Ravenstar: Chapter Six

[eaivalefay]

Chapter 6: Parselmouth

"How am I supposed to help with your detention anyway?" Nalian grumbled as he followed Draco across the lawns. He was missing dinner for this, and what would have been an interesting study session with Hermione.

"Weasley said the extra help would be nice." Draco sneered, "he also muttered something about his stupidity for having Weasel and myself work together. I must admit I quite agree; He’s an idiot."

"He’s also our teacher." Nalian remarked as they got closer to the forest’s edge. "Please try to keep your insults to yourself."

Charlie and Ron Weasley were already waiting, along with two other people.

"Good, you’re on time." Charlie smiled. "These two are Aurors Tonks and Black, and they’ll be with us while you serve detention. It’s because we’re so close to the forest, where You-Know-Who has some of his men." He explained, seeing Nalian’s confused expression. "There are one or two aurors with us during classes as well."

Nalian’s frown deepened, "but I thought Hogwarts and Hogsmeade had wards keeping them out?"

"They do," Auror Black replied, studying the transfer student Lilyhad mentioned a couple of times to James, "but while men can’t come through, hexes can, even the Unforgivables."

"Oh." It was all he could think to say in response to something like that. "But shouldn’t the wards protect against Dark curses like theUnforgivables?"

Tonks smiled grimly. "The Unforgivables didn’t exist in the four founders’ time, therefore they didn’t create wards to stop those curses, they didn’t create many wards to stop magic at all, though there are hundreds of wards to detect it."

"Why doesn’t the headmaster add wards to stop curses?" Ron aske curiously.

"No one knows how." Black said matter-of-factly. "People have tried, and died from the effort."

"Even if we did know how," Tonks added, "not many have the power or knowledge or experience to add to the wards."

"But if the wards have just been sitting there then they’d have weakened to nothing," Nalian protested. He noted that Draco had remained oddly silent throughout the discussion. Did he already know this?

"The headmaster and appointed heads of houses have the ability to strengthen the wards." Black explained, "but strengthening them is very different from adding to them."

The group fell silent before Charlie broke the subtle tension, "if that’s all the questions, let’s get to work. Mr. Malfoy can show you what to do, Mr. Morthen." He lead them over to the baby runespoors. "You’ll be feeding them, and making sure they don’t hurt each other or themselves. And don’t forget to wear your dragon hide gloves, the left head’s fangs are extremely poisonous."

"They’re really babies, aren’t they?" Nalian remarked. "Runespoors grow to be over six feet, and these aren’t even two."

"Do you know a lot about runespoors then?" Draco asked curiously.

"Of course he does." Ron glared, "He’s a snake as well, isn’t he?"

"Thank you," Nalian grinned at the surprised Weasley before Draco could even react.

Draco snorted. "They eat mice." He motioned towards a box full of freshly dead mice.

Nalian grabbed a mouse by it’s tail and got to work.

Stupid humans. An annoyed voice came from the runespoor Nalian was feeding. Where is the live food we requested?

It is not so difficult, one of the other heads of the runespoor agreed.

Perhaps a live white mouse, not these wretched brown things.

Dead, brown mice, day in and day out. Where’s the variety?

Nalian fought back an amused smile.

Perhaps we should eat him instead of the mice. The middle head suggested, the dreamer.

The left head, the critic, would’ve sneered if it could. Don’t be as idiotic as these humans. He is much too big for us to finish before he rots.

It wouldn’t hurt to try, the dreamer protested. We would at least have some fresh food.

Haven’t you ever been told not to bite the hand that feeds you? Nalian inquired politely. I’m sure I could get live mice for you tomorrow. There was a gasp from next to him. Nalian’s head shot up, eyes wide, realizing what he’d just done.

Ron Weasley was staring at him as if he were some sort of monster, Draco’s face was almost comically stunned.

The adults were over in a shot, Charlie was asking how the hell that happened, and both aurors had their wands pointed at Nalian.

There was a hissing at Nalian’s feet.

You speak our language, human? The right head, the planner, asked.

No human has spoken our language since the dark one came. The dreamer added.

Do you mean Voldemort? How do you know of him? Nalian asked curiously, still in a state of shock at his own stupidity.

Other snakes talk to us. The planner said. They told us of him and the only snake that follows him.

"Stop speaking that!" Black snarled. Nalian shut up, though he had a million questions to ask the runespoors. ‘Perhaps I should talk to some of the local snakes. If I’m not slowly cooked over an open fire.’ He thought silently, looking at the angry aurors.

"Who are you?" Tonks demanded. "Only You-Know-Who speaks that foul language."

"My name is Nalian Morthen. N-a-l-i-a-n M-o-r-t-h-e-n." Nalian snapped. "And the parselmouth ability is not foul! Neither are snakes. One horrible monster like Voldemort is given such a wonderful gift and suddenly it’s the language of death and destruction!"

