You know, as someone who has actually raised animals for meat and regularly grows his own vegetables, I feel a lot of problems in the Deathly Hallows could have been avoided with an expanded space and a few minutes of preparation. Step 1-build a terrarium. Step 2-expand it. Step 3-seed it with plants/animals. Step 4-realize you have no idea how to raise your own food and hire Winky to help out while you embark on a pointless quest to do things Dumbledore was too lazy to do himself.

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Children of Prophecy

Chapter Three: Adventures in Serpent City

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Harry was glad for the long days of summer as his flying carpet made its way across the darkening sky. Sure, he could have rented a faster one, or one with more features, but he was truly enjoying watching the world go by. He'd been flying southeast for an hour when the clouds opened up and it began to rain. It was monsoon season in India and he'd been lucky to get some sunny weather to get his relatives to Mumbai. Thankfully his carpet had charms to keep its passengers dry, so Harry simply leaned back and enjoyed the novel experience of watching the rain impact the edge of the carpet's weather protection and slide off. Eventually the sun started to set, so Harry stood up and took direct control of the carpet. Before the light faded entirely Harry found a decent landing spot on the edge of an isolated field and broke out his tent. As he worked, he found himself wishing he could use his wand, as he was soaked to the bone within seconds of stepping off the carpet. He also wished he was able to create some kind of magical defenses around his tent, but as he saw something moving through the mud, he got an idea.

Unlike Britain, India not only tolerated Parselmouths, they celebrated them. Part of the reason Harry was traveling to a place whose name translated as 'Serpent City' was to learn more about his ability, so he decided to try speaking to the serpent approaching him. {"Hello little snake."}

The serpent, and as it came closer Harry could see that it was a cobra of some kind, reared its head back in surprise. {"You can talk! How?"}

Harry smiled. Despite the way his peers at Hogwarts viewed Parseltongue, he hadn't been able to resist researching the ability a little. It wasn't just the ability to communicate with snakes, the magic involved actually made them intelligent enough to converse with in the first place. While he would admit it to absolutely no one, Harry had done some experiments with the Snake-Summoning Charm in a secret passage, far away from prying eyes. He'd learned a few things. Snakes, even conjured snakes, had no natural intelligence of their own; magical ones like the Basilisk, Horned Serpent, or Runespoor might be exceptions, but he didn't really know. But what's interesting is that the snakes never realize they haven't been intelligent their whole lives, for some reason it just doesn't click. I wish Parseltongue let me control snakes, but no such luck. Well, let's see if I can hire a few guards to keep watch while I sleep.

{"I am a human blessed with the serpent's tongue, little snake. While I'm sure you are a skilled hunter, I was wondering if I could trade with you? I will be sleeping in my dry tent tonight, but I don't have anyone to keep people away from me while I sleep. Would you be willing to watch the entrance to my tent and bite anyone who tries to come in? Tomorrow I will arrive in Serpent City. If you guard me tonight, tomorrow I will buy you a nice juicy mouse."}

The snake flicked its tongue out and as it came into the light Harry recognized it as an Indian Cobra. (He'd bought and had been reading a field guide.) {"I will guard your den while you sleep for a mouse. I will even protect you again the next night if you give me another mouse."}

Harry laughed and opened the flap of his tent, his rented carpet rolled up under one arm. {"I promise my little friend, I will keep our bargain as long as you keep your end. I'm going to go dry off and get ready for bed. If any other snakes show up, they are welcome to the same deal. In fact, if you wish to be dry, you can come in and rest above the tent's entrance."}

Without hesitating the cobra slithered in out of the monsoon, and its hood flared in shock at the size of the tent's combination living room and kitchen. {"You are truly a great human, to have a den this large in so small a space!"}

Harry laughed and stripped his soaked clothes off, putting them on a coat rack near the door. {"I haven't used it much, but if nothing else it is comfortable and the perfect temperature inside. Please keep an eye out, I need to clean the mud off my 'scales.'"}

With that, Harry headed for the shower and soon he was clean and dry again. (Would his relatives be upset that he'd emptied the Dursley's closets to get the sheets, towels, and other necessities to outfit his new tent? Probably. Or maybe they'd just assume Dumbledore's watchers had done it instead?) Dressed in shorts Harry pulled a meal out of his lunchbox and rolled his eyes as the Indian Cobra extolled the virtues of 'The Great Den Builder' to a slowly growing crowd of snakes. He sat down at the tent's table and started eating his Italian antipasto salad and chuckled to himself. I'd forgotten that Parseltongue can spread from snake to snake. Thankfully it's short lived or I'd be creating a major problem for India if one got loose. I'll have to lock the bedroom door and talk to them first thing in the morning to be safe since I don't know how long the intelligence boost lasts.

As his second night in India passed, Harry found himself quite amused by his new friends. Well, except when one of them, a particularly ornery Russel's Viper, bit him as he was explaining that he didn't have any mice right then, but would buy some for them in Naga Nagri tomorrow. To the shock of all seven serpents, Harry not only failed to die, he just sighed and sat down in a chair, cleaning the bite wound with a bit of water and cloth. Over the next half hour the viper that bit him started to writhe, then scream as it died. Harry just rolled his eyes and tossed the poor creature into one of the cupboards with a stasis charm; the body would need to be vanished or it would kill whatever scavengers found it. He rolled his eyes when his first serpent tried convincing the others to worship him. {"No, none of that. A few years ago I fought an ancient Basilisk, the King, or in this case, Queen of all Serpents. I was bitten and would have died, but a phoenix cried into my wound. I still have traces of venom and tears in my blood. The venom kills anything that gets in, I haven't been sick since I was bitten and the Phoenix tears still cure me of any natural venom. Your friend died because phoenix tears can't be taken, they can only be willingly given or they do nothing.}"

Wishing his new guards goodnight, Harry turned in himself. While he wasn't as safe as he could be, he'd sprung for every defensive spell he could on the tent including several that should hide it from those who wished him harm. To be honest, he was tempted to open the 'starter kit' and see exactly what he'd purchased from a succubus, but he decided to do that when he was a little less tired. Instead he simply tucked it under his bed and promptly forgot about it.

