Drarry : A Snake Life

Chapter 4 - Announcement

McGonagall and I enter the Great Hall, Malfoy still on my shoulders. The conversations start to wear off when the students notice me; in less than a minute, the room is completely silent. We cross the Hall until the staff table and face the four tables.

"Good evening everyone" the headmistress says in a loud voice. "Before the dinner starts, I have to make an announcement. (She clears her throat.) "You may wonder why your classes have been interrupted and why your wands have been seized this morning. The reason is that, yesterday, Draco Malfoy from the Slytherin House has been cursed." (Murmurs start to echo in the room.) "Your wands and the teachers' wands have been tested with the Reverse Spell and, since we haven't found anything we... assume that an unknown wizard attacked your classmate."

"What happened to Draco?" a feminine voice shouts.

I spot the girl who spoke. Without much surprise, I recognise the pug-faced Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson.

"Your girlfriend is worried for you" I snigger.

"What girlfriend?" he asks, surprised.

I glance at him. I had always assumed Malfoy was dating this annoying chick, apparently I was wrong.

"Mr Malfoy is... unharmed" McGonagall goes on. "He is in good health, in a certain way."

I catch sight of Ron, Hermione and Ginny. I nibble my lip. They look rather lost, they probably don't understand why I disappeared all day, why I am next to the headmistress and why I have a collar around my neck made of living snake.

That one will be hard to explain...

"Where is he?" Pansy shrills, on the verge of becoming hysterical. "Where's Draco?"

McGonagall gestures towards me.

"Over here, Miss Parkinson" she answers coldly.

Resounding silence. All the students look at me with eyes wide open.

"She said it" I whisper for Malfoy.

"Oh, really?" he says ironically.

I raise my eyes to the ceiling. That prat is so ungrateful!

"He- What?" Goyle lets out, dumbfounded.

"Draco Malfoy is here" the headmistress repeats.

"He was transformed into Harry Potter?" the Slytherin boy asks stupidly.

"Your best friend is not the brightest" I sneer.

"Shut up" Malfoy snaps.

McGonagall hides a discreet sigh.

"The... snake is Mr Malfoy." (The murmurs increase.) "Since he can't speak nor understand anyone except Mr Potter, he will stay with him from now on. Thank you for your attention and, well... enjoy your meal."

The plate and the food appear on the tables, we hear the rattle of the goblets and fork, the students start talking loudly.

"Thank you Mr Potter" the headmistress whispers, giving me a faint smile. "Good luck."

I wince, she chuckles softly.

I walk through the Great Hall, all the eyes are fixed on me. I wish it would stop. People always keep staring at me, since my first year, and it's really getting on my nerves. I straighten up and grit my teeth. Malfoy's tail waves nervously along my arm, he's tensed as well.

I stop in front of my friends.

"Harry..." Hermione says hesitantly.

"Bro, what the fucking fuck?" Ron cuts her off.