Grimmauld's Home for Unsafe Learners

Chapter 3: First Competition Year

Chapter summary: June 1982 - June 1983

TW: mentions of psychical abuse, mentions of alcohol abuse, mental health

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The first thing Regulus did when Harry moved in was let him pick a room and decorate it. It started off with what color walls and wood, then what color sheets and curtains, then what decorations he wanted on the walls and shelves. And if he wanted any picture frames, if so, what pictures. It was a thing Regulus learned that helped victims of child abuse help start making their own decisions.

Regulus could tell that the start of summer was pretty rough for Harry. He would wake up every day at basically the crack of dawn to make breakfast for everyone when that was Kreacher's job. Then he would stand next to the wall until Regulus asked him to sit down. It was nothing he hadn't dealt with before.

He had sat down with Harry a week into the summer and they discussed what Harry should and shouldn't do. The 'should' list included his summer homework, playing Quidditch with Adrian Pucey (if they wanted), hang out with the other ghoulies, read a book, ask Regulus for stories of his dad and godfather, be his own person, speak up and express his emotions (if he wanted to). The 'shouldn't' list included waking up at the crack of dawn to cook, stand next to the wall when the others were eating, lock himself in his room, not make a single noise, run away when the others came up to him for a game, call Regulus 'professor' (all his ghoulies called him R, Reg, Reggie or Regulus over the summer).

Over the weeks, Harry had adapted to the lists pretty well there were still some habits he was trying to break (like waking up super early) but that was understandable.

The one-time Harry frightened Regulus (and the ghoulies) was the day he found Harry outside with a snake. Harry was sitting on the grass, talking casually with a snake. Harry turned back and saw Regulus,

"Prof—Regulus! Look! I made a new friend! Her name is Bellona! She's very nice. Can I keep her?"

"Harry! That is a snake! She could be poisonous for all we know! Get away from her!"

Harry looked confused, "But she promised me she wouldn't hurt me or my friends."

"What do you mean she promised?"

"She told me she wouldn't hurt us."

"You can speak with her?"

"Yes? Isn't that something all witches and wizards can do?"

Regulus sighed, of course Harry would end up being a Parselmouth. "Harry come inside. You can bring Bellona if you want."

Harry smiled happily and carefully picked up the snake. Regulus would soon learn that Bellona was an adder snake, the only poisonous snake native to the UK.

Kenneth, who was passing by as they walked in, saw the snake wrapped around Harry's shoulders and promptly passed out. Luckily, Nicholas was with him and he caught him before he could fall to the floor. Regulus just sighed again, motioning for Nicholas to get the others.

Once they were all sitting (minus Kenneth who was still passed out on the couch where Nicholas had left him), Regulus spoke, "Harry, you were saying you spoke to Bellona?"

"Yeah. I thought talking to snakes was normal?"

"Harry, talking to snakes is a rare ability that is only passed on through certain family lines like the Slytherin, Peverell and Gaunt lines. This language is called Parseltongue, and as a speaker of this, you're a Parselmouth."

"So, last year when I set the snake on Dudley, I wasn't speaking English?"

Elora's eyes widened, "You set a snake after your cousin?"