=[\'*.*'/]=

The next morning dawned bright and early. After changing the small bandage on his snakebite Harry walked out of the tent's master bedroom to find that the snakes he'd hired as guards were still there. As Harry had breakfast, he got a good look at the serpents in the morning light and realized that he had inadvertently collected all of India's most venomous snakes. My first stop in Naga Nagri is going to be that creature shop. Hopefully they can sell me a terrarium and something to raise mice in. I probably won't take the snakes with me when I leave India but I can keep them in comfort for now; with a terrarium I can let the snakes sleep during the day and ask them to keep watch at night. I can even hide the most venomous one under my cloak. Harry rolled his shoulders and had some fruit for his breakfast. A few words in Parseltongue were enough to ensure his new bodyguards kept their intelligence and before he knew it, Harry had packed up his tent and was standing in the rain unrolling the rented carpet. Thankfully the tent's fabric had been treated with a potion so the mud, muck, and water simply slid off.

Stepping onto the carpet and out of the rain, Harry took a moment to shake off the sheets of rain and wring at least a little water out of his clothes. He was very appreciative of the carpet's weather-proofing enchantment. I wish they'd include that charm on brooms, playing Quidditch in a storm isn't a lot of fun. After a bit of thought he'd re-worn the same clothes as yesterday, planning to change when he reached his destination. Harry had thought yesterday's rain had been terrible but today's downpour made it look like a light drizzle and that wasn't even mentioning the wind. Sitting on the carpet, Harry could feel every gust of wind as it battered him off course before his carpet swerved back into line. Each time he found himself more and more impressed with the enchanting; flying a broom, even his Firebolt, in a storm like this would have been hopeless.

Harry lost track of time, eventually he was completely focused on keeping his breakfast down with his eyes closed. So it was a surprise, but a very welcome one, when the carpet came to a rest on solid ground. It took a moment, but Harry realized he was sitting under a covered pavilion in a town, one that was easily three or four times the size of Hogsmeade. The torrential downpour was still going on, but the town itself was dry thanks to a fascinating enchantment. As if being funneled through invisible pipes the rain struck some kind of barrier just above the tallest building in town, then swirled down into the ground in columns. Looking around as he tried to settle his stomach Harry could see where the underground pipes brought the water; there was a network of rice paddies slowly filling out in the distance.

After a few moments Harry rolled up his rented carpet and dropped it into his trunk. Then stumbled his way into town, searching for an apothecary. Thankfully after that summer spent in Diagon and four years of potions classes Harry managed to follow his nose to his destination. There were three other customers when he entered but Harry made a beeline to the counter where he could see a collection of potions in a large glass cabinet. Harry spoke up. {"Hello. I'd like a potion to settle my stomach and some directions please."} A handful of bronze coins got him a small vial which he immediately drank, letting out a groan of relief. {"Thank you, that is much better."}

The middle-aged woman behind the counter smiled at him. {"You're welcome. You're a tourist right? Let me guess, you came on a one-person carpet?"} When Harry nodded she continued. {"Rough ride getting here on a carpet that small, wind's really blowing today."}

{"Yeah. It's not a bad ride and it handles a storm better than my broom, but the last hour I was just trying not to lose my breakfast."} Harry stepped out of the way as one of the other customers paid for their chosen potion ingredients; to his surprise there were several he didn't recognize at all. After the clerk was free again, Harry continued. {"Any chance you know where I could pick up a business directory? I'm planning to spend a week here, I heard there were tutors for hire and I'd like to learn something interesting."}

The clerk smiled at him. {"We get a lot of tourists over the summer looking for tutors. You should go to the inn, get a room. The tutors usually get breakfast there and students hire them by the day or week. If you go out the door and turn left, it's the big building with a domed roof and mosaics on the wall. After you get checked in you can get a charmed business directory at the front desk. You should freshen up before you go looking for a tutor, you'll get better results if you look after your appearance."}

Harry chuckled. {"Thank you! Have a nice day."}

Stepping outside and taking a moment to watch Naga Nagri's clever drainage enchantments, Harry made his way to the inn. It was probably the biggest building in the town and like Hogsmeade, the inn's bar and dining area doubled as the town's meeting place. Even as Harry stepped in a little before noon there were a number of patrons sipping tea or enjoying a meal. In the entry hall, one side led to the dining area and bar while the other was obviously the inn, with a young man manning the desk. Harry stepped up and smiled. {"Hello. I'd like a room for the next week and a listing for the local businesses. Oh, and it would probably be for the best if my room was far away from the other guests."}

After a little back and forth Harry chose the smallest room option, since he would probably simply be sleeping in his tent anyway. {"That will be two silver coins a night. You can pay the entire bill now if you want."}

Wanting to get things out of the way, Harry paid for a week in advance. Taking the page of enchanted parchment, Harry made his way to the dining area and ordered a black channa and coconut stew. This is different. Like the rest of the Indian food I've tried, it's got a lot of flavor, lime, coconut, a bunch of herbs and something spicy. I won't order this one again but it'll do for now. As he ate, Harry looked at the business directory for Naga Nagri. Let's see. My first stop should be Creature Companions to get some mice for last night's bodyguards. Maybe a terrarium if they have one that's affordable and something small I can raise mice in. Though I'll have to be careful Hedwig doesn't get fat when I go back to Britain if she can get in and use it as a mouse dispenser whenever she wants a snack.

While he ate, Harry watched the other patrons. He saw his first non-humans in Naga Nagri: Two teenage girls walked in, one was obviously a succubus while the other had a long emerald-scaled serpentine tail trailing behind her and no other obvious non-human features. Both ordered lunch, but the succubus was obviously paying much more attention to the crowd than her meal; she even noticed him watching her and gave him a teasing smile in return. Harry shook his head and kept eating. Like Veela, Succubi were supernaturally beautiful and had some kind of attraction or allure about them. But unlike many of Hogwarts' male students, (and even some of the female ones) Harry had enough will to resist, even when Fleur purposefully tried to fluster him. As he ate Harry saw another group come in, arms full of bags carrying the results of the day's shopping. But unlike the other patrons taking a break from a busy day at the market, half of this group were Lamia.

