Chapter 2: The Oruwin's Nest
Harry's eyes widened as he peered at the box in the professor's hand. It was small, whatever it was but it was also his mother's so he knew that he would cherish it forever.
"Can I open it?" Harry whispered out.
He didn't mean for his voice to be so soft but he was already on edge from the previous events and English really did sound awful coming out of his mouth. It always felt like his mouth was full of chalk dust when he spoke it and he had to work around how a snake would think and speak versus a person. He couldn't help the small gasp that he involuntarily let out when the professor smiled at him slightly and gave him the box. Harry ripped at the wrapping paper and let it fall to the floor as he tore open the box to reveal a silver ring with two interlocking hoops on the top that looked like arms linked together.
"The knot on it is an iteration of the true love knot. I have a similar one with an eternity knot on it instead on a necklace I constantly wear. I made them myself just before we graduated from Hogwarts and we used them as friendship rings. I thought that you would enjoy having something she used to wear for your birthday."
Harry could only nod his head in agreement as he took the ring out of the box. He had never gotten a real gift before much less anything that had to do with his mother. He wasn't allowed to ask questions about her at the Dursleys unless he wanted to get hit with something. His aunt and Uncle viewed his mother's name as the foulest curse word imaginable to the point that even the flower wasn't allowed anywhere near the house. He started to place the ring on his right thumb only realize the small metal probably would fall right off when he changed into a snake.
"Could you… maybe make it bigger? So that it's a bracelet instead of a ring or would that be wrong?"
"Why do you wish for that?"
"Well, it's just that when I were to eventually turn into a snake then the ring would probably fall off because it's so small but if you could turn it into a bracelet then it would maybe fit in both of my forms. ...I think."
"Very well then. Since it was made with magic it is possible."
Harry watched in awe as the small ring got thicker and grew so that it was a small bracelet just as he wanted instead of a ring. He wiggled it onto his arm before it was done and found that it stopped growing once it was around his wrist and actually shrunk down a bit so that it fit nicely against his skin.
"Awesome." Dudley whispered out from beside him.
Harry felt the sentiment entirely but could only grin at his new present as Snape explained that since it was magic and was now his then he was the only one who could remove it. He had made them with that aspect in mind in case they got stolen and while originally they were intended for just he and Lily he had changed her ring to be able to store a bit of Harry's magic inside of it so that he would be its new owner instead of her.
"We should be off soon. I believe it's time for you to gather your things now as we still have a long day ahead."
The boys did as they were told and went to gather their belongings only to find that they had none. Dudley suggested that his parents had probably stashed their clothes, other than their pajamas, in with their own this morning when they were packing. Neither boys noticed Snape frowning as they came back from the bathroom with only their pajamas.
"Is that.. all that you have?"
"Apparently." The boys say in unison.
"I see. Then our first stop shall be to get Mr. Dursley a locket."
"A locket sir?" Dudley asked hesitantly. Harry wasn't sure why Dudley needed a locket but he knew not to question adults to closely.
Professor Snape seemed to not feel that Dudley needed a reply as he just walked out of the cabin and left the boys to follow. Harry shrugged when Dudley looked at him like the man was crazy but they decided to follow him outside anyway as they clutched their pajamas in their arms. They arrived outside only to find the odd professor holding his right hand out with a long stick in it, like he was trying to hail a taxi.
"What'sss the stick for?" Harry whispered to his cousin as they got closer. The leaves crunched under their feet as they made their way to the man.
"Your guesss is asss good as mine at thisss point."
"For the record Mr. Potter," Harry straightened up as stiff as a board, "I do not mind if you speak in parseltongue so long as your cousin is willing to translate if you are trying to ask me something." Snape said without turning around.
"Um, what's the stick for Professor?" Dudley asked once they got next to him.
"Hm? Ah. My apologies, this is my wand. I'm trying to hail the knight bus so that it can take us to diagon alley."
"Did he just say diagonally?"
"No. Diagon alley. It'sss two words I think."
"What? Is there a reverse lane and sideways avenue as well?"
"I don't know! Why don't you ask him?" Dudley snapped impatiently at him.
