Poison Ivy | T. Riddle ✔

[36] Parselmouth

A gentle breeze gushed through the garden in Malfoy Manor. The plants swayed with the breeze, creating a beautiful effect of dancing in the wind. Eridanus and Lucius were sitting by the clear brook that passed through the gardens, playing with the white rabbits which Abraxas had recently added to his collection of pets that already included a fine species of peacocks, parrots and swans.

Lucius was very fond of animals hence his father made sure that he had the best pets to play with. The Manor's garden was not only famous for its beautiful plants but it also housed varieties of valuable animal species.

"Danny," Lucius gently nudged him, "what happened?"

Eridanus wasn't playing with his rabbit anymore, instead he was simply staring ahead of him with a thoughtful look on his face. Such an expression would seem odd on a child of his age, but Eridanus was a lot different from normal kids.

He looked up startled when Lucius shook him, "what?"

"Why aren't you playing? Do you not like my rabbits?"

Eridanus gently stroked the rabbit's fur, "I am playing. And I like the rabbits."

He shook his head, "I don't think so. Are you not feeling well?"

He let go of the rabbits, turning to face him, "Lucius, I think my Mum is not feeling well."

"What happened to her?"

"I don't know," he spoke, "she is always so sad these days."

Lucius pondered for a while before replying, "why do you think she's sad?"

"She cries a lot," the concern was visible from his voice, "she used to be so happy before, always laughing and playing with me. But she doesn't laugh anymore. And I don't like to see her like that."

Lucius nodded as if he had understood the problem, "whenever I cry it's usually because I want something. Maybe your Mum is sad and crying because she wants something too. Do you know what she could want?"

Eridanus replied immediately, not even pausing to think, "she wants happiness."

His reply was so sudden and accurate that even he didn't know how he had suddenly said that. But now it all made sense to him.

"I see," Lucius stood up, "then we will try to make her happy, right? We will give her a gift. Gifts can make anyone happy." The triumphant look in his eyes showed that he was quite pleased with him at figuring out exactly how to help Eridanus out.

"Will it work?" he looked up at him hopefully.

"Of course Danny," he nodded, "we will find the most beautiful flowers to give to your Mum. She will be very happy to get the flowers, I'm sure."

A soft smile took over Danny's face, "alright then."

Lucius took him to the far side of the garden where the most beautiful flowers were grown, "we won't take too many or else Mum would get angry. But these are the prettiest flowers you will find here."

They very carefully bent down to pluck the flowers in order to make a bouquet for Demelza. But they had only picked one or two flowers when Lucius saw something slithering in the flower beds. He grabbed Eridanus and pulled him back immediately, "there's something over there, Danny. I think it's a snake."

Unlike him, Eridanus didn't get scared and simply stared at the flower bed where the snake was supposed to be hiding. A sinister hissing sound reached them and Lucius stepped back.

"Danny... We could get hurt and both our Mums would get worried."

Eridanus however didn't move, "we won't get hurt."