Trapped in a Serpent's Coils

A Scaly Second

The snakes led Harry back to their nest, a small cave formed under a rocky outcropping situated next to a shallow burbling spring. They had come upon a pretty little glen that looked like something out of a picture book Harry had seen in Dudley's room when he went to clean it. The two snakes began to bicker about the size of the nest.

$The child'sssss too big for ussss to fit comfortably now.$ Said the male, $ How will we fit until he'ssss grown? $

His mate completely ignore him, again, as she began to plan their new living situation.

$ The leafy pile will go theresss, and the grassiessss will go here, and the-$

$Are you even lisssstening to me?!$ Yelled her mate.

She smirked. $Nope$

Suddenly Harry's tummy gave a loud growl reminding him he hadn't eaten since his birthday lunch. The child whimpered as his tummy growled again.

$Mama, Papa hungry $ he whispered, unsure if he should ask for food or not. Would they yell at him like the Dursley's did, saying that freaks didn't deserve food?

$ Nosies Hatchlingssss$ His new "mother" reprimanded.

Harry's heart sank; did it mean they would starve him, too? Was it because even to them he was a freak?

$ Bad Hatchlingsss $ She continued $ Good hatchlingssssss say pleassseysss$

Harry's heart rose again maybe he would get fed?

$Please Mama, Papa hungry$ He tried again. His mother squealed happily.

$ Yesssiesss Hatchlingssss, we go eats now, okaysssss?$

Harry giggled as he was led away. $ Bye, bye Papa$

$ Bye Hatchling!$ The male called, before groaning, $Oh no, I've become attatched$

Harry and his mother left him muttering angrily to himself.

$Now Hatchlingssssss,$ she crooned. $Lessssson number one, mice, Lisssten clossssely.$

Harry frowned in confusion. Mice weren't food were they? However, before he could explore the thought, his mother shrieked happily that she had found an "ikle mousey nest" and began her lesson.

A few hours, and several mice later, Harry was full and sleepy. $Nappy mama?$ he asked tentatively.

$Yessiesss ikle Hatchlingssss, we goesss backsss now. Bathiessss then beddy bye!$

Harry toddled behind her obediently as the returned to the nest, yawning and rubbing his eyes with his tiny fists periodically as they went.

At the nest, Harry wandered over to the stream before plopping himself down and splashing around. Papa Snake was kicked out of the nest in the middle of his nap to watch over Harry as his mate resumed fixing up the nest. He sighed as he stretched out to bathe in the evening sun, before he was suddenly doused with water. He looked around startled before groaning.

Harry giggled happily and squealed $ Play Papa, play pleasssse. $

The male snake groaned pitifully again.

Quite a bit of time later a still slightly damp Harry was ensconced firmly between a happily cooing female snake and her mate, slowly drifting off to sleep.

$Sssstory Mama, story pleassse?$

Harry asked sleepily. He had often heard Dudley ask his Auntie for stories, and, now that he had a mommy, he wanted one, too.

The female thought for a moment before saying, $ Okaysss Hatchling, let me tell yousss about the Wizarding World, neh?$

Harry gasped $Wizards, like with magics? But Uncle say magic no exists.$

The snakes chuckled.

$Then how are you sssspeaking to ssssnakesss then Hatchling? Now ssssettle down."

Thus Harry fell asleep dreaming of Castles, broomsticks, wands, and colorful spells, as the pair of snaked continued to weave a picture of a strange and enchanting world.