“Mr. Potter.” Even without raising his voice, Snape’s voice cut through the chatter in the common room.

Immediately, hushed whispers went through the room. “It’s Snape.” “Snape in our common room.” “Protect Harry.” “Call McGonagall. Quick.” “Get Dumbledore.”

“Mr. Potter.” Snape repeated. “You are to come with me now. Your… services are required.”

Harry rose from the sofa where he and Hermione and Ron had been enjoying the early fall fire. “Yes, professor. Should I?” He gestured at his casual clothes.

“Uniform is not required.” Snape said through gritted teeth. “Now, Mr. Potter.”

“Do you want us…”

“Your services, Mr. Weasley, are not required and would undoubtedly make the situation worse.” He ushered Harry in front of him.

“Is there something wrong, professor?” Harry couldn’t imagine what service he could offer the potions professor.

“There is a small situation that Professor Dumbledore feels your assistance would be beneficial.”

Harry hurried to keep up with his professor’s strides as he led the student towards the dungeon.

“Ah… Mr. Potter, thank-you for joining us.”

“Professor.” Harry acknowledged the headmaster’s greeting. He greeted the other heads of houses and then Hagrid who was staying near a table in the Snape’s private potions lab. While the four heads greeted him cordially, Hagrid failed to even move. “Hagrid? What happened? Is he okay?” Harry approached his big friend concerned.

“A mild case of petrification.” Dumbledore informed him. “Poppy is already contacting St. Mungos about the remedy. Since the incident the other year, the facility has been keeping mature mandrakes on hand. He’ll be fine, I assure you.”

“Petrification? What besides a basilisk causes petrification?” Harry asked in confusion.

“It appears as if…” Dumbledore hesitated.

“The oaf was out in the hen house when he discovered an unusual egg that had hatched. He brought the nest to me; so that I could use the egg for potion ingredients.” Snape pointed at the mass of wood and straw bedding. “I went to retrieve the egg and he shoved me away. It appears as if the hatchling is a reptile. A basilisk hybrid.”

“Hybrid.” Harry shook his head. “I thought a basilisk was made by hatching a chicken egg under a toad. It’s part chicken?”

“Not exactly,” Professor Dumbledore took a second to polish his glasses. “It appears as if someone was able to obtain a runespoor egg.”

“You mean… three-headed basilisk?” Harry shook his head. “I barely survived one head.”

Snape looked at the boy suspiciously. That absurd story from the boy’s second year couldn’t be true, could it? But, Albus wasn’t protesting the boy’s words… neither was Minerva. He could see shock in both Flitwick’s and Sprouts’ eyes. The boy couldn’t
have defeated a basilisk. He couldn’t have… yet…

“This is considerable smaller, Mr. Potter.” Snape almost choked as Dumbledore confirmed the rumors, before adding. “We are dealing with a baby hybrid.”

“That managed to petrify Hagrid.” Harry protested.

Snape was gratified to see that the boy actually had some sense of self-preservation. He had protested the boy’s inclusion in the issue from the beginning.

“Mr. Potter,” Minerva cajoled. “This is a baby snake. It doesn’t realize what it is capable of. I’m sure it was an accident that Hagrid was petrified. If the baby had meant harm, it could have…” She realized this might not be the best way to encourage him to help.

“Killed him?” Harry said flatly. “If you are going to kill it for potion ingredients why do you need me?”

“Mr. Potter,” Snape said stiffly. “There are no perfected anti-venoms to basilisk or runespoor bites. We have a unique opportunity here. This hatchling can be milked to provide venom for research and cures. We simply need to locate it and then ensure that it is kept safely. It could save many lives.”

Harry scowled. He hated that his potion professor was the voice of reason. If the snake didn’t have to be killed, Harry admitted to himself that he as a speaker was the obvious one to locate and capture it. “Fine.” He sighed. “Any idea of which direction
it went?”

The potion professor gestured to the bookcases along the wall. The multitude of potion ingredients, books and other tools gave it amble places to hide.

“It figures.” Harry said in resignation. “Can someone transfigure a pair of mirrored sunglasses to clip on my glasses?” Met with blank looks, Harry had almost resigned himself to going without when a pair came from his least likely audience member, Professor Snape. He realized that Snape being raised in the muggle world was the most likely to understand what he requested. “Thank-you, professor.” Harry clipped the mirrored glasses on to his frames and then he motioned for the others to be quiet and he began to creep carefully towards the bookcases.

