jemina // sirius black

thirteen

"Bombarda, why?"

"Ten points from Slytherin."

"Excuse me?"

"You should, maybe, pay attention to the details of your surroundings before throwing curses at animals. If you look, you'll see that he's being supervised, there's a barrier spell around a five-foot radius around me, and there's a giant carrier less than a foot from the snake. He's my snake, and he's here for your lesson."

"Wait until my father-"

"Don't," I scolded. Draco Malfoy raised an eyebrow and seemed ready to threaten me when I smirked at him, "I'll talk to you after class if that's alright with Hagrid. I have a few things I would love for you to remind your dear father about. I'm sure he remembers me well."

Draco went quiet as I stared at him. For a moment, I wondered what Lucius had told Draco about me. I hoped it was all as bad as what I would say about him. 

"A'ight then, gather round the barrier spell everyone. I'll let Professor Black introduce her snake."

"This is Biscuit, he is a 23-year-old green anaconda. I have had him since I was eleven and I started Hogwarts. Professor Kettleburn convinced Headmaster Dumbledore to allow me to keep Biscuit at school, under specific instructions and restrictions. Kettleburn liked to bring Biscuit into his lessons, just like this. Biscuit is very sweet, he has never nipped at me, or my daughters, even though they weren't very sweet to him. He's very tolerant and has been handled his entire life. If you do not give him a reason to, Biscuit will not hurt you."

"Bloody likely."

"Ten points from Slytherin, do you want to continue, Mr. Malfoy?"

He scowled at me but didn't say another word.

"Would anyone like to hold Biscuit?"

"Keep in mind, he is a fourteen-foot snake, he weighs a good deal. You will not hold him alone, but even I struggle to lift him."

Nobody volunteered for a long moment, but then Aubrey rolled her eyes. 

"I've known this snake my entire life," She snorted as she moved forward, stepping through the barrier spell and smiling to me. She moved to stand beside me and looked at her classmates, "If he has never hurt me, he won't hurt you. Except you... you're kind of hard to like. Even if you're a snake too."

"Aubrey."

"Sorry."

"I'll let yer do the lifting, he's used to yer."

"Alright, now Aubrey doesn't need instruction, as she's held Biscuit countless times, but, I would like you all to know what you are doing if you decide to try to hold him."

By the end of the class, Harry had held Biscuit. He and Aubrey were the only ones who wanted to hold him, but some of the others wanted to feel his scales. As Hagrid was teaching about the nature of snakes, both like and unlike Biscuit, I carried Biscuit around (with the help of a charm) to each student and allowed them to gently stroke him. 

Draco sneered as he did it, but even I could see the curiosity on his face as he contemplated whether he wanted to or not. 

Biscuit had turned his head towards Draco when he touched his back, and Draco recoiled in surprise, "He's just looking at you. He is not going to lunge at you, I promise. Worst he'll do it get close to your face to smell you." 

The blonde scowled but slowly went to touch Biscuit again. When his fingers gently touched my snake, Biscuit continued to slowly approach Draco's face. He didn't flinch when Biscuit was close enough to bite him if he wanted to, and after a long moment of the two just staring at one another, Biscuit's curiosity was satisfied and he turned away.