn't particularly want to choose that option unless they had no choice. Thus the alternate solution she suggested was the occasional pepper up potion, do the best he can to rest, and hope that the holidays would help him relax enough to fix the problem.
Still, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about the whole thing and as had become the habit, turned to Tom for help.
'I really just don't understand what's happening to me right now because it goes way beyond seasonal depression.'
'I do agree that losing time and memories is not exactly a good sign of a healthy body or mind.'
'But I don't know why this is happening. Are you sure there aren't any side effects from the magic of the diary cause that's the only recent change I can think of that could cause something like this?'
'I assure you that the diary's magic does not have side effects. In fact, last that I am aware of, my owner lived a long fulfilling life. In addition, your acquisition of the diary is not the only change you have gone through. Your issues with your family may be having a more adverse effect on your health then you would like to believe.'
Seth doubted that since he had conflicts with his family before but did still buy the explanation since it was the first time he had an argument of that magnitude. The last of his little doubt began to fade and he slowly nodded in acceptance. If he added in the fact that he's going through puberty again, it's no wonder he hadn't been doing too hot recently.
'I guess that's the only reasonable explanation I can believe but still…'
'?'
'I can't help but wonder about how you ended up with the Malfoy's. If your owner lived a good life, wouldn't you have been passed down in his family?'
'That would be the assumption but alas, my previous owner never had any children or relatives to pass his belongings to and they were all sold in auctions or donated to the stores in Diagon Alley. I can only assume that the magic of the diary is what caught the attention of the Malfoy family but they found me to be useless so they secretly rid themselves of me to save their pride most likely.'
Seth nodded, buying the shoddy excuse without a second thought because Tom was and will always be right. And unbeknownst to him, the hold of the diary on his soul grew stronger and stronger.
XXXXXX
The second week of December soon came and as usual, Professor McGonagall made the rounds, collecting the names of those who were staying at school for the holidays.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione signed her list without hesitation as they knew most of the Slytherins would be gone and the few that remained, namely Draco, were key people they needed to interrogate for their investigation. Basically, it would be the perfect time to use the polyjuice potion.
However, Seth would not be joining them as the day before he'd finally gotten a surprise letter from home after months without any sort of communication. In fact, it was so surprising that everyone at the table did a double take when they saw the adorable black ball of feathers that was Kendra swooping down to drop the letter onto Seth's lap.
Kendra stuck with Seth the entire time he had the letter, from the moment he shoved it into his pocket, waving off his friends' concerns before going through his classes for the day where the professors raised an eyebrow at her presence but otherwise said nothing, until finally reading it in the privacy of his bed that night.
He carefully opened the envelope like it was a bomb that would go off in one wrong move. When nothing exploded, he slid the letter out and opened it. His eyes rapidly scanned through its contents.
Hey Seth,
I'm not too sure how to start this letter which is pretty pathetic of me, isn't it? I guess I can start by asking how are you? Is everything going well at school? Passing all your classes? Doing your homework? Staying out of trouble? Okay, maybe not so much that last one but are you at least staying out of unintentional trouble? I know I made it seem like I didn't care about or trust you but I do, Seth. In fact I probably care too much and that's why I couldn't stop putting my foot in my mouth during the summer.
Anyways, you're probably wondering why I'm writing to you now and not anytime between when you left for school and the day you get this letter. It's because everyone suggested I give you some time and space, let you be the one to set the pace and reach out first. But really, we both know that would never happen given how stubborn you can be and honestly, I should be the one to reach out to you first. After all, I'm the reason for the fight between us. I know there's nothing I can do to apologize for what I did and said, but for what it's worth, I am sorry. You're amazing, Seth, the most amazing and capable adventurer I and everyone else knows. You'd be an amazing Eternal too, shadow charmer or not, and I'm sorry for saying otherwise.
In fact, I know grandma barely managed to get you to promise to come home for the holidays but I really hope you do. I want to explain myself and tell you the real reason why I acted the way I did and convinced everyone to go along with my selfishness. And if that doesn't convince you to come home, then I hope the fact that I decided to postpone the ceremony will. That's right, I decided not to become an Eternal this year. I want to wait until next year when I can do it right because I'll have you by my side.
