Viper Weed (Remix)

Chapter 13 ... Before Mankind


Harry shivered. The voices were growing louder, and as they got closer they became more and more jumbled and incoherent. He couldn't help feeling that somehow he'd fallen into a terrible trap of some sort, but they kept repeating what they'd first said, so he was sure he'd at least found a way to find the plant. Draco had latched onto his arm as soon as the hissing had come into his hearing range, and despite all reservations, Harry found it comforting to think that Draco considered him someone who was worth braving the Forbidden Forest for.


Peering out into the dark mist Harry noticed the first of the speakers pull into the clearing they were in. It was a long snake patterned with large dark patches that showed up like shadows in the moonlight. When Draco noticed it, he gave a very un-Slytherin yelp of surprise and tightened his grip on Harry's arm. Harry soon found himself equally scared for more and more snakes were pulling into the clearing, edging closer and closer until they stopped only a meter away from Harry, apparently not fooled by the invisibility cloak.


"The time has come to speak to the oldest of us, the time has come for you to begin. Follow us, follow us, we know the way." The words were repeated over and over, until finally they faded out and just one voice rang out.


"Come. Follow us, we will lead you to the master." Harry flinched slightly at the use of the word ‘master', but dutifully put a foot forwards when the snakes began parting and leaving a thin path for them to walk.


"Are you bloody insane Potter? What could possibly possess you to actually go deeper into the forest?" Draco hissed into Harry's ear, sending shivers down his spine that the other boy would no doubt feel.


"We don't exactly have much of a choice Malfoy. And its not like you can just head back now is it?" Harry replied hotly. Draco grumbled slightly, but took a few steps forwards, and soon they were following the jumbled slithering of the snakes in front of them.


They walked for several minutes in the darkness, and the light became dimmer and dimmer, as the trees grew higher, blocking out the moonlight. Harry thought about using the lumos charm, but decided that he really didn't want to draw more attention to them than he had to. Besides, he found that he could still see quite well in the darkness.


Eventually they stopped, the snakes still circling about them. They were standing in front of what looked to be a spectacular rise in the ground, but Harry had a feeling that he already knew what it was. His suspicions were confirmed when a silvery voice floated through the air.


"Create the light, little one." Harry fumbled in his pocket to obey, whispering the spell under his breath and casting light over his surroundings. What he saw in front of him took his breath away. Draco seemed beyond terror at this point, and simply whimpered and clung to Harry even more closely.


Medusa! It was Medusa, or at least she looked like the fabled creature at first glance. From the waist down, she had the body of a snake but with tree bark as flesh. From the torso up, her skin was white like the viper weed plants, but she seemed to glow in the darkness, luminescent and pale. Harry could see rippling scales on her flesh that were practically invisible on the smaller plants. When he turned his attention to her head he had to gulp. After all it wasn't every day that a woman like creature with tiny viper weeds for hair stood before him.


As it began to move Harry fought the urge to back away. Indeed, everything in his body was telling him to, whether this thing was of his species or not. Draco had already backed behind him and was cowering away, his head buried in Harry's shoulder.


"At long last. I finally get to meet you. I have waited so long." she bowed at the waist. "I am Mianossa Simdus'a but you can call me Mia.


"Mia, the other plants said something about tales. I hope this isn't another of those prophecy things." Harry said a little bitterly. The plant-woman made a sympathetic noise.


"I am afraid little one, that this is far less trivial. The prophecy you talk of has been talked of in the human world, but it still only concerns the human world. This concerns the very vegetation that keeps you alive. You have had the dreams no doubt?" Harry shivered. He could feel that something big was coming. He could feel that he wouldn't like it.


"I dreamt of burning. It was horrible." he whispered. She sighed, a deep sound that felt to Harry like wind in the trees.


"It has already begun then. Sit. Tell the bright one you will not be harmed. This will take time." The creature said calmly.


Harry turned to Draco and put his arms comfortingly around the other boy's shoulders, whispering that they wouldn't be hurt. When he had finally coaxed Draco to sit down he kept his arms around him; still aware of the Veela's panicked breaths.

