Harry Potter and the Green Snake of Slytherin

5.

Snakes

After all the annoyance Rita Skeeter had been causing at Hogwarts last year, Albus Dumbledore decided to cancel the school's Daily Prophet subscription and to give the competition a chance.

Thomas Quill had come in person to Hogwarts and offered every student a free one-month subscription so that he could gain yet more customers.

Ron, Harry and Hermione had grabbed the fresh copy they had received for breakfast and were commenting the headlines.

Today's issue was mainly dealing with the unexpected Muggle deaths due the recent rebirth of Lord Voldemort. In the cover story, the journalist tried to locate the Dark Lord precisely according to the places where he had committed his last crimes. There were also some realistic moving pictures about yesterday's Quidditch match between the Chudley Cannons and the Sperrickle Sparrows, and then Ron saw the following article, on page 13:

"Hogwarts enrols new fifth-year student. A quiet revolution is on its way"

"Look, Harry! Your Slytherin friend is giving out an interview!"

Hermione looked disgusted "She thinks she could become a prefect or something?"

"Why don't we just read what she has to say?" suggested Harry

"Avara von Argentum, Hogwarts' latest recruit, has accepted to answer a few questions by Randall Wilkins, our special reporter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

• It's an honour for me to be able to study at Hogwarts

[...] further on, I think the Houses should have the opportunity to work closer together. For example, during the double classes, I think the students from both houses should mix up. We could get to know each other better, benefit from each other's experience and hence get better results at the exams [...]"

Hermione asked "Do you think she's serious?"

"Maybe," said Harry "It's not a bad idea after all"

"Oh come on, Harry. Ravenclaws are O.K., Hufflepuffs, well, they have qualities too. But Slytherins? They'd want to turn you in, anytime." said Ron, who went on "Though I must say she is almost bearable ... for a Slytherin. Too bad Malfoy happens to be her cousin. Frankly, Harry, I don't know how you..."

"I don't know myself, Ron", replied Harry.

Later that day, at the end of the double Charms lesson with the Slytherins, Harry congratulated Avara heartily for her courageous views in the Wizard Times.

"Well, well. I hope I did not sound too self-assured and arrogant" she said, softly "I really want to make things change in a better way, you know"

Harry was drinking her words. "Look, Avara, Hagrid invited me into his hut for a cup of tea, would you like to join us?"

The raven-haired girl remained silent for a moment; she remembered what her parents and Renatus Troomveld had told her about the half-giant.

Looking sorry, she finally answered "Harry...I don't know what's going on. I'm not feeling alright. It looks like Professor Flitwick's new charm gave me a serious headache. I'm afraid I can't come with you now."

The young wizard looked disappointed. Avara went on "But I would really like that we meet tonight after dinner. I'll be in the Great Hall at 9, with Draco and Steve". The pain that started weighing on Harry's chest was relieved.

"What happened to Crabbe and Goyle?", asked Harry, wondering why he bothered to care about them.

"I guess the two dumbheads will have to look for another best friend or role model", said Avara with a grin upon her face that almost made Harry smile.

***

Harry arrived into Hagrid's hut after his daily Quidditch practice. He had taken a cold shower and changed his scarlet Gryffindor outfit for the more discrete black robe with the red collar.

"Please Harry, C'mon, take a seat", said Hagrid, welcoming his guest warmly.

"Why did you want to see me, Hagrid?" asked Potter.

"Well Harry, it has been a long time..."

"I can feel there's something else, Hagrid. Why don't you just go ahead and tell me? Do you want to hatch some new forbidden monster?"

"Umm..." said Hagrid, his rough hands going through his thick beard "I shouldn't be tellin' yer that...It's none o' me business... Oh... did I say too much?"

"Yes, Hagrid, I'm afraid you have. What is it?"

"I was wonderin'... That Slytherin girl yeh're after..."

Harry's face turned crimson red "I'm not AFTER her, Hagrid! Who told you such nonsense?"

Hagrid blushed "I thought... Your friends..."

"I'm not quite sure who my friends are now, Hagrid"

"Well, that Avara girl...I wanted to tell you that....she's ok. She's alright." He paused, trying to say exactly the opposite of what he first had in mind "If she weren't in the House of the Snake, I'd even say she's perfect... but somehow she reminds me of someone I know... someone bad... I don't know.... It's silly, Harry, I shouldn't have said that... Maybe Hermione influenced me..."

"I bet she has!" said Harry

"Umm yes, forget it, young boy..." said the huge man "And honestly, her interview in the Wizard Times was pretty good too. Not that I could read it. Albus Dumbledore read it to me"

That evening, Harry kept talking to Ron, not saying a word to Hermione. He did not forgive her the way she had asked Hagrid to divert him from Avara and wondered how she could be so jealous.