Please think about it. You don't need to send a response back but I hope to see you home for the holidays.
All my love,
Kendra
Seth really didn't know what to do with what his sister just dumped on him. She really postponed her ascension even though she knew it would only get more dangerous for the preserves the longer they went with the Sphinx as the only Eternal just because she wanted him there?
He immediately got the urge to write to Tom to sort out his thoughts about the letter but something made him pause before he could grab the diary. He hesitantly pulled his hand away and looked over to Kendra the owl, who just like her namesake, seemed to stare at him with her large soul searching eyes that were both a relief and an annoyance. He looked back down at the letter and sighed, making the decision to go back home if only to get some sort of closure to the broken relationship between him and his sister.
That night, he had a fitful sleep and yet, come morning, he felt more rested than he had since Colin's attack. But he thought nothing more of it, simply enjoying the feeling before the fatigue set in again. He never noticed Luna's sharp gaze on him during breakfast and how she smiled in relief at the slowly diminishing number of wrackspurts she spotted around him.
XXXXXX
The quartet were later holed up in Myrtle's bathroom again as Hermione examined the potion's progress based on the instructions in the book.
"What do you mean the potion's only half done?" Ron half asked, half whined.
"It's because we still need the ingredients that we can't find in the student stores," Hermione responded.
"You mean the ones we'll have to steal from Snape," Harry said with all the enthusiasm of someone being sent off to the gallows.
Hermione nodded grimly and Harry and Ron shuddered.
"I'd rather face the chamber's monster than face Snape's wrath on the chance we get caught," Harry said.
She rolled her eyes. "Well we don't all have to go and raid his office, only one of us is fine. In fact, I could do it."
Ron raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You, be able to steal from Snape. That seems about as likely as Percy helping the twins with a prank which is to say never."
"I could do it as long as you three act as a diversion," Hermione retorted hotly.
Harry groaned. "Now that's a guarantee to getting caught if I've ever heard one."
Hermione scowled but Seth intervened before she could say anything. "How about I steal from Snape? You guys won't even need to get involved either."
Harry and Ron nodded eagerly at the chance of not having to be on the wrong end of the Potion Master's wrath.
"But how are you going to do it? What if you get caught?" Hermione asked.
Seth smiled slyly. "Don't worry. I got a plan."
XXXXXX
At the first chance he could get, Seth tracked Draco down for a quick chat.
"Yo Draco!"
Draco scowled as Seth sidled up next to him. "What do you want, Sorenson?"
"Hey, don't be like that. We're friends, aren't we?"
"We're barely even acquaintances."
Seth waved him off dismissively. "Semantics. Anyways, I've got a little project I'm working on and need your help, if you're game that is."
Draco eyed him suspiciously. "Go on…"
"You and Snape are close, right?"
"Define close."
"He doesn't just tolerate your existence like he does with everyone else."
Draco frowned. "Well he is my godfather so I would hope he does more than tolerate me."
"Huh, you're his godson?" Seth said, looking surprised, "That's news to me."
"I don't shout my connections from the rooftops like some people that shall not be mentioned," Draco retorted with a scowl.
Seth nodded in understanding. "Fair enough. So this little project I've got going on needs some stuff from Snape's private stores and I was hoping you help me get them."
Draco looked at him as if he'd finally lost it. "You want me to steal from my godfather. Are you insane, Sorenson?"
"Now come on, it's not really stealing if you're doing it," Seth smiled easily, "It's more like…borrowing."
"And why should I even bother to entertain your nonsensical thoughts for another second?"
"Come on, man, you'd be doing me a huge favor, plus," Seth made a show of looking meek and fidgety, "I'm only doing this project to take my mind off things and get me back on track."
Draco's resolve began to waver and Seth went in for the kill with his patented puppy eyes. "Please? I'll owe you one."