There were two older women; one clearly a witch that reminded Harry of Parvati's mother who he'd seen a few times on Platform 9 ¾ but the adult Lamia caught his attention. From the waist down she was a striking serpent with red, black, and white bands and from the waist up she had the body of a striking woman with coal-black skin. Harry caught her eyes and realized her pupils were golden, vertical slits. Harry found he couldn't look away, and found himself staring at the serpentine woman and her three daughters that looked like they were about thirteen, ten, and eight. Harry assumed that she was friends with the human woman and they had both taken their daughters out shopping. As he continued to stare, he noticed the slim silver collars around each of the Lamina's necks. Harry was distracted from his inspection of the new arrivals by the clearing of a throat. {"Even if you've never seen a Lamia before it is considered rude to stare, young man."}

Harry replied, slipping into Parseltongue as his eyes locked with the adult Lamia. {"I apologize, I didn't mean to be rude."}

The Lamia's expression became thoughtful as she replied. {"You speak the Serpent's Tongue, foreigner. Are you here in Naga Nagri to learn more about your gift then?"}

{"Yes. My… 'gift,' and everyone who has it are considered evil back home, so after doing a little research I've avoided using it for the last few years."}

Harry noticed the pitying looks from the Lamia and two of her human friend's children, as well as the teen with the tail a few tables over. One of the Lamia's friend's human daughters, who looked to be a year younger than Harry, switched tables and sat next to him, making him uncomfortable with the violation of his personal space. {"That must be so hard for you. You should transfer schools and apply at Ekta! There's always competition to get in, it's the oldest and most prestigious magical school in India, but you're a foreign Parselmouth; unless you're nearly a squib I'm sure they'd let you in."} The girl batted her eyelashes at him. {"Just think, I could show you around…"}

Harry felt conflicted. On the one hand this was an invasion of his personal space, but on the other… Well the girl was only a little younger than him, she was rather pretty, (puberty had already been kind to her) and she was a Parselmouth herself. Thankfully, Harry was saved when the girl's mother cleared her throat. {"Fariha, give the boy some space."} When the girl had returned to her mother's side, the woman continued. {"I apologize for my daughter. My name is Ahana Saha. You should know that Parselmouths are celebrated in India and the ability is considered a very attractive trait. I do not know what culture you come from, but here our people are raised to value their bloodlines and seek out mates who will improve their family lines. Parseltongue is a rare and sought-after ability; only one in one-hundred magicals in India can speak it. You might be the only white Parselmouth in India; I'm sure you know how fresh blood can invigorate old bloodlines or help ensure inherited gifts continue to the next generation."}

Harry didn't know how to respond to that, at least until he remembered an old article he'd read in Little Whinging's library on hybrid vigor. That probably wasn't exactly the same thing, but it gave him a general idea of what the witch was talking about. Harry chose to ignore the implication that an ability he'd been shunned for in Britain made him attractive in India. Focusing on her face so he could respond in Hindi, Harry replied. {"Please call me Harold… Pierce. Thank you for the warning. Do you speak Parseltongue as well?"}

The witch smiled kindly as she replied. {"No, my daughters and my nieces,"} She gestured to the three young Lamia who were watching Harry rather intently. {"can speak the serpent's tongue, but they get it from my husband. However, with so many native speakers in the house I chose to put in the effort and now I can understand the language even if I can't speak it."} After a pause where she let the young man absorb her words, she continued. {"Are you here searching for a tutor?"}

Harry nodded his head. {"Yes, but I doubt I can find one today. I'll see if any are still around after lunch, but first I need to do some shopping. I picked up a few snakes and I'm afraid they'll bite me if I don't bring them mice like I promised to."}

The witch was thoughtful for a moment. {"My eldest niece has just finished her seventh year at Ekta and passed her qualifications as a tutor. I believe she's free today, if you would like to learn a few basic Parseltongue spells."}

Harry smiled widely. {"That would be great! I was sure I'd have to wait until tomorrow and try to impress one of the tutors."}

The witch smiled and glanced at the clock on the wall. {"Excellent. It's nearly noon now, would two-thirty work for you?"}

At Harry's nod, she smiled widely. {"Chandra will meet you here then."}

It was odd, Harry thought, how quickly he grew comfortable with the family now sitting next to him. Before he knew it the meal was over and he was leaving to run his errands. As he paid and left the inn behind, Harry reflected how strange it felt that no one had stared at his still-hidden scar or even been rude to him. He shrugged and set out for Creature Companions. With the map, Harry arrived quickly and stepped inside. He was reminded of the town's name the moment he walked inside; he could see terrariums holding all kinds of serpents, from the safest local snakes that lacked any kind of venom to the cobras and vipers that routinely killed India's muggles, to magical snakes of every variety. As he glanced around the shop, almost unsure where to start, Harry realized that the only magical snakes not present in the various displays were Ashwinders and Basilisks, there was even a miniature Sea Serpent swimming happily in a large tank, chasing minnows.

Harry swallowed the urge to begin a conversation with one of the magical snakes and instead began to browse the store. While the serpent displays stole the show, there were other creatures present like the varied collection of hawks and eagles that India used as post-owls and the lynx-sized Kneazles with beautiful coats that perfectly matched India's native big cats. If Hermione didn't already have a familiar I'd bring one of these home for her. They certainly look more graceful than Crookshanks. I wonder if I could make money breeding cats like these back home in Britain? I'm sure there would be a market for them, with the muggleborn if no one else. Moving on from the beautiful kneazles, Harry found the 'feeder' section. As he suspected there was a selection of expanded environments that, as long as the charm that created artificial sunlight was refreshed regularly, would produce grain that would feed mice, rats, or rabbits and allow them to reproduce quickly. After recalling cooking rabbit for the Dursleys more than once, he decided to get an expanded environment that could handle rabbits as well as mice and rats. With Voldemort back it doesn't hurt to be prepared. The tent is a good start, but having a steady supply of food will help if things go badly.

Harry also looked at the various terrariums for snakes, passing both the most and least expensive by; he refused to pay for things he would never need or use but if he was using the wild snakes as guardians, the least he could do was provide a comfortable place for them to sleep. After he decided on the one he wanted, Harry paused. Pulling out the note Dali had written down on the back of his receipt for the starter kit he'd yet to open, Harry tried to read it again with just as little luck as the day before. I have no idea what language the note is even in. I can only say it isn't English, Hindi, or Japanese, even if it looks vaguely Asian. With a sigh, Harry made a note of what he intended to purchase and walked to the front of the store.