Avara von Argentum was indeed a serious competitor for her, because she was as literate as Harry's friend and she seemed to have practical knowledge of it all, outgrowing by far Hermione who had learnt all she knew in books.

The Gryffindors went down for dinner at eight o'clock. While Ron and Hermione were still finishing their pudding, Harry walked towards the Slytherin table, where Malfoy, Steven Packard and Avara were playing a game of Magical Tarot.

"Hi, Scarhead" said Malfoy, smirking.

"Hi, you bleached pureblood", replied Harry, knowing how he could handle Draco now. They had found a modus vivendi and were now having fun inventing all possible despising greetings. "Harry! How was teatime with Hagrid this afternoon?" asked Avara, her voice not as self-confident as usual.

"Hmm...it was okay", lied Harry.

Avara bent closer to him and whispered "We'll meet at midnight at the entrance of the Slytherin Common Room. I'll be waiting there", her deep voice sounding crystal clear again.

"I'll be there too", said Harry.

A young first-year Ravenclaw who Harry recognized as "Servana Abbott" joined the Slytherin pack and they continued their play of cards together.

Walking up the moving staircase, Harry found Ron and Hermione talking to Gerald Ashford. They headed together for the Gryffindor Common Room, and Hermione spoke the password "Brave heart" when the Fat Lady asked for it. After playing a long game of Wizard's Chess with Ron, Harry told him he was exhausted and needed to go to bed.

While he was pretending to sleep, Harry wondered why Avara would want to meet him so late at night. The girl was a bit weird, Ron was right, but she was also very mature and interesting.

Once all Gryffindors in the dormitory had fallen asleep, Harry got out of his bed and took his father's invisibility cloak. This could be useful on the long way from Gryffindor to Slytherin, from the highest tower to the deepest vaults in the dungeons.

Avara was waiting for him, in her shimmering green satin bedrobe. She was looking as detached and intriguing as always and was waving her hand telling Harry to remain silent "Shh... no-one should hear us now" Then, lowering her voice, which became almost ethereal, she said "I must show you something, Harry. It was important you came here tonight. Follow me, and for God's sake be silent". She spoke the password "Will of Power" in front of the great stone snake that was guarding the Slytherin Common Room. Its eyes starting glowing like iridescent emeralds, and the heavy stone-carved door behind its back swung open. Harry was impressed and frightened. It was the first time he was entering the Slytherin rooms. They were very different from the Gryffindor's. He was afraid that Crabbe and Goyle could emerge from the dark and attack him suddenly. Avara felt that and took his hand. They both walked on tiptoes in the direction of her bedroom.

When they arrived, Harry whispered "How are we going to talk in this place?" Avara had already picked up her ebony wand. Waving it at the dormitory, she enunciated "Silencium profundum".

"Just like that, she said" speaking normally again; then she added "Lumos Serpentem". A dull green light was now filling the room.

"Better, isn't it?"

"You Slytherins have spells...Scary...Where did you learn all that? I could need them too" Potter said, smiling.

"Harry, lots of spells you just don't learn in books..." she said mysteriously.

At that moment, Harry's eyes turned towards Avara. She looked as if she were scintillating in the greenish light. Her pitch black hair seemed to absorb all light around them and silvery stars where shining, scattered among her hair. It was like watching the canopy of stars in the forest on a clear summer night. Her green eyes were slowly changing, glooming with swift, green flamelets. It was as if all that green light around them had revealed her real self.

Harry's eyes finally crossed Avara's and he had a shock. Amidst the greenish fire drops, he could clearly see his parents a few minutes before they died.

His mother Lily was cradling him gently in her arms and his father was now facing...Lord Voldemort himself. But for the first time since he first saw Voldemort in his visions, the Dark Lord appeared to him as he really was, in his human form, not in the usual blurred way. Near Voldemort lurked an enormous snake that was ready to strike." Scared by what he was seeing, Harry came back to reality in a sudden and asked the girl "Tell me about your eyes Avara; why could I see what I saw inside of them?"

"Harry," she answered smoothly "what you see in my eyes are the deepest memories hidden inside your heart. The good... and the bad. I'm glad you could see anything at all, not everyone does." "But this is not the reason why you're here," she said, "I wanted to show you that ..." pointing towards the small metallic cage at the bottom of the bed.