Draco's resolve crumbled like a wet tissue and he sighed. "Alright, fine. What do you need?"
Seth beamed. "Just some powdered bicorn horn and shredded boomslang skin."
Draco nodded only to immediately frown. "Hang on, aren't those ingredients for the polyjuice potion?"
"Haha, as expected of the number one student in potions. Yeah, it is."
"I thought you were insane before but you've reached new heights with this. That potion is banned on the premises of Hogwarts, Sorenson."
"Oh come on, you already said you'd help. You can't back out now or do Slytherins no longer place any value on verbal deals?"
Draco gave a long-suffering sigh. "I am not backing out. But you better have a plan for how I will be getting the ingredients. I can't walk up to Snape and ask for them, hoping he won't realize what they're for because he will."
Seth scoffed dramatically. "Oh ye of little faith. I always have a plan. So Snape's private stores are right by his office, yeah?"
"Yes."
"And the only time it's unlocked is whenever he's in the classroom."
"That's correct."
"So basically, when our joint potion class is over, I'm going to ask to speak with him privately in his office before he can lock the stores and then you just slip in and out before we're done!" Seth finished with a flourish.
"And what makes you think that will work?" Draco asked skeptically.
"Trust me, it will."
"But what could you possibly have to speak with Snape about that will guarantee he delays locking his private stores?" Draco continued to press, still unconvinced.
Seth's only response was a sly smile that sent a slight shiver down Draco's spine from how out of place it looked on the Gryffindor's face.
XXXXXX
Potions class soon came to an end and students began packing up their things and leaving the classroom at a leisurely pace. Seth and Draco locked eyes and Seth nodded. It was now go time and Draco could only nod back with a frown as he began packing his things as slowly as he could.
Before Snape could walk away, Seth quickly approached him.
"Hey Professor Snape," he casually said.
Snape gave him a disapproving glare. "Yes, Mister Sorenson?"
"Aw, don't be like that, professor-"
"What is it that you want, Mister Sorenson?" Snape interrupted, "As you can see, class is over so I no longer have any time or patience for indulging inane questions."
"Well good thing I don't have any inane questions but I do have something important to talk about with you."
Snape raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And that is?"
"It's about," Seth leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially, "You know what with you know who that I talked to you about last year."
It took a moment for Snape to understand what Seth was trying to say. Once he did, his face pinched like he'd just swallowed a particularly sour lemon.
Seth grinned, knowing he'd gotten the professor's full attention as Snape looked around the classroom, only seeing a handful of students still hanging around, including Draco. But they were students that he trusted not to do anything stupid so he returned his attention to Seth. "Come with me to my office, Sorenson," he managed to grit out.
Snape turned away with a sweep of his robes and went to his office. Seth followed but not before looking over his shoulder to wink at Draco and then quickly following after Snape.
Draco blinked in surprise that Seth's plan actually worked when he and Snape disappeared into the latter's office. Then he sighed as he watched the last of the students leave before going to the still unlocked private stores to get what was requested of him.
Meanwhile, in the office, Snape loomed over a smirking Seth.
"Out with it, Sorenson, before my patience wears thinner than it already is."
"Okay, so you know how you sent that photo of Harry's mom when she was a kid at the end of last year?" Seth asked, jumping right into it.
"Yes," Snape dryly responded.
"Well I think it's high time you do something else to let him learn more about his mom."
Snape looked at Seth like he just suggested he dress in drag and do the hula in front of the entire student body. "Absolutely not."
"Oh come on, why not?" Seth whined.
"Sending that photo was a one time thing in order to assuage whatever little guilt you managed to dredge up within me with your nonsensical ranting."
"So you do admit you feel guilty."
"Perhaps," Snape reluctantly admitted, looking pained by the reminder, "But sending that photograph is all I shall do. Was that all you wished to discuss with me?"
"You know it's not. Come on, professor, throw me a bone here."
"I have no 'bones' to throw, Mister Sorenson, nor do I desire to look for any to do so. If you have nothing else to say-"
"How about you talk to Harry about his mother?"