As a little boy scurried away with a bag of cat treats, Harry spoke to the clerk. {"Hello. Dali in Mumbai told me I should show this note to the owner?"}

The clerk, who looked to be just a few years older than Harry, looked at the note for a moment. {"I don't even know what language that is. I'll pass the message to old man Mondal, but he'll be mad if this is a prank."}

{"If this is a prank it's on me; I can't read the message either."} Harry watched the clerk draw his wand and tap it on a bell that glowed for a moment before fading. Assuming the owner would be out in a moment, Harry shrugged and asked a question while the clerk was waiting for the next customer to make their selection. {"Out of curiosity, what does the law say about non-magical serpents? I may have accidentally collected a number of them when I offered a cobra a mouse to guard my tent last night."}

The clerk looked at Harry, specifically his white skin and snorted in disbelief. {"What, you expect me to believe you're a Parselmouth? Outside of India only one wizard in twenty-thousand speaks the serpent's tongue. You are not native; while your Hindi is okay it clearly came out of a bottle."}

In response, Harry turned his head to the nearest snake, which turned out to be one of India's less common vipers and hissed out a greeting. {"Hello Mr. Viper. Are you comfortable in your terrarium?"}

As Harry reflected on the difficulty of saying 'terrarium' in Parseltongue, the clerk groaned in defeat as the first mundane viper responded, followed by the entire line of terrariums as Parseltongue's intelligence boost percolated through the shop. Suddenly the pet store became more than a little noisy as the newly-intelligent snakes began to chat with each other. (The conversations were simple, and it was impossible to follow one conversation with so many happening at once.) Harry simply arched an eyebrow at the clerk who seemed to regret mouthing off. Suddenly, Harry spun around to find that a grizzled old man rippling with muscle and dotted with scars had snuck up on him. {"In the future please be aware that using Parseltongue like you just did is considered rude, because it will take hours for them to shut up and even longer for the intelligence boost to wear off. However, since you are a foreigner I suspect this is your first time in a magical pet store with a large selection of serpents?"}

Harry nodded his head. {"Yes sir. Are you Mr. Mondal?"}

The old man nodded. {"I am. How can I help you?"}

Harry handed over the note and stepped back. As the old man glanced at it and started to mumble under his breath, the clerk spoke up. {"I apologize for doubting your ability; I suppose it makes sense that a foreign Parselmouth would choose to visit Naga Nagri. To answer your question, as long as you don't collect any significant number of snakes or take endangered species out of India, there's no problem. Are you shopping for a terrarium?"}

{"Yes, I actually picked one out, as well as something to raise feeder mice in."}

The old man cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of both teens. {"You might want to wait to buy anything. Sorry it took me a few minutes to work through Dali's code, it's been a while. Come with me kid, you might want to buy something we have in the back."}

Curious, Harry followed. Walking through a door, he found himself passing stacks of supplies, dozens of terrariums with expansion charms for breeding the various creatures sold up front, and even a veterinary station with dozens of potions. Harry resisted the urge to talk to the serpents he passed, and soon his guide came to a stop in front of an enclosure containing a dozen snakes, each with small horns on their heads and a small jewel sunken into their foreheads. {"I didn't know Horned Serpents came in so many colors."}

The old man laughed. {"They don't; that is the problem. See, about a year ago some idiots decided that magical creatures were in danger of dying off, which was true in a few cases, even if the danger was vastly overblown. Instead of doing things the right way, these idiots modified a fertility potion to increase their numbers; a different potion attracted magical creatures to the enchanted dispensing stations they left all over the world. But the reason they're idiots is that they made the potion too strong; it drove the creatures into a permanent mating frenzy and even drove them to breed outside their species. These snakes are all half-breeds, they're only a few of the wild ones our Creature Department has been rounding up before they break the Secrecy Statute. See, they've got some of the Horned Serpent's natural abilities but these half-breeds are just beasts, they didn't inherit any of their father's natural intelligence. But they're still magical, which means they're perfect for this little summer project Dali arranged for you."}

Harry looked at the various colorful snakes in the terrarium for a moment before turning back and focusing on the old man to ensure he didn't slip into Parseltongue. {"Can you tell me more about that? She didn't say much, just suggested that I visit you and the owner of Secret Knowledge"}

The old man looked at Harry for a moment, assessing him before he replied. {"What do you know about house elves? About where they come from?"}

{"Nothing. I assumed they were like any other magical creature, maybe cousins of the goblins."}

The old man laughed. {"Heavens, no. Come on, this is simple history! Everyone should know this!"}

Harry shook his head sadly. {"My history teacher and the books he assigns are utterly useless. Most people either sleep or ditch class and the ghost never even notices."}

Mondal shook his head in disgust. {"I'm glad my grandchildren are attending Ekta. No, child, they were created magically. That kind of magic is like any other spell; it can be used for good or evil, but people are idiots and now it's illegal to use anywhere but India and even here there's a long process to get approval to actually use it."}

Harry wasn't sure what he thought about that, creating a new species seemed like such a huge responsibility. {"I'm only going to be here for a week or so; there's no way I can get approved. I'm afraid I won't be able to get away again after I get home."}

The old man just gave Harry a smile that showed off several gold teeth. {"Well, if you're creative and clever, there's still a way, boy. Every ministry has their own laws, but they're only allowed to enforce them within their borders. If you can find a place where no Ministry has authority, the only restriction on what magic you can use is your responsibility to uphold the Statute of Secrecy. Ever heard the term 'International Waters?'"}

Harry found himself smiling at Mondal as the implications began to flicker through his head. Hmm. But where can I get my hands on a ship?

Old man Mondal caught his attention again, snatching it away from visions of Harry practicing his spells on the deck of a sailing ship. {"In any case you should pick out one of these, they'll make a good base for your first attempt if you decide to try and a good familiar if you don't. Feel free to talk to them, find one that fits you."}

Twenty minutes later, Harry was walking back to the front of the store with a new friend coiled around his neck. 'Saska' was about two and a half feet long, and was a cross between an Indian Wolf Snake and a Horned Serpent. Her scales were a mix of coppery brown and dull white, while her horns were gleaming ivory and the small gem in her forehead gleamed a dull gold as it reflected the light. Despite her good looks Harry had actually chosen her because of her calm and friendly personality. Mondal was explaining her dietary needs as they went. {"Wolf Snakes eat lizards or amphibians, and while Horned Serpents can eat them as well, they usually prefer fish. You mentioned buying a terrarium to raise feeder animals in? Get one of our mid-sized or larger ones with a pond and I'll throw in a selection of insects to keep your amphibians and fish fed. What other snakes do you have with you?"}

{"An Indian Cobra, Two common Kraits, a Saw-Scaled Viper, and a Russel's Viper. I started with the Indian Cobra when I set up my tent, but the others showed up as I was getting ready for bed. They all asked for mice."}

{"All of our feeder terrariums contain fruit trees and knee-high grain crops. Toss a few dozen mice in and you'll never run out. The best part is that if you buy one of our self-cleaning terrariums, they snap together with the feeder ones and any animal waste is automatically buried under the roots in the feeder terrarium."}