Harry decided he was going to do just that when the biggest bus he had ever seen pulled up in front of them in a flurry. At least he was pretty sure it was a bus. The thing was dark purple and looked more like a van if it hadn't been for the two stacks of windows encased in metal that protruded off the top of the van base. It looked more like a backwards camper if you asked him. The bus opened its door to reveal a short white haired man with big round glasses on his face who turned and greeted them all with a smile. Harry thought he very much resembled a small owl when he did so.
"Why hello there! How many for the bus? Three? That'll be one gallon and thirteen sickles then!" The owl man said to Snape in quick succession.
Snape gave the man what looked to be coins and went straight onto the bus without so much as glancing back at them. They followed closely behind him this time and stared at the floating seats as they walked by.
"No luggage?" A tall brown haired man asked them as they passed on their way down the aisle. He had on a uniform similar to the driver with black slacks and a black vest and shirt combination with a bus hat on his head.
"No Stan. Now leave us be and let Ernie know we're headed to diagon alley please. I'd prefer to stop at Madame Elaine's Treasure Trove if possible."
"Righto Professor Snape!" The man replied quickly and tilted his hat at them as he walked away.
Snape sat down on one of the floating seats and eyed them expectedly making the children squirm a bit before they followed his lead once more. No words were spoken between them as the bus started moving. An announcement came on from the driver that they should buckle up before they really got going. The three of them did as they were told as they looked down to see seat belt attachments now next to them. Harry had just buckled his in when the bus jerked forward. The strap did nothing to keep him in his seat due to his small size as he went flying through the air. Midway through his ascent panic took over his senses as he changed into a dark red leaf viper and landed in a pile of suitcases that had fallen off of the overhead rack.
He heard Dudley and the Professor shout for him as the bus jerked once more. Harry burrowed himself under the suitcases and tried not to get squished. Eventually the bus stopped and the suitcases were moved around him to reveal a very concerned Dudley and Professor Snape. Harry slithered out of his spot rather slowly and changed back to human with a dazed expression on his face. He was pretty sure he heard Dudley ask if he was alright but the vibrations in his jaw were still translating sounds for him that humans wouldn't normally worry about.
Going from snake to human when he was trying to hear something was always strange. Sometimes he missed entire words that were spoken and other times he just had to take a few seconds to reply. He found that his hearing was relatively the same in both forms for some reason: vibrations were sent to his jaw and then he could somehow make sense of them. Sometimes he could translate rather loud vibrations and other times he could only translate normal ones depending on the snake he chose to be.
Once they were off the bus and said their goodbyes Harry went back to holding onto the seam of Dudley's shirt once more as a safety net. Snape led them through the odd traffic of the crowded alley and Harry ignored the strange stares and whispers about him as his jaw vibrated slightly with the sound currents. He led them into a shop that looked oddly enough like an open treasure chest that said Madame Elaine's Treasure Trove on the sign above the old door.
Madame Elaine, or who Harry had assumed was her, looked a lot like Dudley's Aunt Marge if she were as thin as a toothpick. Her attitude however was the complete opposite of the woman as she smiled kindly at Harry and didn't comment on his unruly hair. The shop itself looked like a big antique store with baubles and trinkets everywhere. Harry swore he saw a necklace move by itself even though he knew it was impossible. Maybe he really did need glasses?
"Verus! It's so good to see you again!" The woman yelled from behind the counter.
"Verusss?" Dudley asked in a hushed tone.
"Nickname?" Harry supplied while cautiously eyeing the woman behind the counter.
"I was wondering if you had a locket and a booth currently available Elaine?"
"Oh of course! Anything I should know about?"
"Not really, just a reducio and engorgio charm combination, an extension charm and some atmospheric charms for the inside."
"You are aware that you'll have to catalogue the extension charm correct?"
"I was hoping you could make an exception as it isn't for me."
"Oh? You don't normally give out presents. Who's it for then? If you give me a good reason I'll keep it off the books."
Snape turned towards them at them and eyed them expectedly. Harry wasn't sure if they were supposed to leave or explain that the locket was for Dudley for some reason. He didn't have time to ask before Dudley was pulling him along to go peruse the shop, who had apparently picked up on the social cues that the professor was trying to impress upon them before he could. His cousin drug him all the way to the back of the store to look around without so much as a second glance. There was even more weird stuff in the back like jewelry boxes that glowed and metal eyes on locks that followed you.
