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Golden Hearts	By : BetaBloodLust Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Slash - Male/Male Views: 3689 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: See Full Disclaimer Below--Any chapters containing explicit material will begin with warnings for the wary

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own the characters within the Harry Potter series. J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter series and all original characters introduced within the series. I make no money from this story. All noncanonical characters are fictional fabrications. They belong to me. Any resemblances to real persons or groups of people are coincidence and should be summarily disregarded, and the doppelganger perpetrators should be shot for impersonating my creations. Have a nice day.

Golden Hearts: Chapter 17: Serpents and Spellwork

Friday morning brought another useless lesson with Professor Lockhart. Arumus listened to him drone on about his great accomplishments, all of which were, of course, complete lies. Arumus wondered why Dumbledore had hired the man as he took notes, merely for something to do more than actual need or interest. He had read all of Lockhart's books before classes even began, of course, and he thought he'd never wasted more decent reading time before in his life. That had been before his first double Defense Against the Dark Arts class with the books' author.

After lunch, he spent his double free period in the library, where he finished his Charms and Potions homework. As a reward, he finally decided to check out The Philosophy of Exceptions. He had been waiting until he finished Theory of Magic, the last three chapters of which he had completed after his lesson with Severus the previous evening. Arumus pulled the borrowed, black leather-bound book from his bag and pulled the piece of parchment from where he had placed it, marking the end of the book. On the inside of the back cover, he had been surprised to read a personal inscription in a spidery hand:

Severus,

I know you have always wanted your own copy. May the pages grant you the same joy and strength they have me.

Sincerely,

Albus

After first reading the inscription last night, Arumus had realized that the book must have once belonged to Professor Dumbledore. The idea that the pages had granted Dumbledore joy and strength seemed to speak to Arumus through the slanted writing. Even if the book stirred things within him with which he was unaccustomed, Arumus knew that it would be to a purpose.

He had wondered why the headmaster had given away such a rare book, but Jordan and Percival had interrupted his thoughts, then, reminding him about his promise to complete their Transfiguration homework and assuring him that he would have plenty of time over the weekend.

He took the parchment to Madame Pince, who studied it for a moment, rising after she was satisfied to fetch the book.

"Here you are." She handed him the brown leather book. "This is a fairly rare copy, so please take proper care of it."

"Yes, ma'am." He gave her a small smile, speaking softly. "Surely, Madame Pince, you know me well enough by now to be sure I treat all tomes with the respect they deserve...?"

She blinked, her pinched face showing surprise. "Well, of course I do, Arumus. I was simply letting you know the book is a rare edition. I wasn't sure if Professor Snape had told you."

"Thank you, ma'am. I will, of course, do as you suggest." He tucked the book into his bag, heading for the common room. He spotted Jordan and Percival in a corner bent over something and whispering conspiratorially. He joined them, sitting down and looking at what they were studying.

A small, reddish brown snake was curled up in Jordan's palm, its eyes closed.

"I'm telling you, I think it's an adder. It's going to wake up and bite you," Percival was saying nervously.

"It is not an adder, Percival." Jordan sounded annoyed. "My dad has a thing for snakes, so I know. He's been raising smooth snakes forever. He's convinced that it'll save the species or something because they are going extinct. You can tell 'cause it has spots instead of zigzags, see?" He pointed at the tiny snake's back.

"Where'd you guys find a serpent at this time of year?" Arumus asked. "I thought they hibernated."

"I'm not sure why it wasn't hibernating, but we found it on our way back from Magical Creatures. It was curled up on a dark rock in the sun, trying to get warm, so I think it must have been disturbed during hibernation, probably by some predator." Jordan said, knowledgeably. "It would probably be dead by now if I hadn't rescued it."

"You seem to know a great deal about snakes, Jordan," Arumus commented a bit wryly.

Jordan ignored the innuendo. "You can't live in my house unless you know which serpents to avoid. My father has an obsession. We always have a few around, but he breeds the ones with magical powers, and the ones that are going extinct. Drives Mother crazy." Jordan shrugged. "Ah, I think it's waking up."

They watched as the snake began moving slightly and opened its small eyes. It froze, regarding them in terror.