"Quiet!" Black snapped at him. "Are you a V- You-Know-Who supporter?"

"No!"

"Shut up!" Draco suddenly snapped. "He’s not a supporter, Black! He’s done nothing wrong the entire time he’s been here. Nalian’s even managed to makes friends with me and Granger both, of all people. Does that sound like a Death Eater?" He asked coldly. "Do you think You-Know-Who uses teenagers not even allowed to use magic off school grounds?"

"Not to mention," Charlie added conversationally, "would Dumbledore have let a Death Eater on school premises? One of the few sanctuaries Britain has left? I think we should let the headmaster handle this, er, discovery."

Black frowned, but nodded. "Fine. We’re going to the headmaster’s office right now. You," he motioned towards Nalian, "walk in front and keep your hands where I can see them."

Nalian nodded and stood slowly. "I don’t know where the headmaster’s office is though."

"I’ll lead the way." Charlie responded. "Ron, Mr. Malfoy, you two can head back to your common rooms."

"I’m staying with him." Draco argued immediately.

"No, you’re not. This doesn’t concern you." Tonks said.

Draco scowled and started to argue, but Nalian was faster. "It’s all right, Draco. I’ll be fine." He smiled reassuringly at his friend. "I’m not a Death Eater or a supporter. I have nothing to be afraid of. Of course, you do. How are you ever going to finish your herbology essay without me?"

Draco smiled and rolled his eyes. "I think I can manage."

-------

"Did you find anything?" Severus asked, dropping a pile of scrolls on his desk to be graded.

"Nothing useful." Lucius replied calmly. "According to the files I found, Morthen attended Salem Witches’ Institute since he was eleven, and his mother, whose maiden name was Erica Thomas, attended when she was eleven, graduating in 1974, his father was Christopher Morthen, a muggle accountant."

"Did you check their records?" Severus prompted.

Lucius rolled his eyes, silently saying ‘what do you think?’ "Erica was a housewife, Christopher’s employee profile was in order, I’ve got copies of their birth and death certificates as well. All the information matches what Albus has."

Severus frowned, "it’s possible the paperwork is fake, but it seems like a lot of effort to go through."

"Perhaps he, or they, knew there would be suspicion. Or perhaps Morthen is what he seems."

"What about his other family?"

"He only has an uncle left living from his mother’s side. Derek Thomas is a wizard and bachelor who graduated two years before Erica. No family on Nalian’s father’s side."

"That seems rather clean cut to me." Severus said thoughtfully.

"I knew you would say that." Lucius smiled slightly. "The only thing I can think of to check on that front is to see if the people match the files."

Severus nodded, "see if the people in their hometown or at the school remember the Morthens or Thomas’."

The door banged open and Draco stormed in.

"Something wrong?" Severus glared. "If so, kindly refrain from taking your anger out on my door."

"Nalian’s in Dumbledore’s office because of two ridiculous aurors." Draco blurted out, throwing himself down on the sofa.

"What happened?" Lucius studied his son. The aurors were known to be overly suspicious, particularly the last few years. Then again they had reason to be and more than a few of their suspicions have been correct, thanks to Potter’s unrelenting training; loath as Lucius was to admit it.

Draco hesitated. "We were at detention, for Care of Magical Creatures, and while taking care of the runespoors Nalian just suddenly spoke. In Parseltongue."

"What?" Severus blurted. "That’s impossible!"

"Not impossible." Lucius argued softly, shocked. "Just extremely unlikely."

Draco glared, "he’s not involved with Voldemort."

"How do you know that, Draco? Because he told you?" Lucius arched an eyebrow.

"He did tell me, but I knew he wasn’t before that."

"How?"

"Don’t you just know sometimes? Like for a potion, or something. I just know he isn’t. I know I can trust him."

"But you can’t say you know for sure. You don’t have proof." Severus pressed.

"I. Trust. Him." Draco sighed. "I can’t say I have proof, Sev, but I still know."

Lucius sighed as well. He knew from Draco’s tone that he wouldn’t listen to anything they said. "Just be careful."

"Aren’t I always?" He grinned before growing serious once more. "Dumbledore won’t expel him for something that’s a part of him, something he can’t help, right?"

"Not likely." Severus snorted. "Albus has a reason for everything he does, and he would not have let Morthen attend in the first place if he wasn’t planning on keeping him around for awhile."

"Isn’t that reassuring?" Lucius muttered. He glanced at Severus, "so what is it he knows that we do not?"

-------

Nalian shifted for the hundredth time in the chair by the headmaster’s desk. Black, Tonks, and Charlie had all been excused, despite Tonks and Black’s arguments.

