"Harry Potter came and confessed to me that he is a parselmouth."
Albus' mind immediately jumped to how a Potter might possibly have that ability. It came up with several possibilities- none of them good- especially in light of the earlier meeting. "Really and why is he just coming forward with that information now?"
"He feels the current plan of just bricking over the girls' bathroom has too many long term risks. We have spoken and are agreed that the safest long term course for the school is the destruction of the basilisk. He didn't come forward before because he was afraid of being blamed. He, for an additional ten percent of the value of the beast, will help us." Severus knew Harry hadn't actually made that stipulation, but if he acted in Harry's interests then perhaps he could garner more of the boy's trust.
Albus, while inwardly cringing at the reminder that Harry was a Slytherin, considered. "All right, Mr. Potter will stay with us after the Express has left and portkey home after we have slain the beast."
"I will let him know, Headmaster."
"Thank you, Severus." Albus wanted to grumble. An old basilisk like the one in the chamber was undoubtably worth a sizable fortune and Harry Potter had nibbled away on that fortune yet again. Still it had the potential to refill Hogwarts' coffers which were starting to run lower than the founders would have liked thanks to the Wizarding world's regrettable tendency towards creating dark lords.
Slytherin House delighted in the green and silver decorations at the leaving feast. The next morning Harry quietly read the books Cassandra had sent him that were for his summer courses in the library, while the rest of the school students created mass chaos as they gathered themselves for the return home. Harry had warned the cadre not to expect to see him on the train, fobbing them off with the excuse that he was going home by portkey due to business, He had used the excuse enough over the year when he had been dealing with either decisions about his properties or when dealing with issues related to his fame that none of them questioned it, except Neville who merely raised an eyebrow. Once the last of the carriages left Harry joined the Headmaster, the Heads of Houses, Remus Lupin and half a dozen goblins outside Moaning Mrytle's bathroom.
"Albus what is this about?" Minerva McGonagall complained, "And what is he doing here ? Why isn't he on the train?"
"WE are here to get rid of Slytherin's creature. He is here because-" Albus stopped short when a tug on his magic reminded him of his oath.
"I will tell you why I am here myself, after you all swear a wizard's oath to keep the information to yourselves, and to only tell others with my express permission." Harry was glad this hallway didn't have any paintings close by.
Remus was quick to swear, as were the goblins. Flitwick and Sprout while slower after being assured that the oath Harry sought was limited specifically to the small piece of information also swore.
Minerva McGonagall was the only hold out. "My word should be enough, I'm a Gryffindor."
Harry, disgusted by this, said, "The same Gryffindor who walked away and left her responsibilities on a doorstep? Either swear the oath or leave. I have better things to do than stand here waiting on you all day!"
"MR. Potter!" Rang out a chorus of reprimanding voices.
"Summer has started. I remind you all, not one of you has official authority over me. I dislike dithering, indecisive behavior. Swear the oath or leave, Professor McGonagall, it is as simple as that." Harry made sure to use a moderate and conciliatory tone, although he felt like swearing.
With much grumbling Minerva swore because she didn't want to be left out.
"I am a parselmouth. I don't know how. I suspect it had something to do with the night my parents died. I said nothing of this while school was happening because as you can tell by the oath it isn't something I want widely known, and we all know how efficient the Hogwarts gossip chain is. I don't want it known because of the fear it would generate. I have no desire to be known as the next dark lord merely because I have the harmless ability to speak to snakes and was sorted to Slytherin. Like most all magic parseltongue is harmless, until its user intends otherwise. Now that you all know, let's search this bathroom and see if we can find the entrance."
They went into Myrtle's bathroom where they proceeded to search. It was Professor Sprout who found that the third sink didn't function and on closer examination Harry spotted the small snake on the tap. It took him a couple of tries before he managed to speak parseltongue and tell it to "~ open~ "
As the entrance to the chamber opened, Harry felt a sharp surge of curiosity and started forward only to be snagged and pulled back by Professor Snape.
Remus Lupin,once he got over the shock that his best friend's son was a parselmouth, was undeniably intrigued. When the tunnel opened before him he couldn't resist. The old marauder instinct drove him into the tunnel and he enjoyed the slide.
Snape depreciatingly muttered, "Gryffindors."
When Remus reached the bottom he called back up "I'm alright, if a bit filthy. Let me clean up some of these animal skeletons and cast some freshening charms."
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