💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎
🔥 30→2ch | 60→5ch | 100→8ch | 200→15ch | 400→25ch
⏰ Resets Monday!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Snape stared at the thin Gryffindor first-year. Stepped forward. "You just can't resist the urge to show off, can you, Potter? Since you clearly know you're no help to the situation, you'd better not wander around with..." He swept Ron and Hermione with a caustic gaze. Ron stood beside Harry. Furiously looked at him. "...your accomplices. Otherwise, I'm afraid something terrible might happen."
"Professor Snape, please lend a hand!" Anthony said loudly. He'd heard from Ron that Snape had a strange hatred toward Harry. But this was the first time he personally saw Snape intimidate students like a villain wizard in traditional stories.
Snape finally spared a bit of attention from Harry to the giant snake in Hagrid's hands. Then indifferently looked away. "Sorry, do you want me to save this snake, Anthony? It looks about to be crushed to death."
"No way," Hagrid muttered. "I've been gently..."
"Hagrid, can't you just crush the snake's head?" Ron asked. Craned his neck to see Roger.
"Absolutely not, Mr. Weasley!" Professor Flitwick shrilly said.
According to Professor Flitwick, the banner Miss Parkinson commissioned probably also contained part of the magic guarding wizard manors. Once violently attacked, would try using all strength to strangle prey. To protect the manor. Only when Hagrid "gently" pinched the snake would it not frantically coil Roger.
Usually, after magical rituals, manor owners should control alchemical products in crests. But Miss Parkinson just told them with a pale face she completely didn't know there was such a snake in the banner.
"This one's not very aggressive," Professor Flitwick told Roger. "Among all alchemical products I've seen, it's even weak... I think its strongest is probably damage resistance ability." He thoughtfully paused. "I wonder if they could possibly make me a suit of soft armor..."
Anthony comforted Roger. "This is good news. Just a bit troublesome. But we should be able to get you out without much injury—"
"Uh," Roger said. The snake suddenly sliding to his neck made him tilt his head. "Professor, I don't quite like it being on my neck."
In Hagrid's hurried apologies, Anthony and Flitwick immediately added a dozen Relashios. Afraid if Hagrid used force, Hogwarts would gain another ghost with strangulation marks on neck. In situations where problems could be solved, they'd rather be slower. Didn't want to rapidly send a student with broken ribs or unstoppable bleeding to the Hospital Wing.
Snape sneered. Fiddled with his wand slowly saying, "Move aside, move aside. Let me handle it..."
"No, not you!" Ron said loudly. Gaze tightly fixed on Roger. Professor Flitwick was concentrating on instructing Hagrid to pry open the giant snake coiled around his neck. "Professor Flitwick's already handling it!"
Snape stopped. Dangerously said softly, "Oh?"
Hermione fiercely tugged Ron's arm. He finally snapped out of concern for Roger.
"Very good. Seems some people think they can order me around—their professor," Snape said coldly. "Very regrettably, because you're not respectful enough to professors, Gryffindor loses five points, Weasley."
Ron pursed his lips and looked away. Silently continued watching Roger's rescue. Harry quietly comforted him. Told him not to engage Snape. ("I think he originally planned to deduct my points. Just happened to run into you.")
But Snape was relentless. "Why didn't you stop him, Potter? Oh my, because you're also not respectful enough to professors, Gryffindor loses another five points."
"But—" Harry looked up incredulously.
"What?" Anthony also said incredulously.
Professor Flitwick turned around somewhat confused. "What's wrong, Professor Anthony?"
"Professor Snape!" Hagrid said angrily. "Harry didn't do anything!"
Then the crowd pointed at Roger Davies and shouted.
In confusion and fury, Hagrid forgot to control his strength. The snake suddenly attacked violently broke free from Professor Flitwick's hands. Fiercely strangled the unlucky Chaser who hadn't yet escaped... his neck.
Roger's face gradually flushed red. Mouth open gasping. Rolled around on the cushion. His now-free hands struggled pulling the snake body. Legs kicked in the air.
Professor Flitwick immediately shouted a spell Anthony had never heard.
The snake's body began hissing smoke. Made unpleasant creaking sounds like rusty chains rubbing. Where tightly connected to the snake, Roger's chin, neck, and chest, skin rapidly wrinkled. Then turned gray, dried, cracked.
