The Indian Cobra
03/10/1971
Mum! Mum Sirius got a howler from his Mum three times in the last week. All about ridiculous things. He's not going home for Christmas so I said I'd ask if he can come home with us. Can he please?! Remus too. His parents are going away for Christmas. He's said he probably isn't allowed but you can talk to Dumbledore. He comes round for dinner enough. Evans is in my group for our Transfiguration assignment. She's gonna be so impressed. Oh no Peter is getting picked on by the Slytherins again. Love you Mum! I miss you and Dad. I'll write more later.
Love James.
Hermione notices something is off in the train. Harry doesn't say much about his snake bite or trip to India. He says he spent most of the time in the house reading family letters and the likes. Which is true.
He's honestly a little distracted. Nia is upset about something. Has been since she repossessed Petunia but no one will tell him why. Ron makes a face as Harry dismisses Hermione's concern; he knows the truth of course and still maintains he doesn't like lying to Hermione. If it weren't for the Crystal Cave and naming incident Harry would have wormed his way into getting her to agree. Now he's too scared to press her.
"Harry, can I ask you something?" Hermione says when they're almost back at school. She looks determined but guilty. "Do you remember when Snape covered Defence while Professor Lupin was sick?"
"Yes. The poison didn't affect my memory Hermione." He plays off his answer as a joke like Nia is so find of.
"Do you know what he was sick with?" She prods on anyway.
"I do call him Uncle Moony. It's okay he's got it handled." Harry promises but she still look concerned.
"What am I missing? I don't think I was listening to that lesson." Ron asks and Hermione purses her lips.
"Professor Lupin is a Werewolf." Hermione says slowly and Ron stop eating to think for a moment.
"Bloody Hell, that explains the scars." He says and then goes back to his snacks.
Hermione is more scandalised by how little Ron cares as she turns to Harry."Is it safe for him to be at school?"
"Snape makes him wolfsbane and he goes to the shrieking shack every moon with Sirius in dog form. He isn't dangerous I promise." Harry says and she still looks worried but nods letting the subject drop.
"And I bet you said the same thing about the snake that bit you." Ron coughs but stuffs his face with a muffin to cover. Hermione's about to scold him when there's a knock on the carriage door.
Malfoy opens the door but to everyone's surprise. He's alone. "What do you want, Malfoy?" Ron glares at the blonde who doesn't even look in his direction. Instead Malfoy just stares at Harry in confusion.
"What have you done to your hair?" It isn't mocking which in itself is a shock but that way he's looking at Harry makes him feel weird.
"Oh, old family sleekeazy recipe. Original recipe, I found it in the Attack at our Indian house. Did you know I have a castle?" Harry feels himself brag and Ron look down at his hands.
"Took you long enough to learn to groom yourself Potter. Not the point, I need to speak with you. Alone." Malfoy says instead and Harry notes how pale he looks. Malfoy is always pale of course but he looks more like a ghost. The circles under his eyes so deep Harry's almost certain he hasn't slept soundly since he left Hogwarts.
"Why?" Hermione asks and Malfoy just glares at her.
"If I told you that there'd be no point in speaking to him alone." He counters and Ron and Hermione move to make a wall in front of Harry. "Potter I give you my word I'm not trying to hex you or get you in trouble."
"It's okay guys. I'll be back in ten." He promises and follows the blond down the train till they find an empty compartment. Malfoy closes the door behind them and crosses his arms. The school robe makes it harder to tell but he's definitely skinnier than he was when Harry left.
"It isn't working is it? Playing the douchebag in front of your friends and Ignoring Nia. He's still hurting you." Harry says and Malfoy refuses to meet his eyes.
"Why do you look like you took a shot of a drought of despair?" Malfoy asks instead but Harry doesn't falter.
"Three actually. But I'm supposed to say it was a snake bite. How can you tell what poison it was?" Dobby knew exactly what it was before they told him as well. He had lots of helpful tips to relieve the pain.
"Evans is up to something. My mother and I saw her at Gringotts yesterday. She wants to have tea with my Mother over Summer about me. What's she doing?" Malfoy ignores the question but that in itself is an answer.
"How should I know?" Harry responds. He really doesn't know what Nia's plan for Malfoy is. Something to do with the band but how pop punk music will help Malfoy Harry has no idea.
"She tells you everything."
"She only tells me what I ask to know. If I knew everything she did I'd probably go mad." He admits bored of the standoff they have going, he sits down and puts his feet up pulling a chocolate frog from his pocket and throwing another to Malfoy. "I know she asked Hope to keep an eye on you since you started ignoring her. I don't know what she's planning though. I can ask for you."
"Don't go out of your way Potter. We aren't friends." Malfoy rejects his offer and chocolate and Harry doesn't get it. Malfoy was the one who wanted to be friends the first year. Now Harry's actively trying to mend bridges and he's being a dick.
"Oh god no. But I know what it's like to be afraid in your Home. My Mum's spell only took hold when my magic started to develop. Before then her husband treated me with the muggle equivalent of how your Father seems to be treating you. Though I'd wager he doesn't lock you in a cupboard." He hears himself say to Malfoy without really meaning to. It gets Malfoy to meet his eyes. Not that Harry can read the emotion behind them. "The point is she won't leave you there to suffer. It's not in her nature. I'll see what I can find out." Harry promises and walks to go back to his friends.