"Although the human world has only just discovered our existence, the Viper Weeds have been around since a time far beyond your comprehension. Many of your myths tell of a Forest Guardian. We are they. We were created from the primal magic of the earth itself to guide the forests and plants.


There were times when there were many of us. In the great forests of old we would find a place to root, and there our bodies would sleep, and we would tend to the forests and their magic in our dreams. We maintained a precious balance that kept things alive and in their place.


With the coming of great beasts, we were still respected, and to some we were told to channel magic. They became the magical creatures you see today. We were treated with respect because they understood how vital our role was.


With the coming of humans though, things changed. To begin with, you were not creatures of magic, and you posed no threat. However, you found a way to connect to magic. You became witches and wizards. Through your discovery you upset the balance. One, like you a snake speaker, conversed with one of us. He found out about us, and he did not like the idea that humans were not meant to have such a concentration of power.


He encouraged the other humans to kill us off, to combine their magic and remove the Forest Guardians. It was easy for them. We cannot adapt as quickly as you can, and we were not used to humanity in those times. Many died. In desperation, we pollinated lesser magical creatures and the half-breed Vipers you see today were born. They will never be as powerful as we will. But through them we can find a solution to our dilemma.


A wizard, I am sure you know well, has become interested in us once more. I believe you know him as Riddle? He found writings and documents on us many a time ago, but he gave us up as dead and legendary, since those still alive have long become dormant in the untouched forests, and are buried under hills and mountains using the forests and magic to survive.


However, I kept moving. I move, and I hide, but I had to find you. I spread the word of the tales between the plants, in their magic so that you could be found."


Harry was sitting in shock, trying to absorb this information. He had no doubts that it was true; he could feel it in his very bones. But why him?


"I know you wonder why we needed you. I will explain. Riddle has found the sightings and heard the tales of us. He wants to find the secret of our timeless existence. We will live as long as there is green life." Harry took a gasp of breath.


"Wait…you're not saying that I'll live forever are you?" He blurted out.


"All in good time little one." She hissed, and Harry closed his mouth and resigned himself to listening.


"The secret is complex. We were created of the earth magic to guard the plants. But the sap in our veins contains an elixir that links us to the earth, to that magic, and also to the plants. It is a delicate balance. If one is upset, then we die. If the plants are destroyed, then so are we. If the earth magic fails, then so will we. But if our sap is drunk by a human…well…that is unthinkable. The human would forge a connection with the magic of the earth itself if they were powerful enough. They would be made eternal, provided they had frequent access to the sap. That must never happen. That is what Riddle suspects, and that is what he must never succeed in doing."


Harry frowned, no longer wary of the creature just meters away from him. Draco seemed to have relaxed to, and Harry was stroking his back gently and absentmindedly.


"Where do I come into all this though? I mean, I know I have stop Voldemort, but I had to do that anyway."


"Patience, little one. You have been prophesied since creatures began to walk the earth. We knew how different animals were from us. They do not have a connection to earth magic. We knew that this time would come upon us. You are the bridge between two worlds, two species. We came so close to pollinating Riddle, but it is lucky for us that we didn't. It's just that snake speakers are so rare. You must stop Riddle. You know that, but you must destroy him. You must absorb his power, in its entirety. That is the only way that he can be removed."


Harry sucked in another deep breath, mulling over what she had just said. He had to absorb Voldemort's magic? Like he had done to Draco, only really kill someone this time? For the first time it struck him that he would have to kill another person. It was a sharp blow.


"I know that this is a great task, but there will be many benefits. You will be more powerful than any other human in existence. You will have the power of two wizards in your veins, and from this meeting onwards you will have access to the earth's magic. Even many trivial uses of that power will not make a dent in the reserves, so do not be hesitant in your practice and use. It is only a fitting payment for your help. All you need is to get close to Riddle. The very action of absorbing his magic should come naturally. You've already done it before this. That is how we knew you were the right one."


