𝖇𝖆𝖉 𝖇𝖑𝖔𝖔𝖉 || ᴘᴊᴏ x ʜᴘ

30 - 𝕹𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖌𝖎𝖆 𝖎𝖓 𝖆𝖓 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖑𝖎𝖊

The trio rushed to an empty classroom with an excited Holly at their heels, Hermione barred the doors as Ron pushed Harry into an empty, dusty chair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" Harry blinked, still puzzled.

"A Parselmouth." Holly repeated, stepping up and standing in front of Harry with her arms crossed. "You can talk to snakes."

"I know," Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "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-"

"You didn't know you were a wizard?" Holly asked, her tone a little judgyA which made Harry roll his eyes.

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

"So?" Harry said. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

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

"What do you mean, bad? This is amazing!" Holly said, almost jumping up as Ron rounded on her with a questioning look.

"Why are you even here?" He sneered at her, looking distastefully at her Slytherin tie. "Enemies aren't allowed, this is a private matter."

"I'm here to help." Holly nodded, trying to look convincingly.

"Oh, so now we're friends?" Harry raised his eyebrows before rolling his eyes and turning back to Ron. "Why is that bad? What's wrong with everyone? Listen, Holly's right, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-"

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

"What d'you mean? You were there- you heard me-"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," Ron said insistently. "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."

Harry gaped at him. "I spoke a different language? But- I didn't realise- how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"

Ron shook his head. Both he and Hermione were looking solemn, mournful so Harry turned to Holly who was the only one remotely supportive.

"What was so wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" He asked. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"

"It matters," Hermione said, speaking at last in a hushed voice. She glanced at Holly unsurely. "Well- because- oh, Holly, you tell him!"

Harry turned to Holly who crossed her arms. "Being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was most famous for- it was in the book we read in the library, that's why the symbol of Slytherin is a serpent."

Har­ry's mouth fell open.

"Ex­act­ly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's go­ing to think you're his great- ​great- ​great- ​great-​ grand­son or some­thing-"

"But I'm not," Har­ry said, eyes wide with panic, his eyes darting around the room in uncontrolled pace.

At this moment, his friends weren't the biggest help either. "You'll find that hard to prove," Hermione said, looking at Harry with curious eyes. "He lived about a thou­sand years ago; for all we know, you could be."

"Why are you so cheerful?" Ron asked Holly, he crossed his arms too. "This isn't funny, you know? He's not your lordling, Harry's a good person-"

"I'm not saying he isn't," Holly scoffed, turning to Harry and looking at him criticising. "But, I was thinking...is it possible you're the heir of Slytherin?"