Year Two: The Secret of Slytherin

Part 12

A few weeks later, Harry, Anne, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the Entrance Hall when they saw a massive group of people crowding into the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared in the middle of the hall.

Lockhart was walking on to the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape.

Lockhart called the students for silence. "Gather 'round, gather 'round! Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! In light of recent events, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start a duelling club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on coutless occasions. Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape. He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you to worry---you'll still have your Potions Master when I'm through with him."

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast out first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"One----two----three----"

"Expellimus!" cried Snape. A dazzling flash of scalet light bursted forth and Lockhart was blasted off his feet.

"Do you think he's all right?" asked a concerned Hermione.

"Who cares?" said Harry, Anne, and Ron together.

Lockhart got unsteadily to his feet. "Well, there you have it! That was a Disarming Charm. An excellent idea to show them that, Profesor Snape, but it you don't mind my saying it was pretty obvious what yoou were about to do. And if I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy."

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor," Sanpe said in a low voice.

"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape!" said Lockhart brightly. "Let's have a volunteer pair!" He turned to the crowd on his left. "Potter! Weasley! How about you?"

"Weasley's wand causes devestation with the simplest spells," Snape brought up. "We'll be sending Potter in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?"

Malfoy strutted over smirking. He and Harry eyed each other malevolently as they took their places on stage. Grudgingly, they bowed to each other.

"Scared, Potter?" Draco sneered.

"You wish," replied Harry.

"On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents---only to disarm. We don't want any accidents," Lockhart instructed. "One---two----"

Before he could finish, Draco acted. "Everte Statium!" Harry was knocked off his feet with a blast of white light. But he got to his feet, pointed his wand at Draco and shouted, "Rictusempra!"

A jet of silver light hit Draco in the stomach and doubled up, wheezing.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart yelled.

Draco raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

Harry watched aghast, as a long black snake shot out of Draco's wand, fell heavily to the floor between them, and raised itself to strike.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless. "I'll get rid of it for you." Before he took a step, Lockhart flicked his wand. "Allow me! Alarte Ascendare!"

The snake flew ten feet in the air and fell back to the floor. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley, and raised itself, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

As several students gasp. Harry oddly calm approached the snake. Watching off to the side, Anne stood in shock when Harry began to make hissing sounds.

As if it heard him, the snake turned its head briefly but then turned its attention back to Justin. Once more, Harry made more hissing sounds. As if it finally understood, the snake turned away from Justin and slithered toward Harry.

Snape stepped forward, and waved his wand. "Vipera Evenesca!" The snake vanished in a small puff of smoke. He, too, was looking at Harry in disbelief.

"What are you playing at?" Justin shouted at Harry.

Harry didn't have a clue of what was going on. Neither Ron nor Hermione said anything to him until they had dragged him to a corner outside the Gryffindor common room. Anne kept staring at him bewildered with the same look as her father.

"You're a Parselmouth!" Ron finally blurted out. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" said Harry confused.

"A Parselmouth!" Ron repeated. "You can talk to snakes!"

"I know. I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once. But so what? I bet loads of people here can do it," replied Harry exasperated.

"No, they can't. It's not a very common gift, Harry," said Hermione. "This is bad."

"What's bad?" said Harry, starting to feel quite angry. "If I hadn't told that snake not to attak Justin--"

"Oh, that's what you said to it!" countered Ron.

"You were there! You heard me!"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language," explained Ron.

"I spoke a different language? But I didn't realize---how can I speak a language without knowing I can?"

"I don't know, Harry, but it sounded like you were egging the snake on or something," Hermione told him.

Anne who had been quiet throughout the tense converstation spoke up. "Harry, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent. Its founder Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth as well. He, too, could talk to snakes."

"Exactly!" Ron agreed. "Now the whole school's going to think you're his great great great grandson or something."

"But I'm not.....I can't be!" Harry protested panicked.

"He lived a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be," said Hermione.