Snape froze and glared at Seth. "Excuse me?"
"Oh come on, you can't think it's a terrible idea right? Just talk to the kid about the mom he never knew about. And don't say other people can do that instead since everyone we know who knows Lily Potter only knows her from her school days and beyond. No one knows what she was like before she ever came to Hogwarts except for you and the Dursleys and we both know the Dursleys aren't gonna be doing that anytime soon."
"I refuse," Snape sharply stated, "Now leave my office before I give you detention."
Seth sighed, knowing a lost battle when he saw one but as he went to leave, he couldn't help but get one last word in. "You know, whatever guilt you're feeling, you're never going to get over it the longer you refuse to talk about her."
Snape stiffened and when he looked at Seth, he felt strangely seen by eyes that seemed older than its bearer was.
"I'm just saying, 12 years is a long time to feel guilty about something. Maybe if you talk to Harry, you might be able to find the closure you need while also helping a boy learn more about the mother he never got to know. Just a thought."
Seth exited the office, leaving Snape behind gaping like a wide-eyed fish. Before Seth could leave the classroom though, "Wait!"
Seth turned to Snape and raised an eyebrow in question.
"I will…endeavor to think over your…proposal," Snape hesitantly conceded.
Seth smiled. "That's all I ask, professor. See ya later!"
Then he left the potions classroom and went over to where Draco was waiting nearby.
"You get the goods?"
Draco snorted. "Of course I did. I had an ample amount of time to do so."
Seth grinned. "Awesome! Now gimme."
Draco rolled his eyes as he passed the ingredients over to Seth who carefully put them into his bag. "Thanks Draco, I owe you one."
"You owe me more than one," Draco said with a scoff.
The two began walking down the hallway together.
"By the way, what did you speak to Snape about?" Draco asked, curious.
Seth grinned secretively. "Sorry but that's top secret information there, buddy."
Draco scowled. "Do not call me your buddy."
Seth laughed as Draco's scowl deepened, masking his concern for the Gryffindor as he continued to act strangely. Another shiver raced down his spine when he saw the way Seth's glee at a job well done seemed different from usual. It was more calculating and almost cold instead of gleeful and mischievous with a smile that continued to sit strangely on the Gryffindor's face.
XXXXXX
A week later after the successful ingredient heist where Seth gleefully showed the swiped ingredients to an amazed Harry and Ron and a begrudgingly impressed Hermione, the quartet were walking past the entrance hall where they saw a small group of students gathered around the notice board reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up.
Seamus and Dean beckoned them over with excitement.
"They're starting a dueling club! First meeting's tonight," Seamus said.
"I wouldn't mind dueling lessons. It sounds like they might come in handy one of these days," Dean remarked.
Ron snorted in amusement. "What? You reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?"
Dean rolled his eyes good naturedly as Ron grinned at his little joke.
"It sounds intriguing though. We should go," Hermione suggested.
The boys agreed so at eight o'clock that evening, they returned to the great hall where the long dining tables were removed and a golden stage was set up in the middle. The entire hall was lit by thousands of candles floating overhead and the ceiling was a velvety black to match the night sky outside. It seemed that most of the school was packing inside, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
"I wonder who's gonna be teaching us?" Seth pondered.
"Someone told me Professor Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young," Hermione said, "Maybe it'll be him?"
"Well as long as it's not," Harry began to say only to see an unwelcome figure and groan in despair.
The useless peacocking narcissist, Lockhart, was walking onto the stage looking resplendent in robes of deep plum and with hair artfully coiffed. He was accompanied by none other than Professor Snape who wore his usual black robes and deep scowl, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but here.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence and a hush fell over the crowd. "Gather round! Gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all see me? Excellent!"
"Now Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works. Now let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape! He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry, you'll still have your potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"Wouldn't it be good if Snape finished him off?" Ron muttered.
Harry and Seth nodded empathetically while Hermione scowled.
