Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
The next evening at eight, students gathered in the Great Hall for the dueling club. The tables had been moved to the side and in the center of the room was a gold stage, lit by candles floating around. Students were eagerly waiting, their wands in hand for the club to start.
"I've been looking forward to this all day," Draco said gleefully.
"Me too," Harry grinned. "I wonder what Uncle Severus has planned for Lockhart." He noticed a weird look on Ron's face. "What?"
"Nothing," Ron shrugged. He chuckled. "It's just still strange to hear you refer to Snape as Uncle Severus."
Harry rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"I think this will be very educational for us," Hermione said. "Two expert professors –"
"Lockhart an expert?" Draco laughed. "Good one."
"Now, Hermione has a point Draco," Harry said with a straight face. "He's an expert on hair products."
Harry, Ron, and Draco burst into laughter while Hermione scowled at them.
Suddenly Lockhart walked into the hall and onto the stage, wearing his usual flashy robes, this time a deep plum. Snape followed in his usual black robes and stood on the opposite end of the stage; arms crossed as he waited.
"Can everyone see me? Hear me? Gather round, you don't want to miss anything, do you? Make sure you can see me." Lockhart called.
"Oh brother," Ron mumbled, rolling his eyes when Hermione hushed him.
"I had the idea for this club to train you in case you ever face danger, as I have on many occasions. Surely all of you know about it if you've read my books. Now, let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape." Lockhart smiled widely. "He's taking his time from his little potion-making hobby to do this demonstration. He mentioned he knows a bit about dueling himself." He chuckled.
"Little potion making hobby?" Harry glanced at his godfather. Snape looked more menacing than usual, a fierce glare on his face as he stared at Lockhart.
"If I were Lockhart, I'd be packed and out of the castle already," Ron muttered.
"Lockhart is too stupid to know he is in danger," Draco snickered.
The two professors faced each other and bowed, well, at least Lockhart did, making a big show of it. Snape merely jerked his head. They raised their wands.
"See how high we hold our wands?" Lockhart said. "On the count of three, we will cast our spells. One – two – three!"
Both swung their wands above their heads. "Expelliarmus!" Snape yelled and with a flash of scarlet, Lockhart was blasted backward and smashed into the wall.
The Slytherins began cheering, Harry and Ron joining in.
"Oh dear, do you think he is all right?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"Who cares?" Harry said. He sighed when Hermione glared at him. "Okay, okay. Look, he's fine. He's getting up, see?"
Lockhart got up and stumbled slightly back to the stage. "Well, that was the ah, Disarming Charm and as you can see, I have lost my wand – ah, thank you," he said as a student handed it to him. "An excellent idea to show them, Professor Snape. But if you do not mind me saying so, it was rather obvious what you were going to do. I could have stopped you of course, but I wanted the students to see what happened."
A look of complete loathing crossed Snape's face and Lockhart cleared his throat. "Uh, I think we should pair the students off and let them have a try."
"Coward," Draco muttered.
"Harry's my partner," Ron said quickly, giving Draco a smug look.
Draco frowned but nodded. "Fine. Hermione's mine."
Hermione looked at him in surprise before smiling.
"Wands at the ready! And disarm only, remember," Lockhart shouted. "One – two – hey! I didn't say three!" He watched helplessly as the students began throwing jinxes at each other, giggling as they did. Ron hit Harry with a spell to make him dance and once free, Harry hit Ron with the tickling charm.
"Stop! I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted, looking frazzled.
Luckily Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" He glared at the students, his gaze ending on his godsons.
"Uh oh," Draco said.
Harry bit his lip. "Sorry," he mouthed to Snape.
Snape sighed and shook his head ruefully. He turned his glare to Lockhart. "What's next, oh great dueling instructor?" he asked Lockhart sarcastically.
"Um, well," Lockhart paused. "Oh! Blocking spells!" he beamed. "That is useful to know, isn't it? Let's see, Potter and Malfoy come on up!"
"Harry's last name is Malfoy!" Snape snapped at him.
"Right, right. Sorry. Both Malfoy's, come on up," Lockhart said. "This is what you do." He raised his wand and wiggled it around before accidentally dropping it. "Oops. Well, you boys get the idea."
"No, we don't," Draco said huffily.
"Unless dropping your wand is how to block spells," Harry said.
"Malfoy, go ahead and cast a spell and let him try to block it," Lockhart said in irritation.
"Which Malfoy?" Harry asked with a smirk. He ignored the scowl Lockhart gave him and faced Draco.
"Scared brother?" Draco asked with a grin.
"You wish," Harry teased.
"I'll show you how to block," Snape said, moving forward.
