I Beg Your Pardon, Potter?

Chapter 54

Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as Voldemort's snake uncoiled herself from his chair and slithered out of the room. He needed to stop her somehow. But how to do that without anyone noticing?

He folded his napkin and placed it on the table. He turned to Narcissa.

"Please excuse me," he said. "I need to pop to the ladies' room." He was particularly proud of himself for remembering to say 'ladies' room'.

"Of course," Narcissa said. "Down the hall to the left." He slipped out of the room and went in the direction he thought the snake had gone. He found her a few moments later, leisurely slithering down the hallway that Harry recognized as leading to Lucius's study. He watched as she reached the end of the corridor and curled around the handle of the door in order to open in. Then she slipped inside. Harry looked around. There was no one else in the corridor. So he took a deep breath and followed her into the study, making sure to keep the door open in case he needed to make a quick getaway.

He realized, too late, that his wand was in Pansy's bag which was back in the dining room. He would have to get by on his wits, and perhaps the element of surprise.

Surprise was off the table as Nagini paused near the bookshelf where the (now fake) cup was resting. She turned to look at him and hissed,

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" he shot back. The snake reared back in surprise.

"How can you speak to me?" she asked.

"I took a Rosetta Stone course." The snake narrowed her eyes and stared at him. "That was a joke."

"You're joking with me? Don't you know that I could kill you?"

"I don't think you will."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I'm a guest in this house." Harry hoped that actually meant something. He figured it would be bad press for him to be found dead at Malfoy Manor though, or, rather Pansy.

"What do you want?" Nagini asked, coiling in on herself. Harry had been right. She wasn't going to hurt him. At least, not unless he gave her a reason to.

"What are you doing? What's a soul vessel?"

"You heard that?" Harry nodded.

"I was curious."

"So you followed me?" Harry nodded again. "Foolish girl." Harry took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.

"So what is it?"

"None of your concern."

"But you're one as well?" The snake said nothing, only blinked at him. "Isn't that strange?" he continued after a moment. "To have one's life tied to someone else's?"

"One's immortality you mean. There's a difference." Harry shrugged.

"I've never been big on the idea of immortality. I feel like it would get old quickly." He walked farther into the study and leaned against one of the sofas that sat in front of the fireplace. He did this in order to look nonchalant, but it was also to keep him upright as his knees were trembling with fear. "I mean, what's the meaning of life if it just goes on forever?" He paused and weighed his next words before deciding the risk was worth it. "Particularly when you're spending your immortality as a slave."

"I'm no slave," Nagini spat, raising up again in irritation.

"Sure you're not," Harry said. "I bet you're free to go wherever you want, whenever you want. You're certainly not at anyone's beck and call." He crossed his arms over Pansy's ample chest and leaned farther back against the sofa. The snake's tail was twitching in irritation now, but he decided to keep pushing. "Not to mention, I'm not sure I would want to spend an immortal life as a snake." Nagini's tail flicked more violently.