Half-Blood Princess Book One

Chapter 8 - A New Pet

Third Person POV

July 29th, 1991

Wandering beside Dumbledore, Tilly was wondering what he wanted her for? Where were they going? What were they going to buy? Thoughts rushed through Tilly's head, making it hard for her to focus on where she was putting her feet, almost tripping up a few times. Dumbledore can tell the gears in Tilly's head are turning. Before Tilly starts to get a headache from her overthinking, Dumbledore pulls her into another shop, on the North Side of Diagon Alley, Magical Menagerie. Passing through the thresh hold, trying to find even a small amount of space, with every inch of the walls covered by cages. The smell stung Tilly's nose, and her eyes start to water. Her ears have a slight ringing from all the occupants trapped in the cells; squeaking, screeching, chattering or hissing.

The hissing is what catches Tilly's attention the most, it is hard for her to decipher what each snake was saying, but there is one that Tilly could hear almost clear as crystal.

"Help me. Please, I don't like it here. I'm... scared. Please." Tilly could tell the snake was still young and looked like a Python but black. Tilly has never seen a snake so beautiful and sleek. Tiptoeing over to the cage, peering inside, Tilly starts to speak Parseltongue. Hiss sentences that Dumbledore couldn't understand.

"Do you have a name?" Tilly hissed, the snake lifting its head to look at Tilly shocked someone was speaking to her,

"No." The snake gave a short hiss for an answer. Turning back to Dumbledore, Tilly frowns her eyebrows and squints her eyes to the Headmaster.

"Tilly before you become more like your Father, yes you can get a snake. If you want, of course." I smile larger than anyone had ever seen on the face of a Snape grew on Tilly's face, swivelling back to the snake,

"What do you think of coming with me, and also about the name Raven." Tilly hissed, her smile not wavering, waiting for 'Raven' to answer.

"Yes. Yes. I love that name and get me out of here." Raven hissed back, nodding her head and somewhat of a smile appearing on her small face. Dumbledore chuckles, gazing at Tilly and Raven, and their happy expressions. Skipping up to the counter, placing the money needed for Raven. The owner looks surprised that someone was buying a snake, let alone is also a Parselmouth. Wanting nothing more than Tilly to leave the store, due to the prejudices put on Parselmouths, bolts for the cage holding Raven snatches it and shoves the snake into Tilly's chest ushering Dumbledore and Tilly out faster than a swooping eagle trying to catch its food.

When the door slams in Tilly's face, her smile disappears, and a scowl develops. It is impossible to say Tilly doesn't look identical to Severus when she scowls—rotating around to face Dumbledore, placing the cage holding Raven on the ground, tilting the head up to look at him, swinging her arms around Dumbledores waist, hugging him. Dumbledore stands in shock at Tilly. It was one thing for a Snape to smile, but to hug someone besides each other, or in Tilly's case, a Malfoy, who are family to her, was surprising. Dumbledore laughs and wraps his arms around Tilly as well.

"Thank you, Dumbledore. This means the world to me." Tilly spins back to Raven and opens her cage door, letting her slither out of it, into the open and fresh air.