Snape's upper lip curled in distaste and it was a testament to either Lockhart's will power or sheer obliviousness that he wasn't fleeing or cowering in the face of Snape's palpable irritation.
Lockhart and Snape moved to stand on opposite sides of the stage and turned to face each other. They bowed or rather, Lockhart seemed to do so with much twirling of his hands whereas Snape simply jerked his head. Then they raised their wands like swords.
"As you can see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart explained, "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill of course."
"Wanna bet if he ends up in the hospital wing?" Seth quietly asked.
"Given how Snape's glaring at him, he's more likely to end up in a grave," Harry said.
"One…two…three!"
Both professors swung their wands over their heads and pointed them at their opponent.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape commanded.
A flash of scarlet light was unleashed from his wand and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He flew backwards off the stage and smashed into the wall before sliding down into a sprawl on the floor.
"Is he dead?" Harry hopefully asked.
Unfortunately, he was not as Lockhart got up unsteadily to his feet. His robes and hair were now greatly disheveled.
"Well there you have it," Lockhart said as he stumbled back onto the stage with a brilliant grin, "That was a disarming charm as you see I've lost my wand. Ah! Thank you Miss Brown. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape. But if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy! However, I felt it would be instructive to let the students see."
Snape looked particularly murderous and even Lockhart wasn't oblivious enough to not notice. "Alright then! Enough demonstrating. I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all in pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me?"
The two professors moved through the crowd, matching students up. Harry was partnered with Justin, Ron with Neville, Hermione with Millicent, and Seth with Draco. Afterwards, Lockhart was ready to move on but Snape refused, making sure each pair had sufficient space between them in order to prevent mass chaos that he knew he would be the one to end up clearing. Lockhart had no choice to agree given the death glare Snape was sending his way.
Draco and Seth stand apart from each other and Draco frowned when he noted the mindless daze Seth seemed to be in as they waited.
"Scared, Sorenson?" Draco haughtily asked.
Seth seemed to snap out of his daze and smirked. "Never. If anything, I should be asking you that."
Draco snorted. "As if. I have nothing to be concerned about when faced with an opponent who seems unwell."
Seth frowned. "Unwell? But I'm fine."
Draco scoffed. "Clearly not. You've been acting strange, Sorenson, and I don't like it."
"Well it's a good thing it's none of your business, yeah?" Seth said with a scowl, "Like you've said before, we're not friends."
Draco was taken aback by what Seth said. He went to say something but his attention was drawn to Lockhart who was back on the stage with Snape.
"Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents and only to disarm them! We don't want any accidents."
Draco refocused on Seth who seemed to have a conflicted expression on his face as they both prepared to duel.
"Right then! Three…two…one!"
Immediately both boys threw spells that the other dodged.
"What did you mean we're not friends?" Draco asked.
"Why do you care?" Seth responded with a frown, "You're the one who keeps saying we aren't."
"But that's never stopped you before. You can say you're alright until you're blue in the face, Sorenson, but clearly you're not."
"Well tough shit cause I am and I'm sick and tired of everyone thinking I can't take care of myself!"
"That's not-"
But Draco was interrupted when Seth cast flipendo, knocking him onto his back. He sat up with a groan only to scowl irritably to hide the concern he felt when he saw an infuriating smirk that didn't sit right on Seth's face. He got up and was about to cast rictusempra when a scream caused everyone to halt what they were doing and turn to the source.
Someone had summoned a large black snake that was poised to strike. There were more screams as students backed away as swiftly as they could to get as far from the snake as they could.
Snape stormed over towards the snake with a thunderous expression. "Do not move! I will remove it."
But Lockhart stepped in before he could. "Allow me!" He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a large bang that sent the snake flying instead of vanishing it.
The snake fell back onto the floor with a loud smack. Now enraged, it hissed furiously as it slithered straight to the closest student, who unfortunately happened to be Justin, and raised itself again, fangs exposed and poised to strike.
