Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 38 - Hedwig and the Hat

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Two years quickly melted away.

The arrival of Harriet's eleventh birthday brought her Hogwarts letter to the Snapes' humble cottage.

As the family walked down the busy street of Diagon Alley a week later, the air itself seemed full of bustling excitement.

Harriet chattered to Severus and Lily while Ellery followed quietly beside them all, too busy gazing around to contribute much to the conversation.

"Dad, I want a snake." Harriet said as she pulled on Severus's black robes and pointed towards the nearby pet store.

"A snake is not a permitted pet for students at Hogwarts." Severus replied while Ellery and Lily spoke briefly, "You can choose an owl, a cat, a toad, or a rat."

"I don't want a rat." Harriet frowned in disgust, "I'm not particularly fond of cats or toads either." She blinked up at Severus as she asked, "You're a professor, Dad! Can't you please talk to the headmaster and ask if I can have a snake?"

"Why do you want a snake so badly?" Severus sighed.

"So I can talk to it, of course!" Harriet exclaimed, "We can be the best of friends! It'll be loads of fun."

Severus glared down at Harriet with his black eyes glinting as he drawled in his low, slow voice, "You're not......allowed......a snake."

Although Severus Snape intimidated many of his students with his imposing figure, clothed in his dark, draping robes, Harriet failed to be particularly impressed by her towering father as she glared back up at him and pouted, "One day, I'll have lots of snakes......You'll see, Dad."

"After you're grown with your own house and your own household, you can do as you please." Severus snapped, "Today, however, you can choose an owl, a toad, a rat, or a cat."

Harriet let out a heavy sigh as she stared into the window of the pet shop.

She kept her nose wrinkled as she scowled through the window at the rats while they scurried about in their cages.

Ellery and Lily continued their chat as they opened the door to the pet shop and went inside.

Severus and Harriet followed along, though they both wore solemn frowns.

Severus had noticed over the years that as Harriet aged, she seemed to display more and more of her mother's fiery, head-strong qualities.

He admired them in Lily, but in Harriet, he anticipated those traits would present obstacles.

Clearly unhappy with the discussion, Harriet browsed through the pet store as her frown stayed firmly planted on her fair face.

The rats weren't even a reasonable idea.

The cats didn't interest her either.

As she passed by the snake enclosures, her frown deepened.

Harriet paused in front of one cage as a rare, rainbow-coloured, baby python raised itself up to flick its tongue at her.

She smiled at the reptile as she opened her mouth and spoke in Parseltongue, "I'd like to be your friend, but my parents say I can't take you home with me."

The colourful snake flicked its tongue against the glass as it replied in a low hiss, "Perhapssss one day, then."

"Perhapssss." Harriet hissed before she sighed and moved on.