Snape sharply drew his wand. Shouted, "Sectumsem—"
At the same time, realizing Roger Davies' condition, Hermione covered her mouth. Ron and Tracey simultaneously burst out exclaiming: "Davies!" "Roger!"
Harry was also shouting. But the sound he made was bone-chilling. Not just Anthony, everyone sharply looked at him. Because it sounded very evil, very terrifying.
But Harry didn't notice this instant of silence. He looked at Roger. Then stared firmly at that snake. Continued saying something. His voice slippery and low. Didn't sound like humans could make.
That alchemical snake looked at Harry. Painfully tightened its body. Then slowly released Roger. Slid under the cushion. Mouth still wrapped with ridiculous ropes. Its tail slowly brushed past Roger lying stiffly on the ground. Raised its head approaching Harry. While Harry just watched it.
Accompanied by teeth-aching sounds of gears jamming, this snake fell to the ground. Its nostrils sprayed a stream of ominous black smoke. Then completely stopped moving.
"Mr. Davies!" Professor Flitwick shrilly said. Crouched down lifting Roger's eyelids. Touched his skin-dried neck. Threw no less than ten healing and detection spells on him in one breath. Carefully checked his Dark Magic damage.
Harry smiled as if relieved. Then he finally moved his gaze from the snake. "What's wrong?" He looked at surrounding people. Realized people were whispering. Asked puzzled, "What's wrong with you all?"
"Let's go, Harry," Ron and Hermione desperately pulled him. "Let's go quickly. I'm begging you. Don't ask."
"Mr. Potter," Anthony asked. "What did you just do?" Beside him, Snape was looking at Harry with heavy gaze.
Several Slytherin students stood behind Snape. They were among the few not discussing in low voices. Just stood there blankly staring at Harry. Expressions very strange.
Harry glanced at them. Said somewhat annoyed, "What I did, you all saw."
Then Madam Hooch finally arrived with Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey who rarely left the Hospital Wing huffily trotted over quickly. "Everyone move aside, move aside. Let me see..." Her gaze fell on Professor Flitwick's pile of spell detection results. Gasped. "Dark Magic!"
Students were dispersed. Harry was dragged away by Ron and Hermione on left and right. Snape nodded at Madam Pomfrey. Then expressionlessly returned to the castle. With Levitation Charm's help, other professors floated Roger's stretcher toward the Hospital Wing. Tracey bit her lip. Followed far behind. Madam Pomfrey sent her away after discovering.
All the way, Madam Pomfrey complained. "How did Quidditch become like this! Falls, sprains, bruises, teeth knocked out, fractures, fights... That's all fine! Dark Magic!"
"Sorry, Poppy," Professor Flitwick trotted along. "I used it. Emergency situation."
Madam Pomfrey asked, "Is there a counter-curse?"
"Not yet," Professor Flitwick said quickly. "But there's one to stop spreading. Already used."
"Control's acceptable. No life danger," Madam Pomfrey said. Looked at her test results. Expression softened somewhat. "Just appearance problems... What happened? Madam Hooch told me it was a snake. Look, I even brought a pile of antidotes." She patted the bag beside her. Inside made some clinking glass bottle collision sounds.
"It's complicated," Anthony said. "Anyway it's a non-venomous alchemical snake. But coiled around Davies' neck. In the emergency, fortunately Professor Flitwick had a way. Timely destroyed that snake. So Davies wouldn't be strangled to death."
Madam Pomfrey nodded. "I understand."
Once at the Hospital Wing, she immediately unceremoniously shooed Anthony and Professor Flitwick out. Medicine cabinet doors opened themselves. Various oddly-shaped instruments and potion bottles flew out. Neatly landed on a tray.
Looking through curtain gaps at the situation, Anthony straightened up. "I think we can go back."
"Of course, Professor Anthony," Professor Flitwick said. Looked twice more at Hospital Wing windows. Then turned around. "What a day!"
"Yes. What a match," Anthony said. "Hope Davies recovers quickly."
Professor Flitwick said, "Too many things... But I really didn't expect Mr. Potter is actually a Parselmouth!"
