A Snake's Son

Plans, Twins and Brooms

The next morning Seamus, Dean and Neville couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the four go down to breakfast, grinning at something Ron had said and completely ignoring them. As they sat down for breakfast there was the rush of wings that signalled the mail, gasps could be heard coming from the rest of the hall.

Harry looked up just in time to see a something long and wrapped in brown paper droped down on the table in front of him and a letter was dropped on top of the parcel. Harry opened it to see "DO NOT OPEN IN FRONT OF STUDENTS. They will all want one, this is your new broom a Nimbus 2000. Practice will be three times a week." It said, Glad he hadn't opened the package first he turned to the high table to see Snape smiling over at him before turning back to his conversation with Professor Quirrell.

Forgetting about breakfast, Harry and his gang got up to go down to the dungeons and check the broom out. As they made their way through the crowed at the doors and towards the stairs leading to the dungeons Seamus and Dean fell into step behind them. Just as they thought that they could grab the parcel out of Harrys hands Harry spun round and grabbed Deans hand before it could make contact. Professor Quirrell was watching unnoticed under a cloaking spell.

"Let go of me." Dean hissed out as he tried to pull out of Harrys vice like grip.

"Haha, and why would I do that?" He asked coldly raising one eyebrow.

"That thing you got there, it's a broom, isn't it?" Seamus asked snidely "First years aren't allowed to have brooms."

"Ahh t-t-there you a-are Harry, I s-see you have y-y-your broom now, I l-l-look forward t-to seeing you fly." Quirrell said with a nervous smile as he chased Seamus and Dean away from the gang. Harry looked after him there was something strangely familiar about....

Draco grabbed Harrys arm and pulled him along the corridor towards the Dungeons, one inside the now empty common room the boy ground to a halt but Hermione pulled them along towards the boy's dormitories.

"Wait Hermione, you're a girl. You aren't allowed in there." Ron practically gasped as Hermione pulled them over to the stairs.

"Actually, the girls can get into the boy's dorms but the boys can't get into the girl's. The founders thought girls to be more trustworthy." She said in a matter of fact way, as she climbed the stairs with them and walked along till she got to their room.

"Wow!" She breathed as she looked around, the House Elves had been in and cleaned up leaving all of the surfaces gleaming and clean. The room looked as enchanting as ever. "So, let's see this new broom of yours." She said as she sat down in the middle of the plush and soft rug that ran the length of the room ending at the foot of Harrys bed, it like most things in this room was a bright emerald green.

Sitting down next to her and with the others flanking him, Harry placed the package down and slowly unwrapped it to see a shiny new Nimbus 2000. He couldn't wait to ride it, it was apparently the best broom on the market so it had to be good. He ran his hands over the wood lovingly and then suddenly remembered two other people who should be part of this.

He stood up and walked over to a small floating pillow suspended next to the top of Harrys bed, Ouro was curled up on it and looking over at them bewilderedly.

"Ouro come here," Harry hissed out excitedly "Look what I have!" Ouro lifted his head to look over at his master and then down at the broom lying on the floor, he lifted his head and curled himself around Harry wrist and let himself be carried over to the carpet.

Next Harry seemed to go quiet for a moment, his eyes glazing over and then there was a distinct increase in pressure and Imperi seemed to materialise out of the lake and pass through the glass, all without any issue.

"Hey Harry, what's up?"  She asked immediately causing Ron to jump, Hermione had grown up hearing about them and Draco had met her already.

"Err...the ceiling?" Ron tried causing a smile on Imperi's face as she looked over them.

"Hi, I haven't met two of you, yet have I?" She asked looking Ron and Hermione over.

"This is Ron and this is Hermione." Harry said pointing to each of them in turn. "I wanted to show you this, It's my new Broomstick." He said pointing to it, then holding it up for her to see.

Imperi gasped as she looked over at the broom in Harrys hands, "Can I?" She asked timidly wanting to touch it.

"Sure." He said with a smug smirk, but it came of as more excited than anything. "Oh, and I wanted to ask your opinion on something." He said with a slightly more serious air. Imperi ran her hands over the sleek wood and sat down in the nearby chair, next to the desk listening. "We were out of our dorm last night and came across a trapdoor that might lead to whatever we are looking for but we are unsure about what to do. It is a wild guess that it is down there and if we are caught then we are in some serious trouble. For one thing, we would be on their radar. That would not be good. Any ideas?"

Ron looked slightly confused at the word "radar" but was studying Imperi closely. Draco blinked a lot then turned to Hermione seeking an answer, she simply mouthed "I'll explain later."

"Well," Imperi said slowly, thinking it over "Have you thought about monitoring the teachers behaviour?"

"No, but you could be onto something. Dumbles would want all the extra protection he could get so he would enlist them wouldn't he."

"Yes, and suppose they saw someone try to get into the room and down the trapdoor? Their reaction could tell you lots."

"But where would I find people willing to cause that level of chaos?" Harry thought aloud.

"I might be able to help there." Ron piped up. "My brothers Fred and George are in Gryffindor but they aren't Gryffindor's. I am sure they would lend up a hand."

"You think so?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Ron said matter of factly. "We can talk to them at the Halloween feast that's happening soon."

"I can certainly get us a classroom away from everything to talk more privately." Said Draco.

"I'll look up privacy spells." said Hermione.

"Good everyone get ready, talk to you soon Imperi." Ordered Harry becoming very business-like.

"Talk soon and Harry," She said with concern "Be careful." As she put the broom down and moved away back into the water.

"Don't worry I will." He said.