Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 31: Aftershocks

1 August 1986 (The Day After Jim Potter's Sixth Birthday)
The grounds of Potter Manor

The toy broom wasn't very fast and couldn't fly very high, but it was still Jim's favorite present. His favorite real present from his mum and dad, that is, not one of the other presents sent by people he didn't even know and which his parents had made him give away to needy children. Which was fine with Jim because he had more presents than he could ever use, and his mum and dad said charity was a good thing and that the Boy-Who-Lived was supposed to do good things. But Jim was sure he'd have thrown a tantrum if they'd tried to give away his toy broom no matter how many needy wizarding children wanted one. He'd cried for hours when he'd broken the one he'd had since he was four and only been consoled when his dad had promised to buy him the newest model of the Nimbus Jr. for his birthday.

The Boy-Who-Lived's Birthday Party Gala held the previous day had been long and tiring, and even though some of the guests his mum and dad had invited had brought children, Jim hadn't gotten a chance to play with any of them. Of course, that was to be expected – Jim had never had a chance to play with any children and at this point in his life, he wasn't fully aware that "playing with others" was a thing children did. And so, without knowing what he was missing from a lack of playmates, Jim was enjoying himself alone on his new toy broom ... right up until the little green snake reared up its head and hissed at him, an act which startled the boy so much he fell off and landed right next to the serpent. Jim had never seen a live snake before, but his mum and dad had both shown him pictures and warned him that snakes could be dangerous and were associated with the Bad House at Hogwarts – the Slither-Ins – and also with the Bad Man who Jim had defeated when he was just a baby.

"Don't hurt me!" the frightened boy cried out.

"Why would I hurt you?" replied the snake in a bemused feminine voice. "You're not a mouse. Why, you're not even a toad! And besides, I would never harm a Speaker!"

Jim blinked in confusion. His father had told him many things about snakes, but he'd never mentioned their conversational skills. "Hey! You can talk!"

"Of course, Speaker," she replied. "You're Speaking to me, and so I must respond. That is what it means to be a Speaker ... Speaker."

"Why are you calling me Speaker? My name's Jim, not Speaker. And what's your name?"

"What an interesting question! No one has ever asked me my name before. It's ... Evelyn. Yes, that's it. My name is Evelyn. Though you can call me Evie if you wish. And I call you Speaker because that's what you are: A Speaker of the Founder's sacred tongue."

Suddenly, another voice called out. "Jim? What are you doing?" It was the boy's mum, who was now standing about fifteen feet away and was watching the boy and his snake with a nervous expression.

"Hey mum! Come and see!" The innocent boy said excitedly. "I can talk to snakes!"

Lily Potter stood perfectly still for several seconds as she absorbed what her son had said. "Really?" she said in a tight voice. "Why don't you show me?" And with a smile, the boy did so. He turned back to Evelyn and directed an unearthly hiss towards the little grass snake that sent a chill down the witch's back.

After a few seconds, the boy turned back to his mum with a happy smile. "Her name is Evie, and she says she's a grass snake. Natrix natrix ... whatever that means. She says I'm a Speaker of Sal... Salzzzar Slither-In's sacred tongue. Can we keep her?"

"Jim ... come over here, please." Jim frowned at her mother's expression, which was one he'd never seen on her before. Dutifully, the boy got up and walked over to his mother who knelt beside him and brushed the dirt off of his clothes. "Jim... we need to talk about this. There's some things you need to understand about ... about talking to snakes ... and Salazar Slytherin ... and ... your father. Right now, though, I want you to go back to the house. It's almost time for lunch."