The Serpent's Thirst

***

Waking up bright and early the next morning while many of the Gryffindors were still sleeping, Ron hummed to himself, passing a couple of waving portraits as he travelled to the prefect's boys bathroom to wash up.

"Ron," Parvati called as he turned towards the secret door, which only prefects could enter. Well, except Harry who sneaked in during fourth year. It was a pleasant surprise to see her half running and walking to get to him. The sunshine beaming through the windows made the dust flecks look like flowing flecks of gold confetti circling her. She looked like a goddess in the middle of a tribute by the mere mortals who worshipped her. Ron had to shake his head to get the image out of his imagination.

"What's up ... something wrong?" Ron questioned, holding his robes for the day in his hands.

"Oh, no ... Hermione told me you got detention ... you're such an idiot for doing that," Parvati scolded, but all in the meantime fiddling with the collar of Ron's dressing gown.

"I know ... I'm always an idiot," Ron stated, glowing red.

Parvati smiled, "Not always. But when you are ... you are a particularly lovable one," she cooed, stretching her neck a little to kiss him. "I just wanted to say good morning." Parvati snuggled him. Ron breathed in the perfume she wore, a delicate blend of flowers which reminded him of the Burrow in the heat of summer.

"How could I have ever run from love when you're just so beautiful."

"Ronald Weasley ... are you trying to get into my good books?"

"Er ... Maybe," he grinned openly.

Harry lay in bed, while his dorm mates were already getting up to dress for another day of Quidditch, when Hermione bustled in, crankier than usual. He raised his eyebrows in question, his vision hunting her as she paced the room. "Are you still mad at me?" he asked, placing his hands behind his head.

She huffed, slapping her arms at her side in frustration. "No ... I just woke up mad, I don't know. My History of Magic essay doesn't seem right ... I think I should do a little more research - maybe ask old Auror veterans or - Oh I'll ask Moody about the -- Even better Dumbledore himself, after all he fought Grindelwald -- But I'm sure Dumbledore is too busy."

"Hermione!" Harry replied a little louder then he intended, pulling a pillow over his face and ears, until it became difficult to breath.

"Sorry."

Harry calmed down pulled the pillow away for a gulp of air. "I've got a headache."

"Is it your scar...? " Hermione murmured, concern streaking her face and she forgot about her essay all together.

"No," he said sharply throwing the cushion away. "A normal headache. Actually my scar hasn't twinged since Monday."

"Is it where you hit your head over the summer?"

"Er, well kind of ... but then again it is a weak spot now since I fractured my skull. Then there's also the lump on my head that Peeves graciously gave me on Monday that's making my morning even more difficult."

Hermione nodded as she opened his hanging a little more, so they could sit nicely against the bedposts, without needing to do so.

"Harry, you're stressing out to much, relax," she said sitting down on the bed, gently removing his raven strands away from his eyes; staring into his green eyes, thinking in the back of her mind how entrancing they were... he noticed and smiled, lifting his hand to her cheek.

"I feel better already."

"Good." Hermione grinned, recoiled a little and she hopped off the bed. "Quidditch is on soon so I suggest you get washed and dressed," she blurted out and looked out the window to see the brightening day.

Harry shut his eyes, feeling a little teased and sighed. he was so close to getting a nice little morning kiss.

He arrived at breakfast rather later then usual. Students had already left their tables to journey to the pitch for the last game before the finals, and the later strugglers were wolfing down their breakfast to meet up with their friends. Harry sat down next to Hermione, the warm porridge seemed to make him doze even further than wake him up.

"Where is Ron?" Harry rubbed his eyes looking around the near-empty Gryffindor table. "Thanks Neville." Harry smiled as he poured some milk into Harry's and Hermione's goblets.

"I saw Parvati talking to him as he was leaving for the pitch," Neville said, "talking about what Professor Firenze said about the stars."

Hermione giggled, thinking how hard it was for Ron to be near her five days ago. She delicately applied marmalade to her toast like she was performing a charm with a wand instead of using a knife. Harry watched, rarely blinking, and had the sudden urge to kiss her. He slowly sifted in his seat to get a little more close to her. Hermione noticed and narrowed her eyes while removing the toast from her mouth as she abruptly felt his lips on her neck.