Suddenly, Harry rushed forward and hissed something that sent shivers of fear down everyone's spine but had Seth's heart pounding wildly in anticipation instead. Whatever Harry hissed made the snake slump to the floor, now docile like a chastised puppy. Harry looked at Justin, grinning and most likely expecting the Hufflepuff to be grateful for the save but was surprised when he was met with hostility and fear instead.
"Just what do you think you're playing at?!" Justin angrily demanded before storming out of the hall. He bumped into many people along the way, hitting Seth particularly hard on the shoulder with a glare.
Seth scowled and had half a mind to jinx him when he suddenly felt someone grab his sleeve. He turned to see Hermione who looked frantic and jerked her head over to where Ron was dragging Harry out of the great hall. Seth nodded and the two followed after their friends until they were back in the empty Gryffindor common room.
Harry finally yanked his arm out of Ron's hold and demanded, "What is going on?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Ron said, "Why didn't you tell us you're a parselmouth?'
"Excuse me, I'm a what?"
"A parselmouth, that means you can talk to snakes," Ron said as if it were obvious.
"Harry," Hermione tentatively said when she saw his confused expression, "Have you ever talked to animals or understood them like you did tonight?"
"No," Harry immediately responded only to hesitate, "Well, there was this one time I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin at the zoo. Long story but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil so I sort of set it free without meaning too. But that was before I knew I was a wizard."
"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil," Ron repeated faintly.
"So? I bet loads of people here can do it," Harry said defensively.
"No they can't," Ron snapped back, "It's not a very common gift, Harry. Oh, this is bad."
"Bad? It's just talking to snakes. We live in a world full of magic. Why is the line being drawn at talking to snakes?" Seth asked, genuinely curious.
Harry nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Why's it wrong? Look, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-"
"Oh, that's what you said to it," Hermione said, "I could kind of guess based on how the snake acted but I wasn't sure."
"What do you mean? You were all there, you heard me. Didn't you?" Harry asked in a panic.
Seth shook his head. "Sorry Harry. All I heard was a bunch of hissing."
"You were speaking parseltongue, snake language," Ron explained, "You could have been saying anything! No wonder Justin panicked."
"Don't worry Harry," Hermione said, giving Ron a warning look, "We know you weren't provoking the snake or anything, not with the way it stopped but-"
"It was still creepy, you know," Ron interrupted.
"Not helping Ron," she hissed at him.
"I spoke a different language?" Harry said, still stuck on that fact, "But how can I speak a language I didn't know I could speak?"
Seth could understand the sentiment since he was still surprised by all the languages being a shadow charmer helped him understand. But it wasn't like he could tell Harry that. So he, Ron, and Hermione could only look at each other helplessly and shrug.
"And even still, why was everyone in the hall acting like I killed their grandmother or something?" Harry continued pressing, "Did they want me to not stop a massive snake from biting off Justin's head? What does it matter how I did it?"
Hermione grimaced. "Unfortunately it matters because being able to talk to snakes was one of the things Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of the Slytherin house is a serpent."
Harry blanched at that.
Ron nodded grimly. "Exactly. And now the whole school's going to think you're his great great great great grandson or something."
"But I'm not!" Harry denied in a panic.
"That's going to be a bit hard to prove, Harry," Hermione said sympathetically, "He was alive a thousand years ago. For all we know, you could be."
XXXXXX
Later that night, Harry lay awake in his bed, watching through a gap in the curtains around his bed as snow began to drift past the tower window. He couldn't help but wonder if he really was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. He didn't know anything about his father's family after all and the Dursleys were as unmagical as a family of muggles could get.
Quietly, he tried to say something in parseltongue but the strange sounds just wouldn't come. It seemed he needed to be face to face with a snake to do it.
Besides, it wasn't like he could be the heir since he was in Gryffindor and the sorting hat wouldn't have put him there if he had Slytherin's blood. But a nasty little voice inside him reminded him of Seth's speculation that the heir could be from a different house to throw off suspicion and the sorting hat's opinion that he could've done well in Slytherin too.
Harry turned over restlessly and decided that he'll just have to see Justin in Herbology tomorrow and explain the whole situation. Just take care of one problem at a time.
