Viper Weed (Remix)

Chapter 7 ... Visions


Harry was having one of the most delightful dreams he'd had in a long while. He was out in the Hogwarts grounds, standing still, and it was raining. He'd sunk roots down deep into the ground and he could feel the water trickling down through the soil so he could soak it up.


All of a sudden, the entire experience was eclipsed by the sun breaking through the clouds, and Harry practically growled with happiness under the light. That was, until he realised that it wasn't light at all, but someone walking towards him, someone who was glowing.


None other than Draco Malfoy stepped out of the light walking up to Harry and gently reaching out to touch his scar.


Harry awoke with a searing pain in his scar. It felt like somebody was burning something into his skull; he could smell the scent of burning plants, burning creatures. With a gasp Harry's eyes flew open and he pushed himself up, looking wildly around the room for the source of the scent still lingering in his nostrils.


It took him a moment to assure himself that everything was all right, and that the fire had been in his dream. Still, despite himself he couldn't forget it. With a frown he moved to pick up his glasses, but instead let out a loud yelp.


His hand. There was something wrong with it. Slowly, gingerly, he turned it over and looked at his wrist with shock. Dotted over his arm and knuckles were leaves. And coming from his wrist…oh Merlin. This is bad. This is very, very bad. With a flick, the small tendril sprouting from his wrist twined around his glasses and drew them into his hand.

---

Harry soothed himself by trying to focus on the feeling of water running over his skin and not on the various leafy tendrils that had sprouted from his wrists, although it was proving to be extremely difficult. The feeling of the water only reminded him of his dream, and that in turn made him think of that smell of burning.


When he finally stepped from under the shower, he sat on the floor and drew on some of that patented Gryffindor bravery. Looking at the plant tendrils he saw that they were small and delicate and moved slightly of their own accord. They curled into tiny coils at the ends, and had a few leaves sprouting from the base.


Well, if the came out, I can make them go back in. Harry summoned all his concentration and focused it on the tendrils. For a brief moment he thought that nothing had happened, but slowly and surely they began to retreat back into his arms. Harry didn't like the way they squirmed under his flesh, but it was only when they settled back into place in his arm that he realised that it was his veins that had burst from his flesh in tendrils and leaves.


With a shudder he turned and examined himself in the mirror. It looked like they were all gone, but he could never be too sure. He checked himself several times before dressing, and as a precaution he conjured two lengths of fabric and bound them around his wrists. Stepping into the main room he headed over to the window. He and his Viper Weed would have to have a serious talk.


It opened its eyes sleepily and blinked at him a few times as he approached before looking hopefully at the spelled tub of meat next to him.


"No. No food for you until you tell me how the hell I woke up to find vines coming from my arms." Harry demanded angrily.


"Harry did? This is good, very, very good!" The plant nodded emphatically.


"No, it isn't. It is very, very bad, and soon I am going to be very, very angry."


"Why? Harry is strong! Think of how strong Harry will be when he has a big bite!" Harry just gaped at the plant.


"Bite? Bite!? You mean I will poison people if I bite them?"


"Only when Harry wants to. This is good! You must tell Viper leader!" It hissed enthusiastically. Harry groaned. He'd forgotten that Herbology was the first lesson.


"Can Viper eat now?" It asked. Harry just nodded and took the lid off of the tub of meat. Although it looked incredibly unappetising, he found the smell rather delicious, and several times when he was feeding the plant he had to stop eating a few pieces himself.

"You really do need a name. What do you want to be called?"


"Viper does not mind. Viper will take any name Harry gives." It mumbled in between mouthfuls of rabbit.


"Is there anything you really like then?"


"Rabbit?" It suggested. Harry just laughed.


"That will have to do. From now on, your name will be Rabbit."


"Rabbit. But most Viper's like rabbit." It pointed out.


"They can have names later. Different names. There's no sense in calling all of you rabbit." Harry said, before adding. "Also, you need to stop calling yourself by your own name. If I'm going to be teaching you to speak properly then you need to say ‘I'. Oh, and you could stop calling me ‘Harry' all the time and say ‘you' in some cases. Just try and imitate how I speak."


"I will." It replied.

---

Harry had been right. Herbology was a nightmare. Things just kept getting worse. First, shortly after finishing his obligatory 20 minutes in the sunlight, Draco had knocked on the door and escorted him to Herbology. He'd acted as if nothing was wrong, and Harry on his own part had to fight not to keep stealing glances at him.


