Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

The Third Time is a Charm	By : ladyedgecombe Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 45346 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don’t own the HP Universe. I admire. Rowling for entertaining us with her world of make believe. I don’t make any money from writing this story, I just like to have fun and borrow her characters for a while but I promise to put them back

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
Chapter 20: Treasures from the Chamber

Severus looked at the snake and thought to himself, ï¿½this is not going to take hours; this will take weeks maybe even months.ï¿½ He had never seen a snake so big before. The potions ingredients would last five lifetimes, he knew they could sell three quarters of them and still have enough for a lifetime and sell the rest for several fortunes. Severus tried not to think that it was Harry at the age of twelve that had slain the thing. If he ever saw Dumbledore again, he would hex him for this among other things. How many of these situations did Harry get into with the old cootï¿½s encouragement? Once was more than enough. It was no wonder he behaved the way he did at school and the way he considered himself expendable.

Severus had all four healers on a different section of the snake each with three elves assisting them. Becca came over to him after he finished getting the crews started so she could speak with him about what she wanted to do.

ï¿½Severus,ï¿½ Becca started to say when the stern potions professor turned around to her with a harsh expression.

ï¿½You are not going near that snake, you also are not to lift anything or go into dangerous areas of the chamber. I donï¿½t want anything happening to you."

ï¿½I was thinking that I could take three or four elves with me and go around and see what else is here. There are other rooms that could be opened and if Harry and I have the elves pack everything, then as soon as everyone is finished here we could leave. It could save an enormous amount of time.ï¿½ Becca pleaded with him as she just wanted to do something other than stand around. ï¿½Severus we can at least look around and pack up the skin that was shed from the basilisk. There must be an awful lot of it here with a snake that size. It should be good too, because of the preserving charms.ï¿½

ï¿½Becca, I know you are bored standing around doing nothing, Harry, too, is not happy with me at the moment. I just donï¿½t want anyone to run into another one of these things and Harry is the quintessential Gryffindor and will run head first into trouble.ï¿½ Severus pondered for a moment on what he should do. He couldnï¿½t keep these two from doing something, they would rebel soon. If he gave them a safe task to do, it may give him some time to finish dissecting the head he was working on and then he could join them to keep them out of trouble.

ï¿½Actually, Severus,ï¿½ Becca interjected with a smirk, ï¿½the hat wanted to put Harry in Slytherin and the only reason he is so Gryffindor-ish is because it has been bred into him. Itï¿½s not his first instinct.ï¿½ Severus raised his brow and the gob smacked look on his face told her he didnï¿½t know that.

ï¿½Harry!ï¿½ Severus shouted to get his attention. Harry came over from the other side of the snake; he had been watching Doc carve out some organs and was impressed with his surgical skill.

ï¿½Yeah, Sev, what did I do?ï¿½ Harry asked with his usual greeting as he walked toward his mate.

ï¿½Did the hat want to put you in Slytherin when you were sorted?ï¿½

ï¿½Yeah, but I had already heard about Voldemort being in that house and how all dark wizards came from that same house and told the hat to put me anywhere but Slytherin, so it chose Gryffindor.ï¿½

ï¿½You told the hat what to do? Why am I only just now hearing about this?ï¿½

ï¿½Sev, I would have told you before, but there were just so many other things that were more important. There are many things about me you donï¿½t know. Like how big this bloody snake was or how Lockhart would not leave me alone and kept trying to take pictures with me orï¿½ï¿½

ï¿½Thatï¿½s enough Harry, I understand.ï¿½ Severus said gently. He got the point. It was just such a surprise to know that his mate refused to be sorted into his house, but he could understand the reasoning, this had Dumbledoreï¿½s manipulations all over it.

ï¿½Becca has made a request that you two be allowed to wander around the chamber tunnels and look for anything else we may want to take. The shed skins of the basilisk can be almost as unique as the hide from the dead one. We will continue to dissect this thing and you and Becca see what else you can find that you think we should take with us. Please be careful and use caution when entering any other rooms. By the way Harry, did you or Becca close the entrance to the chamber when we came down?ï¿½ Severus asked his mate as he put his arms around him. The thought had crossed his mind earlier but slipped away before he had asked Harry about it.

ï¿½Becca and I will go check and then we will explore the more open areas of the chamber. Maybe by then you will be able to come with us for some of the other closed rooms. I feel sure Salazar had a library here somewhere and would like to look for it, maybe even a potions lab.ï¿½ As Harry and Becca went off into the tunnel they had come from, Severus turned back to the task at hand. The great snake his mate killed could easily have swallowed him whole. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and concentrated on removing the poison sacks out of the snakeï¿½s jaw.