"Hey Potter! Try blocking this!" An older Slytherin shouted. "Serpensortia!"
Harry watched in horror as a long black snake shot out of the boy's wand and landed right in front of him. It raised itself, looking ready to strike. Screams erupted among the students.
"Harry!" Draco took a step forward.
"Do not move!" Snape said, trying not to sound as panicked as he felt. "I will dispose of it."
"Oh, I can do that," Lockhart said confidently. He waved his wand enthusiastically and with a loud bang, the snake flew into the air and landed near Justin Finch-Fletchley, hissing with its fangs exposed.
Without thinking about it, Harry stepped closer to them. "Leave him alone!"
The snake obeyed, now docile and looking at Harry.
"What are you trying to do? Get me killed?" Justin snapped.
"Huh? I told it to leave you alone," Harry said, confused.
"You told it? You're a Parselmouth!" Another student gasped.
Harry looked around to see everyone staring at him in shock, even his friends, godfather, and brother. He had no idea what a Parselmouth was but obviously, it wasn't something good. He watched as Snape waved his wand and the snake vanished in a puff of smoke. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Lockhart began speaking.
"Well, well! A Parselmouth! Just like you know who!" Lockhart said, staring at Harry in fascination. "Tell me, what is it like to speak snake language?"
Snake language? Hadn't he just spoken English? And what did he mean like you know who?
"He could have us all killed!"
"He's a dark wizard!"
"Shut up!" Draco shouted at the students.
Unable to handle all the stares and feeling so confused, Harry ran out of the hall.
/
Snape watched as Draco ran after him and he quickly sent his patronus to Albus, informing him of the situation. Harry's a Parselmouth? He wondered as he sought out the student who started this. "You, Mr. Burke, are in a lot of trouble."
"It was just a joke," The fifth year said weakly.
"Was it? Is a month of detentions with Mr. Filch a joke? Is fifty points from Slytherin a joke? Is the thousand lines I am going to assign you a joke?" Snape snapped at him.
"Uh, no Sir," The fifth year said as his classmates glared at him. Slytherins took the loss of points very seriously. Especially if it was taken by their head of house, which was extremely rare.
"Where would Harry go?" Snape asked Ron and Hermione after sending the fifth year to his dorm.
"Maybe the Tower?" Ron said.
"Or outside to Hagrids," Hermione suggested.
"Both of you go and check and if you find Harry and Draco, tell them to come to my quarters. Make sure they know they are not in trouble," he added, knowing Harry would think so. The poor child must be so confused.
"A Parselmouth," Ron murmured in astonishment.
"Go!" Snape snapped.
/
Harry didn't stop running until he was in the Owlery. He reached Hedwig, who gave him a worried hoot.
"I'm okay," Harry said breathlessly, petting her soft feathers. "I'm okay." He repeated, trying to convince himself. What had just happened?
"Harry!" Draco ran into the owlery and grabbed his brother in a hug. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Harry said, returning the hug. "I just couldn't handle everyone looking at me like that. What exactly is a Parselmouth? Was I really speaking snake language? And what – "
"Wait, hold on," Draco shook his head. "We should go to Uncle Severus. He can explain better than I can."
"Is something wrong with me?" Harry whispered. "Am I a freak?"
"What? No!" Draco said. "Harry, you can speak to snakes. That's all. It sounds like a lot of hissing when you do it."
"How can I speak another language and not know it?"
"I don't know."
"But Voldem – I mean you-know-who spoke it?"
Draco sighed and nodded slowly. "Yeah." He put his arm around Harry. "Come on. We're going to find Uncle Severus. He'll explain and everything will be okay."
/
Snape headed to his quarters after speaking with Albus and sighed in relief when he saw his godsons at his door. "Boys!" He took Harry's chin in his hand and gazed at him in concern. "Are you alright?"
Not knowing why, Harry felt tears fill his eyes.
"Ah Harry, it's going to be okay," Snape said, hugging him. "Let's go inside and talk. Do you want your parents?"
"Is that okay?"
"Of course, I was going to floo them anyway," Snape assured him. Once inside, he threw floo powder into his fireplace and called for Narcissa and Lucius.
A moment later, they stepped through. "How did your dueling club go?" Narcissa asked cheerfully. Her smile faded when she saw Draco's worried face and Harry with tears in his eyes. "What happened? Were you hurt?" she asked Harry, immediately going to him.
Harry shook his head and flung himself into her arms. He didn't care if he was acting like a little kid, he needed comfort. He needed safety.
"Baby, what happened?" Narcissa asked softly as she hugged him.
"Severus?" Lucius asked, turning to his friend for some answers.
"During the club, a boy cast Serpensta at Harry," Snape said.
