Growing Up

Part 45.

"Moony!" Harry yelled, running.

"What's the story, Bambi?" Remus crouched to Harry's level and smiled.

"You won't believe what i did!" He responded gleeful.

Remus looked at Amelia who was shying away from him. Marlene looked distressed, but not much more than usual.

"What did you do?" Sirius said slowly, catching on.

"I found a snake outside!"

This wasn't a good explanation as to why the sour appearance shone brightly on the girls' faces.

"And?"

"It talked to me!"

That wasn't enough either. Remus was still confused. Harry was only a kid, and he knew well enough that children had bright imaginations.

"Can i-" Marlene croaked. "-steal you for a moment, Remus?"

Sirius' gaze flickered over to him, his eyebrows furrowed.

As he was told, he followed her to another room.

Marlene slammed the door shut and whipped around to face him.

"It's Parseltongue" She whispered frantically, her mouth agape and turned downward.

Remus could feel his heart drop to his feet.

What the fuck does she mean by that?

He hadn't heard that word since his second year of school. Parseltongue was the language of the serpents. It was a voiceless hiss that could make anyone cringe at the sight of someone speaking it. It was a language looked down upon.

Remus could see the sweat start to break out on her forehead. her face was stained with exhaustion, and what looked like fear as well.

"He's a Parselmouth." She repeated, this time more fearful than the last.

His fear spiked through the roof. It held him hostage in its iron grasp. His hands trembled and his breath caught in his chest. Things like this felt constant. Like he could never get away from the dark cloud that hovered over. However, this panic was different. This seared through him like a knife.

"He can't be. That's impossible."

"I couldn't believe it either until i could hear him hissing back at the snake. You know a Parselmouth when you hear one."

She was right. It was almost frightening. Parseltongue is incoherent hissing, and almost impossible to teach. He couldnt understand who could've taught him?

Unless...

"I have to see Sirius." Remus blurted as he hurried out of the room.

His feet dragged him out to the kitchen, every step feeling faster then the last.

He grabbed Sirius by the hand and dragged him to the bathroom.

"Hm, here? Alright." Sirius smiled.

"No. This is serious."

He gave Remus a slight smirk.

"Shut it." He snapped. "Did you teach Harry Parseltongue?"

Sirius didn't respond, just stared in confusion.

"Well? Didn't your mum ever teach you? You're a Black descendant."

"No." His voice was sour. "She taught us french and put us in ballet. We didn't speak to serpents."

Sirius had always been detached from his family in anyway he could. So if he couldn't speak it, who could?

Think harder. Peter sang in Remus' head.

Remus gasped out loud

"Regulus."

***
"How do you know this will work?" Sirius asked, following close behind.

"Regulus was a death eater. If anyone knows about Parseltongue in this house, it's him." Remus panted, running quickly up the stairs.

He opened the door and watched the two paintings come to life.

"Sirius, Remus." Regulus welcomed them with a smile.

"Can i help you, Sirius?" Walburga hissed, her arms crossed.

"Hush, mother." He demanded. "Regulus, we need your help."

"I'm listening."

Remus walked closer to the painting, holding his hands.

"We think Harry is a Parselmouth."

Walburgas eyesbrows lifted slightly. It was clear she didn't want to look like she was acknowledging their conversation, but her eyes caught Remus' curiously.

"What?!" Regulus boomed furiously.

"We don't know why, but Marlene said he was hissing at a snake today and she could hear it."

The painting stared at him cautiously, then spoke.

"Bring him to me."

Word count: 949