The Snake and the Emerald Apple

The Bargain

It was dark in the Riddle House. The atmosphere was even more threatening than the previous times. The air seemed thinner as if less oxygen was present. The heavy furniture and thick curtains seemed to swallow every sound, as if the house were a living being, extinguishing every life.

Harry wrinkled his nose. 'It also smells more than last time,' he thought absently. If he stayed here, that should change first.

He walked up the stairs at a rapid pace, only to be greeted with chilly darkness. On the second floor, where he had met Voldemort twice, no lights were on. It was cold there, despite the warm summer weather it seemed only ten degrees Celsius in the room. Harry rubbed his arms with his hands to get warm. He walked with nodding knees to the couch in front of the dark hearth. He held his breath and looked at the bundle of blankets on the sofa.

A small part of Harry hoped Voldemort was gone. That he had died in the night, from the cold and lack of nutrition. His biggest problems would then have been solved, there would be no more Dark Lord willing to kill or torture him. Countless lives would be saved, by a twist of fate.

Another, stronger part of Harry was concerned about the man. He couldn't allow a powerful wizard like Voldemort to die in such dire circumstances. He would rather kill the man in a fight or duel than let him die like a pathetic old man in his own piss.

Harry looked carefully into the bundle of blankets. He saw Voldemort lying there, his eyes closed and the body still. He gently touched Voldemort's arms. They were hard and cold to the touch. Voldemort's hands did not respond to Harry's touches, they lay lifeless on the couch next to the creature.

Harry shook him gently. "Voldemort, wake up!"

The creature remained lifeless. Harry felt in his neck to search for a heartbeat. He found a heartbeat, but it was barely there.

Harry felt panic overpower him. Frantically he searched for a remedy that would help him. Harry was so preoccupied with his panic that he didn't realize that two golden eyes were staring at him from the darkness.

A movement from the corner of his right eye startled him. He jumped to the side and looked at a huge snake. The snake opened its mouth wide and showed large, sharp fangs. Harry saw transparent drops of poison trickle down. He swallowed and looked stiffly at the large snake.

~ "What is the boy doing to my master? Don't touch him!"~

Harry showed his hands to the snake to show that he was not touching her master.

~ "I won't do anything against your master," ~ said Harry hastily.

The snake closed her mouth in surprise and tasted the air confusedly with her split tongue. Harry saw the red, thin tongue move in the air. The snake seemed to take a less threatening stance and approached.

Harry could see the snake better now. Where he had previously thought the snake scary, he now thought it terrifying. She was huge, at least several feet tall, and her body was as thick as his thigh. Harry knew that the skin was flexible and that the body could take the size of its prey. He swallowed slowly, this snake could eat him with ease, he realized.

The snake seemed to taste him and tilted its head in a questioning way. ~ "You are a Speaker! Master has never spoken of another speaker."~

~ "I am indeed a speaker, I found out when I was ten years old. I was at the zoo with my family and found myself speaking to a snake while in the reptile exhibit. I accidentally vanished the glass and freed the snake."~

Harry paused and looked thoughtfully at the snake. He decided to capitalize on her pride because he felt that she was a magical snake, she would certainly feel superior to normal snakes. ~ "However, the snake in the exhibit was not as beautiful as you. You look many times deadlier, a serpent worth calling a companion of the Dark Lord."~