The cousins eventually went their separate ways to explore the shop while the adults talked. Harry had every intention of looking at all the small shiny things. He truly did, until he heard squeaking behind a rather old looking bookcase. He followed the squeaking vigorously passed old grandfather clocks, through rows of strange globes, and even under a table until he finally cornered the mousey morsel. All of his instincts were telling him that he was hungry, the mouse was food, it's fresh. While the human part of his brain was screaming at him that was not proper behavior for a boy to do. That mice are not food when he's human but he's hungry. He hasn't eaten anything more than that bit of broccoli from yesterday. He didn't remember the last time he ate before that. He swiped up the snake with deft hands and raised it to his mouth, ignoring the fact that it was very much alive and covered in fur. He ignored the footsteps coming from around the corner as he lowered the squirming mouse. He faintly registered Dudley staring at him but couldn't make out the expression on his face. His only concern was the mouse in his hands and how fast it would take him to eat it.
"Harry look at- Harry no! Drop the mouse! Drop it! We will eat later. Now drop the mouse!" Dudley shouted.
Harry glared at his cousin for interrupting his impromptu meal and screamed when he was suddenly drenched in water. Harry reflexively dropped the mouse, ignoring the thud and subsequent scampering, and wiped his eyes of the water that he was somehow drenched in. Glancing up afterward to see a small storm cloud fading from atop his head.
"I'm not a stupid cat!" Harry said once he opened his eyes and saw the smirk on Dudley's face.
"You're right! You're a stupid snake!"
"You can stop now Umdri." Dudley replied in a low tone like he was talking to someone else.
Harry huffed as he thought about searching for the mouse again until a new noise caught his attention. Chattering that he could only describe as one similar to a chipmunk was speaking animatedly near him. Harry gawked at the scene before him as Dudley seemed to be speaking to an eight inch gremlin with blue skin and a red stripe on its head who was standing on his shoulder and holding onto his neck for support. It had big floppy ears on the sides of its head and two small black horns protruding from the top. Its eyes were a deep purple color and it had black sharp nails on each of its hands. Both its hands and feet seemed to have three digits with its feet looking similar to a bird's. The strangest thing about all of it had to be that both Harry and Dudley seemed to be able to understand the tiny creature.
"Glad to be of help Keeper Dudley!"
"What is that thing and how did it get me soaked with water? Also how can we understand it?"
"Well first of all he's not an it he's a him and his name is Umdri. I'm not sure how you can understand him but I know I can because he bit me when I was trying to help him get away from another snake that's in here."
"Honestly Prince Harry, it's like you've never spoken to another magical being before! Didn't your Oma teach you anything?"
"Ugh, again with the Prince stuff! Did that snake tell you to call me that? How many times do I have to tell them that I'm not a prince for them to understand! Also I don't know what the hell an Oma is, so no!"
"Ah! Well then… that is odd. No matter, I shall explain as much as I can to you little princeling! I am what wizards call a Coco Rumsey Catcher. Although we prefer the term Oruwin. As for what you are little highness; you are a prince of snakes and when you grow big and strong you shall be a king of snakes!"
"King of snakes? How is that even possible? There's no such thing as a king of snakes."
"Well of course there is! There is only one creature known as the king of snakes Majesty! They are known by many names sire: the great hatcher of dragons, the protector of creatures, the golem sister's champion, the petrifier of wizards, the most hated of spiders! Why I am referring to none other than the great basilisk! That is what you truly are majesty! Most creatures bow to your decree, others hide in fear and the muggle snakes are your most faithful retainers. The wizarding world is where you truly belong and where you shall rule with your mate until your designated end as fate sees fit!"
"I'm not some great big snake king! I'm just Harry! Boring, ordinary Harry Potter who has dead parents!"
"Of course you are not a king yet majesty! You still need to grow up. In due time you will grow to be the king you were meant to be. Now, Keeper Dudley I wish to find a home that I can grow my precious seedlings in and preferably one that you may also call home if you so desire! Shall we go searching my Keeper?"
"Seedlings?" Harry asked his cousin.
He didn't feel like trying to ask the Oruwin more things since he thought it would be a lost cause.