"Potter," Malfoy says quietly and Harry turns back. "It looks good. Your hair looks good like that." Malfoy stutters out then practically runs back to the Slytherin side of the train. Harry's confused when he walks back into the carriage and both his friends notice.
"Why are you smiling?" Hermione asks at the same time Ron asks what Malfoy wanted.
"Malfoy's a weirdo, he wants to know what Aunt Nia has planned for him as always. I think his home situation is getting worse." Is all he says about it the rest of the trip. Still he finds himself playing with his newly silky hair and if Hermione notices his slight blush no she doesn't.
At breakfast the next morning Harry gets as many questions about his run in with the Indian Cobra then he did about the Basilisk. Mainly they wanted to know how he could kill a Basilisk only to get taken down by a Cobra.
"He was like if Malfoy Was an actual snake. He was on a mission to bite everyone wearing red shoes because he didn't like the look of them." Harry bullshits over breakfast and Ron laughs as Dean and Seamus believe him instantly. Hermione looks sceptical but Harry's okay with that because he's going to see Nia about coming clean. He excuses himself halfway through breakfast to go to Nia's classroom but she isn't alone.
"Sev please," Aunt Nia asks with a little desperation in her voice.
"You've lied to me our entire friendship and now you ask me to play along. You're not even human and you stole a child for what. Fun? You love to play the moral judge, jury and executioner but you're as much of a manipulator as Dumbledore. Even worse because you hide behind your charming demeanour and someone else's face. Is anything you've told me true?" Snape is yelling and Harry is half tempted to run in to get between them. After what just happened though he knows Aunt Nia would appreciate it.
"Everything is technically true except Lily's spell. She gave me her blessing before we left anyway. What was I supposed to say? I didn't know what I was when I came here, what I did know was that beautifully kind boy was being manipulated and abused and raised like a lamb for slaughter. He needed my help. You were a piece of shit that bullied children because you couldn't move on from a girl who rejected you when you were a teenager but I needed your help so I used your one redeeming quality to turn you into a half decent human." She yells right back and Harry can hear someone pacing.
"Were you ever going to tell me the truth? I thought we were friends."
"We are. You have to understand how delicate this situation is. Our relationship was originally based on your shared guilt with Petunia. It's the only reason you listened to me because I was a connection to Lily. I hate lying to you Sev but I couldn't risk it. I can't lose you because you are my best friend. My magic man, I lean on you more than anyone else and if you leave me I don't know if I can do this." She's crying. Nia is crying and it takes everything Harry has not to storm in and hex Snape. There's a moment of silence and then steps towards the door as Snape storms out and meets Harry's eyes before walking away. Not a chance. Harry runs after the Professor.
He's ready to start spilling every bad name Sirius and James had taught him over winter break to call Snape. He doesn't though, instead using his mother's advice about catching flies with honey.
"Uncle Sev." Harry calls and Snape stiffens. "I can't imagine why but Nia trusts you. She had only just turned eighteen when you met. Literally the day before and you helped her more than anyone. She asked you to be our secret keeper and I understand you're upset but please, even if you can't forgive her don't tell Dumbledore. Her plan has it coming to light on its own when Voldemort rises. She just wants to help us so please just give her time." Now that he's thinking about it Harry's pretty sure Snape has never looked him in the eyes when he's speaking. But now Snape stares at him for a long moment then walks away, towards the dungeons.
Nia is still crying when Harry gets back and hyperventilating. He just hugs her calling Sookie to bring tea and Nia's favourite cookies. A sort of oat thing she calls an Anzac. It's not great as far as cookies go but it brings her comfort as she controls her breathing.
"I heard." Harry admits but Nia doesn't speak, stuck in her own head. "I also lectured him when he left. I think he heard me because he didn't go to Dumbledore. At least not straight away. I think he's just shocked."
"His pride is wounded and that's the one thing Severus can't handle. I don't know what he'll do." For the first time since Harry's met her Nia looks beaten.
"Hey, have a little more faith in yourself. He's not unreasonable nowadays. Like Hermione is also not unreasonable so if I were to tell her,"
"Harry,"
"I know I'm not in a position to ask you for anything after what I did but Ron's not happy about lying and she's gonna figure it out sooner or later." Harry argues and Nia clears her eyes as she thinks.
"I'm not mad at you Harry. I understand you as a person and I should have known you'd stop me as soon as you figured out I was in danger. As for Hermione. If she can figure it out, don't lie to her anymore. Tell the truth about Christmas and see where she goes from there. Just remember there's a year and a half till Dumbledore can know."
"Deal. Thanks Aunt Nia."
"Hope. You can call me Nia if you like but you're getting good enough at occlumency Hope is the most comfortable for me though. My first name isn't Amelia though, my Fae Mother Siiobahn named me when we broke her out. Do you want to know?" Nia, no Hope offers and Harry pauses.
"No. I trust you to do what's right. Snape is wrong, you're better than Dumbledore, you care about all of us." Harry promises and she smiles. "Though I would like to know what you meant by 'raised like a pig for slaughter.'"
"Doesn't matter. It's not happening." Hope responds with a sternness Harry's learnt not to question.
"Okay, oh Malfoy came to see me on the train. He wants to know what you're planning with his mum. And he said my hair looks good. I think Lucius's abuse is breaking his brain. Maybe he thought I was Pansy."
"Or you look like a model with your hair done and he's being nice because you're helping him." Hope suggests but there's something else in her eyes. The bell rings for classes and Harry hugs her goodbye.
"I'll see you in class Mum!" He shouts back as he runs away.