CHAPTER NINETEEN
Naming an Heir
'The child is a parselmouth,' Severus spat at Albus, almost as soon as the old wizard had called for him to enter. Albus sat back, considering the professor. There was no need to ask to whom he was referring. But the news, in itself, was startling.
'How did you come by this information, Severus?' Albus asked him seriously.
Severus glared back. 'He just performed a demonstration at that ridiculous duelling club. Half the students were in the Great Hall at the time – the whole school will know by now.'
'And how did he come to speak parseltongue in the Great Hall?' pressed Albus shrewdly, his blue eyes piercing into Severus's.
Severus hesitated. 'Draco and Potter were doing a demonstration. Draco used a snake-conjuring spell in the duel.'
'Surely that was not one of the approved spells,' Albus said, his eyes flashing slightly.
Severus scoffed, waving an impatient hand. 'That's hardly the point, is it Albus? The brat spoke to the snake – shouted at it – in front of the entire hall. The situation is likely to spiral out of control, given the current state of the school. How could you fail to tell me that Potter could speak in Slytherin's tongue?'
Albus rose from his seat, turning to face Fawkes's perch as he gathered his thoughts. He stroked the phoenix's great plumed head. Fawkes was beginning to lose his feathers. His burning day must be approaching.
'I was not aware that Harry possessed the skill,' Albus admitted, still keeping his gaze on the phoenix. 'Though I suppose it is not a surprising development.'
'Not surprising?' Severus asked, incredulous. 'Parseltongue is among the rarest of all the magical skills. I am of Slytherin's house, and I myself can boast to only having met one other parselmouth before in my life... and we both know that sorcerer's reputation comports precisely with the rumours that have long surrounded the art of snake speech. I do not recall the Potters having parseltongue in their line, nor could Lily speak the language. It is both surprising and ominous, in my view. And I find it difficult to believe that you, who have watched and protected the boy so closely, could not have known of this talent.'
Albus sighed, feeling every bit his age for the moment. He wanted to think on this new information, and Severus's ranting and the immediacy of the issue was not helping his thoughts. He considered it unlikely that Harry had inherited the skill genetically... though it was not entirely implausible. No, Albus thought it was much more likely that Harry could speak to snakes because Voldemort could speak to snakes. Voldemort – who had marked the infant as his equal. Voldemort, who Albus suspected more and more had transferred some of his own abilities to Harry on that Hallowe'en night.
'Severus,' he said, turning to face the Potions master once more. 'You know that magic is difficult to predict. There are many ways by which Harry could have come to possess a talent for parseltongue, and certainly nothing we can do to quash it. I'll admit to some surprise myself that we are only just learning of this ability, but it is possible Harry himself did not realise that he had the gift.'
'It seems like quite convenient timing,' Severus pointed out, 'with Slytherin's chamber once more reopened.'
'It does,' Albus admitted. 'Although you and I both know that Harry had nothing to do with that.'
Severus seemed recalcitrant, but he nodded his agreement.
'I do think that will be the most immediate problem, however,' Albus said, pacing the space behind his desk. 'As long as Salazar Slytherin and the Chamber of Secrets remain the focus of school gossip, Harry will face suspicion and rumour from the other students. We must ensure that no harm comes to him, in addition to our efforts to uncover the culprit.'
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Child of Hogwarts: Part I
FanfictionThis is the first novel-length instalment in a series of fanfiction stories, which will follow Harry Potter from the summer after his first year at Hogwarts onward. When Harry returns to the Dursleys after the events of Philosopher's Stone, his su...