"Who did it?" Lucius asked, glancing at Harry. "Did it bite you?"
"No, but it almost bit someone else. Harry told it to stop, and it did."
Lucius froze. "What?"
"I'm a freak," Harry muttered, wiping his eyes.
"No, you're not!" Draco said.
"Sweetie, you're a Parselmouth? You can talk to snakes?" Narcissa asked, glancing at Lucius before focusing back on Harry.
"I told it to leave Justin alone and it did. And before Hogwarts, I think I talked to one at the zoo. It nodded when I asked it a question." Harry said. He wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm a freak, aren't I? You're going to regret finding me!" Years of the Dursleys telling him he was bad and he was a freak filled his mind. Suddenly he was spun around and looking into his father's stern eyes.
"Young man, you don't ever say that again. You are not a freak, and we will never regret finding you! I don't want to hear you say that again!" Lucius said, staring at his son. "Am I understood?"
"Yes Dad," Harry whispered.
Lucius hugged him for a moment before pulling back to look at him. "I mean it. I'll make you write a long essay about how wonderful you are if you say it again." he threatened.
Harry couldn't help but giggle.
"You can speak a different language that most can't," Lucius continued. "It is a rare gift."
"Gift?"
"Yes," Snape spoke up. "It's quite extraordinary. I wish I could speak it."
"You do?" Harry asked, feeling himself start to relax.
"Oh yes. Snake venom and scales would be much easier to obtain if I could simply ask a snake for it," Snape nodded, smiling as Harry laughed again.
"It's wicked! We should get a pet snake!" Draco said enthusiastically.
Harry smiled for a moment before slowly frowning. "But everyone acted like it was bad. Justin was angry at me. Is it just because you know-who-spoke it?"
"Yes. He would use it to tell snakes to attack people." Lucius said gently.
Harry gasped. "That's awful!"
"Also, Salazar Slytherin spoke it," Narcissa said.
"So, are we descendants of his?" Harry asked curiously.
"No," Lucius shook his head.
"So then why can I speak it?"
"I don't know," Lucius admitted.
Snape cleared his throat. "It's getting late. Why don't you boys sleep here tonight?"
Harry nodded gratefully. He didn't want to face his housemates right now.
"Sure. Thanks Uncle Severus," Draco said. "What about Burke?"
"Ah, he's been punished. Trust me, he will regret casting that spell," Snape said.
"Go change into your pajamas," Narcissa said.
"What is it? You wanted them out of the room for a reason." Lucius asked once the boys left the room.
"I spoke to Albus. He said he doubts that Harry was born with this ability. He thinks that when the killing curse rebounded on you - know - who, some of abilities went into Harry. Like the being able to speak to snakes." Snape said.
"Merlin," Narcissa breathed. Worry filled her eyes. "Well, now the students won't stop talking about him, will they? They'll gossip about him."
"Rumors are already running," Snape nodded. "That he's a dark wizard." He shook his head in disgust.
"Am I?"
The adults turned to see Harry in his pajamas, hovering near them.
Lucius motioned for Harry to come to him. "Being able to speak to snakes is not what made you- know- who evil. It was what he did with that gift that made him evil. Do you understand the difference? It was the things he did, the decision he made to hurt people."
Harry relaxed. That made sense. How could simply being able to speak to snakes be bad?
"Unfortunately, there are those who are very ignorant about this," Narcissa said.
"So, everyone will be afraid of me?"
"Not the intelligent ones," Snape said. "Your friends will stand by you and those who are smart enough to know that speaking to snakes is merely an ability."
"But those that aren't smart enough," Harry sighed.
"I will protect you from any gossiping or bullying," Snape said. "So will the other professors."
"So will I," Draco said firmly as he walked into the room. "I'll hex anyone who – "
"You will do no such thing," Narcissa admonished. "You will let an adult know and let them handle it."
"I know it will be difficult, but no fighting with anyone," Lucius said. "It will be what they want, to goad you. Ignore them, walk away, and let one of us know. All right?"
Harry sighed but nodded.
"Draco?" Lucius looked at his son sternly.
"All right," Draco muttered.
"I know this is frustrating but you're not alone," Narcissa told Harry. "And the shock of it will pass and the students will find something else to talk about."
"So," Lucius suddenly smirked. "Besides the snake incident, how did dueling go? Did you learn a lot from Lockhart, Severus?"
Snape scowled at him. "Funny. The only thing one can learn from Lockhart is that he is an idiot."
"So, when is the next lesson?" Draco asked innocently, causing Harry to snort with laughter.
"Never. That moron is a danger to everyone. Stop laughing," he complained good-naturedly as Lucius and Narcissa snickered.
TBC: