[44] Where Snakes Tread

Draco had always felt a distance between them. Back then, he thought Hall was just busy. Too capable. Now he realised Hall might never have been sincere about friendship.

Hall frowned. He'd always thought Draco was the easiest to manage. Their relationship was mutual benefit. He was still the same person. What did a name change matter?

"I didn't ask about your family. Besides, Ron's ordeal happened because of your father. Otherwise I'd still be hidden. I'm not angry. Why are you?"

"What does this have to do with my father?" Draco's eyes reddened.

"Voldemort gave your father a diary. He misplaced it. That caused everything."

"It's not my father's fault! It's Voldemort's!"

The name hung in the air.

"Hall! You called that person's name!!!"

"Names are for calling."

Draco realised what he'd said. He was furious. He wanted to fight.

Blaise grabbed him. "Draco. Hall could subdue you with one finger. Let it go."

Unable to win an argument or a fight, Draco ran.

Harry looked after him. "Aren't you going to chase him?"

Pansy shrugged. "Draco's jealous. You came in and didn't explain to him first."

The Gryffindors only understood then.

"He's my brother! What's wrong with coming to me first? Malfoy's crazy!"

"Draco's baby," Harry muttered. "Fitting name."

Hall's head hurt. He knew Draco was childish, but this was extreme.

A hand appeared before him. Ten Galleons.

Pansy beamed. "Could you please go find baby Draco?"

Ron scowled. "I finally get to see Hall, and you're making him —"

Hall leaned close to Ron's ear and whispered. Ron's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Go! Hurry!"

Hall took the Galleons and left.

Ron was ecstatic. "Hall said he'd buy me a new wand!"

Hall had to find Draco before anyone else did.

Hall stood in the corridor. Where would Draco go?

Dumbledore had borrowed the Marauder's Map. Wasn't giving it back. Hall should have made a copy.

He tapped Helena's bracelet. "Can you find someone?"

Helena spat out her tail, yawned, and nodded.

"Find Draco. Platinum hair. Slicked back so hard a mosquito would slip off."

Helena slid down and disappeared into the lawn.

This tale has been pilfered from NovelPhoenix. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Hall waited. A thought struck him.

If he and Ron were both Slytherin descendants, why couldn't they understand Parseltongue? Was it like Tom Riddle inheriting it from the Gaunts?

Helena returned. She held her upper body high, swaggering.

Hall crouched. Helena climbed onto his hand, then onto his head. She flicked her tongue in a direction.

"Helena. I can't see your directions from up there."

She hissed. Disdain. Then her tail stretched down and pointed.

Hall followed. Helena's tail twisted at turns like 3D navigation.

He spotted Draco at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. By Hagrid's hut. Draco was perched on the windowsill, rear end out, peeking inside.

Hall patted his shoulder.

Draco screamed. Hall covered his mouth.

"Keep your voice down!" Hall peeked inside. Hagrid wasn't there. He let go.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm asking you! You look like a peeping tom."

Draco brushed off his robes. "I have a reason."

"Oh?"

Draco's smile was malicious. "I'm going to report Hagrid. I'm going to tell my father."

One problem led to another, and before long Hall found himself face to face with Hagrid's latest disaster.

Hall raised an eyebrow. "What did Hagrid do?"

"He's keeping a dragon!"

Hall remembered. Quirrell had bribed Hagrid with a dragon egg to learn how to get past Cerberus. That meant Dumbledore had hidden the Philosopher's Stone in the same place as canon.

He wondered what Tom's fragment's expression would be when he finally got the Stone and found it was a fake.

But Hall had lost interest in the Stone. What interested him was the baby dragon.

Dragons were endangered. Their materials were priceless. Dragon skin was immune to most damage. The only legal source was the Romanian Dragon Protection Association, which sold naturally shed materials in small quantities.

If circumstances allowed, Hall would love a dragon. But private ownership was illegal. Dragons were dangerous. They'd eat a human without a second thought.

His brother Charlie had scars from dragons. Charlie called them badges of honour.

If Draco reported Hagrid, the Ministry would make trouble for Dumbledore. Dumbledore would have to make concessions to protect Hagrid.

Hall noticed the way Draco looked at the baby dragon. Tender. Almost creepy.

"Would you like to raise a dragon?"

"Of course not! I just wanted to look."

Draco cursed. "Hagrid. Letting a newly hatched dragon live on ordinary fire."

His face shifted into something Hall couldn't describe. A perverted smile. "Look. It's so cute."

Hall whispered, "What if I could get you this dragon?"

Draco's eyes lit up. "Really?" Then his face fell. "My father won't allow it. The cost is too high."

A dragon ate a dozen sheep per meal as a juvenile. Hundreds per meal as an adult.

"I can convince your father." Hall turned to face Draco. "But you have to promise me. Before I've discussed it with your father, you won't report Hagrid. If the Ministry finds out, they might put the baby to death."

Hall was exaggerating. But Draco was impulsive. He'd do anything to spite someone.

Draco muttered his understanding. "Why would I report my own dragon?"

He didn't report it. Someone else did.

When Hall found out, he almost exploded. He'd had his eye on that dragon. Full-grown, the materials were worth a fortune.

Furious, Hall strode back to the Slytherin common room. Draco followed close behind.

Students parted. Hall's aura was more terrifying than Professor Snape's.

"Millison Burstdle!"

Hall pushed open the door. His former roommate was on a sofa, laughing with other students. Hall saw his face and saw the dragon material slipping through his fingers.

He grabbed Burstdle by the collar and slammed him against the sofa back. His wand pressed against Burstdle's throat.

"Look who it is. Weasley." Burstdle's voice was mocking. "Let me go, or the Professor will throw you out of Slytherin."

Hall laughed. "Let's see if the Professor helps you when he finds out what you did." The wand tip glowed green.

Burstdle's heart skipped. Green — that spell? Impossible. Dumbledore wouldn't allow dark magic at Hogwarts.

"You won't dare. Slytherin wands don't point at Slytherins. Are you trying to offend the whole house?"

The other Slytherins stood. Wands ready.

"Thanks for the reminder."

Hall put his wand away. Burstdle smirked. "Go back to Gryffindor, Weasley. Slytherin doesn't want you."

Hall cracked his knuckles. Removed his robe. Tossed it on the sofa.

He smiled.

Bang.

Burstdle and the sofa slammed into the wall.

"Weasley! I'll kill you!"

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