Slithering Serpents (Ch 3)

The woman with short grey hair and a monocle over one eye who came into the Leaky Cauldron a minute or two after that man touched me - followed a few minutes later by a bunch more people in red dresses - is a woman who looks like she hates her job. Or her life. It could be either one or any number of other things, really. The point is that when she comes to talk to me after speaking with Professor Snape and McGonagall, she is clearly annoyed. “So, Miss… Potter,” she starts with a quick look up and down at me, a weird pause in her words when she says my recently learned last name. “My name is Amelia Bones and I’m the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, though many shorten that to DMLE. From what I and my aurors have heard after speaking with the witnesses, you loosed a wave of fire at the man known as Quirinus Quirrell. Does that sound correct to you?”

I tilt my head to the side. “I did light someone on fire, but I don’t know if that’s his name. Sounds like it would be annoying to say though.”

The woman’s frowning lips twitch when I say that but she doesn’t otherwise react, choosing to instead continue questioning me. “I see. Would you like to explain how and why you set him on fire? From what Snape and McGonagall told me, it does not sound like accidental magic, nor should you have had any reason to do so. Which is somehow less baffling than your ability to do so given you lack either a wand or, apparently, any experience with regards to magic.”

I blink at her for a moment, not really understanding what she means before deciding to say things plainly, just in case she’s a bit slow in the head like that one kid at the orphanage. She freaked out when she saw me and my friends sunning ourselves on the big rock in the orphanage’s garden and tripped when she tried to run away screaming. Apparently she hit her head on something and now she has trouble understanding things sometimes. It made all the other orphans and the adults even more scared of me than before, but I hardly see how that was my fault. I’m not the one who tripped her. I did trip another orphan and they fell in the river, but that was later so it didn’t count for them being more afraid at the time. Which is also baffling because that boy never showed up again after that so they wouldn’t have had any reasons to complain in the first place.

Anyways, I let my fire flare in my hand, the flickering glow bathing us even when the woman takes a step back and the wand in her hand shifts, not pointing at me, but close enough that Monty tightens where he’s still wrapped around me. Unlike the other two he doesn’t have as much freedom to react to possible threats, so he’ll only react when we think the danger is high. Any time a wand is in play is such a situation. Of course Kay and Addy are free to slither from my hair and around my arms where their tongues flick out in threatening hisses at the woman, not that she can understand them. Probably.

§Watch where you point that stick before I put it where you don’t want it! Unless you’re weird, you do seem weird…§

§I’ll bite your tits!§

Kay is the sort to get distracted when faced with people she thinks are unusual, no matter the situation, which can often lead to interesting threats or observations. Meanwhile Addy tends to repeat herself when it comes to threats, at least in that they all revolve around biting someone in a sensitive spot. She’ll follow through on it too, which always makes me laugh. What was I thinking about before…? Oh yeah.

“Fire is comfortable for me,” I explain, turning my hand so that my palm faces the floor, watching as the small flame rolls with the motion and comes to a rest on the back of my hand. Kay wounds her way closer, always the one to enjoy the enhanced warmth they give off. Since it’s my fire it only burns who and what I want it to burn, so even when my friends do come in contact with the flames they never get hurt.

The woman stares at me with an unreadable expression on her face for a moment before opening her mouth, but before she can say anything a loud shout comes from the direction of the front door, drawing our attention to it. There I see a girl around my age with long ginger hair plaited down her back and wide blue eyes fixed on the fire on my hand. I slowly move my hand side-to-side and the woman lets out an exasperated sigh while the girl’s eyes widen even more as they follow the motion and her mouth drops open.

“How are you doing that?” She asks as she walks closer, completely ignoring the aurors and the woman, who is giving her an unimpressed look.

“Susan.” The girl, Susan apparently, startles at the woman’s voice and flinches when she meets her eyes before bringing a hand up to rub at the back of her head.

“Ah, um, hello Aunty.” She gives the woman a sheepish smile and chuckles. “I apologize?”

The woman sighs before looking between me and the girl and bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose and coming to a decision. “Susan, this is Belladonna Potter. Miss Potter, this is my niece, Susan Bones.” She meets my eyes and says seriously, “Do not hurt her.”

My shoulders move up slightly in a small shrug. “So long as she doesn’t try to threaten or touch me I won’t have a reason to.” The girl lets out a small yelp and pulls her hand back from where she was extending it for some reason before giving me a concerned look.

