Memoirs of a Serpent's Son

Memoirs of a Serpent’s Son

--Age 14—part 2

Fall Term

Today was our first Care of Magical Creatures class and oh my god, what a mistake it was for me not to drop that class when I had the chance. Thinking back, I have no idea what could possibly have made me keep it. I see no upside to taking this course, nothing in it for me…

Well…

NO.

ANYWAY.

The oaf presented us with these frightening baby monsters that look like the spawns of Hell and have the stingers to prove it. He called them “Blast-Ended Skrewts”. What I think they should actually be called is “illegal” but that’s just my opinion. I asked them what they are useful for (after he told us that he thinks that the males are the ones with stingers and the females are the ones with suckers on their bellies for sucking blood) and he couldn’t answer me.

Always a good sign when the professor can’t give you a good reason for studying the subject.

Granger quickly remarked that just because they aren’t cute and cuddly doesn’t mean they aren’t useful. Then she cleverly compared the idea to dragons, saying that their blood is useful for many things but you wouldn’t want one as a pet. I grimaced and glared at her for a moment to see if she would figure out exactly what she had told me, but she didn’t.

I looked at Potter and he had an uncomfortable look on his face, but I don’t think it was for the same reason I wanted it to be.

My name MEANS dragon. It’s latin. I thought that she might pick up on that but she didn’t. Maybe I’m looking too far into that but it bothers me that there was even the possible insinuation that I’m not worthy (or rather too dangerous) to love.

It’s frustrating when people don’t understand just how meaningful their words can be.

Stupid Potter. Why can’t he be aware of things like this? Why can’t he CARE?

In any case, the whole class put me off for the rest of the day. Those Skrewts should not be allowed near people and yet Hagrid wants us to RAISE them. I still cannot figure out how it is he isn’t locked away in St. Mungo’s or something.

*******

There was an article in the Daily Prophet about Weasel’s father. Most know that Rita Skeeter cannot be trusted in her writing, but it’s always fun to mess with a good thing. People read her articles so why not abuse of it? She didn’t even get his name right in the article and it was about him.

I thought it was so funny that I had to share it with Weasel and Potter. I had to.

So I did. I read it out to them in the hall and laughed with my friends about the whole ordeal. Weasel did not seem so pleased. Potter had to restrain him, but that’s nothing new. Weasel should walk around wearing restraints with all the times he loses his temper.

But, naturally, anger and insults ensued. I hate it when things like this happen because it all goes so quickly that I can’t keep track of what it is everyone has said and I become lost in the frustration. Potter said something about me and it just tipped me over the edge. It was me or my father. Either way it was an insult and I snapped. He turned his back and I hexed him.

But I missed.

It grazed the side of his head and then all hell broke loose. A booming voice came from nowhere and then I was transformed into what I’m told was a pure white ferret. I don’t really remember because once I was the animal I was simpler. I didn’t have the complexities of thought that people do. I just remember one thing : fear.

I could hear the laughing around me and my entire body (which was tiny somehow) tensed and shuddered as I saw Moody get closer. Then the most terrifying thing happened. He lifted me into the air (screaming whatever it was at me) and then dropped me from ten feet in the air into the cold stone ground.

He DROPPED ME.

And then he did it again! And AGAIN! I was vaguely aware of the people around me laughing. I was only mildly aware of Potter standing there and smiling with the rest of the people. But more than anything else I was aware of the intense and burning pain that was shooting through my tiny, fragile body.

He bounced me up and down against the stone for what seemed like ages before he dropped me for the last time and transformed me back. I got to my feet as quickly as I could but my face was red and my eyes were watering from the pain. I could feel the ribs in my chest broken. I could feel it as my blood vessels popped and bruises spread quickly over my body. I could feel the throbbing pain that was growing in my head but tried to stay calm.

McGonagall was scolding Moody for his trick but the students seemed pleased. Potter seemed quite satisfied and completely unbothered by the idea that I might just have had my neck broken. That hurt more than the bouncing. Again, I get hurt badly and Potter couldn’t care less.