“Did you ssssee me? I handled the monster all by myssself.” A childish voice slurred.

“Pfffttt… If you hadn’t got in my way, I’d have bitten him.” The second voice was childish and full of bravado.

“Would the two of you ssssshut up? They are going to hear you.” The third voice was childish and there was a bit of fear.

“Are you sssscared?” The first voice taunted.

“Shhh… look…” the second voice spoke up.

Harry realized that he was nearer than he thought. The snake or snakes were where they go see him. “Come out. We mean you no harm.”

“I underssssstood him.”

“We all undersssstood him, sssscaredy cat.”

“If he getssss closssse, I’l bite him….”

“If you do, you’ll give away our hiding sssspot…”

“Ssssh…” the third voice was exasperated.

Harry paused stepping back.

“Are you alright, Mr. Potter?”

“Yes, professor. From where they are, the hybrid can see me searching.” He explained to the potions professor. “The one head is threatening to bite me.”

“Headmaster, perhaps we should reconsider this course of action,” Professor Flitwick spoke up. “We could have the ministry send a professional.

“The professionals are not speakers and have a significant risk of getting bitten. I have faith in Mr. Potter’s ability to reason with the snake.”

Harry wished Dumbledore didn’t have such faith. He certainly didn’t have faith in himself to reason with three baby reptiles. Taking a deep breath, he resumed scanning the shelves carefully.

“Issss it gone? I’m hungry.” The first voice came again.

“I’m cold…” The third voice admitted.

“Shhh… I’m trying to ssssleep…” The second voice was grumpy.

“It’sssss ssstill there…” The third voice confirmed.

“I’m hungry…” the first voice repeated. “Issss there anything to eat?”

“Ssssso cold and hungry….” The third voice said quietly.

“Now I can’t ssssleep, I’m hungry, too….” The second voice was disgruntled.

“What doessss we eat?” The first voice asked.

“Professor Dumbledore, would it be possible to get a couple of mice?” Harry asked.

“Professor Snape?”

“I assume you are requesting live rodents?” At Harry’s nod, Snape shook his head. “I am not in the habit of keeping live creatures.”

“Would transfigured do?” Minerva asked.

Shaking his head, Harry called softly, “Dobby?”

“The great Harry Potter, sir, calls lowly Dobby?” The small elf bounced enthusiastically on his toes.

“Dobby, Hagrid found a baby snake and it’s very hungry. Could you find me three live small mice?”

“Dobby can.” Before the disbelieving professors could express doubts, Dobby returned with three baby mice held by their tails. “Will these do, your greatness, Harry Potter, sir?”

“These are perfect. Thanks, Dobby?” Harry took the small animals.

“The great Harry Potter thanks the lowly Dobby…” With a wail the elf disappeared.

Taking one of the mice, Harry moved it slowly along the shelf nearest him. “Ssssnakesss eat mice…” Harry said softly. “A nice, tender mouse will fill your stomach. If you come out, I have three nice, plump mice.”

“I want a mice.” The first voice said.

“Sssstop it. It’sssss a trick.”

“I want a mice, too.”

The third voice said firmly. “Sssstop moving. It will sssssee ussss.”

“I’m cold and I want a mice.” The second voice was petulant.

“I ssssaid… don’t move…”

“You’re not the bosssss of me… I want a mice…”

“Ouch…” The first voice was angry. “Don’t hitssss me…”

“Ow… You bitsssss me…” The third voice was now aggravated.

“Letsss go…” The petulant voice commanded. “I wantssss mice.”

“Professor Snape,” Harry didn’t move. “Could you transfigure a nice tank with some warm rocks and some grass and these mice?” He carefully moved the hand holding the two mice behind him. “I need my hand free.” Keeping his gaze on the shelf slightly below is chest, Harry took a deep breath. He needed to move quickly but carefully. The hybrid was writhing as the heads fought amongst themselves. Not knowing which head were poisonous made this nerve-racking. “Professors, which head is poisonous?”

“The middle head of a runespoor.” Dumbledore answered.

“However, Potter, keep in mind, this is a hybrid. The basilisk is venomous and the other heads may have inherited basilisk genes.” Snape interjected.

“Great. Thanks.” Harry rolled his eyes.

“Potter, it is not necessary to put yourself at risk. If you find the reptile, we can stun it.”

