Star-Crossed

Chapter Forty-Three: Parselmouth

Soon after Snape got rid of the snake, the Dueling Club was dismissed. I met back up with Harry and our friends, but said nothing as they all gave me odd looks. Aside from Harry, Harry only gave me a shrug, as confused at their behaviour as I was.

I scowled, looking between them. Dahlia was averting her eyes, looking sheepish and nervous as she avoided my gaze. Elena looked utterly bewildered, not hiding the shock in her face as she openly stared between me and my brother. Ron looked nervous, and Hermione looked downright perturbed as she ducked her head and kept walking in a beeline straight for the common room.

When we arrived, Harry and I had to jog after our friends as they rushed inside after spitting the password in a hurried rush, Hermione whirled on us, hair whipping furiously.

"What in the name of Merlin, was that?" She snapped.

Harry and I shared a look of shock before replying in tandem. "What?"

"You're parselmouths." Ron stammered, pointing to us almost fearfully. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"We're what?" Harry sputtered as my brows furrowed.

"You can talk to snakes." Dahlia spoke up, her voice softer than I'd ever heard it.

"Oh, we knew that. I mean, we accidentally set a python on our cousin Dudley at the Zoo once." I shrugged aimlessly, as though the admission was simple. The other four looked absolutely aghast.

"Once." I held up one finger, as if it was going to amend anything, "So what? I bet loads of people here can do it, right?"

Hermione shook her head, lips pursed adamantly. "No, no they can't. It's not a very common gift..."

"Natie." Elena sighed deeply, her thin fingers pressing into her temples like this conversation was giving her a headache, "This is not good."

"How is it not good?" Harry snorted, a disbelieving laugh.

"Exactly, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-" I was abruptly cut off when Ron cut in.

"Oh, so that's what you said to it!" He breathed in realisation.

"What do you mean, you were there, you heard her." Harry gave him a cross look.

The red-head crossed his arms, "I heard you speaking parseltongue, snake language."

"We spoke a different language?" My mouth hinged open in shock.

"But I- we didn't realise-" Harry stammered, glancing at me. "How can we speak a language without knowing we can?"

"I don't know, Has." Elena replied simply.

"It sounded like you were egging the snake on or something," Hermione noted, "Look, listen to me, both of you. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin house is a snake, Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth. He could talk to snakes too."

"Exactly," Ron agreed promptly, "Now the whole school's gonna think you're his great-great-great grandkids or something."

"It also doesn't help the rumours going around about you, Natalie." Dahlia pointed out, apologetically.

My mouth closed into a thin line. They were right after all. I could only imagine the havoc today's events were going to cause around campus now that it was known I could speak to snakes.

"But we're not his grandchildren-" I paused, thinking for a moment before I looked at Harry, concern lighting my eyes when I realised we really didn't know. "We can't be...can we?"