Luck of Nines

75

(An:  Well. I'm working on chapter 78 right now. Please don't ask me how long I've been working on that chapter. You know when you know what to write but you just can't make it right?  Yeah. I'm doomed. Anyway, hence the double update this week just to pressure myself to figure it out. Wish me luck. -T.A.L.A. )

          Harry hadn't experience the floo many times, but wrapped around Theo's shoulders like a thin, decorative scarf the uncontrolled feeling of twisting and warping every way didn't really matter as much. Harry clung a bit tighter to not be separated. Theo was stepping from the fireplace seconds later, not missing a beat as he regally swept the soot from his outfit with a wave of his wand as Harry waited for the swirling in his head to die down.

"Ah, Nott, I was wondering if we'd get a chance to speak." A smooth voice greeted almost immediately after Theo stepped from the room with the fireplace, Harry's head and vision was still recovering from the trip but he could pick out two forms of life, one to the side of Theo and the other already seated at a large table. The second was familiar. Dumbeldore.

"I can early as a... favor, but I'd forgotten just how repetitive Mr. Albus Dumbeldore really is." The man continued in a voice meant to carry, they were tall and thin, rivaling Theo in both of those attributes, with an even more hollow face, dark, receeding hair, and a collapsing nose. There was something haunting in that face, clearly alive, and yet falling apart, decaying without rot, for there was no smell.

Theo didn't seem to appreciate the mention of Hogwarts headmaster, but didn't address it either, "Slytherin, I admit I hadn't expected to see you here early as well, you tend to be one of the last ones."

        "Along with Dumbeldore, yess," Slytherin mocked Theo's dislike of the man, sounding amused even as he continued, "I must say though, what an interesting choice of accessory you've chosen, you know I've had my doubts ever since your grandfathers... unfortunate... accident but, that is quite the statement piece." Harry recovered himself, feeling those eyes gliding irritatingly over him, he turned his head, resting it on the carefully positioned piece of jewelry that was clasped to the knotted scarf thing Theo wore to better feel Theo's pulse and observe the strange man called Slytherin. Absently he tasted the air.

      "It's my latest project." Theo answered cooly after a pause.

      "A paradise tree snake?" They answered, "How exotic, {what should I call you, little one?}"  They broke into an oddly emphasized and accented voice, if he could, Harry would curl his nose at it.  Theo's heart leapt and raced several times faster at it although it didn't show on his face Harry couldn't imagine why. Did the accent mean something about who this man was? From the little he had gathered from before this meeting was supposedly for leaders of political groups and those with considerable sway, it might be an accent from where the man was from then.  People were weird.

         Slytherin's eyes sharpened as the pause drew on and the man stared suspiciously down at him, Harry tilted his head in consideration.  Maybe he was just rude, Harry decided, Nott tended to worry about a lot of unnecessary things; like those goblin wars and the optional history lecture he loved to attend.

          "What?" There was something mocking in Theo's voice now, although it was a lie, "Is he not very talkative?"

          "He?" Slytherin asked almost scornfully, an eyebrow raised in assumed disdain.

        'More obviously than you, prick.' Harry muttered to himself, deciding the way the fireplace flared and danced signaling the arrival of Ron and Bulstrode rather than pretending to understand the strange probably layered, in the confusing metaphorical way humans were so fond of, conversation going on between Theo and Slytherin.