The Huge Magical Snake Problem

Capture

Harry blearily opened his eyes. The night before, he has gone to his bed after the clock suspended on the wall had read eight. Hedwig has 'asked' to go to the owlery. The dungeons weren't a place for an owl, after all. After that, he really didn't have anything better to do, so he decided he would go to sleep to test whether his occlumency barriers would hold up while he was asleep. He hadn't had any dreams about Voldemort and his nocturnal prowls, so Harry decided it was a success.

He stretched, waking Nagini, who was stretched out beside him. "Army-Leader, are you okay?" she asked drowsily.

Harry nodded."I jusssst got the bessssst night of ssssleep I've has in a while." Well, that wasn't exactly true. He had some disturbing dreams about something that was bright silver, and giggly, sinister laughing. It wasn't much, and it obviously wasn't a dream from Voldemort, because his scar wasn't even tingling. He shouldn't worry either Nagini or S-Severus about something as trivial as nightmares.

He climbed out of his bed slowly. He needed to use the bathroom, and thankfully, there was one on the other side of the room. He opened the door, and entered the restroom. It was nice looking, the same color scheme as the rest of the house. He did his business, washed his hands, and went back out. He sighed and walked over to his dresser, shivering. If he had thought the dungeons were cold in the afternoon, it was nothing compared to the chilliness in the morning.

He picked out a gray jumper and black trousers. What he wouldn't give for a pair of jeans! He quickly changed clothes, jumping from the freezing floor back onto his bed. He wrapped himself with his blanket. Man, it was cold!

He took a deep breath, resolving to get up. He threw the quilt off and trekked over to his closet. He pulled out a cloak, understanding why Severus wore heavy robes all the time. He was still getting used to using the man's first name. It sounded strange on his lips, like it was something he was forbidden to say. Or think.

He replaced the blanket with the black fabric, warming instantly. He sighed in contentment. Then, he realized that Nagini hadn't moved from her spot on the bed. Alarmed, Harry walked forward to check if she was okay.

Her eyes were closed, and he held a hand out to touch her scales. They were ice cold! Now frightened, Harry asked, "Nagini! Are you okay? What issss happening?"

The snake blinked her eyes open. At least she was alive. "Sssso... cold..." she managed. Harry forced himself to calm down, lest he have a panic attack.

He took his wand from the nightstand, and held it over Nagini. He cast a warming charm on her, but it just bounced off of her. He had to duck because it rebounded at his head. Grrr, Harry thought. Magic-repelling scales. I forgot. In many dreams, he had witnessed many a spell backfire on the caster, trying to attack the huge serpent. Then, another charm came to mind.

He remembered something Professor Flitwick said earlier in his Hogwarts career.

HPHPHPHPHP

The tiny professor walked across the front of the room, in full lecture mode. Harry, who was in third year, was dozing off, drifting in and out of consciousness. He hadn't got that much sleep the night before, thanks to Ron tossing and turning, silently mourning the loss of his rat.

Suddenly, without warning, he snapped to attention at what something Flitwick was saying.

"... and, if you ever have the need to levitate an object that repels magic, you can do the feather-light charm just the same. The spell doesn't affect the outside of the object, it makes the object itself lighter. Now, say with me- per fusorius."