The Huge Magical Snake Problem

The Dungeons

Hagrid shook his head. "I jus' dunno how yeh deal with tha' snake over there," he said, his voice even more slurred than usual. He pointed over at Nagini, who was doing her best to look innocent.

Harry glanced over at her, eyebrow raised. "And what did she do?" he asked. Anything that caused the half-giant to be completely exhausted and worn out was something to be investigated. In Harry's first year, Hagrid had illegally hatched a vicious dragon and proceeded to call it an "adorable little beauty." Not to mention all the other questionable, or outright dangerous creatures he found fascinating. Like blast-ended-skrewts. Or hippogriffs.

The large man let out a ginormous breath. "Well, le's see. Firs', she 'cided tha' it was a good idea ter eat all th' food tha' I 'ad been savin' fer th' animals 'n th' forest. Then, she wan'ed ter go ou'side, 'n I let 'er. Then she ruin'd my pumpkin patch. Ye know, stuff like tha.'" Hagrid's speech was so bad, he had trouble understanding him.

"Wow. Well, it looks like you need some rest. We'll just go back to the castle." He turned to Snape, who had been quiet the entire time. "Where will I be staying?" he asked.

Snape sniffed. "I do not know. I have a feeling that Professor Dumbledore did not think I would be returning with you, so that is where we will be going next. Rubeus," he said, addressing the man who was still draped across the sofa. He lifted his arm from his face and hummed. "May we use your fireplace to access the headmaster's office?"

Woah. Snape had actually asked for something, nicely. Well, then again, he had been less... cutting in his remarks than usual. Maybe it was because of the state Harry was in when Snape found him. Who knows. Hagrid nodded and put his arm over his face again.

Snape stepped towards the fireplace. "Potter. To get to the fireplace in the headmaster's office, you have to say, "Albus Dumbledore's office," and then the password. At the moment, the phrase is Cauldron Cakes. Watch." He stepped into the fireplace with a handful of floo powder and said, "Albus Dumbledore's office, Cauldron cakes." He threw the black-ish powder down, and he vanished in a towering, flickering green flame.

Harry beckoned Nagini to the fireplace. "I have sssseen wand-waverssss appear and dissssappear in a fire like that. I'm guesssssing you are not injured by it?"

Harry shook his head, amused. "No. Now, I think you may have to wrap around me again to get through." The snake went beside Harry, who already had the floo powder in his hand. She wrapped herself tightly around his legs, allowing him to stand up. "Albus Dumbledore's office, Cauldron Cakes!" he said firmly. He had bad experiences with not saying his destination clear enough.

They both toppled out of the fireplace, tangling in a huge pile of snake and human. Wait. Why did Harry feel another person on top of him?

He got his answer soon enough. "Of course this would happen," Snape's baritone voice sighed irritably. He quickly got up, and Nagini unravelled herself from his body. Harry got to his knees, and finally yo his feet, wincing. It seemed like all his scabs had ripped off onto his shirt. Clearing his expression, he looked at Dumbledore, who was sitting in his chair with a bright twinkle in his eyes.

"Would someone please tell me what on earth happened?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore took the liberty to explain. "You were taking a long time to floo to the office. Professor Snape volunteered to go get you, and you ended up appearing in the fireplace just as he was getting into it!" He chuckled. "Why did it take you so long to get here?" he asked, suddenly inquisitive.

"Well, Nagini had trouble getting-" Harry got interrupted.

"Nagini?" Dumbledore said, looking distinctly alarmed. He stood up abruptly, faster than you'd expect an old man to move. "She didn't hurt you, did she? Where is Voldemort?" he asked, rapid fire. Then, he noticed the huge serpent on the floor in between the potions master and Harry. He immediately aimed his wand at her, and Harry jumped in between the headmaster and his snake.