He angrily punched his pillow as he remembered the frightened reactions of everyone in the hall. Anyone with common sense would've realized that he was getting the snake to back off, not egging it on.
He settled back into bed and hoped sleep would come and take him soon.
Meanwhile, in the bed next to his, Seth lay wide-awake as he wrote to Tom.
'And now everyone and their mothers probably think Harry's the heir of Slytherin just because he can talk to snakes like seriously? This is the wizarding world where the possibilities of magic are endless and they're gonna draw a line at talking to snakes?'
'That is an unfortunate prejudice within wizarding society. Rare abilities such as the ones you and your friend wield are more likely to draw scorn than awe.'
'Guess the whole 'people fear what they can't understand' thing still applies in a society where magic is a thing.'
'Indeed. Though I do find it rather fascinating that Harry Potter, the so called Boy who Lived, is a parseltongue.'
Seth looked at the notebook in confusion and scribbled out, 'You know about that? I don't remember ever telling you anything about him besides him being my friend.'
'You did tell me about your friends in quite a lot of detail not too long ago. Sometime when we spoke about your acceptance to Hogwarts.'
But that only made Seth more confused and a little concerned. 'I did? Really? I don't remember writing that at all.'
'Oh dear. Perhaps you did so during one of your 'episodes'?'
Seth nodded because that was a logical conclusion but he also could swear that he's only ever spoken to Tom about his family and the preserves. There was no reason to talk about his experience at Hogwarts after all. And whenever he did speak of his friends, it was usually to complain and gripe about them.
'If you're sure…'
'On the contrary, I am not able to ascertain whenever you are in a 'fugue state' as your writing remains consistent and there are no major indicators that something is amiss.'
'Now I'm really starting to get worried.'
'But you already went to the school nurse did you not? And short of being sent to St. Mungos, there's nothing anyone can do except make sure you are well rested.'
Seth frowned and muttered to himself. "I'm really starting to think I should take Madam Pomfrey up on her offer but…maybe she's also right that the holidays might help me." He glanced over to Kendra's letter before returning his attention to the diary where Tom had already moved on with a different subject.
'Speaking of parselmouths, my previous owner knew someone who was one.'
Seth was immediately intrigued. 'Really? Who were they? And how did they deal with all the attention from it?'
'The student was a Slytherin though I do not know their name as my previous owner chose not to impart that to me. As for dealing with attention, it was never as widely revealed that said student was a parselmouth as back then, there was a heavier stigma attached even within Slytherin house. If someone was found to be a parselmouth, they would be treated as if they carried a life threatening disease that would infect others if they got too close. That being said, I ask you exercise caution if you choose to involve yourself with your friend further.'
'Don't worry, Tom. I can look after myself. But thanks for the advice and good night!'
'Of course. Good night, Seth.'
And Seth closed the diary but for the first time, he was no longer reassured after their talk. For the first time, he began to doubt Tom and wondered if he was telling the truth about the true nature of the dark magic in the diary. But just as quickly as those thoughts came, something shifted within him and he forgot those thoughts.
He carefully placed the diary nearby and settled into bed with a feeling of reassurance that he could no longer tell if it was truly real or false instead.
And scene! Boy oh boy was there a lot happening in this chapter. The TLDR is that I basically wanted this chapter to be the set up for a bunch of stuff that will pay off in later chapters such as the Snape and Harry talk we deserved to see before that whole scene in the Deathly Hallows, Kendra finally coming back into play to fix her broken relationship with her brother, and Draco becoming a more prominent character.
Also, I wanted to fix some gripes I had with the whole parselmouth thing. Like seriously, the wizarding world is full of magic and magic is full of strange and wonderful possibilities and can create rare abilities but for some reason, the society draws the line at talking to snakes? Seriously? What was it about snakes that made everyone want to clutch their pearls other than the fact that the symbol of Slytherin house was a snake? Like huh? My brain just hurts thinking about it so here's my attempt at getting rid of that particular headache.
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to the next one. Until then!