Becca and Harry called for several elves to accompany them through the tunnels. Harry went to the entrance sight and shouted up the pipe ï¿½closeï¿½ in that sibilant language that was so much a part of Slytherinï¿½s magic. He and Becca made a few more light disks and looked around the chamber.

ï¿½Look Harry!ï¿½ Becca called out from a few meters away. ï¿½There are more skins over here and I feel sure we could find at least two or three skins in each of the other tunnels too.ï¿½ She was excited to be doing something that would not hurt the baby and that Severus wouldnï¿½t get upset about. Of course she had no objection to exploring around the tunnels either. They continued to look through the other tunnels using the light disks as guides back to the main chamber.

ï¿½These skins are really good, Harry.ï¿½ Becca informed him. ï¿½They are good for footwear and cloaks and protective gear. The nice thing is that all these skins were preserved over the last thousand years. We should be able to find at least a few hundred skins. Prince Conglomerate can start a fashion house when we relocate. It was done in my time. Just wait till you put on a pair of basilisk skin boots. They are soft and oh, so comfortable.ï¿½

ï¿½You better not tell Severus that, I think he only wants to use things like this in potions. That man has a one track mind.ï¿½

ï¿½The scales are good for potions. The skin is too, but there is so much of it that we can make boots and other things with it and he will never know the difference. We just need to find the other skins, because there has to be more somewhere. We havenï¿½t found the nest area yet where most of the shedding would have occurred.ï¿½

ï¿½Will anyone buy a pair of basilisk skin boots? I have never heard of them, but it sounds like something Malfoy would wear.ï¿½

Becca laughed at this comment. ï¿½I suppose he would. They are extremely expensive because you canï¿½t find the materials. When Prince Conglomerate started making them they were the only company to ever try it but they were the only company that had the materials and a parsletongue member to talk to the snakes. It seems that most people are of the same mind as Severus though. Itï¿½s better as a potion ingredient and worth more too. But just like the acromantula shells, it is a renewable resource that can be replenished without the animal dying as long as you know how to find it.ï¿½

ï¿½Is it also spell resistant? I would think it was considering my experience with the animal. It took the sword of Gryffindor to kill the thing.ï¿½

ï¿½Yes, very spell resistant. I have a cloak make out of it and if I am wearing it and someone tries to stun me, it just bounces off with just a tickle. Though I have never tried aiming a reducto at it, that might do some damage."

About an hour later and approximately a hundred skins collected, in the last tunnel they came upon a door that was no taller than Harry. He didnï¿½t even think about Severus being upset with him or of taking risks as he hissed ï¿½openï¿½ and watched, wand ready, as the entrance was revealed. To his surprise, seven young snakes, about a meter long, came slithering out of the small anteroom.

Harry and Becca stood there as the seven young snakes came through the door. They were talking amongst themselves not really paying attention to the two adults standing just to the side of the open door. ï¿½ï¿½do you think we can find mother?ï¿½ ï¿½No remember she is deadï¿½ ï¿½How do we look for food, I am hungry.ï¿½ ï¿½The castle will continue to feed us.ï¿½ ï¿½Where are we going to go, we donï¿½t know this place.ï¿½

ï¿½Stop!ï¿½ Harry was hearing all these voices at one time and the snakes were talking one over the other. He wanted to know where they came from. ï¿½Who are you and how did you come to be here.ï¿½ Harry asked in the familiar parsletongue.

ï¿½A speaker, but what if he is like the one that controlled our mother so that she became bad and was killed by that good wizard.ï¿½ One of the snakes seemed to be the leader of what Harry assumed were siblings so he directed his next question to it.

ï¿½What do you mean the bad wizard controlled your mother, who is your mother?ï¿½

ï¿½Our mother was the basilisk of these chambers. Many years ago Salazar Slytherin created these tunnels and put our mother here to help protect the castle and the children within it. Then a student came and did some kind of bad magic and controlled our mother and forced her to hurt some students. When he came back years later there was a young wizard that was forced to kill her. She was a good mother and had magic of her own and upon her death this room was sealed so that we could not be found and controlled or hurt like she was. She did it to protect us.ï¿½

Harry suddenly felt very sad and guilty for killing the younglings' mother. She was as much of a victim of Voldemort as he and everyone else was. He crouched down to get a better look at the baby basilisks having no fear of them killing him. ï¿½I am sorry that I killed your mother. At the time she was trying to kill me and her master was trying to kill a friend of mine. My name is Harry Potter. I hope you can forgive me and we can be friends."

