The Snake and the Emerald Apple

The Invitation and the Opening

Tired, Harry rubbed his eyes with his fingers, throwing his glasses into the grass. He was currently in a peaceful triangle of mature trees and grasslands, offering a quiet retreat from city life, or so he'd read in the brochure that drew him to the park in Whitlock Bath. Unfortunately, it turned out to be an inflated story, the park was small, not well maintained and the grass was full of dog shit. Harry had struggled to find a neat place on a bench, away from the nagging owners of dogs and other animals.

He had been working on the box for three days. When he was unsuccessful after day one, he had still been optimistic; After all, research had always been a 'Hermione thing'. After the second day, which was filled with reading a very difficult book from Voldemort, Harry's mood turned sour. Yesterday, he vented his frustrations on the shiny wood of the box with blunt force, but unfortunately, Harry could not have even caused a scratch or a certain dullness.

Today he had just been feeling the box. He had felt the edges and the crack. He had checked for imperfections on the smooth surface, but nothing had worked. He had even taken off his glasses, effectively going blind, hoping his other senses would kick in.

So now he sat, almost blind, on a hard bench in a dirty park.

"Harry? Is that you?" sounded to his left.

Harry reached to the left and picked up his glasses. He put it quietly on his nose and opened his tired eyes.

In front of him stood Evan, waiting nervously with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Evan," said Harry quietly.

Evan gave Harry a cautious smile. "Hey Harry, you look good today."

Surprised, Harry looked down at his worn jeans and an oversized T-shirt. "You could say I still look good in a garbage bag," Harry said mockingly.

Evan had the sense to look at the floor in embarrassment. "I'm sorry Harry about the other day. I'm just really scared of snakes, and when I saw that beast, I freaked out." He studied Harry. "That snake, was it yours?"

Harry laughed, "No, that snake wasn't mine. I have brought her back to her owner, although she would not be happy to be labeled as property."

"You talk about that snake as if you knew her as if you had whole conversations with her," Evan said uncomfortably.

Harry remembered the conversations he had with Nagini, most of it about food and the thrill of a successful hunt. Once she had dropped the bombshell that she thought Harry would be a suitable "mate" to her Master, Harry had quickly run away and tried his best to pretend that the topic had never been discussed.

"I just watch how she moves, how she behaves," Harry says with a shrug.

"Hmm okay, I'm actually glad to see you," said Evan with a seductive smile. "I've missed you. Not only to kiss you or to talk to you, but especially your presence in the pub I missed."

"That's usually the way it goes, you don't miss something until it's gone," said Harry coldly.

"Jesus, yes, I know! I'm so sorry. Please tell me what I can do to make it up to you. I will do everything."

Harry scrutinized him and found that he didn't feel like giving Evan another chance. "I'll only be here for another few days," he lied, sliding his fingers absently over the lid of the box. "Why on earth would I give you another chance? You don't do anything with your remorse, the moment Tristan opens his mouth again, you will still rally behind him. And that doesn't matter, really. He's your friend, not someone who's just a stupid holiday romance."

Evan shook his head. "I got so very angry with him. He had acted like a bully, and I went along with it."

Harry nodded, "At least you can see that you've made mistakes, that's the first step, I guess."