The Huge Magical Snake Problem

Diagon Alley

Harry didn't know what to think about Snape's attitude of everything. It was very odd how he held in his temper like that, not reacting like he usually did. Not like he was trying to provoke him, it was just a natural reply to the professor's presence.

"You do know who that man issss, do you? He was in my previoussss masssster'sss inner ccccircle!" Nagini exclaimed.

"Yessss, I know. He jussssst told me that he wasss a sssspy for Dumbledore."

She looked surprised. "Really? That man, Ssssevere-Sssstern, issss one of The Forsssaken One'sss mosssst trusssted." Harry grinned at Snape's name in parseltongue. So, Snape's first name, Severus, equals Severe-Stern. That was really funny!

"Well, I guesssss that'ssss the marking of a good ssspy." Harry slid off his trousers and pants and started applying the salve in the areas that seemed the worst. The cream really felt good on his lesions. The coolness stopped the constant burn of the damage everywhere. He wondered what it was for exactly as he put the stopper back on the bottle.

Already standing up, he put all his clothes back on and slid his shoes on. He didn't own any socks. He went out the door, Nagini following behind. He went down the stairs, turned the corner, and what he saw nearly made him laugh out loud.

Snape- excuse me, Severe-Stern- was standing in the middle of the room, staring at his Aunt, making her look very uncomfortable. He had crossed his arms and was using his very best glare at her.

Harry stifled his grin and emerged from his spot, saying, "I'm done."

Snape tore his eyes from Pink-Flower, and leveled them on him. "Good. We will be apparating to the front gates of Hogwarts." He took the vial Harry handed him, and then he furrowed his brow. "Don't you have better clothes? No? Of course not. Well, it seems like we'll be taking a detour to Diagon Alley."

Harry's eyebrows rose to his hairline. Snape was going to be taking him to Diagon Alley? What had this universe come to? "Oh... okay..." he said skeptically.

Snape looked surprised himself, as if stunned he would even suggest such a thing. Regaining his composure, he then said, "Where is your school trunk?" Harry pointed over to the cupboard under the stairs, and he creased his brow. Seeing the lock on the door, he cast an alohomora and he opened the cupboard. Harry then saw his eyes darken inexplicably, and he grabbed his trunk.

"Wait, can I go get something from my room?" Snape nodded. He ran (as much as he could with his still slightly smarting wounds), and ended up at his door. He opened it, and walked to his bed. He cast a glance over his sheets, which looked pretty bad. They were crusted with brown and red blood, old and new. He reached under the bed and pulled out the notebook paper he had written his many dreams on. He folded them many times, and stuffed them in his oversized pockets. He then went downstairs, seeing Snape still standing in the living room.

Snape then started toward the door. "Potter, are you coming?" he asked over his shoulder. Harry blinked and walked to him, groaning internally. His snake followed him. What had he gotten himself into?

He stopped at the sidewalk outside Number 4 Privet Drive, waiting for Harry to catch up. "Grab onto my arm."

What?

Harry remembered Hermione talking about apparition last school year, but he couldn't remember her saying this.

He must have seen his confused expression, because he then said "Potter, this is side-along apparition. I can bring you along with me, but I'm not so sure about the Dark Lord's snake." He eyed the serpent, still untrusting.