A Trio of Serpents

15: Truth or Truth

Summary: Time to find the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And a place a snake can live.

By the end of the day, no one thought Harry was the heir. But it did raise the question as to who could have possibly been behind the attacks. Even the theory of Harry having an accomplice was fading into the background, or maybe he just wasn't noticing them as much due to the Hufflepuffs that had been in the library renewed interest in him.

"Why should they be worried about me when there's something petrifying students?" Harry muttered. They had passed Ernie, Hannah, and Susan, the girl with the plait, and all of them had immediately begun whispering among themselves once they were out of earshot.

"You did indicate your relatives' treatment of you," Hermione pointed out.

"Susan's aunt is the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Ron added. "If anyone has even an idea on how to deal with nasty people, it's her."

"Right." The corridor was not the best place to discuss his home life.

Ron changed the subject. "So the spell. You think you mastered it?" he asked Hermione.

"Course I have," Hermione said. "Now we just need to find a time to do it."

"Well, I think the holidays is the best time," Harry said. "Practically everyone's going home."

"Whatcha talking about?"

Jayson's voice made Harry jump a foot into the air.

"Jay!" he said crossly.

"Sorry." He cleared his throat. "Whatcha talking about? Are you plotting against Malfoy again? Can I help? It was so fun last time."

"Last time?" Hermione echoed. "Wait, that was you who knocked Malfoy out last year?"

Ron looked at Jayson with renewed interest.

"Don't know what you're talking about. So" — Jayson gave a little bounce on the balls of his feet — "can I? I promise I won't ask what you're doing."

Harry thought for a moment. "That depends. Are you staying for the holidays?"

"Er, no."

"We can't do it then if he's gonna help," Ron pointed out.

"Right. Well, in that case..."

"Oh no!" Malfoy groaned as Jayson plopped down next to him.

"Excuse you, but I am wonderful company," Jayson said indignantly. "And that spell you used was also wonderful. Please tell me. For Sid's sake."

Malfoy closed his eyes. Of course he was here for that. He really wished Crabbe and Goyle would get over here.

Meanwhile, Ron was in the library under the pretense of looking for information on Slytherin's monster. At a signal from a hidden Harry — removing his glasses to rub his eyes — Ron stepped out and bumped into Goyle.

"Watch it, Weasel!" he said.

"Yeah, watch it!" Crabbe added.

"You watch it," Ron retorted, uncaring how weak his response was.

Goyle's eyes strayed to the book in his hands. "What's that you're reading?" he asked and seized it from Ron, shoving him when he tried to retrieve it.

"Slytherin's monster?" Goyle said. "What are you gonna do? Go after it?"

"Shut it." Ron made another lunge, but Crabbe pushed him back down. "As if I'd tell you what I'd do. Malfoy would probably use that knowledge for the next attack."

"If only!" Goyle said. Unaware of the wand that was pointed at him between two thick books, he plowed on. "Draco wishes he knew who's doing it. He'd help. He'd get rid of the Mudblood Granger." A look of confusion crossed his face, then dawning realization at what he had said.

But Ron had come prepared. He took out his wand and muttered, "Confundo."

Crabbe and Goyle's expressions went blank.

"I bumped into you," Ron murmured, "you snapped at me, and that was it."

He put his wand away and snatched his book back. "Keep your grubby hands off my stuff, will you?"

With that, he walked off, leaving the other two boys to carry on, unaware of the information they had let slip.

"Well, that was a waste of time," Harry muttered.

"I don't know about that," said Ron. "I mean, Sid's happy."

They looked over to where Jayson and Sid were sitting on the floor with an adder between them. Apparently, Jayson had been successful in getting Malfoy to finally show him the spell. Now Malfoy was in his dorm with Crabbe and Goyle, too frazzled to even sneer at the trio.

"Glad someone is," Harry said. Being the only Parselmouth, he was the one who had to tame the adder lest someone got bit. Luckily, adders were among the more timid species, and this one seemed to take to Sid very well. "Where's it gonna live, though? I doubt Snape would like it, even if this is the Slytherin common room."

"Maybe we can send it off to your cousin," said Ron.

"That's a terrible idea!" Hermione protested. "The poor adder doesn't deserve that."

Harry snorted at that. Turning, he called to Sid. "Where do adders live again?"

"Open areas like the moor," Sid replied, his fingers absently stroking the adder's head.

"So we can't just release it into the Forbidden Forest," Harry concluded.

"It could live at the edge," Jayson suggested. "The grounds around the lake is open territory."

"Lake it is." Sid stood and, with the adder safely nestled in his arms, left the common room.

Is this a Harry Potter fanfic or a reptile trivia book? Yes.