Harry nodded as they stepped back into the main store. {"Nice. So I just need to pick out a terrarium; the one I was planning to buy didn't have a pond."}

Mr. Mondal nodded, passing Harry a scrap of paper and a pencil. {"Go ahead, just write down the numbers of the terrariums you want and take it to the front. With that many snakes, you'll want to buy about sixty mice to start with, that will keep them fed until the mice can breed, and at least two dozen fish and frogs."}

Turning to where Saska sat on his shoulders, Harry spoke to her. {"What do you like to eat?"}

Saska turned to him and flicked her tongue out in interest. {"I like hoppy things and scaly swimmers, and one of the warm furry things when I get cold. Are we going to pick out a new house for me now?"}

Harry chuckled and gently touched his new familiar's face. {"Yes. We need something with a pond for you to swim in whenever you want."}

{"Can I have a warm rock and a cool leafy place too?"}

{"Of course."}

=[\'*.*'/]=

Twenty minutes later, Harry walked out of Creature Companions with two terrariums, three rabbits, three dozen fish ranging from minnows to Tilapia in a population that would hopefully keep itself balanced, two dozen amphibians of varying sizes, quite a few mice, and all the bits and pieces for a self-sustaining ecosystem. The feeder terrarium was a little over three acres inside and in addition to the fruit trees and the half acre, twelve-foot deep pond it was entirely choked with a dozen different grain crops growing in the endless artificial summer. (Harry figured if he got rid of the mice, he and a small group would never run out of food inside just from the fish, rabbits, and fruit.) Comparatively small, the snake's terrarium was the size of a two-car garage inside, with a good-sized pool, fruit trees including pomegranate, papya, and mango, (all flavors that Harry was interesting in trying when the trees produced) and warm rocks that were a hit with all six of his snakes. The five surviving native snakes had all been fed and were happy to continue guarding him overnight in exchange for more mice. Compared to how much he'd spent in Diagon on the tent and the expanded trunk, he was surprised at how far his coins were going in India. I suppose the Ministry isn't totally incompetent if the galleon exchanges so well. Still, competent leadership or a justice system that actually works isn't too much to ask for. Or maybe Britain's just overpriced?

Once again, Harry was shocked at the differences between India and Britain as he walked down the street with a snake coiled around his neck and instead of people fleeing in fear or drawing their wands he was getting speculative looks from quite a few young women. After the life he'd lived, Harry found the positive attention a little jarring. Still, he focused on his goal and continued onwards to Secret Knowledge. After finding the right store, he stepped inside and took in a bookstore that was more orderly and homely than Flourish And Blotts. As he walked through, he took in the smell of paper, parchment and ink that was familiar, but just a little different than back home. There's so many new titles I have no idea where to start. Maybe they have an introduction to Parseltongue magic?

When he showed the note to the clerk and asked for the owner, the woman in her early thirties gave him a knowing smirk and stepped into the office behind the front counter. When the owner, an older woman in her seventies or eighties, stepped up behind the counter Harry had lost himself in thought gazing out into the sea of shelved books that took up nearly every inch of the shop's three stories. (Magic made it difficult to guess a person's age; she certainly seemed to be in good shape for her age. In fact, now that he thought of it, she seemed to be about the same age as Mr. Mondal.) She cleared her throat and Harry jumped, quickly turning around with a sheepish look on his face. {"I am Lucille Libras, owner of Secret Knowledge. Are you interested in something besides whatever Dali sent you here for?"}

Harry smiled and handed the old woman the note, noticing how she seemed to translate the code almost instantly. {"Yes, too much in fact. I don't even know where to start: I need books on Parseltongue magic, combat spells, healing, warding, and probably other subjects too. To be honest I don't even know where to start."}

Mrs. Libras spoke as she gave him a speculative look. {"You're a little young to be heading to war, boy."}

Harry scoffed and replied. {"Age doesn't matter. War is coming to me whether I want it or not and it isn't like I trust people in power to keep my friends safe. Things… things are going to get bad back home and no one else seems to be doing anything to prepare."}

The old lady looked Harry up and down a few times before letting out a scoff. {"A boy your age shouldn't be talking about that while speaking from experience. Reshmi! Take the boy around and help him find some things to get him started, like the Parseltongue Primer series. Then get him books on the subjects he wants; focus on things he couldn't get elsewhere. Remember that we don't stock filler, so I expect you to sell him some books. I'll dig a few tomes out of storage and watch the store while you're busy."}

As the owner disappeared through the door behind the counter, the clerk turned to Harry. {"I hope you've brought some coin. Britain might think it's the entire world, but there's so much more to magic than what you can find there."}

Harry just smiled and made a mental note to disguise his accent in the future. {"I'm well aware of that, it's the whole reason I'm here to start with. A war is brewing back home and I'm going to be ready for it, come hell or high water."}

Over the next half hour some tomes were skipped over but the clerk soon built a rather large stack of books that trailed behind her, floating in the air. The Parseltongue section was last, and Saska piped up when they reached it. {"There's a snake on the cover! Is it a book of magic for snakes?"}

Harry chuckled and replied. {"It's magic about snakes and the language they speak."} He paused and opened the book, then turned to the clerk. {"I have no idea how to read this."}

When she replied that she didn't speak Parseltongue, Harry sighed, closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment and tried again, this time speaking in English. Pinching the bridge of his nose just under his glasses, he tried again and got the correct language. {"You can speak Parseltongue but not read the language? We have books for learning to read and write and a Parseltongue to Hindi dictionary, but they're mostly made for small children. You'll have to learn it the hard way too, no one's ever created a functional Parseltongue language potion."}

Harry just let out a sigh. {"Story of my life. Give me the primers and the dictionary so I can work on it when I get back home. I suspect I'll have plenty of time to read when I return."}

The clerk laughed as she added three more books to the collection. {"Did you sneak out and run away to India?"}

Harry replied, a smile in his tone. {"Damned old man tried to keep me isolated and refused to let me hire a tutor over the summer. I'm sure plenty of people will be pissed at me when I get back but that crusty old man does not own me."}