“Why would you hurt someone for touching you?”

Memories flash through my head, sharp and clear, causing my flame to briefly flare before I forcibly push them back down into the depths of my mind where I don’t have to pay any attention to them. Not that I try to forget them, no. Trust. Lie. Trick. Pain. Never forget. “Trauma.” I say in response. That’s all she’s going to get. I will not talk about it.

The two stare at me for a moment before the woman gives a sharp nod. “Understood. Is that the reason for what you did to Quirrell?”

I nod and reply with a simple, “He touched me.”

The woman sighs before nodding to herself. “Right then. Both of you stay here while I talk with Snape and McGonagall.” So saying she leaves to return to the two, who are having their own quiet conversation, though she sends multiple glances back towards the two of us as she does.

We stand there in silence for a few moments, during which I let my fire fade - much to Kay’s annoyance - which causes my friends to both slither their way back into my hair now that the possible threat is gone. Meanwhile Susan Bones shuffles awkwardly, trying to look at me without making it seem like she’s looking at me before she finally gathers the nerve to speak. “So… You’re Belladonna Potter?” She asks as if her aunt hadn’t just said that. Then again I only just learned that for myself, so I nod.

“That’s correct,” I answer and the girl’s eyes dart to the top of my head before coming back down to my face. I wonder what that’s about?

“Well, it’s… interesting to meet you,” she says with a short nod before pulling at her skirt and dipping into a small curtsy, causing my head to tilt to the side and my lips to curl in amusement.

“I believe that’s the most polite way someone has ever told me that I’m a creepy and unsettling child.”

Oh, the girl looks absolutely offended at that, even bringing her hand up to her chest. “You aren’t creepy!” She flushes at how loud her voice got before continuing on. “I will admit that my Aunt feeling like she needed to explicitly tell you not to hurt me was unsettling, but if it’s because of a trauma you have then it is understandable.”

“Hmm.” I hum and tilt my head to the other side even as Monty’s chuckles vibrate through my chest. “You’re an interesting person, Susan Bones. I think I’d like to get to know you better.”

She blinks and raises an eyebrow quizzically before smirking at me. “I do believe that’s the most polite way someone has said that I’m an unusual child.”

I return her smirk with one of my own. “Being unusual is much better than being usual. It means that you are beyond the paltry expectations others might have for you and they are uncertain how to handle it. It means that you are unique enough to stand on your own rather than be content to blend in with the unidentified masses.”

She blinks at me for a moment before shaking her head, her smirk fading into an amused grin. “Well, thank you for the compliment. I think.” I nod, which prompts her to continue speaking. “I don’t suppose you’re here to get your school shopping done, are you?”

“I am,” I reply, causing her smile to brighten.

“Then perhaps I can convince my aunt to let us purchase our supplies together! It would be rather enjoyable to have someone else my age to accompany me since Hannah was busy.”

My head tilts at the unfamiliar name, but before I can question her the older Bones woman comes back with Professor Snape and McGonagall and clears her throat to get our attention. “Given the circumstances, as well as the fact that Quirrell will make a full recovery before the start of term and has chosen to not press charges, you are free to continue your day, Miss Potter.” She raises a hand with one finger extended. “However, it has been decided that both I and Snape will accompany you in order to curb the risk of any more… incidents.”

I look at McGonagall with a curious expression, much different than her tired one. “What about McGonagall? Is she going elsewhere?”

Said woman nods. “I will be returning to Hogwarts to inform Headmaster Dumbledore of what happened. Given that Quirinus is the teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts this year he should be aware of his injuries. Not to mention the cause of them.” She levels a stare at me for some reason, but everything she said is reasonable so I just raise a hand to wave her goodbye.

“Well then, I suppose I will see you when school begins?” Her lips twitch before she gives me a sharp nod and shares goodbyes with the older Bones and Professor Snape, who looks like he wishes he could leave with her as she walks out the door of the Leaky Cauldron. The two remaining adults lead Susan Bones and I to the back of the pub that is now devoid of people after Lady Bones dismissed her aurors, much to the barman’s obvious dismay. There we leave through a door in the back that opens up into a small outdoor space enclosed by a brick wall that Professor Snape withdraws his wand to tap against without a word, which is decidedly odd. Just as odd is how after a few taps the bricks begin popping out and rotating, quickly moving aside until we’re left with a large arch, us on one side and on the other-

Magic.