"He takes care of flowers and other magical plants. He can do small elemental magic to help with their growth which is how he made the small storm cloud. He was trying to find a nice field to grow some plants in but then he got chased into here by that other snake. I helped him out and now he calls me Keeper. Said he wants to stay with me if possible but that his search for a nice field with a low chance of predators comes first."
Harry hummed at this new bit of information. His head felt like it was going to explode. Sure he was glad Dudley made a new friend and it made sense that said friend wanted to try to do what he was supposed to before he decided to stick with Dudley but his happiness was short lived and replaced with panic quite quickly. It was bad enough that every other snake he had ever come across had called him a prince or some variation of but now this tiny magical creature said he was supposed to be a king when he grew up? He barely knew anything about the wizarding world, Professor Snape hadn't exactly been helpful so far, and according to this new guy he was supposed to rule in it with a mate!
No, no, absolutely not. He didn't want to be a king. He didn't even really know what a basilisk was but it didn't sound like anything good. He just wanted to get out of this shop, get the rest of his school supplies and wait out the rest of summer so that he could learn how to do magic at Hogwarts. In order to do that though he needed to find Snape. Now. He found him still chatting with the shopkeeper at the front desk and it seemed that the only thing had changed from when he left the man was that he now had a silver beehive pendant in front of him on the counter. He heard Dudley come up behind him and faintly registered Umdri chattering away from his perch. He paid them no mind as the Professor looked at them with a pleased expression only for it to turn into confusion seconds later.
"Mr. Dursley why exactly do you have a Coco Rumsey Catcher standing on your shoulder?"
"I saved him from a snake in here. He's trying to find a place to grow plants that doesn't have a lot of predators but he also wants to stay with me so it's a bit tricky."
"I see. I believe I have something for you that will assist you in both of these endeavors."
Snape grabbed the beehive and brought them into a medium sized room off to the side of the shop. He set the little pendant on the ground and the boys watched as the nest grew in size. It was silver in color and looked like it had just been plucked off a tree with a pointed top and a relatively flat bottom. The black truncated oval opening near the bottom that looked like it had been painted on was now big enough that they were able to step into it easily.
"How?" Harry asked with a breathless tone.
Snape quickly explained that the inside actually had another world he had created by using magic and that he intended for this place to be a safe space for the boys to go to if they needed, whether in the muggle or wizarding world.
"I've put an altered enlarging charm on it so that it's easier for you to enter. Normally you would have to use your wands in order to use any magic however I've altered this spell so that once it comes in contact with this ring." He lifted his right hand to show them an ornate silver ring that had celtic markings on the sides with a diamond O in the middle that had the bottom lines extending from it a bit.
"Then you will be able to enter it without casting. The symbol is the ancient futhark rune Othala, which loosely means home." He said to them as he produced a similar ring to Dudley and gave a rectangular pendant version of the same color to Harry that he quickly fastened onto his bracelet.
"In its smaller form it I made it appear that the opening was painted on to not attract attention but in reality it's an open hole to a hollow nest. It will shrink back down in size once you are inside and will grow once more when you are ready to leave."
Before any of the three wizards could move the Oruwin jumped off of Dudley's shoulder and ran straight into the nest. Dudley called and ran after him only for Harry and Snape to follow closely behind.
The inside of the nest was filled with plush green grass and blue skies. It even had a sun, trees, mountains and Harry could swear he smelled water coming from somewhere. Snape told them that there was a lake a few hundred feet away along with fruit bearing trees and vegetables growing in natural patches. He even added game such as rabbits, toads, deer and a few snakes and foxes for predators. If the animals got to be too much then they could discuss measures to tone them down but that the populations should stay relatively fine due to everything having a limited food and water source.
Once they looked around some more Dudley and Harry both expressed an interest in having some kind of shelter created in the new space and were soon kicked out by Umdri who said that he would be more than willing to assist them so long as they let him stay and tend to the grounds while they were on the outside. All three wizards agreed and soon exited the nest. Dudley picked up the pendant and put it on his neck after he grabbed its chain from Snape. Both thanked the professor for the extremely generous gift and thanked him even more when he explained that it was already paid for. Food was the only thoughts on their minds as Dudley recounted the event of Harry going after a mouse in his human form.