"Harry, I am not your breakfast," she tisked.

Harry laughed, pulling away, but his fingers remained entangled in her hair. "Sorry, my mistake ... it's just that ... you look tastier than this," he retorted, pointing towards his porridge.

"If you don't stop, I'll be forced to tip the milk over your head." She took a bite out of her toast, silently staring at Harry who didn't feel like eating at all. "Sirius will be angry if you don't eat something."

"I'm not hungry, Hermione ... and I'm not a child that should be told what to do," he said with a huge breath, looking up at the table to see Sirius talking to Professor Snape. Their faces were blank, which didn't give anything away as to what their relationship was like. He was trying to relax, and get his mind off things in case Voldemort would break through again.

"Well, Sirius said he'll have Madam Pomfrey chasing after you if you don't start looking after yourself."

"No- I don't care ... but I'll take a bite if you kiss me." Harry surrendered a little. He desperately wanted a smooch before he started to eat.

"Certainly ..." Hermione whispered, tilting her head slightly as she leaned forwards. Harry opened his mouth a little just in time to feel her teeth gently grasp his upper lip in a ticklish sort of way, before engaging in a long kiss which left Neville embarrassed to even sit near them, and left to give them some privacy.

Hermione hated seeing Harry so worked up with worry at times, she could really see the effects on his face. When Harry pulled apart from her, he dug his spoon into the thick sludge with irritation and ate it, with Hermione still staring, brushing a finger against her bottom lip lazily.

Harry grimaced as he ate, pushing his glasses back up his nose and staring at the ceiling. It was a happy day even though it was clouded and heavy snow littered the ground. Harry and Hermione were the last to leave the Great Hall to make their way down to the pitch. Loud cheers had echoed through the scenery as the game started, but they were still halfway up the path. Harry made no attempt to hurry up to watch the game, more content with walking with Hermione, chatting about happy times in their past. Occasionally he threw a snowball in her direction with a flick of his wand, catching Hermione by surprise, but she had him being chased by several more.

They discovered that once they arrived at the stadium, the student's had began to head out.

"Who won?" Hermione asked a red cheeked second year Ravenclaw with brown pigtails.

"WE DID!" she yelled jumping up and down on the spot. Her friends waving bronze and blue flags behind her. "Oh it was a great game, sure did kick those Slytherins in their behinds."

Luna Lovegood passed her and waved to the both of them, her large eyes even larger with the glory of their win. The huge eagle that rested on her head flapped it's wings in delight, and Hermione noticed that a snake was hanging limply from its mouth.

"Ravenclaw and Gryffindor in the final," Luna said knowledgably, with a sigh.

Harry nodded. "Yep ... well, good luck to whoever wins that," he said trying to smile, following the students direction back to the castle. The thought of Cho Chang staring at him in the game made butterflies flutter in his stomach, Hermione realised.

"Just forget about your past with her and concentrate on the game, not her," she babbled. Harry nodded mechanically seeing Ron and Parvati in front with their arms entangled around their waists. Ron was glowing, not because he was with Parvati but at the fact he didn't have to look at Malfoy or any other of the Slytherins in the last match.

***

Flicking through his timetable and noting that they had Charms that Wednesday morning, Harry thought of the way Flitwick would react when he caught sight of him and Ron. Harry wasn't really looking forward to that class, even though he rated it second from Defense class. Then they had History of Magic, which he still didn't believe he had passed in his OWLS. Perhaps he didn't, but since he had a terrible vision while doing the test, he was granted some sort of compassionate passing or something. Then the last lesson was Care of Magical Creatures. The rest were frees.

The day passed smoothly. Harry was rather quiet, thinking about the events, thinking about his cousin and what he should say to Mrs. Figg. Then there was the thought of Voldemort creeping into his mind.

Harry sat in a drowsy classroom between an exhausted Hermione - who was mumbling as she scribbled her notes, and Ron who wasn't really in a stupor as the rest of the students were. His eyes were twinkling brightly, and there was an air of happiness about him, and a smile was chiseled on his face. Harry watched him instead of focusing on History. Ron's history in the last couple of days seemed more interesting to ignore.

