Snake Boy

12 - Problem With Pygmies

Harry woke with an 'umph' as a hysterically hissing body hurled itself onto his chest.

"Hairy! Oh, My Hairy, thank the Winds that I found you! You have got to help me! Something terrible has happened!"

The young Wizard blinked sleepily. He saw his mate, eyes wide, propped up in the bed by one arm, wand raised in the other hand.

"It's alright Oma, I'm sure we can fix whatever it is," Harry hissed.

Tom looked at him in surprise and Harry blinked. He then realized he was not holding a Syren. Looking down he found a girl in his arms.

"Oma?"

"Yes Hairy, it is me! Isn't it terrible? Help me please!"

Harry looked to Tom in mute appeal.

"Draco, go fetch Severus and make sure he brings Celeste with him."

Harry had not realized the younger Malfoy had been in the room until he answered the Dark Lord.

"Yes Sir."

Harry stroked his sister's hair, crooning softly.

Severus appeared only moments later, still tying his dressing gown closed. Draco and Celeste followed closely behind.

"Mother," Harry hissed, "Oma has become human!"

Celeste slithered onto the bed, tongue flickering rapidly.

"Tell me what happened, Daughter."

"My Draco changed into a King Snake. He was not sure how it happened. We mated and when I woke this day I was like this! What has happened Mother? Make it stop!"

Harry rubbed the distraught girl's back.

Tom considered her words and then turned to the fidgeting Draco and bewildered Severus.

"What has happened Tom? Who is this girl?"

"She is apparently Oma become human somehow. Draco, tell me of yesterday's events."

Draco became intensely interested in his slippers.

"I was at the Manor trying on some new robes my Mother had gotten for me."

Snape snorted causing Draco to shoot his Godfather a belligerent look.

"Anyway, Sir, I sneezed and turned into a snake. I don't know how it happened and while I was that way I could understand what Oma said to me. She said I was a King Snake. There was a strange scent in the air and I...I...Oma said she was in heat and...and..."

"It's alright, my boy." Tom said gently, "I have found my self in a similar situation a time or two. The instincts that come with an Animagus transformation are very difficult to control at first."

Draco looked unconvinced.

"Trust me Draco; four out of five Animagus Wizards have done the same thing whether or not they choose to admit it."

Draco nodded and clearing his throat, continued.

"This morning I woke up feeling panic coming through our bond. I found Oma as a girl. It took a few minutes to figure it out and Oma was highly upset. I couldn't understand her anymore so I brought her here to you, My Lord. I thought you might know what had happened."

Draco had been watching the young man in the Dark Lord's bed curiously but kept quiet while Tom, Celeste, Oma and the boy hissed back and forth to each other.

With cajoling from her brother and mother, Oma allowed Severus to examine her and cast a few basic diagnostic spells. Afterwards he did the same to Harry.

"From what I can tell Tom," Severus began, "they are both perfectly healthy and perfectly human. They both have kept their Syren eyes and Harry has a long, thin patch of scales under each shoulder blade. Harry's traits are simple to explain as they are merely a side effect of being in his Animagus form too long. But Oma...Oma is actually Celeste's hatchling, correct? She's not a Witch in hiding or anything?"

Tom conferred with Celeste and then turned back to Snape and Draco.

"Oma is indeed a child of Celeste's flesh. She says that as a Pigmy-Syren, the rarest of all serpents, Oma requires the help of a Wizard to reproduce but she is unsure of what sort of help the Wizard would provide."

"I would say this is our answer," Snape mused. "I'll summon Poppy a little later this morning to cast an early detection charm on the girl; I needed her opinion on Black's condition anyway. Draco, I suggest you take the future Mrs. Malfoy to a guest chamber so you both can tidy up. One of the House Elves will get you both some clothing whilst we wait for Madam Pomphry and your father."

"M-M-Mrs...my father...What?"

"Tom watched his friend's hawk-like eyes pin Draco.

"Oma is most likely pregnant with your child. We will know for sure a little later. If she is, you will of course be married."

"Bu-bu-bu..."

The Dark Lord had never seen a Malfoy so disconcerted.

"Do you care for Oma," Severus asked.

"Y-Yes."

"Would you prefer to marry Ms. Parkinson?"

"No!"

"Have you developed an affection for another?"

"N-No."

"Then there is no problem is there," Snape quirked an eyesbrow at the sputtering boy.

"Bu-but she's a snake," he protested weakly.

"No Draco, she is a magical being. Think of it like being mated to a Veela."

"A Veela?"

"Yes boy." Snape sighed. "Now run along. You may consider teaching her a few things while we are waiting, perhaps how to say your name, or hers for that matter."

Draco nodded, looking more than a little shell-shocked but approached the bed. He reached out his hand and after a hissed conversation with mother and brother; Oma took the hand and followed the blonde from the room. Celeste followed silently.

Severus rubbed his hand over his face.

"If you will excuse me Tom, Harry; I'm going to check on Black and then summon Poppy and Lucius."

The Potion's Master quietly left the room.

Harry turned bright green eyes to his mate and hissed, "Well that was interesting wasn't it?"