Arumus spoke to the tiny snake in a nearly inaudible hiss without thinking. "Don't worry. We won't hurt you. Why aren't you in the deep sleep? It's cold outside."

"A fox dug us up and ate everyone but me," The snake replied, visibly perking up as it regarded Arumus with something like worship. Arumus always felt a little uncomfortable when serpents decided he was some weird, god-like creature.

Both his friends regarded him with open-mouthed astonishment. "You are a Parselmouth?" Jordan asked in a dazed whisper.

"Ah. Yes," Arumus admitted, but he brushed past the subject. "You were right, Jordan. Apparently, a fox dug up his family and ate them. This little guy must have been too small for the fox to bother."

"Wow..." Percival said. "That's amazing..."

Jordan looked excited. "Does it have a name? And can you ask it if it's a male or female? It's too small for me to tell, yet."

Arumus hissed the questions in that soft, serpent language, and the snake replied. He reported the answers in a quiet voice, saying, "He's male, and his name means something like 'the one who quickly devours mice hearts.' Snake names are all like that, so it’s better if you just rename them and tell them what you'd like to call them. Most of them like to have human names. It's kind of like an honor to them, you see?"

"You're kidding..." said Percival, trailing off.

"You really are one of the most bizarrely talented kids I've ever met, Arumus." Jordan spoke with honesty, shaking his head. "And I mean that. Will you tell him I'll take care of him till it's warm again?"

"Sure, but aren't you going to give him a name? You're the one who rescued him."

"Yeah. I'll name him..." Jordan thought for a moment. "Septimus."

"Good one," said Arumus before passing the message to the newly christened snake.

"Thank you, Master," Septimus replied.

Arumus shook his head. "You don't need to call me Master, Septimus..." He hissed, feeling annoyed.

"What's up?" Jordan asked, seeing the slightly exasperated expression in Arumus' eyes.

"Just hierarchical nonsense. Most serpents have a weird tendency to..." He trailed off, gazing accusation at his friends. "You are going to laugh."

"I might," confessed Jordan. "But now you have to tell us."

Percival nodded fervently. "We won't leave you alone until you do..."

Arumus sighed. "They think I'm some kind of... Oh, I don't know." He frowned at both his friends. "They call me 'Master' even when I explicitly order them not to do so."

Jordan threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, that is rare!"

Percival was smiling. "Maybe you should try making the order sound like a compliment..."

Arumus pursed his lips, mainly to hide a smile. "That doesn't work. I have tried it."

Jordan finished laughing and placed Septimus carefully in his breast pocket before they left for dinner. After dinner, Arumus once again descended to the dungeons. He had a plan for this evening's lesson. He knocked on the office door.

"Come," Severus said. He greeted Arumus as he entered. "Good evening, Arumus."

"Good evening, Severus." He stood before the desk, meeting dark eyes with his own of blue. "I have finished reading Theory of Magic, so I will return your copy. Thank you for trusting me with such a rare book." Arumus handed Severus the black, leather bound book, leaning over his desk.

"Thank you, Arumus, for returning my book in the same condition in which I lent it to you. Do you feel more balanced today?"

“Yes.”

Severus regarded him for a moment, taking the book. "This evening, I thought we could work on something practical, as I have not had the pleasure to observe your spell-casting abilities to date. Professor Flitwick told me you have a... how did he put it...?" Severus paused. "A 'presence behind the wand,' I believe."

Arumus nodded. "Ah. Yes, Severus, he told me that during our last class."

Severus arched a brow. "Did he, now? Interesting. I don't believe he has ever uttered that particular compliment concerning a student, and certainly not directly to said student."

Arumus wondered whom Flitwick had complimented similarly, but he didn't ask. Instead, he offered his original idea concerning the lesson. "I would like to master the Ferrum Ferusus spell, as it has given me a bit of difficulty."

Severus seemed surprised. "That is a particularly difficult nonverbal spell, as it is ineffective when spoken. The 'Fierce Sword' can, when properly performed, completely disrupt most defensive spells. You are, as ever, ambitious." He seemed to consider Arumus for a moment. "Very well, Arumus. Please follow me. I have reserved a classroom on the first floor."
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Golden Hearts