Can't Catch Me Now / Severus Snape

9. Vigilant

Fortress/ severus snape/ Lucius malfoy out now

"You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

" I'm a what?"

"Hes a what?" Aria echoed.

"Harry can talk to snakes." Hermione clarified.

"We dont have any pet snakes, when did you learn to talk to snakes?" Aria questioned. "Did you know?"

"I know. I mean, I accidentally set a python free at the zoo once. Once. But so what? I bet loads of people here can do it." Harry assured. 

"I remember that." Aria agreed. "He was really cute slithering all around."

"No, they can't. It's not a very common gift, Harry. This is bad." Hermione corrected

"What's bad? If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin--"

"Oh, that's what you said to it!" Ron countered.

"You were there! You heard me!" Harry agreed.

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue, snake language."

"I spoke a different language? But I didn't realize-- how can I speak a language without knowing I can?" Harry countered looking between them.

"I don't know, Harry, but it sounded like you were egging the snake on or something. Harry, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes too." Hermione recalled.

"Exactly! Now the whole school's gonna think you're his great-great-great-grandson or something." Ron added.

"But I'm not!" Harry whispered thinking it through. "I can't be..."

"Does that mean I'm evil too?" Aria questioned running off. "MUMMY!" 

"He lived a thousand years ago. For all we know, you could be." Hermione countered. 

"No. I know my family tree. I'm not... we are not connected."

"You think they are connected through the scar?" Lilith whispered. 

"I thinks thats a possibility." Severus agreed running his hands over her arms. 

"But Sevy..." Lilith sighed as Aria ran towards them. 

"Are we related to an evil man?" 

"What?" Severus countered. 

"Thats what Harry's friends said." Aria clarified. 

"I'll see you back in the common room." Harry whispered. He exited study hall and out into the corridor again her heard the voice.

"Blood. I want bloooood. They all must die. Kill... kill... kill! Time... to... kill..."

Harry turned a corner and discovers Nearly Headless Nick, petrified with his head partially detached and floating in place. On the floor just a few feet away is Justin Finch-Fletchey, also petrified. Harry knelt down to examine his stiff body. As he does so, Filch walked out of a doorway behind him.

"Caught in the act." Filch hissed, Harry spun around. "I'll have you out this time, Snape. Mark my words."

"No, Mr. Filch! Y-y-you don't understand--" Harry corrected, he didn't petrify a ghost, he couldn't petrify sir nicholas even if he wanted to, how does one do such a thing to a ghost, but Harry noticed the spiders scurrying away. Spiders. Minerva gasped seeing another victim of the curse.

"Professor. I swear, I didn't." Harry declared.

"This is out of my hands, Snape." She corrected leading him to an opening containing a griffin statue, the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office. "Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you." she informed him. "Sherbet Lemon." She declared, she opened her hands at the statue; the statue rotates clockwise and rose up, and a staircase comes out of the floor, also rising in a clockwise fashion. Harry stepped onto the staircase, stepping towards a door as the statue comes to a stop.

"Stop." Lilith corrected. Harry pulled from Minerva's side and ran to Lilith. "You know he didnt do this." 

"He-"

"Minerva," Lilith scolded "You know harry. You have known him forever. Enough treating him like the problem. He is my good boy." 

"What is all the shouting?" Albus questioned. 

"Another victim." 

"And we are going to bed." Lilith hissed turning them around. 

"Flich is after me." Harry whispered. "He wants my head." 

"He wont get it." Lilith assured. "You are coming back home tonight." She added leading him to their chambers. She tucked him in as if he was a young child and kissed him goodnight promising to talk about all of this in the morning. 

"I'm glad he is here." 

"Me too... there was another-"

"Attack. I know." Severus agreed. "How does one petrify a ghost?"

"I'm going to look into it." Lilith remarked. 

"Dont get hurt." Severus corrected. 

"I... just need this to end. I need the chamber closed and I need my baby safe again. This thing is after him. Dont you see it Severus?"

"I do." He agreed. "WHich is why I dont want you getting hurt. You know who it has attacked-"

"Mudbloods."

"Muggle born. Thats you Lilith." Severus corrected holding her face in his hands. "I can't lose you. I won't. I won't lose you. You have to be smart Lilith, we cant just rush into things."

"This thing is rushing towards us." Lilith countered. "This thing is after harry." Harry peered out of his chambers staring back at his parents. "Our Harry. If he is working with Voldemort-"

"Then we have to be extra vigilant after last year." Severus agreed resting his forehead against hers. 

"What is this is him... Is he strong enough to-" Lilith hesitated hearing the door creek. Harry ran back to bed and lilith headed over, sitting on the edge of his bed. "We dont know whats going on, we dont know how this thing is hurting people yet. But we will figure it out and when we do harry you will be the first to know because we want you and your sister safe. Can you promise me you wont go digging?"