I tried not to think about it as I turned away, muttering something about my father, but Moody caught that and stopped me. He said he was an old friend of my father’s and that I should warn him that he was going to be keeping a close eye on me. I grit my teeth harder and fought with myself so as not to respond. I already knew everything my father thought of Moody and I wasn’t going to make that common knowledge.

Moody said something about being good friends with Snape too and took me to see him, to deal with my punishment. I couldn’t concentrate on the conversation that they were having. The pain in my chest was far too strong. I felt as though with every slight movement the fractures were getting worse. My own heartbeat hurt against the trauma I’d suffered. I shut my eyes and took whatever punishment it was (I don’t even remember).

They finally let me to go my room.

When I got there I felt as though I was going to collapse but I didn’t let myself. I shut the doors and stripped myself instead, standing before the full-length mirror to see the damage. My chest and stomach had turned strange and blotchy shades of blue and green, which spread unevenly around to my back. My arms were a bit bruised as well, but since my torso had taken most of the impact, the bruises would be easily covered by my clothing. The broken bones, however, weren’t going to be so easy to fix.

I gingerly walked over to my trunk and opened a small box that the nurse had given me before I came back. She thought it would be safe to give me a good assortment of potions just in case –likely judging on how I’d allowed myself to get hurt over the summer. I picked up a blue vial and popped off the top. I drained the contents and dropped the empty vial back into the box.

Then I finally let myself lie down to concentrate on the real pain I was feeling…

Why did it always have to end up this way? Why couldn’t he just show the slightest sign of caring? He can give his heart out to just about anyone that passes him by on the street with a sob-story to tell but he can’t even spare a moment’s consideration for me. I get hurt and he laughs… he LAUGHED.

I can’t believe he laughed with them!

Only the stupid mudblood wasn’t actually laughing, but she’s got no sense of humour anyway.

I just…. I can’t believe he laughed as though it was all a joke.

Yes a brilliant joke, messing with my life like that. Wonderfully funny because we all know that Draco can’t really feel, anyway. He’s got no heart, he’s got no emotions, he’s just a toy we can break and leave forgotten in the trash. That’s why Potter was laughing.

He was laughing…

I wouldn’t have laughed…

Not like that.

*******

I will NOT be the laughing stock of the school for a MOMENT LONGER.

This is the LAST STRAW.

I can take it when the bloody Gryffindors make snide comments about Moody’s oh-so-clever little trick the other day, but I CANNOT stand around and simply ALLOW the great giant OAF of a teacher to have a laugh at MY EXPENSE.

He has NO RIGHT to make jokes about that event! Not when I am STILL BRUISED and my bones aren’t completely healed! NOT when the deep gashes on my arm from HIS STUPIDITY are still touchy from a YEAR ago!

NO.

I will not allow this. No.

I want to punch something. Someone. Hit him. Yes, hit him and kick him and just make his life as miserable as mine is.

******

The Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students arrived today. Oh what a sight that was. Not the entrances, no, those were designed to be impressive and amazing and to me they were altogether overkill. That’s not what I’m talking about.

What I mean was the way the Hogwarts students were reacting to the other schools. That was bloody amazing. I’ve never seen such a large number of people make such buffoons of themselves in such a short period of time.

The first thing I have to address is the Beauxbatons girls. Or the girl, really. There’s only one in particular that seems to be of any interest to the rest of the world. She walked in and every boy’s head turned automatically to her. Like they couldn’t keep their eyes in their sockets as she passed, or their tongues in their mouths for that matter. Weasel was making a complete fool of himself from the other side of the hall and I could see it a mile away.

I rolled my eyes at him but found that Potter, thankfully, didn’t seem too interested. When I followed his gaze, however, I found that I was even less happy. His eyes were on this stupid Ravenclaw girl. Cho Chang, I think her name is. Not that I make a habit of knowing the names of every student in the school, but she’s the Ravenclaw seeker.

The question is, what the hell was he staring at her for??

She’s not particularly pretty. She’s not even particularly smart. She’s not a great Quidditch player, I mean I’m much better than she is. Even Potter has to admit to that.

