Into the Arms of the Night

Chapter 3: A Pernicious Parley

Tom stormed up more stairs and down the hall as quickly as he thought was necessary to stop Nagini from injuring Harry further. She wouldn't actually eat him without his express permission; though he had once promised him to her as a meal. But as was usual with his plans, things had changed since he had made her that promise and he winced at how his familiar would take that.

As he reached his room, he paused outside of the bedchamber door and heard the livid hissing and spitting sounds of his snake-companion. He heard the equally vicious reverberations in parseltongue that Harry made back at her with equal force behind his words. It was so bizarre to hear someone other than himself with the language, but it was also stirring to hear Harry in particular use a form of speech considered to be so dark and his by most of wizard Europe.

To know that they were quite possibly and most likely to be the only two wizards left alive now in Europe to even harbor the ancient language. Of course, there was always the chance that someone had it and were an anomaly, but this power in Harry was something Tom came to respect and appreciate between them as two magic-users of great power.

The dark lord had recently found that of all his allies, connections worldwide, current enemies or former ones; he minded Harry the least having such a gift that also was his to use. And Tom admitted that it had nothing exactly to do with the fact that the younger man was now considered his partner.

Not only did the boy sound so enticing using it, but he was also intriguing to watch as he spoke with it. For others to hear and behold him using the language; it was like hypnotism to almost anyone who heard him.

Even him; to a degree. The sibilant speech drew his attention and held it where it wanted it to be until Tom found he could break away. But for so many others who were born with the gift outside of Europe; they had to make it seem more than just another exotic language to get the attention that Harry garnered with it.

Perhaps part of it was Harry's fame already and the fact the gift was considered so dark and forbidden among the European culture; he had no idea, but Potter's use of the snake speech was like another form of addiction. You heard it, and then wanted it to continue; never to stop.

Tom was also very much so and quite aware that in places like India and other Oriental countries; the language of Parseltongue was far more common in witches and wizards, so using the gift to entice others was more commonplace.

Those born with the gift in common birth were raised to a higher status quo and those of the nobility born with it often became those whose opinions were most considered. Anyone from outside these countries who visited and held the gift of the snake language were treated with utmost respect and were considered as one of the family to whoever they visited no matter where they went.

Often foreigners used this to gain diplomatic advantages, and Tom had even done this a bit in younger years; though he had not been back to India in years. Perhaps he would take Harry along with him when next he went; the boy would need to learn of other cultures outside their own.

Tom sighed; opinions of the language differed so greatly from continent to continent...

He waited for a moment longer as the sounds continued to be coming from both. Neither seemed able to back down; he sighed, he knew that the tension between them would be horrible for now or they would resolve this and Nagini would settle for neutral.

--

Harry looked up from the snake cautiously while Nagini paused her venomous words as Tom entered and Harry slightly smiled though it looked strained, "I suppose our disagreement has brought attention to the elves? They would not have bothered you with this otherwise?"