There’s a crowd of people all wearing the same sort of dresses, though in different colors, which is the most noticeable thing, but what catches my attention is what some of those people are doing. Some are complaining about fantastical things, like the price of dragon liver being sixteen Sickles, whatever those are. There are stacks of cauldrons precariously stacked outside of one store that start tipping over after someone bumps against them, but a bored looking man lazily waves his wand and they catch themselves before restacking. That display has Professor Snape scowling and grumbling under his breath, probably because doing that is stupid when they can just stack the cauldrons so that they aren’t in danger of falling down.

On the way to wherever we’re going we pass a shop displaying brooms that tons of children are crowded around, talking about something along the lines of the… Nibbi?... two thousand being the fastest ever. I have no idea why anyone would care about one broom being able to sweep faster than another, but maybe those kids are touched in the head? If I include Lady Bones here, that’s a concerning amount of people I’ve discovered with head problems in so short a time. Should I be worried about hurting my head and becoming like that too? Because I’m starting to feel like I should be. Which is doubly odd since you would think that magic would be able to help deal with or prevent something like that.

At least my friends are having fun, Kay and Addy are hanging out of my hair and looking at everything with just as much wonder as I am. I’m extra thankful that they’re just as excited as I am - and so is Monty! He’s rotated around my chest so he can peer at our surroundings through my sleeve - because they work wonderfully to keep people from bumping into me. Apparently wixen aren’t very fond of snakes, if the way everyone avoids coming within a few feet of me when they catch sight of them is any suggestion. Susan Bones doesn’t seem to mind though, looking more curious than anything despite remaining silent on our walk. I’m pretty sure she’s too busy staring at me to say anything since Addy tells me that the girl keeps glancing at me every few seconds.

It doesn’t take long before we pass a store proclaiming the sale of a variety of owls before we end up at the end of the street and in front of a large snowy white building that towers over all the other shops in Diagon Alley. Lady Bones gestures to it as we walk up, explaining what it is as she does. “Welcome to Gringotts, Ms Potter, the Wixen bank.” She nods respectfully to the… I believe those are goblins? The goblins return the nod with a short one of their own after we walk up the short steps and through the bronze doors sealing off the interior. I give the pair of goblins clad in scarlet and gold uniforms my own nod as I pass them since it seems the thing to do if Lady Bones is anything to go by and am pleased when they return them the same as hers.

Kay and Addy withdraw back into my hair once we’re past the doors and in the noticeably cooler interior, but before we can get into the bank proper we come across a second set of doors that are closed this time, made purely of silver unlike the first, with words engraved upon them.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

“Is that a warning, a threat, or a challenge?” I can’t help but ask the second pair of goblins stationed at this door, armored in steel armor and wielding long halberds unlike the ones outside. The one on the left looks surprised at being addressed while the one on the right bares incredibly sharp teeth in a wide smile that I return with my unfortunately blunt ones, drawing a sharp laugh from them.

“Perhaps it is all three, witch,” they reply. “Why don’t you try and find out for yourself.”

A smile pulls my lips wider even as the other wixen with me noticeably tense. “Maybe another time. While I love both fire and my friends, I doubt we would be able to pose much of a challenge to your defenses yet.”

The goblin lets out another sharp laugh but doesn’t reply as Lady Bones encourages us through the doors, Professor Snape electing to follow us with his hand curved in a weird way, as if he’s going to flick his wrist for some reason. He doesn’t do so, though, just relaxes his hand once the doors close behind us. He’s kind of weird. Once we’re a few feet away from the door Lady Bones whirls around and pins my eyes with a glare.

“You do not provoke  the goblins into a fight!” The hiss present in her lowered voice doesn’t detract from how serious she sounds, but her words are rather nonsensical.

“Ok?” I say with a curious tilt of my head. “But I didn’t provoke them? I was simply curious.”

Susan Bones looks at me with a baffled expression while her aunt blinks. “Why would the goblins challenge someone to rob them?”

I tilt my head to the other side. “Entertainment?” I offer before expanding on my thoughts. “The writing never stated that people shouldn’t rob the bank, just that they should keep in mind that they’ll have to pay dearly and might find things other than treasure. Like a bunch of bored goblins who would be eager to fight them to relieve said boredom.” Susan Bones’ mouth opens and closes soundlessly for a few seconds as she tries to think of what to say, but before she can Lady Bones speaks instead.

