Can A Phoenix Love A Lion? (Hermione Granger x Male Reader)

14. The Serpents' Tongue

Harry and Malfoy faced each other, got out their wand and bowed.

"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart said loudly. "On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent—only to disarm—we don't want any accident here. One—two—"

"Everte Statum!" Draco shouted.

The spell hit Harry head-on, and he flew backwards for a moment in the air. Harry didn't waste more time and pointed his own wand at Malfoy, shouting, "Rictusempra!"

A jet of silver light hit Malfoy who doubled up laughing, wheezing in the grip of giggles. Harry lowered his wand, but Malfoy managed to contain himself a bit and cast another spell. Harry's legs began to dance frantically and uncontrollably.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted.

But Malfoy didn't listen to him and raised his wand quickly. "Serpensortia!"

A long black snake shot out of his wand and fell heavily onto the stage. It raised itself, ready to strike at Harry.

"Don't move, Potter," Snape said lazily. "I'll get rid of it for you..."

"Allow me, Professor Snape!" Lockhart shouted. He pointed his wand at the snake. "Alarte Ascendare!" With a loud bang, the snake flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the stage with a loud smack. Hissing, it slithered toward the other students and stopped itself in front of Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Harry walked towards the snake. "Leave him alone!" His voice was weird, with one layer of it understandable, the other in what seemed another tongue.

The snake slumped to the floor, docile.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Justin shouted at Harry. He looked angry and frightened.

"He saved your life," Y/N retorted.

But Justin didn't hear him and stormed out of the hall.

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Everyone looked at Harry, muttering all around the walls.

Y/N jumped onto the stage and tugged Harry's robe. "Better not remaining here. Come on." He steered Harry out of the hall, quickly joined by Hermione and Ron.

As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. Once outside the Great Hall, they went to the park, well away from the castle.

Y/N sat on a rock and turned to Harry. "You're a Parselmouth. You never told us that."

"I'm a what?" Harry said.

"A Parselmouth!" Ron said. "You can talk to snakes!"

"I know," Harry said. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once—long story—but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to—that was before I knew I was a wizard—"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

"So?" Harry said. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Not that much," Y/N said. "It's not common. And people who are Parselmouth usually don't say it aloud."

"This is bad," Ron said.

"What's bad?" Harry said. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin—"

"That's what you said to it?" Hermione asked.