"This is Malachius, my pet snake" she said, while removing the black cloak that covered the cage "He usually wakes up after midnight" Malachius was a relatively small-sized, poisonous-green snake with expressive silvery eyes. He seemed to yawn while he was waking up.

"You have pet... snakes in Slytherin??" asked Harry

"The others don't" said Avara, grinning and proud. "As far as I know, I'm the only student owning a pet snake at Hogwarts. And Malachius is not your average pet snake!"

She then explained he was actually a so-called Gem Snake, a very rare variety of reptile whose venom drops turned into gemstones within minutes in its master's hands, whereas they were deadly for others.

Her snake could produce Malachite, a complex green stone that was, in its powdered form, a precious ingredient for some of the most potent potions.

"And... where did you get it?" asked Harry, curious.

"You mean him", corrected Avara "My godfather gave him to my parents when I was born. He had found him in the forest near our house" she lied.

Then, her voice turned more dark and dramatic: "Malachius and I are under a strong bond. He bit me when I was a few weeks old. A drop of venom crawled into my veins. That's why my eyes are like this, Harry. I did not die. It made me stronger."

Harry was fascinated by Avara's tale. He suddenly heard a soft, hissing voice behind him. He realized the snake was saying something to him in Parseltongue "Hello Harry Potter, my name is Malachius; I'm Avara's precious snake. She told me a lot about you, you know"

Avara tried to help Harry relax "Don't be afraid, Harry. Go ahead, talk to him, he just wants to know you"

Harry opened his mouth and a hiss came out of it "Pleased to meet you, Malachius" The snake bowed to him with respect. Avara's crystalline voice was now speaking Parseltongue too: "I knew you would like each other" she said.

Harry was awestruck "You...are a Parselmouth?"

The girl with the scintillating black hair nodded silently, adding "Whatever people might have told you until now, only - true - heirs - of - the - great - Salazar - Slytherin - are - gifted - with - Parseltongue, believe me" speaking each single word clearly and thoughtfully. "You have that in your blood, Harry Potter"

"But...but I thought Voldemort was the last remaining descendant of Slytherin", he said.

"Things are not as easy as they seem, Harry" she went on:

"Voldemort is one of Slytherin's heirs; that's true. But we also descend from the Snake Lord. Voldemort wants to wipe all the others out, to get the whole power of Slytherin for himself", she lied. "That's why he's trying to kill you"

Harry had been so sure that the Sorting Hat and Fawkes had proven him to be a true Gryffindor, but now he was facing doubt again. Maybe Avara was right. What if he had also Slytherin blood flowing through his veins?

But at that moment, he was too upset to think seriously about all that. All that mattered was that he had finally found someone speaking Parseltongue just like him and unlike the other Hogwarts students - mainly Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs - she did not look at him as if he were Satan in person.

Avara then said "You know I can't love you Harry. We stand both far above it all. But we are similar and we understand each other. This is most valuable." And she took his hand gently.

Malachius hissed "Aren't they cute?"

His mistress made him shut up with an ice-cold, dark glare.

***

At the same time, Ron had woken up sweating because of some dreadful nightmare involving huge spiders and carnivorous plants. He turned to Harry's bed but noticed that Harry was gone. Worried, he walked slowly into the girls' dormitory and woke Hermione up "Harry's missing" he said. They looked up the Gryffindor Common Room but Harry was nowhere to see. Even if he had been acting strange lately, he was their best friend and they had to look for him in the castle.

With Harry's invisibility cloak gone, it was almost impossible to remain unseen in the corridors. They tried to be as silent as possible, controlling up to their breath. They were calmly heading towards the dungeons when they saw a huge, bat-like shadow hovering onto them. It was Snape, who had just finished preparing tomorrow's Potions class. He was a night figure and loved to work after midnight.

The Potions Master's hypnotic presence seemed to turn their blood into ice. His unfathomable eyes were looking down on the three Gryffindors and, covering himself with his fluid black robe, he spoke in barely more than a whisper "I'm entitled to think that you have a good reason for being here, Miss Granger"..."and you too, Mr. Weasley ?" he added, poisonous.

Ron answered, sparing Hermione the need to come up with a plausible reason. "We are looking for Harry, Professor. He left the Common Room without telling us about it, we wanted to make sure nothing had happened to him".

Severus Snape had been thinking about Avara's plan all day, unable to tell if he approved it or not. But he told Ron and Hermione, "Don't worry, Mr. Potter is safe right now, I can swear it. Why don't you just go back to your dormitory, like you ought to?" and he added with an incredibly soft voice "And, by the way, that will be twenty points from Gryffindor...Each!". He headed towards Dumbledore's office, his black robes rippling in a cold breeze.