Callie
It was just like any other party really. They had won the quidditch cup again, and although the victory had nothing to do with her, the party certainly did. Parties were some of the few times that she didnt ask for anything in return of her goods, meaning that everyone took advantage as much as possible. She had been chatting to her friend group in thier corner of the common room right by the window when she fell asleep. By this point she had already taught herself occulemency over several painstaking months so she was very surprised when she ended up in a study she didn't recognize. She caught her reflection in the polished mahogany and paused. Her lightning scar covered half her face, reaching from the top of her head all the way down her neck, over her nose and only just missing her eyes. It stood out a faded red, but she never bothered trying to cover it up as she liked how it made her stand out. Her eyes were dark stormy grey-green, her black hair and sharp facial features both inherited from the Black side of her family. Her favourite bit about her face however were the eyes. They held the infamed black madness, a wildness that couldn't ever be tempered, and yet, whenever she was particularly emotional they also had the funny habit of glowing killing curse green - a subconscious magic she had perfected by age of ten. It was one of her favourite things about herself because looking into something that reminds you of death often means she could talk anyone into anything. Her current outfit was a good representative of the party girl she was - her favourite black crop top coupled with a red miniskirt and fishnet tights. Pureblood customs and Aunty Cissy's disapproval be damned - Muggle clothes were cuter and made her look way sexier than the dismal clothing of misongynistic wizarding fashions. She was drunk and high out of her mind which is why she didn't register the man on the sofa immediately. He was tall and handsome with imposing features that casts shadows over his angular cheekbones. He looked surprised to see her but did not say anything.
**"Hello? Please can you tell me where I am?"** She asked, then paused. "Sorry, it's hard to keep track when I'm not focusing. I don't mean to speak it but it just slips out. Please may you tell me where I am?"
**"Can you understand me right now?"** He questioned slowly
**"Yes? Should I not be able to?"**
**" Don't worry about that, would you mind telling me why you apologized earlier?"**
**"Oh was I not speaking it? I'm sorry, its a habit of mine to accidently slip into it when I'm drunk and just talk at someone. Sometimes I think I'm speaking it when I'm not though, it all sounds so similar to me. But please sir, would you mind telling me where I - actually, it doesn't matter anyway I suppose. It's all terribly British, being polite to people even in your dreams. Because I must be dreaming. Ooh that's exciting, I haven't realized I'm dreaming ever since that one where I ran away for a week and then went back and aunt petunia didn't even hit me for missing chores. It was just so odd that I knew it has to be a dream. Not to mention that uncle Vernon actually asked me for a cig instead of beating me and just taking them. Oh dear, I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry bout that. I'll just ge quiet now"**
Then the man spoke. "What is your name?"
"Callie, sir. Although some people call me Hera. What's yours?"
"Callie, you may call me Tom." He said slowly, like it was a test. It felt significant but she wasn't sure why.
"How did you get in here, Callie? You shouldn't be able to."
"So sorry, sir, honest I didn't mean to. Maybe it's my magic reacting to something? I'm really not sure, I just fell asleep like normal. **And by Magic, I am so tired. And I can barely think at all, I feel like I'm suffocating. The air in here is hostile and my blood is water.**" She moaned slightly. However, as soon as she voiced it, the heady feeling disappeared and the man on the sofa narrowed his eyes slightly. Of course, she didn't realise that as she had bent over clutching her head she had given him an ample view of her bosom.
Clearing his throat slightly, Tom casually asked, "Callie, what language did you think you were speaking?"
"Parseltounge, sir. I know what your thinking - but it's not evil. A language can't be evil, it's just a language. Wait - I was speaking it earlier! How are you able to understand me? Nevermind it's the dream thing. Odd though, I've never had a dream about vipers before. Or cobras. Or any kind of snake."
"You are very special," he said in way of reply. "Do you know that?"
Callie looked surprised but pleased, and she smiled brightly. "Of course you would say that," she laughed, "you are a man, clearly one used to power, and a half naked girl has just appeared in your dreams." She teased. His eyes darkened at her carefree admission of being half-naked, and suddenly he felt a surge of jealousy wash over him, quite unwelcome, at the thought of others seeing her dressed like that, with scandalous amount of skin showing. And then he was furious with himself - he knew who this girl was - how could he not. The vice of man had no place here.
"I mean it. Do you know why, darling?"
I don't know," she replied. "Why do you say that?"
He gestured to the sofa he was on.
"Come and sit and I shall tell you"
She hastily made her way over to him and sat.
"Female parselmouths are incredibly rare Callie, even rarer than just being a parselmouths. The ratio is four to one - not to mention that only about 3/4 survive puberty. The chances of you actually sitting here are billions to one - not even counting that scar of course."
"Well I'm not sitting here am I? This is just an ordinary dream and I'm going to wake up any moment and forget all about how weird this all is." She sighed.
"Are you sure, darling?"
"Sure of what?" She almost dreaded to ask.
**"That this is just an ordinary dream?"**
He grinned widely, and Callie suddenly had the impression of a viper cornering his prey. Before she could even take a breath, he lunged, and, giving her no chance to defend herself from his attack, his fingers brushed up against her scar and she was overtaken by how impossibly complete it made her feel that she jolted awake, back to the familiar comforts of the Slytherin common room.