It's been a week and Asmodeus was still there, spending most of his time near Harry. Asmodeus was always somewhere in the Slytherin common room or dorms. Neither Tom nor Harry wanted Asmodeus to be found by Dumbledore or any other teacher, so he would slither around in the dungeons.
The other Slytherins were no longer ignoring Tom and Harry, but they were unaware of how to act around them. Most of the time Harry and Tom were surrounded by Slytherins with fake smiles standing awkwardly. The majority of them had sent a letter home to their parents asking what they should about them. Abraxas has sent another letter to his father explaining in his own words what happened before he would have the chance to hear the news as some sort of gossip in the ministry.
Dear Father,
I understand that you have told me to not attack the two mudbloods in my year. However, I have. Before you worry if they have stolen my magic, please read and understand the series of events from my perspective.
I have created a carefully constructed plan with the help of Orion, Walburga and Cygnus Black to ambush the two mudbloods when they entered the common room. I firstly cast the spell uncle Prince taught me on my sixth birthday. I had thought that it would be an excellent starter to surprise them with. Sadly, they had side-stepped it and the spell had missed the both of them.
The mudbloods seem to have read up on duelling as the taller one had gone into an attacking stance and the shorter one into a defensive stance. We had them fully circled yet they seemed to be able to see all of us as the were sort of back to back. I had one of the other students cast and Everte Statinum as it was and still is a great spell to show where the weak belong- throwing them far back into the air for all to see. However, the short mudblood cast a protago which blocked the spell.
I told the mudbloods about the spell you had taught me as you had said that it was a great spell to see if a person is genuinely a Slytherin. I had also thought that it would be quite humorous if the mudbloods were scared of their own house mascot. To my utter astonishment, the short mudbllod approached the snake and spoke to it.
Father, the mudbloods can speak parseltongue. Both of them. They could both speak to the snake in parseltongue.
Orion had introduced himself formally to the mudbloods and the others followed. I have been told that they are half-bloods by Orion and now, father, I ask you to help me and advice me in what to do next as I am unsure of how to continue around the mudbloods. Do I continue to ignore them, or should I befriend them? Please help me, father.
Yours Sincerely,
Abraxas Malfoy, Heir to the most ancient and noble house of Malfoy.
...
"Come on Harry. We'll miss the train if you don't hurry up," Tom said impatiently from the entrance of the dorm. It wasn't that he wanted to go back to the orphanage. It was just that he would like to miss the train.
Harry was pretty sure that Tom had some obsessive-compulsive disorder as he would always make things neat and tidy and do certain things in a particular order. Even if it were something that Tom didn't like, such as going back to the orphanage, Tom would always make sure that everything was perfectly perfect.
Harry finally threw the last of his belongings into his bag and rushed out of the dorm room to catch up with Tom, who already started to walk away. Asmodeus was slithering by Harry's feet as they made their way to the train. The plan was to leave Asmodeus with Nagini so that they could be friends, and so that neither one of them would be bored over the school year.
They were walking up to the platform when they were stopped by a shriek by a girl with a red tie and prefect badge. She was obviously a Gryffindor.
"Why in Merlin's name is there a snake next to you. You know snakes aren't allowed at Hogwarts, you're only allowed cats, toads and owls. That isn't a cat, toad or owl," she said sternly after recovering from the initial shock.
"It's ok; this is Asmodeus. He won't bite, promise," Harry said with a smile.
The Gryffindor pursed her lips and gave them a sour look. "I should really tell Professor Dumbledore about this," she continued to say.
"There is no need, we will take the snake away and you will be free of a snake. Also, don't look at us like that, your face will make all the onions cry" Tom said, with one of his charming smiles plastered to his face.
The Gryffindor girl gasped and said, "I'm definitely going to get Professor Dumbledor now," and stormed off.
Tom smirked at Harry who giggled a bit at his last comment. "Seriously, Tom, onions," he said. They continued on their way towards the train, with Asmodeus trailing behind.
Not too long later as they were nearing the platform, Dumbledore approached them and asked if he could have a word with them.
"M'boys what are you doing with that dangerous snake. You should know better than to bring a snake into Hogwarts, no matter how well you think you can control it. Thank you Menivra for telling me about this," he said to the proudly sanding Griffindor. "Did you really want to endanger the student body and staff, that is really irresponsible," Dumbledore reprimanded them.
Tom was angry, he did control the snake. Asmodeus is a conjured snake. 'I am very capable of controlling snakes, dumbledore. You better watch out or I will send the snakes on you so you can see how well I can control them,' Tom hissed angrily.
Harry giggled lightly at Dumbldores blank expression, he had no idea what Tom just said.
"Tom, m'boy, if you have anything to say say it in English so we can all understand, ok," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling. "Now, where were we, ah yes, the snake I would like you to-"
Harry interrupted gently before Dumbledore had a chance to continue, "It's ok professor Dumbledore, Asmodeus is a conjured snake, he won’t harm you or any of the student body."
"Oh," Dumbledore said surprised, wondering where they learnt how to conjure a snake, "Well then, that won't be too hard to correct," he smiled.
Harry felt a string of nervousness, why did he feel like something bad was going to happen.
Dumbledore took out his wand and quickly, sharply stated "Vipera Evanesca," and Asmodeus disintegrated into a black soot which was quickly swept away by the wind.
Harry gasped and his eyes turned glossy with unfallen tears, making the green iris sparkle brighter. Tom's face hardened, his stony face looked up and squinted a bit as red eyes glared at Dumbledore.
How could he, Asmodeus was a harmless snake which had been in Hogwarts for ages and went unnoticed by literally all the teachers. Harry blinked his eyes, trying to blink away the tears but failing. A lone tear dripped down his cheek; he quickly wiped it away before more could fall.
"Well off you go m'boys, I expect the train to be leaving soon," Dumbledore said, making a shooing motion, directing towards the platform.
...
Dumbledore thought, Tom was obviously angered more easily than Harry. He also hid his emotions far better then many grown wizards he had met and still meets.
Mabey Tom was a better choice than Harry. Though Harry could still be useful.
...
Tom and Harry were finally back in their small and stuffy orphanage room. They didn't like it.
Nagini was more than happy to see them again and tell them all about scaring the little orphans who ventured too far into the woodland and into her territory. Nagini also listened to all the stories about what Hogwarts was like and what they learnt.
Nagini still didn't really like Hogwarts due to its no snake policy, but the rest seemed to be ok to her. She liked it when Harry and Tom told her about the proud, puffed-up Abraxas Malfoy. The word pompous, which was the perfect word to describe the Malfoy, became Nagini's favourite word; she tried to use it as much as possible.
Mrs Cole was strangely giving them their own space and didn't disturb them as much. She would normally spend most of the time at the radio, always listening to pieces of the news.
Sadly, the summer holidays were quickly passing by, and the time to leave Nagini and go back to Hogwarts was drawing closer.
...
Finally, when the first of September, the two boys were rushed to Kings cross station. The radio in the car was announcing that Germany had invaded Poland. Harry's eyes opened wide in shock at the announcement, and Tom's face remained the same, blank, except for the small tinge of worry showing itself.
"Don't worry, nothing too bad will happen," was what Mrs Cole had said.
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