"That was Parseltongue?" Anthony reacted. "Snake language, Slytherin's characteristic ability?"
Professor Flitwick nodded. Then shook his head. Sighed.
Soon, the entire school seemed to discuss that the Gryffindor first-year who defeated the Dark Lord was a Parselmouth. All afternoon, no matter where Anthony went, could hear people discussing this.
From what he currently heard, some thought Harry might be Slytherin's heir—"But the Potters are basically all Gryffindor. And his mother's Muggle-born?"—some felt maybe he just had other wizard bloodlines with Parseltongue talent—"But Parseltongue is still a Dark wizard's mark"—others vividly described to others how Harry instigated that snake to strangle Roger. Only because Professor Flitwick's powerful spell already injured that terrifying guy did Roger save his life.
Even Professor McGonagall specially came to ask Anthony. "What exactly did Potter do?" She was called out from a pile of parchments by rumors. Said with a straight face, "From what I heard, he's about to unite with You-Know-Who to breach Hogwarts. We'd better pack quickly."
"He did nothing," Anthony assured her. "He just said a few sentences. Professor Flitwick told me that was Parseltongue. Besides that, nothing."
Professor McGonagall nodded. "As I thought. Thank you, Henry. Albus needs to know this." She turned around. Crisply closed the door.
Soon, other professors in the castle also began successively asking him what happened. Unlike Professor McGonagall, some weren't satisfied with short "Parseltongue" narration. Encouraged him to recall more details: how Parseltongue was spoken, how many syllables and phonemes, whether it sounded more like spells or language...
When yet another professor came to inquire, even Professor Quirrell was alarmed. He opened his office door. Cautiously exposed one eye from the door crack. Stuttered asking, "Ha—Harry Potter and Par—Parseltongue?"
"That's right," Anthony cleared his office door. Let that professor with notebook enter. "Want to come in, Professor Quirrell?"
His injuries looked completely healed. But confidence seemed greatly damaged. No matter how Anthony invited, refused to step into his office.
"I won't—won't go in," he stuttered. "Sm—smell's a bit strong, right?" He nervously smiled at the ginger cat whining at him by the door. Neurotically twitched several times.
He opened the door just to hear a brief sentence from Anthony: "It's true."
After getting the answer, Professor Quirrell immediately said, "Al—alright, thank you."
"Wait, Professor Quirrell," Anthony called. Stopped Professor Quirrell from closing the door.
He looked at Professor Quirrell. Then looked at the cat by his feet. "Did you—really very sorry—get scratched by my cat?"
Because he hadn't encountered Professor Quirrell recently, not until today when cat and Quirrell stood beside him simultaneously did he realize the faint Necromancy aura on Professor Quirrell was exactly the same as his Skeleton Cat.
Professor Quirrell sharply shook. Face suddenly disappeared from the door crack.
Anthony already knew the answer. Quickly said, "Sorry, I... I'm really very sorry. I know my cat's quite fierce. Quite aggressive too. I'll manage it well—is there anything I can help you with?"
He looked warningly at his cat. His cat still unfriendly arched its back. Ears pressed flat.
"No—no problem," Professor Quirrell said. Slammed the door shut.
Anthony returned to his office. Repeated the snake incident at the Quidditch pitch with that enthusiastic professor. After seeing the other off, he went to Professor Quirrell's office door and knocked.
"Who?" Professor Quirrell asked.
Anthony said, "It's me, Anthony. I'm really very sorry..."
No more response came from Professor Quirrell's office. Anthony stood outside the door for a while. Then silently walked back to his office.
The ginger cat was rolling on his bedroom floor. Sharp claws scratching his sofa legs. The Wraith Mouse sleeping on velvet cushions on the sofa impatiently turned over. Curled itself into a small ball.
"You..." Anthony glared at his cat.
The cat turned over and stood up. Rubbed his leg.
"Sigh," he bent down. Patted the cat's head. "Even if Professor Quirrell smells... you shouldn't hurt people. Didn't I explicitly forbid you from doing this, hmm?"
Besides Professor McGonagall and Professor Burbage whom he met for job procedures, Professor Quirrell was the first professor he knew outside work. Helped him greatly. He originally thought they were already friends.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (80+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/GoldenLong
Happy reading, everyone!