Really. Officials always made such noise and fuss. Couldn’t they try going about things the quiet way?

"Another cup of tea?" The headmaster offered.

"No, thank-you, my cup is still quite full." Nalian said politely. If this was how Dumbledore wanted to play it, then fine. He could wait all night. Nalian did wonder about all the tea and sweets. He wondered if Dumbledore drugged them, but he couldn’t detect anything in the tea and refused all offered sweets. The tea was strong, and could drown out several types of drugs, poisons, and potions, but it wouldn’t do to refuse everything and come off as rude and perhaps suspicious.

But what if it was drugged?

"You know, many would say their cup isn’t empty." Dumbledore smiled cheerfully. "It’s supposed to have something to do with how people look at the world. If they’re optimistic or pessimistic."

Then Draco did mention that rumor about the man reading minds. It was certainly possible, but Nalian would notice someone combing through his thoughts, wouldn’t he? "That’s very interesting, sir."

"Yes, yes. If you say your cup is half full, for example, then you are optimistic. If you say it’s half empty, you’re pessimistic." Dumbledore offered a plate of biscuits before selecting a few for himself.

There was the issue that if he tried out waiting the headmaster, he could very well be here all night, drinking tea and refusing sweets, drugged or not, while humming in agreement to inane chatter. Was it really worth it? Really?

"I don’t mean to be rude sir, but why are we just sitting here?" He said, deciding it was most definitely not worth the effort. "They told you I’m a Parselmouth, and I admitted it. I told you I wasn’t a You-Know-Who supporter. All that’s left is what you’re going to do about it."

"Do about what, my dear boy?" Albus Dumbledore smiled, cheerfully brushing crumbs off his rainbow striped robes. "I do not plan on punishing you as you did nothing wrong. I don’t think you’re a Voldemort supporter, and you really should use his name. Fear of a name increases the fear of the thing itself."

Nalian blinked. "Then what am I still doing here?"

"I was wondering if you would like to discuss your ability." Albus seemed to think this was the most obvious thing in the world. "It is quite a unique gift, only descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself could possibly have the gift for the Serpentongue. Tell me, do you know which parent you received it from?"

"Er, my mother I suppose. She was a witch, after all, and my father was a muggle." Nalian wasn’t sure if he should feel relieved or annoyed. He’d been here nearly two hours awaiting his fate. Two bloody hours of drinking too sweet tea and being given the silent treatment (and, he admitted, willingly returning the favor).

"It could’ve truly been either parent." Dumbledore bit into another biscuit. "The only way you could’ve known is if either of your parents kept quite an extensive genealogy. After all, over the centuries wizards marry muggles and vice versa, squibs are born, much could have happened to create a muggle line of descendants from Salazar."

So, his talent was strictly inherited. That was interesting. His parents were both possibly British and one of them was a Slytherin descendant.

The headmaster sighed, he shook crumbs out of his beard. "Ah, well... You may go, Mr. Morthen."

"Thank-you, headmaster." He beat a hasty retreat, trying to look like he wasn’t dashing out of the door.

Albus Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at his phoenix for a few moments. He made his way to the fireplace, making a quick floo call.

Not five minutes later a redheaded, green-eyed woman brushed soot off her dark blue robes. "You needed to see me, Albus?"

"Yes, Lily. Please sit down, would you care for a cup of tea?" He ushered her to her seat.

"Yes, please. Albus, is something wrong? You have Sirius all in a huff. He hasn’t stopped ranting about, I think, the transfer student. But what exactly happened I’m not sure, except he’s annoyed you wouldn’t take his advice."

Albus handed her a cup of tea, "and how is your research going?"

Lily sighed at the obvious way the headmaster was ignoring her questions, but went with it. In her experience, Albus did this most of the time, and usually ended up answering your questions by the end. He usually had his reasons, not excluding having a twisted sense of humor.

"My work is fine. It’s coming along slowly though. And it’s frustrating when I can’t read texts I’m sure would help."

"You think those books are in Parseltongue, don’t you?" He inquired politely.

"Yes, and therefore impossible to read." Lily sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t just burn them and be done with it. After all, no one but Voldemort can read them, and we most definitely don’t want him to get his hands on them."

Albus nudged forward a plate of scones. "I think I have an agreeable answer for you."

"Oh?"

"Sirius was upset," he seemed to randomly change the subject, "because Mr. Morthen was helping Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy with a detention in which his startling ability to speak Parseltongue was revealed."

Lily slowly lowered here scone. "Merlin’s balls."

Blue eyes twinkled at her. "Indeed."

"Is he- Albus, is he with Voldemort?"

"No, I don’t believe so."

"And how does this solve my problem?" She asked, relaxing slightly.

"Why, you need a Parselmouth! And Nalian Morthen is one."

