Harry Potter, Boy-who-was-neglected

House of the Snake

A/N In advance, even though I'm pretty sure y'all are going to hate Godric - I'm apologising in advance of the butchery of his name you're gonna find later in the chapter ;)

7 year old Harry watched from the stairs as the living room was embellished with even more scarlet and gold decorations, looking redder than the Gryffindor common room itself. 5 house elves brought a huge, red cake into the room, staggering under the weight of the cake. As they placed it onto the table, next to a mountainous pile of gifts amassed by their parents and his many admirers. An equally big - if not bigger pile of fan-mail loomed above everyone next to the gift pile. And where were his presents? In the corner, of course, sent by his one godfather that actually acknowledged his existence - Sirius Black, a dog animagus. He was to go down to get his presents after everyone left - "scum" like him couldn't be seen at a party as big as this one. 

From the stairs above him came a loud, thumping noise, and he knew that Godric, the fat git had arrived. His red suit was close to bursting at the seams and his face was flushed pink as he was herded down the flight of stairs wearing an ornate blindfold. As he waddled down, Lily - for he had long since been unable to call the woman "mum" - could be seen, gushing over how amazing this birthday would be like she did every single year. 

James Potter was waiting downstairs, and along with Lily they pulled the blindfold off and shouted "Happy birthday, son!!" Greedy hazel piggy eyes stared out of the living room, stopping to rest on the presents. Ignoring everything including his parents, Godric rushed to the mountain of presents, furiously counting. When he stepped back out, his face was an angry red,  and seemed to be gearing up to some serious shouting.

 "ONLY 44, LAST YEAR I HAD 46!"

Lily quickly hurried up to coddle him. 

"Calm, down, my little Goddiekins, mummy's prepared two more special birthday presents JUST for you, just that we'll have to go to Diagon Alley to pick them up - here's some floo powder! Come on! You too, Harry." 

"Mooooom, does my freak brother have to come?"

"Yes, he is, sadly we can't leave him at home alone."

"Ugh fine."

Right after James Lily left, Godric walked in front of Harry, whispering:

"I'm warning you, if my birthday is ruined..."

He trailed off on what he thought was a sinister tone but just really sounded like he was wheezing. Harry held in the urge to smirk and quickly transfigured his old, worn clothes into a Slytherin green shirt and black slacks. As Godric disappeared in the green flames, Harry grabbed his handful of floo powder, shouting the name of his destination as he was whisked off to Diagon Alley. 

As his feet touched the ground, he suddenly sensed a sharp pull at his soul, as if there was something calling him. Letting his heart guide him, he inadvertently followed the Potters to the Magical Menagerie. The shop was dingy and dirty, the wall crammed full with cages, the sounds of animals merging with each other. The pull became stronger, and he kept on following the pull to the back of the store, ignored largely by one of the storekeepers as he fawned over his brother, enthusiastically introducing the kneazle he was staring at. Uncovering a cloth where the pull was the strongest, he was greeted by the sight of the most beautiful snake he'd ever seen. 

The snake had shimmering black scales that sparkled iridescent green in the dim light of the shop, two long, shining fangs and a pair of silver eyes that stared back at him. Wandlessly unlocking the cage, he reached into the cage and the snake slithered onto his arm, where it - she coiled comfortably and spoke in a raspy, hissing voice.

"Hello, my bonded."

"Hello, my bonded sssserpent."

Silver eyes widened in surprise as the snake's features contorted into what would be surprise on a human face.

"You are one of them, an honoured Ssssspeaker!"

"Yes, so I do not require your venom or your bite to be able to understand you. What is your name, sssserpent?"

"I have no name, ssssspeaker. Would you give me a name?"

"You sssshall be Frigdor, the cold one."  

"Thank you, master!"

"Frigdor, please call me Harry. Let us return." 

And with that, he walked up to the cashier, where a fat, stout man sat.

"How much for the snake?"

The man grinned, revealing yellowed, stained teeth in a crooked smile as he took a drag from a smoking pipe."

"15 galleons, no less. Fine lass she is, a basilisk for a parent and a cobra for another, indeed! Was a fierce one too, snapped at anyone who saw her. Moved to the back of the store, she was."

Harry slid 20 galleons across the table.

"Done deal. Keep the change."

And with that, he sauntered over to the exit, where the Potters were just leaving, Godric clutching a fat kneazle with gold markings. Following them to the floo station, he waited for everyone to leave, then Apparated away with a burst of black flames.

Little did he know, a pair of cold mercury eyes were watching from the shadows, calculating his every move, watching his every step. Lucius Malfoy got up from the owl display he was pretending to admire, gliding into an abandoned alleyway and apparating away. The boy could be useful....