ï¿½It is him, he is the one.ï¿½ The leader snake said. He didnï¿½t seem to want to hurt Harry at all, and appeared more willing to accept Harry as they all raised their heads and bowed to the young man. ï¿½We have heard great things about you Harry Potter. Even our mother spoke of one that would come to rid the magical world of the evil that tries to overtake it. It would be our honor to serve you as our master, speaker."

Harry was not sure what to make of this. He was not looking for another familiar but he was sure the snakes would protect him as much as they were able and that could not be a bad thing. Harry bowed to the leader snake and said ï¿½I would be honored to have a friend such as you. I do not have a snake familiar as of now so I can keep you with me. You would have to promise not to hurt any other humans that are with me and promise not to hurt my mate that is in another part of the chamber at the moment. Do you have names? What should I call you?ï¿½

The leader snake nodded his head and answered. ï¿½We are The Seven. I am called First Born; my siblings are called by the order in which they were hatched. The one next to me is Second Born, over to the wall is Third Born, the one half out the door is Forth Born, the one farther to my right is Fifth Born and the others to my left are Sixth and Seventh Born. These are the only names we are known by.ï¿½

ï¿½Are you willing to leave the chamber?ï¿½ Harry asked them, hoping Severus would not have a fit if he took them home. He looked at Becca who stayed silent through the entire exchange and spoke to the first born again. ï¿½This is Becca; she is a time traveler and is here to help us regain the balance of good and evil. She has come a long way and many years to help our world and she is also a speaker. You should come with me to meet my mateï¿½.

ï¿½Then she is a true spirit. We were placed here to help protect our magical world. We will go with you. Your nest mate is also a seventh. She should bond with Seventh Born. It will be good.ï¿½ The snake hissed in the air and flicked its tongue at Becca. She looked at the snake but didnï¿½t say anything as she let the snake ï¿½smellï¿½ her. The snake then looked back at the young man before him and said, ï¿½Third Born will be a good protector for the unborn child. It will be a good match.ï¿½

Harry was not sure how the snake knew that, but he did know that the few snakes he had come into contact with were very insightful. Maybe they could help them find the rest of the anterooms. They needed to finish up and get back to Severus; he would be worrying by now.

Becca then turned to the elves that had been standing against the far wall and looking at the snakes with some trepidation. ï¿½If you can, I would like you to see if you can find any more skins. They will keep the elves in the fashion house very busy and help with the building of our businesses in the new time line.ï¿½

The elves bowed and started walking off to see if they could find more skins in some of the remaining tunnels.

So the two adults and seven snakes made their way back to the main chamber where Severus and the healers were busily working away at the giant snake in the middle of the floor. Harry and Becca had already found almost a hundred skins, which the elves had stored in another trunk, and the seven born snakes. Now all they had to do was find the library and other quarters to see what else was left by Slytherin.

As Severus heard the entourage come into the chamber, he started toward Harry and Becca with a smile on his face and then stopped. The two of them were talking and laughing but both of them had a snake around their neck and there were several more slithering around them on the floor. How did they get into trouble already? Where did those snakes come from?

ï¿½Harryï¿½ loveï¿½ do you realize you are surrounded by snakes? Where did they come from?ï¿½ Severus was still frozen to his spot and was watching every tiny movement inching his way toward his wand so he could be ready if they decided to strike.

ï¿½Severus, itï¿½s alright.ï¿½ Harry told his bond mate. ï¿½They were here in a warded and closed room. The snake you are cutting up is their mother. They said that she was being control by an evil student and was forced to do things she didnï¿½t want to. I am assuming that somehow Voldemort did some kind of mind control on her and made her attack the students. These young ones are her children and she had them locked in a small room off one of the main tunnels so no one else could get to them. I opened the door with parsletongue and found them.ï¿½

First Born then started hissing at Harry. ï¿½Your mate is not happy to see us. He is not a speaker but has the ability. He wants to protect you as we do. You may tell him he will be safe with us." The snake did not seem offended but genuinely understanding. Then First Born turned to look at the carcass on the floor. ï¿½If it would be permissible, we need to eat. We have not been fed but a few mice for a few years now and have been in hibernation for a long time. If we eat some of the body of our mother, we can absorb her magic and better serve you. Normally she would have fed us herself and we would be given her magic, but this stage was interrupted with her untimely death.ï¿½

ï¿½Severus, they are starving and need to eat. Can we give them some of the flesh from their mother? First Born said that they could absorb some of her magic that will aid in the protection of us. She died before their magic could fully mature and they can use her flesh to complete the process.