“Wouldn’t that kill it?” It was a little baby, Harry reasoned. From what he could see, it wasn’t even a foot long.

“It is possible,” Snape admitted.

“Okay. Professor Snape…”

“Potter?”

“Catch.” Harry tossed the last mouse over his shoulder and lunged for the reptile. He managed to catch the three heads in between the fingers of his left hand and the body with his right. The three heads struggled but didn’t have enough room to attack Harry or each other.

“It’sssss gotssss me… I’sssss not gonna get mice… Helpssss me….” The right head which Harry recognized as voice two cried.

“Itsss got all of ussss….idiot….” Voice three belonged to the center head.

“I’ssss sssscared…” Voice one was the by process of elimination the left head.

“Now whossss sssscaredy cat?” the middle head said smugly.

“Enough.” Harry said firmly.

“Itssss gonna eatsss ussss…” The right head started crying hard.

Carefully, Harry let go of the body which immediately wrapped around his left wrist. Gently he touched the right head, stroking it carefully. “I’m not going to eat you. Don’t cry. Shhhh, it’s okay. I’m going to keep you safe and make sure you have food to eat.”

“Issss you our daddy?”

“No.” Harry felt sad. The baby reptile was an orphan like him. “Your mommy and daddy had to go away, but I’m going to take care of you for them.”

“Issss cold…”

“I know.” Harry noted the other two heads listening carefully. “My professor has prepared a home for you. It is warm there.” Harry moved to touch the left head. “You need to close your inner eyes before I can take you there.”

“The monssstersss will getsss me…”

“I won’t let anything hurt you. You are dangeroussss to me and my friendssss thisss way.”

“No.”

“Come on, I’ssss cold…” The right head pleaded.

“But the monsterssss….”

“I will protect you.” Harry smiled tenderly. “I will make sure you are safe, warm and fed. Please?”

“Pwomisssse….”

“I promise.” Harry watched as with a little sigh, the small head left two membranes close over its eyes. “Now, I know you are tired and hungry.” He stroked the middle head. “Let me introduce you to your new home and we’ll get you fed and bedded down.” Turning, Harry faced his mostly astonished audience. He found Madame Pomphrey had arrived and was directing several elves in removing Hagrid to the infirmary.

“I trust this meets your approval, Potter.” Snape asked snarkily.

Harry decided the man was entitled to a bit of snark, given he had chucked a baby mouse at him. “I’m sure they will love it.” He noted the warmed rocks, a small water area and some cave like structures. He spotted a white huddle in the grass that he knew were the mice. “Hey, look…” Harry held his left head where the snakes could get a good look, letting the three heads loose as he did. “This is your new home. What do you think?”

“Itssss not bigsss enough…” the third head spoke up turning back to look at Harry.

“Not big enough?”

“You will notssss fit…”

“I won’t actually be leaving in the tank with you,” Harry explained. “I will be outside the tank taking care of you. Ready to go in…Uh… do you have names?” Three heads turned towards him and shook side to side.

“You will name usssss?” The first head asked.

“You are Coral.” Harry stroked the small left head that pushed against his hand.

“And me…” The right head asked.

“You are Ruby.” Harry stroked Ruby’s head. “And last but not least, you are Amber.” He told the middle head. “Now over in that corner are the mice. There is one for each of you. Go ahead and eat, then you can sleep.” Gently, Harry placed the reptile in the tank. “Good-night. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Harry started to turn and immediately turned back as the three snakes began crying an baggeing him not to leave them. “Professor Dumbledore, Amber, Ruby and Coral don’t want to be separated from me. Can I take the enclosure back to Gryffindor tower?”

“It is female?” Snape queried.

“Yes, sir. They’re just babies and they are frightened.”

“Mr. Potter, I cannot allow such a dangerous creature to be placed in a student dormitory. If it got lose…”

“I would take very good care of them.” Harry pleaded.

“But you have classes, my boy. I know that you would do your best but as you say they are babies and could accidently harm someone. I think it best they remain here with Professor Snape where they are secured from students by wards.”

“I promised to take care of them.”

“It is reckless to make such promises…” Snape began.

“Yes… yes…” Professor Dumbledore gave a decisive nod. “You are the logical one to care for them. I will have another room added to the suite. You will simply move in with Professor Snape where you can care for them.”

Brown eyes met green eyes in mutual horror.