Eventually they made their way to the front of the store, a collection of thirty-six books floating behind the clerk's wand. The owner had five more waiting for him as the clerk began ringing Harry up. {"I've got the three Dali suggested and two more I thought you should have. Those two are new printings of older spellbooks with updates and corrections, one was painstakingly translated into modern Hindi by yours truly and one is in Parseltongue. One word of warning, boy."} Harry was surprised at the weight of the gaze and the pressure he felt bearing down on him from the old woman. {"These books contain dangerous spells, spells that main and kill and burn. Spells a man might use to win a war. I'm only selling them to you because Dali vouched for your character and I trust that old succubus' judgment. If I hear you've been using these spells to hurt the innocent, my friends and I will be coming for you."}

A chill raced down Harry's spine at that declaration, at the weight of the old woman's magic and the grim certainty of her words. Harry looked her in the eyes and replied. {"I've been on the other end of bullies too many times to become one myself."} Harry paused and thought for a moment. {"Any chance you and your friends would be willing to visit Britain? There's a dark lord giving honest Parselmouths a bad name."}

Harry's only response was laughter and a ten percent discount on his purchase. Both women heard him mutter about needing shelves as he opened his trunk and carefully deposited the new books on the desk he'd placed in the trunk, next to the two terrariums set on the wall furthest from the stairs. Soon he was out in the open air again, looking up into a sky that was pouring rain without getting wet. Checking the time Harry quickly made his way back to the town's inn, deciding to get cleaned up before his first tutoring session. As he went, he reflected on the new books he'd purchased. I'm sure I can find at least a few useful spells in them, if even one spell saves my or someone else's life it'll be worth the coins. I hope I can make a good impression on Chandra. And learn something interesting too, of course.

After a few moments spent searching for his room, Harry entered and laid his clean clothes out on the bed before taking a quick but thorough shower. Note to self, ask the desk what the free shampoo is scented with, it's not bad. As he was getting dressed, he realized that when he was buying his new clothes he'd forgotten to get new underwear. Oh well, I usually get new ones when I get my school supplies, I can do that or get some when I get to Japan.

Dressed in his new emerald Sherwani overcoat and sea-green pants, (as promised despite the warm air he felt perfectly cool) Harry glanced at his new familiar and the trunk lying on his bed. Saska spoke up. {"Your new scales are much shinier than your old ones. You could hide in grass much easier now, Harry."}

Harry chuckled and tapped his wand on the trunk to shrink it. {"We humans can shed our outer coverings easily; it helps us blend in. Do you want to stretch out in the terrarium or join me for my first lesson in serpent magic?"}

{"I will join you Harry. Perhaps some day I will be able to use this magic as well."}

Harry stretched out his arm, and his half-breed snake slithered up to curl around his neck. He shuddered a little, but he was glad his new familiar was neither venomous nor a constrictor. Wolf snakes had impressive fangs but Harry wasn't worried about being bitten; the snake wrapping herself around his neck and shoulders had already heard what happened to the last snake that had bitten him. Saska had gotten along rather well with the other snakes when she announced that she didn't like mice, much preferring frogs. {"Just remember to be polite. Oh, and remember that I'm going by Harold in India."}

Five minutes later Harry was waiting in the inn's dining room when he looked up as he heard the distinctive sound of a Lamia's odd 'stride' on the inn's carpet. Rising, Harry walked over and greeted the newcomer who greatly took after her mother, with softer human features and lighter but still dark skin; like her mother and sisters, she too wore a slim silver collar around her neck. Once again he slipped into Parseltongue without meaning to {"Hello."}

The Lamia smiled at him, responding in Hindi. {"Hello. I heard you were looking for a tutor in Parseltongue magic? My name is Chandra Saha."}

It took an effort of will, but Harry managed to reply to her in the same language. {"I am. Please call me Harold."}

The older girl beckoned Harry to follow her outside with a gesture and began leading him through the town. {"Have you had any instruction in Parseltongue magic?"}

Harry shook his head, slipping into Parseltongue once more. {"No. Before coming to India I never knew there was any magic associated with it at all. I was surprised in the bookstore to find out that there's a written form of it. I'll be learning that on my own time when I get home."}

Chandra shook her head, seemingly aghast at such a thing. {"I have to admit I'm not sure where to start then."}

Harry shrugged as they kept walking through the town. {"I've been lost since a schoolmate cast a Serpent-Summoning charm during a duel and I outed myself as a Parselmouth. In hindsight I should have let it bite the berk and saved myself a lot of scorn."}

As they strolled through town, Harry's eyes were drawn to several non-humans going about their day. The most striking was a woman who walked like a human but had the orange and black fur, tail, and ears of a tiger. His new tutor caught him staring. {"Try not to stare if you can help it, even if most of the non-humans expect to be gawked at during the summer. The summer tutoring season is just starting, over the next week or two the inn will fill up and we'll have people renting out spare rooms for the overflow. About a third of Naga Nagri's permanent residents are non-humans, and we have all kinds."}

After a few minutes of quiet, Chandra spoke up as they arrived in one of the town's parks, one that was mostly short grass and a few trees bearing old scars from various spells. The park itself was expanded, and reminded Harry of stories of enchanted forests that were much larger inside than out. {"This is a park that's set aside for tutoring, as long as you're casting spells with a qualified tutor present it's legal for underage students to use magic here. We can start with exercises involving the Serpent-Summoning charm but first I'll give you a bit of an overview of what Parseltongue magic can accomplish, and you can start thinking about what you want to learn most. I know a few utility spells and I can Strike well enough, but I've mostly trained as a healer."}

{"I wouldn't mind learning some healing spells, magic knows I've needed them often enough, and I'd love to learn some spells unique to India. What do you mean by 'Strike?'"}

{"Good, I always enjoy teaching people to heal. 'Strike' is the name of a kind of magical travel, it isn't flashy but it makes people nearby flinch when you use it. It is handy at times, but it requires line of sight to work; that means you have to be able to see where you're going."}

{"That definitely sounds worth learning. Do you know if the spells that block 'apparition' also prevent 'Striking?'"}

{"I'm afraid I have no idea Harold. Now, I'm going to assume you know nothing and start with the basics. I see you've picked up a new familiar, so you should know that in addition to Parseltongue making snakes smarter, with enough consistent exposure that effect becomes permanent. How long it takes depends on a lot of factors, how smart the snake was to begin, how powerful you are, it really varies. I'll teach you a simple spell that you can use to check if the intelligence boost has become permanent later.

