Chapter Text
Harry was doing some (forced) chores in the garden.
The little five-year-old had asked his Aunt Petunia why he had to wear Dudley's old clothes for school when Dudley got a new wardrobe.
His Aunt had responded that Harry didn't need new clothes when Dudley's unused clothes fit just fine.
Harry thought to himself that a baby hippo would fit in Dudley's clothes better than Harry.
He didn't say anything, but Aunt Petunia must not have liked the look on Harry's face, so she told him to go outside to pull weeds.
Harry did not mind too much.
It was a nice day out.
He daydreamed about school.
It will be different from the Dursleys.
Harry had seen it on T.V.
Children had fun at school.
He never had fun at the Dursleys'.
Harry saw a tuff of weeds under one of the flower bushes.
He lifted the branches.
{Get away!}
Harry snatched his hand back.
Did the bush just talk?
Harry lowered himself to the ground.
Peering into the shade of the bush, Harry saw a glint of dark green.
A snake!
Harry got scared.
He didn't know much about snakes.
In his little body, he just knew they were dangerous.
But...
{Hello?}
He wanted to see if it was the snake that spoke.
The little snake lifted their head.
{You speak?}
Holy cow!
The snake did speak!
Harry felt a buzz like nothing he knew before tingle in his very being.
{You can talk?}
The snake tilted their head.
{You are the one speaking, little one.}
Harry didn't understand.
{Are you a magic snake?}
The snake smiled.
{I believe it is you who is magical. I am but a normal grass snake.}
Harry grinned back.
He knew there was nothing special about him.
This is a magic snake, for sure!
Harry liked her gentle voice.
She was a she, right?
{What's your name?}
The snake coiled into herself.
{I do not have a name. That is a human thing. What about you? What is your name?}
{Harry Potter!}
The snake blinked.
{Nice to meet you, Harry.}
"POTTER!"
Harry jumped.
Aunt Petunia was scowling from the back porch.
"What are you doing in the dirt! You ruined your clothes!"
Harry quickly got up from the ground and started to brush the grass and dirt from his shirt.
It just spread to his hands.
Aunt Petunia was huffing.
"Stop! You filthy boy! Go upstairs and clean yourself up, right now!"
{How rude! Is that your mother?}
Harry looked down to see the snake just barely poking her head out from the bush.
{No. That's my Aunt.}
Aunt Petunia glared at Harry.
"Did you just hiss at me!?"
She pointed into the house.
"Get inside! No lunch for you!"
Harry deflated.
"But-"
Aunt Petunia's glare meant that there would be no arguing back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day, when Harry was allowed to, he went back outside to try and find the magic snake.
He was careful not to get into the dirt this time.
Harry lifted the branches to the bush.
He was disappointed to see the snake gone.
Harry started to look around the garden.
{Hello?}
There was a response from the flower bed.
{Hello.}
Harry's heart thumped as he saw the little green snake.
He crouched down.
{I was worried you wouldn't be here.}
The snake slithered closer to Harry.
{It was I who was worried! Your Aunt has quit the cruel look to her.}
Harry reached a hand out to the snake.
{Can I pet you?}
The snake gave a small chuckle.
{I am not a pet. You should be wary of wild animals.}
Harry frowned and withdrew his hand.
{I'm sorry.}
The snake sighed.
{My, what a pitiful look you have. Very well. You may pet me.}
Harry beamed.
He reached out with his pointer finger and gently stroked the top of the snake's head.
The snake seemed surprised.
{Oh! That's not so bad!}
Harry giggled.
The snake turned her head to his finger and opened her mouth to gently bite him.
{Your human fingers remind me of worms. I would love a big juicy one right now.}
Harry knew where to get worms!
{Wait right here!}
Harry got up to head over to the gardening tools.
Finding the trowel, he went to the softer dirt of the garden.
The snake came over to watch.
Harry dug for a few minutes till he found an earthworm.
He plucked it from the soil.
{Here you go!}
The snake was eyeing the worm.
{I've never been fed by a human before. This is such a strange experience.}
She opened her mouth wide.
Harry placed the worm lightly on her bottom jaw.
With a snap, the snake began to feast on the worm.
Harry wrinkled his nose.
It was kind of gross.
Soon the worm was swallowed.
{That was a good one! Thank you, Harry.}
Harry shifted his feet.
{You're welcome... Umm... Can I name you?}
The snake laughed and waved the end of her tail.
{I suppose if you must! You humans and naming things! What shall I be called, young one?}
Harry was so excited that his mind went blank.
{I don't know! How about Greeny?}
The snake hissed.
{That is a bit childish. You are a child, though, so I'm not that surprised.}
Harry thought.
{Are you an old snake?}
The snake nodded.
{I have seen many summers.}
Harry felt that this snake was a grandma, by the way she spoke.
{How about Miss Green?}
The snake perked up.
{Miss? That is a title, correct? I like the sound of that. Miss Green! Sounds more authoritative.}
Harry was pleased.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As school was just around the corner, Harry was both excited and a little disappointed.
{I wish you could come with me, Miss. I don't want to be alone at school.}
Miss Green was sunbathing as Harry placed the manure down in the garden.
{No need to worry about that. If I am to understand, school is a point in humans lives to socialize and create bonds.}
Harry hoped Miss Green was right.
He wanted friends so badly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry was crying in the garden.
Miss Green was wrapped around his wrist.
Her gentle squeezes help calm down Harry.
School was not at all what Harry had imagined.
With Dudley around, no one wanted to be Harry's friend.
He was so lonely.
Miss Green tickled Harry's wrist with her tongue.
{I am sorry. You have it hard for someone so young. It's not fair.}
Harry sniffed.
{I guess I'll be alone forever...}
Miss Green hissed.
{Nonsense! You still have time! You are just a child in unfortunate circumstances. It will get better as you age.}
Harry rubbed his face with his hand.
{I don't want to wait. I want friends now.}
Miss Green was quiet.
Then.
{How about more snakes?}
Harry glanced at her.
{I am your friend. Why not look for more animals to be friends with? You can talk to snakes; perhaps you can communicate with others, too.}
Harry hadn't thought of that.
{Other animals? More snakes? Where would they be?}
Miss Green pointed with her tail to the fence.
{Past these walls.}
Harry got up.
She was right.
There was nothing here for him at Privet Drive.
He would need to go beyond.
Harry walked to the back fence.
{I'm scared to go alone.}
Miss Green slithered down his wrist to drop to the ground.
{I am with you.}
She went into a hole in the wood of the fence.
Harry pulled at the wood.
It wouldn't budge.
Harry gripped the wood with all his might.
He wanted out!
He wanted to follow Miss Green!
He was going to!
The wood started to move.
Soon Harry found he could shift the plank to the side.
He squeezed himself through the gap.