“That’s… not wrong,” she says slowly with her brows furrowed before shaking her head. “Regardless, and I cannot believe I must say this, do not try to rob the bank.”

“Of course not,” I hiss, offended. “I don’t have nearly the skill necessary which doing that would require.” Lady Bones just stares at me for a moment before she sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose like she has a headache. I look to Professor Snape for why she might have gotten such a thing so suddenly, but he’s doing the same thing. Is there something in the air that makes adults have a headache? Or is it some kind of magic of the bank? Do the goblins give adults headaches on purpose? If so I’m thankful that they don’t do the same to kids like Susan Bones and I.

Regardless of the reason, the adults still guide me and Susan Bones to one of the tall counters that doesn’t have a line in front of it. I’m only just tall enough to see the goblin sitting behind it writing something down before Professor Snape clears his throat to get their attention. It still takes a full minute for the goblin to look up from whatever it is, but I don’t think we’re in any sort of hurry so it shouldn’t really matter. “Severus Snape accompanying Heir Potter to her trust vault,” Professor Snape says instead of a greeting, though the goblin doesn’t seem to mind and responds in kind.

“Does Heir Potter have either her key or ring?” The goblin asks as they lean over the counter to get a look at me. I give them a small wave that’s joined by Kay’s head tilting at them curiously.

§This thing looks weird. Like that wrinkly fruit you don’t like.§ I have to hold back a giggle at Kay’s words, because now that she says it I can absolutely see the resemblance between them and an apple. Well, the ones I get at the orphanage. I’ve seen some that aren’t wrinkly at food stalls but was never really interested in them. If I don’t like the wrinkly ones why would I like the smooth ones? Strawberries are much better!

The goblin grunts at my wave before turning back to Professor Snape. “We shall require a blood test to confirm her identity.” Professor Snape raises an eyebrow, which prompts the goblin to raise their own. “Heir Potter should be eleven years of age at the current time. This girl appears much younger.” Professor Snape glances at me before dipping his head in acknowledgement and the goblin turns to Lady Bones. She speaks before he can ask her the same questions.

“Withdrawal for Heir Bones, as well as accompanying Heir Potter due to DMLE business.”

The goblin looks at Susan Bones and I see her raise her hand with the back facing them. Unlike when the gangs do it though, she doesn’t only have the middle finger lifted to flip them off. From what the goblin said earlier I think she’s just showing off the ‘air ring’ on her finger. No idea what makes it an air ring when it’s obviously made from metal, but it’s probably just a wixen thing I’ll have to learn about.

The goblin nods his head before calling for a pair of goblins named ‘Bannok’and ‘Lagrod’, who Lady Bones explains are the account managers for the Bones family and the Potter family, respectively. At least she’s assuming that Lagrod is the manager for the Potter family, since she wouldn’t have any reason to know who that is in any other circumstance.

The first order of business, apparently, is my blood test. We’re guided through the bank to where the test is going to be administered while Bannok and Lady Bones speak in quiet voices that I don’t bother trying to listen to, unlike Susan Bones who is occasionally nodding along to something or other. Eventually we arrive at a decently sized room that can fit us all without any crowding, and it’s covered in very interesting decorations! Weapons of all sorts are scattered around the walls, a few of them with bloodstains showing that they aren’t just for decoration.

I can definitely feel a connection with Lagrod after seeing this. There’s just something reassuring at meeting someone else who occasionally forgets to clean blood off of their things.

Said goblin takes a seat behind the short desk in the center of the room and pulls a large paper out of one of the drawers along with a silver needle. He places both on the top and slides them towards me. “Use the needle to draw your blood and let it drip onto the paper, three drops is all that is needed.”

I reach for the needle before pausing to tilt my head at him. “Do I need to use the needle or can I draw my blood myself?”

Other than a raised eyebrow, Lagrod’s expression doesn’t change. “I would have to see what you wish to draw blood with beforehand to ensure there are no tricks afoot. Typically your kind prefers to use the needle in order to utilize the healing enchantment imbued into it.”