{"Parseltongue also has an effect on spells. All spells use magic to create an effect guided by your imagination and will and the Serpent's Tongue is an especially direct application of that. When you cast a spell in Parseltongue, you are adding an additional application of your will to your spell. This is especially useful in healing spells since a healer's dedication, their refusal to accept losing a patient, their stubborn will to reject death can make the difference between a patient recovering and passing on."} Chandra paused to marshal her thoughts, noting Harold had pulled out a pad of paper from his trunk and started taking notes. {"There are any number of spells that can be refined or altered this way. I even took a fascinating elective class for a Japanese magical art that meshes rather well with Parseltongue magic."}

Seeing Harry's interest, she continued. {"They call it Fuinjutsu; it's an art that revolves around sealing objects, magic, or even spells by using ink mixed with your own blood. Using Fuinjutsu and Parseltongue together you can store spells in ink on your skin, ready to be used whenever you need them. Parseltongue isn't necessary for that, but it does help." Chandra rolled up her sleeves, revealing intricate lines of curling ink on her arms. "These are active Fuinjutsu seals, the one on my right arm has a powerful stasis charm and the one on the left has a magic-replenishing spell that requires a lot of power to cast. Once you can manage all of the exercises that revolve around the Snake-Summoning charm I can get you started in Fuinjutsu if you want, but for today let's focus on your first exercise."} Chandra drew a wand from the sheath sewn into her left sleeve and switched languages. {"Now, this is the standard charm. Serpensortia."} She made the wand movement as she spoke, and a snake appeared out of thin air; some kind of python. {"And this is the same spell cast in Parseltongue with a bit of intent. Serpensortia!"}

Unlike the first snake, this one was not a being of flesh at all; instead it was transparent, a creature of living water held together by magic. Harry watched as its tongue flicked out, tasting the air. He was fascinated as Chandra ordered it through a number of simple tasks: Move here, roll over, bite that tree; eventually she finished the demonstration and flicked her wand again, dissolving both snakes into tiny motes of magic. {"That was a bit of showing off, but I think it should give you an idea of what the spell is capable of. Not only can you create any snake you can imagine, but if you really force your power and will into it you can drastically increase the length of the conjuration. Like all transfiguration, the better you can visualize something the better your results will be. Start by visualizing a snake of a particular color, then cast the charm when you're ready."}

Choosing to start simple, Harry imagined a snake, just a simple grass snake but colored a bright orange. After a moment, he cast the charm in Parseltongue, and got a lethargic snake in a rusty-brown color. Chandra looked at it, conjured a ten-foot pole and poked it a few times, then turned to Harry. {"Practice makes perfect. Next time, try to visualize a living snake; something with the spark of life burning brightly."}

Harry's next attempt produced an orange snake that was literally on fire, but not fireproof. Chandra vanished the unfortunate serpent quickly. An idea flashed through Harry's head, and he imagined a new snake. This one was made of living gemstones, gleaming in the afternoon light. His next attempt produced a snake-shaped pile of rocks, but he focused his will and tried again, getting a stone snake that struggled to move at all. He tried again and again, each time getting a little closer. The afternoon faded into evening as he tried again and again, each time refining the idea in his head and listening intently to his tutor's instructions. Sweat built up as he tried attempt after attempt, pushing himself harder than he had even when training with Hermione for the Tournament. Finally, as the sun began to sink into the horizon, he conjured a living snake made of emeralds. {"How do you feel my stone friend?"}

The emerald snake, larger than the boa he'd freed from the zoo before turning eleven, lifted its head and flicked its tongue at him. {"I feel good, strong. What do you want me to hunt?"}

Chandra interrupted Harry by vanishing the snake. {"That was very good Harry. It's rare to see someone make so much progress so quickly. You should eat a big meal and get some sleep. If you'd like I can meet you again at nine tomorrow morning? We can push this exercise a little further and maybe get you started on a few healing spells. Did you buy feeder animals for your snake?"} When Harry nodded, she continued. {"Perfect. You can practice your healing spells on mice, that's much safer than learning on people."}

Harry nodded. Now that he'd stopped for the night, he really did feel tired like he hadn't since those sessions learning the Patronus. Before he knew it he was back at the inn, so hungry he ate his way through two dinners before heading up to his room. As he got ready for bed, he considered how to make his room more secure. He arranged pillows on the inn's bed to look like he was sleeping there, then dragged a bed from his tent's bedroom into his trunk, then placed the trunk so if someone broke into his room he could throw spells at them from behind the cover of a couch and wall. Finally, he placed the venomous snakes around the room, even helping the Indian Cobra up onto the door frame. Saska was tired from a long day, so she had already gone to bed in the new terrarium. When he was finally ready to turn in himself, Harry spoke to his guards for the night. {"Okay. All you need to do is stay put and stay awake; if anyone breaks down the door or window, yell for me and bite them. If we're attacked I'll come help."}

Harry's Indian Cobra spoke up. {"New snake told us how you spent the day learning to make better snakes. We will fight if sneaky bad things attack while you sleep. For one mouse every day. Each."}

Harry chuckled. {"Of course. Like I promised, one mouse each for every night you keep watch for me. Good night, I'll see you in the morning."}

=[\'*.*'/]=

Back in Britain, Dumbledore sent off a cannon-blast charm as he strode into the chaos plaguing Number 12 Grimmauld Place. "Silence! Time is of the essence! Alastor, what did you see inside Harry's home?"

Stomping forward, Alastor spoke up. "Potter is gone, and someone arranged blankets on his bed to make it look like he was still there. The Dursleys and their car are gone and someone's emptied a couple of closets inside the house. Potter's wand and cloak are gone, but his books, trunk, broom, and photo album are still there."

After several long, useless moments of discussion Sturgis spoke up. "The Dursleys were planning a trip to Japan, something about business. Elphias and I destroyed the paper slips they needed though, so they can't have left. No idea how three little scraps of paper were going to get them to Japan anyway."

Remus groaned out loud. He'd been on duty guarding Harry the next shift after that and he'd overheard Vernon ranting and raving. Of course, he'd passed it on, but Moody hadn't cared about inconveniencing the muggles. "That was a business trip to finalize a massive deal between two companies. I tried to explain to Moody, but he would have lost his job and livelihood if he backed out; if they insulted the other business it could have ruined Grunnings."

Moody shrugged. "Nothing a few memory charms couldn't fix. Making sure Potter's blood ward charges is more important than some muggle business."

(Hermione, who was listening through an extendable ear alongside the Weasley children, was more than a little dismayed by Moody's remark and the way the rest of the Order agreed. For a moment, she began to worry that her parents' change of heart when they'd suddenly agreed to let her spend the summer with the Order had involved magic. Then she shoved that doubt down, feeling sure that muggles or not the Headmaster's secret Order wouldn't be so careless with mind-altering magic.)