"What's up with you? You look like you're suffering the overly happy affects of scurvygrass juice," Harry whispered. He inked his quill quickly to take down a boring summary about a ghost dispute of discrimination in the beings liaison of the Ministry, in the last couple of years. None of which Harry heard anything about.

Since History of Magic in the latter years at Hogwarts was focused on Modern Magical history, Harry just couldn't wait till Modern History of Dark Wizards ... he was sure his name was bound to pop up somewhere. What a misery when Binns would start talking about that.

Harry blinked, shaking his head a little to remember his offhand conversation with Ron.

"Oh, Parvati," Ron sighed. His head tilted on his hand as he gazed absent-mindedly at the ceiling.

Harry glared at his bestfriend, Ron was certainly acting the same way when he first fell in love with Hermione. And Harry predicted that if a Veela happened to wave frantically next to Parvati ... Ron wouldn't even notice.

Ron smiled even more. "Divination suddenly becomes more interesting when she says it." he chortled.

Hermione stopped muttering under her breath, and rolled her eyes. "History ... focus."

"You know we never listen," Harry retorted. "But I listen to you."

Hermione pointed an incensed finger to his face about to scold him but thought otherwise. "If I were sick one day and had to miss class ... I think you'll both be lost."

"Well, then you must keep healthy, Hermione, you must." Ron said sarcastically making Harry laugh.

"Ron ... we won't need Hermione; we'll be doing an essay on me ... I think I know most of the facts about me to get at least an 'O' on it." Ron, Dean and Seamus who sat just in front of them sniggered loudly.

"It would be funny ... if you wrote something about yourself ... and Binns marked it wrong," Ron said unable to contain his amusement. Harry had tears in his eyes from the strain.

"But sir ... I was there ... the books have got it all wrong!" Harry imitated with an exasperated voice, imagining the scene. Seamus had to duck under his desk to wipe away a tear of laughter, as Hermione tsked loudly, shaking her head at the same time.

Ron grinned. "I think Binns would be shocked to realise that you have been in his class for five and a half years."

"--Mr. Perry and Mr. Winkle If you want to talk, please do it in your own time and not in class ..." Professor Binns replied stiffly in midair.

Hermione looked at the both of them with pursed lips and then continued to scribble down her notes. Harry shook his head, did the ghost ever get a name right?

After all the day's classes had finished, Harry decided to keep his mind off things with studying. Hermione suggested they'd study Transfiguration and then Potions. Harry wanted to study Defense. Ron was sick and tired of doing study and thought he'd see what Parvati was up too. Harry waved Ron off and looked into his diary and realised that he and Ron had detention that night. And right on cue, Professor McGonagall trotted into the Library, carrying a heavy load of books and handing it over to Madam Pince, when she spotted Harry at the far end of the room, basking near the window to catch what little sunlight poured in from the cold winter day.

"Mr. Potter, you and Mr. Weasley are to meet Mr. Filch at the entrance at six tonight."

"Wonderful ..."

"What?"

"I said Professor, what are we going to do?" he lied, looking up and pretending to act innocent. McGonagall stared ruthlessly at him for a moment, head held high and her lips thinned until it looked like she didn't have a normal mouth.

"You will find out tonight ... nothing, however, which will go against school and Ministry ethics," she added. The thought of Umbridge and her ideas of punishment made her blood boil. "Professor Grubbly-Plank also requested that you both wear your dragon hide gloves and Mr. Filch will give you some sturdy boots as well."

Hermione had that scolding look she always had when he was in trouble. But Harry ignored her and bowed his head, continuing with his homework when the Transfiguration teacher left them.

Her expression remained as Harry and Ron rose silently from their table at the end of dinner; with the other students, they all headed towards the doors to the Great Hall but changed direction as they stepped into the corridor. Gloomily, Harry and Ron traced their steps to the oak doors where Filch had already gathered some weird equipment and a net. Ron had a bewildered look and turned to Harry. Harry simply shrugged as Filch knocked the wind out of him as he practically slammed the net and ropes into his arms and did the same to Ron.