Thoughts were tumbling over one another in Harry's mind. Unlimited power? Voldemort gone? It all seemed too good to be true. But what if the power turned him bad, like it had to Voldemort? Harry sighed. If it was something he was going to do anyway, then he may as well make the best of an odd situation.


"All right. I agree. I'll help you. But what about my first question. I won't live forever will I?"


"That little one, is your own choice. It is something you must discover for yourself. Do you have anything else that you wish to know?"


"How is it that you can speak to me? Rabbit couldn't until I started teaching him." Harry queried.


"I have been around a lot longer than your young grove, and have picked up a few languages over the millennia. I still cannot speak to humans though, something that is frustrating."


"Why…why did Draco change when I sucked the power out of him? He became a Veela." Harry stuttered, trying to find a way to express the topic. It was one he felt slightly guilt about.


"A Veela? You changed his species? You are already truly powerful. If I am to guess, then you triggered something that would lay dormant in him unless he had a great exchange of power."


"Can I do this to other people?" Harry asked nervously. Draco was sitting slumped in his arms, looking dully at Mia.


"If I were to guess, I would say that you could, however, I wouldn't recommend it. Such things should not to be rashly experimented with even if you had complete control. It could be dangerous to yourself more than them not to mention that you would be disrupting the natural order of things."


"Will…" Harry coughed to clear his suddenly rather choked voice. He felt very overwhelmed with information. "Will anything else happen to me?"


"If you try, you should be able to overcome your reservations about sinking roots, and sprouting vines. You will be able to suck magic out of the air it has been cast into, and after awhile, you'll perceive it quite clearly. You can survive quite well with very little oxygen, due to the way you photosynthesize, although you will still need some. Remember that you cannot survive without food. Do not be so foolish as to neglect to eat when in your wakeful state. On that note though, you should be able to go into a dormant state of deep sleep just like us that lets the mind wander without the body. Think of it as a wintering.


I am not too sure, but in the spring, you may flower like the plants around you. You'll probably emit a scent that is very alluring to the right species.


Your teeth may be sharp little one, but you will know when they begin to create the stunning draughts and the poisons. You must be wary of using them then, although with time you will be able to control them.


And finally, I believe you will forge a much stronger connection with the plants, as one of us does with a forest. You already have your grove of plants, but you should not feel limited to one species. Others have much they can tell you too."


She yawned and fixed Harry with a long stare.


"I am tired little one, so tired. I have waited this long for you, but I have been seen, and it is time for me to enter the winter sleep my kin already have. You may see me in your dreams if you look for long enough. Either there or in the place of winter sleep, when it is your time. Before I leave you, I have one more gift."


With that she leant towards him and Harry was faced fully with her stare. He didn't feel like anything changed, but she seemed satisfied and nodded.


"You have access to the earth's magic now, little one."


Finally, Mia uncoiled her body and slithered slowly away, carefully avoiding the trees. Harry watched in fascination as small roots that had begun to form where she touched the ground were retracted with the movement.


Harry watched her disappear for a moment before gently rousing Draco."Come on. We should go now. I don't know about you, but the Forbidden Forest isn't exactly what you'd call welcoming."


"I'm never following you again." Draco mumbled blankly. "I couldn't move the entire time because that creature looked at me. It felt like I was turned to stone."


Harry shifted to look at Draco in concern. The other boy's eyes were misted and blank, and he was still staring into the distance. Harry paused for a moment, perhaps this is where the legend of Medusa sprang from or the two creatures were genetic cousins. Either way, it seemed clear to him what he had to do about Draco. Leaning in, he placed a gently kiss on the Veela's lips, sending a small jolt of magic into him. As soon as he did that, a few words scrambled into his brain, burning themselves into his mind.


"This is a reminder to practice, little one."


Harry frowned, but Draco seemed to have snapped back into consciousness and was getting to his feet beside Harry.


"Promise me, that you will never take me to see that thing again." He said, his serious grey eyes looking down at Harry.


"I promise." Harry replied.


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As promised, here is another chapter. Reviews are welcome, as always. Thanks for all the support. Happy reading!

ta,
Juno