Finding The Light

Parseltongue And Presents (edited)

I lowered my wand with an unimpressed look on my face while several of the students around us screamed and moved away. Malfoy raised his eyebrow at me, apparently unsatisfied with my lack of screaming and running away.

"Don't move, Sparrow," said Snape, "I'll get rid of it . . ."

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart.

With a bang from his wand, the snake flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor again with a loud smack. Yeah he got rid of it alright. The snake hissed and darted forwards for him but I caught it easily in my hand.

"C'mon Malfoy, a black mamba?" I asked as it wrapped itself around my shoulders as if it were my pet. "I thought you could do better."

"What are you, some snake charmer?" he scoffed.

"Well there's a reason i'm in Slytherin, don't you think?" I grinned deviously. Then to the snake I said, Wrap him up, won't you?

The snake slithered down me and across the stage towards Malfoy who stepped back quickly. The snake stopped though, turning to look at another boy and I rolled my eyes as it got ready to attack.

Stop! Harry called out quickly and the snake looked at him before continuing towards Malfoy.

"What do you think you're playing at?" the boy shouted, glaring at me and then Harry before storming out of the hall.

"Hey, get away!" Malfoy snapped, scurrying back from the snake.

Snape stepped forwards but before he could do anything, I lunged and snatched the snake from the ground letting it coil around me again.

"Sparrow-"

"Aw come on Professor Snape," i teased, giving Malfoy a mocking smirk, "It's my first present from Malfoy, don't make me have to get rid of him. I promise I'll take good care of him."

Snape said nothing, he just eyed Harry and I wearily. Something told me it was a bad thing that had just happened but i couldn't care. Harry helped me down, just as Ron and Hermione grabbed us, dragging us out the hall. Though the three of them were doing their best to avoid the snake on my shoulders.

"You're a Parselmouth. Both of you? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" Harry and I chimed.

"A Parselmouth!" said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"

"I know," said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once - long story - but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a wizard -"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

"So?" I asked, "I used to have conversations with snakes all the time, they were always finding me at home."

"I bet loads of people here can do it," Harry added.

"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. This is bad."

"What's bad?" I asked.

"What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake to stop -" Harry was saying

"Oh, that's what you said to it?" Ron asked.

"What d'you mean? You were there - you heard him -" I said quickly.

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything - no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something - it was creepy, you know – and you, Belle, you grabbed that thing out of the air, knew what it was and it loved you, it wrapped around you without hurting you like it intended, then you set it off after Malfoy! And now – now you're keeping it!"