Snakes

01

Serpis was wondering around Sarpedon, Greek, her home. She stared at the tall white pillars that held up her house. Her home used to be an Athena worshiping temple, but ever since her mother, Medusa was cursed, it became abandoned.

She raised her hand to touch her snakes on her head. Her mother raised her saying that their hair was beautiful and unique, and Serpis does think that, but she also knows what her mother really thinks it is. A curse from the gods.

Before Medusa was cursed, she lived in the temple, a loyal worshipper to Athena, the Goddess of War and Wisdom. Every day she would bring offerings to the temple, cleaned Athena's statues, keep the temple clean for other worshippers to come and go. A rule of worshipping Athena was that you could never find love and must stay a virgin like her witch Medusa agreed to.

The temple was right next to the ocean, so every day you can go fishing or swimming and feel the sea salt wind in your face. One day, Medusa was outside, just admiring the crashing waves of the blue ocean. She did not notice that she caught the eye of a certain sea god.

"Hello, lovely,"

Medusa gasped as Poseidon, God of the Sea, appeared out of the ocean. At first, only his head was sticking out the water, but slow and steady, he walked out of his home called the sea until he was only a few feet from Medusa.

He was wearing his blue robes and holding his blue trident. He has long black hair with a black wavy beard with his sea-blue eyes. He had his crown perched on his tan body. Her eyes widened as she quickly bowed deeply down to the god.

"King Poseidon, it is an honor meeting you," she said steadily, not wanting to embarrass herself in front of a god. The king chucked and grabbed Medusa's chin. He lifted her face until her face was at level with his.

"Please, no need with formality, just call me love," he said in his deep voice as he leaned his face closer to hers for a kiss. But Medusa quickly pushed him back leaving him confused. No one ever refuses him, a god.

"No, I can't. I am a follower of Athena, I'm sure you know of her law," she said. She was telling the truth, about the law, but also she didn't want to be with him. Poseidon looked at her. He did indeed know of his niece's law.

"What Athena doesn't know, won't hurt her," he said slyly with a lustful grin.

He raped her.

And she got the blame. A week later, Athena herself appeared at Medusa's home.

"You broke the law," Athena's powerful voice broke through the salty air. Medusa was on her knees before her, begging her goddess.

"P-please, I didn't want to, P-Poseidon, h-he made me!" cried Medusa but Athena wasn't havening it.

"You have to be punished for your sins," Athena boomed and pointed her spear at her.

"P-please, I d-didn't want t-to, he r-raped me!"

Boom

There was fog everywhere, blinding anyone from seeing 2 feet in front of them. Medusa patted the ground around her with her hands as she crawled around to the outside. Her head felt heavier than usual, but she thought it was dizzyness.

She managed to crawl outside and quickly stood up from the grassy ground and ran towards the sandy beach. She tumbled towards the shoreline and looked at her reflection and let her ear piercings scream rip through the air.

Her golden hair was now replaced with thick, dark green snakes and her once blue eyes are now fully black with bright yellow irises.

Serpis sighed. That all happened 11 years ago. She only knows because when she was 5, she asked where her dad was. Ever since she was young, her mother taught her how to defend her self from the greedy men of this dark world. She still learns from her mother and her ways, ranging from a lot of things. Cooking to fighting to education. She was quite smart for her age.

She started at her reflection in the mirror. She took a lot from her mother. She had fully black eyes with bright yellow irises. She had live, dark green snakes covering every inch of her head. Serpis had skin so pale, she could pass for dead. She reached up and rubbed the head of one of her snakes with her cold hands.

"Serpis? There is an owl for you!" Medusa called out from the living room. Serpis walked over to the living room decorated with greek furniture. It shocked her how she had mail for her since they keep their lives on the low to the point where the only other person who knew they existed was a few people from the local market.

"What? Who's it from?" Serpis asked her mother. Medusa looked worriedly at the letter. Ever since the thing with the King, she has been very overprotective and paranoid. Medusa bit her nails and looked at the owl with her black and yellow eyes. Serpis looked at the owl and gently to the letter and opened it.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Gran Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Serpis Saperdon,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary Books and Equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no more later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress

Serpis looked at the letter in wonder and excitement. She looked at her mother and handed her the letter as she looked over the list of things she would need. Her mother finished reading the letter and looked distressed.

"Mom, can I please, go? Please?" Serpis begged, already knowing she had to put up an argument to go.

"What? No! This could be fake!" Medusa stressed.

"But it isn't!"

"And how do you know that?"

"Look, we go to this Diagon Alley, and if there is no Alley, it's fake! If it's there, It's not!" Serpis argued.

"Well, there is no trouble checking..." Medusa sighed. Serpis lit up and squealed and ran over to her mom and hugged her.

"Thank you! Thank you! I swear I'll clean my room every day! Thank you! I love you!" Serpis squealed. Medusa sighed and realized that this was risky, but it's worth seeing her baby girl so happy.