serpents and boys' dreams
“I will not sick serpents on my… lumpy cousin.” Harry said, eyes rolling.
“No, Harry say it right.” Severus said.
“I will not…Dad really?”
Severus chuckled, “Oh all right I suppose fifty citations is sufficient... He is a bit lumpy.”
“Will you tell me now?” Harry said with wonder. Severus smirked. “Dad… I talked to a snake. Will I be able to talk to other creatures? Like dragons?”
Severus Snape was a stern disciplinarian. He sat looking down his spectacles in a purple velvet recliner with a book called, “Raising Wizards: Navigating Parenthood in a Magical World.” “Alright” Severus set the book down. Harry always thought Severus must have read the book a million times. He held it every time he disciplined him. Which was…often. Harry, however, felt his father’s punishments where fair, and sometimes…a bit to fun.
Once when Harry was five, he had decided it would be a good sport to learn to fly. He climbed out on the roof and was just securing his cape when his father caught him. He made him come in, of course cutting his flying lesson short.
Then as little Batman Harry thought it was time for him to recite his crimes, Severus asked him, “Do you want to fly for real?”
That day Harry found out his dad had a bit of a wild side. They flew all over England, with little Harry’s cape flapping in the wind.
“In one...” Severus began. Harry’s eyes got wide with excitement, and he settled in to absorb from his father the wisdom he often bestowed upon him.” …Wizarding family, a long time ago, there was…a gift called parselmouth. Paseltmouth is the ability to speak snake language, parseltongue. Very few wizards have been known to have it, those who do seem, gifted with Slytherin type…qualities.”
At this Harry became extremely excited, “Dad does this mean, I am going to be a Slytherin? Like you were?”
“Anything is possible…you have always been a troublemaker.”
At this Harry started jumping all around the room hugging Severus. Severus pulled a letter out of his robes. “This came for you today.” He held it as harry tried to grab it and pulled it away slyly, “Don’t blow a gasket.”
Harry’s mind was buzzing with dragons and flying. He tore into the letter that would secure his dreams of attending the greatest school for witchcraft and wizardry in the world, Hogwarts.
Harry read “Accepted,” and that was all he needed. He buzzed though the house to his room and started to pull out a big trunk to get an inventory going. “Dad I will need a wand! Oh, and parchment! I must write every day.”
Severus came to his door to watch the spectacle of his son’s packing. “The parchment will be un-necessary.”
Harry stopped and gave his dad a lip so big Severus could not help but chuckle. “You do not want to write? How will I tell you about what I have learned?”
“You will not need it because I am going to be at Hogwarts this year teaching potions.”
Harry’s enormous smile returned, “You had better go easy on me old man, I must make a good impression on the headmaster.”
Severus just smiled and said, “I do not think you will ever have a problem making a good impression Harry.”
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Draco’s wish to be out in the world came fast, too fast for his liking. Dobby said he needed to get him things for school. They arrived in Diagon Alley by apparition which Dobby explained was the name for the “pop” Draco referred to.
Draco felt ill. The place was crowded. It smelled like sweat. Everyone was rushing around. And it was far too loud for his liking. Draco was shuffling around to get his things and honestly just wanted to get home when they entered the wand shop.
The sign on the door had read Oleander’s. It was a lot quieter inside and Draco felt so relieved he could have sat down right there. “Good afternoon I am Garrick Ollivander, how may I be of service?”
Dobby nudged Draco; he had been making Draco do the talking explaining it would help him become more confident. Dobby impressed upon Draco before they left, he needed to take pride in his family name, that he was a great pure blood wizard. Draco felt like a bloodless boy who missed his cabin. But he trusted Dobby and was doing his best to emanate confidence. “Yes, one wand please.” Draco saw Mr. Ollivander make a puzzled look, and he thought he must have said it strangely.
Mr. Ollivander then smiled “another young wizard ready to get his wand fitted?”
“Yes that.”
“Alright, and what is your name?” Ollivander said.
“Draco…Malfoy.”
Ollivander’s expression seemed to pause. Then he peered at Draco. Then looked at Dobby. “Mr. Malfoy…yes, I believe I fitted your parents for there wands.” He checked Draco’s face, seeing if his expression would change. “You are the spitting image of, Lucious, but your disposition is a bit more like your mother… A kind witch your mother…” Mr. Ollivander looked solemn. Then he turned on a dime, hopped up on a ladder and went zooming away.
Draco looked at Dobby bewildered. “Yes, I think I know just what to do for you!” He Hollard from the cavern that was wherever he went off too.
Mr. Ollivander returned with a long box. Then set it on the counter. He opened it carefully. Then looked at Draco expectantly.
Draco was puzzled. He peered at the box and realized he wanted him to grab the wooden wand that was neatly laying in the box. “Right.” Draco picked up the wand gently. The wand reacted to his touch and began to weave a beautiful array of swirls of pinks, blues, and purples. Draco’s eyes grew wide as the wand appeared to manifest glowing wisps of flowers and a blue butterfly that landed on his nose.
“That’s it!” Mr. Ollivander Proclaimed. “10" long, made of hawthorn wood, made with a unicorn hair core. I still got it!”
Draco was impressed but he did not know if it was him or the wand that did that. He thanked Mr. Ollivander And finally after a day of seeing more than Draco had seen in his life he went back home to rest and pack for Hogwarts.