When they'd entered the greenhouse every plant in the building has switched from trying to bite or hiss at the students to just staring at him. To his great embarrassment he'd felt like melting into a puddle of contented goo, and had hissed a greeting before he could stop himself. Then Harry had remembered that they shared a class with Slytherins, and that he was paired with Draco, and several people were looking at him with great suspicion. Luckily most of the year was still too scared to taunt him yet.


Not only that, but he'd been forced to carry Rabbit all through the corridors, and had arrived holding the plant to his chest, protective despite all reservations. Currently Rabbit was hissing very enthusiastically to him about naming the other plants and teaching them language. With a great amount of chagrin Harry took his place by Hermione and Ron.


"Harry, why do you have one of the plants?" Asked Ron, with no little trepidation showing on his face.


"Professor Sprout thought it would be best if I looked after one of them." Harry mumbled.


"No wonder, the way they're all staring at you." Ron said, looking around the room before frowning at Rabbit, who was still hissed animatedly at Harry. "I say, your one looks a bit weird."


"Rabbit's just chatting to me." Harry said, embarrassed.


"Rabbit?!" Ron exclaimed.


"Erm. I thought it would be a good idea to give him a name." Harry said, flushing.


"Why Rabbit?" Hermione cut in, staring in curiosity at the plant.


"It's his favourite food." He explained. Hermione just nodded and looked mysterious.
At that point Professor Sprout called out to the rest of the class and the students quietened down and took their places, Harry saying goodbye to his friends and walking over to where Draco was standing surrounded by a pool of star-struck students.

"Students! To your places please!" Sprout began. "Today I will be revealing your NEWT project. As you well know, these plants are so far reasonably undocumented. However, following the recent sightings publicised in the Prophet, extensive research is being put into them. You will each be assigned a plant to take care of, and it will be your responsibility to nurture it to a reasonable size. Treat this seriously please. You are being given a chance to participate in current and up to date research into an unknown plant." She swept her gaze across the room to check that all attention was on her.


"You will see that beside your plant pot is a list of relevant information. Please pay careful attention to the warnings listed, as once these plants reach a certain size they begin to synthesise highly dangerous venom, and their bites are not to be taken lightly. However, you have no danger of that until they are a meter high. Today you are to follow the instructions on your sheets and take a series of measurements and tests."


Harry looked down at his sheets. It had the standard warnings that Pomona had already told him and several instructions on how to measure the plant and take samples. Harry was relieved to find that they were required to do nothing more than take a leaf and swab the plant's mouth.


"Open up." Harry told Rabbit, and it immediately lifted its jaw so that Harry could run a swab round it.


"What is that for?" Rabbit hissed.


"I don't know. I guess I'll find out how we test it next lesson. Probably seeing if it has any magical properties or something."


"My bite does." It replied.


"Your bite? You mean your teeth?" Harry asked, curious.


"Yes, my teeth." Rabbit agreed.


"What do they do?"


"I have no words for it, but you will find out soon enough." Harry frowned and pulled out a tape measure, flicking it up with his wand to measure Rabbit.


"Stand up straight." Harry told it, and the plant complied.


"You must speak to the rest of the Vipers. They need to know you are the right one."


"What do you mean ‘the right one'?" Harry hissed, but before Rabbit could reply, Draco interrupted him.


"Potter. How do you get your plant to do that?" He asked, gesturing briefly to his own plant, which was chewing thoughtfully on his glove.


"I guess it's just my animal magnetism Malfoy." Harry replied teasingly. When the blonde was speaking to him like he always did Harry barely noticed how radically he'd changed.


"Vegetable magnetism you mean."


"Fuck you."


"With pleasure." Draco's voice dropped into those husky tones he'd used before, and Harry felt himself melting.


"For Merlin's sake Malfoy, stop playing with your stupid Veela power on me!" Harry hissed at him.


"Fine." The other boy spat. "I only do it because you're so damn easy to manipulate. But oh well. Can you tell my plant to act nice Potter? Pretty please?" He added with no small hints of sarcasm.


"Only because you're so girlishly pretty Malfoy." Harry teased before looking to the plant.

AN:/ Sorry I haven't updated in a bit but I haven't forgotten. I've been working with my betas to fix and clean up my stories. I currently have up to eighteen parts finished of this one alone, however, only thirteen are with my beta. Once I've corrected the first thirteen I'll repost them. Never fear! Beta'ed or not I will update again soon. I can't say it will be this story exactly being updated but for those reading my other stories you know where to look. Thanks to everyone for all the reviews and much love to the original author, Dream Red, for letting me continue this wonderful story.

ta,

Juno