WHAT IS IT?

I wanted to get up, walk across the room and smack him upside the head. I wanted to shake him until some sense returned to him but naturally I didn’t. I refrained and bit my tongue. Durmstrang was sitting with us and Krum calm along with them. Father had said something about this being possible, but he didn’t say it was for sure. He sat next to me and I took the opportunity to get to know it. It was hard making conversation with him because of his thick accent, but I made due.

Every so often I would glance over at the Gryffindor table, to see if Potter was jealous and seething, but he paid no attention.

Again… no attention.

The Goblet of Fire was also presented to us. Dumbledore warned that he would be using an Age Line to stop under-aged wizards from attempting to compete. I’m assuming that this Age Line is going to be more powerful than it sounds. Otherwise Potter and his friends are sure to get around it and get their names in there.

No…even then. There are likely going to be a lot of older students to choose from. Potter can’t be the best of all Hogwarts students, can he?

Well…maybe for some things.

But no. Not this.

******

I’m going to kill him.

They called the Champions today. The Goblet of Fire spat out the names of the students competing in the Triwizard Tournament (which is now a misnomer) so that they games could begin.

Ah yes, today was an exciting day.

Can you taste my sarcasm? I can.

Krum got chosen for Durmstrang.

Delacour (the girl that all the boys were after) was chosen for Beauxbatons.

Diggory (the Hufflepuff seeker) was chosen for Hogwarts.

And Potter was chosen for, what’s that? Oh yes, a school entirely his OWN.

Yes, that’s right. Potter’s name popped out of the Goblet at the last moment, as though he was some champion from a fourth school that wasn’t named but only he is a part of. School of great wizarding idiots, I think it is. I can’t believe this.

First off, he gets called up to go with the other champions and then when they come out they announce that there are indeed going to be four champions this year, because Mr. Crouch (master of the world, it seems) has decided this is what has to be done.

WONDERFUL.

So not only does Potter get AWAY with constantly breaking rules and doing whatever the hell he wants, but he is practically getting REWARDED for it! Is his drive to be the hero of everything really THAT STRONG? What kind of idiot does he have to be??

He should have been aware, if only from the speech that Dumbledore gave at the start of term, that this is NOT the kind of thing you joke about. This is the TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT. PEOPLE DIE IN THIS THING. Plenty of champions who happened to be the best of their school were bested by the tasks presented and came out DEAD. This is a violent and very dangerous ordeal and NO ONE is going to help him. He won’t be able to get away with being lucky this time! He won’t be able to have his little friends alongside him to make up for whatever skills he might lack. This isn’t just about pure nerve. It’s not just about stubbornness and courage. This is about SKILL and POWER. And while Potter may be talented in some things, he certainly could use some help in some areas and he will not be afforded that chance.

He could DIE in this thing. He could get himself ripped to shreds, or burnt alive, or drowned, or ANYTHING ELSE that inevitably leads to not being alive anymore! Then what will his precious friends do? Does he realize what that could potentially do to his fanclubs? Does he know what that could mean for the whole damn world??

Does he know what that would do to me?!?

NO, of course not! Potter has to have it his way and go around saving the day! It’s as though he’s got some penchant for the incredibly dangerous and stupid moves. Like he doesn’t have a little voice in his head that tells him that perhaps what he’s about to do isn’t such a smart move. Maybe, JUST MAYBE, this time, it’ll lead to his untimely END.

Fine. FINE. He can do what he likes and see what happens. FINE.

I won’t let myself be bothered by trying to help him anymore. I won’t let myself get hurt again.

He has no power over me.

-----IIIII-----

A/N: This chapter was rather hard to write for me (much like the chapter where he gets hurt by Buckbeak, because this has happened to me before. Not the getting turned into a ferret and getting bounced up and down against the stone floor, but I mean being in love with someone that I thought hated me (and whom I pretended to hate) and then getting hurt and realizing that they didn’t really care. So that was a little rough but I think it turned out alright.

Anyway, I hope this is flowing as well as I’m hoping, hehe. Reviews are love and happiness and keep me writing! *love*