I don’t particularly care about that since I just need to drip a few drops and I much prefer something I can trust as opposed to what someone asks me to use. With that thought in mind I reach into my left sleeve and tug the item I’m going to use out of its strap before slowly pulling it out so Lagrod doesn’t think I’m threatening them. The other wixen draw in sharp breaths when they see it but Lagrod bares his teeth in a sharp smile. His eyes peer at the long curved bone in my hand, thinner and sharpened at one end while thicker on the other. It’s about the size of my forearm, though not as thick even at its biggest part. The coloration is probably the most eye-catching thing about it, with splotches of dark colors ranging from black, reddish-brown, and a dark red, though there are a few rare spots that the base white of it breaks through. Mainly where my hand covers what I think of as the handle.

“Why do you have that!?” Professor Snape asks sharply, his face showing the most expression I’ve seen since I met him. Admittedly that was only this morning, but my point still stands. He doesn’t seem like the kind of person to be so perturbed just because someone pulls a bone out of their sleeve.

“Where did you get that!?” Lady Bones almost but not quite demands, which is actually understandable when I think about it. What with her being in charge of the police force for Britain’s wixen and all.

“What in the blithering fuck!?” Susan Bones shouts while jumping a good few feet backwards and putting space between us. I can fully admit that her reaction, out of all of them, gets a giggle out of me.

“Relax,” I say before moving on to answer the questions the adults asked. Luckily for me both can be answered at the same time! “It’s mine.”

They stare at me in silence for a few moments before Professor Snape drawls out, “That explains nothing, Potter,” in the most sardonic tone I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard a lot of sardonic tones.

My shoulders move up in a tiny shrug. “Well it’s mine, so I don’t know what else you want me to say.” I look back to Lagrod, whose smile hasn’t dropped at all. “Can I use it?”

The goblin’s eyes switch from the bone to me after a few seconds of studying and he lets out a low chuckle and gives a sharp nod. “It is acceptable. I sincerely hope you live long enough to participate in the next war between our people, Heir Potter.”

I giggle again before using the sharp end of the bone to pierce the pad of my thumb and letting it drip onto the paper. After a few drops fall I bring it up to my lips to lick the blood away, then I bring it down to my sleeve where Monty pokes his head out to give his own lick before retreating back into my dress.

Lagrod pulls the paper back towards themself after a moment’s pause and I return the bone to my sleeve after wiping the tip off on the collar of my dress. I calmly wait for the goblin to look over the paper. It takes me a minute to realize that the room is much quieter than it should be, and a look around confirms that the other wixen seem to be just staring at me in shock. I wonder why that is?

Lagrod nods before I can ask though, drawing my attention back to them. “Everything seems to be in order. I will send for your Heir rings so you can go about your day, Heir Potter.”

I nod and open my mouth to thank them, but Susan Bones cuts in before I can. “Rings? Plural? Is Heir to more than just House Potter?”

The goblin looks to me, presumably for permission to share, and I blink blankly at them. “I don’t know anything about any of this, so I’ll likely be asking them for information anyways. Go ahead.”

Lagrod dips his head in agreement before turning to Susan Bones. “Belladonna Dorea Potter is indeed Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter through blood. Additionally, she is Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black through both Blood and Magic, which is reinforced through being the designated Heir by the current Lord Black.”

“But Arcturus is dead,” Lady Bones interrupts, coming out of her shock at the new information and seemingly confused.

“That’s correct,” Lagrod agrees with a frown directed at the woman. “This means, logically, that the Heir he designated while alive would be the current Lord Black. This would be Sirius Black.” The name has the other wixen flinching and taking a step back before Lady Bones glares at the goblin.

“Sirius Black is in Azakaban for-” She stops herself and glances at me with a guilty and pitying look. I’m really going to have to read everything I can about the recent history for wixen if I want a chance of understanding all these looks I’m getting from people. “Sirius Black would not have named Misss Potter his Heir.” She continues with instead of whatever she was going to say before. Lagrod shrugs.

“You would have to confer with the account manager of the Blacks if you wish to learn more about Heir Potter being named Heir Black. Regardless, Miss Belladonna Potter has one more Heirship to be claimed.”

Susan Bones makes some kind of high pitched noise before coming to a sudden stop when Lagrod names the next one. “Through Rite of Conquest, Belladonna Dorea Potter is Heir to House Slytherin.”

I'll commission a cover for this soon so I can move the chapters into their own collection.