ï¿½Harry these are basilisks and can kill you with one look. Do you really want seven of them wondering around? What will happen if we feed them? Are they going to stay here?ï¿½ Severus was full of questions and no answers. He was not happy about this development; Harry was too soft hearted and at this point seemed to be as bad as Hagrid in wanting to befriend impossible pets. Harry turned to First Born and translated his mateï¿½s questions to get the answers.

ï¿½There is an eye shield that prevents us from using that gift all the time. It only activates when we or our master is in danger and being attacked and then we would petrify first. The evil one used a spell on our mother to make her use the gift all the time even when not in danger and to attack others without provocation. We donï¿½t know how he did it."

ï¿½Severus, First Born said that his mother was spelled to use that gift and that it is not automatic. That he can be ordered to not use the killing feature and would petrify first, he said that the evil student forced his mother to do that. I believe him Severus; snakes are not known for lying. They believe there is no reason for it. They do not fear the truth.

Severus was pondering the new information as Harry was talking to the snake around his neck. He seemed to have bonded with it somehow and Severus didnï¿½t really want to take it away from him. There was no problem with feeding theï¿½ younglings, as Harry had called them. So he made a quick decision and turned back to the people still working on the giant snake and told them to cut some of the flesh in pieces so the snakes could feed. Then he asked that the remainder of the flesh be cut and preserved in a container for later feedings.

Harry let out a sigh of relief, hoping Severus would understand and help the nest. ï¿½Thank you Severus, it means so much to me that you trust me like this.ï¿½

ï¿½Think nothing of it Harry, if they do not behave or they attack someone, I can still use them for potion ingredients.ï¿½ This, his young mate knew to be true, but he believed that the snakes would be around for a long time.

Harry took First Born off his shoulder and let him down on the floor, hissing at him. ï¿½You and your nest mates go and eat. Do not eat too much as we will be traveling and I donï¿½t want you to be sick. We will bring more of the flesh with us for you to eat more later.ï¿½ At this the seven younglings slithered across the floor and positioned themselves where the basiliskï¿½s flesh was situated on the floor so they could eat.

Severus walked over to Harry and started to put his arm around him; he just could not get enough of his mate and wanted to hold him close but Harry pulled away. Severus gave him a strange look but thought perhaps Harry did not want a public display of affection in front of so many people. The snakes had put him in a panic when he first saw them slithering around his mate and he needed to know that his young lover was safe. ï¿½Harry, do you know how big these things are going to get?ï¿½ Severus looked over at the snakes swallowing the flesh on the floor. They were already about a meter in length and they had been starved for the last couple of years so had not grown much.

ï¿½I had looked into the snakes before and they wonï¿½t really get more than three or four meters for the first hundred years. They grow larger with a larger environment so if they stay with us we would temper their feedings to keep them small. The one that attacked me was most likely one thousand years old or maybe even older. These new ones will pledge to continue to protect our family even after we are gone. It is very unusual for a female to produce more than one or two in a lifetime so I guess this was something special. They say they were here for me and call themselves The Seven. Too bad I didnï¿½t find them in second year.ï¿½

ï¿½Harry,ï¿½ Severus responded. ï¿½You and seven bloody snakes walking around the castle would have caused more problems than it solved. Be glad you didnï¿½t find them then. I certainly would not have let them come to class with you.ï¿½ Severus looked at Harry like he was out of his mind. Find them in second year, indeed.

ï¿½At least then I would have had friends I could talk to and I probably would have found out about all my missing money sooner and about how people were stealing from me and plotting against me.ï¿½ Severus went to put his arm around Harry again and again he pulled back. Then Harry smirked at him and said, ï¿½Yuck, Sev, you smell like dead snake, letï¿½s wait till we get back and shower. Severus hadnï¿½t thought about that but as he looked at his mate he could see that Harry was just as filthy.

From across the room they heard running footsteps and shouting. As they looked around, they realized that Becca was not with them anymore. They had been so entrenched in their conversation that she had walked away without them noticing.

ï¿½HARRY, SEVERUS?ï¿½ The shout came from the other side of the enormous chamber. ï¿½You have to see this! Itï¿½s huge!ï¿½
- 19
- 20
- 21
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Third Time is a Charm