"You want me to have him work on that!" Lily cried out in shock, jumping out of her chair. "Please tell me your joking, Albus!" One look at his face and she knew he wasn’t. "He’s a child! A child we know nothing about. A child you only believe not to be with Voldemort!"

"Mr. Morthen is the only other person besides Voldemort who speaks Parseltongue, Lily. Unless there is a third person you know of?"

"No, of course I don’t, Albus." Lily sank back into her seat. "Those books could be very useful."

"Mr. Morthen can take an oath of secrecy if you’re so concerned he’d reveal any information to other people, though I believe he would not." Albus smiled encouragingly. "However, I suspect you will have to talk James around first."

"James!" Lily snorted. "I’ll have more trouble talking Sirius around!" She gave the headmaster a look. "Are you sure it’s wise to bring him into such a serious project? Voldemort knows I’m working on something, and if he suspects Nalian is involved..."

"We don’t even know if Mr. Morthen will be willing to help." His eyes twinkled. "First, you need to ask him."

-------

When Nalian got back to the common room Draco was nowhere in sight. A quick question for Theo confirmed that Draco was out.

"You want to study with us?" Blaise asked. "We’re working on charms."

Nalian shook his head. "No, I finished that, and I really should write my uncle." He smiled slightly. "It’s been so hectic that I’ve put it off and he’s a worrier."

Blaise nodded and waved before returning to his book. While Theo, Greg, and two girls from Ravenclaw muttered various forms of ‘good-bye’.

In their dorm Nalian grabbed his parchment, a candle, quills, ink, and two rings before pulling the curtains around his bed tightly closed. He propped his chin on his hand, wondering what exactly he was going to write.

Derek,

I’ve been informed, not so politely, by Darian via a letter from Caran that any letters are to be sent to you, addressed to you, and received from you. Hit both of them for me; not for the letter, but for the rudeness. I’m well aware that Darian will be reading this, as you will pass it on to him, so before he reads it would be a good time to hit him.

I’ve become closer friends with Draco, and I believe I passed the family inspection. Draco at least hasn’t mentioned anything about them completely hating me. His father, Lucius Malfoy, is part ice demon. I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about, because I’ve been able to ignore any instinct I feel. It’s annoying that he doesn’t even realize what he is, or perhaps just what his abilities are, and therefore has little control over them.

I’ve also made friends with Hermione Granger, a muggle-born witch in Ravenclaw. She’s quite intelligent, and she and Draco hate each other. At least they’re trying to be civil (Hermione more successful that Draco in that area).

Classes have been interesting. Professor Malfoy is teaching about crystal magic, which is one of my more interesting classes at the moment. My class Ritual Magic (an informal class taught by one of the refugees) has also been interesting, soon we’ll be creating spell casting groups of three. I would appreciate it if you sent a book or two on crystal magic or witches’ coven magic, if we have any in the library. Also any books on Hogwarts would be useful.

A more important matter would be that I accidentally revealed I can speak to serpents. Stop swearing, Dar. The aurors, who are wizarding soldiers, did not like this ability. Apparently Voldemort is a Parselmouth as well. Dumbledore doesn’t seem to care however. Since I can’t very well take my mistake back or hide my skill anymore I would appreciate it if you sent Order and Chaos to me. I’ll still be discreet about using Parseltongue, but those two are very helpful and anyway I miss them.

Get back to me soon. Darian, please keep in mind any yelling will be ignored.

Nalian

Nalian poured some of the melted candle wax onto the now folded letter, letting it cool slightly before he pressed the signet ring into the wax, marking the wax with the odd impression of several small dots that if one thought about it enough one might think was a constellation of stars. He pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and paused for a moment before he started writing.

Esteemed High Head of Gringotts,

I thank you for your offer of friendship and assistance and gladly accept on the behalf of my lord and myself.

I am indeed in need of your service, but understand certain ethical principles may not allow you to help me. I’m searching for certain elven artifacts that need to be returned to our land. Some of these objects may currently be placed in your vaults. As I said, I understand if you cannot help, but if there’s anything you or I could do, please let me know. On that note, I do have a couple of ideas: Are there any vaults I myself have legal right to enter? Would it be possible for you to tell me which person(s) have elven objects so that I or another of my lord’s people could bargain with them?

Sincerely Yours,

Nalian

When Nalian sealed this letter he used the second ring, which left the impression of two snakes intertwined around a bird, a raven. He quickly put away his supplies and left the dorm, heading for the Owlry even though curfew was less than half an hour away. It would have been nice to send the letters by fire, but along with being told to write only to Derek, Nalian had also been forbidden to send things by fire unless his life depended on it, and Gringotts wasn’t able to receive firemail, if the goblins even knew what it was.

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