After a few more minutes, the Order agreed to mount brooms and search Little Whinging. They didn't notice the teenagers scurry upstairs as they stormed out in force to search for the missing family. Despite spending the rest of the night searching, no one found anything. As the sun rose, invisibility spells were applied to brooms and riders and the search continued. Remus made a lucky find as he frantically searched for Harry when he found the Dursleys' family car in its long-term rental spot. A few charms and the lot attendant pulled the file, informing Remus that Vernon had paid for his car to remain safe in the yard for two weeks. Sending out a flurry of messenger patroni, the Order soon descended on the area and began their search, joined by Albus Dumbledore himself. Between Moody's eye and Albus' magical skill, it wasn't too long before they located the alley where Harry had left Britain behind.

After getting all the information possible from a day-old portkey site, the Order reconvened at Number 12. Dumbledore addressed the tired group as coffee was passed around and bracing tea was drunk like water. "As you all know, it is extremely difficult to trace a portkey, and impossible after more than five minutes." Ignoring the despair sweeping the room, Albus continued. "However, there is good news. Even many hours after the portkey was used, there is far too much magical residue for the portkey to have a destination within Britain. I would dare say the destination was much further afield. Severus, has there been any indication that Voldemort has captured Harry?"

With a sneer on his face, Snape replied. "No. In fact the Dark Lord specifically ordered his followers to leave Potter to him and to remain quiet."

Nodding his head, Dumbledore turned to Kingsley Shacklebolt. "I suspect that young Harry has done something foolish. Would you and Nymphadora be willing to visit the portkey shops in Diagon and Hogsmeade?" When they both replied that they would, he continued. "Thank you. Please inquire about any international portkeys purchased in the last week. Remus, please inquire into any muggle methods of tracking Harry's family. Alastor, I leave you the search for Harry in Japan, assuming that was actually his destination, in your capable hands."

Once again, the meeting broke up with some of the members heading to sleep, and others heading out to their tasks. Moody stomped through the Floo, grumbling about reaching out to old contacts. Hermione, however, noticed something no one else seemed to. Given how vocal Sirius had been about not ignoring Harry or leaving him alone with his muggle family, she assumed he would be terrified for his godson. Instead, Sirius had a subdued smile as he made his way to the old bedroom he'd claimed; which was absolutely not the one he'd used as a child or the one his mother and father had slept in.

A moment after she knocked, Sirius' door opened and looking in, Hermione saw he was seated at one of the chairs in a sitting area pouring himself a glass of Firewhiskey. He set down his stolen wand and gestured for her to join him, and feeling curious she did. After a moment of silence while he sipped his drink, he spoke up. "Go ahead and ask your question, Hermione."

Unable to contain herself, she replied. "Why aren't you upset? Harry is missing!"

Sirius shook his head. "No, Harry simply decided to leave, and it was the right decision. Dumbledore had no right to isolate Harry like he did, not even letting the Order talk to him. It's not like Harry didn't know they were there, I'm sure you and the twins heard about him throwing dirt or water on invisibility cloaks."

"The Headmaster was just doing what he thought was best…"

Sirius interrupted her. "No. Barmy old Albus is making decisions he has no right to make. You know that Harry was asking for help learning to fight over summers, but he couldn't even get Dumbledore's permission to hire a tutor." Seeing Hermione was puffing herself up to argue in the Headmaster's favor again, Sirius kept going. "Hermione, after being kidnapped and tortured learning to protect himself was not only a reasonable request, it was a responsible one, but Dumbledore didn't even allow one of the Order to spend a few moments teaching Harry how to apparate or cast a messenger patronus. You probably know Harry better than anyone else and I know you saw him drive off a hundred Dementors with a single patronus. Do you think he couldn't learn those spells? Or do you think that they couldn't potentially save his life?"

Hermione, distracted from defending Dumbledore, replied to Sirius' last point. "Harry might not spend as much time studying as he could but he is good at practical magic when he applies himself. But the Headmaster…"

Sirius spoke up again. "The Headmaster has no legal or moral right to decide what the students do over the holidays, but that hasn't stopped him from controlling nearly every aspect of Harry's life. For some reason Albus has a desperate need to control my godson. You may have noticed he hasn't exactly gotten around to getting me a trial, has he? Hell, a few minutes ago we had three Aurors and a Ministry department head meeting in my house, but the Order can't be bothered to convince anyone that I never had a trial and that I should get one with Veritaserum."

Sirius let out a long breath and looked at the girl in front of him. "Hermione, the Headmaster doesn't own Harry."

"But he isn't safe…"

Sirius shrugged. "Given what I've heard about Harry's adventures in Hogwarts? He's probably safer out in the world than Hogwarts. What are the chances he's going to stumble into a civil war or something while he's out on vacation?"

Hermione stormed out of Sirius' bedroom, unable to admit that the Headmaster she idolized could possibly be wrong, and Sirius leaned back and sipped at the Firewhiskey he'd found in the cellar. Was Harry in danger? Maybe. But despite Molly and the others refusing to admit it, Harry was in danger no matter where he went; as much as Sirius wanted his godson kept safe, he also knew the boy needed the chance to grow into himself. Considering everything Sirius knew about his godson, he was sure the boy would be learning everything he could while out of Britain but he hoped Harry made time for fun as well. Magic knew Sirius and the Marauders had enjoyed their trip out of Britain after sixth year. James and I were in a bad place after we buried his parents and that trip was just what we needed to clear our heads. Despite how much fun we had in that brothel in Mumbai I kind of regret not seeing the rest of the country. But damn, those succubi were incredible.

=[\'*.*'/]=

A/N: About the name for India's magical school, which translates to Unity: I kind of thought it'd be neat if, compared to the very divided non-magical side, India's main school was founded to bring the various groups together. Like, you have all these different groups competing against each other but at least at the school there's unity, and then these trained magicians, at least before the Statute, would go home and get their muggle relatives to work together. Or at least attempt convincing them not to kill each other.

Anyway, Harry has landed in Naga Nagri and the India arc of this fic is well underway. Please leave a review, I love reading them!

So, as far as I can tell, FF's alert emails went down... after only being up for about a week. I usually wait for them to come back up before posting new chapters, but I'm beginning to suspect they're not actually coming back, so here's the next chapter. Remember that you can follow me on Ao3, a site that actually works.