"We're going to the lake," Filch spat. He didn't want to give them a petty detention like this, he wanted to flay them, make them scream. He sighed, wishing once again that Umbridge was back.

"Er ... what are we going to do there?" Harry questioned slowly, cringing even before he was given an answer.

Filch growled and opened the doors, while Ron was having trouble holding the things. "We need to lure the giant squid above the surface so the professor could give him a vaccination against a parasitic infestation of Nookpeddles."

Ron had one eyebrow disappearing within his rather long fringe at that statement. Harry was about to ask what Nookpeddles were, which to him sounded like something Luna Lovegood would pop out quoting from the Quibbler, but decided against it once he noticed that Filch was getting angrier by the second.

They walked out of the castle into a blistery evening, making them shiver violently as they made their way to the lake. Professor Grubbly-Plank had already positioned herself at a reasonable spot by the edge of the lake where she had already melted a huge hole in the ice to make way for the squid.

"Boys," she said as Ron handed her the thick ropes that were nestled over his shoulder. "This will be an interesting detention."

"--If we're not killed," Ron breathed, Harry had to bit his lip in order not to retort.

"The Merpeople have kindly given their time to bamboozle the creature up, so I can give him a potion to stop the Nookpeddles -- they are little parasites which cause devastating rough green blotchy spots all over his suckers, preventing the poor beast from grasping things," she said, answering their silent questions.

"Er ... ok, what do you want us to do professor?" Harry asked, placing gloves on his hands.

"You are not to step onto the ice ... always stay on this patch around here where I've cleared the snow away. If the animal decides to become a little hostile, then please use your defensive skill such as the Impediment and Stunning curses, and hand me things when I need them ... other than that, Filch, the Merpeople and I will stabilise the Architeuthis Dux."

"Archi what--?" Ron blurted.

"It's the scientific Muggle name for one species of the giant squid ..." Harry answered - and paused. "I think I'm hanging around Hermione too much." Ron nodded, laughing.

The professor and the caretaker stood, silently observing the still, cold water where the ice had been melted away, waiting for the arrival of the animal. Minutes wore on; Harry couldn't feel his nose anymore and mist floated in front of his face, teeth chattering as the first sign of the squid surfaced. A white tentacle popped up above the water, coiling around itself and then managed to place it on the ice at the far end of the hole. Another splashed about and then another popped out. Harry and Ron moved back as Merpeople shouting in their own language showed up above the water, holding spears and giving out directions.

"Right then ... boys back up, back up," Professor Grubbly-Plank yelled, her wand held out. Harry followed her movement and took out his own, waves hitting the bank of the lake, and they were hit with a thick spray of chilling water.

The head of the giant squid broke out of the hole, arms now on the ice, hoping to get out. But the Merpeople below him and to his sides prevented it from escaping by poking it gently. And yelling at it, Filch hurried around throwing ropes to sedate him. The squid's bulging, black, beady eyes watched on in, distressed and confused.

"Potter ... open my basket and give me the yellow bottle," the professor demanded as she walked carefully on the ice as the animal lashed against the ice making bits of it crack and break off.

Harry obeyed and quickly retrieved the bottle, handing it over to a merman sitting on the ice in the shallows. The Merman replied with a whole lot of screeching sounds, but Harry smiled he was sure he wanted to say thanks. Harry wanted to run back to Ron before he was soaked by the water the squid was thrashing about, when he saw something which made him halt on the spot. He shook his head, freezing water drenching his hair and he looked back at the spot after wiping his glasses.

And there it was .... Vedas, the unmistakable Salmon of Wisdom.

There were no salmon in the lake and how many would actually gulp air on the surface. "Vedas?" Harry gasped he stepped forward and knelt down on the mud, He waved to Ron to come over and as he did, Harry touched the fish's scales in order to hear him speak.

"Hello, Harry Potter ... we meet again."

"When did you come here?" Harry asked amazed.

"Harry, who you talking to ... it's a fish!" Ron said, kneeling down by his side and pointing rudely at the salmon.

