Death's Gift

Chapter Ten - Christmas Holidays

They turned towards the compartment door which had opened to reveal Neville. Harry and Hermione scooted over, making room for him on the seat.

"Hermione was professing her love for Harry." Fred told him.

"What?! You two like each other?!" Neville exclaimed.

"As friends, Neville. Harry and I love each other as friends." Hermione told him.

"That's not how you made it look~" Harry smirked.

Hermione hit him again, "How does this one look then?"

They once again started laughing. The group of five eased into a comfortable conversation which lulled into a comfortable silence, Harry and Hermione eventually pulling out books to read. Neville scrunched his nose when he saw Harry's book.

"I still don't understand how you can read that." Neville told him.

Harry looked up, the twins plucking his book out of his hands.

"What is this?" Fred asked.

"It's just a bunch of scribbles." George said.

Harry grabbed the book back, rolling his eyes, "It's in another language, that's why none of you understand it."

"I've never seen any language like that Harry." Neville said skeptically.

"Seeing as it's the language of the snakes that makes sense Neville." Harry said, re-opening the book.

Neville immediately stiffened, the twins eyes widened.

"You can read Parseltounge?!" They exclaimed.

Harry lowered the book, "Guys... I'm a Parselmouth, remember?"

"Yeah," Neville shuddered, "You sicked a snake on Ron."

Harry grinned, "And what a wonderful day that was. If only Kereith had hit her mark."

"She would've killed him!" Neville exclaimed.

Harry pursed his lips, as if he'd just eaten something sour, "No... Her venom wasn't deadly, a bite wouldn't have killed him, just... seriously harmed him..."

"Sometimes your intent to hurt our brother gets kinda scary Harry." George told him.

"Why do you hate Ron so much anyway?" Fred asked.

"I've seen the type of person he grows up to be."

"But what could he do in the future that would make you hate him so much?" Neville asked.

"It's... complicated. I'm not even sure I can describe it without giving away things that shouldn't be known about the future. Let's just say he grows up to be a really horrible person."

"Like what?" The twins asked.

Harry paused, "I- I don't know if I should say. I already say enough about the future as is...."

"You got that right." Hermione put in.

Harry smiled, "I will say this, you don't want to know."