"It's not just a fish, Ron -- it's Vedas ... the one who gave me my voice back." Harry smiled. "Here touch the fish's scales and you'll hear him speak."

Ron did so and his ears were met with several rude obscenities by the fish for insulting him. "I'm sorry ... I didn't mean--"

"Oh, forget it you imbecilic Wizard ... time is running out," Vedas spat, wheezing slightly.

Harry looked up seeing the squid's tentacles licking the cold air while Professor Grubbly-Plank tried to make it swallow the vaccine. "What do you mean time is running out?" he whispered, making sure no one was paying attention to them. "Is there something wrong?"

"Yes," Vedas gargled, "something very important - something which will cause the power to shift drastically into the Dark Lord's hands. You are the only one now that can stop it from happening."

Harry pulled himself back up, mud covering his hands and arms, shaking his head in bewilderment. "What?" he didn't have a clue what he said as he cringed, but the shadowy rasping figure of Filch was hobbling closer towards them. Ron gaped openly at the fish, ignoring Filch.

Vedas whispered again. "The man who the Dark Lord is torturing is ... is the Freiceadan le Fios!" he said, his huge salmon mouth gulping air out of the water, he looked very ill, his otherwise glittery black eyes now sunken and pale. A thunderous splash in the distance by the giant squid sprayed Harry and Ron with more cold water. But they didn't take notice, watching the fish with intensity.

Filch grew nearer. "You - Potter, who in Merlin's goodness are you talking too? You are this close to getting another detention ..." Filch grunted, pointed his dirty shaking finger at Harry's face.

Harry wanted to say something creative but stopped himself in the last moment and calmed himself. He looked back into the dark water and gasped. Vedas had disappeared. Harry eyes shot across the lake, adrenalin rushing through him. Why on earth did he have to leave now, he didn't understand one thing the fish was going about.

Filch shook his head in rising anger, muttering about Harry talking to himself, and thinking he was really loony. People could only hear the fish speak if they'd touch the scales of Vedas.

"Vedas?" Harry whispered at the still waters. Then Vedas reappeared.

"Harry Potter, you must refuse to give it to him. You must or the Dark Lord will get what he wants."

"What-? I don't understand you ... what do you mean?" Harry looked at the fish in bewilderment and turned to Ron who simply shrugged. Harry instantly remembered the prophecy but he was sure this was something else.

"I do not have time now to fully explain. This is the warning. There are things in the future that I cannot tell myself ... it is all foggy ... I am dying... I must die! Darkness is seeking for my last breath. And it is for the better."

"But Vedas ... what are you trying to tell us?" Harry wanted to know. Harry thought that maybe old age was playing tricks on the fish ... he was definitely acting odd.

Vedas flicked his tail beneath the water, making ripples dance on the gleaming surface of the lake. "Harry Potter, you are the only one that can go beyond the barrier; you it will not swallow into its depths -- I'm sorry my memory is playing me a fool in my dying stages. I- I can't think straight ... I am sorry."

"Please Vedas ... try and think ... what are you saying?" Harry pleaded.

"The Tobar will call for you in time," the fish rasped. He began to float on his side, his fins giving up on movement. Harry was watching Vedas die.

"Tobar --what?" Harry was desperate to understand before death would take him.

The fish silently gulped the water for air, eyes looking up blankly at the two as life leaked out of him. "Whatever may happen, if refusal does not work ... Whatever the Dark Lord does ... let your brother or yourself follow his steps, it will be the only way ... you ... will .... remain --" But he didn't say the last word. Vedas, stopped breathing, his gills without movement and he floated in silence, still.

"Remain WHAT?" Harry shouted, Ron tugged his shoulder trying to pull him away. "Ron, he was trying to tell me something important ... who is this brother of mine? ... he hasn't said much!" He tried to break free from Rob's grasp, Filch getting very annoyed, spotting them not helping them.

"Harry, he's dead ... he's not going to say it anymore."

"That's it ... another detention." Filch growled across the lake. But Harry didn't care as he watched the fish drift away, the giant squid submerging as well into the depths again, but not without his final assault of plunging in and delivering a mightily huge splash into the faces of the people nearby.